Meeting Needs – 7 Ways To Do So. – {Short version}

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

1.DON’T WITH-HOLD WHEN YOU HAVE THE POWER;

“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.}

2. DON’T GIVE UP DOING GOOD;

“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.”

3.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.}

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 of 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

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… THE MEETING THE URGENT NEEDS OF OTHERS…” Note it is a “NEED” and it is “URGENT,” 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.” – “…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!

5. LOVE MEET NEEDS;

” 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}.

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. 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.”  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…? “Let us love in deed and truth.” Love is as simple as meeting needs! See a need, meet a need! Love does!

6. GOD IS GLORIFIED WHEN YOU MEET NEEDS;

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! Someone else’s need is YOUR Opportunity to see God glorified by participating in the meeting of the need. Perhaps you cannot meet all of the need, but as you contribute towards that end and the need is met,… God is, what? GLORIFIED!!

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}

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! LOOKING AT “NEEDS…” IN A NEW WAY……“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
7. DON’T FORGET…GOD IS PLEASED

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