Tag: God provides

Zechariah ‘Sings’ of Provider God!

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Zechariah was overcome by the power of God when he ‘sang’ forth these prophetic words. Only God knows the future and these words about John and the coming Messiah are amazing.

Luke 1:76-80 “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
    for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
    in the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
    whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

When I mediated on these words, I was overwhelmed by God’s gracious provision for us. He provided John to announce the coming Messiah. It had been 400 years since the last prophet Malachi had delivered a message to God’s people. They were hungry for word from God and needed to be turned back and tuned towards Him! The Messiah to come would bring salvation, forgiveness of sin, and light to a dark world. He would show God’s tender mercy towards His children by shining light on their pathways and guiding them in the way of peace. What a wonderful provider God is!!

God is our Provider. God provides for every creature He has made. He feeds the birds and gives us our daily bread. God gives us strength and goodness through the power of His indwelling Holy Spirit to enable us to live for Him. Isaiah 40:29 “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. I love Romans 8:28 and the truth I can claim about His power of goodness in my life. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” He provides a way out of temptation and protects us from evil. 1 Corinthians 10:13 is a key verse to claim,“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” David knew the protection of God first hand as he claimed it in Psalm 140:1-2 “Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men; preserve me from violent men 2 who plan evil things in their heart and stir up wars continually.” God provides salvation through our faith in Jesus and He assures us that we cannot be snatched away from Him!! John 10:28“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” God’s provision of His Son was His greatest gift to us. Paul describes this gift in 2 Corinthians 9:15“Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

When you look at all these provisions past and future, you can only marvel at the power and love of God!

Linda

I am sustained by Christ!

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This last week, Holy Week, before Easter, I want to continue exploring God’s promises about things we have in Christ. What we have goes beyond the things we’ve discovered on the Sunday’s during Lent- Salvation, Christ’s Righteousness, a heavenly home to look forward to, the ability to approach God’s throne and being Sealed by the Holy Spirit. This week we will explore a few more of the things we have because of Christ’s willing sacrifice on the cross and his victory over death.

phil 4 19

Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, I am sustained by Christ. This assurance of faith is one of my favorite promises stated in Philippians 4:19.  “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”  God knows what I need and Jesus reminded us that He will provide for us in even greater measure than the sparrows. Luke 12:6-7 “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God.  Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”   We are valued by God and He will take care of our needs.  Jesus said this in Matthew 6:28-30 “And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

loves and cares

So it would seem that God will take care of us because he loves and values us.  Why do we worry over our needs?  Being human it is difficult to set aside worry and replace it with trust in God.  God desires to take care of us and He loves us.  1 Peter 5:7 says “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”  Jesus said in John 16:27 “for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.”   How will you show your trust in Jesus today? 

Promise: God promises to sustain us in Christ.

Prayerfully present your needs to God and then leave them with Him.   Let Him do the heavy lifting and care for you.  Be encouraged today- He will provide!

Learning to trust in Jesus more and more each day,

Linda

God Provides

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It is not yet Christmas Eve and we have arrived at the scripture where Jesus is born. The actual birth of Jesus is recorded in Luke 2:6-8. “And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”

What amazes you about these simple verses of facts? 1. Mary made it to Bethlehem and gave birth to Jesus in a sheltered and safe place. The place regarded as the the exact spot is a cave inside a grotto where animals were kept. It is a place that causes one to see first hand the providence of God in providing such a safe, warm and cozy place for Jesus to enter the world.

2. There was no room in an inn when Mary and Joseph arrived and God provided a stable where they could deliver the baby and be together.  3. Place God provided was large enough for the shepherds to come and visit and not disturb anyone else.

Many times the provisions God gives do not make complete sense to us. We feel maybe they are lacking in some way, however, God sees the entire picture. He knew many shepherds would come to visit. He knew exactly what Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus needed. Perhaps a truth from this scene should be God knows and God provides. He is all wise and sovereign in all things. Can I trust Him to provide for me? Here are some verses to ponder and hold close to your heart about God the provider.

Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

Psalm 34:9 “Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!”

1 Corinthians 2:9 ” But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
    nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—

Trust in God, He will provide for you.

Linda

                                    

1st Sunday of Lent, 2022

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As you attend church today, meditate on the first 6 verses of Psalm 139. They are precious and reveal much about who we are and who God is. He is to be praised.

You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.

May you realize today that God knows you, all about you. Can you even imagine such knowledge? When you couple Psalm 139 with Nahum 1:9 The Lord is good,
    a refuge in times of trouble.
He cares for those who trust in him,

and Psalm 23:1-3 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2     He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3     he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.

you get a picture of our loving God who knows and cares for YOU.

Have a blessed Sunday.

Linda

Aftermath Continues- Gifts fit for a King!

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After the Wise Men met with King Herod and got further directions on where to find this possible child born ‘king of the Jews’, they proceeded to Bethlehem. Matthew 2:9-12 “After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.”

Here we see the provision, protection and love God has for His Son who is now on earth. We know the Magi did not visit on the night of Jesus’ birth as in verse 2 we were told they came to see Herod after Jesus’ birth. Also there is no mention of a stable or animals but a house. (When visiting Bethlehem, guides took us to a house believed to be where Mary and Joseph lived during this time period. It is very near to the stable cave and had several rooms where they could have lived comfortably.) The Magi followed the Star and found where Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus were living. The gifts they presented to them were very costly and befitting a king. We see God’s Sovereignty in the fact that He warned the kings not to go back to Herod. God knew what was in Herod’s heart and protected His Son.

Have you experienced the provision, protection and love of God during this pandemic year of 2020? I know I have. God has provided comfort and connection that I so desperately crave during these times of isolation. He has protected me from the virus and kept me in good health. I have felt His love through His Word and the kindness of others. God loves each of us and reaches down to touch us in ways we recognize and then some we don’t. Reflect as we end this year on ways God has met your needs and thank Him for His provision.

Linda

Thankfulness Day 26: Hard times, there is Hope

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Are you in a hard spot this Thanksgiving Day? The prophet Habakkuk gives us words for difficult circumstances that bring hope and thanksgiving to our lips, no matter what.

Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,
    and there are no grapes on the vines;
even though the olive crop fails,
    and the fields lie empty and barren;
even though the flocks die in the fields,
    and the cattle barns are empty,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord!
    I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength!
    He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
    able to tread upon the heights. Habakkuk 3:17-19

The situations that are described in verse 17 are about as bad as it could get for an ancient agrarian society. Famine, crop failure, animals dying, no oil for lamps or cooking or wine for pressing and barren fields would mean complete destruction of life as they knew it. What devastating circumstances are you experiencing- loss of job, illness, Covid-19, death of a loved one, aloneness this Thanksgiving? Then Habakkuk’s words of hope and resolve in verse 18 and 19 are meant for you today.

Realign your thinking and focus on the goodness and provision of God. He alone is to be the source of our joy and strength and He is eternal. No devastating circumstances can remove or diminish God’s love for us. We are saved through faith in Jesus and salvation is a permanent state of being. Through God we can have the strength to endure hardships both physical and emotional. By concentrating and relying upon His strength, we can and will endure. My go to verse is 2 Corinthians 12:9 ” “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” God gives me exactly what I need each day to endure with and in Him.

May we live each day dependent upon God’s Grace and be filled with Thanksgiving in our hearts.

Linda

Thankfulness Day 9: We have a recipe for freedom from worry! Yeah!

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Matthew 6:31-34 contains our thanksgiving challenge for today!

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

I labeled this as a thanksgiving challenge because Jesus’ principles for living go against our natural tendencies and desires. Jesus is asking us to live fully committed to God to receive provision and freedom from worry. God promises relief from daily worry if we will put knowing Him and His righteousness first in our life. How wonderful a life free from the stress of worry about our circumstances and needs would be. Jesus is proclaiming the following truths about life with Him: God does not want our life consumed with worry about everyday things or the future. God is sovereign and is greater than anything I could possibly face in life. Seeking to know God and His righteousness ways leads to a life free from worry. God know each day can be a challenge and requires full focus on Him to meet these challenges with trust in Him.

Can you do this? Yes, all things are yes in Christ! Focus on Jesus, knowing Him and seeking Him. God will keep His promises and free you from worry. Let the knowledge of Him and the freedom He provides create in you a sense of true thanksgiving and praise today.

Linda