Every infringement on God’s presence around you affects your life! Whether it is an attack on the comment that Dan Cathy, CEO of Chick-fil-A, makes, or the removal of crosses across the country, “it affects you!”
Tag Archives: Outreach
Aurora
Last night, another tragedy has struck America. The details will be laid out for us in the days ahead, but in the mean time at least 12 are dead and 50 wounded. A tragedy like this could happen anywhere and families will become paralyzed with fear and bewilderment. Take time to think through the repercussions and pray for the families involved. This is not a game. Thank God, He is still sovereign, faithful and merciful.
This incident shows the insidious nature of the wickedness of man’s heart. When man is not in submission to the justice of God, he acts independently and causes havoc in the world mirroring the evil one. That’s where we Christians, with merciful, open hearts, need to realize our part to set our minds on the things above and set our priorities on building God’s kingdom rather than going about our business thinking this would never happen close to home. God will have his way and use His people for His glory if we trust Him and reach out to neighbors with the gospel.
Is there someone you know that needs an ear? Is there a parent you know struggling with his/her child? Is there a person who is functioning alone and needs the gospel?
War on Poverty Man’s Way
In 1965 Lyndon Johnson declared war on poverty when 15% of America was under the “poverty” level. His “deal” became a raw deal, because man will never solve his problems without the Grace of God. We now spend 668 billion dollars per year on 126 programs. We are still at the same level of poverty of 15%. God is not a part of the program. If you leave God out of any solution, you’ll have a temporary fix at best and a deceitful money pit of misery at worst.
When a repentant woman came into a dinner engagement and anointed Jesus’ head with a very costly oil of spikenard, the indignant criticized her for this seemingly waste of resources. Jesus told them to leave her alone and then said, “For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always.” (Mark 14:7) Jesus didn’t say, don’t help the poor, but you may do them good. He also said they would always be with you. In other words, we ought to do good by helping, but always in the name of Jesus, so Jesus is the reason for our help to them and they know the reason for the help they receive. But we should also know that money and resources in themselves are not the solution to poverty as the raw deal has shown.
Am I against the support the poor receive from the government? Not really. I believe the church should be the source of help, but the church is at a point, where it can hardly take care of its own. Unfortunately, the government welfare level of support has risen 41% in the last three years alone, an astronomical figure and still there is no change to godliness or upward mobility of the poor. The only true answer is a change of heart and seeking after God’s way. Money has become one of the “gods of this age.” People think money will solve theirs and the world’s problems. It never will and never was meant to solve problems.