Luke 6:38
The homicide rate in my City of Philadelphia currently stands at 416. This exceeds the number murdered last year at this time. And they called last year a record year
Despite the yeomen efforts of Law Enforcement, they will never be able to contain this problem. No matter how much we attack the Criminal Justice System, they cannot fix what is occurring. This is not a problem they can correct.
The simple reason is this is a spiritual problem. It will take a spiritual solution to address a spiritual problem. We are facing a moral problem, a values problem, a heavenly one. The Bible says
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:12
And as we can see if we do not address the issues the problem will only grow worse. Where it was once adults killing adults, now it is children murdering children. When our children are murdered, we are murdering our future. For the children are our future. Jesus said;
“Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 19:14
It is now our children that are frightening us the most. We must be concerned. The question I hear many asking is what can we do?
The solution my brethren is found in our values. We have grown more self-centered, more selfish, and more uncaring. We have abandoned the spirit of selflessness and adopted a more “me-centered” reality. We have learned to devalue the valuable and give value to the valueless. We no longer truly love another as Jesus commanded.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
John 13:34
Our unloving and sinful attitudes in the way we care for one another are apparent.
The Scripture says
Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Luke 6:38
My beloved, this does not mean that one should fill the offering plates as some Preachers may tell you. This does not mean giving the Pastor a healthy love gift or filling his cash app to the brim. It does not mean allowing the Preacher to use ministry as his path to wealth and fame. This Bible taught giving means to Give to one another.
When you read the idea of Giving in context, it means we are to give our caring, our support, our love, our respect, and our resources to one another. We are to give what we care about the most to those in need, not worrying about how it will be replaced, or what state we will be in after we give. God has promised, Give and it shall be given unto you.
We are to give selflessly, without regret, or constraint. For the real blessing is in the giving. We need to give practice our morality, respect one another, but most importantly honor the reality that God is the One who gives life and the only One who can take it away.
We need to learn to give due to the differences we find in each other and when we have conflict, for we surely shall, resolve this conflict lovingly. We cannot use the instruments of death to resolve what must be done through compassion, understanding, listening, and empathy.
The key to our spiritual demise is in the Giving. What good is it to give the widow words of solace and comfort yet refuse to give the widow the support she needs when she asks? This is why our society has become so fragile. Because we simply refuse to Give.
Yet the ironic thing is it is in our giving that we find our blessing. The Scripture says
Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
When we give, it will be given to us. Not just a little bit but till your cup runneth over. How we miss the truths of God. We need to learn to trust God. For His promises NEVER return void.
I know this sounds like a revolutionary idea. I know this is not comfortable. I know you say you get tired of being told to give. But my beloved, look at the alternative. We are losing our existence; we are losing this spiritual war.
This is not a new concept. It is the same reality the Apostle Paul found in the church of Corinth. It is the same problem that Moses found in the exodus. Loving one another, feeding one another, respecting one another, uplifting one another, and giving to one another in their grief. This is the solution to the plight we find ourselves in, and my beloved we can do this.
Consider the early Christians at Antioch. The Scripture says;
Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and [o]sold their possessions and goods, and divided[p] them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added [q]to the church daily those who were being saved.
Acts 2:44-46
My beloved this thing we call Christianity has a price. Yet no matter the price, the rewards are always so much greater. Jesus said;
For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—
Luke 14: 28
Stop pretending to follow the Lord, stop the vain empty deeds you think bring you closer to God, and stop your hypocrisy when you proclaim to love the Lord. James said it like this
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
James 1:28
True Biblical giving pleases the Lord. It is written ,
But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows [d]bountifully will also reap [e]bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of [f]necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Cor 9:6-9
Give my Beloved and it shall given unto you.
