HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 276
page A274
Protection continued
of Satan and the arrows shot at you by your enemies would pierce and defeat you. So
even when life seems overwhelming, hold tightly to your faith like a shield, and you will
withstand the dangers and discouragements sent at you. And rejoice—you know that
God has already won the victory.
Provision See also Help
The heartfelt desire of every parent is to provide adequately for the needs of the family.
The question comes when we attempt to discern where to draw the line between needs
and wants. Does a child need food, clothing, and emotional support? Most definitely! But
does that same child need the latest designer-label jackets and shoes, or a late-model
sports car the day the child turns sixteen? Probably not. When we speak of the provision
of God, we must be careful to similarly differentiate between our needs and our wants.
While we are often confused about the difference, God is not. We must trust God both to
identify our needs and to meet them by his gracious provision.
What does it mean to trust God’s provision? Can I really trust him to take
care of me?
• J O S H U A 3 :9 -1 0 | “Come and listen to what the Lord your God says. Today you will know
that the living God is among you.”
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Your obedience to God is a prerequisite to his provision. When you submit to him, you
make yourself available to receive his care, and he promises to take care of you.
HelpFinder
• E X O DU S 1 6 :4 -1 9 | Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from
heaven for you. . . .” Moses told them, “Do not keep any of it until morning.” But some of
them didn’t listen and kept some of it until morning. But by then it was full of maggots.
(See note on page 67.)
God provided for the daily needs of his people. Too often people trust God for provision but
then think he hasn’t provided because they didn’t get everything they wanted when and how
they wanted it. Trust God for provision, and then be thankful for what he provides.
• 2 P E T E R 1 :3 | By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a
godly life.
You can trust God to care for your spiritual needs. God has provided resources from his
own character to those who seek him.
• PH I L I P P I A NS 4 :1 9 | And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs
from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
God’s supplies are unlimited. He does not dole them out sparingly but lavishes them on
you according to his infinite generosity.
• J O H N 6 :3 5 | Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be
hungry again.” (See note on page 959.)
You can trust God to fill your deepest hunger. God knows that one of your biggest needs
is to have your heart filled with the love and power of Christ himself.
• E PH E S I A NS 1 :7 | He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with
the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.
Through the richness of his grace, God has provided for your greatest need—forgiveness
of sin and salvation in Jesus Christ.
Purpose See also Future; Opportunities; Planning; Priorities; Will of God;
Wisdom
It is essentially human to search for our purpose, or calling, in life. Inside, we all long to
be part of something bigger than ourselves. Often we wish God’s call would come in an
audible voice or a miraculous sign in the sky. The truth is, God’s call is not always a missionary career in Africa, although it can be. God’s call can also be to minister to the youth