God is Our Provider

INTRODUCTION

• Exodus 16 - God reveals Himself as a provider.
• Israelites in Chapter 16 were slaves, displaced people, out of their land for 400 years, and 200 years as slaves.
• God’s trying to free them, not just physically but emotionally and spiritually.
• God was resetting their thinking.
• Exodus 16:4-5, “…Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you…gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them…On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.”

I. TESTED FOR THE BASICS

• What is God testing for? Fear vs. Faith
• That was the beginning point of touching and changing these people.
• Will God take care of me?
• How we measure things in life reveals how we feel about them and what we value.
• Vs. 13 - “What is it” = manna in Hebrew
• Vs. 14-19 - What it was, was God’s provision for them?

II. FLUNKING THE TEST

• Vs. 19-21 - “They did not listen…”
• We are not necessarily hard headed and hard hearted,
• More often it is “I don’t think it will work.”
• It is like that with provision – “I need more.”
• What does it do? Breeds worms, rots us

III. LIVING IN RIGHT RELATIONSHIPS

• Depend on Me - God
• Work with others.
• Vs. 22-30 Sabbath rest = trust God
• Measure your time - week
• Learn His structure - His way
• Trust His provision.
• Vs. 16 – Trust Him together

IV. CATCHING THE FATHER’S HEART

• At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry He taught the same things - Matthew 5-7
• How to deal with stuff and people.
• Matthew 6:25-34
• Two lessons here - daily discipline and personal accountability.

CLOSE

• This was about faith – trust
• Small groups build community!
• That commitment is the difference between a church and a crowd.
• Lamentations 3:23, “The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”