DAILY BREAD OF LIFE
TUESDAY 12TH JAN., 2016

TOPIC: CARING FOR THE NEEDY
TEXT: Psalms 41:1 “Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.”

One of the most common excuses for not giving to the needy is: ‘I had to work hard for what I’ve got; so should they.‘ True, the Bible teaches that if you’re not willing to work you’re not entitled to support (2 Thess 3:10). These statistics are needful here to enable you and I go extra mile to do God’s will. 1) Six million children under five die every year of starvation? 2) One out of seven people go to bed hungry every night? 3) The three richest people on the planet have more collective wealth than the combined gross national product of the world’s forty-eight poorest countries? General Booth, who founded the Salvation Army, said, ‘How can you convince a man of the love of God if his feet are perishing with the cold?‘ If your prayers aren’t being answered, here’s something to consider. The Israelites fasted and prayed, then complained that God wasn’t answering their prayers. The Lord replied them: ‘This is the kind of fast I’m after: to break the chains of injustice…get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts etc. God is Interested in seeing you…sharing your food with the hungry…putting clothes on the shivering ill—red, being available to your own families. Do this and the lights will turn on, and your lives will turn around at once. Your righteousness will pave your way. The God of glory will secure your passage. Then, when you pray, God will answer. You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, “Here I am’” (Isaiah 58:6-9). When you care for the needy, the Lord promises to ‘deliver [you] in times of trouble’ (Psalms 41:1 NKJV) The Lord protects, preserves, delivers, heals, and supplies long life to care givers (Phil 4 15-19) Finally, Deut 15:11 shows God’s mind concerning His appeal to care for the needy. Take action (James 1:25, 27).