Introduction
I honestly felt the need for this book to exist. Because, in the enormous pantheon of Christian books their exists few that were focused entirely on philanthropy.
This book is only about that. I will not engage in teaching against the evils of lust and sin. I won’t point out “maybe as a Christian you are too greedy, living in sin, etc.” So many preachers will go in forever about those things and will have very little to say about simple philanthropy. Philanthropy is about the live of human kind and individuals. It is another way of saying to care, to have compassion, to help. And I will go over a great deal of scripture that emphasizes it.
Let’s forget about the sins of others for a moment. Those things that blemish the perfect Christian daily. Those things are pointed out far too much among the teachers of Christianity. In fact I bet that the more they do the less they really are Christian people themselves. I am referring to the hell fire type that will readily point out your flaws in following Christ Jesus.
At the bottom of every page I will list scripture that can be read according to what I was talking about. They will present it all in relevant biblical text and available for those looking for what the true word says about it. I will keep it all biblically supported.
It isn’t a work of fiction. It’s a book that can be read randomly. You may go from one page to another in the middle of wherever until it is all absorbed and understood. So please with this book just open it to a random page from time to time to see what it has to say and I will not disappoint.
Ephesians 4:2 / 1 Peter 4:8 / John 15:12 / 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 / 1 John 4: 7-9 / Romans 5:8 /
Romans 13:8 / Matthew 5:43-48 / 1 John 3:18 / Proverbs 10:12 / John 15:9-17
You will be much happier with philanthropy
Have you done a good deed today? Sometimes our entire life may be good in every way but a feeling of unimportance lingers. By doing just one good deed a day we may make up for that! It could be giving a person something. It could be helping out in any way. It could be fulfilling responsibilities, too. Like cleaning your place and self for the Lord God.
Do you hate the world around you?
The more hatred we carry the more our existence is full of it. The habit of seeing people the wrong way (by judging them, by being jealous, etc.) Puts us in an awful spot. See instead as others being equal to you, all deserving of love and understanding. Have understanding. Try to make what you think of others most of all to be focused on their innocence.
Are your influences inhibiting a Christian perspective?
Steer clear of entertainment that glamorizes violent behavior. It will make a big difference. Not only from TV but also from your very friends and peers. Remove yourself from bad influences. Place yourself in a place that builds upon your love and kindness. Unfortunately some just don’t have any chance. Do all you can to not reach that point.
1 Corinthians 15:33
1 John 2:9-17 / 3 John 1:11
Spiritual happiness is not material happiness
Though to enjoy the things God has given you is biblical (Ecclesiastes 2:24) it is also taught in the same book that in the end only God matters. It is all from God. God will see to your needs, He knows them (Matthew 6:8.) And all of the things you own will soon be lost, but heaven is forever (Matthew 6:19-21.) So work toward the treasures of Heaven.
Instead be very giving. Be as helpful as you are able to be. There are always others out there far worse off than you. Seek them out and help them. Matthew 25:35-40 and Matthew 19:24 teaches us these things.
Philanthropy is about compassion at all costs.. the strength of compassion is very strong and determined for the most philanthropic
While the cares of the world may lead to indifference toward what pain others are going through, the philanthropic have their minds on it all the time. They consider the pain and plight of others and sincerely wish to remedy it.
The one that dismisses any harm done to him or her will be come to be defended.. over time. And through God Himself as well if it is over a lifetime. People may defend you sooner or later. God will keep an eye on you all along and find you to be among the truest of holy spirits.
So there is the path to bitterness, and certainly it is the most likely. The most likely for anyone who is dealt hatred over a lifetime. It’s not easy. It excels all other forms of personal strength. It can’t be done at all without Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 6:11 / Philippians 4:13 / 1 Corinthians 13 / Matthew 5:38-40 / Romans 12:19 / Matthew 5:43-47
There are those that have devoted their lives toward helping others
There are a lot of them in Christian Churches. Those that have got together to do so, and individually so. Housing the homeless, feeding them. Visiting others in jail, and to help those that suffer in general. What is the right Church? I say it is just that: one that actively helps the poor and suffering any way they can. That rather than hell- fire preachers and the like.
Having consideration helps a great deal in becoming a true Christian
You can just tend to the needy but not really mean it. In such a case you are not really more than a person doing Christian things but not being one. Taking time out daily to consider those that are suffering will bring about philanthropy in you that may not be there otherwise.
Proverbs 19:17 / 1 John 3:17 / Deuteronomy 15:7-8 / Luke 12:33-34 / Ephesians 4:28 / Galatians 6:2 / Hebrews 6:10 / Matthew 25:36
The richest people have their recompense
There are mega-preachers who are convinced that God has given them great wealth. As much as they have convinced themselves this is so they will hold onto millions of dollars. Living rather lavishly. And meanwhile there are people living on the streets and dying under horrible conditions. They believe they are favored over them. That God has made them incredibly wealthy.
Matthew 6:2 / Matthew 19: 16-22 / 1 Timothy 6:16-19 / Acts 20:32-35 / Proverbs 11:23-26 / Luke 12:15-18
Divorce yourself from the world
Even if you have to die in this world for you are doing as Christ did for you. For all of us. Consider the oppressed. They can’t freely speak or practice religion. They cannot openly profess the power and love of Christ. They are all left with a terrible lot in life. While Christianity dwindles the world becomes increasingly wicked. Look for the signs of the return of Christ. Await that day that you will be rejoined with Him. If you have done good and continue to then there is nothing that can separate you from your heavenly reward.
John 16:33 / Galatians 1:4 / Matthew 24:9-13 / 1 John 2:15 / 1 John 5:19 / Isaiah 55:8-9
Summary of the previous things:
While Christians hold on loosely to material things, they good on firmly to spiritual heaven-placed things. And all the benefits to that should be taken. There are many: less greed, less envy, less loss in the end of things. God would have you feed the poor, of course, and to have all attention available to them. Money is saved in all of this. And the greatest investments you can make in helping the less fortunate the better. The matters of the world should not be our toil. Helping those in it should be. For as much as it is done to them, as much so for Jesus Christ. Matthew 25:40
Consider it like an investment. While so many invest in things regarding money, the Christian investment is for the Kingdom of Heaven, whose riches far surpass worldly ones. The world being the thing of the Devil is not the right place for a Christian to invest.
One kind will seek and find the treasures of the World, another kind, the Christian, seeks after a heavenly one, one rooted in faith in God. John 20:29 / Matthew 6:19-21 / Mark 8:36 / 2 Corinthians 4:4
There is a difference between just helping and wanting to help. 1 Corinthians 13.
And as a Christian helping others will be expected of you over a lifetime. John 15:13. But our time here is short: 1 Peter 1:24. 1 John 2:17. John 15:13. Material wealth creates insecurities and hope in them is futile. God matters the most. Ecclesiastes 12:13.
And also: 1 John 2:15
Luke 10:25-37
Make a little a lot
It is a great trick to use. It is to appreciate fully what little you have. It is to enjoy as much as possible what food you have. It is to amplify your pleasure of it. Remember that the Bible encourages you to enjoy what you are given by God. Ecclesiastes 2:24. Philippians 4:12. Philippians has the verse about Paul regarding his enjoyment in full of the things he has and seems to demonstrate that this was made possible through Christ. Again, whatever enables you to help those in need is a good practice for a Christian to use. “Give us today our daily bread.” Or “Give us what we need.” And remember: Christ is our bread. God will have us living on faith.
Exodus 16 (the Manna from heaven.) Matthew 6:26 (God knows your needs.)
And this is a suitable place to talk about the fact that God will help the less fortunate, too. I would say that it is an important thing to keep in mind. Ask God for the help you need to help others. And have faith that He is there.
Do not cast your pearls among the swine
(As stated by Jesus Christ in Matthew 7:6.)
And do not keep company with the wicked. Let’s use the word wicked loosely, however. There are some that would spend all of the money you give them on criminal activities. You’ll just have to draw a line in the Sand. A little pleasure from them can alleviate some suffering. But some people’s habits are such as something that shouldn’t be supported. If it backfires on you—if helping another does them no good, and especially worse, if it does you and others bad, then do not help them. At least not in any route where this is so. They don’t want to hear the news of God. And I think that was what Jesus was referring to. Proverbs 25:26 Helps a lot with this verse.
As for keeping company with the wicked and associating with them there are very many verses, my favorite of which are:
Psalms 1:1-4 / Psalms 26:4-5 / Matthew 7:6 / 1 Corinthians 5:11 / 2 Corinthians 6:14 / & Proverbs 22:24-25.
But where you find those in need, help them always, as long as you are really helping them.
There are others just like you
Yes! This is certainly so. In fact there are very many others just like you: a true Christian Philanthropist. Has there ever been a Church called “The Church of Christian Philanthropy”? If not then there should be. I will reiterate that the best Church you can belong to enables you to help others—in whatever good cause there is. However if that isn’t so where you live then consider making a Church yourself that does so. Naturally you would like to know the Bible very well beforehand. Even take some schooling toward those ends. And if that is so already then I encourage you to leap right into it. Take a leap of faith.
Then there remains the possibility of starting a not for profit group that helps others just the same.
My Testimony
I remember well rummaging through trash cans while I was homeless. Food was so scarce. I slept on sidewalks and benches. I was treated rather poorly, too, for just being poor. A lady at a fast food place was heard saying “they just ruin it for everybody else.” And I once heard a security guard say “Homeless alert! Call the police!” And laughing rather hardly about it. Couldn’t sit with my eyes closed. Can’t really enjoy my pocket radio. Two batteries were like gold in my pocket.
But then some came up to me from time to time giving me some money or food. Sometimes a good drink. Never a cold one unfortunately. Usually a bottle of water. But I’d buy something nice, a cold two liter drink. Something like that. Despite my history I never took drugs ever.
It is brutal out there. I got body lice at one point. And continued with it for nearly a year. I bought some Raid. Stripped, basically, and spent the can on my body. It didn’t work! At one point I was determined to die. So I drank some bleach and sprayed oven cleaner and Raid into my mouth.
I was a lost schizophrenic man. I believe that God saw me through it, though. And maybe I was paying for my past sins or something. An interesting story I have is that once I tried to walk out of town (going someplace else, which I felt I really needed.) I walked about 3 days resting a lot. And one night I saw tall buildings before me. Lots of lights, stuff like that. I found a half gallon of orange juice in the garbage. I walked awhile longer and had a strange sense of my surroundings. They looked familiar. The streets were paved in red bricks just like Market Street is here in San Francisco. I looked at the sign and realized I was on Market Street. I walked in a circle for three days.
I’d past by a street simply called “Grace,” I asked for God’s grace that day. And went off walking in a circle as I had did. Now? I have a job in town that happens to be directly by that street.
In all of my time homeless I was never seriously hurt. I was attacked but not badly hurt. Never got an illness. I’d taken the rooster of tests to determine that. I spent a lot of my time later into it by a famous Mission Street church in town. The people there helped me out a lot. You can always tell a good Church from a bad one by how much they help those who need it. Either the money is going to the staff or to the poor. And it comes in more or less ways. Some just help a small amount, perhaps for show. While others are far more attentive to those they should be out to help.
I grew up reading the Holy Bible and going to Church. That Church would do a lot for the kids. Christmas had them giving out baskets of goodies. In the morning anyone could come and eat a rather good breakfast. At night I’d been reading the Bible hoping not to get into trouble. But my mother came in one night and I thought I was. But she just came in to give me an ice cream treat. I felt that God was happy for the way I was. A strong believer in Him and Jesus Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit.
I went to vacation Bible School every summer. I went on a vacation to a Church camp which I truly enjoyed.
But unfortunately I had become enveloped in ideas of magic. “White” Magic, and later heavy metal. Then the worse most anti Christian music anyone could conjure up. I became a Satanist, the most Satanic anyone could become. It reached a Nexus when I started becoming homicidal. I wanted to sacrifice someone in the Devil’s name. I wrote down my intentions at the age of 16. That letter was sent out to a pen pal person listed in a heavy metal magazine. One that was laden with Satanic ideologies. That letter got returned. My parents read it. My mother was in tears. They had called the state psychiatric hospital to possibly admit me. But seeing the reaction of my parents, especially my mother, snapped me out of it. And I am sure God, too, reached out to me that day, straight to my heart. Because I had lost all that I had became that day. I was no longer interested in those things.
I testify now that Jesus Christ abides in my heart. That I am a saved man and a person devoted to God. Living justly. Treating others as fair and kind as much as I possibly can. I would be nothing without the help of God.
Psalm 40:
I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
4 Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
5 Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.
10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy loving kindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.
13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me.
14 Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.
15 Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.
16 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.
17 But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God. *******
God is the One true way. God is the one sure remedy. He is our creator. He is the light. He is without fault. Other things can lead into wickedness one way or another. Other things can trick, deceive, and misguide you. But God is our Father. He may be depended on for all things.
We had the Church as a strong part of life.. decades ago. Decades ago people practiced Christianity very seriously. But in recent times look how corrupted the world has become!
So it goes to say that helping not only individuals but the world as a whole, it is essential to turn them to God. Christianity is dwindling and as much as this is so, wickedness is increasing.
Psalms: 9:10 / 25:8 / 33:5 / 37:5 / 41:10 / 103:13-14 … John 14:6 / Hebrews 13:8 / Romans 8:28
To us it is just the world
But we can all agree that this is no perfect place to be. There are mean people we must deal with, sometimes often. There are murderers about, too. Those that would rob and kill. The world is a very bad place. Of course we live with it and may have lived in it fairly well. But the truth is is that the world is full of evil and wickedness.
To God it is a total wreck. It’s a seriously bad disaster area. There are many in need of help. There are many that need God. There are those here that are starving. And abused.
All in all a philanthropist is against these things. They devote their lives to helping others as much as they can. They envision ways here that things can be made better and they act on them. They are nurses sometimes. They are sometimes doctors handling a deadly disease. Or trying to find a cure for it in a clinic. Perhaps their hearts made them fire fighters or police. Maybe they council others and really care about what they are doing. Or they could simply be a person who felt the need for a new not for profit that helps those whom need help.
Those are Christian professions full of people who know very well that the world can use all of the help it can get. In contrast to that there are those that really don’t care. That only look out for themselves. That will be as nasty and hateful as they can get away with. Who only care about the pleasures of the moment and will not lift a finger to help out with the horrible conditions set upon this Earth.
Matthew 15:13-6 / 15:16
Psalms 12:1 / Deuteronomy 15:11 / Galatians 6:2 / Hebrews 6:10
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. (1 Peter 4:10.)
Good Vs. Evil
How true it is that they are always at war! People will cling to life for their sinful vices. Sometimes in the worst of ways. The most immoral of ways. Doing things like selling drugs to kids. Robbing the innocent. Burglarizing homes. And whatever else, honestly, things I’d rather not mention. Taking a psychological kind of look at it: they’d may have started small and the more they got away with it, the more harmfully liberal they have become. They may have come into a group, like a gang, and found it encouraged and supported by their peers. Maybe they were abusively treated and jail and such wouldn’t have been much worse. Whatever the case they do need incarceration—separation from the public who lives honestly and just fully. There is no excuse for some. For others, perhaps. But when it comes to things like harming children or heartlessly slaughtering, they should fall under the wrath of God, Old Testament style.
There was an old cartoon I watched. Maybe you’ve seen it? In the background the government was becoming increasingly strict to it’s citizens. A dictatorship was forming. A single guy was against it. In the cartoon at least. Just one guy. He would tell others to be more loving and peaceful. They pushed him aside. They were the aggressive type seeking power. He was not. He’d just tell them in increasing volume to keep the peace, to not hate as they do. So this dictatorship formed. And the guy realized that it couldn’t be stopped in a soft spoken and rational way. He then matched strength for strength rallying with others to stop hate with hate. But is hating hate worse than just hating? Yeah, I think it a case like this certainly so!
Part of philanthropy comes at a very high price. It is to oppose great powers. Those that harm it’s citizens. And one is only left to imagine what horrible conditions they remain under until somebody does.
And be warned of this that the more a nation cares little for other nations, one being democratic, the other torturing and restricting any rights for its citizens, the more that they just don’t really care about democracy. They are not so worthy of power if they sit by and allow these things to happen. The good side will always win. They will win hands down against the indifferent or the evil. A good nation must defend the world. But unfortunately it may begin as such but the reasons become lost. That what was once just helping became bossing around. Became just national interests. “Putting the nation first.” Stuff like that. It’s easy to slip from one into the other. Fighting on a moral basis is the most right way. Maybe the only right way really. And that may be so for a nation at first. But it becomes lost in translation.
Speak for others who can’t speak for themselves or they will never be heard. They will die in misery.
That is one of the highest prices to being philanthropic. To be among a few that resist and seek to overcome a violent regime it makes you more valuable than all of the gold of Earth. Without a few their will never be many. It must start somewhere.
Our Lord and Savior was against the evils of the world around. God gave Him the power to speak what He needed to. That was God’s testimony to the people. The evidence of Satan on trial—that and the things of The Devil. They were examined, weighed, found corrupt, and purchased for the sake of Salvation.
The world would do anything to be able to spit Him out. But they sensed something wrong. They knew that He was right. But yet they clung to their vices because that meant more to them. And so a divide was cast. That is, the choice between the world or the choice of heaven.
It was God’s Earth and the Devil stole it. God created the Earth and saw that it was good. The Devil came down to the Earth and stole it from Him. He salvaged what He could (which is a very familiar story, that if Noah.) And also as known by the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. Many examples really, of God establishing the rulers that He would, such as with David and Goliath. And He appointed one ruler after another. No time was wasted before His Son Himself would come down onto the Earth.
But it wasn’t until after Jesus Christ that the Holy Ways were expressed and made known. That as found in the New Testament from the gospel and the words of the disciples. Even this was prepared for and long known. The words of Daniel and such that would lead to the formation of the Holy Ways.
As God said “be Holy for I am Holy,” that meant to not twist scripture or your doings into those that are evil, or just bad. It means that the right way to be as God would have you be, is not to be any less than what is Holy. It’s a very powerful verse beyond that. It means to act in a sacred way. Not like the worldly would do. But in a way that is consecrated to God. A more spiritual manner of acting. All in all to keep God in mind.
It is important to remember that you not just be a person who does what Jesus said to do and simply that. But to rather do as Jesus would and to know why. As well as do as He did naturally, not mechanically. To not just be a copy but rather a genuine article of the same, with every cell of your body.
A Philanthropic Prayer
If you like you can say this your own way, or just recite it as is. This isn’t the only philanthropic prayer you can say, of course. And it isn’t made to be the best, trying that would just be mistaken of me.
Pray for to those that are suffering, that are without, that need help both around you and in the world as a whole and its leaders.
Pray “God, help the less fortunate.” Pray “God, be with them. Bring about the things they need.” Pray “God, comfort them. And pray “God, be of assistance to them and overcome their oppression.” Pray for the peace of the Earth. Pray for wisdom and guidance in your heart to bring these things about. To be equipped with what you need, to be sent forth to help the poor and suffering, the oppressed and those in need.
And may you find in life that purpose of help