Wealth That Really Counts

In one of his book chapters, Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe begins to write saying,

"The late J. Paul Getty was reputed to be the richest man in the world. He once complained to a newspaper reporter that inflation was hurting him and that a million dollars was not what it used to be! You and I probably would not know what to do with a million dollars, and I doubt if that much money would make a Christian happier or holier. Because we know Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are the wealthiest people in the world. Ephesians 1:3 informs us that Christians have been 'blessed...with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.'"

He continues saying, "When Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesian believers, he was addressing people who knew something about wealth. Ephesus was a wealthy city. It possessed one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the great temple of Diana; and the temple itself was a bank where citizens deposited their valuables. Thousands of tourists came to Ephesus each year to see the temple of Diana, and of course, there was a brisk trade in selling souvenirs.

"But there were some people in Ephesus who were rich beyond measure. They did not have great stores of gold or silver hidden away. They had something better than that - they had wealth beyond measure that could never be taken from them! Paul mentioned this wealth in the beginning of his letter to the Ephesians: 'Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.'

If you know Christ as your Savior, then this wealth belongs to you. You did not earn it; you do not deserve it. The wealth is yours only because of the grace of God as revealed in Jesus Christ. Paul puts it another way in his second letter to the church at Corinth: 'For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.' What kind of wealth is this? Unless we can answer that question, our wealth can do us no good!....

"Nowhere in the New Testament does God promise to make Christians wealthy and comfortable in this world. Jesus Himself was poor, and so were His disciples. Paul described himself as 'poor, yet making many rich' [2 Cor. 6:10]. Peter confessed, 'Silver and gold have I none' [Acts 3:6].

"There is a brand of teaching in some places today that equates wealth with spirituality and God's blessing. If you are really a dedicated Christian, they say, then you will be traveling first-class with a big salary, a fancy house, and no sickness or worries or bills. I don't find this teaching in my Bible as far as the New Testament Christians are concerned.
 
"Our wealth is spiritual. We have the 'blessings of the Spirit.' These blessings mean much more than the material things of life. God has promised to meet all our needs, and He has given us all the spiritual blessings necessary to live for Him and to glorify His name. Let's not measure life or spiritual stature by material things. Let's ask ourselves how many blessings of the Spirit we are really enjoying and investing in our lives" (Warren W. Wiersbe, "The Bumps Are What You Climb On: Encouragement for Difficult Days" [Baker Books, 2002], 141-143).

I agree with Dr. Wiersbe. Although God blesses us with many material blessings, and we should be grateful and learn to enjoy them in this life, yet the blessings that ought to bring us more satisfaction are those that are not temporary but eternal. His pardoning grace and the gift of sonship are two of those. These are more. But to be forgiven of my sin and to be counted as a child of God in Christ are treasures that really count not only in this life but throughout eternity.

Godly Wisdom that Informs Intelligent Prayers

(A devotional message based on Proverbs 30:1-9)

Prayer. Intercession. Communion with God. These spiritual activities are something we can’t do without as believers. Prayer is an important part of our congregational life for in it, we express our dependence on God alone. I admit that this is something we usually take for granted. Sometimes we have the notion that we don’t really have to spend much time in prayer because God knows our needs anyway. So why bother to let Him know what we need if in the first place He already knows them.

But prayer is not only about asking God what we need. It is actually a solemn expression of our desire to enter into the throne of God’s mercy, acknowledging who He is and thanking Him for all He has done and has provided for us in His Son by the Spirit. We can’t do this on our own but the Holy Spirit moves us and helps us overcome our weaknesses so we can communicate with God.

I will not go into elaborate explanation of what really prayer is and what are the essential elements of a Biblical prayer. Some other time may be appropriate for that. My aim is to help you eagerly desire and patiently seek godly wisdom for it will help us live wisely, especially in living out and in exercising Christian piety.

The passage before us, Proverbs 30:1-9, tells us that Godly wisdom informs intelligent prayers. We will answer two relevant questions from our passage that will explain our theme. First question, “What constitutes godly wisdom?” Second, “How does godly wisdom shape or inform intelligent prayer?”

What Constitutes Godly Wisdom? (vv.1-6)

A sage named Agur, the son of Jakeh, writes Proverbs 30. We don’t know much about this man nor about his family. Due to its vagueness, Bible translations render differently the second part of Prov. 30:1. Some transliterate it and come up with “This man declared to Ithiel, to Ithiel and to Ucal (NIV).” Others, however, take it as a phrase and end up “The man declares, I am weary, O God; I am weary, O God, and worn out” (ESV). The latter translation seems to be mood setting because the verses that follow (2-9) have melancholic tone. Thus it prepares the reader what to expect next. The former translation, however, is also possible.

The message of this passage parallels with that of Job or Ecclesiastes.

A. Godly Wisdom Recognizes Man’s Limitation (vv.2-3)

In verses 2-3, Agur despairs for his lack of understanding, wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One. He confesses that he missed these things, which are the stuff of a wise man. Is he just wallowing in self-pity or truly confesses his human limitation in the face of God’s infinite wisdom? I think he is doing the latter.

As a wise man, this teacher of the oracles of God must possess divine wisdom worth pondering for. But confronted by the power, glory, majesty and wisdom of the Holy One, Agur can simply admit his ignorance.

Wise men do not boast of their vast knowledge. It is my observation that the more a person grows in wisdom the more he admits his limitations. Godly wisdom manifests itself in man’s humble recognition of his limited intelligence compared with God’s perfect knowledge and power, which He has revealed in the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ, ‘in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3). Verse 4 further supports this claim.

B. Godly Wisdom acknowledges the Majesty of God (v.4)

The series of questions in verse 4 calls for God as the answer. These questions parallel in tone and structure with that of God’s in Job 38. There the Lord answered Job with a storm, questioning him and forcing him to admit his ignorance and yield to God’s wisdom.

Verse 4 shows not only the limitation of human wisdom in understanding the design and power behind creation but also highlights the glory and the majesty of God the Creator. Those who do not fear the Lord will always end up in ignorance of these things because they do not only understand the world, they also do not know the Lord who created it.

Thus Agur needs not be in total despair because such problem of ignorance is common only to those who do not trust God. Those who fear Him and acknowledge Him, however, have the privilege of knowing Him. The wording “what is His Son’s name” ‘opens the passage for a New Testament interpretation: “No one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him” (Matt. 11:27).’

Godly wisdom boasts on the glory of the sovereign God. But even if we possess such wisdom, we may not totally comprehend how everything works in this world. God reserves to Himself the many mysteries in our world that our finite mind cannot contain.

But these mysteries shake us up from our self-confidence and lead us to behold the infinite wisdom of our God. God pressed the mystery of creation to Agur ‘in order to relieve him of his depression and assure him that he was not alone in his doubt and ignorance.’ God always do this to make us realize of His greatness and to trust Him all the more.

C. Godly Wisdom Boasts on the Reliability of God’s Word (vv.5-6)

Verses 5-6 further show us what constitutes wisdom. Godly wisdom also underscores the reliability of God’s Word. It talks about its flawlessness or purity (v.5a). It also boasts of its trustworthiness by stating that those who put their trust in it will finds it to be like a shield (v.5b). ‘Such reliability cannot be improved on’ (v.6). God’s Word is sufficient to make us wise unto salvation. If we trust in the Lord and in His promises with all our heart, He will direct our paths. Those who lean on their own understanding, those who do not recognize the completeness of God’s Word, will be rebuked and be found a liar (v.6). So be wise. Don’t lean on your own wisdom. Fear God and trust in His covenant faithfulness to you.

How Does Wisdom Shape Intelligent Prayer? (vv.7-9)

These holy truths give us godly wisdom. As we can see, these realizations led the speaker to pray intelligently in verses 7-9. We will briefly examine this prayer and see that intelligent prayers are done persistently and according to our need.

A.Intelligent Prayers are Done Persistently (v.7)

After the passage affirmed the reliability of God’s Word, the author records a prayer that is very insightful. First, this prayer is characterized with persistence. “Do not refuse me before I die,” is an expression of strong perseverance of the one praying to the Lord. This is a kind of prayer not for one’s immediate deliverance from a pressing crisis but a plea for continual help in never-ending difficulties. The phrase “before I die” can actually be translated “as long as I live.”

Persistence is an important quality of intelligent prayer. Not that God is unwilling to answer us when we call, but it is more of an attitude of continual trust in Him that glorifies God when we patiently pray and not being discouraged. Jesus Himself told His disciples to pray always and not give up when he told them the parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8). God is more than willing to hear us when we pray and ‘deliver the goods’, so to speak, when we ask Him with persistent faith.

B. Intelligent Prayers are Presented According to One’s Need (v.8-9)

Intelligent prayers are not only characterized by persistence. When we pray intelligently we also tell God what we need. There are two petitions the author presents here. Both are in the imperative mood. The first asks for integrity; the second for contentment.

1. Since man is naturally a liar, we pray for honesty and integrity (v.8a)

The first petition “Keep falsehood and lies far from me” requires no elaborate explanation. It recognizes man’s propensity to tell a lie or to live in self-deception. It also projects ‘the damaging results to the person who deals in dishonesty’ and the harmful effects to those who are victims of dishonesty.
“Falsehood” or “deception” is literally “emptiness,” worthless behavior or speech. “Lies are regularly condemned in Proverbs for their disruptive impact on the social and especially judicial welfare of the community” (6:19; 19:5,9,22).

A person who recognizes his inclination to deceive himself and others will surely ask God for honesty. To us who had lived in persistent lies, it is insightful to pray such kind of prayer. Truth is always a threat to those who live in dishonesty. But to us who have been set free by the truth, we want our lives to be free from falsehood and ‘empty’ promises.

2. Since man is naturally greedy, we pray for what is enough that brings contentment (vv.8b-9).

The second petition “Give me neither poverty nor riches” is even more insightful and requires further explanation. In the original language, both petitions place the nouns, not the verbs, in front of the sentence. This is a literary device to put emphasis on what is being asked. Here ‘the petitioner knows what he needs in terms both of protection and supply, and he asks for it in the straightforward manner of the children of God (Matt.7:7-11). He counts on the Lord to determine his basic needs to meet them.’

“Give me only my daily bread” is almost identical to the supplication for daily bread in the Lord’s Prayer. In its Hebrew form this petition ‘portrays the divine hand extending a loaf of bread (“food”) and telling him exactly what his portion is to be.’ In other words, the petitioner asks God to give him what is only necessary in order to live and fulfill his duties.

One author noted that ‘the most fascinating about the prayer is the balanced and worldly wise wisdom present in the motivation clauses beginning “lest” [or otherwise] (v.9).’ Riches or overabundance may lead to an arrogant self-sufficiency that loses all sense of dependence on God. The question ‘Who is the Lord?’ in v.9 carries the same weight as the statement ‘I have no need of the Lord.’ This is always the potential danger that faces many rich people.

Poverty, on the other hand, may drive a person to desperate act of stealing. Theft has a very devastating effect to oneself. But most importantly, it profanes or dishonors the name of God. ‘It does so by breaking His law against stealing (Exod.20:15; Duet.5:19) and by declaring that God will not provide for His own as God has promised. The worldview expressed here is remarkable. The supplicant knows both the frailty of his own human nature and also the sanctity of God’s name. Earthly sins have heavenly significance and the ultimate result of human crime is to insult the name of the Lord who made us, and who made us for better things than lying and stealing.’

Psalm 23 assures us of God’s providential care as our Great Shepherd. God also promises His people that ‘He will supply our every need according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus’ (see Philippians 4:19). Thus Paul can say in Phil. 4:11-12 that he has learned to be contented in whatever situation he was in.

But the provision that God has given us in Christ is more than just material. Christ has secured for the greatest need that we have. He provided for us salvation from the wrath of God. He provided for us forgiveness of our sin in His death. He has given us victory over death in His resurrection. He has set us free from the tyranny of the devil in His death. He has clothed us with His righteousness which by faith we continually wear. These are the blessings that God has given us in Christ which beyond our comprehension. We would never ask these things without the grace of God, the grace of new birth, working in our lives. We would rather ask for more money, more stuff of this world, more success in our career and more conveniences.

Our natural tendency to be a liar and greedy person needs to be checked with the wisdom of God. Our compulsion to acquire many things through dishonest gain must be stopped and be put to light. God’s Word reminds us of the spiritual dangers inherent in wealth and material prosperity, as we have seen in our text.

Do not be deceived. Material abundance cannot bring real, lasting peace and satisfaction. Left on our own, it only feeds our compulsion to acquire some more. Our true satisfaction is in our Lord Jesus Christ, who is our life, our wisdom and our righteousness. Putting our trust in Him brings us the greatest reward God can ever promise, which is eternal and abundant life in His presence. We would ever be blessed if the thing we seek in this life is to do the will of God. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you, says Jesus (Matt. 6:33). Even the things He has given us must serve to glorify Him and bless others. If we don’t use our possessions, may they be money or non-monetary resources, to serve God they will use us to serve our ourselves and our materialistic desires.

As we conclude, let’s read 1 Timothy 6:17-19. If you think that only rich people struggle with greed and materialism think again. Greed is not only the problem of the rich people. “None of us is immune, for materialism is not a sin of having, but one of wanting. It grips us in the heart, and not in the wallet,” said Dr. John Sittema.

So the next time you pray, ask intelligently. Recognize God and His faithfulness first in your life. If you find satisfaction in Him, you will also find contentment in what He gives. May this encourage us to trust Him more in our daily life.

ON ALLEVIATING POVERTY

INTRODUCTION

I am aware that different people understand poverty differently. Everyone has his own concept of poverty because we see images of ‘poor’ people on television and internet every day. We daily hear their stories and situations over the radio and so we recognize the ‘face’ of poverty. Images and stories have power to create a certain concept in our mind shaped by our own unique personalities, experiences, backgrounds, cultures and thought processes.

However ‘we need to begin by reminding ourselves that poverty is the condition of people whom we describe abstractly as “the poor”.’ One definition of ‘poor’, for example, states that they are ‘those who barely survive. They struggle to obtain the necessities of life.’ One may consider poverty simply to be short of money or wealth. Another may associate it with hunger, malnutrition or homelessness. Still others may see it as a curse or bondage wherein one is bound and destined to suffer for the rest of his life.

Since there are so many ideas floating around us about poverty, we need to understand it and how we think and feel about the poor. How often do we tend to view the poor as a bunch of helpless people who need our money or goods? When we start thinking about them this way we give ourselves permission to play ‘god’ or ‘messiah’ in their lives.

This article is a shorter version of a paper I wrote way back in 2006 as part of my requirement in Pastoral Care and Counseling course. Here I briefly survey the Bible’s view on ministering to the poor. Then I’m proposing some courses of action in caring for the poor which individual Christian, families and even pastors could easily do.

A BRIEF BIBLICAL SURVEY ON MINISTERING TO THE POOR

Here I will try to summarize the Scripture’s view of and concern for the poor and the needy.

The expressed will of God in the Mosaic covenant regarding poverty is summarized in Deuteronomy 15:4. God says, “But there will be no poor among you; for the Lord will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess…” This revealed will of God is deeply rooted in his goodness toward his people and his mercy toward the pitiable who looks to him as their only hope and help. While poverty is a social reality throughout history it is never idealized. The Scripture teaches that poverty is a need, a distressing situation and a form of suffering. This is not delightful in the eyes of God for even in creation, before man fell into sin, he provided man with everything he needs in order to glorify God and enjoy life in His presence (Gen. 1:29-30; 2:16).

But although God’s will on poverty is clear, its realization is conditioned by the people’s covenantal obedience to God. Deuteronomy 15:5 continues, “if only you will strictly obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all this commandment that I command you today.” These commandments are embedded in many Old Covenant institutions and principles such as the observance of Sabbath (Ex. 20:6-7), the gleaning principle (Lev. 19:9-11; Deut. 24:19-21), Jubilee year (Lev. 25:39-43), Sabbatical year (Ex. 23:10-11), the law on credit (Ex. 22:25; Lev. 25:35-36), the law on wages (Deut. 24:14-15), the special tithe for the poor (Deut. 14:28-29; 26:12-13), and many more.

Knowledge and faithful obedience to these laws mark the person as one who fears the Lord and is righteous before his eyes (Prov. 29:7; 31:9). But unfortunately Israel failed to keep them when they settled in Canaan and as a result “there will never cease to be poor in the land” (see Deut. 15:11).

These laws also were among the grounds for the charges brought by the prophets against Israel. They did not promote and protect the rights of the poor around them. According to Isaiah true piety includes care for the poor and genuine fasting includes sharing bread with the hungry (58:1-10). This teaching is echoed by James in the New Testament when he said, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (1:27).

God’s expressed will for the poor was never fully realized in history, but it became the basis for the prayers of the righteous for the hope that it would become a reality (Ps. 9:18; 132:15). Consequently, God’s will that there be no poor in the land continues to be mandated for the church, the ‘new Israel,’ as the obedience required by the kingdom of God that has been and will be given to those who acknowledge him as Lord and King (Luke 12:32-34).

In the Gospels, Jesus not only identified himself with the poor and the needy but also cared for them. In fact the Gospel writers present Jesus as the fulfillment of the hope of the poor and the needy when he inaugurates the kingdom of God in his person and work as the Lord’s Servant (Lk. 4:18-19; Mt. 11:2-5; cf. Isa. 61:1f.). He maintained the Old Testament teaching that the way of righteousness includes caring for the poor and his disciples assumed that this was so (Mk. 10:18-21; Lk. 18:22; Jn. 13:29). He strongly admonished his disciples to look for the poor (cf. Lk. 11:41; 12:33). In his epistles, Paul was consistent in urging the churches to give to the poor (Rom. 15:26-27; 1 Cor. 16:1-4; Gal. 2:10). James in his letter also emphasized that discriminating between the rich and the poor is both a sin against God (2:9) and an insult to the poor (2:6).

Ultimately the problem of poverty will cease and poor people will be no more when Christ will consummate his kingdom in his second coming. Until then the church’s responsibility remains to take care of the poor, the needy and the orphans around them.

HOW DO WE CARE FOR THE POOR?

Our ministry as a church toward anyone who is in need must be motivated first and foremost by the love of God and love for our neighbor (Mk 12:28-31). This is the summary of God’s law. Just as God has blessed us with his goodness and mercy so also our work among the poor and the needy must be characterized by grace, compassion and kindness. The help we extend to the poor should be an expression of our gratitude for the manifold blessings God has given us in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Biblically and historically this is always the case. Ministry to the poor springs from the fact that the church throughout redemptive history has been called by God to minister to the poor not only because this is the right posture to receive his blessing but also because God’s undeserving grace constrains the church to be generous and compassionate. This generosity is first extended to but not limited within the covenant community, the church (Lev. 25:25; Gal. 6:10). Then our generosity should also go to those outside the church, the non-believers: (1) neighbors in need (Lk. 10:25-27); (2) strangers or sojourners within our gates (Lev. 19:10; 23:22; Mt. 25:25, 43); and (3) enemies, on the basis of God’s benevolence to them (Mt. 5:45; Lk. 6:32-36).

The church’s responsibility toward the poor can be summarized as “Word and good works.” James writes to the believers, “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (2:15-17). The Belgic Confession also declares that the first mark of the true church is the faithful preaching of the pure doctrine of the gospel and that her members are known with their love for the one true God and their neighbors (Article 29).

I understand that there are many ways to care for the poor in our community as a church and individuals. Some churches and individual Christians have attempted to address the problem of poverty – including its roots (like injustice, oppression, exploitation, etc.) and its consequences (like malnutrition, hunger, homelessness, illiteracy, etc.) by getting involved in socio-political arena.

Two prominent examples of individuals in history who promoted the cause of the poor are John Calvin and William Wilberforce. The former, being a pastor and a theologian, led the Reformed church in Geneva in putting into action many social and economic reforms in the city. Calvin not only taught godliness and holy living but also good economics and work ethics. He promoted godly education to prepare the children for ministry and involvement in the civil government. The latter, being a parliamentarian, advocated for the abolition of slavery in 18th century England. Wilberforce’s effort to outlaw slave trade and slavery was finally rewarded by God after more than 30 years of patient and persistent introduction of anti-slavery legislation year in year out in the British Parliament.

While examples like that of Calvin and Wilberforce have widespread and dramatic outcome in society, my proposed church involvement in alleviating societal poverty in this article is rather modest and common every day participation. Every conceivable act of service by the church and her members toward the poor people can be classified either by ‘Word’ or ‘good works.’ The ministry of the ‘Word’ includes preaching and teaching, evangelism and discipleship, while ‘good works’ entails generous charitable giving, relief work, training and education, volunteer work, and many other ways.

Word and good works must go together as we reach out to the poor and needy. The Great Commission involves not only the proclamation of the gospel and training the people unto holiness but also the observance of all that our Lord Jesus has commanded, which include feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and visiting the sick and the prisoner for his name's sake (Mt. 25:34-40). We should not only minister to the poor in terms of telling them that they are sinners and need to be reconciled with God through Christ but also in terms of providing them food to eat, clothes to wear, and job or skills to earn their keep.

Assuming that the church does her job in the faithful preaching of the Word of God, the things that church members could do as acts of mercy for the poor are captured in this amazing passage from the 4th century Apostolic Constitutions. In this collection of apostolic teachings the churches are instructed to provide: (1) to the orphans the care of parents; (2) to the widows the care of the husbands; (3) to those of suitable age, marriage; (4) to the artisan, work; (5) to the disabled, sympathetic response; (6) to travelers, a house; (7) to the hungry, food; (8) to the thirsty, drink; (9) to the naked, clothing; (10) to the sick, visitation; (11) to the prisoner, help…(12) to young, assistance that they may learn a trade. These apostolic commands are not that hard to apply in our context.

Regarding pastoral responsibility toward the poor, I think Thomas Oden’s insight on this is not a bad place to start. Oden, an American Methodist pastor-theologian who has been converted from liberalism to ‘classical Christianity’ after reading the church fathers, has written in his book Pastoral Theology a sound advice for pastors and elders on taking responsibility in ministering to the poor. He said,

In seeking to understand pastoral responsibility to the poor, pastors do well to begin with serious self-examination of their own attitudes, class interests, biases, potentially idolatrous relation to personal wealth, and temptations to exaggerate the importance of possessions for genuine happiness.

This self-examination according to Oden may be a difficult one for it involves honest assessment of the things that really matters to us. Reality sometimes hits us that our own attitude toward God and self are simply informed by our own intuition and not based on the knowledge of God. We need a good dose of self-examination that would lead to self-transformation, by the grace of God. It may mean to adopt a moderate lifestyle (Heb. 13:5), to learn to be content in every situation (1 Tim. 6:6), or to learn to give sacrificially without neglecting our own needs and the needs of our family. If we are to minister effectively to others we must learn to be self-disciplined and generous but not neglectful to the point that our families or we ourselves become a liability or burden to others.

Sometimes it is lamentable that our concept of the poor is simply shaped by the images we see in the television detached from the real world of the poor and the oppressed. What this means for individual Christians, and especially for pastors, then in terms of the ministry to the poor is to learn and to have firsthand experience of the situation of the poor themselves. We need to go out where the poor people live in order to see in their faces the pain they try to hide, listen with their voices the needs they aspire, and feel their sufferings behind every sigh they sound. With this kind of experience a minister will be able to identify the real issues involved and can start an intelligent course of action that would truly help the poor, either those in his congregation or those outside.

Firsthand experience of poverty will not only help minister in identifying its real issue and sympathize with the poor but also it can deepen his teaching and preaching ministry in his congregation, emphasizing the importance and urgency of obeying Christ in caring for the poor and needy. He should also patiently teach the congregation until every family and individual, if possible, will be moved by the grace of God to own the responsibility and start engaging themselves in actual outreach or relief work among the poor.

In his letter to the Roman Christians Paul made mention of his relief work for the Jerusalem church. The relief or gifts came from the Gentile churches in Macedonia and Achaia for, he said,

Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings (Rom. 15:26-27).

When one body of believers is in need and another body of Christ responds in generous giving, the Lord is pleased and the whole body is edified. Pastors play a significant role in effecting this ministry among needy brethren. The recent calamity that hit the Philippines in November 2013, Super Typhoon Yolanda (International Name: Haiyan), has moved many pastors and churches in the Philippines and all over the world to send aid and meet the immediate need of millions of families devastated by the typhoon. Emails from pastors and mission agency heads from various churches and denominations from North America has reached my email inbox asking how they can help the people affected by the calamity. They responded well to the needs of the poor and needy in our country. As a result many thanked the Lord and those who were skeptical to gospel preaching have started listening to God's Word.

So the minister should preach, pray for, and practice generosity and compassionate giving until the church actively seeks to help people in need. Like the Samaritan in Jesus’ parable who rescued the dying man on the road to Jericho, the church should learn to pray and look for opportunity to do the same (Lk. 10:37).

If the church does not have a concrete ministry yet that meets the need of the poor and needy in the community, I think the pastor can initiate that ministry together with the elders and deacons. They can take smaller steps at first but should aim at establishing a more orderly and systematic approach of helping the poor, first in the congregation, and then to the community where the church is located. Again needy people in the church community should be the priority but not the only recipients of the aid. Maybe the church can set up a steady fund for benevolent purposes or gather all kinds of stuff from church members who have more than enough that can be given to the poor members of the church and the community.

While doing this, a team led preferably by a deacon should also be assigned to investigate facts like: 1) who are the most needy people in the church and the community; (2) what are their needs; and (3) what can the church do and cannot do with the situation. Then the team could analyze, summarize, and communicate their findings to the whole congregation for prayer and consideration.

Then if the church decides to embark in a concrete and regular ministry to the poor, I think, the idea of working with other local congregations or even with a non-government organizations with the same concern should also be explored. In all of these dynamics, the minister though should not neglect his primary ministry of the Word, the sacraments and prayer.

CONCLUSION

Blessing is promised to those who care for the poor and the needy for “he who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed” (Prov. 19:17). Our Lord Jesus echoed the same note when he related the parable of the sheep and the goat saying,

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me’ (Matt. 25:34-40).

The church, as God’s covenant community should take the lead in doing every good work to mete out mercy, justice and truth. The famous Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper said,

Jesus set apart and sent out his church among the nations to influence society in three ways. The first and most important influence was through the ministry of the Word…. The church’s second influence was through an organized ministry of charity…. Third, the church influenced society by the equality of brotherhood – in contrast to differences in rank and station…. Indeed, as a direct consequence of Christ’s appearing and extension of his church among the nations, society has been remarkably changed.

For the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ and for the good of the poor, especially those in the covenant community let us learn to open our hand to the poor and lend them sufficient for their need, whatever it may be (Deut. 15:8). The Lord summons his people in Deuteronomy 15:10 to be generous to the poor when he said, “You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake.” As members of God’s family in Christ Jesus let us therefore hear this Word of the Lord and rejoice in his promise.

God's Faithful Provision - Part 2

Another meditation on Luke 12:22-31 and Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Day 50

There are times when we wonder, “Since God knows our daily needs and since He promises to give us those needs anyway, why then should we ask for them?” The Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Day 50 gives us reasons why we ought to ask God for those needs.

First of all, in asking God to provide for our daily physical needs, we are acknowledging that He alone is the source of our daily provision. By praying this request - "Give us this day our daily bread" - we are actually confessing that God is our faithful provider. As in the words of James 1.17, we are acknowledging that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

And we ought to pray this daily, just as we need to ask forgiveness for our sins daily. Yes, God has promised to provide for us and to forgive us our sins, yet He also expects us to plead for these things so that we are reminded daily that He alone is the ultimate fountain of everything good.

When we pray that God would take care for OUR BREAD we admit that God is the rightful source and owner of that bread. On our own we have no right to it, but by virtue of our faith-union with God's Only Begotten Son, the Father granted us the right to ask for and to access and enjoy it. As the Great Creator and Sustainer of all things, He is the true owner of everything in this world.

You must recall that immediately after the creation of Adam, God gave him all things. Adam was also given dominion over the entire creation, which he had the right to use in serving God as His Maker and covenant Lord. But you also remember that Adam lost that dominion in the fall. Because of his sin, he lost the right to all things, being rejected and disinherited by the righteous judgment of God.

Since then, no natural man, dead in his trespasses and sins, has any right, such as the children of God might claim, to the things of this world.

So the perspective of this petition is clearly the perspective of those who are recipients of the salvation that is in Christ Jesus. You pray this request as the children of God redeemed by Christ Jesus our Lord. Scripture tells us that all things are Christ's. He is the One Whom God appointed heir of all things, according to Hebrews 1:2. And through the blood of His cross He also reconciled all things unto Himself.

That means that before the face of God you and I have a right to the things of this world only when we have been united by faith to God in Christ. Unbelievers are usurpers of what rightly belongs first to God, then, in and through Jesus Christ, to us His children. Have you ever thought that way?

This truth must set us free then from being greedy or envious of others. In Luke 12.15, our Lord Jesus tells us, “Take care, and be on your guard against all kinds of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Since we also confess in Lord's Day 10 that all things come to us, not by chance, but from God's fatherly hand, we must be very thankful when God takes care of our needs.

I say this because there are times when we receive from God what we've been asking that we forget to thank Him or appreciate His kindness. There are times when we already receive what we prayed for yet we keep on grumbling or worrying, unsatisfied with what God has already provided. Oh, our sinful heart easily leads us away from God to focus on ourselves and the stuff of life. We easily fall into the trap of turning God’s provision into an idol.

But God's provision is intended not only to make us realize that He is the source of everything good. He also wants us to recognize that apart from His divine blessing, “neither our work and worry nor His gifts can do us any good,” as Lord's Day 50 puts it.

Let me cite one example. When God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt they failed to thank and love the Lord in return. Instead they grumbled and wished to return to Egypt. They've been crying out to the Lord for freedom from their oppressive Egyptian taskmasters. Yet when God heard their cry and brought them out of slavery, it did not do them any good.

Later, when God enable them to enter the Promise Land and enjoy the fruits of the vine they also forgot the Lord. They forgot to thank Him. They forgot to love Him back. And they failed to keep His law. Instead, they enjoyed the benefits of being in the Promise Land without seeking the favor and blessing of the One who, in the first place, has brought them there. They enjoyed the promises of God but they failed to keep His commandments.

Such is so common even among us. And we need to fight daily against this greed and materialistic tendency in us by the power of God’s Spirit. And so through this prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread,” the Holy Spirit reminds us that it’s in God alone that we find ultimate satisfaction in this life. It is not in the material things that we have but in the fact that in Christ God has accepted us and adopted us as His children. And with that privileged status God has promised to provide. “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things” (Rom. 8.33).

When you and I fail to realize that it is in humble recognition that God is the source of all good things and that the way to receive and enjoy these things is through our Lord Jesus Christ, we may be the wealthiest and most successful person in the community yet we can be at the same time the most unsatisfied and restless person.

Until our heart finds satisfaction in God alone through His Son Jesus Christ, our worldly success and convenient life could not do us any good. In fact if all our effort are only aimed at success and convenience in this life we are just spending our time and energy on wrong pursuits which ultimately lead to frustration and destruction.

Jesus said to His disciples in v. 29, “Do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried.” He doesn’t mean, of course, that you should not work to earn your keep. He is but reminding us not to get worked up over food, clothing, shelter, even money. Let your Father take care of those things for you. He knows that you need them and He will give you those things at the proper time.

Do you know what you need to do? Do you know what you should be pursuing more in this life? See verse 31. You should be seeking the kingdom of God above all else. When you pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” your focus should not be on the bread but on the Giver of the bread. You should be seeking His glory and praise in and through your obedience to Him.

The other goal of our praying the fourth petition in the Lord's Prayer therefore is to seek God's honor, God’s glory, "by giving up our trust in creatures and possessions and to put our trust and confidence in Him alone." In our old nature, we tend to think that we provide everything for ourselves and we own things ourselves. We make our livings. We earn our wages. We buy our food and all kinds of stuff. We buy pieces of land and we build our house. Why do we need God? That's our old nature.

The wise man in Proverbs 30 knows that. So he prays saying, “…give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God” (30:8b-9). We would be wise to learn from this prayer and to really believe it and seek to live it out.

As redeemed and adopted children of God, we pray, “Lord, thank You that You provide for our food and clothes and shelter. You care about those things. You even blessed us with many things that we can live without. Help us therefore not only to believe in Your promise that You would supply our every need but also to learn to put our confidence in You alone and not on ourselves nor on the things that You’ve given us.”

This is the kind of prayer that you and I ought to be asking God always. Our focus must be on God and His kingdom, that is, His righteous sovereign rule over us His people. We recognize that everything is from Him and by Him and for Him, even our possessions, and we must give a careful account for the use of these things.

The reason why God wants us to focus on seeking His kingdom is for you and me to be busy in living out the kingdom principles and standards in our daily lives – principles of righteousness and justice, love and mercy, grace and truth, joy and obedience, freedom and self-control. These are the stuff that we want to see more and more evident in our life at home, in school or work, in the church and in the community.

If you seek to live as a kind employer or as an hardworking employee this week, you will be concerned with truth, righteousness and justice. As you think of your role as a husband or wife, or thinking of how you can be an obedient child to your parents or a diligent student in school, you would never worry about what you would eat, or drink or wear. You would, however be thinking of how to express love to your wife or respect to your husband, or how to honor your parents or faithful to your employer.

If your life orientation is centered on pleasing God and doing what He commands you to do, you would not be worrying about the same things that many people in this world worry a lot.

SO, What is your life goal? Is it loving God and your neighbor as yourself? You will discover yourself that when your priorities are set toward the building of God’s kingdom, the Lord would grant you all that you need pertaining to life and godliness.

It doesn’t mean, of course, that all will be well all the time. But even in the most difficult and trying moment in your life, when your eyes are set on Christ, you would learn to trust God, knowing that “for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8.28). “Seek God’s kingdom,” our Lord says, “and these things will be added to you” (v.31).

May we never forget that the Lord’s daily provisions are intended not only for us to know that He alone is the source of all good things, but also for us to recognize that these things are for our comfort and motivation to put our trust in God alone. In Christ, He is your gracious Almighty Father.

God's Faithful Provision

A meditation based on Luke 12:22-31 and Lord's Day 50 of the Heidelberg Catechism

My family and I have the privilege which many of you may not have. We have lived both in an eastern third-world setting and in a western more affluent culture in the United States. While there are marked differences between these cultures in terms of socio-economic situation, both cultures are actually plagued by common challenges and problems. Whether you are in the Philippines or in the US, you will see people struggling against greed, idolatry, and materialism.

And the fourth petition in the Lord’s Prayer becomes relevant and illuminating as we will see how the request, “Give us this day our daily bread,” speaks to our current situation.

Some of you might be thinking that this prayer is more appropriate for many people living in poor communities in many slum areas of Metro Manila or any metropolis. I mean when was the last time you prayed, “Lord, I ask that you would provide for my next meal.” Most probably, the kind of prayer that you’ve said may have sounded like, “Lord, please prevent me from eating another meal. Teach me how to control my spending habit. Teach me to save and to give more to others.”

“Give us this day our daily bread,” does seem a little remote, doesn’t it? If we feel that way that may only show that we really do not understand the truth and the implication of this prayer.

What I’d like us to do is to see and understand that both the Heidelberg Catechism Lord’s Day 50 and Luke 12:22-31 highlight the truth that God faithfully provides for our daily needs. God does provide for the needs of His children.

But what is the nature of this provision?

I want you to see, first of all, that though this fourth petition seems to be simple and unimportant compared with the other petitions in the Lord's Prayer, yet it is very significant and it demands a careful study on our part. As the Catechism explains, when we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” in effect we are really asking God to provide us not just our everyday food, but ALL our physical needs.

The word bread in the Lord's Prayer has a broader meaning than just an ordinary loaf of bread that we bake or buy from the grocery stores. It actually covers every physical provision necessary for the support of our bodies and preservation of our life in this world. Notice that I did not say 'every physical provision necessary for convenient life or luxurious living in this world.' No. Luxury or extravagance is excluded in this petition.

When Jesus Christ taught this prayer to His disciples, He was not telling them to think of daily banquet at the king’s table when they pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” What He had in my mind however are common necessities – things such as food, clothing, shelter, physical health and, as an extension, the means to acquire them, that is, money. And because these are very basic to human life, many people worry a lot about these needs.

The passage in Luke 12 mentions about food, drink and clothing. These are the kind of things that the Lord has in mind when He used the word 'bread' in the fourth request. In order to live in this world, we basically need food and drink, clothing and shelter. And Jesus says, “Do not be anxious about these things.” Why not? How can Jesus say that these necessities in life should not be our preoccupation as His followers? His short answer to that is in v.30b, “Your Father in heaven knows that you need them.”

Not only that He knows you need them, He also promised in His Word that He's going to provide these things to His children. In Luke 12, our Lord Jesus argues that God the Father Himself feeds and clothes His own people, whom He loves, even as He feeds the ravens or clothes the flowers and grass of the field, which are of lesser value compared to us His children.

So in saying that the Father cares even for the unclean birds, such as the raven, or for the flowers and the grass of the field that are here today and gone tomorrow, Jesus is emphasizing the truth that God will surely 'deliver the goods,' so to speak, to His children. He does this because we are far more valuable to Him than the birds of the air and the flowers of the field.

This calls for faith on our part. The Bible testifies to the fact that God is the faithful Provider of our daily physical provisions. We read many promises from God's Word pertaining to His physical provision for His people. We read for example in Psalm 23 that the Lord is our shepherd, therefore we shall not want. In Psalm 33.18-19, we see similar promise, “But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.”

In Psalm 37:25-27 the psalmist testifies, “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed. Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever. For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones.”

These promises are never to be doubted by us. When God says that you are more valuable than the birds and He will feed you, you have no reason to worry about the next meal or the clothes you need for next year. Believers in poor countries such as the Philippines ought to learn and believe this truth as much as believers in affluent countries.

The practical outworking of this truth may vary however. Perhaps, most of you have only enough food for the next few days and you start to worry about your food for the next week. This prayer should give us the confidence to trust in the Lord and depend on His faithfulness. But maybe to some of you, you have no problem in terms of material provision. What you might be concerned about is how to get rid of some of your stuff and give it to those who may need them soon. This prayer teaches us to be channels of God’s blessing, to be an answer to this petition.

Remember that God's provision has a corporate aspect to it as well. It pertains to OUR bread, not just MY bread. When you pray this prayer, you must not only be thinking about yourself but others as well, especially those who are needy in the household of faith, both near and far.

God's provision for the bread of others may come from the abundance of your blessing. And in many ways, that's how God operates. He pours out His abundant provision to some of us so we learn to be generous and to take care of each other. As a result, we all learn to thank God and praise Him for His faithfulness in providing for our needs.

But as you know, our daily bread may also mean physical strength or healing. To those of you who are suffering from physical pain or illness, or maybe you have a relative who is battling with a deadly disease, you surely can pray this prayer, hoping and trusting God to grant you or your relative the needed energy or cure.

Isn't it comforting to know that our Father in heaven is not offended when we ask Him things that pertain to our physical needs? He cares for your body just as He cares for your soul. Do not be misled by those who teach that God only cares for your soul but not your body. Both are important to God. Jesus Christ saved us both body and soul. The Holy Spirit makes our body as His temple. Thus we honor God as Creator when we accept the fact that our body is important to Him and we ask Him to provide for ALL our physical needs – may it be material or financial, relational or medical.