Necessity: September 9, 2013

TODAY’S WORD FOR MONDAY SEPTEMBER 9, 2013.

NECESSITY

DEFINITION:

A requirement or need for something; something essential to existence; the state or fact of being inevitable; compulsion; something necessary or indispensible.

SCRIPTURE:

Yes, you know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. Acts 20:34.

For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. Philippians 4:16.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

In life we often feel that we have need for many things that we consider necessities. But there are really only two necessities for our physical life and those are water and food. We say this because one of the definitions of necessities is something that is essential to existence. We all feel, though, that we have many other necessities in life. Some of these “things” include a place to live, clothes, money and even a vehicle and a job.

One of the things we had to teach our children was the difference between what they needed and what they wanted. Whenever a new toy came on the market that was popular with their peers and a big seller our children would want one as well. Some of these toys even back then were not cheap. We were raising our six children on a tight budget and couldn’t always get the toy that our children thought they just had to have.

We taught our children through these experiences that in life from time to time we had to make decisions based on needs and not on our wants. So our children learned to adjust their desires to obtain what was really needed but we still always did our best to get each child what they wanted within in the guidelines of being fair and putting needs first.

When our oldest son went from junior high school to senior high school he regularly wore jeans purchased out of the Sears catalogue because they were cheaper then Levis. A few weeks into the school year Dottie heard one of our son’s friends ask him why he did not wear Levi jeans like everyone else wore. It is important to note that our son never complained but it made us aware that deep down he no doubt desired to have Levi jeans. We were so moved by his accepting attitude and pleased that he saw the difference between desire and necessity that we made sure his next pair of jeans were Levi jeans.

In John 6:1-14 we read about the feeding of the 5000. Large crowds followed Jesus wherever He went and Jesus knew the spiritual needs of these people and He spent time talking to them and giving them His message of love and redemption. 

It was nearly time for the feast of the Passover and Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with His disciples and the crowd followed. Jesus looked at the crowd of over five thousand men and the women and children. He saw the necessity of food for the people as they had not eaten for some time.

Jesus asked Philip, “Where can we buy bread to feed these people?” Jesus already knew what He was going to do to meet this necessity but He wanted to stretch Philip’s faith. It made Philip realize the impossibility of getting food for so many. You know the rest of the story. Jesus took five barley loaves of bread and two fish that a young boy had with him and fed all the people all they needed and still had twelve large baskets with leftovers. No one had to tell Jesus the people needed food. He knows our every need and He is ready, willing and more than able to meet our every need.

The apostle Paul never wanted to be dependent on anyone and no matter where he traveled he worked to provide for his own necessities as we read about in Acts 20:34. Paul did have times when he was in need of help.  Paul wrote in Philippians 4:16, while he was in prison in Rome, to thank the church for the gifts they had sent to meet his necessities. Paul knew the Philippians were not wealthy and that they had given sacrificially to help him. God had used them to supply his needs. 

In 11 Corinthians 9:7, Paul reminds us of the importance of giving back to God a portion of what He gives to us. “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” In this verse Paul says we are not to give out of necessity (feeling we have to) but because we genuinely want to give cheerfully from our heart. God uses us to supply the needs of others.

Our Lord has promised to supply all of our needs. He will meet every necessity in our lives and we then should want to give back to Him a portion of what He has given to us cheerfully and with a thankful heart.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in John 3:7.

Do not be amazed that I said to you, you must be born again.

PRAYER:

Thank You dear Lord, for providing for me and my family all the necessities of life. You have blessed us far and beyond our needs and we are so grateful for Your blessings. Help our family to share with others the gift of life that You have for them to meet their “necessity” to be saved from their sins.