Does God really promise to supply our needs?

Alcott,

Intersting analogy you leapt for.

Remember that the spirit is much more important to God than the flesh is.

I have a beautiful Christian friend. An absolutely amazing testimony to God. She is dying of cancer.

She was told, a long time ago, that she wouldn't live more than a few months, but she hangs in there.

She told me recently that she views Cancer as a blessing in her life. Her family was torn up by bickering, her children were not even striving for their potential, she felt lost and didn't know who her friends really were. The cancer "fixed" all of those other things. So, while you might view her as needing a cure for the disease, what she really needed was a spiritual catalyst.

In regards to my brakes, you narrow it all down to the physical. I'm thrilled, grateful to God that I didn't hurt anyone today. It may be that this was the only reason it happened as it did. It may be that this time my need was safety. It may be that the next time my need is something that will bring me closer to God, even if it hurts.

 

Now,

I'm going to be honest with you. You sound a bit angry at God. As if you are searching for the reason some prayer was answered with a "no" instead of the "yes" you think you needed or think you deserved.

I've been there. You don't wind up a Christian orphan at 19 without going through that. Hind sight is an amazing thing though. I thought Mom "needed" good health. Mom thought she needed a chance to see her Father face to face. I thought I "needed" Mom here. God thought I needed a chance to move on with my life more quickly than I might have if Mom and Dad had lived.

You think you "need" a miracle cure for a sick child. God thinks that child needs to play in heaven where the child will never have to face another needle again.

We think in small terms.

Remember when you were a kid? You were certain you ~needed~ the new bike, or the extra ice cream, or the toy everyone else had. But your parents knew that you needed to learn more about bike safety, and you needed more vegetables and less sugar, and you needed a toy whose parts didn't break off and choke you.

They gave you what you really needed.
You threw tantrums because you were sure you really needed it.

EVEN health and life may not be what we really NEED from God.

If you are angry at God, talk to Him about it. Tell Him that you don't understand why His no was a no. Tell Him that you're hurt. He already knows that of course, but He appreciates honesty.

 

Then I am doomed. I cannot believe that He "will" for the simple fact that He "might not". How can a person "claim" that He will do something when you even acknowledge yourself that the answer might be "No". I am perfectly content to ask God for something and then accept His answer whether the answer is, Yes, No, Later, or modified. I absolutely trust Him to do that which is right.

Gen 18:25 ...Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

 

"I cannot believe that He "will" for the simple fact that He "might not".

Again - Go back to the analogy of a parent and child. If you know your request is not in the lines of something that a parent would naturally "refuse" - you ask with confidence. If know your request is out of line - you ask with doubt.

If you don't know that it is out of line, but you trust the parent to do what is best.... you ask with confidence and accept the no.

And when all else fails - you see the prayer support of others. They can pray in faith for those things you hesitate to pray for.

 

If I am not aware of any conflicts with His nature I still cannot ask in confidence because He still might say "no". I can trust Him, I can be confident that He will do what is right, I can be comfortable about whatever the outcome is but I CANNOT believe that He "will" because He might not.

 

God has always provided for my family, no matter what. There have been many times when I wondered if He really did forget about us. I have ignored God at times and even yelled at Him about what's going on. I have even thought that we were just cursed, and people we know have said the same thing. lol Of course we're not, but still. It seems like every step we take forward, we take three steps back. I try not to ask 'why' anymore. It's wild though, how many times God has helped us when we didn't know how we would get through. He has never let us down.

Life stinks sometimes! But I usually try to keep a positive outlook. I choose to be happy and content no matter what. Life is much more fun that way. It's too easy to be depressed.

It has made me SO thankful for everything we have too. I am constantly thanking God for being so good to us. We are really blessed. We might be poor as dirt but we are very rich in many ways. Anyone can look around and see there are many people worse off. It can always be worse.

I always try to pray that His will be done in my life, not mine. That God will direct me in everything and give me wisdom to know His will and follow it.

Proverbs 3:5-6 always always comes to mind for me. 5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

If we are seeking Him and His righteousness, God always provides.
God is good all the time....all the time God is good!

 

Things Christians need that, at present, seem grievous:
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• Punishment: to learn righteousness, Heb. 12:11.</font>
• Affliction: To learn God's Law, Psa 119:71.</font>
• Tribulation/Temptation: To learn patience, Rom. 5:3, Jam. 1:2-4.</font>
• Persecution: To be identified with Christ, Rom. 8:17, 2 Tim 3:12.</font>
• Poverty: To learn contentment, Phil. 4:11-12.</font>
• Change: To learn the fear God, Psa. 55:19.</font>

These are just a few. I'm curious, did the family that went bankrupt go without food or clothes even one day?

 

Are you confusing "He will" with "He can"?

He hears you. No matter what you ask for. And if you pay close enough attention, He acknowledges you. What better blessing is that?

 

James 1:2-4

 

Yes, God will supply all our needs. The Bible tells me so!

My grandson may think he 'needs' a whole package of cookies. I give him 1/2 dozen. He may think his 'need' has not been met. I know his needs better than he does.

And so it is with God...

I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
Psa 37:25

 

We're talking from the point of view of relatively rich Westerners. How about the Christian Sudanese child who's starving to death? I think we'd all say that food is a basic need, and it has definitely been denied to many Christians throughout the years. Would we really tell that kid, "Guess God just wants you to die now."

I was thinking about this in the contraception thread where the idea seemed to be, "You can always afford more children!" Well, some people can't, and they do have children, and the children die.

I guess I think of this as more a general rule than something that's true all the time. Most of the time God will supply our needs, but sometimes for reasons we'll only know in the afterlife he decides not to.

Sometimes we'll hear about occasions when a family really needed something and prayed and God provided for the need in a way that is almost miraculous. But most of the time what we see going on is more like what Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 9:11:

 

Amen, and Amen!!!!! I have a bible that says, "The LORD is my sheperd, I shall not want. " I hear lots of people say, He is my sheperd I want prosperity, he is my sheperd I want health, He is my sheperd I want long life, He is my sheperd I want.... I want... I want... Some think he owes us, or that we have earned these things, that as children of God they are our right. Here is my right as a child of God. I have the right to remain silent, and if I'm smart and have learned from scripture..... i.e... Job, I will do just that.

Another place in my bible says I am to present my body a living sacrafice..... Now, if I have done that, and this body is now his, I am dead to the world, and the worries of the world. It ain't mine to worry about anymore.

Some of you may know from another post that I have been diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer, and am in process of chemo/radiation to try to get it operable. My odds, by current charts and graphs, (stage IV cancer), are 5% to 15% to make it five years. I can understand Paul in saying "to die is gain, to live is Christ". I am in that betwixt he talks about.

Now I am not in a sucidial fantacy... ready to chuck it all in. I have gone to the elders of the church, they have annointed me with oil and prayed as per the book of James. And we are talking about a very soverign grace, KJVO, every word of God is pure, church. I am under the care of excellent doctors who are doing all within their ability to effect a successful outcome. I have changed my diet, am taking natural remedies, eating more healthy. During this combined chemo/radiation I have not only not lost my hair as predicted, I have gained four pounds.

I firmly believe our best christian witness is not is how we handle the success, but rather in how we deal with the adversity. God has given me another opportunity to witness for him.

God has already done so much for me. I could literally keep you tied up here "fer a while" talking about it. I am sure each of you could do the same. I have no reason to believe he won't deliver me from this present curcumstance. He is faithful to his Word even when we aren't to ours. He is able to deliver me and if he choose not to it is for my good and His glory.

I wish I had an answer for every sorrow or supposed unmet need in the world. I don't, but He does. Years ago, undergoing some trying times and looking for answers, I had a dream. In the dream I was in what appeared as a fight with the devil, and he was trying to get me to do something I knew not to do. And I was bound and determined not to do it.. Now in scripture when the men of old were talking they often said appears as or it was as if , and I came to understand that while this wasn't exactally what I saw, it was the best way to describe it to be understood. And so as the fight was on, it was as if the towel was thrown in from my corner and the fight over. And my realization was that the fight was not mine, the battle belonged to the LORD. The battle was already won and I now longer had to fight. God had done what I could not do.

At that moment I awoke, sat up, and tears and laughter filled me. I knew at that moment that all was perfect. From the beginning to the end.. all that was, is, and shall be is part of His eternal perfect plan. Nothing is out of place. All the injustice.... all the burdens... all things... were and are under his perfect administration and are working together for good...

Now I don't get to carry and walk in that feeling all the time, and I still get caught up in the things of the world and have a tendancy to worry and fret.... until he brings me back there to remember..... that his plan is perfect and shall come to pass. That He has made us and not we ourselves..... that we are his people and the sheep of his pasture..... and that all things work together for our good.

Here is my final thought on these trials we go thru.....

2 Cor 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
KJV

 

Yeah, Job's friends were big on the "health and wealth" idea too.

The book of Job is a good book for times of seemingly purposeless suffering.

 

North Carolina Tentmaker,

A few years ago I was going through a horrendously dark period, and not only did I not see any light at the end of the tunnel, I was living in fear, and I felt trapped in the tunnel.

The man I had been happily married to for almost 20 years was a total stranger with homicidal and suicidal ideation and was psychotic. We'd been through a bankruptcy and I was terrified of losing my job, my house, and maybe even my children. I could definately relate to Job, and yes, I was a tad "miffed" with God. I loved Him though, and I knew that He loved me. So, when He said, "Trust me," I gave a little bit of a, "Do I have any other choice," kind of snarl, but I did trust Him, and He DID supply my needs, and in the process of doing so, He taught me that I don't really need the things I sometimes think I need.

There has not been an easy day in my life since then, but there have been good days. Yesterday was not easy. I honestly have absolutely no idea how to work out the problem of a son that needs to get to high school from home when the bus doesn't run our route, to get ME to work and back home, and to get any errands run. Repairs cost money and we have no extra at all. BUT - I know that God will work it out. So, while I look around for His answer, I thank Him for being with me through this. Its hard and its frustrating.

The world is hard though, because we don't listen to God. In a Christian community - there is absolutely NO REASON for ANYONE to be homeless, foodless, clothingless. In a Christian community there is no reason for anyone to suffer. Christians SHOULD be helping other Christians. We SHOULD be giving our time, our talents, our money, our belongings to those who need them instead of building up hoardes of "extras" for ourselves. But we don't.

Christian roofers sit in church on Sunday, looking at widows who have leaks and sadly shake their heads and say, "What a shame," instead of saying, "I'll be there on Saturday," and they justify it with, "If I gave all my work away free, I'd never have any paid jobs."

God does take care of us.

We don't always understand, but He does.

I joke that cars are a curse in my house. Since the car accident that almost killed my family I have not had a decent car. That one was brand new. It was replaced with two used, and when they quit, they were replaced with older used. I don't know what I'd do now days if I didn't have a major car problem at least once a month. I know that someday God will explain to me why.

Until then, I'm looking at bus routes, and looking for Christians willing to give my son a ride, and thanking Diane for stepping up and offering me a little "intellectual help." I don't know if bleeding my lines will work or not, but I do know that God sent a Christian my way today who said, "I do care, let me try to help in the way I am able." That alone was a wonderful, delightful miracle.

 

"Again I don’t feel I blame God. I trust that he is doing what is best. Who I blame and am angry with is a generation of preachers who say God bless us with material and physical blessings if we just give a little more, work a little harder, and have a little more faith or have the right mental attitude. Then when we fail they turn it around and blame us for not having enough faith."

If I may give my 2 cents:
First, what is described above is a community's attempt at gaining inspiration to further itself. Do not be angry with these people who preach these things, if you were called to inspire a group of people to not only survive but to gain a foothold in this world to sustain themselves, you would likely do and say similar things.

Second: However, it is wrong to brow beat members when things do not come to fruition as suggested or hoped. Setbacks happen. Blaming a group of not having enough FAITH because the expectations were not met is useless and shows separation from God's will.

Do not be angry. There is a lot that goes on in this world that is inexplicable. I have had a few non-Christians witness terrible events and turn to me and ask me how 'my God could let these things happen". Just fear and frustration talking...but you get the picture.

 

North Carolina,

In regards to " Who I blame and am angry with is a generation of preachers who say God bless us with material and physical blessings if we just give a little more, work a little harder, and have a little more faith or have the right mental attitude. Then when we fail they turn it around and blame us for not having enough faith"

I think that these people mean well, but I think they are wrong. (Just as wrong as the person who once told me that my mother must have done something to anger God or she wouldn't have died. EVERYONE dies unless the Lord comes, and EVERYONE sins.)

If you judge the value of a man or woman on their wealth or fame or business sucess you are judging them by the world's standards, not by God's.

We live on the world which Satan is allowed to operate in, and wealth is a Satan speciality.

The wicked DO prosper. Hence the reason for bible verses asking "Why do the wicked prosper?"
The wicked often propser because they don't mind lying, cheating, stealing, stabbing people in the back, spreading false witness, etc., to get ahead.

BUT - the wicked are very seldom happy. Right now two of the "most properous" families in our city are suffering horrible pain. One family is headed by a college regent who is a wealthy business man. The other family is headed by the largest real estate developer in the region. His son is the Mayor of the city. The grandson of the real estate developer has been accused of giving the Ecastacy drug to the son of the regent. The regent's son died.

They are prosperous, but they are NOT happy.

Look at Hollywood. How many failed marriages? How many books like "Mommy Dearest," how many early deaths due to drug addiction? How many intentional suicides?

The wicked prosper but they are miserable.

The righteous, rich or poor, are usually happy. We have learned that what matters cannot be purchased with silver and gold.

We have learned the beauty of being happy with what we HAVE, instead of unhappy about what we DON'T have.

I was a poor kid when I was little. Christmas for me was often things I really needed like school clothes. My cousins were rich. Christmas for them was watches with diamonds for numbers. My reaction was a sincere, "Oh wow! This is awesome!" Their reaction was often, "ANOTHER watch?!"

Their father was earning over $3 million a year, elected to a lot of important offices, traveling all over the world and dining with people like John Wayne, Ronald Reagan and Elvis Presley. My Dad was definately NOT. They told me once they would have rather had my father because my father was a very loving man. There wasn't a day in his life when he didn't tell everyone in his life how important they were to him. So my "free walks" with Dad were better than their trips to Vegas with their Dad.

Look at HAPPINESS, and look at what you REALLY need to be happy.

How do you KNOW what you really need?

Ask yourself:
If I could keep my family, but live in a homeless shelter - OR - keep my house, but lose my family. Which would I choose?

 

I'm a IFB missionary on deputation with 3 daughters and a wife. I can't tell you how many times God has met our needs. Financially, Spiritually etc.. I don't believe that passage refers to more than just things or money.
Alot of times God may not meet what we think is a need because it is only a need to us and not a need to God. He knows what we "need" better than we do ourselves. If He says He will supply all your needs HE meant it .

One time I was down in Seminole Fl. at a baptist church.
I got up and gave a testimony that lasted all of 7 min. It is big church. Runs about 2000 on Sun. Morn.

Now we home school our girls because we travel. Well, we owed ABEKA Academy around 1000.00 to pay off our girls school bill. Now I had been praying for God to meet that need. You see while your on deputation you truly learn to depend on God. We live off of our love offerings and some of the support we are now receiving. We put the rest back to cover outfit and passage when we are ready to leave.

After the service a man walks up to me and says:
"Can you be here at church tommorrow at 10:00 am.?

Well, I'd never laid eyes on this fellow in my life. I didn't know what he wanted. I thought maybe he attends here and he wants me to speak at a meeting or something.

So, I look at the gentleman and say : "Well what do you need,how can I help you? What is your name?
The guy looks at me and says "No names"
I said "well alright". He said "meet me here at 10:00am tommorrow.
So I was staying about 45 min. away from this church. I just took this to be from the Lord so on faith I showed up at the front doors of this church the next day and low and behold this man is parked there in his car. I get out,he gets out and walks up to me. He puts a check in my hand and says: "brother God just told me to help out your ministry. I pray that you'll make it to Spain to preach the Gospel.
He hops in his car and drives off. I open the check up and it is for 1500.00. BTW it was a cashiers check the guy wasnt' playing.
To this day I don't know who that man was but I know I'll meet him in heaven.
I went right back to where I was staying after I deposited the money and called up ABEKA. I paid them in full that same day. Then I went to the outlet mall there in Ellenton, Fl and bought my kids some much needed summer clothes.

To God be the Glory!

God has never let me down. You can't outgive Him that is a very true statement. If you put yourself in a position of impossibility God will come through everytime. He is obligated to by His own promises. The problem is, many people never put God to the test. For any matter of faith not just money.

Remember that the verse that is being discussed is where the Phillipian Church had been giving to Paul's missionary ministry. And Paul was saying look you can give to my work and your work will still go on itself.

What about the Macedonian believers in II. Cor. 81-5? Out of "much poverty and much affliction" they gave liberally. They gave beyond themselves.
"THEY WERE WILLING OF THEMSELVES"

Alot of people say they can't give because they don't have it to give. Well you'll never see God move if you think that way. The macedonians first ,dedicated themselves to whatever God had for them then they gave even though they were broke. Now I promise you that the God that supplied the Phillipian church's needs supplied the Corinthian church's need as well.
Why? Because both groups of believers demonstrated faith and God has to honor faith.
The problem with to many people and to many churches is the fact that they think its their money and not Gods'.
We are only channels of God's blessings not resevoures.

I could tell you story after story after story how God has provided for our family as we serve Him. Ask ole George Mueller if God will supply.

Praise the Lord He is Good. I might have to start preaching.

 

BTW, the night I gave that testimony in that church nobody knew the need that I had except my wife, myself and God. I told know one. Just forgot to mention that. It was only known to us. I never mention our needs in a meeting unless someone outright asks us. It is alot more fun to pray and see how God is going to do it.