Internationals In Montgomery

Did you know that there are at least 50 other countries represented here in Montgomery? Those stats come from the students that we have at our MBA Conversational English School each year. The world has come to the Montgomery area through our Air War College at Maxwell, all of our universities and some businesses. Some are here because they were trafficked in for labor or prostitution. YES....here in Montgomery!!!!

Whatever you feel about immigration issues or "foreigners", it doesn't matter. What matters, as followers of Christ, is what God says. Thought I would remind us all this week of a few things that God says about how to treat those who are from other places.....no matter how they got here.

This week, as you go about your business, look around! People from all kinds of different countries live, work and go to school here. We are to treat them so well that they want to know more about why we do that! And then we can have an opportunity to introduce them to the God who created them, loves them and reconciles them to Him!

Pray over these scripture and ask the Lord to change your heart, if needed, and ask Him how you can be a witness to those from other places. He has them here for a PURPOSE. It is mostly likely so that they can have the opportunity to HEAR the gospel and respond to it. AND, as He changes our hearts, let's pray for the opportunity to minister and have a conversation about HIM!

So pray:
Exodus 22:21, "You shall not wrong or oppress a resident alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt."

Leviticus 19:34 . "The alien who resides among you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God." 

"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing so some have entertained angels unawares." Hebrews 13:2

Exodus 23:9 “You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt".

Matthew 22:37-40 And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 3“This is the great and foremost commandment. “The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ “On these two commandments depend the WHOLE Law and the Prophets.” 

Malachi 3:5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who OPPRESS the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who THRUST ASIDE the sojourner, and DO NOT fear me, says the Lord of hosts.

Pretty strong words from God's Word. Don't know about you, but I am not going to take the chance of being judged for "thrusting aside" the foreign born people because of politics or anything else. Let's show God's love this week as well as praying for our foreign born neighbors. YOU may be just the person to show God's love and help them have a relationship with Jesus!

If you would like to know about opportunities to serve our foreign born neighbors, contact Lisa Rose at 334-271-6794 or lrose@mgmbaptist.org 

Mental Illness in Montgomery AL

Psalm 147:3 

"He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds".

There are thousands of people in the Greater Montgomery area who live with mental illness and "1 in 4 Alabamians have a mental illness". (NAMI Alabama)

We are to care for those who are sick. Jesus never said, "only care for the standard illnesses" in Matthew 25, he just said "I was sick and you stopped to visit..." 

So, in light of our call to "visit the sick", have you visited someone lately who lives with a mental illness? Have you offered some resources for them to have a more productive life?
    The church IS responsible,according to scripture, to care for the sick and brokenhearted. 

What can you pray for today in light of scripture?
1. Pray for the Lord to show you who to minister to today. There may be a situation you know about or have known about for a long time. PRAY for guidance and direction and He will show you which way to go. Many people are not just living with mental illness but struggling deeply and feel hopeless in their daily life.
2. Pray for Montgomery area churches to get educated about mental illnesses and become advocates for those in Montgomery who live with these illnesses. I have heard MANY people decide to leave church because no one took their illness seriously. That shouldn't be the case.
3. Find out resources for help. I will leave you with one resource you can start with and pass on to friends and family in Alabama who live with mental illness.
4. Accept mental illness as an illness that is real. It is not all made up. It is not dramatic. It is painful and many people feel that there is no way out. Be your friend or family members BIGGEST FAN and ADVOCATE.

Wings Across Alabama is a non profit support and advocacy group that helps people with Mental Illnesses to find hope and healing. They have a Warm Line that is peer led. Each peer counselor is trained extensively and it is free and very confidential.

https://www.facebook.com/officialwingsacross.alabama

Pray for all of us, as followers of Christ, to be supportive and loving to those who live with mental illnesses. 

It IS the Jesus Way!