### Introduction
Video Ill.: God’s Provision by James Grocho
Transcript: In every season, God provides. His grace meets our every need. He always provides our daily bread. He knows what we need before we ask, guiding us with a plan for our future, overflowing blessings in abundance. His provision is unearned yet freely given. His presence is constant and never failing. In all times, He is faithful. He supplies all we need to fulfill His purpose. Let’s trust in His endless provision, rejoicing in His perfect care, finding peace in His promise, for our God will always provide.
God always provides. These are stories I’ve told you before, but when it comes to thinking about how God provides, I can’t help but remember these events.
In College, I was not able check out of the dorms until my bill was paid in full. I was not returning in the fall that year, so the bill had to be paid in full. I sold bunches of things to make some extra cash. I took on a second work study job to make some additional money that went straight to my college bill. Yet, when most students were leaving, I still had an unpaid balance. I couldn’t leave. The time came when we had to leave the campus, and God provided cash in my school mailbox, enough to payoff my bill for that semester. I was able to check out and leave. God provided.
When I had to give back my 68 Dodge Dart after Amanda and I were first married, for $500 I bought an old Ford Escort. It wasn’t a great car, but it got me from where I was to where I needed to be. I drove it for a couple of years when we lived in Elizabeth City and Hillsville until it broke down. It was going to cost more money than Amanda and I had to fix it. As we were wrestling with how to make it with one car, I received a call from the parents of a high school friend. They had heard that I was preaching at a church. They were getting rid of one of their parent’s car and wanted to give it to me as a donation to my ministry. It had low miles, and had been cared for meticulously. You can believe we jumped right on that. God provided.
There were two times where God provided what we needed in His way in His timing after we moved to Martinsville. The first happened the day we arrived in our moving truck in October. We got out of the truck, and were met by a man who was in charge of the maintenance program for Martinsville City Schools. A teaching position had opened and he had spoken to some folks about Amanda. Basically, the job was hers if she was interested. And so, after not teaching in a school system for a couple of years, Amanda was teaching again. And, 25 years later, she’s still teaching! God provided.
Due to some complications, I left the church in Martinsville the next summer. It was tough making ends meet. I went to work for what has now become Carter Bank & Trust. Amanda was still teaching. We were living in a townhouse in Martinsvillle. The rent was due and there just wasn’t enough in the bank account to cover it. That evening, there was a bag with cash in it next to our car, enough to make the rent. God provided.
If there is anything I have learned in my life it is this: God provides for His children.
But it’s more than just our physical needs. He provides spiritually, emotionally, and relationally as well.
While living in Hillsville, God provided a great preacher friend and mentor who helped me through some challenging times when we lived there.
While living in Martinsville, God provided a great preacher friend who encouraged and supported Amanda and me through the difficult complications we lived through there.
God always provides exactly what we need. For that, we ought to be overflowing with gratitude.
This morning we are continuing our study, “Overflowing with Gratitude”.
Last week, we were challenged to move beyond occasional thankfulness and embrace gratitude as a daily decision. We were reminded that gratitude is more than a reaction to blessings—it's a way of life that shapes our hearts, perspectives, and relationships. By living gratefully, we not only grow closer to God, but we also become a powerful witness of His goodness to the world around us.
This morning, let’s focus on how we can be grateful for God’s provision for our lives.
### 1. **It starts with us Recognizing God’s Faithfulness in His Provision.**
Paul prayed this for the Philippians at the conclusion of that letter, saying this in Philippians 4:
19 … [M]y God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4, NIV1984)
D L Moody, An American Evangelist Of The Last ...
By Owen Bourgaize
Copied from Sermon Central
Evangelist DL Moody would quote Paul’s words that we just read from Philippians 4:19. The banker in me loves Mr. Moody’s commentary on this verse. He would say:
Here is a bank cheque. The firm, "My God"; the promise, "shall supply"; the amount, "all you need"; the capital, "his riches"; the address of the bank, "in glory"; the signature, "Christ Jesus". Then he would add, "This cheque must be endorsed by the person to whom it is made payable."
From the very beginning, God has been faithful to provide exactly what His people need. He promises that He will meet all of our needs.
Time and time again, we have examples in Scripture of God’s provision.
Consider the story of Exodus 16, where God provides manna for the Israelites in the wilderness.
After the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt, they journeyed into the wilderness, led by Moses. They had been traveling for a while, and as they wandered, they began to face hunger and despair. In Exodus 16:2-3, we read that the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron:
2 …[T]he whole community of Israel complained about Moses and Aaron.
3 “If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt,” they moaned. “There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.” (Exodus 16, NLT)
The Israelites longed for the food they had in Egypt, despite being slaves. Their complaint reflects their lack of trust in God’s provision and His plan for them in the wilderness.
Sound familiar?
We do that very thing. When God provides, it’s not always what we want or the way we want. So instead of being grateful, we grumble and complain.
In response to their grumbling, God told Moses that He would rain down bread from heaven for them to eat. God promised that He would provide for their needs, but there was a condition: they were to gather only what they needed for each day, and on the sixth day, they were to gather double to prepare for the Sabbath when no manna would fall.
Moses and Aaron told the Israelites that in the evening they would know that it was the Lord who had brought them out of Egypt, and in the morning, they would see the glory of the Lord. God would provide them with food, and they were to trust His provision.
That evening, quail came and covered the camp, providing meat for the Israelites to eat. But it was the next morning that they saw God’s miraculous provision in the form of bread. A fine, flaky substance appeared on the ground, which the Israelites called *“manna”* (meaning "What is it?"), for they didn’t know what it was. They gathered it up and ate it. The manna was like coriander seed, white, and tasted like wafers made with honey.
God instructed the people to gather only enough for each day. Some tried to gather more, but it spoiled and became maggot-infested. On the sixth day, they were told to gather twice as much, and it would remain fresh, as they were not to gather manna on the Sabbath day.
So, on the sixth day, the people did just that — they gathered twice as much, and sure enough, the manna did not spoil. When they woke up on the Sabbath, there was no manna to collect. The people were told to rest on the seventh day, as God had commanded. It was a test of their faith and obedience, showing them that God would provide, and they needed to trust in Him daily, even in the wilderness.
The Israelites continued to rely on God’s provision throughout their journey in the wilderness, and He faithfully supplied them with manna every day, except on the Sabbath, for forty years, until they entered the Promised Land.
The story ends with God providing a reminder of His provision:
32 Then Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: Fill a two-quart container with manna to preserve it for your descendants. Then later generations will be able to see the food I gave you in the wilderness when I set you free from Egypt.”
33 Moses said to Aaron, “Get a jar and fill it with two quarts of manna. Then put it in a sacred place before the Lord to preserve it || for all future generations.” 34 Aaron did just as the Lord had commanded Moses. He eventually placed it in the Ark of the Covenant—in front of the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant. (Exodus 16, NLT)
The point here is, just like all of the other examples of God’s provision: Despite the Israelites’ grumbling and lack of faith, God provided for them in a miraculous way, showing His faithfulness to His people.
God’s provision was consistent, regardless of how the Israelites felt about the future. The Israelites were called to trust God and obey His instructions, gathering only what they needed each day. This helped teach them to rely on God’s daily provision rather than stockpiling resources in fear.
God provided not only for their physical needs but also gave them a lesson in His sufficiency and His ability to meet their needs, no matter how impossible it may seem.
If we are to be grateful for God’s provision, we need to think back over our own lives, and remember those times when God stepped into our lives, and gave us exactly what we needed, exactly when we needed it.
When we think back to those times, we can easily see God’s faithfulness to us, even when we may not have been faithful to Him during those times.
I would encourage each of us to write down those times. Etch them in our minds so, just like the Israelites in the Old Testament, we would have a way to remember what God has done for us, that we can share God’s faithfulness and provision to future generations.
### 2. **We must find Contentment in Christ. **
Paul also writes in Philippians 4:
10 I rejoice greatly in the Lord, that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, || whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4, NIV1984)
Editor Describes American Life as Too Full
Source: William Falk, The Week (3-26-04)
https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2004/may/15071.html
Copied from Preaching Today
Vacationing in the British Virgin Islands with his family, magazine editor William Falk found himself longing for a simple life. Gazing across the water, a little island caught his attention. He learned that the population was known for enjoying a carefree lifestyle. Falk decided that's where he wanted to go.
He confessed:
I have no real wants; if anything, my life is too full. "That's precisely the problem," author Gregg Easterbrook says in his new book, The Progress Paradox. Most Americans enjoy a higher standard of living than 99.4 percent of the 80 billion human beings who've ever lived. Yet we're not content. "Our lives are characterized by too much of a good thing." Easterbrook says, "excess at every turn." We're surrounded by so much food that obesity has become a national crisis, are tempted by so much entertainment and information and stuff to buy that we sleep three hours a day less than our grandparents. At times, it leaves you staring at a four-mile-long island on the horizon, wondering what it would be like to chuck it all.
We struggle with contentment because we literally have too much. Too often, we do not truly remember what it is like to be in need. We’ve forgotten. Because we live in abundance today. Abundance that we often attribute to our own doing.
Paul certainly didn’t have that problem. Paul struggled. As a tent maker, Paul worked his way around the world as he was preaching the gospel.
He went through financial, mental, and physical poverty.
Yet, Paul was able to give thanks for what God had done for him. God had provided exactly what Paul needed — salvation. Nothing was more important to Paul. If God could provide a way for Paul to turn his life around, to serve God with all of his heart, and ultimately have a personal relationship with God, everything else would fall into place. He trusted that God would provide. God was Jehovah Jireh.
Just like God provided the ram when Abraham was prepared to sacrifice Isaac, God will provide for us as well. God’s provision was enough for Paul. God’s provision is enough for us.
When we remember God’s provision, through Jesus, we have the strength to be content — we become thankful for what God has given to and for us.
Gratitude for God’s provision is linked to contentment. We can learn to be content, even when we do not have everything we want. We become content because we have everything we need.
**Key Point**: Gratitude helps us focus on what we have, not what we lack.
When we focus on what we lack, we live in discontentment. We grumble about what we do not have. We focus on gaining more and more, yet never seeming to quite be able to get enough to satisfy the emptiness in our lives.
?Are you living in discontentment? Has disgruntlement crept in to your world?
May we count our blessings. May we remember God’s provision. May we cultivate a heart of gratitude, focusing on the provisions of God’s grace in our lives.
### 3. **Generosity is the proper Response to God’s Provision.**
Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 9:
6 Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and || plenty left over to share with others. (2 Corinthians 9, NLT)
God’s provision is not only for our benefit but also enables us to be generous with others.
When we are grateful, when we are content, when we are focused on God and not ourselves, we begin to focus on others — and their needs. When we are satisfied with God’s provisions, we will be filled with the desire to share our resources, time, and talents with others.
I pray that we would become like the widow in Mark 12:
41 Jesus sat near the Temple money box and watched the people put in their money. Many rich people gave large sums of money. 42 Then a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which were only worth a few cents.
43 Calling His followers to Him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow gave more than all those rich people. 44 They gave only || what they did not need. This woman is very poor, but she gave all she had; she gave all she had to live on.” (Mark 12, NCV)
Sacrificially Giving a Priceless Gift
Source: Mark Batterson, Chase the Lion, (Multnomah, 2016), Pages 34-35
https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2018/october/sacrificially-giving-priceless-gift.html
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On September 3, 1939, German troops invaded Bielsko, Poland. A fifteen year-old girl, Gerda Weissman, and her family survived in a Jewish ghetto until June of 1942. That's when Gerda was torn from her mother, kicking and screaming. Her mother, Helene, was sent to a death camp. Gerda would spend three years in a Nazi concentration camp, followed by a 350-mile death march that she somehow survived. By the time she was liberated by American troops, Gerda was a sixty-eight-pound skeleton. And in what must rank as one of the most improbable love stories ever, Gerda actually married the soldier who found her, Lieutenant Kurt Klein.
There are six glass towers at the Holocaust Memorial in Boston, Massachusetts, representing the six extermination camps where six million Jews lost their lives. Five towers tell the story of unconscionable cruelty and unimaginable suffering, but the sixth tower stands as a testimony to hope. Inscribed on it is a short story titled "One Raspberry," written by Gerda Weissman Klein.
Ilse, a childhood friend of mine, once found a raspberry in the camp and carried it in her pocket all day to present to me that night on a leaf. Imagine a world in which your entire possession is one raspberry and you gave it to your friend.
The true measure of a gift is what you gave up to give it. One raspberry isn't much unless it's all you have! Then it's not next to nothing; it's everything. The same is true of two billion dollars or two mites. Big dreams often start with small acts of kindness. It's powerful when we're on the receiving end, but it's even more wonderful when we're on the giving end.
Paul is reminding us that when we had nothing, God gave us the ultimate priceless gift when He gave us His Son (2 Corinthians 9:15).
This morning, are we grateful for what God has given to us? Does that gratitude for God’s provision lead us to live generously? What do we have that we can give? May we give financially, give of our time and talents by serving others, and blessing others the way that God has blessed us.
### 4. **Finally, may we See God’s Provision in All Areas of Life**
Jesus said in Matthew 6:
31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. (Matthew 6, NLT)
Very simply, Jesus reminds us not to worry about our material needs. God knows what we need and will provide for us as we seek to live for Him above everything else in this world.
God’s Provision is not limited to material things. It includes spiritual sustenance, relational peace, wisdom, and strength in times of weakness.
**Key Point**: True gratitude recognizes God’s provision in every area and aspect of our lives, from the small blessings to the big ones.
### **Illustration: "The Small Things Matter"**
The story is told that A young woman was walking through a busy park one afternoon when she noticed an elderly man sitting on a bench with a small bag of breadcrumbs. Curious, she approached him and asked, "What are you doing with those crumbs?"
The man smiled gently and said, "I’m feeding the birds. But I don’t just see crumbs; I see God’s provision. I may not have a feast to share, but these little crumbs are enough to bring life to something else. God provides in the smallest ways, if we’re willing to see it."
The woman was struck by his words. She had always been looking for the big miracles—dramatic answers to prayer, grand gestures—but she realized in that moment that God’s provision often comes in small, overlooked ways: a quiet moment of peace, a kind word from a friend, a small meal that nourishes, or a gentle reminder that He is there in every detail of our lives.
Sometimes, we need to open our eyes to see God's hand at work in even the smallest things, for His provision is often found in the crumbs of life.
God’s provision isn’t always grand or obvious. Often it is in the small, everyday blessings that we overlook.
This morning, I pray that we will not focus on just the material blessings, but on all of the ways God has provided — spiritually, relationally, and emotionally. May we shift our perspective and recognize God’s constant care, even in the seemingly insignificant moments.
And may we give thanks to God for His provision.
### Conclusion
This morning, gratitude for God’s provision means that we recognize His faithfulness in providing exactly what we need when we need it, that we learn contentment through Christ’s strength, that we respond with generosity, and that we see God’s provision in every area of our lives.
This Thanksgiving season, may we make a habit of reflecting on God’s provision daily and expressing gratitude for both the big and small ways He provides.
May that habit extend beyond just this season of gratitude, and be alive in us all year long.
May our hearts overflow with gratitude for God’s benevolent provision in our lives. May our lives overflow with generosity, sharing God’s blessings with others.
