Debunking the lie: Christian Principles = taking from the rich and giving to the poor

After the Truckers Ride for the Constitution and the Vets March to Washington October 11th-13th, 2013 I saw thousands of men who were willing to stand up, speak out and demand a change in our nation. I couldn't be more proud of these men, many of who already fought for our freedom and shouldn't have to be doing it again,                                              
but are. I see valiant men and women doing whatever they can to not sit quietly and will be able to say before God, "I did all I could to save Your country." But I also know that many of us are ill-equipped to answer some of the seemingly rational sounding lies that get thrown up in conversations like the following:


"If you don't want your tax dollars to help the poor then stop saying you want a country based on Christian principles, because you don't."

The "left" here (no pun intended... okay maybe a little) is an image a friend of mine posted on Facebook. How fine those words sound, how righteous and good... and misleading. It causes people to look at themselves- in a matter of seconds- and question their own goodness. "I am a good person. I want to help the poor, I am a Christian, and I want a nation founded on Christian principles just like our founding fathers did... so could I be wrong?" After that short self reflection, you have now begun to believe the lie that Christian principles say that it is Godly to take from one person without their permission and give it to someone less fortunate.

So I realized, someone needs to start getting the answers into the hands of these men and women who are going on the front lines, as it were, standing to retain the integrity of this great nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

The first thing you need to know is that when it comes to finding out exactly what Christian principles are there is only one place that you can go: the Bible. Throughout (from the Old Testament to the New) you find a loving God, but also a just God. You will find that God always fights for the "under-dog" and does often take from wicked people to give to the less fortunate. But wait, did I just say God "took" from someone to give to the poor? Why, yes, yes I did. But what part are we missing class? Anyone know the answer? He took from the wicked, not from people simply because they had more than someone else.

In the book of Mark, chapter 10, starting in verse 17, Jesus has a rich young ruler come to him and ask him what he needed to do to get into heaven. Jesus told him ^"You know the commandments, ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’”  And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.”  Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 


The above scripture is what people would like to use to back up the Jimmy Carter quote. But wait, did I miss the part where Jesus actually took the rich young ruler's things, sold them and gave them to the poor? Maybe that's what really happened and it just got left out of scripture... NO- it's not. Jesus understood that you have to give people the choice to do good or not. "So what you're telling me is that all these people in government who want to help the poor so badly have sold everything that they have and given to the poor!? Sweet!" Um, no, they haven't, but they are more than happy to take your money, give to the poor and then have it look like they are the ones personally sacrificing to do so.

Allow me to give you my absolute favorite history lesson. Many of you may not know of one of our greatest presidents, "the honest" Grover Cleveland because he didn't accomplish any huge changes. However, he wasn't out to make any changes, he was out to defend the constitution from those who would try to usurp it.
"Cleveland derived his devotion to limited government from his reverence for the U.S. Constitution. An honest man—an extraordinarily honest man for a politician—he took seriously his oath to “preserve, protect, and defend” that document." Why Grover Cleveland vetoed the Texas Seed Bill

Now, in 1886-1887 Texas had a massively debilitating drought and in early 1887 a bill was proposed that $10,000 be sent down to the farmers in counties that had suffered from the drought. Now, even at the time $10,000 wasn't that much money and the government could have easily sent it without making much of a dent, but Cleveland vetoed the bill. Why? Was he just a mean, selfish, spiteful man who hated farmers? No, listen to what he says, "I can find no warrant for such an appropriation in the Constitution; and I do not believe that the power and duty of the General Government ought to be extended to the relief of individual suffering which is in no manner properly related to the public service or benefit. A prevalent tendency to disregard the limited mission of this power and duty should, I think, be steadily resisted, to the end that the lesson should be constantly enforced that, though the people support the Government, the Government should not support the people."
 

"Wait Michelle, so are you saying he did nothing to help those poor farmers!?" I'm not saying that at all, listen here to what he says next  "The friendliness and charity of our countrymen can always be relied upon to relieve their fellow citizens in misfortune. This has been repeatedly and quite lately demonstrated. Federal aid in such cases encourages the expectation of paternal care on the part of the government and weakens the sturdiness of our national character, while it prevents the indulgence among our people of that kindly sentiment and conduct which strengthens the bonds of a common brotherhood. It is within my personal knowledge that individual aid has, to some extent, already been extended to the sufferers mentioned in this bill. The failure of the proposed appropriation of $10,000 additional, to meet their remaining wants, will not necessarily result in continued distress if the emergency is fully made known to the people of the country." And here is the real kicker! Further, he suggested that if members of Congress really wanted to send seed to the suffering Texans, the congressmen might personally carry out this charitable transfer by using the seed routinely provided to all members for distribution to their constituents (at an expense of $100,000 in that fiscal year). Read Grover Cleveland's Entire Response to the bill here

Whoa, whoa, whoa. He suggested that they  personally give up some of the grain that would go to their constituents who were not suffering from a drought that would have equaled 10x's that of what was needed and would have amounted to everyone giving up less than 10%!? This is what is lacking in government today: the willingness of not only government officials, but the people to give up what they have in order to help others. Now, I understand why the people don't want to give what they have- Why? Because they already gave! They've been taxed to death! But what about the officials, they have no excuse. They actually don't care for the poor as much as they would have you believe. They only care insomuch as being able to have the power and control over who, what, where, when and how your money gets donated. Thus they are

saying that you don't know how to give and that you wouldn't give even if you could because you are inherently selfish. What!? Yes. That is exactly what they are saying. They are saying that the American people would not give on their own if left in charge of their own money, when in fact, the opposite is true. I would like to translate one of the Cleveland quotes from above into layman's terms. When you give federal aid not only does it encourage the expectation of paternal care (which the government was NEVER set up to give) it takes away what he refers to as an indulgence of kindness to give. Which he says "strengthens the bonds of common brotherhood". Meaning, we are stronger, we are closer, we are more firmly knit together as a country when we come together out of the kindness and goodness of our own hearts to give and help those in need, without being forced. 

We don't give out of compulsion, or else it's not a gift at all. And when you take away a man's right to give how he sees fit, you take away the reward that goes along with it: pride and joy. That pride and joy that comes from giving is contagious, it's addicting, it leaves you wanting more. It truly is more blessed to give

than to receive, but it most certainly is not blessed to have something taken from you and given to someone else. Where is the pride in that? 

When I was a child, and my mom asked me to do the dishes, I would do them and she would be happy. But, the times that I chose to do the dishes on my own, without being asked, she was over the moon! That was reward enough for me, and left me wanting to do more without being asked! That is what Christian principles are all about. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 says, "...whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." And BAM! There you go. The next time someone tries to use the Jimmy Carter quote in your face, you come back with the WORD! That right there is the Christian principle on giving, that is how God would have us give.

I would like to end this with something for you to chew on. We'll call it practical application of what we just learned. We DO need to help the poor, we DO need to help single mothers and take care of the elderly. So if the government doesn't do it, who will? We will! "Okay, I'm all for it, how do we make the change!?" We start by using a phrase that has been thrown around very popularly as of late, "privatization." We have to start by privatizing charity. Charity isn't charity at all if it's funded through stolen money. That is called socialism. I propose an experiment. Take 100 families out of the government taxation system, rich and poor alike, that live in the same locale. The rich don't pay exorbitant taxes and the poor receive NO government handouts. You make each family well aware of the needs of the others and let them know that if they don't personally help out each other, then they will go without needs such as clothing, food, shelter, education etc... Now, I don't have to actually perform this experiment to tell you exactly how this would play out. Sure, you will have a few of the wealthy families who won't care and just be glad to have their own money in their pockets, but most of the wealthier families will see to it that the poor are taken care of. Not only that, but let me tell you what else will happen. Not only will those poor families have food, clothing and shelter, but the rich will take an interest in those families, they will take them to their places of work, be it at an office, or on a family farm and they will help those families get back on their feet so that they don't have to depend on others for help. They will take the single moms into their

families and give them value so that they don't have to seek it from dead beat men. Sure, a few will fall through the cracks, but giving breeds giving! The poor will start helping out other poor people, the elderly will be taken in by their families instead of going to nursing homes. The family unit will be valued again and ALL of this love and giving will lead to one thing and one thing only: Jesus. 

I challenge the American government to implement this experiment, to see if I am correct. But they will not, I will let you in on a little secret as to why: they actually don't want you to be independent. They don't want you freely giving to your fellow man, in charge of your own resources. They want the poor dependent upon them, to keep them "under" them, ill-educated, and unable to stand up against them. They are hungry for power and it's time we took it back. We don't need them to perform this experiment because it's already been done. It's what was done successfully in our country for 150 years until the government slowly stepped in, despite men like Grover Cleveland trying to hold it back, and said, "I am your parent, and I tell you what you can and cannot do." But just as Cleveland said, "the people support the government, not the government the people." We need to remember that we are the parent for the government and WE tell it how they can spend the money that we freely give them. Not money that was stolen from us. We the people support the poor and needy, not the government. Why? Because we are selfish, we actually want that good feeling that comes from giving freely to a single mom out of our own pocket, and they have stolen that good feeling from us! Lets take it back!

Thanks yall!! ~Michelle (P.S. for more on this subject, see Leah's Blog- The government cannot tax you to make you care for the poor.   )   

 

Government Cannot Tax You To Make You Take Care of the Poor

Isaiah 58 Ministries                                                                                      September 26, 2013

Pastor: Leah Svensson


       

 Government run religion? In America? You bet! And it's happening right under your nose!
And here is my political soap box...

           As I was walking dogs today, I really felt the Lord speak to me about situations where people truly cannot afford food or shelter, etc. What are we to do? Well, our government is bloated with program after program that tells people "you must love your neighbor and we are going to make you do that." Which sounds good, in theory, but you cannot legislate morality or love or kindness with taxes. It is a moral question whether or not to help your neighbor with medical bills or food. It's a belief system that changes with the whim of every administration- it's a religion: "an interest, a belief, or an activity that is very important to a person or group."

The government's job is to ENCOURAGE religion, but not to force it through taxation, especially at the levels we have today.

John Witherspoon:

[T]o promote true religion is the best and most effectual way of making a virtuous and regular people. Love to God and love to man is the substance of religion; when these prevail, civil laws will have little to do. . . . The magistrate (or ruling party of any society) ought to encourage piety . . . [and] make it an object of public esteem.

Witherspoon, Works, (1815) vol VII, pp. 118-119, "Jurisprudence," Lecture XIV.

James Madison is known as the "Father of the Constitution." In one of his most famous works, he laid down a principle which should be followed by every Congressman: don't vote for any bill that is inconsistent with or does not promote the principles of Christianity. Madison said every legislator should vote against any bill if

the policy of the bill is adverse to the diffusion of the light of Christianity. The first wish of those who enjoy this precious gift, ought to be that it may be imparted to the whole race of mankind.
Memorial and Remonstrance, 1785

     We need to PROMOTE GOOD behavior, PROMOTE GIVING...but when it comes to taxes- the government steps over it's bounds and becomes a religion- a religion that enforces its dogma on all of it's citizenry in a form unnatural to humanity. To be human is to be able to make choices, but you cannot tax morality. It just cannot and should not be done. Punish wickedness, put those in jail who defy the Constitution. But do not turn morality into heavy taxation upon a people unable to bear the weight of a god unknown to their consciousnesses. For a government run religion is what you have when you take the moral ideas of helping the sick and poor and start taxing people to accomplish your goals.

        This is why Christianity in government works best. For it costs the people nothing to hear a sermon preached by the president. It costs the people nothing to have days of prayer and fasting. It costs the people nothing to hear admonitions to be good and friendly and give to the poor and needy. Christianity accomplishes more than what government run morality/religion does and costs the people nothing but what they want to and choose to give to who they feel led to give to. An entire society made up of Christians living out their principles will have no one living in poverty or illiterate. This is why our forefathers and founders promoted Christianity above all other religions, and could not even tolerate the mere thought of an atheist society.

"NOT" Prohibited the free exercise of religion. You can not stop someone from praciting their religion in anything, especially government.

John Hancock:

Sensible of the importance of Christian piety and virtue to the order and happiness of a state, I cannot but earnestly commend to you every measure for their support and encouragement. . . . [N]ot only the freedom but the very existence of the republics . . . depend much upon the public institutions of religion.

Independent Chronicle (Boston), November 2, 1780, last page.
See also Abram English Brown, John Hancock, His Book (Boston: Lee & Shepherd, 1898), p. 269.

Questions:
1.If you needed $$$ to pay for your electric bill, and you went to your neighbor to ask for $$$, would you go in and take it from him if he told you no?

2. If you asked for $200 only to find out the bill was only $150, would you say "yay, dinner and a movie on mr. neighbor, or would you give the extra $50 back with big thank you?

        Today, this is what government does for programs that are for the poor and needy, or just about any group someone in power wants to bribe with votes. I love parks, I like libraries, but people shouldn't be made to pay for these perks.

If I wanted to build a park, and I wanted to raise money, should I:
A. go door to door and ask for it,
B.have a fund raiser or
C. come up with my own money... or
D. should I go into my neighbor's homes when they tell me they do not want to support my cause and just take it?


         They say that 80% of Americans believe in God, most of whom call themselves Christians. Christ's ministry is for the poor, the weak, the meek, the lowly, the sick, the hurting.

Proverbs 21:13 ¹³ If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.

Isaiah 61:1
¹ The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners...

he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty. Luke 1:53

          To be a Christian is to be the good Samaritan who picks up the dying man off the side of the road who had just been robbed and beaten and takes him to a doctor and pays for his treatment until he is better. Real Christianity takes care of the poor and meek and weak around us- the Gospel of Jesus Christ is good news... for the poor!!

      "Liberals" actually have the right idea but go around it wrong. Many say "you are rich, you owe more..." Well, that is what Paul said, who wrote 2/3's of the New Testament- that is what Jesus said also- but you cannot go into people's wallets and homes and take it. You also need to know by whose authority your moral judgments come from. I know where mine come from, the Bible, the infallible Word of God. In this way, it's not just my mere opinion I push on people- but God's.

      Michelle recently helped a middle aged black woman and her son who asked for some money. This was her privilege to do so but what if Michelle said "no," and that woman went ahead and reached into Michelle's wallet and took money? What if Michelle wanted to help that lady more but didn't want to shoulder the whole burden so she reached into your pocket and took $20 out without even asking you?

Rich Young Ruler Parable:
Jesus told the rich young ruler the only thing he lacked was he should "go sell all you have and give to the poor and follow me and you will have treasures in Heaven."   (Matt. 19:21; Mark 10:21; Luke 18:22).      He went away very sad for he was "very rich."

Almost Impossible for Rich to Enter Heaven, but With God All Things are Possible!
Jesus said it's very  hard, almost impossible for the rich to enter into the kingdom of God- that it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter Heaven--- but with God all things are possible.During Biblical times a camel would need to take off all his loads to get through the gate or  "needle"



Today's Political System:

1. Sees a need and fills it- by taking (aka stealing) from people

2. Demands the "rich" pay more

3. Wants equality in wealth- aka spreading the wealth

4. Makes the poor and needy a big part of each election and government as a whole


Wow! Did you know America's Gov and Christianity Have  a Lot in Common? Christianity:

1. Sees a need and fills it... by encouraging people to give, not making them

*But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? (NAS, 1 John 3:17)

2. Encourages, does not demand, the rich pay more

*My favorite scripture talking about Christian giving is 1 Timothy 6:17
17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

Matthew 25:37-40 ^*37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'⁴⁰"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

3. Wants equality in wealth... but not to the point where one becomes poor to help someone else prosper

*“Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there may be equality.  At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need.  Then there will be equality” (2 Cor. 8:13-14). 

4. Makes widows, fatherless, poor, and needy the central part of their religion. 

*Luke 14:12-14 
¹²Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. ¹³But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,¹⁴and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained [a]by the world.


America Was Founded on Christian Principles- and Poverty was almost 0% and literacy almost 100%

When God blesses you, you are to always be ready to give!! Christians care about everyone, and want to see everyone healthy and filled with love.


Instead of No Religion in Government, We Now Have a Religion That IS the Government!!

What does God do?
-Provides
-Protects
-Tells us what is right and wrong and how we should treat one another


      Now, the government does all of this and we do not need God. The government will provide you daycare, the government will take your children until they are 18 and raise them for you. It will tell your children not only how to read and write but how to interact with other children, how to eat, how to exercise, how to pick a career, how to pick a college, how to raise children--ha... I laugh at that last one because at the high school I attended it made kids carry around a baby doll that cried and had to be fed all the time. Now, government will make sure you have insurance from cradle to grave...

   This sure sounds like religion to me.   Only thing is, unlike Christianity, you DON'T HAVE A CHOICE. Every time another politician wants to get another vote, he puts another tax on the ballot.


WE NEED JESUS!!!

ALEXIS DE TOCQUEVILLE, FRENCH HISTORIAN: "The Americans combine the notions of Christianity and of liberty so intimately in their minds, that it is impossible to make them conceive the one without the other . . . In the United States, if a political character attacks a sect [denomination], this may not prevent even the partisans of that very sect, from supporting him; but if he attacks all the sects together [Christianity], every one abandons him and he remains alone."

NOAH WEBSTER, 1828: "In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government, ought to be instructed . . . No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people."


Promoting Christianity is the only way our government got to the place where we could separate from England.

The Bible (including the Old Testament) Must be the Standard for Civil Government

The example of New England is striking. The Statute Books of the Government were annotated with Biblical references to show that the laws of the State conformed to the Laws of God:[25]

NEW HAVEN COLONY LAW, 1644: "The judicial laws of God as they were delivered by Moses . . . [are to] be a rule to all the courts in this jurisdiction."[26]

Those who established governments in the New World were

NORTH CAROLINA CHARTER, 1662 (QUAKER): "Excited with a laudable and pious zeal for the propagation of the Christian faith . . . in the parts of America not yet cultivated or planted, and only inhabited by . . . people, who have no knowledge of Almighty God."[27]
RHODE ISLAND CHARTER, 1663: [Granted by King Charles II] "That they pursuing with peace and loyal mindes, their sober, serious and religious intentions . . . in the holy Christian faith . . . a most flourishing civil state may stand, and best be maintained grounded upon gospel principles."[28]

    The Biblical vision for society is not understood in our day because people in our day are utterly unfamiliar with this passionate desire to establish all human action - including civil governments - on "gospel principles." Today there is a notion - as pervasive as it is heretical - that the "gospel" has nothing to do with Godly, law-abiding behavior.[29]

NEW JERSEY SEAL, 1665: "Righteousness exalteth a nation." - Prov. 14:34
PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNMENT, 1682: " . . . Make and establish such laws as shall best preserve true Christian and civil liberty, in all opposition to all unchristian . . . practices."[30]
PENNSYLVANIA'S FIRST LEGISLATIVE ACT, 1682: "Whereas the glory of Almighty God and the good of Mankind, is the reason and end of government, and therefore, government in itself is a venerable Ordinance of God, therefore, it is the purpose of civil government to establish such laws as shall best preserve true Christian and Civil Liberty, in opposition to all Unchristian, Licentious, and unjust practices, (Whereby God may have his due, and Caesar his due, and the people their due), from tyranny and oppression . . . ."[31]

Abraham Baldwin:

When the minds of the people in general are viciously disposed and unprincipled, and their conduct disorderly, a free government will be attended with greater confusions and evils more horrid than the wild, uncultivated state of nature. It can only be happy when the public principle and opinions are properly directed and their manners regulated. This is an influence beyond the reach of laws and punishments and can be claimed only by religion and education. It should therefore be among the first objects of those who wish well to the national prosperity to encourage and support the principles of religion and morality.

Chas. C. Jones, Biographical Sketches of the Delegates from Georgia to the Continental Congress,
(Boston & NY: Houghton, Miflin and Co., 1891) pp. 6-7

       Now, Jesus' mission was to come to this earth and overcome the power of Satan, take his keys, and lead the poor, meek, weak, abused, broken, fatherless, and widows in a triumphant procession of prosperity and health and VICTORY!!! Our faith in Christ OVERCOMES POVERTY, OVERCOMES SICKNESS, OVERCOMES OPPRESSION, AND PUTS AN END TO TYRANNY!!

"If Congress can employ money indefinitely to the general welfare, and are the sole and supreme judges of the general welfare, they may take the care of religion into their own hands; they may appoint teachers in every State, county and parish and pay them out of their public treasury; they may take into their own hands the education of children, establishing in like manner schools throughout the Union; they may assume the provision of the poor; they may undertake the regulation of all roads other than post-roads; in short, every thing, from the highest object of state legislation down to the most minute object of police, would be thrown under the power of Congress. ... Were the power of Congress to be established in the latitude contended for, it would subvert the very foundations, and transmute the very nature of the limited Government established by the people of America." --James Madison

GOVERNMENT cannot be one's God. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart all your soul and all your mind"- THIS is the first commandment- all the commandments are summed up in this and "you shall love your neighbor as yourself..." Matthew 22:27

As Christians, we are to give- and know God will take care of us. 

We are to GIVE IN SECRET- the gov does not allow us to do this one thing that allows for us to BE BLESSED!!! We cannot have $$$ taken from us and given to the poor and be blessed by God- someone knows, it is NOT  done in secret- it is FORCED upon us!!

Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, Isaiah, Jeremiah- all the prophets and apostles- ALL encouraged giving- but even the tithe, was NOT enforced. 

The idea of Christianity in government is promoting principles such as Jesus said here:

And [Jesus] looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. And He saw a certain poor widow putting in two small copper coins. And He said, "Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them; for they all out of their surplus put into the offering; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on." (NAS, Luke 21:1-4)

Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. (NIV, Matthew 6:1-2)

The Gospel is for the poor, the meek, who shall be rich in faith!!!

Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? 
But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? James 2:5-6 


But what about people who do not give?

Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. James 5:1


There are riches in this world but they only go so far. As Christians we are to live a life that exemplifies all that is Christ- in kindness and philanthropy. God will punish those who don't give and Christians can feel free to make people feel awful for being greedy and not caring or sharing -ever heard of Scrooge in a Christmas Carol? 

My mother has always encouraged my sister and I to help out those God puts in our lives.  The following is something I posted on fb as a small example of giving...we'd do more if we weren't TAXED so much!!

So, Michelle Svensson had an interesting story to tell today and as it went on it just got crazier. She tells me she looked down to see she was on E and the gas light had come right as she pulls out of University downtown. So she pulls into McDonald's to get uj a sandwich and herself an ice cream cone and heads next door to fill up. She wants to "look confident" because, after all, it is Mc Millian St. A 44 yr old black lady with a 5 yr old boy come up to her and the lady begins tell Michelle all she wants is to buy a big bag of potatoes and a chicken for her and her son to eat that night and could Michelle possibly help out with that. Well, all Michelle had was a $20, so she gives it to the lady, who begins to scream...yes, scream, and jump into Michelle's arms. Michelle said she looked like she had just won a car on the Price Is Right. The lady then goes on to say that she got pregnant at 39 yrs old and didn't know she was pregnant until she was 5 months along and a bunch of other personal information. I'm guessing people give her a hard time. She then asks Michelle which way she is going but Michelle was headed in the opposite direction. The lady asks Michelle if she could possibly take her and her son home anyway because she had a big bag of groceries and had a hard time walking. Well, Snoop dog was in the back seat and Michelle said "Sure, as long as you aren't afraid of dogs." "Oh, no, we love dogs, get in there next to the dog, "she tells her son and off they go. When Michelle drops them off, she says "nice to meet you Ryan!" to the young man... he politely replies "nice to meet you too, bye Snoopy-do!" (he picked up on our nick name for Snoopy:) So, thought I'd shared that story cause Michelle wouldn't cause she's too humble but I thought it might cheer your heart today! Bye Snoopy-do... so cute!!!


Revelation 3:18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.

              But do not turn morality into heavy taxation upon a people
unable to bear the weight of a god unknown to their consciousnesses.