| Subsistence: That which supplies the means of living;
as money, pay or wages... especially means barely sufficient to maintain
life.
Instructing His apostles as He sent them on their missionary journeys,
Jesus told them,
-
Matthew 6:25-34 -
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall
eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on.
Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls
of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns;
yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And
why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how
they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you,
That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore,
if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow
is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little
faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall
we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things
do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need
of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;
and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought
for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.
Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
-
Luke 9:3 - And
he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip,
neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.
The apostles were to rely wholly on miraculous provision
from heaven.
Note: As Jesus ministry ended
and his prophetic purpose was about to come to an end, He eventually told
them:
-
Luke 22:35-37 - When
I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And
they said, Nothing. Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse,
let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let
him sell his garment, and buy one. For I say unto you, that this that is
written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors:
for the things concerning me have an end.
|
Subsistence: That which supplies the means of living;
as money, pay or wages... especially means barely sufficient to maintain
life.
There are many people today who try to just sit back and 'allow' God
to take care of them in the same manner that God did in the apostles day.
Yes, if they believe the Gospels to be TO us today, and if they believe
they should follow the apostles doctrine, then those verses in Matthew
and Luke should be believed - and folks
ought to quit trying to make provisions for themselves - especially if
they are missionaries, etc.
So, why do they need deputation?
Who takes care of the pastor today?
Of course, anyone knows that it doesn't work that
way today. Once again, we see the folly of a Christianity built on
the Gospels, not on Paul.
-
II Timothy 3:9 -
But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto
all men, as theirs also was.
Sure, we have those brethren who take care of each
other, and they should, if they are able.
-
I Timothy 6:17-19 -
Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor
trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly
all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works,
ready
to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves
a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal
life.
-
Galatians 6:9,10
- And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap,
if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto
all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
-
Ephesians 4:28 -
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with
his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that
needeth.
-
And of course, God has repeatedly shown us his grace in how He has provided
through other brethren, as well the lost.
But we also have mooches and beggars and whiners waiting and actually expecting
the brethren to care for them, pay their bills, buy their treats, etc.
We must remember that we are living in a different
dispensation. Our instructions come from our apostle Paul:
-
II Thessalonians 3:10 -
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would
not work, neither should he eat.
-
I Timothy 5:8 -
: But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own
house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
Here is a great verse from Proverbs
on how much we need to 'have.'
Remember, because this is from the OT, we ought to know we have to get
out as well, and earn our keep.
However, these two things are good for us to remember as we attempt
to provide for ourselves and our families.
-
Proverbs 30:7-9 - Two
things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: Remove far
from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with
food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who
is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my
God in vain.
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