Sermon Archives (April 23, 2001):

INTRODUCTION TO THE HOMELESS

Hi folks.  Before we have the raffle, my wife has arranged for me to speak to you now.  Before I say anything, I want to express to you how proud I have been of my wife for coming down here and serving you all this last year and a half.  She is my chocolate chip, the brown sugar in my tea, and I see in her more and more as an angel sent by God to serve you.   I support her in this work, and I know so does God.  I believe all of you have been blessed by this ministry of God, and believe that this ministry is going to grow, and be here for as long as God wants it.   If you have a few moments, I want to tell you about God’s ministry.

A year and a half ago, my wife asked me this question, “Dear, guess what I did today?”   I just came home from work, and I had not a clue.   She told me, “I’ve been out feeding the homeless.”    I replied, “That’s wonderful, Dear, how did this come about?”   Then she told me.  She woke at 1 in the morning that day, and began to pray.   As a result, she received what we believe to be a word from the Lord to “wait.”   Now to be told at 1 in the morning to “wait”, is not the type of message most would appreciate, even from God.   Being told to “sleep” might have been more appreciated, but she was told to “wait”.   So my wife adhered to God’s directive and stayed awake in prayer “waiting” till 3 in the morning.   At 3 in the morning, she received what we believe to be a much more detailed word from the Lord.   The Holy Spirit told her that the following day she was to take the long folding table from the back porch, and place it in her Ford Explorer.   She was to make 150 hotdogs, potato salad, a garden salad, acquire soft drinks and bottled water and feed anyone who wanted food down here at 6^th and Towne.   God actually gave her this address.   When my wife told me all that she had done, I told her how proud of her I was.   She confessed, “I didn’t tell you this morning, because I was afraid you might think me silly and try and discourage me.”   I told her, “No dear, not at all.  To the contrary, I am very proud of you.  You heard from God, and you did what God asked you to do.”   From that day to this, she has been here serving you, the last two Mondays of every month.   I have supported her in this, and I am very proud of her.

Now some of you listening to this may wonder, “Who is this white bread, and why is he talking to us today?”   I am here speaking to you today because my wife and I have received another word from the Lord. God has asked that this ministry be expand, but this time the Word we received was directed to both to my wife and to me.   Because the Word was to the two of us as a couple, this is why I am speaking to you today.   God has asked this ministry to be expanded, and indeed it will be expanded.   Because this affects all of us, this is why I am making these announcement today.

A lady in our church told us, that God had a word for us, but that we would have to travel a distance to receive it.  Following her directions, we went to a place we had never been; met people we did not know; and were told things we never expected.   For one thing, we were told that God was healing one of our daughters of a specific infirmity she has had from birth.   We claimed that miracle with the greatest joy.   But then of course, the man that told us this, a minister of God, had words for my wife and I as well.   Let me give you the essence of what was said to us on March 24^th of this year from the Lord.  The minister asked,  “Your name, Sir?”  I replied, “My name is Burt.”   The minister continued, “Burt, the Lord is telling me that he really loves you.  He really loves you.   You can preach!  You can really preach!”   My wife and I have been Elders in a ministry at the Dream Center here in Los Angeles.  One of my duties has been preaching to the congregation every month or so.   Apparently, God was showing approval of my ability to preach.

The minister continued, “But … “ (here comes a criticism, however gentle)  “God does not light a candle to place it under a bushel basket…”   This is of course, a well-known precept of Christ’s ministry.   I took this to mean that although the content of my preaching was appreciated, that the Lord was telling me that my preaching gift was being underutilized.  The minister continued, “but rather one places that light upon a lamp stand so that it gives light to the entire house.”   God was telling me directly through this minister that I was to speak elsewhere.   The minister continued, “Hello!  Hello!   Are you receiving this?”   The minister wanted to emphasize what he had just said.  I nodded my understanding, my shock, and my surprise.

The minister continued,  “Your wife is involved in a ministry downtown.”    Folks, here it comes.  This is about you.   God loves you so much, that he has sent a word from heaven for your welfare.  My wife replied, “Yes, I was given a word of the Lord to feed the homeless.  We do this the last two Mondays of each month.”   The minister continued, “Burt, I never … (Notice at this point, God was now speaking through the minister to me in the first person) Burt, I never intended that you were merely to be the financial backer of this operation.”   Everything the minister was saying was the truth.  We did not know this man.  We had never met this man.  Our arrival had not been disclosed in advanced.  Yet, he knew all these things about us.  I have been a financial backer of this food ministry.  Two of my wife’s older daughters have been tithing to help this street ministry as well, but I have supported this ministry as well. God continued to speak through this minister, “Rather, my intent was that the two of you should operate as a team; that this is to be a new church, and the two of you are to pastor that church.  You are to preach to them, and your wife is to feed them.   What you’re doing is like the front lines in a war.  These people are on the precipice to Hell. Your ministry is like a Mash unit:  You’re dealing with the walking wounded.  You two are my instrument to save these people’s lives.”

My wife and I never expected anything like this.   What a surprise.  What a blessing, but also what a sobering responsibility.   The minister continued, “In the beginning, there will be hundreds…”   I told the minister, “It’s already hundreds.   Were feeding over 200 every time we go down there.”   The minister continued, “but in time it will be thousands.”   This has to be God.   My wife and I could not possibly do this.   Only God can do it.   The minister continued, “You’re going to need a sound system.”  I answered, “I’ve already gotten a sound system for my wife.”  I was referring at the time to this Radio Shack megaphone I had purchased for my wife.   Almost immediately I realized that God was speaking in a larger scale.  The minister continued, “You’re going to need it.  This is the beginning of my new church.”  After this, the minister laid hands upon my wife and I, anointed us with oil, prayed, and commissioned the two of us as evangelists for this work.

A few days later, I came back to this minister and asked for some clarification, I asked the minister, “Will there be revival?”   The minister answered,  “This is revival!”   I asked, “Is this your opinion or is the Lord telling you that this is revival?”   The minister replied,  “The Lord is telling me that this is revival.   Revival has already come.  It is in your ministry.”   I asked, “Will there be healing?”   Before the minister could answered I pleaded with the Lord, “Look, these people are hurting; physically, spiritually!  They’re without homes, without purpose.  They’re diseased, on drugs, alcohol, prostitution, AIDs...  Some are without sound minds.  When you sent Moses into Egypt to free the Jews, you did not send him alone.  No, Your presence was with him and You equipped Moses with a rod to do miracles, and his brother to speak for him.  If Your ministry here is to succeed, is it not just as important to equip us as well?  If hundreds are to become thousands, healing will accomplish that.”  I was pleading with God.  The minister answered that in time, with prayer, direction, and obedience, healings will indeed begin.    And that healings will be upon you,  and you, and you!   The healings will be upon all of you.

How will hundreds become thousands?   God instructed me to speak, and this is why I am speaking to you today.   This ministry has been on the last two Mondays of each month.   My wife and I are changing the day of this ministry from Monday to Saturday at 4 PM for three reasons: First, Saturday is the Sabbath, a day commanded in the 10 Commandments to be observed.  Second, there are more people down here on Saturdays so by changing to Saturdays we will be able to feed more people.   Third, God commanded that my wife and I were to be a team; she to feed, I to preach.   Since I work during the week.  I had to take time off work just to talk to you today.  For me to be here regularly, we have to change the day of ministry from a weekday to a weekend day.    Our feeding program has been only two weeks out of the month.   Our intent, having consulted with God on these issues, is to expand that service to you; first to three Saturdays of every month, and eventually every Saturday.  But this will take time.