Just a couple of things to share today:
I was praying with my friend Sue Cleaver recently. She said something that was so profound, and it made me smile Big Time! She said that if God dumped everything he had on a person, God would turn around and find that He still has EVERYTHING. I love that! God can give extravagantly, abundantly, lavishly and His supply is never diminished one bit! And He is my Father.
I truly want to live knowing that I'm the beloved child of the King of the Universe, of El Shaddai-- the one who is the inexhaustible supply of every good and perfect gift. He says that he withholds no good thing from us. NO GOOD THING! He also promises to provide ALL of our need from HIS GLORIOUS RICHES in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:19), not my assets. Praise God for that!
Romans 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
So when there is a need, there's no need to worry, to get frustrated, or to try to figure out how we're going to take care of our own need. We can live like Jesus lived. He never worried about how he would eat, where he would sleep, or even how to pay His taxes. He was confident that His Father knew His needs and would take care of every single need. The only time I ever read of Jesus being hungry was when he was fasting--intentionally. And scripture never says that Jesus had a job! We always read him eating at someone's house, or staying at someone's house. He even commissioned his followers to do the same.
Luke 10: 4- 7 ] Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. LK 10:5 "When you enter a house, first say, `Peace to this house.' [6] If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. [7] Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
Later Jesus gives them permission to save, and carry what they needed. By that time, His disciples understood the lesson that Jesus was teaching them. Our Heavenly Father will take perfect care of you, and meet EVERY SINGLE NEED from His supply, not ours.
LK 22:35 Then Jesus asked them, "When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?"
"Nothing," they answered.
LK 22:36 He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.
He supplies our through jobs, savings, friends, families, strangers--through a myriad of means. God is creative and He often surprises us with His means of provision.
My oldest daughter needs braces. After a consultation yesterday, I realized that braces are about $4000--and that's with insurance. That's definitely NOT in our budget! Our income can't support the monthly payments either. So what do we do? Well, I'll tell you my normal response. Frustration. Hopelessness. Or dismiss this need as a luxury and go without. God is teaching me how to respond as His child. We're bringing this need to the Father who has amply resources to take care of this need. Does that mean that I'm not being a good steward of what He's given us? No. But we're not perfect either. It means that we ask, and wait for His provision. I'm looking for His answer, and trying not to be closed minded about His ways of providing. But I'm NOT taking matters into my own hands. I'm not using credit or putting our family in some financial bind, because I'm trying to meet a need with the resources we can SEE. And I'm not trying to make His provision come at MY TIME. He is all-wise, and He knows when the time is right.
I'll just wait for Him.
I was praying with my friend Sue Cleaver recently. She said something that was so profound, and it made me smile Big Time! She said that if God dumped everything he had on a person, God would turn around and find that He still has EVERYTHING. I love that! God can give extravagantly, abundantly, lavishly and His supply is never diminished one bit! And He is my Father.
I truly want to live knowing that I'm the beloved child of the King of the Universe, of El Shaddai-- the one who is the inexhaustible supply of every good and perfect gift. He says that he withholds no good thing from us. NO GOOD THING! He also promises to provide ALL of our need from HIS GLORIOUS RICHES in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:19), not my assets. Praise God for that!
Romans 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
So when there is a need, there's no need to worry, to get frustrated, or to try to figure out how we're going to take care of our own need. We can live like Jesus lived. He never worried about how he would eat, where he would sleep, or even how to pay His taxes. He was confident that His Father knew His needs and would take care of every single need. The only time I ever read of Jesus being hungry was when he was fasting--intentionally. And scripture never says that Jesus had a job! We always read him eating at someone's house, or staying at someone's house. He even commissioned his followers to do the same.
Luke 10: 4- 7 ] Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. LK 10:5 "When you enter a house, first say, `Peace to this house.' [6] If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. [7] Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
Later Jesus gives them permission to save, and carry what they needed. By that time, His disciples understood the lesson that Jesus was teaching them. Our Heavenly Father will take perfect care of you, and meet EVERY SINGLE NEED from His supply, not ours.
LK 22:35 Then Jesus asked them, "When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?"
"Nothing," they answered.
LK 22:36 He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.
He supplies our through jobs, savings, friends, families, strangers--through a myriad of means. God is creative and He often surprises us with His means of provision.
My oldest daughter needs braces. After a consultation yesterday, I realized that braces are about $4000--and that's with insurance. That's definitely NOT in our budget! Our income can't support the monthly payments either. So what do we do? Well, I'll tell you my normal response. Frustration. Hopelessness. Or dismiss this need as a luxury and go without. God is teaching me how to respond as His child. We're bringing this need to the Father who has amply resources to take care of this need. Does that mean that I'm not being a good steward of what He's given us? No. But we're not perfect either. It means that we ask, and wait for His provision. I'm looking for His answer, and trying not to be closed minded about His ways of providing. But I'm NOT taking matters into my own hands. I'm not using credit or putting our family in some financial bind, because I'm trying to meet a need with the resources we can SEE. And I'm not trying to make His provision come at MY TIME. He is all-wise, and He knows when the time is right.
I'll just wait for Him.
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