Trust His Provision Handout
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The past few weeks we have discussed trusting the Person of God, trusting the Plans of God, and trusting the Perspective of God. This week we will discuss trusting the Provision of God. We spend so much time planning things and doing our best to control things. We watch the weather for tomorrow to make our plans and ensure that we can get done what we want to do. The fact is that God plans and provides well in advance of our days. We can trust our God because before we know that we need something He has already planned for it. Before we know we are in trouble He has already prepared rescue. Before we know where we are going He has prepared the path. This morning we will explore the scripture and will see how we can Trust our God because He provides. Today we will be in Exodus and we will find the Israelites being released from Egypt. The Israelites have just seen God perform wonderful signs and miraculous miracles in Egypt. Now they are finally leaving Egypt and are going to be led by the same God that just displayed that glory. Most of us though are so busy putting our plans together that we cannot see the plans that God has for us or when we do see them we think those plans would never work. We are so good at planning though aren’t we? Why do we really need God’s plans?
Churches spend a lot of time preparing newsletters and proof reading them to ensure that no mistakes are made. Here are some great excerpts from church newsletters. None from our church.
Don’t let worry kill you—let the church help.
During the absence of our pastor, we enjoyed the rare privilege of hearing a good sermon from E.J. Stubbs.
The Rev. Brown spoke briefly, much to the delight of the audience.
A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church. Music will follow.
At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be “What is Hell?” Come early and listen to our choir practice.
For those of you who have children and don’t know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
There is a much longer list, this just proves that even with all our planning and prep we make mistakes and are human. God though does not make mistakes when He lays His plans out. Turn with me in your Bible to Exodus 13 verses 17-22. In these scriptures we will see three things about the plans of God. First the provisions of God are preeminent. Second the provisions of God are purposeful. Third, God’s provisions are persistent.
17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” 18 But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle. 19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here.” 20 And they moved on from Succoth and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. 21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. 22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.
God’s provisions are preeminent
God’s provisions are preeminent
17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.”
Before you ever know what you need God is already designing and implementing plans in your life that are superior to anything you or I could ever plan. Look here and see what He did with the Israelites. Knowing that these people were not ready for war God took them around the other way. God made sure that He had adjusted His plans to what He knew the people would do. God knew they would return to Egypt if they had to face the Philistines right out of the gate so God led them around the other way even through it meant that they had to go the long way around. God’s provision is preeminent, and is far superior to our ability to provide for ourselves. God can handle all things in our lives because He has a bigger window with which He is viewing the world.
It is called the Window of Responsibility and it is taught in some corporations. The Window of responsibility says this. From your position inside of any company your job gives you a window. At the lowest level of responsibility you have the smallest window. There is no reason for you to worry with anything outside of the task assigned to you. If you turn a knob and make a widget and you are required to make so many widgets a day. That is it. You do not need to worry about where the widgets go or how they get there. Your only responsibility is to turn the knob and make the widget. As you promote your window becomes larger. Now you are not turning a knob and making a widget but you are responsible for the person who is. Now you must ensure that the person who has the smaller window does not need to leave their window. You are responsibly for making sure the person shows up at their window and has all the supplies and requirements to make their widgets every time they turn the knob. You are responsible for the person in the frame of your window. You move up another level. Now you are responsible for the person making the widget, the person making sure the person in the widget window has what they need and various other aspects of the business. The person in the second window does not need to know why you are making a particular business decision they simply need to know that your window is bigger than theirs and there is something you see that drives that change. This continues all the way to the top.
Often times we want to change the way we do things or how we are called to live based on something we feel or believe. The fact though is that God has a view that we will never ever have and He knows more than we will ever know. When God provides for us it may not be what we feel like is the right provisions but He knows what He is doing. God is preeminent in His provisions and we need to trust that from His view He knows what He is doing. We do not need to worry about doing anything but honoring God. He will take care of the rest because that is what He does.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,
5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
God’s provisions are superior to anything you can provide for yourself. The Israelites had they provided the path for themselves would have led themselves directly into war and right back to Egypt with far fewer people. God knew what He was doing and they simply had to follow Him.
God’s provisions are purposeful
God’s provisions are purposeful
18 But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle. 19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here.” 20 And they moved on from Succoth and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. 21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.
The things that God blesses us with are blessings with a purpose. If you see the plans of God and understand that He is blessing you with a purpose, you can begin to search for that purpose. The ways of God will see odd to us when we look at it. God led the Israelites in a path that all their future enemies would have seen them from a distance being led by a pillar of fire by day and a cloud by night. God was displaying His glory before the enemies. To the Israelites Gods provision in their life did not make sense. The Pillar of fire was nice and the cloud by day was nice but why in the world are we going so far out of the way here. God provided for the Israelites even when they doubted that God could have known what was going on. God must have been out of His mind to lead them the way He did. What they did not understand was God’s purpose in providing them the route of escape that they took. We know because we have the scripture and can look at it and say, wow that makes a lot of sense. Not necessarily the same way we look at God’s provisions in our lives today, is it? We often times find ourselves in the same heart and mind as the Israelites were in. We see the provisions of God and we say wow that is odd, I don’t know that you are really providing for me God. The fact is what we are really saying is that God you are not providing me what I wanted, what I think is best.
I remember the story of the parents who had planned an amazing ski trip for their kids. The trip was the week after Christmas so the parents planned to sneak some hints in with the kids Christmas gifts. As the kids began to open their Christmas gifts they opened the box of gloves first. Confused by this one of the kids began to complain, I was hoping for a new gaming system. The moved on to the next box and found some very nice jackets. Again not understanding what was going on the other began to complain as well, I hoped I would get some makeup. The opened another box and found goggles. Extremely confused and frustrated the children said, did you not read our list of what we wanted at all! A little heart broken at the response from their kids the parents encouraged their children to open more of their gifts. After opening their last gift the parents brought out two long boxes and gave them to the kids. The kids already in tears opened the boxes to find skis in the boxes. They asked their parents what this was about and when they found out what their parents had planned for them they were completely embarrassed. After enjoying an amazing time with their parents skiing and making memories the children committed together to never again question the gifts they get from their parents, knowing their parents had plans to give them great things.
You would think after all the ways God has blessed us with the things He has given us. When we look back and see how much better His purpose in our life was. You would think that we would stop questioning the provisions of God and would start looking for the purpose. God gives no provisions to us without a purpose. His ways and thoughts are higher than ours.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
God’s provisions are preeminent and superior to the things we can provide in our lives. The provisions of God provide more purpose in our lives that the provisions we can provide for ourselves. God’s provisions are also persistent.
God’s provisions are persistent
God’s provisions are persistent
22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.
This scripture is not only remembrance of what God did for the Israelites but also a promise to us. No matter what the Israelites did in their complaining and grumbling and their sin, God’s faithfulness never stopped. God never left the people even though they did not deserve for Him to stay with them. In our lives many of us do not deserve God to stay with us and to provide for us. When He does provide for us we spend more time complaining about what He did for us than thanking Him for doing for us what we did not deserve. God’s faithfulness is not dependent on our ability to thank Him or be grateful for His provisions, God’s faithfulness is dependent on His name and who He is. God will not walk away from His people because He is faithful.
Roger Simms, hitchhiking his way home, would never forget the date--May 7. His heavy suitcase made Roger tired. He was anxious to take off his army uniform once and for all. Flashing the hitchhiking sign to the oncoming car, he lost hope when he saw it was a black, sleek, new Cadillac. To his surprise the car stopped. The passenger door opened. He ran toward the car, tossed his suitcase in the back, and thanked the handsome, well-dressed man as he slid into the front seat. "Going home for keeps?" "Sure am," Roger responded. "Well, you're in luck if you're going to Chicago." "Not quite that far. Do you live in Chicago?" "I have a business there. My name is Hanover." After talking about many things, Roger, a Christian, felt a compulsion to witness to this fifty-ish, apparently successful businessman about Christ. But he kept putting it off, till he realized he was just thirty minutes from his home. It was now or never. So, Roger cleared his throat, "Mr. Hanover, I would like to talk to you about something very important." He then proceeded to explain the way of salvation, ultimately asking Mr. Hanover if he would like to receive Christ as his Savior. To Roger's astonishment the Cadillac pulled over to the side of the road. Roger thought he was going to be ejected from the car. But the businessman bowed his head and received Christ, then thanked Roger. "This is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me."
Five years went by, Roger married, had a two-year-old boy, and a business of his own. Packing his suitcase for a business trip to Chicago, he found the small, white business card Hanover had given him five years before. In Chicago he looked up Hanover Enterprises. A receptionist told him it was impossible to see Mr. Hanover, but he could see Mrs. Hanover. A little confused as to what was going on, he was ushered into a lovely office and found himself facing a keen-eyed woman in her fifties. She extended her hand. "You knew my husband?" Roger told how her husband had given him a ride when hitchhiking home after the war. "Can you tell me when that was?" "It was May 7, five years ago, the day I was discharged from the army." "Anything special about that day?" Roger hesitated. Should he mention giving his witness? Since he had come so far, he might as well take the plunge. "Mrs. Hanover, I explained the gospel. He pulled over to the side of the road and wept against the steering wheel. He gave his life to Christ that day." Explosive sobs shook her body. Getting a grip on herself, she sobbed, "I had prayed for my husband's salvation for years. I believed God would save him." "And," said Roger, "Where is your husband, Mrs. Hanover?" "He's dead," she wept, struggling with words. "He was in a a car crash after he let you out of the car. He never got home. You see--I thought God had not kept His promise." Sobbing uncontrollably, she added, "I stopped living for God five years ago because I thought He had not kept His word!"
God’s provisions are preeminent, God’s provisions are purposeful, and God’s provisions are persistent. When you stop God does not stop. When you give up God does not give up. When you walk away God does not walk away. God is persistent.
10 fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.