Romans 8:32

In the fourth chapter of Philippians, Paul declares that God will “supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (v. 19). When we read that passage and apply it to our daily lives, we must be careful to interpret it correctly.

For that to happen, it’s imperative that we understand the difference between needs and desires. A need is something that is essential in order for you and me to each become the person God desires us to be or to accomplish the things He’s called us to do. On the other hand, a desire is something we believe will bring enjoyment to our lives. The key word here is enjoyment, which describes a temporary pleasure; we tend to desire things that will bring us happiness for a season but then fades away.

It’s important to note that there is absolutely nothing wrong with a desire, as long as it’s within God’s will and is an outflow of a Spirit-filled life. God is a wonderful, loving heavenly Father who loves to shower His grace upon us (Matt. 7:11). However—and this is critical—we must remember that God never promises to supply all of our desires. He surely provides many of them, but only at His discretion and for His own glory. Therefore, your inability to acquire a large-screen television, for example, is not indication that God is unfaithful.

What do you need in order to become the person God has called you to be? What do you desire that will help you gain more enjoyment in life? Keep a list of these things, and make both categories a regular part of your prayer life.

Romans 10:1-5

Why are people willing to uproot their lives and learn a new language and culture in order to share the good news of Jesus Christ? For the same reason that those who stay at home should be willing to abandon their comfort zone to tell the gospel story to a neighbor or family member—namely, God’s call. Whether we bear the title of missionary or not, we are unable to live in the Lord’s will unless we’re involved in mission work. This universal call is based upon four truths:

1. Man’s spiritual condition. People are helplessly and hopelessly lost without Christ. Although most try to manufacture righteousness through good works or a false religion, they inevitably fail.
2. God’s provision. Knowing man could not save himself, the Father gave His Son in order to pay sin’s penalty. Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. This redemption is available to every man, woman, and child.
3. Jesus’ commission. All who belong to Jesus are charged with the responsibility of going and making disciples of all nations through the Holy Spirit’s power (Acts 1:8; Matt. 28:19). The Spirit comes, not to ensure our own happiness, but to make us impactful witnesses.
4. Jesus’ proclamation. The Lord was clear about this: “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matt. 24:14).

Mission work isn’t optional for believers. In Romans 10:14, Paul asks, “How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard?” They won’t unless you tell them.

Luke 15:11-19

We send a strong, negative message by exhibiting impatience toward God. When we demonstrate an inability to tolerate delay, we are telling the Lord, “I do not trust Your timing; mine is better.”

At times, we all stand at a fork in the road of life and must decide whether we’re willing to wait for God’s prompting. It’s critical that we obey Him and be patient with His schedule and plan. Consider the negative example of the Prodigal Son, who squandered his inheritance and then faced several consequences:

1. He brought sorrow on his family. Oftentimes our impatience hurts those we love.
2. He separated from his family. When we run ahead of God, we also frequently run away from voices of reason and wisdom in our life.
3. He faced poverty. We stand to lose a great deal when we ignore the Lord’s timing because His blessing accompanies our obedience.
4. He felt unworthy. We cannot experience fellowship with God when impatience keeps us outside of His will.

We know that at the end of the story, the Prodigal Son is joyfully welcomed back into his family. His father lavishes love and attention upon this son and assures him of his worth. But although he is forgiven, the results of his impatience are not entirely erased. He will never regain the wealth he wasted. It’s not always possible to take back our mistakes once we have jumped ahead of God. It is always better that we wait for Him to tell us when to move forward.

1 Kings 12:1-19

Sometimes people make decisions they later regret because the counsel they heeded was ungodly. It is critical that we know how to discern what is wise, biblical advice. Here are suggestions to help you detect whether or not guidance is scriptural.

1. Look for counsel that makes frequent reference to God, the Bible, and Jesus Christ. If you need guidance but receive advice that neglects or contradicts the principles of Scripture, the best thing to do is seek input elsewhere.
2. Think twice if there is much talk but no prayer. Even with a great exchange of ideas and human wisdom, it’s essential that someone propose, “Let’s ask the Lord to give us direction.” A prudent advisor knows that prayer is a vital element in attaining the whole counsel of God.
3. Avoid any counselor who compromises Scripture by bending the standards God has set for His children. People will sometimes say things like, “Nobody’s perfect, so a tiny bit of gossip [or gambling, or a little ‘fun’] here and there won’t hurt.” Such rationalizing can quickly lead to bondage.
4. Beware of counsel that is quick to criticize the church or its spiritual leaders. An advisor who readily discredits the church because of its visible weaknesses may be someone hiding a hurtful bias. Such people may have an agenda that is quite different from the Lord’s plan and perspective.

Remember that living within each believer is the Counselor Himself (Isa. 9:6; John 14:26), and He wants to help with all our decisions. Trust Him in everything.

1 Peter 1:6-7

Every one of us will go through troubling times, and when those times come, it’s easy to get disheartened. But the Bible indicates that even during periods of challenge and adversity, God expects His children to respond correctly. And His Word equips us to do so.

Today’s passage teaches us to rejoice during difficulty. Of course, this does not mean that we must be glad about the hardship. But we can be joyful because we know that God is using the circumstances to prepare and grow us. Although having a positive attitude during a negative situation does not seem logical, here are two reasons why doing so makes sense.

First, the Lord teaches us endurance through the difficult experiences we encounter. Our natural reaction to pain is to run in the opposite direction—and as fast as possible. However, God wants us to “hang in there” so we can derive the full benefit of whatever lesson He has for us.

Second, the heavenly Father uses trials as a refining fire to purify His children and bring them to greater spiritual maturity. He has a plan for each believer, and hardship is one of the necessary tools that prepare us to do His will. In the process, we will find that our faith has been strengthened.

As we realize God brings benefit from our adversities, we’ll begin to face challenging times with confidence that He always has our best interest in mind. We can rejoice in the fact that He is building our endurance, purifying our hearts, and making us people with unshakable trust in Him.

Matthew 20:20-28

Christians are identified by a variety of names in the Bible—such as believers, brothers, and saints—but one title we seldom call ourselves is “servants of Christ.” However, that is exactly what the Lord tells us to be. After His disciples wrangled about who was the greatest, Jesus turned their worldly thinking upside down with a call to become great in the kingdom by being a servant of all.

Christ is not just our Savior but also our Lord and Master, and we are to follow His example. Just as He served His Father by caring for people, so we serve our God by lovingly meeting the temporal and spiritual needs of those around us.

Service is essential for spiritual growth. God is always at work in the believer’s life, transforming his character into the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29). A major hindrance in this process is self-centeredness. Serving others is one of the tools that the Lord uses to set us free from the slavery of selfishness.

Service is required to achieve God’s purpose for our lives. The Lord has designed specific works for each of us to accomplish in our lifetime (Eph. 2:10). If we only take in and never give out, we will miss much of what He has planned for us.

Never forget that you have a high calling, which is realized only by lowering yourself to the level of a servant. Look for the opportunities that the Lord will give you today to serve someone. Take your place alongside Christ, who was the ultimate servant of all.

Romans 12:10-12

Jesus loved to talk to His Father and often sought the opportunity to be alone with Him. At times, the Savior would speak with God in front of large groups of people or ask certain of the disciples to join Him in prayer. Because Jesus prayed frequently, He followed God’s lead, joined in His work, and spoke the Father’s words to the people around Him.

When we are serious about prayer, our intimacy with the Lord begins to grow. The more we listen and speak with God, the better we get to know Him. And as that happens, we start to view the world from a divine perspective. The things that matter to God will become our concerns as well, and our prayers will increasingly reflect His interests. Experiencing answered prayer will encourage us and grow our faith.

Over time, the discipline of prayer should begin to have a purifying effect upon us. The Holy Spirit works God’s truth into our hearts as we allow regular study of Scripture to fuel our communion with Him. Consistent exposure to the Word will reveal personal areas of ungodliness, and the Spirit will give us power to change. What’s more, we will learn to recognize where God wants us to become involved and how to invest our time, finances, and spiritual gifts in His work. Through prayer, we will also receive divine peace—even when circumstances worsen or remain unchanged (Isa. 26:3).

The benefits of prayer are many, but greatest of all is the joy derived from spending more time with the Lord.