God Has a Name: Provider

Series Introduction: Applying God’s Name To Your Situation

It’s Mental Health Awareness Month! Mental Health Awareness Month was began by Mental Health America in 1949 to highlight the importance of mental wellbeing, provide education around mental health, and promote support for those affected by mental health conditions. To address the world’s focus on mental health, I want to spend the next few weeks discussing how we may address mental health from a Christian perspective by applying the names of God to our relevant circumstances. I want us to learn how to apply theological affirmations towards problems that commonly lead to mental health struggles.

Sermon Introduction

Charles “Chuck” Francis Feeney was an American businessman and philanthropist who was a co-founder of Duty Free Shoppers Group, which was a company that led in duty-free shopping—making luxury items available in airports. Over time, he built his net worth to over $8B. From the beginning, he had one goal—to give back. He coined the philosophy called, Give While Living. He once said, “It is a lot more fun to give while you live than to give while you’re dead.” Rather than giving at the end of his life through some estate or legacy gift, Feeney decided to give all of his money away while living. As a result, he:

Secretly transferred nearly all his wealth to charities starting in the 1980s

He lived modestly—avoiding jets, lived in a modest apartment, flew economy, wore a $15 Casio watch, did not own a home, and ended his life with a $2M net worth.

He avoided publicity [and]

He started Atlantic Philanthropies where he donated nearly his entire fortune towards education, public health, human rights, aging populations, and peace initiatives.

While Feeney was never known to accredit his motive to religious conviction, I note a lesson from his example. Sometimes God will command you to give up what is rightfully yours so you can learn to trust Him.

Have you ever been there before? Have you ever had something so great and beautiful; something you waited for and after you received it, God asked for it back? Why would God do such a thing? Why would God request something from us He has given us, unless it is for the purpose of teaching us a lesson about what it means to trust Him? Sometimes, we find ourselves in a position where we don’t always have what we need so we can learn God is a provider.

In our world, we are witnessing a tremendous amount of lack. In fact, it has become so normal to us that we may hardly recognize it. Statistics show approximately 50% of Americans are experiencing significant lack in essential areas of their life.

Housing: 1.1 million people were served by homeless response services in 2024.

Financial/ Resource lack:

Nearly 49% of American families cannot afford the true cost of living;

1 out of 5 Americans struggle to pay rent/ mortgage

1 out of 5 Americans struggle with transportation

Physical Mental Health: 60 million adults struggle with mental health

18% of them report depression

[Studies show] Emotional/ Social lacks lead to loneliness

Approximately 54% of adults feel isolated

50% feel left out

50% lack companionship

When we see such a large number of negative experiences among Americans, we should take into consideration how this phenomena effects our mental health and how mental health affects decision-making. Studies show that lack of resources and experiences of lack fundamentally impair decision-making by forcing individuals into a “scarcity mindset.”

Lacking resources often lead individuals into what is called “tunneling” which is when a person focuses on the immediate need and neglect the long-term consequences. Experiences of decision fatigue and paralysis causes individuals to hesitate, avoid, and resist decisions they would normally make with ease. Experiences of lack inevitably causes an individual to be short-term focused rather than being long-term focused. It leads us with less than what is needed to operate at optimal performance.

All I am trying to say today, is that all of us know what it means to experience lack. If we are honest, we can all reflect back to a moment in our life where we can say that our decisions were motivated by our lack; that if we were not in a circumstance of need, we would have made better decisions.

Point: Don’t let your short-term needs impact long-term decisions.

Understanding our Text: Genesis 22:13-14

In our text, we see how Abraham was able to focus on God so much that he did not let short term problems affect long-term decisions.

The Book of Genesis is traditionally attributed to Moses, believed to have been written during the Israelites' exodus from Egypt, approximately 1446–1406 BCE. Genesis serves as a fundamental text for understanding the identity and faith of the Israelite people. It traces the early history, the origins of humanity, and the patriarchal narratives that developed Israel's understanding of God and themselves. The original audience included those Israelites who wandered in the desert, seeking to form their identity as chosen people while being surrounded by a number of surrounding cultures and religions.

Right in the midst of this was a man named Abraham—a man whom God would use to right the wrongs that had been caused by the fall of Adam. Through Abraham, God would create a family that would serve as His representatives in the world. This all would happen through a son God had given Abraham through His barren wife Sarah.

In Genesis 21, God had kept His promise to Abraham after nearly 25 years. And in Genesis 22, God would ask Him for that son he had waited so long to receive (read Genesis 22:1-2).

Read and Expound on Genesis 22:1-14

Genesis 22:1–14 NLT

1 Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called. “Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.” 2 “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.” 3 The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac. Then he chopped wood for a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day of their journey, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 “Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told the servants. “The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back.” 6 So Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them walked on together, 7 Isaac turned to Abraham and said, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “We have the fire and the wood,” the boy said, “but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?” 8 “God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered. And they both walked on together. 9 When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. 10 And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice. 11 At that moment the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!” 12 “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.” 13 Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14 Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

Points:

Abraham followed God (Genesis 22:3-5)

Abraham trusted God (Genesis 22:6-8)

Abraham worshipped God (Genesis 22:9-10, 13-14)

And what did Abraham discover while following God, trusting God, and worshipping God? He discovered God is a provider!

Genesis 22:11–14 NLT

11 At that moment the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!” 12 “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.” 13 Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14 Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

It is important to know that the word God is often represented by the word El or Elohim (pl). Elohim is the generic term for God and it often means to be strong or strong One. So, when we see the term “God” in our English bibles, it is most often represented by the Hebrew word el or elohim or the Greek term theos.

Another common word for God is Adonai which means lord or master (see Psalm 8:1). You can identify this in your bible when you see the “L” in Lord capitalized.

However, known of these are personal names for God. His personal name was made known until God revealed it to Moses in Exodus 3:13-15

“13 But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” 14 God replied to Moses, “I Am Who I Am [ ehyah- [I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE] verb: self-existing, action-taking God, unchanging, unlimited God; I am whatever you need me to be]. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you.” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations.”

Why is this important: In the ancient world names were used to define the qualities and power of gods. The ancient world concluded that a name embodied the mystery of a god’s personality. Even more they would prescribe compound names to combine the various characteristics and qualities of sacred gods into one name. Therefore, a great name was the result of a variety of gods combining their powers and characteristics into that single name.

However, when God gave Moses His name, there was one name and one God! The one name He gave Moses was Yahweh. This name is also associated with the Latinized version Jehovah.

Israelites would often create compound names of God in the tradition of the ancient world. These names were often born out of experiences with God. Individuals would often render these compound names as El- or Yahweh-.

Genesis 22:13-14 “13 Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14 Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.””

The Gospel in the Yahweh-Provider

Brothers and sisters, we should not miss that important detail at the end of Genesis 22:14, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” Remember, God had Abraham to travel from Beersheba to Mt. Moriah, nearly 50 miles away. It was there God would offer His own Son for us.

God provided a ram as Isaac’s replacement. He spared the life of Abraham’s son. However, nearly 2,000 years ago God took His own Son to the top of a mountain, to a place called Place of the Skull, outside the walls of Jerusalem. There, God did not spare His Son, but rather poured the wrath upon His Son, which was supposed to be applied to each one of us. And yet again, the Yahweh-Yireh provided on the mountain of the Lord.

He provided an eternal sacrifice for our sakes

Application

Conclusion: God provides for spiritual and physical needs.

Since God provided for us spiritually, He can now provide for us physically. This is all because we are no longer strangers, but sons and daughters of God. We are all a part of the family of God.

Affirmation: Yahwewh-Yireh will provide all my needs.