The world has been in crisis since the Fall of Creation (Genesis 3). Impending doom, economic uncertainties, and causes for handwringing have been the norm for residents of planet earth for most of our history. But another common occurrence, has been that men and women, boys and girls have been able to cry out to God in the midst of uncertainty and hardship and find help. God HEARS, God SPEAKS, and God PROVIDES for people who will humble themselves and trust Him.

Our church has been studying God’s Promises to Hear, Speak, Provide this month in a series of sermons called In His Hands. This week we talked about God’spromise to provide. Here’s a few verses we looked at, along with a checklist that can be used to check how you do in the area of believing this promise.

Psalm 37:25 – “I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.”

Psalm 55:22 – “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you…”

Philippians 4:19 – “my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 8:32 – “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”

Hebrews 13:5 – “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.'”

DO I BELIEVE GOD’S PROMISE? 

1. Prayer & Praise vs. Worry – Is it instinctive for you to pray and praise when difficult times come or worry and wring your hands? Philippians 4:6-7, Matthew 6:25-32. I contend that worry is essentially the opposite of prayer. Give the burden to God instead of keeping it in your heart and mind. The result will be God’s glory and less heartburn. 

2. Christ First vs. Me First – Do you live with a God’s will and Jesus as Lord, or with the goal of meeting all your earthly desires? Matthew 6:33 says seeking God’s kingdom first opens the door for God’s provision. We live with much common grace, like rain which falls on the righteous and unrighteous. But God promises to provide supernaturally for those who seek Him first.

3. God provides vs. My Hard Work – Complete this sentence: “What I have comes from…” Two ways to answer: “…my hard work.” or “…from the hand of God.” If you believe God’s promises, you will believe James 1:17, which says “Every good and perfect gift is from above…”

4. Generosity vs. Safety – God gives TO us because He desires to give THROUGH us. Generosity is a product of believing God and wanting to see Him glorified. And generosity is a result of believing God is and will provide. God even tells us to test him in this in Malachi 3:8-10, where he says that generosity will open the “windows of heaven” upon our lives.

5. Horizontal Living vs. Vertical Living – Believing God’s promise means we believe that when we give, work, fellowship, etc., we do it toward God, not just man. When I put money in the offering basket at church, I’m not just giving it to pay my church’s bills. I’m giving vertically, so that God will be glorified and His kingdom will grow. When I give my best at work, I’m working to glorify God, not just make my employer happy. Believing God’s promise means we see all of our lives in relation to God providing and God receiving honor and glory.