George Muller Prays Over Orphans at Empty Platesby Lynnie
4:19Philippians 4:19
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
God himself undertakes to meet every real need and lack of his people out of his boundless, unlimited riches in glory through Christ Jesus and the power of his grace. He does not promise worldly plenty or luxuries, for food may remain plain and circumstances poor, yet his care in common things and his abiding presence are a greater gift than earthly good. His provision covers body and soul and service for him — breath, food, health, means, strength, comfort, wisdom, perfected character, words and openings for mission advance and help in emergency, even to everlasting life. It belongs to those who give themselves wholly to God in humble, trusting obedience and self-forgetful ministry and willing, sacrificial giving, hiding frail weakness and great deficiency in Christ. Because he knows every necessity and danger and desire of the heart and has pledged himself in giving Christ, his honor is bound to fulfill his word, so needs are to be brought to him in living faith and workers are to move forward courageously into new fields even when means are not in sight.
Wording and Source of Promise
God himself pledges to supply all need, every need, every necessity, and every lack of his people. The promise is sacred truth given to turn attention fixed on earthly wealth toward heavenly riches, assuring believers that the supply comes from his riches in glory through Christ. That power to provide upholds those who give themselves to him without reserve and work in humility, faith and confidence, for he works for them and through them and by them, and he stands as helper to give strength and comfort in weakness.
The supply is from and according to his abundant, unlimited riches in glory. He owns the world and the riches of the universe and has the resources of heaven at his command, so it is easy for him to increase or diminish human possessions. From that abundant fullness he meets temporal needs and gives financial means and spiritual strength to sustain workers when conference funds are low and the strain on human resources is great and constant. He gives breath, food, physical and spiritual life, every moment of grace, and strength to preserve integrity, and when his children come to him in need he will not send them away empty.
The supply comes through and by Christ Jesus. Through the power of his grace God can meet every need, even the hunger of the soul, so that trust in the promise means relying fully on Jesus rather than letting close human attachments and sympathy take his place. When the Holy Spirit is received, Christ is ever present as the believer's sufficiency and every want is met, and the Spirit gives the mind of Christ. That same provision equips people to give to others, supplying what is needed to speak words of life to the erring and making genuine testimony powerful with truth and righteousness and the power of the life to come.
The verse does not promise worldly luxuries. Food may be plain or scanty and circumstances may include poverty. Yet his care reaches the common, ordinary needs of life, and that care assures his power and tenderness. His abiding presence is a greater and better gift than earthly good.
Kinds of Needs Supplied
God supplies temporal and physical necessities out of his abundant fullness, giving breath and food and physical life as well as spiritual life and every moment of grace. He provides financial means and sees that faithful workers have all things needful, even when conference funds are low and the draft on personal means is great and constant. Because he owns the world and has the resources of heaven at his command, it is easy for him to increase or diminish human possessions. He cares tenderly for his people in sickness as their physician, undertaking their case and healing them when they bring their needs to him. No work done for him in faith will be in vain.
He satisfies the soul with his righteousness and fills it with his joy, meeting the soul's hunger through the power of Christ's grace. He gives strength and comfort in weakness, wisdom for varied needs, and strength to preserve integrity. He has pledged himself to supply all that is needed to perfect character and overcome temptation, and will withhold nothing that will perfect it. His blessings remain fresh and precious through eternity, and when those in need come to him he will not send them away empty.
His supply equips his people to give to others, providing what is needed to speak words of life to the erring and to share Christlike sympathy. He sends help and brings fitting words to mind, making genuine testimony powerful with truth and righteousness and with the power of the life to come. He supplies the lack of workers facing unfavorable circumstances in their fields of labor through the Holy Spirit. Before those who trust and obey he opens ways of advance and gives wisdom for labor as they move forward steadily, cautiously, promptly and courageously, and in emergencies he gives special help. When his people faithfully do their duty and carry out his plans, the necessary means will come even from an unexpected source, from the riches of his goodness.
His provision holds to the hour of final need. Then the merciful, who have given their lives to God in self-forgetful ministry to his children for the good of others, find refuge in the mercy of the compassionate Saviour. Linked by immutable promises to the life of him who has all the resources of the universe at his command, they will not fail in suffering and need but are received into everlasting habitations and everlasting life through Christ Jesus.
People Who Receive Supply
The promise belongs to those who have given their lives to God in ministry to his children in self-forgetful service for the good of others. Such a person is linked with him who has all the resources of the universe at his command, bound by the golden chain of immutable promises to the life of God. The Lord will not fail him in the hour of suffering and need but meets his need from abundant heavenly riches through Christ Jesus, and the promise holds to the final need when the merciful find refuge in the mercy of the compassionate Saviour and are received into everlasting habitations and everlasting life.
It belongs to those who trust and obey him, who walk humbly with him and call upon him, who serve and obey him wholeheartedly. It meets those who recognize their inability to do his work, submit to his wisdom, and empty themselves of self, who give themselves to him without reserve and work with humility, faith and confidence in his power and in implicit faith, faithfully taking up their work and seeking his blessing, wisdom and grace. He owns the world and has at his command the resources of heaven, so it is easy for him to increase or diminish human possessions and to see that faithful workers have all things needful for temporal needs and every necessity. He is not unmindful of wholehearted service, he works for them and through them and by them and meets them with kindness, no work done in faith will be in vain, and when he accomplishes the work he alone deserves the glory. Those who go promptly and steadily forward in enterprises for the advancement of the truth, willingly making the sacrifices his cause demands, prove the promise in that forward movement.
It calls as sacred truth to those whose attention is fixed on earthly wealth to turn toward God and heavenly riches, assuring them that God will meet their needs through Christ from his abundant riches in glory. As the source of every blessing he will provide for his people in their time of need when they give willingly and sacrificially to advance his work, so that their generosity will not leave them to suffer for lack. It invites frail and weakened humanity to come to Christ, for he continues to care for them and bids them hide their weakness and great deficiencies in him, and those who come will have all their needs supplied. Through the power of his grace he can supply every need including the soul's hunger, and trust in the promise means relying fully on Jesus rather than allowing close human attachments and sympathy to take the place of God.
Grounds for Confident Trust
The covenant-keeping God knows every necessity, circumstance and danger surrounding His people, what each person needs and what strength is required to uphold the truth in its holy character. He sees every act and word and knows the desires, intents and purposes of the heart, with all the bearings and all the results of every purpose and plan. He sees and tenderly sympathizes with those who are tempted, hears every voice of supplication and distress, and notices every groan, sigh and tear. He knows the circumstances of those who serve Him and owns the riches of the universe with abundant resources to provide what they need.
Having pledged Himself to supply all need for perfecting character and overcoming temptation, He will withhold nothing that will perfect character, having already given Christ to work out redemption and show how to overcome. His promise puts His honor at stake, so He will not alter what has gone out of His mouth but will fulfill it with absolute power that no obstacle can stand before, infinite understanding that cannot err, and perfect wisdom about means. He unites majesty with the gentleness and tenderness of a shepherd, and in His omnipotence supplies the need of His people for doing and daring for Him in the warfare when they heed His word. In the darkest hour faith can pierce the cloud because Christ is behind and does all things well, with power to do what He will to bless, comfort and make strong in His strength while all events remain in His hands for working out His plans.
Jesus knows what believers need and will supply their wants with unerring wisdom, loving His purchased possession and being willing and gratified to help His children and guide them in judgment. He opens the way before them, places feet in safe paths, and leads on to victory. Believers can trust God as they would a faithful friend and Father, looking to Him daily, trusting and relying on Him as an ever-present helper and strength, with angels round about and by faith drawing upon His infinite resources. They are to lay their burdens on Him rather than on other people, tell everything to Jesus and turn to no living man for help, resting on His promise that He hears and answers prayer even when feelings do not improve.
Lack of means may be His providence to test the faith of workers, and after faith is proved He helps right early, brings them forth purified as gold tried in the fire, and in answer to prayer sweeps away unjust suspicions cast on those striving to do His will. The dearth of means caused by transactions without divine approval is removed when they catch the spirit of Christ who gave His life for the life of the world, put on the armor of Christ's righteousness, and go forth willing to act instead of standing helpless. Therefore no worker hindered for lack of means is to be disparaged, for all are equally dependent on God with no greater claim than another on His mercy and are to work together in perfect harmony. Trials are not a reason for depression, faithful work done for God will not be in vain, and confidence rests on His unlimited resources and His power to increase or diminish human possessions rather than on what servants can accomplish by themselves.
Moving Forward in Faith
Needs are to be brought to Christ in living, trusting faith as the only dependence in every part of life, receiving help from Him and receiving according to faith, while faith and experience of His love deepen the sense of need and trust in His provision. His people may bring their lack to Him in living faith and ask Him for the means to advance His work, for He supplies every need through Christ and can supply the needs of His cause. Sincere prayer is not in vain, for God answers sincere prayer from His abundant fullness and is ready to meet the needs of those who ask in sincere faith. Prayer is made acceptable to the Father through Jesus, whose righteousness refines it and presents it with His own merit. Dependence on God's help belongs alongside living out what one prays for.
Believers are to live free from anxious care about life's needs, assured that God will provide all they truly need through Christ from His abundant riches in glory. They are to trust in the Lord continually and not let feelings control, resting on His promise that He hears and answers prayer even when feelings do not improve. They are to be faithful to the work given, turn to no living man for help but tell everything to Jesus and lay burdens on Him rather than on other people, trusting God as a faithful friend. Even feeling unworthy, one is to come to Jesus and live a life of simple daily dependence upon God, for Jesus knows all the bearings and all the results of every purpose and plan, His wisdom is unerring, He loves His purchased possession, and He is willing and gratified to help His children and guide them in judgment, opening the way before them, placing feet in safe paths, and leading on to victory.
Workers carrying the work forward are to move steadily, cautiously, promptly and courageously, making sacrifices gladly and willingly when advancement calls, trusting God to supply what they need. They are to go forward under His control and guidance, faithfully doing their duty and carrying out His plans and faithfully taking up their work while seeking His blessing, wisdom and grace and trusting Him to meet them with kindness. They are to move forward in faith rather than wait until they already have the means needed, and to advance into new fields without waiting until means are in sight. Before those who trust and obey He opens ways of advance, and as they move forward courageously He provides, giving wisdom for labor and giving special help in emergencies. When His people faithfully do their duty the necessary means will come, even from an unexpected source, from His abundant resources and according to the riches of His goodness. When they heed His word and do and dare for Him in the warfare in His omnipotence, the lack of means brought about by dealings that do not bear divine approval will be removed, and when they catch the spirit of Christ who gave His life for the life of the world they will no longer stand helpless pointing to what they cannot do but putting on the armor of Christ's righteousness will go forth willing to act, knowing God will supply their need.
The united cry of all the churches on earth should be for the Holy Spirit, because when the Holy Spirit is received Christ is ever present as sufficiency, every want is met, and believers are given the mind of Christ.
God himself undertakes to meet every real need and lack of his people out of his boundless, unlimited riches in glory through Christ Jesus and the power of his grace. He does not promise worldly plenty or luxuries, for food may remain plain and circumstances poor, yet his care in common things and his abiding presence are a greater gift than earthly good. His provision covers body and soul and service for him — breath, food, health, means, strength, comfort, wisdom, perfected character, words and openings for mission advance and help in emergency, even to everlasting life. It belongs to those who give themselves wholly to God in humble, trusting obedience and self-forgetful ministry and willing, sacrificial giving, hiding frail weakness and great deficiency in Christ. Because he knows every necessity and danger and desire of the heart and has pledged himself in giving Christ, his honor is bound to fulfill his word, so needs are to be brought to him in living faith and workers are to move forward courageously into new fields even when means are not in sight.
Wording and Source of Promise
God himself pledges to supply all need, every need, every necessity, and every lack of his people. The promise is sacred truth given to turn attention fixed on earthly wealth toward heavenly riches, assuring believers that the supply comes from his riches in glory through Christ. That power to provide upholds those who give themselves to him without reserve and work in humility, faith and confidence, for he works for them and through them and by them, and he stands as helper to give strength and comfort in weakness.
The supply is from and according to his abundant, unlimited riches in glory. He owns the world and the riches of the universe and has the resources of heaven at his command, so it is easy for him to increase or diminish human possessions. From that abundant fullness he meets temporal needs and gives financial means and spiritual strength to sustain workers when conference funds are low and the strain on human resources is great and constant. He gives breath, food, physical and spiritual life, every moment of grace, and strength to preserve integrity, and when his children come to him in need he will not send them away empty.
The supply comes through and by Christ Jesus. Through the power of his grace God can meet every need, even the hunger of the soul, so that trust in the promise means relying fully on Jesus rather than letting close human attachments and sympathy take his place. When the Holy Spirit is received, Christ is ever present as the believer's sufficiency and every want is met, and the Spirit gives the mind of Christ. That same provision equips people to give to others, supplying what is needed to speak words of life to the erring and making genuine testimony powerful with truth and righteousness and the power of the life to come.
The verse does not promise worldly luxuries. Food may be plain or scanty and circumstances may include poverty. Yet his care reaches the common, ordinary needs of life, and that care assures his power and tenderness. His abiding presence is a greater and better gift than earthly good.
Kinds of Needs Supplied
God supplies temporal and physical necessities out of his abundant fullness, giving breath and food and physical life as well as spiritual life and every moment of grace. He provides financial means and sees that faithful workers have all things needful, even when conference funds are low and the draft on personal means is great and constant. Because he owns the world and has the resources of heaven at his command, it is easy for him to increase or diminish human possessions. He cares tenderly for his people in sickness as their physician, undertaking their case and healing them when they bring their needs to him. No work done for him in faith will be in vain.
He satisfies the soul with his righteousness and fills it with his joy, meeting the soul's hunger through the power of Christ's grace. He gives strength and comfort in weakness, wisdom for varied needs, and strength to preserve integrity. He has pledged himself to supply all that is needed to perfect character and overcome temptation, and will withhold nothing that will perfect it. His blessings remain fresh and precious through eternity, and when those in need come to him he will not send them away empty.
His supply equips his people to give to others, providing what is needed to speak words of life to the erring and to share Christlike sympathy. He sends help and brings fitting words to mind, making genuine testimony powerful with truth and righteousness and with the power of the life to come. He supplies the lack of workers facing unfavorable circumstances in their fields of labor through the Holy Spirit. Before those who trust and obey he opens ways of advance and gives wisdom for labor as they move forward steadily, cautiously, promptly and courageously, and in emergencies he gives special help. When his people faithfully do their duty and carry out his plans, the necessary means will come even from an unexpected source, from the riches of his goodness.
His provision holds to the hour of final need. Then the merciful, who have given their lives to God in self-forgetful ministry to his children for the good of others, find refuge in the mercy of the compassionate Saviour. Linked by immutable promises to the life of him who has all the resources of the universe at his command, they will not fail in suffering and need but are received into everlasting habitations and everlasting life through Christ Jesus.
People Who Receive Supply
The promise belongs to those who have given their lives to God in ministry to his children in self-forgetful service for the good of others. Such a person is linked with him who has all the resources of the universe at his command, bound by the golden chain of immutable promises to the life of God. The Lord will not fail him in the hour of suffering and need but meets his need from abundant heavenly riches through Christ Jesus, and the promise holds to the final need when the merciful find refuge in the mercy of the compassionate Saviour and are received into everlasting habitations and everlasting life.
It belongs to those who trust and obey him, who walk humbly with him and call upon him, who serve and obey him wholeheartedly. It meets those who recognize their inability to do his work, submit to his wisdom, and empty themselves of self, who give themselves to him without reserve and work with humility, faith and confidence in his power and in implicit faith, faithfully taking up their work and seeking his blessing, wisdom and grace. He owns the world and has at his command the resources of heaven, so it is easy for him to increase or diminish human possessions and to see that faithful workers have all things needful for temporal needs and every necessity. He is not unmindful of wholehearted service, he works for them and through them and by them and meets them with kindness, no work done in faith will be in vain, and when he accomplishes the work he alone deserves the glory. Those who go promptly and steadily forward in enterprises for the advancement of the truth, willingly making the sacrifices his cause demands, prove the promise in that forward movement.
It calls as sacred truth to those whose attention is fixed on earthly wealth to turn toward God and heavenly riches, assuring them that God will meet their needs through Christ from his abundant riches in glory. As the source of every blessing he will provide for his people in their time of need when they give willingly and sacrificially to advance his work, so that their generosity will not leave them to suffer for lack. It invites frail and weakened humanity to come to Christ, for he continues to care for them and bids them hide their weakness and great deficiencies in him, and those who come will have all their needs supplied. Through the power of his grace he can supply every need including the soul's hunger, and trust in the promise means relying fully on Jesus rather than allowing close human attachments and sympathy to take the place of God.
Grounds for Confident Trust
The covenant-keeping God knows every necessity, circumstance and danger surrounding His people, what each person needs and what strength is required to uphold the truth in its holy character. He sees every act and word and knows the desires, intents and purposes of the heart, with all the bearings and all the results of every purpose and plan. He sees and tenderly sympathizes with those who are tempted, hears every voice of supplication and distress, and notices every groan, sigh and tear. He knows the circumstances of those who serve Him and owns the riches of the universe with abundant resources to provide what they need.
Having pledged Himself to supply all need for perfecting character and overcoming temptation, He will withhold nothing that will perfect character, having already given Christ to work out redemption and show how to overcome. His promise puts His honor at stake, so He will not alter what has gone out of His mouth but will fulfill it with absolute power that no obstacle can stand before, infinite understanding that cannot err, and perfect wisdom about means. He unites majesty with the gentleness and tenderness of a shepherd, and in His omnipotence supplies the need of His people for doing and daring for Him in the warfare when they heed His word. In the darkest hour faith can pierce the cloud because Christ is behind and does all things well, with power to do what He will to bless, comfort and make strong in His strength while all events remain in His hands for working out His plans.
Jesus knows what believers need and will supply their wants with unerring wisdom, loving His purchased possession and being willing and gratified to help His children and guide them in judgment. He opens the way before them, places feet in safe paths, and leads on to victory. Believers can trust God as they would a faithful friend and Father, looking to Him daily, trusting and relying on Him as an ever-present helper and strength, with angels round about and by faith drawing upon His infinite resources. They are to lay their burdens on Him rather than on other people, tell everything to Jesus and turn to no living man for help, resting on His promise that He hears and answers prayer even when feelings do not improve.
Lack of means may be His providence to test the faith of workers, and after faith is proved He helps right early, brings them forth purified as gold tried in the fire, and in answer to prayer sweeps away unjust suspicions cast on those striving to do His will. The dearth of means caused by transactions without divine approval is removed when they catch the spirit of Christ who gave His life for the life of the world, put on the armor of Christ's righteousness, and go forth willing to act instead of standing helpless. Therefore no worker hindered for lack of means is to be disparaged, for all are equally dependent on God with no greater claim than another on His mercy and are to work together in perfect harmony. Trials are not a reason for depression, faithful work done for God will not be in vain, and confidence rests on His unlimited resources and His power to increase or diminish human possessions rather than on what servants can accomplish by themselves.
Moving Forward in Faith
Needs are to be brought to Christ in living, trusting faith as the only dependence in every part of life, receiving help from Him and receiving according to faith, while faith and experience of His love deepen the sense of need and trust in His provision. His people may bring their lack to Him in living faith and ask Him for the means to advance His work, for He supplies every need through Christ and can supply the needs of His cause. Sincere prayer is not in vain, for God answers sincere prayer from His abundant fullness and is ready to meet the needs of those who ask in sincere faith. Prayer is made acceptable to the Father through Jesus, whose righteousness refines it and presents it with His own merit. Dependence on God's help belongs alongside living out what one prays for.
Believers are to live free from anxious care about life's needs, assured that God will provide all they truly need through Christ from His abundant riches in glory. They are to trust in the Lord continually and not let feelings control, resting on His promise that He hears and answers prayer even when feelings do not improve. They are to be faithful to the work given, turn to no living man for help but tell everything to Jesus and lay burdens on Him rather than on other people, trusting God as a faithful friend. Even feeling unworthy, one is to come to Jesus and live a life of simple daily dependence upon God, for Jesus knows all the bearings and all the results of every purpose and plan, His wisdom is unerring, He loves His purchased possession, and He is willing and gratified to help His children and guide them in judgment, opening the way before them, placing feet in safe paths, and leading on to victory.
Workers carrying the work forward are to move steadily, cautiously, promptly and courageously, making sacrifices gladly and willingly when advancement calls, trusting God to supply what they need. They are to go forward under His control and guidance, faithfully doing their duty and carrying out His plans and faithfully taking up their work while seeking His blessing, wisdom and grace and trusting Him to meet them with kindness. They are to move forward in faith rather than wait until they already have the means needed, and to advance into new fields without waiting until means are in sight. Before those who trust and obey He opens ways of advance, and as they move forward courageously He provides, giving wisdom for labor and giving special help in emergencies. When His people faithfully do their duty the necessary means will come, even from an unexpected source, from His abundant resources and according to the riches of His goodness. When they heed His word and do and dare for Him in the warfare in His omnipotence, the lack of means brought about by dealings that do not bear divine approval will be removed, and when they catch the spirit of Christ who gave His life for the life of the world they will no longer stand helpless pointing to what they cannot do but putting on the armor of Christ's righteousness will go forth willing to act, knowing God will supply their need.
The united cry of all the churches on earth should be for the Holy Spirit, because when the Holy Spirit is received Christ is ever present as sufficiency, every want is met, and believers are given the mind of Christ.