John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.
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Abundant life! What an incredible, what a wonderful blessing that is--especially in times and places where there seems to be so much need and dissatisfaction. And what a sad thing it is to see that so much of the church today has been convinced that they don't have enough, that they have to be focused on getting more and more, and so often in ways that are designed by the world to take more and more from them!

It serves us well to remember that Jesus also said that even when we have abundance our life does not consist of our possessions. {Lk.12:15} It is not about 'stuff', it is about a peace that passes all understanding that comes from being satisfied and content and knowing that He has promised to supply all of our needs through His riches. {Php.4:19} So remember that the Lord said that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness shall be satisfied {Mat.5:6} and that the Holy Spirit moved the apostle Paul to write to Timothy that if we have food and covering we shall be content. {1Tim.6:8} I certainly had to be, like all of us, taught this truth because it doesn't come naturally.

Many years ago, my wife Alice and I were living and traveling all around the United Sates in a bus I had converted into a motorhome preaching and teaching as the Lord directed us. On one occasion we met up on the road with a brother from central Florida whose ministry was visiting churches and preaching wherever he was invited. He asked us to come and visit with he and his wife where he lived, so we did! As the four of us sat in his home having fellowship and some food I was a bit dismayed because his entire conversation was all about his disappointment and complaining about how small the offerings he was receiving were.

That went on for quite a while until the Lord spoke to me and said, 'I want you to give him half of your abundance.' I mentally asked the Lord if He had looked in my pocket lately?' I literally had a grand total of twenty cents! 'Yes, the Lord said, your abundance.' We had plenty of gas in the fuel tanks, we had food in the cupboards—we had everything that we needed at the moment and, apparently, money to spare. I took the coins out of my pocket and put them on the table passing ten cents over to him as I shared what the Lord had told me.

He began to weep and cried out to the Lord asking for forgiveness for having not trusted Him and not thanking Him for the offerings he had received. He and his wife along with Alice and I then had a glorious time of fellowship that day and I left the table richer than when I sat down. It is not about what we have, it is about what the Lord has. We have nothing that we did not receive. {1Cor.4:7} The only thing we have earned, what we deserve, is death. For the wages of sin is death! Salvation and all of the blessings that accompany it is the free gift of God. {Eph.2:8-9}

“But if God so arrays the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more do so for you, O men of little faith? Do not be anxious then, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'With what shall we clothe ourselves?' For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:30-33)

GOD WILL SUPPLY ALL OF OUR NEEDS