WHEN GOD GUIDES, GOD PROVIDES
"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you;
that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good
work." - 2 Corinthians 9:8
While traveling this week, I've been listening to a
secular audio book written by a businessman.
In an early chapter, he wrote about his first job & an experience
that had left a deep impression on his mind.
The author was a young guy, just out of college. He was working as part of a sales staff
& most of the men were much older than he.
One day, a 30-year veteran of the company was met at his desk by two
superiors and was escorted out. He was
fired without notice. Even worse than
his firing was the reason for his termination:
he was earning too much money for the company to absorb. The leadership of the company speculated
that they could hire two guys out of college to work for less money than this
30-year company man. At this point, the
young author pointed out, "There's no such thing as job security."
His observation is true. I live in the mountains of West Virginia where many have
experienced the loss of a job. For
those who lose a job, it is devastating.
In the same audio book, the author pointed out that
the average worker changes jobs six to eight times during a lifetime. That's a lot of transition. In fact, it is more than most people are
comfortable with.
The reality is that we don't know the future. Today a person may be at the top of his
profession. The next day, he may be
unemployed and desperate for a job.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian church and
challenged to them to generously support the work of God. Most people tend to be very conservative
with the use of their income, especially during economic tough times. Being a Christian in the first century was
not an easy life. Financial freedom was
not part of their experience. The
modern "wealth and prosperity gospel" that is popular in some circles
today was not taught or experienced by the early Christians. In spite of all the challenges of the first
century, Paul encouraged believers to be liberal in their giving. Furthermore, Paul gave this promise to those
who honor God with generosity: "And
God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having
all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work" (2
Corinthians 9:8). Although many have
misused this verse, it is actually a promise specifically offered to believers
who practice generosity. No, it isn't a
promise that you'll "get rich quick," by giving to God's work. Instead, Paul gives us the truth about
generous living & the life of fruit that follows it.
1. THE POWER
OF GOD
In our text, Paul begins by making the statement,
"God is able to make all grace abound toward you." Let's be honest. When times get tough, our faith is tested. It can be scary to
face uncertainty during times of economic recession or depression. But God is
not dependent on circumstances. He is
able to work in spite of the circumstances.
God's economy is not affected by the constant changes of the stock
market. Although God may use different
ways to accomplish His will, He does not need human aid or natural means. The Bible says that God is able to make,
"... all grace abound toward you."
Grace is God's unmerited favor.
Grace is God's mercy and blessings, freely bestowed upon undeserving
people. God has the power to bless you
when all other channels of support are cut off. He is able to bless His people in an abundant way. He lavishes His grace on His people. The God we serve has enormous power. He has the power to lavish you with grace
--- even when the world around you seems to come crashing down.
2. THE PROVISIONS OF GOD
The
power of God is at work in a believer's life, "... that ye, always having all
sufficiency in all things." In
other words, God gives us exactly what we need when we need it. God meets every need. Notice that the believer "always,"
has sufficiency. God give us the grace
we need right now. We are always
recipients of His grace. God provides
us with grace for today. He doesn't
supply us with tomorrow's grace until tomorrow arrives. Also, note that we have "sufficiency
in all things." God's provisions
are all encompassing. He is able to
meet your diverse needs, including those that no one else knows about.
3. THE PROMISE OF GOD
The
power of God enables us to enjoy the provisions of God --- but why does He
provide so much grace for a believer?
Our text teaches us, "... that ye, always having all sufficiency in all
things, may abound to every good work."
Notice the reason God blesses us:
so that we may abound to every good work. What a promise! God
brings grace to our situations, that through them, we may abound to every good
work. Notice that believers who live
generously will, "... abound to every good work." God blesses us so that we may thrive in
personal ministry. You are blessed to
be a blessing. God gives grace so that
you will be an agent of grace. God
gives you help so you can help others.
Too many believers are selfish to the core. They receive God's blessings and then hoard them up. No wonder their lives are void of
fruit. When you give generously, you
are living like Jesus, for He gave everything for you. I don't believe we should treat generosity
as a means to gain more money.
Obviously, this verse doesn't teach this. Instead, this verse teaches us that those who give generously are
blessed by God to abound to every good work.
Let
me share one closing thought. Many
think that generosity refers to giving money.
At least in the case of Paul's writing to the Corinthians, that was the
case. However, keep in mind that
generosity is more of a state of heart than the use of your wallet. A generous person will give of his time,
talents and treasures for the glory of God.
That is the kind of person that God will bless.
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