Thursday, September 28, 2018 - The God Who Meets All Needs
Ephesians 1:3-10 The Message (MSG)
The God of Glory
3-6 How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.
7-10 Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.
REFERENCE SCRIPTURES
A. Luke 12:29 -
Luke 12:29 - So as for you, do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink; nor have an anxious and unsettled mind.
B. James 1:5
5 If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him
C. Phil. 4:7
7 And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].
D. 2 Peter 1:3
3 For His divine power has bestowed on us [absolutely] everything necessary for [a dynamic spiritual] life and godliness, through [a]true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
E. Lam. 3:22
Lam. 3:22 - It is because of the Lord’s lovingkindnesses that we are not consumed,
Because His [tender] compassions never fail.
OBSERVATIONS:
People tend to divide life into categories, distinguishing between issues related to work, home, faith, and leisure. Yet that’s not how the Lord sees us. His interest in His children is not confined to spiritual matters; He cares about the details of daily living as well.
Scripture shows that God is in the business of keeping our bodies fed (Luke 12:29), our minds wise (James 1:5), and our hearts at ease (Phil. 4:7). And since believers are in union with Jesus Christ through His indwelling Spirit, every aspect of a Christian’s existence has a spiritual connection. There’s no time in the day when the believer’s life separates into “sacred” and “secular” components. The anxious heart that distracts us from prayer is as much God’s concern as the tired mind that easily drifts into temptation.
Scripture emphasizes God’s commitment to the believer’s whole self: “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). The Lord doesn’t limit Himself to building godliness in us. Day-to-day particulars of life matter, too. We need never wonder if God can or wants to meet our needs. Our all-sufficient Father, whose kindness never ceases (Lam. 3:22), gives believers whatever is required to grow their faith—whether that means food, comfort, knowledge, or peace.
The loving heavenly Father sees His children in their entirety, not physical beings with a spiritual life on the side. We cheat ourselves when we think God is interested solely in our spiritual needs. He has many kinds of blessings to offer, if we will but ask.
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