God Our Provision

"But he gives us more grace..." (James 4:6, NIV).
"... Freely you have received, freely give" (Matt. 10:8, NIV).
"But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:19, NKJV).    
"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life..." (2 Pet. 1:3, NIV).
"Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart" (Psa. 37:4, NKJV). 
"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you" (Matt. 6:33, HCSB). 
"One's wealth consists not in the abundance of his possessions, but in the fewness of his wants." --source unknown, quoted by Billy Graham  

One of the so-called Jehovah texts is in Gen. 22:8, which calls God "Jehovah-Jireh" or "the LORD will provide [your need]" literally from the Hebrew and could be interpreted as "the Lord will see to it."  We all have been blessed with the provision of God to be thankful for and this is an example of true gratefulness--expectation of God's blessing and confidence that He will provide all our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus (cf. Phil. 4:19).  We are to believe God for the impossible and not underestimate His blessings on our behalf.  There is no most-favored status (cf. Rom. 2:11; Acts 10:34) we can reach but God levels the playing field and we all can come to Him expecting God's best.  Only when we realize God's blessing and become grateful are we able to spread the spirit and the word, being a blessing to others (cf. Zech. 8: 13) like the song goes:  "Once you've experienced it, you'll want to pass it on!"  Being thankful, giving praise, and bowed down to His glory is the way to enter His presence (cf. Psa. 100:4) --it's not how big our faith is, but how big our God is that matters!

The father of modern missions, William Carey, delivered the famous sermon, "Expect Great Things from God; Attempt Great Things for God," is pertinent and we must venture out in faith, leaving our comfort zone, to be tested in our faith, which is more precious than silver or gold that are tested by fire!  The crucible of the cross is what we bear for Christ.  We are to be assured that if we are doing God's will, God will ensure adequacy to do it (may He "equip you with everything good for doing his will," per Heb. 13:21, NIV ).  It's vital to be in the safest place we can be--God's will!

St. Theresa set out to build a monastery and only had twelve pence to her name!  They believed she was a woman of God but no one had the faith to believe she could do that with only these limited resources.  She claimed quite the contrary that she and God could do it!   With God, we all share an abundance of resources and should live as if there is no limit to what we can accomplish for God, as long as it's God's will.  He will call us to do the impossible and it's our duty to believe in the impossible from the God of miracles.  "Is anything too hard for the LORD?" (Cf. Gen. 18:24, NIV) or "Nothing is too hard for you" (cf. Jer. 32:17, ESV).  It is only a matter of Christian faith to believe "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," (cf. Phil. 4:13).

We may see obstacles but God sees the big picture and from the vantage point of eternity, not one day at a time as we do.  When the chips are down we are to trust all the more and realize that it's a test of faith to see if we are willing to walk with Christ through thick and thin and let the chips fall where they may! We all must be tested, provision-wise, to see where our faith is:  Even Habakkuk (cf. 3:18) came to the realization after his crops failed that all he really needed was God and everything else is a bonus.  He was able to thank God for knowing that God was still his Provider even in the lean times (cf. Isa. 45:7).  If we cannot trust God in the small matters, what about the great ones?  He who is faithful in little will be faithful in much, for of whom much is given, much is required (cf. Luke 12:48).  Sometimes we all must come to the end of ourselves or suffer loss to realize that with God we will survive any trial--"If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Cf. Rom. 8:31).  Knowing the meaning and purpose gives us the motive and the attitude to praise God and not to be discouraged or downcast.

We can have faith and should keep the faith that God will see to it that we are taken care of and that we can do His will. But God is good to all in some ways, that's His nature; however, He is good to some in all ways too.  We are to believe God for miracles and "feed the poor" but not to be known as do-gooders who just "turn stones into bread." Even Jesus didn't want to be known just as a miracle worker or do-gooder, but only performed miracles to illustrate His Deity and to teach a lesson or to show compassion to those in need.  We are to keep the main thing the main thing:  The Great Commission.  We can move mountains by our faith if it's in the right object--God: with God-confidence and God-esteem.

God has indeed promised to meet all our needs to glorify His name but not necessarily our felt needs or things we think we need.  God knows what we need better than we do ourselves and in the end result: we will someday realize that God had the best in mind for us and that His Plan A is for our own good.  And so we must get over the notion that lacking no good thing is the same as having everything or thinking that God is holding back--this leads to the false doctrine of prosperity theology! NB:  The Lord's prayer makes it plain that we are not to get ahead of ourselves and worry about the needs of the future, but live one day at a time in light of eternity, and ask for the daily provision or "our daily bread" (cf. Matt. 6:11).

We must confess that everything we possess is the blessing of God, even our work (cf. Eccl. 3:13); for what do we have that we didn't receive? (Cf. 1 Cor. 4:7). However, on occasion, we have not because we ask not (cf. James 4:2) and we must keep in mind the promise of Jesus that if we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, all these things will be added unto us (cf. Matt. 6:33)--that means God as our first priority in His will for our lives. In God's economy, emptying comes before filling, poverty comes before riches and God cannot pour out His blessings into hands already full!  Most of all, He desires us to learn to be content with what we have--the poorest are those who think they are rich and need nothing, not realizing their need of God.

Finally, to wrap things up and see God in the equation, one of the last words of Jesus on the cross was to John that he behold his mother and to Mary to behold her son:  This means Jesus was concerned about the welfare of his mother to the very end and provided for her indirectly through John.  This is also the message of Jesus to us, viz.,  His name has no definitive predicate:  When He says I AM .... we can fill in the blank for whatever we need God to be, He is:  I AM that I AM that I AM that I AM that ... ad infinitum, i.e., He is the eternal IS-ing or being, not an eternal IS-ness or state of being.  In view of God's unlimited resources, we ought to put our requests into proper perspective.    Soli Deo Gloria!

The Joy Of Possessing Nothing...

"Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD!  I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!"  (Hab. 3:17-18, NIV).  
"...[A]nd the house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions" (Obadiah v. 17, ESV). 
"... Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich" (2 Cor. 8:9, NIV).   
"... Freely give as you have freely received" (cf. Matt. 10:8).  

We possess nothing, yet we make many rich!  Sometimes a person has to come to the end of himself financially (e.g., bankruptcy, devasting illness, traumatic event, crisis, or natural disaster) before he realizes that he doesn't need a lot of his "stuff." The Bible states life does not consist in the abundance of one's possessions!  Contrary to modern thought, he who dies with the most toys doesn't win!  Actually, riches are in the abundance of our possessions but in the fewness of our wants!  

For example, when we move many realize when taking inventory that we find out we don't need or want a lot of our "stuff" anymore and toss it or give it away.  There is a certain liberation getting rid of unneeded or unwanted belongings and paraphernalia or junk.  We find out what is really important and of value.  You hear of people in fires who say they lost everything, but money can replace much of what they are talking about.  It is the things money can't buy that are really valuable.

Friends are few and hard to find, and if you have too many you don't know who your real friends are.  You cannot put a price on friendship because friends come with benefits and there are always certain perks to knowing people--sometimes it's who you know that makes a difference in your life, not what you know.  The Bible says we cannot buy love!  Habakkuk mourned that his fields didn't bear fruit, but thanked God that he could still rejoice in the Lord despite it.  When we lose everything it may be a time to reflect on the fact that all we really need in life is God and he will take care of us and supply all our needs.

Lacking no good thing is not the same as having everything:  God blesses everyone in some ways, but some in many ways--for God is good to all.  God never promises to meet all our wants or felt-needs but has vowed to meet our needs according to His will.  Actually, the less we possess the more freedom we have (I'm talking about material goods that seem to accumulate over the years and some are even called packrats!).  It is wonderful to know that you've got God and that's what really matters!

When Jesus said that it's more blessed to give than receive, He's not just talking about monetary gifts of alms to the poor or offerings to the church, but all our material possessions (and all blessings and provision) and of giving away our "stuff" to someone who will enjoy it and make better use of it than us--and they don't have to wait till they die to will things away.  To him who would borrow, give!  That's the Spirit! 

 For instance, there is a joy in not just giving randomly, but to someone who will make good use of it and invest it for God's kingdom.  We must realize that we are mere stewards of what God has blessed us with and everything actually belongs to God and is on loan!  It has been wisely said that nothing really belongs to you till you are ready to let go of it!  The more liberal our giving of all God's provision and blessings, the more thankful we prove ourselves in our receiving.  For we are only blessed in order to be a blessing as God's conduits.

In the final analysis, we don't really possess our possessions till they are seen as belonging to God and us as stewards.  To quote Saint Patrick:  "...For it is in giving that we receive."  Corrie ten Boom, after the Holocaust, said:  "Hold all t[h]ings loosely."   In sum, sometimes we all need is to be tested to see what's of real value to us and where we place our personal worth and what kind of appraisal we give of our lives, being asked to give of what we hold dear and affectionately (e.g., time, energy, money, property, etc.) and we find out the real reason for living outside the world of materialism--we will not be happier by merely possessing more "stuff."       Soli Deo Gloria! 

To Possess Or, Not To Possess...

"Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!" (Hab. 3:17-18, NIV).
"...[A]nd the house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions" (Obadiah v. 17, ESV).
"... Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor so that by his poverty he could make you rich" (2 Cor. 8:9, NIV).
"... Freely give as you have freely received" (cf. Matt. 10:8).

A. W. Tozer wrote of the Blessedness of Possessing Nothing.  What he implied is that, like Abraham sacrificed his greatest prize (Isaac), we are to let go of our most valued) possessions and let God own everything--"The earth is the LORD'S and the fullness thereof" (Psalm 24:1).  One of the richest men of his day was not preoccupied with his riches--they didn't distract his devotion to God.  It takes more faith to be loyal to God during prosperity than during deprivation when we naturally turn to God.

"Somehow, not only for Christmas
But all the long year through
The joy that you give to others
Is the joy that comes back to you.  (John Greenleaf Whittier)

We often forget God when all is going well.  Prosperity is no sign of God's favor, though it is a blessing:  "... for it is he who gives you the power to get wealth" (Deut. 8:18).  Corrie ten Boom said often that her secret was to always "hold tings loosely."  The more attached we become to things the less place we have for God:  He cannot pour out His blessings into hands already full!   We must come to the realization that we are only stewards of what God has given us and will be held accountable.  "What do you have that you didn't receive?"  (Cf. 1 Cor. 4:7).

We have received our eye color by genetics just the same as our choice of career laid out by God's providence (cf. John 3:27, NLT), in knowing what's best for us in the long run(cf. Job 23:12, 14, Psalm 31:15 139:16).  "Moreover, it is required of stewards that they are found trustworthy" (1 Cor. 4:2).  "Beware lest you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth'" (Deut. 8:17).

God blesses everyone in some ways, and some in all ways; this is because of the so-called "common grace" that He sheds on everyone as His creatures.  No one can say God was against them!  We all have much to be grateful for.  "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change"  (James 1:17).

The book of Obadiah mentions Israel finally shall "possess its possessions" (Obadiah 17).  We don't want to be materialists: What this means is that they don't possess you!   Who's in control?  We use things and manipulate things, but we have relationships with and love people. We don't love things and use or manipulate people.  We should not love material things period.  We can appreciate and be blessed by them--but it is a misnomer to say we love them, a much-misused word in English.

St. Francis of Assisi said that it is in giving that we receive!  Jesus also said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35).  If you give it up and it returns, it is yours.

In sum, we must learn to "let go" of what God has given us and give it as an act of devotion back to Him as a" sacrifice of thanksgiving" and dedicated to His service.  Soli Deo Gloria!