By
Evangelist. Ilona Henry Afamefuna
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7, English Standard Version)
One day, while browsing the internet, I came across an internet ad that says, “Americans, The Most Depressed People On Earth”, immediately something sprang up in my mind-how on earth could a people like Americans be the most depressed people on earth?
We that are living in the third world countries believe that Americans are the most happiest and buoyant people on the surface of the earth, how then come about them being the most depressed?
As I was murmuring all these in my mind, I decided to carry out some personal research myself, to see why a people considered the most blessed and happiest people on the earth becoming depressed, if compared to other countries of the world (after all are they not the world superpower).
While doing the research, on browsing the net, every site I entered, I would be flooded with every kind of adverts, some telling me that I have just won three billion dollars, while some would be showing me how excellent their products are, some promising me how quickly they could make me rich, wealthy and prosperous.
In fact, the net is full of various kinds of adverts, that if one spends all his time buying all that he saw on the net, even if that person is a trillionaire, he would go bankrupt within some hours.
In reality, Americans are not the most depressed people on earth, but Christians are, because the way the people of God are after material prosperity has made it so hard for Christians to be contented with what they have, the truth is that every body wants to be rich and prosperous, forgetting that the kingdom of God is not all about eating and drinking, but joy, peace and righteousness in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).
This fantasy gospel that is been preached nowadays has made millions to believe that except one is reach, he has no right standing with God (God’s love is not measured by material wealth).
We are told to believe that it is not the will of God for his people to suffer, please know that I am not saying that Christians would suffer all their lives, what I am saying that it is through suffering that we are made perfect (Jesus had His own share, who are we). I have not come across in the bible where God promised his people an easy life, so how come about this fantasy gospel and its’ destructive elements, is it just men’s invention in order to make themselves rich and exploit the simple?
I am not saying that giving to ministry is a sin, in fact we are been commanded to support the work of God through our freewill offering, but we are not commanded to make ministers of the gospel rich, giving to man of God is acceptable and honorable, but we must give prayerfully with wisdom, insight and understanding.
In fact I have heard times without number that it is time for every Christian to get rich, because that is the will of God for them, while I do not argue that, even I have many bible references to back it up, but the truth is that everyone has a different timing and calling from God.
All of us cannot get rich at the same time, not every body would be rich.
Some even went at length by saying that it is time to get rich so that we can show to the world how great and mighty our God is, my dear friend, God is not in any financial competition with anyone, (read Isaiah 66:1).
Others are saying the time has come for the manifestation of the sons God, and this would be accomplished when we are financially mighty and prosperous, come on get real, the sons of God would never be made manifest by financial and material wealth, the manifestation of the sons of God would be through the manifestation of power by the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
The three thousand that came to Christ on the day of Pentecost was not because they saw how the apostles and rest were flooded with money from heaven, they saw something quite different and supernatural, so how is it that it is through material and financial prosperity that the sons of God would be made manifest? Let us stop deceiving ourselves.
While carrying out some personal research on why some Christians are depressed and burdened with cumbering loads of care, I came to discover the following:
1. We want to live in the best houses.
2. Own & ride the best cars in town.
3. Marry the most beautiful women.
4. Attend & send our children to the best universities.
5. Visit the best places in the world.
6. Want to be recognized internationally (popularity context).
7. Wear the best clothes and shoes (materialism).
8. Have the best shopping mall around.
9. Own the best private jets.
10. Feeling of insecurity.
The list can go on; these are the few I just found out.
With all these in the mind, how can one worship God freely, how can we not but blame & criticize God for not giving us our insatiable wants full of greed & lust?
God has promised to meet every of our needs, He knows when to give that which is appropriate in His time, He has not promised to meet our every wants.
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? (Matthew 6:24-25, King James Version)
The Word of God is full of practical advice for every day to day life activities.
No one can serve two masters, which is clear and prompt, you cannot be full of desire for material riches and at the same time have time for God and for His word.
No wonder Christians betray themselves just for a morsel of bread.
Two captains cannot sail one ship, one must to cede to the other, you and God cannot be in control at once, either He leaves and then you be in control, or you surrender, period. God cannot be thinking of you and at the same time you be filled with anxieties, there is one who cares for you, yours is to relax, His is to do the thinking and every other stuff.
The truth of the whole matter is that, all that you need for the day would be provided for you.
Things will happen at their decreed time, who can make straight that which God has made crooked (Ecclesiastes 7:14), the answer is no body, not even science & technology. Your life has much greater in value than all that the world could offer; God considers your life more precious than all the material things of this ephemeral world.
Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap, nor do they gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth more than they? (Matthew 6:26 English Majority Text Version)
I could well remember eight years ago, when I was living in a farming village, the villagers would spend all the year sleeping in their rice farms, weeding them of grasses and all the stuffs that follow, this they do every day and would retire late at night to their various houses.
But there’s one funny thing, after all these struggles, during the time of harvest it is the birds who do harvest the first portion, these birds would come as early as possible in thousands, and before the farmers would come to their rice plantation, the birds had had their fill. Isn’t it funny, look at how these people would labor for the year and end up loosing the most parts to the birds, nature is full of lessons for us to learn and humbly trust God to meet our every need, it is not to him that worries, but to him who trusts God in every situation.
"Can any of you add a single hour to your life by worrying? "And why worry about clothes? Notice how the flowers grow in the field. They never work or spin yarn for clothes. But I say that not even Solomon in all his majesty was dressed like one of these flowers. That's the way God clothes the grass in the field. Today it's alive, and tomorrow it's thrown into an incinerator. So how much more will he clothe you people who have so little faith? (Matthew 6:27-30, God’s Word)
The truth is that worry or worrying does not add any thing good to our lives, instead it reduces a person to a miserable and deplorable condition, and worry is a monster.
Just look at how God in His infinite love takes care of His frail creatures, how much more will He not take care you and me who are so ungrateful and insatiable with wants & greed.
If Solomon in all his splendors and majesty was not clothed like one of the lilies of the field, it means that our pursuit and aspiration of material for material prosperity is nothing but madness, material wealth is not an end in itself, it is God’s support to our daily needs.
"Don't ever worry and say, 'What are we going to eat?' or 'What are we going to drink?' or 'What are we going to wear?' Everyone is concerned about these things, and your heavenly Father certainly knows you need all of them. But first, be concerned about his kingdom and what has his approval. Then all these things will be provided for you. (Matthew 6:31-33, God’s Word)
The kingdom and its’ righteousness should be our priority, God knows that we have needs of these things, yet they should never be our foremost priorities, don’t tell God what you want Him to do for you, ask Him what He wants you to do for others, this is the real blessing.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own affairs. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:34, English Majority Text Version)
Do you know why we are been told not to worry about tomorrow? Because tomorrow is full of uncertainty, it is unpredictable, we don’t what it contains, that is why we must trust God to see us through, a people in peace today, may tomorrow be living in pieces, so why the worry?
World organizations are serious in their campaign to bring poverty, sickness, disease, epidemic, war, racism, etc to an end, but we see that these things are daily on the increase.
Stop believing that tomorrow would get better, the bible made it clear that things in this end time would continue to get worst, let’s see what the scripture says about our time:
Remember that there will be difficult times in the last days. (2 Timothy 3:1, Good News Bible)
Look my dear friend, you should stop believing that tomorrow would get better, because we are living in the most hazardous time of history, things would continue to get worst and even much worst, because the devil knows that his time is very short (Revelation 12).
Our safety depends on how much we trust and believe God, it doe not depend on how much we worry, it will only destroy us at last, believe God and hang on there, do you understand?
The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. (Proverbs 18:10, King James Version)
This eliminates all fears, all doubts, all worries of every kind, God has promised to take care of you, you need not to worry and be filled with anxiety, and He loves you more than you think, you don’t have to fight and struggle to get there, allow God to carry you on the eagle’s wings (be the commuter, let Him be the rider, you will never be confounded).
Now before I conclude this message, I would like us to mediate on the following bible verses:
If the LORD does not build the house, the work of the builders is useless; if the LORD does not protect the city, it does no good for the sentries to stand guard. It is useless to work so hard for a living, getting up early and going to bed late. For the LORD provides for those he loves, while they are asleep. (Psalms 127:1-2 Good News Bible)
Hmmmmmmmmmm, can you see clearly that all our worries, anxieties and human toils and the feeling of insecurity are stupid, nonsense and nonsensical, is it not high time you begin trusting the Lord to meet all your needs and graciously take care of you, hey you there, is God talking you or not?
Spend time with God in prayer, make your needs known to Him, he will answer at the right time, don’t allow cares and anxieties to rob you off the peace of God.
If He Cares For You, Why Then The Worry?
God bless you real good.
No comments:
Post a Comment