As we look around the world we see the poverty that enslaves the old and young alike. We hear the cries of children who have nothing to eat and no clean water to drink. We see the torment on the faces of parents when they cannot provide for their children’s basic needs. We agonize with those who endure physical pain because they have little or no access to health care. Our hearts are crushed when we see little children, many orphaned, who have already lost any dreams or hope that will have a prosperous life filled with love. Each of these problems represents the chains that imprison the souls and hearts of each suffering man, woman, and child. They are daunting and many are almost unbearable under the best of circumstances. Yet these problems are just the very tip of the iceberg of pain, misery and hurt that continuously collides with mankind.
It is critical to note that no matter how many times we feed a person, clothe a person or shelter a person, if we do not take time to address the “root cause” of all their problems then we’ll only be providing them with temporary relief to a much greater eternal problem. It will be like giving an aspirin to a patient who is in dire need of a heart transplant. The first step in properly addressing and meeting the needs of people is to know what the root cause for all of man’s problems.
God tells us that root causes of all of mankind’s problems are fourfold and the result of the man’s nature and actions. First root cause is the total corruption of mans’ heart (Jeremiah 17:9), his inherent hatred towards God (Psalms 35:19, John 7:7, 15:18, 25), his every effort to suppress and reject the truth of the God’s word (Romans 1:18-25), and his nature to knowingly refuse to seek God and thereby be able to do good (Romans 3:11-12a). There is no single people who lives or ever lived who do not have these root problems. Knowing and understanding these truths, we at Freedom from Chains know that the greatest benefit to mankind can be accomplished only through the preaching of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16), and the establishment of local churches by God fearing men who are absorbed and constantly nourished on the words of faith (1 Timothy 4:6, 15).
We must ask ourselves the following four questions;
Just as our Lord “…felt compassion for His people because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a Sheppard”, we also feel compassion for the lost multitude of humanity and our hearts are burdened by the fact that there are billions of people yet to hear of Jesus Christ and His glorious message of salvation found only in His Gospel.
Second only to the loving God, this task is to be our obsession, we must be willing to “endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory (2 Timothy 2:10).” The task before us is impossible, unless we call upon God to make available to us His unfathomable wisdom, his unrestrained power, and the inexhaustible resources that are His to give as He desires. We turn to Him and rely by the means He has ordained: biblical preaching, intercessory prayer, sacrificial service, unconditional love, and true Christ likeness in all our actions and thoughts.
We ask you to join us as we help alleviate the cries of the poor, the orphans, the widows, the oppressed, the hungry, the blind, the cripple, and the naked. As we do so, we’ll break the chains that hold the poor and lost in bondage to this world and its cruelties; the chains that steal dreams, hope, and our spirit. For without the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, these unbearable chains cannot be broken or removed. We will do this one person at a time so that we may make known “… from the rising of the sun even to its setting” the glorious name of God will be great among the nations, and that His glory and holiness will be worshipped among all creatures under heaven.
Meeting the needs of the physically and the spiritually poor is costly but worth every penny hundred times over. Would you please consider helping Freedom from Chains with a financial donation and we can always use your daily intercessory prayers. You may also assist us by actively participating in one of our upcoming short and long-term mission trips. Would you please consider joining us today as a partner helping us to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who have yet to hear it? Would you join us today, in making the name of our great and glorious God great among all the nations? We sure do hope so.
