Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

Luke 12:22 He said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, don't be anxious for your life, what you will eat, nor yet for your body, what you will wear. 12:23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.

The world we live in food and what we wear is often more important than person. From birth to the grave, humans relentlessly pursue material things for self-identification. If a person is going to be successful in this world they must dress, eat, and act a certain way, it is demanded and expected.

1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.

1 Peter 5:9 Withstand him steadfast in your faith, knowing that your brothers who are in the world are undergoing the same sufferings.

But God wants us to understand our life, it of far greater value than what we eat or wear. This thought Christ told his disciples, however, such thinking is not an easy road, it is a hard road going against the flow of society and our being accept in this world. Many of us knowing the scriptures plan and punishes ourselves because we are not as shrew as we could be when it comes to planning for the future.

Luke.18:18 A certain ruler asked him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" 18:19 Jesus asked him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good, except one--God.
18:20 You know the commandments: 'Don't commit adultery,' 'Don't murder,' 'Don't steal,' 'Don't give false testimony,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"{Exodus 20:12-16; Deuteronomy 5:16-20}
18:21 He said, "I have observed all these things from my youth up."
18:22 When Jesus heard these things, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have, and distribute it to the poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Come, follow me." 18:23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was very rich.

Yet, Christ in context never told his disciples to be shrewd and plan ahead for future financial problems. Nor did he have them build a lasting legacy for their children, why such a contrast? The hard road few find leading into life is 180 degrees opposite of this world, its wisdom and distrust. The course is set out throughout the entire bible that we must put complete faith in God's love.

1 Timothy 6:8 But having food and clothing, we will be content with that.

The hardest times to put faith in God is when we want something, that is, we believe we need certain things and demand them, Israel was taught this lesson time and again, some of them learned the lesson that man does not live on bread alone but every utterance coming from God's mouth. Here Christ makes a point are we a new creation from God? Are we his children? Is God love? Should we not connect the dots that God will take care of us, if we put faith in him? No, not really, why? It is because of our flesh, the lust of our flesh that is against God is in a war. The flesh drives us not to trust anyone including God.

1Kings 17:8 The word of Yahweh came to him, saying,
17:9 Arise, get you to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow there to sustain you.
17:10 So he arose and went to Zarephath; and when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks: and he called to her, and said, Please get me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
17:11 As she was going to get it, he called to her, and said, Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand. 17:12 She said, As Yahweh your God lives, I don't have a cake, but a handful of meal in the jar, and a little oil in the jar: and behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and bake it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. 17:13 Elijah said to her, Don't be afraid; go and do as you have said; but make me of it a little cake first, and bring it forth to me, and afterward make for you and for your son. 17:14 For thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, The jar of meal shall not empty, neither shall the jar of oil fail, until the day that Yahweh sends rain on the earth.

Our flesh is based upon a rule of law, merit, we gain merit by what we perform, without performance we deserve nothing. If we trust and do nothing we get nothing, hence, Christ words are than meaningless, a lie! We then believe our eternal life is gained by getting merit with God, so much for all the scriptures the teach otherwise we deny because of fear.

Rom.9:8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as a seed.
9:9 For this is a word of promise, "At the appointed time I will come, and Sarah will have a son."{Genesis 18:10,14}
9:10 Not only so, but Rebecca also conceived by one, by our father Isaac. 9:11 For being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls, 9:12 it was said to her, "The elder will serve the younger."{Genesis 25:23}

Faith is complete trust in God as our provider for everything in life. The Israelites wandered from watering hole to water hole, not knowing the way or when they'd reach the next one? They gather manna each day, no more then oneday at a time. The apostles were shown after toiling all night fishing and not catching even one fish when Christ told them to cast the net in a specific place they caught fish.

Hebrews 13:6 So that with good courage we say, "The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?"{Psalm 118:6-7}

Hebrews 4:1 Let us fear therefore, lest perhaps anyone of you should seem to have come short of a promise of entering into his rest.

Yes, those belonging to God, his children are directed not by man's will but from above by Holy Spirit, God's will for them. This directing is truth, which is the life of Christ indwelling us. Nothing can be lacking or will not be taken care of, we are created not by man's will but God's. We are not of this world, not the lust of this world, we have been translated out of this world into the Son's Kingdom. We are not given the spirit of cowardice in Christ, we are not given a spirit lacking faith.

2 Timothy 1:7 For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love.

We know God cannot deny Christ, how can we be Christ body members and God deny us when asking for a fish? No, God does not lie. It is our flesh that lies, it is our flesh that deceives us not God. We must walk in faith, we must fill up the measure of Christ body upon earth and conquer this world, by the love of God. Faith folks not in ourselves, our worth, or in our goodness, but faith in God, his love found in Christ Jesus that why we can walk on water. Its not about being deserving, it about Christ worth and his merit God has given us because he loves us, and is love. We cannot earn enough to trust God, we cannot do enough good to earn God's love, we must trust God cannot and will not leave us that is faith in God, and that all his promises are already done for us if we believe!
1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: your faith.

Jude 1:20 But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 12:2 looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 11:3 By faith, we understand that the universe has been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made out of things which are visible.

See also: www.nu-truth.com