Witnessing to Homeless, Street People, Disaster Stricken, and Addicts by Keith Cook
"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:" 1 Peter 3:15
On the afternoon of January 12, 2010 an earthquake registering 7.0 hit the nation of Haiti and over 200,000 people died as result. This nation has been hit with natural disasters, physical illness, political unrest, and financial decline. Since the earthquake, volunteers have been led to Haiti to help Haitians living in Tent Cities, without clean water, and facing multiple physical ailments find hope, medical assistance, and shelter.
Servants of Jesus Christ must be able to go to where the people are and they must arrive prepared to minister to people who find themselves in many unique and often difficult situations.
As you seek to be led by the Spirit, you will find yourself needing to arrive prepared to minister and comfort real people with real problems. Here are some simple suggestions for ministering to hurting people.
1. Be Alert - Pay attention to outward signs of neglect, abuse, need, problems.
2. Don't Play God - Don't run ahead of God, or try to fix all their problems in the flesh. Hear from God and follow His direction. Guard your heart and your emotions. Allow God to direct you, not your circumstances or emotions.
3. Focus On First Things First - Focus on one physical need and one spiritual need at a time.
4. Get Real Help - Don't get in over your head. It is not a sin to use professionals and agencies that will provide total ministry.
5. Do not judge- Make sure that you do not judge them or on the other hand condone any of their past actions or problems. Speak a word about Jesus or meet a need.
6. Make Sure You Minister - If God has placed you in this situation you are there to minister to them. Be bold and sensitive at the same time.
7. Be Realistic - Expect difficulties. Expect abuse, confrontations, questions, misjudging your motives, and don't be surprised, if they even seem suspicious.
8. Be Spiritually Prepared - Know what you believe and what the Bible has to say about sin, love, forgiveness, addictions, hope, recovery, reconciliation, and the consequences of sin.
9. Be Smart - If you are sharing with a church group or outreach team remember to stay close to your group, and in any kind of helping hand or spiritual counseling situation, do not allow yourself to get alone with strangers or in a dangerous situation.
10. It's A God Thing - Expect God to show up and do a work in the person's life-physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Daily Prayer Focus: Pray that you will be prepared to minister to people as they experience unique and difficult situations.
On The Go Prayer Focus: The physical, spiritual, emotional, and financial needs of people hurting all over the United States and Worldwide. As God gives us opportunity in times of crisis we need to rapidly move to help.
Thank you for taking the time to pray for this important division of On The Go Ministries. For more information on any our ministries here at On The Go, you may send your questions to info@onthego.org.
On The Go Daily Devotion for January 12, 2013
Brought to you each day by On The Go / Keith Cook Team
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