I. God is committed to provide for His children
Throughout scripture, there is endless evidence of God's
faithful provision for His people. From Exodus through
the rest of the bible, He repeats His promise to supply
them with all their needs.
Throughout Psalms & Proverbs, many verses maintain,
that those who faithfully serve the Lord shall never
hunger or thirst. Isaiah is rich with imagery of God's
Love expressed in tangible and material ways.
II. God's Provison for believers is different than for
non-believers
Although God is the "Father" of all creation,
His promises for unbroken provision are only for
believers. That is to say, that even though he provides
'sparrow' food, or 'lily' clothes, these are mere
survival level, whereas His Sons & Daughters, are
expected to eat at their Father's table, and to have very
need met faithfully, because they serve Him. We are
called to die, and lose our old lives, therefore He
undertakes to supply everything necessary to do His
commands.
III. We receive by virtue of our New Birth, but...
Even though we aquire the status of family, we are
expected to understand our responsibilities towards His
purposes. God does NOT give us every little thing we ask
for, unless it is in accordance with His will and
specific plan for our lives. Too often we think God is
eager to bless our plans and goals, just because we ask.
However, we are warned that if the things we desire and
request are to satisfy selfish and worldly designs, we
won't get them. Therefore it is imperative that we 1.
Seek God's will and calling for our lives, 2. Discipline
our lives to overcome the fleshly longings which subvert
the direction the Holy Spirit is leading us.
IV. God's has expectations for our lives.
God is the Master, Lord, husbandman, Owner, Boss. If we
fail to grow and mature, He disciplines us to correct our
unwillingness. When we are open and willing to serve Him
unreservedly, we may ask anything which agrees with His
will and plan, and He guarantees we WILL receive it.
God's plan is salvation. He has no other goals. He is not
interested in helping us build our own little kingdoms,
He is only interested in what furthers His kingdom. When
we accept our position as His agents and ambassadors, we
are given the right to use His Name to obtain every thing
our Master needs to equip us to accomplish His purpose,
saving souls, strenghtening saints and destroying Satan's
work.
V. Called to be servant/sons who feast at His table.
Just as every member of a family farm business eats to
their fill at the family table, regardless of the
specific work they did that day, so do we eat at Father's
table regardless of our work in the kingdom. None are
favoured above others. All eat all they want. As long as
they are working for His purposes and not busy serving
themselves. A son who refuses to go work in the fields or
whatever he is assigned, will find that after a period of
grace, he will not be welcome to eat at the Family table,
until he corrects his attitude, and changes his
direction.
Scripture References (not keyed)
John15:16: Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,
and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth
fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever
ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it
you.
Matt.9:37: Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest
truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
Matt.22:29: Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err,
not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
Matt.23:11: But he that is greatest among you shall be
your servant.
M't:24:45: Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom
his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them
meat in due season?
Matt.16:13: No servant can serve two masters: for either
he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will
hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve
God and mammon.
Matt.17:7: But which of you, having a servant plowing or
feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is
come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?
Matt.17:8: And will not rather say unto him, Make ready
wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till
I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat
and drink?
Matt.17:9: Doth he thank that servant because he did the
things that were commanded him? I trow not.
Matt.17:10: So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all
those things which are commanded you, say, We are
unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our
duty to do.
Matt.25:29: For unto every one that hath shall be given,
and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not
shall be taken away even that which he hath.
Matt.6:8: Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your
Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask
him.
Matt.6:25: Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for
your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor
yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life
more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Matt.6:26: Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not,
neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your
heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than
they?
Matt.6:27: Which of you by taking thought can add one
cubit unto his stature?
Matt.6:28: And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider
the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not,
neither do they spin:
Matt.6:29: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in
all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Matt.6:30: Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the
field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the
oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little
faith?
Matt.6:31: Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall
we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we
be clothed?
Matt.6:32: (For after all these things do the Gentiles
seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need
of all these things.
Matt.6:33: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto
you.
Matt.6:34: Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for
the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.
Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof
Matt.7:7: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye
shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Matt.12:1: At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day
through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and
began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.
Matt.18:14: Even so it is not the will of your Father
which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should
perish.
Matt.20:33: They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be
opened.
Matt.20:34: So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched
their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight,
and they followed him.
Matt.21:22: And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in
prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Matt.26:27: And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and
gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
Matt.26:28: For this is my blood of the new testament,
which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Mark.2:25: And he said unto them, Have ye never read what
David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and
they that were with him?
Mark.2:26: How he went into the house of God in the days
of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread,
which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave
also to them which were with him?
feeds everyone
Matt.15:32: Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and
said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they
continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat:
and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in
the way.
Matt.14:19: And he commanded the multitude to sit down on
the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes,
and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave
the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the
multitude.
Matt.14:20: And they did all eat, and were filled: and
they took up of the fragments that remained twelve
baskets full.
Matt.15:27: And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat
of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
Phillp:4:19: But my God shall supply all your need
according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus
James.4:2: Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to
have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have
not, because ye ask not.
James.4:3: Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss,
that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
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