Brother Paul
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- Aug 1, 2012
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YHVH or our way
In my years in ministry I have encountered many questions related to how a person with God's own Spirit in them changed over time from one who lives and loves a lifestyle called sin, who strive to sin and occasionally do good and treat others good, and then there are those who having walked with the Spirit which is of God in them who are transformed over time into a person who lives a life more like one of His actual children, who strives not to sin, but on occasion falls prey to it.
Now according to Jesus, the second greatest commandment, which is like the first, is that we should love our neighbor as we ourselves would want to be loved. But sadly many who call themselves followers of Jesus, or Christians, are not doing this. Instead they resent and dismiss all who are different than them. Now Jesus gave us a particular example of who our neighbor is and it was a person who the general populace, the Romans, and even their own alleged religious leaders looked down on, were prejudiced against, and fif not like without even knowing them personally.
So I have chosen to reveal what the Scriptures and God himself has to say about certain groups so we can compare our behaviors, actions, and attitudes to His will in order to make sure that our spirit actually lines up with the will of the Holy Spirit that is supposed to be in us. So to begin with, I will examine the poor and what is God's will as to how we should deal with them (Ephesians 2:10; James 2:18). But know this. I am not saying acting like Jesus wants us to (1 John 2:6) makes us or earns us Salvation, because it does not, but I am saying that if one REALLY has His Spirit in them (Romans 8:9) they will more and more be like Him (in heart and mind).
Now clearly we will always have the poor among us, however, God wills we should care for them.
So staring in the Law, in Deuteronomy 15:11, we read “For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor in your land’”
Now as Individuals, as Christians, so we do this? Let us each examine ourselves and be honest (not here) but with ourself and with God! So now let us look further.
Interestingly, the passage we find in Leviticus 25:36 is deeper. It says “If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you”
So not only does the commandment of our Father tell us to care about the poor but it compares how we should treat them as to how He will that we should treat the Stranger and Sojourner who is on our land. Are we treating the poor like we treat the strangers and sojourners in our land? Again using the word as a mirror see your reflection (and make it between you and YHVH)..
The Psalmist in Psalm 37 tells us those that borrow and then do not repay are wicked, but God's righteous give generously. But this does not mean to you or your family's detriment for the word also makes it clear that God loves a cheerful giver (so give what you can) and that whoever does not take care of their family and household is worse than an infidel, for “whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He WILL reward them (Proverbs 19:17).
Proverbs 14:31 tells us “Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.” Even if we have no money, are we kind and thoughtful toward the needy? Are those we admire or consider our Christian teachers and leaders? Jesus lets us know we shall know them by their fruits.
Now aside from the many other passages in the law that address this His will, we see the same intention of God in the Prophets, but now let us consider some of what is taught in the New Testament as Jesus shows us the heart and intent of our Father.
Jesus makes it clear that we are not to boast about our provisions for the poor in Matthew 6:2 but the Lord in many passages shows many ways in which the super haves are not in His will. So besides the obvious story of the Rich man and Lazarus listen to He says in Matthew 19:21. He tells one of their crowd what it would take for them to get into the Kingdom, He says “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Now He does not say give it all but GIVE and follow Him, So was the desire of Paul in Galatians 2:10.
So what about we ourselves? Do we have a spirit like this ruling our hearty and mind? Do we strive to do things Yah's way or our way? If any wishes to add to or take away from this matter feel free in Him to do so.
Amen
In my years in ministry I have encountered many questions related to how a person with God's own Spirit in them changed over time from one who lives and loves a lifestyle called sin, who strive to sin and occasionally do good and treat others good, and then there are those who having walked with the Spirit which is of God in them who are transformed over time into a person who lives a life more like one of His actual children, who strives not to sin, but on occasion falls prey to it.
Now according to Jesus, the second greatest commandment, which is like the first, is that we should love our neighbor as we ourselves would want to be loved. But sadly many who call themselves followers of Jesus, or Christians, are not doing this. Instead they resent and dismiss all who are different than them. Now Jesus gave us a particular example of who our neighbor is and it was a person who the general populace, the Romans, and even their own alleged religious leaders looked down on, were prejudiced against, and fif not like without even knowing them personally.
So I have chosen to reveal what the Scriptures and God himself has to say about certain groups so we can compare our behaviors, actions, and attitudes to His will in order to make sure that our spirit actually lines up with the will of the Holy Spirit that is supposed to be in us. So to begin with, I will examine the poor and what is God's will as to how we should deal with them (Ephesians 2:10; James 2:18). But know this. I am not saying acting like Jesus wants us to (1 John 2:6) makes us or earns us Salvation, because it does not, but I am saying that if one REALLY has His Spirit in them (Romans 8:9) they will more and more be like Him (in heart and mind).
Now clearly we will always have the poor among us, however, God wills we should care for them.
So staring in the Law, in Deuteronomy 15:11, we read “For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor in your land’”
Now as Individuals, as Christians, so we do this? Let us each examine ourselves and be honest (not here) but with ourself and with God! So now let us look further.
Interestingly, the passage we find in Leviticus 25:36 is deeper. It says “If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you”
So not only does the commandment of our Father tell us to care about the poor but it compares how we should treat them as to how He will that we should treat the Stranger and Sojourner who is on our land. Are we treating the poor like we treat the strangers and sojourners in our land? Again using the word as a mirror see your reflection (and make it between you and YHVH)..
The Psalmist in Psalm 37 tells us those that borrow and then do not repay are wicked, but God's righteous give generously. But this does not mean to you or your family's detriment for the word also makes it clear that God loves a cheerful giver (so give what you can) and that whoever does not take care of their family and household is worse than an infidel, for “whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He WILL reward them (Proverbs 19:17).
Proverbs 14:31 tells us “Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.” Even if we have no money, are we kind and thoughtful toward the needy? Are those we admire or consider our Christian teachers and leaders? Jesus lets us know we shall know them by their fruits.
Now aside from the many other passages in the law that address this His will, we see the same intention of God in the Prophets, but now let us consider some of what is taught in the New Testament as Jesus shows us the heart and intent of our Father.
Jesus makes it clear that we are not to boast about our provisions for the poor in Matthew 6:2 but the Lord in many passages shows many ways in which the super haves are not in His will. So besides the obvious story of the Rich man and Lazarus listen to He says in Matthew 19:21. He tells one of their crowd what it would take for them to get into the Kingdom, He says “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Now He does not say give it all but GIVE and follow Him, So was the desire of Paul in Galatians 2:10.
So what about we ourselves? Do we have a spirit like this ruling our hearty and mind? Do we strive to do things Yah's way or our way? If any wishes to add to or take away from this matter feel free in Him to do so.
Amen
