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Perhaps you ask yourself the same question we read in Luke 18:8, “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” Of course, He will find faith on the earth, but so relatively little that it merits the question. Why can we say faith will be on the earth? It will be there, because God promised there would be (Matt 16:18). Some will depart from the faith (1 Tim 4:1), not all. God can make the promise that faith will exist on the earth, because God is working in a fashion that there can be. There would be none if He were not working. His “grace hath appeared to all men” (Titus 2:11). That faith will be on the earth reminds me of 1 Corinthians 15:57, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” And, same chapter, 15:10, “But by the grace of God I am what I am.” God is glorified for any faith on the earth, because He is the One Who ensures that it will be here. In the meantime, why would faith disappear? Next chapter, 16:13, “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” We are commanded to stand fast in the faith. Whatever God is doing we should be cooperating with, which means standing fast in the faith. Each of you count for that. Everyone matters in this stand, like Philippians 1:27 says, “that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”
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I want to combine a couple of thoughts from two different verses from Paul’s epistles, and then consider some belief and practice from those thoughts from those verses. In Philippians 4:19, the Apostle Paul writes, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Paul is writing to the church at Philippi, which was in Macedonia, which had sent him a very sacrificial gift. He wanted them to know, that despite the loss that ensued because of that collection, they would be fine. God would supply all their need. Then in 1 Timothy 6:8, he writes to Timothy, both to him and to pass on to the church at Ephesus, “having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” God will supply all your need and then you need to be content with that. This promise goes to characteristically obedient children of God in His churches. How will God supply all one needs? He will do that by means of His providence. Providence is the work of God. The work of God by very definition is supernatural. However, God doesn’t do miracles to get that done. God uses the ordinary means to accomplish that task. We should be content with God using ordinary means to meet our need. He has promised He will do that to and for His obedient children. That doesn’t require a miracle and if we expect one anyway, we are discontent or covetous.
Jesus cares about your every day life, all the little things of your life. Overall, Jesus cares for you. However, how you interpret His care is important. His caring for you doesn’t mean that you will get everything that you want just like you want. It doesn’t mean that you won’t face difficult times, or if you do face them, you can count on Jesus ridding you of them if He really cares. He cares. Your interpretation of His care must be one of faith, where you trust that He cares, first, because the Bible says He cares. You know He cares because the Bible says so. Peter writes in his first epistle (5:7), “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” It really does behoove you to believe that. It isn’t a feeling, but believing it will produce one, one of calm or peace, and not so much stress. When you know He cares, you won’t complain as much. Complaining isn’t a good Christian testimony. The word for complaining in the King James Version is “murmuring,” but Paul writes in Philippians 2:14, “Do all things without murmurings.” It is disobeying the command, “rejoice evermore.” Second, you trust He cares by considering the goodness of God’s providence. You should actively notice what God is doing and recognize it. You can find enough good things that God has done and is doing to make you a thankful person, especially as a believer. God cares for you.
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