PRINCIPLES OF PROVISION

Promiseland Television Network

PTN Telethon, March 21, 2008

TEXT

" 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. 14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. 17 Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. 18 I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Philippians 4:10-20 NIV)

" Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.” 2 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: 3 “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. 4 You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there.” 5 So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. 7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 “Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food.” 10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.” 12 “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.” 13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord gives rain on the land.’ ” 15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah. 17 Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. 18 She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?” 19 “Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. 20 Then he cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought tragedy also upon this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?” 21 Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!” 22 The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. 23 Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive!” 24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.” " (1 Kings 17:1-24 NIV)

Elijah took the initiative to ask her for something. (I would find this very hard to do.) She had to overcome what may well have been her initial reluctance

INTRODUCTION

In the closing verses of his letter to the Christians at Philippi, Paul expresses his rock-solid conviction that God wants to supply every need of everyone who knows Him as Savior and Lord. This powerful promise is made to those who had given financially to help him reap the harvest and is found in a two-fold context:

· Contentment with what we have (4:11)

· Commitment to what God has called us to do (4:13)

Learning the lesson of contentment is a very important part of positioning ourselves to experience God’s provision.

“⁶ ¶ But godliness with contentment is great gain^.^{7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.} [No U-Hauls behind hearses!] ⁸But if we have good and clothing, we will be content with that^.⁹ People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. ¹¹ But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:3-12 NIV)

"20 A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished." (Proverbs 28:20 NIV)

"10 Do not trust in extortion or take pride in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them." (Psalm 62:10 NIV)

“Don’t try to get rich by extortion or robbery. And if your wealth increases, don’t make it the center of your life.” Psalms 62:10 NLT

The purpose in prosperity is not to keep upgrading our lifestyle indefinitely, but to help others and to finance His Kingdom in the earth!

"7 “Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die: 8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. 9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God." (Proverbs 30:7-9 NIV)

Acquiring too much wealth, without a vision to help others, can be a very destructive thing in the life of any individual and their children!

I underscore the fact that Paul’s promise of provision is made in the context of contentment and commitment because it graphically illustrates just what biblical prosperity is:

Biblical prosperity: General sense = Total well-being

“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as they soul prospereth.” 3 John 1:2 AV

“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.” 3 John 1:2 NIVUS

o Specific material sense = “Having sufficient resources to do the will of God.” (God wants to provide us with everything [materially and otherwise] that we need in order to do His will!)

o HOW MUCH does God want to give us?

· Enough to provide for our needs and those of our family

"11 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody." (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 NIV)

“¹¹ This should be your ambition: to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we commanded you before. ¹² As a result, people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others to meet your financial needs.” ( Thessalonians 4:11-12 NLT)

"8 If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." (1 Timothy 5:8 NIV)

Jerry Diddle – “Why do you believe that God wants to give you more than enough grace, peace, power, etc., but only just barely enough money?”

*** God does not want us to go to the other extreme where we cannot even enjoy something nice! God made an extravagantly beautiful universe! I give unnecessary things to my children simply for their enjoyment!

· Enough to share with others

“If you have money, share it generously.” (Romans 12:8 NLT)

"8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written: “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God." (2 Corinthians 9:8-11 NIV)

“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. ⁹ As the Scriptures say, “Godly people give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will never be forgotten.” ¹⁰ For God is the one who give seed to the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will give you many opportunities to do good, and he will produce a great harvest of generosity in you. ¹¹ Yes, you will be enriched so that you can give even more generously.” (2 Corinthians 9:8-11 NLT)

Corrie ten Boom & vitamins – enough for Betse and others

“²⁴ ¶ One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. ²⁵ ¶ A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” (Proverbs 11:24-25 NIV)

· Enough to finance the progress of God’s Kingdom in the earth

Enough to finance His specific purposes for our own life

Enough to finance His greater purposes in the earth.

- Pro-Vision = For the vision

Two very important questions:

· Have you surrendered your lifestyle to God?

Journalist: “How much money does it take to make a person happy? Rockefeller: “A little more . . .!”

If I ask you the question, “How much is enough for you?” can you truthfully say, “However much God chooses to give me!”

“¹³ ¶ Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.” ¹⁴ Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?” ¹⁵ Then he said, “Beware!, Don’t be greedy for what you don’t have. Real life is not measured by how much we own.” [“Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. NIV] … ²¹ “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” ²² ¶ Then turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “So I tell you, don’t worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or clothes to wear. ²³ For life consists of far more than food and clothing. ²⁴ Look at the ravens. They don’t need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! ²⁵Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not! ²⁶And if worry can’t do little things like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things? ²⁷ “Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. ²⁸ And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t he more surely care for you? You have so little faith! ²⁹ And don’t worry about food—what to eat and drink. Don’t worry whether God will provide it for you. ³⁰ These things dominate the thoughts of most people, but your Father already knows your needs. ³¹ He will give you all you need from day to day if you make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.” ³² “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom. ³³ “Sell what you have and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven have no holes in them. Your treasure will be safe—no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. ³⁴ Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be.” (Luke 12:133-34 NLT)

²⁴ “No one can serve two masters. [Two things cannot be your primary concern at the same time!] For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. ²⁵ ¶ “So I tell you, don’t worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn’t life consist of more than food and clothing? ²⁶Look at the birds. They don’t need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are. ²⁷ Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not. ²⁸ “And why worry about your clothes? Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, ²⁹ yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. ³⁰ And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t he more surely care for you? You have so little faith! ³¹ “So don’t worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. ³² Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, ³³ and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.” (Matthew 6:24-33 NLT)

Humana CEO per David Haas: “Never make money your goal. Make your goal helping other people by doing something that you really enjoy doing and you will make all the money you need.”

· Are you committed to His purposes for your existence?

Uncle Phil re: historic purposes of taxation:

o Raise revenues

o Redistribute wealth

o Influence behavior

BOTH GOD AND THE DEVIL UNDERSTAND THIS PRINCIPLE! That is why Jesus talked so much about money and why God instituted the concept of tithing. God doesn’t need our money! (He can create anything He wants!) But, He wants our attention and our loyalty, and knows that if He has our money, He will have them too!

" 19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21 NIV)

How does God provide for our needs and why does He use the means that He does?

We can learn four important principles from an episode in the life of Elijah, one of God’s men in Old Testament times (1 Kings 17:1-24)

1. When God guides, He provides

“ You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there."” (1 Kings 17:4 NIVUS)

“ 8 ¶ Then the LORD said to Elijah, 9 "Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. There is a widow there who will feed you. I have given her my instructions."” (1 Kings 17:8-9 NLT)

“ 8 ¶ Then the word of the LORD came to him: 9 "Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food."” (1 Kings 17:8-9 NIVUS)

*** Where God leads, He feeds!!

*** Isaac staying in the land in time of famine and experiencing abundance!

“ 1 ¶ Now a severe famine struck the land, as had happened before in Abraham’s time. So Isaac moved to Gerar, where Abimelech, king of the Philistines, lived. 2 The LORD appeared to him there and said, "Do not go to Egypt. 3 Do as I say, and stay here in this land. If you do, I will be with you and bless you. I will give all this land to you and your descendants, just as I solemnly promised Abraham, your father. 4 I will cause your descendants to become as numerous as the stars, and I will give them all these lands. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed. 5 I will do this because Abraham listened to me and obeyed all my requirements, commands, regulations, and laws. 6 ¶ So Isaac stayed in Gerar.” (Genesis 26:1-6 NLT)

“ 12 ¶ That year Isaac’s crops were tremendous! He harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the LORD blessed him. 13 He became a rich man, and his wealth only continued to grow. 14 He acquired large flocks of sheep and goats, great herds of cattle, and many servants. Soon the Philistines became jealous of him, 15 and they filled up all of Isaac’s wells with earth. These were the wells that had been dug by the servants of his father, Abraham. 16 And Abimelech asked Isaac to leave the country. "Go somewhere else," he said, "for you have become too rich and powerful for us."” (Genesis 26:12-16 NLT)

“ 18 The days of the blameless are known to the LORD, and their inheritance will endure forever. 19 In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty. (“more than enough” NLT) 20 But the wicked will perish: The LORD’s enemies will be like the beauty of the fields, they will vanish— vanish like smoke.” (Psalms 37:18-20 NIVUS)

When the finger of God points the way, the hand of God will always make a way.

· Examples: Sri Lanka airfare - exactly to the penny + hotel

Persistent lack may be an indication of mistrust (we are not exercising our faith in God), misdirection (we are not where He wants us to be or doing what He wants us to do), or mismanagement (we are not exercising good stewardship – God’s promise of provision was never meant to be an excuse for financial irresponsibility!)

WHERE does God want to guide us?

· Into a closer relationship with Him

“ The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.” (Proverbs 4:18 NIVUS)

As God gives us more light, we grow in our intimacy with Him and in our understanding of what kind of lifestyle honors Him!

· Into a lifestyle that glorifies Him

In a very real sense, God is not only concerned with our happiness, but also with our holiness! And if it ever becomes absolutely necessary, He will temporarily sacrifice our happiness in order to promote our holiness.

“ 1 ¶ "Be careful to obey all the commands I am giving you today. Then you will live and multiply, and you will enter and occupy the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors. 2 Remember how the LORD your God led you through the wilderness for forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would really obey his commands. 3 Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people need more than bread for their life; real life comes by feeding on every word of the LORD. 4 For all these forty years your clothes didn’t wear out, and your feet didn’t blister or swell. 5 So you should realize that just as a parent disciplines a child, the LORD your God disciplines you to HELP you. 6 "So obey the commands of the LORD your God by walking in his ways and fearing him. 7 For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land of flowing streams and pools of water, with springs that gush forth in the valleys and hills. 8 It is a land of wheat and barley, of grapevines, fig trees, pomegranates, olives, and honey. 9 It is a land where food is plentiful and nothing is lacking. It is a land where iron is as common as stone, and copper is abundant in the hills. (Deuteronomy 8:1-10 NLT)

God never disciplines anyone to harm them, but, rather to help them!

God never disciplines anyone without telling them WHY!

“ 6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes those he accepts as his children." 7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Whoever heard of a child who was never disciplined? 8 If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children after all. 9 Since we respect our earthly fathers who disciplined us, should we not all the more cheerfully submit to the discipline of our heavenly Father and live forever? 10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always right and good for us because it means we will share in his holiness. 11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it is painful! But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. 12 So take a new grip with your tired hands and stand firm on your shaky legs. 13 Mark out a straight path for your feet. Then those who follow you, though they are weak and lame, will not stumble and fall but will become strong. 14 Try to live in peace with everyone, and seek to live a clean and holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. 15 Look after each other so that none of you will miss out on the special favor of God. Watch out that no bitter root of unbelief rises up among you, for whenever it springs up, many are corrupted by its poison.” (Hebrews 12:6-15 NLT)

· To a place of responsible abundance

To a place where He can trust us enough to entrust His resources to us for the good of the world.

10 ¶ When you have eaten your fill, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. 11 "But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the LORD your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and laws. 12 For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, 13 and when your flocks and herds [means of generating wealth, i.e., sources of income or revenue streams] have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, 14 that is the time to be careful. Do not become proud at that time and forget the LORD your God, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt. 15 Do not forget that he led you through the great and terrifying wilderness with poisonous snakes and scorpions, where it was so hot and dry. He gave you water from the rock! 16 He fed you with manna in the wilderness, a food unknown to your ancestors. He did this to humble you and test you for your own good. 17 He did it so you would never think that it was your own strength and energy that made you wealthy. 18 Always remember that it is the LORD your God who gives you power to become rich, and he does it to fulfill the covenant he made with your ancestors. 19 "But I assure you of this: If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods, worshiping and bowing down to them, you will certainly be destroyed. 20 Just as the LORD has destroyed other nations in your path, you also will be destroyed for not obeying the LORD your God.” (Deuteronomy 8:1-20 NLT)

· To your place of greatest fruitfulness in His Kingdom

Prosperity provides opportunity and brings responsibility.

Three important questions to ask ourselves:

· Do I trust God enough to allow Him to direct my steps?

“ 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT)

Walking with God always requires faith. He rarely tells us everything that is up ahead of us!

A proper understanding of God’s character and of His concern about us is necessary in order to be able to trust Him for His provision.

“ 13 ¶ And remember, no one who wants to do wrong should ever say, "God is tempting me." God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else either. 14 Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires. 15 These evil desires lead to evil actions, and evil actions lead to death. 16 So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above, who created all heaven’s lights. Unlike them, he never changes or casts shifting shadows. 18 In his goodness he chose to make us his own children by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his choice possession.” (James 1:13-18 NLT)

· Am I willing to embrace the changes this could bring to my life?

o Change of location

o Change of vocation

· Is furthering God’s purposes in the world the most important thing in my life? (i.e., is the Kingdom my “primary concern?”)

“ 22 ¶ Then turning to his disciples, Jesus said, "So I tell you, don’t worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or clothes to wear. 23 For life consists of far more than food and clothing. 24 Look at the ravens. They don’t need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! 25 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not! 26 And if worry can’t do little things like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things? 27 "Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 28 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t he more surely care for you? You have so little faith! 29 And don’t worry about food—what to eat and drink. Don’t worry whether God will provide it for you. 30 These things dominate the thoughts of most people
[“pagans,” Matt 6:32], but your Father already knows your needs. 31 He will give you all you need from day to day if you make the Kingdom of God your primary concern. 32 "So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.” (Luke 12:22-32 NLT)

“Daily bread” – God never provides all that we will ever need in one act because He is interested in relationship!

2. God’s means of provision are not man’s means of provision

· His power and resources are without limit!

God not only administrates resources, He creates them!

The jar of flour was not used up, the jug of oil did not run dry!

God is not limited to our circumstances, paycheck, or bank account! He lives outside the business cycle and is in no way limited by the economy!

* Mike Blue’s McDonald’s testimony**! God still has ravens and widows!

Since God creates resources,

o No need is too great for God!

“ 9 ¶ "Where is Sarah, your wife?" they asked him. "In the tent," Abraham replied. 10 Then one of them said, "About this time next year I will return, and your wife Sarah will have a son." Now Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent nearby. 11 And since Abraham and Sarah were both very old, and Sarah was long past the age of having children, 12 she laughed silently to herself. "How could a worn-out woman like me have a baby?" she thought. "And when my master—my husband—is also so old?" 13 Then the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? About a year from now, just as I told you, I will return, and Sarah will have a son." 15 Sarah was afraid, so she denied that she had laughed. But he said, "That is not true. You did laugh." (Genesis 18:9-15 NLT)

Given the cultural context of the day, Abraham’s need was not only emotional, but also, to some degree, material. Abraham needed an heir (retirement and social security.) It was humanly impossible for Abraham’s need to be met, but, man’s impossibility is God’s opportunity!

o Since God creates resources, He can meet our needs in a moment, at the last moment!

Since He knows our needs even before we ask, He always has provision prepared in advance of our need.

“ 7 "When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, because your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!” (Matthew 6:7-8 NLT)

God saw Elijah’s moment of need coming before it ever happened, and had already commanded the ravens and given instructions to the widow!

“ 2 Then the LORD said to Elijah, 3 "Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook at a place east of where it enters the Jordan River. 4 Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food."” (1 Kings 17:2-4 NLT)

“ 8 ¶ Then the LORD said to Elijah, 9 "Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. There is a widow there who will feed you. I have given her my instructions."” (1 Kings 17:8-9 NLT)

God’s provision is made in advance, but rarely manifested in advance! It doesn’t take Him long to create (instantaneous creation!)

Sowing and reaping, however, do take time!

o Since God creates resources, He can tailor-make provision to correspond exactly to our unique need!

Not only are His resources without limit, but so is His power! He can cause someone who is not a believer to bless us through giving us special pricing. He can cause us to find good deals. God not only meets our needs through increasing our cash flow, He also sometimes meets our needs through decreasing our expenses!

*** God not only gave Elijah food, but He also reduced his need for food!

“ 1 ¶ When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel what Elijah had done and that he had slaughtered the prophets of Baal. 2 So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: "May the gods also kill me if by this time tomorrow I have failed to take your life like those whom you killed." 3 Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. 4 Then he went on alone into the desert, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors." 5 Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, "Get up and eat!" 6 He looked around and saw some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again. 7 Then the angel of the LORD came again and touched him and said, "Get up and eat some more, for there is a long journey ahead of you." 8 So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God.” (1 Kings 19:1-8 NLT)

· His means often blend natural and supernatural processes.

“…drink from brook and the ravens will feed you” (17:4)

Miracles are not the suspension of natural law (brook still flowed), but the intervention of a higher law (ravens showed up!) (gravity vs. lift, Bernoulli’s principle)

In order for Elijah to receive God’s supernatural provision each time he needed it, there was always something he had to do.

He had to do both in the natural! (go to the brook, go to Zarephath) and the supernatural (trust God enough to obey what He said!) This was also true for the widow (bake pancake.) It is true for us as well (apply for jobs, seek further training.)

· Faith and obedience are linked to God’s provision!

· He sometimes chooses ways that are not what we would choose

raven - unclean bird (Lev. 11:15; Dt. 14:14;)

It is wrong to try to dictate to God how He should provide for our needs. (refusing the job He provides, etc.)

Have you surrendered your expectations to God concerning how He will provide?

o Are you willing to let him choose, not only the moment, but the manner of His provision?

He often surprises us by the way He responds to our prayers.

Sometimes His provision is so different that what we expect that at first we do not even recognize the answer when it comes.

o *** “manna” – Many Bible scholars believe that this word is taken from man an expressions of surprise, i.e., “What is it?” (Ex. 16:15) –

o *** Exactly enough manna for their need - each one gathered as much as he needed (Ex. 16:16-18).

o (Peter knocking at the door - Acts 12:13)

God surprises us by

o The type of provision He chooses (reduce expenses vs. increase income)

o The timing of His provision (Never, late, rarely early!!!) Next week…!

o The totality of His provision (Body, soul, and spirit – people sometimes healed of more than they asked for…! Teresa’s prayer list for Paris apartment; Dallas home – large master bedroom suite with large windows for me to read by…!)

3. God’s means of provision for today may not be his means of provision for tomorrow!

WHY the brook dries up

· It can be because of purely natural circumstances. (“7 But after a while the brook dried up, for there was no rainfall anywhere in the land…”)

God does not always insulate us from macroeconomic realities (famines, stock market crashes, corporate downsizings, plant closures, hyperinflation, etc.) but, He will provide for us in the midst of them!

*The fact that it dried up, seems to indicate a progressive** thing. In any event, God usually gives us warning ahead of major changes in our lives.

“ 9 For the people of Israel belong to the LORD; Jacob is his special possession. 10 "He found them in a desert land, in an empty, howling wasteland. He surrounded them and watched over them; he guarded them as his most precious possession. 11 Like an eagle that rouses her chicks and hovers over her young, so he spread his wings to take them in and carried them aloft on his pinions. 12 The LORD alone guided them; they lived without any foreign gods. 13 He made them ride over the highlands; he let them feast on the crops of the fields. He nourished them with honey from the cliffs, with olive oil from the hard rock. 14 He fed them curds from the herd and milk from the flock, together with the fat of lambs and goats. He gave them choice rams and goats from Bashan, together with the choicest wheat. You drank the finest wine, made from the juice of grapes.” (Deuteronomy 32:9-14 NLT)

“ 6 When a trumpet sounds in a city, do not the people tremble? When disaster comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it? 7 Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:6-7 NIVUS)

· It can be because something bad has happened:

o Sin

o Selfishness (If we focus on getting rather than giving.)

o Slumber/Stupor (If we grow insensitive to God’s voice and He needs to get our attention, i.e., motivate us to pray. “…8 ¶ Then the LORD said to Elijah, 9 "Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. There is a widow there who will feed you. I have given her my instructions."

· It can be because something good is about to happen!

· It can be because God is timing us.

The right thing done at the wrong time can turn out to be the wrong thing!

“One of the worst things that can happen to a man is to succeed before he is ready!”

* Ralph Jennings** testimony about “Rise up, O Steel!” When construction re-started, construction costs had actually dropped instead of risen!

God’s ways are not our ways and His time is not always our time!

This is the probably the hardest lesson of all to learn about divine provision!

***God does not always tell us in advance of how He is going to change His means of provision. 1 Kings 17:7-9 - “...the brook dried up...because there had been no rain in the land...then the word of the Lord came to him: Go at once to Zarephath...” Spending our resources without submitting to His direction can leave us without sufficient funds to do what He wants us to do!

* K. A. Smith, Guatemala** story (mid-term graduation instead of spring), accepting put us in a bind for two years, including for the trip to Amsterdam ’86 the following summer (a wonderful opportunity that we had no way whatsoever of foreseeing!)

***When we live on credit, we are closing our ears to what God may want to say to us through our finances.

We are depriving ourselves of one of the surest ways to hear God’s voice regarding our destiny and discern His timing.

· It can be because God is teaching us

**When God provides for our needs, He always has more in view than simply meeting our needs! (otherwise, He would just cause money to materialize in our wallets!)

flow of money influences behavior (IRS - taxes induce citizens to do certain things)

Dt. 8:1-3 - Moses - “...God fed you manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”

His means of provision for today teach us lessons we need to learn for tomorrow. *Once we learn the lessons, He will probably change His method: God fed Israel with manna “...until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.” (Ex. 16:35)

o *Jesus led by the Spirit into the desert (Luke 4:3-4 - “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread . . . Man does not live on bread alone...; Dt. 8:3 - “God fed you with manna...to teach you that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God”) Christ learned this lesson in the wilderness, before moving into public ministry.

Peter walking on word, not on water (Matt. 14:29)

As His will unfolds, God varies His means of provision. God is a creative God and He delights in doing things differently. He will rarely do the same thing the same way for very long so that we keep our ears open to His voice. Ultimately, what God wants most from man is relationship**!

**Do not mistake miracles for magic! Miracles flow from relationship, magic is based on manipulation...(religion vs. witchcraft = worship versus manipulation!)

***Sometimes when the brook dries up, it is a very good sign because it means that we have learned the lesson!

· It can be because God is transforming us

Dt. 8:16 - “...God gave you with manna...to test you and so in the end it might go well with you...”

*God varies His means of provision in function of our degree of spiritual development and growth. He teaches us valuable lessons even by the way He meets our needs.

God took Israel out of Egypt (the land of not enough) through the wilderness (the land of just enough) so that He could bring them into Canaan (the land of more than enough.) (Paula White)

In the wilderness (the land of just enough), they had the worlds goods (having spoiled Egypt), but they still had the world’s mentality and values (golden calf – money was still their master, and not yet their servant!) *** Before they could enter the land of more than enough, they had to win the battle of Jericho through unquestioning obedience to the voice of the Spirit. (God gave an analytical, rational, influential leader [ Joshua] something to do that was completely illogical.)

Instead of being dismayed when our brook dries up, we should learn to rejoice because it often means that God is about to do a new thing in our lives!

o New revelation

o New resources

o New relationships

4. God’s means of provision for us today are often His means of positioning us for tomorrow.

He uses provision to pace us and also to place us!

Skills to acquire, people to meet, place to be (right place at right time for sudden promotion)

*Exchange of money between two people establishes a relationship (convenience store - counterfeit bills; sell “lemon” car, buyer curse your name; borrower servant to lender (Prov. 22:7); bribes; etc.

God’s provision does not promote unhealthy relationship!

*** Not every good deal is a God deal! (Daoud)

***Need of spiritual discernment so as to be able to know what kind of a relationship is being established and when to decline gifts, job offers, etc. (Paul at Ephesus - Acts 20:34;

“ You know that these hands of mine have worked to pay my own way, and I have even supplied the needs of those who were with me.” (Acts 20:34 NLT)

God loves us too much and is too wise to meet our needs today through means that would hinder us from doing His will tomorrow!

***Why would God use a poor widow to meet His prophet’s needs?

· So that the widow and her family could eat during the famine (“So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family”17:15; Also Ebed-Melech - Jer. 38:8; 39:16

· Because Elijah needed to be in place in order to raise her child from the dead.

Elijah didn’t understand it - “Lord, have you brought tragedy upon this widow I am staying with?” (17:20) Neither did the widow: “Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?” (17:18)

o God told Elijah that the widow would feed him, but God also wanted him to feed the widow! (Just because God tells us something doesn’t mean that He will tell us everything!)

o Elijah did not understand why God had brought him to the widow’s house. He said, “Bring me a bite of bread, too; bake me the cake first…” Elijah thought it was about him, but really it was about them! Divine provision is more about others than us!

***God often chooses His means of provision so as to confront us with human need!!

o Jesus thirsty - woman at well (John 4 - “open your eyes and look”)

Elijah camped at Kerith (the land of just enough), but God had him headed for Zarephath (the land of more than enough!) He dwelled at Zarephath!

No matter how much oil/flour she used, there was always something left…!

· Could she have fed the whole town during the time of famine?

The word of the Lord to her through Elijah had been, “There will always be plenty of flour and oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crops grow again!”

· God’s plan to prosper His people in the in the time of economic calamity so that they can meet the needs of others in His name!

· I do not want to be a mere recipient of God’s supernatural provision, I want to be a river…

*Pastors sometimes wonder why God doesn’t use certain people in the church to provide for material needs within the congregation. Sometimes it is because God know that those people would later prove to be major hindrances to the further unfolding of His plan for the church. Sometimes Christians wonder why God doesn’t allow them to get the job that they desire. Sometimes it is because God knows that that work environment would be detrimental to them or to their family.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Principles of Provision, Promiseland Television Network Telethon, March 21, 2008.doc