Reverend Michael Mwangi
Senior Pastor, Fedha Church, Kenya Assemblies of God
Isaiah 58:5-12
True fasting must be compassionate and take the poor and oppressed into account.V5 - what fasting is not
V6 - what fasting consists of
V7 - true fasting meets the needs of the poor
Result of compassionate fasting
OPEN UP HEAVEN, USHERS GODS GLORY, HEALING PRESENCE AND PROTECTION
8. Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
CREATE INTIMACY and CONNECTION
9. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here I am. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
BREAKTHROUGH
10. and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.
FLOURISHING and THRIVING
11. The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Today we complete our fasting by showing compassion.
RESTORATION and ESTABLISHMENT
12. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets
We therefore need to understand God’s word and expectations on us which is our ministry to the poor. We must see the poor in the light of God’s word and not like the world does and act accordingly rest we fail the test of our faith. We will always have the poor and we must be ready to help.
Deuteronomy 15
11. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.
11. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.
We will always have the poor with us and God commands us to take care of them. God has shown you mercy He expects us to show mercy. It is a test of a heart of compassion and therefore when we fail to do so it is a sin. It is true we have many conmen pretending to be poor and in need but we also have well-known genuine poor needy people we should help as God has commanded us. All we have has been given to us and so we have a duty to share with those that have not. Do not be proud in your heart na nikupewa umepewa kile kitu uko nacho (you have been given whatever you have).
1 Corinthians 4
7. For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
7. For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
Be kind, loving and share knowing you don't have because you are better than the poor. It is just God's grace upon you.
Anyone including you can become poor.
Deuteronomy 15:7 If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother.
Always remember both the poor and rich have same one God.
Proverbs 22
2. Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all.
2. Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all.
Sio kitu umempea Mungu ukawa na uwezo. God can turn the table anytime ujipate on the other side and it does happen (You have not given God anything for you to be wealthy. God can turn the table anytime you find yourself on the other side and it does happen.)
1 Samuel 2:7
The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts.
8 He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and on them he has set the world.
8 He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and on them he has set the world.
We will always have the poor but poor shall not always be poor.
Psalm 9:18
For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.
Considering the poor invites God protection and covering. When you help the needy God will be there for you in your hour of need. As you help the needy you are simply raising help for yourself in the day of trouble.
Psalm 41:1
Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him;
Dorcas case Acts 9:36-43
Considering the poor ushers God's blessing. It is an opportunity for God to bless us.
Proverbs 22:9
The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.
Proverbs 14:21
Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
We serve the needy on God's account not on their account. Have the right attitude towards the poor and be careful how you deal with them because you are dealing with God.
Proverbs 14:31
Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him
But remember his make is also your maker.
Proverbs 22
2. Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all.
2. Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all.
So when you oppress the poor you insult your God too.
Proverbs 19:17
Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.
Mungu si mdeni wa mtu (God pays back).
Proverbs 22:16
Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.
THE needy are the true test a proof of our faith. Love must be expressed and true love is seen when expressed and practiced to the undeserving the poor and the needy faith is love at work.
THE needy are the true test a proof of our faith. Love must be expressed and true love is seen when expressed and practiced to the undeserving the poor and the needy faith is love at work.
James 2:14-17
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
1 John 4
20. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.
21. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
1 John 4
20. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.
21. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
The proof of our spirituality is not the no of days we have prayed and fasted or how well we know the scriptures faster but in loving.
Today we are demonstrating our faith in Mercy Basket loving the needy
Comments
Post a Comment