BUT MY GOD SHALL SUPPLY ALL YOUR NEED

MEMORY VERSE: Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:15 -19

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalms 119:25 - 32, Proverbs 31:5, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

A curse does not come without a cause. Proverbs 26:2 says, “As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.” So also is a blessing. When you study through the bible, you will observe that just as curses are provoked, blessings are also provoked. According to Malachi 3:8-12, if a man robs God in tithes and offerings, he will receive a curse. However, if he pays his tithes, the Lord says He will open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings to the fellow. Solomon did something before the Lord came to Him, by night in a dream, and said, “Ask what I shall give thee” (2 Chronicles 1:6-7). He provoked that with a thousand burnt offerings! Ephraim also did something before the Lord decided to destroy him. Hosea 4:17 says this: “Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.”

One of the most quoted verses of the bible is Philippians 4:19, which says, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” It is a prayer we all love to pray especially when we are in need of something. Frankly speaking, that prayer is not for everyone of us. There is a condition attached to that prayer i.e. before you can say, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus,” you are expected to have met certain criteria. Philippians 4:15-19 says this: “Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Whilst other churches did not bother about Paul’s welfare, especially catering for his personal needs, the church in Philippi took it upon themselves to provide for Paul’s ministerial needs. Paul said, “when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.” Because they made it a point of duty i.e. they took it upon themselves to meet Paul’s need wherever he went to, Paul prayed that prayer- But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus - for them.

QUESTION : What is your attitude towards giving to God? Are you a cheerful giver? What Is your attitude towards blessing ministers of God?

PRAYER POINT : Father , as I support your ministry and ministers, please supply all my needs according to your riches in glory.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

PROVISION BEFORE PROVIDER?

MEMORY VERSE: the Lord is not slow about His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance, 2 Peter 3:9.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deut 19, Ps 106, Isa 46, Rev 16

BIBLE STUDIES: Exodus 32:1-10

There is only one provider and that is God. John 3:27 says a man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. Whatever the Lord has given to you e.g. gifts, ministry, employment, business, ministry, life partner, please do not show off with it. They are for His glory not for you to show off. Ecclesiastes 9:11 says the race is not for the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding nor favor to men of skill but time and chance happen to them all. Also it is your responsibility not to abuse whatever He has given but to serve Him with it.
As the Lord had promised, the children of Israel left Egypt with great wealth or great provisions. Exodus 12:36 says and the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians. When the Lord provides for you, His provisions should not take His place in your heart. The Lord’s provision must not replace Him in your life. In our bible studies we read how the Israelite abandoned their provider and made a god out of the provisions their provider had given to them. If for not the strong intercession of Moses, the Lord would have consumed the whole nation.

It is a dangerous thing for God’s provision to replace Him in your life. The job, education, life partner e.t.c. should not take His place in your heart. The ministry should not replace Him. It is sad that a lot of activity has taken the place of bible study or personal retreat. Your soul is more important to God than the ministry He has given to you. Don’t spend hours preparing sermons and just minutes in personal worship. That is not too good. Whenever anything replaces God, challenges and God’s anger beckons. Has His provisions replaced Him in your life? Would you rather obey your Boss than God? Has the Love of money replaced the love for souls and evangelism? Death physically, spiritually, mentally, academically, financially e.t.c is inevitable when anything replaces God. God is not interested in the death of any but all should come to repentance, 2 Peter 3:9. Repent today!

PRAYER POINT: Father, from now on nothing will take your place in my heart please help me.

Service from rivers

Tuesday 21 August                              Bible in one year: Isaiah 49-51

Memorise: I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water , and the dry land springs of water. Isaiah 41:18

Read : Exodus 14:21-31

When Elisha smote the waters of River Jordan and asked for the Lord God of his spiritual father, the river parted(2 Kings 2:14). What is that river before you today? It shall part in the name of Jesus. Interestingly, River Jordan is the only river that parted three times. It parted for Joshua,then for Elijah and now for Elisha. By reason of contact with these three men of God, River Jordan had experienced the anointing on these three men of God at different times.There are a few lessons to learn from this. Water we all know can conduct electricity. In the realm of the spirit, water is also a conductor. God has used water at different times to deliver a miracle to those who need them.For instance ,in 2Kings6:1-7,God made an axe head which felt into the river to float,contrary to the law of gravity and postulations of science.Similarly where there was no road,bridge or ship , God created  a highway for the children of Israel in the Red Sea but drowned all their enemies (Exodus 14:17-31). When the water in the land of Marah was bitter,God made it sweet- that is, a river became a river of wine. Jesus also had to walk on water to get to do the Father’s assignment . The water solidified under His feet.

God can deliver your blessings to you using a river as a channel.There is this story of man who got a bottle containing the will of a very wealthy woman where she wrote that whoever found that bottle will, should inherit all she had.The man found it in a river and his life was totally transformed. Every blessings that requires the service of the river before it can get to you , will receive  the support of the waters and be delivered to you this season in Jesus name.Do you know that some people lose their goods and blessings to the river through ship wreck? Those people,who took loans to ship goods by sea, would feel terrible to hear that the ship sand or that all their goods had to be thrown into the high sea in order to save those on board. Have you suffered such fate before? The Lord will restore all you lost.River Jordan serve a number of people. Rivers shall serve you. Seas shall deliver your blessings to you in Jesus name. Every sea that has swallow your blessings shall vomit it this season in Jesus name.

PRAYER POINT:The seas and rivers are God’s creation and are meant to serve us. Father, cause the seas and waters to cooperate with my helpers to deliver my blessings to me.

Excerpts from Pastor E.A Adeboye