What You Really Need Has Already Been Provided

What You Really Need Has Already Been Provided

Remember how quickly kids learn the word “mine”? And how it rarely has anything to do with what is truly theirs? At almost three our youngest grandchild is constantly saying things like “my phone”, “my ds” (game system for those who don’t know) and now even “my ipad”! With the technology of today it’s no longer things like dolls or bicycles or other toys. Kids learn to be wanters of other people’s things. That’s a polite way of comparison desire. They see someone with something and automatically it should be theirs.

We must admit in our heart of hearts we occasionally do the same thing. We comparison desire. We see where others are and wonder why we can’t be there. We hear what others are doing and we want to do that. We see the flash of success and the bling of cliques and wonder why we can’t have that too. Things we love get jerked from our hands and hearts and we cry out “mine!” Can you relate?

God wants us to know beloved, that we are His. He wants us to know that because we belong to Him He has the only right to say “Mine”. And because we are His everything we need, every single thing, is ours. We don’t have to wish for more, hope for something else, or grab something that isn’t meant for us. We don’t have to fume or envy or get angry or throw a tantrum – spiritual or physical. We can also trust Him when things go awry – when people walk away – when ministry is thwarted – or when love grows cold. It’s all His to give and take away as He alone chooses.

God also wants you to know that only in laying down your wants will you find rest and peace and joy. Don’t look around for He is always attending to your every need. Don’t cry over lost opportunity or lost love or lost income. He has your back beloved, and when God has your back, everything is more than good. He promises His abundance in our want. He promises that as we release our envy and frustrations, He will replace them with His overflow. You do have a ministry and it is being fulfilled even when you see nothing in your hand – for it is from Him, for Him and to Him. His glory alone is what you should see, His power alone is what you need and His will is what you should grab for – with all your heart and mind and soul.

Oh beloved, you are loved, you are cared for you, you are lacking nothing. God is not GOING to fulfill your needs, He already has! You just need to walk in Him and leave the choices in His hands. Oh what a life you will have and oh what a blessing you will be as you live completely in the Light of His Word.

“Lord we want to trust You. But we want to cry out “mine”! Help us to leave the choices to you, knowing that You have our very best in mind and Your purpose for us will be completely fulfilled. Forgive us for complaining and grabbing. Make us more like You and give us a grateful servant’s heart.”

Isaiah 66:2 My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are Mine. I, the Lord, have spoken!” I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at My word.

Matthew 6:33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Psalm 16:5 Lord, You alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine.

Psalm 68:10 There Your people finally settled, and with a bountiful harvest, O God, You provided for Your needy people.

Colossians 2:10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

Where Are You Trying to Find Rest?

Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Goldilocks.  She went for a long walk in the forest.  Pretty soon, she came upon a house.  She knocked and, when no one answered, she walked right in. After a while she went upstairs to find somewhere to rest. The Papa Bear’s bed was too hard. The Mama Bear’s bed was too soft. But Baby Bear’s bed was just right and she fell fast asleep. When the bears returned they found that someone had eaten their porridge, sat in their chairs and Baby Bear found Goldilocks sleeping in his bed. She was startled and ran out of the house, never to return again.

Such a nice little story of a little girl finding sustenance, comfort and rest in the woods when she really didn’t know what to do or where to go.  But even after she had found the three things that every human being needs and desires, she was still not at home.  She wasn’t one of the bears. She was different. Ultimate rest, eternal comfort and genuine sustenance couldn’t really come from the temporary place she had found.

Life is a lot like a trip into the forest. We don’t know for sure where we are going, what we will encounter or when we will get out. But all along the way we try to find tangible things to hang onto.  We are ever searching for the things that will make us comfortable – we want to feel cozy, relaxed and find relief.  We also want to know that all our needs will be met – provisions, nourishment and necessities of life are our desire. And along with the other needs we as humans have, we want to find rest – that place where we can let down our guard and take a breather from life’s surprises and disturbances.

Just as Goldilocks found that she wasn’t really at home in the Bears’ cabin, we too find that, even when we think we have found just what we wanted, it isn’t really home for us.  Unlike Goldilocks, who left the cabin and found her way home, we often run to the next stop and try again to find our source for all we need in people, places and things.  We too are strangers, aliens in a world that isn’t meant for us. We have a home and it’s beyond this world. As we learn more about our purpose in life, we find that we fit here less and less.  God wants to meet our needs and will, but fortunately for us His desire is that we find them all first and foremost in Christ. Everything we need is promised, along with somewhere to call our real home in heaven one day. We are most blessed, but at times it’s hard because the things of this world don’t really work for us.

Oh beloved, have you been upset because temporary things aren’t bringing permanent satisfaction? Don’t let it upset you – for God is your source for everything! God will give you people to love, plans to fulfill and life to live. He just doesn’t intend for you to find ultimate comfort, rest and nourishment in anyone or anything over Him.  He wants to have first place because it is there that you will learn to be like Him. He will hide your soul in the cleft of the Rock. He will give you a place of quiet rest in His heart. He will lead you beside still waters as only He can restore your soul.  When things are hard, He will cover you with His protective love.  When you don’t know which way to go, He will guide you. Don’t trust in your senses for they can lead you away from God’s purpose. Christ came to free you from the burden of sin it is true. But He released you also from having to make your own way. In Christ there is such freedom to live loved. In Christ the chains that bind you to continually wander have been removed. You can rest in God’s promises, live in Christ’s redemption and walk in Holy Spirit power always.

God loves you and He’s for you and that’s why you can trust Him to watch over you, guide you and direct you all the days of your life. And when this life is over you will have a place of ultimate rest as you dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 62:1  My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. (New International Version)

Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

I Corinthians 1:30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.

Psalm 34:10 The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; But they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing.

Isaiah 58:11 And the Lord will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, And give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.

A Marriage Made in Heaven

When I married Danny I got a new name. I also got a bank account. I got a house, fully furnished. And I got a car. You could say I racked up!  But I didn’t marry him for the things I got, I married him because I loved him.

What if he had just given me two sets of keys, a checkbook and his name and then gone off to do his own thing? Would that have made me happy? Stuff? I remember us talking. Many conversations revolved around “When we get married…”  We looked forward to sweet and uninterrupted fellowship with one another. We became one person, no longer two.  I readily admit I became one who liked what he liked, did what he did and went where he went. I followed him and he led the way.

When we are born again, betrothed to the Lord, we too get a new name. All the old us is washed away as we become a new creation. We are very blessed as well to have all our needs met in Christ – better than a bank account because money can’t buy everything we really need, but Jesus purchased everything for us.  We also have a new home. The old digs don’t work for us anymore because we’re no longer single. We need space to fellowship with God, to entertain our faith in Him and to be furnished for everything God has planned for us.  God’s heart is our new home and our heart is in Him, so complete and lovely.  He leads us and we follow him.

God doesn’t just furnish what we need for everyday living. He furnishes the purpose for our lives. He who has called us is plenty able to get us where we need to go to fulfill that purpose.  He has furnished the Word of God to show us His ultimate plan for us – to become like Him.  He also gives us the unction of His Spirit – we sense His heart leading – to go where He leads us, whether it is pastoring, evangelism, teaching, missionary service, parenting, caregiving, befriending and more.

You could say that our relationship with Christ is a marriage made in heaven. And we are entirely blessed that the One who loves us is passionately involved with us. He’s not apathetic, distant or defiant. He’s not cold or insensitive. He loves us, He chooses us, He stays with us always and provides all our needs. Who wouldn’t love Someone like that?

Oh beloved, you may not be feeling the love your heart has wanted for so long. Maybe someone who vowed undying love has disappointed you. The one you thought would be yours forever is gone. It could be that friends walked away or office politics have grown harsh. You could be trying to find love and yet the illusions of love keep vaporizing and you have nothing left to hold onto. Don’t worry. Don’t weep. God Himself has built it within you to find nothing earthly to take the place of His great love. He says He’s a jealous God and that just means that He wants first place.  He doesn’t want you to have crutches or any other plan to fall back on but Him.  Rejoice in this wonderful love! Open up the Word of God and read about it. Ask God to let you experience it in reality.  And then, beloved, live in the light of His love. For it’s only there that you will truly live.

God loves you - really, truly deeply; and He’s for you – always, forever, into eternity. And that’s worth holding on to all the days of your life.

Philippians 4:19 And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. AMP

Psalm 107:8 Let them praise the Lord for His great love and for the wonderful things He has done for them.

Matthew 10:29-31 What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.  And the very hairs on your head are all numbered.  So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.

Isaiah 54:5 For your Creator will be your husband; the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is His name! He is your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God of all the earth.

Luke 12:27-28 Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet 

Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.  And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

John 15:9 I have loved you even as the Father has loved Me. Remain in My love.

What Tools Are You Trying to Use?

One of my friends has been sharing a lot about His walk with the Lord during a very trying time. Just recently he shared about trying to get to church one Sunday when things started falling apart. They raise chickens and there were problems in the chicken house he had to take care of. He realized he wasn’t going to make it to church and got really frustrated. Just as he thought he might blow a gasket he looked at the wrench in his hand and realized it was his daddy’s. After that he relaxed and began to enjoy every twist of the tool.

That really spoke to my heart. Each of us have gone through, are going through or will go through tough times. Often the phrase says tough times don’t last, but honestly sometimes those tough times are long and winding and rough. We get desperate in the midst of it all. As if the hard time wasn’t enough, things just seem to fall apart all around us. We try to get it all back together and we try to move on to better things. But it’s hard. It’s hard to believe God, it’s hard to believe the sun will shine and it’s hard to see where we are in the big scheme of things. We work though, hard sometimes, fighting the feelings, trying to restore order and all the time we’re hoping that things will start working again and we can move on. Frustration, anxiety and even self-pity try to come help us, but they’re useless. They’re not fit tools to use in the hands of a believer.

Just about time we think we’re going to boil over with outrage at it all we look up to the heavens and cry out! And then we see. Our Father God is with us. But He hasn’t left us to our own human devises to get through it all. He’s not just absently looking down from heaven. No, He’s with us. And He has given us tools to get things working again in our faith. He’s given us every Word, breathed out for us, straight from the throne room. We have every tool we’ll ever need and we can use them as often as we need to. They’re unbreakable, unbendable and undeniably perfect.

Oh beloved, are you sitting there this morning looking at the broken things? Maybe you’re wondering how you got to this place? You’ve tried every trick in the book and it’s all a mess anyway. Rejoice! Looking at the things our Father gives us helps us get through the rough times. He’s given you everything you need to get through. Repairs needed? Every tool imaginable is there for you. Grace, favor, joy, peace, and more. Prayer, worship and fellowship with God are our grandest tools. No matter how you feel, no matter what is happening, God Himself is here to give you everything you need for this time. He hasn’t left you, He won’t forsake you and He gives you all you need from the storehouse of His Word to get through.

Rejoice in the Word of God! Look up to the heavens and cry thank you! Then reach for the tools your Father God has given you. Every promise is full of strength for you. They won’t break and they won’t disappear when you need them. You are blessed, you are forgiven, you are walking in the light of God’s Word. You have access to the Lord of heaven and earth and as you pray, as you worship Him right where you are, His presence will be so overwhelming that you will know your life is blessed. God loves you and He’s for you and that’s why you can trust His Word to get you through, fix you up and get it all running for His glory and your good.

Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is tried and purified; He is a shield to those who trust and take refuge in Him.

Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. NLT

Psalm 88:13 But I, O Lord, have cried out to You for help, And in the morning my prayer comes before You.

Psalm 22:2-4 The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. He is my refuge, my savior, the one who saves me from violence. I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and He saved me from my enemies.

Psalm 9:9 The LORD also will be a stronghold for the oppressed, A stronghold in times of trouble;

Bring Every Need to the Lord

I woke up this morning fully expecting to see at least some white stuff on the ground. But to my surprise there’s no precipitation happening, nor did any happen overnight here. The weather centers keep saying we are going to have bad weather, but it hasn’t materialized yet. I don’t know if I should keep relying on their word or not. Maybe I just can’t trust their word anymore. After all the we...ather forecast hasn’t occurred here, at least not yet. It’s not that I’m disappointed. I just thought they knew what they were talking about. After all they’re experts. They said they know and they’ve given us the word.

There are times when I have prayed and prayed about something. You know, that heart’s desire that is always on my mind and always on my lips. I research the Scriptures and I pray the Word over the situation or the person. I know God’s forecast says the Word is true and the answer will come. But it’s been a while. Do I keep looking out the window of my mind? Do I keep believing the answer is imminent? Or do I give up? Do I stand on the Word of the Expert or do I fold under the circumstances of what my eye sees?

As I am typing this very devotional I am beginning to hear the freezing rain outside my window. The weather officials were right. We are experiencing the answer to their word. I kept watching the news cast and kept looking for the evidence and it is occurring, finally.

Oh beloved. Most everyone prays about something. But you’ve been looking for specific answers to specific prayers. You’ve prayed and prayed and prayed. You’ve looked, watched and wondered. Others may have told you it was foolish to pray that prayer. But you’ve kept on praying. You also keep looking for the evidence of that answer. You’ve prayed in the car, in the bed, at the kitchen stove and in your office.

You’ve also stood on the Word of God and prayed that over the loved one or the situation. You can be assured that not one of those prayers is prayed in vain. God hears every single prayer. While the answer must always be left in His hands, (how can we make it happen ourselves?) we have assurance that if we keep seeking, keep asking and keep knocking He will eventually open that door to the answer. Don’t think your prayers are insignificant, unimportant or useless.

Unlike the weather officials, who sometimes do get the weather outlook wrong, God’s Word can always be trusted. Keep bringing all your needs to the Lord for He never ignores you. Keep seeking His face for that wayward spouse or child or parent for His desire is that all should come to the knowledge of God and live for Jesus. Keep praying the Scriptures over it all and watch. Let God encourage you when everyone around you says it’s useless.

Keep knocking on the door of God’s heart for He loves you and He’s for you and He promises that He will withhold no good thing from you as you seek Him earnestly in faith.

Psalm 69:13 But I keep praying to you, Lord, hoping this time you will show me favor. In your unfailing love, O God, answer my prayer with your sure salvation.

Luke 11:9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

1 Kings 8:28 Yet have regard to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You today;

1 John 5:14-15 And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always; pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

We Are Joint Heirs with The Owner's Son!

We were looking for a place to eat yesterday and decided to try a tiny little Mexican restaurant by our favorite bookstore.  We were met with a waiter who seated us quickly and brought us chips and salsa. We also received glasses of water without asking. 

As we got our meals, the waiter slipped by regularly and kept our salsa full. He stepped to the table and replaced our half empty glasses with fresh full glasses of the same drink.  He didn’t have to ask whether we were having sweet or unsweet tea – he just knew.  He was quiet and efficient and most of all he met our needs before we had to ask for anything.

God is by no means our waiter. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. But He is so wonderful in His blessings towards us! He seats us at His banqueting table and He lovingly provides all that we could ever need.  He truly meets our needs before we can even ask Him. We don’t always see Him working behind the scenes, but He’s there. Sometimes we think He can’t possibly know what we need, but He knows perfectly.  He doesn’t need a cheat sheet, a reminder or a menu to provide for us. He knows us completely and loves to meet our needs. 

Eventually we had to pay for our meal and leave the restaurant, but with God’s banquet we are able to dine continually on a feast made in heaven and it’s all been paid for by the blood of the Lamb! We are joint heirs with the Owner’s Son, so we are free to come and go as we desire. The blessings are ready and available and the fellowship with our Lord is included because of the Cross.

Oh beloved, the Lord is calling you into sweet, sweet fellowship with Him! He bids you come and dine at His table and let Him meet every single need you will ever have. He knows you intimately, every single flaw, every single hurt, every single trouble, every single doubt. And He is able to provide for you so that you will walk in victory, live in faith, and be free of anything that weighs you down.  He knows it’s been rough, but when you step into His presence and dine at His table you find that the weight of the world lifts from your shoulders and the blessings of His presence refresh, renew and redeem everything.

God loves you and He’s for you and that means all your needs are met in Him as you yield your life and your heart to His call.

Psalm 4:3 You can be sure of this: The Lord set apart the godly for Himself. The Lord will answer when I call to Him.

Isaiah 41:17 When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the Lord, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them.

Isaiah 65:24 I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!

Song of Solomon 2:4 He escorts me to the banquet hall; it’s obvious how much He loves me.

Philippians 4:19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

 

Have All Your Keys With You Today?

The littlest grandson was having a conversation with his mother. He'd seen his daddy with a set of keys.  The conversation went something like this, “Daddy has keys” to which momma said, yes, Daddy has keys. “Momma has keys” and again she said yes, Momma has keys. Then he said, “Jesus has keys”.  Yes, again, his mother agreed, Jesus has keys.

Where would we be without keys?  I’ve misplaced mine before, haven’t you? I’ve gotten to work a couple of times and found that I arrived without my office key. Thankfully the office across the hall from me has a key to my office as well.  Every key is for a certain purpose. It’s not possible to use a car key to open the mailbox at work.  The office keys won’t get me into my house.  The house key won’t unlock my display cabinet at home and so on.  Every key has its own target and cannot be used for anything else.  We can be locked out of our car, our office, our home, our shop, our garage and more. Without the right key for the right door, we are totally locked out. We cannot get in.

Jesus has keys, Caleb said. Yes, He does. He holds the key to heaven and he took away the keys to hell. But it’s more than that – Jesus IS the key! He is the KEY to everything we need. Through Him heaven is unlocked and we can know we will make it through the door.  Through Him the Bible is unlocked and we can know the will of the Father and understand the great mysteries of all that He says and all that He is. We are able to follow His instructions and live a life of assurance. He is the key to forgiveness. He’s the key to love, faith, purpose, redemption, regeneration, new life, devotion, direction and oh so much more! With most keys you get one purpose, but with Jesus, He is the key that unlocks EVERYTHING for life and godliness – life here on earth, so that we can live in the light of His love having purpose and success beyond our wildest imaginations. Not only that we can know His direction and plan so that we can follow Him wholly and always.

Are you struggling with the key to life this morning? Are you feeling locked out and left alone? Maybe you were promised things that never materialized – love, dedication, fidelity, care.   Perhaps you have come to the end of your own plans and you’re weary of it all and ready to start fresh. You may be facing a hard battle, a sickness or a trial. Maybe you have hopes and dreams, you want God to use you and your heart longs to minister and do the things that Jesus did.  Let Jesus meet you at the door of your heart! He will let you in for He is your Key!

Oh beloved, run to the Lord this morning and enter in! Enter into His loving care, His incredible riches and His faithful Word! He loves you for He is Love! He’s for you – for He is your Strong Tower! He will never turn you away, for He is the Key to all of this life’s needs and blessings as well as the key to heaven’s gates and glory. Pick up His book of Keys and read – every single door you need opened is there for you to find and learn and enjoy! He holds back not one key from His beloved and offers them freely at His feet. Try the lock and see – He will answer you when you call and you can rest in His promises and live in the light of His Word! What a blessed life oh beloved, to be a child of the Master of the Keys!

 

Deuteronomy 30:20  You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying Him, and committing yourself firmly to Him. This is the key to your life.…

Proverbs 4:13 Take hold of My instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life.

Revelation 1:18 [Jesus said] I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.

John 14:6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.

Jeremiah 33:3 'Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.'

Hebrews 13:21 may He equip you with all you need for doing His will. May He produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to Him. All glory to Him forever and ever! Amen.

Luke 12:31 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and He will give you everything you need.

Need Anything? Step Up to Jehovah Jireh's Provision!

Yesterday someone snapped a photo of two friends and I. We were working together at breakfast. What you don’t see when you look at the photo is that I’m just a person who came in to help fill the plates for the teens and youth leaders. But behind the scenes the two women in the picture were actually up before dawn prepping and cooking the entire meal, with a group of kitchen volunteers. I just reaped a benefit of their work.


Sometimes it looks like Christians have it made. It’s a piece of cake. What is often unseen is the preparatory work Christ has done for us. Everything we have is given to us by Him. He prepared it all before the foundation of the world. Just like the ladies and the entire kitchen crew worked before the kids even woke up, so too God prepared everything we would need for life and godliness before we even knew Him.

Isn’t it wonderful to know that we can simply step in and fellowship with the Lord because He has it all laid out for us? All our hopes, our dreams, our desires are found already perfected in Him. He is not merely our way to salvation, He IS our Salvation! He is not merely the One Who feeds and clothes us, He makes a way for us to step up and walk into our faith, so that all we need is provided for us.

Oh beloved, run to the Lord’s buffet table of love! Thank Him for the unending provision He has given just for you! Thank Him that He loves you so incredibly that even if you walk through hard places, He will walk with you. He is always there. Before the foundation of the world He provided everything you will ever need. He loved you before you were born, He loves you now, He will love you always. Step up to the banquet and partake of all the delicacies He has just for you – love, joy, peace, faith, courage, victory, peace, and oh so much more. His provision is so huge that you can’t even see it all. But beloved, you can walk in it! What wondrous love is this that He has it already provided. What awesome care is this that He doesn’t send you out alone but walks with you all the way!

Genesis 22:14 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."

Psalm 68:10 There Your people finally settled, and with a bountiful harvest, O God, You provided for Your needy people.

Isaiah 49:10 They will neither hunger nor thirst. The searing sun will not reach them anymore. For the LORD in His mercy will lead them beside cool waters.

Psalm 34:10 Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the LORD will lack no good thing.

Philippians 4:19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

James 1:17 Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.