KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Monday, December 17, 2018
Chapters: Book of Philippians
Message: But My God Shall Supply
Hello My Friend,
If there is one thing I have learned this year is that God supplies every need. I have had years where I did not make much money, and just scraped by to make ends meet, but I do not recall ever being so blessed through it as I have this year. You know, we spend so much time worrying about how we are going to find the way to get the things we need that we lose sight of God in the picture. God knows what we have need of, and is preparing us to receive them. Praise God! That is, if we just trust Him, and with confidence say; “I can’t do this on my own, But My God Shall Supply.” “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:4-7.
“shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Here is the key right here, keeping our heart and mind on Jesus. As much as we all know and believe with our heart that God truly can supply, we cannot say the same for our mind that keeps telling us we are on our own because God is angry, and we are suffering for it. And this is why I found myself struggling so much in the past, in my heart I knew God would supply, but in my mind I believed He was angry and just had to suffer through it until my chastening was over. The Book of Philippians was written by Paul and transcribed by Epaphroditus from Rome to the church of Philippi, approximately 64AD. The purpose of the letter was to bring unity to the church, and encourage them to keep going for the Gospel of Christ, who would supply. The Church at Philippi was planted by Paul around 53AD, they were greatly dedicated to Paul, and showed their affection by sending him supplies wherever he went. When they heard he was imprisoned in Rome they sent Epaphroditus to check on him, who then sent him back with this letter.
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;” – Philippians 1:6-11,20-21,29.
“but also to suffer for his sake;” Everything we go through is not because of our past or any sin right now. Sure, we get chastened if we have unrepentant or unconfessed sin, but if we are living our lives through Christ then it is likely we are suffering for His cause, not only to glorify Him through it, but that we might bring others to Him also. I will tell you, that in part I struggled more than I needed because I lost my zeal for Christ, not in a sense that I walked away from the church or my ministry, but did not have the excitement I had in serving Him as when I first dedicated my life to Him. If we want God to supply our every need, we need to first, humble ourselves before Him, and second take care of others needs.
“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.” – Philippians 2:3-9,12-16.
“but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” I was walking through a store one day when a woman walked up to me and said, “You are beautiful, and God loves you.” Of course, she had no idea I was saved and started witnessing to me, but our conversation actually lifted me up. Let me tell you, if you or other people start putting you down you are going to start thinking like them. We all need encouragement, to be lifted up when we feel like we have nothing in this life, and it is just falling apart. We know we are saved and have heaven to look forward to, but we pass by people all the time that do not, we are the lights of Christ they need to lift them up too, and let them know that God loves them so much that He sent His Son to not only die, but arise for them, and He has a place for them too. God supplies our need when we take our minds off them, and start thinking about the lost souls that need Him too. Nothing we have here on earth can go with us, if we lose something God will give us something much better so rather than dwell on what we do not have, focus and be thankful for what we do have, and that is Jesus Christ, whom we can take with us.
“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 3:7-14.
“forgetting those things which are behind,” There is not one person on earth that does not have something from their past they have not forgotten. And let me tell you, it is the devil that wants to keep bringing up our past and hold us bondage to it. This is another thing that held me back, I was in a relationship that ended eleven years ago, but he kept showing back up, and all it did was remind me of the horrible things we did. I finally broke that chain this year when I cut him off completely, and you know what, God has blessed me tremendously since then. Christians are guilty of this too, judging us for our past, they never even knew us, yet are quick to change their perception of us. Let me tell you, God is merciful in that we do not get what we really deserve, but somehow we get convinced that we are being forever punished forever for something God clearly states He has forgiven and forgotten. When David faced the consequences of his affair with Bathsheba, it was not because he sinned, it was because he did not admit he sinned. The same with Adam, God was angry that he did not admit he sinned. God already knows what we have done, it is not confessing it that angers Him more. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” – I John 1:8-10.
No matter what life you choose you are going to suffer, you cannot change yesterday, you cannot even change what you did five minutes ago, but you can change what you do now. Let me tell you, there truly is nothing more rewarding than serving Christ with all your heart and mind. Everything, and I mean everything is prosperous when we do what it is that He calls us to do, willingly, and with our heart and mind. Of course, we are going to have set backs, of course, we are going to suffer need, but remember, we can do all things through Christ.
“But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” – Philippians 4:10-13,7-20.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” – Philippians 2:10-11.
Today’s Prayer: God, As much as I want to live my life for You, there are times when I am so overwhelmed with things that I just want to walk away. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses. Lord, bring me the zeal I need to serve You with all my heart and mind. Give me wisdom and guidance, help me see the light of Christ that shines through Your Son in me. Give me the strength to look to Him in all that I do, let me forget the things that are past, and more toward the higher calling. I love You, Lord and pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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