God Cares For The Homeless The Poor And Needy The Fatherless And Widows The Immigrants And Foreigners Afflicted And Suffering The Helpless And Hungry The Lonely And Brokenhearted The Blind And Broken The Prisoner And Oppressed
First, God loves the destitute. He makes them the object of His special love, protection, and concern .
Second, we repeatedly read that the Lord hears their cries. More than that, He defends them and encourages them . He is their refuge .
Third, God makes it crystal-clear that He doesnt despise or disdain the destitute . Instead, He gladly provides their daily bread .
Fourth, God delivers them from the oppression of wicked men .
Fifth, He makes their hearts alive again with joy and answers their heartfelt prayers .
God Delights In Raising Up The Humble And Righteous Person To A Position Of Honor
God will cause them to inherit the land and enjoy great peace . They will not be forsaken . God desires to grant them blessings and prosperity . Their lost fortunes will be restored .
Gods people may first have to go through much adversity, but eventually they will enjoy great abundance . He withholds no good thing from those whose walk is blameless . He bestows honor upon them and crowns them with salvation . David himself experienced this.
At one point, he asked the Lord, Give me a sign of your goodness . Then, after years of destitution, God made David ruler over a mighty nation. He and his people enjoyed unprecedented prosperity and peace.
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.
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Bible Verses About Helping The Poor
The Bible is full of verses that demonstrate Gods heart toward the poor among us.
Let these verses about helping the poor encourage you as you seek to live a generous life, displaying the same love Christ shows to us. For while we were poor and needy, Christ died for us.
Deuteronomy 15:7 If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother.
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.
1 Samuel 2:7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts.
1 Samuel 2:8 He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and on them he has set the world.
Psalm 9:18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.
Psalm 34:6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.
Psalm 35:10 All my bones shall say, O Lord, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?
Psalm 37:21The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives.
As Christians We Absolutely Need To Care For Those Who Are In Need
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The Bible states that the poor will be with us always . There will always be those who, as a result of their own actions, or actions that are out of their control, find themselves in dire economic straits and wind up with an inability to provide for their basic necessities.
As Christians we absolutely need to care for those who are in needthe difficulty is determining who is truly needy.
The Bible admonishes us repeatedly to care for the poor among us. In ancient Israel, God had a system in place where those who had a loss of economic opportunity could sign on to work with someone for a period of time, trading their labor for a roof over their head and meals. After a six-year period of service, they were released on the seventh year and received a jumpstart on getting themselves reset financially . Additionally, there were land Sabbaths built into the national system, and during those land Sabbaths while the land was not sown or worked, what grew naturally was to be gleaned by the poor, as it wasnt harvested. Additionally, every 50th year , was the Jubilee year when all outstanding debts were forgiven, and all properties returned to their original owners .
It appears from these examples in Scripture that it was not Gods intention that people find themselves indebted in such a way that they could never recover.
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Who Were Some Homeless People In The Bible
Have you ever thought about the homeless people in the Bible? Did Jesus have a home once He began traveling and sharing the Gospel? Scripture does not tell of Jesus owning a home. When Jesus began going from town to town to preach the Gospel, He relied on the kindness of others to provide shelter. Jesus refers to animals having a place to lay their heads, yet, the Son of Man had nowhere to lay His head .
Jesus was able to travel and sometimes rely on the hospitality of others. Other times, Jesus may have slept outside. During the 40 days in the desert, Jesus was alone. After the time of temptation was over, Jesus was not alone. He was followed by many people.
Another example of someone who was homeless was the man with leprosy. We read of him being hated and scorned. He was forbidden from entering towns. Did he have a home or was he living on the streets, begging for help?
Paul spent time in prison. He didnt live in a home. Paul wanted to give to the poor and needy. His mission was to share the message and care for others.
Imagine the dust of the earth floating in the air and the cries of the people begging for Jesus to come to them. I wonder how many people in the crowds following Jesus were homeless.
Helping Vs Enabling: How To Know Which Is Which
What are some guidelines?
First, some definitions:
- Helping is doing something for someone else that they are not capable of doing for themselves.
- Enabling is doing things for someone else that they can and should be doing for themselves.
Sounds simple, doesnt it? Yet we all too often find ourselves enabling instead of helping.
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Jesus Knew What It Was Like To Be Homeless
Jesus spent the better part of three years depending on the charity of others .
In turn, He and His disciples preached the Gospel to the poor and gave generously to the destitute and needy .
Whats more, Jesus didnt just say the words of the Gospel: For you know the grace;of our Lord Jesus Christ,;that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor,;so that you through his poverty might become rich . He gave willingly.
So, its no wonder that Jesus promised eternal blessings for those who care for the homeless and destitute .
Jesus also warned about eternal losses for those who spurn the needs of the poor . Later, Jesus half-brother, James, echoed a similar stern warning .
God Cares For The Helpless
This is true whether their own parents forsake them , they have been afflicted since their youth , or their close friend turns against them , as happened to David.
Often, however, Gods blessings go unclaimed because His people refuse to listen to Him or follow His ways . This has been true since days of old . Yet, God stands ever-ready to bless His people if they will but turn again to Him, in repentance , whatever their current situation .
Then again, riches without a right relationship with God are worthless because, as David reminds us, God rewards each person according to what he or she has done .
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God Blesses The Righteous Person Who Assists The Destitute
Such a person is compassionate, lending money freely, without thought of usury . With amazing generosity, he scatters abroad his gifts to the poor . Those in positions of high authority have a special responsibility to defend the afflicted, save the children of the needy, take pity on the weak, save them from death, and crush the oppressor .
How are we to respond? God longs to use you and me to assist the homeless and harassed. Lets ask ourselves:
- Do I truly care for the destitute?
- How much do I long to see them blessed?
- Am I pointing the needy to God their Savior?
- Will I trust God to judge their oppressors?
- What act of compassion will I show today?
David Sanford ;coaches leaders passionate about demonstrating the relevance of Jesus Christ in every major sphere of life. His;book and Bible projects have been published by Zondervan, Tyndale, Thomas Nelson, Doubleday, and Amazon. His speaking engagements have ranged everywhere from The Billy Graham Center at the Cove to UC Berkeley .;
Why Is It Important That Christians Pray For The Homeless
As Christians, we are commanded to love one another. Jesus told the disciples to love one another as He had loved them. By showing the love of Christ, we are showing others they are loved and cherished by Him .
Prayer is a powerful way to show the love of Christ. We can pray silently, or in a whisper, or out loud. We can pray alone or in a group setting. If we cant find the words, the Holy Spirit will intercede on our behalf.
God listens. We may not know the outcome of our prayers. Yet, we do know those prayers are heard. Gods plan is working through each situation and in every moment.
When we open our hearts, minds, and souls, and seek to have a conversation with the Lord, we are drawing close to Him.
Some homeless people feel so distraught and heartbroken, they feel forgotten in todays world. Praying for the homeless brings their troubles and needs directly to God. People of all ages have the opportunity to pray for the homeless. Teaching our;children;to pray for others instills values and compassion.
I have known;homeless;women, men, and children. I have volunteered in various capacities to try and help people find shelter, food, and medical care. There have been times when a person or family needed help paying bills, and because they couldnt pay the amount due, they were evicted from their home.
We are not called to judge one another. We are called to love with compassion and kindness.
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How To Help The Homeless
It is pretty easy to see a person suffering from homelessness and do absolutely nothing. We oftentimes feel uncomfortable, or sad, or even overwhelmed or underprepared on what to do or how to engage. Sometimes we just need some ideas on how to interact or relate so that we can get outside of our own heads too free us to focus on serving others.
Help Us Help The Homeless
Homeless people are among the most vulnerable in the country. Help us make life better for them. Our Fathers House Soup Kitchen is serving hot lunches to the homeless in an environment free from judgment and discrimination. We also provide them with clothing items and hygiene kits. Any donation, whether in cash or in-kind, will be a huge help to get them through these trying times. Visit our homepage to learn more about how you can help.
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Jesus And The Homeless
In Homelessness Week, Gerald OCollins SJ asks us to think about the way in which Jesus identified himself with the homeless, and took every opportunity to speak about and help them. When we consider that Jesus himself was homeless for much of his life, how does this challenge us to see the face of Jesus in all of those in need?
As Jesus remarked to Judas Iscariot, You always have the poor with you . Looking around at the cities, towns and refugee camps of our world, we might make this remark more specific and say, we always have the homeless with us. Jesus had some powerful things to say about the situation of the homeless, and did many things for them. He was also a homeless person himself.
Jesus: one of the homeless
Jesus did not start life at home or in a hospital. He was born in a stable and his crib was an eating trough for animals. Thats how his life began, as a homeless baby, born to parents who were sleeping rough. He had hardly come into the world when Mary and Joseph took him across the border to escape the murderous intentions of King Herod the Great. Jesus became a baby on the run, a homeless asylum-seeker in Egypt.
In his own particular way, Jesus was born, lived and died as a homeless person, the brother and friend of all homeless people and of all refugees and asylum seekers.
Jesuss concern for the homeless
The homeless in Jesuss parables
The very face of Jesus
Where Does Jesus Feed The 5000
A colorful mosaic recently found in an ancient church in Israel appears to depict a miracle Jesus is said to have performed nearby the feeding of the 5,000 archaeologists say. The discovery was made in the Burnt Church in Hippos, an archaeological site on a mountain a mile east of the Sea of Galilee.
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We Cant Deal With The Strife
Again, this one is specific to parents. The child needs to be told no, but the parent would rather enable the child than deal with the ensuing strife that no brings.
Whether it be a toddler who throws a tantrum in the grocery store aisle or the adult child who begs for rent money, mom or dad will too often acquiesce because they cant handle the consequences of tough love.
Bible Verses About Helping The Homeless
Bible verses related to Helping The Homeless from the King James Version by Relevance
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What Does The Bible Say About Helping The Poor And Homeless
There are large numbers of poor and homeless people in our own country and around the world.; They have always been here and always will be here.; The question is, what are we supposed to do to help them if anything? If you look at the amount of money most churches set aside for helping the poor, sick and homeless you would most certainly come to the conclusion that there is very little mentioned about this subject in the Bible.; I have created a list below of the verses in the Old Testament and New Testament that deal with how we are to treat our less fortunate friends.
Let me first warn you.; If you dont know about these verses then you may want to stop here.; If you have no intention of doing what they say then you are much better off not know about them at all.; In any event, dont say I didnt warn you.
Verses on How to Treat the Poor Old Testament
Verses on How to Treat the Poor New Testament
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus had some sobering words to say to those who did failed to help those in need. His words in Matthew 25 are as follows.
44 They also will answer, Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?
45 He will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.
46 Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.