Pastor’s Corner: “Heavenly Supply Chain”
Philippians 4:19 (AMP) – And my God will liberally supply (fill until full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
This verse is often yanked out of context as a blank check from God and is emblazoned on everything from T-Shirts to coffee mugs. However verse 19 is not a blank check. It is not a promise of prosperity. God will meet your needs, not your greeds!
Here is what many people miss when they take Php 4:19 out of the context of generous, even sacrificial giving by the Philippian church. In effect, God says “If you honor me with your finances (like the church at Philippi had done), then I will meet all of your needs.” We see this same principle in Proverbs 3:9-10 (ESV) where Solomon writes: Honor the LORD from your wealth, and from the first of all your produce (THE CONDITION); so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine (THE PROMISE).
ALSO: Notice the source of supply: my God. Not just God will supply, but God known in personal experience. Not some remote power running the earth, giving to the just and unjust alike, but a personal Father. This is a family matter. This is a promise for the children of God, those who belong to him.
Additionally Notice: Shall Supply, (liberally supply) (pleroo [word study]) means to be filled, (to make complete in every particular, to cause to abound, to furnish or supply liberally, to flood, to diffuse throughout, to pervade, to take possession of and so to ultimately to control. Word Picture: “fill to the brim, to furnish or supply generously.” It is the picture of filling a glass to overflowing. That’s how our God gives to His children.
AGAIN: Notice the limits of supply: all your needs. It doesn’t say, all your wants. Our wants are sometimes far beyond our needs. Often we spend so much time focusing on what we perceive that we don’t have, instead of celebrating all the needs that God continues to meet. There are so many wants in our lives, and really so relatively few needs. God has promised to supply your needs, and you must let HIM decide what your needs are.
I invite you to pause, write down, and give thanks to God for every need that He is meeting in your life. Revisit and add to the list daily as an act of worship and gratitude. In doing so, you will be reminded that God’s word is true and God will continue to supply. The good news about God’s supply is that it will never become empty or obsolete.
NOTICE FINALLY: The method of supply. It’s according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. There are many kinds of Heavenly riches. There are the riches of His goodness which are available to all people. He makes the sun shine and the rain to fall upon the just and the unjust. Then there are the riches of His grace which are available only to sinners who admit their need. God’s grace takes over and forgives and cleanses and gives us purity and all we need. Then there is the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus. This is available for saints, to those who know Him. All that He has in terms of the glory and fullness of His deity is available to any believer. The weakest saint holds in his hands all that the greatest saint ever had. HE HAS CHRIST, AND IN HAVING CHRIST HE HAS EVERYTHING!
In His Grace,
Pastor Hamilton