Will not be answered.

 Will not be answered

In the book of Proverbs we read,

"Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor 

will himself call out and not be answered." 

                                                                   Proverbs 21:13.

I firmly believe that it is the duty of those who have been blessed with wealth to help the poor. We should never turn our ear away from those in need.

In the Talmud we read,

"Rabbi Akiba was asked by a Roman general, "Why does your God who loves the needy not provide for their support Himself?"  He answered, "God the Father of both the rich and poor, wants the one to help the other so as to make the world a household of love." The Talmud.

In the book of James we read,

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  

If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." James 2:15-17

If you consider yourself a true believer in Christ Jesus are you helping the poor in someway? 

Please think about it.

A waring to the rich

  A warning to the rich 

Jesus told this story,

"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  

At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores  and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 

"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried.  

In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  

So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' 

"But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.  

And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' 

"He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house,  

for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' 

"Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 

" ‘No, father Abraham,' he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' 

"He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' " Luke 16:19-31

Now as I have said in previous blogs there is nothing wrong with being rich or for that matter powerful. The problem arises when one misuses their wealth or power. When they put the wrong emphasis on their money or power.

I’m sure the rich man in the story could have helped Lazarus but chose not to. As a result he suffered the consequences.

If this man truly loved God he would have helped Lazarus and those like him. For it our faith in God that spurs us on to good works.

So the question becomes. Be you materially wealthy or not do you do what you can to help the poor around you?

Please think about it.

Giving to the poor

  Giving to the Poor

In the book of Leviticus we read,

" ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.  

Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God." Leviticus 19: 9,10.

God care for the poor. Within the scriptures there are over 2000 verses that deal with helping the poor.

Question are you doing what you can to help the poor where you live? Do you give a few at least a few coins to those begging on the street? Do you donate to a food bank?

Please think about it.

A Moral Obligation

 A Moral Obligation

In the book of Leviticus we read.

“‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.’ ” Leviticus 23:22.

The American evangelist Tony Campolo said,

“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.

I believe as Christians we have a moral obligation to help those in need, and scripture backs this up. In the book of James we read,

“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  

If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 

But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 

You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?” James 2:14-20.

In the Jewish faith there is a concept known as Tzedakah. I got this explanation of tzedakah from Jewish web site it states,

"Tzedakah is the Hebrew word for acts that we call charity in English: giving assistance and money to the poor and needy or to other worthy causes. However the nature of tzedakah is very different from the idea of charity. The word "charity suggests benevolence and generosity, a magnanimous act by the wealthy and the powerful for the benefit of the poor and needy....

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.

We have no way of knowing why a person is poor and in need. And its not our place to judge the poor. 

It is however, our moral obligation to help the poor when we can.

Please think about it.

Lazarus the rich man and you

 Lazarus the rich man and you

Jesus told this story

"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  

At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores  and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 

"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried.  

In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  

So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' 

"But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.  

And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' 

"He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house,  

for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' 

"Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 

" ‘No, father Abraham,' he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' 

"He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' " Luke 16:19-31.

Like I said in my previous blog, there is nothing wrong with being rich. The problem is what you do with the wealth you have, and what priority do you put on it. 

Also, and this applies to everyone it’s all about what you do for God that counts. 

The rich man here could have afforded to help Lazarus yet he didn’t. The rich man didn’t seem to think about anyone but himself.

The old testament that the rich man would have at the very least known about and probably read, has numerous verses about helping the poor. Yet he it seemingly ignored them and God. 

Thus at the end of his life he paid the ultimate price for not following God’s word.

Question; Are you doing what you can to help the poor in whatever way you can?

Where do you think you will spend eternity?

Please think about it?

Boxing Day

  Boxing day

In the book of James we read,

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  

If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 

But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 

You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?" James 2:14-20.

Today is the day after Christmas day known at least where I live and in many British Commonwealth countries as boxing day. 

There are several beliefs as to how it started but the one that stands out for me is this,

The Boxing day name came from the alms boxed placed in churches during Advent season to collect monetary donations for parishioners. 

On this day also referred to as St. Stephens day (after the first Christian Martyr) members of the clergy would distribute to contents of the boxes to the poor on December 26th  

Giving to the poor within our society is a big part of Christian life. We should never turn a blind eye to the poor. If we consider ourselves a Christian, a true follower of Christ Jesus we should be doing what we can, even if it’s only a small gesture to help the poor.

If you consider yourself a true Christian. A True follower of Christ Jesus are you doing what you can to help the poor?

Please think about it.

If your brother

  If your brother

In the book of Leviticus we read,

“If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you.”Leviticus 25:35.

Here is a powerful statement for all believers. We are to help those who cannot help themselves. A similar sentiment is written in the book of James it states,

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  

If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 

But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 

You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?" James 2:14-20.

Around the world there is a refugee crisis. The numbers of refugees fleeing their home countries is overwhelming. Aid agencies and indeed countries are finding it hard to cope with the numbers. A hundred million people by one estimate are displaced. Forty percent are children under eighteen.

As believers in Christ Jesus we are told by Jesus himself to,

"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.

The bottom line for those who believe in Christ Jesus is we are to help those who are in need to the extent we are able.

Please think about it.

The Rich and the Poor

  The rich and the poor

Jesus told this parable,

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  

At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores  and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 

“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.  

In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  

So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 

“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.  

And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 

“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house,  

for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 

“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 

“ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 

“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ” Luke 16:19-31.

Here is a warning to those who have wealth and power. A warning that God will one day hold them to account for not helping those less fortunate. For not remembering their wealth and power ultimately come from God.

In the Talmud we read,

“Rabbi Akiba was asked by a Roman general, "Why does your God who loves the needy not provide for their support Himself?"  He answered, "God the Father of both the rich and poor, wants the one to help the other so as to make the world a household of love." The Talmud.

Sadly to many people do not believe or practice this.

For a myriad of reasons there are poor in this world. Men, women, and children quite often because of circumstance beyond their control do not have enough to eat, a roof over their heads, clothing or health care. Basic human rights.

Politicians and those with excessive wealth whether they admit it or not have the ability to help. Sadly for political or ideological, or even greed they do little or nothing to end poverty. Such men and women I believe should beware that one day stand accountable for their actions.

There is one quote from the Talmud, that while not a Christian book expresses what I believe will happen when such people stand before God. The Talmud states,

"When a man appears before the Throne of Judgment, the first question he is asked is not, "Have you believed in God?"  Or "Have you prayed and observed the ritual?  "He is asked: "have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow men?" The Talmud.

This I believe applies to all people.

Please think about it.

Pour yourself out for the hungry

  Pour yourself out for the hungry

The Prophet Isaiah states,

"If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday."Isaiah 58:10.

If you truly believe in God. If you are a true follower of Christ Jesus this I firmly believe is what we must do. We must help the poor. We must do our best to help those who are less fortunate than ourselves.

Jesus told this story that should at the very least be a warning to those who are wealthy. Jesus said,

"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  

At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores  and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 

"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried.  

In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  

So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' 

"But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.  

And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' 

"He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house,  

for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' 

"Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 

" ‘No, father Abraham,' he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' 

"He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' " Luke 16:19-31

Please think about it.

Giving

  Giving

In the book of James we read,

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  

If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 

But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 

You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?" James 2:14-20

Martin Luther King, Jr. Said,

“Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 

'What are you doing for others?'”

                                      Martin Luther King, Jr.

As Christians, true believers in Christ Jesus we must always remember that we are to help others, Christians and non-Christians as much as we can.

Jesus 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.

So if you see a homeless person on the street and have a few coins, bills or even food you can give. Why not do so in the name of Jesus. If you were in that position would you not want someone to help you.

If you get a chance to tell someone about Jesus and your faith in God, do so. You never know what may happen.

When you do these things however do them in the name of Christ and do them in secret. Jesus said,

"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..."Matthew 6:3,4a.

Please think about it.

Compassion

  Compassion 

In the gospel of Luke we read this statement from John the Baptist,

“‘What should we do then?’ the crowd asked. John answered, ‘Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”Luke 3:10,11.

I strongly feel to be a true Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus, we must do what we can to help the poor. I believe the more we have, the more we should give to help the poor. This is one of the corner stones of Christian living.

In the book of James we read,

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  

If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 

But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 

You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?" James 2:14-20.

As Christians, believers in Christ Jesus, I believe God will hold us accountable for our behaviour towards the poor. If you want proof of this read, what Jesus said in Matthew 25:41-43.

"Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  

For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,  

I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'” Matthew 25:41-43.

True belief in Christ Jesus causes us to have compassion for all those less fortunate than us. 

So do you show compassion for those less fortunate than you?

Please think about it.

You and the Poor

  You and the poor.

In proverbs we read,

"A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge."Proverbs 29:7.

"Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done."Proverbs 19:17.

In Judaism there is an interesting concept Christians need to practice it’s called Tzedakah,

I got this explanation from a Jewish web site, it states,

"Tzedakah is the Hebrew word for acts that we call charity in English: giving assistance and money to the poor and needy or to other worthy causes. However the nature of tzedakah is very different from the idea of charity. The word "charity suggests benevolence and generosity, a magnanimous act by the wealthy and the powerful for the benefit of the poor and needy.

 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.

Giving to the poor is an obligation in Judaism, a duty that cannot be forsaken even by those who are themselves in need. Some sages have said that tzedakah is the highest of all commandments, equal to all of them combined, and that a person who does not perform tzedakah  is equivalent to an idol worshipper.”

The book of James states,

“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  

If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 

But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 

You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?” James 2:14-20.

Jesus said,

"Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  

I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 

"Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  

When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  

When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 

"The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" Matthew 25:34-40.

What will God say to you when you stand before Him.

Please think about it.

God, you, and the poor

  God, you, and the poor.

In the book of Exodus we read,

"For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what they leave. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove. 

"Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the slave born in your household, and the alien as well, may be refreshed."Exodus 23:10-12.

This could be called “Gods welfare plan”. God tells the Israelites to leave the fields unplowed and unused. So that the poor may eat of what is in those fields. In book of Leviticus God states,

“ ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.  

Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.” Leviticus 19: 9,10.

This is Gods way of providing for the poor.

Note also in Exodus God tells us to rest on the seventh day. And that means everyone in your household and the working animals. 

In Deuteronomy we read.

"There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land."Deuteronomy 15:11.

This is a commandment from God every believer I believe must follow. But sadly at least here in North America where I live, in society that goes twenty-four hours a day seven days a week, this is forgotten.

We as believers in Christ Jesus need to be doing what God is saying here. We need to be calling on our politicians, especially those who claim to be Christian to do more for the poor and needy.

Thus the question becomes, Are you doing what you can to help the poor and needy in y our community?

Please think about it.

 God, you and the poor

In the book of Proverbs we read,

“A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge.”Proverbs 29:7.

Sadly many think ill of the poor. There are many claiming to be Christians, in all walks of life, be they sitting in the pew, standing in the pulpit, or in political office, who think the poor are poor because they have done something wrong.

I’ve heard on more than one occasion of politicians and others saying if we increase welfare benefits or minimum wage “the poor will only go out an buy more drugs”. Nothing could be further from the truth.

As Christians as true believers in Christ Jesus we need to look carefully at what God says about the poor.

In Deuteronomy God tells us,

"There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land."Deuteronomy 15:1.

In Leviticus the farmer is told,

“When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.  Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God." Leviticus 19: 9,10.

This to my way of thinking gives the poor at least the rights to the leftovers.

It is saying to us in the twenty-first century to at the very least help the poor in whatever way we can.

If you consider yourself a true follower of Christ Jesus are you doing what you can to help the poor in your neighbourhood?

Please think about it.

The Christian and Tzedakah

 The Christian and Tzedakah

In the book of Deuteronomy we read,

"If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted towards your needy neighbour… Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbour in your land." Deuteronomy 15:7, 11.

Here is a simple command given by God. Believers are to help the poor and needy. It is one of the obligations we as believers have toward God and our fellow man. It’s if you will a human rights issue.

We should not look down on the poor because we don’t know why or how they got into the position they are in. Instead we should be looking to help them up and out of poverty.

In Judaism there is a term called “Tzedakah”. This is in brief is what I found out about Tzedakah from a Jewish website. It is something anyone calling themselves a Christian should consider.

"Tzedakah is the Hebrew word for acts that we call charity in English: giving assistance and money to the poor and needy or to other worthy causes. 

However the nature of tzedakah is very different from the idea of charity. The word "charity suggests benevolence and generosity, a magnanimous act by the wealthy and the powerful for the benefit of he poor and needy....

The word "tzedakah" is derived form the Hebrew root Tzadei-dalet-Qof, meaning righteousness, justice or fairness. 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....

Giving to the poor is an obligation in Judaism, a duty that cannot be forsaken even by those who are themselves in need. Some sages have said that tzedakah is the highest of all commandments, equal to all of them combined, and that a person who does not perform tzedaka is equivalent to an idol worshipper...

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

Here in North America there are many ways to help those in need. Simply giving money to a charitable organization or food bank. Volunteering at a homeless shelter, or a food bank. 

Writing to your local politician asking them to build more affordable housing, or shelters for the homeless, raising the minimum wage. 

Even providing more opportunities for those in need to be trained in necessary skills that will help them up out of poverty. The list goes on and on. 

Why not take a few minutes now to consider how you can help the less fortunate in your neighbourhood.

Please think about it.

A Biblical Issue

 A Biblical issue

In the book of Leviticus we read,

" ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.  

Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God." Leviticus 19: 9,10.

God cares for the poor. There are I am told over 2000 verses in the bible that deal with the poor.

Here long before there was such a thing as government welfare God decreed that those who owned farms were not to pick up fruit that had fallen on the ground or even go over their vineyard a second time. They were to leave the fruit for the poor and aliens in their midst.

The American evangelist Tony Campolo makes a good point when he states,

"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.

Thus my question to you. If you are a Christian are you doing what you can to help the poor? 

Please think about it.

Poor and Needy

  Poor and needy

In the book of Deuteronomy we read,

“If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted towards your needy neighbour… Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbour in your land.” Deuteronomy 15:7, 11.

Jesus said,

"Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  

I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 

"Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  

When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  

When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 

"The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" Matthew 25:34-40.

Helping the poor and needy is a common theme throughout the scriptures.

Now works alone will not save us. Our salvation comes through faith in Christ Jesus. That being said our faith should spur us on to do good works.

Question; If you consider yourself a Christian, a follower of Christ Jesus is your faith spurring you on to do good works?

Please think about it.

Speak up

 Speak up

In the book of Proverbs we read,

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, 

for the rights of all who are destitute. 

Speak up and judge fairly; 

defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

                                                                Proverbs 31:8,9.

Now I live in Canada. I see everyday what is happening in North America and if there are questions I would ask those who espouse to be Christians particularly Evangelical Christians in the United States is; 

Do you speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves?

Do you speak up for the rights of the destitute? 

Do you defend the rights of the poor?

I say this because if you are not, you are not, obeying God. The words above from Proverbs 31:8,9 are Gods words not mine.

There has been a lot of political turmoil in the United states over the last four years and sadly Christians have been caught up in it. 

If there is a positive note coming out of it, it is that truth is coming out as to who is truly following the word of God and who is not.

Tony Campolo the American evangelist said,

"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.

 Campolo is right. The evangelical community in North America needs to become more biblical. 

In the book of James we read,

"What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." James 2:14:17.

Jesus said,

“And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." Matthew 10:42.

As Christians we are not called to get involved with politics. We are called to present the love of God to anyone who will listen to us.

We are to present that love in both word and deed. 

Are you speaking up for those who are in need?

Please think about it.

Will you be answered

 Will you be answered

In the book of Proverbs we read,

“Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor

 will himself call out and not be answered.” 

                                                      Proverbs 21:13.

What do you do when you pass a homeless person on the street? What do you think of them?

What do you do when you see a single mother and realize she’s struggling to make ends meet?

Do you do anything to help the poor even if it’s only giving a few dollars, or food to a food bank?

Are you’re ears open of closed to the plight of the poor in your town or city?

If you’re a Christian a believer in Christ Jesus you have an obligation to those who are less fortunate than yourself.

I know the Talmud is a Jewish book but what it has to say about the relationship between the rich and the poor makes sense.

 In the Talmud we read,

Rabbi Akiba was asked by a Roman general, “Why does your God who loves the needy not provide for their support Himself?”  He answered, “God the Father of both the rich and poor, wants the one to help the other so as to make the world a household of love.” The Talmud.

Question; Are you making the world a household of love?

When you cry out to God will you be answered?

Please think about it.

A Question to ask

  A Question to ask

The apostle John writes,

"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1John 3:17,18.

There are over 2000 verses in the scriptures that deal with responding to the needs of people.

So here is one simple test of a true believer in Christ Jesus. Does that person have pity on his brother in need?

It is a question we need to ask not only of pastors, evangelist and those who sit in the pews on Sunday. But it is a question we need to ask of any political leader that claims they are a Christian.

Please think about it.