But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Matthew 6:33 ESV
Many years ago, I attended a Missions conference where many great men and women of God shared remarkable, inspiring testimonies about their time on the mission field. I was particularly intrigued by a story shared by missionary and pastor Jim Hester.
Jim and his wife were preparing to leave for Russia, where they had planned to smuggle in 25,000 Bibles. Unfortunately, the time of their departure was coming quickly, and they had not raised enough funds to purchase all of the Bibles. Can you imagine? You’ve been entrusted to take the Word of God to people who’ve been tucked away behind the Iron Curtain, and you can’t afford the one thing you need the most?
Each Russian Bible would cost fifty cents, and they were $7,000 short. That’s 14,000 Bibles short!
God Always Has a Plan
Around that same time, God spoke to Jim and told him to give a sacrificial offering of $1,000 to a completely different ministry. Jim delayed. He knew that, in the natural, to give away $1,000 would take away from his ability to purchase more Bibles for his upcoming trip.
But God! When God speaks, it’s best to listen, and obey!
Jim finally obeyed the voice of the Lord and gave away the thousand dollars to the other ministry.
Then God did what only He can do. He supernaturally opened a door, and provided 110,000 Russian Bibles absolutely free! Wow! Can you imagine what might have happened if Jim had not listened to the voice of God?
Obedience is always the key to God’s provision.
I don’t know where you are, or what you’re facing—financially or otherwise. But I do know that you can’t out-give God, no matter how hard you try. I also know that obedience is key. He speaks. We obey. He blesses. It’s a lovely formula for success! So, open your hands and your heart to be used to bless others. In turn, God will meet your every need.
Challenging Thought:
Have you ever witnessed God’s miraculous provision?
