GOD CARES ABOUT YOUR NEEDS

WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL

NOVEMBER 06, 2022

TOPIC: GOD CARES ABOUT YOUR NEEDS

BY T. O. BANSO

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7 New Living Translation).

Have you ever been in a situation where you feel nobody cares about what you are going through? Maybe you had some needs and everyone in your life continued their lives as if they were unconcerned about your needs. Perhaps they are also going through their own challenges or they are just indifferent despite discussing your situation with them or it’s even evident to them.

Sometimes human beings may not care about the needs of others but God cares more than anyone cares about his needs. And unlike some human beings who may just be concerned but unable to do anything about your needs, God’s care goes beyond being sympathetic. He knows about your needs in advance and He can supply all your needs. Therefore, you should put your trust in Him.

In Genesis 22, unknown to Abraham, God had provided in advance a ram for him to sacrifice in place of his son, Isaac, as God had commanded him. As Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife to slay Isaac, the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven and stopped him from sacrificing him. The angel said that he knew then that Abraham feared God and he had not withheld his only son from Him.

Genesis 22:13 says, “Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son” (New King James Version). Abraham passed God’s test and he saw God’s provision which he had already prepared for sacrifice. Abraham called the name of the place Jehovah-Jireh, which means the Lord Will Provide. God revealed Himself to Abraham on this occasion as Jehovah-Jireh. As Abraham saw God’s provision, you will also see His provision in Jesus’ name. He will provide for you.

In Genesis 21, Hagar thought that her son would die because she didn’t have water to give him. The water in the skin, bottle, or flask had been used up. She wept. But God heard the voice of the lad where he was. He opened Hagar’s eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went and filled the skin with water, and gave her son a drink (verses 15-19). God will open your eyes also to see His provision this season in Jesus’ name.

God provided water for Hagar. He is the God of provision. He provided for the Israelites water, manna, and so on at different times in their journey in the wilderness although they habitually murmured. God said, “During the forty years that I led you through the desert, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet. 6 You ate no bread and drank no wine or other fermented drink. I did this so that you might know that I am the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 29:5-6 New International Version).

God cares about your needs too and He is still the God of miraculous provision. He knows what you are going to need before the need arises and He can meet your needs. Thus, you should put your trust in Him instead of being anxious. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (New King James Version).

Instead of being anxious or worrying, cast your burden on the Lord; tell Him about your needs, which He already knows. Psalm 55:22 says to cast your burden on the LORD, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.

Also, the Apostle Peter says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7 New Living Translation). Some people behave as if it is better to worry about their needs than to give all their worries to God! They seem to believe that if they worry enough, their needs would be supplied! But worrying doesn’t solve any problem. The Contemporary English Version renders 1 Peter 5:7 thus: “God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him.” The Living Bible says, “Let him have all your worries and cares, for he is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.”

God cares and knows about your needs. Worrying, rather than trusting Him, is useless. Jesus says in Matthew 6:25-27, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” (New International Version).

Hear Jesus further in verses 28-32: “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them” (New International Version). Luke 12:22-30 says a similar thing as Matthew 6:25-32.

Instead of worrying, Jesus tells us the right thing to do: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (verses 33-34 New International Version). Also, Luke 12:31 says to seek the kingdom of God and all the things you need shall be added to you.

God cares about your needs. None of your needs surprises Him. Trust Him to supply your needs instead of worrying about them. You may not know how God will supply your needs but if you trust Him, He will make a way for you. As He did for Abraham, Hagar, and the children of Israel, He shall also do for You. He will provide for you. That does not mean that you shouldn’t work. Don’t be lazy. Do what you can do and God will do for you what you cannot do for yourself.

Abraham did what he could do, as demanded by God. He obeyed God and wanted to sacrifice his only son but the angel of the LORD stopped him and Abraham saw God’s provision. Work and pray! Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 3:10, “For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” (New King James Version). In 1 Thessalonians 4:11, Paul also says, “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you” (New International Version). Work but don’t put your trust in your work; put your trust in God. Work can fail but God never fails. There are needs that your work can never meet but only God can.

God cares about your needs. In Mark 8, the great multitude who were with Jesus had nothing to eat. Although they didn’t complain to Him or beg Him for food, He was concerned about their lack of food to eat and decided to meet their need. Jesus called His disciples and said to them, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and if I send them away fasting to their home, they will faint on the way; and some of them are come from far” (Mark 8:2-3 New King James Version).

They were in the wilderness or desert, or a remote place and it wasn’t possible to get enough food to buy to feed them. Money was useless in that situation. But that day, Jesus miraculously fed about 4, 000 people with seven loaves. They ate to their satisfaction and took seven large baskets of leftovers, after which Jesus sent them away.

Earlier, Jesus fed about five thousand men, besides women and children. These people didn’t beg Him for food. He fed them because He cared for them (Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-13). He fed them with only five loaves and two fish and His disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers.

God cares about your needs. Work; don’t be lazy. But put your trust in God. He will provide for your needs. Make your requests known to Him in prayer instead of being anxious, as Paul says in Philippians 4:6. Don’t worry; God cares about your needs. He will provide for you.

TAKE ACTION!

If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.

Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself.  I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.

I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.

PRAYER POINTS: Father, thank You for caring about me and being my provider. I put my trust in You and refuse to worry about my needs. I give my worries and cares to You. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not lack. I have all that I need in Jesus’ name. In the name of Jesus, God will supply all my needs; I shall not be put to shame. Father, supply the needs of those who are looking unto You this hour; show Yourself in their lives as Jehovah-Jireh.

(For over 800 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).

T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org