My purchase made me feel pretty good about myself, I had worked hard and felt (in my mind) that I had earned the right to drive a car more commensurate with my income. After all, I was making over $100,000 and I had worked hard to get there. Besides, the guys in my office made WAY more cash than I did and drove way nicer cars than my used entry level C320.
I rationalized the purchase, to myself and to my wife. My old car needed over $3,500 worth of work to get it to where it needed to be (bodywork, electrical and mechanical). Not to mention it needed (more like I WANTED) new rims because I had the cheap wheel covers that kept coming off. I did; however, need either to fix the car I had, or to get a more reliable one.
My choice saddled us with a $650 a month payment and about $35,000 in new debt in the form of an automobile loan. This was up from $412 a month on the Mitsubishi Galant I was driving that I only owed about $8,000 on. Later I would purchase my wife a new car as well, another $550 a month payment and another $33,000 in auto loans added to our mountain of debt. Add Gasoline, another $500-$600 a month and Insurance (another $425, due to my driving record) and we were spending some SERIOUS COIN on our transportation expenses. I justified it in my mind by telling myself I wasn’t going to be making a $1,300 a month payment on my Benz like someone else in my office.
We made our purchases emotionally and then rationalized our decisions (like most Americans).
Since that time my wife and I have experienced the loss of our savings, two auto repossessions (leaving us with a deficiency judgment of over $34,000), the loss of our a home (although we were renting we couldn’t afford to keep everything so we figured we would downsize), a miscarriage, and the loss of my very comfortable income along with my pride. The sucking sound I heard was the air being let out of my ego as it deflated faster than an air-balloon with a serious leak.
We moved from where we WERE living to my wife’s parents. Talk about feeling like a failure. I felt like I had failed as a husband, a man, and in business as well. I was angry at the world.
It took me well over a year to get over it emotionally and it hasn’t been easy, but the more I press into God’s word the more he reveals truth to me and heals my heart, renews my mind and strengthens my walk with him along with my marriage and my trust in him. He is restoring me ego to a healthier place as I realize that God’s word wants us to be humble OTHER CENTERED type folks, rather than the ME CENTRIC citizens the media helps to create.
Now, instead of driving I take the bus as much as possible. We have a vehicle; its a beater that I once would have turned up my nose at and laughed, but it gets us where we need to go. Now, I look at things differently. I look at what I was spending and think about how much I wasted. I think about how many families who were legitimately HURTING that could have been helped if I wasn’t so consumed with keeping up with the Jones’.
Multiply that times the millions of people who live in America that are, or were, acting the same way and we could have instead been making a SERIOUS IMPACT for the hungry and needy.
A few months ago a good friend of ours called to let us know he was going to be sending us $300. This isn’t the first time he has done something like this and it probably won’t be the last time he moves to help others who are in need rather than spending his excess on himself.
Recently, this friend of mine “G”, and I had a disagreement. (He would like to remain anonymous, as would I, so I’ll respect his wishes). We both responded in a way that wasn’t proper towards each other. We didn’t get angry and yell or anything like that, but we both were not willing (at the time) to yield to the Holy Spirit’s urging.
On Thursday of that particular week my wife and I were sharing lunch at Chick-Fil-A. We rarely go out any more because of finances. My phone rang, and it was my friend “G.” He was calling to tell me he wanted to send me this $300. He asked me to pray for him because he was sick. We haven’t spoken in a few weeks and I could tell by his voice that he was not feeling well so we prayed together. As I did, I could feel something welling up inside me and my voice began to quiver.
After I hung up, as we were walking to the car, I was suddenly overcome by the Holy Spirit and was grieved in a way I had not experienced since I first came to know the Lord.
My wife, who has never seen me cry in the 6 years we have been together watched as I was weeping bitterly on the way to our car. I was physically unable to control myself and we sat for about 30 minutes as I sobbed profusely. Why was I weeping? Because all of a sudden the verse 1 John 3:17 became real to me.
“But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? (ESV)
I encourage you to go to www.biblos.com and read the various translations next to each other and get the gist of what the author was trying to say when he wrote this.
“G” was being obedient to God’s word and blessing my family and I, Why? Because he saw that we were in need, AND because he has the love of God in him.
God used him that afternoon to teach me several lessons. God demonstrated to me in todays terms which we can understand, how love is, at its core an ACTION. He also used “G” to meet a financial need in our life and to convict me of my own sin.
I had once been in a position in the mortgage business where I had a comfortable income; yet, did not use it in a way that would glorify God. I used it in a way that elevated my own standard of living. Recognizing that in an “in your face” ah-ha moment was piercing to my soul.
I wept because this man was being obedient to God’s word EVEN AFTER we had a period where we had stopped talking. The response that the world takes is to separate itself from others in such a situation. He simply responded in a way that demonstrated God’s love.
Later, I spoke with him on the phone and explained what had happened to me that afternoon in the parking lot. He began to tell me about a man at his church and how the church had responded when he had a need. I was shocked at the indifference shown by the body of Christ and it’s leaders.
This man of whom my friend “G” was speaking is a carpenter, so lets refer to him as “Mr. Carpenter.”
This man, Mr. Carpenter, has a car that is not running. It is in need of repair. Because he cannot fix his car, it makes it almost impossible for him to get to locations necessary to complete jobs so that he can support his family. Because he cannot get to work he cannot fix his car. A vicious cycle indeed.
After several days of not being able to sleep, my friend “G” saw Mr. Carpenter’s wife walking by the side of the road. He stopped and discovered that when they went to their Church they were told they could not be helped. The Lord revealed my friend “G” at that very moment, that he was to help this family. My friend “G” was obedient, the local “church” where Mr. Carpenter and his family worshiped was not.
He and I discussed a verse that we both had been shown independently of each other and I found it fascinating that God would do so to specifically make a point to us.
Recently I was reading in Ezekiel 16 where God was chastising Jerusalem for her Sin. God calls the cities of Samaria and Sodom her sisters. Samaria the elder, and Sodom the younger.
He tells Jerusalem in verse 47:
“You did not walk in their ways nor act according to their abominations; but, as if that were too little, you became more corrupt than they in all your ways.”
Pay attention as God describes the sin or iniquity of her sisters, especially Sodom’s sin.
“As I live,” says the Lord God, “neither your sister Sodom nor her daughters have done as you and your daughters have done. Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom, She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit.”
Wow. I had never read that verse before. I had always assumed that Sodom was destroyed because of their sexual perversion described in Genesis 19. When the angels came to Sodom the men of the city, both young and old, wanted Lot to hand them over so they could have sexual relations with them. The Angels blinded the men and later Lot fled the city just before the Angels destroyed it by fire and brimstone.
In Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 God tells the people that for a woman to lie with a woman (Lesbian) and a man to lie with a man (homosexuality) it is an abomination. Notice that “committing abomination before me” was the LAST proceeded by five (5) other sins that God felt were equally as deserving of punishment and his holy wrath. on the list is PRIDE and:
- Fullness of food
- Abundance of Idleness
- Failed to strengthen the hand of the poor and needy
- Were Haughty
- Committed Abomination before me
Let’s look at these five sins together and then, I hope you will examine yourself to see if you may be guilty of them yourself and in need of repentance. I can personally say I am guilty of the first five. Although I can say I am free of the homosexuality or lesbian part, I still have the deck stacked against me pretty well which still makes me guilty and deserving of punishment from a holy God.
Pride
According to Your Dictionary.com, pride is described as “an unduly high opinion of oneself; exaggerated self-esteem; conceit. It goes on to say that “haughty behavior resulting from this; arrogance.” It also says “proper respect for oneself; sense of one’s own dignity or worth; self-respect delight or satisfaction in one’s own or another’s achievements, in associations, etc.”
Let’s see what God’s word has to say about what our opinion of ourselves should be.
Philippians 2:3 “ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” (NIV)
Consider others better than yourselves. Hum, that doesn’t sound like what it taught in schools today, does it? We teach our children about how to have self confidence and to have a self worth. In fact there is an entire section devoted to feeling better about yourself at Barnes and Noble, the “self help” section. The scriptures say the opposite.
For those who are in Christ we already KNOW our self worth and don’t need to seek to consider ourselves “better” in fact he asks us to consider others better than ourself and to do it in humility.
Fullness of Food
When was the last time you went to a a restaurant, ate lunch, and later thought to yourself, “man, I’m stuffed?”
Recently I was grabbing a bite to eat at Subway because of their $5 Dollar Foot Long (I can even hear the music as I write this). As I stood in line ordering my foot-long turkey sub sandwich with extra meat; lettuce; tomatoes; cucumbers; pickles; black olives; and cilantro on a whole wheat bun I kept hearing Pastor Francis Chan’s voice from a sermon he gave. I have listened repeatedly to this particular sermon as it needs to be chewed on so that you can really absorb what it says. He was covering a topic called “Is Suffering Optional.” You can listen to it by going to www.cornerstonesimi.com and looking up “Media” and then looking for it by name.
Here is what I kept hearing as I stood in line, it can be found in Luke 6: 25:
“Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.” (ESV)
Here in America we have more than enough to eat, in fact, or government takes part in a practice where farmers are paid NOT to grow food. Were you aware of that?
Only a wealthy nation can be guilty of such a sin. Nations that are poor simply do not have enough food to feed their own citizens. Their fields are barren and their streams are withered. They cannot water their crops and those that are planted fail or do not yield the plenty that we have yielded for decades here in America. Now, Economists will tell you that the reason we do this is to keep food prices stable. Please show me in God’s word where he says that we must pay farmers NOT to grow food. If there is a surplus, it should be used to strengthen the hand of the poor and the needy.
Sodom was a wealthy city, she had more than enough food to feed her citizens and to feed the poor as well. However their actions are what made them guilty. They had material possessions, saw their brothers and sisters, children, aunts and uncle’s in need and choose not to reach out to them. Rather, they were more worried about their own lifestyle, than if others around them even lived.
When you see the commercials on television for organizations like “Feed the Children” do you think about what Jesus said in Matthew 25:35:
Sodom was a wealthy city, she had more than enough food to feed her citizens and to feed the poor as well. However their actions are what made them guilty. They had material possessions, saw their brothers and sisters, children, aunts and uncle’s in need and choose not to reach out to them. Rather, they were more worried about their own lifestyle, than if others around them even lived.
When you see the commercials on television for organizations like “Feed the Children” do you think about what Jesus said in Matthew 25:35:
“for I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.”
Again in the gospel of Luke chapter 6: 20-26 Jesus pours out his heart to his disciples.
If you read these words and believe what Jesus said, I mean REALLY believe that every time you feed someone who is hungry, or give something to drink to those who are thirsty, or clothe those who are naked, or visit those who are lonely in prison (via a letter even), you are doing it to Christ.
There are many believers in foreign nations who are being persecuted and imprisoned for their faith in Jesus Christ and the Bible. However there are people right here in America who need your help too. The action you take towards them is the same action you take toward Jesus himself. Having that kind of belief calls for you to take action. And likewise judges you guilty in your inaction. That isn’t me speaking, it’s simply God’s standard.
In James Chapter 2: 14-26 the writer goes on to explain that faith without works is simply dead. Which do you want to be dead, or alive? Are you ready for this? In Revelation Chapter 3 Jesus says this to the Church in Sardis:
If you read these words and believe what Jesus said, I mean REALLY believe that every time you feed someone who is hungry, or give something to drink to those who are thirsty, or clothe those who are naked, or visit those who are lonely in prison (via a letter even), you are doing it to Christ.
There are many believers in foreign nations who are being persecuted and imprisoned for their faith in Jesus Christ and the Bible. However there are people right here in America who need your help too. The action you take towards them is the same action you take toward Jesus himself. Having that kind of belief calls for you to take action. And likewise judges you guilty in your inaction. That isn’t me speaking, it’s simply God’s standard.
In James Chapter 2: 14-26 the writer goes on to explain that faith without works is simply dead. Which do you want to be dead, or alive? Are you ready for this? In Revelation Chapter 3 Jesus says this to the Church in Sardis:
“I know your works, that you have a [name that you are alive, but you are dead]…therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.”
Wow…you have a reputation (a name) of being alive but you are dead. That’s a pretty stern rebuke.
I wonder, just out of curiosity, how many “alive,” mega churches that are growing, or are profusely popular in the Christian community; however, who have reputations of being “alive” are inclusive of the condition within the body of Christ that he address in this letter to his Church. Chew on that.
As Francis would say “put that on a key-chain.”
Abundance of Idleness
Before I get to deeply into this lets really unpack what it means to be “idle.” The Free Dictionary by Farlex describes idleness as “not employed or busy; avoiding work, or employment, lazy; to move lazily without a purpose.”
Abundance simply means there is a LOT of it. Now, I wasn’t there, I didn’t see if they had a high unemployment rate, nor do I think that is specifically what is meant. They avoided work.
Now this may be a stretch; however, we already know that there must have been wealth there. If there wasn’t, God wouldn’t have been so angry about them not strengthening the poor. He never chastises the poor for not helping themselves, he chastises the wealthy for their greed and neglect of those who are poor and vulnerable.
Luke 12: 48
I wonder, just out of curiosity, how many “alive,” mega churches that are growing, or are profusely popular in the Christian community; however, who have reputations of being “alive” are inclusive of the condition within the body of Christ that he address in this letter to his Church. Chew on that.
As Francis would say “put that on a key-chain.”
Abundance of Idleness
Before I get to deeply into this lets really unpack what it means to be “idle.” The Free Dictionary by Farlex describes idleness as “not employed or busy; avoiding work, or employment, lazy; to move lazily without a purpose.”
Abundance simply means there is a LOT of it. Now, I wasn’t there, I didn’t see if they had a high unemployment rate, nor do I think that is specifically what is meant. They avoided work.
Now this may be a stretch; however, we already know that there must have been wealth there. If there wasn’t, God wouldn’t have been so angry about them not strengthening the poor. He never chastises the poor for not helping themselves, he chastises the wealthy for their greed and neglect of those who are poor and vulnerable.
Luke 12: 48
“Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” (ESV)
With a great deal of wealth comes a luxury that most can’t afford. You don’t have to work. Some do, and can. They are driven by a desire for more, and more and more. Then you have the category who simply enjoys their wealth. They don’t HAVE to work, so they choose not to. They lounge around in their splendor and seek to spend it on themselves. There is no desire to give back or do what they can to ensure that what they have been given blesses others, they simply neglect those with whom God desires of them to strengthen.
We have plenty of that here in America. Just consider that the average salary for a CEO is nearly 10 times the median salary of the average worker.
Failed to Strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
Folks, there is a concordance FULL of references to the words, poor and needy. I suggest, STRONGLY that you read them for yourselves. Discover the heart God has for them, because the Church in America is guilty of neglecting those who Jesus is speaking specifically about in Matthew 25: 32-46 when he judges the nations.
She is guilty because instead of acting like a spirit filled church like we read about in Acts; we see collections and offering being taken in so we they can build 40-100 million dollar “arenas.” Here in these entertainment centers where people come and hear a feel good message, they are taught a watered down “message” and aren’t challenged with the fullness of God’s word.
In 1st Corinthians 13: 1-3 it says this:
Love, my friends is the greatest thing we can share, when we love, we give of ourselves and do not hold back. Think of how Christ loved, did he hold back? He gave it all, everything.
There are scores of needy across America who have gone to their local church or congregation seeking help and could not get the relief they desperately needed. Many congregations were simply unable to help those in need because of the enormous debt they have been saddled with. Mega churches also have mega mortgages. Having come from the mortgage industry myself I know just how much of a payment a church can have for a multi-million dollar facility. When you have crushing overhead, you have to “crush-it” when it comes to the tithes and offerings received.
Do me a favor, go get your bible and a concordance and do a word search to see if you can find anything related to building a church building (Other than the Old Testament command for Israel to build God a Temple). Can you show me in the scriptures where Jesus, or God or one of the Apostles commanded that we take up a collection, go to the bank and get a huge mortgage loan and build mega facilities where members can come and worship? You can’t because it isn’t there. In fact we read in Acts something so radical that it amazes me just how great a love they had for one another.
“Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.”
No one lacked…did you read that? No one lived excessively either. They didn’t save up for an extravagant vacation or set aside a nest egg for retirement, they didn’t hold back so they could roll in a new Benz (I’m guilty too here folks so don’t think I’m just throwing stones). They didn’t make sure they went out to dinner at PF Chang’s 2 nights a week and had the newest plasma screen television. They made sure they took care of one another.
Did you know God’s word has over 300 verses that talk about the poor? Here are just a few that I think we should all ponder.
So what does the Bible say about the blessings which come from serving those who are poor?
Just as there are blessings in God’s word for obeying God and caring for those he loves, there are consequences for disobeying his word and for ignoring those whom God loves. Lets look at a few of them together.
Right now across America there are families everywhere who have suffered greatly. The husband may have lost his job and a lucrative income. Where they had once not had a worry they suddenly have much to worry about. Through their trial they have lost their home, their cars, their savings, perhaps they even suffered a death in the family which lead to their situation. The thing that grieves them most is when they ask for help from the church and they either couldn’t, or wouldn’t do so. Even more damaging to a family is when neither their own families, nor the church reached out their hand to strengthen them. I even heard a young man of whom his pastor suggested that the family who had sent him to the church seeking help was responsible for helping them. “The Lord sent them to you first” were the words he heard from his pastor as he spoke to his congregation about responding to those in need during that time.
Can you believe the hypocrisy? Both are guilty. The worst part was that this young man’s family had resources; they had the ability to strengthen them and refused to do so because they were more worried about their retirement. I imagine that had his family helped him, his gratefulness would have been so immeasurable that he would have responded in kind when his own family needed help in their retirement years. Instead, I wonder what his response will be to show them the mercy God desires that we show to others. The church had resources as well but “couldn’t” because their savings account wasn’t as robust as they felt it should be, “tithing and offerings are down, we would love to help but we just can’t.”
Imagine the heartbreak that young family must have felt as both their family and the church turned its back on them. In the recent downturn of the economy stories like this have reverberated across the nation. Millions are dependent upon food stamps and government assistance while the love of their friends and family’s grows cold.
“Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” (Matthew 25:45)
I counsel you to search your own heart, fall to your knees and ask how you may escape from such a scathing rebuke from the Lord when he judges the nations. Speak to those in positions of authority and plead with them on behalf of those who are poor and needy and let mercy cry out in the streets of this nation while it still can. If he spared not the ancient city of Sodom from destruction, he will surely not let a nation as wicked as ours to continue on this path without a form of judgment coming to pass upon it. Be it a wicked leader, or our enemies coming against us, unless we turn back to God and pray that he heal our land that is precisely what will happen.
Love, my friends is the greatest thing we can share, when we love, we give of ourselves and do not hold back. Think of how Christ loved, did he hold back? He gave it all, everything.
There are scores of needy across America who have gone to their local church or congregation seeking help and could not get the relief they desperately needed. Many congregations were simply unable to help those in need because of the enormous debt they have been saddled with. Mega churches also have mega mortgages. Having come from the mortgage industry myself I know just how much of a payment a church can have for a multi-million dollar facility. When you have crushing overhead, you have to “crush-it” when it comes to the tithes and offerings received.
Do me a favor, go get your bible and a concordance and do a word search to see if you can find anything related to building a church building (Other than the Old Testament command for Israel to build God a Temple). Can you show me in the scriptures where Jesus, or God or one of the Apostles commanded that we take up a collection, go to the bank and get a huge mortgage loan and build mega facilities where members can come and worship? You can’t because it isn’t there. In fact we read in Acts something so radical that it amazes me just how great a love they had for one another.
“Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.”
No one lacked…did you read that? No one lived excessively either. They didn’t save up for an extravagant vacation or set aside a nest egg for retirement, they didn’t hold back so they could roll in a new Benz (I’m guilty too here folks so don’t think I’m just throwing stones). They didn’t make sure they went out to dinner at PF Chang’s 2 nights a week and had the newest plasma screen television. They made sure they took care of one another.
Did you know God’s word has over 300 verses that talk about the poor? Here are just a few that I think we should all ponder.
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, that that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.”
Deut. 15:7
"If there is a poor man among you, one of your brothers, in any of the towns of the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand to your poor brother; but you shall freely open your hand to him, and generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks."
Deut. 26:12
"When you have finished paying the complete tithe of your increase in the third year, the year of tithing, then you shall give it to the Levite, to the stranger, to the orphan and the widow, that they may eat in your towns, and be satisfied."
Lev. 19:9
"Now when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, neither shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger. I am the LORD your God."
Prov. 31:8 [Commandment to kings.]
"Open your mouth for the dumb, for the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy."
Is. 58:6
"Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke? Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into the house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then you light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, “Here I am.”
Jer. 22:3
"Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor. Also do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place."
Luke 12:33
“Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves purses which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, nor moth destroys.”
Luke 3:11
And [John the Baptist] would answer and say to them, “Let the man with two tunics share with him who has none, and let him who has food do likewise.”
Mt. 5:42
"Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you."
So what does the Bible say about the blessings which come from serving those who are poor?
Prov. 22:9
He who is generous will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor.
Jer. 22:16
“Did not your father eat and drink, and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. He pled the cause of the afflicted and needy; then it was well. Is that not what it means to know Me?” declares the LORD.
Deut. 15:10
You shall give generously to [your poor brother], and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all your undertakings.
Prov. 19:17
He who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, and He will repay him for his good deed.
Jer. 7:5-7
“For, if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly practice justice between a man and his neighbor, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, nor walk after other gods to your own ruin, then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever.”
Isaias. 58:10.
“And if you give yourself to the hungry, and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness, and your gloom will become like midday. And the LORD will continually guide you, and satisfy your desire in scorched places, and give strength to your bones; and you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.”
Luke 14:12-14.
“When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return, and repayment come to you. But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Luke 12:44.
“Sell your possessions and give alms; make yourselves purses which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Mt. 19:20.
The young man said to Him, “All these commands I have kept; what am I still lacking?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
Just as there are blessings in God’s word for obeying God and caring for those he loves, there are consequences for disobeying his word and for ignoring those whom God loves. Lets look at a few of them together.
Ezek. 16:49
“Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food, and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy. Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them when I saw it.”
Isaiah. 10:1-3.
“Woe to those who enact evil statutes, and to those who continually record unjust decisions, so as to deprive the needy of justice, and rob the poor of My people of their rights… Now what will you do in the day of punishment, and in the devastation which will come from afar?”
Luke 1:52
“He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted those who were hungry. He has filled the hungry with good things; and sent away the rich empty-handed.”
Ezek. 22: 29, 31
“The people of the land have practiced oppression and committed robbery, and they have wronged the poor and needy and have oppressed the sojourner without justice… Thus I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; their way I have brought upon their heads,” declares the Lord GOD.
Jer. 5:28
“[The wicked] do not plead the cause, the cause of the orphan, that they may prosper; and they do not defend the rights of the poor. Shall I not punish these people?” declares the LORD. “On such a nation as this, shall I not avenge myself?”
James 5:1-6.
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. …Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and with you have withheld, cries out against you; and the outcry of the harvesters has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.
Luke 6:24.
“But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full.”
Luke 16:19-25.
“Now there was a certain rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, gaily living in splendor every day. And a certain poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs would come and lick his sores. Now it came about that the poor man died and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. And in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony…’”
Right now across America there are families everywhere who have suffered greatly. The husband may have lost his job and a lucrative income. Where they had once not had a worry they suddenly have much to worry about. Through their trial they have lost their home, their cars, their savings, perhaps they even suffered a death in the family which lead to their situation. The thing that grieves them most is when they ask for help from the church and they either couldn’t, or wouldn’t do so. Even more damaging to a family is when neither their own families, nor the church reached out their hand to strengthen them. I even heard a young man of whom his pastor suggested that the family who had sent him to the church seeking help was responsible for helping them. “The Lord sent them to you first” were the words he heard from his pastor as he spoke to his congregation about responding to those in need during that time.
Can you believe the hypocrisy? Both are guilty. The worst part was that this young man’s family had resources; they had the ability to strengthen them and refused to do so because they were more worried about their retirement. I imagine that had his family helped him, his gratefulness would have been so immeasurable that he would have responded in kind when his own family needed help in their retirement years. Instead, I wonder what his response will be to show them the mercy God desires that we show to others. The church had resources as well but “couldn’t” because their savings account wasn’t as robust as they felt it should be, “tithing and offerings are down, we would love to help but we just can’t.”
Imagine the heartbreak that young family must have felt as both their family and the church turned its back on them. In the recent downturn of the economy stories like this have reverberated across the nation. Millions are dependent upon food stamps and government assistance while the love of their friends and family’s grows cold.
“Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” (Matthew 25:45)
I counsel you to search your own heart, fall to your knees and ask how you may escape from such a scathing rebuke from the Lord when he judges the nations. Speak to those in positions of authority and plead with them on behalf of those who are poor and needy and let mercy cry out in the streets of this nation while it still can. If he spared not the ancient city of Sodom from destruction, he will surely not let a nation as wicked as ours to continue on this path without a form of judgment coming to pass upon it. Be it a wicked leader, or our enemies coming against us, unless we turn back to God and pray that he heal our land that is precisely what will happen.
James E. Matthews
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