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"And my God shall supply all your needs
according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 4:19)
This week in our devotions, we will discuss how God provides for His children. In his "30 Life Principles" series of messages, Dr. Charles Stanley, former pastor of the First Baptist Church Atlanta, GA, describes this principle in the following way: God promises to provide. Amen, indeed, He does!
As I write today, my heart is saddened by the atrocities committed against the nation of Israel by the terrorist group Hamas, and also the innocent Palestinian non-combatants, especially women and children, who have been killed and injured by Israel's retaliatory actions. I am praying for God to save lost souls, heal deep wounds on both sides, and bring peace to this very volatile situation. The only way anyone can have true peace is to know the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. Will you join me in praying for God to save and for the peace of Jerusalem, as God commands us in Psalm 122:6?
Also, as I write today's devotion, I am struggling from shoulder pain, which I have been dealing with for the last couple of days. I have an MRI scheduled soon, and by the time this devotion is published on Monday, I should have completed the MRI and perhaps even obtained the results. Thanks for your prayers. I had a friend reach out to me, and I am grateful for how many people are praying for me. Shoulder pain is no fun, for sure! I responded to my friend by saying, the Lord is good, even on bad days.
Our God is an awesome God; the one true, living God. He loves His creation and has provided salvation for all who will turn to Jesus Christ and embrace Him as their Lord and Savior. God meets our needs. Our needs may be physical, emotional, mental, financial, or most of all, spiritual. God who created us knows us and is committed to meeting our needs if we know Him. In his message, Stanley points out that some people try to meet their own needs, get someone else to meet their needs, or look to the government, but they cannot do it. No one or entity can fully meet our needs and satisfy us but God.
"God assumes full responsibility for meeting our needs when we obey Him." Now that is a powerful, deeply theological, and accurate statement. When I think about how God loves us and promises to meet our needs, I think of a pastor named John Morgan. He served at Sagemont Baptist Church in Houston, TX for over 40 years. He loves God, is very generous, and firmly believes that God loves His children and meets all their needs.
Dr. Stanley read Philippians 4:10-17 and said there is nothing negative in the entire Book of Philippians. I love this passage of Scripture. Paul writes with thanksgiving to the church at Philippi. They had generously provided for him, and he was grateful. Within the context of Paul telling the church that he has learned to be content, he shared these two memorable verses in the Bible: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," (Philippians 4:13) and, "My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).
On what basis does God supply all our needs? He does so according to His riches in glory. He has all power to do anything and to meet any need we have. But the key phrase is the last one: "by Christ Jesus." God acts according to His divine will by His Son, Jesus.
I know you, like me, have some struggles and things that you need God to help you with. It may be, as it is for me today, a physical need. For others, it is something entirely different. But here is the wonderful thing: God knows, and He promises to meet your needs by His power and through His Son. Ask God in faith to do that for you now.
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