Build Your Kingdom Life – Part 6

 

The more wealth abounds, the less people feel their need. The less they feel their need, the more they believe the lie that they are self-sufficient.

 

This is a dangerous place to exist because a person can live wealthy, feel no need to trust Someone greater than their own wealth, then die and exist in hell for eternity. Their earthly blessings have the ability to jeopardize their eternal destiny.

 

It was also the deception of wealth that lent itself to idolatry and caused Israel to lose her place [temporarily], entering the Assyrian and Babylonian deportation.

 

Deception of wealth — which can begin as a blessing from Heavenly Father — can make us forget what we must remember: Heavenly Father is our source, not the wealth.

 

 

On the other hand, many poor possess great wealth.

 

“God [has] chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him (NIV, James 2:5).

 

Father God created humankind to be connected to Him in love, trusting that He will meet their needs. The poor, who are believers, have felt-needs and much practice in trusting Heavenly Father to meet their needs. Their faith grows and expands, and they inherit the Kingdom even now.

 

 

What about where most of us fall? Somewhere between wealth and poverty?

 

Shh, spoiler alert! It leaves us in a good place to learn trust as we experience Heavenly Father is meeting our needs!

 

Many Western nations experienced their needs being supplied abundantly, whether or not they accrued wealth, by the grace Heavenly Father placed on those lands. Yes, the grace of God empowered nations who trusted Him to accrue anywhere from prosperity to wealth (Psalm 33:12).

 

Once, I met with an African pastor who spoke directly about this. He told me that having lived in his country and traveled the USA; he observed the difference — it was the grace of God making the USA prosper. Even though his ministry lacked the finances they needed at the moment, I observed the peace that he, from his impoverished nation, possessed. Through his experience of their needs being met by faith in Heavenly Father, he had trust, and, therefore, peace.

 

 

To experience a felt-need can be terrifying. A need reveals vulnerability. Most often, it is painful to experience vulnerability — in spite of the fact that every single human is very vulnerable. Times of disaster reveal this truth.

 

A need also reveals who we trust — or don’t trust.

 

Our Heavenly Father does us a favor when He leads us through a wilderness time, as He did Israel when they left Egypt. The point of this journey from Egypt to Mount Sinai was to reveal His trustworthiness to meet their needs. First, He revealed their needs in these very planned “fire drills.” He took them to a place which had no water. They experienced need. They called out. Next, He met their need and then revealed a new aspect of His covenant (Adonai Rapha). The finale should have been their placing their trust in Him—which was the point of the drill. However, they kept forgetting His trustworthiness and doubting Him, as we often do.

 

 

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

 

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (NIV, Matthew 6:25-33).

 

What we need to remember is that Heavenly Father created our physical bodies and is extremely aware of our physical needs — including but not limited to food and clothes.

 

Jesus exhorts us to refrain from worry, anxiety, and taking anxious care about these needs. Worry, anxiety, and taking anxious care can stem from not having trust in our Heavenly Father’s desire or ability to take care of our needs. That’s why He’s done us a favor if He’s taken us on a journey through the wilderness.

 

There, you learn trust. He reveals your needs and then meets them. You learn to trust Him.

 

 

In times past, I observed the chaos in the world, shortages, disasters, attacks, and the wicked seated in positions of leadership and panicked. I considered how in the world would/could we be physically sustained in the midst of all those multi-faceted hardships which impacted so many systems and so many people.

 

My observation created great concern.

 

It wasn’t how in the world that we would have our needs met that Father wanted me to recognize–it was how in Him our needs would most definitely be met!

 

Heavenly Father met me where I was and patiently taught me these anchor points below—all of which hinged on my changing what I observed.

 

 

No chaos, disaster, or trouble of any kind—with its impact on systems and nations—change the eternal promises of love, kindness, care, and provision I have for My children in My Word.

 

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,

And whose trust is the Lord.

For he will be like a tree planted by the water

That extends its roots by a stream,

And does not fear when the heat comes;

But its leaves will be green,

And it will not be anxious in a year of drought,

Nor cease to yield fruit” (NASB, Jeremiah 17:7-8).

 

 

Pay no attention to the broadcasts of doom and gloom—be that in the pew or in the paper.

 

Pay full attention to Me and what I said. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will never pass away” (NIV, Luke 21:33).

 

 

Shut out the thoughts which cause turmoil to churn inside. Refuse it. Quiet yourself and consider Me and what I have done and am doing. “He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (NIV, Psalm 46:10).

 

To really get the picture of what He’s doing and where and how to look, read and re-read Psalm 46. Listen to it overnight.

 

 

Trust is terrifying. On top of the vulnerability the felt-need reveals, the position of needing to trust opens more vulnerability. This is especially painful when there has been attachment bond trauma in childhood. Heavenly Father knows that. He speaks gently to your heart. He faithfully reveals He can be trusted. When you do face a revealed need, He will meet it. Often, the need reveals other inner issues which need to be brought to Him for reconciliation. As we go through this process, our needs are met and our trust is repaired and restored.

 

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,” (NASB, Jeremiah 17:1).

 

The Common English Bible (CEB) translates “blessed” as “happy.”

 

Happy is the man who trusts in the Lord!

 

 

Jesus exhorts us to remember that Heavenly Father will meet our needs. Instead of worrying, being anxious, or taking anxious care about our needs first, by His grace, let’s make it a practice of seeking His right-ness first.

 

Look for His right-ness first in situations, in trouble, in needs, in communication, and in yourself. Remember the promise! The needs are provided — Matthew 6:33. If the lingering concern for the need or request still stands, take it to the Lord in prayer with thanks (Philippians 4:6).

 

“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you” (NASB, Matthew 6:33).

 

 

Beloved, you are the salt and the light in the earth. You’re called to bring preservation, create a holy thirst for God, and shine brightly in the midst of whatever you’re facing — or your nation may be facing. Heavenly Father has your back. He has met needs by “raining” bread from Heaven, sending birds to deliver food parcels, scaring off armies and leaving their supplies behind, overthrowing opposition and giving over their goods, blessing supply (seed, resources) so that it exponentially grows, supernaturally causing oil to keep flowing.

 

He has ways to provide that “no eye has seen or ear heard or human heart conceived” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

“Nothing has changed, My Child

Though the wicked run wild

 

Your needs I will meet

You won’t even feel the heat!

 

Trust in Me

At peace you will be.”

 

Those who trust in the Lord will not be disappointed (Isaiah 49:23).

Yes, Father, I agree and receive, amen!