Vision
At the beginning of St. Paul’s letter to the church in Rome (Romans 1:1-2) he talks about the “good news God promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures”. This is the good news we are desperate to bring by way of action to the lives of Houston’s street kids and older homeless. But what is this good news? What is this vision we have? You may think it is just to preach to them that they will have eternal life after they die if they believe in Jesus now. We want them to know that, sure, but we want them to see so much more. Our vision goes back to that scripture in Romans – the good news promised beforehand.
The good news Paul talked about was articulated beautifully in a passage in Isaiah 61. It was articulated so well that Jesus himself quoted it verbatim to announce the beginning of His world-changing ministry. It says…
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion - to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations....Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs. For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them.
This passage captures everything we want Joe Williams Ministries to be. Humanity’s enemy, Satan, is real and is wreaking devastation all through our world – the world God created to be a place of hope, love and blessing. Everywhere we encounter the brokenness Satan has left, we want to bring God’s remedy. Where we meet despair, we bring hope. Where we meet grief, we bring comfort. Where we meet shame, disgrace and defilement, we bring respect, esteem and encouragement. The good news of God also means the brokenness that overruns the lives of these people is not the only available reality. There is no limit to the ways God is pushing us to bring His blessing in to the lives of the street kids and older homeless we meet.
The second half of the Isaiah 61 passage talks about “rebuilding ancient ruins” and “restoring places long devastated”. In truth, the “ancient ruins” are hearts, lives and families that lie destroyed by the likes of homelessness, hunger, crime and addiction. It is our vision and mission to rebuild those “ancient ruins” for our God.
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