Years ago there was a kid who was excited about Christmas because like most kids he expected a bunch of presents. Every year his parents got him pretty much whatever he had wished for at Christmas. It wasn’t an extravagant pile of presents, but it was the special things he had asked for. Well this particular year when Christmas Eve arrived the family gathered around the tree and began to open presents, but something was different. After tearing into only a couple of gifts, there was nothing left to open. This was confusing for the boy and without hesitation he said, “Is this all?” Instead of feeling and expressing gratitude for what he had, he could only show disappointment that there wasn’t more. I imagine this hit his parents pretty hard, because what the boy didn’t know was that his dad had been laid off from his job for a couple of months and there was very little money for Christmas presents. Later in life, that boy would come to know what had happened that year with his dad’s job and why Christmas was so sparse. Every time he remembered it all he could do was recall how ungrateful he was. I know...because I was that boy. I had everything I needed, but I wasn’t interested in what I needed, but only what I wanted. That’s a lesson we have to learn over and over. God provides what we need to serve His purpose for our lives, and carry out His will. God does not necessarily give us what we want to further our own will.
Can you be grateful for what you have? Maybe that’s all you need right now. Having an attitude of gratitude will cause you to look at all you have, as all you need. Every time I remember my ungratefulness that Christmas long ago, it brings me to tears. Have you ever been moved to tears over your ungratefulness to God over how much He’s done for you? Do you remember last week how I described the way Jesus suffered and died for your sins? You were guilty and deserved to pay the price, but He stepped in and paid it for you. Are you grateful for Him giving you what you needed, or are you still just asking for what you wanted? 1 Timothy 6:6-10 “6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” Are you able to be content and grateful for what God has provided or are you constantly seeking more? Let me show you what gratitude looks like. Email from Pastor Erick Wakoli in Kenya: "Pastor Randall and mum Laura ,What a blessing this evening that the Lord has provided again in my family and the church in this month of November?. My heart is full of praise and Thanksgiving for this unexpected miracle of provision and breakthroughs in my family Sir. It has been a very challenging and hard times for us here due to ongoing disastrous drought and starvation. Actually things have
been in standstill . We have been in financial deadlock to meet life in this end both in my family and the church , but this evening, I'm much encouraged and I thank God for remaining so faithful by allowing you to bless us in this way. You have been actually a soul encourager and a prayer warrior in our lives and we thank God for you all . Your love for your Kenya brothers and sisters is really great and we thank God for allowing you to bless us cheerfully and generously. Actually we don't take it for granted but it is God's doing and it also takes God's grace for such generosity . May the Glory and Honor go back to our Heavenly Father for making all this possible and please tell your church that we are humbled and we received the money of the Lord safely. This is really a big service and ministry that your church has exercised over us . We will actually divide the funds to serve both my house needs and church families who are suffering and are in need of a relief. Then I shall compile a report to show how funds were used for accountability and record keeping at your church. Actually the living God is so good and may His face shine upon you , heal you, expand your financial boundaries , protect and preserve you as you continue serving in His vineyard. (Luke 6:38)~Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” We love you and pass our greetings to your family and the church. Just know that we are always praying for you all. BLESSINGS."
We often find ourselves praying for provision, but it’s normally not for our purpose, it’s for our passions. Pastor Erick prays for his daily provision with a heart of gratitude. He isn’t upset that he didn’t get the raise he deserves...he’s overjoyed with the daily provision that he received. That’s because he prays for what he needs for his calling. The provision for his purpose. Our passions will pull us toward things we want, but our purpose will pull toward things we need. In Exodus 16 we see how Israel also didn’t trust God for their provision. The response to their current situation was that they had begun to complain about how things had gotten tough and life was not as good as it used to be. So God solved their problem, but He tested them in the process. Exodus 16:1-3 “1 Then they set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the sons of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departure from the land of Egypt. 2 Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3 And the children of Israel said to them, “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” They blamed Moses and his brother Aaron for “leading them into the wilderness”. They had already lost site of the fact that it was God who had freed them from bondage in Egypt. All they could focus on was their current situation of lack.
Maybe you’ve said or thought something similar, like “This job loss is going to destroy my savings.” Or, “I wish things were like they used to be”. Does complaining about our situation fix it, or just make it worse? Why do we always want to blame someone else for our difficult situation instead of stepping up and putting our trust in God... who we claim is our Provider? Philippians 4:11-13 “11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” How are you doing with being content? Have you learned the secret to being content in every situation? Exodus 16:4-5 “4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not. 5 And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.” When Israel complained, God sent a solution, but it had a test included. There is a big difference between being tested and being tempted. This passage clearly shows that God will test your obedience to His word. But He does not tempt us to sin. A test is about obedience, but temptation is about sin. Have you ever heard someone say “God must be trying to teach me something”, when they are going through a difficult situation? All you can possibly learn during test, is how much you don’t know. The time to learn or study is before the test, not during it.
We have to remember that we don’t learn anything during a test. A test is used to find out what we have already learned. The time to study is not during the test. You will have to retake a test until you’ve studied enough to pass it. God cares for us, but He also wants us to understand that His provision for us is based on our understanding and obedience to His spiritual laws. God always clearly lays out our instructions, but it’s up to us if we decide to study and follow them. During the times when things are going great, we should be studying for the eventual test that is on the way. Are you in His Word? Are you furthering your spiritual education or just thinking you’ll cram the night before the test? God provides the answer Exodus 16:6-8 “6 Then Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, “At evening you shall know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt. 7 And in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord; for He hears your complaints against the Lord. But what are we, that you complain against us?” 8 Also Moses said, “This shall be seen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the Lord hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the Lord.” The second step is to correct your thinking to focus on being grateful. God was sending their solution, but first He had to correct their thinking about the situation. Moses tells them that the Lord has brought them out of Egypt, instead of He and Aaron bringing them into the wilderness.
They should have been grateful to no longer be slaves in Egypt. God may need to correct your thinking about your situation. He wants us to see it from His perspective and understand the actual source of the problem and the source of the solution. His perspective always removes fear, doubt and insecurity. Exodus 16:9-12 “9 Then Moses spoke to Aaron, “Say to all the congregation of the children of Israel, ‘Come near before the Lord, for He has heard your complaints.’ ” 10 Now it came to pass, as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ” Aaron focused the people toward God to see His glory, but when God spoke, He addressed the leader. He told Moses to tell the people He had heard them. Their solution was on the way and it will show them that He is God. We must see that the Source of our provision is God...Not our employer or our bank account. Exodus 16:13-15 “13 So it was that quail came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay all around the camp. 14 And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15 So when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.” Do you recognize His provision? When God sends our solution, will we recognize it? Maybe it looks like something we’ve never seen before. We can’t ask God
to send us a solution and then only be willing to accept an answer that we can understand or are familiar with. Being able to recognize the solution is a big deal. Are you open to God providing for you in a way you don’t expect? Or are you only open to God taking care of you in a way you understand and expect? Exodus 16:15-18 “...And Moses said to them, “This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: ‘Let every man gather it according to each one’s need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent.’ 17 Then the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some less. 18 So when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one’s need.” God Had provided for their lack, but here is where they were tested. Exodus 16:19-20 “19 And Moses said, “Let no one leave any of it till morning.” 20 Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them.” God instructed them to only take what they needed for that day. There was no need to hoard more than they needed, because God was a faithful source and would provide again tomorrow. Even after all the miracles God had showed them, some of them still didn’t trust Him. They thought they had a better plan to take care of themselves so they took things into their own hands. Jesus gave us instructions concerning our provisions
What did Jesus mean when He taught us to pray “Give us this day, our daily bread”? John 6:31-40 “31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.’” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” 34 Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.” 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. “ Jesus says He is like the mana... the daily bread, that God gave to feed Israel in the wilderness of Sin. He is the bread of life sent to keep us from spiritually starving in our own wilderness of sin. Are you wandering around in the wilderness of sin? I’m not talking about salvation. I mean are you saved, but still struggling to find your way out of the wilderness? The way to know if you are in the wilderness is if you need a new miracle every day to survive. As soon as the children of Israel entered the promised land, the manna stopped. When you enter into the place God has for you, you will not need the miracles, because you’ve learned to trust that He is your provision. Daily bread means don’t worry about tomorrow. Just like Moses said about manna and Jesus said about daily bread, just ask for what you need today. You shouldn’t need a miracle everyday. You just need to stop complaining and panicking, and begin to ask and trust.
I start each day asking for my provision of The bread of Life for that day. If we are asking for the Bread of Life, we are seeking the kingdom and God says if we are doing that, He will take care of the things you need.
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