Some people have everything. But I don't. I don't have a care and I don't want one!

In Webster's 1828 Dictionary, the main definition for care is to be anxious and the variations of the definition all have to do with a degree of anxiety. But as Christians, we are told in Philippians 4:6 that we should be anxious for nothing.

We know there are certain things that are always sin. Pride, adultery, covetousness, and fornication are always sins. There is no such thing as good adultery and bad adultery. Adultery is always sin. There is no such thing as good pride and bad pride. Pride is always sin. I have heard it taught that care is always sin. But how can that be when First Peter 5:7 tells us God cares for us and God does not sin?

The reality is, the care we cast upon Him (gr. merimna) is different from the care (gr. melo) He has for us. The synonyms for the care we are to cast upon Him are: affliction, aggravation, alarm, anguish, anxiety, distress, encumbrance, fear, handicap, hindrance, hardship, oppression, pressure, sorrow, stew, strain, stress, sweat, tribulation, trouble, unhappiness, vexation, woe, and worry. As a Christian, you cannot walk in this type of care.

Every definition of this word (gr. merimna), which is only used six times in the New Testament, is anti-faith. Three of the references (Matthew 13:22, Mark 4:19, Luke 8:14) talk about how this type of care will choke the Word and make the Word and the one who has it unfruitful. Walking in care can literally destroy your ministry, your health, and your family. On the other hand, the care that God has for us (gr. melo) simply indicates that we matter to Him.

In the current economic crisis, we must take all of our anxieties, stress, and worry and cast that care upon Him. We must continue to live our lives from a position of faith and give no entrance to the cares of the world. Remember, the cares of the world choke the Word and we are Word people.

During the time of Isaac, the economy was in total devastation. There was a famine in the land. But Isaac sowed in this time of famine and became so prosperous that he was envied by the Philistines. The Bible tells us that he harvested a hundredfold even though his sowing was done during a time of economic crisis. (Genesis 26)

During the Great Depression of the 1930's countless people lost their life savings. But what has often gone unreported is this. Many millionaires were made at the same time. There is no less or no more wealth in the earth today than there was a year ago. It's only in different places. The difference between Isaac and the others of his day is that he would not allow the conditions of the world to affect his determination to sow and even though there was poverty all around him, he became exceedingly wealthy because he did not abandon the principle of sowing and reaping.

As believers in these last days, we must be examples. Instead of drawing back because things look bad, we must continue in faith and cast all of our fear and anxiety upon Him. The result will be great victory and increase when it looks like failure.

When your back is against the wall and it looks like imminent defeat, God has a better plan. It's called imminent victory.

"Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful." (Matthew 13:22)

1 Peter 5:7 (in different versions)

"Give all your worries to him, because he cares about you." (New Century Version)

"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you." (New Living Translation)

"Casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you." (New American Standard Bible)

Devotion 0494