1 John 3:17 NLT
If someone
has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need
but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?
As I sat in a meeting yesterday I heard and read some things
that really are shocking. This is one of
those monthly meetings where we talk about and plan to help specific people who
are rarely served in and around Martinsville and Henry County, Virginia.
The first report that shocked me was a printed sheet that
gives the numbers of people in our state’s prison facilities that will be
released into our area in the next 12 months.
The report stated that for our city and county over 110 people will
return to us after spending some time behind bars. There are locations that have higher numbers
than we do, but this is a vital number because these people will need a place
to live, a job to work and more resources as well.
The shocking truth is that few, very few employers will
higher people who have been in jail.
Without money and the support of family many of these people will not
have a place to live. That means that
these people, who are loved by God, will need others to step up and help
them. I am not talking about a hand out
but a hand up to seize the potential God built into their lives.
We meet people each week who have a past. Some have major addictions to their drug of
choice. Most have strung together bad
relationship after bad relationship teaching them that no one really cares and
no one can be trusted. I want to help
people, the people I was meeting with have a deep desire to help those who have
fallen through the cracks and need people who care. We are positioning ourselves to help and make
a difference.
The next shocking truth was in an article that a friend in
Oklahoma sent me yesterday morning and that was being passed around the table
at the meeting. You can read the article
at this link: http://homes.yahoo.com/news/the-poorest-cities-in-america-172735755.html. Within the article the author shares the 10
poorest cities in America based upon the U.S. Census Bureau findings in their
latest research. The 7th city on the
list of the poorest in the nation is our own Martinsville and Henry
County. That was really shocking to me.
We have been on the top of the unemployment list in our state
for a long time. Each week our church
gets the opportunity to help many people.
Through the 7 years that The Community Fellowship has been alive we have
helped thousands of people, and the numbers have been increasing each year.
Those people coming out of prison need people to come along
side them and to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Those who are living in poverty in our
community need people who will reach out sharing the blessings of God both
tangibly and spiritually. We have the
opportunity to do just that.
I haven’t said much about the government shutdown going on
right now, but I see the signs that point to the fact that we are about to get
the opportunity to help people much more.
As benefits are reduced, the needs of our friends will increase. The choice is ours to meet these needs and to
speak to people in the name of Jesus. He
is the one who changes lives. We get to
meet needs because God provides us with the resources to share. Jesus changes lives as people put their trust
in Him.
Pray for those in need in our community. Pray for those in need in your
community. Ask God to provide the
resources that you can share with others and ask Him to open conversations where
you and I can talk about Him.
1 Timothy 1:16 NLT
But God had
mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great
patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal
life.
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