Giving to the needy

  Giving to the needy

"He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done." Proverbs 19:17.

The American Evangelist Toni Campolo wrote,

"These issues are biblical issues: to care for the sick, to feed the hungry, to stand up for the oppressed. I contend that if the evangelical community became more biblical, everything would change." Tony Campolo.

Do you give to help the poor? 

Like Toni Campolo said, “caring for the sick, feeding the hungry, and standing for the oppressed are Christian issues.”

I firmly believe we should give what we can when we can to helping those in need. Not just the ten percent many churches say we should give. To my knowledge there is no reference to just giving 10% of our income to the church. There are however acts of giving that go beyond the ten percent tithe. 

“I found this on a Jewish website,

Judaism has a thing called Tzedakah which lines up with Christian doctrine. 

In Judaism giving to the poor is not viewed as a generous, magnanimous act, it is simply and act of righteousness, performance of a duty giving the poor their due.

 The Obligation of Tzedakah. Giving to the poor is an obligation in Judaism, a duty that cannot be forsaken even by those who are themselves in need.

“According to Jewish law, we are required to give one-tenth of our income to the poor.  

  The obligation to perform Tzedakah can be fulfilled by giving money to the poor, to health care institutions, to Synagogues or educational institutions. It can also be fulfilled by supporting your children beyond the age when you are legally required to, or supporting your parents in their old age. The obligation includes giving both to Jews and gentiles;

The Talmud lists levels of charity from the least meritorious to the most meritorious, are: 

“Giving begrudgingly

Giving less than you should, but giving cheerfully,

Giving after being asked

Giving before being asked

Giving when you do not know the recipient's identity, but the recipient knows yours

Giving when you know and the recipient's identity, but the recipient doesn't know yours.

Giving when neither party knows the other's identity.

Enabling the recipient to become self-reliant. 

This lines up with what Jesus said,

"Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 

"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honoured by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.  

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:1-4.

So do you give to those in need?

Please think about it.

Pray and intercede

 Pray and intercede

The apostle Paul writes,

“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—  for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  

This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.  

For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,   who gave himself as a ransom for all men the testimony given in its proper time. 1Timothy 2:1-6

Here Paul tells Christians to pray make intercession and thanksgiving for everyone. Paul even notes we should pray for those in authority that we may live in peace. That such a thing pleases God.

Paul notes there is but one God and Mediator between God and men Christ Jesus. That Jesus that gave himself a ransom for all men.

C. S. Lewis notes,

“He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man made, He would have done no less.” C.S. Lewis.

Jesus died for all men. That is why Christians need to pray for our leaders. To pray that we can live in peace. For it is in times of peace that the gospel of Christ can spread the fastest. 

Christianity is not a faith that promotes conflict. Quite the opposite the early church founders all talked about living in peace with all people. The apostle Peter states,

“Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 1 Peter 2:11,12.

To be a Christian we can do nothing less.

We are to pray for our leaders, both those inside and outside the church. We are to pray for our secular political leaders and for all those around us no matter who they are in the church or on the streets around us. 

The writer of Hebrews tells us,

“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14.

If you claim to be a Christian this is what you should be doing.

Please think about it.

That you may have eternal life

 That you may have eternal life

The Apostle John writing about Jesus said,

“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:12,13.

The Apostle Paul writing to believers in Christ Jesus said,

“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:26-28.

It is the core of Christian belief that through belief in Christ Jesus you become children of God. That you receive eternal life.

Jesus said,

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6.

The apostle Paul writes,

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.  

But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.” 1Timothy 1:15,16.

What the apostle Paul is saying here through belief in Christ Jesus we receive eternal life.

Thus the question becomes. Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, God incarnate who died for your sins, That you may have eternal life in heaven with God?

Please think about it.

Jesus existed

 Jesus existed

In the gospel of John we read,

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14.

John’s Gospel also records,

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 

Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?  

Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when    I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.  John 14:8-11

The apostle Paul writes,

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,"  1 Corinthians 15:3

Martha is recorded in John’s gospel as saying,

“Yes Lord” she told Him, “I believe you are the Christ the Son of God, who was to come into the world,...”John 11:27.

So the question becomes do you believe these Biblical references or not. The people noted that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah. That he was a real person.

Outside the Bible we can read the account of 

Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (37—100 AD), aka Joseph ben Mattathias, is one of the most important writers of antiquity. His book Jewish Antiquities has a passage most scholars accept as authentic, Josephus writes,

"Around this time lived Jesus, a wise man. For he was a worker of amazing deeds and was a teacher of people who gladly accept the truth. He won over both many Jews and many Greeks. Pilate, when he heard him accused by the leading men among us, condemned him to the cross, [but] those who had first loved him did not cease [doing so]. To this day the tribe of Christians named after him has not disappeared."

Pliny the Younger (61-112 AD) was a powerful Roman lawyer, senator and intellectual famed for his letters which were turned into ten popular books. In his tenth book is a letter written, #96, to Emperor Trajan asking for help with trials of accused Christians. Three times he mentions the Christians of Christ. This letter is not suspected of being a forgery by most historians. Pliny writes, in part,

“They had met regularly before dawn on a determined day, and sung antiphonally a hymn to Christ as if to a god (carmenque Christo quasi deo dicere secum invicem). They also took an oath not for any crime, but to keep from theft, robbery and adultery, not to break any promise, and not to withhold a deposit when reclaimed.”

It, I believe, is easy to say Jesus didn’t exist and say that the historical evidence is flawed. It’s much harder to believe he existed because once you admit he existed then you have to admit that what the bible says about him has to have some merit.”

Flavius Josephus and Pliny the Younger were recording who Jesus was within living memory and they say he existed.

Which brings us the next question. Who do you believe Jesus is Messiah, Christ, Son of God?

Please think about it.

What is expected

 What is expected

The following is a few verses that what is expected of a Christian.

The apostle Paul writes,

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. “   Romans 12:18

The writer of Proverbs saying,

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 

Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.” Proverbs 3:3,4

Christian love defined by the apostle Paul,

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, 

it is not proud.  

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

Love never fails....

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. 

But the greatest of these is love.”  

                                                                                     1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13

Jesus said,

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34,35

Jesus also said,

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  

But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:43-45

When asked,

 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 

Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  

This is the first and greatest commandment.  

And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  

All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40.

Jesus also said,

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12

We are to forgive those who sin against us. Jesus saying,

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  

But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”  Matthew 6:14,15

We are called not to judge people. Jesus saying,

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  

For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:1,2

The apostle Paul telling us to not to judge those outside the church and keep the church clean. Writing,

“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  

God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:12,13

Paul also reminding us,

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22,23

The writer of Hebrews saying,

“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14

Francis of Assisi wrote a prayer that we as Christians should consider taking to heart. He wrote,

“O Divine Master, grant that I may not seek to be consoled, as to console. To be understood, as to understand. To be loved, as to love. For it is in giving that we receive. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned. It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”   Francis of Assisi.

Think about it.

A man's choice

 A Mans Choice 

“For a man’s ways are in full view of the LORD, 

and He examines all his paths.” 

                                                               Proverbs 5:21.

The writer of Ecclesiastes states.

“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole  duty  of man. 

For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” Ecclesiastes12:13,14

Whether you believe God or not He exists. C. S. Lewis said,

“A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.” C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain 

To me to be an atheist and say there is no God is to be arrogant. For in saying there is no God you are saying you know everything and have been everywhere. That includes beyond the grave.

The simple fact remains that unless you truly have been everywhere you cannot for certain say that God does not exist. For the simple fact God could be where you have not been.

Atheism is as much a faith as any religion in the world. You must have faith that you are right in order to be an atheist.

Being wrong and being an Atheist has disastrous implications for it can effect where you will spend eternity.

Being a Christian on the other hand means if you are wrong you have at the very least lived a good moral life. Which is not a bad thing.

Blaise Pascal put it this way

Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come to you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false? If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation, that He exists. Blaise Pascal.

If you are right as a Christian and I as a Christian believe Christians are right, means there is an eternal home in heaven with God in which there is peace and rest for your soul.

Thus the question is how strong is your faith be it in Atheism or Christianity. Do you truly believe there is no God ? Do you think this life is all we have?

Before you answer that question. I would ask that you read the New Testament and see for yourself what Christians believe. 

Please think about it.

Are you Salty

  Are you Salty?

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  

Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16

Are you Salty? Are you as a Christian living a life discernibly different from the world around you. My first pastor use to ask if you were on trial for being a Christian would there be enough evidence that you were indeed living for Christ?

Francis of Assisi said it best,

“Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words.” 

                                                                                  Francis of Assisi.

As Christians our light should be shining at all times. We shouldn’t have to tell people we are Christians, nor should we be always quoting scripture and hitting them over the head with the bible.

Our lives should be a testimony of our love for Christ. Again to quote Francis of Assisi,

“The deeds you do

 may be the only sermon some persons will hear today” 

                                                                                             Francis of Assisi.

Think about it.  

Confessing your sins to God

  Confessing your sins to God

The gospel of Luke records,

"One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" 

But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence?  

We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." 

Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.'" 

Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." Luke 23:39-43.

The crucifixion illustrates how we get to heaven.

During Chris’s crucifixion two criminals hung with him. One hurled insults at him telling him if he was the Christ to save himself and them.

The other believed Jesus was the Christ confessed that he was a sinner and asked Jesus to remember him when he came into his kingdom. 

To which Jesus replied,

“I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise”

The apostle John wrote,

  "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  

If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives." 1 John 1:9,10.

The condemned man admitted he was a sinner, that he had done wrong. He believed Jesus to be who he said he was, The Son of God and asked Jesus to simply remember him when He entered his Kingdom.

Have you confessed your sin large or small to God?

If not why not do so today?

Please think about it.

Christians believe

  Christians believe

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  

        If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives." 1John 1:9-10

For the most part I believe people believe in an after life. They believe in a heaven and a hell. Most people however believe that if you live a good life, a life where the good outweighs the bad you'll get to heaven. Christians don't believe it's quite  that way.

While Christians believe you must do as much good in this life as you can we are still not perfect enough to stand before a Holy God.

Christians acknowledge that man makes mistakes big ones, and little ones. That no man is completely good. That even the best people has the potential to do evil things. That even the most evil of men have the potential to repent of their wrong doing.

C. S. Lewis said,

"The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us." C.S. Lewis

Lewis also said,

"He (Jesus) died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man made, He would have done no less."   C.S. Lewis

Do you believe this?

Please think about it.

A Message from Athens to us

 A message from Athens to us

Two thousand years ago give or take a few years, the Apostle Paul was invited by the Stoic and Epicurean philosophers of Athens to speak to them about Christ. The message he gave that day is as relevant today as when he spoke it. The book of Acts records the incident.

“While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.  

So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.  

A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.  

Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?  

You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.”  

(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.) 

“Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.  

For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. 

“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.  

And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.  

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.  

God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.  

‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ 

“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man’s design and skill.  

In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.  

For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” 

When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.”  

At that, Paul left the Council. A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.” Acts 17:16-34.

As I said this message is as important today as it was then. And interestingly enough people today seem divided as the Athenians were. Some will sneer, some want to hear more and some will become followers of Christ Jesus.

In which group are you.

Please think about it.

Truths about Jesus

  Truths about Jesus

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.  

If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.  

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  

If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. 

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 

We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.  

The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  

But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him:  

Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. 1John 1:5-26

Some simple truths from John.

1/ “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.”

2/ “If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not  live by the truth.”

3/ “if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another,  and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”

4/ “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us....”

5/ “If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”

6/ “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and  purify us from all unrighteousness.”

7/ “We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands...”

8/ “Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” 

John also makes it clear that if we sin we,

“...we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”

As Christians it is important for us to live a life as close to the ideals Jesus set out for us as possible.

John recognizes that we are human and that we do sin and thus have one who speaks in our defense, Jesus Christ.

Please think about it.

A Workman Approved

  A workman approved

The apostle Paul when writing to Timothy states:

“Do your best to present yourself to God

as one approved,

a workman who does not need to be ashamed

                                and who correctly handles the Word of truth.”                                                                                                                    2Timothy 2:15.

Here Paul tells Timothy and through Timothy us to correctly handle “the Word of truth” 

In chapter four of 2Timothy we read,

"For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  

They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." 2Timothy 4:3,4.

It is easy to deliberately misuse the scriptures. There are many high profile evangelist and pastors out there who have done and still are misinterpreting God’s word. As such, as believers in Christ Jesus we must be careful. We must pray and study the scriptures for ourselves. We need as Paul states,

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2Timothy 2:15.

Are you doing this?

Please think about it.