I was talking with a friend a couple of days ago and he wanted to know how this ministry started, so I decided to put that in with my testimony this week.

Remember the vision of One Generation is to Exalt, Extol, Worship and Praise God; reminding God’s children how great the Lord really is and how worthy He is of our praises. We want to show the wonderful works of God and tell others of the awesome power he possesses. By celebrating God’s abundant goodness and joyfully singing of His righteousness, we hope to uplift the spirits of many congregations and help restore their faith in the Almighty Lord, Jesus Christ.

Almost 10 years ago, September 26, 1996, I was struck by a car while I was walking to my school bus stop. I was sixteen and a senior in high school. The accident was so bad that my skull was fractured and I lost brain tissue at the scene. I was immediately rushed to a hospital by helicopter. I went into cardiac arrest several times before I had a bed in ICU. The doctors placed me in a drug induced coma and gave me 24 hours to live.

They really gave me no chance of living but they really didn’t know how much faith and hope I had in Christ Jesus. I had my fortress, my stronghold, my shield, my deliverer; I HAD MY GOD!! Almighty God chose for me to not only live, but to be living proof of the power He possesses. I know what God wants me to do; I know God’s will for me. The doctors said after a week of waiting, that most likely I would not be able to walk, talk, and would most likely be a vegetable for the rest of my life. Everyone was praying for me. My parents told me the waiting room was full of people from my church, people from my school, even people from the community that I had never met or heard of before. The hospital had to put everyone in a big conference room. People from different states were praying. People came to the hospital and got on their knees and started praying. You see, God told the world to pray without ceasing, and that’s exactly what these people did for me. I couldn’t believe how much these people cared; for someone they didn’t even really know.

Well, I was in a coma for 1 month and after I awoke I was transferred out for 5 months of hard laborious work (called Rehab.), and was able to come back home from the Rehabilitation Center in Philadelphia. Everything was working properly but I had permanently lost the use of my right hand. I give praise to God because even with my one hand I am able to play piano again. I was able to go back to school, was able to graduate high school on time and most of all I was able to go to college. God is so good, and great. I went to college but not just any college; I went to Westminster Choir College. I went to a CHOIR college! For a person who shouldn’t be able to walk, talk, or being a vegetable for the rest of my life, God really showed the people. Like Don Moen’s song “God will make a way, when there’s seem to be no way...” I can walk, talk, and sing unto the Lord almighty. God had restored to me the ability to lift my voice up to Him, the one for whom I live for, the one for whom I breathe for. This is a ministry that God wants me to do, to go to different churches and share my testimony. A ministry that has a website and gives devotionals too, that makes others to keep their eyes on the goal Jesus Christ.

One day I was reading the Word (part of my daily devotion) around the year of 2000 and He led me to Joshua 1:6-9
6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

I thought “Lord, are you talking to me or did I just come to that passage and just read it?”
“Do you want me to start a ministry?”

Well, the Lord God Almighty sent me many confirmations. People were giving me the same passage or they would give me Deuteronomy 31:7-8. They told me that the Lord had a word for me and gave me the same passage. So, I said “alright Lord, I will do your will but what do you want me to do with this ministry?”

And I heard in my head, “Read Psalms 145:3-7” it says:
4 One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. 5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. 6 They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds. 7 They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

(Check out the whole Psalm 145.)

We are that One Generation; this may be a ministry not only to minister to other people but to give an example of what we need to do. Yes, we are here to minister to the people who know the Great and Awesome God, but not only to lift up others and help to have the strength to go on and minister to the lost but along with ministering to help save the lost. We need to tell of His mighty acts; have you seen the world today; I believe that we are in the end times and soon enough we will see the persecution (if you haven’t seen it now). Look at the movies and books that the world is reading today. We need to be that one generation, it doesn’t matter who you are, how old you are or how young you are; we need to tell people about God. When the psalmist talked about one generation he was not talking about one specific generation, he was talking about all generations coming together and becoming that one generation who will be praising the Lord; to exalt and exhort His name forever and ever.

Dear God,
I pray that, many people will see this week’s devotion; I pray that people will read this and say “I am a part of that One Generation who will go out and spread the wonderful news no matter what.” I pray people will look up to you and ask what your will is for them. We need a revival and let us not let it die down. Next Sunday is the Global Day of Prayer and as my pastor says over 200 million people will be praying, worshipping, exalting, and exhorting you. I pray dear Lord; people are looking to you and not to themselves. Let us be that ONE GENERATION.

In God’s Love,
<>< - - Mark E. Arroyo - - <><