Honey From The Rock

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Honey From The Rock
Psalm 81:16

"Sweet Stuff From God's Word"

A daily Bible study with Victor Knowles
Copyright 2007

HELPING THE NEEDY

This entry was posted on 02-12-2008 and is filed under uncategorized.

"Share with God's people who are in need" (Romans 12:13-a NIV).

Please remember that this 12th chapter of Romans starts with an appeal for us to offer ourselves as "living sacrifices" to God. "Sacrifice" is not in the top ten list of our thinking, practice or vocabulary. From the cradle to the grave man is a selfish creature. So Paul reminded the Romans to share with the saints who were in need. The Knox Translation says, "Providing generously to the needs of the saints."

The first Christians were very good at doing this. "No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had...THERE WERE NO NEEDY PERSONS AMONG THEM" (Acts 4:32, 35 NIV). We have not restored the New Testament church until we restore the spirit and practice of unselfish, sacrificial sharing! As long as there is one church member - just one - who is still truly "in need" we are not the people we should be. Sometimes when I pull into the parking lot of a church where I will soon speak, I look around at all the new, shiny cars and SUVs. They represent hundreds of thousands of dollars. Yet, no doubt, there are fellow brothers and sisters in that very church who will not be able to pay some bills this week, or may even go hungry. Every one of us could do with a little less so that a fellow Christian could do with a little more! The distribution of these funds is the true work of the deacons as I understand the book of Acts. Sharing does not come naturally, so Paul admonishes the believers in Rome to be "relieving the wants of Christ's people" (TCNT). Let us live simply so some of our fellow believers can simply live!

Prayer: Father, we are so blessed. Create within us this day a willingness to sacrifice something and to be willing to share to that it can truly be said of us: "THERE WERE NO NEEDY PERSONS AMONG THEM!" Through Christ we pray.