Do JUSTICE

God commands us to ‘do justice‘, to ‘seek justice‘, to ‘bring justice‘- what then, IS ‘justice?’

Many might think it’s involving civil law, letting the law, police and courts resolve an issue.

But when God tells us to do something, shouldn’t it be important that we know what He means?

JUSTICE.

The Bible warns that “evil men do not understand justice” (Proverbs 28:5).

This word ‘justice’ keeps coming up.

“The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern” (Proverbs 29:7)

Justice in its simplest form, means to set things right. Yet, how do we know what is right? Who defines “right”?

Therein lies the problem. The world has its definition, and God has His.

How we determine our understanding of this word, ‘justice‘ will lead to our acting on this word-which illustrates ‘whom’ we serve.

Micah 6:8 (ESV) “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

Right away at first glance, we see the word JUST. Only God is just. He is holy, loving, compassionate, and a just God-a God of justice.

He is all about restoration, putting things back as right things that were wronged.

As followers of Christ, the answer is simple. Our sense of justice is instilled in us by our Creator God. He is loving, kind, and merciful and also righteous, holy, and just.

Biblical justice is the enactment of God’s nature. It means confronting evil and making right that which is wrong.

The more we hear the voice of God-by reading His Word, and talking with Him in prayer, the closer we walk with Him.

We learn His ways.

“The Rock, His work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he,” (Deuteronomy 32:4).

The more time we spend with Him, we learn of His character. The more we learn of His character the more we learn what to do- by His example.

“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you,” (Psalm 89:14).

Driven by the compassion of Christ, we pursue injustice to bring about justice– to right the wrongs of evil.

God has given us the command to ‘do justice‘.

When we see someone in need- who is hungry, in need of clothing, IN NEED OF JESUS- we are to ‘do justice.’

When we ‘see’, and know to do, but do not ‘do’, we are adding to the injustice, and disobeying our God.

Isaiah 1:17 (ESV) “learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.”

The problem of poverty and homelessness is not the governments responsibility, but the Church’s. God has called US as His followers, to distribute to those in need.

When are we going to line up to His Word, Church?

Do justice.

In closing, I will share an excerpt from ‘Generous Justice by Timothy Keller’.

At the end of this excerpt, I’ll add in our website link and way to contribute to a global vision the Lord has given us. If you’d like to become part of the solution to helping homelessness and poverty, to ‘do justice‘ we would be grateful.

‘In the Scripture, gifts to the poor are called “acts of righteousness,” as in Matthew 6:1-2.

Not giving generously, then, is not stinginess but unrighteousness, a violation of God’s law.

In the book of Job, we see Job call every failure to help the poor a sin, offensive to God’s splendor (Job 31:23) and deserving of judgment and punishment (v. 28).

Remarkably, Job is asserting that it would be a sin against God to think of his goods as belonging to himself alone.

To not “share his bread” and his assets with the poor would be unrighteous, a sin against God, and therefore by definition a violation of God’s justice.’

(‘Generous Justice by Timothy Keller, Riverhead Books a member of Penguin Group (USA), Inc.’ https://relevantmagazine.com/god/practical-faith/what-biblical-justice)

If you are compelled to do justice and get involved, we invite you to learn more of our ministry, Helping The Homeless, a 501 (C) 3 non profit.

We believe we have the blueprint to change the face of homelessness and less fortunate one person at a time. Pastor Wendy, Founder

Helping The Homeless Ministry website

(on website, click on ‘giving’ then before finalizing, add comment ‘Camp Restoration Fund’)

Humanitarian Godly Hands…

A Word from God.

“I haven’t dropped you. Don’t panic.

I’m here with you.

There’s no need to fear for I’m your God.

I’ll give you strength.

I’ll help you.

I’ll hold you steady., keep a firm grip on you…

Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you.

I’ve called your name. You’re mine.

When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.

When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end- because I am God, your personal God, the Holy of Israel, your Savior.

I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in!

THATS how much you mean to me!

THATS how much I love you!

I’d sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you.” (Isaiah 41:9-10; 43:2-4 MSG).

Gods Spirit keeps stirring within me on this subject…

Hands.

God took His hands and placed them into the dirt and formed man with His hand..

Jesus’s nail scarred hands hammered to the cross…

I carry that image in my mind daily…

He still feels the nails, every time I fail.

And every time I fall, those same hands pick me back up.

When I need comforting, His Hands pat me on my shoulder, embrace me in warm hugs.

When I’m sad and my eyes leak the emotions in my heart, His hands wipes every year, and collects them into heavenly bottles for Heavens purpose- never is a tear wasted.

When I’m in need of companionship, He places His hand in mine.

When I achieve a goal or reach a milestone, Gods hands applaud me, cheers me on.

When I’m sick, His hands are laid on me to heal me.

God said ‘See? I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. I have written your name on the palms of My hands… I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands….” (Isaiah 49:16 NIV, NLT, ESV, NAS, MSG)

God loves me.

So much that He permanently inscribed my name on His Hand as a remembrance.

He says “Can a mother forget the infant at her breast, walk away from the baby she bore? But even if mothers forget, I’ll never forget you— NEVER.” (Vs 15-18)

(And for the record- THIS momma can NEVER forget or walk away from her children she bore!)

God can never forget those He has engraved on the palms of His hands.

Every time He sees His own scarred hands, He sees you.

I’ll always remember the feel of my babies hands holding onto mine, and patting me with their hands.

That precious innocent complete act of trust…each one special to me- My mind replays thousands upon thousands of scenes in my memory bank of them… as infants, as toddlers, as preschoolers, as school aged children, as preteens, as teens, and as adults… That reassuring feel of comforting touch that hands bring-so special!

I wrote this three years ago as two different posts- on two different dates-yet today they have deeper meaning, more profound meaning for us today.

Today, we said ‘see you later’ to our daughter and son-in-law, who are missionaries heading to Africa for 2 years., serving in the Peace Corp. Watching MY baby, put her hands in her husband’s… Knowing their hands are firmly planted in God’s hands regardless of where, brings me comfort and peace.

This past weekend, watching all the gathered immediate family and extended family hold hands, shake hands, embrace in tight hugs with hands, patting love taps on backs with hands, reinforced to me how amazing and perfectly formed are our hands.

Seeing our sons shake hands with tears overflowing in church… seeing our daughters hold each other tightly in the tightest embrace while trying to be brave fighting off tears, losing because of a sibling love so strong LOVE wins…

Seeing grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins hands interact with loving touches-

It is its own love language-

The language of Hands.

Today, these hands waved a proverbial farewell… but never a goodbye. Only see ya later.

As we trust in our God, who formed us with His guiding Hand, and protects us with His Hand- we know we send them off AS the hands of Christ.

In the months to come, their hands will become calloused from fielding the bush for food, carrying water buckets to and from the well for mile’s each day, forming a daily fire to cook and boil water, scrubbing their laundry, doing the work they were created and called to do.

These hands will encourage one another., and will work together.

These hands are anointed.

They will be used to praise and worship God high and lifted up. These hands will be used to clap as they sing with the locals. These believers hands will be used to lay on the sick, and the sick shall recover.

These hands will be used in acts of service- consecrated and dedicated to each other and to God.

Someday, these hands will hold our grandchildren, but for now, they hold all of our hope, love, and prayers.

But no fears, and no cares- Those were all cast to the Father God.

Purpose of Wealth

Gods plan has always been with the poor- and and for restoration.

The law of God was never supposed to be erased or replaced; but fulfilled with Christ. He redeemed us from the curse of the law- having been made a curse for us on the cross ( Galatians 3:13).

Gods purpose has always been the same. Yet many of today’s believers have drifted away from it-

Restoration.

Redistribution of HIS wealth so all could live and dwell.

In Deuteronomy, Gods reveals His plan further.

Every seven years, all debts were to be cancelled.

Everybody would start over, unburdened by accumulated indebtedness.

God says “There need be no poor people among you.” (Deuteronomy 15:4)

His intention is to build an economy that is so prosperous, poverty can be eliminated.

In fact- read Deuteronomy 15:1-11. Wow! Why has the church veered away from this???

We think wealth we earn is for us ourself and no one else.

This is where the deepest part of sin and selfishness is rooted-

It’s not ours, folks.

It’s God’s.

‘The earth is the Lords and the fullness therein.’

(1 Corinthians 10:26)

Everything belongs to God, entrusted to us. He gave us stewardship.

If we see our neighbors in need and have the ability to help with what we have, we are commanded to give to them.

“But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?” (1John 3:17)

The Bible has plenty to say about this. Don’t take my word for it- read it yourself!

“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 6:10)

Deuteronomy 15:11 For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

Matthew 5:42 “Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”

Matthew 25:35-40 “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”

Luke 12:33-34 “Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

1 John 3:17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?”

We can’t continue to ignore the need all around us. God has called us to act.

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.“

And when we give, we are to give cheerfully.

2 Corinthians 9:7 “Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, prompt to do it) giver [whose heart is in his giving].”

See- the Lord gave this word to me:

“The purpose of wealth is not to hoard it to ourself.”

The blessing of Abraham was given for ALL in covenant with God.

This was an eternal everlasting blessing for those who entered an eternal everlasting covenant with God.

“And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring (seed) ALL peoples on the earth will be blessed’.” (Acts 3:25)

Blessing people is the heart of God.

Today- majority of people have drifted away from God’s principle of wealth distribution. They turn a blind eye to the poor, whether in their own city, or even within their own church. Most definitely have permitted their hearts to harden towards the impoverished living in other countries.

It’s sad.

It breaks my heart, and must grieve the heart of God.

There should not be any lack in our world.

There should not be people dying of starvation, hydration.

There should not be people dying in the heat, or freezing to death in the cold.

If God has given you two shirts-why can’t you give to one without?

This too is scriptural.

Luke 3:10-11 “And the crowds asked him, ‘What then shall we do?’ And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”

It is GOD who gave the ability to have wealth- but NOT to hoard to yourself.

The day of reckoning will come.

Remember the scripture earlier Matthews 25:35-40 I shared about helping those in need is helping the Lord?

Many people read and know of this scripture, but seldom talk about the 6 verses that follow-the consequences of NOT obeying God.

Here-read this in the Amplified:

Matthew 25:41-46 “Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Leave Me, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels (demons); for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me [with help and ministering care].’ Then they also [in their turn] will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or as a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will reply to them, ‘I assure you and most solemnly say to you, to the extent that you did not do it for one of the least of these [my followers], you did not do it for Me.’ Then these [unbelieving people] will go away into eternal (unending) punishment, but those who are righteous and in right standing with God [will go, by His remarkable grace] into eternal (unending) life.”

Either we believe God’s Word is true, or we don’t.

I KNOW it’s true. I know HIM. He is my Shepherd. I hear His voice, and I follow Him.

So if we know and believe it’s true- should we not be doing what God has said to do?

There is a solution to homelessness and poverty., for all the world. The name is Jesus. The Word of God.

Let’s start a revolution of God’s restoration!

It’s time for a spiritual jubilee!

Here’s a snapshot of what true believers did about this, as recorded in the Bible:

Acts 4:32-35 “All the believers were in one heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 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 and put it at the apostles feet, AND IT WAS DISTRIBUTED TO ANYONE AS HE HAD NEED.”

Do you ever wonder why this principle of sharing and wealth distribution has faded away?

I do.

I believe this spirit of giving and sharing is God’s desire. I believe it’s God’s heart.

I surely have read and reread this in multiple translations over multiple times- and haven’t seen once where God said it was only for a one time deal. I haven’t read yet where God said to stop giving and sharing.

I’m sharing an excerpt of a devotion I read this morning from The Bible App that reinforces the message the Holy Spirit gave me to share.

Yes, this is a long read above, and remainder- but it’s key for all believers and followers of Jesus to ‘see’ this!!!

To ‘get‘ this revelation that the seed reproduces after its own kind- and if we are the seed of Christ, God’s Son, and God GAVE, with a spirit of giving and sharing His best, all He has, He freely gave, and continually gives, to us- then we should be doing the same.

“The law sets up a process to ensure that no family will ever permanently lose its land.

They may become poor—perhaps through tragedy, perhaps through their own failings—and sell their land.

But the rest of the family is commanded to buy it back for them.

Furthermore, if no one has the money to buy it back, the next generation will be given it back.

Every 50 years is the Jubilee, when all land is returned to its original owners.

Everybody starts over.

There can be no permanent separation between the rich and the poor, no rich landowners and poor peasants.

Every fifty years they will go back to having the same resources.

With our current economic mindset, we might think this was a very unfair way to treat the well-off.

Why should they just give back what they got fair and square?

But the Bible introduces a very different point of view.

“The land is mine!” God says. (Leviticus 25:23)

“It never belonged to any of you in the first place.

It’s mine to use as I see fit, and my choice is to ensure that no family ever permanently loses its share in the economy.”

It’s hard to say how exactly this might be applied in a modern situation.

Our economic setting is very different, starting out with the observation that farming is not the whole economy.

What is not different is God’s concern for the poor, and His ownership of everything…

He has made a world where no one need be poor, and He gives laws to His people that are meant to stop poverty in its tracks.

Is His remedy fair to those who loaned the money?

Again, as with the land laws in Leviticus, it’s God’s money!

Not ours! According to Him, it’s not right that any one of His creatures should be permanently poor.”

Prayer:

“Lord, keep me from gripping money so tightly. It’s your money, not mine—you have merely loaned it to me. Show me how to put it to work for your good purposes of justice. In Jesus Name, Amen.”

Little Children’s Imaginary ‘Friends’ Have Spiritual Purpose

Often times, little children have imaginary ‘friends’.

To them, they ‘see’ their ‘friends’ as real people. They confide in them. They are content for hours spending time with them.

They talk with them, eat with them, play with them- as if they are REAL people.

Little children are given great imaginations by God! They love to sit on the floor and pretend real life situations and act them out.

They make up stories, acting out with dolls, or toy cars, or they ‘play’ house or doctor, policeman, cowboy etc.

Many times when my children were little, they’d say “Mommy, come play with me!”

And quickly they’d assign me a position-a role to act out “You be the mommy, I’ll be the baby.”

Without effort on their part, they’d come up with the most natural conversations as they play-acted. But for me, it was not as easy to ‘pretend’ anymore as a grown up.

I loved watching my children play alone content with their ‘imaginary friends.’

They’d be oblivious to me standing in the doorway,observing their conversations, lost in play as if I was the invisible one and their ‘friend’ was more real than me.

I believe God gave little children the gift of imagination, and especially imagination friends for a reason.

It teaches them at a young age to be comfortable with themselves talking out loud to an ‘invisible’ yet very important figure in their life they believe to be real.

Colossians 1:15 (NLT) “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation”

The gift of a childlike imagination is from God. Children have innate unquestionable faith. They ‘see’ with the pure, undefiled eyes of faith.

Playtime for a little child with an unseen ‘real’ friend, is prayer preparation time with an unseen REAL God!

I believe God gave little children the gift of imaginary friends to allow them to grow comfortable talking out loud to their unseen friend/s, so that without question they will be able to ‘see’ Jesus, and talk with God whom they can’t see, but know is there.

When we ‘see’ Jesus as our real, personal living friend- when we become comfortable as as child talking with Him openly and anything and everything- we will ‘become as a child.’

“And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3)

Perspective

Fears and uncertainties can dominate your thinking.

When we only view things from our limited scope, from our own limited understanding- our viewpoint is inaccurate.

God’s ways are not man’s ways.

God’s thoughts are not man’s thoughts.

God uses the foolish to confound the wise.

That’s why we need to see things through the lens of God’s Word.

That’s why we need the Holy Spirit to lead us, reveal and teach us, to direct us through His truth.

God’s #perspective is far more valuable.

Mans perspective is limited and skewed, but God is #omniscient –

He sees from an eternal perspective of past, present and future.

He knew us before we were even formed.

He knows the plans He has for us-every mistake, every misstep, every ‘bend’ and ‘detour’ in the roadtrip of our lives-

God doesn’t get alarmed and is never caught by surprise when we venture in the ‘wrong’ direction-

Because He saw the beginning from the end.

You see- each of us was born a mess.

God’s job is to #transform our mess into our messages, to enhance our testimonies, to be His Witnesses on the earth.

He is The #Creator, we are His created.

He is the #Master, we are His masterpiece.

A beautiful ceramic vase started out as a lump of dirty, filthy clay.

Yet the #Potter sees the hidden beauty within in it- because He knows it’s potential-

The Potter patiently sits besides His wheel, guiding the process of transformation from clay to vase-satisfied with each step because He sees the beauty all along the way.

ALL of us have sinned, and fall short of God’s glory. That’s why we need a Savior-to save us.

Each of our dirty, lumpy mess of clay looks different. Our ‘sins’ have different names and depths- but that doesn’t phase God one bit.

He loves us all. ALL of us- no exceptions.

Can you ‘see’ His perspective a bit clearer?

Pray this with me:

“Father God, help me to see others through YOUR perspective and not my own. Help me not to judge others ability to be transformed by you while they are still in the transformation process. Help us to trust in You, and to pray for others in our path, and to love them as we love ourselves. In Jesus Name, amen.”