BETTER THAN THE BIRDSBETTER THAN THE BIRDS Trusting God For ProvisionTrusting God For Provision

Winkie PratneyWinkie Pratney

And it shall be, that you shall drink And it shall be, that you shall drink of the brook; and of the brook; and I have I have commanded the ravenscommanded the ravens to feed to feed you there. you there.

(I Kings 17:4) (I Kings 17:4) Consider the ravensConsider the ravens: for they : for they

neither sow nor reap; which neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; neither have storehouse nor barn; and and God feeds themGod feeds them: How much : How much more are you better than the more are you better than the birds? (Luke 12:24)birds? (Luke 12:24)

1. 1. Birds build no barnsBirds build no barns; ;

Sparrows don’t sow and ravens don’t Sparrows don’t sow and ravens don’t reapreap

But God takes care of both the But God takes care of both the ravens and the sparrowsravens and the sparrows

Consider the ravensConsider the ravens: for they : for they neither sow nor reap; which neither neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and have storehouse nor barn; and God God feeds themfeeds them: how : how much more are you much more are you better than the fowlsbetter than the fowls? Luke 12:24 ? Luke 12:24

2. 2. Birds always do what Birds always do what God built them to doGod built them to do..

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. them. Are you not much better than Are you not much better than theythey? (Matthew 6:26) ? (Matthew 6:26)

He gives to the beast his food, and to the He gives to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry. (Psalms 147:9) young ravens which cry. (Psalms 147:9)

And he sent forth a raven, which went And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, forth to and fro, until the waters were until the waters were dried up from off the earthdried up from off the earth (Genesis 8:7) (Genesis 8:7)

People doPeople do what God never what God never designed them to do.designed them to do.

No man can serve two masters: for either he No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. he will hold to the one, and despise the other. you cannot serve God and mammon. you cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew Matthew 6:24 6:24

ThereforeTherefore I say to you, Take no thought for I say to you, Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor yet for your body, what you shall drink; nor yet for your body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Matthew 6:25 body than raiment? Matthew 6:25

3. 3. Birds don’t barter or Birds don’t barter or balk when God calls or balk when God calls or

commands commands RavensRavens go against their instincts when go against their instincts when

they do not eat what they normally eat they do not eat what they normally eat LionLion kills the young foolish prophet but kills the young foolish prophet but

sits by the body and doesn’t eat his sits by the body and doesn’t eat his donkey (I Kings 13:24)donkey (I Kings 13:24)

The The whalewhale swallows Jonah and never swallows Jonah and never tells God he “can’t stomach preachers”tells God he “can’t stomach preachers”

Gods animate Kingdom has no problems Gods animate Kingdom has no problems doing what God commands them to do.doing what God commands them to do.

Even prophets may run Even prophets may run away away

And he came to a cave and lodged And he came to a cave and lodged there; and the word of the came to him there; and the word of the came to him saying “saying “What are you doing hereWhat are you doing here Elijah?” Elijah?”

(I Kings 19:(I Kings 19: Or sometimes hide in ships headed in Or sometimes hide in ships headed in

the exactly wrong direction (Jonah 1:3)the exactly wrong direction (Jonah 1:3)

4. 4. Birds have small brains but Birds have small brains but they can do what you can’t dothey can do what you can’t do..

They can fly thousands of miles They can fly thousands of miles without a map and make it.without a map and make it.

They carry enough fuel for the They carry enough fuel for the unseen journey without a calculatorunseen journey without a calculator

They can’t stop for bathroom breaks They can’t stop for bathroom breaks on over-ocean voyages or ask on over-ocean voyages or ask directionsdirections

ELIJAH was ELIJAH was a man set a man set apartapart

He comes out of Gilead non-entity to He comes out of Gilead non-entity to shake and challenge a Kingdomshake and challenge a Kingdom

At his word the weather changes on At his word the weather changes on command and brings a nation to its command and brings a nation to its kneesknees

Elijah Elijah set his heart on being someone set his heart on being someone specialspecial to God and to God and so he wasso he was

I am no better than my fathersI am no better than my fathers” tells you ” tells you something of his secret ambitionsomething of his secret ambition

It is no secret that God’s call It is no secret that God’s call --

makes a man or woman special makes a man or woman special but it is rarely known what sets apart but it is rarely known what sets apart

such world-changers from the rest such world-changers from the rest ““In a great house are many vessels .. In a great house are many vessels ..

some to honor and some to dishonor…some to honor and some to dishonor… If a If a man purge himself from theseman purge himself from these, he , he

shall be a vessel of honor.” (2 Tim 2:20)shall be a vessel of honor.” (2 Tim 2:20)

Three Kinds of Provision:Three Kinds of Provision: The The Ravens and the BrookRavens and the Brook - -

SupernaturalSupernatural (I Kings 17:1-6) God (I Kings 17:1-6) God can provide in can provide in unexpected waysunexpected ways

The The Widow and her SonWidow and her Son – – ServantsServants (I Kings 17:7-16) God may (I Kings 17:7-16) God may

provide in provide in embarrassing situationsembarrassing situations The The Sparrows and the FlowersSparrows and the Flowers – – SimplicitySimplicity (Matthew 6:24-34 God (Matthew 6:24-34 God

pledges His provision if we have pledges His provision if we have undivided heartsundivided hearts

What can we learn of What can we learn of God’s patterns of God’s patterns of

provision from these provision from these stories?stories?

1. Prayer sometimes 1. Prayer sometimes brings brings on the problemon the problem that requires that requires

the Divine provision.the Divine provision.

Saints are not exempt from Saints are not exempt from sharing in some of the sufferingsharing in some of the suffering

““God had one Son without sin, God had one Son without sin, but never a son without affliction. but never a son without affliction. Let us not ask to be the first” Let us not ask to be the first” (Spurgeon)(Spurgeon)

2. God reserves the right to 2. God reserves the right to send you to unlikely places send you to unlikely places

to provide for youto provide for you

Why not Jordan the river? Why Why not Jordan the river? Why Cherith (Cherith (droughtdrought) the brook?) the brook?

3. Provision is only promised 3. Provision is only promised if you go where God calls if you go where God calls

and do what God saysand do what God says

God never guarantees supply when God never guarantees supply when you are not where He sent youyou are not where He sent you..

And the word of the LORD came to him, And the word of the LORD came to him, saying, You saying, You get out of hereget out of here, and turn , and turn eastward, and eastward, and hide yourselfhide yourself by the by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

And it shall be, that you shall drink of And it shall be, that you shall drink of the brook; and the brook; and I have commanded the I have commanded the ravens to feed you thereravens to feed you there. I Kings 17:2-4 . I Kings 17:2-4

4. Provision can come from 4. Provision can come from unclean sources yet unclean sources yet

unchanged by Providence unchanged by Providence

A miracle constantly repeated A miracle constantly repeated

ceases to be a miracle, and falls into ceases to be a miracle, and falls into ordinary law.ordinary law.

““God challenges the modes in which God challenges the modes in which he sends our supplies, so we may see he sends our supplies, so we may see more clearly His hand in them all”more clearly His hand in them all”

(Spurgeon)(Spurgeon)

5. Provision can even be 5. Provision can even be from the poor worse off from the poor worse off

than yourselfthan yourself

Ravens were hungry tooRavens were hungry too Birds ate what was left over from othersBirds ate what was left over from others

The widow and her son likewise starving:The widow and her son likewise starving:

And she said, As the LORD thy God lives, I And she said, As the LORD thy God lives, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I [am] gathering two sticks, that I behold, I [am] gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and diethat we may eat it, and die. (I Kings . (I Kings 17:12) 17:12)

6. 6. Provision is never Provision is never promised “weekly” or promised “weekly” or

“monthly”“monthly” but only but only dailydaily..

Give us Give us this daythis day our our dailydaily bread bread - -

means constant and continual trust means constant and continual trust But seek first the kingdom of God, and His But seek first the kingdom of God, and His

righteousness; and all these righteousness; and all these thingsthings shall be added shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33) to you. (Matthew 6:33)

It never gets any easier even if you get wiser It never gets any easier even if you get wiser and better. and better.

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, oven, shall he not much more clothe youshall he not much more clothe you, O you , O you of little faith? (Matthew 6:30) of little faith? (Matthew 6:30)

7. 7. Provision is Provision is notnot promised promised for for moremore than enough than enough

but but alwaysalways enough enough

We are not promised windfalls We are not promised windfalls nor reduced to hand-outs nor reduced to hand-outs but always faithful sufficiencybut always faithful sufficiency As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as

poor, yet making many rich; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing having nothing, and yet possessing all thingsall things. .

II Corinthians 6:10 II Corinthians 6:10