Closing your ears to those in need.
Proverbs 21:13 Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.
Proverbs 14:31 Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
Proverbs 28:27 Whoever gives to the poor will not want , but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.
Scripture tells us that Christians should consider the interest of others and help those in need. If someone asks you to pray for them, then pray. If someone begs for some water, food, or money, then give it to them. When you do these righteous things you are doing God’s will, working for God, and bringing happiness and blessings on others .
Every act of kindness to others is an act of kindness to Christ.
I encourage you to start today and lend a helping hand to others in need.
Think about the many different ways you can help the needy today.
Let’s think of different ways to bless the poor. Let’s pray that God removes any stinginess that’s lurking in our heart.
Matthew 25:34-40 “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, my Father has blessed you! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 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 took me into your home. I needed clothes, and you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you took care of me . I was in prison, and you visited me.’ “Then the people who have God’s approval will reply to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you or see you thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you as a stranger and take you into our homes or see you in need of clothes and give you something to wear? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “The king will answer them, ‘I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you did for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did for me.’
What does love look like?
It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.” Augustine
God has chosen us to help one another.
What does the Bible say?
• Isaiah 58:10-11 Feed the hungry , and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon. The LORD will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.
•Deuteronomy 15:11 There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need.
• Acts 20:35 By all these things, I have shown you that by working in this way we must help the weak, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, ‘ It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”
• Luke 12:33-34 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail , where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
These passages are not saying that we are saved by faith and works. It is saying that faith in Christ that doesn’t result in good deeds is false faith. True faith in Christ alone for salvation will change your life.
• James 2:15-17 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
• Proverbs 19:17 The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him for his good deed.
• Psalm 37:25-26 I once was young and now I am old, but I have not seen a righteous person forsaken or his descendants begging for bread . Every day he is generous, lending freely, and his descendants are blessed
Mark 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself . There is none other commandment greater than these.
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?
Proverbs 21:13 Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.
Proverbs 14:31 Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
Proverbs 28:27 Whoever gives to the poor will not want , but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.
Scripture tells us that Christians should consider the interest of others and help those in need. If someone asks you to pray for them, then pray. If someone begs for some water, food, or money, then give it to them. When you do these righteous things you are doing God’s will, working for God, and bringing happiness and blessings on others .
Every act of kindness to others is an act of kindness to Christ.
I encourage you to start today and lend a helping hand to others in need.
Think about the many different ways you can help the needy today.
Let’s think of different ways to bless the poor. Let’s pray that God removes any stinginess that’s lurking in our heart.
Matthew 25:34-40 “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, my Father has blessed you! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 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 took me into your home. I needed clothes, and you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you took care of me . I was in prison, and you visited me.’ “Then the people who have God’s approval will reply to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you or see you thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you as a stranger and take you into our homes or see you in need of clothes and give you something to wear? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “The king will answer them, ‘I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you did for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did for me.’
What does love look like?
It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.” Augustine
God has chosen us to help one another.
What does the Bible say?
• Isaiah 58:10-11 Feed the hungry , and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon. The LORD will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.
•Deuteronomy 15:11 There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need.
• Acts 20:35 By all these things, I have shown you that by working in this way we must help the weak, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, ‘ It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”
• Luke 12:33-34 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail , where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
These passages are not saying that we are saved by faith and works. It is saying that faith in Christ that doesn’t result in good deeds is false faith. True faith in Christ alone for salvation will change your life.
• James 2:15-17 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
• Proverbs 19:17 The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him for his good deed.
• Psalm 37:25-26 I once was young and now I am old, but I have not seen a righteous person forsaken or his descendants begging for bread . Every day he is generous, lending freely, and his descendants are blessed
Mark 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself . There is none other commandment greater than these.
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?
.
