God Wants to Help You!

Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt

Have you ever had anyone surprise you and do something extraordinarily nice for you –beyond what you would have ever expected? That is God’s normal operating style.

God by His nature seldom does or works things out in a conventional way. When we trust and believe in His promises knowing that He delights in helping and blessing us, He answers prayer in such a greater way that we could ask or think. Knowing and believing this becomes His power working in us. Eph. 3:20 says it like this; “Now to Him (God) who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us…”

People are often anxious over what they need or don’t have. God wants to help us with what we need and what we don’t have. It’s just that far too many people are ignorant of the fact that this is God’s heart – to help His children. They really don’t know what the Bible says about Him, His character, or His love and desire to help. Blind faith – is really just empty hope. It’s not rooted in anything. Real faith is rooted in the promises of God and His love for you. The Lord is willing to help you in every detail of your life. And as you just read in this verse, “He is able to do …immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.”
But, He also reveals that this is a result of “…His power that is at work within us…” And get this point! It isn’t enough to know that God is able. You much believe that He is willing and desirous to help you! You must have faith in that. It is the key to “…His power at work within us…”

This is the kind of faith Abraham pleased God with. God called him the Father of our faith because of His belief. Let’s read about it.

Romans 4:16-22 “So that’s why faith is the key! God’s promise is given to us as a free gift. And we are certain to receive it…if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe. That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed – the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.” When God promised Abraham that he would become the father of many nations, Abraham believed him. God had also said, “Your descendants will be as numerous as the stars,” even though such a promise seemed utterly impossible! And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though he knew that he was too old to be a father at the age of one hundred and that Sarah, his wife, had never been able to have children. Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was absolutely convinced that God was able to do anything He promised…”

Over the years, Renee and I have always built ongoing lists regarding everything we need. We’ve sat down and prayed and put those needs before the Lord. From that point on we thank Him that the need is met and for working in our behalf despite what any circumstances may look like. We know that our dependency on Him and not ourselves honors Him. All scripture bears out that truth. It has helped us keep from putting pressure on each other. Pressures of life come, but we keep them before the Lord knowing its His delight not only to help us, but to do amazing things in the process – “immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine.” It helps keep us in unity in prayer rather than fighting and schism over what we don’t have and can’t fix ourselves. And it is so much fun to see how God answers our prayers in ways that are beyond what we asked and in ways we would have never considered! His ways are higher and His blessings are great!

Over time God fulfilled every promise to Abraham. God says in Hebrews 11 that it is faith that pleases Him. If you truly love Him and live for Him, then let that kind of faith rule over feelings and circumstance in your life. It honors Him and releases His power to work in your life!

Philippians 4:6 (NLT) “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.”

In His Love,
Pastor Tim Burt