Eph.3:18,19 – Then you will be empowered to discover what every holy one experiences—the great magnitude of the astonishing love of Christ in all its dimensions. How deeply intimate and far-reaching is his love! How enduring and inclusive it is! Endless love beyond measurement that transcends our understanding—this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God!

Ever since the beginning of our fallen race there has been discord and division among the people of the world. In Genesis there was Cain killing Abel and then the scattering of the nations at Babel. We have been dealing with division and racial strife since the beginning of mankind. Some think it is based on color but history proves otherwise. In Burundi we were horrified as the Hutu and Tutsi tribes decimating each other. In Europe there was the Croatians and the Serbians. Today, the Sunni and the Shia in the Islamic world are at each other’s throats.

The strife amongst people is spiritual. We are not only alienated from God as a result of the fall of man, we are alienated from one another. The answer lies not in war or in peace talks. The solution to this strife is the love of God poured on us and in us. Only a change in our nature can finally solve this problem.

I have seen the fruit of the outpouring of the love of God with my own eyes as the Lord has allowed me to visit the nations of the world preaching the gospel of Jesus. In Korea, I have seen thousands of South Korean Christians praying for hours for the restoration of their country. In Japan I have seen ancient hatred between the Koreans and the Japanese disappear in the presence of the Lord. In Russia, I witnessed hundreds of Americans preaching to the Russians as the walls of distrust vanished in the atmosphere of His love as Russians streamed into the kingdom of God. In Africa, I have seen Christians and pastors from many different tribes come together and worship the Lord and share the communion that flows from the cross. I have seen the Nicaraguans and Costa Ricans dancing together in the joy of the Lord. But my greatest experience of this love that knows no bounds is the privilege of pastoring a multi-racial church in New Orleans. “How deeply intimate and far-reaching is his love! How enduring and inclusive it is! Endless love beyond measurement that transcends our understanding—this extravagant love pours into us until we are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God!”