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To the sign holders, nothing. I think they are con artists.
To the truly homeless (you can tell the difference), I still won't give money. I'll go buy they some food and give that. I don't want to give them money they may use to buy drugs or alcohol.
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Did Jesus ask the crowd that he fed with fish and 2 loaves of bread if they had eaten already?
Did he ask them if they were rich or poor?
Last edited by Miss Blue; 11-11-2013 at 10:58 AM..
Reason: personal attacks will be infracted
This was in an area that has a lot of people sleeping in parks. Motel families with Mom and Dad and the kids in a rent-by-the-week room. Teenage runaways. One gets the chance to find out who has real need. "There but for the grace of God...."
Last edited by DewDropInn; 11-11-2013 at 10:21 AM..
Did Jesus and the disciples hand out food and clothing to those who reject Jesus and want nothing to do with God? I don't think so!
Our mission is to feed them the Bread of life so that they can come into the house of God and learn to depend upon God to be their provider, not build ourselves up as this man's god. The welfare system teaches us that you just make LAZY, UNPRODUCTIVE, SELFISH,UNGRATEFUL, sloths out of them. You can not buy a heart for God, nor will He have one who had to be bought!
Of course if you see someone not begging, lying in the bushes, dirty and clearly in need of some food or clean clothing and you have some, then tell him of Jesus, testify to how God has helped you and give him something to eat in the natural sense or some clothes. But if they reject to come to Christ, then do not return to him. For that is the reason they are in the position they are in, they reject the love of God, which is His Word, being our Lord Jesus.
The worst thing you can do is to become this man's god in which he keeps coming to you for handouts when he has no intension of coming to Christ and turn from his wicked ways that have him living down in the dumps in the DUST of the earth in chaos, darkness, torment, instead of repenting and confessing of their sins to begin living in the green grass, provided for by the blessing of God in peace in Christ.
In fact if you notice, Jesus never paid for anything he needed or ate at the expense of others, For those who work the fields for God are supposed to be found worthy of pay from the lost who appreciate the SOUL FOOD being God's Word. Spiritual food is worth much more to the wise than a ham sandwich! Wouldn't you say?
Most men do not realize this, and keep their treasures for the natural belly and call the man of God greedy if offering plate is mentioned. God is keeping tabs. Jesus took the poor widow woman's LAST mite which was all she had to live on and WROTE and boasted about her giving and his acceptance of it. For to give BACK to God and consider His Word a thing to desire is gain. I say give back to God, for there is nothing that we have that does not belong to God.
Acts 3:2-6
2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; 3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. 5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. 6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. KJV
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Jesus did heal the Roman soldiers daughter. Then they believed.
He helped them first,then they believed.
Last edited by Miss Blue; 11-11-2013 at 10:59 AM..
I can only remember maybe 2 or 3 times I ever encountered a panhandler. I just offered them what they said they needed the money for. Food, diapers for their baby, etc. Only one took me up on it. Most of what I have encountered have been situations I came across or was made aware of. I always do what I can and try to get them to more help if they need it.
You can hold on to your money. Even have it placed in your casket. If you have enough, then just give to a cause you feel strongly for. Be it homeless, or some silly politician. Politicians are the worse to give to.
Did Jesus and the disciples hand out food and clothing to those who reject Jesus and want nothing to do with God? I don't think so!
Our mission is to feed them the Bread of life so that they can come into the house of God and learn to depend upon God to be their provider, not build ourselves up as this man's god. The welfare system teaches us that you just make LAZY, UNPRODUCTIVE, SELFISH,UNGRATEFUL, sloths out of them. You can not buy a heart for God, nor will He have one who had to be bought!
Of course if you see someone not begging, lying in the bushes, dirty and clearly in need of some food or clean clothing and you have some, then tell him of Jesus, testify to how God has helped you and give him something to eat in the natural sense or some clothes. But if they reject to come to Christ, then do not return to him. For that is the reason they are in the position they are in, they reject the love of God, which is His Word, being our Lord Jesus.
The worst thing you can do is to become this man's god in which he keeps coming to you for handouts when he has no intension of coming to Christ and turn from his wicked ways that have him living down in the dumps in the DUST of the earth in chaos, darkness, torment, instead of repenting and confessing of their sins to begin living in the green grass, provided for by the blessing of God in peace in Christ.
In fact if you notice, Jesus never paid for anything he needed or ate at the expense of others, For those who work the fields for God are supposed to be found worthy of pay from the lost who appreciate the SOUL FOOD being God's Word. Spiritual food is worth much more to the wise than a ham sandwich! Wouldn't you say?
Most men do not realize this, and keep their treasures for the natural belly and call the man of God greedy if offering plate is mentioned. God is keeping tabs. Jesus took the poor widow woman's LAST mite which was all she had to live on and WROTE and boasted about her giving and his acceptance of it. For to give BACK to God and consider His Word a thing to desire is gain. I say give back to God, for there is nothing that we have that does not belong to God.
Acts 3:2-6
2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; 3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. 5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. 6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. KJV
Interesting verses to quote.
The story is told of Savonarola who was a priest but he preached against the moralcorruption of the clergy and the Church of Rome, that he once entered one of the finest churches in Rome led by the parish priest who showed him the stained glass windows, the marble statues, the fine pews and marvelous pulpit and said to him, "See, the church is no longer like of old, where it must say 'silver and gold have I none.'"
"No," replied Savonarola, "but neither can it say 'rise up and walk.'"
I find it hard to believe that someone who can post on the internet and own a computer has no silver or gold--or at least currency. So hopefully you can say "rise up and walk," and indeed prove to be a faithfulone4 someone.
Our pastoral response is to refer the homeless person to a shelter. Our church is in an area that's frequented by the homeless, so we cards printed up for resources nearby where they can go to get food and a place to sleep. Sorry to say, a cash donation will likely go to a pint of Wild Turkey, which only makes the issue worse. As someone who volunteers for two different homeless shelters, I really think that is the best possible action a Christian can perform.
I don't do this all the time, but I have taken the person in question into a restaurant and bought him a meal. It's really interesting the conversations you have with them. You don't proselytize. You don't judge. You just have a conversation with the man. Because giving a man back his humanity is often the very best thing you can do.
In NYC, you can get hit up several times a day, and unfortunately, it's mostly going for drug money. Knowing that, I've sometimes given money anyway on the chance I'm wrong.
The truly hungry homeless know where the kitchens and pantries are. I support them both where I work and where I live.
I don't want to judge or hate the addicts, understand. I just don't want to give money for drugs and alcohol that could feed someone.
When I encounter them, if I have cash or change, I give it to them. In MY opinion, it's not my place to judge why they may be in the position they're in. I feel it's my duty as someone who follows Christ, to act as Christ did. I cannot imagine Christ telling someone who is asking for help or money "no". I just do not think that is the Christian thing to do.
When I encounter them, if I have cash or change, I give it to them. In MY opinion, it's not my place to judge why they may be in the position they're in. I feel it's my duty as someone who follows Christ, to act as Christ did. I cannot imagine Christ telling someone who is asking for help or money "no". I just do not think that is the Christian thing to do.
In Jesus illustration of the neighborly good Samaritan the Samaritan saw a real genuine need of someone in distress.
By his going that extra mile, so to speak, Jesus was teaching that we should widen-out in love even for strangers.
Jesus did not instruct to build or set up soup kitchens, etc. but to do what we can on a one-to-one basis as need arises.
However, I recall one woman who was asked for milk money for a child. The woman observed the man was smoking. He was Not willing to give up a pack of cigarettes for his child's milk. In that case the woman felt to give him money she would be playing the role of an enabler. To actually give the child milk or food her conscience would allow.
I also recall one person being willing to go with the person to a restaurant for something to eat.
Since some situations seem more clear cut that other situations, then we should act accordingly.
Since we can not read hearts, then all we can do is try to best size up the situation before acting.
Scripture does show we are not to leave the providing of material things to chance, or just because one refuses to work.
-2nd Thess. 3 v 10
Jesus did promise if a person puts kingdom interests first, then life's necessities would be obtained. - Matthew 6 v 33
- Hebrews 13 vs 5,6; 1st Thess. 4 vs 11,12; 1st Timothy 5 v 8; 6 vs 17, 18
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