Poverty


No statistics need to be quoted for us to know that the world is full of homeless people and great poverty. Something you may not have considered is that Jesus was a homeless man. Luke 9:58 says, "And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have their holes, and birds have their nest ; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." The apostles also were homeless. 1 Corinthians 4:11 says, "Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place". Both of these examples are a different type of poverty than we are used to seeing. These are people who have chosen a hard life of suffering to fulfill the will of God. What about those who are born into modern day poverty? Proverbs 6:9-11 says, "How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou rise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man." This, of course, is poverty due to laziness and carelessness. Sometimes a man spends all of his money on foolishness thus resulting in bankruptcy. Proverbs 21:17 says, "He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man:" Sometimes plain old pride or stubbornness will result in poverty. Proverbs 13:18 says, "Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honored." When a man is out of the will of God and pursues the wrong direction and is headed away from prosperity. Proverbs 28:19 says, "He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough." We all know that temptations, habits addictions and vices such as drugs, alcohol, pornography etc, are part of the devils plan to keep us under his submission. Proverbs 23:21 says", "For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags". Does God watch over the homeless people? Is he concerned with their living conditions? Proverbs 14:31 says, "He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor. Proverbs 22:16 says, "He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, shall surely come to want". So we see that God deals with those who mistreat the poor but does God himself lend a hand? Psalms 9:18 says, "For the needy shall not always be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever". The Lord will deliver his people from poverty, Psalms 35:10 says, "All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, which delivereth the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and needy from him that spoileth him?" What about the children born into these unfortunate circumstances? Psalms 72:4 says, "He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor." God is the strength of the poor Isaiah 25:4 says, "For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is a storm against the wall". How did Jesus feel about the poor? Jesus took time to preach to them, something that the church leaders of that day would not do (Matthew 11:5) In Matthew 26:11 Jesus said "For ye have the poor always with you: but me ye have not always". Jesus testified here that the world would always be dealt poverty but he left an incredible example of compassion toward them which we must follow. There are two references you may want to read about Jesus and the poor (Luke 14:16-24 and Matthew 22:1-14). James 2:5 says, "Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?" Paul in his letter to the church of Galatians says Galatians 2:10 "Only they would remember the poor; the same which I also was forwarded to do." Jesus had some hard sayings and that is why many refused to follow him I will leave you with one of the hardest Matthew 19:21 A rich young ruler comes to Jesus and says he has lived a moral life what does he lack, what good thing must I do to have eternal life? "Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. In Christ

Dale Thompson

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