Lesson 9 - Trusting for Needs

Spiritual Strength for Daily Living (Part 1)

Lesson #9:
Trusting for Needs

Scripture Texts: Psalm 37:3-5; Philippians 4:11-13, 19; Matthew 6:33; Mark 10:29-30

God promises to fill all the needs of His people when they trust Him and seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. He supplies greater things for what one sacrifices for His sake. God has not promised to supply our selfish wants and desires. He has promised to supply all our needs. God knows better than we what will be best for us. If we desire to put forth effort to lift up and build His kingdom, He will add to us all we need to accomplish this.

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

We Obey—He Provides

Psalm 37:3-5. Trust in the Lord .... Delight thyself also in the Lord .... Commit thy way .... Here are three sets of statements. Each contains a command and a promise. The promise is conditioned upon obedience to the command. God wants to bless us, to give us ALL we need abundantly. But we often prevent Him by being disobedient or unresponsive to what He asks of us. To fit ourselves to receive we must (1) trust in the LORD—expect His provision and care; leave it to Him—and do good. Go ahead in the line of service He has given. Do not doubt Him. Act, counting on the supply to be there when needed. (2) Delight thyself also in the LORD. Live close to God. Be delighted in the fact that you know God, that you are able to commune with Him, and that He is your help and strength in time of need. (3) Commit thy way unto the LORD. Cast yourself wholly upon Him. Let Him plan for you and direct your activities. Leave the results to Him.

Contentment in All Situations

Philippians 4:11-13. I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. Paul met all kinds of treatment and situations. Some brought pain and suffering. Read 2 Corinthians 4:8-11; 11:23-33. Surely the hardships and sufferings and injustices did not please Paul. He was not satisfied WITH them but was content IN them. While in them, his heart was thankful. Out of the midst of these he looked constantly to Heaven and through Christ received strength to do or endure all things that came his way. We can do as he did by faith, obedience, and trust in God.

Philippians 4:19. There is a storehouse of all that we need both spiritually and materially. The supply is God's riches in glory; a supply that has no limit. Jesus is the Creator. He fed the multitude, not from their empty hands, but from His abundant storehouse. How can we draw on this store? Through the same channel by which we receive any blessing—by Christ Jesus. To be privileged to ask, we must be on good terms with Jesus. We must know Him. He must know us.

What Should We Seek?

Matthew 6:33. Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus was speaking of food, drink, clothing, and shelter. Since we need these to live, one might think that to obtain them should be our first purpose. No. Our efforts cannot create them. If our desires are centered upon these temporal things, we will miss the greater ones. To seek them first is to live after the flesh. This brings God's displeasure.

Jesus showed us a better way. If we love Jesus, this will be our chief desire. We cannot love Him unless we know Him. If our first desire is to find and possess the Kingdom of God and be filled with His righteousness, then we are eligible to receive the things we need from God's great storehouse. God promises them.

The Divine Exchange

Mark 10:29-30. There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake .... The Christian life is not all taking from God's Hand. It is also giving up for His sake. Serving Him and spreading the Gospel often requires the loss of home, family, friends, and property. The heart where Jesus dwells prefers Him above comfort, ease, or satisfaction of appetite. If in surrendering these, one keeps trust anchored in God, He will replace these with ones more precious than those lost. There will be sufficient shelter, food, clothing, love, and care from spiritual brothers and sisters. Best—in the world to come eternal life. Who can say the exchange is not profitable—even with persecutions? We surely receive the best of the trade. Jesus gives His best. He never asks ones to give up anything that they will need or that is good for them. We do not know what is good for us, but God does.

Is there such a thing as prosperity of the wicked? We see unsaved, ungodly people with good health, power, and material success. Yes, God "maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good" (Matthew 5:45). But there are blessings that the unsaved have never experienced. God withholds these great spiritual blessings from them; they are for His children only. David saw this and asked the value of cleansing one's heart or of serving God. He saw that the unsaved's prosperity was only earthly and temporary. Their end is to be cast down into "destruction," "desolation," and "terrors" (Psalm 73:18-19). What a comparison with the end of the righteous! Obedience makes the difference.

JUST A THOUGHT

When the outlook is bad, try the uplook.

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Spiritual Strength for Daily Living (Part 1)

Lesson #9: Trusting for Needs

Lesson #9:
Trusting for Needs