Episode 2 - A Symbol of Forgivenesswith Sheila Walsh
Watch Episode 2 Now. click here.
On a Sunday morning in 2009, Pastor Fred Winters was brutally gunned down as he delivered a sermon in front of his church congregation. The story made national headlines not only for the story itself, but also for his wife Cindy's forgiveness of the man who pulled the trigger.
Sheila Walsh taped a webisode series with Cindy Winters and Emmy winning Life Focus Productions titled “A Symbol of Forgiveness” where the two of them talk through Cindy’s remarkable story. Part two of the four-part series is now available. The remaining two episodes will be posted May 17, and 24.
Watch Episode 2 Now. click here.
Provision - For When You Don’t Have Enough
And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Haven’t you been there, that place of worry, fret, and fear when the provisions needed aren’t at hand and aren’t coming? Or maybe you’ve been in that place where there is a circus going on around you, with all kinds of things coming your way, just not what you really needed. You get lost in a pile of bills, feeling overwhelmed with everything that has to be taken care of and not enough resources to meet the needs. The demands of life can be overwhelming when you look at what you have and compare it to what you need. You can be left to wonder, Is God listening? Does He see? Will He fix things?
Where’s the hope of that promise in Philippians 4:19, “And my God will meet all your needs”? And how do you live in the assurance of that promise?
It sounds so easy, after all, when someone says, “Just believe in God’s promises.” Paul is writing this promise from house arrest in Rome to one of his favorite churches. The church in Philippi has sent a dear brother, Epaphroditus, to encourage Paul in his prison. Now Paul thanks them for their kindness and their monetary support in this time of need. His spirits have been lifted, and he responds with a sincere prayer for their blessing. This is a prayer from a love-filled heart that they be given what he holds dearest, the richest blessings found only in Christ.
Paul says in Philippians 4:18 that he is “amply supplied,” meaning “filled up” or “supplied to the point of overflowing.” This is what he is praying for them when he says “My God will meet all your needs.” There will be no lack in what is really needed. Note that Paul makes no mention of their desires. At the end of this statement he says “according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (v. 19). Some take this to mean reward in heaven, but it more likely means spiritual needs satisfied by the power that has been given to Jesus. “Riches” speaks of the abundance of Christ’s provision. “Glory” speaks of the fullness of His power. He is saying God is faithful and will not disappoint. His provision will be in keeping with the wealth of His mercy demonstrated in Jesus Christ. He takes care of His own.
The promise is that God knows our needs and has been proven to provide abundantly beyond what we can rightly expect. Our sign in earnest is the abundant grace of Christ’s gift—His life for us. How can we not trust in such a provision?
Read Mark 6; then answer the following questions:
1. Why did Jesus instruct His disciples not to pack supplies and provisions for their mission? Does this seem strange to you? How would you have responded in this situation?
2. When you take an honest assessment of your life today, what needs do you have? Do you fear God won’t provide in those areas?
3. Do you believe that when you rest in Jesus, truly anything is possible? What are the “impossible” things in your life today that you want God to make possible?
This Bible study is an excerpt from chapter 1 of The Shelter of God’s Promisesby Sheila Walsh.
Sheila Walsh’s new book, The Shelter of God’s Promises, available now. click here.
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