God:  Can you count on Him to meet your needs?

God does promise to meet our needs in this Dispensation of Grace of which we are a part today.  However, in the second part of this article, we will see how this subject relates to Israel and the coming kingdom God has promised to them.  But in this first section we will see how his promise of provision relates to us.  These two times are different, but are often mingled together, like a lot of other things, causing confusion and misapplications.

Again, the apostle Paul makes it very clear that our needs as believers in our time will be met. 

Philippians 4:19

¹⁹ But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. [Emphasis added]

What an encouraging statement! What a wonderful promise! The promise not only includes our spiritual needs, but our material needs as well. The context of this passage makes it clear that the primary emphasis of Paul’s statements in this passage is material needs, not spiritual ones.  Let’s look at the context, particularly the verses that precede this statement.

Philippians 4:10-11 

¹⁰ But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.

We know from this that the Philippian church had sent a financial gift to Paul.  It seems they would have contributed to his work sooner, but “lacked opportunity,” possibly because they didn’t know where he was or how to get it to him.

¹¹ Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. [Emphasis added]

Have you learned this great lesson? Most people have not! Lack of contentment causes many people to make foolish decisions at times, especially concerning finances.  This is one reason why learning to be content with what you have is so important.  Paul shows us a key principle about this in one of his other epistles.

I Timothy 6:8 

⁸ And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. [Emphasis added]

Paul is saying if you have food for the next meal and clothes to protect you from the weather, you have what is really needed as a basis for complete contentment.  That’s not to say we are not to work hard to improve our circumstances.  We surely should! But the mal contentment that most people have isn’t based on actual need but want.  It often leads people to think and do things they shouldn’t, and this is what Paul is talking about here.  To say he is content is to say he learned not to worry or be upset about his circumstances.  He has learned that the Lord will somehow provide and care for him.  He also learned not to take “desperate measures” to “improve” things.  This is because he knows very well that as long as he functions consistently with God’s leadership in his life, God’s word, God’s going to provide his needs for him.  In fact, you will find that God is going to meet your needs despite your failures.  So long as He still has things He would like for you to do in this life, nothing’s taking you out of here.   The apostle Paul expressed this principle in his last days.

II Timothy 4:18 

¹⁸ And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. [Emphasis added]

I’m reminded of Confederate General Stonewall Jackson’s statement where he said he felt as safe on a battlefield as he did at home in bed.  Again, he knew God would sustain him.  He later did suffer a gunshot wound that eventually took his life, but not before God’s work for Him was done.  It will be the same for you.  When that time comes, there is nothing that is going to keep you here.  Why would you want to be here then anyway?

But not all mal contentment is bad.  It is the cause for some people to stop being lazy and to go to work.  That, of course, is not bad! It is because of mal contentment that we have such things as fans and thermostatically controlled air-conditioning for the summer and winter.  People got tired of having to walk everywhere, so we now have cars, trains, and airplanes.  None of the mal contentment that brought those discoveries on was bad.  But, again, mal contentment can lead to attitude problems.  But this is all by choice because we do choose our attitudes.  They are all determined by our point of view on things.  By studying God’s word, we can gain His attitude on life, and that’s perfectly wonderful.  All too often people assume they are “entitled” to more than they have.  This is when some heavy mal contentment can set in, leading to “desperate measures” to change things.  We are clearly to avoid this, and it can all be done by choice.  Again, we choose our attitude, and we choose our actions! Because of this, there is a sense in which we choose our destiny.  Everyone around you will see what your decision is on all this.  Bad attitudes can’t be hidden.  They always come to expression.  The exact same thing can be said about good attitudes.  They too come to expression, but in wonderful ways.  What is YOUR choice going to be? Whatever it is, it will impact your life more than you could ever imagine.

I am here reminded of pastor Chuck Swindoll’s famous comment about this. 

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company…a church…a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past…we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude…I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And, so it is with you…we are in charge of our attitudes.”

I have found that focusing on one’s blessings can bring anyone out of the trap of bad mal contentment.  The old hymn, Count Your Blessings by Johnson Oatman and Edwin Excell, makes some powerful statements about this.

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

    Chorus:

Count your blessings, name them one by one;

Count your blessings, see what God hath done;

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

 

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,

And you will be singing as the days go by.

 

When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold.

Count your many blessings, money cannot buy

Your reward in heaven, nor your Lord on high.

 

So amid the conflict, whether great or small

Do not be discouraged, God is over all;

Count your many blessings, angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end. 

I have found that you can’t be grateful and experience mal contentment at the same time.  They just don’t go together.  So, never overlook your blessings.  It is like the man who cried because he had no shoes until he met a man who had no feet.  If we choose to look for them, there are always blessings to be counted.  We should always choose to be thankful for whatever we have. 

1 Thessalonians 5:18 

¹⁸ In EVERY thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. [Emphasis added] 

Therefore, contentment is a choice.  Like a lot of things, it is not a matter of can or can’t, it is a matter of the will.  Everyone has so much to be thankful for, everyone has a basis for contentment, especially believers.

Philippians 4 continued  

¹² I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

Paul is telling us he has experienced both sides of this.  There had been times when he had more than enough, but there were times when he didn’t.  Again, he had experienced both sides.  Then he makes a comment that I have often heard quoted but misunderstood because it was quoted out of its context.

¹³ I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Please note the context of this statement. What he is saying is that he can bear even the greatest of hardships through His faith in Christ to sustain him.  This is a reflection on what God told Paul when He refused to remove the suffering that he called his “thorn in the flesh.”

II Corinthians 12:8-10 

⁸ For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

Meaning he asked the Lord three times to remove the obstacle that was causing him so much suffering and so much physical misery.  But God refused to remove it.  He said, “no!” But God’s response is so powerful.  We should all be caused to reflect on it anytime we are faced with adversity.

⁹ And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect [matured, made stronger] in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory [boast, take pride in, or be glad] in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

This tells us we are in the best position to grow and to become stronger spiritually when we count on the Lord to get us through things.  Just remember that if He brought you to it, He can take you through it.  But a self-sufficient attitude has done as much as anything to keep people from God’s greatest blessing.  It is when we see ourselves as totally dependent on Him that we are strongest.  In other words, our weakest hour can become our finest.

¹⁰ Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. [Emphasis added]

Nevertheless, Paul was glad when the support from the Philippian church was brought to him.

Philippians 4 continued

¹⁴ Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction. 

¹⁵ Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel [back when he first began his ministry], when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me [had provided material support] as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. 

¹⁶ For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. 

¹⁷ Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account [for eternal reward].

Paul makes it clear that his greatest joy was not really in getting the gift but in realizing how much this was going to mean for them in blessing, because they made this application of God’s word in giving.

¹⁸ But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God.

This means their giving was an expression of worship that pleased God.  That’s how it always is when God’s Word is applied to a situation.  That act, whatever it is, becomes an expression of our worship of God.  Paul then informs these people that their needs also would be met.

¹⁹ But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. [Emphasis added]

As I have always believed, we can’t out-give God.  In the jewelry business we once worked in they had a silver necklace with two miniature shovels on it, one larger than the other.  It was a depiction of this principle.  We can give to God and his work but what He gives back is always bigger and better.  His “shovel” is bigger than ours.  What we give as an application in spiritual giving, He replaces with even greater blessing back to us in one way or another.  So, we should be encouraged to sow generously in every way possible.  The specific application the Philippian believers were making is the one discussed in Paul’s letter to the Galatians.

Galatians 6:6-10 

⁶ Let him that is taught in the word communicate [give] unto him that teacheth in all good things. 

⁷ Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 

⁸ For he that soweth to his flesh [with selfish motivation] shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit [the believer who does this with the right motivation] shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 

⁹ And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 

¹⁰ As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith [believers]. [Emphasis added]

The believers in the Philippian assembly were forever changed by Paul’s life and work in teaching them.  By their generous gift they were expressing their tremendous appreciation for him and what he had done for them.  Paul readily thanked them and encouraged them with the assurance that their needs, too, would be supplied by the Lord.  The exact same thing is true for each of us now.  Count on it!

Part 2

God’s promises made to Israel for material provision—

Now that we have seen how all this relates to us today as members of the Body of Christ, let’s look at some passages that do not relate to us on this subject.  Here again we will see some things that differ, that is, promises that were made to believing Israelites but NOT to us.  It is important that we not confuse or try to mingle the two, as people so often do.  This is what we call the right division of Scripture. 

2 Timothy 2:15

¹⁵ Study [SPOUDAZO = be diligent] to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. [Emphasis added]

As you see it in the name of our website—All the Bible is FOR us, but it is not all TO us or ABOUT us.  Such is the case with the subject of spiritual giving and what we can count on as blessing from God coming to us.  Here’s a well-known part of what Christ told the people of Israel in the time of His earthly ministry.

Luke 12:22-31

²² And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

²³ The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

For many years I heard and read things that said this, thinking it simply meant we are not to worry about having food and clothing.  It is surely saying that, but it is saying much more than that.  We find that, in the coming kingdom, Israel was promised that these things would be provided without them having to work and save for them.  Take a look at these next verses.  Consider their literal meaning.

²⁴ Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? 

²⁵ And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?

Do we not have to “sow” and “reap” in our time? Do we not have to work for a living? Don’t we store up or save for the future? Aren’t these verses promising that working and saving would no longer be necessary in this coming prophesied kingdom on Earth? They surely are! Read on!

²⁶ If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? 

²⁷ Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not [they do no work to provide these things]; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 

²⁸ If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? 

²⁹ And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

³⁰ For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye [as believers] have need of these things.

Following this, we are about to look at one of the most misunderstood passages of Scripture in the Bible.  It is typically taken out of context and related to all kinds of things we have not been commanded and promised.

³¹ But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. [Emphasis added]

This is a reference to a literal physical kingdom on earth that all the prophets wrote about and here Jesus is promising it as well.  The only difference being that He was then saying that the fulfillment of all this was “at hand.”

Matthew 3:1-2

¹ In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

² And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. [Emphasis added]

Notice that He says, “all these things” would then be provided.  The last time I checked, ALL still means all.  He says ALL these things, meaning food, clothing and much more would be provided in the coming kingdom on earth, but this has nothing to do with us NOW.  But isn’t it always quoted as though it does? That COMING kingdom on a restored [or regenerated] earth is going to have some marvelous features, just as the original Garden of Eden had where Adam and Eve lived.  It has been around two thousand years since this was promised during our Lord’s earthly ministry.  Are we living in that kingdom now? No way! Does this mean this is a false promise? No way! It is just that this literal earthly kingdom has been put off to a future day.  I don’t think any of the apostles had any idea it would be put off this long, but it surely has been.  But our Lord’s words will surely be literally fulfilled in a future day.  A literal earthly kingdom was promised and will be provided.  As we will see in what comes next, it was God’s will that this kingdom be provided.

³² Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. [Emphasis added]

So, what happened? Why did this kingdom not come? The answer to that is that to have this kingdom on earth, they had to accept their King.  Did Israel and the leadership of Israel do that? Did they accept Jesus of Nazareth as their King? Absolutely not! They said they would not have Him to rule over them.  Christ speaks of this in one of His parables.

Matthew 19:14 

¹⁴ But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. [Emphasis added]

Their rejection of Jesus as their Christ is clearly seen at the cross, and later after His resurrection and ascension and at the stoning of Stephen [Acts 7].  But when this information was given, it was not revealed that this continued rejection of Christ was going to be sustained.  God knew it would, but the people didn’t.  Therefore, the bona fide offer of the kingdom was made, even though God knew what the vast majority of the people of Israel were going to do.  Then, next in the passage is a command that was given to them that would be a part of the procedure for entering the kingdom.  This would be an open display of their faith in what they had been promised. 

Luke 12:22-34 continued 

³³ Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

Yes, you read that right.  As they were “seeking the kingdom,” they were commanded to sell their possessions and to give it all away to any who would have need of it.  Question:  Are we to do this today? Are we to sell our possessions and enter into a communal form of living? Some have actually tried to do this, but, as you might guess, it didn’t work out at all for them.  Why? Because that promised earthly kingdom hasn’t come.  It someday will but not now.  Again, the literal earthly kingdom that was promised has been put off to a future day.  Then next in this passage we have a verse that has application in every generation, it is just that when it was given here, they are being reminded that this activity of selling everything they owned would be an expression of the priority they were giving to obeying what God’s will was for them.

³⁴ For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. [Emphasis added]

Did the people of Israel comply? Did they do this? Some did, but most did not.

Acts 2:44-45 

⁴⁴ And all that believed [most of the people of Israel did not believe] were together, and had all things common; 

⁴⁵ And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. [Emphasis added]

Then later we see more of this.  They gave everything they had away and claimed nothing as their own.

Acts 4:32-35

³² And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. 

³³ And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

³⁴ Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, 

³⁵ And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. [Emphasis added]

This was a part of Christ’s message throughout His earthly ministry.  Note His words to “the rich young ruler,” as he has been called.

Matthew 19:16-17 

¹⁶ And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

¹⁷ And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. [Emphasis added]

Was Jesus serious in His answer? Of course, He was! Is this what people were to do in that day for eternal life? It certainly was! There is nothing at all in this passage to indicate that Christ was not telling him exactly what he needed to hear and do to have eternal life.  Were they then saved and given eternal life by their works? Not at all, even though on the surface it may look that way.  The works were required, but only as a way for them to express their FAITH.  On the surface it may seem this was a command to work for one’s salvation, but such was not the case.  Works have never been the means to salvation.  As we noted earlier, God has required different things at different times of history as the means for people to express their FAITH.  What He has required has changed from time to time.  Is what Jesus told this young man what we are to tell people today if they ask what they are to do to have eternal life? Absolutely not! Some have been told that, but they were misinformed.  People aren’t saved today by “keeping the 10 commandments” or any other part of The Mosaic Law.  Today, salvation and eternal life only come by putting one’s faith in the work of Christ, that being His death, burial and resurrection.  Only faith in this message saves people today.  However, this was not the case when Jesus spoke with this young man.  Furthermore, at that time Christ had still not been to the cross and resurrected.

All this that you are seeing here regarding God meeting needs of us today compared with Israel [as we contrast these two messages] is called, “rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Again, II Timothy 2:15

¹⁵ Study [SPOUDAZO = be diligent] to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. [Emphasis added]

We are also seeing things that differ.  It’s only through conscientious study that such things will be noticed, understood, and applied.

Philippians 1:10 

¹⁰ That ye may approve things that are excellent [DIAPHERO = different— speaking of things that differ]; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ. [Emphasis added]

Now let’s continue with the story of the rich young ruler.

Matthew 19:18-22

¹⁸ He saith unto him, Which [which commandments]? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, 

¹⁹ Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 

²⁰ The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

Here’s a young man who, like so many, refuses to acknowledge his sinfulness and his need for a Savior.  He thinks he is a good man, but he is not.  He thinks he deserves eternal life, but he does not.  No one has ever deserved eternal life.  Like so many, this young man will have his day in court at The Great White Throne last judgment to make the case for his righteous works.  As with all the others there, it will be demonstrated that their works do not add up to the perfect righteousness God requires.  That righteousness only comes as a gift by faith.

²¹ Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

²² But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. [Emphasis added]

Again, what Jesus was requiring of him was consistent with the theme of his message throughout that period.  In addition to honoring the law with their obedience, they were to sell their possessions and distribute the proceeds to those in need.  Again, this policy, this command is not in place today.  People are to work for a living and save for the future.  As we saw earlier, when people today refuse to work and provide for themselves, they shouldn’t even be allowed to eat.

II Thessalonians 3:6-12 

⁶ Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly [living an undisciplined life], and not after the tradition which he received of us.

⁷ For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; 

⁸ Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day [Paul worked as a tent-maker], that we might not be chargeable to any of you: 

⁹ Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. 

¹⁰ For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 

¹¹ For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly [living an undisciplined, lazy life], working not at all, but are busybodies. 

¹² Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. [Emphasis added]

In contrast to this, years earlier they had been commanded to sell all their possessions and give the money to anyone who had need of it.  Note what happened to Ananias and Sapphira who later compromised this principle.

Acts 5:1-11 

¹ But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

² And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 

³ But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?⁴ Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 

⁵ And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost [he died]: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. 

⁶ And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. 

⁷ And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. 

⁸ And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.

⁹ Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. 

¹⁰ Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. 

¹¹ And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things. [Emphasis added]

The reason they were commanded to give it all away is that they weren’t going to have a need for any of it in the kingdom that was at hand.  Again, when Christ sets up His earthly kingdom the curse will be taken off all nature and things will revert back to the way things were in the Garden of Eden.  Plant life and the fruit of that plant life will abound.  There will be plenty to eat for everyone.  The attributes of the coming kingdom will be fabulous.  But we have nothing going on like this today because the kingdom and this whole kingdom policy has been suspended.  Communal living, having all possessions in common, came to an end, along with the offering of the kingdom.  And, again, that kingdom hasn’t been cancelled, but suspended till Israel accepts Jesus as her Savior and King.  Meanwhile we are living in what the Bible calls The Dispensation of Grace, or what some call The Church Age.  As we have noted, this period was a complete mystery to all the writers of the Old Testament period.  None of the prophets knew anything about it and they, therefore, wrote nothing about it.  For that reason, it is called a mystery, a secret that had been kept in the mind of God until it was revealed to the apostle Paul, and then to us today through his writings.

Because the majority of Israel rejected Jesus as their Christ, their promised Messiah, the whole kingdom program with its communal property policy broke down.  Instead of there being plenty for everyone, people entered a time of need.  Because of their unbelief and rebellion poverty struck the Jerusalem church.  This is why it later became necessary for Paul to collect an offering from the Gentile churches to sustain the Jewish Jerusalem church.  This situation brought on Paul’s comments about the subject of giving in those two whole chapters of his epistle to the Corinthians [II Corinthians 8 & 9].

Romans 15:25-26 

²⁵ But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.

²⁶ For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. [Emphasis added]

It was in this manner that God kept His word to provide for the material needs of the Jewish believing church in the Jerusalem area.  But it was not done in accordance with the kingdom policy.  Again, that policy and the kingdom itself were put off to a future day.

What you need to realize is that God is going to provide for your needs too.  Again, as long as God has a plan for your life here on this earth, there’s nothing taking you out of here.  Your life here on earth is secure.  God will continue to meet your needs.  People have to work for a living but their NEEDS, not necessarily their wants, will be met.  Again, He doesn’t promise your wants, but He surely does promise your needs. 

Again, Philippians 4:19

¹⁹ But my God shall supply all your NEED according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. [Emphasis added]

And I firmly believe that if you will learn to live by the principles we have been given for our time, you will likely do a whole lot better materially than those who don’t, even though that is not guaranteed to anyone.  Working hard, working honestly, working with a submissive servant attitude, working with a standard of excellence, working with determination to always do your best, and other such things tend to move people to a better life in every way.  That is the case for you, too, and that’s a promise you can count on.

Conclusion—

Yes, God meets the needs of His people.  That has ALWAYS been the case.  But in this present Dispensation of Grace, we are not promised special material blessings because of our obedience to God’s Word.  Such WAS the case for the people of Israel in a former time.  There’s a lot of Scripture that shows that.  But we should not confuse these two periods of time.  If you do, you’ll be setting yourself up for disappointment.  That’s not to say that some of God’s people in our time won’t prosper materially as faithful believers.  Some surely do! But this is not something that’s been promised or guaranteed to us in our time.  Today our greatest riches are all our spiritual blessings, not our material ones.  As believers who now share in all the blessings of Christ, every believer today has tremendous spiritual wealth.

Ephesians 3:8-9

⁸ Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

⁹ And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: [Emphasis added]

Only our needs to be of service to our Savior have been promised to all of us.

Philippians 4:18-19

¹⁸ But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.

Even though Paul had been a rich man as a religious Pharisee, as great a man as Paul had become as a believer, he went through periods of time when all he had were his basic needs.

¹⁹ But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. [Emphasis added]

Colossians 1:26-27

²⁶ Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

²⁷ To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: [Emphasis added]

Being IN Christ now and forever, we are all wealthy in the way that it counts most.  Our SPIRITUAL wealth puts us in a far better place than the richest of people materially.

Please note our warning about focusing on material wealth.

1 Timothy 6:17

¹⁷ Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; [Emphasis added]

For more information on all this and more, please secure a copy of my book—22 Key Promises you can count on It can be ordered through our website.  Here’s a link to it—4Us2UsMinistries.com