Jesus The... || Part 4
Jesus The… || Part 4, Day 1
Philippians 4:10-20 NLT
How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty. As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness. At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.
Jesus is not just our provider; He is our provision.
Jesus the Provision means He provides for our natural needs and even beyond.
Philippians 4:19 says, “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.”
In Matthew 17:24-27, Jesus miraculously provides for He and Peter in the temple tax.
In Matthew 14:13-21, Jesus takes five loaves and two fish and feeds five-thousand.
Deuteronomy 29:5 says, “And I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn out on your feet.”
In Psalm 78:13-16, He divided the sea and caused them to pass through; and He made the waters to stand as a heap. (HE PROVIDED A WAY WHERE THERE WAS NO WAY!) In the daytime He led them with a cloud, and during the night with the light of fire. (HE PROVIDED DIRECTION) He clave the rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink as out of the great depths. He brought streams also out of the rock and caused waters to run down like rivers. (HE PROVIDED WATER IN A DRY PLACE)
You might say, “Yes, but all those are needs and you said Jesus the Provider means He provides beyond our needs.”
Psalm 23:1; “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”
Genesis 13:2, “Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.” (Abraham could’ve accomplished the will of God without being rich. However, every time he obeyed, God made him even more rich.
Genesis 26:12-16, “Then Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him. The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous; for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So, the Philistines envied him. Now the Philistines had stopped up all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, and they had filled them with earth. And Abimelech said to Isaac, ‘Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.’” (Isaac was so rich he got deported.)
Could Isaac have carried out the call of God on his life without being rich? Yes. Therefore, being rich was over and beyond a need. Why did God make him rich? He was the seed of Abraham and he obeyed the Lord. We are the seed of Abraham and we obey the Lord.
Job 1:3, “He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants.” He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area. Could Job have proved his faithfulness without being rich? Yes.