3. Needs vs Greeds

 

God as our Father is vitally interested in his children having all their NEEDS met but his Word clearly tells us that it is not our greeds 

 

James 4:3         ‘When you ask you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives that you may spend what you get on your own pleasures (ie selfish greeds are not needs)

1 John 5:14      ‘…if we ask anything according to His will he hears us and if we know that he hears us whatever we ask we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of him’ 

Phil 4:19           ‘My God … will supply all your needs (according to) from his glorious riches which have been given to us in Christ Jesus’ 

Mat 6:31-33     ‘’Do not worry for your heavenly Father knows that you need them (food, clothing, etc)

Vs 33               ‘seek first his kingdom his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things (ie needs) will be given to you as well’ 

Mat 7:9-11       ‘Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for fish will he give him a snake? (ie needs)…..How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!’ 

Luke 11:13       ‘How much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’……  ie our spiritual need

Luke 11:8         Persistent prayer… ‘yet because of the man's boldness (persistence) he will get up and give him as much as he needs’

Note                The context of requests to God for ‘things’ in prayer is almost always in the area of needs……and the implication is that where it seems to be open it still only applies to needs (James 4:3) or so that we have abundance to enable us to be generous 

 

WE DO NOT SERVE GOD BECAUSE OF WHAT WE CAN GET FROM HIM BUT BECAUSE OF WHO HE IS

AND WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR US IN CHRIST  

 

God's primary way of providing for our physical needs however is that we WORK

 

1 Thess 4:10-12
But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more; 11 that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, 12 that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.    NKJV

 

The way to get our needs met starts with fulfilling our obligation to work wherever possible...as believers this is not an option...but a command as above and below

 

2 Thess 3:6-12     But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; 8 nor did we eat anyone's bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, 9 not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.

10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.   NKJV

 

1 Tim 5:16   ...do not let the church be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really widows.    NKJV

 

  

                            Brethren, if you CHOOSE not to work, do NOT be a burden on the church or expect God to look after you!      

                            If you are NOT able to work....then God's people will be led to be generous towards you as they are able.