Episode #493
Stop Living Like You’re Running Out - Pastor Rhonda Davis
"Stop Living Like You're Running Out" Pastor Rhonda Davis Subtitle: No Scarcity in the Father's House I. Defining the Scarcity Mindset The World's Definition of Scarcity: Scarcity occurs when demand outpaces available resources, creating shortages, panic, and cutthroat competition. The Herd Mentality & Modern Panics: Pastor Rhonda illustrated scarcity using two real-world examples: The 2020 Toilet Paper Panic: How uncertainty and herd mentality caused citizens to clear store shelves out of irrational fear during the pandemic. The November 28, 2008, Black Friday Tragedy: A Long Island, New York Walmart where a worker was tragically trampled to death by a crowd driven by the panic of missing out on limited electronics. Even after announcements declared a death in the store, shoppers kept shopping. Black Friday vs. Good Friday: The world operates on a "Black Friday" mentality—driven by insufficient supply where one must fight, push, and kick to get theirs. Believers, however, live in a "Good Friday" reality. A decree has gone across the Earth that a Man died for us, paying the full price, so we no longer need to desperately "shop the aisles of the world." Four Pillar Truths of Divine Abundance Pastor Rhonda outlined four foundational pillars showing why scarcity has no place in the life of a believer: 1. You Are Chosen Before the Earth Was Formed: According to Ephesians 1:4-5, God loved us and chose us to be holy and blameless before the creation of the world. Adopting us into His family gave Him great pleasure. Sonship Over Scarcity: A scarcity mindset makes you tightly grasp what is in your own hand; a sonship mindset teaches you to rest in and trust what is in your Father's hand. 2. You Are Accepted Accepted in the Beloved: Citing Ephesians 1:6, believers are fully accepted in Christ. Human acceptance is fickle, but divine approval is settled. Antidote to Insecurity: Accepting at the core of our being that we are chosen by God is the divine antidote for insecurity, neurotic fear, and the exhausting drive for human validation. Personal White House Testimony: Pastor Rhonda shared about her recent invitation to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House for a Women of Faith briefing. Despite initial thoughts of insecurity ("Who am I to be here?"), she covered her mind in prayer, walked in as a daughter of the Most High God, and experienced divine favor, connections, and peace without needing to jockey for position or prove herself. 3. You Are Redeemed The Redeemer's Business: Redemption (Jehovah Goel) means to buy back, pay a ransom, restore, and atone for mistakes. God specializes in cleaning up what humans mess up. The Expiration Date on Trials: Citing Isaiah 43:1-2 and Jeremiah 29:11, Pastor Rhonda declared that whatever hard situation a believer is facing does not have the right to own them. In God's economy, every trial and season of suffering has an expiration date. Kairos Time vs. Kronos Time: Humans live in linear time (Kronos), but God operates in appointed, strategic time (Kairos). God can accelerate restoration and make up for years of lost ground in a matter of days. 4. You Are Adopted From Chains to the Table: Citing John 1:12-13 and Romans 8, adoption gives us the Father's name, a seat at His table, and joint-heir status with Christ. Redemption breaks the chains, but adoption brings us into the family. The Story of Josiah Brian Giles: To illustrate adoption and restoration, Pastor Rhonda shared the powerful story of her nephew, Josiah: In 1996, her brother Brian visited Romania and was moved by an infant named John Christmas, who was rocking himself in an orphanage bed. Brian adopted him, changed his legal name to Josiah Brian Giles ("Josiah" meaning God will heal/support), and brought him home to Tennessee. Despite being adopted into a loving family, life brought complicated turns, including a parental divorce and years of separation from the family. Father's Day & Deathbed Restoration: After years of silence, an 18-year-old Josiah unexpectedly walked back into the family homestead on Father's Day. Years later, on August 13, 2025, as Pastor Rhonda's father lay unconscious in hospice, Josiah entered the room. For two hours, aunt and nephew sat together, poured out their hearts, cried, laughed, and reconciled. Shortly after Josiah kissed his grandfather goodbye and declared he would see him in eternity, their father passed peacefully into heaven. Full Restoration: Pastor Rhonda presented a photo of all the grandchildren restored together at her father's gravesite—a living picture of how God restores lost prodigals and completes family stories. Scripture Index Here are the primary scriptures read, cited, or expounded upon during the service: Galatians 4:4-5 > "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." 2 Corinthians 9:8 > "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work." Ephesians 1:4-6 > "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world... Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself... To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." Isaiah 47:4 > "As for our redeemer, the Lord of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel." Isaiah 44:6 > "Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God." Isaiah 43:1-2 > "But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee..." Jeremiah 29:11 > "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jeremiah 50:34 > "Their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of hosts is his name: he shall thoroughly plead their cause..." John 1:14 > "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." Matthew 20:28 > "Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." 1 Peter 1:18-19 > "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold... But with the precious blood of Christ..." John 1:12-13 > "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." 1 John 3:1 > "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God..." "Thanks for listening! For more information, visit churchoftheharvest.com. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and YouTube @cothcleveland.
