Philippians 4:19 is a favorite promise in the Bible among believers, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”  Every Child of God who practices faithful stewardship finds that God returns the blessing, “pressed down, shaken together, and running over” (Luke 6:38).  Jesus went on to give this spiritual principle for giving, “For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”  As you give, so it shall be given back to you.

While the promise of Phil. 4:19 can have personal application for individual believers, it was originally made to a group of believers – the church in Philippi.  From Philippians chapter four we learn that the church in Philippi was a strong supporter of missions.  The apostle Paul was a great missionary-evangelist to the Gentiles, and Philippi was a supporting church.  As a matter of fact, at one point in Paul’s missionary endeavors Philippi was his only supporting church (v15).

Obviously, their support enabled Paul to continue his missionary work in Europe of preaching the gospel and planting churches.  But something else was happening that Paul brought to their attention in v17.  As they gave, fruit was building up in their heavenly bank account.  Not only that, but their continued giving to missions was a sweet-smelling aroma to God (v18).  It was an acceptable sacrifice.  It made God happy!

Did the church in Philippi have needs?  I’m sure they did.  Could they have used the money for things at home?  I’m sure they could.  But when they made missions a priority, God made their needs His priority!  This is the context of the promise, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

God Himself has promised to bless and provide for a missions-giving church!  River of Life is a testimony of this.  Our financial needs are great.  Our monthly mortgage payment is staggering.  The interest rate is more staggering still.  And yet in spite of this, we have made missions a top priority.  We now support over 40 missionaries and missions organizations.  We are in the top 400 Assemblies of God churches nationally in missionary support.  By the end of 2013 we will have had 14 different missionary guests.

Missions matters at RLA.  Is it any wonder that God is providing for our needs?!  We’re not swimming in cash, but we’ve never missed a payment and we never will.  How can I be so certain?  I believe the promise of God!  And what works for a church will work for you and your family.  Put God first.  Be a faithful giver.  Make missions a priority.  And then hold on to the promise of Philippians 4:19.  It will not fail!

Pastor Todd Weston

Consider for the next few minutes a wonderful gift that many people take for granted.  What is that gift?  You are doing it right now.  It’s the gift of literacy.  History tells us that for centuries the masses lacked the ability to read.  As for the Bible, it was written in ancient languages and read only by scholars and priests.  Ordinary people did not read the Bible because they could not.    This period of history is appropriately referred to as the Dark Ages (AD 500 – 1500).  It was most certainly a time of intellectual and spiritual darkness.

And then two notable events occurred that brought about wholesale change.  The first was the invention of the moveable type printing press by the German printer and publisher, Johannes Gutenberg (AD 1439).  The second event was the Protestant Reformation led by the German monk and professor of theology, Martin Luther (AD 1517).

The Protestants believed that people should be able to read the Bible for themselves in their native language.  They also started the idea of mass-education which provided the opportunity for the general public to learn how to read.  So the Bible translators went to work.  The printing presses began producing countless copies of the Bible, and people began to read the Word of God for themselves.  

The result was a spiritual and cultural revolution of seismic proportions.  The words of Isaiah 9:2 come to mind, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.”  These and other developments quickly ushered the world out of the Dark Ages into the incredible period of history known as the Renaissance (lit., new birth).  

History teaches us that when people are kept in the dark and held in a state of ignorance, bad things happen.  Even the Word of God states, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6).  So read!  Start with the Bible and then add good books to your repertoire that will feed your mind and soul.  If you don’t love to read, learn to love it.  In this month where we have talked so much about priorities, add this one to your list – the priority of reading.

Pastor Todd Weston  

It was the first day of the season and the fisherman had just caught a huge largemouth bass.  He tossed it back in the lake and within moments caught another medium sized bass.  He tossed this one back, too.  Finally he caught and kept two smaller bass.  A curious bystander who had witnessed the entire episode asked the fisherman why he did not kept the larger fish.  The reply:  “Small frying pan.”

If there is anything that will cause a Church or a Christian to become stagnant it’s an attitude of mediocrity.  When we become content with where we are and what we are, we stop growing.  2 Peter 3:18 commands Christians to, “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”  The Greek verb translated “grow” is a personal command to every believer to grow and keep on growing.  But when we decide that we’ve grown enough, and learned enough, and experienced enough of Jesus, that’s when the growing stops and the mediocrity starts.  Rather than increase our capacity, we downsize everything to fit our small spiritual frying pan.

Here’s a suggestion:  Get a bigger frying pan!  Isaiah 54:2-3a says it like this, “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.  For you shall expand (grow) to the right and to the left” (Isaiah 54:2-3a).  

God has not called us to spiritual mediocrity.  He has called us to spiritual greatness.  So if a state of apathy has settled into your soul, shake it off.  Begin today a new pursuit of Christ (Phil. 3:14), and become the spiritual champion God wants you to be.

Pastor Todd Weston

The following are actual statements found on insurance forms where drivers attempted to summarize the details of an accident in the fewest words possible:

• Coming home I drove to the wrong house and collided with a tree I don’t have.

• I pulled away from the side of the road, glanced at my mother-in-law and headed over the embankment.
  

• I had been driving for 40 years when I fell asleep at the wheel and had an accident.

• An invisible car came from out of nowhere, struck my car and vanished.

• The telephone pole was approaching.  I was attempting to swerve out of its way when it struck the front end.  I was thrown from the car as it left the road.  I was later found in the ditch by some stray cows.

• I collided with a stationery car going the other way.

• The pedestrian had no idea which direction to run, so I ran over him.

Sometimes we get a little confused and mixed up when trying to explain things.  As a result, our words come out unclear.  When it comes to giving a clear answer concerning our faith, Peter said we should always be ready (1 Peter 3:15).  As believers, we should we ready to discuss our beliefs and the reason for them.  This means we must understand them, and then be prepared to present them clearly.

If you had to summarize the basics of your faith in the fewest words possible, what would you say?  If that question gives you a moment of trepidation, don’t feel too bad.  Even the great apostle Paul asked the Colossians to pray for him that he might proclaim the message clearly (Col. 4:4).  Give it some thought, do your homework, and be ready.  You never know when you are going to have the opportunity to give an answer for the hope that is in you. 

Pastor Todd Weston