Dear friends, as I go on in the Christian life, I am coming to appreciate more just how important it is for us to give to the poor. We need to give time, physical resources AND the gospel to the poor. Without giving time, our hearts are not involved. Without giving food and other things, our love is empty talk, and without giving the gospel and God's Word, we neglect the true eternal needs of the very people who are most likely to be responsive to God's call.
In Matthew 25, the parable of the sheep and the goats, Jesus made it clear that our attitude towards helping the seemingly unimportant people in desperate need reveals whether we are "sheep" - destined to enjoy God forever, or "goats" - those who call Jesus Lord but are on our way to hell. It is the "goats" who shut their eyes and ears to the needs of those around us, especially the needs of poor Christians.
We cannot give to everyone who sends a request over the internet, because really we don't know who they actually are, but if we have money and resources and time available, I believe we should visit the poor both locally and overseas, with a view to doing something for them. After we have cared for our own families we need to think about caring for the Body of Christ and then our fellow human beings who have yet to know God's love.
There will be more and more poor people even in the western nations in the years ahead. In the United States especially, we will no doubt see more and more homeless people, hungry people, sick people and people in prison. But there are poor and needy people in all nations. Even in rich nations such as Australia where I live, there are people who are beginning to slip through the cracks.
God is against the doctrines which teach men to endlessly accumulate wealth and serve Mammon. Those claiming to be "spirit-filled" Christians have enough money and time to evangelise the world a million times over, and probably enough
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The Poor
Michael,I agree 100 percent with you on this subject. Jesus said the poor you will always have with you (John 12:8) and it should be our desire to take care of the poor ( Galatians 2:10 ). The guilt trip that some of these Evangelists and Pastors give their hearers about money,rather it be on t.v. or internet or in a church building is manipulation, which is witchcraft. Our devotion to Christ must come from a clean and pure heart ( Psalms 51 ) and also we should and must do as our Lord Jesus did in ( Acts 1:1 Jesus began both to do and teach ) in other words Let us practice what we preach. this application is for everyone, not just those in the postion of authority
Blessings in Jesus
What had happened to your world, Oh! my Lord.
I agree with you. There is a thing that I have noticed in our today’s society that people think they do fulfil the commandment when they somehow manage to give 10 percent of their earnings to church. But had you ever tried to find out how this 10 percent is actually been used.
Today we see that the prestige of the church is when the church is constructed beautifully, decorated at it best, located in a posh area; members of the church are well – dressed etc. In doing all this from where does the church manage itself, most probably from that 10 per cent you give as well from others sources too. Yes, the church does try to give out a bit to the needy as well. Wonder what will be that percentage?
Had our Lord Jesus Christ ever told us to give to the church 10 percent? We assume when we give 10 percent of our earning to church, we had paid it to God as an offering. Don’t you think Jesus will be more than happy when we would at least give 5 percent of that to those who really need it to feed their hunger? Won’t we be more blessed by Him who provides us for our survival? I don’t understand why people think when they donate it to church they had given it to the house of the Lord. Does God live in church? Isn’t this whole world His home and its people His family? So, whom would our Lord desire to give this 10 percent? For the material Church or for His Holy family?
Had Jesus told us to build a Church for Him so that we can pray to Him there? Or did Jesus tell, “Form a religion in my Name?”
With Prayers
Anurekha
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