Reading
Philippians 4:15–23—My God Will Supply All Your Needs
Optional Reading
Joshua 5:10–12
Notes
For 40 years God provided daily manna for Israel (though on the sixth day they gathered enough for the Sabbath as well). Then one day it just stopped. It stopped because God would meet their need for food with the produce of the promised land. Both ways, God provided. Always, God will provide.
Here in Philippians Paul thanks the Philippians for their gift. He rejoices that they had given first and had given repeatedly. And not only is Paul pleased with their gift, but God is also pleased.
And, because God is pleased, He cares for His people—supplying all their needs. As Ellsworth comments, this verse [19] …does not tell us that God’s people will never experience or feel a need. It rather tells us that God will supply the needs of his people. He sometimes does this by meeting the need and sometimes by giving his people the strength to face the need, as the apostle has already testified (v. 13) …Needs that simply get vaporized may seem more glamorous, but strength to face and meet needs is just as much from God.
God meets our needs. All of them. He gave us Jesus—do you think he is going to skimp on caring for us in any way? Of course not! And when God meets our needs, He gets the glory.
Questions
- Why did the manna stop coming every day?
- What can we be sure about regarding our needs?
- How did God use the Philippians to meet Paul’s need? How can God use you to meet the needs of others?
Praise
Psalm 104c, 1a
Prayer
- Give thanks for God providing your daily bread and other needs.
- Pray for change in you from last Lord’s Day’s sermons.
- Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.