The God Who Supplies

The God Who Supplies

Philippians 4:9

The Apostle Paul was very appreciative of how the church met his needs(v 15-18). He was not like the lawyer whom was approached by the local

United Way official.

Illust.: The local United Way office realized that it had never received a donation from the town's most successful lawyer, so a volunteer was sent to solicit his donation."Sir, you have a successful law practice. You must be worth millions. Surely you could give back a little to your community through The United Way."The lawyer said, "First, are you aware that my mother is dying from a long, painful

illness? And that she has medical bills far beyond her ability to

pay?"Embarrassed, the United Way rep mumbled, "Uh,

no.""Second, did you know my brother, a disabled veteran, is blind,

confined to a wheelchair, and unable to support his wife and six

children?"The stricken United Way rep mumbled another, "Uh,

no.""Third, do you realize that my sister's husband died in a dreadful

traffic accident leaving her penniless, with a huge mortgage andthree

young children?"The United Way rep was feeling shame. "No, sir. I

had no idea..."The lawyer concluded, "Well, then, if I don't give any

money to THEM, why do you think I'd give any to YOU?" (Source

Unknown).

The Apostle Paul knew that it was the Lord God who could meet all of our

needs.

I. The Recognition of Our Needs

“But my God shall supply....”

A. He is Aware of Our Needs

Matthew 6:8, "Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your

Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask

him."

B. He is Able to Meet Our Needs

Ephesians 3:20, "Now unto him that is able to do

exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,

according to the power that worketh in us,"

C. He Attends to Our Needs

1 Peter 5:7, "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth

for you."

“Careth” (Gr., “melo”) means “to take care of.” The idea

is to “attend to one’s need.”

II. The Dimension of Our Needs

“All your need...”

A. Spiritual Needs

John 3:7, "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be

born again."

Illust.: From a Christmas card:

Our greatest need

A Christmas card I once received clearly reveals what our

focus should be this Christmas:

"If our greatest need was for information,

God would have sent an educator."

"If our greatest need was for technology,

God would have sent a scientist."

"If our greatest need was for pleasure,

God would have sent an entertainer."

"If our greatest need was for money

God would have sent an economist."

BUT SINCE OUR GREATEST NEED IS FOR

FORGIVENESS, GOD SENT A SAVIOR.

B. Psychological Needs

Romans 12:2, "And be not conformed to this world: but be

ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may

prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will

of God."

C. Social and Relational Needs

Romans 12:10, "Be kindly affectioned one to another with

brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;"

D. Physical Needs

Matthew 6:25, "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought

for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor

yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more

than meat, and the body than raiment?"

III. The Provision for Our Needs

"...according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. "

A. Provisions in Reserve

“According” (Gr., “Kata”) literally means “down to.”

God meets our needs from a “spiritual reservoir.”

“Glory” (Gr., “doxa”) means “praise, worship, and

majesty.”

Quote: Through Christ we have grace to do what is good, and through him

we must expect the reward; and as we have all things by him, let us do all

things for him, and to his glory. [Matthew Henry]

B. Provision Through Relationship

Philippians 4:12-23

Illust.: The man who flies our jet is poor

We are most prosperous generation America has ever seen, yet we

think of ourselves as poor. Story is told of an affluent kid whose

family moved to a new city. The parents didn't want to draw

attention to themselves, so they told their son that they were poor.

"We really don't have much," they told him. "Others are much

better off than we are. On the first day of school the teacher asked

the children to write a paragraph about themselves. The young boy

wrote, "I am poor, my father is poor, my mother is poor...our maid

is poor, the man who flies our jet is poor..."

God meets our need from glory so that in the meeting of our needs

He receives “glory.”

Conclusion:

Notes