If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7: 14) This undisputed, irrefutable, never-changing and ever-present promise comes to all of us from our beloved Creator of heaven and earth. We are extremely grateful that achieving the results of this promise is the primary and singular focus of our lives. Our goal, our aim, our destination is to share eternity in the loving, nurturing, glorious and majestic presence of God the Father and Christ His Son. And what a good Father He is, has been and will continue to be. A marvelous example of parenthood that we all should try to emulate, but of course fall short: “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?” (Matthew 7: 11) And as a good Father always does, God tenderly and continuously reminds us of who we are and what we should be doing to ensure that our inheritance in paradise is never compromised. Because there is a constant danger of being polluted by this wicked world and its evil influences, our Father gives us vital instructions on how to protect ourselves and to stay clean in an immoral environment. In the scripture from 2nd Chronicles quoted above, it tells us “IF” we as His children do certain things, “THEN WILL” God as our Father do certain things. This is the godly principle of sowing and reaping. He repeats this principle in the Apostle Paul’s epistle to the Colossians where it is written, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, Who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.” (Colossians 3: 1-4) Isn’t that simply wonderful? All we have to do is just be the people God has created us to be and we are guaranteed to live forever! “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” (Psalm 23: 5-6) We must endeavor to avoid getting entangled in the affairs of this life and allowing the weeds of temptation to cause us to be unfruitful or unfaithful. Conversely, we must allow the Spirit to “lock in” a conscious desire to make it to heaven by daily practicing a heavenly investment strategy for our sanctified savings account that will yield indescribable, immeasurable and everlasting returns. “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6: 19-21) Of course these treasures we speak of are spiritual, not carnal. And without a doubt we know our spiritual life is the most important treasure of all. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field." (Matthew 13: 44) “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” (2 Corinthians 4: 7) But that doesn’t mean God is unaware of, doesn’t care or will ignore the necessities of our human existence. To the contrary. He knows what we need more than we do because He made us and He loves us. “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear Him. For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness unto children's children; To such as keep His covenant, and to those that remember His commandments to do them. The LORD hath prepared His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom ruleth over all.” (Psalm 103: 13-19) So don’t think for one second that the Lord won’t provide for your temporal needs while He has you here on this earth. Because it is God alone Who decides when we come to this earth and when we will depart from this earth. “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (Matthew 6: 25-34) When the Lord said “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13: 5), He meant it. You, yes you, are precious to God more than any other thing He has created. We are His jewels, His prized possession, His chosen people and the object of His divine love. You are so valuable to Him even the curls on your cranium are individually indexed: “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.” (Luke 12: 6-7) Therefore, knowing these things, we are supremely confident that the Lord will supply all of our needs. “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4: 19) We just have to be patient and content. “For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” (Philippians 4: 11) Just wait on the Lord for He will not only carry you through but He will renew your strength. Know this dear ones, God has been a provider from the beginning of time. He provided Adam and Eve’s first set of clothes. He provided Abraham a ram to sacrifice instead of his son Isaac. He provided Joseph a path to power and prosperity. He provided food for Elijah as He commanded the ravens to feed him at the brook Cherith. He provided water for the nation of Israel as they wandered in the desert. He provided 15 years of extra life to King Hezekiah. He provided protection from execution for Daniel and the Hebrew boys. He provided Samson with the strength to punish the Philistines. He provided David with the courage to conquer the giant Goliath.
As we see, God is overflowing with provision. "...prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." (Malachi 3: 10) So the question is, what has He provided for you? Whatever your situation or circumstance is today, be convinced that God will provide as He always has. Yes, “Jehovah Jireh! The Lord will provide!” Come on and say it with me, “Jehovah Jireh! The Lord will provide!” Now say it again like you mean it! “JEHOVAH JIREH! THE LORD WILL PROVIDE!” He is the Lord our God Who “Remembered us in our low estate: for His mercy endureth for ever: And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for His mercy endureth for ever. Who giveth food to all flesh: for His mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for His mercy endureth for ever.” (Psalm 136: 23-26) The goodness of God is beyond comprehension. We can only imagine the greatness of His power because our vision is so woefully inadequate. But we are eternally grateful for the glimpses of glory He gives us that allow a "precious peek" into the unparalleled splendor of His magnificence. And, frankly speaking, those “precious peeks” can be spectacularly overwhelming! “Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and Thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; Thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, Thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is Thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Thy house; and Thou shalt make them drink of the river of Thy pleasures. For with Thee is the fountain of life: in Thy light shall we see light. O continue Thy lovingkindness unto them that know Thee; and Thy righteousness to the upright in heart.” (Psalm 6: 5-10)
So all that’s left for us to do is to give God the glory. “By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His Name.” (Hebrews 13: 15) Let us bless, magnify and exalt the Holy One of Israel and I sincerely hope and pray dear brothers and sisters, “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” (Ephesians 3: 16-21)
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