Feeling the financial squeeze and wondering how it’s all going to work out? In this episode, discover how God’s character as Provider doesn’t change, even when your numbers don’t add up, and every spreadsheet says, “This won’t work.” Have you ever sat at the kitchen table with a stack of bills, a sinking feeling in your stomach, and a calculator that refuses to land on a peaceful number? The paycheck comes in and goes right back out. Groceries cost more. Rent or the mortgage feels heavier. A surprise bill shows up in the mailbox, and suddenly your chest feels tight. Maybe you’ve tried to be faithful, tithing, giving when you can, working hard, cutting back, and still, the numbers don’t make sense. You find yourself asking, “Lord, are You really going to provide for us?” In this episode, Bart shares the story of David Green, the founder of Hobby Lobby, who started his small family business in Oklahoma with a $600 loan. For a while, things grew. But then came high interest rates, slow sales, and mounting bills. The company found itself on the edge of collapse. Advisers told David to cut back on giving and do whatever it took to protect the bottom line. His family had always tithed and tried to honor God, but now the math didn’t work. In that moment, he had to answer a hard question: will we still trust God as Provider when every spreadsheet is shouting, “You can’t afford this”? Through this story and the promise of Philippians 4:19, you’ll be reminded that God’s ability to provide for you is not tied to the strength of the economy, the size of your paycheck, or the neatness of your budget. It’s rooted in who He is. Philippians 4:19 (NLT) says: “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” Paul wrote those words to believers who had been generous to him, even when they didn’t have much. He wasn’t handing them a slogan; he was anchoring them in God’s character. “This same God”, the One who had sustained Paul through prison, hunger, hardship, and uncertainty, “will supply all your needs.” That doesn’t mean God always makes the math comfortable or that if you give, you’ll suddenly get rich. It does mean that He sees what you’re facing. He knows what you truly need. And He has promised to meet those needs out of His “glorious riches” in Christ, not out of your limited resources. Bart talks about how, in the middle of intense financial pressure, David and his family chose not to pull back on generosity or abandon their convictions. Instead, they kept honoring God, caring well for employees, and trusting Him with the outcome. The turnaround wasn’t instant, but over time, sales recovered, debts were paid, and Hobby Lobby grew from a garage start-up into a nationwide chain. Looking back, David Green says the lesson isn’t “give and you’ll get rich,” but that God’s character as Provider doesn’t change when cash flow is tight. When the numbers didn’t add up, he leaned on Philippians 4:19. You may not be running a national company, but you might be staring at your own “spreadsheet” today, a bank account that feels too small, bills that feel too big, and a heart caught between fear and faith. Maybe you’re tempted to pull back on everything that feels spiritual or generous, to go into survival mode and rely only on what you can see. This episode will encourage you to bring your real numbers and your real fears to God. You’ll be reminded that trusting Him as Provider doesn’t mean ignoring wisdom or pretending money doesn’t matter. It means doing what you can, working, planning, cutting where you need to, and then placing the weight of your confidence not on your calculations, but on His character. Main Scripture: Philippians 4:19 (NLT) – “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which...
