THROUGH HIS POVERTY

Psalm 82:3,4
Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help.

Why were those written?
For our learning.

Because the devil secretly as a lion in a den: lieth in wait to catch the poor, when he draws him into his net.
The enemy crouches, and humbles himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.
Psalm 10:9,10

But God!
Raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifts up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillar's of the earth are the LORD'S and He has set the world upon them.
Amen.

What does all of that mean?
It means a whole lot but I can only give a few points this morning.
It means:
Proverbs 19:17
He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD: and that which he hath given will He pay him again.
Malachi 3:10
Bring you, all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house...

When the Bible talks to us about considering the cause of the poor man He wants that man fed, clothed, cared for physically and spiritually.

He doesn't want the poor man to be put lower down on the rung above the man of means.
God is no respecter of persons.

Understand the prophet Isaiah said:
The Spirit of the LORD GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek (teachable/ those that want to be free).
Proverbs 13:8 says: The ransom of a man's life are his riches: (but the poor heareth not rebuke.)
Proverbs 13:23 says:
Much food is in the tillage of the poor: but there is that is (destroyed for want of judgment.)

Slow down and listen don't judge yet.
The Prophet Isaiah said:
...He hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted (that's healing), to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; YOU CAN BE FREE OF POVERTY when the whole world around you is bound.

To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn.
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness: that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD that He might be glorified.

This is not just poetry for mugs, greeting cards and t-shirts.
Who are the poor?
Those who are bound, bruised, blind, mourning and live with the yoke and spirit of heaviness.

What makes a mans heart break and his spirit heavy and his body sick?
Being separated from God.
Being out of the Will of God in the will of the world.

But you righteous have been separated from the world to say to those who are poor; YOUR HELP IS NOT DOWN IN EGYPT!

How do we remember the poor?
The way that our LORD did.
With love and compassion.
With works that go along with our faith and prayers.

And by preaching the gospel to them.
Jesus said in Luke 4:18
The Spirit of The LORD is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor: He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.
To preach the acceptable year of the LORD.

And The LORD closed the book and He told them: This day this scripture is fulfilled in your ears.

He that has pity on the poor man preaches the gospel to them, not only the need, the solution, how to obtain the solution and that's it.
But goes a mile with this man and goes two miles with this man or three miles with this man so that he grows in Christ and becomes one who can not only be ministered to but can now minister to another.

For you know the grace of our LORD Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor, that we through His poverty might be rich.

He gave His life and in giving His life we have been redeemed from the curse.
Don't despise the poor preach the gospel to them.
It honors God and the poor man to say to that man after he has been ministered to, Now take up your bed and walk.

Teach:
Proverbs 21:17
He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
Proverbs 10:4
He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

This is how God raises the poor up out of the dust through His Word.

Father,
Strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble knees.
In you LORD do we put all of our trust.
We are the blessed because You have forgiven our sins.
You are our shepherd and we shall not want, you lead us beside the still waters all who will follow.
You restore our soul and body, you are Jehovah Rapha, the God that heals us.
You lead us in the path of righteousness.
You are with us, you anoint our heads and our cups run over.

You LORD are our shield and our counsel and strength is in YOU.
You will instruct us and teach us in the way that we should go and we will follow and be blessed.

We look to YOU LORD and YOU alone for our help.
Only YOU can pull man out of the net that has been laid through lack of knowledge.
I Bless Your Name this day and forever.

Amen