19 Bible Verses About God's Provision

12/8/2024

Compiled by Mr. Whitney V. Myers

"The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah." (1 Kings 17:16)

This article presents 19 Bible verses about God's provision for our needs. "Tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers" (Philippians 4:6).

The scripture quotations below are taken from the English Standard Version (ESV) unless indicated otherwise (Ref. 1).

Bible Verses About God's Provision - Old Testament

Genesis 1:29 - "And God said, 'Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food."

Genesis 41:53-54 - "The seven years of plenty that occurred in the land of Egypt came to an end, 54 and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread."

Exodus 16:4-5 - "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.'"

Note - The Lord daily provided manna for the Israelite's daily needs and taught them to trust the Lord one day at a time. Recall Jesus' instruction for how we are to pray: "Give us this day our daily bread." (Matthew 6:11)

Deuteronomy 29:5 NIV - "Yet the Lord says, 'During the forty years that I led you through the wilderness, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet.'"

1 Kings 17:14-16 - "For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.' 15 And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.'"

Psalm 23:1-2 - "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters."

Psalm 34:10 - "The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing."

Psalm 37:3-4 - "Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart."

Psalm 37:25 - "I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread."

Isaiah 55:1-2 - "Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food."

Malachi 3:10 - "Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need."

Bible Verses About God's Provision - New Testament

Matthew 6:11 - "Give us this day our daily bread."

Matthew 6:33 - "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Note - Serve God as your first priority, and God promises to provide the things you need for daily living such as food, drink, and clothing (Matthew 6:11, Matthew 6:31).

Matthew 14:17-21 - "They said to him, 'We have only five loaves here and two fish.' 18 And he said, 'Bring them here to me.' 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children."

Luke 12:22-24 - "And he said to his disciples, 'Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!'"

2 Corinthians 9:8 - "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work."

Philippians 4:6 TLB - "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers."

Philippians 4:19 NASB 1995 - "And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

Note - Be a person who generously shares with others and supports your brothers and sisters in Christ when there is a necessity, and God will supply [literally "fill up"] your needs as well (Ref. 2). Paul is commending the generosity of the Christians at Philippi. They generously sent Paul a gift (donation) more than once (Philippians 4:14-18 NASB 1995).

1 John 5:14-15 - "And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him."

References
1. https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/English-Standard-Version-ESV-Bible/
2. https://biblehub.com/greek/4137.htm

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Come Boldly to the Throne of Grace - Hebrews 4:16 Meaning

8/30/2023

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by Mr. Whitney V. Myers

Download a printable PDF of this post.

Sun and Clouds - Pixabay Stock Photo - with Hebrews 4:16

"Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16 NKJV)

This lesson explains the meaning of Hebrews 4:16.

Consider. In what area of your life do you need God's mercy and grace to help you with temptation, weakness, or a "storm" that you are going through?

The scripture references below are from the New King James Version (NKJV) unless noted otherwise (Ref. 1).

1. Come boldly to the throne of grace

a. Come boldly

In the first part of Hebrews 4:16, the author of states, "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace." "Come" means draw near or approach (Ref. 2). "Boldly" means with confidence (Ref. 3). The "therefore" at the beginning of the verse points to two reasons why we can draw near with confidence to God:

(1). Jesus, as our high priest, has opened the way for us to God's presence in heaven (Hebrews 4:14, 9:24, 10:19 NLT). Recall that when Jesus died, the veil of the temple separating people from God was torn in two (Mark 15:37-38).

(2). Jesus, more so than any other, understands our weaknesses and temptations. Jesus, was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15).

Because Jesus Christ has paid with his life the atonement for our sins once and for all time, we can come to God boldly, with confidence (Hebrews 9:11-12 NASB). We come not trusting in our ourselves but in the merits of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

b. To the throne of grace

Let us rejoice that there "is" a throne of grace and not of "justice" only (Ref. 4). The Greek word for "throne" literally means a (king's) seat, and metaphorically refers to God in heaven (Ref. 5). "Grace" is God's favor towards us. God freely gives us his grace because God is inclined to bless us (Ref. 6).

Because Jesus now is at the right hand of God's throne, the throne of God has become the throne of grace (Hebrews 8:1, 12:2). From generation to generation, from every land, and in every language, God may be approached. In all times of our weaknesses and temptation, we may be assured that he is on that throne (Ref. 4). At any time, 24/7, we may approach God with confidence to receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

2. Receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need

a. Mercy

At God's throne of grace, we receive mercy (Hebrews 4:16 ESV). Mercy is God's compassion towards us in our sin-full and hurt-full condition (Ref. 7). In the same way that Jesus had compassion on and touched and healed the leper and forgave the paralytic, God reaches out in mercy and compassion and touches us where we hurt and need healing and forgiveness (Mark 1:40-42, 2:1-5). By God's mercy he offers us salvation in Christ (Titus 3:4-5 ESV). By God's love and mercy, even when we were dead in our trespasses, God "made us alive together with Christ" (Ephesians 2:4-5).

b. Grace

At God's throne of grace, we find grace. Grace is God's favor towards us (Ref. 6). Grace is a blessing and a free gift. Grace is totally undeserved. By God's grace, Jesus forgave the men who nailed him to the cross (Luke 23:33-34). By God's grace, the Apostle Paul found the sufficiency of God's power to help him in his weakness (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). By God's grace, even though we are saved already through faith in Christ, God helps us when we are going through a tough time such as a loss, temptation, persecution, or poor health. By God's grace, God has given us the gifts of salvation and eternal life (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 6:23).

c. Help

At God's throne of grace, we receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need (Hebrews 4:16). The Greek word translated as "help" [boétheia] in this verse occurs only twice in the New Testament -- in Hebrews 4:16 and Acts 27:17 (KJV) -- and has a nautical meaning (Ref. 8).

Recall that in Acts 27:14-17 the Apostle Paul was traveling to Rome on a ship that was caught in a severe storm. The sailors were losing control of the ship and feared running aground. In Acts 27:17 (read in KJV) the sailors wrapped supporting ropes or cables called "helps" [boétheia] around the wooden hull of their ship from stem to stern to hold the planks of the ship tightly together during the storm (Ref. 8, Ref.9).

In the same way the ancient mariners used "helps" to wrap around, undergird, and support their vessels in storms, God provides his help to support us and hold us together when we are going through the storms of life.

d. Timeliness

God's mercy and grace always are available to help us at the time we need (Ref. 10). This is encouraging news indeed. When we have trials and temptations, we can come boldly to God's throne to receive mercy and find grace to help us at any time. As author Dillon Burroughs has correctly concluded, "God is never late and rarely early. He is always exactly right on time -- His time" (Ref. 11).

Listen
Listen, watch, and sing along in your heart with this video of Alan Jackson singing, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." Note the words, "Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer!" (Ref. 12).

Prayer. Dear Jesus, thank you that by your sacrifice for us, we can boldly approach you. Thank you for understanding our trials and temptations. We need your mercy and grace. In your graciousness, forgive our sins and fill us with your presence. Strengthen us, support us, and surround us with your grace so we with your help will be victorious over sin and will come safely through the storms we are experiencing. We give you all the praise, glory, and honor. In your precious name we pray. Amen.

Related Lessons
"The Meaning of God’s Favor" -- Psalm 30:5
"Made Alive Together with Christ - A New Quality of Life" -- Ephesians 2:4-5

References
1. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+4%3A16&version=NKJV
2. https://biblehub.com/greek/4334.htm
3. https://biblehub.com/greek/3954.htm
4. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/hebrews/4.htm
Barnes Notes on the Bible - Commentary on Hebrews 4:16
5. https://biblehub.com/greek/2362.htm
6. https://biblehub.com/greek/5485.htm
7. https://biblehub.com/greek/1656.htm
8. https://biblehub.com/greek/996.htm
9. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/acts/27.htm
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Acts 27:17
10. https://biblehub.com/greek/2121.htm
11. https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/789710-god-is-never-late-and-rarely-early-he-is-always
12. https://hymnary.org/text/what_a_friend_we_have_in_jesus_all_our_s

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The Peace of Believing Prayer (Philippians 4:6-7)

11/15/2020

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by Mr. Whitney V. Myers

Download a printable PDF of this post.

Woman Praying - Philippians 4:6 - Pixabay photo - Used under license

"Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. (7) If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 4:6-7 The Living Bible)

This scripture is special to me. Philippians 4:6-7 is the first scripture passage I memorized after committing my life to the Lord in 1974. My thirst for the Word began then. My wife and I both memorized this scripture at the urging of our first Adult Bible Study teacher, "Bruce." Bruce continually quipped, "When in a fix, Philippians 4:6."

This article essentially is a reprint of an article I wrote in the 1982 time frame for our church newspaper, "The Good News."

Worry still is a major issue for people. In fact, worry is rampant. Worry is nearly universal in our American lifestyle; it certainly affects non-Christians, but it also affects Christians. Non-Christians do not have the resources to draw upon that we have -- namely, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, His word, and the Christian support community. Oh how miserable it must be to live and not know Jesus Christ!

Pray about everything

First, Paul tells us we are to pray, and not only to pray, but to pray about everything, and that includes praying about everything that worries us. God is not too busy to hear our prayers -- He is always available. Too often we are too busy to avail ourselves of His time. Furthermore, our God is concerned about all of our life, down to the smallest detail. He wants us to cast all of our anxieties on Him, not just the emergencies (1 Peter 5:7 ESV).

Tell God our needs

Second, we are to tell God our needs. I find it interesting that although God knows everything about us, including our thoughts and concerns, Paul instructs us to tell God our needs. There are many fine ways to pray -- in church, in groups -- but I believe the key is to have a foundation of private and personal prayer with God on a frequent and regular basis. Prayer with the body of Christ is uplifting and necessary to our spiritual well-being, but there is no substitute for quality time spent alone with the Lord.

Thank Him for His answers

Third, we are to thank God for His answers. We are to pray with thanksgiving in our hearts. An attitude of thanklessness on our part -- for God's blessings and provisions for us and for His answers to our prayers -- is a major hindrance to an effectual prayer life and hampers the development of a close relationship with God. Each day as we pray it is helpful to recall the things we have previously prayed about, and to thank Him for His answers -- and for those answers which are still "on the way."

Experience God's peace

Fourth, God promises us peace -- a wonderful peace in our hearts. He promises that His peace will guard our hearts (Philippians 4:7 ESV). The Greek word for guard is phroureó, which means to be a watcher in advance, to mount guard as a sentinel, and to protect (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, Ref. 1). God's peace guards our hearts and keeps our thoughts quiet.

This peace, God's peace in our hearts, is so precious that man's mind can never produce it -- it is given by God. And, the only way we can receive it is to trust in Christ Jesus. There is no other way to receive the "peace which surpasses understanding" (Philippians 4:7 ESV) than to trust personally in Jesus Christ. We do this by placing our complete reliance upon Him as a person and on His word -- we place the care of our whole being into His hands.

With the world, there is worry. In contrast, as followers of Jesus Christ, we can pray about everything, tell God our needs, and thank Him for His answers. Then His peace will keep our thoughts and our hearts quiet and at rest as we trust in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7 TLB).

Related Lesson
"The Peace of Christ" - Colossians 3:15

References
1. https://biblehub.com/greek/5432.htm
2. https://www.scriptureway.com/home/the-keys-to-effective-prayer

For Additional Reading
To read more on the topic of prayer, check the article, "The Keys to Effective Prayer" (Ref. 2).

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Bible Teachings

19 Bible Verses About God's Provision

Bible Verses About God's Provision - Old Testament

Bible Verses About God's Provision - New Testament

Come Boldly to the Throne of Grace - Hebrews 4:16 Meaning

1. Come boldly to the throne of grace

a. Come boldly

b. To the throne of grace

2. Receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need

a. Mercy

b. Grace

c. Help

d. Timeliness

The Peace of Believing Prayer (Philippians 4:6-7)

Pray about everything

Tell God our needs

Thank Him for His answers

Experience God's peace

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