Dealing with a person in need…
we must be willing and able to serve the whole person and not just parts of their need… this is our dilemma

When someone is in need of food, possibly starving or is suffering from physical affliction, pain or wound or sickness or mental despondences or overwhelmed emotionally; how do we respond?
Do you respond?
Can you see their need?
When someone in thirsty; we can respond by giving them water. The question is will we? Well don’t look up now… your surrounded by the needy.

When someone asks us for a drink; they have exposed their need in their request. They have asked for help how do we react? How should we respond? Should we respond? Do you respond?

Is it water they need or is their need greater? Is their thirst giving exposure to a greater underlying need?
Have we become so blind, so numb, so callous, and so selfish we are bypassing their need for what is alive in us?… Jesus… forgiveness… healing… eternal life… eternal love… Are we not ambassadors of forgiveness?
As Christians are we to wait for someone to ask before we act? And when they do ask are we willing to help?

How do we act on need?

Did not Jesus teach us first to respond to needs of others as an act of mercy to a (Adamic) brother? The parable of the Good Samaritan, takes issue with the cause of God vs. man’s selfish perception of that cause. The priest and the Levite when they saw the man in need; they went to the other side of the road. How many have gone past the words of Jesus in trying to demonstrate the motives of these men; as to their preoccupation with spiritual weightier matters, which very well may be true. But what Jesus said is enough for us to see; they’re moving to the other side of the road… whether out of fear or indifference, whether preoccupied or pre-engaged, no matter what they perceive or think; it remains that there was a lack of love for someone in need!
Ah, did they even see a need, but that their own self-interest consumed them?
God placed the need before them to act on with a heart of mercy… as with you now.

The Samaritan demonstrates what God expects from us and how to fill a need not just for the moment but he assumes the bill that is to come from the innkeeper for tending to his need in the Samaritan absence.
Who do we serve, who is our neighbor? Read it again Luke 10:29.
Love is not for a moment but forever! If it is the love of Jesus…

Can we see needs?

How have we lost sight of Jesus in addressing needs?
It starts with our first seeing and deeming our own need greater than the needs of others and then justifying our selfish cause. This is one of the major areas we must deal with. We can’t see needs because we will not look past our nose. Yes you!

Blind, yet still seeing?

What are we thinking that causes us to be blind? I’m a Christian, I go to Church, and I even tithe. What more can God require? 
God requires of us what He required of Jesus... surrender your life... to love!
It is for us to pick up our cross daily… to serve with love every day. 
It is the carnal man, our selfish desire that blinds us to the work led by the Spirit.
The flesh is in league with the devil… and our selfish inaction is in dire want of repentance.

Pray for the laborers!

For there are few who have chosen the selfless life. Who will go? Will you?
Do we help just those we know? Is it family first and family only? Do we help friends? Are we selective in determining whom we help? Do we determine what types of needs we will concern ourselves with? If any! Do we need reasons to help? Do we need to be asked? And because of our predetermination and our personal profile of what is a need or what needs I respond to; do we miss the many opportunities that the Spirit leads us to daily. 

Do we miss the many blessings?
That we can give… there you go thinking you’ll be blessed rather then bless. 

Are your eyes opening? And do we not miss the teachings and example of Jesus?
God created you for a purpose… to follow (be like) Jesus!
Yes you can stop right here and list all your needs that you deem are essential to be filled before you can (or is it “Will”) serve someone else.

We need to… and you can do it right now… don’t put it off; re-examine how much of our flesh are we still serving. In our mind we are servants of God, followers of Jesus. But what did you do today for someone else beside yourself? Please do not determine that what you do for family and friends are subject of God. Jesus told us if that’s all we do we are no better than thieves. And please don’t measure what you do for pay there is nothing selfless about your reward on earth, for you have your reward and you will not get it in heaven.

Kingdom life begins with Jesus but does not return us to ourselves, to our selfish ways, leaving our carnal man intact. Life in the Kingdom is all about Jesus… have you died to your selfish wants in baptism? You best start there and reconsider why you were baptized. Washed from our sin to return to our purpose in being created to serve God 24/7 as Jesus who bought and paid for us in His blood.

Made new means to most of us free to serve ourselves… you were created to serve God as Jesus exampled us to. Yet we want to live in Him but not like Him? You must desire God’s will for your life and willfully live for/like Jesus.

Pray for the Laborers!

Are you able to pray for the laborers? Have you prayed for them? Do you pray for them? Will you now pray for them… daily? If you’re reading this you have been called to pray for the laborers. And in doing so realize you are a laborer. But you cannot labor with your flesh-man intact or only partially dead. You need to surrender to Jesus, to receive the fullness of His love, that His desires may be your desires.

The instruction of Jesus was met in willing hearts and full of meaning and power; “He spoke with authority”. His message was heard in terms of filling the needs of the people. He spoke and healed those in need…
The message has more meaning in that actions speak louder, much louder than words.

Matt 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Matt 11:20 Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:
Matt 11:23 for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
Matt 13:54 Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?
Matt 13:58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
John 5:36 the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
John 10:25 the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.
John 10:38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
John 14:12-16 
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; KJV

These works fill the needs of the people; miracles, Yes! But it is the work of love. Jesus works sacrificially, selflessly, tirelessly and perpetually… He is working as you read… How?
Through loving actions of people dead to self alive to Him… He is alive in us!
Miracles begin with and through loving servants removed from selfish desire.

You have the Holy Spirit within you… you have no excuse!