God Promises to Meet Your Needs
Yesterday's Sermon was a rather thought provoking and convicting service for everyone, me included. Our central scripture came from Philippians 4:14-20.
The Book of Philippians, especially the last chapter, is a thank you letter from the Apostle Paul to the church in Philippi. It is also a receipt, in that it reminds them of all the things they have done for Paul. From here we entered into the Premise of our lesson.
The Premise: I Must Be Generous To Others- Proverbs 11:25 and Luke 6:38. While God does promise to meet out needs, we must remember that for every promise there is a premise. If we want to claim the promise we must apply the premise. In this case, we must be generous and give to others in need. God isn't obligated to meet our needs and to be generous with us, if we aren't being generous to others.
We do have 3 reasons for being generous.
1. My Giving is an Encouragement to Others. Philippians 4:14-16. The Philippians were not a wealthy church. In fact they were the exact opposite being one of the poor churches. Yet, they had a huge heart and they gave of everything they had.
When we give two things happen. The first is that it gives us a wider ministry than we could have normally imagined. Philippians 1:5. We become partners in ministry with those we aide. Think of it this way, whatever you support with your money is what you become a partner with. The second thing that happens is that we become more like Christ (2 Corinthians 8:1-15). Christ was the ultimate giver of all of His resources. Giving, thus becomes, one of the most Christ like things we can do.
2. My Giving is an Investment in the Future. Philippians 4:17. 1 Timothy 6:18-19. When we invest in missionaries, churches, speakers, and the Kingdom of God, it not only benefits the receiver, but it benefits us as well. Every time you give, it is like making a deposit into the Bank of God. While we may experience some blessing from our giving here on Earth, our true reward awaits for us in Heaven.
3. My Giving is a Sacrifice to God. Philippians 4:18. Matthew 25:40. Since Christ was a sacrificial giver, the most pleasing thing we can do for God is to give sacrificially. Think of your sacrificial giving as the Thanks Offering mentioned in Leviticus Chapter 7. It was a very fragrant offering, and when it was burned everyone near it could smell it. We are the same way. The happiest people on Earth are the ones who give.
My dear readers we cannot claim the promise found in Philippians 4:19 if we aren't actively doing verse 14-18.
The Promise: God Will Take Care of Me. Philippians 4:19. If we are givers, we can claim this promise like a spiritual insurance policy. God is the source of this promise and the Scope of His promise is meeting our needs.
However there are two categories this absolutely does not include.
1. The Consequences of Laziness. 2 Thessalonians 3:10. This is not an invitation to sit around and twiddle your thumbs saying "ho hum God will work it out." People who are not willing to work do not deserve hand outs.
2. Your wants. James 4:3. In the year 1900, a psychologist decided to do a nation wide survey on what Americans thought their basic needs were in order to have a happy life. In 1900 Americans thought there were only 16 things that they needed. A century later the same survey was conducted. This time, Americans said there were 98 things they said that they needed. God supplies only our needs even when we try to manipulate, trick ourselves, and squeeze our wants into needs.
2. False Ideas about Money. When it comes to our needs we have to discuss the two misconceptions about money.
Misconception #1: God wants everyone to be a millionaire. Wrong. We don't serve a prosperity god or a prosperity gospel.
Misconception #2: God wants everyone to be poor. God doesn't want us to suffer or commit crimes for what we need to survive. No! He wants to meet all of our needs.
Under His Glorious Riches all of our legit needs are covered.
Think of it this way: Last year Donald Trump made well over 300 Million Dollars. Imagine he offered you a check for 1,000 dollars. That is giving of his riches. Now what if he gave you a blank check? That would be giving of his resources.
Christ has given us a blank check out of all of his eternal resources in order that all of our needs will be met. (I'll take that any day over any millionaire's blank check).
The Premise and the Promise: 2 Corinthians 9:6-8. God will provide for what we need a little be extra so we can use that extra to bless others in return. When we become givers, we open the door fulfilling your needs.
Dear readers, give cheerfully and of your resources. Have a blessed week.
The Book of Philippians, especially the last chapter, is a thank you letter from the Apostle Paul to the church in Philippi. It is also a receipt, in that it reminds them of all the things they have done for Paul. From here we entered into the Premise of our lesson.
The Premise: I Must Be Generous To Others- Proverbs 11:25 and Luke 6:38. While God does promise to meet out needs, we must remember that for every promise there is a premise. If we want to claim the promise we must apply the premise. In this case, we must be generous and give to others in need. God isn't obligated to meet our needs and to be generous with us, if we aren't being generous to others.
We do have 3 reasons for being generous.
1. My Giving is an Encouragement to Others. Philippians 4:14-16. The Philippians were not a wealthy church. In fact they were the exact opposite being one of the poor churches. Yet, they had a huge heart and they gave of everything they had.
When we give two things happen. The first is that it gives us a wider ministry than we could have normally imagined. Philippians 1:5. We become partners in ministry with those we aide. Think of it this way, whatever you support with your money is what you become a partner with. The second thing that happens is that we become more like Christ (2 Corinthians 8:1-15). Christ was the ultimate giver of all of His resources. Giving, thus becomes, one of the most Christ like things we can do.
2. My Giving is an Investment in the Future. Philippians 4:17. 1 Timothy 6:18-19. When we invest in missionaries, churches, speakers, and the Kingdom of God, it not only benefits the receiver, but it benefits us as well. Every time you give, it is like making a deposit into the Bank of God. While we may experience some blessing from our giving here on Earth, our true reward awaits for us in Heaven.
3. My Giving is a Sacrifice to God. Philippians 4:18. Matthew 25:40. Since Christ was a sacrificial giver, the most pleasing thing we can do for God is to give sacrificially. Think of your sacrificial giving as the Thanks Offering mentioned in Leviticus Chapter 7. It was a very fragrant offering, and when it was burned everyone near it could smell it. We are the same way. The happiest people on Earth are the ones who give.
My dear readers we cannot claim the promise found in Philippians 4:19 if we aren't actively doing verse 14-18.
The Promise: God Will Take Care of Me. Philippians 4:19. If we are givers, we can claim this promise like a spiritual insurance policy. God is the source of this promise and the Scope of His promise is meeting our needs.
However there are two categories this absolutely does not include.
1. The Consequences of Laziness. 2 Thessalonians 3:10. This is not an invitation to sit around and twiddle your thumbs saying "ho hum God will work it out." People who are not willing to work do not deserve hand outs.
2. Your wants. James 4:3. In the year 1900, a psychologist decided to do a nation wide survey on what Americans thought their basic needs were in order to have a happy life. In 1900 Americans thought there were only 16 things that they needed. A century later the same survey was conducted. This time, Americans said there were 98 things they said that they needed. God supplies only our needs even when we try to manipulate, trick ourselves, and squeeze our wants into needs.
2. False Ideas about Money. When it comes to our needs we have to discuss the two misconceptions about money.
Misconception #1: God wants everyone to be a millionaire. Wrong. We don't serve a prosperity god or a prosperity gospel.
Misconception #2: God wants everyone to be poor. God doesn't want us to suffer or commit crimes for what we need to survive. No! He wants to meet all of our needs.
Under His Glorious Riches all of our legit needs are covered.
Think of it this way: Last year Donald Trump made well over 300 Million Dollars. Imagine he offered you a check for 1,000 dollars. That is giving of his riches. Now what if he gave you a blank check? That would be giving of his resources.
Christ has given us a blank check out of all of his eternal resources in order that all of our needs will be met. (I'll take that any day over any millionaire's blank check).
The Premise and the Promise: 2 Corinthians 9:6-8. God will provide for what we need a little be extra so we can use that extra to bless others in return. When we become givers, we open the door fulfilling your needs.
Dear readers, give cheerfully and of your resources. Have a blessed week.
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