All posts tagged: Communities Service Outreach

The Kingdom of God in our cities

It was a cool cloudy Sunday morning. Normally, I would be in a church service inside a cool building either listening to a sermon or giving one. Today, my wife and I drove to the Monument Circle for the 8th Annual FHL Week Prayer Celebration.

We started at 1:30p with our first multi-church-bilingual service at the Circle. My message was about the Kingdom of God in our cities. Here’s an excerpt from my message:

Jesus said in Mark 1:15, “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” – NIV

The good news that God’s Kingdom is at hand! Jesus prayed, “Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

What would your neighborhood look like if you could say, “The Kingdom of God is here.”

Is the atmosphere of heaven spreading in our neighborhoods and your places of work? Jesus is no longer on earth but He commanded each and every one of us to represent Him and to co-labor with Him to expand His Kingdom. He wants us to…

Proclamation of the Kingdom

To share the Good News that whoever repent and turn around from their sins and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior will inherit the Kingdom. Jesus sent His early disciples to proclaim the Kingdom of God.  He wants us to proclaim the Kingdom wherever we go.

Luke 9:1-2, “When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”

Jesus has given us power and authority to continue His work here on earth starting in our own Jerusalem – Indianapolis, Anderson, Pendleton, Greenwood and Martinsville. Are you using the power and authority that God has given you?

John 17:20-23,  My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one — 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

Demonstration

Today is the start of FHL Week. We come together in unity to be the tangible expression of God’s love to the nations. Through projects and services, many people get connected and are introduced to our Lord Jesus Christ. Our message is still the same – it’s all about our relationship with God and with others. Good works are noble but they will not bring people to heaven; only by turning from our sins and by accepting Jesus as our Savior – proclamation.

However, our good works are fruits of our faith in Him as we co-labor with God in expanding the Kingdom of God here on earth.

Proclamation alone is not enough; Jesus called us to also demonstrate the Kingdom through our worksEphesians 4:12-13, “to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Jesus said that the Kingdom of God is at hand. This coming week, hundreds of people will unite to make everyone aware that the Kingdom of God is already present in our neighborhoods through acts of kindness, mercy, prayers and through sharing the Good News.

Application

When we meditate on the goodness of God, we will experience His goodness. The more we focus on Him, the more others see Him in us. We are being transformed to His likeness. In the Book of Exodus, Moses ask to see the face of God. He waited on Him without any distractions. When Moses went down from the mountain, his face was transformed because God met Him at the mountain.”

In order for us to transform our neighborhoods, we need to be transformed and have higher awareness of His Presence in our lives and in our neighborhoods.

Proverbs 23:7a, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” -NKJV.

Awareness directs our action and our collective action changes our culture. Therefore, the prayer, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” begin with our awareness and faith backed up by our actions. You and I are Ambassadors from Heaven and we represent the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. That’s why the verse…

Matthew 10:7-8,  As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

As we end this service, I will pray that God will grant all of us grace to be aware of  the power and authority that Jesus promised to all of us. We know that His Presence is here right now.

There’s power in the Name of Jesus!

Isaiah 60:1, “Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord rises upon you
.”

It’s your time to rise; you are a part of the army that is rising up! This generation is called to proclaim and demonstrate the Kingdom of God in our cities. You are called and commissioned to expand the Kingdom of God in your neighborhoods, cities, and to the ends of the world.

Merlin GonzalesThe Kingdom of God in our cities
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Faith Hope and Love Mother’s Day Celebration 2009

By Merlin Gonzales, President, Faith Hope and Love (FHL International, Inc.)

Faith Hope and Love (FHL) joined the Mother’s Day Celebration presented by La Voz de Indiana on Saturday, May 9th. The celebration included FHL MobMomDayFaceile Food Pantry, which provided groceries to more than 1000 people. It was truly a collaborative pantry, including many volunteers from different cultures of the world, such as Hispanics, Asians and Europeans. The FHL Mobile Food Pantry is a monthly service that is held at different parts of the city to reach out those who cannot travel far and to encourage the active participation of local communities. The food pantry is joined by churches, businesses, government and education institutions in serving the least, the lost and the last. You are encouraged to serve with FHL by volunteering or by sponsoring families. Your contribution of $15 will feed a family of 5 for a day.

Earlier the same day, as part of the Mother’s Day celebration, Faith Hope and Love provided free oil changes at four Indianapolis locations: Post Road Christian Church on the east side, Chapel Rock Christian Church on the west, and Hubler Express Collision in the North and South locations. More than 100 single moms received free oil changes. Through this community outreach, many volunteers were thankful that their passion was used to serve others. FHL is now looking for volunteers who like to do routine maintenance and minor repair on vehicles. FHL is expanding its car ministry to 4 locations in Indianapolis.

In addition to food pantry and oil changes, the FHL Street Evangelism team shared the Gospel in the 10th Street/RuralMomDayLine area. As a result, an individual at a bus stop accepted the Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. The individuals involved in this team have been preaching the gospel in the local area for more than 2 years now.

Faith Hope and Love partnered with the Pacer Entertainment–Indiana Fever WNBA to provided indoor entertainment to the disadvantaged families and their friends. FHL is asking the community to sponsor children for the game at Conseco Fieldhouse on June 27th 7pm. A ticket is $14, which includes entrance to the game, vouchers for a free hotdog, a bag of chips, a drink and a t-shirt. Contact FHL at 317-578-3370 for information in sponsoring the disadvantaged.

Merlin GonzalesFaith Hope and Love Mother’s Day Celebration 2009
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FHL Update: Kindness Weekend – Faith Is Renewed, Hope Is Nurtured, and Love Is In Action In Our City!

With a heart filled with faith, hope, and love, mountains can be moved and work made light. The Lord’s workers proved the truth of that by offering themselves throughout a very busy weekend for FHL International on several projects.

Kindness Weekend for October 18th and 19th began with prayer outside the new FHL International corporate offices located in Castleton! There were over 30 volunteers working in four shifts from Northview Christian Life who worked not only on the FHL office, but the entire complex. They picked up trash, raked leaves, cleaned windows and worked on the inside of the new FHL corporate offices. The Northview Christian Life volunteers also completed several other projects throughout Indianapolis, all under the direction and coordination of FHL International.

Over 80 volunteers from Northview cleaned up 6 blocks of the 25th and Dearborn neighborhood and several volunteers through BRAG cleaned up the Binford and 71st neighborhood.

FHL was also blessed by our Lord with the means to provide frozen food to Living Water Ministries. Edward Figueroa and his wife, Gena, have literally, over the past 5-6 years, provided shelter in their own home to over 500 homeless people!

Many people were blessed this weekend by the loving hands of their neighbors. As, Merlin Gonzales, Founder of FHL International, Inc. said: “Truly, faith is renewed, hope is nurtured and love is in action in our city!”. Praise the Lord!

If you want to become a Faith, Hope, and Love volunteer and work on a ‘mission trip in your own backyard’, please contact [email protected] or call 317-372-0371. For more information about FHL International, Inc., please enjoy viewing our FHL International, Inc. Video Splashcast Channel. The activities of FHL, 24/7 on demand.

[splashcast c KKKS4767BC]

Merlin GonzalesFHL Update: Kindness Weekend – Faith Is Renewed, Hope Is Nurtured, and Love Is In Action In Our City!
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