A Sermon by Pastor Aaron Chapman – Alive Church, May 26, 2024
Amongst the many names of God, one of them particularly either brings great comfort and reassurance, or brings about questions and uncertainty. That name is Jehovah Jireh, our Provider.
What Does It Mean to Call God Our Provider?
Referring to God as our Provider can make some people uneasy. Maybe they’ve never really noticed His provision, maybe they struggle to rely on others for help, or maybe they just chalk everything up to luck and hard work. For others, it might feel natural to call Him Jehovah Jireh, but many—both believers and non-believers—hesitate to use that name. And sometimes, people will even say He’s their Provider, but their lives don’t actually reflect that trust.
The phrase joins the Hebrew name of God, YHWH (often anglicized as Jehovah), with the Hebrew word yir’eh (or yireh), which means “to see” or “to provide.” Together, we get Jehovah Jireh. “The LORD will provide” or “The LORD our provider.”
Jehovah Jireh is one of the many names of God, first appearing in Genesis when God provided a ram for Abraham to sacrifice in place of his son. What began as a test ended in a blessing. That ram not only spared Isaac’s life but also revealed Abraham’s complete trust in God. He chose faith over doubt, worry, overthinking, and insecurity. He believed in God and didn’t let what he could see in the physical world shake his trust in Him.
Genesis 22:14 (NKJV):
14 And Abraham called the name of the place The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
God’s Provision Then and Now
God surprised Abraham with a ram in the bush, signaling that even when all hope seems lost that God will come through and provide a way out. God provided the ram to save Isaac and by doing so allowed Abraham’s lineage to grow exponentially and fulfill the promises He made to him.
Pastor Aaron explains that we won’t lack anything because God gives us everything we truly need. He points to Matthew 6:31–33 as a key scripture, showing how Jesus—being God—is our Jehovah Jireh.
Mathew 6:31-33 (NKJV)
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
When we try to do life our own way without God, it’s like putting together Ikea furniture without the manual. The manual was written by the designer—the one who knew exactly how many bolts were needed, where each screw should go, and what every piece was meant for. He had the finished product in mind, not just for us but for others who would benefit from it too. His instructions were given with intetion: to bring peace, stability, and purpose . But so often we ignore His instructions. Or we get halfway through and give up, thinking we can finish faster based on our own understanding. That was never the Creator’s intention. Instead, we’re called to surrender control, read His Word carefully, and follow it faithfully so the end result reflects His will for us.
Now as good as this sounds, translating this into real life isn’t easy. Especially for those of us who grew up always taking care of others—it wires us to believe we have to stay in control no matter what. We pick up the reins, we never let ourselves relax, because somewhere deep down we think, “If I let go, that’s when the bad stuff happens.” And then, when life does hit hard, we convince ourselves it’s our fault for letting our guard down. If we can’t even trust the things we think we have control over, then how on earth are we supposed to trust God with the rest?
Aligning Your Heart with His Purpose
If we want to truly trust God, we start by believing in what Jesus did for us. His sacrifice was immense, and understanding its full depth shows us how much He saved us from ourselves—our lives redeemed, our future paid for.
Psalm 23:5 (NKJV):
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
Pastor Aaron pointed out that our enemies can’t stop God’s provision. He still sets the table, gives us a seat, and makes sure that—even in front of those who would love to see us stumble—we don’t have to be shaken. To be anointed means we’re set apart, chosen, and empowered by God Himself. And when our cup runs over, it’s not just with oil—it’s overflowing with His goodness, His faithfulness, His provision, His peace, and His joy. It’s everything our souls could ever need, all wrapped up in Him.
Proverbs 10:22 (NKJV):
The blessing of the Lord makes one rich,
And He adds no sorrow with it.
Because of this, we can trust that whatever His will is for us is, it will enrich us in spirit. It will be visible to those around us, and it won’t weigh us down with sorrow. We could have only a dollar to our name and still overflow with joy. Why? Because our cup runs over with the anointing He’s placed on us. Simply being alive, given another day to advance His kingdom, to touch lives, to grow more into the likeness of Christ—that is true wealth. That’s the treasure we carry into eternity. We won’t take bank statements to Heaven, but we will take joy.
By changing our focus from what we lack in the world to what we are gaining in the Spirit, it can ultimately lead us to still waters and greener pastures. By simply being content with what we have and not killing ourselves mentally, physically or financially to get to a place that is not even promised, we can then focus on our hearts on being aligned with God.
1 Samuel 16:7 (NKJV):
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
People will always size you up by what they can see—your clothes, your car, your house, your job title, your relationship status, even what church you go to. But the truth is, none of that follows us into heaven. God doesn’t look at those things; He looks straight at the heart. He’s searching for peace there, for forgiveness, for joy, for kindness. These you can have in abundance—against such there is no law.
But some things can only come from God after we surrender to Him. Surrender means letting go of our own desires, feelings, and thoughts, and instead asking, “What does God want from me?” When we step outside His will, life becomes harder, and we begin to feel the consequences of our disobedience. Sorrow creeps in, anger or envy may rise, and we start idolizing worldly things. We bargain, cling to what’s familiar, and settle for the comfortable—even when it’s harmful—because letting go feels like being lost.
But He is never far from us.
It is us—leaning on our own understanding—who stray from Him.
Let’s start by putting God first. When we make decisions, let Him guide us—not family, friends, Reddit posts or AI. Surround yourself with fellow believers who can offer wise counsel, rather than relying on therapists or friends who don’t share your faith.
Let’s start by seeking Him first in your finances. One of the biggest challenges for both believers and non-believers alike is tithing. There are lots of misconceptions about what tithing really means, why we should do it, and what exactly we should give. Malachi 3:9-10 gives us a clear example of why tithing matters.
What it Means to Tithe:
Malachi 3:9-10 (NKJV):
Do Not Rob God
8 “Will a man rob God?
Yet you have robbed Me!
But you say,
‘In what way have we robbed You?’
In tithes and offerings.
9 You are cursed with a curse,
For you have robbed Me,
Even this whole nation.
10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.
To not tithe is to rob God. In biblical times, the storehouse was the temple where people brought their tithes—grain, produce, and livestock—to support the priests and Levites who served God and ministered to the community. That location for us cannot be in our own household (our storefront) as God would rather us give than to hoard. It mentions food in Malachhi but these were resources that were heavily regarded and important as times of famine was a worry for them and so they would store the food in order to make it through winter, or periods of famine.
Today, our most valuable resource isn’t food—since most of us aren’t out in the fields planting or harvesting—it’s our income. We work to provide for ourselves and to prepare for hard times like layoffs, pandemics, or unexpected struggles. But when we hold on too tightly and keep it all for ourselves, we’re robbing God of what already belongs to Him. After all, He’s the one who gave us our jobs, our income, and every need we’ve ever had.
It is scary to take what we are used to saving up for ourselves, from our personal storefront, and placing that into someone else’s hands. Into a church—our modern storehouse. It required great trust from the Israelites that the people governing the storehouse wouldn’t use it for their own selfish reasons, it requires great trust from us as well.
But God tells us to try Him in this, that if we put our faith in God and tithe as we are supposed to, He will go and open up the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing so big that there will not be room enough to receive it.
That gives us real hope—it even invites us to test God and see what He’s capable of. He’s put His own Word on the line, and God does not lie. So why should we doubt Him? When we keep our eyes on Him and simply do what He’s asked of us—not worrying about what everyone else is doing—He promises to bless us abundantly.
He doesn’t tell us to worry about what others might do with our tithes and offerings. He doesn’t tell us that tithing means giving to your community or tithing your time. No—He wants us to bring our precious resources, the things we work hard to obtain each day, to the storehouse. So bring your tithe into the church. Surrender to Him and watch Him move in ways you never thought possible.
How Much Should You Tithe:
To tithe means to give a tenth. A tenth of not only your standard monthly or biweekly pay but of your increase as well. All that is financially given back to you. As it says in Genesis, it is “all that You give me.”
Genesis 28:22
22 And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”
Tithing at 10% is the minimum we should be giving back to God, but I get it—it can feel scary to suddenly take a tenth of your income (paychecks, bonuses, even holiday money) and give it away without know how it is being spent. You’re putting it into someone else’s hands, someone you may not even know personally. Yet this is the one command from God where He actually tells us to test Him. To make this transition it is important to use discernment—pay attention not just to what your pastor preaches, but to how he lives it out.
How to Start Tithing: From 0% to 10%
- Make a dedicated budget – Tithing or not, one should always have a budget and have some knowledge as to where your money is coming from and where it is going. Luke 14:28
- Start Small – Once you have a clear picture of where your money is coming from and where it’s going, it’s time to start tithing. If you’ve never tithed before, start small—maybe 2%. As you see that you have the room to give back, gradually increase it to 5%, then 8%, until you reach the 10% that God commands.
- Always Tithe First – Regardless of your monthly finances, whether it’s the holidays or you need to pay off debt. Tithe first. Commit to setting aside 2%, 5%, or 10% of your income first and into the storehouse. Whatever you have remaining is yours to use.
- Keep it Consistent and Don’t Backtrack – Once you reach 10% keep it consistently at 10%. You wouldn’t want to suddenly backtrack and take away what rightfully belongs to God. He gave you that job. He gave you that increase. Putting Him first in your finances will cover the rest. Test Him in this.
From Fear to Faith: Taking Your First Step with God
Watch Him move, and see the fear and anxiety you once carried begin to melt away, replaced by trust, faith, honor, and reverent awe toward God. Experiencing His provision and faithfulness is just the beginning—if you don’t yet know the Lord but want to start following Him and receive salvation, here’s how you can take that first step.
Start by confessing Him as Lord
Romans 10:9–10 (NKJV) reminds us:
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Confession is simply telling God that you believe in Jesus and are choosing to follow Him.
Pray from Your Heart
Here’s an example prayer you can pray:
“Lord Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins and rose again. I invite You into my heart and life as my Lord and Savior. Thank You for saving me. Amen.”
Remember, it’s not about the exact words, but about faith in your heart.
1 John 1:9 (NKJV) promises:
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Follow Him
After you pray, start growing in your new relationship with God. Read the Bible, pray daily, join a community of believers, and live out your faith. God will guide you every step of the way.
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