December 28, 2023 … Helping the Needy

December 28, 2023 … Helping the Needy  

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in this song with lyrics from Graham Kendrick singing … God of the Poor …  Poignantly singing of how God calls His people to pray for and help those in need.  

Reaching out to help ... 

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Highlight Passage: … Exodus 22:27  [ESV] … 

27 This coat may be the only blanket your neighbor has. How can a person sleep without it? If you do not return it and your neighbor cries out to me for help, then I will hear, for I am merciful. 

… God’s charge, from Moses to God’s people, to help those in need.     

Highlight Passage (in context): … Exodus 22:22-27  … USE THIS LINK … </b>

… Moses shares God’s instructions on how God’s people are to reach out to help those in need.                                       

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Reference Passage: … Deuteronomy 15:11 (NLT] … 

11 There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need.   

… God, thru Moses, commands His people to reach out to help the poor or those in need. 

Reference Passage: … Proverbs19:17, 14:31, 28:27 (NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Solomon repeatedly shows God’s call for His chosen to help those in need.    

Reference Passage: … Matthew 25:34-40 (NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus teaches His followers and disciples (and us) that feeding the poor and helping the needy was His chosen people reaching out to bless Him.  

Reference Passage: … Luke 6:38 (NLT] … 

38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” 

… Jesus teaches His followers (and us) how we are blessed by God when we give to help others in need. . 

Reference Passage: … Galatians 6:2 (NLT] … 

2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.   

… The Apostle Paul exhorts fellow Christians to share our well being with others in need.                             

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author , Kirsten Holmberg -  AT THIS LINK -  relates the story of boy’s father, suffering from mental illness, … leaving the family to live and sleep on the streets.  And, … motivated by the dad’s need, the boy and his mother became advocates for the homeless, … especially by taking blankets and other things to the father and other needy homeless people. 

And if my readers have taken in the linked song and the Scriptures above, you may be convicted, … as was I, … to be more sensitive to those who are needy and could benefit from what we have to give to help others.  What could we do, moving into 2024, to help someone who needs a hand up (See photo)?                 

   

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for calling me out to do more to help those in need.               

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray. again today, that all reading here will join me, … to provide a hand up, Lord, to do more to help others in need.    … Amen  

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Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.