The "Real" Cause of Poverty

Well as usual, I commented on a FB post and was completely misunderstood (woe is me) even by one of my children.  Funny thing is that it was "just a thought" and nothing more.  I originally was going to private message my friend whom made the post but didn't - I AM AN IDIOT!  Now after a few hours of thinking thoughts through, I will further put my foot in it by giving a more detailed writing.

 Here it goes:

The statement made by my young and wise friend was;  Socialism exists because Christians have ignored their mandate to help the helpless.

My "thought", and that's all it was, was:  Jesus said that the poor will always be with us. You might say socialism exist FOR Christians to FULFILL our mandate to help the helpless? We forget, we were all helpless until we got saved. Just a thought...

Did you see the part where I wrote "might" and "just a thought"?

Lets first define Poverty, as my Pastor says; We use the same words, but are using a different dictionary.
poverty: (noun)
The state of being extremely poor.
The state of being inferior in quality or insufficient in amount.
The renunciation of the right to individual ownership of property as part of a religious vow.

Poverty is not caused from a lack of: money, jobs, education, opportunity, or desire, however these things mentioned contribute to its continued existence and growth.  Conversely if you have any of the fore mentioned things you tend not to be poor, but it is not a guarantee.  Before I tell you the root cause lets look at some truth about the poor.

Matthew 26:11  For you have the poor with you always, but Me (Jesus) you do not have always.

Jesus was not advocating poverty, on several occasions He tells a person to sell all they have and give it to the poor and to come follow Him.  It is not a sin to be poor and being poor doesn't make you saintly either.  I don't want to be poor nor do I know anybody that desires to be poor also.  I need to say the following in order to make a point, so cut me some slack here please.  Carey and I are givers, that is that we give beyond our tithe.  Giving starts just beyond the tithe, anything less is "tipping" according to Pastor Bob and you don't tip God.  He said that to me several years back when he saw what I was about to put into the offering.  I know some of you disagree with what I just wrote about tithing and that is ok.  I wrote about giving because many who through up the poor in the face of Christians like; If there is a God, why does He allow poverty?  My smart donkey retort is; How much do you give to the poor?  Let me stop writing and let scripture speak and you decide about "being poor";
Matthew 5:3  "God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for Him,  for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.


Matthew 11:5  the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.

Luke 4:18  "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, for He has anointed Me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, 

Luke 6:20  Then Jesus turned to His disciples and said, "God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. 

These are just a few scriptures about the poor and there are many about receiving blessings because you give to the poor and AGAIN more about God telling us to take care of the poor.  So why doesn't the church eradicate poverty, because it can't!  The root of poverty is sin not lack.  Lack did not occur until sin was committed by Adam and Eve.  Personal sin can lead to personal poverty also but poverty as a whole is a result of sin.


Revelation 3:17  Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 

Jesus is writing this to a specific church which also is believed to represent the church as a whole, not every church or believer, right now!?
We are commanded to care for the poor, widows and children - we don't.
We are commanded to love our enemies and hate sin - we don't.


Revelation 3:19-20 NLT     I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.  "Look! I stand at the door and knock.  If you hear My voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.

You can be a friend of God too.  I correct my son's and daughter's, my dad corrected me, now me and my dad are friends.

Blessings
ernie

To the Election and Beyond!

As the Presidential election draws closer, several sides look with great anticipation.  What sides you ask; Republican, Democrat, Left, Right, Liberals, Conservatives, Socialists, Capitalists, Theirs, Ours, Mine and Yours, just to name a few.

I didn't mention "Moderates" you say.  That is because I don't believe there are.  If you look back at candidates that have been labeled as such, they have been historically (in my short lifetime) liberal.  Not to disparage the "left", they might say, with good logic that these so called moderates were conservative?

The Bible refers to moderates as "luke warm", people whom are neither hot nor cold?  Today I think the term would be "wishy-washy"!?

Revelation 3:16 NIV     So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

What is really interesting is where this passage is found in the Bible.  Jesus the Christ is writing seven letters to seven churches and this is the last letter.  After this letter is the end of this chapter and the next act of God is the Rapture of His Church (Christians).   Laodicea was the wealthiest of the seven church cities.  The city was known for its banks, its manufacture of a rare black wool, and a medical school/system (sound just a tiny bit familiar?) that produced eye salve.  The hills had a very strange color.  The people took the clay from those hills and made it into a salve for the eyes and also the ears. This salve was shipped all over the Roman Empire.  Today the chemical analysis reveals that there is nothing healing in that clay, however some made a good living at selling it.  As civilized people today, there is still a lot of medicine on the market that won't do us a bit of good; yet we are buying it just as fast as we can.  This medicine comes in many forms but ironically it is designed to continually blind us from The Truth.

Revelation 3:14 NIV     To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation.   

"The faithful and true witness." This reveals that the Lord Jesus Christ alone is the One who will reveal all and tell all. This is the day when it is very difficult to hear the truth. We certainly don't get it through the news media or from the government. Both our educational institutions and the military are great brain-washing institutions. Whom can you believe? Well, there is One who is the faithful and true witness even in the days of apostasy. You cannot believe the church in many instances today; the liberal church has no message for this hour.  Dr J Vernon McGee

The election of the president is not our hope, it is the election of God's people and to be counted as one of them that will decide the fate of this nation.

2Ch 7:14 NIV     if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Psa 81:13-16 NIV

(13)  "If my people would only listen to me, if Israel would only follow my ways,

(14)  how quickly I would subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!

(15)  Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever.

(16)  But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you."

Something to think about...

ernie