You will always have the poor among you

[Hekuran]

I realised for the first time today that when Jesus said you will always have the poor among you, he was quoting scripture. Deuteronomy 15:11.

That whole passage has an interesting mix of ideas about poverty in God's land.

First it says there should not be any poor in the land God is giving (v4), then it goes on to say that people should not be hardhearted if there are any poor (v7).

Last, it says there will always be poor people in the land.

Can anybody help shed some light on all this? I really want to get to the bottom of what Jesus meant (John 12:8).

Here's the full Deuteronomy passage.

Deuteronomy 15:1-11

 

[El Hombre viejo]

I realised for the first time today that when Jesus said you will always have the poor among you, he was quoting scripture. Deuteronomy 15:11.

That whole passage has an interesting mix of ideas about poverty in God's land.

First it says there should not be any poor in the land God is giving (v4), then it goes on to say that people should not be hardhearted if there are any poor (v7).

Last, it says there will always be poor people in the land.

Can anybody help shed some light on all this? I really want to get to the bottom of what Jesus meant (John 12:8).

Here's the full Deuteronomy passage.

Deuteronomy 15:1-11

Ha! I didn't realize that either. It appears though..the year of jubilee...debt cancellation..Yet people still wound up being slaves to debt. Hey people still do that today! Ain't we smot?! LOL We sell ourselves into slavery to the ungodly banks. Hmmm Not smot at all. :coocoo:

I realize its a bit off your point but....

 

[El Hombre viejo]

I do find it very interesting how the church views the poor among them... Some of course will help the poor treating them as equals.

Many, however, will despise the poor. I'm talking about Christians here.

 

[Hekuran]

Thanks.

Sometimes we hear "the poor will always be among you" as reasoning for not addressing poverty. Poverty will always be there, Jesus said so, so why should be bother?

The link to the Deuteronomy passage makes a nonsense of this. "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.’"

It's clear enough the poor will always be there, so we will always need to be ready to give.

 

[Boanerges]

Praise God for a Savior who gives us a heart to help those in need! That is one of our callings! Our lives are to be living expressions of Christ who is by nature Love, a Healer, A Provider and so much more.

 

[makena]

Praise God for a Savior who gives us a heart to help those in need! That is one of our callings! Our lives are to be living expressions of Christ who is by nature Love, a Healer, A Provider and so much more.

Amen! The New Testament talks a whole lot about reaching out to those in need. Paul said there should be likeness among us.

I have just recently heard people talk about how they prepare for a possible crisis with no electricity and no electronic equipment at work at all. Personally, I think the best way of preparing is to help those who have lived like that for years and years and still do by sowing into their lives. There are MANY Christians who are so poor they don't know what to feed their children tomorrow. It grieves me that so few think about THEM while at the same time we are thinking that if WE should be hit by some crisis it must be the end of the world.

 

[El Hombre viejo]

Amen! The New Testament talks a whole lot about reaching out to those in need. Paul said there should be likeness among us.

I have just recently heard people talk about how they prepare for a possible crisis with no electricity and no electronic equipment at work at all. Personally, I think the best way of preparing is to help those who have lived like that for years and years and still do by sowing into their lives. There are MANY Christians who are so poor they don't know what to feed their children tomorrow. It grieves me that so few think about THEM while at the same time we are thinking that if WE should be hit by some crisis it must be the end of the world.

Makena What do you think of the doctrine that God likes us poor because we get more spiritual?




George Muller was poor as a 'church mouse' grin. To outward appearances. Yet he had a powerful ministry. But was he poor? Really?

 

[makena]

THis is my third attempt to post a reply. I don't know why the forum do not allow me to post by using the New Reply button.

1. I don't think it is biblical, El Hombre Viejo. I believe God wants to bless us both physically, emotionally and financially to make us a blessing.

I know some of the most poor people on this planet, in a semi-desert area in an African nation. I have seen true humility, generosity and Christlikeness among them, and I have seen greed and hostility among their CHristians. (And btw, I find more joy among them than among my well off European friends.)

Where I live I know some extremely rich people who are nothing but big egoists and other rich people who are humble and Christlike.

Money has nothing to do with being spiritual or not. It depends on a person's relationship with Jesus CHrist and The Holy Ghost.

2. IMO George Müller was a RICH man. He was a channel for God's blessings to many and more concerned about other people's need than his own. Maybe he could have done even better if he had been financially rich, too. Whatcha think?

 

[El Hombre viejo]

IMO George Müller was a RICH man. He was a channel for God's blessings to many and more concerned about other people's need than his own. Maybe he could have done even better if he had been financially rich, too. Whatcha think? [/QUOTE]

LOL I agree wholeheartedly Makena. He lacked for nothing! Nothing at all. I believe poverty is under the curse. We are a blessed people not a cursed people. Yet too often we Christians accept the curse instead of sending it back where it came from.

 

[makena]

Amen, we really do agree ... Gal. 3:13 says that Christ set us free from the curse of the law and poverty was definitely a curse. And not to speak of Abraham's blessings which were said be ours in the very same chapter

 

[El Hombre viejo]

Amen, we really do agree ... Gal. 3:13 says that Christ set us free from the curse of the law and poverty was definitely a curse. And not to speak of Abraham's blessings which were said be ours in the very same chapter

We are the blessed! The very first words God spoke to man was blessing. All else comes from the Blessing. Healing, deliverance, prosperity...not to mention Salvation.

 

[Brother Mike]

Praise God!!

We are blessed with faithful Abraham and the seed of Abraham...


God never designed us to be broke, but to increase us more and more, us and our Children to be a major blessing on this earth.

You may think it's humble to say that you just believe God to feed and take care of your family, You may think a million dollars is a lot of money, but your living far below what God has for you.

Focus on the Kingdom and do the Kingdom Work!!! Tithe faithfully everything that comes in, and give when you have little. If your faithful in what you have, believe me...... God will give a mighty increase and the windows of Heaven will start to open in ways you never thought possible.

You will get in positions to not sow 5.00 or 20.00 but thousands for the preaching of the Gospel and be a source God can use to bless many....

Go after it, get the best God has for you... I promise you will not have any room to put it, and it will come in faster than you can sow it out..

Jesus is Lord.

 

[El Hombre viejo]

We are blessed with faithful Abraham and the seed of Abraham...


God never designed us to be broke, but to increase us more and more, us and our Children to be a major blessing on this earth.

You may think it's humble to say that you just believe God to feed and take care of your family, You may think a million dollars is a lot of money, but your living far below what God has for you.

Focus on the Kingdom and do the Kingdom Work!!! Tithe faithfully everything that comes in, and give when you have little. If your faithful in what you have, believe me...... God will give a mighty increase and the windows of Heaven will start to open in ways you never thought possible.

You will get in positions to not sow 5.00 or 20.00 but thousands for the preaching of the Gospel and be a source God can use to bless many....

Go after it, get the best God has for you... I promise you will not have any room to put it, and it will come in faster than you can sow it out..

Jesus is Lord.

Tithe faithfully and walk in LOVE for faith worketh by love. Yes?

 

[Hekuran]

That's interesting. This thread has moved in focus from its beginning as a comment on how we should respond to others who are poor, to a discussion about how we can be rich.

 

[Brother Mike]

Helping the Poor.

Hekuran:

That's interesting. This thread has moved in focus from its beginning as a comment on how we should respond to others who are poor, to a discussion about how we can be rich.

Yes!!!! A solution to helping the poor..... Obey God, eat the good of the land and prosper!!!!!!

Awesome how these threads work themselves out to a solution.

Jesus Is Lord.

 

[jari]

Can anybody help shed some light on all this? I really want to get to the bottom of what Jesus meant (John 12:8).

(Isa 55:6) Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

God first

 

[El Hombre viejo]

(Isa 55:6) Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

God first

Jari Look at the context, and the entire sentence.

This also indicates that there will come a time when its too late...


Isaiah 55:6-7 (King James Version)


<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-18747">6</sup>Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-18748">7</sup>Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.



Isaiah 55:6-7 (Amplified Bible)

<sup class="versenum" id="en-AMP-18747">6</sup>Seek, inquire for, and require the Lord while He may be found [claiming Him by necessity and by right]; call upon Him while He is near.
<sup class="versenum" id="en-AMP-18748">7</sup>Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have love, pity, and mercy for him, and to our God, for He will multiply to him His abundant pardon.
Isaiah 55:6-7 (Young's Literal Translation)

<sup class="versenum" id="en-YLT-18747">6</sup>Seek ye Jehovah, while He is found, Call ye Him, while He is near,
<sup class="versenum" id="en-YLT-18748">7</sup>Forsake doth the wicked his way, And the man of iniquity his thoughts, And he returneth to Jehovah, and He pitieth him, And unto our God for He multiplieth to pardon.



Isaiah 55:6-7 (New International Version)


<sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-18747">6</sup> Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
<sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-18748">7</sup> Let the wicked forsake his way
and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.


Isaiah 55:6-7 (The Message)

<sup class="versenum" id="en-MSG-7985">6-7</sup>Seek God while he's here to be found,
pray to him while he's close at hand.
Let the wicked abandon their way of life
and the evil their way of thinking.
Let them come back to God, who is merciful,
come back to our God, who is lavish with forgiveness.

 

[soberxp]

You will always have the poor among you
Psa 37:16 kjv:A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.

Rev 2:12 These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;

 

[El Hombre viejo]

You will always have the poor among you
Psa 37:16 kjv:A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.

Rev 2:12 These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;

Also The much that the righteous man has can do much more than the riches of the wicked.....Because he follows the Lord

 

[The Robster]

That's interesting. This thread has moved in focus from its beginning as a comment on how we should respond to others who are poor, to a discussion about how we can be rich.

Hey what better way to address poverty than to show people how to get the curse of poverty out of their life and become prosperous the biblical way. I'm all for helping the poor, but I also prefer to address the root cause of that poverty.