Needs Compared to Wants

When we take time to examine our needs as compared to what we actually have, how can we help but be thankful for what God provides? However, there tends to be a relationship between our lack of dependency on God and the desire to satisfy our own needs for ourselves.

Everyone, with few exceptions, searches for a better life. Yet those first immigrants who came to America set aside time to celebrate and be thankful for what God provided. Jesus said, "I've come that you may have life abundantly." That does not mean an abundance of things, but of peace, joy, forgiveness, and eternal life with God. 

Jesus also said, "I am the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep." No matter how extensive our possessions, El Shaddai, the “all-sufficient God,” is able to provide adequately for what wealth cannot offer. That should give us a thankful heart filled with gratitude and the desire to praise God for his kindness.                            

____________ 

Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!

~1 Chronicles 16:8-9 English Standard Version

____________

Subscribe to the Attitudes Answers podcast on your favorite podcast platform to hear this and other 2-minute features 3 days every week.

Healing – A Multifaceted Process

Healing is an ongoing process for so many physical and emotional issues. Recovery may never be 100% regardless of treatments and medications. As a teenager, I liked to ride horses. On one occasion my horse got spooked and threw me over a fence, which resulted in my arm being broken.

I’m thankful I have full use of my arm, although complications from  that fracture still persist. I realize that healing can be a multifaceted process that may take place in stages.

Humanity is subject not only to diseases and emotional wounds, but to moral sickness. When the principles of righteous, godly living are pushed aside and self-centered ambitions become dominant, love and concern for others tend to fade. Jesus came into the world to heal moral sickness, which is called sin, because sin is a powerful, alienating force. Jehovah-Rapha means “the Lord who heals” and he, the Lord God, is available to heal and restore you.                       

____________ 

Some of you had foolishly committed a lot of sins and were in terrible pain…You were in serious trouble, but you prayed to the Lord, and he rescued you. By the power of his own word he healed you and saved you from your own destruction.

~Psalm 107:17,19-20 Contemporary English Version  

 

I said, “I have sinned against you, Lord; be merciful to me and heal me.”

~Psalm 41:4 Good News Bible

_____________

Subscribe to the Attitudes Answers podcast on your favorite podcast platform to hear this and other 2-minute features 3 days every week.

Staying Healthy

There are many issues associated with the causes of illnesses and the ways each person contributes to their illnesses and healing. In Leviticus God teaches his people how to worship him and instructs them on ways to stay healthy in body and spirit. Earlier in Exodus 23 he assured them he is Jehovah-Rapha, "the Lord who heals".

In every generation new diseases are identified, and researchers frantically make every effort to discover treatments to restore health. The Greek physician Hippocrates observed, "Healing is a matter of time, but also a matter of opportunity."

My father trusted only the doctor who had treated him for 30 years. His doctor begged him to stop smoking, but to no avail. My dad died of emphysema. Good health depends on making intelligent decisions, sound judgments, and healthy habits. God’s name Jehovah-Rapha, "the Lord who heals", does his part to help us recover when we do get sick, if we follow good health care procedures.                            

___________ 

The Lord will help them when they are sick and will restore them to health.

~Psalm 41:3 Good News Bible

 

O Lord, by these things [people] live, and in all these is the life of my spirit; restore me to health and let me live! Indeed, it was for my own well-being that I had such bitterness; but you have loved back my life from the pit of nothingness (destruction), for you have cast all my sins behind your back.

~Isaiah 38:16-17 Amplified Bible

___________

Subscribe to the Attitudes Answers podcast on your favorite podcast platform to hear this and other 2-minute features 3 days every week.

Extend Yourself to the Lord Who Heals

It's impossible to stay completely healthy 100% of the time. Yet because of our immune system, most bacteria and other germs do not cause illnesses. I realize there are those who worry excessively about germs and become germ-phobic, filled with fear and anxiety.

We live in a country where major illnesses are treatable. In addition, we have medications designed to aid in the healing process. One of the primary features of Jesus' ministry was his ability to heal those who were physically, spiritually, and emotionally sick. The name Jehovah-Rapha means the Lord who heals.

This name for God was expressed as he spoke to the Hebrew people, who been freed from Egyptian bondage. Listen to his words: "If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep his decrees, I the Lord Jehovah-Rapha will heal you.” Isn’t that good news?                               

___________ 

O my soul, bless God, don’t forget a single blessing! He forgives your sins – every one. He heals your diseases – every one…He wraps you in goodness – beauty eternal. He renews your youth – you’re always young in his presence.

~Psalm 103:2-3,5 The Message

 

Lord, heal me and I will be completely well; rescue me and I will be perfectly safe. You are the one I praise!

~Jeremiah 17:14 Good News Bible

___________

Subscribe to the Attitudes Answers podcast on your favorite podcast platform to hear this and other 2-minute features 3 days every week. 

Trusting in God's Provision

A request you may have expressed spontaneously is, “Deliver me from ever experiencing that situation.” Avoiding painful situations or people is a natural desire for most individuals. However, all conflictual situations and people that test your faith and endurance cannot be avoided. In these moments, reach out to God for help and solutions.

Genesis 22 relates how Abraham faced the death of his son Isaac. God commanded him, “Take Isaac and sacrifice him as a burnt offering.” Innocently, the boy questioned his father about where the lamb was that was to be sacrificed. Abraham answered, “God will provide a lamb for the burnt offering,” and God did just that.

God’s name, Jehovah-Jireh, which means “the Lord will provide,” is a name you also can trust even when the situation appears hopeless and bleak. Never give up and constantly be on alert for his help, provision, and solutions. God will provide as you remain faithful and true to his word and instructions.   

___________ 

Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide.

~Genesis 22:13-14 New International Version 

___________

Subscribe to the Attitudes Answers podcast on your favorite podcast platform to hear this and other 2-minute features 3 days every week.

Managing the Storms of Life

Desperate situations and uncertain times trigger anxiety and worry, which test your faith and trust in God to manage and provide solutions. This happened to the disciples of Jesus when a storm began tossing their boat so violently, they feared for their lives. When the storms of life become threatening, fear and anxiety may try to replace your faith in Christ Jesus to send help.

Jesus calmed the storm but scolded his disciples for their lack of faith in his willingness to save them. The storms of life you and I face can arise suddenly and appear overwhelming. It's not unusual to question the reason God permits his people to experience severe pain and suffering.

This experience assured the disciples Jesus would provide for their needs. God’s name Jehovah-Jireh is translated “the Lord will provide,” so trust Jesus to send help. Whether his help comes instantly, over a period of a time, or both, trust the Lord’s faithfulness to provide whatever your situation requires.               

___________ 

The Lord is faithful to his promises; he is merciful in all his acts. He helps those who are in trouble; he lifts those who have fallen…He protects those who love him.

~Psalm 145:13-14,20

___________

Subscribe to the Attitudes Answers podcast on your favorite podcast platform to hear this and other 2-minute features 3 days every week.

Thriving in Difficult Times

What would you say is your most compelling need at this moment? A television series focused on several families who volunteered to live for one year as the pioneers did in the1850s. This included duplicating the food, clothing, housing, and conveniences within that time period.

Each family, with one exception, discovered life was manageable without electronics, air-conditioning, automobiles, refrigeration, or indoor plumbing. The family who left the series was unable to adjust to the severe limitations of pioneer life. One couple later divorced as a consequence of stress created by pioneer life.

Those who kept their commitment discovered that God provides even in difficult, challenging times. These people committed to adapting physically and discovered God’s faithfulness in providing character strength that kept their relationships stable. A name for God’s faithfulness is Jehovah-Jireh, “the Lord who provides.” Do trust God to provide for you.  

___________                   

And God is able to make your every spiritual blessing overflow for you, so that you will always have in every situation an entire sufficiency and so overflow for every good cause.

~2 Corinthians 8:9 Williams – New Testament in the Language of the People

___________

Subscribe to the Attitudes Answers podcast on your favorite podcast platform to hear this and other 2-minute features 3 days every week.

Who's in Control?

To whom do you belong? As a child you belong to your family. From there your allegiance changes periodically throughout life. A military drill sergeant informed his young recruits they belonged to him until boot camp was completed. You may belong to your spouse or fiancée. Spiritually, you may belong to Christ Jesus.

The Apostle Paul agreed he was no longer master of his soul, for he now belonged to Jesus Christ. He later wrote, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you received from God? You are not your own, you were bought with a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”

To relinquish control of your life to God is to acknowledge him as Lord and Master. The Apostle Paul felt privileged to be a bond servant of Jesus. He felt privileged to serve him as his Master. Belonging to Jesus and serving him with gladness surpasses all other achievements.  

___________                   

For you have been given the privilege of serving Christ, not only by believing in him, but also by suffering for him.

~Philippians 1:29 Good News Bible 

_____________

Subscribe to the Attitudes Answers podcast on your favorite podcast platform to hear this and other 2-minute features 3 days every week.

Master Control

 One of the significant issues a relationship will face, regardless how it’s defined, is that of control. Realistically, everyone should have a measure of control. An infant learns immediately that if he or she cries, someone will take care of their needs. Even a child is given power to decide on limited issues. 

As children advance into adolescence and on to adulthood, more control is allocated, provided appropriate maturity is validated. The French philosopher Jean Rousseau noted, “The strongest is never strong enough to always be the master unless he transforms strength into justice and obedience into duty.”

Jeremiah 10:23 declares, "Lord, I know no one is master of their own destiny; no one has complete control over their life." The name Adonai identifies God as Lord and Master. His ability to direct your life is superior, so his plans for your destiny are above reproach.  

___________                   

The human mind may devise many plans, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established.

~Proverbs 19:21 New Revised Standard Version

___________

Subscribe to the Attitudes Answers podcast on your favorite podcast platform to hear this and other 2-minute features 3 days every week.

Who Is Captain of Your Soul?

In most cases it's easier to give commands rather than receive them. The English poet W. E. Henley wrote, "It matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul." Has this consistently been your attitude?

In contrast to this attitude, David offered this prayer to God: “Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough, you have also spoken about a blessed future for your servant. Is this your usual way of dealing with man, my Lord and Master?”

The Hebrew name for God that David used in these verses is Adonai, which translates Lord and Master. David could not help but acknowledge God as master of his soul and captain of his destiny when God displayed his future to him. With Jesus Christ as your Lord and Master, your future is secured forever.                   

___________                   

After washing [the disciples’] feet [Jesus] put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Master’ and ‘Lord,’ and you do well to say it, for it is true. And since I, the Lord and Teacher have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow: do as I have done to you.”

~John 13:12-15 The Living Bible

___________

Subscribe to the Attitudes Answers podcast on your favorite podcast platform to hear this and other 2-minute features 3 days every week.

Our Greatest Joy

One of the greatest joys of life is being loved by another person and then loving them in return. The Bible is replete with examples of love stories. When Isaac first saw Rebekah, he loved her immediately. The moment Jacob got a glimpse of Rachel he was so awestruck he worked fourteen years for her.

Parents and children love each other as God designed them to do. Love solidifies long-term relationships. The word contented conveys the idea of being satisfied with what God has provided. Yet so many people feel discontented because they perceive their relationships as insufficient to meet their needs.

God the Father is all-sufficient in every imaginable way to meet your needs. His name, El Shaddai, translates God Almighty, the all-sufficient one. Jesus promised, "Seek first The Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all of these things will be given to you.” Take a moment to let that truth sink in.   

___________                   

Your constant love is better than life itself, and so I will praise you. I will give you thanks as long as I live; I will raise my hands to you in prayer. My soul will feast and be satisfied, and I will sing glad songs of praise to you.

~Psalm 63:3-5 Good News Bible

___________

Subscribe to the Attitudes Answers podcast on your favorite podcast platform to hear this and other 2-minute features 3 days every week. 

The Unsurpassed Will of God

The two things everyone will experience, according to conventional wisdom, are death and taxes. Beyond these are an array of needs that test the creativity of the most gifted person. A personal goal should be to express our gratitude to God for our nation, our freedom, our family and friends.

The phrase, "No man is an island unto himself," confirms our need for companionship. In the movie Cast Away Tom Hanks portrays a man marooned on a deserted island who creates an imaginary friend to talk to. No one is entirely self-sufficient, so God created the family to fulfill our need for bonding.

God’s name El Shaddai portrays him God Almighty, fully capable of meeting our needs. However, God does not promise to provide everything we want. When Jesus asked God, his father, to take away the suffering he would face on the cross, he added, "Not my will but yours be done." God's will is always unsurpassed.    

___________                   

Always be joyful. Always keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

~1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 The Living Bible

____________

Subscribe to the Attitudes Answers podcast on your favorite podcast platform to hear this and other 2-minute features 3 days every week.

Trusting God's All-Sufficient Competence

What do you consider your most urgent need at this moment? Some of you would say financial need if there is not enough money to take care of necessities. Others would say healing for medical or emotion problems that are scary and critical. Relationship problems can evolve into a crisis.

Managing urgent needs one at a time can be accomplished, but encountering several simultaneously can be disconcerting. The old cliché, “Troubles often come in batches,” can be true. Medical problems can create financial problems, which compound the stress and strain experienced by the entire family.

One stress-reducer is trusting God’s all-sufficient competence. One name for God is El Shaddai. Listen to Philippians 4:19. "My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." God will help regardless of the way your needs are defined. Present your needs to Christ Jesus right now and trust him to help.       

____________                   

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.   

~1 Peter 5:10 English Standard Version

____________

Subscribe to the Attitudes Answers podcast on your favorite podcast platform to hear this and other 2-minute features 3 days every week.