Stepping Beyond the Glass

 Ann Arbor, 

MicHIGAN 

Delonis 

Homeless 

Shelter

Today I stood on the other side of the glass on this December cold, wet and snowy day in Michigan. The glass really had a symbolic feature acting as a barrier from the world. The world had beaten these friends down. They have no where to go, no recourse and no where to go. To coin a phrase: They are throw away people. The glass room had many small groups of people that held maybe a 100 outdoor friends. They were there inside to receive a small respite from the cold: heads down on tables, tears in their eyes, and genuine sorrow everywhere I looked.

 It was the eyes that made me most sad because there was no seemed hope. I stood at the door with my small token and felt this overwhelming desire to help every one of them. Only a few friends came to the doorway of the shelter because they didn't want to lose their place in the shelter. I stood at the door trying to offer a shred of hope. See the hope I had to offer them was not in a sausage biscuit, a scarf, or some gloves; but the hope I have to offer is the truth of salvation in Jesus Christ.  

Today, we prayed with Keith. He asked for prayer for God to bless him. He stood there in the doorway desperate for a touch from the Lord as tears ran down his face. Bro. Mitchell and I laid hands on him and asked that God come right beside him. The power of the Holy Ghost came down in that small little doorway in such a mighty way. Others looked on with doubt and most looked the other way to hide their pain. But we came to offer hope and today I was a humble servant reaching for those lost sheep.

I cried all the way to church this morning. I could not escape the anguish and pain I saw in those hopeless and homeless eyes. The hopeless are around every corner if you actually stop and look in their eyes. They are searching for the truth! The only truth that there is; “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved,” Acts 4:12. How will they hear the truth unless we tell them? How can we reach them unless we go? What is the salvation plan?

Peter knew who Jesus was and because he knew who he was Jesus rewarded him with favor:

"When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:13-19

It was here that Peter was given the authority from Jesus Christ. This is an important element to understanding why Peter had the authority to tell the church how they must be saved. He had authority because it had been to him ordained from the Lord.

People asked how they might also be saved after the initial outpouring of the Holy Ghost with evidence of speaking in tongues; ^“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” Acts 2:4. The emphasis is on all and the Holy Ghost evidence in tongues.

So now we know that Peter had the authority and we know what the Holy Ghost is evidence of…

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Acts 2:36-39

We the church has lost sight of what we are supposed to be doing. We have allowed the state to take over where we are supposed to be servants to the needy. There is no love and compassion from the state. There is no hope for change because the state can only offer basic needs. But we the church have the ability to meet their physical and spiritual needs. We are to go to the least of these because when we do we are indeed doing it as if it were Jesus.

"And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in.  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." Matthew 25:33-46

Will you help me reach them? Will you go beyond the glass wall and be willing to step out in faith? Will you meet their physical needs and spiritual needs? We are the church this is our great commission. We are to feed the sheep! We are to go to the highways and byways reaching the lost and desperate. Will you step out beyond the glass?

If you are in the Detroit Metro Area I am collecting: 

Scarves

Gloves

Hats

Sweaters

Coats

Blankets 

Boots

Please contact me on Facebook or Maesong@gmail.com and I will come and pick up your gently used items. If you would like to donate for food please contact me as well! God Bless you! Let's make a difference together, In Jesus Name!!!

I Am Preparing Your Heart

          I am preparing your heart…<3

    Come walk with me awhile,

     If I fall catch me by the hand,

       When I’m standing I will smile,

      Knowing you’re there if I land.

 I think the hardest thing in life is hearing the plan for your life. You struggle with it, you pray about it, and you fast about it. Then you let it roll over and over in your mind thinking that there can be no way that you can ever do the things that God has called you to do. Then finally you accept the word from the Lord. He has shown you over and over in prayer, maybe dreams or even visions. He has confirmed it with others in the plan. You even hear the preached word so you finally throw yourself on the altar saying:  “Yes, Lord I accept the challenge.”

Now you expect the road to be hard and yes your human and are waiting for the other shoe to drop. Those in your life, who are supposed to be your support, then turn their backs on you. Your world crashes down all around! You ask yourself often; did I make up this dream? I mean you didn't really expect the dream. You didn't ask for the dream. But you know God put it in your heart! How else would you ever have such an impossible idea? Who would change their life so drastically if they didn't hear the Lord tell them to go? I am reminded of the scripture:

And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. Matthew  9:29-30

 Now every day you are faced by every opposition and fear and doubt come in like a flood. Then you are reminded of the promises of the Lord. “IF” you will do what I am asking THEN He will make a way. See he truly is the way maker! He is the author and finisher of our faith. He knows the end from the beginning. He gave us a promise to those he called to his purpose. And his word will not return void for God cannot lie!

  

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:28-31

If he has called you to a plan then He will fulfill his will in you. What do you do in the meantime? He is holding you in the palm of his hand. He my friend is preparing your heart. He is making a way when there seems no way. He is asking you to wait on him and trust in His ways.

He is preparing your heart through:                                                          

1)  You seeking Him first in all things

2)  Prayer and Fasting

3)  Faithfulness to His word

4)  Trusting in Him

5)  Refusing to allow adversity to overtake your fight

6)  Faithful in the small things and He will reward you in the big things!

You may have thought your promise was right in front of you but maybe just maybe He is testing you in adversity to see if you truly seek Him first. If God told you a plan or made you a promise it will come to pass. Do not fear the unknown but allow the unknown to be a time where you grow your faith.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen… Hebrews 11:1

 

If you want to hear the voice of God and I mean truly hear his voice, let me teach you how:

1)  A true repentance, throwing all your fears and doubts on the altar and turning from this world.

2)  Ask the Lord to sanctify and cleanse your heart every corner, that there be nothing hidden from Him.

3)  Thank the Lord for being in your life; thank Him for every adversity and every blessing.

4)  Pray in the spirit; speaking in tongues allowing God to speak through you. This will take practice but when you want to quit, that is when you keep pressing on until you feel the Lord release you.

5)  Ask the Lord for what you need ask Him in this special place for everything He has promised you.

6)  Stop and be still and listen for the voice of God. It may take a little bit BUT He hasn't ever returned void when praying this way.

7)  It’s important to praise him at the end of your prayer. And to thank Him once again… Ask the Lord to keep his Angels round about you because when you pray like this the devil is not happy because you have entered into the throne room of grace!

Know this my friends that God is preparing your heart and He is preparing the hearts of those who will impact your life. Do not give up hope and do not stop fighting the fight. Because just when you think you can’t go on anymore your miracle is just on the other side of the stone wall. He truly is preparing your heart!

YOU NEVER KNOW HOW CLOSE YOU ARE SO NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS!

The Misplaced Invitation

It was an uneventful day like any other. I went to work at the same time I came home at the same time. I ate the same food I normally ate. The bills were the same and the cares of this life were the same as ever before. The people in my life were the same never looking past the faces that were familiar in my life. It was just my life lonely, depressed, uneventful and empty. Most nights I cried myself to sleep because I was broken in my life of mediocrity.

There came a decree in all the land the king sent out a 'Royal Invitation' for his son's wedding. The king was so hopeful because he wanted to share his joy with all the land. He sent out invitations to all the most respected people of the land. All of his employees and co workers everyone he ever knew. What a joy to share his blessings with all he loved. The king was so disappointed and then he was mad. No one responded to his invitation. Everyone ignored his request; everyone was too busy with their lives to be bothered with the son of the king's wedding. So the king sent out a decree and he banished all the people he knew and turned his back on them. He sent his servant to the highways and the byways with a decree- “Please bring me the least in the land because those who say they know me do not want me in their lives. So now I will share my blessings with those who do not even know my name."

So this where my story begins...

I made my way down the street as I usually did at the same time I always do. I passed the same beggar on the street that I always did, but today was somehow different. I saw a servant of the king gathering up the homeless and broken people who were on the streets. I looked up and saw the King's golden chariot where the servant had gathered the many other broken people. Their clothes were tattered, they were hungry, they had tears in their eyes, and they had lost their hope. I began to weep as I thought of how much I had been blessed with but then realized I too felt so empty and lost.

~REACHING THE HOMELESS~

I was intrigued, what did this servant want with these people and where was he taking them? I began to follow him. At every turn I saw him reaching in the darkest alleys. He went places I never even knew existed and reached for people that I chose to ignore. He reached for them giving them food and drink. Something in my heart was touched. I heard the servant say, “Here is something to eat now but the King has sent me to invite you to his son’s wedding. When you eat with the King he will give you food that will forever change your life.” The servant reached out with such compassion and love as he helped so many lost out of the darkness.

I knew that I too wanted to feel that compassion and love in my own life. I followed for many miles; I fell a few times, broke a shoe and landed in the mud. Yet still I followed. I fell one last time before the servant turned to me. He picked me up out of the mud and said," why are you following me?" I was taken aback because I didn't know he had seen me following him. I said, "I'm following because you are a servant of the King and I was surprised to see you helping these broken people. I see the compassion in your eyes. It made me realize that I too want to share in that love and that there is something missing in my life."  He said to me, "but you got an invitation from the King he made sure you were invited to the wedding."

I stopped in my tracks and I cried in dismay. I said, "I have been so wrapped up in my own life that I misplaced the invitation." I was so busy with my life I that I didn't know what I was missing. “What can I do to help oh servant of the King?” The servant said to me: “The King and master say that you must feed his sheep. You must love the lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul and to love your neighbor as yourself.” Then the servant said unto me, “Will you follow me and partner with me to help reach the lost, the broken, the homeless and the needy?” 

FEED MY PEOPLE

FEED MY SHEEP

We made our way back to the King’s palace. As we entered into the throne room and I fell down on the ground before the King and Master tears streaming down my face. I was broken, dirty, and my clothes were tattered from stumbling in the darkness. The King looked at me in surprise. “Did I not send you an invitation to eat at my table; that you rejected? Did I not offer you a seat in the palace for my son’s wedding and yet you did not come?” “Did I not offer you all the blessings of my kingdom and yet you still turned your back on me?

KNEELING AT THE MASTER’S FEET

As I laid face down on the ground as I looked up into his eyes my voice trembled as I spoke; “Master I have failed you! I have turned my back on those in need around me. I have no right to ask your forgiveness. Yet here I am broken before you my King. Will you let me be servant oh Master of mine? No longer do I want to turn a blind eye to those in need. Please oh King and Savior Jesus will you  forgive me? To my great surprise he wrapped his arms around my dirty person. He told his servant to give me a clean robe along with the others. He spoke to my soul, “You are my beloved daughter turn away from this world and follow me.” Reach to the homeless, don’t forget the broken, share my love with all you meet, give all you have and follow me. Your life is no longer your own.”

Forever my life was changed the day the King forgave me for my sin. He redeemed me from a life I stumbled in the darkness. He forgave me when I had turned my back on him. See I had known about him all along but I was so concerned with life that I misplaced my invitation to the wedding. I can’t go back to who I was that life for me is gone. I can no longer turn a blind eye to those who are lost and hurting. I must be reaching in the highways and the byways because there are more who need to find the redemption of the King. Now you see my friends that I too am a servant of the most high King! My life is not my own it has been bought with a price. I have been redeemed by his amazing love. Will you too become of servant of the King the Master and Savior our Lord Jesus Christ? If you misplaced your invitation you can still come to the Master. He came and died because of his amazing love so that you and I might have life more abundantly! 

 (This story was adapted from the parable of the King who invited wedding guests for his son's wedding. The servant went out to look in the highways and byways for those who would accept the invitation of the King. This story just plays a twist on a girl who saw the servant and realized she wanted a change. It is allegorical and has aspects of how I feel the Lord has redeemed me when I misplaced my own invitation)