God Has Not Passed You By

COVER LETTER

Dearly Beloved:

THE LORD IS FAITHFUL!

David the Psalmist wrote, “The Lord preserves the strangers; he relieves the fatherless and widow” (Psalm 146:9). Also in Psalm 10:14, we read, “Thou art the helper of the fatherless.”

How does God relieve orphans and widows? How does he help the fatherless? He does it through people who yield themselves to be his instruments, his hands and his feet. It is not enough to pray for these wounded souls. If we have any measure of God's love in us, we must personally do something to help relieve them.

A day is coming when all believers will stand before our Lord and Savior, and we will face the truth of Christ spoken in Matthew 25:

“I was hungry, and you gave me food: I was thirsty, and you gave me drink: I was a stranger, and you took me in: naked, and you clothed me: I was sick, and you came to me: I was in prison, and you visited me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty? When did we give you something to drink? When did we clothe you? And the King shall answer and say to them, When you did it to one of the least of my brethren, you did it unto me” (vv 35–40).

These words prompted me to leave my comfortable country church nearly 50 years ago to begin a ministry to desperate youth addicts and alcoholics in New York City. Today, there are 470 Teen Challenge centers all over the world taking in addicts and alcoholics.

These powerful words of Christ in Matthew 25 moved us also to find and support needy orphanages around the world. We were also moved to be God's relief helpers to widows and addicted mothers with children. We were moved to send Christian doctors and construction workers to poor nations and to feed hungry children.

God has raised up many other ministries doing marvelous relief work around the world; they have heard the same words of Jesus in Matthew 25. We are only one of many obeying the Lord's call. And he is blessing us with open doors all over the world. We have not had to beg, borrow or plead for finances to undertake all these ministries. The Lord always supports what is closest to his heart.

Most people cannot go to the city streets or work in an orphanage or visit the troubled prisoners or take in a homeless mother and her children. God understands that. But all can support with prayer and finances those doing these works of Christ. Let us be your hands and feet, bringing Christ's relief to those he named in Matthew 25.

God be praised for your love for others.

Love in Christ,
DAVID WILKERSON

DW:bbm 2.27.06