Fresh Word- Testimony of Compassion 10-30-10

Josiah Elias
10-30-10

Fresh Word

Testimony of Compassion

What’s up saints!
I want to share with you a testimony which I believe will encourage us all to be challenged in being used by God today.
On Thursday night, I attended the “Food Distribution” here at the Connection church. Its a program that we've had for several months now, we do it on a monthly basis. I attended the very first one we had months ago which was awesome. There wasn't that many families that came through at the time but my oh my have we grown since then! Over the last several months I didn't get the opportunity to go to the Food Connection, so I was anxious to check it out this time to see how things had developed. I have heard so many stories from those who have been involved and the stories were so awesome.

Let me very briefly break down what happens.
We serve approximately 175 families, which is well over 600 persons with food for the month. Salads, cheeses, meats, fruits, vegetables and much more! These families humbly come in, fill out the paperwork they need to, than they wait in the sanctuary while we serve them 1 family at a time as quickly as we can. Some of these families have to wait in the sanctuary for an hour or 2 while they wait for their number to be called. While they are waiting, we preach the gospel to them, they have opportunity to come to the back of the sanctuary where there are teams ready to pray for them for healing both physically, emotionally, spiritually and any other way. My Job last night was to take the shopping carts filled with the food and walk with the family out to their car to put the food in their cars and to ask them if there was anything I could pray for them for. This was the most incredible part!

Of course there was this blessing in my own heart just to come and serve a ministry that I saw was making such a difference in the community.
Felt just like Jesus.
Mar 10:45  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

It was so awesome to see how they were being blessed. I couldn't tell you how many times I heard them say, “Thank you sooo much for having this here at the church, its such a blessing to come here for food”.

The conversations that I had with them as I was loading the food into their vehicles was the best part of the whole night. Just to elaborate on a couple, there was a lady in particular whom when I asked if she needed prayer for anything at all, she paused and through an already cracking voice said, “I'm so lonely.” My heart immediately went out to her. Something had occurred in her life a long time ago that she couldn't overcome and because of that she felt like she couldn't get married yet she wanted to.
Immediately I could see the bondage that the devil had on her simply because something tragic had happened long ago, and now she is suffering and can't find a partner because of these chains. I began to tell her how I can relate to her on feeling lonely, and what I did to overcome it. I shared with her the love of Jesus and how He will never leave her nor forsake her.
Heb 13:5  Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU."
That He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Pro 18:24  A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a Friend who sticks closer than a brother.
That the comfort of the Holy Spirit is priceless and beautiful.
2Co 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
2Co 1:4  who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
How Jesus paid such an incredible price so that He can be with her every single day at every moment if she wants it.
Saying this to her holding her hand, as tears began to stream down her face, I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit all over me as I ministered the love and joy of God Who desires to be her Lover. I assured her that God would be there for her no matter what.
We prayed and she thanked me. I encouraged her to go home and to renew her relationship with the Lord, to break open that Bible and to begin to speak to Him as if He is right there because He is. To draw near to Him.
Jas 4:8  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

The experience was incredible.
One more story.
I walked another couple out to their vehicle and placed their food in the trunk and again asked if there was something I could pray for them for. The gentleman asked for healing. He had just had brain surgery and was experiencing side effects from the surgery. He couldn't think as clear as he used to, he now gets confused easily, his eyes are blurry and so on. The wife spoke up as well and asked for prayer for her son who needs to get his life on the right track. We prayed for the son first, and than for the gentleman with the side effects from the surgery. God was all over him. He didn't even really bow his head while we prayed but instead he looked me right in the eyes as I grabbed his head and began to release healing over him. It was a moving moment. We prayed once and nothing happened and I asked to pray again, the second time he said that one of his eyes was surprisingly clear but the other was still blurry. I intended to keep praying believing for an increase in healing, but we got into a conversation of how God has kept him safe through literally dying twice but coming back to life. So I began to share with him about his destiny and why God has kept him alive and his purpose.



Est 4:14  For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

They seemed really blessed that I had taken so much time with them to minister to them in the parking lot of the church. I encouraged them to come to church and get planted somewhere, not because church is so necessary but because church can be an awesome avenue that the Lord will use to release them into ministry. Not to mention its good for the body to be with...the body!


The reason I wanted to share these stories is because I was moved with compassion last night. Which reminded me of Jesus.
Mat 9:36  But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.

Mat 14:14  And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.

Mar 1:41  Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed." 

Jesus was moved with compassion for the lost. For the hurting. For the poor. For the sick. I want to be just like Jesus.

I told my wife last night that I was so moved with compassion for these people. They were right here in my home church, I didn't have to go to some third world country somewhere outside of the states but they were right here. It would be awesome to go to those places and I intend to, but these were right here and I could impact them so close to my home. I was moved with compassion for them. I wanted to shake all their hands, I wanted to hug them, I wanted to kiss them, I want to love on them, I wanted them to know that we can provide for them more than just food. The food will be gone, in a few weeks, and you will need to come and get more. But there is food that will never run out. There is water that will quench all your thirst.
Joh 6:35  And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

What can you do today to impact someone who is hurting. Perhaps you don't have to preach to them, but you can simply love on them. You can just tell them that you love them. You can buy their lunch. You can introduce them to a loving and caring God Who has all the answers to the questions we don't even realize we have yet.
Ask God what you can do for someone else to do. Its the most fulfilling feeling ever. Try it. You will be blessed. I assure you. Love someone.

Josiah Elias
~Revival SD~