“A VIEW FROM ABOVE”

LOOKING AT THE MEETING OF NEEDS WITH AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE. God’s Perspective!

{AS OPPORTUNITIES TO DO GOOD, LOVE AND GLORIFY GOD…}

I have been back in bed today, weak, and very ill from my disease, but my mind went to a conversation earlier and as I began to think on it, I was reminded of some verses in regards, Opportunities, Needs, Love, Glorifying God and how practical and purposeful we can and are to be… and this is by no means “complete,” but perhaps a stimulus, to consider, “A VIEW FROM ABOVE,”through SIX Verses below …

  1. – “DO NOT WITH HOLD GOOD 

to those whom it is due, when it is in Your Power to do good.Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it,” When you have it with you…”-Prov 3;27-28.

 “Them to whom it is due—i.e., the poor and needy.”- {Ellicotts Commentary}
“…We are to do good to those who are in need or deserving of it, whenever we have the means and opportunity. “-{Pulpit Commentary.} The writer speaks of DOING GOOD WHEN IT IS WITHIN YOUR POWER. And included is helping those in need. V 28. Some commentators express the ‘excuse; and indeed the unveiling of a “covetous heart.” in putting off the deed until “tomorrow,” when no one s guaranteed tomorrow. It got me thinking, “what excuses, do we give to cover up a covetous heart when opportunity comes before us in doing- good in meeting the need?” “Come back tomorrow I will give it to you…” why put off the deed? ” when you have it with you…”

I think sometimes we confuse “ownership,” with ‘stewardship.’ ‘Ownership’ says, ‘this is MINE.’ “Stewardship,” realizes it is owned by another, I am but the manager of it on their behalf. in this case , on God’s behalf!

  1. -DON’T GIVE UP DOING GOOD;– “LET US NOT LOSE HEART IN DOING GOOD, 

for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. SO THEN, WHILE WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY, LET US DO GOOD TO ALL PEOPLE, and ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO ARE OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF THE FAITH.” – Gal 6:9-10

Note Paul’s exhortation, ‘Let us not lose heart…” Let none of us lose heart in “DOING GOOD.” It is possible, can be a temptation to grow weary of “…doing good…” But he warns against this temptation and has the readers look to the long term, namely, “…for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.”

“…And let us not be weary in well doing,…. This may be understood of well doing, or doing good works in general, of every sort; which are such as are done according to the will of God, from a principle of love to him, in faith, and in the name and strength of Christ, and with a view to the glory of God: or else acts of beneficence to Christ’s ministers and poor in particular; which are agreeable to the mind of God, and well pleasing in his sight: and in doing which men should not be weary; nor are they, when their spiritual strength is renewed, and grace is in exercise, though they may meet with many things which tend to discourage and make them weary; such as change in their own circumstances, losses in the world, the multitude of objects, the ungratefulness of some, and unworthiness of others: “- GILL

“…IN DUE TIME…” – God has His timetable and we have to live by faith in what He says, and so we must persevere in continuing to DO GOOD and not stop short, quit, but the caution against such Paul gives and then he reminds his readers, “harvest time” is coming- God’s time! So in the meantime, keep on doing good, that which is beneficial to others and he lists two groups. Let’s have a look at them…

NOTE- WHO ARE THE CANDIDATES FOR “DOING GOOD,” TO?

  • – “…ALL PEOPLE…”-Wow! How wonderful, there are none who are outside of the realm of doing good to!
  • – “…..ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO ARE OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH.”– ” doing good…” some like to live in the “If I only had….I would…” and this may be so, but what we do have is “OPPORTUNITY,” to be taken, seized, acted upon!
  • – PERSEVERE… sowing takes time…harvest takes time, but in the meantime-“KEEP DOING GOOD to ALL PEOPLE, and ESPECIALLY THOSE OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH!”

  1. – BE EAGER TO DO GOOD;-  SAVED FROM WICKEDNESS, SAVED TO BE EAGER TO DO GOOD–

“…who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.” –Titus 2:14. Jesus gave Himself to redeem us…” NOTE the two reasons He gives here

A.- ” REDEEM US FROM WICKEDNESS.”- That is the negative-Sin…but look what is to fill that void, so he is not saying, nor are we to say, ” don’t do wickedness, don’t do wickedness…”

B.- “…EAGER TO DO WHAT IS GOOD.”
‘Eager,”- “Zealous, DEVOTED….” they must be on the front foot to be awake spiritually, observing, in light od what Jesus has done for them… they are free to BE DOER’S OF God’s will , which in this passage is “TO DO GOOD…” says He not only Redeemed us FROM….. but TO… LEARNING TO DO GOOD! But note, it is not happenchance, or a cold indifference, but “EAGER…”- Zealous, READY… this is their attitude to adopted and maintained

If you want a good study, read Titus underlining the times ‘good works, deed’s are mentioned and what ATTITUDE the people are to develop and then ACT UPON. Paul goes on to write…

 4. LEARN TO DO GOOD.– “OUR PEOPLE MUST LEARN TO DO GOOD by meeting the urgent needs of others;

then they will not be unproductive.”- Titus 3:14

Paul writes to Titus, that the Redeemed of the LORD

  • – “OUR PEOPLE…”-God’s Redeemed, the follower of Christ are in view here and SPECIFICALLY..
  • – “MUST LEARN…”– This is not a mere ‘good idea,’ or a ‘nice thought,’ that we can sit around and talk about as though it is optional. This must be taught them, reminded to them and they “MUST LEARN,” personal responsibility in this matter. Why? This is GOD’S WILL!

Paul says, they “MUST LEARN…” And what are they to learn?

  • – “TO DO GOOD…’ Note the call to ACTION.“DO…” it goes beyond the thinking of “doing” to the actuality of DOING and in this case is it the ACT of “DOING GOOD!”

In Titus 3:14 – What does this “Learning TO DO GOOD,” take the form of? Paul answers,

  • – “… BY…”-Here is a hinge for the swinging open of the “door,” namely, “by…”

“BY… THE MEETING THE URGENT NEEDS OF OTHERS…”

Note it is a “NEED” and it is “URGENT.” It is something they can’t do without. It is indispensable. Imagine  someone who is on a medication for their heart and they have to have it and they run out of it. The medicine is indispensable, crucial  to the heart continuing to work. That is a need that is “urgent.” There are urgent needs that are indispensable, crucial, critical, and we must meet these needs! They are to learn by observation, information and COLLECTIVELY – “OUR PEOPLE,” Note the collective co-operation in this “DOING GOOD”- by “…THE MEETING,…”of those who have “URGENT NEEDS – OF-OTHERS.” Do you know someone with an “urgent need?” Meet it. Why? It’s God’s will; as revealed in His Word and it is your opportunity to show the love of Christ, testify you belong to Christ and glorify Him in doing so!-{Read John 13:34-25;  1 Cor 10:31; Matt 5:14}

  • – “…Then THEY WILL NOT BE UNPRODUCTIVE.”-In learning to DO GOOD, which is manifested in the meeting of the URGENT NEEDS of others- “THEN,…” – this is the hinge the door hangs upon,…”then THEY WILL NOT BE UNPRODUCTIVE.”- Failure to learn and do and meet will be “UNPRODUCTIVE,”- The possibility of being “UNPRODUCTIVE,” is a possibility which will only be negated through the application of Paul’s teaching to Titus, and then Titus teaching of it to the “Redeemed,” of the LORD!

  1. – LOVE MEETS NEEDS; ” WE KNOW LOVE BY THIS,

” We know love by this that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”- {1 John 3:16-18}

Here John writes, “WE KNOW…”– Another study if you wish to do, to help you understand this book is to read, count up the amount of times the word, “KNOW” is used, underline it and read what the verses around it says in reference to the word, “KNOW.” What is that GOD wants people to “KNOW?” The word speaks of “certainty, assuredly,”- there is no possibilities, a ‘maybe’ or ‘optional.’ It is spoken by Divine Authority through John.

NOTE-

A.- THE ACTION OF LOVE – What John wants the people to “KNOW.” Firstly, “WE KNOW LOVE BY THIS…” Love is knowable! It is that “…HE laid down His life for us…”Jesus laid down His life for us. The CROSS, assures us WE CAN KNOW FOR CERTAINTY. He points to the OBJECTIVE TRUTH of The Cross. Not based on changing feelings but the Fact of what Jesus did! The Right RESPONSE to His love? is seen in

  • – THE RE-ACTION TO THE LOVE OF CHRIST– “we ought { the word means ‘morally obligated,’} to lay our lives down for the brethren.” This is all inclusive for every believer, “…we…” The response to the Love and Cross of Christ is to be responded to by CHOOSING to “…lay our lives down for the brethren.” Some die for their allegiance to Christ to be sure, but many don’t. SO HOW THEN Are we to “…lay down our lives for the brethren?” But what does that DOES NOT look like PRACTICALLY…?
  •  LOVELESNESS EXPOSED– V-17 – “…But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother IN NEED and CLOSES HIS HEART AGAINST HIM, HOW DOES THE LOVE OF GOD ABIDE IN HIM?”

First John shows what is the complete opposite of understanding and indeed he says “how can the LOVE OF GOD’ be in this one, who upon “seeing the need closes his heart.” The one on seeing the need and closes shut the door of compassion, arises the question, Does he know, how can he say, “the LOVE OF GOD abides IN him?” There is a question regarding his salvation, as his ACTION of loveless-ness would show otherwise! It is a serious question with eternal consequences. Can a believer withhold? Absolutely, but this is not the learning and practice of the one’s whom God’s love is within them

  • – WHAT TO “…LAY DOWN OUR LIVES FOR THE BRETHREN” LOOKS LIKE.

“…Little children, LET US NOT love with word or with tongue, BUT in deed and truth.” – V 18

He speaks to them with tenderness, “little children,”

A.- “LET US NOT…”Here he tells them and includes himself “let US…” He says none of them, who are recipients of the Love of Christ, are to respond to those in “need,” “Let us not,” specifically do something…

B.- “LET US – NOT…- LOVE WITH WORD OR WITH TONGUE,…”- He is writing to those who belong to the LORD and who have this world’s good and the ability to help those who are in NEED, and he wants to DIFFERENTIATE them, from those who shut tight, close the door of compassion to those in need, when they also have the ability to by not hiding behind “words” of love, when They have the ABILITY to meet the ones in NEED. Words are no good, to the ones who have physical need. Sometimes, as we read in the first verse in Proverbs 3- we make excuses to slither our selfish way out of meeting through pious hypocritical, words, “I will be praying for you…” when it is within YOUR POWER, MY POWER to PROVIDE for the brother or sister in NEED.

Indeed to go a step further, is it not to “take the LORD’S Name in vain?” By using it in an untrue way, an irreverent way, attaching His Name to the situation when He already has provided for them, through those whom John says, “have this world’s goods…”

 LOVE….IN DEED AND IN TRUTH. “- V 18
The Love of Christ is known through Jesus laying down His life for the believers, John assures his writers under inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He in turn wants them to know the reaction, response to such sacrificial love, is they are obligated by love- not legalism, but obligated, motivated by the love of Christ to lay down their lives for one another. This they can do with the “world’s goods,” that GOD Has entrusted them with. Again realizing that they as we are not “owners,” but “stewards” to be used for good and to EXPRESS The Love of Christ. The REALITY of the LOVE of GOD within us IS MANIFESTED IN when seeing a brother or sister in need and we have this world’s goods- to meet their NEED- “Let us not …” talk a “good game” or “invoke” that “I will be praying for you” or “..The LORD will provide…” at that stage , the excuses are exposed and the heart of lovelessness revealed. John wants nothing of this spirit to be adopted, or practiced by the believers for it is ANTI- CHRIST! It is not CHRIST’S heart. Indeed it is a TEST of Salvation!

Some have needs, Paul knew such and thanks the Philippians who gave out of their poverty, what he calls in chapter 4 –” …a sacrificial gift…sweet aroma, ….well pleasing to God,” and with that he assures them, “And my God shall supply ALL OF YOUR NEEDS according to His riches in Christ.”

TAKING PERSONAL INVENTORY;
Do I Have the ABILITY to Help?
Do I have the OPPORTUNITY to Help?
Do I Have The HEART to help?
It is possible to have the ability and Opportunity and not the heart of Love which will usually mean the person is not helped by you. Not for lack of Ability or Opportunity but the main ingredient at that moment. LOVE is the Key Ingredient. Love for God, Love for others. 

  1. – GLORIFYING GOD BY MEETING NEEDS; A GODLY AMBITION – THE GLORIFYING OF GOD.

People are motivated by various things and have various ambitions, but what about a GODLY AMBITION in regards giving or been on the receiving end of having a need met, namely GOD GLORIFIED!

If you read 2 Corinthians 9, Note the GREAT OPPORTUNITY When a NEED Exists and is KNOWN and God’s people in this case gave out of their poverty, not reluctantly, begrudgingly but lovingly concerned for their brothers and sisters whose need had been made known to them. Note what happens

  • NEED KNOWN– 9:1,5.
  • NEED MET- THE RESULT? ” MANY THANKSGIVINGS “OVERFLOWING TO GOD…”– 2 Corinthians 9:12
  •  GOD IS GLORIFIED! 2 Cor 9:13 -The ultimate end in meeting NEEDS , Motivated from love from Christ and the choosing of RESPONDING to such Love by CHOOSING to meet the needs of those whom we can is ultimately… GOD IS GLORIFIED…

 A Practical way to GLORIFY GOD, is to meet a NEED and what often happens when a person, or perhaps when your need is met? Your heart, voice arises to say words to the effect,” THANK YOU LORD…” and in your thanksgiving to the need being met- you turn towards God and Thank Him and HE IS GLORIFIED…

LOOKING AT “NEEDS…” IN A NEW WAY…AN ETERNAL VIEW

At times you may find yourself in such a place and KNOW this is an opportunity for others to meet your need and in doing so, DO GOOD, EXPRESS LOVE, GLORIFY GOD OR perhaps it is your OPPORTUNITY to know of someone in a place of “NEED,” and it is a gigantic opportunity to DO GOOD, EXPRESS LOVE AND SEE GOD GLORIFIED!

“The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.” – Matthew 25:40

Jesus does not separate our treatment of one another from Himself. What another wonderful MOTIVATION- To DO GOOD, EXPRESS LOVE, GLORIFY GOD, and KNOW the way we treat others, is in exact proportion to our treatment of the LORD JESUS!

Learning to Look at “needs,” from some verses from His Word, on some aspects of “needs,” and responses, attitudes, Godly Ambition and ACTIONS to be taught, cultivated and applied…with a VIEW TO HIM, “A VIEW FROM ABOVE”– as recorded in His Word.

Paul in 2 Corinthians 9 teaches, we will always have enough to do good with… together they made a difference, GOD Was GLORIFIED. Now, is our opportunities, yours and mine- in our generation to do likewise! Paul wrote, “…whatever you do, do it ALL FOR the Glory of God.” -{1 Cor 10:31}. He gives what our motivation is to be by using the word, “For,” which gives the reason … which is, “The Glory of God!’

 Too often, we ask, “what will this mean to me?” rather what will this mean to Him?  Is this in accordance with His Word? Will this  Honor,Glorify Him? And in these two questions I have my answer,as do you?

7. DON’T FORGET… GOD IS PLEASED.

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. “-{Hebrews 13:16}. Offer the sacrifice of Praise to the LORD with our LIPS… “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess His Name.”– {V15}. Let us offer the sacrifice also with our LIFE, our DEEDS and know when we do so sacrificially,…it PLEASES GOD!

 And so we must search the Scriptures and adopt, develop, be zealous, and live out “A View from Above” when it comes to meeting the needs of others. “A View from Above” is just another way to say “What does heaven’s King say about the matter!”

“A VIEW FROM ABOVE” –LOOKING AT THE MEETING OF NEEDS WITH AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE...

A  SCRIPTURAL “VIEW FROM ABOVE {GOD’S VIEW} REGARDS YOU MEETING NEED’S

  1. DON’T WITH-HOLD WHEN YOU HAVE THE POWER
  2. DON’T GIVE UP DOING GOOD
  3. BE EAGER TO DO GOOD
  4. LEARN TO DO GOOD
  5. LOVE MEET NEEDS
  6. GOD IS GLORIFIED WHEN YOU MEET NEEDS

{AS OPPORTUNITIES TO DO GOOD, LOVE AND GLORIFY GOD…}