Archive for March, 2010
The New Testament as well as the Old Testament is full of encouragement to show kindness and compassion to the poor and needy.
Jesus, in His first great discourse said this:
"Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy. " (Matthew 5:7)
and again:
"You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
"Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
Matthew 5:33-6:4
again He says:
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. "
Matthew 6:19-21
and later He explains how we store up treasures in heaven when he tells the rich young ruler……….
"If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
Matthew 19:21
The apostles also instruct us:
"Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. ‘
Romans 12:13
"And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. ‘
II Corinthians 8:1-4
"Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives. ‘
Titus 3:14
"And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased."
Hebrews 13:16
"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."
I John 3:16-18
Wanna be encouraged?
Hospice Doctor Shares Personal Testimony of Mother’s Battle with Assisted Suicide
Teresa Neumann (Mar 22, 2010)
"My mother would go on to live for another four years and it’s no exaggeration to say that those four years were almost more precious than the 84 that had preceded them."
(United Kingdom)—This story from the Daily Mail about Baroness Ilora Finlay—a professor of palliative care as well as a hospice doctor—and the test she faced when her terminally ill mother wanted to end her life, is an absolute must read.
Finlay’s mother, Thais—84 at the time—was in excruciating pain, determined to give up her battle against cancer.
Baroness Ilora Finlay and mother"I have dedicated my career as a physician to improving the care of the terminally ill," said Finlay, "and yet here was my dreadfully sick mother, stopping just short of asking me to help her die. By the bitterest of coincidences, as she lay in her hospice bed, I was also vigorously opposing a Bill in the House of Lords that would have made assisted suicide legal… I believed passionately in the cause I was fighting in Parliament—that every life is of value and should never be ended by legalised ‘death by appointment’…The situation was tearing me in two."
Baroness Finlay recounts that it was actually a wise and loving hospital chaplain who finally got through to her agnostic mother. Afterward, when Thais agreed to allow doctors to treat her pain, her life turned around.
"My mother would go on to live for another four years and it’s no exaggeration to say that those four years were almost more precious than the 84 that had preceded them," said Finlay.
When the time of her death came, there was one crucial difference, Finlay said of her mother. "Mum did not ask for help to end her life this time…I will never regret that our law protected her; preventing her from ending her life when she was vulnerable to despair. Those four years we shared were the most precious gift. Without them, Mum would have missed what she described as some of the richest times in her life and we would have missed understanding just what an amazing person she was. "
"I’m so grateful for the fact she was 88 when she died and not 84," Finlay concluded. "But best of all? So was she."
Read this truly inspiring story in its entirety by clicking on the link provided.
Source: Baroness Ilora Finlay - The Daily Mail
FWD
YES YES I luv being inspired with these kinds of stories.
But I did notice that before I could read the other one some troll reported the Christian breaking news.
Why don’t you guys get something else to do besides reporting questions that are for other people who want to read these things.
do you steal other peoples news papers too?>
what a drag.
Mother Theresa thought poverty and suffering ennobled the soul.
As a non-Christian, I would respond better to answers to questions about Christianity that didn’t simply cite scripture; I don’t consider the bible to be all that definite in giving answers to questions because I don’t believe in it as ‘the word of God’. What other methods of providing evidence to back up a point can and do Christians use?
It’s kind of a dilemma. I am an atheist so I don’t bother using ANY bible scripture to support my arguments, not even ones that disprove other bible "facts." Because like bible literalists who identify all scripture as fact, I identify it all as false. They can’t really provide proof that life’s origins didn’t occur naturally and without direction or intent. Any scientific evidence that supports that claim is still going to be different than the biblical claims because the biblical evidence is unscientific and mystical. Fortunately I use science and science itself is symmetrical with logical, non-supernatural assumptions of earth’s origins and its natural history.
In the bible where are quotes regarding abstinence until marriage? You can write the quote here or just give me the area you think they are. Thanks!
1 Corinthians 7:2
Acts 15:20
1 Corinthians 5:1
1 Corinthians 6:15
1 Corinthians 10:8
2 Corinthians 12:21
Galatians 5:19
Ephesians 5:3
Colossians 3:5
1 Thessanonians 4:3
Jude 1:7
Hebrews 13:4