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Nov 4, 2012
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Let me tell you a bit about our situation.

My wife and I are WAY BELOW the poverty line. We can't afford food, gas for my wife to go to work (no bus service here), rent, or anything else. Our rent includes internet and basic TV.

I am going paralyzed in both arms. I can't work. We have been living on payday loans for the last month. Now, it is about to come crashing down.

We have asked Christians, I have posted a few crowdfunding campaigns on Indiegogo, notified our local church of our situation. ALL TO NO AVAIL. I was donated $25 a month ago.

We're almost homeless. We need to start visiting the food bank. We're expecting. Yes, my wife is pregnant.

Why don't Christians help other Christians when we're in need? I am not looking to go on a trip; I am looking for FOOD, GAS, and RENT. The government may or may not help.

Why, when there are 12 scriptures (that I have found) that specifically pertain to helping the poor (yes, the financially poor, not just "the poor in spirit") do Christians not help? Jesus said that lending to the poor is lending to Him.
Proverbs 19:17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord,
and he will repay him for his deed.


Jesus talks to a rich man:
Matthew 19:21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

Jesus refers to helping the poor as helping Him:
Matthew 25:35-40 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,[a] you did it to me.’


Matthew 5:42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Luke 6:37-38 (Focus on 38) 37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

Proverbs 19:17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord,
and he will repay him for his deed.

Proverbs 28:27 Whoever gives to the poor will not want,
but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.

Proverbs 14:31 Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker,
but he who is generous to the needy honors him.

Proverbs 22:9 Whoever has a bountiful[a] eye will be blessed,
for he shares his bread with the poor.

Acts 20:35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Deuteronomy 15:11 For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

Psalm 82:4 Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

Mark 12:31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

There are Christians who are buying brand new vehicles, even BMWs, Lexus', Mercedes-Benz, Lincolns, Cadillacs, Porsche's, etc. So, I ask again. WHY?


We just need help and we will be fine. If not, then...
 
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Jade Margery

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Well, as far as strangers on the internet go, you are probably not getting a response because even IF your story is true, it would be very easy for an able-bodied person to write the exact same thing as part of a scam. Get some photos of a disabled person, set up the crowdfunding project with a few heartfelt anecdotes, and there you go. Unless you have something to offer, the internet is a bad place to look for money. The rare few success stories that you hear about get way more attention than the hundreds of thousands of people who are going hungry and about to be homeless.

As far as christians in your hometown go, well, I can't really speak for them. Maybe you should join the Mormon church? I've heard they take good care of their own.

We're in the middle of tax season. If you haven't gotten your tax return yet, see about doing that soon. Ask if you and your wife qualify for 'earned income credit'. Also, if your arms are becoming paralyzed, you have a legitimate reason to be on disability. You should be getting foodstamps for food too.

If you're determined to pluck christian heartstrings, you could always take your wife to an abortion clinic. Start walking to the door, then when you get surrounded by angry protesters, tearfully explain your situation and how your home church abandoned you and how you've prayed for christ to send a miracle, how you don't really want to abort, if only you had any kind of support...

Well, it's more likely to work than asking strangers on forums.
 
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leftrightleftrightleft

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Faith and silent prayer will provide you with everything you need. Do not be found wanting.

Unfortunately, this is actually pretty useless.

Faith and silent prayer are helpful for internal struggles, personal issues and spiritual contemplation. Faith and silent prayer doesn't put food on the table. Nor does it fill a stomach. Even Jesus had to eat. Action is sometimes required. If everyone sat around in silent prayer all day, nothing would be accomplished and we would all die.

Jade had some good suggestions in terms of government help and food stamps.

The internet is a bad place to ask for money.

I'm sorry that your church has not been that helpful. Perhaps try to go to a different church that has a more charitable spirit?
 
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QueSi

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leftrightleftrightleft said:
Unfortunately, this is actually pretty useless.

Faith and silent prayer are helpful for internal struggles, personal issues and spiritual contemplation. Faith and silent prayer doesn't put food on the table. Nor does it fill a stomach. Even Jesus had to eat. Action is sometimes required. If everyone sat around in silent prayer all day, nothing would be accomplished and we would all die.

Jade had some good suggestions in terms of government help and food stamps.

The internet is a bad place to ask for money.

I'm sorry that your church has not been that helpful. Perhaps try to go to a different church that has a more charitable spirit?

Faith and silent prayer keeps food in my stomach. God provides my needs for me. I have no money, no bank accounts, no credit card, no car, no house, only enough clothes to fit in two suit cases...He provides.
 
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Halfmaker

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Some will extend themselves as far as they can go to help others but odds are their help is given at the cost of your devotion. Whether or not you agree with whatever flavor of Christianity they push is usually beside the point.

Some will help by regurgitating Bible verses and sage advice, that material poorness is spiritual wealth, however that just does not work anymore.

Some people will be the hero and give you time and effort, and sometimes money.

There is much room for gray space but these are the rough categories. The verses you cited applied to cultural expectations from many centuries passed and very rarely see application and appreciation in our era. This is not the absolute rule but more or less the climate in which we find ourselves; capitalism rules, each man for himself in wealth or poverty.
 
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8462

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Try, Food stamps, Government housing, go to Department of labor apply for unemployment, try for your social security income or disability pay. Food stamps will pay for food, government housing (even though it may not be where you want to live will at least be a roof over your head) and then disability should help with rest. You have options.
Go to local DFACS or Human Resource office and ask them what you could do. District 9 or 9th district will help with some bills as long as you are 2 or more months behind. You should definitely check into seeing if your state has any of these benefits that you and your wife could take advantage of to help you out of this situation. I don't suggest staying in the "system" for a long period of time but you should definitely check into those if you guys are having these kinds of problems. Good luck.
 
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Glas Ridire

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Someone pays for it, and I'm pretty sure you wouldn't call him/her god.

Thanks, I am glad I am not the only one skeptical.

Faith and silent prayer keeps food in my stomach. God provides my needs for me. I have no money, no bank accounts, no credit card, no car, no house, only enough clothes to fit in two suit cases...He provides.
These things could easily be said by someone living with a relative (parents) doing occasional (cash) day labor.

It doesn't point to a responsible and contributing member of society.

Yo, QueSi, what did you do to make the world a better place in your line of work this past fortnight?
 
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QueSi

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Glas Ridire said:
Thanks, I am glad I am not the only one skeptical.

These things could easily be said by someone living with a relative (parents) doing occasional (cash) day labor.

It doesn't point to a responsible and contributing member of society.

Yo, QueSi, what did you do to make the world a better place in your line of work this past fortnight?

That's between God, myself, and the people I helped, I don't want my reward now.
 
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QueSi

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Glas Ridire said:
Thanks, I am glad I am not the only one skeptical.

These things could easily be said by someone living with a relative (parents) doing occasional (cash) day labor.

It doesn't point to a responsible and contributing member of society.

Yo, QueSi, what did you do to make the world a better place in your line of work this past fortnight?

That is between God, myself, and the people I helped. I don't want my reward now in this life.
 
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Glas Ridire

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That is between God, myself, and the people I helped. I don't want my reward now in this life.

So. . .. nada. Okay.

That is correct, but God softens their heart.
Wait, you mean you are one of those guys that hangs out near interstate ramps? I'd heard that it is a growing a lucrative trend . . . college age kids dressing up like they were once soldiers or dumpster diving goodwill for clothes ratty enough and holding a cardboard sign. Most do it for beer money, but I have heard some bring home enough to become full time alcoholics
The Average Yearly Income of a Panhandler | eHow.com
 
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Nov 4, 2012
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Thank all of you for your replies. As for as food stamps, disability, and unemployment goes, it is different here. I am Canadian. With no clear medical diagnosis I can't get disability. Right now I am playing the waiting game to see if the WSIB (Worker's Safety and Insurance Board, or "Worker's Compensation") will accept my application for reinjury benefits. IF they do, then we will be fine. IF they don't (which is likely) then we won't be fine.
We don't qualify for subsidized housing.

My question was not about faith, but pertaining to the love, respect, and integrity Christians show to others. The premise was why Christians can't be the hands and feet of Jesus, obeying Him to help the poor and afflicted. This is not a societal issue. This is a base spirituality issue that should spread across all faiths. The scriptures are the scriptures. It is, in fact, a commandment. Think of Matthew 25:35-40 (look it up on Biblegateway if you need to). I have volunteered quite a bit for Christian causes (feeding the hungry, church events, other faith based events), and now I can't even get a bit of help. I don't want it to be my reward, but an opportunity for others to get a reward.
 
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Nov 7, 2012
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God will provide for you. To those of you who don't believe he will, as QueSi said, he does provide. I have endless stories of how God provided for the needs of my family through many desperate times. We rarely asked people for help, it just came. He has never left me stranded. Usually, it came just in time, stretching my faith as far as it could go! But it always came. Trust him, Refiner's Fire. He has lots of resources and he'll reach you in time.
 
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QueSi

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Glas Ridire said:
So. . .. nada. Okay.

Wait, you mean you are one of those guys that hangs out near interstate ramps? I'd heard that it is a growing a lucrative trend . . . college age kids dressing up like they were once soldiers or dumpster diving goodwill for clothes ratty enough and holding a cardboard sign. Most do it for beer money, but I have heard some bring home enough to become full time alcoholics
The Average Yearly Income of a Panhandler | eHow.com

I served 6 years in the military and 6 months in Iraq. I don't ask people for anything. I want to stay smaller than a camel.
 
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QueSi

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morethanenough06 said:
God will provide for you. To those of you who don't believe he will, as QueSi said, he does provide. I have endless stories of how God provided for the needs of my family through many desperate times. We rarely asked people for help, it just came. He has never left me stranded. Usually, it came just in time, stretching my faith as far as it could go! But it always came. Trust him, Refiner's Fire. He has lots of resources and he'll reach you in time.

Thumbs up, it only needs to be as big as a mustard seed.
 
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