R) The Poor
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“If we help the poor with love, we did it for Jesus.”
(Mat. 25:35-36, 1 Cor. 13:3)
The Poor
1. The poor are blessed for theirs the kingdom of God.
- Luke 6:20, "Looking at His disciples, He said, "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours the kingdom of God."
2. Pope Francis' teaching:
- “To ignore the poor is to despise God.”
3. God has the poor in the eyes of the world.
- James 2:5-7, "Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?"
4. Living in arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned, it is a sin not to help the poor.
- Ezekiel 16:49, "Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy."
5. As for the rich, Jesus said that it is hard for them to enter the kingdom of God.
- Mark 10:25, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
6. To have treasure in heaven, sell your possessions and give to the poor.
- 1 Timothy 1:21, "Jesus answered, "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." (Mat 19:21)
7. Do not show favoritism to the rich and put down the poor.
- James 2:1-4, "My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?"
8. God has chosen the poor.
- 1 Corinthians 1:28-29, "God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him."
9. Spend yourselves on behalf of the poor.
- Isaiah 58:10, "If you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday."
10. Help the poor, to serve Jesus.
- Matthew 25:35-36, "For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick, and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
11. Be openhanded to the poor.
- Deuteronomy 15:11, "There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore, I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land."
12. If you give a banquet, invite the poor.
- Luke 14:13, "But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind."
13. if you give to the poor without love, you gain nothing.
- 1 Corinthians 13:3, "If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing."
14. If you lend to the poor, charge no interest.
- Exodus 22:25-27, "If u lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him interest."
15. If we are political, financial, and/or spiritual leaders, let us be shepherds of God’s flock (1 Peter 5:2-4) to receive the crown of glory, as revealed in the 21st Century Divine Revelation:
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