Our Christianity is about to be tested.....

[Gideon]

This week-end, my wife and I loaded up the boys for a rare trip out to Costco. We were driving, listening to Kare Jobe singing. It was hot and very humid, but inside our little air conditioned "bubble", we were happy to get out as a family for a bit after being home bound for so long.  

All of a sudden, something caught my eye along the side of the road. A family.... a man, his wife, their toddler, their dog and some heavy looking bags and back packs caught my eye. The woman was struggling, trying to comfort her crying toddler. The man too was struggling, carrying their belongings while holding the leash to their young dog. 

I immediately began to cry. so did my wife.  Neither one of us could drive by and both of us knew we had to stop, but we were on a road where we could not turn around for several miles. We drove further, to a branch of our bank and got some cash. We turned around, and found them under a shade tree a few feet from the major road, crying in despair.  Long story short, we helped them as the Lord had led. This post is not about them, nor about the level of  our response, and I so wish I could have done more. 

These were not drug addicts, nor alcoholics. They were not users of people. They had simply fallen through the cracks of our ever-weakening economy. They had had jobs but lost them , lost their rented home. had their car break down and were falling...... into hopelessness.  

Guys, more will follow. Many more. Before this is over, homelessness will not simply be the "fringe-dwellers of society. They will include entire normal families... kids with moms and dads who had always worked, paid their bills, just like you and me. Some will be in your church.

A food bank is wonderful but will not be enough. Missions are wonderful, but they will simply quickly get to overflowing. The question is...... the one we need to answer in our hearts, is     What will we do? How uncomfortable will we make our own little "safety bubble" we have worked so hard to establish  in order to alleviate the desperate conditions we will see others find themselves in? 

Will we try to save our life.... or lose it to help others? What does God think on matters such as this? 

“Is not this the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

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?

Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily; and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward.

Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, ‘Here I am.’ "

Isaiah 58:6-9

We are entering into a time none of us have ever experienced. It is easy to worship God when our rent is paid, when there is plenty of food on our tables, and yes, when our cable bill is paid up, lol. But a test is coming that will reveal how deeply our walk with God actually goes.

Think for a minute. In your fellowship,  what if half of the people you worship with ended up unemployed and with many of them homeless? How would your church handle such a predicament? How would you? 

Again, let us hear what God has told us...

"Hereby we perceive the love of God: because He laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

But whoso hath this world’s goods and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up the compassion of his heart from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth."

1 John 3:16-18 

We can hide our heads from believing such a time  is on our horizon. Suppose for a minute it is not.Suppose wexsomehow dodge such a terrible situation.  It changes nothing. What matters is the depth of our Lord dwelling in our hearts. If we are not at the place where we could share our food, or bring another family into our home, disrupting our attempts to live 'normal' lives, we, myself included,, need to seek God for His heart so that we can do so, and do so with joy, not begrudgingly. This is truly a scary thing to contemplate, but the fact that it is so scary reveals that our hearts need searching.... and filling. 

These coming days are going to be the time when the genuineness of our Christianity will be tested. It is called the valley of decision.  God IS able to change us to the point where we can smile as we welcome others into our homes... and mean it. . It will not be easy getting to the point where we can share what we have. God must work it into our hearts. But our job is to humbly admit we need Him to bring us to the point we are willing to be changed, because even though He wants to rule over us, He will not  "over-rule" us. 

blessings to all, 

Gideon

 

 

 

[R. Hartono]

I heard abt a rich manager got fired from his job n unable to pay installments of expensive Cars n properties.

He was deceived actually to live in luxury with his increasing prosperity n money instead of living Godly.

Typical of the materialistic society

 

[Wayne222]

I think more homelessness due to job lost. I dont know how bad it will get. If everyone would wear masks for four months everywhere they went. We could stop the virus in no time. But in the USA people want there rights first and foremost. Helping homeless people is a good thing. If not us then who. Still be careful some people can be dangerous.  My mother years ago let someone stay at her house for awhile and he stole money from her. Yet it's worth trying.  

[R. Hartono]

21 minutes ago, Wayne222 said:

  My mother years ago let someone stay at her house for awhile and he stole money from her. Yet it's worth trying.  

Release it without heaviness for she still has a lot of God bless but that man has nothing. Be thankful and joy for you have done the goodness for God Himself actually.

Mat 5:⁴⁰ And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.

 

 

Edited August 5, 2020 by R. Hartono

[Marathoner]

The Lord bless you and your wife, brother. You listened to His Spirit and carried out His will. I'll share something that happened last winter during a fierce storm.

The winds were howling after considerable snowfall so the effective temperature outdoors was below zero degrees Fahrenheit. I was making my way toward a pass through the mountains when I noticed a man just ahead stumbling along my side of the road. He was dressed in a t-shirt and jeans; no coat nor even shoes on his feet, just socks. He was waving his arms frantically but the vehicles in front of me passed him by; I came to a stop alongside of the man, rolled down a passenger window, and shouted for him to jump in. Shouting was necessary because the wind was literally howling. 

Once he was safely inside I rolled up the window and was immediately assaulted by the stench of liquor. The fellow had been drinking. 

"Thank God you stopped!," the man exclaimed. "I was praying to God for a miracle!"

I asked if he lived in the area. Yes, the man replied, several miles up the highway in the direction I was traveling. I offered to take him home or somewhere else if he so desired. The man wouldn't have survived long enough to make it home considering how he was dressed. Miraculously, his extremities weren't frostbitten. He was in good shape considering the atrocious windstorm.  

Not only should we open our hearts to help our neighbor but we should also refrain from passing judgment upon them. The Lord answered this man's prayer so who am I to question His judgment? I'm thankful that His Spirit made sure I was in the right place at the right time to render aid to this man. 

[missmuffet]

There is a community here and a piece of property where they allow those living in their car to stay. Whole families 

[missmuffet]

4 minutes ago, SONshine said:

Too sad.  ...but maybe they’ll be able to receive more help here.  

There are villages that have the small houses. I am sure there is a huge waiting list. 

[Figure of eighty]

This is inspiring to me. Since im still working. I think ill set aside money for those that have been affected. 

 

I want to do it through cash app to help people that arent just in my state. However, im afraid of scammers getting over on me when i want to help people that actually need this. 

 

 

[Marathoner]

4 hours ago, missmuffet said:

There is a community here and a piece of property where they allow those living in their car to stay. Whole families 

I was thinking of all the grounded passenger jets and how some might be used to provide shelter to those in need. I've been homeless before and was grateful for a place to stay when I needed it most.

[Mike Mclees]

I read the post and my heart sank.. i am retired and get SS. I am not living in luxury. yet i am secure at least for now. It made me remember the last big recession that lasted a spell. so many without work. Whole families everyday at the chow lines. Im choking up.  

What would i do i wonder. I can only to give my best.