We're not the Answer...Praise the Lord!

I completely forgot my camera, but the man in maroon is the pastor of the church where Matt preached this morning. As soon as we got back on Tuesday, Janiel was at the door, asking if Matt would please consider preaching at his church this Sunday. I thought it was too soon for Matt to be prepping and delivering a sermon, but Matt was excited about the chance to preach at such a difficult time in the lives of the Haitian people.

He was drenched in sweat long before he was ever introduced this morning, and had to preach around a pulpit overly adored with huge fake pink flowers, but Matt managed to preach a truly passionate and meaningful sermon (in my opinion :) about the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The people were obviously hungry for something to hold on to in this difficult time, and Matt took his message straight from Luke 24:49, "What the Father Promised" and Isaiah 61, "Good News for the Oppressed."

I was truly surprised at how glued the row of elderly widows, the two rows of men in the back, the 15 rows of children...everyone, just how glued everyone was. To hear that there is a God who KNOWS of our brokenhearted and captive condition, and then who sends His Holy Spirit, not just to hand us a Kleenex or to pat us on the head, but to LIFT us up from our lowest lows and transform our lives was captivating to the church, the pastor, and to me. He sends us His Holy Spirit for our true encouragement and to defend us from Satan...2 things we all desperately need.

We can't just have a piece of the Holy Spirit, Matt shared, but either have Him indwelling in us, or not. And having Him there takes a DAILY re-commitment to the Lord...a daily decision to choose Him and to listen to His spirit and to live for HIS glory.

It was fun to be back in Haitian church this morning, to be back into ministry here. Only the Holy Spirit can give ANY of us deliverance, NO man, no government, no riches and no circumstance. We're NOT the answer for people here...you're not the answer for people there.

THIS is what we feel called to do here: not BE men and women that deliver people... but BE daily delivered people ourselves who simply SHOW people that...Christ in us, the hope of glory, the hope of Haiti, the hope of the world.

"The SPIRIT of the Lord is on me,
for the Lord has chosen me
to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted
to proclaim that captives will be released
and prisoners will be set free.

He has sent me to tell those who mourn
that the time of the LORD has come,
and with it, the day of God's anger against enemies.

To all who mourn in Israel,
He will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
festive praise instead of despair.

In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks
that the Lord has planted for His own glory."

Isaiah 61