LeRoy Service March 19/23

My God will supply all your needs...

Tonight, we come to our last message in our series in Philippians. We looked at God’s promises in Philippians.

and tonight, I’d like to take a few minutes and look at God promise to provide.

Tonight, we’ll focus on verse 19, but let’s read

Philippians 4:14–20 NIV

Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 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; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. I have received full payment and have more than enough. 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. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Over the last couple of times we’ve looked at Paul learning how to be content with what he had, no matter what situation that he was in. Because Paul had learned to be content, he could say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Whether we are having a good or bad day, we can get through it and thrive because we get our strength from Christ.

Now Paul turns to the Philippians generosity.

When the Apostle Paul wrote this letter, he was in prison in Rome. He commended these people for their generosity.

Generosity is not the amount that we give, it is that our heart is right.

This is what Mark 12:41-44 says,

Mark 12:41–44 NIV

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

We can watch Telethons like Telemiracle, and we can be amazed that the huge amount of money that certain people donate and someone else may only give a small amount, but they have given from a generous heart.

When we give, it’s not to be a comparison. The Old Testament prophet went to the house of a man named Jesse, and he was looking to anoint a king. This is what the Lord said,

1 Samuel 16:7 NIV

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Generosity can come in many forms. It can be something as simple as mowing somebody’s grass that can’t, with nothing expected in return. It can be cooking a meal for someone that has just had surgery.

It can be giving to an orphanage, helping somebody in need. It can be dollars and cents but not always.

Shortly after I moved from Ontario back to the farm, we had a neighbour that came to help us move cattle. Edgar wasn’t a Christian, but he had a big heart. He had two people that he was paying while we were working, and when Dad went to pay, he wouldn’t take any pay for the extra help. He had a generous heart.

I’m sure that he had other things that he could be doing. He had 500+ cows, but he took the time to help a friend.

Let’s not get too busy to help when we see somebody in need.

What’s the Golden Rule?

Matthew 7:12 NIV

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

My God shall supply all your need...

Philippians 4:19 NKJV

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

In our society it can be so hard to distinguish between a need and a want.

Jesus told us not to worry, but that He would supply.

Matthew 6:33–34 NIV

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

This doesn’t mean the biggest house or the fanciest car, or the nicest clothes, but it does mean our basic needs: food, what we have to drink, and clothing.

In our society, there are certain things that we may need that other societies don’t need. We need heat for our homes. We need power to run the basic things that we have. Many of us need vehicles because of the distances that we need to travel. God knows these things, and He has promised that He will provide.

I came across a neat little story that goes like this:

It was written by a man named John Spurlock. It’s called, “Hey! Get your own!”

“A few years ago, my wife and I were on vacation, traveling through a Midwestern state. Supper time was getting near, so we thought we’d get a drive-through meal. She wanted an ice cream cone so, I ordered one for her. The young lady working at the drive through window gave me the cone, and I handed it over to my wife.

She ate some of it, and then offered me a taste. Well, I was kind of thirsty and the drinks hadn’t made it to our car, so I took a taste. It was delicious!

Would you believe it? At that precise moment, the server looked out the drive through window and, in mock anger (at least I hope so!), said, “Hey! Get your own!”

Were we embarrassed! Okay, sure, it was funny, too. We still laugh about it, even several years after the fact!

God’s blessings are just like that, aren’t they? I mean, think of the many things He has promised. Philippians 4:19 comes to mind. Could it get any better than that?

There is a catch, though, in that I need to claim my own promises. Trying to claim a promise that was meant or intended for someone else is worse than trying to sneak a taste of their own ice cream cone!”

The moral of the story is, wait until the server at the drive-thru window can’t see you before you take a lick from your wife’s ice cream cone.

No! Seriously, God has the ability to meet your need. Sometimes we think that God isn’t interested in us. We aren’t important enough. How could He be bothered with me?

Here me tonight, Matthew 6:8 says, “…for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”

Matthew 7:7–8 NIV

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

D L Moody, an American evangelist of the last century, would quote St Paul’s words, “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19): Here is a blank cheque. The firm, “My God” - the promise, “shall supply” - the amount, “all you need” - the capital, “his riches“ - the address of the bank, “in glory” - the signature, “Christ Jesus”. Then he would add, “This cheque must be endorsed by the person to whom it is made payable.” (Source Unknown). (Family Times)

To close,

1 John 5:14–15 NIV

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

God knows what you need. If it’s healing, if it’s financial, if it’s our mental health, God’s ability has no end. He’s not at the end of His line of credit.

A.W. Tozer put it this way,

“Anything God has ever done….He can do now.

Anything that God has ever done any where....He can co here.

Anything that God has ever done for anyone....He can do for you.”

Several times Jesus said, “Only believe.”

Tonight, I want to give you the opportunity to believe. His word is true. He’s reliable. He’s trustworthy. Whatever your need might be, God can answer.

He cares! He can! and He will come to you in your time of need.

Let’s pray!