JUST DO SOMETHING -

During the past few years, we have seen a shift of focus at ISF and organizations worldwide. There are millions of hurting and needy people in the world today. Yes, ultimately they need a relationship with Christ and evangelism should be the foundation underneath every action. However, so many times the emotional and physical condition and difficult circumstances prohibit these beautiful people from being able to grasp the truth of the gospel. The old adage is still true in 2010, "People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care."

At ISF, we believe mercy ministry and humanitarian aid is at the core of how God will move in our generation. We want to be on the front-lines of merging these with the truth of the gospel of Christ.

Here are some alarming statistics:

• 6,000 people die everyday from hunger. That is one every 5 seconds.
• Human Trafficking (the selling of women and children into slavery) is the 3rd largest criminal enterprise behind drugs and weapons.
• There are an estimated 963 million hungry people in the world today.
• 6,000 children are orphaned every day due to HIV/AIDS

Are these statistics not close enough to home to be real? Let's look at Atlanta, Georgia. Tonight, as I type this from my warm house,

• 2,164 people are living unsheltered on the streets
• 2,357 people are living in emergency shelters
• 2,498 people are living in transitional shelters
• the latest estimate is that there are more than 10,000 homeless people in the greater Atlanta area.

How do we make these statistics more relevant in our everyday life? How do we make these numbers matter? At ISF, we believe that part of our calling is to make these statistics more tangible to American Christians. We want to help you to 'do something.' We are not OK with God's people sitting in their comfort zones while there are people desperate for the gospel and basic necessities of survival.

Over the next few weeks, I am going to look at 4 different ways that we can get involved. Four different ways that we can be an advocate for the needy people. My prayer is that you are moved to DO SOMETHING. Here is a preview:

• SPEAK UP Proverbs 31:8 says, "Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all the unfortunate." First we must educate ourselves on the current situations and needs, then we can be a voice for these people who often have no voice. We can speak up for them - we can be an advocate of change in their lives.
  
• LIFT UP - We need to pray specifically for the needs of people. Perhaps God is leading you to be a more committed prayer warrior for the poor.
  
• SHOW UP - James 1:27 reminds us the pure religion is visiting orphans and widows. Yes, we often need to help financially, but God also wants us to walk beside people in their greatest time of need. Relationship is key!
  
• GIVE UP - You can take this many different ways, but usually with obedience comes surrender. I believe that God may be calling some of us to surrender something of value as a next step to getting involved with mercy ministries. Money, time, conveniences, our plans, and comfort are just a few examples of things that God often asks us to surrender. Matthew 16:25 says, "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it."

Regardless of how involved you are now, always challenges us to grow in our relationship with him. Take a small step. Take a huge step. Just do something!

In our attempt to DO SOMETHING, the ISF staff visited a homeless shelter in downtown Atlanta on Tuesday evening. Here are some pictures from our night.