Psalm 37:25-26 – I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. 26They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing.
Isaiah 43:18-19 – Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
Hebrews 11:1-2 – Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
The enemy loves to taunt us. He loves to taunt me. Now I am not writing the following to gain sympathy, but to glorify God. Family and Friends, God is my everything. He has said of Himself “God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:14) I have learned that God is expressing that He can be our everything if we allow Him to be. Not that we can change Him, or that He is continuously changing from one thing to another, but that our God who does not change (Malachi 3:6) is always, continuously, and eternally our everything, if we will seek Him and submit to Him. It is not that He changes to become what we need, but rather that He is, in every way, what we need Him to be. We may ask “Lord, are You my Protector?” Or are You my Provider, my Leader, my Advisor, comforter, and the One who loves my soul? Every time He replies to us “I AM.” Praise God! The great I AM! He is my everything and wants to be the “Everything” for all of us, if we humble ourselves and seek Him.
As I above wrote, I am not seeking sympathy, I am testifying that God is faithful. About nine months ago I was laid off from work (By a very good and loved employer). Over the last two or three years I have faced this more than once. I did not worry. I prayed to the Lord “Well Lord, I guess it is once again time to watch You work. He always blesses me with another job. Usually fairly quickly. If you have seen me, you know that I have missed very few meals and when I have, it is likely that I have because I wanted to or was just too busy at the time. I have not missed a meal because of lack of provision. No, not ever.
When laid off I prayed to God that I would not relinquish my faith in Him. That was a statement of confidence in whom He has revealed Himself to me to be. Never in my life, not ever, has God not been faithful to me. Always He has loved me and cared for me, even when I have been unlovable. That’s what love does, that’s what He does. Though I have sinned, God was faithful. When I was in physical, or emotional danger, God has always been, without fail, my provider and protector. Though I have failed Him, He has never failed me. So it not that I am wonderful in any way, if you know me you know that is true, but that God is wonderful in every way. When I am need I seek out the great I AM who is always just what I need.
I am not wealthy and not “well to do.” We are a working class with family. So being laid off for any amount of time can be scary. Certainly it can be for us if we look at the circumstances (the bank account). Now we had a small bit of savings and we knew, and know, that the Lord could stretch that. He always has, He does not change, so He always will. But Family and Friends, if you had told me that I would be in my ninth month of unemployment, and not missed paying a bill, or never missed having food to eat, well I would have known that only God can do things like that. Not only have we paid our bills and have had food to eat, but we still tithe on anything that comes in. Furthermore we have given to missionaries, or other charities, and given to birthday gifts. Maybe the amounts we gave was smaller, but we gave. We have been determined to not live in fear, but in faith. We know that God has always provided and He always will provide. So how we choose to live in faith may seem foolish to many but those of you who know the Lord know that we are only doing what any of you would do in the same circumstances. I know whom I have believed in and am persuaded that He is able to keep me (2 Timothy 1:12). God knows our situation. He has not put us on a back shelf to collect dust. His loving and protective eyes and heart are always on us and with us.
Having not worked in so long the enemy loves to tell me “Yes, God uses you, but the world has no use for you. You are worthless to this world. That’s why you are unemployed so long.” Family I hate devil. He knows where to strike, he knows how to hurt. So, I agree with the devil. There is nothing valuable about me. The only value I have comes from God Himself. When He gives me something to do, when He sends me on a mission, then I am priceless. His love for me, His love that fills me and flows through me to others is proof that He lives within me that this no-good for nothing man becomes a tool that was crafted in the mind of God and as such is invaluable. No, I am not working, but I am loved by God. What more shall I ask for? I don’t even deserve that but nevertheless I undisputedly have it because of who He is. Oh praise God! Oh I love our God!
I will not dwell on the former things that will tear me down. The sins of my past have been banished from the mind of God by God Himself. The “before God” fears are fleeing because I am past that past. God, who parts seas, who raises the dead, who heals the sick and comforts the brokenhearted loves me. He who makes a way where there is no way considers me of infinite value. Wow God loves me! I don’t deserve His love but I will forever cling to it! God loves me, whom, or what shall I fear? (Psalm 27:1, Romans 8:31-39).
God has made what was once too much to hope for my reality. We live day to day, week to week, and month to month. We consume manna from God. Our bills our paid and we have food to eat by the multiplying of fish and loaves of bread. Family and friends, God is faithful! Living by faith, day to day, is a wonderful place to be, if our faith is in God. Actually, even for those with huge bank accounts and great jobs will hopefully know that they truly also live day to day, by the mercy of God, because no man is promised tomorrow (James 4:13-14). Provision is a reality that we see today, and tomorrow, only through eyes of faith. From God, from the faith He builds in us, what is not is, or will be. Only because God is good and He loves us. Only knowing God makes any of this believable. Praise God! Have faith in God and see the things that have not materially appeared become real before your eyes as God determines.
What if the Lord would have us to be hungry in the future? What if our bills were not to be paid? What is I had to live on the streets? Would that change how I see God? No, not in any way! For God does not change. Since He is loving and great today, so will He be tomorrow. He knows best. I pray that God will make me to be, for the rest of my life, and with my dying breath, one who always and continuously praises our good and loving God. Praise God who, in spite of any circumstance, always loves and cares for us. For me. Yes, let’s always have the wonder and joy of God in our hearts and on our minds. He is faithful! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.