Faith in Action
Faith in Action
Bible verses about helping the poor, the fatherless, the oppressed and the stranger.
Scripture never lets faith stay in the pew. From Micah 6:8 to Matthew 25:40, God calls his people to defend the poor, care for orphans and widows, and welcome the stranger. Here is what the Bible says, and how you can put it into practice for families in Ukraine.
Give TodayBecome a Prayer PartnerWhat Does the Lord Require?
“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”Micah 6:8
Micah 6:8 sums up the whole calling in three phrases. Do justly: treat people fairly and stand up for those who are wronged. Love mercy: show kindness to people who cannot repay you. Walk humbly with God: serve out of love for him, not for credit.
The rest of this page follows the people Scripture names again and again: the poor, the fatherless and the widow, the oppressed and afflicted, and the stranger far from home. (All Scripture on this page is from the King James Version.)
Bible Verses About Helping the Poor
He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.Proverbs 19:17
Giving to the poor is described as lending to God himself.
Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.Proverbs 31:8-9
Speak up for people who have no voice of their own.
Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him…Isaiah 58:7
The fast God chooses is bread for the hungry and shelter for the homeless.
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.James 2:15-17
This is faith in action: warm words are not enough without a warm coat.
In front-line Nikopol, Mission 823 serves warm meals to 1,500 children every month. Give a meal →
Bible Verses About Orphans and Widows
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.James 1:27
Caring for orphans and widows is the mark of a living faith.
A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. God setteth the solitary in families.Psalm 68:5-6
God’s answer to a lonely child is a family.
Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.Isaiah 1:17
Caring for the fatherless is justice, not only charity.
Through Faith House, Mission 823 supports 18 children in family homes, raised by Christian parents. More Bible verses about orphans →
The Oppressed and the Afflicted
Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rescue them out of the hand of the wicked.Psalm 82:3-4
The verses behind our name: defend, rescue, restore.
The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.Psalm 9:9
God is a safe place for those crushed by others.
He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.Psalm 147:3
God cares about the wounds we cannot see, including the trauma of war.
Psalm 82 pictures God standing in judgment over the rulers of the earth and charging them to defend the weak. Verse 3 gave Mission 823 its name. Our healing camps exist for Psalm 147:3: helping children wounded by war begin to heal.
Bible Verses About Refugees and the Stranger
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me.Matthew 25:35-36
Jesus names the hungry, the stranger and the cold as people he identifies with.
But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.Leviticus 19:34
God’s people know what it is to be far from home.
Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.Deuteronomy 10:19
Love for the displaced is a command, not a suggestion.
Millions of Ukrainians have been forced from their homes. Mission 823 provides food, warmth and supplies to displaced families. Relief for displaced families →
What Faith in Action Looks Like
Choose a Gift That Lives Out These Verses
How Churches Can Put These Verses Into Action
Preach and pray
Use these passages for a sermon series or a missions Sunday, and pray for Ukraine by name of town: Kharkiv, Nikopol, Dnipro and more.
Give together
A small group can care for a child at $40 a month, or a youth group can sponsor campers at $120 each.
Partner for the long term
Build a relationship with our team and with churches inside Ukraine.
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.James 2:17
Faith in Action: Frequently Asked Questions
What does Micah 6:8 mean?
What does the Bible say about helping the poor?
What does Matthew 25:40 mean?
What does the Bible say about refugees and immigrants?
What is Psalm 82 about?
Is Mission 823 a Christian organization?
Keep Exploring Mission 823
Pray, Give and Go With Us
Give today to feed, warm and heal children and families in Ukraine, and become a prayer partner to receive monthly requests from our team.
