Why Do We Give to the Poor? How to Thrive and Breakthrough! by Jorge Parrott
Why Do We Give to the Poor? How to Thrive and Breakthrough!
(NKJV for all scriptures)
By Jorge Parrott
Heaven's windows are now open. Now is the time of enormous harvest, when the light of the Lord's brightness dispels all the shadows and foils all the schemes of our spiritual enemy. Mass satanic deception persists. We must get ready for the next natural or man-made catastrophe.
As disciples of Jesus, we hold on to the Word and Psalm 91 during every global adversity. To access God's gifts and abundance in both good and difficult times, let's take a brief look at what the Bible says about giving to the needy and how we rise above the fray and prosper, even as our souls prosper.
Jesus came to earth to destroy the works of the devil, not to take your money and give it to people who don't have any. "To undo the devil's work, the Son of God came to earth for this exact purpose.” NKJV 1 John 3:8
Luke 12:15 Observe caution and guard against every form of covetousness. The man asked Jesus to take something from his brother and give it to him, but Jesus did not have anything. Both the rich and the poor can struggle with covetousness, and Jesus forbids us from doing so. Proverbs 23:4 states, "Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease!" Greed and materialism are synonyms for covetousness.
While Jerusalem was under siege, Jeremiah foretold in Jeremiah 6:13, "Because everyone is given to covetousness, from the least to the greatest; and everyone deals falsely, from the prophet to the priest." Greed and covetousness are natural desires of the flesh, and we must constantly die to the flesh.
Next, "because a person's life is not defined by the quantity of things they own." Given that Christians are citizens of this world, this can be a major issue for the church. When someone has a lot of stuff, the public views them as successful. God examines one's heart. "Yet, since they are all the products of His hands, He is not partial to princes or considers the wealthy to be more important than the impoverished." 34:19 in Job.
There is no distinction between rich and poor in Christ; we are all the same, regardless of our financial situation. As the Bible states, the source of all evil is the love of money. It is evident that the Bible, from the time of the Law of Moses to the arrival of Jesus, commands us to give to the impoverished.
Verse 24:19 "To the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord, your God, may bless you in all that you do with your hands, when you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it."
Matthew 25:41–43 Afterwards, He will further address those on the left, saying, "Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you did not give Me food; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in; 44 I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me."
Despite being one of the greatest apostles, Paul raised money for the Jerusalem poor in every church he visited and founded.
16:1-3 in 1Co "Now, in regards to the saints' collection, you must carry out the following actions as well, just as I have instructed the churches in Galatia: 2 Let each of you set aside something on the first day of the week, storing up as he may prosper, so that there are no collections when I arrive. 3 And I shall deliver your present to Jerusalem with whoever you have given your blessing to in your writings when I arrive.
Luke 15:26 "Because it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to contribute a certain amount for the underprivileged among the Jerusalem saints."
According to the Bible, both Jews and Gentiles contributed to money raises for the needy in the Old and New Testaments.
Look now at Romans 15:27. "They are their debts, therefore it did indeed pleasure them. Since the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual goods, it is their obligation to provide them with material assistance as well.
A "severe famine was about to come over all the earth" could be another explanation. In Acts 11:28. The ancient Greek translation of "all the earth" is "the Roman Empire." Paul gathered money from both wealthy and poor churches to help the impoverished in Jerusalem, not from wealthy churches to give to poor churches. The churches in Macedonia, who were experiencing "extreme poverty," begged Paul fervently to grant them the right to participate in this work.
2 Corinthians 8:1–4. Additionally, brethren, we inform you of the favor that God has shown to the churches in Macedonia: 2 that in the midst of a severe trial of suffering, their liberality's riches abound in both their extreme poverty and their abundance of joy. 3 For I bear witness that they were voluntarily willing to the extent of their capacity, indeed even beyond it, 4 pleading with us urgently [a]that we might be given the gift and the companionship of serving the saints.
Verse 8:1 "And the church in Jerusalem was being severely persecuted at that time."
God the Holy Spirit allowed it to be in His Word for His people to read, and it is still applicable today. Just as Paul the Apostle raised money for the impoverished in Jerusalem, we are called today to also donate to those we know and trust, even those who are destitute, who are spreading the gospel. "All of the Bible's writings are inspired by God and are useful for doctrine, reproof, correction, and [a] teaching in righteousness." Timothy 3:16.
"Not that I'm looking for a gift; rather, I'm looking for fruit that pours into your account." Luke 4:17 Paul had a pure heart and didn't want anything from anyone, but he was aware that when a church provided money to the needy, it might bear fruit in the future. What kind of fruit was Paul referring to? The church may benefit monetarily and spiritually from such fruit both now and in the future.
Acts 10:1–6 shows you the fruit of Cornelius and his household. One centurion from what was known as the Italian Regiment named Cornelius lived in Caesarea. He was a devout man who feared God above all else. He freely offered alms to the people and prayed to God all the time. 3. He saw distinctly in a vision at the ninth hour of the day an angel of God approaching and addressing him as "Cornelius!"
4. And he was terrified when he saw him and exclaimed, "What is it, Lord?"
"Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God," he said to him. 5 Send men to Joppa now and ask them to send for Simon, who goes by Peter. Six He is staying at the seaside home of a tanner named Simon. You will be instructed by him on what to do.
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Would you like to hear the Lord or his angel say those words? Your demands are about to be granted because God sees your giving to the underprivileged, hears your prayers, and sees to it. Read the words of the world's greatest man: "Whoever closes his ears to the cries of the impoverished will close his own eyes and remain unheard." Verse 21:13 The prayers of Cornelius were answered. The Holy Spirit led Peter to Cornelius' house, where he found a sizable crowd eager to hear the message. Acts 10:44 states that "the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word while Peter was still speaking these words." Peter was sharing the gospel with them at the time. A manifestation of the Holy Spirit among those gathered. Here, we can discern two crucial truths: giving to the impoverished and praying.
Paul's primary concern was the church's spiritual health. He didn't coerce or exert influence over any church in order to extract money. He made sure that people were donating freely when he requested donations for the destitute in the churches. God likes a joyful giver, so let everyone contribute as they are led to, without hesitation or out of need. dc 9:7
The verse has some significant information for us to consider. First of all, giving to the needy is a decision made from the heart because God examines the heart. Paul advised against acting hesitantly or mediocrely. Second, resist the urge to cave in to coercion or pressure. The offering ought to be of free will. Anyone who makes you feel horrible or holds you accountable is manipulating and controlling. As has always been His method, the Holy Spirit will guide the heart.
Genesis 15:1-2 After singing this song to the Lord, Moses and the Israelites spoke, saying:
"I will give thanks to the Lord, for He has won a glorious victory!"
He has cast the horse and its rider into the water!
2 The Lord is my savior and my song; He is my God and I will worship Him; He is my father's God and I will glorify Him.
A joyful donor is loved by God. Giving money away is not joyful in the natural flesh, but it is joyful in the Spirit.
Paul was aware that helping the needy is not only our Father's compassionate nature, but also a way for us to show our gratitude to Him! "Because this service's administration not only meets the needs of the saints but also overflows with gratitude to God," 9:12 in 2 Corinthians Expressing gratitude to God for all of His blessings is more than just thanking Him verbally; it is an act of giving Him an abundance of thanks.
All of us want to see our prayers answered. Pray for others more than yourself!
We want God to pour forth His Spirit in our lives and in our churches, but Paul argues that giving to the needy is a means for us to pour out our hearts to God in gratitude and appreciation. Giving is a way for us to express our gratitude to God for all of our blessings rather than a way to obtain something in return. A generous seed will provide a generous harvest. "But I say this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also harvest generously." 9 Corinthians, verse 6
No, God doesn't require our money. All of it is his. He looks upon our hearts and desires them. He draws us closer to Himself and demands obedience from us. God will always love us, no matter what, and we cannot make Him love us any less! He gave His life on the cross for us while we were still sinners.
For forty years, God fed millions of Israelites in the desert, and for thousands, He provided fish and bread. God refers to Himself as The LORD Will Provide, or Jehovah Jireh. According to Scripture, it is forbidden to employ manipulation or prayer to persuade someone else to give money or anything else. Manipulation is comparable to witchcraft's wickedness. The solution is to establish friendships and relationships with the individuals and organizations that God puts in your path.
1–3 Psalm 121 I'll raise my gaze to the hills and ask, "Where does my assistance come from? 2. The One Who created heaven and earth is the source of my assistance. 3. He who holds you will not sleep, and He will not permit your foot to be moved.
However, as Christians, we cannot turn a blind eye when a catastrophe strikes a community or a country, particularly when those affected are people we know. As leaders with CMM, one of our duties is to visit our friends and fellow members in the fields and to see our partners' and investors' philanthropic giving in the global futures of His called ones. We also evaluate accountability and prudent use of the resources, which are ultimately all owned by the Lord and into which he has touched one of our Partners. For us to walk in the integrity and character of Jesus Christ, stewardship is essential and extremely significant.
Many of CMM's dear friends and missionaries risk their lives for the cause of Christ as persecution rises around the world. Please pray to the Lord of the Harvest and ask him what he wants from you in order to see souls saved and placed on the path of life that Jesus Christ has provided. Let the Holy Spirit lead you in your prayers.
"Since you are also a part of the body, remember the mistreated prisoners as though you were shackled with them." Scripture 13:3 In addition to keeping them in their prayers, Paul the Apostle modeled action for us by giving them gifts of money. Every Christian must have a deep desire to follow the Holy Spirit's guidance and walk closely with Jesus. Romans 8:4 states, "that in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit, the righteous requirement of the law may be fulfilled."
We pray and declare right now, for you and yours, that you experience the refreshing of the Lord.
I appreciate your time. Please spread the word to your loved ones, church, and other groups.
Sow Into CMM Global: https://cmm.world/donate/ to donate or request prayer.
