The worldly minded will always depend on fleshly attainments and their own natural abilities. The “stalwart” of this age will always hail the self-reliant. And so it has ever been and ever shall be.
Those prospering in the filthy riches of this condemned world will always mock the lowly servants of God. They will arrogantly sneer and say, “See us now enjoying; we never lack anything good. Now look at you; where is your God? Is this how He rewards His servants?”
But do not fear to confess before them, “I am the base, lowly, and foolish, chosen to shame the wise and mighty; a poor dependent servant awaiting his Lord’s directives and provision.”
Declare with assurance, “I am a pilgrim having no country of my own, a fool for Christ’s sake. Yet I confess I am the chosen of God and go forth at my Lord’s bidding to a city whose foundations cannot be shaken, eternal in the heavens.
“Yes, according to Christ’s own Word, I refuse to store up treasure upon earth. And I take no thought for tomorrow in the calm assurance of being valued above many sparrows.”
Tell them: “My confidence is in an unseen storehouse of all riches in glory sufficient for every situation. With boldness I unashamedly trust unswervingly in an unseen all powerful love. Yes, I do not blush to declare that I am utterly dependent upon the beneficence of a heavenly Father. His requirement is simply the total trust of a child as the necessary requisite for entering His kingdom and partaking of His bounty.”
Dear Listener, thus you can reply with firm assurance. Has any soldier ever served at his own expense? Is the ox to be muzzled while treading out kernels of truth for the people of God? Shall the owner of His field employ laborers in His harvest only to wickedly send them away empty handed at the end of the day?
Will God indeed be a deceptive stream of unsure waters? Shall a stone in fact be offered rather than bread? Could we yet witness the righteous forsaken and his children begging in the streets? Does He who calls also not equip and furnish? Can great tasks be accomplished with meager tools?
Will any who are sent to perform the will of our great King be abandoned to scrape and plead in order to accomplish that purpose? Shall the industrious farmer not also partake of the fruit of his labor? Is there no crown for him who runs according to the rules?
Why then do we distrust the Lord of the harvest, this greatest of all employers? Are we not fellow workers with God? Is the arm of the Lord so short that it cannot save? Or is the everlasting sufficiency inadequate to insure the food and covering that our Father knows we have need of?
Shall we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” and be answered with gnawing pangs of hunger? Can He who judges the wicked for withholding due wages from his servants also do likewise with His own?
Is it possible that the ship will sink when Christ is on board? Could it be that those who tend the vines starve in the midst of that fruitful field? Does not the Lord of the harvest leave handfuls on purpose as Boaz did for his beloved Ruth? Why then do we doubt? Why should we anxiously be disturbed in our minds?
Never! The Word of the King is certain: Everything necessary for life and godliness has been already secured by His excellent glory through His precious and magnificent promises [2 Pet.1:2-4].
Therefore, Dear Listeners, do not shrink away in shame from your high calling. God will never abandon you. Your supply will be sure from eternal reservoirs that shall never run dry.
We have no earthly employer, we are members of no religious societies or missionary board. No denomination forwards a salary, and no one has been asked to make faith pledges of monthly support.
And all the while in West Africa, not once have we gone about soliciting for money and never have we taken up offerings at any time. And we have neither begged, borrowed, nor stolen; and we have never lacked.
All needs have been presented before the throne in the ear of our Father where we all find grace to help in time of need. Heaven is open to all who draw near in full assurance of faith.
God is no respecter of persons. He cares for all of His servants out of His bounty in Christ Jesus the Lord. The same Lord is Lord of all, and He is your Lord who abounds in kindness for all who call upon Him in truth.
What then shall you do? Ps.37:3-5: “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.”
Listen! Ps.37:19: “In the days of famine, they shall have an abundance.” Ps.37:18,19: “Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.”
There have been times in this Nigeria where we had N250 in our pocket with our 5 children with us, but God still gave us something to eat each day. In our own country when supplies had finished, we met a sack of food stuffs at our door when returning from the house church fellowship.
Dear Listener, God’s work done in God’s way, will always have God’s supply. Lk.22:35: “And He said to them, ‘When I sent you out without purse and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?’ and they said, ‘No, nothing.’” Yes, you can cling to this: “The worker is worthy of his support” -Mt.10:10.
2 Cor.9:8: “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.” Phil.4:19: “And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
Ps.34:10: “The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; but they who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.” Hag.2:8: “‘The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ declares the Lord of Hosts.” He distributes it how and to whom He wishes.
Do not be discouraged! The God who sends will also supply. The work commissioned by heaven will receive adequate for that work to be accomplished.
Mt.6:25-33: “Do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the finance, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!
“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Copyright Steve Phillips 2020