Together # 21
A Together that Holds Together
Meet One Another's Needs
copyright by Dick Wulf, 2018
Make sure one another's basic needs of food, clothing and shelter are met.
2 Cor 9:12; Gal 2:10; Titus 3:14; James 2:14-17; 1 John 3:17-18
With some of the Togethers, there is great overlap. Let’s not let such overlap confuse us. We can use it to see different aspects of Christlikeness.
Look Out for One Another’s Good and Meet One Another’s Needs are similar, but it helps to keep them separate to emphasize two slightly different expectations of God and two different results for the people of God. Look Out for One Another’s Good can be interpreted to include a multitude of good actions for others that helps us to perseverance in the faith together. The one we are talking about here is Meet One Another’s Needs. It holds us together with strong bonds of love when we take responsibility for each other’s basic needs, such as food, clothing, and shelter.
Meeting one another’s basic needs is one of the Togethers that is best obeyed in our Christian friendships, families and marriages. For most Christians it is natural to look out for one another’s basic needs for food, clothing and shelter.
So, how can this aspect of Christian love be expanded? Together we can combine resources and help one another out with food, clothing, and shelter. Working together we can assure that we do not do too much and create dependency or do too little and not be helpful enough.
We must first meet one another’s needs in our family, both the nuclear family and the extended family. Next should come those in our Christian Inner Circle. Their needs are probably met, but if and when they are not, we need to see those needs met some way, some how.
Anyone who does not provide for their relatives,
and especially for their own household,
has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
1 Tim 5:8
and especially for their own household,
has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
1 Tim 5:8
Then we need to make sure that our organized church has a way of identifying those who have urgent needs. Smaller fellowships can do this easier. Large churches must enlist the aid of everyone so that those attendees less visible are befriended and helped with food, clothing and shelter whenever needed.
In the first-century, churches met the basic need for burials for all Christians. Back then, this was often unmet. Those looking in the from the outside saw the church taking care of this basic need and it appears that many became curious about Jesus because of this.
In our society where public assistance takes care of most needs for food, clothing and shelter, this witness has been lost. Just imagine what would happen if government did not help out and it was up to people to take care of one another’s needs for food, clothing and shelter. If churches were obedient to the scriptures that tell us to meet one another’s needs, think of how much better needy Christians would be than their secular counterparts.
But, there usually are basic needs not taken care of by government, leaving great room for us to still meet needs of our struggling Christians. We can supply school supplies for kids in low income families in our churches. There are likely older Christians who cannot afford needed medical equipment or medications. And, many of the poorer among us could use help in getting higher paying jobs. As related only to basic needs, there is still much that we can do.
Very unfortunate is the social stratification within our churches and denominations. If the church were to fully meet God's ideal regarding the command to meet each other's needs, it would be necessary to dismantle the class structure that exists in the church world. Some churches have an overabundance of people in need. Other churches have designed themselves to be attractive to those with financial means, creating an environment in which a person of low income would feel uncomfortable. Ideally, there should be no such segregation within the church of Jesus Christ. That would allow people with financial means in each congregation to take care of those with genuine material needs.
But, most people attend churches where the others are of their same economic means. This leads to more affluent Christians giving their money for more expensive church programming and larger church staffs. At the same time, other churches filled with low-income people have little money to help their members out with basic needs.
The consequences of richer churches not taking care of the basic needs of fellow Christians in poorer churches might be disastrous in light of what we learn of God in the book of Amos in our Bibles. God’s concern then was for the nation of Israel as a whole. Since God is unchanging, He might expect Christians to meet the basic needs of poorer Christians as a whole in a particular town, not just those in their own church.
And, it might extend to providing for basic needs of Christians in other countries, as the early Christians helped out the believers in Jerusalem. The testimonies of Christian relief ministries, such as Samaritans Purse, show that taking care of the basic needs of Christians in churches draws nonbelievers to the church to find help for some of their needs. Taking best care of one another in the faith can be a powerful witness to those outside of the faith.
If we start going the second mile in giving to the less fortunate Christians in our towns, it will be noticed. While non-believers look out for one another’s needs, they usually cover just the most urgently poor. That is very good, but it will pale in comparison to Christians providing beyond the minimum to their own poor and low-income people.
Opportunity to Become More and More Like Jesus Christ
In the first-century, churches met the basic need for burials for all Christians. Back then, this was often unmet. Those looking in the from the outside saw the church taking care of this basic need and it appears that many became curious about Jesus because of this.
In our society where public assistance takes care of most needs for food, clothing and shelter, this witness has been lost. Just imagine what would happen if government did not help out and it was up to people to take care of one another’s needs for food, clothing and shelter. If churches were obedient to the scriptures that tell us to meet one another’s needs, think of how much better needy Christians would be than their secular counterparts.
But, there usually are basic needs not taken care of by government, leaving great room for us to still meet needs of our struggling Christians. We can supply school supplies for kids in low income families in our churches. There are likely older Christians who cannot afford needed medical equipment or medications. And, many of the poorer among us could use help in getting higher paying jobs. As related only to basic needs, there is still much that we can do.
Very unfortunate is the social stratification within our churches and denominations. If the church were to fully meet God's ideal regarding the command to meet each other's needs, it would be necessary to dismantle the class structure that exists in the church world. Some churches have an overabundance of people in need. Other churches have designed themselves to be attractive to those with financial means, creating an environment in which a person of low income would feel uncomfortable. Ideally, there should be no such segregation within the church of Jesus Christ. That would allow people with financial means in each congregation to take care of those with genuine material needs.
But, most people attend churches where the others are of their same economic means. This leads to more affluent Christians giving their money for more expensive church programming and larger church staffs. At the same time, other churches filled with low-income people have little money to help their members out with basic needs.
The consequences of richer churches not taking care of the basic needs of fellow Christians in poorer churches might be disastrous in light of what we learn of God in the book of Amos in our Bibles. God’s concern then was for the nation of Israel as a whole. Since God is unchanging, He might expect Christians to meet the basic needs of poorer Christians as a whole in a particular town, not just those in their own church.
And, it might extend to providing for basic needs of Christians in other countries, as the early Christians helped out the believers in Jerusalem. The testimonies of Christian relief ministries, such as Samaritans Purse, show that taking care of the basic needs of Christians in churches draws nonbelievers to the church to find help for some of their needs. Taking best care of one another in the faith can be a powerful witness to those outside of the faith.
If we start going the second mile in giving to the less fortunate Christians in our towns, it will be noticed. While non-believers look out for one another’s needs, they usually cover just the most urgently poor. That is very good, but it will pale in comparison to Christians providing beyond the minimum to their own poor and low-income people.
Opportunity to Become More and More Like Jesus Christ
Since they know that life is all about being conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ, four Christian men working for the power company are always on the alert for a fellow employee in dire financial need of food for his or her family. They secretly call themselves “First Food Responders” and have recruited their families to be in on the action of setting aside money and boxes of food.
News travels fast and Juan, Hunter, Jayden, and Cooper are well known. Others know that they help out of thankfulness for Jesus’ death on the cross. They are not shy in their Christian witness, but they are not pushy either. In fact, they sometimes receive donations from non-believing workmates who say, surprisingly, that they also want to help Jesus help others. This is all handled via the grapevine. While occasionally a man or woman will ask for help, usually it is others who ask on behalf of someone else. And the four often let those who speak up deliver the food, always with a note that the food is from God in the Name of Jesus. Those nonbelievers don’t mind being “errand boys” for the Lord. In fact, a few have become Christians over the years by first being such a delivery person for a God they did not yet know. |
Since they know that life is all about being conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ, four Christian men working for the power company are always on the alert for a fellow employee in dire financial need of food for his or her family. They secretly call themselves “First Food Responders” and have recruited their families to be in on the action of setting aside money and boxes of food.
News travels fast and Juan, Hunter, Jayden, and Cooper are well known. Others know that they help out of thankfulness for Jesus’ death on the cross. They are not shy in their Christian witness, but they are not pushy either. In fact, they sometimes receive donations from non-believing workmates who say, surprisingly, that they also want to help Jesus help others.
This is all handled via the grapevine. While occasionally a man or woman will ask for help, usually it is others who ask on behalf of someone else. And the four often let those who speak up deliver the food, always with a note that the food is from God in the Name of Jesus. Those nonbelievers don’t mind being “errand boys” for the Lord. In fact, a few have become Christians over the years by first being such a delivery person for a God they did not yet know.
Jesus focused on the basic needs of people. While his number one priority was their basic spiritual need for God, He also met physical needs. Look at how much time He spent on healing people. And, He created food on at least two occasions for thousands of hungry people. Therefore, we know we are being like Jesus when we help the poor and the financially distressed with their basic physical needs.
Let’s remember the next time we take care to see that someone’s basic needs are met that we are being like Jesus. That should make us feel really good. In fact, it is Jesus in us Who is doing what is needed. What a privilege to be like Jesus because He is in us and working through us.
If we want to grow to be more like Jesus, let’s do without some things or experiences so we can provide for some other Christian’s basic needs. There are many such opportunities in this society with so many broken people and damaged families. For example, if a Christian woman without children is divorced by her husband and left with crippling debt, that is an excellent opportunity to help pay off that debt. Also think of the powerful witness of a battered woman who escapes with her children and has little financial resources. And then her church or a group of Christian friends pays off all of her debt and supplies money until she gets on her feet. Do you think this will be noticed by her unbelieving friends at work? Such action can be an essential part of taking the gospel to the corners of our own society.
Jesus denied himself even a house in which to sleep. So, we can be like Jesus in denying ourselves some of the comforts of life for the sake of the basic needs of others. We all know that many of the things we spend money on are not all that necessary. We should be willing to cut back if the Lord leads us to someone who needs funds for basic needs. This will be easy if we all do it together.
Opportunity to Worship God
News travels fast and Juan, Hunter, Jayden, and Cooper are well known. Others know that they help out of thankfulness for Jesus’ death on the cross. They are not shy in their Christian witness, but they are not pushy either. In fact, they sometimes receive donations from non-believing workmates who say, surprisingly, that they also want to help Jesus help others.
This is all handled via the grapevine. While occasionally a man or woman will ask for help, usually it is others who ask on behalf of someone else. And the four often let those who speak up deliver the food, always with a note that the food is from God in the Name of Jesus. Those nonbelievers don’t mind being “errand boys” for the Lord. In fact, a few have become Christians over the years by first being such a delivery person for a God they did not yet know.
Jesus focused on the basic needs of people. While his number one priority was their basic spiritual need for God, He also met physical needs. Look at how much time He spent on healing people. And, He created food on at least two occasions for thousands of hungry people. Therefore, we know we are being like Jesus when we help the poor and the financially distressed with their basic physical needs.
Let’s remember the next time we take care to see that someone’s basic needs are met that we are being like Jesus. That should make us feel really good. In fact, it is Jesus in us Who is doing what is needed. What a privilege to be like Jesus because He is in us and working through us.
If we want to grow to be more like Jesus, let’s do without some things or experiences so we can provide for some other Christian’s basic needs. There are many such opportunities in this society with so many broken people and damaged families. For example, if a Christian woman without children is divorced by her husband and left with crippling debt, that is an excellent opportunity to help pay off that debt. Also think of the powerful witness of a battered woman who escapes with her children and has little financial resources. And then her church or a group of Christian friends pays off all of her debt and supplies money until she gets on her feet. Do you think this will be noticed by her unbelieving friends at work? Such action can be an essential part of taking the gospel to the corners of our own society.
Jesus denied himself even a house in which to sleep. So, we can be like Jesus in denying ourselves some of the comforts of life for the sake of the basic needs of others. We all know that many of the things we spend money on are not all that necessary. We should be willing to cut back if the Lord leads us to someone who needs funds for basic needs. This will be easy if we all do it together.
Opportunity to Worship God
When a number of church members mentioned to Pastor Ketterling that they did not sense God’s presence during worship services as they once did, he and a few spiritually-discerning elders began meeting and praying. They asked God to show them why He seemed more distant.
Backtracking to when they were keenly aware of God’s presence during their worship services, it dawned upon these godly men that a change in membership had come unnoticed. A spurt of popularity had drawn a good number of higher-income families and individuals. Church giving had doubled and they were considering spending the extra income on remodeling and elegant landscaping. Then they remembered a couple of years back when a nearby church had asked for help with some of the urgent needs of their primarily poor membership. They helped as much as they could and God was never so real in their services. Until now, the pastor and these intuitive elders had not made the connection. Perhaps, they thought, they should reach out with their increased income and help that church again instead of making their facilities nicer. Maybe it wasn’t just their imagination and God really was angry and removed Himself from their services. |
God has given us adequate provision to meet the basic needs of poor Christians. When we do so, we worship God by reflecting back to Him his role as provider for his people.
There is indication that meeting one another’s needs must come before our songs and prayers will be accepted by God. This makes looking out for one another’s basic needs very, very crucial to worship.
There is indication that meeting one another’s needs must come before our songs and prayers will be accepted by God. This makes looking out for one another’s basic needs very, very crucial to worship.
This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not relent.
They sell the innocent for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals.
They trample on the heads of the poor as on the dust of the ground
and deny justice to the oppressed.
Amos 2:6-7
“I hate, I despise your religious festivals;
your assemblies are a stench to me.
Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
I will have no regard for them.
Away with the noise of your songs!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.
But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!
Amos 5:21-24
“For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not relent.
They sell the innocent for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals.
They trample on the heads of the poor as on the dust of the ground
and deny justice to the oppressed.
Amos 2:6-7
“I hate, I despise your religious festivals;
your assemblies are a stench to me.
Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
I will have no regard for them.
Away with the noise of your songs!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.
But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!
Amos 5:21-24
Therefore, meeting one another’s needs is both worship and a pre-requisite for worship. Most churches watch out for the people under their care, but woe upon that church that is so big that it does not know people well enough to look out for their basic needs. Does God turn His back on their fine worship celebrations?
The people of God in the days of the prophet Amos did not know that God was not paying attention to their worship. Perhaps they were enjoying worship and felt that meant God was also. Or, maybe they didn’t care if God was accepting their worship since it was so professionally done and enjoyed by so many people. We must make sure that we are not similarly blind. Worship is primarily for God, and He requires us to watch out for the poor as well as the less powerful in our churches.
It is in large churches that the most needy can be overlooked so easily. Therefore, Christian friendship groups, Christian families, and Christian marriages need to be on diligent lookout in larger fellowships. In a large church service everyone can be watched and befriended sufficiently only by these smaller units sitting in the pews. After the end of a service, it is critical that people talk to those around them and lovingly try to tell if there are any basic needs that need to be met so that God will fully enjoy the worship service that just ended, as well as next week’s songs.
Let’s not leave this Together to other people in our churches. That is too risky. We don’t want God to turn His head from us. Reading Amos will show what things count to God. In addition to food, clothing and shelter, justice is “big” to God. It is on all of us to watch out for one another’s basic needs. There are people with needs that others will miss, so the watchful eyes of Christian individuals, friendship groups, families, and marriages are necessary.
How Used in Battle to Defeat Evil and Satan
The people of God in the days of the prophet Amos did not know that God was not paying attention to their worship. Perhaps they were enjoying worship and felt that meant God was also. Or, maybe they didn’t care if God was accepting their worship since it was so professionally done and enjoyed by so many people. We must make sure that we are not similarly blind. Worship is primarily for God, and He requires us to watch out for the poor as well as the less powerful in our churches.
It is in large churches that the most needy can be overlooked so easily. Therefore, Christian friendship groups, Christian families, and Christian marriages need to be on diligent lookout in larger fellowships. In a large church service everyone can be watched and befriended sufficiently only by these smaller units sitting in the pews. After the end of a service, it is critical that people talk to those around them and lovingly try to tell if there are any basic needs that need to be met so that God will fully enjoy the worship service that just ended, as well as next week’s songs.
Let’s not leave this Together to other people in our churches. That is too risky. We don’t want God to turn His head from us. Reading Amos will show what things count to God. In addition to food, clothing and shelter, justice is “big” to God. It is on all of us to watch out for one another’s basic needs. There are people with needs that others will miss, so the watchful eyes of Christian individuals, friendship groups, families, and marriages are necessary.
How Used in Battle to Defeat Evil and Satan
Ruby, Sophie and Alexandra are single, professional women who met at their church. They became fast friends in a small group Bible study.
About three years into their friendship they became concerned for the Christians in a small African village served by a missionary who spoke at their church. Learning that $1,500 a month would provide basic necessities of clean water and school for the children, they decided to give that amount to a Christian relief mission. They did this by all moving in with one another, an adjustment that saved the needed amount but took some major personal adjustments. As a result, their faith grew tremendously and they became more like Jesus. And, they were putting 30 children through school in one of the most impoverished of villages. |
Satan would love for us to be concerned just for ourselves. His design is to make people miserable and deprive them of their basic needs. He wants to deny God’s provision through His people for the basic needs of Christians. The devil does his best to get Christians to focus on what God can do for them rather than what they can do for God. If Christians can be tied up with their own comfort and pleasure, they can be redirected from the good they can do for other believers and then for the poor outside of the church.
Christians may pray for help with their basic needs, and when other Christians do not respond once those needs are known, belief in God and/or the church will be damaged.
Similarly, nonbelievers with urgent needs may call on a God they only hope exists to provide for them. God seems not to do home grocery delivery when He has servants who can give of their resources. When those prayers are not met by believers who know of the need, it will appear that God does not exist and that the church is only concerned for itself.
This is a call to war with Satan – to which we want to respond. We can be the ones used by God to answer the pleas to Him from the needy. It can be great pleasure to know that meeting the urgent needs of believers and nonbelievers can defeat Satan’s plans to interrupt (Christians) or intercept (nonbelievers) a relationship with God.
We must realize that God is identified with the poor, especially those of His own people who lack in essential needs. This is evident throughout the Old Testament when God was angry that the needs of the Israelites were ignored by their countrymen.
Christians may pray for help with their basic needs, and when other Christians do not respond once those needs are known, belief in God and/or the church will be damaged.
Similarly, nonbelievers with urgent needs may call on a God they only hope exists to provide for them. God seems not to do home grocery delivery when He has servants who can give of their resources. When those prayers are not met by believers who know of the need, it will appear that God does not exist and that the church is only concerned for itself.
This is a call to war with Satan – to which we want to respond. We can be the ones used by God to answer the pleas to Him from the needy. It can be great pleasure to know that meeting the urgent needs of believers and nonbelievers can defeat Satan’s plans to interrupt (Christians) or intercept (nonbelievers) a relationship with God.
We must realize that God is identified with the poor, especially those of His own people who lack in essential needs. This is evident throughout the Old Testament when God was angry that the needs of the Israelites were ignored by their countrymen.
Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria,
you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy
and say to your husbands, “Bring us some drinks!”
The Sovereign Lord has sworn by his holiness:
“The time will surely come
when you will be taken away with hooks,
the last of you with fishhooks.
Amos 4:1-2
“Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord.
“I will protect them from those who malign them.”
Psalm 12:5
Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker,
but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.
Proverbs 14:31
you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy
and say to your husbands, “Bring us some drinks!”
The Sovereign Lord has sworn by his holiness:
“The time will surely come
when you will be taken away with hooks,
the last of you with fishhooks.
Amos 4:1-2
“Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord.
“I will protect them from those who malign them.”
Psalm 12:5
Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker,
but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.
Proverbs 14:31
This identification with the poor is remarkably clear when Jesus Himself says:
“Then the righteous will answer him,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,
or thirsty and give you something to drink?
When did we see you a stranger and invite you in,
or needing clothes and clothe you?When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did
for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Matt 25:37-40
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,
or thirsty and give you something to drink?
When did we see you a stranger and invite you in,
or needing clothes and clothe you?When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did
for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Matt 25:37-40
It appears that God is aligned closely with those who have been deprived of the basic gifts originally available in the Garden of Eden and deprived first by Satan’s cunning and then by the selfishness of God’s people. It is critical to honoring God and defeating Satan that we all make sure that our Christian brothers and sisters have the basic necessities of food, clothing and shelter.
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people,
especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Gal 6:10
especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Gal 6:10
Watching out for each other in the way of basic needs for food, clothing, shelter, safety, love and other essentials is vital to cutting off the devil’s evil designs.
Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good,
in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.
Titus 3:14
in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.
Titus 3:14
This verse should help us recognize the priority of basic needs over other things. It seems that a productive life that makes a lot of money and buys a lot of things is not productive from God’s viewpoint unless urgent needs are provided for within the family of faith. It should be clear that we should be providing for the urgent needs of anyone in our Christian Inner Circles as well as the churches we belong to. After that, we need to listen when Jesus speaks to us about other people in urgent need for which He has provided us funds.
How in the Sinful Environment this Together Prepares Us for Heaven
How in the Sinful Environment this Together Prepares Us for Heaven
The Wade Family faced a challenge of faith when they befriended a family in the neighborhood who had lost all of their money because a child needed extensive medical care. After they had this family over for a number of meals, the father and mother had unintentionally let it out that they were so far over their heads with medical obligations and needs that it would be disastrous for their health insurance to lapse. When asked for a bit more information, they learned that the family often did not have adequate money for food and that they might lose their house.
The Wade Family became more and more concerned for the well-being of this family. In their family times of prayer they asked the Lord to provide for that family the money needed for basic necessities. It was during one of these prayer times that Jesus whispered that they could help out. And so it came about that the Lord’s urging brought to mind a possible way the Wades could help. The family had saved $10,000 over four years for a family trip to Disney World the next summer. It was a hard decision to give away that money instead of taking the dream vacation until five-year-old Penelope asked if there would be anything like Disney World in heaven. As a result of the many answers to this question, the Wade Family decided that they would enjoy heaven much more if they waited for the marvelously exciting experiences there. Keeping that in mind, they took over the health insurance premium for the other family for the five years it would take for that family to stabilize their finances. |
There will be no urgent needs to be met in heaven, so how is doing so now preparation for heaven? Certainly not to be ready to provide the basic necessities of life there!
But, think of what depriving ourselves of pleasures to make sure others have basic food, clothing, and shelter can do to prepare for a more wonderful life in heaven. Haven’t we all learned that the longer we wait for something good, the more we enjoy it when it comes?
Perhaps a family has enough money to buy an expensive car, not beyond their means but beyond their need. Is there biblical evidence that the excessive car should be purchased? This type of questioning is very uncomfortable for us. We want to feel free to think that God is rewarding us when we have enough money for the car that can go faster than the law allows and we will ever drive. Or to have leather, heat-warmed seats when we do not have a back injury requiring such luxury.
Actually, Jesus tells us straight-out how denying ourselves things for the basic needs of other people will benefit us with regard to heaven.
But, think of what depriving ourselves of pleasures to make sure others have basic food, clothing, and shelter can do to prepare for a more wonderful life in heaven. Haven’t we all learned that the longer we wait for something good, the more we enjoy it when it comes?
Perhaps a family has enough money to buy an expensive car, not beyond their means but beyond their need. Is there biblical evidence that the excessive car should be purchased? This type of questioning is very uncomfortable for us. We want to feel free to think that God is rewarding us when we have enough money for the car that can go faster than the law allows and we will ever drive. Or to have leather, heat-warmed seats when we do not have a back injury requiring such luxury.
Actually, Jesus tells us straight-out how denying ourselves things for the basic needs of other people will benefit us with regard to heaven.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moths and vermin destroy,
and where thieves break in and steal.
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where moths and vermin do not destroy,
and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matt 6:19-21
where moths and vermin destroy,
and where thieves break in and steal.
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where moths and vermin do not destroy,
and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matt 6:19-21
Jesus says it is superior to have our hearts in heaven, and for that to happen we must not spoil ourselves here and now. There is great gain in valuing heaven that lasts forever over valuing this short life. Among other things, it can help us lower our expectations for this life to levels that have a chance of not disappointing us.
What would it be like to be in heaven but not have developed a bigger heart for it? The question is, “how will storing up treasure in heaven by looking out for one another’s basic needs now intensify the experience of heaven when we get there?”
If we do not usually buy top-of-the-line unless in the long-run it is truly more economical, and if we share our extra money with those who really need it for basic needs, we will be depositing treasure in heaven. In light of all of Scripture, it does not really make sense that Jesus is telling us just to have whatever we want but just not value it too much. That would be nice, because then we could buy that luxury automobile but just not treasure it. But, if the Lord wants us to buy a sturdy, reasonably priced car and use the money we saved for someone in our Christian Inner Circle, our church, or anywhere in the world to meet an urgent need, we want to do that. Doing so will put treasure in heaven and our hearts will be able to embrace eternity now and enjoy everything in heaven more when we get there.
Every time we do without in order that someone can have something basic for life, it requires we place our hearts in heaven. Let’s allow heaven do its wonderful work with our hearts in preparation for later. Let’s not put a little bit of treasure in heaven to redeem there later for only a little bit more of heaven. Let’s deposit a lot of treasure to exchange for more and more of heaven.
How this Together Can Make it Really Good in Heaven
What would it be like to be in heaven but not have developed a bigger heart for it? The question is, “how will storing up treasure in heaven by looking out for one another’s basic needs now intensify the experience of heaven when we get there?”
If we do not usually buy top-of-the-line unless in the long-run it is truly more economical, and if we share our extra money with those who really need it for basic needs, we will be depositing treasure in heaven. In light of all of Scripture, it does not really make sense that Jesus is telling us just to have whatever we want but just not value it too much. That would be nice, because then we could buy that luxury automobile but just not treasure it. But, if the Lord wants us to buy a sturdy, reasonably priced car and use the money we saved for someone in our Christian Inner Circle, our church, or anywhere in the world to meet an urgent need, we want to do that. Doing so will put treasure in heaven and our hearts will be able to embrace eternity now and enjoy everything in heaven more when we get there.
Every time we do without in order that someone can have something basic for life, it requires we place our hearts in heaven. Let’s allow heaven do its wonderful work with our hearts in preparation for later. Let’s not put a little bit of treasure in heaven to redeem there later for only a little bit more of heaven. Let’s deposit a lot of treasure to exchange for more and more of heaven.
How this Together Can Make it Really Good in Heaven
Jordan smiles more than most on the basketball court. Here in heaven he is having the time of his life playing the game he has always loved.
But, it could have been different. He could be enjoying himself like the others, having fun but not so exuberantly. If you ask him why he enjoys basketball in heaven so much, he will give the credit to Julia, his wife. He will tell you how she badgered him to stop playing basketball so much once their children came along because the family needed him to be at home more. As a result, Jordan quit the basketball leagues he was so dedicated to and now he is absolutely thrilled to be back shooting hoops. Absence does, in fact, make the heart grow fonder. |
We are used to old people looking forward to heaven because they are dying. We grasp that they will be extremely glad to leave their pain and get to heaven. But, the miserable process of dying is not the only way to get us to look forward to heaven. Biblical love, denying ourselves for the good of others, is much more effective. We can do without things and experiences now to make available to others essential necessities. To do this, we look to heaven for far more wonderful things than we can have or experience this side of death.
Think of a child who has been waiting to go to the zoo when school vacation arrives. He or she will exhibit such wonderful anticipation before and then huge excitement when finally going and getting to the zoo. If we can understand this, we can understand how waiting for the joys of heaven can intensify the experience of heaven once we get there.
Whatever our Lord will ask us to give up so that we can help others have food, clothing and shelter will just make those things so much more attractive and exciting when we get them in heaven. Let’s at least be willing to consider not having some things for the sake of others. Let’s at least be willing to consider not doing some things so we can help others with the basic needs of life. Friends can help one another do this. Families can make sure there is no one to help before spending money on extravagances. Marriages can do the same.
In the bigger view of heaven ahead, we can let go now to receive a whole lot more then.
Opportunity for a Closer Relationship with God through Empathy
Think of a child who has been waiting to go to the zoo when school vacation arrives. He or she will exhibit such wonderful anticipation before and then huge excitement when finally going and getting to the zoo. If we can understand this, we can understand how waiting for the joys of heaven can intensify the experience of heaven once we get there.
Whatever our Lord will ask us to give up so that we can help others have food, clothing and shelter will just make those things so much more attractive and exciting when we get them in heaven. Let’s at least be willing to consider not having some things for the sake of others. Let’s at least be willing to consider not doing some things so we can help others with the basic needs of life. Friends can help one another do this. Families can make sure there is no one to help before spending money on extravagances. Marriages can do the same.
In the bigger view of heaven ahead, we can let go now to receive a whole lot more then.
Opportunity for a Closer Relationship with God through Empathy
For the time being, Jesus is visiting those who fed and clothed Him when they did so for others. He is coming to them in the order of the extent of their sacrifice of pleasure back in the sinful world when they did without and gave to those with urgent needs. He is telling them face-to-face how much He appreciated their looking out for the basic good of others.
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We have all been grateful when someone has helped us out in a critical situation. If they are in a large fellowship, we seek them out. Isn’t it easy to see how this applies to heaven and our relationship with God there?
Surely, the way to have a deeper relationship with God for eternity is to have symbolically fed and clothed Him before we die.
Surely, the way to have a deeper relationship with God for eternity is to have symbolically fed and clothed Him before we die.
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did
for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Matt 25:40
for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Matt 25:40
Here is another consideration. Like-minded people like to be together. So, if God is a Person who cares that all of His children have the basic necessities of life, He will have a closer relationship with those in heaven who were so concerned and more like Him.
Lets be like-minded with God and also feed and cloth Jesus now to enhance our relationship with Him in heaven for all eternity. It really is “now or never”. This cannot be done once we get there. No basic needs will need to be provided in heaven.
Praise and Prayer Regarding this Together
O God who provides for our needs so generously, I and those in my Christian Inner Circle will need Your help to grow our spirits so that we cherish opportunities to deny ourselves to be able to provide for someone else’s basic needs. Help us to yield to the work of the Holy Spirit for all of us to give You more glory in the way we do with less so that others can have food, clothing, shelter, or some other essential need. Heavenly Father who cares so deeply for the basic needs of His people, help me, my friends and my family to be more concerned for those in urgent need. Help us to see when You want someone fed, clothed, or housed.
Please help us all to become more like Jesus and be concerned for the basic physical needs as well as the spiritual needs of those in our Christian Inner Circles or others who cross our paths. Let us have ears to hear when Jesus wants us to step up and help provide something essential for another. Help us to forego some of the comforts of life for the basic needs of others.
May our lives worship You more because we do not overlook the basic needs of the poor and negate our worship songs and praises. We want You to enjoy our worship of You, so help us to be careful to not turn a blind eye to the essential needs of poorer Christians we are around. Dear Savior, let us love others more deeply and know that in doing so we are loving You more. Holy Spirit, open us to Your help to cut back any excessive desires for things or experiences. Dear God, give us resources to help others generously without judgment of them or their circumstances.
Make us strong in Your power to defeat the devil by not being only concerned for ourselves, our own security and our own pleasures. Help us to be more concerned with what we can do for You than what You can do for us. Allow us to be part of Your answer to the pleas for Your help from needy persons.
Help us all to prepare for heaven by denying ourselves pleasures for the needs of others now so that later we will be able to enjoy the pleasures of heaven at a higher understanding and a deeper joy.
Ever increasing practice of the Togethers of Scripture will (1) create in you the loving essence of Jesus, (2) give Jesus the kind of love He requested, (3) provide you with the most significant spiritual lifestyle which is attainable only through Christian community, (4) offer significant worship to God by reflecting his own character back to him through your behavior, and (5) bring God’s kingdom to earth as asked for in the Lord’s Prayer. And for heaven, such growing obedience to Scripture now will later (6) qualify you for a more responsible place of service as reward in heaven, and, (7) most important of all, give you greater empathy with God for a closer relationship with Him for all of eternity.
Lets be like-minded with God and also feed and cloth Jesus now to enhance our relationship with Him in heaven for all eternity. It really is “now or never”. This cannot be done once we get there. No basic needs will need to be provided in heaven.
Praise and Prayer Regarding this Together
O God who provides for our needs so generously, I and those in my Christian Inner Circle will need Your help to grow our spirits so that we cherish opportunities to deny ourselves to be able to provide for someone else’s basic needs. Help us to yield to the work of the Holy Spirit for all of us to give You more glory in the way we do with less so that others can have food, clothing, shelter, or some other essential need. Heavenly Father who cares so deeply for the basic needs of His people, help me, my friends and my family to be more concerned for those in urgent need. Help us to see when You want someone fed, clothed, or housed.
Please help us all to become more like Jesus and be concerned for the basic physical needs as well as the spiritual needs of those in our Christian Inner Circles or others who cross our paths. Let us have ears to hear when Jesus wants us to step up and help provide something essential for another. Help us to forego some of the comforts of life for the basic needs of others.
May our lives worship You more because we do not overlook the basic needs of the poor and negate our worship songs and praises. We want You to enjoy our worship of You, so help us to be careful to not turn a blind eye to the essential needs of poorer Christians we are around. Dear Savior, let us love others more deeply and know that in doing so we are loving You more. Holy Spirit, open us to Your help to cut back any excessive desires for things or experiences. Dear God, give us resources to help others generously without judgment of them or their circumstances.
Make us strong in Your power to defeat the devil by not being only concerned for ourselves, our own security and our own pleasures. Help us to be more concerned with what we can do for You than what You can do for us. Allow us to be part of Your answer to the pleas for Your help from needy persons.
Help us all to prepare for heaven by denying ourselves pleasures for the needs of others now so that later we will be able to enjoy the pleasures of heaven at a higher understanding and a deeper joy.
Ever increasing practice of the Togethers of Scripture will (1) create in you the loving essence of Jesus, (2) give Jesus the kind of love He requested, (3) provide you with the most significant spiritual lifestyle which is attainable only through Christian community, (4) offer significant worship to God by reflecting his own character back to him through your behavior, and (5) bring God’s kingdom to earth as asked for in the Lord’s Prayer. And for heaven, such growing obedience to Scripture now will later (6) qualify you for a more responsible place of service as reward in heaven, and, (7) most important of all, give you greater empathy with God for a closer relationship with Him for all of eternity.