INTRODUCTION

World leaders constantly claim that they hold the solution for how to rid the world of poverty. Yet, the Lord stated that mankind would always have a problem with poverty, at least until the millennium. Believers should be willing to help the poor but must keep in mind that they will never eliminate world poverty. According to Deuteronomy 15:11For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.
See All..., “the poor shall never cease out of the land.” In other words, regardless of man’s efforts to give and help, there will always be a group of people who struggle financially. With this in mind, believers should not ignore the physical needs of the poor but should be most concerned with offering the poor spiritual help (Acts 3:6Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
See All...).

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For children): God knew the poor would always be with us (Proverbs 22:2The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.
  See All...). He made specific provisions for them (Exodus 23:10-11 [10] And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof: [11] But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.
  See All...). He remembered them in times of feasting (Deuteronomy 16:10-11 [10] And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the LORD thy God, according as the LORD thy God hath blessed thee: [11] And thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to place his name there.
  See All...; 13-14). Take note that even with all of man’s efforts to end poverty, the poor will still be here in the end times (Revelation 13:16And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
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• (For everyone): Why is it important to be most concerned with an individual’s spiritual condition? Is it possible to help someone financially only to see them return to the problem of poverty? How is this different from the spiritual help that we can invest in them?
• A person changed spiritually will never be the same. Is it your responsibility to solve the problem of poverty? If not, what is supposed to be your primary responsibility and focus?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask God for wisdom to know what you can and cannot do.
• Ask the Lord to remind you that the poor will always be here.

HYMN

LITTLE IS MUCH WHEN GOD IS IN IT

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