The Words of the Robb Family
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The Words of the Robb Family |
"I urge you, brothers, to watch
out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that
are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.
For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own
appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of
naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full
of joy over you; but I want you to be wise abut what is good, and
innocent about what is evil."
Romans 16:17-19
On Saturday, May 17, 2008, I had the privilege to be invited to a brunch given by the National Executive Committee of the American Clergy Leadership Conference. The American Clergy Leadership Conference is a group of men and women who have come together to build up the Kingdom of God. These men and women, preachers and lay people, have come from all racial backgrounds, religious denominations, and ethnicities to serve God as One Family.
Now although I have been in and out of their meetings and programs, I never really committed to this organization, not because it was not right, but because I listened to the deceivers, those who caused divisions and placed obstacles in the Name of Jesus Christ. The Bible does tell us that without knowledge the people perish, and if we do not learn to ask God for ourselves, we will be deceived.
This organization actually fights to have people come and worship God in the beauty of Holiness together, tearing down the walls of division. They try and bring people together and have asked that they learn to love one another regardless of denominations or racial backgrounds. I decided to spend more time with this organization to fully understand for myself if what they were saying is actually what they are trying to do. Working for them for the past two weeks, I have found no fault in them, and they are true to their cause. The problem was with me for no other organization has called us together as one people to work together for one God to build the Kingdom without asking me to give up who I am. Usually when we are asked to work either with a church or organization, they want us to change who we are and to capture only their dreams and visions. However, as I came aboard for these two weeks, I was not asked to change my way of thinking or my beliefs; now I have noticed many who have come with their own agendas and want to change the visions of this organization.
As I worked and prayed with these wonderful men and women of God over the past several weeks to invite people to the National Prayer Summit given by them, I realized as I spoke to people many of them were not ready to really connect with each other in love and peace. So many of the people could not see beyond their own churches or organizations, and felt uncomfortable doing a new thing, and that is allowing iron to sharpen iron, in other words, people of like minds coming together to strengthen each other for the Great Commission. During my time with these men and women of God from different religious backgrounds I noticed that we could all agree on the important issues, and that is that Jesus is the Christ. That one thing alone gave us a right to be in the same family and work for the same cause.
Speaking to people and inviting them to this Prayer Summit actually strengthened me, and God just ministered to me long after the meetings and the work had ended for the day. I found that working every day in this arena, I was spiritually strengthened and had the opportunity to not look at my own problems, or just my race, but to allow God to work things out for me as I worked for Him. Prayers were answered for God does bless the masses; as I looked beyond my need and was given the opportunity to do God's work daily, I overcame many of those things I had been praying for a long time. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to work with the American Clergy Leadership Conference and to have given me a mind to find out for myself what this organization was about. We must learn to stop taking someone else's word for what is right or wrong, but we must learn to investigate and seek God for the true answers.
The National Prayer Summit that was on Saturday, May 17th, was awesome and God showed up. The National Board with the help of the Washington Chapter gathered men and women from all across the country to come and pray, asking God to bless this nation, family, and the community worldwide. I know that God showed up because I could feel His spirit in the place. God and God alone guided each speaker, their words became His words, and we were lead to a joyous time with God being the Head.
We all must learn to get past those things that keep us from growing and being blessed. Some of us are walking in division and really do not understand why, because we really are not wise. So many others are afraid, and people play on our fear to keep us from moving upward, and still others are just plain stubborn and refuse to change. God does want us to come together and love one another. God does want to bless the masses, and He does want us to learn to live in harmony with one another. I believe that we can do it for real for I saw so many on Saturday coming together worshiping the one God: Korean, White, Black, African, Japanese, India, Jewish, Native Americans, and so many others coming to pray, coming to seek God, coming believing God is the answer, coming with hope not only for themselves but for others as well.
The Apostles of old tried to get the people who believed in Jesus Christ to come together, and we are still today trying to get the people to see that we need each other; when one cries we all cry, when one is hurt we are all hurt, when one dies we all mourn. This organization is reaching beyond personal beliefs to ask that we come, so I too am reaching beyond my own personal belief and ask that you come and let us be a part of each other. Let us learn to feel each other's pain and rejoice in each other's joy. God bless you, and I pray that you, too, wherever you are, remember that God is the answer, Jesus is the Christ, and we as brothers and sisters can rise above our circumstances.
I must also add that on August 9, 2008, these same men and women are sponsoring a Global Peace Festival that will be held on the Capitol grounds. You are all invited and there will be singers, games for children, and speakers for adult enjoyment. Peace is needed not only in this country for as I write this and listen to the news for Washington, D.C., two young men have been killed. Peace is needed in Third World Countries. Peace is needed, and to get to the place of peace we must start with ourselves and learn to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Place that date on your calendar, August 9, 2008, and for those in the Washington Metro area, there will be another National Prayer Summit on June 21, 2008. Please let me know if you would like further information.
Rev. Dr. Addie S. Robb