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Poverty and The Poor

Poverty and the Poor

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The last few days I have been thinking a lot about poverty and Lagos, Nigeria. My husband and I resided in Lagos during 2013-2015. We saw a lot of poverty as we traveled within the city. I know there is poverty in the United States, but the poverty in Lagos was different than what we had seen in the United States of America.

Poverty is a global problem, but the poverty I saw in Nigeria was more bothersome than what I had seen in the USA. Maybe it was because I was unaccustomed to it – maybe not. Each nation may have different issues to consider, but the results usually involve what most people think poverty is – a lack of food, clothing, and shelter.  Knowing that poverty is a very complex issue, I decided to look at some of the issues that led up to poverty in Nigeria.

In Nigeria, many politicians were corrupt and governmental money was not being used to help the people in the country. We saw the imported products being unloaded from the docks because manufacturing, agriculture, and entrepreneurship were limited due to lack of education or funding available. Buildings dangerously toppled down from lack of codes or enforcement. Transportation and roads needed a throughout upgrading. Getting used to an electrical system where your electricity goes out 5-10 times per day was strange. Schools, hospitals, and medical facilities were in need of an upgrade. The majority of the economy’s focus was on oil production, but there was pilfering of oil, unequal distribution of the oil’s wealth, and disdain by many locals towards the oil companies. Beggars were commonplace. I ran into a lot of “workers” who felt they deserved a handout just because we supposedly had more money than they did. Paying a bribe for safety or special favors began to seem logical after a while. In our short time there, we experienced two close calls with criminal behavior. And being an avid newspaper reader, I read many newspaper articles about the living conditions of the people in the northeastern part of the country being killed and displaced due to the terrorist organization Boko Haram.

The first step of my research for this blog involved trying to figure out who really were “THE POOR.” I decided to search the Bible to find out what God had to say about the poor. While I couldn’t find a definitive definition in the Bible of who exactly the poor are, I found multiple words and phrases about the poor in Strong’s Concordance with Hebrew and Greek Lexicon. From various verses throughout the Bible, the poor were noted as weak, hungry, indigent, needy, of the lowest class, impoverished, reduced to beggary, afflicted, wretched, lean, powerless to accomplish and end. In addition, Strong’s mentions the Greek word ‘ptόchos’ defines the poor as:

One who crouches and cowers; beggarly; destitute. The Greek word ptōxόs defines the poor as deeply destitute, completely lacking resources (earthly wealth) – i.e. helpless as a beggar. It relates to “the pauper rather than the mere peasant, the extreme opposite of the rich.”

Andrew Wilson interviewed Natalie Williams in his article Who Are the Poor. In that article, Williams states,

One biblical characteristics of poverty is [you are] powerless to raise yourself out of your circumstances.”

It is my opinion that since not all poor people are destitute, it would be wise to look at poverty and the poor in the context of each Scripture that addresses the issue. That is a challenging task since the word ‘poor’ and/or related words are mentioned in the King James Bible hundreds of times.

  • Poor – 205 times
  • Poorer – 1 time
  • Poverty – 15 times
  • Beggar – 3 times
  • Destitute – 8 times
  • Needy – 38 times
  • Penury – 2 times

Living in Nigeria made me wonder what God’s attitude toward poverty is. I noticed that poverty was affecting good people as well as bad people —maybe not equally, though. I noticed many Godly people who were poor and I noticed many ungodly people who were rich. It saddened me to see the shame, struggles, and ruin that affected many poor people, but it also saddened me to see the rich and famous lack humility, peace, and an ungodly lifestyle. My conclusion regarding poverty is that poverty does not have to lead to an ungodly life, but life is still tough. In the Bible, the word ‘poor’ most often referred to a person’s economic situation. But in each Biblical and/or current story on poverty, the causes and circumstances surrounding poverty are very different and complex.

Possible Causes of Poverty

  1. Sin; Genesis 3:17-19
  2. Trials/Misfortunes/Bad decisions i.e. stock market crash, bad investment, illness; Job 1:13-21
  3. Lack of discipline; Proverbs 13:18
  4. Idleness; Proverbs 10:4
  5. Neglect in giving; Proverbs 28:22
  6. Divine punishment; Proverbs 22:16
  7. Injustice; Proverbs 13:23
  8. Debt; Matthew 18:23-25
  9. Natural occurrences, i.e., tsunami, famine, tornado, hurricane, flooding; Genesis 47:20-22

Sometimes our attitude towards the poor has to do with why we “feel” a person is poor. We might not feel sorry for a person when they are poor because they don’t want to work and are just expecting a handout. When I see people asking for money on the street corners, I am a skeptic most of the time. I wonder why they are experiencing poverty or if they are really poor or even a fraud. I wonder what the cause of their poverty might be and then I make a judgment call. Whether that is acceptable or not, I do know that God is very specific about how He wants the poor to be treated.

How Should ‘The Poor’ be Treated?

  1. The poor should be treated fairly. Exodus 23:6
  2. The poor should not be mistreated. Galatians 6:9-10
  3. The poor should be cared for. Luke 3:11
  4. The poor should be helped generously. Jeremiah 39:10
  5. The poor should have special privileges. Exodus 23:11

We should show compassion for the poor among us. When we look at the early church, we see a Godly attitude shown by the first believers toward the poor. We see Jesus having compassion on the poor. The Bible says that when we show compassion toward the poor we will be rewarded. The Bible even gives some examples of the poor we should help – the orphans and the widows specifically. [Note: The family should be the first to help relatives, especially the orphans and widows in need.]

Poverty Principles

  1. Poverty will always exist in this world. Matthew 26:11
  2. God is concerned about poverty. Psalm 14:6
  3. People in poverty are expected to work if possible. 2 Thessalonians 3:10
  4. Family members are to help their poor relatives. 1 Timothy 5:8, 16
  5. People who are financially able should help the poor, i.e. gifts, food, clothing. Ephesians 4:28
  6. The church should help the poor. Acts 15:26

So far, I have spoken only of the physically poor. However, there is also the spiritual poor – those without Jesus Christ in their lives. And just as there are reasons for physical poverty, there are reasons for spiritual poverty. One may lack faith, understanding, or knowledge of God. This is where those who understand the redemptive power of Jesus Christ must pray for the Holy Spirit to change a person’s heart so that they will be drawn into loving relationship with Jesus. God does hear the prayers of the poor in spirit who are willing to trust Him for their daily needs.

I once saw a lady in Lagos on the street begging as she wearily walked up and down between the cars. Her shirt top was pulled down as she was nursing twins – one on each breast. She wore raggedy clothing. Her facial expression exhibited true despair. Her body screamed “malnutrition.” I don’t know about you, but in my estimate, she qualified as being one of the poor. You will run into people throughout your life that God will call you to minister to. They may be needy; they may be destitute; they may even be faking poverty. But by using your God-given wisdom and discernment abilities, He will show you what He wants you to do or how to help the poor! He really will!!!

God Bless,

PATTIGREENE.eps-(1png-300x9

Bible Verses:

Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him. Proverbs 14:31

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? Matthew 16:26

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, when we see weariness, distress, and poverty, please allow us to discern who you want us to minister to – both physically and spiritually. Open our eyes to see everything we encounter through your eyes. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.


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Strong’s Concordance with Hebrew and Greek Lexicon. 14 March 2016. Online. EliYah.com.

Wilson, Andrew. “Who are the Poor? A Conversation with Natalie Williams.” 14 Oct 2015. Web. 13 March 2016.

Zondervan Dictionary of Bible Themes. Ed.Martin H. Manser. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999.

State of Emergency

I read a lot of news articles – many involving a particular state of emergency I have them sent directly to my iPhone. I use Google Alerts so I will be notified immediately on certain topics. I read many online newspapers. And I subscribe to “real” magazines.

One day one of the articles that came through one of my sources and printed in the Star Tribune was entitled More than 40 people killed by 2 female suicide bombers in northeastern Nigeria. The article was about two teenage girls that entered the busy marketplace in Maiduguri, a provincial capital in NE Nigerian state of Borno. In their vests were explosives hidden beneath their full hijabs. The first girl detonated her bomb killing 3 women. As rescuers rushed in, the second girl screamed and set off her explosives, killing many more.

While bombings and killings like this occur frequently in Nigeria, I wondered if we are getting desensitized hearing about it. The answer is probably YES. But, with this article, I wondered if the two girls were being used by the Islamic Extremist group Boko Haram who were immediately suspected to be the insurgents responsible for the attack. Were the girls forced to carry the bombs? And were these girls from the group of the 200+ girls kidnapped from Chibok (78 miles southwest of Maiduguri) in April, 2014 that are still missing? Then, my mind wondered if people are really “suicide bombers” if they are forced to carry out a task such as this. I also placed my heart into the minds of those 200 girls’ parents still missing – wondering if they were all now concerned that these two girls might have been their daughters. There must be nothing like losing a child, double that with your child being kidnapped, double that with thinking that your child might be used by an Islamic militant group to carry bombs, and double that with not knowing if your child is dead or alive.

Maiduguri is the largest city in Borno state. The city had already been placed under a state of emergency because of the extreme violence there.

But what happens when a city has been declared in “a state of emergency?” The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English states a state of emergency is, “when a government gives itself special powers in order to try to control an unusually difficult or dangerous situation, especially when this involves limiting people’s freedom.”

No matter what your ‘State of Emergency’ might be, God is the only one that can come to your rescue, answer your questions, and get you to a place of safety. He can do that, but you must first place your trust in Him as your Lord and Savior. With your relationship secure in Him, He has provided you with His Holy Spirit who can guide you in prayer and help you to understand the Bible in new and exciting ways. Look to Him, read His Word, and believe He will touch you and guide you.

While cities and countries depend on the government to help them during these states of emergencies, we must depend on God through our Lord Jesus Christ to get us through our own personal emergencies.

Ephesians 4:19 – And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. ESV

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Choosing a President: Psalm 72

Choices are everywhere for everything under the sun. You go to the store and you decide what bread you want: whole wheat, grain, barley, oven-baked, or rye. You decide between vacationing in the mountains, a remote island, or a busy city. You pore over hair styling magazines to see if you want a pixie, a shag, a French twist, or even hair extensions. Some decisions are easy and some are not quite as easy – like choosing the next President of the United States.

Let’s assume you are wondering how to choose a candidate worthy to be our next president. The first U.S. Presidential debate is over. You had the choice to watch it or not. You have the choice to whom you liked and whom you didn’t. Soon, you will have the choice to vote or not to vote. You may be the silent type who keeps your voting history to yourself or you might be one who purposely visits the nearest candidate headquarters to pick up yard signs, bumper stickers, and buttons to advertise your choice.
Many extremely important and volatile issues will face our next leader. Many issues that faced other countries have now infiltrated into the United States of America. Global issues that previously did not affect us now have an impact on us.
Psalm 72 suggests that a leader should be one who:

  • Judges the people with righteousness;
  • Judges the poor with justice;
  • Defends the cause of the poor;
  • Gives deliverance to the children of the needy;
  • Crushes the oppressors;
  • Delivers the needy when he calls;
  • Pities the weak and needy; and
  • Saves the life of the needy (redeems their lives)

Some commentaries say Psalm 72 was written by Solomon himself. However, most commentaries believe it was written by an older King David as a prayer for his son Solomon and for his future leadership as King. Regardless, this chapter is a prayer for Solomon and his reign and Kingdom, it is also a prophetic look toward Jesus’ reign in future times.

But, what else did both Solomon and Jesus do consistently and purposely? They prayed. Unfortunately, towards the end of King Solomon’s reign, he fell into idolatry and disobedience. But for the majority of his life, he prayed for the welfare of those God allowed him the privilege of leading.

While we should pray for our government leaders, I am convinced that we should also pray that our government leaders be Bible-reading, praying people themselves. Something we might want to consider as we evaluate all the candidates and who the next leaders of our country will be.

Abraham prayed. And through his prayers, he received guidance and direction. King Hezekiah prayed and through his prayers idolatry was destroyed. He also prayed for his health and God restored 15 more years to his life. That is a powerful testimony for prayer.

Prayer can change the course of history, of cities, and nations. According to E.M. Bounds in The Complete Works of E.M. Bounds on Prayer, Bounds states, “Prayer and the divine providence are closely related . . . Prayer brings God’s providence into action. Prayer puts God to work in overseeing and directing earth’s affairs for the good of men.” And because of this I am praying for a “Praying President.”

Let’s lift up all the candidates in prayer and seek God’s wisdom and guidance as to a new leader. Let’s pray for our leaders and future leaders as they will shape and govern the affairs of this world. But, more than that, let’s pray for a President, who fits the mold of Psalm 72 and who is dedicated to prayer and praying for God’s wisdom as he leads our nation and faces issues, such as, education, foreign policy, immigration, energy, healthcare, homeland security, social security, and more.

Let’s seek a future leader that:

  • Has proven himself/herself;
  • Has shown evidence of God’s preparation for the office of Presidency; and
  • Will pray consistently and fervently to the Mighty God.

As for me, I am praying for a PRAYING PRESIDENT! How about you?

Bible Verses:

And the Lord said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your plea, which you have made before me. I have consecrated this house that you have built, by putting my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time.1 Kings 9:3 [ESV]

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.Philippians 4:6-7 [ESV]

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.James 1:5 [ESV]

Prayer:

Our Heavenly Father, as we seek to pray for Your person to fill the office of President of the United States, give us wisdom and discernment. Let us listen to candidates with Your ears. Let us see with Your eyes. Allow us understand the issues that will affect ourselves and Your will upon the earth. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

Patti

Bounds, E.M., The Complete Works of E.M. Bounds on Prayer. Grand Rapids: Baker Books. 1990, (p. 213, 216).

Bible Gateway Blogger Grid (BG²) is an international network of independent bloggers who meaningfully blog—and who are serious—about matters relating to the Bible. Follow the members on Twitter using the BG² List.

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False Prophets

Warning

In The Billy Graham Christian Worker’s Handbook, Graham states, “All the way through the Bible we are warned against false prophets and false teachers. And even Jesus warned us of false prophets when He said, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits.” ¹ [Matthew 7:15] We are warned of false prophets in many Bible books, such as Deuteronomy, 1 Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Micah, Matthew, Acts, and 2 Peter – just to name a few.

Who are false prophets?

But who are the false prophets we read about in the Bible? Authors Jean Fischer and Tracy Sumner have put together one of the easiest definition and explanation of a false prophet I have seen. They describe a false prophet as, “A liar. A false prophet says that a message is from God when it’s not. If a person says God gave him/her a message, and that message leads you away from God or what His Word says, that person is a false prophet. The Bible says that many false prophets are in the world. We need to watch out for them.” ²

Characteristics of false prophets

Most false prophets have many characteristics that set them apart from others. While not every false prophet may possess all of the following, many do. Most false prophets in today’s age are:

Very convincing. They have an uncanny ability to convince others that they have been given the sole truth from God.

Very personable. They are usually very well-liked and are adept in social skills and social situations.

Smart. They have to be quite smart in order to debate, win arguments, and convince others. Look back at Biblical times. Many of the false teachers then were highly educated religious leaders of their day.

Very possessive of their followers.

Very motivated. Their motivations may stem from various needs, such as their desire to be popular or esteemed in the eyes of others, their desire to approval, or even their desire for money.

Very adept in manipulating Scripture for their purposes.

Teachers of false doctrines.

What do false prophets do?

False prophets lead people astray. Ultimately, they will lead an unbeliever from hearing God’s truth about eternal life and believers will be led away from the holy and blessed life the Lord wants for them. False prophets may perform signs and wonders; bring heresies into the church; and deceive others. The apostle Paul warned people not to be deceived by the false teachings of his day in Thessalonians. He proved his seriousness about making the church a pure place for believers when he removed two false teachers, Hymenaeus and Alexander, from the church and handed them over to Satan so they would learn not to blaspheme. [1Timothy1:19-20]

Satan is a deceiver. He has many disguises. Many are deceived by the doctrines and teachings of the day. So, we must present ourselves as diligent servants for the Lord and test the spirits.

Questions asked

Questions have been asked by people from all walks of life and through many generations, such as:

Who are the false teachers of today?

Why do false teachers exist?

Why do people believe false prophets expound God’s truth?

Who are we to judge others and label them as false prophets?

Doesn’t the Bible tell us not to judge others?

These are all excellent questions, so let’s see how we can tell who false prophet is by looking at what the Scriptures say.

Verses about false prophets

But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die. Deuteronomy 18:20

How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart. Jeremiah 23:26

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel, who are prophesying, and say to those who prophesy from their own hearts: ‘Hear the word of the Lord!’ Ezekiel 13:1

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. Matthew 7:15

And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. Matthew 24:11

And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.  For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. Matthew 24:22-24

And from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. Acts 20:30-31

For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. Romans 16:18

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 2 Timothy 4:3-4

The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10

False prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. 2 Peter 2:1-3

Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1

For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Jude 1:4

And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20:10

Why is it imperative we recognize false prophets?

We must recognize them because there are many voices vying for our attention. We must learn to discern the right voices from the wrong ones. We can do that by allowing every word we hear be filtered through God’s Word. If what one says or writes does not align with Scriptures, it is not of God. No one is perfect, but by looking into the character of a person, we can get a peek into their integrity, i.e. do they lie? do they commit adultery? When we recognize false prophets, we will know what to avoid and we can guide others to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Where will you find false prophets?

You will find false prophets everywhere – in the church, in seminaries, in institutions of higher learning, on the radio, on TV, in cities, in towns, in cities, in poor countries, or in rich countries. You may find them predicting the end of times or healing people. All over the world, they are deceiving people and leading them away from the pure Word of God. They want men and women to worship them instead of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

Photograph Location: Brussels, Belgium

My opinion

I will not attempt to list false prophets in this blog. Not because I can’t whip out a few names I believe are false teachers, but because the Bible has so many references pertaining to how one can discern those who teach false doctrines that I desire you to delve into the Word of God yourself and distinguish those who lead others in Truth and those who don’t.

In my opinion, if a solid, mature believer expresses doubts about a person’s sincerity or believers one may be a false teacher, it may be wise to evaluate the person in question, pray about it, and seek God’s understanding of the matter. We must be wise in our thinking. Proverbs 16:16 says, “How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver.” We must test the spirits ourselves. Even in Acts 17:10-11, we find the Bereans testing the apostle Paul to be sure they were following the teachings of a Godly man who was sensitive to God’s Holy Spirit. Never feel bad about questioning a spiritual leader, seminary professor, or Bible study teachers. Just as false prophets had penetrated the churches in Jesus’ time, they have also penetrated the walls of our churches and institutions today.

My desire for you, my friends, is that you will never be misled into believing in false prophets or false teachings. Satan will disguise himself as an angel of light. Just because someone is called Reverend, Pastor, or Brother, does not mean the solid truth of Jesus Christ is within them. It is essential for us to seek out the mind of God on all matters.

Jeremiah, a prophet of God

Jeremiah was called to bring a very convicting message to the people of his day. He was to tell the people to repent or doom will come upon the nation and city of Jerusalem. All the while, false prophets were exhorting the people with messages of deliverance and peace which sounded a lot better than what Jeremiah was declaring. [Jeremiah 14:11-16, Jeremiah 23:9-40, Jeremiah 28:1-17] But, the false prophets were wrong and Jeremiah’s teaching was right.

Let us follow the right spirit. Let’s acquaint ourselves with God’s Word so thoroughly that nothing will lead us astray. False prophets do exist today and they will continue to exist until the end of time.

God bless you.

Patti Greene

Bible Verses:

See Above.

Prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for your Holy Scripture. Thank you for never leaving me alone to figure out questions, doubts, or concerns. As I seek to be discerning about the things of God, let me pray and hear your teachings to guide and protect me from situations that are not OF YOU. Let me recognize false prophets and false teachings and give me the courage to avoid them by only immersing myself in You and Your Word. And thank you for the pastors, leaders, and parents who are teaching the truth of God to others. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

¹ Graham, Billy. The Billy Graham Christian Worker’s Handbook. Ed. Charles G. Ward. Charlotte, NC: World Wide Publications, 2001.

² Fishcher, Jean and Tracy M. Sumner. Big Bible Guide: Kids’ Bible Dictionary & Handbook. Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour Publishing, 2013.

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Bible Gateway Blogger Grid (BG²) is an international network of independent bloggers who meaningfully blog—and who are serious—about matters relating to the Bible. Follow the members on Twitter using the BG² List.

www.PattiGreene.com