GOD, OUR PROVIDER

Your heavenly Father is the Great Provider for all the earth. He gives rain when the earth needs refreshment. He calls the sun from its hiding when the earth needs warmth. He gives to the animals their food, the flowers their beauty, the birds their shelter, and you and me everything we need.

We worship a God who is both loving and powerful. He is both omnipotent and omnipresent. He is both good and able. If he were not, we would be forced to fend for ourselves, striving for that which he has promised to provide. If he were only good, we would not be assured of the provision his power provides. And if he were only able, we would fear for a lack of his desire to provide. But God is our heavenly Father who both knows what we need and longs to provide for us in exceeding measures. He is our Creator and Sustainer, Lord of all and Lord in all.

So why do you fear for your needs? Why do you stress over the foundational cares of this life while your heavenly Father is seated on his throne? The truth is that until we experience for ourselves both the goodness and power of our heavenly Father, the truth of his provision will only ever feel like a heady, theological principle. Until we experience firsthand the character and provision of our God, fear will remain.

1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” God longs to perfect you in his love today. He longs to guide you into an encounter with his goodness and power. He longs to establish a foundation of his faithfulness by which you can live in faith. May you have a transformative encounter with the Holy Spirit today that frees you from fear and striving as you enter into guided prayer.

Now let's look at the key text that relates to God's provision:

Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide (Yahweh-yir´eh). And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided." (Genesis 22:13-14)

In this case Abraham doesn't call God a different name, but he names the place with a compound, "Yahweh Provides" (New Jerusalem Bible). The King James Version transliterates the Hebrew words as "Jehovah-jireh." A better pronunciation here is Yahweh-yir´eh.

This was the first time we know of that Abraham had to trust God to provide. Later, as God reveals himself to Moses and the people of Israel, they begin to understand that this is part of God's responsibility as King and part of his role as Father and part of his character as the Loving God. In the New Testament we see two clear statements:

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33, KJV)

"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19)

From that day forward, Abraham remembered the name he had given that mountain top “Jehovah Jireh, Yahweh-yir´eh, "The LORD Will Provide."

GOD OUR HEALER

The Bible describes God as "Jehovah-Rophe" (or Jehovah-Rapha) more than 60 times. Jehovah means “God” and Rophe or Rapha means “to restore,” “to heal,” or “to make healthful.”

In Exodus 15:26, God promised Moses and the people of Israel, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”

Healer is an integral part of God’s character. God cares about every area of your health — your physical health, your mental and emotional well-being as well as your spiritual vitality (Psalm 103:2-3). When we understand that God is Jehovah-Rophe, the Great Physician, we recognize that no healing happens apart from Him. Only He can provide lasting healing from our brokenness.

So often, we want the healing without the dealing. But God has to deal with the source of our pain — the rejection, the hurt, or perhaps the betrayal — to heal us. 

Our Healer has never and will never change (Malachi 3:6). Jesus still does miracles. God works through modern medicine, just like He worked through ancient Israel’s laws to protect them from disease.

The Gospel is the physical, moral, and spiritual remedy for all people. Because in Christ, we have eternal life, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and connection with God (Isaiah 53:5).

Reflect:

·         When you think about your overall health, what can you begin to give God today for healing?

·         What are you grateful to God for regarding your health today?

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

The Greek word translated “fruit” refers to the natural product of a living thing. Paul used “fruit” to help us understand the product of the Holy Spirit, who lives inside every believer. The fruit of the Spirit is produced by the Spirit, not by the Christian. The Greek word is singular, showing that “fruit” is a unified whole, not independent characteristics. As we grow, all the characteristics of Christ will be manifested in our lives.

Yet, like physical fruit needs time to grow, the fruit of the Spirit will not ripen in our lives overnight. Like a successful gardener must battle against weeds to enjoy the sweet fruit they desire, we must constantly work to rid our lives of the “weeds” of our old sin natures that want to choke out the work of the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit gives us the power we need to reject those old sinful desires. We can say “no” to sin and accept the “way out” God faithfully provides (1 Corinthians 10:13) by following the Holy Spirit’s leading. 

As we give the Spirit more control of our lives, He begins to do in and through us what only He can do - to shape us and grow us to look like Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).

Since God’s goal for all His children is for us to be like Jesus (Romans 8:29), the Holy Spirit constantly works to rid our lives of the “acts of the sinful nature” (Gal 5:19) and display His fruit instead. Therefore, the presence of the “fruit of the Spirit” is evidence that our character is becoming more like Christ’s.

Paul uses 9 characteristics to describe the fruit of the Spirit in the book of Galatians.

 Love

Love
True, biblical love is a choice, not a feeling. It deliberately expresses itself in loving ways and always seeks the welfare of others. Biblical love is dependent on the giver’s character, not emotion. For instance, a mature believer demonstrating love will not exercise his or her freedom if that action might harm another Christian in some way. Rather than risking the possibility of causing the immature Christian to question and stumble, the mature believer will not exercise his freedom out of love for his brother (Romans 14:1-15). Love chooses to set aside one’s own preferences, desires, and sometimes even needs to put the other person first (Philippians 2:1-3).



 Joy

Joy
Sometimes we Christians tend to downplay the meaning of joy. But, the Greek word translated as “joy” in Galatians 5 means “gladness and delight” – basically the same thing the world means when it talks about joy. It is a feeling of gladness based on our circumstances. Sadly, the world’s joy cannot last because it is based on fleeting, physical circumstances. But the joy of the Lord is established in our spiritual, eternal circumstances. As we cling tight to Jesus, abiding daily in our saving relationship with Him, we will experience the fullness of joy He promised (John 15:4-11).



 Peace

Peace
The world doesn’t offer much peace. Just look around. The world cannot give it because the world doesn’t know the One who is peace. But for those who have the Spirit of peace within us, the peace of Christ is possible, no matter our circumstances (John 14:27). We can reject the chaos of the world and embrace God’s peace. The book of Philippians tells us how (Philippians 4:4-9). First, choose to rejoice in God and who He is. Second, bring all your worries, fears, and concerns to God in prayer. Third, fill your mind with God’s truth. And fourth, choose to think about the things of God.


 Patience

Patience
We don’t see much patience in the world today, not even in the church. Maybe part of the reason is our fast-paced, want-it-now culture. But Christians have everything we need to be patient because we have the Holy Spirit living in us longing to display His character to those around us. Patient people put up with circumstances and other people, even when severely tried. Patient people display endurance, longsuffering, and perseverance. The New Testament also specifically connects patience with sharing the Gospel. God is patient as He waits for the lost to come to Him (2 Peter 3:9) and He calls His people to be patient as we extend the offer of salvation in Christ to others (2 Timothy 4:20).



 Kindness and Goodness

Kindness and Goodness
The characteristics of “kindness” and “goodness” are closely related. Together they present the picture of one who not only possesses moral goodness and integrity, but also generously expresses it in the way they act toward others. This “goodness in action” reflects God’s kindness and goodness toward us. God demonstrated His kindness and goodness to us in our salvation (Titus 3:4) and will continue to “show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us” for all eternity (Ephesians 2:7)!


 Faithfulness

Faithfulness
To be “faithful” is to be reliable or trustworthy. For the Christian, this is faithfulness specifically to the Savior who redeemed us. Christian faithfulness therefore, is continued and consistent submission and obedience to the same Spirit who provides the ability for us to be faithful. This attitude is in direct contrast to our previous “faithfulness” to our own sinful desires and ways. The word also describes someone willing to suffer persecution and even death for Christ’s sake. “Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring." (2 Thessalonians 1:4)



 Gentleness/Meekness

Gentleness/Meekness
Closely linked to humility, gentleness is grace of the soul. It is not weakness, but instead it is strength under control. For instance, in Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he wrote that the “Lord’s servant” will “correct his opponents with gentleness” (2 Timothy 2:25). And in Paul’s letter to the church in Galatia, he wrote that those who have been caught in sin should be restored in a “spirit of gentleness” (Galatians 6:1). Gentleness, being the opposite of self-assertiveness and self-interest, is also a key ingredient in unity and peace within the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:2).



 Self-Control

Self-Control
The last characteristic in Paul’s description of the fruit of the Spirit points us back to his list of the “works of the flesh” in Galatians 5:19-21. Those of us with the indwelling Holy Spirit has the strength to control our sinful desires, to say “no” to our flesh. Self-control gives us the power to say “yes” to the Spirit and foster a beautiful, bountiful harvest of spiritual fruit!

WAITING ON GOD

Waiting for God – He Acts on our Behalf
Are you waiting for God? He acts on our behalf as we wait for Him. “Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him” (Isaiah 64:4).

A few years ago, a man went in for his annual physical and the doctor ordered a routine chest x-ray. A lesion was found on his lung and a CAT scan was ordered. After the CAT scan, other tests were done. Church and family prayed as they waited in expectancy to see how God would answer. During times of trial, depending on God to bring us through is sometimes difficult. However, we can always reflect on other times of suffering and how we were kept by His power.

This man has been going to a cardiologist for the last two years and the x-rays have been negative. The cardiologist continues to check on this spot on the lung every six months. As he await results, he trusted God and know He is in control. Today we praise and thank God once again for a negative test. He alone has acted on our behalf as we wait on Him!

Waiting for God – He Strengthens Us
As you are waiting for God, He strengthens you. “But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings as eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

I once heard an illustration about how God strengthens us during trials. It went like this: “Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks? The eagle will fly to high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it. The eagle does not escape the storm; it simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm. When the storms of life come upon us, we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief toward God. The storms do not have to overcome us; we can allow God's power to lift us above them. God enables us to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure, and disappointment into our lives. We can soar above the storm. Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we handle them.”

Waiting for God – He Blesses Us
When waiting for God, He blesses you. “Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him” (Isaiah 30:18).

What does it mean to be blessed by God while we wait on Him? As we wait on God and His timing, He can accomplish so much in our hearts. Often we find new purpose in life, receive answers to prayer, see God work, increase our faith, and most often we see God’s perfect plan fulfilled in our situation. Remember, waiting is not wasted time!

FEARLESS CHRISTIAN

Fear is a spiritual force that operates like faith. When you operate by fear, you expect negative things to happen to you, and eventually they will.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

When you live by faith, you expect and hope for the best.

Fear opposes the Word of God, while faith is rooted in the Word of God.

Let us look to the Word of God and continue this week on the Fearless Christian.

(NKJV) 2 Timothy 1 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

(AMP) 2 Timothy 1 7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.

Fear is faith in reverse.

Shout… Fear is faith in reverse.

Shout… I have the Holy Spirit that dwells in me!

Fear is the reciprocal of faith.

Faith comes by hearing the Word of God.

Fear comes by hearing the words of the Satan.

(NKJV) 1 John 4 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

Fear is based in selfishness, but perfected love casts out all fear.

Just as faith is a law, so is fear.

A law is an established principle that works for anyone who gets involved.

God has not given you a spirit of fear.

Shout… Fear, doubt, unbelief, I cast you out in Jesus name.

Satan wants you to fear that God's Word will not work for you.

He wants you to believe God will not supply your needs.

In these last days, the hearts of many will fail them because of fear.

(NKJV) Luke 21 25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26 men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

Satan speaks words that oppose God's Word, which produces fear.

Satan spoke words that contradicted God's Word. Know the Word of God! This is your protection from the enemy!

The spirit of fear causes you to think you are missing out on something.

Job operated in fear.

(NKJV) Job 1 5 So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did regularly. 6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. 7 And the LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” 8 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” 9 So Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” 12 And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD