What we do

27 When it is in your power, don’t withhold good from the one to whom it belongs. 28 Don’t say to your neighbor, “Go away! Come back later. I’ll give it tomorrow”—when it is there with you.

Power = Can you do something?

a. Your power - EL defined by the actual ability to do something.

Laban could destroy someone

Genesis 31:29 CSB

29 I could do you great harm, but last night the God of your father said to me: ‘Watch yourself! Don’t say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’

Laban could destroy someone

ILLUSTRATION

I see

Carrying 14 things to a door

Drive to downtown Stockton passed homeless encampments - end homelessness

Than I go to help kids with disabilities - trained

Then I drive once again through downtown Stockton to my daugher’s game with students in need.

All of these are real but my levels of power are so different.

Application

The door - recognize the need and my power to act but I can be busy, I could hate the person, I could say they should plan better so I wouldn’t have to hold the door open. Or I can recognize that God gave me the power to help.

I can say someone should clean up the encampments. I can complain about people using drugs or about corporations and millionaires who profit off of people’s bad decisions. Or I can recognize my lack of time but my ability to pray. I can pray for those serving and being served.

I can recognize that while I am trained my effort is my opportunity to give good to the one to whom it belongs.

What about you? Who do you recognize needs good other than yourself?

When are you powerless?

Ephesians 3:16 CSB

16 I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit,

Colossians 1:11 CSB

11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully

, col 1:11, 29;

Colossians 1:29 CSB

29 I labor for this, striving with his strength that works powerfully in me.

col 1:11, 29

, 29;

2 Timothy 1:8 CSB

8 So don’t be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, or of me his prisoner. Instead, share in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God.

Power of God comes through the Holy Spirit in prayer and willingness to obey.

Obedience can look like opening a door, doing your job very well, making a phone call, attending meetings, even buying an item.

It is the action of helping or getting prepared to help.

The prayer may motivate another who can and prepare you for a direct task or

Don’t worry about what you don’t have concern yourself about what you won’t give. Focus on the blessings that you can share.

2 Corinthians 9:10–15 The Message

10 This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, 11 wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God. 12 Carrying out this social relief work involves far more than helping meet the bare needs of poor Christians. It also produces abundant and bountiful thanksgivings to God. 13 This relief offering is a prod to live at your very best, showing your gratitude to God by being openly obedient to the plain meaning of the Message of Christ. You show your gratitude through your generous offerings to your needy brothers and sisters, and really toward everyone. 14 Meanwhile, moved by the extravagance of God in your lives, they’ll respond by praying for you in passionate intercession for whatever you need. 15 Thank God for this gift, his gift. No language can praise it enough!

Proverbs 3:27–28 CSB

b. whom it belongs - from be-el-ya

This word comes from an idea of owning, but in this circumstance the person who owns the need for good to be done is the person who needs it. The LXX defined them as the needy.

Proverbs 11:24 CSB

24 One person gives freely, yet gains more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor.

is a great and poetic definer.

James 5:4 CSB

4 Look! The pay that you withheld from the workers who mowed your fields cries out, and the outcry of the harvesters has reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts.

A Bad idea might develop from this that what I am saying is that we should give money to the needy. Many of you might say, but I am the needy.

it starts with paying fairly

Or more likely you are more than willing to give to others because you hope they will be there for you

I don’t have the power to pay fairly, than cry out to God

Last week I was with a pastor who spoke about empowering others. I worked hard on doing that this week. Empowerment allows the person in need to take ownership of their actions but receive help along the way.

A person who needs a job can be given a ride to CalWorks.

Helping a person in crisis think of solutions they can do. I am not going to do the things for the person but help them think of options.

Sometimes being willing to tell a person no, what they are doing is wrong and will end them up in a bad way or place when no one else is wiling to tell them that.

In your life can you think of those who you can do good to? How are you giving it to them or are you withholding it?

How are you giving it to them or are you withholding it?

Christ calls us into his family, for us to join Him in doing good.

Titus 2:14 CSB

14 He gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people for his own possession, eager to do good works.

1 Timothy 6:18 CSB

18 Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and willing to share,

We are saved by Christ for doing good now. For bringing the kingdom of Heaven here.

In this neighborhood there is a group of people who try and support each other, encourage each other to do good things in their lives, with their families and with their actions. That search for ways they can do more good and look far and wide for things no one could possibly see coming that could help. This group sees lives go from misery to joy. Sees people go from poverty to wealth. See miracles and the hand of God move.

That group is us.

We gather to encourage and help each other do good in our lives.

If it isn’t us, but we are a group that gathers to see how we can feel better, have fun, be happy, do a program relieve our guilt than church loses its vitatlity, we lose what we are meant to be.

Proverbs 3:27–28 CSB

d. The meaning of verse 28 is clear, if you delay in doing good than you are in the wrong.

James 2:15–16 CSB

15 If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it?

James would tell us a couple of things, one we were equipped by God for this purpose and can’t put it off.

Proverbs 27:1 CSB

1 Don’t boast about tomorrow, for you don’t know what a day might bring.

Also we have no guarantee of tomorrow so how can we delay doing good.

When you become aware of your power to bring good, the action you can do, the time to do that good is right now.

Remember the lady at the door. God brought that lady to my door because I was the person who could help her. I was his angel in the moment.

You see their are many people who are hurting in this world and many more who will take advantage of the hurt. For sexual gratification, to make money, to get power, to fill emotional problems, very few people will actually just do good. Love the other.

You are that few. You are the army of good.

God wants to bless you with the opportunity to be His hands and feet

Will you commit to being a person who grows in the knowledge of how to do good?

E. When we do good like this we might receive the same from those like minded.

Will you commit to receiving love from God and answering his call to serve others?

Galatians 6:10 CSB

10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.