Back in the mid-1960s, the Democrats,
under the leadership of President Lyndon Johnson, began the campaign
which they called the War on Poverty. Their concept was that by instituting
various government programs that the problems associated with
poverty could be eradicated. Some 50 years later, both Democrats
and Republicans alike still labor under this delusion and continually
seek funding for various programs and giveaway schemes which merely
exacerbate this societal problem rather than solving it. The truth
is that the underlying cause of poverty is misunderstood by
these political soothsayers. Not only that, but their definition
of what constitutes poverty is wrongly stated by them as being
the lack of a certain quantity of monetary possessions or benefits. They call this amount the poverty
level. Thus they devise means whereby
to redistribute wealth of this type to those who have no appreciation
for it, not having labored to attain it. What is meant as a
helping hand turns out to be an empowerment to non-productivity
and a sense of entitlement. The Lord said, for you have the
poor with you always. He instructed his disciples to
have concern for those individuals and to seek to do them good in
whatever way they can. He also instructed the church
that if any would not work, neither should he eat. Now, while this
instruction is specifically and primarily given to those who
make up the body of Christ, this is nonetheless a principle which
should not be disregarded by any culture, lest the ills which
are promoted by laziness permeate it as we see manifested in our
own society. Poverty is the result of sin
and the outgrowth of that curse which was placed upon the earth
by the Lord at the manifestation of Adam's corruption. No amount
of human endeavor, expenditure, or creation of material wealth
can ever change this situation and condition even one iota. In our society, men judge a man's
poverty by how much money he has in the bank or whether he
meets the government's defined threshold. Yet even natural poverty
is not actually a matter of money, but rather one of mind and thought.
A truly poor man cannot be helped, whereas a man who simply lacks
money can often see his problem solved through determination
and industriousness. All natural men, without exception,
are in a place of poverty when it comes to possessing those
goods which are of value in the kingdom of God. By nature, men
feel that they are in good standing with Him, since they call on
Him when they get in a bind. and even help other folks out
if it's not too much of an inconvenience. So they believe the Lord surely
will not turn them away. Those who think they can see
are in reality blind. Those who have some form of righteousness
are in reality unholy. Those who speak great words of
testimony, declaring what they have done to gain salvation,
are in reality deceived by their own confession. A man can only
be rescued from this blindness by the grace and mercy of God.
He alone is the one who makes a differentiation between one
man and another. Thus we read in the Psalms of
Him who raised up the poor out of the dust and lifteth the needy
out of the dunghill. This is the heart and soul of
the Gospel message and is a summation of the work of redemption which
the Lord Jesus does perform in the behalf of His elect bride.
The gospel is a sweet and welcome sound to those who are described
as poor and the needy. If a man is poor, he cannot be
helped in any way by someone else who is poor. He needs a
wealthy benefactor to deliver him from his poverty. He stands
in need of someone who is touched with the feelings of his own
infirmities and who, having pity upon him, will provide for him
what he cannot provide for himself. The Lord Jesus Christ is just
such a Deliverer who comes with healing in His wings, declaring
to those who find themselves in an impoverished state that
He, by His own power, will set them free from the cycle of sin
and death. He raises up the poor from the
dust. He lifteth up the needy from
the dunghill. Are you poor and needy? If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at 4the4 at windstream dot net.