January 2017 - Spirit Food

Once you are presented with what the Word of God has to say about an issue, you are responsible for receiving His love, grace, & favor; and the gift of His righteousness. Remember, you are greatly blessed, highly favored, and deeply loved by your Heavenly Father.

This month, let’s focus on God’s timing!

Ecclesiastes 3:11 - He has made everything beautiful in its time…

Consider that nothing happens to you by accident when you have God in your life. Even a “chance” meeting with someone is part of His plan to set in motion His blessings in your life.

An example of this was the divinely arranged meeting of the Shunammite woman and Prophet Elisha. It led to the prophet pronouncing over her the blessing of a miracle child, even though she was barren and her husband was old. (2 Kings 4:8–17) A few years later, it was this friendship with the man of God, which saw her through a crisis when her son fell seriously ill and died—Elisha raised her son back to life. (2 Kings 4:18–37)

When Our Heavenly Father is the one orchestrating the events in your life; neither lack, danger, nor destruction can affect you, long-term. When famine hit the land, the Shunammite woman’s family did not suffer, because through Elisha, God had told them to leave the land. They went to the land of the Philistines and dwelt there throughout the seven years of famine. (2 Kings 8:1–2)

God can place you at the right place at the right time, even through your daily decision-making. The Shunammite woman returned to Shunem after the famine had ended. She then decided to appeal to the king of Israel for help to regain her house and land, which had been illegally acquired by others during her absence. This decision brought her before the king on the same day that Elisha’s servant Gehazi was in audience with the king.

The king wanted to hear all about the miracles performed by Elisha. This gave the Shunammite woman the opportunity to share firsthand with the king how Elisha had raised her son from the dead. The king was so pleased with her sharing that he ordered the restoration of her house and land, including all the proceeds of the field from the day that she had left until then. (2 Kings 8:3–6) The Lord had timed and set up everything beautifully for her!

Our Heavenly Father takes pleasure in making all things beautiful in its time for you. As you establish a deeper relationship with Him in your daily life and trust His love for you, you too will see Him lead and place you at the right place at the right time to enjoy His blessings.

Matthew 6:26 - Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

As we look at the power and communications line running overhead and occasionally see birds perched on the line(s), imagine two birds observing passers-by rushing from one place to another. Perhaps they (the birds) are at peace because they understand they have a heavenly Father is going to provide for their every need. The birds conversation could go something like “Why is man so full of worries and cares?” And the other bird might answer: “Maybe they don’t understand that they have a heavenly Father like we do.”

Perhaps the Lord made birds to (besides many other reasons) to inform us that we are of more value than many birds put together. In Matthew 10:29, Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin?” Then, in Luke 12:6, He said, “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins?” If you do the math, you will realize that these sparrows are so cheap that you could buy four of them for two copper coins, and you get one thrown in for free!

Sparrows are common creatures in Israel. Yet, not even one of these cheap birds falls to the ground without the Father’s knowledge. (Matthew 10:29) Not one of them is forgotten before Him. (Luke 12:6) So, will He forget you who are of more value than all these birds put together? I think not.

Jesus said, “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them.” And if your heavenly Father feeds the birds of the air, how much more will He feed you, His precious, beloved child! Remember, you are His precious beloved child because you have accepted Jesus as the LORD of your life, and when Our Heavenly Father looks at you, He sees you (because of the finished work of Jesus on the cross) as righteous.

If you are not seeing the supply Our Heavenly Father has for you, consider what your thought life is focusing on. Are you worrying about “issues”. Yes, everyone has issues, but that is why Jesus also said, “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’…For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” (Matthew 6:31–32)

My believing, comprehension level, and relationship with My Heavenly Father’s love for me enables me to have no doubt that if Our Heavenly Father cares for cheap, common birds, and feeds them every day, how much more He will care for me; His dear, precious child! Let your heart be at rest as you hear Him say to you, “Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:31)

Philippians 4:19 - And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

According to this verse, you are rich. You are not trying to be rich. It does not matter how much you are earning or how much you have in your bank account. You are rich because as your need arises, Our Heavenly Father’s supply will be there for you.

In the Bible, there is an account of a couple who had a big need on their wedding day. They had run out of wine. Now, you would expect wedding couples to know how many guests to expect on their big day and to plan accordingly. But perhaps this couple did not have the money to buy enough wine. Whatever the reason was, Jesus saved them from embarrassment and shame. He saved the day when He supplied their need by miraculously turning six pots of water into top-quality wine. (John 2:1–10) Our Lord Jesus abundantly supplied the need of that couple.

Whatever needs you have, God wants you to know that His supply will be there for you. You have His Word for it. He promises that He will supply all your needs, not just some. And He will supply all your needs according to and not out of His riches. This means that He lines up from A to Z all of His resources for your every need!

So, rejoice that you are rich “according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus”. This is far greater and more dependable than the temporal riches that you might have from any earthly source!

Romans 4:17 - …God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;

So many times, when we focus on our relationship with Our Heavenly Father and what Jesus did for mankind on the cross, we are happy, thankful, and have peace within. Then when we turn our focus on the things of this world again, as human beings we tend to shift our thoughts to problem solving or dealing with the task at hand. So much so, that when we look at ourselves, we don’t see what we can become. But when God looks at us, He sees what we can become by His grace.

Consider that when Jesus first saw Simon, whose name in Greek means “reed”, He changed his name to “Peter”, which means “rock”. But did Peter instantly become someone with the characteristics of a rock—solid, stable and unshakable? No, for a long time, he continued to act like a reed that bends every which way the wind blows.

Once, when Peter saw Jesus walking on water, he took a bold step of faith and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Then, as he was walking on the water, he saw the boisterous wind, got scared and when he began to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:28–30) Another time, he said, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” (Luke 22:33) Then, a few hours later, he denied knowing Jesus not once, but three times. (Luke 22:54–62)

Yet, throughout his reed-like behavior, Jesus kept calling him “rock” until one day, how Jesus saw him began to take root in him. Then, on the Day of Pentecost, Peter stood up to preach and 3,000 people were saved! (Acts 2:41) Peter had indeed become a rock, a pillar in the early church.

That was how Jesus transformed Peter. And that is how God wants us to change the people and situations in our lives.

God did not tell us to call those things which exist as they exist. What is the point of stating the obvious? It is not going to change anything. No, God tells us to call those things which do not exist as though they did, and they will! Remember, he created the earth for mankind by speaking it into existence.

If you’re reading this, but you have not made Jesus the Lord of your life, and would like to, pray this prayer out loud in an audible voice:

Heavenly Father, your Word says in Romans 10:9-10- “that if I confess with my mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead, that I would be saved. For with the heart one believes unto salvation.” I believe your Word, Heavenly Father, and confess Jesus Christ (the anointed one and His anointing) as Lord of my life now. I believe that You raised Him from the dead. I confess that I was a sinner, but now I’ve been saved by Your grace, and in Your thoughts, I am now in right standing with You. I denounce Satan and all he stands for. Write my name in the Lamb’s book of Life. In Jesus Name. Amen (so be it).

Congratulations! If this is your first time praying this prayer, please write and let us know!

Should you decide to give and financially support this ministry with gifts given in faith, I join my faith with yours to see the devourer rebuked (Malachi 3:11) and for you to receive a harvest; pressed down, shaken together and running over (Luke 6:38). Please remember to name your seed!

Dr. Mark Krom, Ph.D., D.Psy

Minister/Clinical Pastoral Psychologist