All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
How should Christians and the Church treat beggars and begging?
We know that people will take advantage of the church. Recently, I was in a service where a young woman showed up asking for ‘food’ and I overheard one member saying that the congregation had already helped her once. The woman had sat next to me during the service. She asked me if I could help her with ‘just food.’ I realize that some advise people not to give money to those who are ‘begging’ while others advise that it’s not for us to judge the person but to give if we’re able to give. My thoughts that day were that this woman’s problems go far deeper and she wasn’t just wanting to scam people for money. I tried to focus in on her as an individual and see her spiritual needs but also saw that she had zero self esteem/self respect.
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Permalink Reply by Amanda on
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Only each individual and God could know the motivation behind helping the poor and needy, sick and lost.
Self examination for the Christian is important. God has never given up on me although I’m sure He’s had plenty of reasons to do so. I think it’s important for Christians to keep reaching out in ways that Jesus reaches out to you and me.
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Permalink Reply by JB on
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Very good response Amanda, BTW thanks for asking previously how I am, appreciated it very much. Good to see you are a little more active on AAG Discussions, missed reading your responses, and questions. I want to thank you and Carla for your responses on this particular subject, I can see you both have researched it pretty extensively, and allowing the Holy Spirit to influence your decisions. As born-again believers, “New Creations” it’s a natural response to situations such as these. Walking in love, we will never look down on a person that has fallen on hard times. However, we will at times, even as Christians, if we are not walking in the Spirit, will have a tendency to become a little too judgmental and miss out on a blessing. The reason I like Isaiah 58:4-10 (KJV) Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday…
This will be the works of the ministry, a natural reaction to situations we encounter on a daily basis. And one might say, Well I just don’t have that kind of faith, but Bible says that He has given to every man the measure of faith, even with faith as a grain of a mustard seed we can move mountains, so it isn’t that we don’t have faith, it’s just that we have too much fear and unbelief that will negate our faith. Blessings, JB
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Permalink Reply by thewatchman on
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As I have said over and over.....everything God can use....regardless of your or my motivation. We cannot even breathe without the Lord God Almighty.....as to the giving, give always what you are able, but not so you can be blessed, but moreso that the Lord Almighty be Glorified.....and He will be whether or not you or I do it. He IS the God of Glory, He IS.....The chief end of man is to Glorify God and regardless of what we do or don't do, God is going to be Glorified.....I'm sorry, did not watch the youtube video, sometimes I just like to read His Word and sleep on what He says to me. I am not a social worker, perse", because the Rockefellers started that to change the dynamics of Christianity into something other than the Lord requested. Do as much as you so choose. We get mixed up so much....God is the ultimate KING worthy of ALL THE HONOR, ALL THE GLORY, AND ALL THE PRAISE. May He show mercy upon us all. Live for Him and all the rest shall fall into place, you won't have to question.....
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Permalink Reply by Carla on
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Watchman,
You raise a really important point. God rewards our obedience. However, the important thing to note here (I'm agreeing with you), is that God may not tell us to step out in everything we happen to see. I'm sure we can all agree that we are to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and learn to listen to Him if we're not already.
I'm doing a study right now on the rewards we'll receive in the Millenial Kingdom. I'm going to start a new discussion on this because it's really important that we get this right.
Our motivations of course are not rewards, but it's good to know that they won't go unnoticed. I hope to post the discussion in the next few days (today if time allows).
Blessings, Carla
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YAY... No disruptions in typing this up. :-)
Here it is: http://www.allaboutgod.net/forum/topics/the-judgement-seat-of-the-m...
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Carla, wouldn’t this come under the heading of a “performance-based righteousness”?
How do we understand , 2 Peter 1:1-4 (KJV) 1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Wouldn’t this indicate that He has already (past tense) given to us all things that pertain unto life and godliness? People are still looking for blessings from God, when according to the Word, He has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. Ephesians 1:3 (KJV) 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: again “hath”, Past tense.
Do we ask Him for mercy, grace, peace, healing, deliverance, or do we thank Him for it? Lamentations 3:22-23 (KJV) 22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
By His Stripes ye were healed. 1 Peter 2:24 (KJV) 24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (past tense)
I know and understand there are those that will get very tired of me referring to the New Creation, but when you can see just what it means to be a new creature, created in Christ Jesus, it will all make sense, and there will be no more questions as to what’s right or wrong, does He still heal, or whether or not I should feed this person, help him with what I have, or are we already healed and haven’t learned how to appropriate that which He has by Grace already provided for us? Peter and John demonstrated how a person that recognizes the fact that they were new Creatures in Christ should respond to any situation they are faced with. Acts 3:6-8, They didn’t pray and ask God to heal that impotent man, they said “silver and gold have I none, but, such as I have give I thee in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk” they didn’t have to fast and pray, as some seem to think, based on Matt. 17:19-21. Some think Jesus was saying they need to fast and pray to cast out that demon, but actually He was telling them that it was because of their un-belief that they couldn’t cast him out, and this kind (of un-belief) will come out by prayer and fasting.
And we don’t forget that God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, but we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
I could go on forever on this, but May the Lord Bless, Who has given to us all things, through the KNOWLEDGE “Epignosis” Meaning (full discernment) of Him.
Our righteousness is of Him, and not based on my performance, but on what Christ has done.
JB
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Hey JB, I want to hear about "performance based righteousness". What does God request of you?......Nothing?????? Does He not request righteousness? Perhaps I missed that in the Bible, but please tell me where it speaks of just doing your thing and you will be saved? Please send me those verses, chapters, and the LOVE of God. You are so very wrong in this, it makes me sad.....if performance had nothing to do with salvation, then please tell me why we are told to flee evil, please tell me why we are told to obey the word of the Lord, please tell me why we are told to forgive our tresspassers, please tell me why the Rich Man was given the same opportunity everyone else was given, but yet rejected....do you think he was saved???? You see my point....there are some prerequisites to salvation, sorry.....but there are.....even belief is a prerequisite, the devils angels believe and still tremble.....You are doing a great misfortune for those who want to follow the Lord and become a Disciple. There are perimeters for those who choose to follow Jesus. STOP making people believe that anything they do is acceptable to God. You are doing the satans work, and I don't mean to be insulting, but it is absurd and I mean everything I have said here. I don't care if I get banned from here but I will refuse to stop speaking the glorious Word of the Lord and allowing people to defile and minimize His Word. Nothing is okay....the Bible smacks of un-okayness. You are either a believer or an unbeliever...period. No in the middle of the fence my friend. Do NOT do a disservice to people who are interested in serving the Lord!
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JB,
we cannot earn our salvation by performing in works or deeds, but we will be rewarded at the start of the Millennial Kingdom which will last for 1000 years. Your deeds/works will be rewarded according to what you have done, or you will have nothing to show for your spiritual life. Your salvation will not be revoked (taken from you) without works, but authority in the Millennial Kingdom is given to those who have been rewarded. The eternal order is different, all believers are equal for that time. This topic is obviously huge and requires a new discussion. Please check out my new post if you’re interested.
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I agree, Carla. God doesn’t expect us to “step out in everything we happen to see.” God draws us to certain people and equips us uniquely to help them.
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Millenial Kingdom....I've been doing a lot of research on that and it seems that no one knows what that means. I would be very interested in what you've found out.
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Absolutely. Check out my recent post... let’s start there.
Blessings, Carla
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Watchman, what I am saying is, some feel their performance is imputed unto them for righteousness.
Carla, I’m sure you are not thinking I believe that my righteousness is based on my performance. If you or Watchman gathered that from what I wrote, I apologize for not making myself clear.
This is my belief, I am righteous “based on what God has done for me, calling me by His grace, into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ” I accepted, and answered that call, and received this wonderful free gift of salvation. So, see…I am righteous, and I use my righteousness to perform and quit sinning,
Isa.64:6…Isa.54:17..And, Ro. 4:1-8, What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Therefore I indicated that some have a “performance based righteousness.”
JB
PS. Sorry for the late response, both Computers were in the shop.
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