A great thought... Phil. 4:19
Philippians 4:19
God has been reminding me a lot the last few weeks about how He supplies. In the words of my mother-in-law, "Where God guides, He provides." This has all been coming about over the last few weeks with a bit of a nasty situation in my finances. If you have been following my blog for awhile you may realize that the last year for me has been a bit crazy. I won't rehash here, so go back and read the post titled "Stirring the Pot."
My life has been a hotbed of blindsides and unexpected stuff. It would be one thing if I was going around in my life and saying "when's the other shoe gonna drop?" I don't, and no Christian should, that is a reaction out of fear rather than faith. God called us to be people of faith. In my journey, God has been reminding me of simple truths that have been taught to me since the time I was a little baby. But this time, it is a real-life occurance, not just a story. God has been teaching me how to be a strong husband, a strong father (no kids yet, this is preparation), and how to be a good pastor. In this process, I am developing character and faith. It hasn't been easy in the least, I suspect that if it was, I wouldn't have had to rely on God as much.
One of the most very basic things that I am learning is how to RELY on God. Not just talk to God, or spend time doing work with God, but to RELY on Him. Relying on God is against my nature, in fact, it is against human nature (post sin). Romans 8:7 says, "7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so."
Being reliant on God against my nature is not difficult in all areas, just a few. The few are finances, job support... in short all the things that the world defines as "a Man's basic responsibility." Learning how to trust God requires us to learn to trust Him ALL THE TIME. Not just when we don't have problems in those areas.
The reason I believe I struggle with finances is I have been working and supporting myself since I was 15 years old. I have always been able to get a job that pays the bills. I have always seen God provide in that area, and in that realm, I begin to let my reliance on God slip a bit. Since I trust God for a job, I know I will get a job that I need, when I need it. But God wants me to also trust Him with my job when I DON'T need a job. Also, when I live paycheck to paycheck, God needs me to trust Him just as much there as when I am ahead. The bottom line is trusting God. To that end, I have experienced a few things that have GROWN my faith and trust in God in finances the last few weeks.
About 3 weeks ago, while doing my fall quarter at City University, I noticed that my financial aid had not gone through. I contacted the financial advisor about this and she said that my loan had been sold (which I knew), but that I had not signed some paperwork so the loan was not able to be approved. I quickly went in and digitally signed those papers and thought I would be getting a re-imbursement check. Little did I know that when I signed and accepted my financial-aid award letter, I was set to receive financial aid disbursement for Summer-Spring. This was a problem because I did not attend school in the summer. At the time, however, I had no clue that was the case, I just thought that financial-aid was not covering the loan amounts. SO I went under the assumption that every quarter from that point on we would need to pay extra (to cover the gap between financial aid and tuition).
The first major chunk, we just managed to have, but still was a "big sigh amount" of $809. We did some number crunching and it appeared as though that would be the cheap part. My core classes cost more per credit than standard business credits. So we were going to have to come up with $1075 for 6 more quarters to help me finish with my B.S. in information security. So with that in mind, I was not happy, was actually kinda angry and frustrated. I thought of quitting, getting a second job, and a bunch of other ways i could get through this problem.
But then the most wonderful thing I had ever heard came through a sermon that my pastor was sharing. He was talking about taking those things that blindside us and "turn it[sic]" so that they become "fuel to propel us to the next level." That night, I agreed with God, and my wife, that I would try my hardest to do this. Not suspecting for one minute what was about to happen.
I went in just this last Friday to check my grades prior to the end of fall quarter. As I go into my account, I notice that not only is Winter quarter pending (which I was aware of), but there was an "outstanding past due balance" of $3111. I looked at that and my heart started to sink. But I quickly and quietly breathed "God's got this." On the way home from work I prayed " God I trust you, God I trust you." I didn't get upset, I just had this sheer faith that God would take care of it. I told my wife and she and I were talking about different options and I said, "God's got this.. You should be proud of me, cause I didn't freak out." She told me she was, and I knew, I knew that God intervene, it was only a matter of time.
When I got into the office on Monday, I was greeted with the red light on my phone telling me that i had a voicemail. I had emailed my financial aid advisor at the school and the lending institution and they were responding, so it was no surprise. However, what they shared was. Because I had signed up and accepted Summer-Spring, not Fall through Spring, my financial aid was disbursed different. The $3111 from this quarter was them cancelling the charges so far and re-working them. Here's the best part. After they re-worked the financial aid, I found out that for the rest of the school year, the gap is only $44/quarter AND they are sending me a check for the remaining balance of the financial aid for this quarter AS WELL AS the $809 we put into it already. As my wife so aptly said, "Even when we are careless or make mistakes, God comes in to save the day!" Amen!
To close out today's thoughts on "God supplying" here's the Greek definitions of Strongs word 4137 "Supply" or plēroō in the Greek
1) to make full, to fill up, i.e. to fill to the full
a) to cause to abound, to furnish or supply liberally
1) I abound, I am liberally supplied
2) to render full, i.e. to complete
a) to fill to the top: so that nothing shall be wanting to full measure, fill to the brim
b) to consummate: a number
1) to make complete in every particular, to render perfect
2) to carry through to the end, to accomplish, carry out, (some undertaking)
c) to carry into effect, bring to realisation, realise
1) of matters of duty: to perform, execute
2) of sayings, promises, prophecies, to bring to pass, ratify, accomplish
3) to fulfil, i.e. to cause God's will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be, and God's promises (given through the prophets) to receive fulfilment
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ
Jesus.
God has been reminding me a lot the last few weeks about how He supplies. In the words of my mother-in-law, "Where God guides, He provides." This has all been coming about over the last few weeks with a bit of a nasty situation in my finances. If you have been following my blog for awhile you may realize that the last year for me has been a bit crazy. I won't rehash here, so go back and read the post titled "Stirring the Pot."
My life has been a hotbed of blindsides and unexpected stuff. It would be one thing if I was going around in my life and saying "when's the other shoe gonna drop?" I don't, and no Christian should, that is a reaction out of fear rather than faith. God called us to be people of faith. In my journey, God has been reminding me of simple truths that have been taught to me since the time I was a little baby. But this time, it is a real-life occurance, not just a story. God has been teaching me how to be a strong husband, a strong father (no kids yet, this is preparation), and how to be a good pastor. In this process, I am developing character and faith. It hasn't been easy in the least, I suspect that if it was, I wouldn't have had to rely on God as much.
One of the most very basic things that I am learning is how to RELY on God. Not just talk to God, or spend time doing work with God, but to RELY on Him. Relying on God is against my nature, in fact, it is against human nature (post sin). Romans 8:7 says, "7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so."
Being reliant on God against my nature is not difficult in all areas, just a few. The few are finances, job support... in short all the things that the world defines as "a Man's basic responsibility." Learning how to trust God requires us to learn to trust Him ALL THE TIME. Not just when we don't have problems in those areas.
The reason I believe I struggle with finances is I have been working and supporting myself since I was 15 years old. I have always been able to get a job that pays the bills. I have always seen God provide in that area, and in that realm, I begin to let my reliance on God slip a bit. Since I trust God for a job, I know I will get a job that I need, when I need it. But God wants me to also trust Him with my job when I DON'T need a job. Also, when I live paycheck to paycheck, God needs me to trust Him just as much there as when I am ahead. The bottom line is trusting God. To that end, I have experienced a few things that have GROWN my faith and trust in God in finances the last few weeks.
About 3 weeks ago, while doing my fall quarter at City University, I noticed that my financial aid had not gone through. I contacted the financial advisor about this and she said that my loan had been sold (which I knew), but that I had not signed some paperwork so the loan was not able to be approved. I quickly went in and digitally signed those papers and thought I would be getting a re-imbursement check. Little did I know that when I signed and accepted my financial-aid award letter, I was set to receive financial aid disbursement for Summer-Spring. This was a problem because I did not attend school in the summer. At the time, however, I had no clue that was the case, I just thought that financial-aid was not covering the loan amounts. SO I went under the assumption that every quarter from that point on we would need to pay extra (to cover the gap between financial aid and tuition).
The first major chunk, we just managed to have, but still was a "big sigh amount" of $809. We did some number crunching and it appeared as though that would be the cheap part. My core classes cost more per credit than standard business credits. So we were going to have to come up with $1075 for 6 more quarters to help me finish with my B.S. in information security. So with that in mind, I was not happy, was actually kinda angry and frustrated. I thought of quitting, getting a second job, and a bunch of other ways i could get through this problem.
But then the most wonderful thing I had ever heard came through a sermon that my pastor was sharing. He was talking about taking those things that blindside us and "turn it[sic]" so that they become "fuel to propel us to the next level." That night, I agreed with God, and my wife, that I would try my hardest to do this. Not suspecting for one minute what was about to happen.
I went in just this last Friday to check my grades prior to the end of fall quarter. As I go into my account, I notice that not only is Winter quarter pending (which I was aware of), but there was an "outstanding past due balance" of $3111. I looked at that and my heart started to sink. But I quickly and quietly breathed "God's got this." On the way home from work I prayed " God I trust you, God I trust you." I didn't get upset, I just had this sheer faith that God would take care of it. I told my wife and she and I were talking about different options and I said, "God's got this.. You should be proud of me, cause I didn't freak out." She told me she was, and I knew, I knew that God intervene, it was only a matter of time.
When I got into the office on Monday, I was greeted with the red light on my phone telling me that i had a voicemail. I had emailed my financial aid advisor at the school and the lending institution and they were responding, so it was no surprise. However, what they shared was. Because I had signed up and accepted Summer-Spring, not Fall through Spring, my financial aid was disbursed different. The $3111 from this quarter was them cancelling the charges so far and re-working them. Here's the best part. After they re-worked the financial aid, I found out that for the rest of the school year, the gap is only $44/quarter AND they are sending me a check for the remaining balance of the financial aid for this quarter AS WELL AS the $809 we put into it already. As my wife so aptly said, "Even when we are careless or make mistakes, God comes in to save the day!" Amen!
To close out today's thoughts on "God supplying" here's the Greek definitions of Strongs word 4137 "Supply" or plēroō in the Greek
1) to make full, to fill up, i.e. to fill to the full
a) to cause to abound, to furnish or supply liberally
1) I abound, I am liberally supplied
2) to render full, i.e. to complete
a) to fill to the top: so that nothing shall be wanting to full measure, fill to the brim
b) to consummate: a number
1) to make complete in every particular, to render perfect
2) to carry through to the end, to accomplish, carry out, (some undertaking)
c) to carry into effect, bring to realisation, realise
1) of matters of duty: to perform, execute
2) of sayings, promises, prophecies, to bring to pass, ratify, accomplish
3) to fulfil, i.e. to cause God's will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be, and God's promises (given through the prophets) to receive fulfilment
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