“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” - Matthew 4:4
-“Hello Sir, I’ve come to share God’s word with you.”
-“You need to feed me before i can listen to God’s word. If my stomach is empty, I cannot listen well, but if my stomach is full, I can listen well.”
Is it true? Does hunger keep our ears from fully functioning? Or is it just another excuse which demonstrates who our God really is? Can God’s power not work when hunger is present?
Jesus is very clear: we cannot have two masters (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13).
Quite often, the “my belly before God” excuses is mentioned to fulfill a personal interest.
One might say to himself: “Playing the victim will help me to gain pity from people.”
This reveals a lack of spirituality. As we speak with someone, we can quickly assess who their God is: their belly or the creator God.
Realistically, the physical need should push us to ask help from God.
-“The rich will be the only ones in God’s kingdom.”
-“Why?”
-“Because they have money to give, but the poor do not.”
Human reasoning is evidently contrary to God’s reasoning. Jesus said: “Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:23-24).
Why is it more difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven? The answer is simple: He has a hard time realizing his need for God because he is not physically in need as are the poor. Many rich men do not think they need to trust God when their trust is already placed in their bank account. In this way, the rich man sees no reason to trust in God or to pursue a divine relationship. On the contrary, the poor man who lives in need realizes more easily his spiritual need because his physical need is undeniable. It is possible for a poor man to look to his physical needs, his belly, instead of looking to God, just as it is possible for a rich man to look to God instead of his own riches.
The problem is not the lack of money in the bank account, but the lack of faith in God. A man is not justified before God because of his religious or social accomplishments, but rather by his faith in Christ. We are all faced with a decision. We must choose who is going to be our master. If our belly has the priority, God has become less important. If God has the priority, our belly has become less important.
Philippians 3:19 gives us a strong description concerning those who are the enemies of Jesus Christ. The Bible says, “Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.”
Our biggest enemy is ourselves. Our belly represents our natural desires. The law of the jungle applies to him whose belly is before God: “Me first, others second.” He that is not with God is against God. He that is for his belly is against God.
-“But we need to eat to survive on earth!”
-“Yes, and we need God in order to survive after our time on earth”
The spiritual need is the most important, yet the most neglected need. In Luke 16, Jesus tells the true story of Lazarus and the rich man. The rich man had all he ever needed and lazarus was in need his whole life. Finally, both men died. Lazarus was comforted in paradise while the rich man found himself tormented in hell. The state of the rich man, after his vapor of a life, was hell forever. The state of Lazarus after a poor life was eternal consolation. What is better: being rich for 100 years and being tormented in hell forever or being poor for 100 years and being with God in His glory forever?
God has judged us because of our sins, but he has also given us eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. 1 John 5:12 tells us: “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” John 3:16 continues and tells us : “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Do not let your belly send you to hell. Give your whole attention to God. Wether we are poor or rich, each one of us needs to realize our need for the Lord Jesus Christ. At the end of our life, God is not going to look at the good we have done because it will be corrupted by sin. The only way to enter into the kingdom of God is through the only way God has provided for us: the Lord Jesus Christ.
God doesn't send anyone to hell- each person is responsible for the decision they take concerning their eternal state. If your belly is before God, repent and place God in his rightful place in your life by placing complete trust in Jesus as personal Savior, the lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world.
-“Hello Sir, I’ve come to share God’s word with you.”
-“You need to feed me before i can listen to God’s word. If my stomach is empty, I cannot listen well, but if my stomach is full, I can listen well.”
Is it true? Does hunger keep our ears from fully functioning? Or is it just another excuse which demonstrates who our God really is? Can God’s power not work when hunger is present?
Jesus is very clear: we cannot have two masters (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13).
Quite often, the “my belly before God” excuses is mentioned to fulfill a personal interest.
One might say to himself: “Playing the victim will help me to gain pity from people.”
This reveals a lack of spirituality. As we speak with someone, we can quickly assess who their God is: their belly or the creator God.
Realistically, the physical need should push us to ask help from God.
-“The rich will be the only ones in God’s kingdom.”
-“Why?”
-“Because they have money to give, but the poor do not.”
Human reasoning is evidently contrary to God’s reasoning. Jesus said: “Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:23-24).
Why is it more difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven? The answer is simple: He has a hard time realizing his need for God because he is not physically in need as are the poor. Many rich men do not think they need to trust God when their trust is already placed in their bank account. In this way, the rich man sees no reason to trust in God or to pursue a divine relationship. On the contrary, the poor man who lives in need realizes more easily his spiritual need because his physical need is undeniable. It is possible for a poor man to look to his physical needs, his belly, instead of looking to God, just as it is possible for a rich man to look to God instead of his own riches.
The problem is not the lack of money in the bank account, but the lack of faith in God. A man is not justified before God because of his religious or social accomplishments, but rather by his faith in Christ. We are all faced with a decision. We must choose who is going to be our master. If our belly has the priority, God has become less important. If God has the priority, our belly has become less important.
Philippians 3:19 gives us a strong description concerning those who are the enemies of Jesus Christ. The Bible says, “Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.”
Our biggest enemy is ourselves. Our belly represents our natural desires. The law of the jungle applies to him whose belly is before God: “Me first, others second.” He that is not with God is against God. He that is for his belly is against God.
-“But we need to eat to survive on earth!”
-“Yes, and we need God in order to survive after our time on earth”
The spiritual need is the most important, yet the most neglected need. In Luke 16, Jesus tells the true story of Lazarus and the rich man. The rich man had all he ever needed and lazarus was in need his whole life. Finally, both men died. Lazarus was comforted in paradise while the rich man found himself tormented in hell. The state of the rich man, after his vapor of a life, was hell forever. The state of Lazarus after a poor life was eternal consolation. What is better: being rich for 100 years and being tormented in hell forever or being poor for 100 years and being with God in His glory forever?
God has judged us because of our sins, but he has also given us eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. 1 John 5:12 tells us: “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” John 3:16 continues and tells us : “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Do not let your belly send you to hell. Give your whole attention to God. Wether we are poor or rich, each one of us needs to realize our need for the Lord Jesus Christ. At the end of our life, God is not going to look at the good we have done because it will be corrupted by sin. The only way to enter into the kingdom of God is through the only way God has provided for us: the Lord Jesus Christ.
God doesn't send anyone to hell- each person is responsible for the decision they take concerning their eternal state. If your belly is before God, repent and place God in his rightful place in your life by placing complete trust in Jesus as personal Savior, the lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world.