Page 160 - Evidence of Things Unseen

women who followed Him.

Luke 8:1-3
And it came about soon afterwards, that He began going about from one city and
village to another, proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God; and the twelve
were with Him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and
sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone
out, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others
who were contributing to their support out of their private means.

I can hear the Jews now. “Why don’t you get a job and quit sponging off of others? Be
a man and quit living off the money of these women. If you are God, why don’t you turn the
stones into gold? You are just a pretender. If it weren’t for these women you would have
starved to death long ago.”
Oh yes, I have heard similar charges. Sure, God could have dropped a bag of money
out of heaven and taken care of all of my needs. Why then did He choose the methods
employed? It was that I might learn humility, even as His own Son learned obedience from
the things that He suffered. Had he turned the stones into diamonds, or the dust into gold,
the lesson of humility that comes from being often reproached would not have been
learned.
I can imagine the charges brought against Yahshua. “You are not a very good provider
for your followers. They haven’t eaten all day, and now they are making a meal by walking
through the fields and threshing grain in their hands. Can’t you do better than that? You
have job skills. Why don’t you get a job and provide them with a real meal?”
There were days when the members of my family and I had no more than a sandwich,
or two, and a glass of water for lunch and supper. One day we had only a bag of grits in the
house. Yet we never went hungry. God always provided something. When we allow God to
begin choosing our path for us we will find that we are met with many circumstances we
would not have chosen for ourselves.

Philippians 4:11-13
Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever
circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know
how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of
being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can
do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Deuteronomy 8:15-16
He led you through the great and terrible wilderness, with its fiery serpents and
scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water; He brought water for you
out of the rock of flint. In the wilderness He fed you manna which your fathers did
not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do good for you
in the end.

Yahweh still chooses to perfect His sons and daughters by letting them know lack, by
them being cast upon Him for daily provision, and at the same time He teaches them
humility. I have certainly been reproached for the care I provided for my family. It would