Jessica sitting with some kids we helped serve snow cones to
we've spent the last few days in beautiful Redding, California. we visited two different nursing centers. the first was for elderly people. everyone in our audience was at least 90 years old. the second place was more of a hospital; they all seemed to have both physical and emotional/mental problems.
"Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world" James 1:27
The Lord quickened this Scripture to me at the beginning of our launching out to minister on our own. When He did we made the decision that wherever we go, we will always take the opportunity (when possible) to visit widows and orphans in their distress.
It's an interesting thing to sing songs and minister to people that have little ability to show expression. You have to simply go by faith. Why do we do it? Because I know that if I was in their situation, I sure would appreciate someone showing up with love, life and faith Words to encourage me. We don't go in there just to sooth them in their problems. We bring faith with us. We bring the Anointing of God and the Word of God. We have faith that with God all things are possible. We don't look at the natural and we just begin ministering the love and the Word of God.
Faith comes by hearing. Everyone needs a preacher in their life; especially (but not only) if they have serious problems going on. Why? Just to pat them on the back? No. To minister to their spirits words that will feed them and empower them to rise up on the inside. IJn4:4 says "greater is He who is in you, than he who is in the world". The inner-man is bigger than the outer man and has much greater potential than the outer; but it must be fed. So that's what we do. And it is a blessing. Every place we visit is so different.
The first place we visited the other day (with the older people... we took pictures but then found out we weren't supposed to, so we can't show them to you) had a very sweet lady of 97 sitting on the front row. I am sure she was filled with the Holy Ghost. She held her ears out the whole time so to better hear what I was singing. And she had a beautiful big smile the whole time. When I went to talk to her she took my hand and asked me just to pray for her. I laid my hands on her and she was just so blessed. She didn't want me to pray for anything in particular, she just loved the anointing of God. After I was done she asked me to pray again. She was just so glad and weeping all at the same time. It really is an honor to get to go be a blessing to people. God is a good God. Thank you Lord.
The second center was much different. I preached on the fact that God has a plan and a purpose for each one and that we are to make an effort to walk it out; no one is exempt of this. I preach this knowing that most people (including them) think their lives are hopeless. I preach it because those other things are lies and the Truth is what sets people free. I preach it knowing that it will do something to them on the inside; it will cause them to rise up and fight for the life God has paid for them to have. Then I tell them that Jesus is the way. We pray and simply ask Him to come in and start His work. I know He is more than enough. When anyone will partner with Jesus, by allowing Him (through the avenue of faith) to start moving within them, miraculous things happen; lives are changed. I know that today that Word is still in them and that some of them are being changed from the inside out. They will influence others and be a blessing to the people around them and God will be glorified by it.
-vincent
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