INTRODUCTION

World leaders constantly talk of ways to rid the world of poverty, but the Lord Jesus stated that mankind would always (at least while mankind is on this earth) have a problem with 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 the efforts of those who have money to give, there will always be a group of people who have less. With this in mind, believers should be first and foremost 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...). When possible, believers should be willing to help the poor, but they must keep in mind that they will never solve the problem of poverty.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For smaller 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 provision 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). 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:
  See All...).
• Why is it important to be most concerned with an individual’s spiritual condition? Is it possible to help someone financially only to find that they return to the problem of poverty? How is this different than the spiritual help you can give?
• Is it your responsibility to solve the problem of poverty? What is your responsibility?

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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