7 Days of "DO IT!" Day #3- Serving those in Need

In 2003, I trekked through the entire Bible along a 1-year Bible reading plan. As I journeyed through, I COULD NOT escape a reoccurring theme- God's compassion and mercy toward the helpless, the poor, and the needy. COULD NOT ESCAPE IT. It was my conviction that I needed to make myself available to serve the poor.

In my Xanga entry that year (Xanga?! May 1, 2003 entry by the way), I listed many of the passages from the Word that spoke to me. But just one command of hundreds from God's word:

Prov. 14:31 "He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, but he who is gracious to the needy honors Him."

That summer, August of 2003, I preached for the first time at the Long Beach Rescue Mission. It was an AMAZING night as we saw many people come forward to give their lives to Christ!

This Wednesday (Day #3 of the "DO IT!" Challenge), we went again in response to Christ's command, as we have each and every month... for the past 7 years! Can't believe how fast the years have gone by. And God has been SO faithful through our ministry.

I CANNOT overstate how blessed I've been by ministering at the LBRM and building personal relationships with some of these guys.

Just an example from last night:

- Kai: a Cambodian ex-convict who had been locked up for 22 years in the State-Pen, asked if I could pick him for church Sunday. I've been meeting and praying with him every month for the past 5 months. This Sunday is his 6th month in the program, which marks the first day he's allowed to leave the mission. The first place he wants to go is to our church! I'll be picking him up this Sunday for worship!

- Gary: approached me to shake my hand last night and to tell me that he ALWAYS looks forward to our church's visit to the mission. He shared how our worship and our sharing is such a blessing in his life. He got out of prison this past April and has been at LBRM since. He said he used to be a "monster" who would slash a guys throat just for looking at him. He was in prison for attempted murder. He said to me, "I owe everything to this place (LBRM). I'm a solid believer in Jesus Christ, and my life has never been as it is now."

- James and Scott: Been praying and talking with these guys since last year, especially James. Both brothers are men who completed the 1-year New Life program. Hope to continue developing relationships with these guys, now that they're done with the program. We're facebook friends (!), and we've been talking about getting together to surf it up one of these days!

"Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."- Jesus (Luke 11:28)