A government big enough to give you everything you want,
is strong enough to take everything you have.
-- Thomas Jefferson
You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that, my dear friend, is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it. -- Dr. Adrian Rogers, 1931-2005
A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children:
and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.
Proverbs 13:22
America Growing Cold
Because iniquity shall abound,
the love of many shall wax cold.
Matthew 24:12
And the ministry of a he goat
is to cleanse the sanctuary.
Daniel 8:8-14
People Need the Lord
Sequencer Unknown
In America, everyone wants our money. Government taxes business and industry, then tax that money again via stockholder profits. They also tax our labor income, then tax whatever money we have left (the second time) as we make purchases.
In addition, government annually taxes for real estate, automobiles, and other big ticket items purchased. So, the same purchase gets taxed upon 'from several times to life', besides state and local taxes. Then, if we sell the taxable item for profit, we may have to pay taxes on that profit, too.
And if that were not enough, government further taxes whomever they determine to penalize; from big industry all the way down to the individual
smoker. Plus, penalty may be charged for whomever does not pay taxes in advance, like if government pre-determines your quarterly income could prove to exceed annual expectation.
Though we might not complain too much, except taxed money is spent without logic. For example: it is given to other countries, when we have homeless, too. It pays for wars intended to protect life and abortions to end life; at the same time.
Additional taxes are taken for Social Security, which is suppose to be given back in our retirement years; except the government spent that money, too. And, instead of replacing what they stole, they are trying to figure out how to get out of their commitment.
If America is not your native country, you are likely to receive more financial assistance here than if you are American and, if you are really in need, you may have to get a divorce first. We are also expected to support people too lazy to work. And, if that were not enough, government gave thousands of our jobs away.
Churches remind of our duty to support them and we can still do that, even though God already promises provisions in exchange for walking in faith. Only, it does not stop there. TV ministries are known for saying God can not bless or heal, or much of anything else, until we give to them, too; that being above our tithe. Only, Biblical mandate is for ministries to be supported by the church. And while some might argue they are appealing to the universal church, God never told us to be asking others for our needs, only Him. Yet, their presentation is so compelling that money is sent, often later to discover such ministries were fraudulent.
That is not to say but what all ministries might actually accomplish some good. But, when the church does not support its laborers (leading servants to mission fields like the internet and those ministries blossom with no financial backing), it seems evident the remainder missed God's best.
Then, there are varied poor relief programs, where companies keep as much as 95% of donations and only 5% actually gets to the starving children. In addition, most of our government's 'foreign aid efforts' have been confiscated, wherein intended parties did not receive the food and supplies sent, and remaining countries only 'like us' to the extent it serves to their benefit.
On a more local level, in addition to donating our used items for the benefit of those less fortunate (for which these ministries usually sell, to the poor, what we donated for free), groups collect food, at thanksgiving, to give to those already on food stamps. Yet, these often eat better than the rest. And, if you happen to live in a nicer neighborhood, those 'taking up collections' knock on your door first.
Then there is Christmas, with bell ringers 'you have to walk past' in order to enter stores; their mere presence guilting you for having been blessed enough to afford entry while offering the unspoken promise of relief 'when you fill their collection buckets'. However, this is one of the groups that sold our previous donations to the poor. Luke 16:8b
But also, throughout the remaining year, any of several organizations may summons you to purchase their overpriced non-need items for a greater good. And, if you happen to have school age children, and do not buy or help sell for the school's cause, you are deemed a bad parent in addition to being a chintzy neighbor or disgruntled co-worker; leaving you only two options: 1.) to look good in front of your peers or 2.) to forget about wise money management.
Religious activists rally support for their endeavor to stand against all that ails. However, in paying close attention, it becomes evident their methods often contradict their claim to righteousness; withholding pertinent information to the point of slanderous accusation at the expense of stockholders (sometimes the named company only being a target to convince smaller corporations to fear them; the end thought to justify the means), and, while professing themselves to be Christians, they promote warring instead of accountability. 2 Chronicles 7:14
When crossing foreign soil, particularly in tourist areas (where they know you are coming) ... beggars (disguised as vendors) seem to come out of the closet, all at once; bombarding you to the point of annoyance, if not aggravation. And by this time, using one's sword comes to mind (wherever it happens to land), as the righteous have no need to beg. Psalm 37:25
None-the-less, there seems to be no place to hide as one can not even open their inbox; most of such requests not being true ministries. And, if they ask you to come to their country to share your ministry with them, their plan may either be to rob you upon arrival or for you to see their plight (to guilt you into offering financial assistance). Also, many prayer requests, via the computer (for which we sobbed, prayed, and sometimes sent relief), turned out to be hoaxes.
As a whole, and rightly so, we have just about had it with people jerking our heart strings and or unloading condemnation for our not having given enough ... and, as a result, cries for help go unheard. If unknown sender's e-mails have not already been designated for the delete file, e-mail gets deleted from the moment the reader realizes it is another request, advertisement, or bogus offer that involves money.
Yet, (because our heart is to help the needy) many, via the net (also being low income, fixed income, and disabled), still try to help by visiting sites where a company will further support 'special named causes' with every designated click ... until we realize, when we do, we are taking funds that rightfully belong to stockholders.
So, we give up and respond that we already gave at the office. But, in reality, we are still giving at home ... to our own grown family, often lacking in spiritual maturity because they were never allowed to experience blessings that come as a result of accountability or to thereby discover all needs are met when looking higher.
We have given so far beyond reason that, from pure exhaustion, we finally look to consider our failing bodies and depleting bank accounts, only to realize our shoulders are not big enough to be their God. How could there be any question but what America cares? Only, there is no end of all the people. Did we take it upon ourselves to be God or interfere when God was trying to do a greater work? 1 Corinthians 5:5 Did we become an embarrassment to the testament of God (our only true provider and theirs) by thinking He could not accomplish it without us? Romans 1:18-24
The only way left to protect our heart from growing cold is to revert to what we know to do; what we would have been doing all along (had we not entrusted our calling to others) and what we should have trusted God for in the first place, our Biblical mandate. Matthew 7:13 And, being that the giver receives the greater blessing, why would we want to send our donation to middlemen?
When God places a burden upon our heart, He is calling us; our part then being to report for duty. When we have two coats and see another without, we share one of ours; not someone else's. When the solution is not so obvious, we seek God for further instruction. Perhaps 'within our testimony' is just the word of hope needed, we happen to have the necessary tool of information, or are somehow otherwise being called upon to be their friend.
And when need is not met the way thought or expected, we hold their hand and remind them our hope is not to be in others but God ... and help them to realize, when faith is placed elsewhere, people have no choice but to fail, as that special place belongs to God. Then, as opportunity permits, we reassure them God can be trusted and, by our own testimony, we 'know' He always answers in time. Thus, we watch for God to answer, together, and He always does; giving God back His rightful place in our heart and theirs.
Then, the next time someone comes at us as if we owe them, we can remind them we are following our Biblical mandate for their blessing and they need to be following theirs. James 1:5
