Featured Question For My Reformed Brothers And Sistes, Will God Take Care Of Us?

This is a very serious question, so your proper exegesis of the passages, or just general teachings that you know would be appreciated.

I'll cite two places; One Jesus says to His disciples in Matthew 6:26, Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

He talks about the lilies, how beautiful they are dressed, then makes a similar comparison.

The message is clear, 1. Do not worry about food or what you'll wear, if God takes care of birds and flowers, He'll take care of you.

Philippians 4:19: My God shall supply all of your needs according to the riches of His glory in Jesus Christ>

In this, it seems prior he is talking generally about giving, that he is glad they are giving, and sort of randomly puts that sentence in, not saying it doesn't go with the rest, it does, but Paul is talking about their Spiritual growth, and their giving as evidence of it, then says "My God shall....."

This is what I don't understand, and is my question, over the last three years, I went from a successful business to losing my older brother, son and business crashing, the mom last year, now I'm facing poverty. Not only me, what of these Philippians, later they'd be brutalized by the Romans, jailed, killed, how is that taking care of all of their needs? Of even great Christians throughout the century, John Bunyan lived in abject poverty all his life, his daughter died basically of starvation, great Christian, his daughter died FOR LACK OF NEEDS MET.

So brothers and sisters, what IS that answer, no traditions please, if we are a bible believing, Christ loving person will God take care of all of our needs? Or will He not? Thank You

 

Thank you, yeah I'm with you, I must have read every commentary/sermon on Job there is. I even have the "Body covered with sores", a outbreak of Psoriasis from stress, not like his, I'm no Job, but pain is pain.

I see people, perhaps they lose a child, like me there is nothing like it, but they have EACH OTHER, that's the thing that gets me, ALL MY FAMILY IS DEAD, so I don't have a wife to grieve with. I'm convinced emotional grief is the worst pain a man can have, physical pain? Nothing compared to imagining that sweet little innocent boy, it's like a fire, add to that all my money gone, and I always did well, $30-$40k a month, and it's grief/fear, not a good combination.

My only saving grace is non-stop sermons, and the knowledge that God is doing it, I mean I can see His hand, I know that sounds presumptive, but IE perfect credit, apply for a loan, anyone else would get it, I ALREADY KNOW BEFORE APPLYING I'll be turned down, and for no reason, sure enough turned down. It's like that with everything, put together a great little business, did $7500.00 in three weeks, merchant account "We're sorry to inform you we must shut down your merchant account", again for NO REASON, no charge backs, no nothing, just God's hand. So I think "Why try", for I know it will fail.

I've waited, well actually 2 years, nothing, I'm not giving in or up yet, the other night I was praising God and felt close to Him, I know there is a reason, don't know what it is. Yeah was reading a commentary, and the way God acted was to LOOK LIKE HE WAS ANGRY WITH JOB, think about it, he's the most righteous man, has all of these children, prays for them in case they do something wrong, has wealth, then in one swoop children are all killed, all wealthy wiped out in a minute, wife not sure he gets another so she may have died when she said "curse God and die", we don't know, then sores head to toe, then nightmares, basically no rest, Job said some amazing things "You have become like an enemy to me", and "I pray and you just look at me"

Anyways thanks for your answer, and sorry for your loss, I know unless you're in it no one can truly relate. All I can think, my hope is that I KNOW God controls all things, and that only He can bring things back, I can see purpose in this great suffering, well I guess it's irrelevant what I see. Thanks

 

One more thing, it drives me crazy. I see IE my pastor, he's young, has a wife, 5 kids, he has everything, doesn't know suffering. Or my friend Zach, giant house, great business, 5 kids, gets whatever he wants.

Hebrews 12 is ENORMOUS HELP, "If we do not suffer we are ILLEGITIMATE and not Children", I've lived in that chapter, or Peter "Suffering according to the will of God"

 

If I had Cancer, was going to die, but had loved ones who cared, I'd be joyful compared to this.

 

Great, thanks again. That's interesting, that point Tozer said about focusing on the now, it's smart because I look at the future and imagine many frightening possibilities, so definitely good advice, may not live the night so yes good thinking. And yes I praise God all the time, I never get angry at God, strangely I wake up frustrated sometimes, but I straighten out my head, I think I might be, but won't admit it, hence it's there when I wake.

I do have a hope, I TRULY BELIEVE that God can, and will change this at once. I don't know if He will, but I'm convinced, from the heart that this week I can get a good sale, and everything changes. You sure learn quick the hypocrites, "If you see your brother in need, and are able to help and don't what good is it", there are many verses like that, "Be well, I'll pray for you", what good is that when one can help? All around me, Christians know I have a massive need, a ONE TIME NEED that will blossom, that is a small amount will turn my company completely around as I can buy leads, but they just wish me well, it's really sick, they could even make money off me, but I'm not going to judge them, though it does disappoint me, I mean it's not a big deal, when I see a brother with a need, and have money, I'm giving it to them, haven't always done it perfect or anything, people are so selfish it just blows my mind, they'd let you die before parting with money.

 

Great again, and yes you have helped me wonderfully. One time I was actually thrilled at my suffering, we're supposed to, "Of will ALL participate, unless you are illegitimate, and not a son"!

Like I saw, my biggest encouragement is that I can see the hand of God on me, not claiming some mystical spiritual anything, I can just tell, I have a business, but I thought "I need cash flow, go work as a waiter, make $200 a day in tips", went to this Restaurant on the end of the Huntington Beach Pier, they are hiring, I have great appearance, great experience, plus they are hiring, I fill out the application, and "He can't see you now, you're number is on the application right"? Interview is my best part, but I just KNEW something would come up, I waited from 15 through high school, a few times after, so tons of experience, impossible to not get the job, that's what I mean about "why try", whatever I do shall fail.

One in awhile, I get crazy thoughts, like "Maybe you did some sin, and now God hates you", see writing it out seems crazy, but I mostly fight that off, I ask God a thousand times "What do you want me to do, what am I doing wrong", I have changed MUCH last two years, I can see that, OK I'm rambling, thanks, REALLY helps to talk to a brother

 

Almost forgot, yeah they repossessed my car, the one I had $25k into, so serious it's time to give up, what 3 hour bus ride to work? 6 hours in a bus. If I weren't so afraid of God I'd kill myself this second, I terrified to wake up and see what the day has for me. Of course the worse is "Why God, you have unlimited riches, why not help me, I'm faithful to you, yes I deserve worse, but I'm at my end, everything is gone, even my only hope"

 

Thank you, not sure that's always the norm but it's a great thought!

 

Yeah that is some time, 4 years. After awhile you were thinking "What's the point, NO FAVOR HERE", yeah that's tough, it's also similar to me, you said an important thing, "That anxiety on top of grief", telling you God knows how to get us, we can handle grief is all else is fine, but take away finances, so the heart only feels sorry/fear is the worst, I don't know how we do it. As I'm writing you earlier, I find out my ride to my business is gone, so was going to be the two of us trying to get investors, now well I don't know, I guess bus, so two hours on a bus each way, I mean it never ends, I'm getting angry, for it never stops, I'd prefer death, why fight this daily? That's what every day is, A FIGHT, yet God opposes me at EVERY STEP. So there's nothing I can do, just hope that God helps me, I need such a small doesn't matter I'm just whining now, let's see what new horrible thing happens between now and tomorrow. Thanks, God bless

 

Everything you wrote was wonderful, I agree, as a Child of God Almighty, with our future, we should never get upset about ANYTHING. It's just that if you drop a big rock on your foot we say "Ouch", and it does hurt, but hearing what you just wrote is like taking a nice pain pill, bad analogy but you know what I mean.

So I think someone's praying for me, today when I think it can't get worse, find out can't get to work, then a CALL, my younger brother, "I'll help you, let's put together a plan, I can get $5,000", see I need a little bit of money, with it, well I have a beautiful car but no gas, so the $5,000 is the gas, so I'm pumped, last second, for I'm thinking "OK I'm going to be homeless, to afraid to kill myself" just looked up "WHY COME ON LORD YOU SAY YOU'LL HELP, HELP, PLEASE", then I get the call. Understand where I am, no money, as in can't well can buy cheap food, can't get cab, so he comes through with this, hasn't dawned on me yet. Then gives me his credit card so I can take Uber, Praise God!

 

Yes praise God I have transportation!! I was at the end there. I'm listening to Piper "GOD PROMISES TO PROTECT YOU AND TAKE CARE OF YOU"

 

Thanks, it's like EVERY WORD IS ME. Is quite a irony though, God can shower us in Gold and people who love us, but chooses to do it this way. Not sure if you saw, my nephew called, going to get me the $5k a need, it means I have transportation, and ability to raise money! I mean talk about an emotional roller coaster, today was my end, no money, no transportation, on my way to homelessness, then LAST SECOND God comes through, amazing.