A Cry from my Heart

[paul]

A Cry form My Heart
Far to many Christians have mistaken God’s financial blessing as individual provision rather than resources with potential for building the Kingdom of God both at home and abroad.
Many churches in the Christian community have isolated themselves from the poor and the lost. It has been said that much of the western church worship in a soundproof glass sanctuary. As the statistics of the growing weakness of the church, the number of unreached and those in poverty grow, the church only sings louder so as to not hear the staggering numbers or their cries.
God is using the cries of the lost and poor today to call His Church out of her soundproof sanctuaries/ He is challenging the Church to respond to a world in need. The recent earthquake in Haiti has seen an unprecedented outpouring from around the world to meet the need of those whose lives have been devastated. Yet everyday throughout the world over two-billion lives are devastated by poverty and sin. The Churches must respond.
Many times I have ministered in Churches overseas, only to leave and outside see so many lined up begging, hoping for compassion from the Christians. I often think of the lame man sitting by the gate beautiful hoping for some alms from the pious passing by. They know there place, we have defined their place, outside.
How many are sitting outside the gate ? How many have been told by the Church they are un worthy, unfit, unclean ? How many are standing outside our gates? In our cities, communities, even in our family. God is calling us to tear down the gates. Stop isolating ourselves from those around us.
When I use the word poverty I want you to understand what I mean. We generally assume that poverty means that people cannot help themselves. Not true. Poverty is the inability to change circumstances, not the inability to help oneself. I see people steeped in poverty who have the where with all to help themselves. They turn to drug trafficking, prostitution, theft. But no matter what they turn to, they can not change the circumstance that has created the situation they are in. Only the Word of God and the Power of the Holy Spirit can change the circumstances.
That is why we cannot stop now, we must with every once of being in us not only reach the lost with the redemption message of Christ, but disciple them with the Word of God, and see them empowered with the Holy Spirit. This and this alone will help them change the circumstances they are in.
But this can never be done if we continue to keep them outside the gates. Let us open the gates, as a matter of fact why not just remove them once and for all.
Paul

After months on my face before the Lord, I feel God is asking me to share more in these areas to the Body at large. I am not looking for places to preach as such. But if your church is hungering to reach the unreached I will more than happy to share and help in what ever way possible.

[Jennifer Smith]

Paul, this challenged me and this is something I have sensed the Lord saying also. It has been a repeating theme in my heart over these past weeks, and also James 2 which speaks of favoritism in the church and showing preferential treatment to those who come in wearing expensive clothing over those who come in poorly dressed. I agree that there is a call to give and share with the poor and to love them in spite of the outward appearance.