by Michael Warden, Board Member
Anytime we are faced with widespread suffering, the first question that always comes up is “Where is God in all of this?” The good news is that the answer remains that God is where He always has been, on His throne, and in complete control.
At first, this can seem disheartening. If bad stuff can happen, even when God is in control, why should I trust God? But consider the reverse. If God were incapable of stopping bad things from happening, would that make you feel better or worse about the situation?
The reality is that we as believers can feel confident through hard times precisely because we know that our God will use this situation for our good and His glory.
Disease and Death Enter the World
Let’s back up. Scientists believe Coronavirus first infected humans in a market in Wuhan, China, but where did this virus come from, spiritually speaking?
God did not create the world for death and suffering. After God had finished making Eve so that Adam would not be lonely, Genesis 1:31 says:
And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. (ESV)
But Adam and Eve sinned in Genesis 3, and through that sin, we see that death and suffering enter the world. We were not made to separated from the ones we love, or to suffer through painful disease, and so the emotional and spiritual tolls are often as great as the physical ones.
God Uses Suffering for Our Good and His Glory
But God, being all-powerful and all-knowing, did not just leave His children to suffer in vain. The pattern in scripture is clear. He is Lord, even in our sufferings. We can see the promise made in Romans 8:28, among other places.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (ESV)- Romans 8:28
But this promise is not idle. Repeatedly throughout scripture, God fulfills His purposes for the good of His people through trying times. In Genesis, Joseph is sold into slavery, sent to Egypt, only to redeem His people by leading Egypt through a tremendous famine. In the end, Joseph declares:
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. (ESV) – Genesis 50:20
In Job, God allows Satan to take everything away from Job but his life. His possession and his children are destroyed. In the end, Job confesses:
“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (ESV)- Job 42:2–6
In this case, God restores Job’s family and possessions to him, and, in fact, doubles them, but more importantly, Job trusts God through all of His suffering, and through that trust, it is counted righteousness to Him through Jesus Christ.
We could take nearly endless other examples of suffering from the Bible to make similar points, from Jonah, to Paul, but the most obvious example is Jesus Himself. Through Jesus’ suffering, God reconciled the world to Himself. Jesus’ death on the cross was not Satan’s defeat of God, as the men on the road Emmaus wondered (Luke 24:13-17), but God’s defeat of Satan once and for all (John 19:30- “It is finished.”).
For the Unbeliever
The reality is that the world is like this, full of disease, suffering, and death, whether you believe there is a merciful God on the throne or whether you believe that this is also just random chance. The difference between the two outlooks is whether the reality of the current world will produce hope or dismay.
For the unbeliever, suffering and loss in the only time you believe you have could easily lead to dismay. This world, you believe, is as good as anything ever gets. If it’s not so good to you, what hope might you have for something better?
For the believer, however, we are included in the promise of Romans 8:28. All things work together for our good, whether in this life or eternity, and this world is the worst we must endure. All things will be made new.
If you have not yet put your faith in Christ, this is an opportunity to enter into His promises. Ask us how.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (ESV)- Revelation 21:3–5
How are we as Christians called to respond?
As believers, because we can be confident in the promises of God even in the midst of suffering, we do not have to respond from a place of fear. We are free to demonstrate God’s love for us, by loving others. Ministering to people’s physical, social, emotional, and spiritual needs continues to be our response.
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. (ESV)- Romans 12:15
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. (ESV) – John 21:15–17
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. (ESV)- James 1:12
Site Updates: Still Serving Strong
Everyone’s affected by what’s happening right now with COVID-19, and we know that the face of those affected is going to change over time. But right now, the efforts that Feed the Need Missions are for those that are hungry and needing spiritual filling. We serve many families in our communities through a hot meal, and will continue.
Site Coordinator Jack Gilmore mentioned “All but four cars asked for prayer. People are hurting and confused on what’s happening. We needed to be there to comfort them,” he said. “We had a guy who pulled up and handed me money, he didn’t want food he just wanted to thank my team for being out there and encouraged us to keep going.”
Since the outbreak started our organization has mobilized volunteers to serve to-go bags to those who come to a site. Local restaurants are partnering with us to help feed people in need for the interim because food shortage in our feeding areas. We appreciate those who have come along side of us to continue to serve those in need.
Feed the Need Missions is following the guidelines from the CDC website. We will continue to serve as our government officials will allow.
Meet A Volunteer: Timothy
Timothy and his family live in the Ukraine. They helped host our Feed the Need Missions team that went to the Ukraine in October of 2019. While Timothy was here we got to meet up for dinner and share more about Feed the Need Missions and invited him to serve.
Being in Smithville he had the opportunity to serve at the Smithville site. “I love to tell people about Jesus ” he said, “especially to those that listen,” he winked. Timothy spent time with a group of teenagers explaining the gospel and his culture in the Ukraine.
Timothy loves the mission and vision behind Feed the Need Missions and is wanting to start a site in the Ukraine. Now that he has hands on experience in Smithville, Texas he’s even more excited. Pray with us for God’s guidance as we encourage and help the Ukrainians fulfill Jesus’ last words “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”– Matthew 28:19
Where is God in Coronavirus?
by Michael Warden, Board Member
Anytime we are faced with widespread suffering, the first question that always comes up is “Where is God in all of this?” The good news is that the answer remains that God is where He always has been, on His throne, and in complete control.
At first, this can seem disheartening. If bad stuff can happen, even when God is in control, why should I trust God? But consider the reverse. If God were incapable of stopping bad things from happening, would that make you feel better or worse about the situation?
The reality is that we as believers can feel confident through hard times precisely because we know that our God will use this situation for our good and His glory.
Disease and Death Enter the World
Let’s back up. Scientists believe Coronavirus first infected humans in a market in Wuhan, China, but where did this virus come from, spiritually speaking?
God did not create the world for death and suffering. After God had finished making Eve so that Adam would not be lonely, Genesis 1:31 says:
And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. (ESV)
But Adam and Eve sinned in Genesis 3, and through that sin, we see that death and suffering enter the world. We were not made to separated from the ones we love, or to suffer through painful disease, and so the emotional and spiritual tolls are often as great as the physical ones.
God Uses Suffering for Our Good and His Glory
But God, being all-powerful and all-knowing, did not just leave His children to suffer in vain. The pattern in scripture is clear. He is Lord, even in our sufferings. We can see the promise made in Romans 8:28, among other places.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (ESV)- Romans 8:28
But this promise is not idle. Repeatedly throughout scripture, God fulfills His purposes for the good of His people through trying times. In Genesis, Joseph is sold into slavery, sent to Egypt, only to redeem His people by leading Egypt through a tremendous famine. In the end, Joseph declares:
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. (ESV) – Genesis 50:20
In Job, God allows Satan to take everything away from Job but his life. His possession and his children are destroyed. In the end, Job confesses:
“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (ESV)- Job 42:2–6
In this case, God restores Job’s family and possessions to him, and, in fact, doubles them, but more importantly, Job trusts God through all of His suffering, and through that trust, it is counted righteousness to Him through Jesus Christ.
We could take nearly endless other examples of suffering from the Bible to make similar points, from Jonah, to Paul, but the most obvious example is Jesus Himself. Through Jesus’ suffering, God reconciled the world to Himself. Jesus’ death on the cross was not Satan’s defeat of God, as the men on the road Emmaus wondered (Luke 24:13-17), but God’s defeat of Satan once and for all (John 19:30- “It is finished.”).
For the Unbeliever
The reality is that the world is like this, full of disease, suffering, and death, whether you believe there is a merciful God on the throne or whether you believe that this is also just random chance. The difference between the two outlooks is whether the reality of the current world will produce hope or dismay.
For the unbeliever, suffering and loss in the only time you believe you have could easily lead to dismay. This world, you believe, is as good as anything ever gets. If it’s not so good to you, what hope might you have for something better?
For the believer, however, we are included in the promise of Romans 8:28. All things work together for our good, whether in this life or eternity, and this world is the worst we must endure. All things will be made new.
If you have not yet put your faith in Christ, this is an opportunity to enter into His promises. Ask us how.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (ESV)- Revelation 21:3–5
How are we as Christians called to respond?
As believers, because we can be confident in the promises of God even in the midst of suffering, we do not have to respond from a place of fear. We are free to demonstrate God’s love for us, by loving others. Ministering to people’s physical, social, emotional, and spiritual needs continues to be our response.
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. (ESV)- Romans 12:15
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. (ESV) – John 21:15–17
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. (ESV)- James 1:12
Pray & Reflect With Us: 10th Anniversary
Hard to believe, but this year marks our 10th anniversary. This has been a deeply gratifying and rewarding experience and we are grateful to God for His call upon our lives. While in some ways Feed the Need Missions is still just a beginner in ministry, there have been many lessons learned during our first decade together.
Ministry makes huge demands upon our staff team and family. There is always something more to do, and because of all the busyness, it is often prayer that gets left out. This is unfortunate and can be quite damaging over time. Therefore, we must ensure that prayer is built into the daily rhythms of our lives. We are very thankful for people like you that intentionally commit to lifting our ministry and our families up in prayer, along with family members that do the same. Ministry is war and without prayer we can potentially be headed for trouble.
As we continue the journey, we ask that you continue to pray for us. No doubt, there will be times of trial, disappointment, setbacks, and who knows what else, but we must persevere in the strength that only Christ can provide. The words of Paul are especially helpful: “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).
We thank you for your prayers and doing ministry with us for the last decade.
Site Update/News: Open House Party
Thank you to those who came for the month of March to learn more about Feed the Need Missions during Open House month. Now let’s party! Join us to check out our new office, be a judge for the burger cook-off, enjoy face painting, a bounce house, and a live band in the evening. We’ll be serving a free burger dinner at 5:00 pm.
All you have to do is show up! If you would like to participate in judging, please purchase a $5.00 ticket to taste one sample from each contestant; judging will start at 5:00 pm. This is a fun family community event to celebrate together all that God is doing within Feed the Need Missions.
Come party with us. For more information please visit https://feedtheneed.org/events/open-house-party/
Community Gardens
1067 Highway 71 W
Bastrop, Texas 78602
Meet A Volunteer: Bryan
Bryan was one of the first volunteers that was baptized at Feed the Need Missions during one of our feeding sites. Bryan is married with two boys and plays a big part in our disaster relief team. When he was baptized he turned around and baptized his wife, Brittanie.
“I finally understood the gospel when I went on a disaster relief trip. I saw all the people hurting but the way Feed the Need Missions served the people and loving unconditionally changed my heart.” he said.
What an incredible experience it was to see true transformation and a heart for Jesus.
SITE UPDATES & NEWS: OPEN HOUSE
Feed the Need Missions would like to invite you to our Open House events!
For the entire month of March every one of our sites will be open for you to come check out what God is doing in our communities. Find a site near you!
Folks of all ages are invited to come out and participate in a variety of ways. You can dive into one of our family friendly positions right away, or just come out and observe all the wonderful encouragement being shared in your community. This is an ideal time to see the ins and outs of a weekly site.
We’ve made this super simple for you! All you have to do is show up at one of our sites. Feel free to let one of the volunteers know you are there to check things out or just grab a burger and enjoy the community. AND mark your calendars for a fun Open House Party Saturday, March 28, 2020 at Community Gardens from 5pm-7pm click HERE.
If you are a volunteer and would like to compete in the Cook-off register HERE.
Volunteer Story: Meet Jeremy
Whether you’re helping to hand out hot meals at a soup kitchen, Feed the Need Missions, or another non-profit organization, your time and energy are valuable to both the clients and the staff. Volunteering is also a great way to get involved in your community! For the months of January and February, we want to honor our volunteers and share with you how volunteering has impacted them.
Jeremy is a new volunteer who has been serving faithfully at our LBA site. He is also finding his place as a new follower of Christ. Feed the Need Missions has helped him realize the difference between having much, and having little. “People have it way worse than I have it,” he said. “It opens your eyes to a better understanding of what real life struggles look like. The people are willing to give up so much when they have so little. They don’t complain when we get low on food and they are always so appreciative,” he said.
We are so thankful for people like Jeremy who take the time out of their busy life, to serve others. Volunteers provide a valuable service for non-profits like Feed the Need Missions. The lack of resources that is needed for the communities we serve, puts a strain on our small staff team. Jeremy said, “The smile on their face after giving them a burger is pure enjoyment, why wouldn’t anyone want to serve with you guys? God wants us to love others and to share his love and this is a great way to do it.”
Come out to one of our communities and be a part of the great work the Lord is doing!
Pray & Reflect With Us: Capable of Love
While we are definitely called to work with the Spirit of God so we might be more and more conformed to Christ, God must take the first step in order to guarantee this conformity. For as 1 John 4:19 tells us, “we love because he first loved us.” It is the effectual love of God that first changes our hearts in order to make us capable of love, and it is His example of love that reminds us again and again of our need to love other people.
1 John 4:19 is the verse Feed the Need Missions focuses on. We are to love our neighbors and be a support to others. We simply do that by giving a hot meal, praying for people, and building relationships.
This Valentine’s holiday, may you remember the sacrificial love that God gives us. Be reminded of “what Jesus would do” with those around you and remind yourself of the capable love that God gave us.
Meet A Volunteer: Keith
Keith has been serving at the Justin site for a little over a year. “I was brought up catholic and never really got into church after I grew up. I started using right out of High School. I was partying with family and friends until I was 25 years old. I put myself in rehab and I knew if I put myself there and could stay clean for the 2 weeks I was there, I could pull through,” Keith said.
After rehab he started working as a rancher and got saved seven years ago. He went all in for Jesus and decided it was best for him and his now ex wife and son to move to Texas for a better living environment. “The passion that God was showing me was so overwhelming I needed to listen to where He wanted me to go, so we went,” he said.
Keith heard about Feed the Need from Josh, who is a leader at the Justin site. Josh is also a leader in celebrate recovery where Keith is a part of too. “He told me about Feed the Need Missions on and off for a year or so. Things happened in Bridgeport and doors got closed so I moved to Denton. When I moved I got involved with Feed the Need Missions. I can now share my testimony of using drugs for 10 years, to the person I am today,” he said with excitement.
“I love Feed the Need Missions. I think people should come and experience it too, and get involved,” Keith said. “The smile on kids face and being able to pray with people and cry with people when they are struggling is what it’s all about, just being there like Jesus would.”