We are in the world's worst Depression. The gaunt specter of Hunger and Want stalks every land.
Yet Almighty God promises us: "My God shall supply all your NEED according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:19). Why are so many NOT supplied?
A beggar is always a man of this world. Never is a beggar a man who walks with God and TRUSTS God to perform that which He has promised in His Word! David, under inspiration from God, wrote "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I never seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." (Psalm 37:25).
Two Reasons
Why? Because, in the first place, the righteous man is industrious, diligent in his work or business, doing all he can do toward supplying honestly his own. "The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but He casteth away the substance of the wicked. He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the DILIGENT maketh rich." (Prov. 10:3, 4). And in the second place, the righteous has the faith to TRUST the Lord to keep His Word, and, if he should find himself in a tight place, to open the way and supply his every need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. He does not beg. He asks of God, not of man, and has the faith to receive the answer. "Whatsoever is not of faith is of SIN." (Rom. 14:23). Even the careful, prudent, industrious man may, in a time of depression like the present, be reduced to poverty and want. He may, thru circumstances out of his control, find himself in dire need, and utterly helpless. Most men have to "take the count" and meet reverses, at least once during life. The man who has been so fortunate as not yet to have met such a reverse will do well to avoid giving too much credit to his own careful management and diligence, or to criticize or to scorn his less fortunate brother. But when a righteous man comes to such a predicament, he never needs to beg or suffer want. Even tho his plight be the result of his own folly, still he need neither beg nor suffer any lack. God has promised to deliver us out of every trouble. Even tho we brought it on ourselves. Read Psalm 107:4-31. He does not deal with us after our sins (Psalm 103:10), and promises to satisfy our mouths with good things, (verse 5). But, do not mistake the mercy of God. He is a God of justice, as well as of love and mercy. There is always this CONDITION: that we repent of our own sins — which means to turn from them. If a family is in want because of shiftlessness, laziness, wastefulness, or spend thriftiness, they must first REPENT of these things, and make a determined effort to correct them, before God's promises may apply. If due to poor management, this, too, must be acknowledged, repented of, and a determined effort made to overcome it. But God's plan for the Christian is to cast ALL our cares upon HIM, (I Pet. 5:7), and He promises that we shall suffer no want. (Ps. 34:9).
Why We Do Not Receive The Answer
Another REASON for a great deal of misery and suffering today is going counter to God's command, "own no man anything." We disobey God when we go into debt. Many are careless about charging things, or buying on the instal-plan. Buy only that which you already have on hand the money to pay for. If you do not have the money, and the thing is a NEED, do not charge it or go in debt — but ask GOD to supply the need, TRUST Him, and deny yourself until He does! No one can deny that the Bible definitely PROMISES that God will deliver us from every trial and trouble. The Scriptures definitely promise that God will supply every NEED — whether financial, spiritual, or otherwise. The Word plainly and definitely promises God will heal us when sick. Then WHY are prayers for such things unanswered in so many cases? It may be because we ask amiss, (Jas. 4:3), and not according to God's will as plainly expressed in His Word. The first thing to do is be sure we are asking what God has PROMISED to do. It may be because we are not obedient to God, and He is trying to teach us a lesson. If we refuse to live by EVERY Word of God, rejecting part of the TRUTH of the Bible, we are living in rebellion and need expect nothing from God till we surrender. "Whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His Commandments, and DO those things that are pleasing in His sight." (I John 3:22). But more often it is simply UNBELIEF, lack of FAITH. Whatsoever is not of FAITH is of SIN. He that doubteth is damned. "Let him ask in FAITH, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth... let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord." (Jas. 2:6, 7). WHY this general lack of faith? It is almost impossible implicitly to trust anyone, or anything, which seems unreal to us. The more we live in the things of this world, allow them to occupy our thoughts, absorb our interests, and become part of our lives, the more REAL these material things seem to us — and in exact proportion, the more UNREAL God and the spiritual things seem. We do not KNOW God. To KNOW Him is to TRUST Him. The more we LIVE in the spiritual realm, the more our thoughts are filled with the things of God, as found in His Word, the more we PRAY, the more we WALK in the Spirit, the more REAL HE becomes, and the more we can trust Him! If your faith is weak, probably this is the secret of it. The remedy: Come OUT from the world — all the way. Seek only GOD'S will. Spend much more time in honest Bible study and earnest prayer. Read Jas. 4:7, 8, and Mat. 6:33.
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