27 Million.

As the first post of 2012, I MUST make known a severe issue that is happening in our world.  There are 27 MILLION slaves in the world today.  That is more slaves than there have ever been before in history.  We thought slavery was abolished.  We thought incorrectly.  SLAVERY STILL EXISTS.

Will God's church come together and rise up against these evil doings?  Who are we?  What do we stand for?  Would I be one of those women trafficked if I were living in Nepal or Ukraine?  Oh wait nevermind, I could be one of those women even as I live in the United States.  We live around this stuff from day to day and do not even RECOGNIZE IT!  We purchase products of slave labor every day.  Does that make us supporters?  The excuse used to be 'I didn't know.'  Well guess what?  Now, WE KNOW. And if we as the church do not take action, we are turning against the very heart of God.  We can act radically and jump straight into the mess or ask God what He would have us do, but whatever we do, remaining silent is NOT an option here.  It is THIS GENERATION who WILL rise up for God's glory.  Let me present the truth...

"If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." -1 John 3:17-18

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." -Proverbs 31:8-9

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor" -Luke 4:18-19

"Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause." -Isaiah 1:17

GOD LOVES.  WE WERE MADE IN HIS IMAGE.  WE WERE MADE TO LOVE.  WE WERE MADE TO BE LOVED. These people, 27 million seperate people, need to hear-know-feel-experience God's love. A generation united for FREEDOM.  DO-SOMETHING-NOW.