Story about Chuck and stowing ships. “Use what you’ve got.”
But when what you’ve got isn’t enough to get it done, that answer is a little frustrating.
How God Provides Increase
“What is in your hand?”
Exodus 4:2
Moses – Rod
What’s the Problem? – They might not believe or listen to Moses
Solution? Rod, Leprous hand, water becomes blood
Exodus 17:8-13
Moses raised arms with rod in hand
What is the problem? Joshua needs to defeat Amalekites
Solution? Joshua leads battle while Moses goes up the hill overlooking the battle with the rod of God in his hand.
Joshua 8
Taking of Ai – Spear
What’s the Problem? Tried to take Ai without seeking God first. Got their butts kicked. 36 men died.
Solution? Follow God’s plan. Use the spear in your hand as a signal to trigger the ambush.
1 Kings 17:8
Elijah and the Widow
What’s the Problem? About to starve.
Solution? Feed Elijah first, then the food multiplied.
Food transferred to Kingdom of God. Then different rules applied.
Romans 11:16 – For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
With our money – Malachi 3:10-11
Mark 6:30-44
Feeding the 5,000 (5 loaves and 2 fish)
What’s the Problem? 5,000 hungry people with no McDonald’s nearby
Solution? Take what they had, 5 loaves and 2 fish, and move it into the Kingdom so it will feed the people.
Denarius worth about a day’s wage. 200 denarii worth over 6 month’s wages.
We have a God of abundance. 12 baskets left over.
Mark 8:1-8
Feeding 4,000 with 7 loaves
Same Problem – Hungry Crowd out in the wilderness.
Same solution – take the 7 loaves and “few small fish” and move it into the Kingdom so it will feed the people.
2 Kings 4
Elisha and the Widow’s Oil
Problem? Widow of one of Elisha’s profits is in debt and the collectors are coming to enslave her sons.
Solution? Take what she has and multiply it.
Oil flows as long as there are jars to pour it into.
Oil needs to be sold in the marketplace to get money to pay bills and live on.
Money is fungible —> able to replace or be replaced by another identical item; mutually interchangeable.
Deuteronomy 28:8
The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
When you set your hand to something, or put it in your storehouse you are changing it to the Kingdom of God from the world’s jurisdiction. (Luke 4:6)
What you have is already blessed!
Matthew 13:11-12 (Explaining why parables)
He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
Also parable of the Talents —> Matthew 25:29, Mark 4:25,
Apply Faith
Faith is how we humans move anything forward regardless of we follow Jesus or not.
Wrong idea of faith as some mystical force that only special true spiritual devotees can tap into. Jedi knights?
Sit around pray, hoping God gives them more faith or unlocks some secret spiritual door. They hope whatever they long for will suddenly drop in their lap because their new found faith conjured it up.
Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is…”
James 2:18
But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
Faith is an action word.
Faith = Beliefs + Actions + Confidence.
Faith is a doing word. Without action we don’t have faith, just belief.
Not in the equation —> Results. Why?
Most people want to see some results before they’ll take any action. Doesn’t work.
How do we change so that we are acting in faith? Change our focus onto what is true!
Ask God to show you what you already have that he wants to use to bring you increase.
Ask him to show you how he wants to increase it.
- Moses – throw rod down, pick it up
- Moses – raise rod above the battle
- Joshua – point with his spear
- Widow – feed Elijah first
- Disciples had to give Jesus the bread and the fish
- Elisha told the widow to pour the oil into other containers
Common thread? Obedience
What is in your hand?
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