Posted on 01/15/2025 5:16:23 AM PST by metmom
“He answered and said, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God”’” (Matthew 4:4).
Christians are never justified in trusting solely in themselves to meet their basic needs. No matter how worried we might become, if we turn to God in faith and obedience, He will meet all our essential needs in His own way, according to His sovereign schedule. Implicit in this understanding is that God will meet every need, both physical and spiritual, as Paul promises us, “My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19; cf. Matt. 6:8, 33).
It is always best to follow Jesus’ example, obeying God and trusting wholeheartedly in His gracious provision, than to impulsively and selfishly attempt to meet our own needs in ways that could disobey or compromise God’s Word.
To trust first of all in ourselves to meet our needs—circumventing or modifying God’s will in the process—not only demonstrates a lack of faith but rests on the false assumption that our earthly well-being is our most crucial need. Jesus contradicts such thinking, which is so natural to fallen humanity, both to unbelievers as well as believers who slip into carnal mind-sets. Therefore our Lord quoted Deuteronomy 8:3, “‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’” The all-sufficient and sustaining power of God is the only true source that meets our every need.
Ask Yourself
Where does your dependence lie? Are you trusting in your paycheck? Your insurance policies? Your physical strength and smarts? Or have you finally realized that everything hinges on God, His Word, and His sovereign plan for your life? Find your sense of security in Him alone.
From Daily Readings from the Life of Christ, Vol. 1, John MacArthur. Copyright © 2008. Used by permission of Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL 60610, www.moodypublishers.com.
Studying God’s Word ping
With the economy going south, these teachings are really needed. People are so stressed out, and so many Americans are taking happy pills.
Thank you. I needed this word today.
This is a hard but necessary lesson for us to learn. I have been a Christian since 1974, but it took the death of my wife from cancer in 2018 for me to realize that I can trust God for everything. Since then there have been ups and downs, but God has been faithful to meet my needs in every situation.
People abused as children have big trust issues, so this was a hard lesson for me to learn. But eventually I did learn trusting God is the best thing I ever did. I wish I learned that earlier in life. When we don’t trust Him we operate in our own puny power which really makes a huge mess of everything. God definitely protected me throughout the road of my own destruction and saved my life.
This 9 lesson course on Milton’s Paradise Lost is REALLY GOOD:
https://online.hillsdale.edu/courses/promo/paradise-lost
And all that does is numb the pain.
It doesn’t change the circumstances one bit.
I’m sorry for your loss, but glad to hear that God is working in your life.
My upbringing was not as big a mess as others, but I still hate to imagine where I’d be if it weren’t for the work of God in my life.
I’ve never even read that work.
I’ll have to do so.
I presume the course is not free, however.
It may be free, you just have to register. The lessons go by like that and are explained in common language.
OK.
I’ll look into that then.
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