God Will Provide

Phil. 4:10-19

Ps. 78:19 Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? 20 Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people? 21 Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth…

Things are bad in our nation.  But it’s ok.

The stock market is volatile.  It’s alright.

The prognosis is that it could take a long time for our economy to recover.  No problem.

Tucker Carlson is off the air.  But we’re gonna make it.

Half the people at Walmart are in pajamas.  And yet there is hope.

The fastest female swimmer is a man.  But our world is not over!

The reason I say things are ok isn’t because any of the above is good news, but because of ‘My God’ in our text!

[now today’s text…begin w/ v. 19]

This is a thank you note / Paul received a financial gift from this church…now he thanks them.

Then he compares their gift to a blossoming flower:

v. 10        “flourished”=picture of a flower coming back to life after a cold, hard winter

        we all go thru low times / gray days, but spring is coming!

Then he compares their gift to an investment:

v. 17        Paul looked upon their gift as an investment that would earn them spiritual dividends / you cannot out give God!

Finally, he compares their gift to a great sacrifice:

v. 18        language of the OT temple / sweet smelling savour.

So, it’s a beautiful, blossoming, sweet smelling investment that’s paying off for everyone!

Now is the perfect time to talk about giving, because no one could perceive any ulterior motive.  The church finances are great.  So now I am free to talk about this for the motive of what giving can do for you, without appearing like I’m after your money.  We preachers hesitate to look greedy to line our own pockets or air condition our dog house [as if we work on commission or something.]

v. 19        verse starts w/ a conjunction-- [most would quote this beginning w/ “my” rather than “but”…which connects it to all that he’s said leading up to it.

In it’s proper context, this verse is not written to the world / everyone… not written to the selfish, but to the sacrificial… those involved in meeting the needs of others / those that get behind a cause and back it all the way / those that have a purpose bigger than themselves!

Don’t claim this promise if you are not obeying God’s commands in giving

[yes, tithes / or maybe his promptings to be a blessing to someone…yes, missions, as He leads you / but maybe secretly w/ no commitment card at all!]

Luke 12:32  … 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.

I find no place in scripture where God promises to meet the needs of a believer who is not following God’s leading in giving!

Several times over the years I’ve had people ask for prayer for their finances…and I am happy to do so.  But my 1^st question is, do you tithe?  When several have said no, I prayed for their obedience, not just their finances!

Abraham said:  God will provide…and then he obeyed what he was told to do.

Ge 22:8 -

And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh…

 Jehovah Jireh-God our Provider!

3 things from v. 19:

1. The Source of the supply

“My God”

Talking about a fountain that will never run dry / bank that will never fail!

Rom. 2:4 “…the riches of His goodness…”

[draw on His goodness account!]

Eph. 1:7 “…the riches of His grace…” [draw on His grace account!]

Our text says His riches in glory… [draw on His glory account!]

…and the source of all these riches is “My God”.

v. 20        My God is my Father…committed to take care of His child!

2. The Scope of the supply

“all your needs”-not “all your greeds”

Paul Crouch, president of TBN, said once that when he started the network he had one home he was about to lose, and he was willing to just give it to God, but now he has 12 beautiful homes around the world, filled w/ gold and fine furnishings [giving impression to those who can afford it least that God will do the same for them if they just give to Paul Crouch!]

        God hasn’t promised to meet our greeds…but our needs!

God is not a genie in a lamp which we rub whenever we want something…but He loves to meet our needs…and He doesn’t limit it to 3…but “all” our needs!

Let’s be honest:  we all live up to here [gesture to top of head]…get a raise and spend it / pay something off and take something else on / tax refund?  Gone!

Most of us would have to admit we have too much month left at the end of the money!

        I had a rude awakening when I left home and realized they charge for all that stuff I’d been enjoying for 18 years!  [water bill?  Really?  Electricity?  Then kids, whoa!  Clothes, shoes, medical bills!  And I just finished paying for a kids’ college!…anyone here suffering from maltuition?!]

Here’s good news, if you have financial needs and “if you remain faithful to God, God will be faithful to you!”

Not just financial needs…how about emotional needs?

        Need peace?  Jesus said to the winds and the waves, peace be still!  Look to the peace speaker!  The one who walks on that water [over your head-under His feet!]

Overcome w/ anxiety over something coming up? / depressed? / despairing?

This also includes our spiritual needs—

Lam. 3:22    It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

We serve a great God…and He’s “My God”…that’s the source of the supply/the scope is “all my need”…finally:

3. The standard of the supply

“according to His riches in glory”…not “out of”, but “according to”…

…imagine you see a man about to be hit by a car / you grab him and save his life, only to then realize it’s billionaire Elon Musk! / he’s so thankful, reaches into his wallet, and pulls out a $20 bill!  You think, “What???”

        That’s not giving according to his riches, but simply “out of!”

But imagine instead he pulls out a blank check and signs it, telling you to go home and add up all your needs: past debts, current needs, and future plans—just fill in the amount!

        Now that’s giving according to his riches!

God is not a miser, and He doesn’t give out of His riches…it’s an endless, abundant supply!

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