The Wisdom of the Bible
Luke 12: 42-44
Who then is the faithful and wise manager. Whom the master puts in
charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper
time? It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so
when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his
possessions.
The Thoughts of Humanity
“All this money to build buildings to honor someone who said, ‘I dwell
not in temples made with hands.’” – Soren Kierkegaard
“Most Americans are still drawing some water from the Christian well.
But a growing number are inventing their own versions of what
Christianity means, abandoning the nuances of traditional theology in
favor of religions that stroke their egos and indulge or even celebrate
their worst impulses.” - Ross Douthat
The Facts
88% of students in the Covington school district are on free or reduced
lunch, meaning they meet the federal standard for living in poverty.
The Wisdom of the Bible
Matthew 6:1-­‐ 4 Giving to the Needy
1 "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. 2 "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. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not
let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may
be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
The Thoughts of Humanity
“The more we have, the less we give.” – Mother Teresa
“Prosperity knits a man to the World. He feels that he is ‘finding his
place in it,’ while really it is finding its place in him.” - C.S. Lewis, The
Screwtape Letters
The Facts
In an average month in the Covington School District, over 600
students are listed as homeless.
The Wisdom of the Bible
Treasures in Heaven
Matt 6:22,23pp -- Lk 11:34-36
19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust
destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves
treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do
not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be
also. 22 "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body
will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of
darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24
"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or
he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God
and Money.
The Thoughts of Humanity
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we
give.” - Winston Churchill
“God leaves us here because He has a mission for us to fulfill. We
aren’t here by accident; neither are we here simply to enjoy the good
things life has to offer. We are here because God put us here, and He
has a sovereign purpose in keeping us here. It’s true for us as
individuals, and it’s true for His body, the Church, in all its fullness. As
Jesus prayed just before His arrest and trial, ‘I am not praying that
You take them out of the world…As You sent Me into the world, I also
have sent them into the world.’” - Billy Graham
The Facts
The market rent for a two bedroom apartment in Northern Kentucky is
$625/month. A person working 40 hours per week at a minimum
wage job makes only about $1100 per month, meaning they would
have to work about 80/week to be able to afford an apartment as well
as other necessities. The average wait for government subsidized
housing is two years. You are unable to receive assistance if you have
ever been convicted of a felony.
The Wisdom of the Bible
Do Not Worry
Matt 6:25-33pp -- Lk 12:22-31
25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or
about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the
body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not
sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add
a single hour to his life ? 28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the
lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even
Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God
clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the
fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry,
saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32
For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that
you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all
these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about
tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its
own.
The Thoughts of Humanity
“Good intentions, regular worship, and even study of the Bible do not
prevent blindness in us. Part of our sinful nature instinctively chooses
to see what we want to see and to ignore what we want to ignore.” David Platt Radical
The Facts
Between 2007 and 2012 the number of people in Northern Kentucky
receiving government assistance for food rose 70%.
The Wisdom of the Bible
Mark 12:41-44
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the
crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in
large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins,
worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell
you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the
others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in
everything--all she had to live on."
The Thoughts of Humanity
“I am only one, but I am one; I cannot do everything, but I can do
something. What I can do I ought to do, and what I ought to do by
God’s grace I will do.” - Edward Everett Hale
“I do not know of a denomination or local church in existence that has
as its goal to teach its people to do everything Jesus said.” - Dallas
Willard
The Facts
26,000 children will die today of starvation or preventable disease.
The Wisdom of the Bible
Luke 16:13-15
"No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the
other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve
both God and Money." The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were
sneering at Jesus. He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in
the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men
is detestable in God's sight.
The Thoughts of Humanity
“Jesus never intended to be one voice among many counseling us on
how to lead our lives and use our money. He always intends to be the
voice that guides whatever decisions we make in our lives and with our
money.” - David Platt Radical
“Kindness has converted more sinners than zeal, eloquence, or
learning.” - Frederick W. Faber
The Facts
There are 163,000,000 orphans worldwide.
The Wisdom of the Bible
Acts 4:32-35
The Believers Share Their Possessions
32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his
possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great
power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and
much grace was upon them all. 34 There were no needy persons among them.
For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the
money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to
anyone as he had need. 36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles
called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), 37 sold a field he owned
and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet.
The Thoughts of Humanity
John Wesley had just finished buying some pictures for his room when
one of the chambermaids came to his door. It was a winter day and
he noticed that she had only a thin linen gown to wear for protection
against the cold. He reached into his pocket to give her some money
for a coat, and found he had little left. It struck him that the Lord was
not please with how he had spent his money. He asked himself: “Will
thy master say, ‘Well done, good and faithful steward?’ Thou hast
adorned they walls with the money that might have screened this poor
creature from the cold! O justice! O mercy! Are not these pictures the
blood of this poor maid?” -Story from John Wesley
The Facts
If you have running water, shelter, clothes, food, and some means of
transportation (even public), you are in the top 15 percent of the
world’s people for wealth.
The Wisdom of the Bible
1Timothy 6: 3-10
Love of Money
3 If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction
of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 he is conceited and
understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels
about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and
constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the
truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. 6 But godliness
with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we
can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content
with that. 9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into
many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money,
have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
The Thoughts of Humanity
“The reward of the American dream is safety, security, and success
found in more comfort, better stuff, and greater prosperity. But the
reward of Christ trumps all these things and beckons us to live for an
eternal safety, security, and satisfaction that far outweigh everything
this work has to offer us…Why trade the treasures of eternity for the
trinkets of this world?” -David Platt Radical
The Facts
Every year in the United States we spend more than $10 billion on
church buildings.
The Wisdom of the Bible
Hebrews 13: 1-6
1 Keep on loving each other as brothers. 2 Do not forget to entertain strangers,
for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. 3
Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who
are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. 4 Marriage should be honored
by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the
sexually immoral. 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content
with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I
forsake you." 6 So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be
afraid. What can man do to me?"
The Thoughts of Humanity
“Ask the poor. They will tell you who the Christians are.” -Gandhi
“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and
the world’s deep hunger meet.” -Frederick Buechner
The Facts
In America alone, the amount of real estate owned by institutional
churches is worth over $230 billion.
The Wisdom of the Bible
Matthew 13
The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found
it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that
field. 45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.
46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had
and bought it.
The Thoughts of Humanity
“Surely those who know the great passionate heart of Jehovah must
deny their own loves to share in the expression of His.” - Jim Elliot
“If money be not they servant, it will be thy master. The covetous
man cannot so properly be said to possess wealth, as that may be said
to possess him.” -Sir Francis Bacon
The Facts
If you make more than $10,000/year, you are wealthier than 84% of
the world, and if you make more than $50,000/year, you are wealthier
than 99% of the world.
The Wisdom of the Bible
The Rich Young Man
Matthew 19:16-29pp -- Mk 10:17-30; Lk 18:18-30
16 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I
do to get eternal life?" 17 "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus
replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the
commandments." 18 "Which ones?" the man inquired. Jesus replied, " 'Do not
murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19
honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.' " 20 "All
these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?" 21 Jesus
answered, "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." 22 When the
young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Then
Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter
the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through
the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 25 When
the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can
be saved?" 26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but
with God all things are possible." 27 Peter answered him, "We have left
everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?" 28 Jesus said to them,
"I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his
glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging
the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or
sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred
times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last,
and many who are last will be first.
The Thoughts of Humanity
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot
lose.” - Jim Elliot
The Facts
1 billion people today are chronically short of food, many are slowly
starving to death. Three times the population of the United States.
The Wisdom of the Bible
Luke 12
The Parable of the Rich Fool
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the
inheritance with me." 14 Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an
arbiter between you?" 15 Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard
against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his
possessions." 16 And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich
man produced a good crop. 17 He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no
place to store my crops.' 18 "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my
barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19
And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years.
Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' 20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This
very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have
prepared for yourself ?' 21 "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up
things for himself but is not rich toward God."
The Thoughts of Humanity
“The matter is quite simple. The Bible is very easy to understand. But
we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be
unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we
understand, we are obliged to act accordingly. Take any words in the
New Testament and forget everything except pledging yourself to act
accordingly. My God, you will say, if I do that my whole life will be
ruined. How would I ever get on in the world? Herein lies the real
place of Christian scholarship. Christian scholarship is the Church’s
prodigious invention to defend itself against the Bible, to ensure that
we can continue to be good Christians without the Bible coming to
close. Oh, priceless scholarship, what would we do without you?
Dreadful it is to fall into the hands of the living God. Yes, it is even
dreadful to be along with the New Testament.” - Soren Kierkegaard
The Facts
More than one out of four of the world’s 2 billion children are
underweight or stunted.
The Wisdom of the Bible
1 Timothy 6:17-19
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put
their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who
richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good,
to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way
they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age,
so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
The Thoughts of Humanity
“You guys are all into that born again thing, which is great. We do
need to be born again, since Jesus said that to a guy named
Nicodemus. But if you tell me I have to be born again to enter the
Kingdom of God, I can tell you that you have to sell everything you
have and give it to the poor because Jesus said that to one guy
too…But I guess that’s why God invented highlighters, so we can
highlight the parts we like and ignore the rest.” - Rich Mullens
The Facts
783 million people have no access to clean water. This is 11% of the
world’s population.
The Wisdom of the Bible
Luke 12
Do Not Worry
22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry
about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will
wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.
24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no
storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable
you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour
to your life[b]? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do
you worry about the rest?
27 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet
I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of
these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is
here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will
he clothe you—you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what
you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world
runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.
31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to
give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor.
Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in
heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth
destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The Thoughts of Humanity
“I truly believe that when the poor meet the rich, riches will have no
meaning. And when the rich meet the poor, we will see poverty come
to an end.” - Shane Claiborne
The Facts
Almost half of the world- over 3 billion people- live on less than $2.50
per day.
The Wisdom of the Bible
2 Corinthians 8
The Collection for the Lord’s People
1 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace
that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 In the midst of a very
severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up
in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were
able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they
urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to
the Lord’s people. 5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave
themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to
us. 6 So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to
bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7 But since you
excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete
earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you[a]—see that you
also excel in this grace of giving.
8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your
love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9 For you know
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for
your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might
become rich.
10 And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter.
Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire
to do so. 11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do
it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.
12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to
what one has, not according to what one does not have.
13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard
pressed, but that there might be equality. 14 At the present time your
plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will
supply what you need. The goal is equality, 15 as it is written: “The
one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who
gathered little did not have too little.”
The Thoughts of Humanity
Patting Mother Teresa on the back, someone commented to her, “I
wouldn’t do what you do for a million dollars.” She said with a grin,
“Me neither.”
The Facts
There are more than 2 billion people who identify themselves as
Christians in our world, making the Christian faith the largest in the
world.
The Wisdom of the Bible
2 Corinthians 9
Generosity Encouraged
6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,
and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you
should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not
reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And
God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times,
having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is
written:
“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
their
righteousness endures forever.”[c]
10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also
supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of
your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you
can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity
will result in thanksgiving to God.
12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the
Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to
God. 13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves,
others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your
confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing
with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you
their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God
has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
The Thoughts of Humanity
“When someone strips a man of his clothes, we call him a thief. And
one who might clothe the naked and does no- should not he be given
the same name? The bread in your cupboard belongs to the hunger;
the coat in your wardrobe belongs to the naked; the shoes you let rot
belong to the barefoot, the money in your vaults belongs to the
destitute.” - Basil the Great (4th Century Father of the Church)
The Facts
In 2010 (most recent available data), Kentucky had 39,834 homeless
children, the eighth highest number in the country.
The Wisdom of the Bible
Luke
The Parable of the Shrewd Manager
16 Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was
accused of wasting his possessions. 2 So he called him in and asked
him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your
management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’
3 “The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is
taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to
beg— 4 I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people
will welcome me into their houses.’
5 “So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first,
‘How much do you owe my master?’
6 “‘Nine hundred gallons[a] of olive oil,’ he replied.
“The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it
four hundred and fifty.’
7 “Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’
“‘A thousand bushels[b] of wheat,’ he replied.
“He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’
8 “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had
acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in
dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. 9 I tell
you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it
is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with
much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest
with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly
wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not
been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you
property of your own?
13 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and
love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the
other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering
at Jesus. 15 He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves
in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value
highly is detestable in God’s sight.
The Thoughts of Humanity
“If you have two coats, one of them belongs to the poor.” -Dorothy
Day
The Facts
400,000 people in the Greater Cincinnati area lack basic literacy skills.
The Wisdom of the Bible
Luke 16
The Rich Man and Lazarus
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen
and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named
Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the
rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him
to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In
Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far
away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father
Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger
in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you
received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now
he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this,
between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that
those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross
over from there to us.’
27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family,
28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not
also come to this place of torment.’
29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them
listen to them.’
30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes
to them, they will repent.’
31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets,
they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
The Thoughts of Humanity
“All around you, people will be tiptoeing through life, just to arrive at
death safely. But dear children, do not tiptoe. Run, hop, skip, or
dance, just don’t tiptoe.” -Anonymous
The Facts
According to the 2007 census, Cincinnati is the 10th poorest city in the
nation. Approximately one in four families in Cincinnati fall below the
federal poverty line, nearly twice the national average.
The Wisdom of the Bible
Luke 9
1 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power
and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he
sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no
bread, no money, no extra shirt. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay
there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, leave
their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against
them.” 6 So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming
the good news and healing people everywhere.
The Thoughts of Humanity
“There is nothing wrong with a traffic law which says you have to stop
for a red light. But when a fire is raging, the fire truck goes through
that red light, and normal traffic had better get out of its way. Or
when a man is bleeding to death, the ambulance goes through those
red lights at top speed. There is a fire raging…for the poor of this
society. Disinherited people all over the world are bleeding to death
from deep social and economic wounds. They need brigades of
ambulance drivers who will have to ignore the red lights of the present
system until the emergency is solved.” - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The Facts
In the Appalachian region, nearly half of families have an annual
household income below $20,000. 62,500 homes are substandard
with 19,000 lacking adequate kitchens and 21,000 lacking complete
plumbing.
The Wisdom of the Bible
Luke 9
The Cost of Following Jesus
57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will
follow you wherever you go.”
58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son
of Man has no place to lay his head.”
The Thoughts of Humanity
“The greatest cause of atheism is Christians who acknowledge Jesus
with their lips, then walk out the door and deny him with their lifestyle.
That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.” Brennan Manning
The Facts
Worldwide over 600 million children are living in extreme poverty.
The Wisdom of the Bible
Matthew 22
Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar
15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his
words. 16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians.
“Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and
that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t
swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are.
17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial
tax[a] to Caesar or not?”
18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are
you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.”
They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose image is
this? And whose inscription?”
21 “Caesar’s,” they replied.
Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to
God what is God’s.”
22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and
went away.
The Thoughts of Humanity
“Money won’t make you any happier…but everyone wants to find out
for themselves.” -Zig Ziglar
The Facts
The cost of eradicating world poverty is estimated at 1 percent of
global income.
The Wisdom of the Bible
Luke 19
1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there
by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was
wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short
he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a
sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him,
“Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house
today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the
guest of a sinner.”
8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and
now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated
anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because
this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to
seek and to save the lost.”
The Thoughts of Humanity
“You have not lived today until you have done something for someone
who can never repay you.” - John Bunyan
The Facts
In sub-Saharan Africa 1 in 9 children die before age 5.
The Wisdom of the Bible
Proverbs 11:24-25
24
One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
another withholds
unduly, but comes to poverty.
25
A generous person will prosper;
whoever refreshes others will be
refreshed.
The Thoughts of Humanity
“We are rich only through what we give; and poor only through what
we keep.” -Anne Sophie Swetchine
The Facts
In sub-Saharan Africa around 45.5 million children of primary school
age are out of school.
The Wisdom of the Bible
Acts 20
32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can
build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are
sanctified. 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.
34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my
own needs and the needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I
showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak,
remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more
blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
The Thoughts of Humanity
“One of the best discoveries you will ever make is to learn that God
wants you to use His wealth to finance His kingdom. It’s not our
wealth, and it’s not for us. It’s God’s wealth, and we are to be good
stewards, using it to help build His kingdom.” - Barry L. Cameron
The Facts
Access to sanitation in sub-Saharan Africa is actually decreasing, with
only 31% of people able to access a toilet- 6% less than reported in
2006.
The Wisdom of the Bible
James 1
Listening and Doing
19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be
quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because
human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent
and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do
what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what
it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after
looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks
like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives
freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but
doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a
tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is
worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and
faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and
to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
The Thoughts of Humanity
When John D. Rockefeller, one of the world’s richest men and
America’s first billionaire was asked by a journalist, “How much money
is enough?” He responded, “Just a little bit more.”
The Facts
Roughly 17.1 million children under the age of 18 have lost one or
both of their parents to AIDS.
The Wisdom of the Bible
Luke 3
10 “What should we do then?” the crowd asked.
11 John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the
one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”
12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked,
“what should we do?”
13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.
14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”
He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be
content with your pay.”
The Thoughts of Humanity
“Riches and the things that are necessary in life are not evil in
themselves. And all of us face cares and troubles in this life. The sin
comes in the time and energy we spend in pursuing these things, at
the expense of neglecting Christ.” – David Wilkerson
The Facts
Hunger is the world’s #1 health risk. It kills more people that AIDS,
malaria and tuberculosis combined.
The average American christian will spend between $700 and $1,000
annually on Christmas gifts.
The Wisdom of the Bible
Mark 10:24-26
24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again,
“Children, how hard it is[a] to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is
easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone
who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other,
“Who then can be saved?”
The Thoughts of Humanity
“Riches and the things that are necessary in life are not evil in
themselves. And all of us face cares and troubles in this life. The sin
comes in the time and energy we spend in pursuing these things, at
the expense of neglecting Christ.” – David Wilkerson
The Facts
Approximately 20 percent of women and 5-10 percent of men report
being sexually abused as children, while 25-50 percent of all children
report being physically abused.
Americans spend $96 billion on beer annually, $4.14 billion on St.
Patrick’s day alone.
The Wisdom of the Bible
Matthew 25
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are
blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for
you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave
me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to
drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and
you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison
and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you
hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing
clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and
go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of
the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
The Thoughts of Humanity
“He that serves God for money will serve the Devil for better wages.”
—Sir Roger L’Estrange
The Facts
There are an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 children, women and men
trafficked across international borders annually.
Americans spend $2.3 billion on tattoos and $66 million on tattoo
removal annually.
The Wisdom of the Bible
Matthew 17
The Temple Tax
24 After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of
the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your
teacher pay the temple tax?”
25 “Yes, he does,” he replied.
When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What
do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the
earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?”
26 “From others,” Peter answered.
“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. 27 “But so that we
may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take
the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a fourdrachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”
The Thoughts of Humanity
“Life was a story about me because I was in every scene. In fact, I
was the only one in every scene. I was everywhere I went. If
someone walked into my scene, it would frustrate me because they
were disrupting the general theme of the play, namely my comfort and
glory.” -Donald Miller reflecting on his life prior to following Christ
The Facts
Low-income working families are the most generous group in America,
giving away about 4.5 percent of their income on average, compared
with about 2.5 percent among the middle class, and 3 percent among
high-income families.
The Wisdom of the Bible
1 John 3:17-18
If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in
need, but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that
person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with
actions and in truth.
The Thoughts of Humanity
“A penny will hide the biggest star in the universe if you hold it close
enough to your eye.” – Samuel Grafton
The Facts
There are an estimated 27 million slaves in the world today- more
than any other time in history.
Americans spend $16.8 billion dollars on Easter annually.