ARE WE IN AMERICA REALLY THAT POOR!

[Neighbor]

18 minutes ago, FJK said:

We just have no need or room for some people in our modernized world and are squeezing them out of it with no where for them to go..

An increasingly progressive trend with more and more people being added on a daily basis.

Has not that very squeezing existed from the get go? Well at least from the days of Noah and his ark? 

That the  progressive movement of the early 1900's is still in "progress" I agree. But it has always been an error and still is to this day as God provides and can continue to provide all that is needed for any given day. There is manna enough for the day including an extra provision for Sabbath days (Figuratively so).

These times are temporal, part of many seasons of God's fallen creation; looks like the harvest within it is nearing full ripening,  making for a time when the tares will be separated  from the wheat too. The wheat will be turned to the sun (Son) for nourishment and then be harvested.

There is joy coming in the morning, for the homeless and the well housed that have been called of God. What is wealth  or counted as wealth  on this fallen earth today will all burn away. There will be a new earth. Yep it is all going to burn, not to be remembered for it's tears any longer. Praise God, Maranatha.

[DeighAnn]

42 minutes ago, Neighbor said:

Perhaps this is a good time to read  or reread a couple of modern classic novels to get better perspective on how often  massive homelessness occurs, plus how long it may last. 

Two books come to mind immediately: Grapes of Wrath and Cannery Row.

The Bible of course addresses depictions  of extreme poverty and homelessness  along with practical lessons  and applications for today. Nonetheless the poor will always be with  all of us.

Not only that,  at any moment, any of us may become that poor person that is impoverished and also homeless.

Being a little sympathetic is good, being empathetic  is not uncommon; but the being active in helping the poor and homeless directly, therein is  a serious challenge to our heart, our mind, our very soul.

It is not easy to just give a hand without putting conditions on the giving as governments tend to do.  What do you think our Lord wants of us individually? I find it a hard thing to sort out rationally, but have experienced the making of choices, and yes the giving without conditions being set.

Unconditional giving,  may not be best for all concerned, I just don't know. So I have to trust in the lead by the Holy Spirit at any given moment and situation that comes onto my own life. What  of you?

 

I have driven past homeless people asking for money without a second though.  I have driven past, then circled back around to give to others, I have no idea why.  I will take off the coat I am wearing, to give it to someone walking along the street on a very cold day.  During the winter I even keep a bag with socks and a coat and other stuff along with water and a couple food items to give when the calling calls. I truly let the spirit lead because I cannot tell you why I ever feel one way or the other.  Since it makes no sense to me who is who, I just figure it makes sense to God.  

 

[Neighbor]

4 minutes ago, DeighAnn said:

I have driven past homeless people asking for money without a second though.  I have driven past, then circled back around to give to others, I have no idea why.  I will take off the coat I am wearing, to give it to someone walking along the street on a very cold day.  During the winter I even keep a bag with socks and a coat and other stuff along with water and a couple food items to give when the calling calls. I truly let the spirit lead because I cannot tell you why I ever feel one way or the other.  Since it makes no sense to me who is who, I just figure it makes sense to God.  

 

Yes, yes, and yes. The quiet moments of sharing.

May it bless God as God also blesses, for the heart 's giving without sense of gain nor for any credit before God. Just giving, a very quiet joy within, somewhere within the soul and spirit, the left hand hardly  aware of what the right has done.

[DeighAnn]

10 minutes ago, AnOrangeCat said:

This is really one of the key elements of poverty in the US as I see it. More and more people are either staying single or both the man and the woman have to work full time just to make ends meet, which in turn undermines traditional family structure a lot. It doesn't seem sustainable.

OH how I hated the 'womans liberation' movement...growing up looking forward to graduation and then getting married and taking care of a house and some kids....being FREE 8 hrs a day 5 days a week...OH heaven...

then I had to get a job and work for a living...I personally think women were being stupid.  Giving up what I saw as the 'life of Riley' (don't know what that really means but always thought of it as in a cushy life with little to no stress) I thought was a really bad idea from the get-go.   THEN it turns out when you make more money than them, they resent you.  What a lose lose situation. 

But I understand I am in the like 1% or so but I think that, along with the taking prayer out of school, was the letting go at the top of the slide moment in this country... 

[Neighbor]

32 minutes ago, AnOrangeCat said:

This is really one of the key elements of poverty in the US as I see it. More and more people are either staying single or both the man and the woman have to work full time just to make ends meet, which in turn undermines traditional family structure a lot. It doesn't seem sustainable.

Well, when I think back on the times I have lived through to date I remember three and four generations in a household. I was part also of the housing crunch of WWII, being transported around as a babe on troop transport trains as excess baggage so to speak. I still have a ration book  with my name on it from that era.

 I do recall  an orphaned member of the family living with my grandparents. I remember my own parents struggle to gain a place of their own, an adventure that took literally a couple of decades of their lives, finally culminating in a GI bill financed home. I also know the wealth they eventually obtained, by very hard work,  long hours,  and then shared of oh so generously!!! 

They were what most would consider to be rich, generous helping of others even inventing medical devices at great personal expense that enriched many a life. Yet they both died without ever acknowledging, never mind following the gospel of Yeshua. What poverty that is, to have a total poverty of faith  in the gospel of Yeshua.

So where to place my own focus?Is it to be  on what one has in hand in the way  of tangible assets? Or is it to be in the amazing blessing  from God of awareness of the gospel  of Yeshua with  the enabling of total trust  in His faith  by the Holy Spirit?

While I will like to have it all, I treasure that awakening by the Holy Spirit over all else. Nothing in this life's adventure comes close to that!

[DeighAnn]

9 minutes ago, Neighbor said:

Yes, yes, and yes. The quiet moments of sharing.

May it bless God as God also blesses, for the heart 's giving without sense of gain nor for any credit before God. Just giving, a very quiet joy within, somewhere within the soul and spirit, the left hand hardly  aware of what the right has done.

WELL SAID, very well said.  

[FJK]

1 hour ago, Neighbor said:

Has not that very squeezing existed from the get go? Well at least from the days of Noah and his ark? 

Not really, there was always a place of opportunity for those squeezed out to go, that's how the world was settled.

But where is that place for them now?  What opportunities do they have for a new place when their old place, the one they fit into, is eliminated?

[teddyv]

The world was settled by one group squeezing out another group. There were no unpopulated lands outside of Antarctica.

 

[DeighAnn]

2 minutes ago, Neighbor said:

While I will like to have it all, I treasure that awakening by the Holy Spirit over all else. Nothing in this life's adventure comes close to that!

The only thing that makes this life worth living!! I agree.  

32 minutes ago, Neighbor said:

Yet they both died without ever acknowledging, never mind following the gospel of Yeshua. What poverty that is, to have a total poverty of faith  in the gospel of Yeshua.

IF I read that right, maybe this quick bible lesson on how I see what is written will help because I SEE things differently than most everyone at the moment, but it is much more comforting than what I see people teaching....so

just putting forth to ponder and hopefully comfort  




 That is why the 'dead' will rise, both the just and the unjust when Christ returns!!! Praise GOD.  OK, I get a little excited. 

We know there is no gift of salvation without going through the name of the Lord at this time.  I know many believe that that is the 'end', no more chances for eternal salvation.   

But I DON'T believe that.
I don't believe that just because they MISSED out on 'the Gift of Salvation' by not coming to faith (so they had to go to the grave/hell to pay the price of sin) it means they ALSO miss out on eternal salvation.  

How could those who never heard Gods Truth have been given 'a chance'?  Are all the nations that lived on the earth while God was putting forth HIS WORDS TO the ONE BLOODLINE ONLY, destined to persish? 

The GOD I KNOW, doesn't operate that way. 

I TRULY believe one of the main reasons for THE LORDS DAY, and for the RAISING OF THE DEAD is FOR bringing as many to repentance as possible before the GWTJ.



First, Christ and all those who never die
(because at the 'first death/the death we are not to fear/the death of the natural body/the as in Adam all die death/the common death of all men)

DON'T STOP FOLLOWING HIM, and the Follow Him to the place He is, and when they get there, He receives them to HIMSELF, and He brings us to the Father, in the kingdom of GOD, where He sits at the right hand of God

and we go before the Judgement seat of Christ in heaven and receive of the deeds done in this body and there we stay, having been raised up in power and glory and in our spiritual body


and then when Satan kills the two witnesses, we return with Him....the Kingdom of Heaven returning to the earth, to where it was first proclaimed.  

And what happens at that time?  THE DEAD are raised up.  Both the just and the UN just dead from hell/grave are resurrected.  They are raised up not only for the judgement/wrath of God but also

The dead are to be separated in the sheep and goat judgment.  Those who actually DID CHOOSE 'poorly' by choosing the ways of the world and/or DEATH are cast back into 'outer darkness' (hell, death, sea) joined with the angels in chains awaiting the GWTJ.  


But those, LIKE YOUR PARENTS, who DIDN'T choose, for whatever reason, will have 1000 years/millennium/Lords Day to work, BECAUSE work is what will get their names in the book of life.  They are raised in spiritual bodies, as that is the NEW REALM that has come from heaven, BUT they remain 'mortal' until they get their names in the book of life. 

We know when Christ returns DEATH has been defeated it has no more sting, and Satan is cast into the pit bound and sealed himself 


That leaves 'those who are His at his coming'  aka  'the alive and remaining' who are changed and caught up with Christ to join all the Holy Angels/Saints/army


From that time until the GWTJ, the PRIESTS teach and the dead WORK, while the Lord of Lords and King of Kings rules with a rod of iron.  

At the end of that day and for a short season, comes the time for the 'dead' to be proved, to choose between life or death themselves...just like we do now, kinda
 

So, when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

8And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

9And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

That is going to save LOTS OF time good riddance to bad rubbish

And then it's time for the dead to be judged...pretty sure but still just a guess, all their names will be found in the book of life.  BEEN 1000 years but finally those dead are going to finally LIVE.    YEA!!!   

 

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.


and then the 'goats'

13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.


and just in case any mistakes had been made...(like no wedding garment)

15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

I hope I got the dos and the nots in the right places but hopefully you at least get the idea.  It sure is better than thinking there is no hope for those who are truly loved and important in our lives.  

God Bless...

 

[Neighbor]

On 8/25/2023 at 2:33 PM, FJK said:

But where is that place for them now?

Any place there is water. The USA as one small example is still a vast unsettled wilderness, one with pockets of densely populated areas having relatively easy access to water.  The USA, turf wise, has lots and lots of room for a far greater population than is present today.

Sell or even just lease the USA titled land, giving grants of ownership/use to those that will work at making a living  in the areas unpopulated, and the growth can go on indefinitely.

Poverty in the USA  is a relative term  comparing those that presently have  with those that do not presently have assets that can be utilized. But if the USA were to encourage development of the vast lands to which  it holds title, there would be a flourishing  "Oklahoma" land rush like never seen before; forty acres and a mule style, or even  a jubilee year type declaration would shatter complacency, and afford all a chance at prosperity, made with  one's own mind and hands, under sovereign by God..