God's Provision in Difficult Times

Throughout our journey in life, there will be seasons when we will experience difficult times.  It’s not a matter of if we will face “hard times” or experience a “famine” time, but when we will experience these things.  And it’s when we experience these difficult times that our God, our loving Father, has given us His promise that He will take care of us.  Would you make a note of two of His promises of provision below?

Promise #1 - “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19 NLT)

Promise #2 - “Day by day the Lord takes care of the innocent, and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever.  They will not be disgraced in hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough.” (Ps. 37:18-19 NLT)

Today, we will take a look into the life of a child of God, in which God will demonstrate His love and provision during difficult times.  The man’s name is Elijah and he has been given a word from God that there will be no dew or rain in the land during the next few years, because God is big-time upset with an evil king named Ahab.  So guess what that news means?  It means that not only will this famine affect Israel, but it will also affect Elijah, God's child.

Would you watch with me now and see how God will hold true to His promise and will make sure that Elijah, His child, is taken care of during the difficult times while famine is in the land.

 “Then the Lord said to Elijah, “Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River.  Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food.”  So Elijah did as the Lord told him and camped beside Kerith Brook, east of the Jordan.  The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he drank from the brook.” (1 Kings 17:2-7 NLT)

Friends that is a beautiful picture of the heart of God…His protection, His Love and His provision!   Listen, God’s provision may not always look like we think it should look….but the fact-of-the-matter is that He has promised to take care of us during the hard times and He is FAITHFUL!!!  And just like Elijah, we must also listen to His voice obey what He tells us to do.  Because where the Lord guides, He will provide. 

Right now if you are walking through a “hard time” or a “famine” time, please remember that your God has promised to take care of you!  He will not fail you or forsake you!  You are His child!  And in the midst of the battle, pick up your Sword (the Word of God) and begin to fight the good fight of faith.  You can start with the two promises above.  It may sound something like this:

“The Lord has given me a promise that day after day He will take care of me.  Even in the “hard times” and the “famine” times and I will have more than enough!  My God will supply ALL of my needs because He is my Father and He loves me!”  Remember, Faith comes by hearing so say it out loud if you can…over and over again.  Don’t give doubt and unbelief the slightest chance to set in.  Your God is FAITHFUL! 

When God Ran

Do you know that you can never blow it big enough for God to turn His back on you?  He is full of Grace.  His mercies are new every morning.  He is your Father and he loves you so much!  It doesn't matter how bad you've blown it.  It doesn't matter how far you may have gotten from the Lord.  He STILL LOVES YOU!  There is no sin too bad that Jesus' blood can't cover.  Sin is sin and His blood has covered it all.  Today, He waits with His arms wide open for you to come.  Be blessed by this song; then take the first step and watch Him run to you!  

Ask, And I Will Give It To You!

“But first, be concerned about His kingdom and what has His approval. Then all these things will be provided for you.” (Mat. 6:33 GWT)

The other day I was reading about a man named Solomon.  Solomon loved the Lord and the Lord loved Solomon.  Out of his love for the Lord, Solomon goes to a place of worship and offers 1,000 burnt offerings.  That same night the Lord appears to Solomon in a dream and says: “What do you want?  Ask, and I will give it to you!” (1 Kings 3:7-9 NLT)

Ok, let’s stop right there for just a moment and consider something.  Suppose the Lord were to appear to us in a dream and ask “What do you want?  Ask, and I will give it to you!”  Seriously, think about it.  If we could ask God for anything we wanted and knew He was going to give it to us, what would it be?   Ok, hold that thought and let’s continue on…

Alright, here is Solomon’s chance to ask God for ANYTHING!  We are about to witness a perfect example of blessings being provided to a man who is concerned first and foremost with God and His Kingdom.   Would you carefully observe Solomon’s response to God’s question?  

“Now, O Lord my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around.  And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted!  Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong.  For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?” (1 Kings 3:10-13 NLT)

Isn’t that beautiful?  I see in Solomon a heart of humility.  I also see in him a desire to know God’s heart so that he may govern His people well.  He desires to live a life that pleases His Father.  Above anything that he could have asked for, Solomon asks God for wisdom and seeks to please Him!  And because his heart is in the right condition, listen to what God says to him:

“The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom.  So God replied, “Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies—I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have!  And I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life!”

Gosh, what a beautiful picture God has painted for us through the heart of Solomon.  When our heart is in the right condition – humble and surrendered to God and His ways - He will give us everything we need and some things we didn’t even ask for!   Talk about provision!  He is the God of more than enough! 

Let’s seek first His Kingdom and what has His approval.  As we do, He will abundantly supply all of our needs in a glorious way through Christ Jesus!  He is faithful!

The Fertile Heart

“Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” (Mat. 13:8 NLT)  “The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” (Mat. 13:23 NLT)

The last kind of heart we will discover is the fertile heart.  It is much different from all the other hearts we’ve been studying.  It’s not hanging out by the roadside where the ground is so hard the Seed can’t make penetration.  It doesn’t have hidden rock underneath its soil which causes the little plant to wither away once it springs up.  And it is not found among the thorns where the things of this world could choke the little seed to death.  No, this precious heart is fertile and capable of producing some serious fruit!

Now, because the heart is fertile, it can hear the Word, receive the Word and its roots begin to grow deep into the soil.  The fertile heart loves the Word of God and has a deep understanding that apart from the Master Gardner, it will never produce anything.  It has also come to the realization that it cannot sustain life and growth on its own.  It is totally dependent upon the Master Gardner and acknowledges that all of its nourishment comes from Him.  And as a result of having a fertile heart, the Master Gardner begins to pour out His Life and provide Living Water so that the little seed can begin to grow.  And grow it does!  Its roots grow down deep and it begins to bear some delicious fruit; some thirty, sixty or even a hundred times as much as the Master Gardner planted!  That’s a lot of fruit!

For a human being to “bear fruit” sounds kind of strange doesn’t it?  To bear fruit means a couple things.  First, there is the fruit of the spirit; which is love, joy, peace, kindness, patience, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  And another kind of fruit we bear for our Father is the fruit of PEOPLE!  Do you know that the Master Gardner, Our Creator, has created us to lead the people around us to Eternal Life?  He saves us and pours His Life into us so that we can take what we’ve been given and give it out to those around us!  Listen to the words of Jesus: “You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.  No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." (Mat. 5:13-14 NLT)  

The fertile heart is a city set on a hill!  It is the salt of the earth!  Our lamp has been lit so that we can shine The Way to those around us!  We are the hope of those around us; not because we are so perfect and wonderful - far from it! - but because know the One who is!  Jesus said: “Wake up and look around.  The fields are ALREADY ripe for harvest.”  Did you catch that?  There are people out in the field who are ready to hear the Good News.  They are looking for answers. They are looking for Hope.  They are looking for something that is dependable, unshakeable and solid.  They are looking for Love.  And God will use our fertile hearts to shine His light through us so that others can see and know Him too!

In closing out our study of the four different kinds of hearts, we can see that through the Parable of the Sower, Jesus has made an appeal for us to consider what kind of soil our heart represents.   Is it on the roadside?  Is it a little rocky?  Is it thorn-infested?  If it is, all we have to do is humble ourselves and submit to the Master Gardner.  He is faithful to do the cultivating so we will become fertile and fruitful.

Friends, this is the kind of heart our Father is looking to plant His life in…The fertile heart.     

The Thorn-Infested Heart

“Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them out.” (Mat. 13:7)  “As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who hears the Word, but the cares of the world and the pleasure and delight and glamour and deceitfulness of riches choke and suffocate the Word, and it yields no fruit.” (Mat. 13:22)

The third kind of heart Jesus describes is the thorn-infested heart.  This kind of heart hears the Word and may even accept it with joy.  However, his FIRST real love is for the cares, pleasures and riches of this world.  He lives his life as if they were the answer to all his needs.  It is what drives him.  It’s what gets him out of bed in the morning.  It is what he lives for. 

John tells us: “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.  For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.” (1 Jn. 2:15-16 NLT)

The danger in having a thorn-infested heart is that it is totally oblivious that the deceitfulness of riches and the pleasures of this world have choked-out and suffocated the Word that was planted.  He is unaware that his relationship with God is unfruitful, because his real interest - his first love - is in the things of this world.  He will eventually discover that his love for the things of the world and his love for Christ cannot coexists.  Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Mat. 6:24 NLT)

You know, there is nothing wrong with us having nice things, a good education, a great career, a darling wardrobe (and all the ladies said “Amen!”) etc.  God wants us to be blessed.  He wants us to have and enjoy life.  But if these things are our FIRST love and have a higher priority than our relationship with the Lord, then we are at risk of wandering from the faith.  God’s Word says, “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” (1 Tim. 6:10 NLT)

Maybe we have some thorns growing in the garden of our heart right now.  No worries mate!  Our heavenly Father is a Master Gardener and He is faithful to rid us of those pesky thorns!  All we have to do is ask.

I found an interesting article Online that I think you will find humorous, and applicable.  It is titled “How to Get Rid of Thorn Bushes.” Here is a small part of that article:  “Act quickly!  Start working to eliminate a thorn bush once you see the smallest sign of it growing in your garden. Persistence.  Thorn bushes are extremely persistent. Therefore the only way to defeat them is to be even more persistent than they are. Once you have started working on eliminating the thorn bushes, keep at it until the bushes are completely gone. Otherwise, you risk losing everything you may have already accomplished. Always keep in mind the main rule: never, ever give up on a thorn bush.  Also, remember to start early on your quest to eliminate thorn bushes. The larger the patch in your garden, the harder it is to eliminate the nasty growth. Think twice if you are too lazy to work on killing the bushes. When it comes to thorn bushes, procrastination is an absolute no-no!”  Great advice!

The Rocky Heart

Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil; and at once they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil.  But when the sun rose, they were scorched, and because they had no root, they dried up and withered away. (Mat. 13:5-6 AMP)

Alright, now we’ll skip a few scriptures and find Jesus giving the meaning of is this parable…

As for what was sown on thin (rocky) soil, this is he who hears the Word and at once welcomes and accepts it with joy;  Yet it has no real root in him, but is temporary (inconstant, lasts but a little while); and when affliction or trouble or persecution comes on account of the Word, at once he is caused to stumble [he is repelled and begins to distrust and desert Him Whom he ought to trust and obey] and he falls away. (Mat. 13:20-21 AMP)

The rocky heart.  This is the kind of heart that looks good on the surface, but underneath the dirt, where the plow could not reach, is solid rock!  And this rock prevents the roots from growing down deep where it can absorb moisture and receive nourishment.  Here is an example of this “rocky” heart:  It hears the Good News and accepts it with joy.  It is excited and can’t wait to tell everyone about his new found purpose in life.  This person may be zealous in church attendance, bibles studies and prayer.  However, when affliction or persecution comes - and it will - they quickly fall away because their spiritual house was built on sand.   The testing and trials exposed the true condition of the heart and the cost of discipleship became too high.  It wasn’t a true conversion and it is evidenced in his falling away.

Can I tell you that was EXACTLY the condition of my heart after I accepted the Good News with joy!  That was totally me!!!  Lordy!  Lord!  I have been down that road, taken that test, and failed it miserably!    I thought I was alive and vibrant, only to discover that I was lifeless and would soon fall away.  Listen, God will use the storms of life so He can expose the true condition of our heart!  Look at what God’s Word says “Beloved, do not be amazed and bewildered at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test your quality, as though something strange (unusual and alien to you and your position) were befalling you. (1 Pet. 4:12 AMP)

The persecutions and afflictions that take place in our life will test the quality of our heart. We do not want to be deceived in thinking that our relationship with Him is built on solid rock only to discover we weren’t standing on the Rock at all, but on sinking sand.  Here is the Good News…He doesn’t reveal the condition of our heart to condemn us, but rather He wants our hearts to be firmly established and rooted in Him.  Our relationship with Him must have endurance!  That is what He is after.  “But He that endures to the end will be saved!” (Mat. 24:13)

The same affliction and persecution that makes the “rocky” heart wither will make the true believer stronger!  

The Roadside Heart

Many times Jesus taught in parables; stories.  His way of teaching people is profoundly effective because He uses the physical things we are familiar with to teach us a spiritual truth.  It makes the Truth more concrete, easier to remember, and easy to apply to our personal life.  Over the next few days, we will take a journey into another field; this time however, it will be the field of our heart!  Here we go…

“And He told them many things in parables (stories by way of illustration and comparison), saying, A sower went out to sow.   And as he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and ate them up.” (Mat. 13:3-4)  Alright, now we’ll skip a few scriptures and find Jesus giving the meaning of is this parable…“While anyone is hearing the Word of the kingdom and does not grasp and comprehend it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the roadside.” (Mat. 13:19)

Ok, the sower is God (or anyone He uses) and the seed is the Good News of Jesus Christ.  “Roadside” is the word Jesus uses to describe the first kind of heart condition.  Why does Jesus use the word “roadside” to compare it to our heart?  Good question.  The soil beside the road would be untilled and packed down hard by people walking on it, thus preventing the seed (the Word) from talking root.  It represents the person who hears the Word, but does not understand it due to his hardened heart.  This type of heart is unconcerned with the things of God and is completely indifferent to anything spiritual.  Additionally, this type of heart doesn’t give the Good News any consideration and in fact finds it to be total foolishness.  This is the self-sufficient and self-satisfied heart.

Due to the lack of repentance, the “roadside” heart has now been exposed to Satan’s attack.  The “birds” in this story represent Satan who comes and snatches away the seed (the Word of God) because it couldn’t make penetration into the hardened heart.  Listen to what God’s word has to say:  “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” (2 Cor. 4:4)

Friends, did you catch that???  Satan’s ultimate goal is to blind people of their sinful condition and the need of salvation.  It’s also his desire to blind us from the most beautiful love relationship we could ever have.  A relationship with Jesus Christ, the lover of our soul!

This is the condition of the “roadside” heart:  It is hardhearted, unresponsive, and stiff-necked.  Even as believers in Christ, we can find ourselves unresponsive to the things of God.  And if that’s the condition we find our heart in right now, all we need to do is ask God to forgive us of our wayward heart and ask Him to restore the joy of our salvation!

I can certainly remember a time when my heart was hardhearted, unresponsive, and stiff-necked towards the things of God.  But let me tell you the Good News!  One day, the Sower came and sowed His seed on my “roadside” heart.  And once He did, my life was radically transformed and I have never been the same!!!  Maybe today, you or someone you know has a “roadside” heart.  Take courage!  I have some most excellent news for you!  God’s Word says, “Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation.  The Scripture says, No man who believes in Him [who adheres to, relies on, and trusts in Him] will [ever] be put to shame or be disappointed. The same Lord is Lord over all [of us] and He generously bestows His riches upon all who call upon Him [in faith].  For everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord [invoking Him as Lord] will be saved. (Rom 10:9-13)