PASTORS, PROPHETS, EVANGELISTS AND APOSTLES ARE NOT THE ONLY BELIEVERS - HOW ABOUT THE POORs APPRECIATION MONTH? Every year we hear of Pastors Appreciation Month which is coincidentally (is it coincidental at all?) during BONUS MONTH! Considering that Lord Jesus said in Matthew 25, WHATEVER YOU DID... DIDNT DO TO THE LEAST OF THESE ( not to the greatest of these) , SHOULDNT WE DEDICATE AT LEAST ONE MONTH OF THE YEAR TO THE APPRECIATION OF WIDOWS, ORPHANS, THE POOR AND DESTITUTE (who are the least of these my brethren) INSTEAD OF CONTINUING TO FATTEN THE ALREADY FATTENED PREACHERS WHO THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE YEAR WOULD NOT EVEN COUGH WITHOUT DEMANDING AN OFFERING? AFTER BEING PASTOR OF OUR ASSEMBLY FOR 19 YEARS AND 5 MONTHS WITHOUT A SALARY, I KNOW THAT A MAN OF GOD NEEDS GODs FAVOUR, NOT THE GUARANTEE OF A SALARY TO HAVE HIS NEEDS MET. While I know it is not sinful for any preacher to expect a salary or compensation for the work he does as the scriptures clearly instruct, I HAVE THUS FAR CHOSEN TO FORFEIT THAT RIGHT IN FAVOUR OF OTHER MINISTRY CHALLENGES I CONSIDER MORE PRESSING. ONE OF THOSE ISSUES IS WHAT I HUMBLY PRESENT IN THIS ARTICLE Please consider what I address hereunder: I WAS HUNGRY!!! According to the World Health Organization, the worlds worst scourge today is not MALARIA, HIV/AIDS OR TB, BUT HUNGER! Daily around the world, HUNGER KILLS MORE PEOPLE THAN TB, HIV/AIDS AND MALARIA PUT TOGETHER - 20 000 PEOPLE DAILY. THAT IS 7 300 000 EVERY YEAR - NINE TIMES THE POPULATION OF SWAZILAND While billions of US Dollars are spent on HIV/AIDS, MALARIA TB research, trying to find and supply cure and vaccinations (which should be done!), WE DONT HAVE TO RESEARCH THE CAUSES, CURE AND PREVENTION OF HUNGER AS THE SOLUTION IS SIMPLE - FEED THE HUNGRY!!!! 1. Hunger is a community problem before it is a National Crisis 2. Hunger is a family issue before it is a community challenge 3. HUNGER IS A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE BEFORE IT IS A POLITICAL AGENDA 4. Hunger needs no GOVERNMENT MINISTRY/DEPARTMENT TO SOLVE - IT NEEDS A PEOPLE WITH CONSCIENCE! My family has dedicated our life, our family resources, our ministry funds, our personal materials TO FIGHT HUNGER 7 DAYS A WEEK, AND SO CAN YOU! WE DO THIS, NOT BECAUSE WE ARE RICH, WELL SUPPLIED OR OVERFLOWING WITH RESOURCES, BUT BECAUSE WE ARE HUMAN, CHRISTIAN AND GODLY. I do not fight hunger because I am rich, but because, I WAS HUNGRY - I GREW UP HUNGRY AND NEVER WISH THAT FOR ANYONE ELSE. My three kids who are now 26, 22 and 16 grew up hearing ( from me) that THE RICH HAVE AN OBLIGATION TOWARDS THE POOR - IT IS NOT AN ACT OF VOLUNTEERISM, CHARITY OR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY but a GODLY MANDATE OVER WHICH NATIONS SHALL BE JUDGED ON JUDGMENT DAY. How Can You Minister to the Poor and Hungry? A. Your family as a godly and believing household SHOULD INCLUDE HELP FOR THE POOR IN YOUR BUDGET - YES, I AM SAYING, JUST AS YOU BUDGET FOR YOUR OWN NEEDS, BUDGET FOR GIVING TO THE POOR; LET IT BE A STANDING BUDGET ITEM! B. TEACH YOUR CHILDREN TO TAKE EXTRA FOOD IN THEIR LUNCH BOX TO SHARE WITH THEIR HUNGRY SCHOOL MATES. I pack my daughters lunch box daily and I include extra food items for her to share at school C. Invite the hungry for a meal regularly D. Take extra food items yourself and give to the hungry wherever you go E. Donate food to old age homes, orphanages and soup kitchens F. Belong to the local feeding scheme G. Start a feeding scheme at your local church GIVING IS THE MOST POWERFUL DELIVERANCE TOOL THE CHURCH, CHRISTIANS AND FAMILIES HAVE, AND ONE EACH BELIEVER IS ANOINTED FOR. When The Lord Jesus declared he was anointed (Luke 4), he said, He has anointed me to preach good news TO THE POOR... THE POOR WERE THE FIRST PEOPLE WHOSE BONDAGE THE LORD ADDRESSED! Todays Meditation Galatians 2 9 and when James, Peter, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do. John 21 15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” 16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. Matthew 25 31 When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ 41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ 44 “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” PEACE
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 23:30:21 +0000
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