Many Needs

I forget from week to week how needy our friends are downtown. I had not gotten out of my vehicle, when all of sudden there were many all lined up to talk to me. Even when I was talking with one person, another interrupted and took me aside before I could finish that conversation. It can be very competitive when there are a lot needs and only one person who could provide a possible solution.

One individual exclaimed that he was finally going to break free from the homeless life style. He had purchased a car and just needed some gas money to get to the other side of Greenville where he knew there was a dish washing job at a local restaurant. I don’t normally give anyone money, but there were others waiting, so I gave him a couple of dollars which seemed to satisfy him.

Another needed medicine. His story was that he was hit by someone with brass knuckles which cracked several teeth which had become abscessed. His employer, a traveling amusement company, had sent him to the hospital in Gaffney, SC, but then fired him without paying for the medication. We are not sure how he got to Greenville, but he was lying on the sidewalk in great pain when we arrived. Bonnie went to the pharmacy during the Bible study and purchased some antiseptic mouth rinse, antibiotics, and pain medication.

Chris was distraught because his girlfriend had just died. I actually knew who she was because she rented rooms to the homeless on a daily basis. We have made a number of trips to her house on Tuesday night. He showed me her driver’s license stating that this is the only thing he had left of their relationship. He just needed some sympathy and someone to talk with about his difficulty. He was not handling the situation very well and he stated he has been drinking heavily for the last couple of days. I listened to him and prayed to give him some encouragement. Later, I saw another volunteer also talking and praying with him as well.

Then there was Danny. He had a fractured leg and a definite limp when he walked. This is not good for a homeless person because they walk miles each day to get food, shelter, and other necessities of life. One of our volunteers helped him with a ride to his “cat hole” after the meal.

Finally, one individual wanted a large print King James Bible. That is a request that we definitely want to fulfill because even though we may help him temporarily, we know that God’s Word will make a permanent change in this life and eternity.

Thanks to everyone who donates to Food for Life so we can provide medicine and some physical comfort to those in need. Last Tuesday, with the assistance of 14 volunteers, we provided 80 hot meals.

Each Tuesday night, Andrea who is a regular, sings and plays the piano alone. Most are familiar with him so he normally does not get much attention. Tonight I thought I would video some his performance. Unfortunately, the lighting and the sound quality is not very good but he is very good. He has a beautiful voice.

~Marc

Live Out What Really Matters

Last Tuesday night the kitchen was not available again. All of the kitchen equipment had been removed for installing new floor tile. We are grateful for the kitchen upgrade but it does create a difficult time preparing the food. Fortunately, a Streetside customer did not need all of the 75 hamburgers and hot dogs that they ordered Tuesday morning, so we had food already cooked for Tuesday night. We added baked beans and topped this meal off with ice cream for dessert. With the help of 16 volunteers we served prepared meals for 60 of our downtown friends. God always seems work out the details each Tuesday night.

Right before we started serving the meal, I noticed that David (he always refers to himself as “Know Body”) had lined up some personal bottles of seasoning to use for his evening meal. I wouldered why this is necessary since most of our food is well seasoned. He explained to me that since he has no teeth the food needed a lot of extra seasoning in order for him to properly digest it. Some of us just need a little help to enjoy a good meal.

Tonight Patrick, Paul’s friend, preached a message from Colossians Chapter 3. He encouraged all of us to live out what really matters. In order to do that, we have to think like Christ. We are new a creation and the old man is dead so there should be a new mind set or a different way of thinking. This new way of thinking should result in different behavior. No longer are we in bondage to lust or ill feelings toward others. Although, we still battle with the sin of the old man, God has provided His grace to help us resist temptation. For each believer, we should seek other Christians for accountability so that we can live a holy life. Finally, we should grow in the knowledge by reading the Bible and praying and then responding. We should not get caught up temporal things that are not important but focus on those that are eternal which is what really matters

During the clean up, everyone seems to help out. Tonight the dumpster was full, but one of our faithful volunteers, John Hatfield, got on top of the dumpster and started rearranging the trash so we could include our garbage. Now that is dedication. Way to go, John.

Eric who I have posted about in the past, showed some interest in starting his own blog to inform people how he lives on the street. He has been homeless for 5 years in Greenville but has always had a good attitude. Everyone knows and likes Eric and he comes faithfully every Tuesday night and helps our ministry as a volunteer. His blog is http://www.homelesseric.blogspot.com/ and I have included it on our blog roll. Maybe some of our readers could go to his blog and tell him what they would like for him write about.

~Marc

Homeless Problem

After his release from a Siberian prison, Alexander Solzhenitsyn gained overnight fame as a novelist. One day he was summoned to the office of an admiring Soviet official. In those comfortable surroundings, the agony of the Soviet prison camp seemed very far away. He stated, “It is impossible for a man who is warm to understand one who is cold.”

The homeless live in our city but they live in a different world. Each day they have to find something to eat and some place to lay their head at night. It could be at the mission or a tent in the woods or beneath a bridge. But eating and finding a place to sleep is not a major issue in our life. Many of the homeless try to work at odd jobs such as Labor Finders to make a few bucks for the necessities of life. Most of us have permanent jobs that provide steady income for our necessities. If we lose a job, we receive unemployment income while we seek employment. The homeless can not seek permanent employment because they do not have an address or telephone number. Because of that fact, most employers would not hire someone with an unstable life style. To get a better understanding of their plight, I read some blogs that are written by homeless people. Probably the most popular blog is http://www.thehomelessguy.blogspot.com/ who on a particular post outlined the differences between us and the homeless as follows:

There are homeless people who can’t hold a job, but there are also homeless people who hold full time jobs, so you can’t blame a lack of work ethic as a cause of homelessness.

There are homeless people who can’t read or write, but there are also homeless people who have PhDs, so you can’t blame a lack of education as a cause of homelessness.

There are homeless people who are mentally ill, but there are also homeless people who are completely sane, so you can’t blame mental illness as a cause of homelessness.

There are homeless people, who are addicts of every kind, but there are also homeless people who have no addictions at all, so you can’t blame addictions as a cause of homelessness.

There are people who are unemployed who have homes, there are people who are uneducated who have homes, there are people who are mentally ill who have homes, there are people who are addicted to drugs who have homes.

So really, the cause of homelessness has to be another aspect of humanity we have so far failed to deal with.

His point is that there are very few differences between us and the homeless and the solution is that humanity (government or ministries) has failed to solve this problem. But if humanity could solve this problem it would have happened a long time ago. No one likes see anyone suffering regardless of the reason.

Our response to their plight each Tuesday night is to help them through relationships. Based on these relationships we can best determine to what extent we can help each individual. We may give blankets, clothes, and food to everyone but not money or rides in our vehicles unless we have established a relationship with that person. We make some mistakes but we have a heart to serve people who are less fortunate and have real physical needs. We can’t solve the homeless problem but we can try to make a difference each Tuesday night.

Last Tuesday Food for Life made a difference with the assistance of 18 volunteers to provide 60 hot meals and temporary housing for 2 homeless women. It is our way of helping one person at a time to find some relief from their plight of homelessness.

Thank you to everyone who provide financial support, prayers, and donate their time each week so Food for Life can make a difference in one person’s life one day each week.

~Marc

Giving place to God

I greet you in the name of the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth,

This week was a little different than our usual schedule. On most Tuesdays we do Bible study, then eat and fellowship. This week I had the Footsteppers visit Food For Life. The Footsteppers are a group of young homeschoolers that visit different ministries helping out in any way needed. They were excited to be with us, quite an energetic bunch, and we wouldn't have it any other way. We started out with song, and dance. Then they pulled out the puppets. I wasn't sure how the puppets would be received. I was surprised, people had smiles on their faces with an occasional snicker.

This week time restraints required me to give the message during the dinner. In fact, I planned on not giving a message at all, but when I saw the looks on peoples faces it reminded me of the great responsibility the Lord has given me. I saw one person say to another, "That's why I came!" What a blessing! People are wanting to fill their souls, not just their stomachs. Here is a copy of this weeks sermon on giving place to God.

James 2:13 for judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy, mercy triumph over judgement.

Give place to God - Romans 12: 19-20

Romans 12: 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath.

It is not a Christians place to choose who receives mercy. In many ministry circles we have become quick judges instead of dealers of the grace of God. The only one who is righteous is the only one who has the right to deal out wrath. God is always right. He is the only one who sees all things clearly from the inside out. He sees the heart of a man and knows his path. People are full of sin, and seem to have no problem dealing out retribution to others. Although, the judgment we place upon others we would never extend to ourselves. We deserve mercy, while others deserve God’s wrath? How can this be? Are we the ones who judge righteously?

Even Jesus committed Himself to the one who judges rightly, and left room for the judgment of God:

1 Peter 2:21 "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.

22. Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth,

23. who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return, when He suffered He did not threaten, but committed Himself to the one who judges righteously."

Only Christ committed no sin. So, only Christ can judge another rightly. Yet He committed Himself to the Father.

Our commitment is to trust God with the outcome of all things. When we give room to God, we place our trust in His means and methods. Not trusting in ourselves is an act of the spirit of truth in our hearts.

Application: Let mercy limit mercy! Not, let revenge limit mercy!

When do we stop showing mercy? We cut off mercy when showing mercy is no longer merciful.

"Look at all I’ve done for that person, and what thanks do I get?
This person is bleeding me dry, I quit!"

When showing mercy in the name of Jesus we deal out grace to our enemies, Christians don’t cut off mercy; we just change the form of mercy. When we are ministering to our friends or enemies we can sometimes be embarrassed by the lack of response. It is important to not let pride decide our final analysis. It is still merciful to not bail out a person who needs to feel the consequence of their actions.

"Our mercy to others should agree to the mercy we would want shown to us."
~Jonathan Edwards

This is the Gospel! Mercy is shown, even though we should receive His wrath. How we treat others is a picture of how we view God has treated us.

How has God treated us? ___________ How should we treat others? ___________

For it is written, vengeance is mine. I will repay, says the Lord.

20. Therefore
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

God is not telling us to sling hot coals on our enemies with kindness. That would be an oxymoron. This text speaks of a black smith, who welds metals. Metals are hard and unbendable, but when we heap coals on the hard material it changes the pliability. In the same way our kindness towards our enemies not only gives room for wrath, it also gives room for grace, melting the hard heart in order to bring man to repentance. It also causes the enemies anger to be inexcusable. Our intention is to bring all men to the Gospel. The good news of evil men reconciled to a holy God.

Be Blessed,

Chef Paul