TOPIC: GOD PROVIDES
MEMORISE:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Psalm 23:1
READ: Genesis 22:7-14
7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.
MESSAGE
I became the General Overseer of RCCG about 45 years ago. At that time, the total income of the church was less than my monthly salary from the university I resigned from. The church had 39 other members of staff, and after paying them, there was usually nothing left for the General Overseer. As a human being, I turned to God and said, "Lord, I told You to leave me alone where I was lecturing, afterall, I was already pastoring. After collecting my salary, I always deduct money for food and fuel for my car, and the rest goes to Your work.
Now, what I am getting from the government is no longer available, and this is the income of the church. What guarantee do I have that I will survive?" Then, God made me a promise, "Son, I have only one guarantee to give you; wherever you go, I will be with you." Truly, God hasn't failed me: in 45 years, I have neither borrowed nor begged. Indeed, God provides.
When you see someone who cannot testify to the fact that God provides, it is likely that you have found someone who is stingy, even to God. If you pay attention to my story in the first paragraph, you will see that even when I was a lecturer, almost all my money was given to God. Hence, whenever I am in need, He has never failed me. Luke 6:38 says that it is when you give that it shall be given unto you. The widow of Zarephath understood this, so when God, through Prophet Elijah, asked for her last meal, she gave it. In return, she had more than enough food to last her throughout the famine. God has been so gracious to many people such that giving Him all their money is not enough to say ‘thank you’ to Him. Despite this, when He asks them for just a little of what they have, they would say ‘no’. Apart from being stingy to God, a lot of them are also stingy to people around them, especially the less privileged.
Proverbs 21:13 says:
Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.
Beloved, if you want God to provide for you, don't be stingy to His work, men and women of God, those around you, or the poor. The liberal soul will surely be made fat (Proverbs 11:25).
ACTION POINT
Cultivate the habit of giving to support God's work, His ministers, and those in need around you.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 8-10
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
HYMN 16: TIS SO SWEET TO TRUST IN JESUS
1. 'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus
Just to take Him at His Word
Just to rest upon His promise
Just to know, "Thus saith the Lord"
2. Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him
How I've proved Him o'er and o'er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus
Oh, for grace to trust Him more
3. I'm so glad I learned to trust Him
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend
And I know that He is with me
Will be with me to the end
4. Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him
How I've proved Him o'er and o'er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus
Oh, for grace to trust Him more
5. Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him
How I've proved Him o'er and o'er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus
Oh, for grace to trust Him more
Oh, for grace to trust Him more
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