In my nation of Australia there is a political movement whose goal is to achieve reconciliation between our indigenous aboriginal people and Australians with a European heritage. Such movements usually involve people who have a genuine concern for social justice and a strong belief that if the misunderstandings and injustices of the past can be confronted and forgiven, healing between races will follow. A worthy goal if it can be achieved.

But we as believers in Christ Jesus must march to a different drumbeat than the one that drives the world around us. The scriptures tell us the truth about reconciliation, and the truth is that there will never be any reconciliation for mankind except through Jesus Christ. When we begin to understand that "God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself...." we are standing on the very foundation of all reconciliation... whether it be between aborigine and white Australian, Maori and pakeha, hutu and Tutsi, Arab and Jew, man and woman, rich and poor, tribe to tribe, nation to nation or a myriad of other historical divisions that mankind has inherited to this very day.

There is one Person and only One who is able to reconcile the great divisions that exist in the world today, and He is Jesus Christ, working through His Spirit to reconcile every willing man, woman and child back to His Father and our Father. Furthermore, there is only one people on the face of the earth empowered to impart this message of reconciliation to the world, and that is the church of Jesus Christ, for God the Father "has given us the ministry of reconciliation." Only the church, you and I, have been chosen by God to carry the message of reconciliation to the rest of mankind. Why? Because it is only the church who bears a living, daily witness that we ourselves have been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ.

And what is this message we bear in ourselves as we walk in this world? The message is "Be reconciled to God." It is the message of the hour. It is the only message with any true hope in it for this world. It is not a message carried by so called popular "peacemakers" of our day like the Dalai Lama or certain Hollywood celebrities. The true message of reconciliation is carried by ordinary men, women and children like you and I who have been granted authority to speak from our own experience.

For the tragic yet unavoidable truth is that no matter how good the intentions of 'good' men and women, or how determined the political agenda, there is no reconciliation, there is no healing and there will be no peace for mankind except we first individually be reconciled to our Father. There is no true message of reconciliation except that borne by the church and ministered by the Spirit of God. There will be no brotherhood without Fatherhood first, and there will be no healing without the Blood of Christ. There will be no reconciliation without the Cross and no peace without the manifestation of the Kingdom. But do not expect this message we carry to be popular, do not expect it to be received without blood, sweat and tears, for it is not politically correct and therefore will be vigorously opposed.

Friends, there is currently much frenzy in political circles to bring about reconciliation and ultimately peace. The stage is being set and soon the so called counterfeit "man of peace" will be revealed. Watch Israel as a gauge for what is happening behind the scenes, draw close to the Lord and stay there. Allow Him to deal with anything that hinders your spiritual walk, whatever the personal cost. And remember who you are!

"children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life......" (Phil. 2:15,16)