Kelli Trujillo Supporter Loving Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Teacher, Musician

I think that there are a few things to consider here. First of all, the Bible tells us that when we have a need, we are to ask God in faith:

Matthew 7:7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." 

James 5: 13-16 "Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

My husband and I used to run an inner city ministry and we depended on donations to eat, literally. There were many times when we did not know where our next meal was coming from, but we continued to pray, and God never let us go hungry.

Also, Jesus told us that we would always have the poor with us (Matt. 26:11), and it is His desire for us to meet the needs of others. We are His hands and feet now, and He wants us to take our eyes off our ourselves and to look out for the needs of others as a testimony of His goodness, kindness and generosity. There are those who do not know that they need to ask God, or they are asking the wrong "gods" to feed their hunger. This is a fantastic opportunity for Christians to share the gospel with them, by meeting their need for food.

In spite of the fact that God provides for His own, I know that there are people who have starved to death who were very devout Christians who probably asked for provision. In these cases, I would have to answer that there is a fate worse than physical death, which is spiritual death. When Jesus was asked by His disciples once if he was hungry, He replied to them that He had "food that they didn't know about," and that His food was "to do the will of God." As Christians, we are heavenly beings, our priorities are different than those of people who don't know Jesus. Death does not hold the same sting or power over us that it does for others; therefore, for the Christian to starve to death is not the ultimately tragic end that it is for others.

September 01 2013 • 5 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Vincent Mercado Supporter Skeptic turned believer, Catholic, father of 3

Some people die of starvation because other people are greedy.

Jesus commands everyone to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, take care of the sick, yet some people choose to do nothing. And the consequence of their selfishness falls, not unto themselves, but to the people who are supposed to be their "brethren".

September 01 2013 • 3 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Pastor Shafer Supporter

Don't Take The Scripture Out Of Context :
He Exhorts Us Not To Be Concerned About Worldly Things
Matthew 6:25 (KJV) 
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 
Do not worry, be overly anxious, or fretful.

1. Life is more than food (Mt. 6:25).

2. The body is more than clothing (Mt. 6:25).

3. Human beings are greater than materials (Mt. 6:25).

4. People are more important than birds whom God feeds without their labor (Mt. 6:26).

5. Worry cannot change the body (Mt. 6:27).

6. People are better than plants that do not worry about clothing (Mt. 6:28-30).

7. God's providence is over all creation, not just birds and plants that never buy, sell, manufacture, or labor (Mt. 6:26-32).

8. Worry is useless and sinful and must not be tolerated (Mt. 6:33-34).

Quit Worrying Because It Is:

1. Sinful and produces fear

2. A disease causing other ills

3. Borrowing trouble that cannot be paid back

4. Brooding over what may NOT happen

5. Creating trouble, misery, death

6. A burden borrowed from tomorrow and others who should carry it

7. A weight that kills prematurely

8. Mental and physical suicide

9. A gravedigger that has no sympathy

10. Needless and wastes time and effort that should be spent on worthwhile things

11. A robber of faith, peace, and trust in a never-failing, heavenly Father

12. A stumblingblock for others

13. A disgrace to God and should never be indulged in by Christians

14. Anxiety over what is nothing today and less tomorrow, in view of faith

15. Anticipating troubles which seldom come to those who trust God

16. Torment over something that will likely be a blessing if it comes

17. Living like an orphan without a heavenly Father

18. A crime against God, man, nature, and better judgment

19. Mental cruelty to self and others

20. Foolish, for whatever is going to happen cannot be stopped by worry; and if it doesn't happen, there is nothing to worry about. Should adversities actually come, one may still be victorious by trusting in God.

[Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?... Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unot his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment?] 

Compare contrasting values, Lk. 12:13-34.
13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. 
14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? 
15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. 
16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 
17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 
18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 
20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 
21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. 
We must not be anxious about earthly things
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. 
33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. 
34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

March 21 2014 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Cherie Mitchell Supporter

Unfortunately, it has to do with the fallen nature of man. As John Milton put it: Paradise Lost. 

Man gave into temptation and then, to sin. Man, when in his carnal nature, separates himself from God and wants to be his own god. However, man cannot save himself.

Man has been trying to regain the authority he lost over the paradise God created man to live in. Man, as his own god, is a failure and lost. Therefore, the world man lives in reflects man's fallen nature and corrupted ways.

There is good news. God sent a promise that there will be a new day when we do live in a new paradise. God is in the business of restoration. He placed His Spirit in man when that man receives Jesus as Savior and Lord.

The "new man" is commissioned by God to reflect His love and be a repairer of the breach. That's why we are commissioned to feed the hungry, take care of those in poverty, visit those in prison, and all of the other things that man lost as a result of his rebellion.

I know this may be a hard way of looking at it, but consider:

The fallen, sinful condition of man and the suffering that is evident in the world can actually cause man to seek the Creator who created everything to be good.

Man hates what he sees. He hates the crime, the poverty, the hunger, and the suffering. He grows to hate the bad things that happen to people.

However, hope will cause that man to look for the correct answer to this problem. The correct answer is relationship with God.

As a Christian song goes, "We are His hands and His feet." God wanted to indwell man so that we can be His hands and His feet. When we touch others the way God wants us to, a little bit of that paradise is restored. God chooses to reveal Himself through His creation and through His people. So, it's up to believers to make sure that we fill in that breach and in some way of kindness and charity, help those around us.

Paradise will be restored. There is a new heaven and a new earth coming. There is the perfect ruler of peace - the Prince of Peace, Jesus. He will wipe away every tear and suffering will cease.

I think you will find a more indepth study on the suffering under the archives page at Answers in Genesis ministry. Put the dot org at the end of the name when you visit the site. I recommend the article called, "Beauty and the Curse."

Now, regarding the other matter about the lack that sometimes is experienced by God's people - that's a long story. There are a lot of reasons: disobedience, not proving to be good stewards, overcoming fear of success, a poverty mindset, etc. 

However, most of the time it seems to be that we are being strengthened to produce a little more patience. "But let patience have [its] perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." James 1:4

"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." Galatians 6:9

September 01 2013 • 2 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Ezekiel Kimosop - Pastor & Bible Scholar Supporter

This question is fairly confusing because it does not define what it means by “people”. I am not aware of any Scripture in the Bible which declares that there will not be starvation or poor people who will be in need. Jesus in fact confirmed the fact that we shall always have the poor with us in response to the reaction by Judas when the sinful woman broke the Alabaster jar in honor of the Lord (Matthew 26:7-13). 

When Jesus encouraged his disciples to place their faith in God (Matthew 6:21, 6:33) he was demonstrating the caring nature of our Father in Heaven in supplying the needs of his children (the believers) who place their trust in God. It does not necessarily imply the believers will not luck or will not fail to have the best this world has to offer but it simply means that God in his grace and divine providence holds the means of our livelihood and whether we shall be in plenty or in need does not change this fact. God also graciously supplies food and raiment even to the non believers because they are his creation.

Paul teaches in 1Timothy 6:6-8 that he had learnt to live in contentment whether in need or in plenty. He also says in 2 Corinthians 12:10 “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” The Apostle had understood that God does not change his love towards his children just because we are in an unmet need. Some false teachers have created the impression that if someone is poor, there is something fundamentally wrong with their faith in God. 

This is utterly false because Luke 12:21 teaches us that that a person’s true riches do not consist of the amount of earthly possession but his richness towards God. God’s people will and do suffer in many ways and some have died from cruel mistreatment because of their faith in Christ. 
We shall therefore have people in need and people will even die and starve but this does not mean that God has failed. 

There may be legitimate reasons for the disproportionate distribution of world resources mainly due to greed and neglect of the poor by their governments, skewed world policies that favor the rich nations against the poor ones the results of evil governments which fail to address their resource capacity for sustaining its economies and the food security of its people. 

People also die through wars and famines some of which could be God’s judgment on society but we cannot explain away every phenomenon. Other sufferings continue because God is patient but yet will judge the wicked leaders who bring about these calamities.

March 21 2014 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Leon Penny Supporter Minister, Retired medical practioner. Special interest in

Jesus has said that there always be poverty. That does not answer the question. I believe that we can all agree that starvation is a non issue in First world countries where there are large numbers of Christians. There is undernourishment though.

In many, but not all countries, were Christianity is almost non existent starvation is common place. Why? The spirit the Jesus has sent does not speak to non believers. The spirit moves believers to do things of God. As believers we all have had and will have "V-8 MOMENTS" where we will miss an opportunity to glorify God. The point is, it the responsibility of believers to act and help those who do not have. This is not for ourselves but for the glory of God.

September 02 2013 • 2 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Salem Markus Purba Supporter

Well, die of starvation began in Genesis 3:17-19 "To Adam He said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about wich I commanded you, You must not eat of it, Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return"

It was a death sentence for violating God's command in Genesis 2:16-17, And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die"

God did not execute Adam instantly because God is faithful to His own words in Genesis 1: 28-31, God blessed them and said to them,"Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every living creature that moves on the ground. Then God said, "I give you every seed bearing plants on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground -everything that has the breath of life in it-I give every green plant for food." And it was so. God saw all that He had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning- the sixth day.

Since the relationship of man and God has broken and all men have sinned, "Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me" (Psalm 51:5). But it is God who judges; He brings one down, he exalts another (Psalm.75:7) and "For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; it is he who will save us"(Isaiah 33:22).And God has said, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11)

So, if do people still die of starvation, then the question is, "Have they really found the Kingdom of God?(Mat.6:33), if so, these are the signs of the believer: "And these signs will accompany those who believe; In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snake with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hand on sick people, and they will get well"(Mark.16:17-18).

In conclusion, we are all have been sentenced to die, but,"For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son" (John 3:16-18).

Let us appeal for grace through Jesus Christ our Savior (John 14:6).

March 21 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

JOHN PERRY Supporter 15 year missionary taught Apologetics college level

GOD provides but He also says ask,seek,knock, I think pride gets in the way for people needing help. Just go out out and watch the birds look for food Gods= provides for them also but they don't always come up with a worm and they never give up looking.

September 01 2013 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Thom Connors Supporter

I too have wrestled with this life reality of starving children and God's promise of provision. Firstly, we must be honest and acknowledge that people (some of whom may be Christians) die from malnourishment. This occurs, even though Jesus taught that God's provision for humans (He made no distinction b/w believers or unbelievers) was assured because we are 'more valuable than sparrows or flowers'. 

How are we to reconcile these two seemingly contrary things? 

Along with some of the other responses, I would agree that the resources of God's provision can be tampered with and even stolen. Even before there was sin, the devil is seen tampering and misleading Adam and Eve away from God's provision. In other words, God's provision does come but it comes to us in an open world where the many variables of free will and evil can impact that provision.

I know this may sound like 'confirmation bias' which engages in circular reasoning to confirm that which I want to believe. However, I believe it fairly represents the complexity of the many variables and experiences seen in a world that God does love and care for. I acknowledge this is a faith proposition that I cannot prove (tho I do have reasons which help me to believe). Yet for reasons which can be quite obscure at times, God has obviously chosen his provision to come to us in a participatory fashion which can be deterred by us, others, and the devil. 

An understanding of God's promise(s) of provision on any level should be understood in this open way. An absolute unconditional understanding of God's promise which has no opposition, free will, or engagement on our part is sure to wreak havoc and cognitive dissonance. We pray, "thy Kingdom come, thy will be done" because there are many obstacles to the manifestation of God's kingdom "on earth as it is in heaven". 

On a hopeful note, Jesus did promise that they who seek will find, to them who ask it shall be given, and to those who knock the door will be opened. In this present discussion, we have been focusing on the unopened door. In doing so, it may be helpful to be reminded that the above words spoken by Jesus were infused with hope for his listeners. In so many words Jesus was empowering the masses by teaching them that their prayers to God DO make a difference and not to give up. 

For an additional Biblical perspective check out John Piper's comments on this subject. Https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/does-god-promise-to-feed-and-clothe-christians

July 21 2018 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Kenneth Heck Supporter

The promise of food and clothing pertains only to Christians, no one else. However, it is also true that "he who does not work shall not eat." We should be thankful that God will supply gainful employment for us. As priests of the order of Melkizedek, we receive our food and clothing for the same reasons the Levitical priesthood received its daily dole in ancient times. But Christians in name only are in danger of losing this promise.

So much of the world's population has no employment (either gainful or otherwise) and lives in a perpetual state of poverty and near destitution. These are the ones who would derive so much benefit by converting to Christianity.

It should also be noted that Christians are not promised a permanent place of residence, or land given to them by God, as the Jews were.

March 21 2014 • 2 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Ernest Pearson Supporter

The bible says many people perish for a lack of knowledge. If we as Christians knew the blessings of God, we would be enjoying and walking in the promises of God, and enjoying all the provisions made available through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. We are joint heirs with Christ Jesus, and heirs of God, and every heavenly blessing is ALREADY ours in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 1:3 has provided every blessing, and to come short of them shows we don't know what all has been made available to us.

July 07 2018 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report