Supply: January 10, 2011

TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY JANUARY 10, 2011

SUPPLY

DEFINITION:

To furnish or provide to a person; what is lacking or is needed.

SCRIPTURE:

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

“Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” Galatians 3: 5

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

We have taught our children that everything that we have is because God has supplied these to us. We also have taught our children that in specific times of need when we call upon Him, He will and has supplied our need. Our children learned as we taught them what the Bible assures us but more important they have learned by our example.

We have had situations when each person in our family knew there was a need. So together we prayed when we met together as a family at dinner every night and then we all were able to see how and when God answered our specific need and supplied just what we needed --- no more or no less.

We are reminded of the time when Jesus went to the marriage feast with His mother [John 2:1-5], in Cana of Galilee. Jesus mother told Jesus that the wine “had run out.” She knew that Jesus could SUPPLY all that was needed, and He did.

Weddings in those days were celebrated with a week-long feast. To run out of provisions for the guests was a great social offense and very embarrassing for the host. It is unlikely that Mary would ask Jesus to perform a miracle, but she had faith that Jesus would be able to provide in a time of need. She didn’t tell Jesus what to do, she just presented the need because she knew that Jesus was able to supply in a time of need. Jesus responded by turning the water into wine. Today we need to have faith, just as Mary had, in our time of need and turn to Jesus.

History has made it very clear to us that when times are tough, that is the time when many people seem to complain about “things.” When our children whined and complained, Dottie would tell the children that “complaining will get you nowhere.” God does not want us, His children, complaining any more than we want to hear our children complaining. What God does want is for us to present our needs to Him and He has promised to supply all of our needs.

Yes, God always honors abundantly those that give Him honor and praise in tough times and He supplies all his or her needs. We know that when we are facing tough times we spend more time praying and asking God to help because we recognize that we need help. When times are good, unfortunately, many Christians become complacent about asking God for His blessing because they feel self-sufficient. Feeling self-sufficient and not thanking God for His blessings in our lives leads to pride. We are warned in Proverbs 16:18 that pride comes before a fall.

Look at all that God has supplied for us. He sent His only Son to pay our penalty for sin. He sent His Holy Spirit to comfort us as we serve Him. He supplies us with health, talents and abilities to serve Him. And He provides us with the certainty of spending eternity with Him in Heaven.

In Luke 6:38 it reads: “Give and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over ---.” And in Matthew 21:22 it reads: “And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” And finally in Luke 11:9 it reads: “So I say to you, ask and it will be given you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you.”

Look at the key words that Jesus gives us in these verses. They are GIVE, ASK IN PRAYER, BELIEVING, SEEK, and KNOCK. Each word demands action on our part and if we act just as He expects us to act just think what God will do in SUPPLYING all our needs.

“Gods work done in Gods way will never lack Gods supplies.” Hudson Taylor

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 27:1.

The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid?

PRAYER:

Thank You for all of the wonderful blessings You have provided to me and my family. Help me to put You first in all that I do not only in the good times but in the times of loneliness I feel. My prayer is that beginning today that You will supply all our needs according to Your riches and Your plan for my life and the lives of my family.