1. Life (natural and spiritual)
“I came to give you life and that to the full,” John 10:10
“God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.” – John 1:1-5
2. Salvation (from which come love, identity, and purpose)
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Romans 6:23
“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t credit for this; it is a gift from God.” – Ephesians 2:8
3. Spiritual strength (including ability and self-control)
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” – 2 Timothy 1:7
God does not give us fear as a controlling influence, but spiritual strength and an ability to control our thoughts.
4. Relationships
God gave life to humans and gave us instructions about how we should relate with each other:
“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you.” – Matthew 7:12
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” – Matthew 22:39
“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love,” – Hebrews 10:24
“Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.” – Ephesians 4:2-3
5. Ability to earn wealth
“He fed you with manna in the wilderness, to humble you and test you for your own good, so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth and with my own strength,’ Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant.” – Deuteronomy 8:16-18
What do we learn? “As Provider,
1. God gave each of us life, love, and a fresh start.
2. We can draw spiritual strength and abilities from God.
3. Our opportunities come from God.
What should we do?
1. Let this truth inform how we look at God and how we view ourselves.
(our environment, others, and ourselves)
2. Write out at least one truth that God being your Provider carries.
(With loving design, God gave life to each person in my life. That is why they have value and purpose.)
(God is the source of my life. God gives me the best gifts because He loves me.)
3. Pray about this truth, and ask God to help you understand its implications.
(Can I overcome anxiety with this truth? Can I press out insecurity with this truth?)
4. Choose to trust God with every area of your life.