Galatians 3:28

In Christ, there is no difference between Jew and Greek, slave and free person,
male and female. You are all the same in Christ Jesus.


I just blogged but it was such rambling that I'm starting over.
Lord be with me.

This past week I was asked what my summer plans were.
I mentioned the possibility of Skid Row and Mexico.
Forgot who I was speaking too.
An unsaved man with arms crossed and defiant telling me directly "they choose to be homeless."
hm.
It reminded me of a sister telling me that very same thing last year about the Tenderloin homeless.
And a brother telling me a couple years ago that "the poor will always be among us so I don't feel called to papago ct."
hm.

I don't think I've ever been exactly "there" with my attitude, I just wasn't raised to step on people when they're down
and had parents who constantly fed others and provided for others and had people living with us who needed a place to live.
I wasn't raised with defiance like that towards the poor...
phew.

I have had to repent though and ask forgiveness from the LORD for my pride which has led me to believe
that "if I could just get them into a program then they would be saved" sort of attitude...
or "if I could just get them into a safer housing area" it would be better or "if they had a cozy church to attend each week"
then "they" could be saved mentality.... when I think my pride was telling me that "if they could have what I have or live where I live or be more like me" then their life would be better somehow.... and that's not JESUS.


Forgive me my LORD for my pride.

I think that's all I knew or was taught by a sort of "prosperity gospel" being taught throughout my life in church or
maybe it was all just satan whispering into my ear to keep me away from hungry, hurting people...
to maybe dissuade me from thinking me, a mommy of 3 could possibly make a difference in the lives
of hurting people. A lot of it was pride and a lot of it was false teaching. And I praise GOD for removing that pride and doing a new work in me and forgiving me for that sin... mercy.

What I have come to know is that
JESUS is more than enough for the guy living on the street. A program only lasts so long and can be helpful but without JESUS in the person's life, the person would graduate from the program and still spend eternity without GOD.
JESUS is more than enough for a pregnant, single mother (I can testify to that)...
JESUS is more than enough to a restore lives.

I know I've blogged before about how I thought I was being "kind" to people by just smiling at them when in fact I did nothing to lead them Christ... and how I had to repent of that too.
I was not preaching the gospel to them or testifying about the LORD and asking people to seek GOD in all things and I was not telling people that it's repentance and faith in JESUS that saved my life and changed my ways.... and that the realization
of my kindness without preaching was actually not kind because I was in fact allowing people to go to hell...
I was more afraid of offending a friend or relative (and still struggle with this) by sharing JESUS with them
than I guess afraid of them going to hell, denying Christ and in the mean time I was just as much if not more of an offense to GOD as they were because I knew better so I should have done better with the message of the cross.
UGH.
Forgive me LORD.

From the above scripture my devotion book says that JESUS dared to treat and did treat every person with dignity and
compassion. He gave each person value and love and their status didn't hinder HIM from viewing others as being worthy
of HIS love, HIS time, HIS acceptance. The reason, is because JESUS knew that each individual was a
person created in the image of God.

Today I pray that the LORD would remind me of such things and you of such things...
Maybe you too have been taught that "the poor will always be among us" in a way that has caused you from thinking it's their "choice" to be without clothes or food... repent. Not everyone living on the streets is unsaved... Not every child living in the garbage dumps is unsaved. All could use a dose of encouragement from having JESUS preached, a prayer from a brother or sister in Christ and a hot cup of coffee on a freezing night... fellowship with believers doesn't only occur in church buildings and some of the best worship I've ever joined was on Skidrow.
For those that have never heard the gospel message and never been to church it is crucial to take the message of the cross to them, wherever that leads you.
Recently it's led me to social gatherings and school functions and Disneyland and single mommas and widows and married wives who aren't wanting to submit to their husbands....and for Rudy it's led him to convicted pedophiles and crowds of families who don't speak english and pastors of big churches and business men and teens...
JESUS took the time for all people not just "church" people.
Maybe you too have been full of pride over thinking people outside the walls of your cozy church "need to get their things together or hit rock bottom" before you even dare petition the LORD for them or give them a sandwich and a pair of shoes.
Yes, the LORD will allow people to hit rock bottom if it brings them to repentance~
He'll allow cancer and tragedy for people to get there~
But HE's already allowed you to help others get there and sometimes it takes years of prayer and others it just takes your obedience to do what the bible says and go and preach the gospel or blog a blog or send a text to someone to start a conversation and ask someone and tell someone about the LORD~
HE will use those very simple ways to lead someone to repentance and to Christ...
Won't you please try?
Maybe you have never been in need and don't think you need CHRIST even as you read this because of all the abundance you have and live in.
I don't know where you are, but I know that satan uses such things to twist us away from the things of GOD.
JESUS was sent to be an example to each of us to love one another. He wasn't sent so that we may enjoy the comfort of a new home or sent so that we may have opinions about others who don't wear $150 pairs of jeans... (yes Rudy, that's cheap in some circles)
JESUS wasn't sent to be an example to us Christians that we should just stay in church and drink coffee and look pleasing and look at others and share pleasantries or go on garden tours or camping trips for pleasure and call that ministry and not offer food to the hungry or clothes to the naked.
JESUS wasn't sent so that we could sell a book and profit off of the tithe and turn our backs on the sick or widows.
No.
JESUS was sent to heal the brokenhearted and set the oppressed free.
Anything short of HIS example that we do is a filthy rag and demands our repentance.
Since we will always fall short of the glory of GOD, we have a lot of repenting to do, don't we?

I am heartsick over a very many things... but do count it as joy that I can testify that the Holy Spirit is stirring me to have a mind of Christ when put into situations with people who view others as "unworthy" of their time, talent and treasure... or even view themselves as unworthy to do anything in the name of JESUS.
I am heartsick
that attitudes towards people that are different than ourselves in general are difficult but especially unloving towards the poor...
i am heartsick
that attitudes from many church going people are indifferent towards the homeless and hurting and lost in my city... my country... my world...
i am heartsick
that I get caught up in circles of people who are following false doctrines and false teachers and are on the pathway to destruction...
i am heartsick
that I was entangled in snares of false teaching and secular minded philosophies for years yet still thought i was going to heaven along with every other creature.

I urge you to seek GOD today on your own.
I urge you to urge others to seek GOD and not man in all things.
I urge you to get up and stand on your feet, planted on the ROCK and be the mother, wife, husband, father, daughter, sister, brother, son, friend, pastor, mentor the LORD has died for you to be... who's life offering would be pleasing in GOD's sight and bring glory and honor to the name of JESUS.
Oh LORD that we could turn our thoughts, minds, actions away from the power of satan towards the light of YOU.
Forgive us on this day, oh GOD.
That we may find favor in your sight.
In JESUS name I pray, AMEN.

Lori