Billy Don't Need God Anymore!

Here we are in the United States of America. In contrast to other people living in the poorer countries of the world; we are pretty comfortable. For this gift, have you daily given "Thanks to God"? If you are not comfortable, have you given that up to The Lord?

In God there is life everlasting. Defeating death by the suffering, death, and resurrection is a gift given by God's Son. Lamb's blood on the door post saved the first born of Hebrew slaves from the angel of death. The blood of Jesus Christ removes our sins and redeems our souls or life everlasting. "Do you need God?" Are you aware there is nothing a human can do to earn salvation, we are sinners, we need God.

During 1997 Southern and South Eastern Ethiopia suffered a drought that created an urgent need. The UN disaster agency issued a plea for almost one hundred thousand tons of non perishable food. This need was projected as the amount required to sustain life for the poor people living in this region for three months. Three months was projected as the time required for the land and livestock to recover from the drought.

There was an Old Testament event in which the prophet Elijah was granted by God a request for there to be "no rain. This drought lasted for three years till God called it off." Elijah was told to shelter the perils of the drought at a widow's house. While the flour and oil used to make cakes held out her son died. Elijah cried out to God, asking first for life to return to the son. Additionally Elijah needed to life, to understand what God was asking of him.

You can read about this event in First Kings chapter seventeen. Rabbinical teachings explain the reason Elijah was sent to a poor gentile widow during the drought, was so he could learn first hand the suffering effect this drought he had requested, had on poor people. Widows suffered greatly already, the last thing they needed was a drought to combat. But God has a loving heart of compassion for widows, his Son illustrated this love.

For not knowing the reality of starvation, do you daily give "Thanks to God"? Maybe the question should be, "do you need God"?

His American name is Billy. He managed to escape the horrors of life in drought stricken Southern Ethiopia. Billy remembers going to bed without any clothes on his body, and his belly hurting because it was empty. Each morning Billy awoke without clothes and he still had a hungry belly. Billy, his mother and sister had no knowledge if they would eat that day.

Not only was Ethiopia trying to deal with the drought but their border with Somali was in conflict. Additionally UN relief workers were under attack by armed robbers. Some of these relief workers were murdered.

Billy spoke about remembering the sounds of screaming. Men with rifles would enter his village, people were dragged away. Sometimes happened in the dark of night. Billy could hear the screams and commotion from huts around theirs. Billy said it was expected the people who had been dragged away, to never be seen again. Billy said he remembers his mother, sister, and himself quite often and everyday to be praying to God.

When a person comes to know God through the blood of Jesus, prayers become an intimate pleading with the God of all creation for help. There is satisfaction in speaking with God and growing in knowing God cares.

Paul wrote in Galatians chapter one about his training and advancements into the Jewish faith. Paul was passionate as he remembers wanting to destroy anyone who threatened the traditions of the Jewish beliefs.

Reading Chapter one verse eleven, Paul begins to share what the revelation of the Good News meant for his life. Yeshua (Jesus), is the Christ, our Messiah, Redeemer, our Savior. Paul said this conversion, his being saved his becoming spiritually alive was not of man, but by God.

Galatians 1:15-16 CJB) But when God, who picked me out before I was born and called me by his grace, chose to reveal his Son to me, so that I might announce him to the Gentiles, I did not consult anyone;

Becoming Spiritually born is a new beginning. The ways of the past while not forgotten are replaced with a new relationship with God.

Billy has done quite well in the United States. Today Billy leases a limo for about nine hundred dollars a month. His plans in July are to purchase his own limo and enter into a service contract with a five star hotel.

About nine years ago Billy returned to Ethiopia to attend the funeral of his grandmother. The contrast of his new life and seeing where he came from, hit him hard. It was a shocked to witness, his body shook and trembled. Forgotten memories of the past horrors returned.