Memorial Day is a day set aside to remember those who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Secondarily, it is also appropriate to recognize all servicemen & women who by mere entrance into the military have been willing to give their lives in service to our great country (especially those who have been deployed into combat situations). It is fitting to honor and bring attention to those who have given their lives in the service. There is no greater price that can be paid than to give one’s life for the benefit of others. As Jesus said, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)
To all of those who gave your life so that I might be free: Thank you.
To all of those who were willing to give your life as well so that I might be free: Thank you.
To all the families who have lost a loved one: Thank you.
To all of the families who had to be without a loved one for a long time, and who still struggle with the effects of war and service: Thank you.
I especially want to honor two specific people that have been close to me in my life. First, my Grandfather (Roy Robinson), who passed away last year at 100 years old. He was born and raised in Illinois and joined the U.S. Navy to serve in WW2. This was followed by a 20 year military career (retired as a Chief). He didn’t talk much about his time in the military, but I’m sure he had many close calls sailing in the pacific during a time of war. He was a very steady, kind and sacrificial man. I’m thankful for the household that he built and for his service to his country and family. May the Lord Jesus help us to live in a way that honors your service.
I also want to honor my brother in law, Steve McDonough. Steve reluctantly joined the Army in the aftermath of 9/11. He went as a result of feeling led by God to join. He was deployed twice to Afghanistan and experienced all of the horrors of war. Steve and his family have sacrificed so much in love for our country. He has borne the burden of many serious, ongoing physical health issues as a result of his service. The McDonough family is one of the sweetest families I know, who live to serve others, and most of the time under the radar without much recognition. Since retirement Steve and his family have given many years in serving military members in various ways. We love you guys and are so thankful for all that you have sacrificed in the path that you’ve walked with the Lord.
How can we honor?
Perhaps the greatest way to honor those who have died is to not abuse the freedoms they helped to secure. The Scriptures say, “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Galatians 5:13-14). It is a blessing to be free. Freedom is never free, it always comes at a cost. Those before us courageously and sacrificially did their part to do what was necessary to keep evil at bay enough for us to live in peace. Of course, our nation is in many ways a sinking ship, but we still enjoy the benefits of their service in many ways. So don’t use your freedom to live selfishly with fleshly, ungodly living, but rather use it to build upon, to make your life, your family and our country better and stronger. It reminds me of a man who lived righteously and worked wisely and diligently throughout his life, in order to pass down to his children a strong inheritance. The kids can either continue the tradition to strengthen the estate and make it greater than their father, or they can squander the bounty and end up miserable and broke. We should strive to be the faithful children, who are grateful for our prosperity, and use it to engage in lifestyles that tend towards growth and prosperity. Honor God. You are free to worship God, so worship him. Love the Bible: read it, live it. Be grateful for everything. Use your freedom to work hard and to serve others in some way. Strive to live in moral purity. Goldiness tends towards more freedom, ungodliness to slavery.
Another way is to follow their example. It may not be your calling in life to join the military, but find a cause that is worth you giving your life for. The best place to look here is to the Son of God, Jesus Christ. He left all to be humbled in death so that a lost, fallen world could be saved and set free. We still live in a fallen world that needs to be saved and set free. Allow the love of Christ to sink into your heart and transform you. Let God give you a love for your friends and enemies, a love that desires them to be saved. Learn of Jesus and follow in his footsteps.
To those whose hearts ache today because of the tragedy of war – May the God of heaven, the commander of the universe, give you a peace that passes all understanding. May your heart be comforted today and at rest.
And finally, may God revive our nation by His mighty mercy and grace, so that we, as a whole, can rightly see what is good and what is evil. May we have the grace to be humble, to repent of our sins; courage to confront the evil in our own hearts and then the following boldness to confront evil in our neighborhoods, our states and around the world. May this occur, so that those who do desire to defend their country will have the utmost assurance that what they are fighting for is truly justice and righteousness. May the battles of our nation truly be the battles of the Lord. “Father, make your Name, your reputation, honored and recognized in this land. May all of its people bow down in humble reverence at the feet of Jesus Christ. May your kingdom of love, peace, joy and righteousness come to this place. May this be a land that reminds all other lands of the heaven that is to come. Amen.”
Feelings of abandonment are not uncommon to Christians. Many heroes of the faith trudged through the deserts of desertion: Joseph’s unfortunes left him alone in a foreign dungeon, forgotten; David was driven into the wilderness, publicly defamed and barred from the house of God – just read the psalms; who did Job have? He struggled immensely with understanding what God was doing; and all we really need to say is…Jesus. “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” The one who did absolutely NO wrongdoing. There was every reason to believe that there would be continual open lines of communication between the Son and the Father; that there would always be evidence of the Father being with him in a favorable way. But, no, the Son of God himself entered into a spiritual black hole for a season – no evidence but the wrath and displeasure of the Father towards him. So if you are overwhelmed with feelings of loneliness – you’re not alone.
If you truly are a child of God then GOD HAS NOT FORSAKEN YOU!!! Here are a few reminders:
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Isaiah 49:14-16 But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
Psalms 37:25,28 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
Deuteronomy 31:6,8 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
There is a divine purpose for the feelings of “abandonment.”
Why was Joseph undeservingly sold into slavery, falsely accused/imprisoned and forgotten by his friends? Because God had a plan to make Joseph (a Hebrew) the vizier of Egypt in order to save the world.
Why did God allow Saul to hate David with raging jealousy? Why did God allow one of his most precious worshippers to be banned from his temple? Because God wanted the book of psalms to be written and to comfort untold billions of people throughout world history; because David learned that the way up is down; So Israel would realize how great of a king they had in their midst by David continuing to be faithful to God and his country through all of it.
Why was Jesus forsaken? In short – the save the world from everlasting judgment in the lake of fire.
Why have you been abandoned by your friends or family? Why has God not healed you from this unbearable sickness? Why does it seem like the more you try to do what’s right – the more you suffer? Why does it seem like God is not speaking to you or showing up powerfully like he used to? Maybe he is positioning you to save the world? That’s why God did it in the lives of your heroes, why not you? You may not become the catalyst that saves a whole nation or a whole town, but you may be the one who will save your marriage, or your family, or your church, or your town – and you may be the one that God will use to save the world we live in.
We have the advantage of living on this side of Bible history. I believe Job was the first book of scripture written. What did he have to look to for encouragement through his suffering? He could recount how God was merciful to Adam & Eve, or how God preserved Noah through a dreadful generation. But how much more do we have?!
Knowing what God did in the past should be of great encouragement to us. God will come through, just like he did in many other lives.
Joseph may not have felt like God was with him in that dungeon, but the narrative states over and over “but God was with him.” Jesus said about David’s psalms that “the Spirit said” such and such. The point is that God was with David while he “wandered” alone.
You’re never alone.
We tend to focus on our problems and overlook our blessings. There may be an array of very deep and prolonged tragedies in your life, but are there really no blessings? Are you really without any friends? Is there really no word of promise from God for you? Are there really no deposits of God’s faithfulness in your life – special provisions? Divine encounters? Unexpected blessings?
We are fallen creatures. It’s unfortunate but true – it’s easier for us to see our problems and to see them as larger than they are, and to overlook our blessings and to minimize them when we see them. Maybe take some time today to write out all of the reasons that make you feel like you are accepted, loved and not forgotten? Write out on a piece of paper all the things that are right about your life; all the things that are in proper order. Write out as many good things that other people have done for you. I guarantee that you will run out of time or your hand will begin to hurt.
The LORD is your shepherd, comforter and friend. Like a good parent (but much more perfect), he is always there watching you. Sometimes he stands a little off or will stand around the corner and watch you struggle. He wants you to grow. He wants you to learn. Jesus “learned obedience by the things which he suffered.” He is providentially allowing difficulty with people and circumstances in order to position you in the exact place at the precise time in order to fulfill his perfect plan in and through your life.
He wants you to trust him. Babies have their mothers over their faces constantly when they are young. The baby needs to hear mommy’s voice, feel her touch and her squeeze and be fed continually. But as the baby becomes a toddler, then a older child, then a teen, their independence from mommy increases more and more. When adulthood comes, there can be a permanent detachment from mommy. There seems to be a similar parallel in our spiritual life (although not perfectly, since we always need God every moment, and will forever): the more someone matures in their knowledge and experience of God, the more likely it is that God will lead you into ways that require greater levels of faith; longer amounts of time where it seems like you’re all alone. After all that Paul did he said, “at my first answer no man stood with me, but all forsook me…” Why was it, that at his greatest moment of need, God allowed it to be the case that no one was there for Paul. Well, Paul then said, “…but the Lord stood with me.”
I hope something here is an encouragement to you. Be faithful. Trust God. Hope to the end. God has not changed. He knows you – through and through. He knows what you can handle. Put one foot in front of the other and trust that good will come in time. Continue to love God and others. “And we know that all things work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
There are two ways you can go about getting what you want. One way is through the flesh and the other by the power of God; one way of making it happen is through works, or effort, the other way is through faith; one way is through patience, the other through grabbing ahold of it right now. Which way are you choosing?
To one degree or another God allows us to choose which path we’ll follow . We get to choose, but then we have to live with the consequences that God allows. Abraham’s destiny was to become a father; not just any father, but a patriarch: a father of nations; not just any nation or nations, but that through him all the nations of the earth would be blessed. There was a lot hanging in the balance if Abraham didn’t have a son. But this is squarely where the problem was- Sarah was barren, Abraham had given her no children, and now they were well stricken in years (beyond the age of having babies). When the promise first came, perhaps there was the possibility that they could have still had a baby through the natural means of conception, but as time went on- year after year – the reality became more clear, “We cannot have a baby.”
“What are you going to do Abraham? You know God’s calling. You know your destiny. You’ve seen proof of God being with you. But central to your calling is this baby, and there is no sign of a baby.”
Unfortunately, Abraham decided to attempt to take the matter into his own hands. “If Sarah won’t conceive then I’ll make it happen through Haggar, my servant.” And wallah, it worked! Well, actually there was produced a “fake” son. Ishmael was real, of course, and special, made in God’s image, and was blessed by God, but by “fake” I mean, that in regards to God’s will for Abraham to have a son, Ishmael was not the son that was the fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham. It may have looked like it at first, to Abraham, and to others, but God knew all along- “Abe, this is the work of your own hands, not mine. This has nothing to do with my Word to you.”
And what is the result of us trying to make God’s will happen through our own efforts? Struggle, problems, anger, confusion. This child gave Abraham personal problems, marital problems, problems with his children. Eventually Abraham had to send Haggar and Ishmael out of the home! It caused division, the loss of loved ones, the breaking up of a home. And in the future it caused great problems between the descendants of Ishamel and Isaac, all the way down to this very day with conflict between Israel and the Arab nations.
When we try to force God’s will – NOW – we make a mess of problems, and we don’t actually accomplish what God has placed into our hearts. God plants seeds in our hearts, which are meant to germinate, be cultivated, take root, grow, become strong, and eventually blossom and bear fruit. His Word will not return void. His will is meant to be accomplished, but in His own time, and in His own way. Maybe God has called you to get married, but you are still single, and getting older. Don’t take it into your own hands. Stay away from pornography; don’t date unbelievers, don’t even consider it. Do not settle for less than God’s best. It will cause you perpetual problems, just like it did with Abraham. Wait upon God, with patience, and his will, will come to pass. Even if you are convinced that the situation is impossible- It is settled in your heart, “There are absolutely no options here.” Don’t give up!
Romans 4:17-21 says about Abraham, “(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, “So shall thy seed be.” And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, HEWAS ABLE also to perform.” (emphasis mine)
It was not possible for Abraham to have a child. Yet he did. It was the sheer power of God. The same God who called light to come out of darkness called for life and conception in Sarah’s womb. This is the same God who conceived in the virgin Mary the Son of God. And this is the same God which we believe in and follow today.
Perhaps God has called you to some kind of ministry or mission for him, but it has not yet materialized. And time is running out, you’re getting older. You may not even be able to articulate what it is that God has placed into your heart! But you know that something is there. Remember Abraham. Be a son of Faith. Believe. Trust God to make it happen in His time and in His way. Of course, if there is sin in your life, focus on getting rid of it; if there are character flaws, focus on sharpening them up. Focus on knowing God, worshiping him, and making him known to others in the current state that you are in in life. Waiting on God doesn’t mean sitting down doing nothing, but rather has the idea of being a waiter. Attend to God, please him, do what you are able to do right now as you serve him, and patiently wait for him to bring you the promotion you are seeking for.
I’ve often reflected on why God planted the seeds of promise in Abrham’s heart when he did. I believe it was 25 years or so from the time Abraham received the promise that he would have a son to the time that it actually happened. Why did God do this? Didn’t it cause impatience in Abraham and cause him to take actions into his own hands? No. We cannot hold God responsible for dropping what he put into our hands. God knew that Abraham was able to handle the burden, but Abraham failed to be a perfect steward of it.
Thank God for his mercy, that although Abraham was not perfect, he did not discard Abraham as his chosen vessel when he messed up with Hagar. God could see the depths of Abraham. He knew that he was faithful, and that he would persevere in the end to trust God to make His Word of promise come alive.
Back to my comment earlier about us being able to choose whether we will take the short, east route, or whether we will defer to the long, whindy, uncertain route. The choice is yours. We can choose to sell our birthright (God’s special calling) for a bowl of beans (temporary pleasure), or we can Remember Abraham and follow in his footsteps of taking the long, but the right route. Often God’s perfect will is a lifelong pursuit. David got to the throne, eventually, but as the anointed king he was shut out of the nation, hunted, defamed and lied about. But the time finally came when the nation confessed, “We always knew that God had chosen you.” (my paraphrase) Moses trained for 40 years in Egypt as a prince, then another 40 years in the desert as a shepherd (how about that combination!). Do you ever think Moses said to himself in the wilderness, “What am I doing out here!” Then at 80 he began to see God’s promises come to fruition. Can you imagine the struggle that went on inside the breast of Jesus as he saw corruption in his day? How many times I’m sure he was tempted to stand up, rebuke everyone and take over the whole nation? Yet, he was quiet, until it was his time. He waited patiently, perfectly on the Father.
There is a time for everything. Right now it is time for you to faithfully do what you can. There is more, yes, there is more, but let it grow. Let God make it bud. And may God bless you with patience and endurance for the journey.
Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Romans 8:24-27 “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
Living the Lord’s Prayer, Part 4 – – – “Give us this day our daily bread”
*The video ends a few minutes short. Make sure to read the last few paragraphs of the article.
Can any of us (at least in America) say that we pray this prayer for what it actually says? When is the last time you woke up in the morning and prayed, “Father, thank you for waking me up today. Among other things, I’m not sure what my family and I are going to eat today, but we trust you to take care of all of our needs. You are a good, heavenly Father, and you know what we have need of. Amen.” I can say that I have had days like that, but very few. I have to say as well that I had those days because of necessity, not because of choice (I’ll talk more about that in a little bit). Every day I think most of us give thanks to God for our bread (which we should), but how many of us actually pray for our bread. This article will discuss the spirit of the “our daily bread” prayer, and will also look at how we can embody that spirit, so we can actually see God answer this request in our lives.
Physical or Spiritual “Bread?”
Is Jesus instructing us to ask the Father for physical bread or spiritual “bread?” I think everyone would agree that “bread” here is representative of “necessities,” but is it referring to our daily physical or spiritual needs? The famous publication “Our Daily Bread,” which has daily devotional tid-bits, may have many people assuming that the prayer means, “Father, give us the words of wisdom we need to live by today.” Do we need God’s grace on a daily basis for our spiritual, mental, emotional, relational needs? Of course, but those concerns are covered under the headings of, “Hallowed be thy name…thy kingdom come…thy will be done…forgive us our debts (sins)…and lead us not into temptation.” The fact that Jesus had in mind physical bread (necessities) seems pretty apparent to me. It makes perfect sense that way; there is nothing in the context to indicate that he had otherwise in mind; and also, if Jesus did mean physical bread, how else could he have said it, to make it clear that that’s what he meant. It’s clear, but I’m afraid that we may have some intuitive hesitation to lean away from the literal meaning because of the implication it may have on our lives. If he does mean literal bread, how can we even begin actually praying this prayer if our cupboards are already full?
The Spirit of the Prayer
In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus is instructing his followers to practice three spiritual disciplines: giving, prayer & fasting. Each of these disciplines have practical benefits, but there is a greater purpose shared by each of them – we could call it the “spirit” or heart of the disciplines – which is trusting God. Does practicing giving meet real, practical needs? Sure, but a greater need is us learning to trust God with our finances. God doesn’t really need our money to get his work done. Does practicing fasting free up your mind, body and time? Sure, but a greater need is for us to trust God to be our source of satisfaction in life, and so on. I think that within this prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread,” Jesus is trying to communicate to us about A WAY OF LIFE, not merely leading us to ask God for our daily provisions.
Consider the Lilies
What is this “way of life” Jesus is speaking about? The same chapter as the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6) gives us further insight. In discussing the difference between being heavenly minded and earthly minded, Jesus says, “Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?” (Matthew 6:25) Jesus is telling us to not be anxious, worried or even concerned about our basic necessities. It should not be the focus of our lives. Why? Because there are deeper things in life that need to occupy our hearts, minds and time- “The life is more than meat, and the body more than raiment.”
He then says to consider, or think carefully about, the ravens (Luke 12) and the lilies. The ravens do not plant, harvest, or store up food in barns, yet they eat and survive. They do not have a job with a guaranteed weekly pay stub, bank accounts, refrigerators, pantries, deep freezers, investment funds, or insurance policies, yet they are not worried about life at all. We got some serious issues. If God feeds his pets, how much more can we be guaranteed that he will feed his children? Not only the ones made in his image, but those remade in the image of his Son, those who are washed and in his favor eternally?? What about the lilies? They do not labor (toil, struggle), nor do they take great pains to make their appearance, yet Jesus says they are more beautifully clothed than even Solomon was in his glory! Now, this is crazy, because at least the ravens do something to get their food – they hunt or scavenge. Yet, the lilies do nothing except rest and soak in what nutrients God brings them. Wow. These are presented as examples for how careless we should be about the acquisition and security of our physical necessities in our lives.
Did Jesus practice what he preached? He sure did. One day a man wanted to follow Jesus, and Jesus warned him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:20) I love how it is put in the hymn “Thou Dids’t Leave Thy Throne,” “The foxes found rest, and the birds their nest, in the shade of the forest tree; but Thy couch was the sod, O Thou Son of God, in the deserts of Galilee.” Jesus did not have a home; he didn’t have a guaranteed weekly pay stub for his labor; he didn’t have a bank account, savings account, credit card or investments. Yet, he survived. He thrived. There was no one happier, more secure, more useful, more giving than Jesus, even though he did not have a guarantee of all of these necessities.
Jesus was on a mission – to seek and save the lost. He said, “I have meat to eat that ye know not of…My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” (John 4:32,34) No one worked harder than Jesus; no one had more responsibilities than Jesus; yet no one was more free in life than Jesus.
He understood the perfect balance of working hard/laboring/discipline combined with rest/freedom/spontaneity. He worked hard, without guarantee of pay, mostly misunderstood, and yet was loved and provided for. He was free from the demands of man, yet fully devoted to the demands of God. “You cannot serve God and mammon.” Jesus understood that if you seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; all these things shall be added unto you (Matthew 6:33) He didn’t say that if you value God in your life that God will give you the strength to work and provide for yourself. He is saying that if you work for God, the provision will be brought to you, like the liles.
Was Jesus a pauper? He actually was. Pauper: poor person. He was a pauper, but he wore a seamless robe, which from my understanding was a unique and expensive garment in his time. How did he get the robe? The Father brought it to him somehow. There were rich people who ministered to Jesus at times.
Jesus lived a very ascetic life, one of self-discipline and abstention, yet there were times when Jesus fellowshipped and feasted. But it was always when the Father said so. And I believe that he enjoyed the spread, the laughs and the experiences more fully than anyone else, because they were always gifts, unearned but deserved (because of his labor for God) and timely.
Was Jesus a monk? No, he was on a mission, but he was certainly truly pious, often praying alone for long periods of time. I’m not suggesting we all become monks, but I definitely think us American brothers could use a couple extra shots of monkish flavoring.
I struggle to find to the right words to express what I see in Jesus – He truly did live like the ravens and the lilies. May God help us to have this kind of freedom, carelessness and obedience to God our Father!
The Manna Story
God wants his people truly trusting him, even for our necessities, on a daily basis. This is illustrated well by the story of the Manna in Exodus chapter 16. Yahweh gave his people miracle bread from heaven, mainly as a rebuke against their murmurings, but also to teach them that God is more than able to be trusted for everything on a daily basis. Notice how carefully God instructed his people to only gather what they needed: “This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer (approx. 1 gal. dry measure)for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents. And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating. And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning. Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them. And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.” (Exodus 16:16-21)
Yahweh laster told the people why he fed them with daily bread in this fashion, “And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.”
The life is more than meat. Israel had a purpose, to be a light to the nations. That kind of task is too grand for his people to be too concerned with mundane and earthly things. God provided miracle bread for his people, his disobedient people, for forty years, in the desert. It is a miracle how God provides for us, I’m not denying that at all. But experiencing miraculous provision doesn’t necessarily say anything about your spirituality, godliness or effectiveness in partnering with God to be a light to the nations. Miraculous provision should be understood for the child of God – especially one desiring to do his will. If we can’t trust God to miraculously put bread on the table, how are we going to trust him to supply the Spirit for abundant life today? Or to add new souls to the church? Over-abundance is a very dangerous thing. It is a huge temptation to forget the faithfulness of God and begin trusting in ourselves. Hear how God warned his people about over-abundance, “When thou hast eaten and art full…Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day…And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.” (Deuteronomy 8:10-11,17)
“There’s nothing wrong with having nice things”
Have you ever heard a preacher or another Christian say, “Now, there’s nothing wrong with a Christian having nice things, we just can’t let them become idols or a distraction in our lives.”? O.K. Yes, I agree in general, but this is hardly the kind of thing that American Christians need to hear! Instead, they need to be WARNED that their STUFF can easily and subtly rob them of revival, quench the Spirit, distract them from prolonged prayer, meditation in Scripture and winning souls! American Christians by and large have nooo problem with being too puritanical, too frugal, or too cautious about indulgence! “Make sure all those believers know that it’s ok for them to have nice things!” Are you kidding? We are over-worked on over-time, over-fed on over-abundance, and over-spent on over-drafts! We are the church of Laodicea. We are the generation of Haggai who laid the foundation of the temple, but then left off raising the walls because we are too busy meticulously wainscoting our own homes. No, we need to be told to fast; sell things, get rid of things; stop buying stuff you don’t need; stop buying stuff at the price and quality you do – even if you can afford it; downsize; stop being so busy. Sacrifice for Christ; pray more, longer; read more, longer; evangelize more, disciple more. Make time and money for Christ! These are the types of things I believe we should be proclaiming to our people! Why? Because there is a danger in being surrounded by abundance…
Feed Me My Portion
In Proverbs 30:8-9 we find the prayer of Agur, “Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient(my portion; prescription; necessary) for me: lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.” He is in effect saying, “God, you know what I need. If I determine how things go in my life I’m sure I will mess it up in some way. You know the adequate amount of resources that I need to live on and be happy with, but also will keep me trusting you well.” There is a danger in having too much. We can become like Nabal the Fool who derided David’s servants, “Who is the son of Jesse!”
1 Timothy 6
In the midst of Paul’s polemic against greedy people and wealthy society, he gives these warnings, “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1 Timothy 6:9-10) In inordinate view of money or possessions can unwittingly lead us into temptations, traps, foolish lusts, perdition, apostasy, many sorrows, and many more dangerous thing not listed here. How are we doing, as American Christians, in our relationship with “things” and money? Are we content and moderate?
Paul here defines for us what contentment truly is, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” (1 Timothy 6:6-8) Having food and raiment (covering – clothes and housing) is God’s definition of what we need. God is saying that if you have food to eat, clothes on your back and a roof over your head, then you should be satisfied. We know full well that Paul here does not have in mind five-star dainties, elegant costly attire and mansions. He is certainly not saying, “Be content with your luxuries.” In another place he said, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:11-13)
What should we do? “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” (1 Timothy 6:17-19)
(1) Don’t be high-minded, high-maintenance or attracted to high-society, “Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.” (Romans 12:16) Having nice possessions and high status can trick us into thinking that we are godly somehow on account of those things. (2) Don’t trust in your riches, because they make wings and fly away. If it was all taken away from you today, would your faith be shaken? Would you be shaken? If so, repent, and ask God to help you to get your trust right. (3) Learn to find pleasure and enjoyment in the simple things that God brings to us. Also, learn to wait on God and enjoy the earthly things as God brings them to you, not you going on and procuring them for yourself. (4) If you have the ability to have a high standard of living, don’t choose to. God gave you a lot of money or resources because that is a major part of how he wants to use you for his kingdom. “To whom much is given much, much will be required.” (Luke 12:48) If your wages are above average, then so should your giving. If a large percentage of your time is spent earning a large salary, then a large percentage of your pay should go to those working in the Lord’s harvest fields. He says here to the rich to be “rich” in good works.
Here is how I would try to concisely describe the Christ-like way of life we should be striving to live: Every believer (especially men) should be a hard-worker – expect no one to pay your way; strive to increase your productivity and earnings while decreasing your standard of living; fast often; strive to give away more of what you earn, while receiving and living more on miracles; if you haven’t done this in a while – prove God’s faithfulness in your life by giving away all of your money, or a large enough amount to where you have to trust God for the outcome (Luke 21, the poor widow cast in all that she had); find out a way to prove to yourself, in a measurable way, that you are actually living by faith; that you are truly able to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.”
Press Toward the MarkPaul said, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.” (Philippians 3:13-15) I in no way am saying that I live up to what I have presented in this article, though it is my heart’s desire and aim! I confess that it is the standard and that it is possible. Similar to the fact that God’s command, “Be ye holy, as I am holy” is the standard, though we all seem to fall short of it, so it is with the spirit of this prayer, and the way of life Jesus lived- we all seem to fall short of it, but may we strive after it, to become more like our Lord and so that his kingdom can be strengthened and furthered in the earth!
Brother Lee 