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WHAT DO YOU NEED?

Writer's picture: RonRon

A scripture verse in Philippians 4:19 states that God will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. This has to be one of the most significant promises in the Bible. It seems so encompassing that almost any other promise will fit under its umbrella. God's promise to meet your and my need. What a great promise. God says, "I will meet all your needs." Why do so many people have unmet needs if that is the case? Many Christians who claim the Bible as the source of instruction and guidance for their lives have tremendous needs. Why aren't they being met? Is God a liar? Is His promise not valid? The answer to the question is that this promise is not for everybody. It is not applied to every person, even every Christian. With every promise, there is a premise. There are often conditions that God says must be met. God says, "If you do this, I will do that." People often want to take all the Bible's promises and apply them to their lives while avoiding the premise. One cannot claim v. 19 unless they do what v. 18 talks about. Reading in context, Paul is talking to a group of Philippians, saying, "Thank you. You have given sacrificially. You have been very generous. And because you have given so generously and sacrificially, I will supply your needs." Let's look at: THE PREMISE (vs. 14-18): I must be generous to others. Proverbs 11:25 "A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." When you're generous to others, God sees and sets out to reward and refresh you. Luke 6:38 "Give to others, and God will give to you...The measure you use for others is the one God will use for you." You be generous, and you will find yourself a recipient of God's and others' generosity. This promise's premise is that we must first be generous with others. Paul tells us that unless we obey God in the matter of giving, God doesn't give any guarantee to meet all our needs. God isn't obligated to meet my every need if I'm not obeying what He's told me to do. It is possible to block the flow of blessing by being stingy. Let me share a few thoughts about being and saying you are a generous person. First, start by thinking of yourself as being a generous person. Instead of saying, "I am a giver," say, "I am generous." Being generous implies that we are a person who can share what we have. That there is plenty for me, and you can have some too. Giving can imply that there isn't enough to go around. Being generous comes from a place of abundance. You've all heard (and can relate to, I'm sure) the expression "Give til it hurts." To immediately feel the difference between the two concepts, try saying, "Be generous til it hurts." You may have the same reaction that I did. It doesn't quite compute. It's an oxymoron, and my face scrunches up as I try to put these words together. Giving feels good, but being generous feels joyful. Giving often feels like a "should," while generosity is a gift from the heart. Think of it like this: • Giving is "doing," while generosity is a "being." • Giving is an action, and generosity is a trait. • Giving seems to imply scarcity, while generosity implies there are reserves or plenty. • Giving is often about you, while generosity shifts the focus to the receiver. • Giving can often have strings, but generosity is and feels unconditional. • Giving is one way, while generosity encompasses receiving as well. I don't know about you but being generous is a choice I make freely, a gift from my heart that leaves me feeling joyful. All my needs (not wants) have been met for many years. I am convinced it is because of generosity. So let's all live and give generously.


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