“And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Mat. 21:22
After two months of being led out of the bondage in Egypt, the people of Israel complained (Exodus 16:2) 
about not having the food they liked. They ignored the fact that they had been mistreated in slavery, God had delivered them from their bondage, and that they daily could see God’s leadership and provision as they traveled through the wilderness. God, however, heard their complaints and met their needs.
God rained “bread” from heaven every morning for the people. The sweet, small bread was also called “the corn of heaven” and angel’s food (Psalms 78:24-25). Six days a week the manna rained down, just enough for every man, woman, and child to eat. Each family gathered what they could eat; about one omer (3.6 liters). After the sun burned hot, there was no manna left. The manna melted. They had just enough for that day!
If the people did not trust that God would provide the “bread” the next day, and tried to hoard it, it would stink and turn to worms. They had no choice but to trust that God would provide their daily needs. To compound God’s miracle of provision, on the day before the Sabbath, when they were not to work, God rained down a two-day’s supply of manna. The bread gathered that day would last two days. God gave them just enough food every day for the next 40 years, until they ate corn in the land (Joshua 5:12) that God had led them to.
All through the Bible there are examples of God’s meeting the needs of His own. Jacob had a son, Joseph, in the right position to provide his family food during a drought. God provided just enough food to meet all Israel’s needs when they were in the wilderness. The widow’s miraculously-refilling barrel of meal and the cruse of oil were just enough to meet Elijah’s and the widow’s needs. Jesus told the disciples to reach the world with the Gospel and not carry anything extra. In all cases, God provided just enough. They were not to have extra, because they were to trust in God, and see what He would do for them on a daily basis.
Man’s distrusting nature relies too often on his own provision. There needs to be a correct balance about saving for a “rainy day” and amassing as much a one can get, because he thinks that only he can provide. We are to be wise and good stewards of what we have, but not dependent only on what we do. It is often forgotten that God wants us to trust him for everything, including our daily needs.
Most people have long forgotten, or never given any thought or trust, that it is God that is the one that ultimately provides all we have. It is not a government’s foodstamps, or its welfare that we should be relying on. It is not our big barns of storage, as the “fool” in Luke 12:16-21, trusted in. It would not take much for a government to collapse, especially these days, or “barns” of investments or savings accounts to fail; and then where would those people be, that are relying on them.
My wife and I have learned a long time ago that God will meet our daily needs. We saved what we could, sometimes only ten dollars a week, and have been frugal with our purchases, but still tithed (gave to the Lord through the local church). We soon learned that God honored his promises and did provide our “daily bread” (Mat. 6:11). We have always had enough to pay our bills. When in desperate need of housing, God allowed us to have just enough money from an insurance claim to fix-up an old house. When our house was in desperate need of paint, the paint I found was just enough to cover the job and just “happened” to be the right color. Without planning, I purchased seeds for the garden, and they were just enough to cover the available space. Repair jobs around the house are often met by having just enough materials laying around the house. Food prepared happens to be just enough to meet the needs of all the unexpected guests that dropped in for dinner. Clothes given to us, just happened to be exactly our sizes. On and on, I could go of 30+ years of God’s precise provision. Sometimes we had a little extra, only to find, in a couple of days that it would be just enough to replace a damaged tire or meet the needs of another emergency. After thousands of examples of just having enough, we quickly learned it was not coincidence, but God’s provision.
If we had had a surplus, we may not have been reliant and appreciative of God’s provision. If we had had everything we wanted, we may have been like the wealthy man I visited one time. After I told him the Bible’s plan of salvation, he looked me in the face and said, “Look around. Do you see all I have?” He did have a large mansion, cars, and other splendid things. “Does it look like I need God?” He needed to know that it was God that had provided, not himself. Without God’s help he may not have the health, or the intellect, to have earned that money. People like that who have such self-trust often have to, and do, lose all they have to find out Who really is in control.
Today’s world has become more dependent on their own devices or government aid; including Christians! Unfortunately, those provisions frequently let those, that trust them, down. The ways of man are not trustworthy, nor always reliable. God, however will never let his own down that trust in Him. Rely on God to provide. He may give you just enough, but it will be He that you can reliably trust in. You will then see what the mighty hand of God will do in your life.
“And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.” I John 3:22
“When you’re down to nothing, God may be up to something.
I read this devotion today on the porch before I went to go cut our grass. I got down to the last strip of grass and when I got to the end the lawnmower ran out of gas But !!!! It was just Enough!!! I stand in awe of my Lord today He just showed me that He is Enough Praise His Holy Name this was Amazing today what He Has Done !! ????????
I enjoy and learn a lot from your writings Bro. Brinkworth. I’ve shared with others how inspiring and helpful your devotions are. Thank you for continuing to do this! I may not comment each time I read your devotions but God always speaks to me through them. I too have many examples of how God provided and continues to provide for my family. Each time it seems God puts something a little “bigger” on our laps and I wonder how we will manage but each time He did provide just what was needed and we never lapsed on our “bills” and we never missed a meal. We can sleep at night knowing God will take good care of us! “When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.” Proverbs 3:24
Amen!
So nice to read this and the comments again. Encouraging way to start my day
Hmm there might be a song in this called Just Enough smiles . Yes God does provide hence a little story .. When I first moved here it was hard as I had added bills to pay renting this place since it is in town and like every so often they up the water bill and so on . Well one year [ actually the first year or so ] things were so hard but God taught me there is food .. I ate leaves off some trees fig leaves , grape leaves , walnut tree leaves , mulberry tree leaves etc. , ate salads that I found wild like dandelion , mustard [ no I didn’t know that was what it was just looked like a salad to me ] and another kind again didn’t even know if was safe ha and I even ate some tomato leaves and found out that is not safe wow but guess what God didn’t let me get sick from it hmm what a sweetie pie … I ate wild garlic or chives , onions and so on so does God provide ? oh yes ! Do I store food yes but most I had stored was canned fruit too much sweets in fact I gave a former neighbor like 60 jars of it as I am not big on sweets but hate things go to waste so canned . I still can but more of pickling veggies and such as well as freezing but ah if power goes off all a loss , [ has happened to me during a hurricane in the past ] that’s ok what is all goes down to is yes God provides .. yet what about all those people who are starving , kids and such one sees in the news doesn’t God provide for them ?
I truly enjoyed this devotion. I am always trying to figure a way to provide for my family, pay bills, save for a purchase, and even worry if something was to break how I would be able to fix it. God will always provide for our needs. Thank you for your faithfulness, truly enjoy these devotions.
Me too, Robb. I am always trying to earn something just in case…. I’ve got put that foolishness on the altar too often……
One of the best devotions thus far!
I really appreciate your encouragement. I have done this ministry for 25+ years and have heard more positive feedback from you, David, and Star in the last month than I have heard in all those previous years. It really means a lot. With all that I am facing at this end with Barbara’s health every day writing is getting harder and harder, but your positiveness constantly reminds me that there are still some out there that want to hear God’s Word and how it applies to our lives. Thank you so much. It means a lot.
Bro Brinkworth,
What you hear back is the tip of the iceberg. I know my wife follows this devotion every day, but never comments. I have also passed it along to about a dozen others on my end, not sure if they read it, but if they did, it wouldn’t surprise me if they never commented.
Funny thing, early this morning I had this great comment to post. You know I am always joking about the math problem…. I was doing this one correctly.. 19+4=23… and still could not post. I finally gave up. Some glitch I guess.
I look forward to this each day. I like the low volume and regularity of you, Bro Doug, and Star… Thanks again for taking the time to do this.
Brother, you should line yourself up some guest contributors so that you can have a break when you need it. You can vet every word before you post it. I think Bro Doug is a fine candidate.
I’ll give it a few days for the spammers to forget me, and i’ll remove the “Captcha” math routine for awhile…..
I have been trying for 20+ years to get others to write, even preachers I know, but I don’t get any interest, and if they write something I only get one article. Writing is harder than many people think. I looks like the words just fall on the paper but they do not. The average time for my articles is about five hours, not including proofing rewrites. some of the larger articles have taken weeks.
That Captcha business is not bothering me…I just enjoy teasing about it.
I know what you are talking about. I write only quarterly for a publication our church produces and I find it rolls around really quick. I can only imagine coming up with something from the throne daily.
You are annointed for the work. God will provide.
I’ve set the Captcha up to give you a calculus problem the next time you comment. :>) Just kiddin’.
Bro. Bill, your devotions encourage us each morning! So the least we can do is encourage you and pray for you and your wife! I know God is going to bless your ministry as long as He sees fit!