Let us read together from the
Holy Word of God. You'll find this on the second
page of your hymn sheets. It's Philippians chapter 4, and
we'll read from verse 8 through to verse 23, to the end of the
chapter. So Philippians, Paul's epistle
to them, and commencing at verse 8. Finally, brethren, whatsoever
things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things
are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue,
and if there be any praise, think, on these things. Those things
which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in
me do, and the God of peace shall be with you. 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. May we also have learned that
lesson. I know both how to be abased
and I know how to abound. Everywhere 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. Notwithstanding ye have well
done, that ye did communicate with my affliction. Now ye Philippians
know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed
from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving
and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent
once and again unto my necessity, 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, well-pleasing 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. Salute every saint in Christ
Jesus, the brethren which are with me greet you, all the saints
salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar's household. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
be with you all. Amen. Now the word that I am bringing
to you this morning is in verse 19. Philippians chapter 4 and
verse 19. But my God shall supply all your
need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now Paul has told here in this
account of the joy that he had in receiving from the Church
of Philippi while he was a prisoner in Rome things sent for him,
gifts to help him in his imprisonment. He says that they beforehand
were careful to do this, but they lacked opportunity. And sometimes we need to be reminded
of this. We might wonder why people are
not helping us, but to realize that they may lack that opportunity
to be able to do so. This obviously was for a time
the case with the Philippine Church. So maybe think of that. However much your loved ones,
your friends, your family may want to help you They may lack
that opportunity, and especially at this time in which we're living
now, it's not a lack of love, it's not a lack of care, but
it's a lack of opportunity because of the restrictions. Then he
says, what a joy it was for him to receive these things, because
it was, as he says in verse 18, an odour of a sweet smell, a
sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God. The fruits of the love
of this church, and remember how it began, Paul and Silas
in prison, the riverside where prayer was wont to be made, and
these were his spiritual children, and here they were returning
with Thanksgiving gifts. Now, he tells them that he has
everything, he does not lack anything, but this has been a
real special blessing to receive this from him. But he realizes
this, even though they have given these things, they have a need. He knows that. Every poor sinner
has a need. And he says with all certainty
that his God, Paul's God, will supply their need. Now, there's three brief things
I'll bring before you this morning in this. And firstly, I desire
to bring this word, this assurance, from the Lord to you who believe. I have a God, a God who has supplied
my need in very many different ways. I believe He is the same
God that you have. But I can say with Paul, my God
shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ
Jesus. To you that believe, to you that
are the Lord's children, my God shall supply all your need and
what is your need this morning maybe it is not providential
you may be truly thankful that you have a home you have the
warmth you have the carriage you have those with you but what Like Paul, there was those needs
still. What about the fears? What about
the pains that you have, and the grace that you need to bear
them? Maybe difficulties, one with
another, someone you're clashing with in the home, and that causes
strain, and you need help in that. Separation from your loved
ones at this present time, and you need help in that. And what
about your sin? Those sins, past offences, pain
our eyes, present sins, rising up, spoiling, taking away our
joy, grieving the Holy Spirit. The Lord's dear people always
will be mindful that they are sinners, and it's not a good
sign if we're not troubled over our sin. But if we have that
daily warfare with sin, we have the promise that sin shall not
have dominion over you, you're not under the law, you're under
grace. But our need might be this morning
for pardon, for a fresh sense of forgiveness, and for help
in mortifying our own sin. And maybe it is a help in delivering
us from murmuring, complaining. We mentioned, as we read there,
the apostle had learned, in whatever state I am therewith, to be content. You may have learned that, but
maybe really struggling with being discontented. And so, you
will have your needs, I may not have mentioned them, but the
Lord knows them. And what a beautiful word, and
I bring it to you. My God shall supply all your
need. The second thing I bring before
you is to be mindful of those that help you. Now in the home
there, you have the staff that are helping you, you have volunteers
that may come in and help you and to facilitate the devotions
that we have now. And it is sometimes it can be
easy to just receive and receive help and be inward looking, and
all the time thinking about me, me, me. And I know there'll be
those times, because I've been in the home with you there, there's
only a limited number of staff, there's many of you, one might
have a need, and that staff member is trying to help one, and another's
calling out, and they want help, and then there's something else
that they've got to attend to as well, What Paul is realising,
this person, these churches that are supplying his need, they
also have needs. Now dear friends, do you ever
stop and think that the staff in the home, those that are supplying
my need, or perhaps another resident is supplying your need, that
they also have needs? They're not parading them, they're
not wearing them on their sleeve, but who knows? what they've left
at home, a sick husband or a sick wife, or a child struggling with
a computer trying to learn their studies at home instead of being
at school. Their needs of trying to balance
and think, well, I want to do good for the residents, but I
haven't got ten hands and I can't be in every place at every time,
and it just wears one down. The Apostle Paul was thinking
out of himself, and he's thinking, this person, these churches that
are helping me, they have needs too. And I hope you're helped
to think in that same way. Don't think they don't need help
just because they're helping you. Sometimes it might be like
even in a financial way, the widow's mite, she gives that. and she gives it for love of
Christ, but she still is poor, she still has need herself. Just because we might be receiving
charitable help doesn't mean to say that we also are helping
others. Many times it is. We might receive
some help and we tithe that help and pass part of that on. Those
receiving that help might think, well, that person's well off,
aren't they? Not realizing that they're actually passing on or
tithing what has been actually given to them. So maybe be aware
of that, the staff that you've got a secure home as it were,
you may be well provided for there at the Pilgrim home, but
your staff may be struggling to pay their bills, to pay their
mortgage, all of those things, be mindful of that. and may you
be able to encourage them and strengthen them in the same way
as Paul with this Philippian church though he doesn't enumerate
their needs he says but my God shall supply all your need not
just some of it but all of it now the third thing is this Paul
has large thoughts as to God's provision He says, Provide supply
all your need, not just some of them, and according to his
riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now in one sense it seems almost
bold, and you could nearly always say it is presumptuous, but it's
not. Suppose we had a friend, a wealthy
friend, that was a good friend to us, And they supplied our
need and they helped us. And we had another friend, another
person, and we said to them, my friend, he will supply your
need, all of your need, according to all of his riches. In other
words, I'm giving away, not my riches, but another's riches,
my friend's riches. The Apostle Paul is giving away
not from himself, but from his God. And in that way it seems bold.
But what does it tell us of the Gospel? What does it tell us
of what Paul knows of the goodness and fullness of God, and to be
able to pass that on to others? That we're not to think as Christians,
well, that's just for us. That's just for my church, or
my denomination. That's not for others. No, we
are to recommend to others, and especially to believers, the
fullness in Christ, and what He shall do for them. You know, we read that God is
good to all, His tender mercies are over all His works, and we
are to let people know that, and in a way, be bountiful with
His provision. What is the riches of His glory?
His precious blood is there as the lamb that has been slain.
My grace is sufficient for thee. The Lord had said to Paul, He
knew that the Lord had a sufficiency of grace for the Philippians.
He had power, all power in heaven and on earth was at His command,
and He knows everything. he's able to suit the need exactly
to their cases. So here are three points for
you to think on, meditate through the day, a word specifically
for you, God, my God, shall supply your need, and then the thought
to be mindful of others that are supplying your need, the
needs that they have, pray for them, and take an interest in
what their needs may be. Don't be self-centered. And then
those large thoughts of God are the provision that is with Him. So may the Lord bless you and
help you through this word.