The eternal, self-existing creator is our source. The scripture tells us that God has a purpose for his humans. When a human accepts Jesus as the son of God and takes forgiveness, the human becomes a child of the God. The same God who made Solomon so wealthy that silver was as common as stones. In 2 Chronicles 1 we see that Solomon asked God for wisdom. God honored Solomon, gave him wisdom and wealth. God’s provision is more than financial. Redemption was set in motion when God made a covenant with a human named Abram. We have looked at the fall of Adam. In the generations from Adam to Abram, God worked with humans to get into the earth a human with whom he could make an everlasting covenant. Galatians 3:13-14 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. From this scripture in Galatians we see that the blessings of Abraham includes all humans who believe on the son of God and take it by faith. Genesis 12:1-3 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. It took twenty-five years of God working with Abram to build his faith. Genesis 15:5-6. God told Abram to look toward the heaven. He planted a seed in Abram’s heart that his children would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. Abram believed in the Lord; and God counted it to him for righteousness. Even tho he could not see his children in the physical realm, Abram believed God was faithful. Sarai was Abram’s wife. We see in Genesis 16 that she thought it reasonable, since she was old and had never had children, to give her handmaid to Abram so he could have a child with her. She was wrong. That was not God’s plan. The child produced was not the seed of promise. Humans often cause themselves problems, trying to help God instead of attending to his will and waiting patiently on him to do what he said he would. In Genesis 17, God had Abram circumcise his male humans as a mark reminding them of the covenant. Circumcision is the removal around the head of the penis. Every time a circumcised male urinated, he saw the mark of God’s promise. No other people had that mark. God changed Abram’s name to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah. These were covenant names. Every time Sarah called for Abraham, she said, Father of a multitude. In the book of Esther, a young Hebrew woman, was stolen from her people. God used her to save a nation, and she became queen. In the book of Daniel, he and his friends were kidnapped from their people. God caused Daniel and his friends to be wiser and better skilled than the Babylonian teachers. God gave Daniel insight to warn Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar made Daniel ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all the wise men. Genesis 37 tells the story of a young man named Joseph. He was betrayed and sold into slavery by his brothers. Every time the devil tried to use humans to destroy him, Joseph was promoted and became second to Pharaoh. These are examples of humans that chose to be humble before God and refused to defile themselves by doing things their way. Even when it caused them immediate persecution, they obeyed God. God caused them to prosper. David, son of Jesse, was a young man who watched his father’s sheep. God empowered David to defeat a giant and lead Israel to defeat the entire Philistine army. We’ve seen in the bible reference after reference where God consistently caused his people to overcome. Revelations 12:10-11 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death. Revelations 3:20-21 Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hears my voice, and open the door, I will come into him and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. God didn’t cause Abraham to prosper for his sake alone. The covenant, God made with Abraham is available to any human who will, by faith, take God’s promises. Abraham believed in God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. That is the same way humans access all the blessings God promised Abraham and his seed forever. It doesn’t matter if we were born into Abraham’s genetic lineage. By faith, we believe God is. And that he includes any human as his own when they accept Jesus as the son of God. Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Galatians 3:28-29 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
22. Provision, resources: both needs and wants are covered in the covenant between God and humans. He requires that we ask him and believe, expecting. He also requires that we listen and obey. Matthew 6:3 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.