Meet All Needs

Good Morning,

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

The one thing that jumps out at me when I read this verse of Scripture is that Paul isn't telling the Philippians, me, you, or anyone else for that matter, that God will supply all of our WANTS and DESIRES that cross our minds. That is very important to realize and remember...especially for we who have accepted Jesus Christ and profess our Christianity to the world. Now, will God provide our NEEDS? Yes, this Paul does say and he says if very clearly. Wants? Well, as we are wont to say today, maybe not so much.

Now, I think that God has brought this to our attention today because there are way too many of us, Christians, who have bought in to the "prosperity doctrine" that some preach. We hear from them that we can and should have great wealth and all that goes with it...simply because we want it. This is wrong thinking and certainly wrong doctrine. Is it wrong to desire great wealth? No. Not in and of itself, of course. But is it wrong to desire wealth if it will be at the expense of right? At the expense of other people? At the expense of going against what God has had written in the Bible? Yes, if we go about gaining wealth in those ways, then it IS truly wrong to desire wealth.

On the other hand, should we then desire to be poor and needy? Of course not! At least I certainly haven't read that in my Bible. Although there are some who think that the only way to righteousness is to be poor...even destitute. Just as desiring great wealth can be wrong...if going about it in the wrong ways...so then can desiring poverty...if it is for the wrong reasons.

Let's ask this then. If there is NO wealth, that is if there are none who have wealth to share, then who would take care of and help those who are needy through no fault of their own? If there is no wealth to share then what of the tithes necessary to finance ministries of all kinds?

That brings us back to the Scripture we read today. Yes, God will supply our needs, but maybe not all of our wants. Yes, there are some who will become financially well off and there will be others who will not. That is where those who have are tested to see if they will be God's servants and help to provide the needs of those who have not.

You see? God DOES meet the needs of His children. Sometimes it is you, or me, who is the tool to provide those needs.

Let's not forget that.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David