Christian Service: Serving Others And Seeking Social Justice
“Real religion, thekind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless intheir plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.” — James 1:27, TheMessage
What does Sacred Scripture have to say about helping needy people the poor, thehomeless, the orphans, and the widows? Are there Bible passages which clearly say we must have compassion for those who are poverty-stricken and that we should be giving to the lessfortunate? What biblical foundations are there for service to the vulnerable, to those who aremarginalized and to the oppressed?
How to care for the poor? How are we to provide for the hungry? What are we do to aboutthe marginalized who are treated unjustly? Here are instructions from the Bible. Looking forslogan for a promotion about helping the less fortunate, feeding the poor and ministering to thoseon the street asking for money? Use a phrase from one of the following Scripture verses as aslogan to promote helping others.
It’s clear from these passages that God cares about ourattitudes toward and actions regarding the hungry, the oppressed, the widows, the strangers, andthe or orphans. There are verses here that speak of God’s people being chastised for not treatingpoverty survivors as equals.
Unless otherwise specified, the wording in thebiblical passages is from the English language The New InternationalVersion.
— Howard Culbertson
New Testament passages
He Will Make Your Paths Straight
âTrust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.â
It can be discouraging when you donât understand why something happened to you or someone you care about. The Bible doesnât explain everything, but it does tell us what to do when we donât understand something: trust.Not everything makes sense. And even when we think something does, we can misunderstand whatâs really going on because our own understanding is human and fallible. But if we trust Godâs authority, wisdom, and power, we will know how to move forward in any situation, regardless of how far we can see down the road or where we think itâs going.
Trust In God Brings Blessing
Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him.
The verses before this one describe what it is like for those who trust in people. The result is not prosperity but difficulty. Humans are prone to mistakes and failures, just like you. A human is an unstable being to put your trust in.
With God, you can have confidence in His trustworthiness. He has never let you down, even if it felt like it for a time. He has been faithful and consistent since before time began. He is worthy of confidence because He has never made a mistake. He has never lost sight of His plan for you.
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You Are My Refuge And My Shield
âYou are my refuge and my shield
I have put my hope in your word.
Away from me, you evildoers,
that I may keep the commands of my God!â
When a child wants to feel safe, they run to the arms of an adult they trust or they run to a favorite hiding spot. The psalmist said that when we need safety and comfort, we can run to God, our great protector. Like a mighty fortress or an impenetrable shield, God can absorb the blows life deals us, and he can keep us from being overwhelmed.You can trust Godâs promises, and you can lean on his strength.
Keep Your Focus On God
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD Himself, is the Rock eternal.
To be steadfast is to be firm and unwavering. If you keep your mind steadfastly on the Lord, you can have peace in knowing He is in control. He is a steady rock. He does not change or falter. You can have peace in knowing you are cared for by a trustworthy God.
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God Is A Source Of Courage
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.
This verse appears at a crucial moment in the history of Gods people. Having spent 40 years living in the wilderness, they are about to enter the land God Has promised to them, but they expect to face a fierce fight for that land.
God is always with you no matter what you face. He does not command you to be courageous in your own strength. Take courage in the knowledge of His presence and power with you.
Bible Verses On Trusting God
Life is unpredictable. Even with the best plans and intentions, no one can predict for sure what will come their way in life.
In December 2019, no one planned New Year’s resolutions with COVID-19 in mind. Most of us had never heard of it. Life threw a big curveball.
When unexpected times come, everyone needs to be reminded that God is good, in control and trustworthy even if everything seems out of control. Below is a list of 21 reminders of that truth.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.
This is one of the most comforting verses to cling to when you are facing uncertainty or difficulty in your life. Your situation or the situation around you may be beyond your understanding, but it is not beyond Gods.
God knows what is going on all the hows, whens, and whys. When you do not know what to do or what will happen next, trust that He does. Follow Gods guidelines and commands knowing that as you practice obedience, He is working out the rest. The LORD is my strength and my shield my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him
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Haitian Offerings For The Poor
Haiti is poor. Incredibly poor.
Most Haitian believers come from those poor masses.
Their joyous worship includestithing their meager incomes. That usually happens when ushers pass offering plates in themiddle of the service. Sunday morning worship services often begin, however, with anotheroffering: an offering for the poor. That jolted me. An offering for the poor?
The annual per-capita income in Haiti averages about $350 per person. They’re probably thepoorest people in the Western Hemisphere. Asking them to give an “offering for the poor”sounds absurd. Nonetheless, that’s what they do, and do so joyfully. Haitian believers may beunbelievably poverty-stricken. But they see the widow, the orphan, the one who is too sick towork his tiny plot of ground. Divinely-inspired compassion prompts them to help. Hence, theirweekly offerings for the poor.
This offering for the poor is usually a “march offering.” Those with something to give leavetheir seats. Considering it a blessed privilege, with great delight they march down front and puttheir offering in a basket on the altar. The pastor and church board use these funds to help themost desperate cases in the congregation.
What Haitian believers give is not much compared to Hunger and Disaster fund help comingto their country. Still, each week those Haitian believers give their offering to the poor. Theirresponse humbles me. It challenges me. It reminds me of the widow in the Temple and her twolittle copper coins.
The Teachings Of The Bible In 1000 Words
The 10 major doctrines of the Bible, and therefore subcategories of those doctrines, are explained in narrative form, giving a concise overview of the major teachings of Scripture. By reading this summary, youll understand more completely all that the Bible teaches about the fundamental truths of Christianity. Armed with this foundational understanding, you will be able to build your knowledge base as high as you want to take it.
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What Is The Bible About
GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 ChroniclesJobGodPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of Solomon1 and 2 KingsHoseaAmosIsaiahJeremiahJoelMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahEzekielDanielEstherNehemiahEzraZechariahHaggaiMalachiActsRomans1 and 2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 and 2 Thessalonians1 and 2 TimothyTitusPhilemonJames1 and 2 Peter1, 2 and 3 JohnJudeHebrewsRevelation
Jesus Is The Good Shepherd
I am the good shepherd. I know My own and My own know Me.
A shepherd guides and looks after the sheep in his care. Jesus, the Son of God, is the Good Shepherd, and His followers are His sheep. There is only one God of the Universe who made you, knows what you need and calls you His own.
Jesus is a good shepherd. Hes 100 percent trustworthy. He always knows whats best for you, even if its not easy. To follow Him, you need to know Him and listen for Him. As you get to know Him through prayer, reading the Bible and being in community with other followers of Jesus, you will be able to distinguish His good voice from other voices.
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Repent Freely Before The Lord
God will not force you to repent of your sins and follow His teachings in the Scripture.
God gave that decision to you because He did not make you as a robot, He made you in His image.
This means that you have the characteristics of God to make decisions and the ability to choose good over evil.
God wants to give you rest from eternal damnation and bless you with eternal life when He shall return in the rapture.
My Help Comes From The Lord
âI lift up my eyes to the mountainsâ
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slipâ
he who watches over you will not slumber
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over youâ
the Lord is your shade at your right hand
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harmâ
he will watch over your life
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.â
There is never a moment when God doesnât know exactly whatâs going on in your life. He is always watching over you, waiting to help you. Whatever help you need, no matter how insignificant, you can simply askâand the God who set the stars in place and created the heavens will hold you up.
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God Will Provide A Way Out
âNo temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.â
Sin often makes us feel as though weâre alone in our struggles. Shame lets us believe we are uniquely wicked for the temptations we face in our hearts and minds. But when Paul wrote to the church in Corinthâan ancient Greek city which had a reputation for depravityâhe told them their temptation was simply part of being human.
He also told them a secret about temptation: it will never be more than you can bear, and thereâs always a way out.
When youâre in the middle of being tempted to sin, it can feel like itâs inevitable that youâre going to mess up. But thatâs not the reality. Thereâs always a way out. It may not be easy. It might come with consequences. But if you look, itâs there, and you can overcome the temptation youâre facing.
Let Perseverance Finish Its Work
âConsider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.â
When youâre hurting, itâs not very encouraging to hear someone say, âWhat doesnât kill you makes you stronger.â But in the first century, thatâs exactly what James said to the early Christians as they faced the constant threat of persecution. It wasnât to lessen the significance of their pain and suffering but to reveal something about what happens when our faith is tested.As you endure, your capacity to endure grows. When you persevere through something hard, other experiences begin to feel easy in comparison.
With every new trialâwhether that be the loss of a loved one, a medical diagnosis, a financial crisis, a struggle with sin, or something elseâyou have an opportunity to come out as a more mature and complete follower of Christ. Pastor Francis Chan compares this to the process of refining precious metals, which have to be melted repeatedly in order to remove impurities and produce the final product.
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My God Will Meet All Your Needs
âAnd my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.â
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul echoed Jesusâ words, using his own life as an example. Throughout his ministry, Paul was shipwrecked multiple times, beaten to within an inch of death, and constantly at risk of being killed. He also spent time in poverty with nothing to eat . Because of these experiences, Paul knew God would meet his needsâand he could confidently promise that God will meet our needs too.
Looking for even more encouraging bible verses to uplift those around you? Check out our blog post: 20 Bible Verses About Strength.
His Compassions Never Fail
âBecause of the Lordâs great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning
great is your faithfulness.â
Every day there are new opportunities to experience Godâs mercy and compassion. Itâs not always easy to see them when weâre feeling discouraged, but God is faithful, his love surrounds us, and he is intimately concerned with our wellbeing. And each day he demonstrates his love for us.
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Jesus Promises The Holy Spirit
15 If you love me, keep my commands.16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.18 I will not leave you as orphans I will come to you.19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.
22 Then Judas said, But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?
23 Jesus replied, Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own they belong to the Father who sent me.
25 All this I have spoken while still with you.26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.27 Peace I leave with you my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Come now let us leave.
Footnotes
The Main Message Of The Bible In 1000 Words
The story of the Bible, and the teachings of the Bible, are given to us for one purpose, and that is to help us understand the message of the Bible. The message of the Bible is this: God loves us. He has created us for Himself, but sin has destroyed that original intention. Sin separates us from our Creator. But because God loves us, He has paid the price to make it possible for us to be redeemed and reconciled to Him.
As we accept Him by faith as our God and Savior, we are restored to a relationship with Him. As we live in faith and obedience, we grow in our relationship with Him, becoming more like Him, being able to more fully relate to Him, and being prepared to live forever with Him in heaven.
To study the story of the Bible and the teachings of the Bible without grasping the message of the Bible is to fall short of mastering the Bible.
As J. I. Packer once wrote: And that is Gods end in revelation. He speaks to us simply to fulfill the purpose for which we were made that is, to bring into being a relationship in which He is a friend to us, and we to Him, He finding His joy in giving us gifts, and we finding ours in giving Him thanks.
That is the message of the Bible: God loves us and wants to live in relationship with us, and the Scripture tells us how.
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