Tag Archive | provision

Never Satisfied

Mar15

Egypt – the Israelites, God’s people, were grumbling about the severe condition of slavery they were in. God sends help. God provides an abundance of trinkets and supplies to send them away from this burden.

God provides protection. God shows the way. They experience miraculous things. Then it happened. Discontentment. Boredom. It becomes all about “ME”!

The sons of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
Exodus 16:3 NASB

The people spoke against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this miserable food.”
Numbers 21:5 NASB

When the focus turns from God to “me” it is so easy to forget what God has done; to remember from where He has brought me, to where I am now. He has a plan for each of His children, and it isn’t “to kill this whole assembly”.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
John 10:10 NASB

And I have to chuckle at, “there is no food or water” and in the same sentence ” we loathe this miserable food”.
Aren’t we like that too? We don’t lack God’s provision, we just don’t like how it is dished out. This is especially evident in trials and tribulations.
What we need to remember is that God is still the same God in all situations. He can be trusted that what He is doing in our lives is for our good and His glory!! No doubt.

🌹Are you satisfied in God? Trusting God in all situations?

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

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Blessed

May13

Who remembered us in our low estate,
And has rescued us from our adversaries, Who gives food to all flesh.
Give thanks to the God of heaven,
FOR HIS LOVINGKINDNESS IS EVERLASTING.
Psalms 136:23-26 NASB

🌹Holy, pure, perfect God, thank You for seeing me, hearing me in my afflictions, and rescuing me many times according to Your compassion. Thank You for redeeming me.
I wait for Your provision Lord. You give that which I may gather. You open Your hand and I am satisfied with good.
Yes, I will give the God of heaven thanks for Your lovingkindness is everlasting. Amen.
Psalm 9:12,Nehemiah 9:28, Psalm 107:2, Psalm 104:27-28 NASB

Continually Seeking Him, 

Sharon 

Trust and Obedience

Mar26

And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing. And He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even have two tunics apiece.
Luke 9:2‭-‬3 NASB

Do you trust the Lord God to provide for your every need?

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

🌹Trust and obedience. Surrender to His will.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

God’s Purpose

Feb4

Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and Lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
Genesis 45:5‭, ‬7‭-‬8 NASB

God has a plan. Even when it looks bad, it is for the good of God’s people. His deliverance. Look at Jesus. He came for a mere 33 years and was persecuted, spit on, denied. But O, the Father had a grandiose plan.

When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong which we did to him!” So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father charged before he died, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph, “Please forgive, I beg you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, for they did you wrong.” ’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. Then his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place?
Genesis 50:15‭-‬19 NASB

Joseph trusted God despite the circumstances that were tough and grim for him. God blessed him and many through him despite the circumstances he faced.

So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
Genesis 50:21 NASB

🌹 God will provide, possibly through you and the circumstances you are in right now. Do you trust Him for the outcome?

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

(You can read about the life of Joseph in Genesis 37, 39, 41-48, 50)

Disciple

Jan8

Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.
Genesis 22:7‭-‬8 NASB

Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
Genesis 22:9‭-‬10 NASB

But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”
Genesis 22:11‭-‬12 NASB

Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son.
Genesis 22:13 NASB

Just as God the Father provided Jesus as the sacrifice for us, He provided a substitute for Issac. Out of Jesus’s great love for the Father and mankind He willingly sacrificed His life for you, for us.

Abraham’s obedience was to God no matter the cost. God desires our obedience to Him but we also need to remember that He is a loving, righteous God. The situation was never the cost of Isaac’s life or for Abraham to murder his son but to show Abraham the cost of following God.

🌹 “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate (by comparison of his love for Me) his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.
Luke 14:26 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Good Times/Bad Times

Sep17

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come closer to me.” And they came closer. And he said, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; — Genesis 45:4-8a

God always has a plan. In good times and bad. Joseph had some good and bad in his life but he always stayed faithful, loving the Lord.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. — Romans 8:28

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Eyes Wide Open

Sep8

Abraham’s wife and her maid, the mother of Abraham’s son Ishmael, did not always get along (to say the least). Sarah finally said, enough is enough, and went to Abraham to have her and Ishmael sent away. In great distress, but in obedience to God, Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away.

So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar, putting them on her shoulder, and gave her the boy, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered about in the wilderness of Beersheba.

When the water in the skin was used up, she left the boy under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him, about a bowshot away, for she said, “Do not let me see the boy die.” And she sat opposite him, and  lifted up her voice and wept. God heard the lad crying; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter with you, Hagar? Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him by the hand, for I will make a great nation of him.” Then God  opened her eyes and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the skin with water and gave the lad a drink. — Genesis 21:14-19

Have you been there? I’m sure you have because life is not always kind. You are at the end of your rope, as Hagar is, and so you just distance yourself from the ones you love and focus on the situation before you. Have we forgotten the promises of God as Hagar did?

Moreover, the angel of the Lord said to her, “I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count.” The angel of the Lord said to her further,

“Behold, you are with child,
And you will bear a son;
And you shall call his name Ishmael,
Because the Lord has given heed to your affliction.

“He will be a wild donkey of a man,
His hand will be against everyone,
And everyone’s hand will be against him;
And he will live to the east of all his brothers.” — Genesis 16:10-12

God made His presence know and when she was reminded her eyes were open to God’s provision.

Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the skin with water and gave the lad a drink.

Our focus needs to be on God so we can see His provision. His way. His purpose. Seek Him through His Word where His promises will encourage us, strengthen us and lead us for our good and His glory. And when our focus shifts, we must seek Him in prayer to return our hearts to Him.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Where’s Your Focus?

Sep28

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

Jesus’ own words say to seek His kingdom and His righteousness first. He wants the best for us and seeking after Him and His righteousness makes all the difference in our lives.

Why do we struggle, work exhaustively, stress out, worry and fret to feed ourselves and clothe ourselves? Why don’t we use that worthless energy more productively by seeking what is beneficial, eternal and worthy?

Jesus allows us to focus on the important things in life — His kingdom and righteousness — while He provides for the temporal needs — clothing and food.

So where is your heart and focus today? Are you trusting God to provide your needs and seeking Jesus?

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Great is Thy Faithfulness

May5

Prayer has been the subject of my devotionals the past three days  and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share this old hymn that supports prayer so well. If not for God’s faithfulness we would not know compassion, mercy, provision, love, peace, guidance, strength, hope, salvation, contentment, joy and blessings. All this from a God who is, was and forever will be. The more we talk with Him the more we enjoy His presence and experience His faithfulness.

 

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Refrain

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Refrain

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Refrain

 

The heavens will praise Your wonders, O Lord;
Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies is comparable to the Lord?
Who among the sons of the mighty is like the Lord, — Psalm 89:5-6

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

The Blessing of Provision

Mar18

All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the Lord your God: Deuteronomy 28:2          “Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Deuteronomy 28:5

Obedience to God brings blessing to our table. What have we to worry about when our obedient trust in Jesus promises blessing to us. “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? — Matthew 6:25-26

“For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” — Matthew 6:32-33 Our God treasures us and thinks we are worthy to be blessed. He desires to shower blessings on His children and He will when we are obedient. He knows what we need to survive and will supply all we need. And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. — Philippians 4:19

Our Great Provider, of all our needs, has given us a means to receive blessings by our obedience and seeking of His righteousness and kingdom. The choice is ours. Hopefully we choose blessing.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon