Published by admin on 08 May 2009 at 02:51 pm
FEASTING DURING FAMINE
I’d like to start out by asking, which is bigger; your problems, or God? Most everyone would respond God is bigger. But they don’t act like it. I said, they don’t act like it. By the way most people talk, you’d think the Energizer Bunny has more power than God. Well, if that is the case, then God must need a new set of batteries. Or could it be we’re not both talking about the same God?
I think it’s pretty amazing that people go to church each week to worship a God whom they have little confidence in to get them through the hard times in life. Of course, there are those who don’t go to church, because they see no benefit in doing so. Maybe you fall into one of those categories Do you remember the show “The Price Is Right”? Behind door number one may be a new car, behind door number two may be a goat, and behind door number three might be a screen door. You never knew what was behind the door you chose, but you always hoped it would be the new car. And people go seeking God with the same attitude, keeping their fingers crossed that if they picked the right door, everything would work out right.
Well, actually, if you do pick the right door, everything will work out right, because God is behind one of those doors. The problem is, the devil is behind all the others. We will say you happened to pick the right door, and God is behind that door, but you don’t believe it’s really God. I mean, what are you going to do, ask Him for His ID? C’mon now people! Don’t you think the devil could forge an ID that would fool you? Of course he could, and chances are he already has, but you have to look at the fruit. Here’s where I’m going with this; the Holy Bible says the devil comes as an angel of light, meaning he looks good, sounds good, smells good, says all the right things to you, but the end of following him is destruction. After all, if he came to you saying, “Follow me, and I’ll make you sick, broke, discouraged, I’ll destroy your family and everything you have, then take you to hell with me”, you’d say “Forget it, I’m not following YOU!”
Yet I see it all the time, people who think they are following God don’t seem to have the fruit in their lives that are consistent with God’s word. That means only one of two things; either they are following the wrong god, or else they don’t believe the words of the one and only true God that they are following. Either way they’re in famine when they should be feasting.
Let’s say you spent many years believing the devil’s lies and decided you are done with him and now you are following God, but somehow His promises just don’t seem to be working and active in your life. And unfortunately, that is the case in the lives of way too many “believers”. Imagine this scenario; you say to your beloved, “I love you with all my heart, but I don’t believe a thing you tell me.” What kind of relationship could that be?
Well, we both know, it couldn’t be very good, for it would not be built on trust. For any marriage to work, both parties must trust each other no matter what. And it’s the same thing for those who want to follow God. You see, sometimes things happen that require you to just lean back and let God do the driving, instead of you charting your own course. Yet, that’s how God shows Himself mighty in our lives. And that’s hard for some, at least it was real hard for me, because I trusted myself more than anyone else, including God. For that reason, in some areas I struggled greatly for a while, because of still trying to do things my way, even though deep inside I knew God knew more than me. Everyone in my life had let me down from time to time, so it was hard for me to trust in God. You see, I was trying to bring God down to man’s level, and that’s a huge mistake! God is not a man that He should lie. People often say, “You just never know what God’s going to do.” Oh, yes you do…. God always does according to His Word! Always!!! Why are we so slow to believe that?
In July 1993 when I was facing death by cancer, I threw myself upon God’s mercy to save me, and He did. Funny thing, I was able to trust God completely for my healing with no help at all from the doctors, and He healed me completely and I’ve never been sick again. Yet, I struggled at trusting God for all my other needs, just like some of you are struggling right now. Here’s the good news: God has never lied in all eternity, and He isn’t going to start with you, so you can put your struggles to rest. He said He will never leave or forsake you.
When you can’t invite God to dinner because you don’t have any dinner to feed Him, no problem, God will bring dinner for both of you. When you can’t give God an offering because you don’t have a harvest to sow from, He will provide seed for the sower. When you’re so broke you can’t pay attention, let alone pay your bills, you can trust the One who will provide for your every need. I did, and all my needs are met.
Here’s an eye-opener for you: it is written in Philippians 4:19, But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. I’d like you to see this verse in a way you’ve never looked at it before; “But my God shall supply all your need….” God gives us needs, else we would never seek Him. Think of it like this, those of you who are parents of teenagers, if they never had a need, would they ever talk to you? But because they have needs, they come to you, trusting you to take care of it. We come to God because we have needs. Guess where those needs come from? See, you’re getting smarter already! God gave us the needs so we would come to Him and ask of Him to take care of them. I like to think of it as God’s “job security”.
The next step is for us to trust God completely for those needs to be satisfied. He likes that, and the quicker we are to unconditionally trust in Him, the quicker those needs are met. God doesn’t want you to be living in famine in any area of your life. In fact, He has everything in place to make sure you can feast when all the circumstances around you says you should be in famine. God is a good Father, and takes real good care of His children. But you have to trust Him, or you will never walk in the peace of His provision. It took a while for this old hard-headed boy to learn to trust God, and now I kick myself for waiting so long. But you don’t have to wait! You can feast NOW in times of famine!
Bibiann on 09 May 2009 at 7:02 am #
I really need the healing of God upon my life. Please help me. I have had spinal cord injury that has given me problems with bladder and bowel control and management.
I also have great pain in my anal region. I really need GOd’s healing power please help me.
Hello Bibiann,
I’d love to minister to you, but you didn’t leave me any contact info,
please go to the prayer request page instead and leave your name, phone, and email
so I can contact you. God bless!
Rev. Jerry
Frank Villalobos on 01 Jul 2009 at 6:56 pm #
Hi Pastor Jerry!!
It was a great blessing to have met you, & indeed a thrill to have had the grand opportunity to have you spend your day in Chicago w/ myself & my family!
My mother & Virginia could not say enough about you afterwards of what a gentleman & a gentle soul you are…truly a man of the LORD, HANDS DOWN.
I miss you today however, I guess my spirit bonded w/ yours yesterday, & so today it “feels different”, but you remained very close in my heart all day long…
For a short, but excited moment, (while speaking to yr charming wife, Jenny), I entertained in my minds’ eye how awesome it would have been to have you & her re-unite w/ us here in the Windy City! She was explaining you folks were possibly heading this way(?!) Oh well, maybe next time….
Please know that you are always welcome here, as Virginia & I anxiously await yr next visit in Chicago!
GOD loves you folks so much….Glory to Him Forever!!
Yr loving brother, Frank
Virginias’ e-mail is virginiam65@gmail.com