November 13, 1998, Friday

Would you consider sickness, poverty, or persecution to

be an affliction and stressful situation? What motivates

most people to pursue and achieve their goals? Would you

prefer to have approval for what you have accomplished

or suffer from failure?

Most people would vote a hearty "yes" that affliction

is not a pleasurable experience. But Paul tells us that

he found pleasure in the strength of God during the

time of difficulty---"I take pleasure in infirmities, in

reproaches, in NEEDS, in persecutions, in distresses,

for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, I am

strong" (2Cor 12:10). For the sake of Christ is the

condition that the Scripture states for this promise to

be true. We can find pleasure today in Christ's cause.

Jesus declared that certainly God knows our basic needs

to achieve, and provide for our families and ourselves.

"For after all these things the world's people seek. But

your heavenly Father knows that you NEED all these

basic things" (Mat 6:32). Only pursue first the Kingdom

of God and His righteousness and all these things will

be added to you.

Paul advised young Timothy that he would achieve great

things and would not be ashamed later for pursuing the

the approval of God--"Be diligent to present yourself

approved to God, a worker who NEEDS NOT to be

ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2Tim 2:15).

You will never fail with God at your side.

Let us remember who is the God that sees all things.

God's name is Jehová El Roi. He is the God that sees

the NEEDS of His people, that is our moral conscience

and strength daily, and is our strong support because

our hearts are truly His. Lift your hands to Him and

Praise Him today for the fact that He is the God that

that sees everything!