"I have been poor and I have been rich, but I have always found someone poorer than I"
Many years ago, when I was a young man in college, I went with our Baptist Student Union on a missionary trip to Matamoros, Mexico. We stayed in a large open area and slept on cots, took cold showers at a church in Brownsville, Texas. Each morning a bus load of us would drive to an area where we were constructing an orphanage for some children there. This became my first exposure to poor of the world outside my own.
We traveled into the poorest parts of Matamoros and it was then and there I realized how rich I was.
When I was a college student, my wife worked in the day as a maid, I worked at the same place in the evening doing laundry. There were many times in those days, that after paying our rent for an efficiency apartment we would barely have $5.00 - $10.00 left to eat on, but we had friends.
Those friends though not Christians were often our lifeline. They would feed us and buy us things now and then. They were great friends. The one thing that set them apart is they understood poverty. Most people have no clue unless they have been there. One has to experience poverty or Christ has to show them the need to have a desire to help. It takes compassion to help the poor, not judgement.
I remember well the impression it made in my mind when I saw how the people in Mexico lived. Many of the families lived on the streets in large cardboard boxes cut and shaped to form a small shelter. Often the only heat they had was a small coffee can with something burning in it. I came face to face with real poverty.
All the time thinking I was poor previous to that trip there. I found that in truth I was rich. I had a comfortable but small dwelling place to live in, some food, and I had a heater to warm me. I have since that day been both rich and poor. I have had lots of money, I didn't want and very little that I needed more of it.
These days, I am kind of back in the situation past, poor but never so poor to forget that there are plenty of others in this world that live in true poverty.
To help remind me as a Christian one of the most important truths taught in scripture, I often refer myself to some verses in the Bible. These are verses that all of us as Christians need to hold fast to.
We as a nation and a people have been so mesmerized by our wealth and our materialism we forget. Forgetting the poor is the very worst thing we can do.
All the money taken in and given to organizations, if only a small portion of it is not going to help the poor, then it useless money. It can be your church, your volunteer organization or whatever - if the largest amount is going to the organization itself and not flowing out to those in need, the purpose of your organization is already defeated. There are church denominations, that own billions of dollars in property, two of which I can name are the Baptist and Catholics. Not to pick on just these two but they own the largest amount worldwide. What would all that money have done, if instead of more buildings and property being purchased it would have been given to feed and clothe the poor? It would have helped change the world. So the next time you see someone poorer than yourself, remember these verses.
Remember what Jesus said, what does it profit you to hear the word but not to do the word?
Remember The Poor
No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." -Matthew 6:24
"He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished." -Proverbs 17:5
"If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered."-Proverbs 21:13
"He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich--both come to poverty." -Proverbs 22:16
"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.'"
-Matthew 19:21
"Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.'"
-Matthew 19:23-24
"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least among you, you did not do for me.'"
-Matthew 25:41-45
"He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses." -Proverbs 28:27
"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."
-Proverbs 31:8-9
"People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." -1 Timothy 6:9-10
"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." -1 Timothy 6:17-19
"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." -Ezekiel 16:49
"Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death."
-Proverbs 11:4
"A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold." -Proverbs 22:1
"Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all."
-Proverbs 22:2
"A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor."
-Proverbs 22:9
"Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who plunder them."
-Proverbs 22:22-23
"Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle." -Proverbs 23:4-5
"Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a rich man whose ways are perverse."
-Proverbs 28:6
"A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished." -Proverbs 28:20
"The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern."
-Proverbs 29:7
"Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless." -Ecclesiastes 5:10
"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."
-Deuteronomy 15:11
"He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God." -Proverbs 14:31
"A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare."
-Proverbs 21:6
"You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge."
-Psalm 14:6
"He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward him for what he has done." -Proverbs 19:17
"A rich man may be wise in his own eyes, but a poor man who has discernment sees through him." -Proverbs 28:11
"The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it an unscalable wall."
-Proverbs 18:11
I thank God for friends and family that have been there to give me a hand when I needed it. Perhaps, you know someone today that you have been overlooking that needs help. Perhaps, there is someone you know who has a need. Perhaps, there is someone you have judged when it wasn't your right to judge but it was your call to help.
I say it again - remember the poor.
Dr. J.
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Showing posts with label poor. Show all posts
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Friday, July 20, 2007
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Why So Long Since The Last Post
Well since I started writing my post, I have been pretty free in the mornings to write, however I had to start doing sales in the mornings as well as the evening.
The old man that I am, I have been pretty wiped out tired as the temperatures here have been crazy with sweltering humidity and lots of rain. I have been exhausted since. I also had a major computer crash about 4 days ago. I am barely up functioning on Windows XP without a lot of security updates because I had to reload and reformat and more just to get going again. It has been one problem after another.
My saying is when you start going for God, the devil is going to come along in the shadows and do everything he can to trip you on the path. Well that has been the story, a battle with forces beyond my control. My dependency has to be totally on Christ to just survive these days.
I also have Diabetes 2, and my oral medications have for whatever reasonm other than eating the wrong foods, have quit having much of an effect, and I can't afford to purchase the good stuff at $350.00 per month, so the Doctor had me on pills that only cost me about $16.00 per month. The difference for health care in this country is on how much money you have, like most other things.
I have to see my doctor soon as the State Board requires her to take me off the Medicine I using and either get me on something else- I can't take Glucophage because of stomach problems, so I was taking Glypicide (generic for Glucotrol), so I am left with two options, she will either put me on Actos ($300.00 per month), or send me to Endrocrinolgist for the purpose of putting me on Insulin. The latter most likely and I can't afford either so I may just end up having to live in a hyper sugar state running 300 to 400 everyday. Well, that will end my ability to work or do much of anything until it all kills me. So, I am prepared to just die, I guess. What choices does a poor man have in this country? It's not about healing the sick, it's all about money like everything else. There is no justice for the poor and there sure isnt much in the line of medical care.
So, the dark chasm of life is right there all the time, staring at each of us in the face, but for the rich, there is a bridge that has been built to the other side, while the poor keep falling into the hole and disappearing.
So, if you ask where have I been, why I havent written much? Well, health and the cost of living, and being married and trying to take care of the wants of a woman, versus the desires of the Lord. Thus Paul warned..STAY SINGLE! I think it is a great idea if you really have the Lord in your heart and a mission He has given you to accomplish.
So, I will try to write more often, even if it kills me. Sorry for the laspe of time since I last posted. So on we go. I did accomplish more reading over this time and will soon be writing more about Constantine and the traditions added by men to which the church has subscribed to since.
Until, then keep me in prayer.
Dr. J
The old man that I am, I have been pretty wiped out tired as the temperatures here have been crazy with sweltering humidity and lots of rain. I have been exhausted since. I also had a major computer crash about 4 days ago. I am barely up functioning on Windows XP without a lot of security updates because I had to reload and reformat and more just to get going again. It has been one problem after another.
My saying is when you start going for God, the devil is going to come along in the shadows and do everything he can to trip you on the path. Well that has been the story, a battle with forces beyond my control. My dependency has to be totally on Christ to just survive these days.
I also have Diabetes 2, and my oral medications have for whatever reasonm other than eating the wrong foods, have quit having much of an effect, and I can't afford to purchase the good stuff at $350.00 per month, so the Doctor had me on pills that only cost me about $16.00 per month. The difference for health care in this country is on how much money you have, like most other things.
I have to see my doctor soon as the State Board requires her to take me off the Medicine I using and either get me on something else- I can't take Glucophage because of stomach problems, so I was taking Glypicide (generic for Glucotrol), so I am left with two options, she will either put me on Actos ($300.00 per month), or send me to Endrocrinolgist for the purpose of putting me on Insulin. The latter most likely and I can't afford either so I may just end up having to live in a hyper sugar state running 300 to 400 everyday. Well, that will end my ability to work or do much of anything until it all kills me. So, I am prepared to just die, I guess. What choices does a poor man have in this country? It's not about healing the sick, it's all about money like everything else. There is no justice for the poor and there sure isnt much in the line of medical care.
So, the dark chasm of life is right there all the time, staring at each of us in the face, but for the rich, there is a bridge that has been built to the other side, while the poor keep falling into the hole and disappearing.
So, if you ask where have I been, why I havent written much? Well, health and the cost of living, and being married and trying to take care of the wants of a woman, versus the desires of the Lord. Thus Paul warned..STAY SINGLE! I think it is a great idea if you really have the Lord in your heart and a mission He has given you to accomplish.
So, I will try to write more often, even if it kills me. Sorry for the laspe of time since I last posted. So on we go. I did accomplish more reading over this time and will soon be writing more about Constantine and the traditions added by men to which the church has subscribed to since.
Until, then keep me in prayer.
Dr. J
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Pastoring America
I recently ran across some news on the Zondervan website, I have to share, because this further confirms the problem I have with the institutional church. We have strayed far from what Christ had in mind. Origen started it with his lifting the Bishop to being equal with Christ, and Constantine building the temples. Catholicism to Protestantism, the game is the same, these two are on the same stick, just opposite ends. This has existed since the church no longer was the make up of all beleivers,(the EKKLESIA, called out ones) and the multiplicity of elders among each body and each operating in the gifts of the Spirit as given. It has become a place to go to and a man to hear. Sunday entertainment. Ask most folks within a day of Sunday service what the sermon was about and they can't tell you. We may have restored the Bible to the common people, but Luther never strayed from the concept of the one man show and the temple being a building. The church has remained in this darkness for over 1800 years. The article quoted below clearly shows how seriously we are off the track, and the purpose of Christ. To go into all the world and preach the Gospel. This was not a command for just those that are "called to preach" a misnomer from day one. All believers are called to the ministry of reconciliation and they are priest of the Almighty. We have left what Christ established to return to Judaism with the building of our temples and the creation of our high priest. Read these recent statistics.
Survey: Pastors Would Use Surprise Income to Build and Evangelize
(ER 5.11.06) - A new survey shows what pastors nationwide would do if their church received an unexpected financial windfall.
The research was conducted for Facts & Trends magazine and sought to clarify the overall budget and spending priorities of clergy and lay people. According to a survey conducted by Ellison Research, 31% of the more than 500 Protestant pastors surveyed said they'd build, expand, or update their church's buildings and facilities. That preference is even more pronounced among Southern Baptist pastors, 43% of whom say they'd spend the unexpected financial boon on facilities.
Sixteen percent of all pastors say they'd use the windfall to increase community evangelism activities. Paying off debt (12%) and adding staff (10%) are also among the priorities expressed. Only 1 percent indicate they'd use the windfall to increase the salaries or benefits for staff members.
In a companion survey of almost 1,200 Protestant lay people, the top 3 priorities for spending a windfall would be paying off debt (18%), increasing social programs (18%), and building, expanding, or updating church facilities (17%).
Dr. Thom Rainer, author of Breakout Churches and The Unchurched Next Door, says the surveys show the need for a balanced perspective on what it means to be a church.
"It seems as if the research confirms that we can lose our focus when we start focusing on that which matters but which should be more peripheral than the main things, such as evangelism," Rainer notes.
Ron Sellers, president of Ellison Research, says the findings may make it appear that evangelism, missions, and outreach are a higher priority for clergy than for their congregations. "[But] in reality, both put a fairly high priority on evangelism," he says. "They just have different priorities for where the evangelism should take place."
Rainer offers a different perspective. "More than half of all members of churches in America will meet their Savior face to face without ever having shared Christ with anyone," he says. "On the leadership issue, 53% of pastors have not shared Christ, by their own admission, in the last 6 months."
Rainer admits he may be oversimplifying things, but offers this observation: "It seems to me, when someone [asks]: 'What's wrong with the evangelistic health of our churches?' — I can give a simple response: We're not doing it." (Source: Ellison Research, www.ellisonresearch.com)
What this clearly shows, is a total error on the part of Pastors, and in my opinion much of the congregation as well. Being segregated into our own little shelters and thinking God dwells there, and that all there is to worship is going to the building.
Worship encompasses all that we are, if we are believers. Every part of our life, everyday. We have hidden ourselves in our selfish agendas to build bigger and better than the next guy- whatever denomination or other church there is in our community. Athens, Texas has over 47 (give or take a few) different churches, yet evangelism, feeding the poor, and missionary work is very low within this community. Not, that there aren't some programs out there to do these things, but the question must be asked, what impact has it had on this community of some of the highest known drug arrest for methamphetamines and more.
Very, very little. Lets look at some more facts.
91% of all Christian outreach/evangelism does not target non-Christians, but rather those who have already heard the gospel and have a number of churches in their area. while 67% of the people in the world still have not heard the name of Jesus and 200 million Christians live und some form of persecution for their faith.
Christianity in the West flourishes as a multi-billion dollar enterprise. Statistics like these confirm that the Body of Christ has, for the most part committed it's rich supply of resources to itself. Pickup any Christian magazine (you'll find a vast selection) and see for yourself. They are loaded with ads for all sorts of conferences and seminars, Christian entertainment, books of every kind, T-Shirts, CD's almost anything you could imagine. In addition to T-Shirts and music, you can find a deluge of Christianized pop-psychology and the latest Christian romance novels. Everything from Christian debt consolidation to Christian singles clubs are all prevalent particulary in America. Just consider all the ministries that pop-up in our Christian world. Have you ever wondered about all the new approaches and solutions. There all kinds of seminars available. Seminars on divorce, addiction, and demon deliverance. There is someone new everyay proclaiming a solution or enhancement for everthing you can think of.
The truth is we are loaded with dollars. Higher wages are paid for the best entertainers. Larger the congregation the bigger the salary is for the Pastor- the one man show- minus the musicians and singers- who in most cases are unpaid.
We may say we don't have money enough for evangelism but the truth is someone is paying for all this.
With our position of wealth in this country it surely can be concluded: Love requires us to take seriously the responsiblity of helping the poor of this world so they might have enough food to eat. Along with this comes the responsibility to share the Gospel.
Wasn't this the first of only two creeds added by the Elders and Apostles at Jerusalem- "Remember the poor".
Yet, we go on building bigger and better!
The next time your church wants to vote on a building fund, you might consider these statistics as well.
* 854 million people across the world are hungry, up from 852 million a year ago.
* Every day, almost 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes--one child every five seconds.
In essence, hunger is the most extreme form of poverty, where individuals or families cannot afford to meet their most basic need for food.
Hunger manifests itself in many ways other than starvation and famine. Most poor people who battle hunger deal with chronic undernourishment and vitamin or mineral deficiencies, which result in stunted growth, weakness and heightened susceptibility to illness.
Countries in which a large portion of the population battles hunger daily are usually poor and often lack the social safety nets we enjoy, such as soup kitchens, food stamps, and job training programs. When a family that lives in a poor country cannot grow enough food or earn enough money to buy food, there is nowhere to turn for help.
Facts and Figures on Population
* Today our world houses 6.55 billion people.
* The United States is a part of the developed or industrialized world, which consists of about 57 countries with a combined population of about 1 billion, less than one sixth of the world’s population.
In contrast, approximately 5.1 billion people live in the developing world. This world is made up of about 125 low and middle-income countries in which people generally have a lower standard of living with access to fewer goods and services than people in high-income countries.
The remaining 0.4 billion live in countries in transition, which include the Baltic states, eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Facts and Figures on Hunger and Poverty
* Worldwide, more than 1 billion people currently live below the international poverty line, earning less than $1 per day.
Among this group of poor people, many have problems obtaining adequate, nutritious food for themselves and their families. As a result, 820 million people in the developing world are undernourished. They consume less than the minimum amount of calories essential for sound health and growth.
Undernourishment negatively affects people’s health, productivity, sense of hope and overall well-being. A lack of food can stunt growth, slow thinking, sap energy, hinder fetal development and contribute to mental retardation.
Economically, the constant securing of food consumes valuable time and energy of poor people, allowing less time for work and earning income.
Socially, the lack of food erodes relationships and feeds shame so that those most in need of support are often least able to call on it.
Facts and Figures on Health
Poor nutrition and calorie deficiencies cause nearly one in three people to die prematurely or have disabilities.
Pregnant women, new mothers who breastfeed infants, and children are among the most at risk of undernourishment.
In 2005, about 10.1 million children died before they reached their fifth birthday. Almost all of these deaths occured in developing countries, 3/4 of them in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, the two regions that also suffer from the highest rates of hunger and malnutrition.
Most of these deaths are attributed, not to outright starvation, but to diseases that move in on vulnerable children whose bodies have been weakened by hunger.
Every year, more than 20 million low-birth weight babies are born in developing countries. These babies risk dying in infancy, while those who survive often suffer lifelong physical and cognitive disabilities.
The four most common childhood illnesses are diarrhea, acute respiratory illness, malaria and measles. Each of these illnesses is both preventable and treatable. Yet, again, poverty interferes in parents’ ability to access immunizations and medicines. Chronic undernourishment on top of insufficient treatment greatly increases a child’s risk of death.
In the developing world, 27 percent of children under 5 are moderately to severely underweight. 10 percent are severely underweight. 10 percent of children under 5 are moderately to severely wasted, or seriously below weight for one’s height, and an overwhelming 31 percent are moderately to severely stunted, or seriously below normal height for one’s age.
That is enough statistics for now. You should by now stand firmly convicted and if not let me add this:
Revelations 3:14-22
And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write:These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God: 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot:I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art the wretched one and miserable and poor and blind and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold refined by fire, that thou mayest become rich; and white garments, that thou mayest clothe thyself, and that the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest; and eyesalve to anoint thine eyes, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I reprove and chasten:be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock:if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.
I end with this thought, truly if what we have is what Christ intended, then why is it so ineffective in turning the "world upside down" as it did in the days of early Christianity?
It's time Pastors and Congregations to see the harvest is plenty the laborers few.
Dr. J.
Survey: Pastors Would Use Surprise Income to Build and Evangelize
(ER 5.11.06) - A new survey shows what pastors nationwide would do if their church received an unexpected financial windfall.
The research was conducted for Facts & Trends magazine and sought to clarify the overall budget and spending priorities of clergy and lay people. According to a survey conducted by Ellison Research, 31% of the more than 500 Protestant pastors surveyed said they'd build, expand, or update their church's buildings and facilities. That preference is even more pronounced among Southern Baptist pastors, 43% of whom say they'd spend the unexpected financial boon on facilities.
Sixteen percent of all pastors say they'd use the windfall to increase community evangelism activities. Paying off debt (12%) and adding staff (10%) are also among the priorities expressed. Only 1 percent indicate they'd use the windfall to increase the salaries or benefits for staff members.
In a companion survey of almost 1,200 Protestant lay people, the top 3 priorities for spending a windfall would be paying off debt (18%), increasing social programs (18%), and building, expanding, or updating church facilities (17%).
Dr. Thom Rainer, author of Breakout Churches and The Unchurched Next Door, says the surveys show the need for a balanced perspective on what it means to be a church.
"It seems as if the research confirms that we can lose our focus when we start focusing on that which matters but which should be more peripheral than the main things, such as evangelism," Rainer notes.
Ron Sellers, president of Ellison Research, says the findings may make it appear that evangelism, missions, and outreach are a higher priority for clergy than for their congregations. "[But] in reality, both put a fairly high priority on evangelism," he says. "They just have different priorities for where the evangelism should take place."
Rainer offers a different perspective. "More than half of all members of churches in America will meet their Savior face to face without ever having shared Christ with anyone," he says. "On the leadership issue, 53% of pastors have not shared Christ, by their own admission, in the last 6 months."
Rainer admits he may be oversimplifying things, but offers this observation: "It seems to me, when someone [asks]: 'What's wrong with the evangelistic health of our churches?' — I can give a simple response: We're not doing it." (Source: Ellison Research, www.ellisonresearch.com)
What this clearly shows, is a total error on the part of Pastors, and in my opinion much of the congregation as well. Being segregated into our own little shelters and thinking God dwells there, and that all there is to worship is going to the building.
Worship encompasses all that we are, if we are believers. Every part of our life, everyday. We have hidden ourselves in our selfish agendas to build bigger and better than the next guy- whatever denomination or other church there is in our community. Athens, Texas has over 47 (give or take a few) different churches, yet evangelism, feeding the poor, and missionary work is very low within this community. Not, that there aren't some programs out there to do these things, but the question must be asked, what impact has it had on this community of some of the highest known drug arrest for methamphetamines and more.
Very, very little. Lets look at some more facts.
91% of all Christian outreach/evangelism does not target non-Christians, but rather those who have already heard the gospel and have a number of churches in their area. while 67% of the people in the world still have not heard the name of Jesus and 200 million Christians live und some form of persecution for their faith.
Christianity in the West flourishes as a multi-billion dollar enterprise. Statistics like these confirm that the Body of Christ has, for the most part committed it's rich supply of resources to itself. Pickup any Christian magazine (you'll find a vast selection) and see for yourself. They are loaded with ads for all sorts of conferences and seminars, Christian entertainment, books of every kind, T-Shirts, CD's almost anything you could imagine. In addition to T-Shirts and music, you can find a deluge of Christianized pop-psychology and the latest Christian romance novels. Everything from Christian debt consolidation to Christian singles clubs are all prevalent particulary in America. Just consider all the ministries that pop-up in our Christian world. Have you ever wondered about all the new approaches and solutions. There all kinds of seminars available. Seminars on divorce, addiction, and demon deliverance. There is someone new everyay proclaiming a solution or enhancement for everthing you can think of.
The truth is we are loaded with dollars. Higher wages are paid for the best entertainers. Larger the congregation the bigger the salary is for the Pastor- the one man show- minus the musicians and singers- who in most cases are unpaid.
We may say we don't have money enough for evangelism but the truth is someone is paying for all this.
With our position of wealth in this country it surely can be concluded: Love requires us to take seriously the responsiblity of helping the poor of this world so they might have enough food to eat. Along with this comes the responsibility to share the Gospel.
Wasn't this the first of only two creeds added by the Elders and Apostles at Jerusalem- "Remember the poor".
Yet, we go on building bigger and better!
The next time your church wants to vote on a building fund, you might consider these statistics as well.
* 854 million people across the world are hungry, up from 852 million a year ago.
* Every day, almost 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes--one child every five seconds.
In essence, hunger is the most extreme form of poverty, where individuals or families cannot afford to meet their most basic need for food.
Hunger manifests itself in many ways other than starvation and famine. Most poor people who battle hunger deal with chronic undernourishment and vitamin or mineral deficiencies, which result in stunted growth, weakness and heightened susceptibility to illness.
Countries in which a large portion of the population battles hunger daily are usually poor and often lack the social safety nets we enjoy, such as soup kitchens, food stamps, and job training programs. When a family that lives in a poor country cannot grow enough food or earn enough money to buy food, there is nowhere to turn for help.
Facts and Figures on Population
* Today our world houses 6.55 billion people.
* The United States is a part of the developed or industrialized world, which consists of about 57 countries with a combined population of about 1 billion, less than one sixth of the world’s population.
In contrast, approximately 5.1 billion people live in the developing world. This world is made up of about 125 low and middle-income countries in which people generally have a lower standard of living with access to fewer goods and services than people in high-income countries.
The remaining 0.4 billion live in countries in transition, which include the Baltic states, eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Facts and Figures on Hunger and Poverty
* Worldwide, more than 1 billion people currently live below the international poverty line, earning less than $1 per day.
Among this group of poor people, many have problems obtaining adequate, nutritious food for themselves and their families. As a result, 820 million people in the developing world are undernourished. They consume less than the minimum amount of calories essential for sound health and growth.
Undernourishment negatively affects people’s health, productivity, sense of hope and overall well-being. A lack of food can stunt growth, slow thinking, sap energy, hinder fetal development and contribute to mental retardation.
Economically, the constant securing of food consumes valuable time and energy of poor people, allowing less time for work and earning income.
Socially, the lack of food erodes relationships and feeds shame so that those most in need of support are often least able to call on it.
Facts and Figures on Health
Poor nutrition and calorie deficiencies cause nearly one in three people to die prematurely or have disabilities.
Pregnant women, new mothers who breastfeed infants, and children are among the most at risk of undernourishment.
In 2005, about 10.1 million children died before they reached their fifth birthday. Almost all of these deaths occured in developing countries, 3/4 of them in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, the two regions that also suffer from the highest rates of hunger and malnutrition.
Most of these deaths are attributed, not to outright starvation, but to diseases that move in on vulnerable children whose bodies have been weakened by hunger.
Every year, more than 20 million low-birth weight babies are born in developing countries. These babies risk dying in infancy, while those who survive often suffer lifelong physical and cognitive disabilities.
The four most common childhood illnesses are diarrhea, acute respiratory illness, malaria and measles. Each of these illnesses is both preventable and treatable. Yet, again, poverty interferes in parents’ ability to access immunizations and medicines. Chronic undernourishment on top of insufficient treatment greatly increases a child’s risk of death.
In the developing world, 27 percent of children under 5 are moderately to severely underweight. 10 percent are severely underweight. 10 percent of children under 5 are moderately to severely wasted, or seriously below weight for one’s height, and an overwhelming 31 percent are moderately to severely stunted, or seriously below normal height for one’s age.
That is enough statistics for now. You should by now stand firmly convicted and if not let me add this:
Revelations 3:14-22
And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write:These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God: 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot:I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art the wretched one and miserable and poor and blind and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold refined by fire, that thou mayest become rich; and white garments, that thou mayest clothe thyself, and that the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest; and eyesalve to anoint thine eyes, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I reprove and chasten:be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock:if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.
I end with this thought, truly if what we have is what Christ intended, then why is it so ineffective in turning the "world upside down" as it did in the days of early Christianity?
It's time Pastors and Congregations to see the harvest is plenty the laborers few.
Dr. J.
NAFTA - the "North American Final Treason Act"
There are many of you that may not even recall this act that was passed under the former Bush regime, Daddy Bush. What people didnt listen to were the facts that many of us so called conspiracist were saying then. Perhaps they will listen now.
I would like to quote the facts here.
"...the United States has lost a million jobs as a direct result of NAFTA, manufacturing wages in Mexico have declined, and illegal immigration to the United States, primarily from Mexico, now poses a national crisis for both nations. And instead of investing hundreds of billions of dollars in our hemisphere, corporate America has carried out the greatest transfer of wealth and knowledge to Communist China in the history of nations".
I don't need to say, "I told you so", then. It was and is still a move by the secret cabal of financial movers and shakers that have sought to destroy the sovereignty of this nation for a very long time.
Conspiracies are rampant in government, in business, and in society. It is not popular to believe in conspiracies and those that know and write about them are vilified because conspiracies thrive in darkness and do not want to be open to the light of public scrutiny.
Let me talk a bit about the facts: The miscreants include many who function at the highest levels in our government. Many hold membership in the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and the Trilateral Commission and pursue a subversive agenda. The cabal is deliberately circumventing the U.S. Congress and 'We the People' in blatant violation of our Constitution. Collectively they are committing TREASON. If you continue to believe that the illegal alien invasion is the biggest threat to America, you will never understand that there is something far more dangerous to our country called the "Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America" (SPP). You can find much information on this at the site www.spp.gov. This ties in with NAFTA. Other sites to be read are www.cfr.org, www.trilateral.org and read this site:
http://www.bilderberg.org/trilat.htm
Some of the leading advocates that were behind the passing of NAFTA were David Rockefeller and Zebigniew Brenenski. David Rockefeller was chairman of the Council for Foreign Relations for over 15 years. He headed the beginning of a new but powerful secretive group called the Tri-Lateral Commission later. Along with the CFR, it's members, and Zibigniew, they have mastered the move to a New World - One World Order. Let's just review some of the things, Rockefeller has said in the past.
Here's Rockefeller's 1973 View on Communist China . . .
"The enormous social advances of China have benefited greatly from the singleness of ideology and purpose . . . The social experiment in China under Chairman Mao's leadership is one of the most important and successful in history."
One can see that he condones a government that claimed the lives of 100,000,000 people to achieve their success.
Since the founding of the CFR in 1921 every Secretary of State has been a member except James F. Byrnes. Even Condeleeza Rice and Colin Powell are members.
The Tri-Lateral Commission like the Bilderburg group and the CFR have met in secret for years, initiating, advocating, lobbying and playing huge influence on American policies both foreign and domestic. These policies are and have destroyed the sovereignty of the United States in an attempt to drive a world economy, that is tearing down the economy of North America and creating the greatest economy known to men. Where is this happening? Where else but in Communist China. We have been sold out for the enrichment of the already rich and powerful. Jobs in America are being reduced to nothing but service jobs for a new slave class - the American worker.
Though these groups publically try desperately to make themselves look upright and American, their secret drive to reduce us from a sovereign nation to one which only fits in their plans for a World economy and one ran by the rich has been going on right under our noses, in large part due to the media.
Referencing a well known publication, I quote : Miguel A. Faria Jr., M.D., Cuba and the Council on Foreign Relations, February 15, 2001, NewsMax.com, http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/2/15/224945.shtml.
As for how the machinations of the CFR have remained unnoticed . . . in 1991 in Baden-Baden, Germany, David Rockefeller gloatingly said: "We're grateful to The Washington Post, The New York Times, Time Magazine and other great publications whose directors have attended our meetings and respected their promises of discretion for almost forty years. It would have been impossible for us to develop our plan for the world if we had been subject to the bright lights of publicity during those years. But the world is now more sophisticated and prepared to march towards a world government.."
People in America continue to resist the idea's that there would ever be a conspiracy in this country at it's highest levels. They must not forget that Chairman Mao and his revolution to make China communist began simply with himself and another planning and conspiring within a cave, that changed the face of China.
The policies of making China a "Most Favored Trade Nation" in the aftermath of Tenniman Square and the government's slaughter of thousands, the imprisonment of hundreds and it's continued persistence to imprison, Christians, and those that would prefer a free government there, is a flagrant flaunt of defiance against Americans who believed in freedom and equality of all men. Why would Americans sit on their hands while each Presidency since Nixon has allowed this to go on. Why, because the wealthy have so blinded the American worker to their plight, that they actually believe being in debt for the things they don't own- is the American way to prosperity. Not only has this false idea of prosperity fed the American a brainwash but events in the arena of religion have done so as well. The whole "Word of Faith" movement has driven a false gospel that has taken the American Christian who once understood suffering to believe if he is a Christian he should own the best, be the best, and flaunt the best in his material wealth. So, we go into debt, more and more everyday, thinking God blessed us.
How foolish we have become to be blinded with the lies, material prosperity as any sort of sign of spiritual prosperity. We think that material things at hand now becomes equal with godliness. We have stepped far off the track of the higher calling in Christ to be Christlike, for the sake of proclaiming ourselves, the smartest, the most wealthy and the most popular. We have transferred the very ideals of Satan into light and called evil - good.
We have far gone from the warnings found in the book of James, Chapter 5, verse 1-6.
Come now, ye rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth–eaten. Your gold and your silver are rusted; and their rust shall be for a testimony against you, and shall eat your flesh as fire. Ye have laid up your treasure in the last days. Behold, the hire of the laborers who mowed your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth out:and the cries of them that reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. Ye have lived delicately on the earth, and taken your pleasure; ye have nourished your hearts in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned, ye have killed the righteous one; he doth not resist you.
I am not opposed to material wealth and neither is God, when that wealth is used by the rich who learn to be content with food and clothing, and give the rest away to feed and clothe those poorer then themselves. Our problem is the men we have making the most important decisions on America DO NOT fall into this category of spirit led and spirit obedient man, regardless of what religious rhetoric they throw out there only to gain the "church vote" at election time. These man, the Bush's the Rockefeller's the politicians of America care less for your status in your life and care only to achieve their overall plans for the elite to run this world and all others to be their slaves. They will enslave Americans, to service type jobs here in America, while manufacturing and much of what we consume in this country will come from Communist nations like China. The American corporations have found it hugely profitable to relocate there so that their labor is only paid between 25 - 50 cents per hour and live in enslavement housing. China is not a free country folks, regardless of your freedom to purchase their goods, at your discount stores like Walmart, one of the largest and most significant advocates of Chinese labor.
Now, NAFTA the North American Final "Treason" Act is playing for what is was always intended for- the destruction of sovereignty in this country. I watched last night how it has even had a detrimental effect on Mexico City, where construction has risen, only because, the money coming in from the U.S., while the poorer there get poorer, the rich- grow richer, just like here in the States.
We have brought our wonderful concept of prosperity into their country. The people of Mexico come here to take jobs that were once reserved for those with little or no education and send their money home. How this helps this country is beyond me.
Now, even those with an education here in America have lost thousands of jobs in industry, technology , manufacturing, farming and more. Where will our people go to find decent jobs again? The lower service work jobs are gone- the illegals work them. The corporations are moving to China. Will we have to move there next? Or will we just become the next nation enslaved as laborers in the service industries at 25 to 50 cents per hour. In truth the minimum wage in comparison to prices is absurdly out of balance! You could say that day has arrived.
Truly if one looks at the facts, we have moved there quicker than most imagined. For the average family in America you will find both parents have to work, while the kids are sent off and brainwashed by State schools. I can't even find any kids today who can tell me who Patrick Henry was or for that matter who our first President was. They surely can't tell you why we had an American Revolution.
Republican or Democrat they have the same agenda these days, enrich themselves at your expense. Perhaps it is time for us to have something more than a two party vote, that has proven to be nothing more but conspirators accomplishing the same task, destroying our sovereignty through legislative acts, like NAFTA.
It's too late now, the jobs are gone, the corporations are leaving the U.S. for communist and terror ridden countries faster than a bee headed for it's hive.
Will you listen to a voice other than that of the politicians and their lies. Perhaps when we are all enslaved, poor, and under a Police State like China, we might recall, "I told you so"!
Dr. J
I would like to quote the facts here.
"...the United States has lost a million jobs as a direct result of NAFTA, manufacturing wages in Mexico have declined, and illegal immigration to the United States, primarily from Mexico, now poses a national crisis for both nations. And instead of investing hundreds of billions of dollars in our hemisphere, corporate America has carried out the greatest transfer of wealth and knowledge to Communist China in the history of nations".
I don't need to say, "I told you so", then. It was and is still a move by the secret cabal of financial movers and shakers that have sought to destroy the sovereignty of this nation for a very long time.
Conspiracies are rampant in government, in business, and in society. It is not popular to believe in conspiracies and those that know and write about them are vilified because conspiracies thrive in darkness and do not want to be open to the light of public scrutiny.
Let me talk a bit about the facts: The miscreants include many who function at the highest levels in our government. Many hold membership in the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and the Trilateral Commission and pursue a subversive agenda. The cabal is deliberately circumventing the U.S. Congress and 'We the People' in blatant violation of our Constitution. Collectively they are committing TREASON. If you continue to believe that the illegal alien invasion is the biggest threat to America, you will never understand that there is something far more dangerous to our country called the "Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America" (SPP). You can find much information on this at the site www.spp.gov. This ties in with NAFTA. Other sites to be read are www.cfr.org, www.trilateral.org and read this site:
http://www.bilderberg.org/trilat.htm
Some of the leading advocates that were behind the passing of NAFTA were David Rockefeller and Zebigniew Brenenski. David Rockefeller was chairman of the Council for Foreign Relations for over 15 years. He headed the beginning of a new but powerful secretive group called the Tri-Lateral Commission later. Along with the CFR, it's members, and Zibigniew, they have mastered the move to a New World - One World Order. Let's just review some of the things, Rockefeller has said in the past.
Here's Rockefeller's 1973 View on Communist China . . .
"The enormous social advances of China have benefited greatly from the singleness of ideology and purpose . . . The social experiment in China under Chairman Mao's leadership is one of the most important and successful in history."
One can see that he condones a government that claimed the lives of 100,000,000 people to achieve their success.
Since the founding of the CFR in 1921 every Secretary of State has been a member except James F. Byrnes. Even Condeleeza Rice and Colin Powell are members.
The Tri-Lateral Commission like the Bilderburg group and the CFR have met in secret for years, initiating, advocating, lobbying and playing huge influence on American policies both foreign and domestic. These policies are and have destroyed the sovereignty of the United States in an attempt to drive a world economy, that is tearing down the economy of North America and creating the greatest economy known to men. Where is this happening? Where else but in Communist China. We have been sold out for the enrichment of the already rich and powerful. Jobs in America are being reduced to nothing but service jobs for a new slave class - the American worker.
Though these groups publically try desperately to make themselves look upright and American, their secret drive to reduce us from a sovereign nation to one which only fits in their plans for a World economy and one ran by the rich has been going on right under our noses, in large part due to the media.
Referencing a well known publication, I quote : Miguel A. Faria Jr., M.D., Cuba and the Council on Foreign Relations, February 15, 2001, NewsMax.com, http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/2/15/224945.shtml.
As for how the machinations of the CFR have remained unnoticed . . . in 1991 in Baden-Baden, Germany, David Rockefeller gloatingly said: "We're grateful to The Washington Post, The New York Times, Time Magazine and other great publications whose directors have attended our meetings and respected their promises of discretion for almost forty years. It would have been impossible for us to develop our plan for the world if we had been subject to the bright lights of publicity during those years. But the world is now more sophisticated and prepared to march towards a world government.."
People in America continue to resist the idea's that there would ever be a conspiracy in this country at it's highest levels. They must not forget that Chairman Mao and his revolution to make China communist began simply with himself and another planning and conspiring within a cave, that changed the face of China.
The policies of making China a "Most Favored Trade Nation" in the aftermath of Tenniman Square and the government's slaughter of thousands, the imprisonment of hundreds and it's continued persistence to imprison, Christians, and those that would prefer a free government there, is a flagrant flaunt of defiance against Americans who believed in freedom and equality of all men. Why would Americans sit on their hands while each Presidency since Nixon has allowed this to go on. Why, because the wealthy have so blinded the American worker to their plight, that they actually believe being in debt for the things they don't own- is the American way to prosperity. Not only has this false idea of prosperity fed the American a brainwash but events in the arena of religion have done so as well. The whole "Word of Faith" movement has driven a false gospel that has taken the American Christian who once understood suffering to believe if he is a Christian he should own the best, be the best, and flaunt the best in his material wealth. So, we go into debt, more and more everyday, thinking God blessed us.
How foolish we have become to be blinded with the lies, material prosperity as any sort of sign of spiritual prosperity. We think that material things at hand now becomes equal with godliness. We have stepped far off the track of the higher calling in Christ to be Christlike, for the sake of proclaiming ourselves, the smartest, the most wealthy and the most popular. We have transferred the very ideals of Satan into light and called evil - good.
We have far gone from the warnings found in the book of James, Chapter 5, verse 1-6.
Come now, ye rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth–eaten. Your gold and your silver are rusted; and their rust shall be for a testimony against you, and shall eat your flesh as fire. Ye have laid up your treasure in the last days. Behold, the hire of the laborers who mowed your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth out:and the cries of them that reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. Ye have lived delicately on the earth, and taken your pleasure; ye have nourished your hearts in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned, ye have killed the righteous one; he doth not resist you.
I am not opposed to material wealth and neither is God, when that wealth is used by the rich who learn to be content with food and clothing, and give the rest away to feed and clothe those poorer then themselves. Our problem is the men we have making the most important decisions on America DO NOT fall into this category of spirit led and spirit obedient man, regardless of what religious rhetoric they throw out there only to gain the "church vote" at election time. These man, the Bush's the Rockefeller's the politicians of America care less for your status in your life and care only to achieve their overall plans for the elite to run this world and all others to be their slaves. They will enslave Americans, to service type jobs here in America, while manufacturing and much of what we consume in this country will come from Communist nations like China. The American corporations have found it hugely profitable to relocate there so that their labor is only paid between 25 - 50 cents per hour and live in enslavement housing. China is not a free country folks, regardless of your freedom to purchase their goods, at your discount stores like Walmart, one of the largest and most significant advocates of Chinese labor.
Now, NAFTA the North American Final "Treason" Act is playing for what is was always intended for- the destruction of sovereignty in this country. I watched last night how it has even had a detrimental effect on Mexico City, where construction has risen, only because, the money coming in from the U.S., while the poorer there get poorer, the rich- grow richer, just like here in the States.
We have brought our wonderful concept of prosperity into their country. The people of Mexico come here to take jobs that were once reserved for those with little or no education and send their money home. How this helps this country is beyond me.
Now, even those with an education here in America have lost thousands of jobs in industry, technology , manufacturing, farming and more. Where will our people go to find decent jobs again? The lower service work jobs are gone- the illegals work them. The corporations are moving to China. Will we have to move there next? Or will we just become the next nation enslaved as laborers in the service industries at 25 to 50 cents per hour. In truth the minimum wage in comparison to prices is absurdly out of balance! You could say that day has arrived.
Truly if one looks at the facts, we have moved there quicker than most imagined. For the average family in America you will find both parents have to work, while the kids are sent off and brainwashed by State schools. I can't even find any kids today who can tell me who Patrick Henry was or for that matter who our first President was. They surely can't tell you why we had an American Revolution.
Republican or Democrat they have the same agenda these days, enrich themselves at your expense. Perhaps it is time for us to have something more than a two party vote, that has proven to be nothing more but conspirators accomplishing the same task, destroying our sovereignty through legislative acts, like NAFTA.
It's too late now, the jobs are gone, the corporations are leaving the U.S. for communist and terror ridden countries faster than a bee headed for it's hive.
Will you listen to a voice other than that of the politicians and their lies. Perhaps when we are all enslaved, poor, and under a Police State like China, we might recall, "I told you so"!
Dr. J
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