John,
Good Morning:
I was pondering a couple of scriptures ( below ) the other day, wondering how they fit together. Quite often with scriptures ( more numerous than a man can number ) there are examples or seem to be examples of two scriptures contradicting each other . If you think of the bread in the scripture below as not being physical , then it has a different meaning altogether , and there is no contradiction since in Paul’s case , he had to be buffeted by Satan due the abundance of revelations he was given. Of course , I also considered that Paul didn’t say he was begging for bread ; he just stated he had a need. I sure hope there were some in this congregation wh o begged Paul maybe in private to help . Just seems like there would have been a few, even if Paul didn’t mention them.
Ps 37:25 “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”
1Cor. 4:11 “Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place;”
The statements by Paul above reminds me of the scene when David was given bread out of the temple , since that was all that was available. It has always made me tremble to think of God’s servants having a need not being met, but while typing this , I am reminded of what your Father said , if my memory is correct , about a person who helped him when they shouldn’t have, because God was dealing with him . Jesus, please help us all know what to do, as your children become enlightened with the truth.
In the scripture below I am thinking her delicacies would be financial gain, respect, and being highly esteemed among men? It seems good to think on these things, with all the politics in the air. It helps keep things in perspective.
Rev. 18:3 “For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.”
I thank God for the path we have been given to be removed from entanglement with governmental affairs. Oh ,”Come out of her my people , and partake not of her sins, and not receive of her plagues… ” (Rev. 18:4) I pray His children can hear this voice. It is His , and I heard it.
Today is the day the Lord has made! Let us be glad and rejoice in it.
Wendell
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Hi Wendell.
Concerning these two scriptures :
Ps 37:25 “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”
1Cor 4:11 “Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place.”
There is no one verse that will cover all situations on this earth. In Psalm 37, David was referring to the ordinary course of life, while in 1Corinthians, Paul was describing his life as a traveling minister of Christ. You will also remember that Jesus at times had nowhere to lay his head at night. And the author of Hebrews reminds us of the many saints who suffered terribly in this world, who
35b. “. . . . were tortured, not accepting deliverance so that they might receive a better resurrection.
36. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, and also of chains and imprisonment.
37. They were stoned; they were sawn in half; they were tempted; they were put to death with the sword; they wandered around in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, afflicted, maltreated
38. (of whom the world was not worthy), wandering about in desolate places, and mountains, and caves, and holes in the ground.”
So, yes, many godly people have been poor, even destitute,. At the same time, in those times when God’s people were not being hounded by the authorities, they have always been taken care of.
Pastor John