Will God Cover the Same Need More Than Once?

I have had a type of dialogue with someone this week who believes that in a case where he is a steward, does not follow a scriptural procedure and causes a loss, that he can impose on others to make up for his losses as a steward. What makes this so problematic is that the ones he wants to make up the loss would be the very ones who had warned him that he might not be a good steward and was risking a loss.

I have always had the view that I can refuse aid to you if I had told you where to get it or showed you that you had it, you ignored me, and the time ran out to use the aid. If I give you a shovel and tell you that you can dig all the potatoes you like from my field do I have to give you money for potatoes if that is your choice? If I say no can you impose on my children to give it to you?

Every corner and exit ramp seems to have someone with a sign "Will Work for Food," "Travelling need gas" or whatever. One of my daughters offered to fill a man's tank if he would bring his vehicle to the pump. He left the scene rapidly. He must have had a full tank. God had provided already. Would my daughter have been a bad steward if she had given him the money that he requested?

I have heard from folks in groups such as the Salvation Army that money should not be given to these "will works" as there are plenty of available resources to provide them. The money will often if not always go to support a substance abuse habit.

I have always thought that an expressed need should not be questioned. I have been stuck many times on this principle. I made the mistake of making a cell phone call to my wife while standing on the street in Seattle. A street person asked me for money for food. She wanted to buy a sandwich at the Subway across the street that was advertised on the window at $5. I gave her $5. She moved on up the street asking others for money. Then she got on a bus. Stupid me. I should have said I'll cross the street and buy it for you.

As the Body of Christ how do we do as Jesus would have us to do? Does God cover the same need more than once? Do I have a duty to give money in all cases or can I provide the items requested? If the steward causes a loss do I have a duty to  make up for his loss?

Any thoughts? I'll have to meditate more on this.

David Sneed

Is Anything Impossible?

Luke 1:37 is a simple and most interesting statement.

"For with God nothing shall be impossible."

If you take that verse and expect to win the lottery you will be disappointed. If you take that verse and misuse your resources you will be disappointed. If you want to do things your way you will be disappointed.

If you pray the will of God and move in His way you will not be disappointed.

God can make ways that you never thought possible. And when He does make a way it can appear to be something that happened by chance or would have happened to anyone. Faith is needed to believe in something that is not. Faith is also needed to believe in the Divine origin of something that is. God will allow us to believe the possibility that we created the answer to prayer.

David Sneed

Not As Obsolete As It May Sound

If you are not familiar with the King James version of the Bible, conversation means behavior in today's English.

"Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation." I Peter 2:12.

In the New International Version it reads, "Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."

David Sneed

When Risk is Not Risk

At Thy word I will let down the net. Luke 5:5.

The deeds and miracles of Jesus are
         not actions of the past.
Jesus is waiting for those who are
 still prepared to take risks at His word
because they trust His power utterly.

The above, in English and German, is inscribed on a plaque at Capernaum in Israel. I have found it to be most inspirational. 

David Sneed

What is A Simple Definition of Faith?

Faith is

Believing it is so
When it is not so
Until it becomes so
Because God says so

source unknown

The Opening and Closing of Doors

The concept of opening and closing of doors is both a secular and a Christian concept albeit with different meanings.

In 207 B.C. in the Battle of Julu, Xiang Yu ordered the Chu army to cross the river to attack the Qin army that numbered about 300,000. The Chu army numbered less than 50,000. After crossing the river Xiang ordered his men to burn their boats and destroy all but three days rations. To make up for their weakness Xiang utilized a bit of motivation. He closed one of the two doors. The Chu army did succeed in conquering the Qin army. They had no choice if they wanted to survive.

Today we are often powerless because of a belief that we should keep options open. If we fail we like to know that we can go back to where we were. Even Christians will do this.

The natural man wants to have it all. In being his own God he actually does close doors of his own volition. Time spent at work means time away from spouse and children. Moving to a new location means leaving another. Every decision about material things means closing a door. In the material world there are unlimited desires and limited resoures. This is true of both time and money.

As Christians we view that Jesus is our salesman, our guide, our mentor, and our counselor. At least we should view it that way. While He can close doors we must be careful not to commit the sin of "tempting" God by asking God to close a door if that choice is not His will. I often cringe when I hear "God closed a door" used so casually. We view a closed door as a loss and so we want to place blame somewhere.

More properly we should look for God to open doors. When we recognize this to happen we can close a door and not feel a loss.

I know that I am not listing scriptures right now. There are not direct scriptures to establish a door close door open doctrine. There are plenty that allude to it. And there are plenty of examples, with Paul and Jonah to name two, where there were choices and where God made His intentions clear. Perhaps door close door open becomes a way for us mortals to understand seeking God's will. At the same time it can become a source of much sadness and regret. God may open a door for us that leads us where we go backwards materially. Trials and persecutions may come. Or we may simply wish we were back where we were before. "God did I make a mistake in going through this door?"

We need to grow as Christians. This will often mean we give up something that we once had. We may no longer need the financial security that we thought was so important.

This is not intended as a substitute for scripture but I remember that it was Janis Joplin who once said "Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose." She had a point there.

There is an old story about the man who figured out how he could take his wealth with him. After he was checked in at the gates of Heaven with his bags of gold and moved on in one of the angels said to another "Why is he carrying all that paving material?" We laugh but it is so true.

As we get older we can look back on things we dragged around at a younger age and can have regrets that we spent so much time and money on something that was of no real value.

Maybe you can tell me your thoughts.

David Sneed