God Will Provide

Beloved,

We have on this Wednesday a day that marks the beginning of the second half of the month of September. And, for some of us, what a month it has been. We have been bombarded by the ramping up of political rhetoric that is only going to get worse. We have seen storms and natural disasters showing up on our coasts in the forms of hurricanes, floods, and forest fires. We have seen COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to rise albeit at a decelerating pace. That is the stuff that we watch on television, hear on the radio and come across when surfing the internet. That is the stuff that we like to talk about in our did you see, did you hear moments.

Beloved, God will provide solutions to all of that. The elections will end. God, in His perfect or permissive will, will provide. The storms will cease. God, in His perfect or permissive will, will provide. COVID-19 will subside. God, in His perfect or permissive will, will provide.

BUT, as God deals with the challenges we face on the international, national, state, and local stages, do you truly believe that God will provide for YOU?

What I mean is, how are you dealing with some of the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual challenges that keep you up at night and sometimes have you dreading the dawning of a new day in your health, wealth, and relationships?

Are you trying to figure it out on your own? Are you calling up a sympathetic family member or friend to talk about it, or are you calling them up to not talk about it? Are you texting your group chat, sending an email to your friend group, posting to your Facebook crew, tweeting to your Twitter feed, instagramming to your e-family with a cute meme that may do nothing but distract attention from what you are really dealing with?

Or, are you turning it over to God? Are you reaching out to a mature brother or sister in Christ to have a real conversation about what is really going on? Have you called up your pastor and asked to discuss something that is really bothering you?

Do you believe that God will provide?

Apparently, the Apostle Paul did as he wrote in Philippians 4:19, "And my God will satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

Beloved, read this verse again and notice how Paul addresses God as "my God". His words indicate a few things - ownership, relationship, and expectation.

Paul was making it clear that he had a god and his god was God. And, because his god was God, God wanted to do things, necessary and needful things, for those who claimed Him and claimed relationship with Him. And, because of this relationship, it was right to have some expectations...expectations that only God could meet.

How often do we find ourselves upset, disturbed, flying off the handle, acting a fool because somebody or something disappointed us? If they would just act right, if they would just do right, if they would just do what I want them to do, then everything would be alright...at least alright according to you in the moment.

BUT, what if you trusted in God who knows you better than you know yourself and trusted that the God who knows you and loves you will provide for all of your needs while also helping you to grow up enough in Christ to stop being frustrated when you confuse your needs with your wants and then you might stop getting so upset, stop being so disturbed, stop flying off the handle and stop acting a fool when somebody or something disappoints us.

Why? Because life is going to be full of disappointments. And, those disappoints might just be there to be a bridge to your faith in God and not in people or things.

You will have more peace when you live as if you know that God will provide.

You will have more joy when you live as if you know that God will provide.

You will have more love when you live as if you know that God will provide.

Do you want more peace, more joy and more love in your life? Then, just as Paul explained, believe that God will provide.

Beloved, part of God's provision is the Body of Christ, the family of God, your church family. I encourage you to connect with one another and to especially take advantage of our collective times together. We are a church family that loves fellowship and relationship with each other that we also extend to others. Let us not take our connection for granted that God has provided.

We will connect today for Noonday prayer. We will have a sermon broadcast on The Light radio station at 3pm. We will have HOPE Wednesday tonight at 6:30-pm via Zoom.

God has provided. Connect with us.

And, remember, the God who will provide loves you and I love you too!

Be blessed,

Rev. Cain