Philippians chapter 4 beginning in verse 14. Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble and you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel when I left Macedonia no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving except you only. Even in Thessalonica, you sent help for my needs once and again, not that I seek the gift, but I seek fruit that increases to your credit. I have received full payment and more, and I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches and glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever. and ever. Amen. This is the word of the Lord, and you can be seated. My God will supply every need of yours. That is a wonderfully comforting promise, but not in the way that so many assume. There's a context to Paul's commendation of these saints and this promise that he's given. He's talking to those who had been faithful partners with him in the gospel. They were investors in the kingdom of God, and they were people committed to our Lord and to his purpose. They were a congregation that, despite their poverty, literally pleaded with Paul for the privilege of giving in support of his gospel ministry. These are people who are given that promise. You can't overstate the importance of context for proper interpretation, and that's the context. Another interpretive problem that distorts our understanding of the promise is wrongly assuming the meaning of key words. And one of those key words is need in this passage. I'm surprised that how many people read this incorrectly, at least the way they interpret it in their minds. As we've seen, this is a promise he will supply our need, not our every want, not our every wish, not our every desire. It's a promise he will supply our need. And the Greek, this word refers to that which is lacking but is necessary to meet a particular objective or to perform a specific task. And in the context of this letter, that task is living up to God's heavenly calling and investing in God's kingdom with material resources. That's the context. These saints had given sacrificially and now the apostle Paul is completely confident that God will indeed bless the seed they had sown by multiplying that seed so that they would have all that they need to live and even more seed to sow into the kingdom. You see, though they had given of material sustenance, their motivation for giving was spiritual. This is something we sometimes miss. Using our material resources in a godly way is no less spiritual than praying, or gathering together for worship with the saints, or witnessing to others of Christ, or any other aspect of living in a way that's worthy of our calling. In fact, submitting our use of material resources to the Lord is an integral component of our sanctification. It is because our hands are often too tightly around our wallets. And God sanctifies us by dealing with us, and that as well, because whatever is in your wallet came from him ultimately. Now, of course, material provisions are just one such need. In the broader context of the entire letter, we see a whole host of needs, not only material, but spiritual needs. And so if God has promised to supply our every need, the most pertinent question we should ask is, what do we truly need? And that's what we've been looking at. And we've been focusing on God's supply of material needs because material needs are obviously including in this promise. That's what they had given from material needs. And so it seems that this is an aspect of our lives that we struggle to surrender to the Lord, and that's nothing new. You know, Paul says this was the only church up until the time he writes this letter that had been giving to him faithfully and on a consistent basis. What happened to the other churches that were far more capable? So my point is, we need to know what we truly need. And material needs, yes, they're included in the promise, but we need a biblical understanding of what those material needs are that God has promised to supply. And let me just say this, in the very general sense, the Lord is the provider of all that's needed by all of his creation. As Jesus said, he feeds the birds, right? Make sure that they have food. He gives the lion his prey, says the psalmist. And so my point is, Temporal provisions that are required for sustaining life then are not just afforded to the redeemed. As Paul told the pagans in Athens, in him we live and move and have our being. It is God who gives us life and breath and everything else. And Jesus said, God causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good as he sends the rain on the just and the unjust. So you see, ultimately, all provision comes from God's hand. But it's not because sinful humanity trusts God, nor do they deserve it. Truth be known, none of us deserve it. Death is what idolatrous and ungrateful humanity deserves. And this puts droughts and floods and other such natural disasters in a completely different light, doesn't it? I mean, the fact that these disasters are limited in scope and that they're temporal in nature is actually a mercy. In other words, the only reason that such disasters aren't global and endless is because our God is long-suffering and full of grace. And yet, as Paul says in Romans 2, 4, this self-righteous world shows contempt for the riches of God's kindness and mercy and forbearance. And it's God's kindness that should lead us to repentance. Yet the world turns a blind eye to our God's benevolence. They refuse to acknowledge the one from whom all blessings flow. The world receives everything from God's hands. but they delude themselves into thinking that they're the ones supplying their own needs. The wonder of it all, to me, is that by God's gracious hand, the sun continues to rise. It's a wonder that the rain continues to fall, that crops continue to grow, that most of the world is spared whenever He sends natural disasters. And yes, that's what I said, He sends natural disasters. That's what the Scripture says. You can't get away from it. And so indeed, the blessing, the mercy is that the whole world isn't consumed by them. Arrogant humanity thinks they have a right to the resources of this earth, including the air we breathe and the earth on which we walk. But what does scripture say? The earth is the Lord's and everything in it, all the inhabitants as well, So whatever we eat and whatever we drink, whatever shelter we have, whatever clothes or shoes are provided, it all ultimately comes from His hand. And while the world suppresses this truth in unrighteousness, we know better, or we should. It is His kindness that anyone has anything that they need in order to live. But here's my point. The promise that God will supply every need is not for the ungrateful world of rebels. It's no promise to them. I mean, yes, in a broad sense, God makes sustenance available to the world, as I said, but that sustenance is not promised. It is not guaranteed. This particular promise is for God's people, specifically those who have learned to look to him for all that they need, those who trust him for their very sustenance. This promise is for those who are in Christ, those who are committed to doing his will. And they're the ones who need not worry about the necessities of life. The world had better worry about them. You see, we are the people who are thankful to God for what he supplies. The world is ungrateful. We are the people who are devoted to serving his will. They are the people who defiantly turn away. So, the people of God, he promises to grant their every need because we don't take God for granted, but we pray as Jesus taught us to pray, give us this day our daily bread. And I want you to notice those words in the prayer. It is our daily bread, the sustenance we need for today, the provision that's promised is for now. And this is why Jesus tells us not to worry about tomorrow, not to fret over what we will eat or drink or wear. As we noted last week, this is exactly how God supplied the needs of Israel in the wilderness. He did it day by day. And this is how he clothed them, isn't it? Every day they would wake up and their clothes and sandals were just as good as the day before. And that happened for 40 years. But what did they do? They complained, didn't they? Their complaint wasn't that they didn't have provisions. They did. Their complaint was they weren't the provisions they wanted. And that was sin. And yet God was merciful, and even despite their complaints, he faithfully supplied them with day-to-day sustenance. Well, this day-to-day sustenance, this supply, seems to be how God was equipping the Philippians and sustaining them. It's how they were able to send us generous gifts because it really is quite remarkable. This congregation, we are told in scripture, gave out of their poverty. But whenever the opportunity to give presented itself, they somehow had the resources to give and to give abundantly. Where did it come from? God supplied it at the moment they needed it, at the moment they needed it. In any case, and here's the point, God doesn't promise to supply our tomorrow needs today. He doesn't promise to supply our tomorrow needs today. The promise is for each day anew. As Jeremiah says, great is his faithfulness. His mercies are without end. They are fresh and new with the dawning of each day. And of course, the Lord may well give us more than what we need for today. And this is where it gets very personal, because I dare say that that's the case with everyone in this sanctuary. It may be to varying degrees, but we are all recipients of God's abundance. He hasn't provided for us as he did for the children in the wilderness. He's provided for us more than we need. And we are, every one of us, rich in comparison to most of the people in the world today. We all have more than we need. God has supplied our material needs and more. But with that comes a warning, doesn't it? Having an abundance makes trusting God all the more challenging. As Paul tells Timothy, it's the rich who tend to trust in their abundance, in their unreliable riches. I want you to think about it. You can't very well put your trust in what you don't have, right? But on the other hand, material wealth is notoriously volatile. It's fleeting, it's subject to all sorts of corruption, it's uncertain. You may have all the money in the world today and it may all be gone tomorrow. So with both of those scenarios, where does that leave us? Where does wisdom say we should place our trust? In the immutable God, in the God who does not change. Listen, we can't count on what we think we'll have tomorrow. Trusting in God is the only sure thing. And when we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, He promises to supply our every need. But it's not a promise of earthly wealth. It's a promise of daily bread, day-to-day provision. And so the point is, we mustn't measure this promise, as we often do, by American economic categories. Because in America, you might well fall into either lower middle class or even poverty level. But as I said, even those are rich compared to many people in the world today. By biblical standards, we all have more than God promised, at least for the moment. And so there's no reason for us to be discontent, dissatisfied. Let us not be complainers like the children of Israel in the wilderness. In this same context, we find the Apostle Paul with a sterling example of how we should be instead. He was content with whatever God supplied. He knew it was enough. And yes, there were times when God granted him an abundance. whenever he had little, he didn't complain to God and say, why didn't you give me more this time? I really enjoyed what I had before, but this meager supply, really? Now Paul never reacted that way. He had all he needed and he knew it because he had Christ, the one who supplies the strength that he needed to face any and every situation. Now that is a worthy example to follow. And as he told Timothy then, if we have food, if we have clothes, if we have shelter, we should be content. There is no reason to be discontent if God has given us those things. We have all that God has promised to supply and more. So you see, God has made us stewards over an abundance, at least for now, and that's why this gets quite personal at this point. The question we have to ask then, if God has given us more than our daily bread, what is it that we need from God to supply that we don't yet have? And we'll end with the most important thing. But for the moment, let me say that we need a provision of his wisdom so that we might learn how to invest the resources he puts in our hands into his kingdom, that we might use them with an eye to eternity. not just to tomorrow, not just to this world, but with an eye to eternity. We need to learn how to handle what he's given us in a godly way, to use what he's given us for his glory. And please don't misunderstand what I'm saying. God wants us to enjoy the blessings he's given us, even the abundance he supplies. Listen, in the same passage where Paul warns us about trusting in uncertain riches. He also says that God gives us all things richly to enjoy. God is not a miser. And He wants us to delight in His blessings, but not more than we delight in Him. Not more than we delight in our brothers and sisters in Christ. And not more than we delight in proclaiming the gospel to a lost and dying world that's in need of redemption. It's a matter of kingdom priorities. So we're to enjoy God's material blessings, but to do so in moderation. That's not a word that Americans particularly fond of, right? It's difficult for us because we're prone to excess, aren't we? I mean, listen, if God gives us an abundance, it's not for squandering on our passions and our pleasures. It's not for endless entertainment. It's not for overindulging ourselves in gratifying our selfish desires. That's not what God gives us these things for. When God grants us an abundance, what's the first thing we think of? Hopefully, it's not, how can I reward myself? What can I buy with this that will bring me more pleasure? Let me assure you, lasting pleasure that you're seeking will not be found in this world. There is nothing this world has to offer that will give you lasting pleasure. Psalm 16 says that pleasure is found only at God's right hand. It is found only in Christ because Christ is the one at God's right hand. So you see, what we need to ask for, what we need to seek the Lord for, what he needs to provide us is the wisdom to handle whatever he provides. Remember, it all belongs to him anyway. We're merely stewards. And so, we not only need to be wise with what God gives us, we must guard our hearts against misplaced trust. This is, in many ways, a more difficult road to walk. You know, have you ever known someone who couldn't seem to hold on to their money? And they exercise no wisdom in how they use it. They spend every penny they receive, but not on necessities, on trinkets and entertainment and fun, right? You know, if they were spending every penny they had on necessities, that would be understandable. But that's not the case. No matter how much money they receive, it always seems to vanish in short order. A fool and his money are soon parted, right? That's what my dad used to tell me. And whenever their money is gone, then they have nothing whenever a true need arises. They're caught in a vicious cycle. They have an insatiable appetite. They're on an endless quest for self-gratification. But as Proverbs 21, 20 says, the foolish man devours all that he has. And if he devours all that he has, what is he left with? Nothing. That's right. Listen, God doesn't promise to supply us resources so we can squander them. That's not a need. Reckless spending and misplaced trusts are extremes that we need to avoid if we want to be godly people. who image the Lord our God and serve him in truth. Now, the Philippians may have had a hard go of it. I mean, their provision, as we see from this, likely came day to day. But unlike the foolish man who either hoards up his resources or, on the other hand, squanders them by overindulgence, those saints at Philippi somehow had what they needed, as well as abundant resources from which to give. That's amazing. They may have been poor in this world, but they were rich in faith. And the point is, we need to seek the Lord for wisdom in managing our stewardship then. Sometimes God gives us an abundance to prepare for leaner times to come. That's in scripture as well. That was the case with Joseph in Egypt, wasn't it? God set him in place so that during seven years of abundance, rather than raising the standard of living for the Egyptians, he carefully managed that surplus. He could have said, wow, look at all of this that we have. Let's all just party and live it up. No, he stored it up. And then whenever the seven years of famine hit, there was a storehouse to supply the need. And that we learned in Genesis chapter 50 was God's plan all along, wasn't it? He was saving the lives of many, especially the lineage of Abraham, the one through whom the Messiah would one day come. You know, someone might say, couldn't God have just prevented the famine? This is the kind of scenario we talked about in Sunday school this morning. Of course God could have just prevented the famine, but then ungrateful, sinful, self-absorbed humanity would go on thinking they had no need of God. As Moses says, that's exactly why God led Israel into the wilderness, let them experience a little hunger before sending the manna. so that they would be humbled, and they would learn that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of our God. In any case, Joseph was not trusting in that storehouse of grain. This is an important lesson. He was trusting in the God who granted him the wisdom to prepare. So my point is, we don't often know what we need, and we certainly don't know the best use of what God has given us. And that's an important point, the best use of what God has given us. God's supply isn't a passive provision. It requires our response. It requires our activity. In other words, God doesn't generally send us angels to the door with precooked meals. He doesn't generally make clothes miraculously appear in our closets. He provides us with the resources with which to eat and clothe ourselves, right? I mean, yes, God may occasionally send manna from heaven, but that was in a wilderness where there was no other resource. And they still had to go out and gather it. God didn't just magically make it appear in their tents. And whenever they entered the promised land, that was the very moment that provision of manna stopped. And yes, God fed the multitude, didn't he? But he had a purpose. He was confirming his messianic identity. And whenever they came the next day looking for more, he didn't repeat the miracle. This isn't the way it's to be done. They needed to avail themselves of the resources God provides by ordinary means. So when God told the people of Israel to look to me, to learn of me, To know that you live not by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from me. He's talking about that bread that brings eternal life. And that's what we need. And so indeed, whenever we're told that God will supply our need, then it doesn't mean that we can just sit back and wait for ravens to arrive. Those of you who know your Old Testament know I'm referring to Elijah. God did that for Elijah once, but I can guarantee you that if Elijah had continued looking to God for that kind of provision, he'd have starved to death. That was a one-time event. God supplies our need then, not only by providing resources, but he also provides us the means for obtaining those resources. In other words, God has given you what is necessary to be able to work a job, but you have to work it. He is not going to work it for you. He's not going to let you sit at home and binge on some television show while he does all the work. There are means. God created us to be productive. Labor isn't a part of the curse. Labor was instituted, ordained by God before the fall. The curse is a frustration of this creation that opposes our productivity. That's the curse, a world that refuses to cooperate with our efforts. But labor itself is good. And as Paul told the Thessalonians, those who will not work, not be permitted to eat. So when we talk about trusting God to supply our need, another question often arises. What then about making plans? You know, there is nothing wrong with making plans. As we noted a moment ago, Joseph made plans to survive seven years of famine. It is often a prudent thing to do. And we can look to the Proverbs for some sound instruction on what it means to have thoughtful preparation. But listen carefully. We should write those plans in pencil, not etch them in stone. Write them in pencil, don't etch them in stone. As James tells us, when making plans, we ought to say, if the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that. In other words, we must trust in God, not in our plans. And I love the way James says that. He says, we should say, if the Lord wills, we will live. In other words, you don't even know if you're going to be here tomorrow. So you have to first of all live before you can carry out those plans. And then in carrying out those plans, we should say, if it be your will. Again, this morning we've spent so much time considering material aspects of the need that God provides because that's the area of our life where we find it so difficult often to trust in God. But I would be remiss if I did not point this out. As I said, we already need to ask God for a provision of mercy because he has given us an abundance. This walk of faith that we're in is not being concerned about what we'll eat tomorrow. Most of us have plenty in the refrigerator, plenty in the freezer, right? So it is that we need wisdom to know what to do with what God has given us. but we need far more than financial help, far more than material necessities. Material provision is far from our greatest need. Those things are temporal. Earthly food and drink will always leave us hungry and thirsty. You know, when my boys were little, they would eat, and about two hours later, they were suddenly starving to death. I tried to assure them, there's no way you're starving to death. Hard to convince a child that's hungry, right? And thirsty. But the point is, God supplies, you eat, and then he has to supply again. Over and over and over again. Only the bread of life, only the water of the spirit can satisfy us eternally. earthly clothes will wear out. The only raiment that is eternal are the robes of righteousness that Christ provides. So you see, our greatest need is not material. As it turns out, our greatest need is spiritual. And thankfully then, God doesn't just promise to supply our material needs. He promises to supply our every need. And someone says, are you reading more into this than you should? No, because if you'll look at the entire context, Paul is talking about their growth in Christ through how they use what God provides. And throughout the letter of Philippians, we are told all kinds of needs that this congregation should look to God for. And so my point is, our God supplies then also whatever is lacking in us that we might be conformed to the image of our Savior. As Peter says, God's divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him. We have to renew the mind. It's through the knowledge of Him that the change comes. And what are those things that we need for life and godliness? Well, Peter goes on to describe them. Faith, virtue, self-control, perseverance, brotherly kindness, and love, these are all qualities of an eternal nature, things essential to eternal life, and they are of far greater need than the temporal and material possessions and necessities of this life. Those all perish with the using. You see, just as with material provision then, Spiritual provision requires our participation. We must apply ourself. God provides us the means of grace through which these necessary virtues are cultivated. Don't expect to sit back and put the Bible on, it's not tape anymore, but I guess it's on MP3, or you stream it. and just listen to it and just think that you're going to stand up and walk out and be like Christ. Now there's work to be done. There's work to be done. Your mind is to be renewed and it's not renewed until that begins to affect what you do when you get up and leave that room. It's what the scripture says, do not be hearers only, be doers of the word. And yet, At the end of the day, you can't say, Lord, look at how well I have cultivated what you've given me, because it's all God's provision beginning to end. As Paul told the Philippians, yes, we are to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, but he says we can only do so because the almighty God is working in us, giving us both that will we need to do it and the ability to do it. So listen, there is nothing we need that our God will not provide to those who are devoted to his service, to those who are generous with his blessings. God will supply our every need according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. But what we truly need, our greatest need, what we need most of all is to be conformed to the image of our Savior. So this morning, Let us seek first God's kingdom and His righteousness, and then He'll not only supply our material need, but more importantly, He will provide what we're lacking for the fullness of the measure of the stature of Christ to be realized in us. That's a day we grow toward, because it will not be complete until Christ comes again and we see Him face to face. but the provision of growth is for today. So may the Lord, our God, grant us the wisdom and strength to pursue transformation into His righteous image. May He supply this, the greatest of our needs, and that is to be like our Savior. And to Him be all glory forever and ever. Amen.