USING
WHAT YOU HAVE
2
Kgs. 4:1-7 Elisha & the poverty stricken
widow.
Her
need: 2 children, no food,
creditors coming to take her
children
away.
Pride
did not prevent her from
asking Elisha for help.
vs.
2 "What
do you have in the house?"
One jar of oil.
What
do you have to use? Does
it seem insignificant
? Only to you.
Ex.
4:1-5 God asked Moses, "What is that in
your hand?"
With that rod, Moses parted the
Red Sea & brought water
from
a rock.
vs.
3 Borrow
empty vessels from everywhere
- Not
just a few
EXPECT
to receive + PREPARE
to receive = Have FAITH.
vs.
4 Pour what
you have
into the empty vessels.
Use
what you have, don't worry about what you lack.
It
is enough!!
After
we do what we can with what we have- God
provides what we can't
- This is called GRACE
Other
examples:
Jn.
2:1-10 Jesus turns water into wine
(From
6 pots of water, He makes wine)
Mt.
14:15-21 Jesus feeds 5000
with 5 loaves & 2 fish
(12 baskets
over)
Mt.
15:32-38 Jesus feeds 4000
with 7 loaves & a few fish
(7 baskets
over)
vs.
6 She filled
all of the vessels
God
gives abundantly
- providing what is lacking.
He
wants us to know the abundance of His love
for us.
Eph.
3:18-ff "...exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or
think..."
vs.
7 Enough oil to sell to pay the debt & to live on. Sufficient
to the need
2
Cor. 12:7-10 Paul's thorn in the flesh - God's grace is sufficient.
Sufficient
-
[arkeo]
"To ward off; hence, to aid, to assist" Also translated:
content
- "Primarily signifies to be sufficient, to be
possessed of
sufficient strength, to be
enough for a thing. To be satisfied."
Heb.
13:5
"Let
your conduct be without
covetousness, and be content
with such
things as you have. For He Himself has
said, 'I
will never leave you nor forsake
you.'
"
APPLICATION:
2
Cor. 9:6-11 If we are busy doing our part -
God will supply what we
lack
to
accomplish the work He has
given us to do.
What
are we looking to do?
Reach many
lost souls.
What
do we have to work with?
Time,
ability, money.
Is
it enough?
Time, ability, money?
God
can make all grace abound
toward you.
Lk.
6:38 (Jesus)
"Give, and it will be given to you:
good
measure, pressed down,
shaken together, and running over
will be put into your bosom. For
with the same measure that you
use, it will be measured back
to
you."
(2
Cor. 9:10)
Seed
= God's word Sow
=
We plant
Reap
= Fruit to righteousness
From
Isa.
55:10-11 What God "pleases"
- He will accomplish
Is
it God's "pleasure" for the work of the church to prosper? Then
will He not prosper
this work to accomplish
His pleasure?
If
we give of our best to the Lord (time,
ability, resources)
He will bless our efforts.
1
Cor. 3:5-7 We plant + God gives the increase
=
He
is glorified.
INVITATION
Are
we too
sinful for God to forgive?
Are we too unworthy
for His grace?
1
Tim. 1:12-17 Paul - chief of sinners -
Exceedingly abundant grace -
An
example of God's patience -
The
pattern of our hope.