Monday, March 25, 2013

"God Provides"- Mission's Devotional- Day 6


✤DAY 6✤
"God Provides"

Matthew 7:11
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your 
children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven 
give good things to those who ask him!

II Corinthians 9:11
You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous 
on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in 
thanksgiving to God.

Jack had made a Faith Promise commitment at his church’s first 
Global Impact Celebration. Before he even got home he was 
having “buyer’s remorse.” For days he agonized over where the 
money was going to come from. He thought he had heard from 
God but now he wasn’t so sure. His wife suggested they put a jar 
on the kitchen counter and over the course of time collect the 
loose change or bills they had in their pockets. However, Jack 
felt sure that approach would not come close to meeting the 
amount he put on his card.

Jack came home after work one day and as his wife prepared the 
evening meal he stepped out on the deck to smoke a cigarette. 
She would not let him smoke in the house. As he was standing 
there, the Lord spoke to him and said, “Jack, you are burning up 
your Faith Promise.” Jack immediately stopped smoking and 
began to set aside the money that had been supporting his habit. 
He was amazed that the money saved more than covered the 
Faith Promise commitment made.

You may be thinking, “That’s great, but I don’t smoke. Where 
would my Faith Promise come from?” Jack’s story is but one 
example of how God works to fulfill His promise of provision. 
Consider a few more brief examples:

 -At a friend’s invitation, Deborah attended a party where they 
evaluated home products. Much to her surprise, she received 
a small check three weeks later in appreciation for her input 
into the evaluation process. It helped fulfill her Faith 
Promise commitment that year.

-Janet and two other friends hold a giant yard sale three times 
in one year netting thousands of dollars for missions.

-Tyler gave up drinking sodas at lunch and breaks enabling 
him to give hundreds of dollars in Faith Promise offerings.

- Sue received a check in the mail. It turned out a relative that 
she had not seen in years had passed and he had generously 
bequeathed portions of his estate to more distant family 
members. She knew it was to be used for missions
.
The way God works through those who make a Faith Promise 
commitment are as varied as the people through whom He 
works. There is no pattern to how He provides. In some cases He
gives novel ideas on how to raise the funds, for others He may 
lead them to a lifestyle change, others may be asked to sacrifice, 
and sometimes He miraculously provides. But He does provide 
and along with the provision we find ourselves on a faithbuilding 
journey of immense worth.

Contemplation
Am I willing, like Jack and Tyler, to give up things that I like in 
order to please God and be used by Him? 

Prayer
Father, I acknowledge that you are the great provider. I look to 
you alone as the source of my provision. I know I can be 
generous for you are generous to me and I praise you for your 
abiding presence with me.
Amen

Produced by: The Mission Society

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