proper_begging

Proper Begging

A Devotion

The Goodsoil Discipleship Ministry

By Bro. Andy Madonio

March 20, 2004

I was young and now I am old,

yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken

or their children begging bread.

Psalm 37:25

Many have armed themselves with this passage and set out for the Lord assured that they will always have a full belly at the end of the day, only to question their salvation's ability to serve them when the natural hunger pangs grow sharp.

If the apostle Paul knew this passage well, which he did, then how could he utter, "To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty" (1 Corinthians 4:11)? What could have prevented him from turning away from Jesus and still write, "I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food" (2 Corinthians 11:27)? Why would he bother to learn, ". . . what it is to be in need . . . what it is to have plenty . . . the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want"? What was the motivating energy that permitted Paul to write, with absolute certainty, the question, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?"
And the answer is uttered in an impassioned cry, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord"
(Romans 8:35, 38-39).

God truly never forsakes His own, but His own may experience physical shortfall, like hunger -- Paul certainly did. Yet Paul knew God's love would powerfully overshadow his own puny physical distress. That intimate knowledge of God is the basis for 2 Corinthians 4:17, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all."

For the sake of argument however, is God's arm too short to reach to us and provide all we think we need? No. Then learn from the apostle; when you find the sounds of hunger clamoring for your attention, whom should you seek? The righteous are never seen begging bread because they are hidden in their prayer closets crying out to the Master Baker -- Jesus! He will give to you, "food to eat that (others) know nothing about" (John 4:32).

That is proper begging -- asking Jesus to supply you with what He knows you need.

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	Proper Begging A Devotion The Goodsoil Discipleship Ministry By Bro. Andy Madonio March 20, 2004




I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. Psalm 37:25 Many have armed themselves with this passage and set out for the Lord assured that they will always have a full belly at the end of the day, only to question their salvation's ability to serve them when the natural hunger pangs grow sharp. If the apostle Paul knew this passage well, which he did, then how could he utter, "To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty" (1 Corinthians 4:11)? What could have prevented him from turning away from Jesus and still write, "I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food" (2 Corinthians 11:27)? Why would he bother to learn, ". . . what it is to be in need . . . what it is to have plenty . . . the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want"? What was the motivating energy that permitted Paul to write, with absolute certainty, the question, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?" And the answer is uttered in an impassioned cry, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:35, 38-39). God truly never forsakes His own, but His own may experience physical shortfall, like hunger -- Paul certainly did. Yet Paul knew God's love would powerfully overshadow his own puny physical distress. That intimate knowledge of God is the basis for 2 Corinthians 4:17, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." For the sake of argument however, is God's arm too short to reach to us and provide all we think we need? No. Then learn from the apostle; when you find the sounds of hunger clamoring for your attention, whom should you seek? The righteous are never seen begging bread because they are hidden in their prayer closets crying out to the Master Baker -- Jesus! He will give to you, "food to eat that (others) know nothing about" (John 4:32). That is proper begging -- asking Jesus to supply you with what He knows you need.

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