In life, we have many needs. Need is a requirement that is essential or very important for our survival. Food, water, shelter and oxygen are the basic needs of human beings. We cannot survive without them. Most of the time we confuse our wants with our needs. Wanting something is a desire to possess something. It is something you wish for and not a necessity to live. How many times we have wished for things that we see – “I want that bag / shoe / phone / pet” and so on. Our needs, because it is a necessity, should be met. It is a matter of life and death. However, our wants can wait.
What does the treasure book say about our needs and wants?
OPENING THE TREASURE BOOK 
Needs
Need is an essential requirement for survival.
Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
Matthew 6: 25-26
Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Matthew 6:31-33
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19
Our God is “YHWH Yireh (Jehovah Jireh)” meaning the God who provides. God knows all our needs and He provides for us. We should understand that our needs are met by God and not by our smartness or our strength. If we trust in our might or in the might of any other human to provide for us – it will be temporary and short-lived. But if we trust in God to take care of our needs, it is for a life time – a permanent solution. When God is in control, we do not have to worry about our needs or seek after them. But seek the kingdom of God first and everything else will follow. Our God will supply all our needs according to His riches. He is the Creator of the whole world and the source of all riches. And He supplies our needs according to His riches.
The word of God mentions countless instances where God provides for the needs of His children. Taking care of the Israelite’s needs during the great Exodus is one such instance. Let us look into the example of how God provided for Elijah, His prophet.
God provides for Elijah & Widow ( 1 Kings 17 )
During the time of Ahab, the wicked king of Israel, God sent prophet Elijah to him to proclaim a drought in the country. Then God told him to get away and hide by the Brook Cherith. God met his needs there by providing drink from the brook and food through ravens. The ravens brought him bread & meat in the morning and evening. After a while the brook dried up. God told him to go to Zarephath and stay there. So Elijah arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, he saw a widow gathering sticks. He called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.” And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” So she said, “I do not have bread, but only a handful of flour in a bin and a little oil in a jar. I am gathering sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.” And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord God ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’ ” So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and they ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah.
Our God works in miraculous ways for His children. Can you imagine ravens bringing food? God can carry out things through unexpected channels / resources. He can use anyone for that matter, to be a blessing for His children. He took care of Elijah and all his needs. We see that God provided not only for Elijah but also for the widow and her son who were thinking of having their last meal before starving to death. They did not have any food left but God miraculously provided for the widow and her son. The flour bin and the oil jar was never used up. Even after emptying and using up the contents of the flour bin and oil jar, the flour and oil remained to provide for them until the end of the drought. God took care of their needs too. Our God is true to His promises and always keeps His word.
But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
1 John 3:17
God loves us very much and blesses us beyond our imagination. When we see our brothers or sisters in need, we should also be kind and compassionate to them – extend to them what we received from God. The blessings that God provided for us is not exclusively for us but also for sharing with those in need and helping them in their lack. Those who do not show compassion to others do not love God and His love do not abide in them.
Our God knows all our needs and meets them. He works in miraculous ways to provide according to His riches. We should extend the blessings that God provided to bless others who are in need.
Wants
Wanting something is a desire to possess something. It is something you wish for and not a necessity to live. Desires can be good or evil. Wanting something or having a desire for something is fine as long as the desire is not evil.
But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
James 1:14-15
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Galatians 5:16
Evil desires will not help you in anyway but will result in sin and eventually death. For example, it is evil to be covetous – i.e., desire for things that belong to others. This kind of desire will lead you to take possession of those things by evil methods – by cheating, by force, etc. This is sin and results in separation from God. So guard your heart and do not let evil desires in your heart.
Having a desire for the things of the world more than a desire for God is also evil. In this case, you love the world more than God. Friendship with the world is enmity to God. If you walk in the spirit – according to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, you will not go behind evil desires. It is an antidote to walking in the evil ways of the world and its evil desires. Also when you walk according to the dictates of the Holy Spirit your desires will be in line with the plan & purpose God has for your life.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
James 1:17
Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Psalms 37:3-4
Now for the good desires, God is a good God who does not withhold any good gifts from His children. Like most fathers, God also likes to see His children happy. When you love God with your whole heart, you will hate everything to do with evil and you will not have any evil desire in your heart. Trust in the Lord, love Him and delight in Him and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Desires can be good or evil. Evil desires will result in sin and eventually death. Walking in the spirit is an antidote to walking in the way of the flesh and its evil desires. It also aligns our desire to the plan & purpose God has for our life. God does not withhold any good gifts from His children. Trust in the Lord, love Him, delight in Him and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Treasures uncovered
Need is a requirement that is essential or very important for our survival. Our God knows all our needs and meets them. He works in miraculous ways to provide according to His riches. We should extend the blessings that God provided to bless others who are in need.
To Want is a desire to possess something. It is something you wish for and not a necessity. Desires can be good or evil. Evil desires will result in sin and eventually death. Walking in the spirit is an antidote to walking in the way of the flesh and its evil desires. It also aligns our desire to the plan & purpose God has for our life. God does not withhold any good gifts from His children. Trust in the Lord, love Him, delight in Him and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Prayer:
Father, we thank you for being our provider. Thank you for meeting all our needs. Help us to walk according to the dictates of the Holy Spirit and guard our hearts against evil desires. Thank You for being a good father to us. We love you. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
Bible lessons 4 young Christians 