We all have needs. In order to even survive on planet Earth we must have our basic needs met. And nobody can supply those needs but Almighty God. Man’s most basic needs for survival include air to breathe, water to drink, food to eat, shelter from the elements and sleep. We are totally dependent upon the God of the universe to meet those needs. I wonder about those individuals who claim that there is no God, yet they breathe His good air, consume His resources, and rest the body that He made with restorative sleep. Yes, life can be hard sometimes, but Thank GOD we have a good and loving God who sees our circumstances and promises to meet our each and every need.
Abraham Maslow suggested in 1943 that there is a priority level for each of our needs. He first introduced his concept of a hierarchy of needs in his 1943 paper “A Theory of Human Motivation” and his subsequent book Motivation and Personality. According to him, once the basic needs of survival are met, the next level of needs come into play. While not everyone agrees with all of the elements of each level, the Hierarchy of Authority still stands as a description of human needs. While some have modified his position, the hierarchy does help us to understand how people function. Maslow illustrated human hierarchy of needs in the form of a pyramid.
There are five different levels in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. They are:
- The Physiological Needs that were outlined earlier.
- Security Needs, which include the needs for safety and security. Some examples of security needs are a desire for steady employment, health care, safe neighborhoods, and shelter from the environment.
- Social Needs, which include needs for belonging, love, and affection. Relationships such as friendships, romantic attachments, and families help fulfill this need for companionship and acceptance, as well as involvement in social, community, or religious groups.
- Esteem Needs involve the need for self-esteem, personal worth, social recognition, and accomplishment. Failing to gain recognition for accomplishments can lead to feelings of failure or inferiority
- Self-actualizing Needs. This is the highest level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and it involves self-awareness, concerns about personal growth, and interest in fulfilling one’s potential.
I have excellent news to share concerning all of our needs. In the book of Phillipians the Bible tells us tells us that God is well able to supply them all.
Philippians 4:19 (KJV)
19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
How comforting it is to know that our God has the power and desire to fulfill all of our needs.
And, according to His manual, the Bible, all we have to do is ask. One of my favorite scriptures is Luke 11:9-13. It states:
Luke 11:8-13 (KJV)
9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Have you paid attention to the fact that the key words in verse 9: Ask, Seek and Knock spell the word Ask? It looks like God wants us to ask of Him what we need. Yes, there are some things He has already provided for you and we didn’t even have to ask for them. We are all breathing, right? And, He does rain on the just as well as the unjust, according to Matt. 5:45. That’s just because He is such a good God.
But, and I ask this question of the atheist, how can you ask something of someone that you do not believe exists? IJS. Asking God for something recognizes who He is and allows us to put ourselves in proper perspective to Him. You have to humble yourself to another when you are asking something of that person. God is our Heavenly Father and it His good pleasure to give us the kingdom.
Luke 12:32 (KJV)
32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
That is, if He is your Heavenly Father. For those of you who have not accepted God as the sovereign and supreme Creator and Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, asking for something from God through Jesus would be similar to asking my natural father to meet your needs. If you were to ask my Dad for $100 (If he were still alive, of course), I’m sure he would want to know who you are and why you feel that you have the right to ask anything of him. He might even say, “You are not my child, why should I give you $100?” But if you were his child he would be more likely to give it to you. The same goes for my Heavenly Father. Why would my Heavenly father meet your needs when you are not His child? But don’t despair, I have good news for you. If you are not His child you can be. No matter what you’ve done, no matter how ugly you ‘ve lived, Jesus has already died for your sins and made it possible for you to become a child of God. So how do you become His child? You do this through the new birth. You ask Him to forgive you of your sins, and you ask Him for the gift of Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. You are then re-born. In order to have the power to live a clean and holy life, as Jesus requires, you ask Him to fill you with the Holy Ghost. And He will do it.
There is one more little nugget that you need to know about salvation. You cannot fool God. You cannot “game” Him and you cannot trick Him. Since He made you He knows more about you than you know about yourself. He knows when you are sincere in your repentance and He requires true repentance. Don’t expect to go through the motions, say the right words, take a run through His treasure chest of blessings with the intentions of getting what you want from Him, then going back to your old way of life. It won’t work. But I assure you that if you desire a true change in your life circumstances, a real relationship with your Heavenly father, as well as your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and to have your feet placed on the right path to heaven you can have it. My God will meet all of your needs.
Luke 12:22-32 (KJV)
22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?
25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
You read the last line, right? It is His good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. And, once you are His child, all you have to do is ASK!
