Biblical Response to the Homeless

The homeless are both the bane and pity of our society.  They stand out as the lowest, the outcast, those who perpetually don’t fit in.  In 2005 there were 744,000 homeless people in the United States, yet not all of these people are homeless today.

Not all of these homeless are the same.  Some will only be on the streets for a night or a week or a month.  These have lost jobs and fallen on hard times.  For others, they have a network of supporters sufficient enough to give them a place to crash for a period of time.  But for many, the hard times perpetuate over years, sometimes even decades. These are the chronic homeless and they stand out as the most obvious failure of our society.

James was living on the streets of Gresham.  He was an alcoholic, a violent man and a thief.  But one day, in jail, he had a vision of Jesus, praying for him, calling to him.  He knew he had to change, to live differently, but he didn’t know how.  He approached the pastor who ran a meal and a worship service he attended once a week, and the pastor prayed for him and gave him counsel.  He cut back on his drinking and stopped stealing, but he still had difficulty making the rest of the changes he needed to make.  And no one would hire him because he looked like a bum. 

How are we supposed to react to the homeless?

Many of us look at the homeless in disgust, knowing that if they would just shake their addiction and apply themselves they could get a job and get back on their feet.  Others of us look at the homeless and feel sorrow and sympathy wanting to help, but only able to throw a dollar their way. 

But as believers in Jesus Christ, how are we supposed to react?  Many believers think that if the homeless would just commit themselves to Jesus, then their lives would get straightened out and they could be normal participants in society.  What many Christians don’t know is that at least a third of those who live on the street already have committed themselves to Jesus and are doing their best to live a Christian life.  Yes, some are addicts, but not all.  Many are mentally ill, but we cannot blame homelessness exclusively on mental illness, either. 

How does Scripture tell us to react to these poor and outcast of society? 

• We are to show respect to the poor.  James 2
• We are to respond in love and compassion to everyone in need.  Luke 10
• We are to offer help, especially to believers.  Galatians 6:10
• We are to offer hospitality, clothing, shelter and food.  Matthew 25:31-46
• We are to offer fellowship and peace. Romans 12

Most of all, according to Scripture, we are to love.  This doesn’t always mean giving money or food, although we shouldn’t be closed to that.   But it does always mean being patient, being kind, not putting ourselves over the other person, but bearing other’s burdens and enduring with them.  I Corinthians 13

Bill lived in Vancouver, but worked in Gresham.  He had often seen a homeless man walking by his office as he worked on his computer.  He recalled that his church in Vancouver wanted to begin a ministry to the homeless, but didn’t know where to begin.  Bill decided that he would begin on his own.  The next time he saw the man walking down the street, he approached him and engaged him in conversation.  James was friendly and though he was different, he was pleasant to talk to.  Bill took him out to lunch and began to hear about James’ life and issues.

A New Paradigm

As the people of Jesus who reached out to the outcast, we are not to stand at a distance from the homeless.  We must not separate ourselves from the lowest in society—whoever they are.  Can we continue our practice of throwing evangelistic messages and food out our door to the cold and grief-stricken, while we stay warm, comforted and well-fed in our buildings?  Some of these outcast we need to embrace as brothers and sisters, and others we need to embrace as the poor who need our help.  As the people of the Book which teaches compassion, we must stand with those on the street.

            But how are we to do this?  Thousands of homeless are just too much for any church to bear, let alone the small percentage of the church that are stirred by the Spirit to assist the homeless.  But the Lord has not called us to help the massive crowd, only those we know.  To assist the homeless is not a matter of a huge ministry with hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Rather it is a one-on-one ministry.

James took Bill to his street church and Bill’s eyes were opened.  There were maybe a hundred homeless in Gresham, and many of them were believers who worshipped the Lord in their own worship service.  Bill then made a decision—James was a fellow believer and needed his help.  He offered James some landscaping work, which James readily accepted.  When the freezing winds kicked up one night, Bill drove over to pick up James and a couple of his friends for the night.  Bill became James’ good friend.  James learned from Bill and from his pastor ways other than violence to deal with his problems.  James ended up living with another member of the church, John, and doing labor for Bill, John and the church.  He would obtain his room and board from John, and gain a little bit of money on the side from Bill and the church.

A Personal Welcome From the Church

This story should be replicated in every church.  If every church in our urban areas had perhaps two people among their congregations who would be a friend and support for a single homeless person, then our whole society would change.  The homeless would no longer be outcast, nor strangers in our midst.  They would be members of our churches, participants in our society and our friends. 

            Very few churches have the resources to have a shelter.  And it is not necessary for every church to have a food ministry.  But there is one need of the homeless that every urban church can help—their isolation.  The strength of the church is not our money, nor our political power.  Rather, the strength of Christians has always been their love, their sacrifice and their welcome.  If we take these strengths and focus them on the homeless, then the American urban landscape will change.  The church will have a new people.  And Christ will be glorified.

Applied Bible Passages

You have heard that it was said, "Do not oppress the poor." But I say to you, if you have as much as voted for one who 
would kill an innocent person, then you are complicit.


Iraq Body Count


Afghani Civilian Deaths in 2011


 If you take a poor man's tent or sleeping bag or coat, even in the name of a government, that poor one will cry out to Me and you shall be homeless and helpless. For what else are they to keep warm in? (Exodus 22:22-27)

God takes his stand among the judges, police and council members. "How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Vindicate the mentally ill and homeless, do justice to the afflicted. Rescue them out of the hands of the wicked, those who are willing to harm the ill and pitiful for the sake of themselves."(Psalm 82)

‎"The outcry against them is very great. I shall go down and see if they have done according to the outcry, and I will know if it is true"

God's Deliverance of the Suffering: What The Bible Says

Genesis 16:11
The LORD has given heed to your suffering.

Deuteronomy 26:5-9
My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt and sojourned there, few in number; but there he became a great, mighty and populous nation. And the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, and imposed hard labor on us. Then we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction and our toil and our oppression; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror and with signs and wonders; and He has brought us to this place and has given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.

Nehemiah 9:25-29
They captured fortified cities and a fertile land. They took possession of houses full of every good thing, Hewn cisterns, vineyards, olive groves, Fruit trees in abundance. So they ate, were filled and grew fat, And reveled in Your great goodness. But they became disobedient and rebelled against You, And cast Your law behind their backs And killed Your prophets who had admonished them So that they might return to You, And they committed great blasphemies. Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their oppressors who oppressed them, But when they cried to You in the time of their distress, You heard from heaven, and according to Your great compassion You gave them deliverers who delivered them from the hand of their oppressors. But as soon as they had rest, they did evil again before You; Therefore You abandoned them to the hand of their enemies, so that they ruled over them. When they cried again to You, You heard from heaven, And many times You rescued them according to Your compassion, And admonished them in order to turn them back to Your law.

Exodus 22:22-24
You shall not afflict any widow or orphan. If you afflict him at all, and if he does cry out to Me, I will surely hear his cry; and My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.

Psalm 10:17-18
O LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear to vindicate the orphan and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth will no longer cause terror.

I Peter 2:20-24
If you do what is right and suffer for it and you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

II Thessalonians 1:4-10
We speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed-- for our testimony to you was believed.

Romans 8:16-28
The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to suffering, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

I Peter 5:10
After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

Anawim's Lamentation

 

My own people laugh at me.

God has filled me with bitterness. He has given me a cup of deep sorrow to drink. He has made me grind my teeth on gravel. He has rolled me in the dust. Peace has been stripped away, and I have forgotten what prosperity is.

I cry out, "My splendor is gone! Everything I had hoped for from the LORD is lost!“ The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words.

I will never forget this awful time.

Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The unfailing love of the LORD never ends. By his mercies I have been kept from complete destruction.

Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day.

I say to myself, "The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!“ The LORD is wonderfully good to those who wait for him and seek him.

So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD.

Lamentation 3:14-26 (NLT)

Galatians 5 and Conflict

It is interesting that Paul makes two lists in Galatians 5 that are frequently quoted: the works of the flesh and the gifts of the Spirit. But a careful examination of the two lists shows that, more than anything else, Paul is contrasting those who increase conflict with those who are making peace in community. I’ll give each list, with just a little bit of editing (check it out yourself in Galatians 5, please), and you can see it yourself:
Introduction—“The whole law: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. The opposite: biting and devouring each other.”
Works of the flesh:
Enmities
Strife
Jealousy
Outbursts of anger
Disputes
Dissensions
Factions
Envying
Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Fruit of the Spirit:
Love
Joy (taking joy in others)
Peace (being at peace with all)
Patience
Kindness
Goodness
Faithfulness (keeping promises to others)
Gentleness
Self-control (Not being controlled by the list above)
Against such things there are no law.

Thus, those who are not of the kingdom are characterized by making strife, and those of the Spirit are characterized by love.

This means that in our ministry, if we create strife, then we are not acting in accord with the Spirit, but with the flesh, which will deny us the kingdom of God. If we create peace and joy and kindness-- even to those who are in opposition to us-- then we are likely acting according to the Spirit.

Reciprocity

How blessed is he who makes plans for the poor; The LORD will deliver him in a day of trouble.
The LORD will protect him and keep him alive, And he shall be called blessed upon the earth; And do not give him over to the desire of his enemies.
The LORD will sustain him upon his sickbed; In his illness, You restore him to health.
Psalm 41:1-3

Just as we do to others in need, the Lord will do to us in our time of need.

Widows and Orphans

"You shall not wrong an immigrant or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
"You shall not afflict any widow or orphan. If you afflict him at all, and if he does cry out to Me, I will surely hear his cry; and My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.
"If you lend money to My people, to the poor among you, you are not to act as a creditor to him; you shall not charge him interest. If you ever take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge, you are to return it to him before the sun sets, for that is his only covering; it is his cloak for his body. What else shall he sleep in? And it shall come about that when he cries out to Me, I will hear him, for I am gracious.”
Exodus 22:21-27

The widows and orphans are those who have no ability to bring their matter to court because they had no social or legal standing, just as a felon or the very poor do not in our society, because they cannot sue.

To do justice to the widow and orphan is, today, providing justice for those who obtain no justice in the "justice" system. For those who do not receive justice, the final appeal is to God Himself.

Top Ten Acts of Oppression

As stated by the Hebrew Prophets:

1. Refusing to defend the needy-- Isa 1:17, 23; Jeremiah 5:28
2. Stealing from the poor-- Isaiah 3:14-15
3. Unjust judgments against the poor-- Isa 10:1-2
4. Not assisting the needy-- Eze 16:49
5. Taking interest for loans-- Ezekiel 18:15-17
6. Enslaving a people-- Amos 1:6
7. Excessive violence in war, especially against innocents-- Amos 1:13
8. Excessive rent against the poor-- Amos 5:11
9. Accepting bribes-- Amos 5:12
10. Turning away those who need shelter for a night-- Amos 5:12

What The Bible Says About The Poor

No matter how great you think you are, if you oppress the poor, God will crush you and make you die. (Psalm 82)

Those who oppress the poor will die at God’s hand, but the righteous poor will be given the wealth of the wicked. (Psalm 37)

The society that listens to God’s word and provides for the poor will have no poor among them. However, because of the disobedience of his people, the poor will always be among the people. (Deuteronomy 15:4-11)

While many love the rich, even the neighbor of the poor hates them. If you hate your neighbor in need, you sin, but if you help the poor, God blesses you. (Proverbs 14:20-21)

The Creator will punish the one who mocks the poor. (Proverbs 17:5)

Sell what you have and give to the poor. (Luke 12:33)

Invite the poor to your parties and events. (Luke 14:13)

Associate with the lowly, treating them as equals, and so love your neighbor as yourself. (James 2:1-8)

The one who is kind to the poor is giving a loan to God and God will repay in time. (Proverbs 19:17)

Until the poor are assisted, God will not listen to our prayers. But after we do justice to the oppressed, then the Lord will answer our cries. (Isaiah 58:6-11)

The economics of God is that those who have more than what they need give to those who have need, so that everyone’s need is met. At another time, one who was given to will give to those who gave, so all give and all receive in their need. (II Corinthians 8:12-15)

When you give, give out of compassion and care for the other person’s need, or it does you no good. (I Corinthians 13:3)

When you give to the poor, do it for God’s sake, not for your own benefit so others will be impressed or give you benefit for your giving. If you give to be rewarded by men, you will receive nothing from God for your work. (Matthew 6:1-3)

A Dangerous Medium

Good morning, my brothers. I am honored that you have chosen me to speak to you, the All-Wealthy Fathers Under Liberty, for I have been concerned about our plight for some time. We have been subjected to oppression long enough! (Cheers in the crowd.) I was shocked last week to hear Brother Steven’s speech on hate crime in motion pictures. Up until this point, I have enjoyed the James Bond movies—but no more. Now I understand that they are simply anti-rich propaganda, intended to throw suspicion upon the good brothers who have worked hard to obtain their wealth. How dare they make Dr. No or the other villains wealthy? All of them? Clearly, just as our brother has pointed out, it is simple prejudice and jealousy! (More cheers.) I thank Brother Arnold for his insider’s view and especially for his work in banning these films, as well as any others which portray the wealthy according to stereotypes, instead of the truly honorable men we are. Let the media put the specter of suspicion where it belongs—on the government and the poor! (More cheers.) Let us bring back more wholesome programming, such as Schindler’s List and The Millionaire! (More cheers.)

As serious as the prejudice found in movies is, there is yet another, more insidious cultural influence that we must be concerned about. Movies and magazines, television and newspapers, and, of course, the internet—all have their various forms of prejudice and oppression against the rich and all need to be influenced, such as our Brother Rupert, Brother Ted and Brother Bill have done. But there is another, greater influence that has been all but overlooked. There is a medium that has been influential, not just for decades, a century or a century and a half, but for millennia! It has been used by the enemies of the rich, oppressing us and destroying us since time immemorial! It is the cause of many of the wars against the rich—The Lombard uprising of the 1400s in England, the Thirty Years War in Germany in the 1500s, and it is still used as a primary inspiration of the communists in Latin America today! And while you may think that these events are too out of touch with our current structure, I need to inform you that this medium—this dangerous piece of literature—is in the majority of homes in the United States. Right now. And many of you have read this book, yea, even quoted this book. By now, you have probably guessed what I am speaking about, but you dare not say its name, nor even think it. Yes, that’s right, I am speaking of the Bible—the New Testament in particular.

Perhaps some of you are ready to stand up and speak against me now, because I am speaking ill of a book that you hold so dear. Perhaps some are ready to walk out on me, because much of your wealth—the very reason you are here—has come in part because of your talent in speaking on this particular book. I do not begrudge your use of it, Brothers—especially our dear Brother Robert and Brother Benny. I appreciate your skill and tact in opening this book and carefully directing the thoughts of those who read it. You religious leaders have been essential to our cause, and our most important supporters! You have succeeded to make wealth popular and important among your people with greater success than any of us have! We thank you for your work! (Clapping throughout the hall.)

But we must also recognize how dangerous this book is. The Bible is a complex and multi-faceted piece of literature. It is sixty-six different books, written by a variety of authors over at least a thousand years. Their perspectives vary, as do the issues they discuss. With this, there is much for anyone to expound upon with safety. There are examples of wealthy people who are heroes in this collection of scrolls—Abraham, Jacob, Boaz, Job, Solomon and Esther. However, even these are marginal victories. Abraham and Job are seen as righteous, not because of their wealth, but because of their generosity, faith and sacrifice. Boaz is righteous for assisting a poor, illegal immigrant. Solomon is famous for his wisdom, but ultimately rejected for his disobedience of God’s law and idolatry. Esther is of an oppressed racial minority, which is the real focus of her story. And Jacob is displayed as obtaining his wealth through deceit and the power of God, and suffering greatly in his later life because of his trickery early in his life.

In the Old Testament, where all of these stories take place, there are dangerous themes that crop up now and again. We have a sympathetic woman, gaining a child after praying for so many years, saying, “The weapons of the powerful are cast down and the weak take up strength.” One of the many psalmists say, “Better is the little of the righteous than the wealth of the wicked.” In the book of Proverbs it says, “Give me neither poverty nor wealth, lest I become arrogant and say, ‘Who is God?’” Another psalmist says, “These are the wicked who have increased in wealth.”

In the prophets of the Old Testament, the danger to us increases. Ezekiel says that the sins of Sodom is that the city was wealthy and arrogant, refusing to help the poor and needy. Jeremiah says that the wealthy in his day became so because of deceit. Micah claims that the rich of his day were “full of violence”. Of course, this is blatant prejudice, painting all the wealthy with the same stroke. Nevertheless, the Old Testament is not problematic overall. None of these passages must be thought of as speaking of the rich in general. While there seems to be a theme—especially that of obtaining wealth through violence and deceit—it is not consistent, and we can avoid such pitfalls by our Bible-brokers speaking of these cases as being rare, while most wealthy are good and right before God.

The real problem comes in the New Testament. This is a revolutionary text, and I do not mean that positively. It is speaking from the perspective of the disorderly elements of society, those that disrupt the proper flow of economics and authority. As many of us well know, it is within this tome of subversive writers that we have a few passages that support the lower classes being in submission to the upper classes—and this is as it should be. However, it is always spoken of in the context of the upper classes oppressing and harming the lower classes. The New Testament has nothing good to say about us, brothers.

Let us take, for example, a brief letter to various churches, written by the brother or cousin of Jesus, James, or perhaps by his students. James was an important figure in the early church and his word was considered law by many groups of this fledgling— but revolutionary— religious movement. He had much to say about us, my brothers—and none of it was good. Listen to this: “The poor brother should be glad for his high position, and the wealthy should be glad for his lowly position, for even as a flower in bloom will soon fade and become ugly, so will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuit of wealth.” Again, listen to this: “God chose the poor of this world to be rich in faith… but it is the wealthy that drag you into court and oppress you.” (A few gasps in the midst of a shocked silence.) But this is not all. This so-called “just” James dares to make yet another, horrible, prejudicial remark. This is difficult for me to read, and it is extremely shocking, so please be prepared for it: “Weep and howl, you rich, for your miseries are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are destroyed. Your gold and silver have rusted, and it’s rust is a witness against you in God’s judgment. The laborers you have hired are crying out against you for you have withheld their wages and it will be heard by the Lord of the harvest. You have lived… luxuriously on earth…” I’m sorry, I’m trying… “and you have… fattened yourself for the day of slaughter.” (Stunned silence.)

I hope you are outraged as much as I am. This is blatant hate speech. It is more forthrightly prejudiced against us than almost anything I have ever heard or read, except perhaps that despicable song by Aerosmith. And if it was only in the letter of James—which our Brother Martin Luther called a “right straw epistle”—then perhaps it could be bearable. The book is small, it could be avoided.

But who can avoid Jesus? Yet Jesus says, “Blessed are you who are poor for yours is the kingdom of heaven. But woe to you who are rich for you have already received your comfort! Woe to you who are well fed, for you shall go hungry! Woe to you who are entertained now, for you shall weep!” It is Jesus who says, “No one can serve two masters, either he will love the one and hate the other. No one can serve both God and wealth.” It is Jesus who says, “Sell all your possessions and give to the poor, and then you will have treasure in heaven.” It is Jesus who says, “None of you can be my disciple unless you renounce all of your possessions.” It is Jesus who says, “You say ‘I am wealthy, I have need of nothing,’ but you do not see that you are poor and blind and wretched and miserable and naked.”

Do you not see? The real enemy of our cause in this so-called Holy Writ is not James, but Jesus himself. It is Jesus that enacted the change that turned the Bible from a humble critic of the excess of the unrighteous rich to an attack on all of us! These terrible, poor-loving, deceptive words, in blatant opposition to the equality of rich men everywhere were spoken by the founder of the Jesus movement himself! I know that many of you scholars might be saying, “Well, Jesus may not have said that,” or, “there are certianly other interpretations.” Of course there are. Of course there are doubts. But the clear reading of the text is impossible to deny when brought all together.

Allow me to repeat a couple main points. This book is dangerous. It works directly against our cause, and influences the simple minded to be prejudiced against the wealthy. Secondly, this book is in the majority of American homes! There are people who read from this book daily! Worst of all, there are many who actually believe this book to be God’s own Word and so might very well believe what it says. Now, we know, Brothers, that God supports us and our cause—let there be no question about that. God has granted us our wealth and so wants us to rule the world and influence the people with it. And so God has given us a commission—we must subvert the clear meaning of this book. It is a book filled with despicable lies that will tear down the fabric of our very society. And so we must continue the work accomplished so boldly by our forefather Thomas Jefferson.

We must discourage the reading of this book as much as possible. If the masses are to read anything, let them read the relatively safe Old Testament. Even better, we must follow in the ways of our Muslim brothers and claim through our media that both New and Old Testaments have been superseded by greater, better, teaching. The best, most popular teaching are the new ethics based upon scientific principles. This allows us to support an ethics that are based on positive, capitalistic principles. In this way, the hate speech may be muted, and we will regain our former glory and honor that we deserve to have.

I see my time is up. Thank you for your apt attention, brothers. (Wild applause breaks out.)

The Bible's Answer to the Recession

This is by Chad Taylor. It was sent to me by Mark Woodson, who was the head of the Sonnyside Coffee House for many years, feeding the homeless.


As the machinery of conference and meetings marches on the growing dilemma in our cities and streets grows. When I arrived in Sacramento, CA. on Friday March 20th the headlines in the city newspaper's front page read, "Tent City to be Moved..." I read further of the stunning and heartbreaking story of literally thousands of homeless men, women and children that ironically enough were camped next to the American River with the skyline of Sacramento in the distance. Nearly 2000 lived outside of the state Capitol in what is now being dubbed, "Tent City".

As we found the entrance to this sprawling landscape of tents as far as the eye could see we were dumbstruck. What was billed as a "prophetic conference" turned into a major outreach into a quickly growing tragedy on the backdrop of the American experience. As I travelled to our conference in Fresno, CA. after our week in Stockton the headlines on the front page of the New York Times blazed the news of Fresno and its homeless shanty towns and what some are calling, "Hoovervilles" reminiscent of the 30's and 40's during the Great Depression. What we saw in Fresno was shocking. Literally, tents filled the downtown streets and homeless of all ages, color and gender wandered the streets like a war zone.

THE NEW FACE OF THE HOMELESS
Oprah Winfrey in her extensive expose on the homeless boom in America and especially the "Tent City" in Sacramento, CA. has called it, "The new faces of the Homeless" and the increasing number of families and working class people that have been laid off of work, lost their homes to foreclosure and have no other alternative but the streets. As we walked through the endless tents and saw the daunted tear stained faces our hearts were broken. Saturday night at our conference in Fresno, CA. 5 homeless people from Tent City joined us in worship as the alters filled with our cries for the streets of America. 4 more came the next day for Sunday morning and Sunday night. We grabbed the torch from Heaven for the harvest and lifted up our voices for the streets of America - and we went...

"He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way. Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock." Ps. 107:40

GOD'S BAILOUT PLAN IS SIMPLE
My message to California was simple, God does have a "Bail out plan" and it's the poor and homeless that litter our sidewalks. God has a bail out plan for every city, church and family in America if we will give heed to it. It's not just "evangelism, charity, or empathy" it truly is the only guarantee out of what statistics clearly point to as a economic crisis that could reach historic proportions. Read carefully the promises below and ask God to make them a reality in your life:


He that has pity on the poor lends to the Lord and that which he has given He will repay." Prov. 19:17
Blessed is he that considers the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth." Ps 42:1-3
He that gives to the poor shall not lack, but he that hides his eyes shall have many curses..." Prov. 28:27
But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed..."Luke 14:13-14

If we respond correctly no recession or depression can touch us. God promises us that as we relieve the needs of the poor "He will repay" and "deliver us in trouble". It can be concluded that much of what we are facing now is because we DID NOT meet the needs of our poor and brought the curses mentioned in Prov. 28:27 to our cities and nation. Below you will find more of God's heart on this growing tragedy in America -



He that oppresses the poor to increase his riches, and he that gives to the rich, shall surely come to want. Prov. 22:16
The Rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty. Prob. 10:15
He that oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.
Prov. 14:31
THE KEY TO REVIVAL IS SIMPLE
Revival and the new buzz word, "glory" is not complex or some road lined with gold. Revival is a result of the cries of the poor coupled with the cries of the church that is not so self-absorbent and self-exalted that they cannot see their great need of God's grace and power. God makes if very clear in the Bible that the key to open the floodgates of His power and glory is the poor and the needy not the rich and content -
"When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water." Isa 41:17-18

WHO WILL STAND IN THE GAP?
The road to glory is not lined with excessiveness and Christian extremes but rather the poor in spirit and the poor in body. The "glory" often seen and experienced today is not a divine glory but rather a self induced one underwritten by self proclaimed prophets that have no power to make a lasting impact on the cities they parade their goods in. The poor get poorer and the hungrier get hungrier. The time is coming when there will be no excuses left for why we never reached out to them in our convocations of excess and the preaching of a experiential gospel rather than the message of the Cross of Jesus Christ. The greatest call from God today is leaders and ministers that will make up a hedge and lead the people from the prayer lines to the front lines.

"The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully. And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord God." Ezek 22:29-31

A CLARION CALL TO EVERY CHURCH AND MINISTRY IN AMERICA
Our only recourse now is to exit the prayer lines and start a bread line. To hand out water, feed the poor and minister to the growing population of homeless humanity the awesome power of Jesus Christ. We are a nation hanging in the balances and God's word is clear how we can swing the pendulum from disaster to blessing -

"And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in." Isa 58:10-12

Find your "Tent City" and take time out in every conference in America to send out teams and find the increasing number of poor and disenfranchised in your streets. Transform your meetings into major outlets of revival and blessing and turn back the curses that are already reeking havoc in the epi-centers of this nation. No one is exempt; it is a clarion call to every church, ministry and alleged revival meeting in America.
"Whoso stops his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself but shall not be heard..." Prov. 21:13

** Visit our NEW YouTube sight for Chad Taylor and Consuming Fire and see the LIVE VIDEOS FROM TENT CITY in Fresno and Sacramento. It will break your heart and propel you to action- LINK: http://www.youtube.com/user/consumingfiremin

Bible Basics on Social Justice

For those who are interested in developing a biblical theology of the poor, here's a good place to start: Look up all these passages!

Basic justice:
Exodus 23:2-3
Leviticus 14:21
Leviticus 19:15
Leviticus 25
Deuteronomy 24:14-15
II Samuel 12:1-6
Psalm 72:12-14
Isaiah 11:1-8

God’s provision to the poor:
Exodus 15:23-16:36
Psalm 145:15-16
Psalm 146
Matthew 6:25-34
Luke 18:2-8

The Plight of the Needy
Proverbs 13:23
Proverbs 14:20
Proverbs 18:23
Proverbs 19:4, 7
Proverbs 22:7
Proverbs 28:15
Proverbs 30:7-9
Ecclesiastes 5:8
Ecclesiastes 9:15-16

Acting with Generosity to the poor:
Genesis 18
Deuteronomy 15
Psalm 41:1-3
Proverbs 14:21, 31
Proverbs 19:17
Proverbs 22:9
Proverbs 28:27
Proverbs 29:7
Daniel 4:27
Isaiah 58:1-12
Matthew 6:19-34
Matthew 25:31-46
Mark 14:3-9
Luke 12:33-34
Luke 14:12-14
Luke 16:1-13
Luke 19:8-9
Acts 2:43-45
Acts 4:32-37
I Corinthians 13:3
II Corinthians 8:1-9:15
Galatians 2:10
I Timothy 6:17-19
Hebrews 13:1-3
James 1:27-2:13

Respect to the poor
Genesis 18:1-
Proverbs 17:5
James 2:1-12

God’s deliverance of the oppressed:
Genesis 19 and Ezekiel 16:49
Exodus 2:23-25
Exodus 5-15
Exodus 22:21-27
Psalm 22
Psalm 34:6
Psalm 37
Psalm 73
Psalm 82
Psalm 107
Psalm 146
Proverbs 21:13
Proverbs 22:16, 22-23
Isaiah 10:1-4
Isaiah 40
Isaiah 52-53
Jeremiah 5:26-29
Ezekiel 22:29-31
Amos 5:11-12
Zechariah 7:9-14
Matthew 6:2-4
Matthew 11:1-5
Mark 3:1ff
Mark 10:46-52
Luke 4:18-21
Luke 6:24-26
Luke 16
Luke 18:2-8
Romans 12:14-21
James 1:9-11
James 5:1-5
Revelation 6:9-11
Revelation 18:1-24

Warning against stinginess/greed:
Deuteronomy 15
Deuteronomy 24:14-15
Matthew 25:41-46
Mark 10:17-30
Luke 12:15-21
Luke 16:19-31
Acts 5:1-11
I Timothy 6:9-11
Revelation 3:14-22

God’s call to the outcast and lowly:
Genesis 50:15-21
Proverbs 19:1
Proverbs 19:22
Proverbs 20:13
Proverbs 21:17
Proverbs 28:3
Proverbs 28:6
Ecclesiastes 4:13
Isaiah 40
Matthew 5:3-12
Matthew 10:7-8
Matthew 21:28-32
Mark 2:13-17
Mark 4:17
Mark 12:42-44
Luke 4: 18-19 (Isaiah 61:1-4)
Luke 14:16-24
Luke 15:1-7
Luke 18:9-14
Luke 19:1-10

Calling to be poor:
Genesis 12:1-9
Genesis 22
Judges 7
Matt 6:19-34/Luke 12:22-34
Matthew 10:5-42/Luke 9
Luke 6:20-24
Luke 14:26-33

The Exaltation of the Outcast/needy:
I Samuel 2:6-8
Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Psalm 113:5-8
Luke 1:46-55
Luke 14:8-11
Philippians 2:1-11
James 1:9-11

A Very Brief Primer On Anawimic Theology, Being the Basis of All True Understaning and the True Good News To the Poor

Yeah, well, the title is longer than the post:

Jesus especially calls and ministers to the outcast of the world.
Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners. Mark 4:17

God greatly rejoices when a single one who is outcast from his kingdom returns to him.
There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:7

The outcast of the world who are righteous before God will receive God’s greatest blessings.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:10

The righteous should assist the outcast in any way they can, even sacrificially.
Sell your possessions and give to those in need; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven. Luke 12:33

The outcast of the world who are disciples are to be held in equal esteem in the church as any other disciple.
If you show partiality against the poor, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. James 2:9

The outcast are to rejoice in their lowly position, for they will be raised up.
Let the believer who is lowly boast in being raised up. James 1:9

How To End Poverty 2

 

I suppose I could have come up with ideas that would be a little less cruel to those in power, but I am tired of the rich elite ruling the world without any idea of what it means to be poor, or what their laws imply to those who have no resources. I am tired of this world where those in North America are so far removed from the poor that they dehumanize their own poor and distantly allow the poor of the world be killed, enslaved, have what little they have taken from them, all for the sake of that distant elite. I am sick of politicians rallying behind finance corporations to save the jobs of financiers, while allowing the needy be starved out due to forced debt and petty charges targeted against them.

I know God is angry at this too. He is saying now to the politicians and bankers and the wealthy elite of the world:
"How long will you judge unjustly
And show favor to the wicked?
Vindicate the needy and fatherless;
Give justice to the lowly and poor.
Rescue the weak and needy
Deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
They do not know nor do they understand;
They walk about in darkness.
All the foundations of the earth are shaken.”

Then He turns to them, in their smugness, and screams in their face:
“You had thought yourselves to be gods
And all of you to be sons of the Most High
But you will all die like mortals
And fall like any prince."

If we are honest about the world and the calamities that fall upon the poor and destitute, then we can but answer,
Arise, O God, bring justice to the earth!
Bring justice to the homeless who have been kicked out of their camps.
Bring justice to the AIDS sufferers who have been degraded by their own people
Bring justice to war victims, whose lives have been destroyed because of ideologies of distant rulers
Bring justice to the mentally ill, who are imprisoned in hospitals because they do not act “normal”
Bring justice to the elderly, who are commanded by their children to do that which they do not want to do
Bring justice to the falsely accused, who languish apart from their family and friends.
Bring justice to those beaten and lit on fire, just because they are too helpless to fight back.
Bring justice to the poor of the nations in such debt because of the greed of their politicians.

Yet, O God, have mercy on us who have failed the poor. Fill us with the compassion we lack.