He's All I Need
Notes
Transcript
Read: Phil 4:19
Read: Phil 4:19
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
I remember many times Addison DeAllie and others singing that beautiful song, “He’s All I Need” Do you remember that?
1.) HE'S ALL I NEED WHEN I JUST NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO
HE'S ALWAYS THERE TO HEAR MY PRAYER EACH TIME I CALL
HIM
ALL MY NEED HE SUPPLIES MY THIRSTY SOUL HE SATISFIES
HE'S LORD OF ALL AND HE'S ALL I NEED
2.) HE'S ALL I NEED I WILL NOT TURN TO ANY OTHER
FOR HE'S A FRIEND WHO'S CLOSER THAN ANY BROTHER
ON THIS FRIEND I CAN RELY TO BE MY STRENGTH AS LIFE
GOES BY
THE LORD OF ALL IS ALL I NEED
CHORUS
HE COMFORTS ME WHEN I'M WEARY EASES EVERY PAIN
FILLS MY DEEPEST LONGING TIME AND TIME AGAIN
HE'S MY SOULS INSPIRATION MY HEART'S CONSOLATION
HE'S MY EVERYTHING HE'S ALL I NEED
HE'S ALL I NEED
HE'S ALL I NEED
Jesus is all I need
He's all I need
He's all I need
HE'S MY EVERYTHING
HE'S ALL I NEED
Sometimes I wonder if we really recognize what we are singing.
The song is saying that everything in this world could be taken away, at a moment's notice and we could still be sustained (I don’t mean emotionless) but held up because everything we owned was borrowed - not ours we really need Jesus.
We sing that phrase often and say “He is my everything”
Our text says this too:
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
We often think of this verse in terms of all the miraculous ways God has answered prayer for individuals who were in great need.
—it does fit that scenario, I love reading about those times when God answers prayer
Like when Ludwig Nommensen prayed for a miracle and God sent exactly what he needed.
Ludwig Nommensen was called of God to Sumatra's jungle. His cry became, "Dead or alive, Sumatra's jungle for Christ!" Many were the unusual experiences that Ludwig experienced in those jungles where savages and head-hunters stalked his trails.
Two young American missionaries by the name of Henry Lyman and Samuel Munson landed in Sumatra in 1833, the year before Ludwig was born. They were murdered by the fierce Batak tribes. The old chief rushed at one of the missionaries and cut off his head, and then the warriors martyred the other preacher. The guide who had come with the Americans was bound before a huge fire which the savages had lighted. The chief cut a slice of flesh from the guide's arm and cooked it over the fire while the bound man looked on. Finally, with long knives the Bataks rushed up to the man and sliced the flesh from his bones and cooked it. when this feast was over, the natives returned to their former jungle isolation.
Ludwig determined under God to conquer these people for Christ. Many were the dangers he faced. One particular time the warriors determined to murder him. They told him: "We will cut off your legs and throw you into the river. We will cut off your head and call the people to come and eat you." But Nommensen knew that God was able to protect him until his work was finished. In 1864 a tirade of cruelty broke out among the Bataks against this man of God. He had been able to win a few converts. Then the chiefs invited him to a sacrificial feast that they were making to the spirits, with the evil intent of murdering him during the concourse. Ludwig, realizing what the chiefs had in mind, marched to the place where the feast was held. A thousand cannibalistic warriors assembled at the spot and awaited the moment when the medicine man would light the fires. These Batak cannibals stood with their long spears, heavy clubs, guns, and head-hunting knives, awaiting the touch that would spark the fire into life. They knew as soon as the sacrifice was lighted that the word would be given to murder the missionary, preparatory to cooking him over the same flame. Straight as an arrow, unmoved by fear, Ludwig marched to the center of the warrior-crowded area. He lifted his voice until it rang with the challenge of the Cross. He said, "I ask all to lay aside your weapons of war." The warriors rumbled their threats and answered, "We can as well kill you with our hands." The medicine man, seeing the crowd hesitate, refused to carry out the rite unless "a person from your midst is sacrificed." The missionary cried out against the medicine man and called him "the spirit of the devil and the channel through which the evil spirit worked." Meanwhile, Ludwig was calling upon God to work a miracle of deliverance. While the crowd mumbled among themselves, a heavy cloud darkened the skies, the heavens opened, and down poured the rain. So great was the flood that the people were driven to their huts, and in the sanctity of their homes they reasoned among themselves that the spirits were with the missionary. Henceforth they listened to his message; and from this experience, which was a turning point, multiplied thousands of these cannibals accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour. In fifty years a hundred and eighty thousand Bataks were won to Christ; and when Ludwig Nommensen died in 1918, at the age of eighty-four, he was laid to rest in a grave which was surrounded by more than forty thousand converts.
ANSWERED PRAYER IN MISSIONARY SERVICE By Basil William Miller Beacon Hill Press Kansas City, Missouri First Printing, April 1951
but I don’t think that is all it is referring to.
All your need - is more than material or physical need - it includes spiritual need.
David says:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
The word “want” used by David isn’t referring to wanting a million dollars, but it means “God will supply my needs”
again we read by the Apostle Paul in the NT
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
Jesus says in Matthew
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
If God has promised to supply all of our needs, to make all grace abound toward you - why are there so many anemic Christians today?
Why does the church seem so powerless against the onslaught of the devil?
Why does it seem we aren’t expanding the Kingdom of God?
I’m not saying I have all of the answers - but I think part of the problem lies in this simple law:
God can’t meet all of our needs until He is ALL WE NEED
If we have other props and supports to lean on why do we need Christ?
If we fill our spiritual need with other things how Can Christ fill that need?
You can live off doughnuts and pop (Probably not very long) but you could - but it doesn’t meet the nutritional needs of the body.
You can take some other favorite junk food - but in reality, you need real food, a balanced diet of veggies, protein, grain, etc.
We like to substitute sometimes (we call it to splurge) real food for junk food - but it’s not the same
I’m afraid we do that spiritually as well - we run to the sugared over, the sweet and fluffy, or greasy and crispy
instead of going to the real food - the meat of God’s word.
He can’t supply all of our need until He is ALL WE NEED!
We pray for revival, and mighty moves of God - and I confess I feel like this is a necessity
I don’t think Ludwig Nommensen could have been brave enough to stand and declare the Gospel in the face of the boiling pot - if he hadn’t already given everything — all of himself to God
Every once in a while I like to pull out the recording of Schmelzenbach Dr. Harmon The Story of Samuel a Zulu from Swaziland who was converted under the Schmelzenbach's ministry.
“SAMUEL, RING THE BELL”
Samuel learned to read some but memorized most of the Scripture and was called to preach. When he was finally able to go out and start a church it was in Chief Umsoduga’s country . Chief was famous for one thing, he had daily fits of rage that usually ended in the death of someone by his spear. Samuel was hesitant at first to go but when Bro. Schmelzenbach told him the Chief gave them permission to build a church he went.
It wasn’t much of a church, mostly mud and thatch. Samuel his wife and the Missionary had a little dedication service and immediately started in trying to fill it. He would walk for miles every day preaching, and praying with the people. Six months later he finally had 7-8 Christians. One Sunday night with about 30 people Samuel closed his sermon and opened the altar. Of those who came down to pray was one of Chief Umsoduga wives they knelt beside her and helped her thru. Back up the mountain she went and told him, “I’m a Christian now and I won’t do the things I used to do I won’t grind your snuff for you, I won’t cook your beer, I won’t participate in your wild dances, I’m a Christian and my life is going to reflect that.”
Down the mountain flew the Chief in a rage and roared at Samuel, I don’t care what you do in this country but, You leave the people of my village out of it. “
Samuel said, “Chief this is God’s house only He has the ability to turn people away from His house, If you feel that way about the people of your village, keep them up there.”
The Chief answered back, “ Alright the chief shouted, that’s just one there’s still 27 other wives I’ll just forget that one.”
Back up to his wives the chief went. Time went on Samuel worked at the church, walking many miles preaching and praying with the people. One Sunday night Samuel closed his sermon and opened the altar. Of those who came down to pray was a second of Chief Umsoduga wives they knelt beside her and helped her thru. Back up the mountain she went and told him, “I’m a Christian now and I won’t do the things I used to do I won’t grind your snuff for you, I won’t cook your beer, I won’t participate in your wild dances, I’m a Christian and my life is going to reflect that.”
The Chief and a group of his warriors stormed down the mountain, he was beside himself. Samuel took his wife and baby and took refuge in the door of the little church. “Samuel I told you to leave my village out of it!” Roared the chief. “Yes chief, yes you did, but chief you promised you would keep the people of your village up there, now it appears you can’t control your wives and you want to blame me for it” “Okay,” said the chief, “That’s just one there’s still 26 more we’ll just forget about that one.”
Back up to his wives the chief went. Time went on Samuel worked at the church, walking many miles preaching and praying with the people. There was now 25- 30 Christians attending church. One Sunday night Samuel closed his sermon and opened the altar. Of those who came down to pray was a third of Chief Umsoduga wives they knelt beside her and helped her thru. Back up the mountain she went and told him, “I’m a Christian now and I won’t do the things I used to do I won’t grind your snuff for you, I won’t cook your beer, I won’t participate in your wild dances, I’m a Christian and my life is going to reflect that.”
That night Chief Umsoduga and about eight of his counsel men stormed down the mountain. Again Samuel grabbed his wife and baby and took refuge in the church. The Chief was beside himself with rage, it took them some time to calm him down enough to understand him when they could understand him he was yelling at the top of his lungs, “Get out of my country, it’s finished this business of God. I’ll be merciful to you since we’re related, I’ll give you exactly one week to pack your stuff and get out of my country it’s finished. If your still here next Sunday to ring this bell to gather the people I’ll be up on the mountain side together with my warriors. We’ll come down here to this church yard. We’ll pack you your wife and your baby into the church and set fire to it.”
Word began to spread like wildfire. Monday, Tuesday, Samuel walking miles preaching and praying to the people. Wednesday. He knew it would be useless to go back to the missionary, he wouldn’t be there he’d be many miles away trying to start another church. So he kept to the work the Lord had given him to do. Thursday, “What must I do Lord?”
Every were he went people knew and didn’t want to get too close to him, “What are you going to do Samuel? You going to ring the bell?” “I don’t know, I’m waiting for God to tell me what to do. But if the bell rings, don’t be late for church. Friday and then it was Saturday the week had come and gone and God had not spoken. They had walked all day preaching and praying with the people. It was getting dark when they got back home that night. It was decided by his wife that she and baby would stay with him but he wasn’t leaving unless God told him to. Samuel prayed that night while the moon made it’s way from one side of the church to the other. “What must I do Lord, What should I do? If I leave what will happen to this flock that’s left behind. If I stay here and die tomorrow morning what’s going to happen to this flock?” Hour after hour.
Early Sunday morning the answer came to Samuel, “For He hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee so that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper and I shall not fear what man shall do unto me.”
As Samuel told his wife the answer, Jesus must have stepped into that little African church because she began to shout and wave her scarf and Samuel marched up down in that little church shouting and praising God. He had his commission, “RING THAT BELL if you have to ring it to the gates of eternity I want you to ring that bell”
After their blessing Samuel went out and found the rusty bolt that he would bang against the plow shear for a bell and dusted it off. No it wasn’t time yet but he wasn’t going to be late. Slowly the sun inched it’s way up into the sky and when It finally clicked into place and it was time Samuel took of like a shot and began beating that bell for all he was worth. They say it looked as though his feet never touched the ground. A sigh escaped from those gathered on the mountain side watching to see what would happen. Samuel didn’t hear, he was ringing the bell. The Chief and his warriors rushed to their feet and began to descend down the mountain side, Samuel didn’t see them he was ringing the bell. ...
Saturday afternoon the Missionary Bro. Schmelzenbach was extremely ill but as he began to pray that night for all of his preacher’s he just couldn’t get thru with Samuel so as sick as he was he rushed thru the dark night out to where Samuel and his little church was to see what the trouble was. He got there just as Samuel began to ring the bell he called out to Samuel but he never heard him he was ringing the bell.
His wife pointed up the mountain side and the Missionary charged up there to meet the chief, He flew past him and told him to get out.
The missionary just sat tall on his horse and held up his hands. Chaos reinged for a few moments the warriors had heard of some of the things the missionaries God had done for him and were worried he might call down fire on them or something.
That’s all he needed “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son….” He began to preach the Gospel to them they stood in amazement hour after hour from off his hose he told them the wonderful story of Jesus.
Instantly a counsel man was on his feet. “I’ve never heard this story before, If it is like you say it is I refuse to be part of the burning of that church I’ll stand alone” He marched over and stood by himself the missionary saw his opportunity and said those of you that have the courage to stand with this counsel man and say what he said, stand behind him” They watched a miracle unfold. Slowly the crowd started to move. Every last person except the chief went and stood behind the counsel man. Fear filled the chief’s eyes and he said, “Never has anyone been able to make my people go against what I said it must not be you” and he went and stood behind them as well.
The missionary said, “Let’s go tell Samuel.” It was late afternoon now but do you know what Samuel was doing, He was hammering away at that bell, all day he had pounded that bell, “RING THAT BELL” They called to him, “Samuel they want to hear you preach” He preached as if his heart would break. At the close of that Sunday evening service those Swazi warriors dropped their spears and ostrich plumes and bowed humbly at the feet of Jesus. The truth is Chief Umsoduga and his warriors swooped down on that little church three different times and tore it to the ground……..and then built a bigger better church. Because Samuel took his commision and was faithful to it. “Having done all, Stand” “Ring that Bell”
Samuel couldn’t have rung that bell in the right spirit and attitude, passion, and purity if he had not first given all of himself to God.
Live or die, sink or swim, survive or perish - God will have all of me and He will be all I need.
If God is going to supply all of our need - He is going to have to be all that we need.
