Reality, as I said before is that there are those among us that are hurting, hungry, sick, mourning, destitute, afraid, and/or alone. Usually without looking very far, usually under the shadow of the same steeple you worship under you can find those that are in need, both spiritually and naturally.
What is my responsibility to those? How can I help those that I don’t even know need help?
By developing a sensitive eye, an attentive ear, and a decerning spirit. Part of God’s plan for His Church is for the Church to look after Her own.
PRAY, PRAY, PRAY! Pray that God will help you to be sensitive to his beckoning. To be sensitive to the subtle cry of a broken heart, to the longings of a lost and dying soul.
Pray the prayer Solomon prayed, that you’d have wisdom, God’s wisdom to lead. For wise is he that winneth souls.
Comfort can be a trap! When you’re comfortable it’s easy to forget that others are not.
God blesses us for a reason. Not so we can have more, have bigger, have better, so we can be envied or looked up to. I’m not saying a beautiful house is wrong or a nice car or money in the bank. I’m saying that God blesses that we can bless.
God is in control of our eternity, shouldn’t we trust him with our Here and Now. Let the Author and Finisher take control, the Story will have a much better ending if you do.
Very soon after the outpouring of the Holy Ghost in Acts, the Apostles realized something that I think we sometimes forget. They realized that people have needs, both heavenly and earthly. And that both need to be attended to. The Apostles chose 7 men, “full of the Holy Ghost” to look after the physical aspect of the ministry. And this is a ministry. Reaching the Souls of men is often accomplished by being attentive to their natural needs first.
It’s Hard for a Mom to consider feeding her spirit when she can’t feed her kids.
It’s difficult for a man to focus on the Love of God when the Love of his life just crushed on his heart.
It’s hard to Look for the Light of God when the lights at home are about to be turned off.
How can one think about a New Life while they are mourning a life lost?
We have to be sensitive to the spirit, follow the leading of the Holy Ghost and Minister to the needs of others.
James 2 14-17
14. What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Faith without works is dead, essentially faith without works is not really faith at all.
And without faith, it is impossible to please God!
An essential aspect of our calling, our faith is Works. Reaching people in their pain, in their mire, and muck. Hearing the cries of their heart, being the shoulder to lean on, the ear to listen.
Faith is the evidence of things not seen, sometimes it’s the Reality that I am the answer to someone’s Prayer.
You are the answer to someone’s prayer.
God Bless You Richly
Greg
The Swimming Axehead 