* People often want to give to the "needy", failing to realize that so often those needy people are needy because they are not following God who puts us into "green pastures".

 

Comments by Joan Boney:

When we follow God, doing scriptures and the other words given to us by God's Spirit, God causes us to take actions usually before action is needed.  So when problems hit we are in a position to weather the storm.

Psalm 1:1-3 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

When the heat comes, he is already positioned to stand that heat for he positions himself by the rivers of water, by that word from God, doing that which that word says to do.

As a new Christian, God showed me to get out of debt and to stay out of debt.  Within a few months I was out of debt and for the next 40+ years I refused to follow ideas that would put me back into debt. So when problems came, I did not wither with the people of the world.

Also when God showed me to buy something, I bought that thing, knowing by faith God would not put me into a poor position for future.

When I was 82-years-old, I was considering having my seats on my 25-year-old car re-upholstered.

As I thought on doing this, the Holy Spirit brought the following idea to my mind:  "Or you could just buy a new car."

I'd never thought of doing that.  I had sold my house in Texas and the money was in my bank account.  I could buy a new car and pay cash.  That same night God gave me a dream where I bought a new car.  The morning after the dream I went to look at new cars and bought one.

"But what if you need that money in the future?"

This is one of the many benefits of being led by God in that which we do.  We won't need that money for if we did God would not lead us to spend that money.

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"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  

When I am following God, I find HE puts me into green pastures where there is good water.

Many people who say they are Christians do not follow God.  Therefore they are living in need, in old dead pastures where there is no real hope of provision.

Or they are trusting in human beings for their provision.

A man from the Philippines contacted me.  He said he was a pastor.  Since the age of 18 he had lived on property owned by their church group and he had worked as a "minister" to that church group.  

He heard a message I spoke and he spoke that message to his church group and they became very angry at him and told him to move from the church housing within a week.  By this time, he was married and had a young son.  He had no money and no place to live.

I told him to do as the apostle Paul did.  To get a secular job and provide for himself and his family.  I didn't hear from him again after that so I assumed it didn't suit him to do this.  To remain in the  church owned housing, he would have to speak the messages which that church group wanted him to speak.  

About 3 years later, I heard from him again.  An earthquake struck the housing and destroyed it.  He asked me to send him money, which I did not do.

My feeling on the issue:  If he had left that church group and had gotten a secular job, he might have been in a location where the earthquake did not destroy his house.

He showed me that he trusted in humans rather than trusting in God.

***

Why do you feel it is good to give to the needy who show they are not following God?

If the Lord is their shepherd, why are they needy?

***

It has been my experience that when I need something, I pray, and God either sees that I get that which I need or shows me I do not really need to do that thing which I think I need to do.

Ministers often just copy each other and try to do works that are not of God and then beg for you to send money and your flesh delights in helping them do a work that God did not author.

Matthew 7  Jesus said:

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Matthew 23  Jesus says to the scribes and Pharisees:

14  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

There is a good deal of evil in religious people.

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