It seems like that every time you hear the news on television or the radio, or see a newspaper or business magazine, all they talk about is how bad the economy is and how many people are losing their jobs. “We’re in a recession” says one. “We’re in a depression” says another. “We’ve got inflation and prices are going up.” “This company is laying of 100’s of people.” “This company is closing.”  It’s no wonder people are so worried and fearful – all they’re being fed is bad news.

All this bad news is making people sick. It’s adding stress upon stress and stress contributes to heart disease, arthritis, migraines, stomach disorders and weight gain just to list a few. Stress over financial problems can contribute to marital problems that lead to divorce. Well, here is the good news for today.

“And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:4, NIV)

God is not short on supply and there is no economic crisis in heaven. He uses gold for pavement, remember? God is the source of creativity. He created the heavens and the earth and everything in it. He is wisdom. If you are a child of God, His spirit is in you and will give you the creativity, the wisdom you need for any situation. Not only that, He also promises to meet our material needs if only we will trust Him and put Him first in our lives.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.
Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6: 25-34, NIV)

These are the words of Jesus. You are more important to Him than the birds. You are more important to Him than the grass or the flowers. He’s promised to take care of you. When the talking heads on TV start preaching doom and gloom and spreading their bad news, you can replace the thoughts of fear with God’s Word and His promises to provide. Jesus didn’t say He would take care of you “If the economy is good” or “as long as you have a job”. No, the only condition to His promises is that you trust Him and seek Him first.

Psalms 112 describes the person who trusts God and delights in His Word. Verses 7-8 says: “He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is secure, he will have no fear…”

Lord God, today I will serve you first and I put my trust in You. Thank you for promising to provide all my needs. Amen

Peace and blessings
Dee