March 1: The Hands and Feet of Jesus

The Daily Bible scripture reading for today is: Num. 5:5-10, Ex. 21, 22, Lev. 24:18, Deut. 22:8, Lev 19:13, Deut. 24:14-15, Lev. 25:44-46, Deut. 23:15-20, 15:12-18, Deut. 24:6, 24:10-11, 24:17, 15:1-11, Lev. 19:12, Num. 30, Lev. 19:11, Deut. 25:13-16, 21:15-17, 25:5-10, Num. 27:1-11, 36:1-13 

Deuteronomy 15:7-11

Amplified Bible (AMP)

⁷ If there is among you a poor man, one of your kinsmen in any of the towns of your land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not harden your [minds and] hearts or close your hands to your poor brother;

⁸ But you shall open your hands wide to him and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks.

⁹ Beware lest there be a base thought in your [minds and] hearts, and you say, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand, and your eye be evil against your poor brother and you give him nothing, and he cry to the Lord against you, and it be sin in you.

¹⁰ You shall give to him freely without begrudging it; because of this the Lord will bless you in all your work and in all you undertake.

¹¹ For the poor will never cease out of the land; therefore I command you, You shall open wide your hands to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor in your land.

James 1:26-27

Amplified Bible (AMP)

²⁶ If anyone thinks himself to be religious (piously observant of the external duties of his faith) and does not bridle his tongue but deludes his own heart, this person’s religious service is worthless (futile, barren).

²⁷ External religious worship [religion as it is expressed in outward acts] that is pure and unblemished in the sight of God the Father is this: to visit and help and care for the orphans and widows in their affliction and need, and to keep oneself unspotted and uncontaminated from the world.

Matthew 25:31-46

Amplified Bible (AMP)

³¹ When the Son of Man comes in His glory (His majesty and splendor), and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.

³² All nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them [the people] from one another as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats;

³³ And He will cause the sheep to stand at His right hand, but the goats at His left.

³⁴ Then the King will say to those at His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father [you favored of God and appointed to eternal salvation], inherit (receive as your own) the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you ^[b]brought Me together with yourselves and welcomed and entertained and ^[c]lodged Me,

³⁶ I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me ^[d]with help and ministering care, I was in prison and you came to see Me.

³⁷ Then the just and upright will answer Him, Lord, when did we see You hungry and gave You food, or thirsty and gave You something to drink?

³⁸ And when did we see You a stranger and welcomed and entertained You, or naked and clothed You?

³⁹ And when did we see You sick or in prison and came to visit You?

⁴⁰ And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [^[e]in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me.

⁴¹ Then He will say to those at His left hand, Begone from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!

⁴² For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink,

⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me and entertain Me, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me ^[f]with help and ministering care.

⁴⁴ Then they also [in their turn] will answer, Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?

⁴⁵ And He will reply to them, Solemnly I declare to you, in so far as you failed to do it for the least [^[g]in the estimation of men] of these, you failed to do it for Me.

⁴⁶ Then they will go away into eternal punishment, but those who are just and upright and in right standing with God into eternal life.

I do'nt even know what to say... These incredible, thought provoking verses speak for themselves! Basically praying, fasting, studying the Bible and running back and forth to church services are, quite simply, not enough to get us to heaven. Scripture clearly states we are to love and reach out to the needy among us. Not just our literal flesh and blood family or our church family alone. But the homeless person on the street corner as well. What can I do personally? 

Blake George spoke on this subject this past Wednesday night at church. You can listen to the message on our website, calvarygospelchurch.org. He suggested helping in our Christian Intervention Program. This is a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program held on Sunday afternoons at our church.

He also mentioned Touched Twice, a free medical clinic we have a couple times a year. We need volunteers for this program.

These are only two suggestions. We also have an amazing Outreach Ministry at Calvary. And of course there is the Food Bank. They always need volunteers. 

Just a few ideas. 

"Dear Jesus, I want to be Your hands and feet. I don't want You to have to say to me, "Depart from Me, I never knew You." Please give me Your heart of compassion, Oh God. Direct me exactly where You want me to go. I want to minister to the hurting and broken. The widows and orphans. The poor. I thank You for making this clear to me in Your word. I thank You for opening my eyes. In Your precious name, Jesus. AMEN."