Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me...
Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
Isaiah 61 is the crux of what The Father’s House is established to do in the city of Stockton and where ever we reach out to minister. Often we want to be blessed and have a good time in the Lord and not worry about a thing. However, God has anointed us to reach out to the hurting in our community, our church, and our families. If we are to be Christ-like then we need to follow his example as he stated in Luke 4:17 and do our part in fulfilling Isaiah 61 today in Stockton.
Luke 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
Witnessing and sharing with another Christian is easy, it is a non-threatening experience in most cases. Those that are walking with the Lord are not the primary target for The Father’s House, but those that are hurting. We need to get out of our comfort zone and reach out to where the needs are in our city. Those of us that are well in body and established in Christ need to be the workers in this great harvest that the Father has given us. Christian living and service is not for spectators but all out participants. Jesus was accused to fellowshipping with bad people and it was true, He was there to meet their needs! The Father’s House wants to meet the needs of the hurting as Christ did while on Earth.
Matthew 9:12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, they that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
Mark 2: 15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. 16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? 17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Luke 5:31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.
Though Jesus mingled and ministered to the hurting and sinners he did not compromise himself. He remained sinless all the way to the cross. Like wise as we reach out to the lost and hurting we keep ourselves pure but minister where the real needs are found in our community.