Crumbs, or the Whole Meal?

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” – Phil. 4:13 NKJV

This is a well-known verse in the Bible, one my mother made us quote whenever she caught us saying, “I can’t…”

Yet for some reason, God has placed this verse in front of me at every turn for the entire week, just before we left to accompany my dad on a recent trip to Texarkana, Arkansas. It showed up everywhere, on signs, and just about everywhere I looked. Then, there was a lady with the verse on her shirt at the store Anthony and I stopped at on the way to Dad’s to leave for our trip.

If you read that entire 4th chapter of Philippians, it puts it all into the greater perspective that Paul was trying to convey to us all. He talks about two people he names, calling them to have the same mind in Christ… perhaps they had been having some disagreement (Unity, working together)?

He goes on, talking about being thankful in all situations, and trusting God, lifting our prayers to Him with supplication, with thanksgiving. No doubt he is assuring us from his own experience that as we do this (praying in a spirit of trust and thankfulness), “The peace of God which passes understanding will comfort your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (vv. 6-7).

Paul then shifts gears again, reminding us to think on the positive things in that spirit of thankfulness (v. … Of course. I would think in all his ministry, he well knew how easy it is to open the door to the devil’s discouragement. Doing this guards against that. It breaks his power to use that thing to break you down (unshakable faith)!

He goes on to tell us he has learned to “be abased and to abound”, to be consistent in his faith in times of lack as well as times of plenty (vv. 9-10), stating he has “learned whatsoever state he is in, therewith to be content” (v. 11, Mama often quoted this one too, when she caught us grumbling). It is in this greater perspective that he then gives us the reassuring truth of verse 13. Reread verses 9-12, THEN verse 13.

We love to quote that verse when things are going well, when we’re trying to stay positive and consistent in our faith, despite the mishaps life can throw at us. Yet as soon as the bottom falls out of things, we lose our resolve and find ourselves fallen off of the “faith wagon”, left sitting on the ground while it seems everyone else has gone on having a wonderful time (this is what the enemy WANTS you to think). In reality, they’re struggling too. You just don’t see it. Again, too many times, we only see what the devil wants us to see.

You wouldn’t just use one or two ingredients when you make a cake…without the eggs, it will fall apart, etc…

You wouldn’t go to a restaurant with a buffet and just get one thing and nothing else. And you wouldn’t dream of going to someone’s house for dinner and only eating one thing… that would be an insult to the one who prepared the meal, wouldn’t it?

So why then, do we continue to settle for mere crumbs, reciting the same little popularly known verses , too often missing out on the context of the surrounding Scripture so as to gain understanding of the greater perspective that is being presented? Why do we keep allowing the enemy to deceive us into the complacency of settling for the crumbs when our Lord has prepared a full meal for us?? (We’re not dogs. )

Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God”. And Revelation 3:20 is the dinner invitation offered to us by our Lord, Jesus Christ. But for each and every one of us, that invitation has an expiration date. The enemy knows this. And he is counting on us being satisfied with the crumbs, so he can (and will) use what we don’t know against us.

It’s the Savior Himself, patiently and lovingly knocking on that door of your heart today. He has a full course meal prepared and on the table for us with everything He has desired to give us. I think it just breaks His heart to see us all so easily being deceived into settling for the crumbs and then suffering needlessly. So many times, He wants to help us. But without realizing it, we have refused His invitation, choosing instead to just be content with little nibblets and bits and pieces and struggle with shallow faith.

He wouldn’t have continued to put this verse in front of me at every turn for an entire week if He wasn’t trying to tell us something. He sees our struggles and wants to help us if we will only open that door of our hearts and accept that dinner invitation, now, today, while there is still time. None of us are promised tomorrow. I think we all know that now.

Matthew 5:6 says, “Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled”. Stop setting for crumbs and allowing the enemy to deceive you into missing out on the full meal our sweet Jesus has prepared for all who will accept His invitation, now, while there is still time.

“Dinner’s ready!” Remember Mama calling us all to announce that? (And back then, she didn’t even have to use a cell phone ). How excited and relieved we were to finally hear that call! How much more should we not be glad and excited to hear our loving Savior calling now, while there is still time?

Now, are you “hungry” yet? Or are you going to continue to be okay with crumbs? It’s time for us to rise up as an army and take back what the enemy has all too easily continued to steal from us. Most of us would likely not tolerate anyone trying to steal our food when we’re enjoying that buffet meal. Aren’t you tired of letting the devil and his minions steal your spiritual food?!?

The above picture was taken on a recent trip to Fields of the Wood with my husband on our way back from Gatlinburg, TN, where we attended the annual Smoky Mountain Gathering with some of our church family. And yes, I climbed all of those steps, although my husband didn’t because of health limitations. So, we drove around to the top of the mountain so he could still view it. However, we well believe in God’s healing, restoring power, and we are continuing to believe God for his healing!

But you don’t have to climb up a mountain of stairs to get to the bountiful table our Lord has prepared for all those who will accept His royal dinner invitation. I hope you will accept it today. No need to dress fancy or make a reservation. He’s already prepared everything. All you need to do is accept it.

The invitations have been sent. Your Table is Ready! (Click the link to hear a recent sermon I preached on this. 🙂 ) Are you going to allow the enemy to keep deceiving you into settling for mere crumbs, or the whole meal? The choice is yours.