A Glimpse at the Heart of God

Today, we had a guest speaker at our church-Phil Altmeyer from the Union Gospel Mission, one of which is being built here in Kootenai County. He spoke on a subject that is near, dear, and very close to my heart... What God's Heart is for the Poor.

I would encourage you to get your Bibles out and join me for a little Bible Study, by looking up these following verses.

Did you know that in the Old Testament, God made Provision for the Poor??
IN FOOD AND HEALTH:
Leviticus 23:22 - And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.
Exodus 23:11 -But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.
Leviticus 19:10 - And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God.

FINANCIALLY:
Exodus 22:25 -If thou lend money to any of My people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.

IN SACRIFICE AND WORSHIP:
Leviticus 14:21 - And if he be poor, and cannot get so much; then he shall take one lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make an atonement for him, and one tenth deal of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering, and a log of oil.

AND BY HIS PROTECTION:
Isaiah 25:4 - For Thou hast been a Strength to the poor, a Strength to the needy in his distress, a Refuge from the storm, a Shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is a storm against the wall.

Did you know that:
God COMMANDS for us to care for the Poor?
Deuteronomy 15:10-11 - Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.
Isaiah 58:7 - Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

God casts JUDGEMENT/A CURSE for NOT caring for the Poor?
Proverbs 22:22-23 - Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them. 
Proverbs 28:27 - He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.


Here's an example of God fulfilling His promise/curse:
Ezekiel 16:49-50 - Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.  And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.

God gave us PROMISES/WILL BLESS us for caring for the Poor?
Proverbs 19:17 - He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will He pay him again.
Proverbs 22:9 - He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
Proverbs 28:27 - He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.


THOSE WHO KNOW GOD WILL REFLECT HIS HEART:
Jeremiah 22:16 - He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the LORD.

Have you ever wondered why teaching on this subject is mostly absent in the New Testament?? It is because the Israelites obeyed God, and did as He said (as is evident in Book of Ruth).
Luke 4:18 - Beginning of Jesus' Ministry
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.
John 12:3-5 - Mary
Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. The saith one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray Him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
Luke 19:8 - Zacchaeus
And Zaccaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
Acts 10:2 - Cornelius
A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
Romans 15:26 - Early Church
For it hath please them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.
John 13:29 - Judas
For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or that he should give something to the poor.
Galations 2:10 - Paul and Church Leaders
Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

Why is it is important to God??
Proverbs 14:31 - He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth Him hath mercy on the poor.
Proverbs 17:5 - Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me.

~ Matthew 25:40 ~