Easter feasting

I think the key word here concerning everything that the article says is sacrifice, or dying to self as another article on the forum states.

I think this is the message God wants to say to us right now.

Americans are fat, most of them, and it is on the increase. Yet, America is supposed to boast the greatest pastors and evangelists in the entire world.

There is a link between food and pride, it is there in scripture, and the most obvious one is in Ezekiel 16v49 'Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom, she and her daughter had pride, fulness of food, and abundance of idleness, neither did she strengthen the hand of the needy.

That could not be any clearer.

The article is spot on and addressed to all. No one is exempt.

We don't glorify God when we are selfish. We can all give more than we do, but we don't.

Also, we must remember that famine is also a sign of the endtimes as spoken of in Matt 24.

Still, that does not mean we are exempt from giving.

Thanks for the article, it is needed, we are too far off the track that God wants us to be on.

God bless.

Can I just say, the pictures in this article speak for themselves.

We need to not only pray and fast, but to give to those in need.

We do support churches in India where the poverty is acute.

Hope others get a vision to give to those in need for His names sake, for God's glory.

God bless.

Isa 58:1 [b]Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet![/b]

Preach it brother! This call must heard!

Thank you. A much needed message.

I read the article, and while the motive behind it is certainly true and enobling, I think the spirit of how it was written was not of born of the love of God or true compassion of Christ for these poor people. It seems rather bent on smearing and chastising and characterizing every western Christian who is not in a labor camp or starving or going overseas as a missionary to suffer and die. Brethren, is this how we go about rallying the troops? Is this the Holy Spirit's way of melting hearts and instilling compassion? The author makes a lot of good points, but the overriding spirit seems to be one of anger and lack of charity. I don't think this brother realizes how he is coming across.

stuff our faces until we pass out like fat lazy gluttons and totally ignore all the needs of the world around us

This harsh statement is void of the love and compassion of Christ. It's an unfair generalization at best; one spoken out of anger and flesh at worst. The spirit behind it immediately cancels out the entire philanthropical exhortation by the author.

I recommened reading David Wilkerson's monthly newsletter to experience how a Christian should properly voice his/her concern on this topic and admonish the body of Christ with the grace of God. Wilkerson writes no searing accusations, no angry rhetoric, no unfair generalizations and stereotypes.

I write this with grace and love, and let me conclude by saying that the core of this message is one of strong truth and is vital to the core. All of us should be haunted by the Parable of the Sheep and Goats in Matthew 25. I will only be so bold as to say that a different spiritual approach was needed. I do not doubt the author's good intentions.

Brother Paul

Hi brother Paul and everyone,

I would like to share my concerns and what is in my heart about this subject.
I live in a country where the church is poor compared to american church, but we are [i]very rich[/i] and live in [i]luxuries[/i] compared to the church in other countries like China, India, Africa etc
I had once chance to hear preaching a bulgarian missionary to India. Bulgaria by standard is similar like my country. He said something like this: "Brothers and sisters, you don't have right to murmur, you are rich, you are very rich, please stop murmuring that you are poor, you live in abundance!"
And as a note, most of the people in Bulgaria are happy to have 100-150$ a month, and the average pension is 30-40$.

I would like to base the whole reasoning on the principles from 2 Cor. chapter 8 and 9. I think the whole chapters should be read again, but

2Co 8:13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened;
2Co 8:14 but by an [i]equality,[/i] that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack--that there may be [i]equality.[/i]

I believe that there are thousands of godly christians in America who is doing this in practice! But I'm afraid that many, many newborn christians are taking their "abundance" as a given to them, as a special grace from God and now they have every right to live in that abundance, because they are born in such and such country.
I am not talking about the world and feeding the hungry in whole world, but about the church as a whole body, no matter in America, Macedonia or India. The church is one. And the bible gives us certain principles (among the others I will repeat again 2 Cor. 8 and 9 as a basics) how the church should live.

But giving is something practical.
Here is one simple example how I believe that bible teach us: If one pastor in America has a car for a 10.000$ and the other pastor somewhere else has no car, he should sell the one of 10.000$, buy one for himself one of 5.000 and buy also a car from 5.000$ to the pastor that has no car and has need of it.
I don't believe that God loves more the american pastor and that's why he has given to him, or because he is born in a rich country. No, I believe that God has gave him not for himself but to give, and surely God will bless him his needs and to have even more, but again not for himself, but now to give more!

How many are willing to do that?

The car is just one example, there are much greater needs than cars. There are pastors and churches with lack of much greater necessities (if the car is necessity), food and provision for their children, bibles, christian literature.

Now:

1Jo 3:17 But whoever has this world's goods, and [i]sees his brother in need,[/i] and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
1Jo 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

Is anyone here can say that cannot see a brother in need? I don't think so. But lets not "shuts up his heart from him," The examples that Paul is giving are churches on a big distance, and knowingn that there were no internet, cars, plains, DHL, Fedex in that time.
The church is a body, there is no american or indian, a body as a whole.

Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Eph 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

If the part in Pakistan suffers, suffers whole body. If one part in Iran is hungry, the whole body suffers and should be concern, not just in words.

Should we continue to confess our [i]rights[/i] or repent our sins of not giving?

Really an eye opener are the videos of the Church in China - [url=http://www.chinasoul.org/e/e-va.htm]The Cross - Jesus in China[/url] (these are free for download, and I think every christian should watch them.
So no one will have excuse.

I that these principles of how the church should live practically as a body are so much forgotten that often sound like impossible for living in this new modern age. Like this was something just for the first church.
I would like to say again, there are many godly who are practicing this, but I believe also that that are many if not most newborn christians tha are sleeping in their comfort thinking that they are living just with necessities (but I suppose the measure is taking from the principles of this world)

1Ti 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

Surely God doesn't want us to live in rags, but the accent now is on something else, it is the giving. Surely our Lord is faithful:

2Co 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
2Co 9:9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

May the Lord bless all,
Kire

I would like to add a part from a [url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=12995&forum=34]True Discipleship[/url] by [url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/viewcat.php?op=&cid=419]William McDonald[/url] and a letter from a student that he shares:

Warfare

One could scarcely read the New Testament even casually without realizing that the figure of warfare is often used to describe Christ’s program on earth. True Christianity is far removed from the hurdy-gurdy entertainment of modern Christendom. It is not to be confused with the luxury-living and pleasure-seeking that are so rampant today. Rather, it is a struggle to the death, an unceasing conflict against the forces of hell. No disciple is worth his salt who does not realize that the battle is drawn and that there is no turning back.

In war, there must be unity. It is no time for petty bickering, for partisan jealousies, for divided loyalties. No house divided against itself can stand. Therefore, the soldiers of Christ must be united. The way to unity is through humility. This is clearly taught in Philippians 2. It is impossible to have strife with a truly humble man. It takes two to make a fight. “Only by pride cometh contention.” Where there is no pride, there is no room for contention.

War demands austerity and sacrificial living. In wars of any consequence, there is invariably a vast system of rationing. It is high time that Christians realized that we are at war and that expenditures must be cut to a minimum so that as much of our resources as possible can be thrown into the struggle.

Not many see this as clearly as a young disciple named R_____ M_____. In 1960, he was president of the freshman class of a Christian school. During his term, it was proposed that expenditures be made for the usual class parties, jackets, and a class gift. Rather than approve such expenditures which did not contribute directly to the furtherance of the gospel, R_____ M_____ resigned from his post as president. The following letter was distributed to his fellow classmen on the day his resignation was announced:

Dear Classmates:

Since the matters of class parties, jackets, and the class gift have been brought before the Cabinet, I, as the president of the class have been considering the Christian attitude toward these areas.

I think we would find the greatest joy for our own selves in giving ourselves, our money, and our time entirely for Christ and for others, thus finding the reality of His Words: ‘He who loses his life for My sake will find it.’

For Christians to spend their money and time on things that do not result in a definite witness to the unbeliever or for the building up of His children in Him would seem to be inconsistent with the facts that 7000 people die daily from starvation and over half the world has never heard of man’s only Hope.

How much more glory we could give to God by helping to spread the Gospel to the other 60% of the world who have never heard of Jesus Christ or even in many neighboring homes instead of coming together in a little clique by ourselves, limiting our social well-roundedness to those of like mind, and wasting money and time for our own pleasure.

Since I am aware of specific needs and opportunities where finances can be used to such great advantage to the glory of Jesus Christ and for helping my neighbor here and abroad, it is impossible for me to allow class funds to be spent unnecessarily on ourselves. If I were one of those who are in so great a need, as I know of so many to be in, I would want those who have the ability to do all that they could to supply me with the Gospel and with my material needs.

“And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them.”

“But if any one has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?”

Therefore it is with love and prayer, that you might see the Lord Jesus giving His all (2 Corinthians 8:9), that I hereby submit to you my resignation as president of the class of ’63.

In Him with you,

R_____ M_____

That is a [i]very[/i] good word, Kire. Each one of us should allow the Holy Spirit to search our hearts in this matter - but not stop there. Too many of us search and then stop. We need to search and act. The scriptures you provided hit the spot! This is certainly an area where God would do some pruning and clipping. How easy is it to forget the poor.