Self-reliance and self-dependence is the scourge of modern-day living. We live in fear and anxiety, knowing that, with the breakdown of community and neighborliness, we are the only ones we can depend on to ensure that we will survive. We live a "dog eat dog world," where each person has to take care of himself. After all, "noone else is going to take care of you" - besides, "doesn't the Bible say that God helps those who help themselves?"

This panicked attitude reflects itself in a spectrum of frenetic living. Parents work themselves to the bone; the old are scared to retire. Enough is never enough; there is always the striving for more. Advertising drives us to buy that next new thing that we "need." All the while we are conscious of failure, and a fear of never having enough, and that somehow, if we are not careful, we will eventually be found in desperate need.

The Apostle Paul calls out from his prison cell, "God has already provided everything that you need." He tells us that we are not to be anxious about anything, that we are ask God for everything with prayer with thanksgiving. "God is our supply," he tells us, "God provides for all of our needs." God teaches us how to live in whatever circumstance we are in; even where we are in need, there we still can find contentment. Paul writes, "I can do all this through Christ who is the One who gives me the power." In this context Paul refers to living with humble means; yes, even living in want. But it is not mere survival that Paul has in mind, but living; yes, living, and with contentment. That takes the power of Christ, for it is His life and power in us that becomes the Source of our living.

I believe Paul's statement cuts across our society's frenetic living. Paul states "God will supply; stop worrying about everything!" Paul speaks to the power that comes from Christ to rest safely and securely knowing that God will take care of our provision. The Bible teaches that God takes care of His own. Jesus says in John 15 that without Him we can do nothing. Yet we, as humans, do not believe it. Instead, we try to conquer the world on our own, quite often complicating the mess that we found ourselves in to begin with.

What we need to learn is to wait patiently upon God and allow God to show Himself strong. This is one of the things we learn from the Old Testament. God is our provider; God fought all the battles of Israel. He showed Himself to be strong, and they fought with His power,oftentimes not even with so much as lifting a finger. God brought manna to His people in the desert; He brought them through the Red Sea. He dried up the Jordan when it was in flood stage and guided His people across. Jericho was conquered without Israel firing a shot. It was God's power which was active; it was His ability which shone.

This same God provides for all true Christians today - and He provides for us through His own means. And even when those means do not seem to be available, when they do not appear to even exist - in those situations God gives His people the power to make do without these means. This was Paul situation. He speaks in testimony, looking back over all of his years of ministry. And he says now at the twilight of his life, "I have learned to be content, whether in want or in plenty, whether with little or with much. I have even learned that God was faithful, for He gave me the ability to survive even when I suffered need. Therefore, I am confident that I can do it all, whatever the greatness of the task will be, for I can do all things through Christ, who is in Himself the Source of my ability."

Yes, Jesus' statement is true. Without Him we can do nothing. Oh, we can worry, and we can engage in all sorts of frenetic human activity trying to quench the fear of our anxiety. But we will simply "be spinning our wheels;" we will not accomplish anything by this for God. And we will never truly be happy and content; we will simply be carried on my our fears, and by our passions and lusts. And in many way, I believe, we will miss out on God's supply, having attempted to do for ourselves what God promises that He will do by His magnificent power.

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