Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Facing Financial Fears" for Wednesday, 4 June 2014 - Read James 2:14-17

Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Facing Financial Fears" for Wednesday, 4 June 2014 - Read James 2:14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him? 15 And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food, 16 and one of you tells them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled”; and yet you didn’t give them the things the body needs, what good is it? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.
God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.(Philippians 4:19 (NIV))
I was sitting at the table with Mary and two other women from church. We had recently started meeting for a weekly Bible study. Mary suddenly started sobbing. Through her tears, she said, “We don’t have enough money to pay this month’s bills. I don’t know what we’re going to do.” “God will supply all your needs,” I quickly said, paraphrasing Philippians 4:19. I was a new Christian, and I felt confident that Mary would be comforted by this verse and assured to know she did not have to worry about her financial problems. It wasn’t until years later when my own family was short on money that I realized how flippant I must have sounded to Mary that day. My husband Kurt was recovering from brain surgery and unable to work, and hospital bills became an added burden. No one merely recited a Bible verse to us. Instead, loving, generous friends and members of the church fulfilled the scripture by bringing us meals and giving us grocery store gift certificates. God works through us to do his will on earth.
The Author: Sue Carloni (Wisconsin, USA)
Thought for the Day: In what tangible ways can I help someone today?
Prayer: Thank you, dear God, for the generous people who help us when we are in financial need. Open our eyes to see those who need our help. As Jesus taught us, we pray, “Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation” (Luke 11:2-4, NIV). Amen.

Prayer focus: Those struggling to pay the bills
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