When circumstances are desperate
A bus carrying only ugly people crashes into an oncoming truck and everyone inside dies. When they get to meet their Maker, because of the grief they have experienced, He decides to grant them one wish each before they enter Heaven.
They’re all lined up, and God asks the first one what she wish is. "I want to be gorgeous." So God snaps His fingers, and it is done. The second one in line hears this and says, "I want to be gorgeous too." Another snap of His fingers and the wish is granted.
This goes on for a while with each one asking to be gorgeous but when God is halfway down the line, the last guy in the line starts laughing. When there are only ten people left, this guy is rolling on the floor, laughing his head off.
Finally, God reaches this last guy and asks him what his wish will be. The guy eventually calms down and says: "Make ’em all ugly again."
So, the next time you are last in line...smile!
I am betting that the woman in our Bible story today felt like she was the last in line, feeling quite desperate, feeling quite left out. Let’s read today’s text...
The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the LORD . But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves."
2 Elisha replied to her, "How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?"
"Your servant has nothing there at all," she said, "except a little oil."
3 Elisha said, "Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. 4 Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side."
5 She left him and afterward shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 6 When all the jars were full, she said to her son, "Bring me another one."
But he replied, "There is not a jar left." Then the oil stopped flowing.
7 She went and told the man of God, and he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left."
2 Kings 4:1-7 (NIV)
Love this story!
Problem: Scarcity… There is a lack here!
Of what? Cash flow! Creditor is coming to make slaves out of widow’s two boys. Her only hope of cash-flow in a society with no welfare system such as ours. Operating from deficit became what’s real in her life.
Circumstances are desperate!
It is also the way we see things...
Canada’s Olympics – what is the focus – deficit – how few medals we have, just three after a week, how weak we are.
Health care problems in Canada - looks like no national pharmacare, why? - scarce resources
Most of us are there, been there, done that, feel scarcity of resources!
Problem of world: scarcity…
Bigger problem: At the core, we are deeply committed to meeting our own needs -.i.e. self-centred!
Biggest problem/crisis for humanity is unbelief –wrong beliefs about life.
Budget item discussion: how much will it cost? (lack) show me the money!!!
Workplace problems: work on your weakness (lack), lack of good paying job, lack of incentives, lack of benefits…
Olympic basketball: US team shambles work on poor shooting (lack) but what if they work on strengths
One guy traces the scarcity mentality back to Genesis when Pharaoh confronted with news of famine, started hoarding…
That’s the way it has been in our world, we believe in scarcity… we believe that we lack!
One day I was reading Scripture, these verses came on like neon lights to me in Neh. 9…
17"They refused to listen and did not remember the miracles you had done for them. Instead, they rebelled and appointed a leader to take them back to their slavery in Egypt! But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and full of unfailing love and mercy. You did not abandon them, 18even though they made an idol shaped like a calf and said, `This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!’ They sinned and committed terrible blasphemies. 19But in your great mercy you did not abandon them to die in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud still led them forward by day, and the pillar of fire showed them the way through the night. 20You sent your good Spirit to instruct them, and you did not stop giving them bread from heaven or water for their thirst. 21For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness. THEY LACKED NOTHING in all that time. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell! Neh.9:17-21 (NLT)
Read v.21 again... they lacked nothing! We have a God that deals with us in abundance!!! What we have is a crisis of belief, of faith… trusting in ourselves to provide, hoarding mentality, believe lie of world – look out for no.1 cuz no one cares for u! No wonder our world is in trouble. According to experts, there is enuff food to feed the world, no one has to be hungry…. But human politics and the hunger for power, the hoarding mentality, dies hard, it invades and stifles and kills and destruction lies in its ever devouring path.
Sad thing is that if you continue to read Neh.9:36-37 (NLT) 36"So now today we are slaves here in the land of plenty that you gave to our ancestors! We are slaves among all this abundance! 37The lush produce of this land piles up in the hands of the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They have power over us and our cattle. We serve them at their pleasure, and we are in great misery.
"We are slaves among all this abundance…" what a statement! I wonder - are we slaves as well among the abudance???
1. God has met our physical needs.
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? (Challenging ain’t it?)
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ’What shall we eat?’ or ’What shall we drink?’ or ’What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matt.6:19-33 (NIV)
See how Jesus tells us that even our needs for tomorrow will be met by God (V.34), so no use worrying about whether God will meet the need. He will… trust Him. But what is left to be done… get God into your life first! Respond to the abundance of God. Respond to the Kingdom vision – that God is building His church, He wants people near Him, to stop trusting in this world, the lies, the scarcity and the need to hoard, instead go to God, storing up treasure in heaven… not store up earthly treasure that rust time, fire, natural disasters can take away!
Good thing widow did in our story in her need came to believe on the God of abundance– she leaned on God. Cried out to spokesman of God.
God provided – how? By multiplying what the widow has in her possession – a little oil.
Widow’s faith and obedience showed – got all the jars she could lay her hands on… oil kept flowing until there were no more empty jars. Got her sons involved too. Be a big mess if oil kept flowing… God is good!
Her debts were paid off – abundance of oil!
See how even Paul teaches that reality: “4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus…And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Phil.4:4-7,19
Remember God provides, He will provide in the future for you. You need now to overcome your belief in scarcity… not follow any longer pattern of this world but be transformed, renew your mind, then you be able to test and approve what God’s will is… which is from the beginning to bless… yes BLESS the world
2. God has met our need for security.
Feeling insecure, unsafe? Is there any guarantee better than this?
Romans 8 teaches us that…
1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering…
34Who then will condemn us? Will Christ Jesus? No, for he is the one who died for us and was raised to life for us and is sitting at the place of highest honor next to God, pleading for us.
35Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death?… 38And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. 39Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God in Christ has met our need for love, for a true home, security! Abundance of God’s forgiveness, His love… Abundance of God in providing for a secure destiny, loving no more condemnation, no more finger pointing. God is not lacking in love! Need Romans 8 Christians today?
Psalm 103 celebrates that…
He has not punished us for all our sins,
nor does he deal with us as we deserve.
11
For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
12
He has removed our rebellious acts
as far away from us as the east is from the west.
3. God has met our need for purpose.
10For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
Eph 2:10 (NLT)
We were designed for great things. It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for.
Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
- From the Apostle Paul writing in Ephesians 1:4-12 (The Message)
Do u remember a name forever etched in memories of Israel. who was he? Abraham … If u could interview Abram, he’d probably say Just a guy that struggled to come to grips that God is a God of abundance! Think about it - his life was an elaborate lesson of God providing abundance for a nobody like him. See Gen.12:1-3
1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.
2 "I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you."
Does this say scarcity? Or is it a legacy of blessing? Is it a story that says Abram will be lacking? Purpose of Abram he will bless all peoples on earth! WOW!
Larry Crabb once said: “Christians never operate from a deficit but rather from fullness”
To the degree any Christian believes and applies these verses, he or she is freed from self-centeredness.
Flies in the face of this world’s thinking – pressure-cooker life – living for money, pleasure or fame. Trying to prove we are not worthless, trying to regain heaven at the altar of our own self-sacrifice, trying hard to gain God’s eye… believing in scarcity.
God is God of abundance. Jesus said…
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10
37On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." 39By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. John 7:37-39
To a church like this church of Corinth with lots of people problems – immoral sex, marriage issues, believers bringing lawsuits against one another, fighting about who gets God’s nod of approval when it comes to spiritual gifts, bad attitudes during the Lord’s Supper service, terrible criticisms of Apostle Paul’s preaching even calling him an impostor inferior to the super apostles, bad giving habits, not sharing, bickering about worship styles, stumbling over what’s kosher to eat, mean-spirited, withholding love for Paul,… 1Cor.1:4-9 (NIV)
I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5For in him you have been enriched in every way--in all your speaking and in all your knowledge-- 6because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. 7THEREFORE YOU DO NOT LACK any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will KEEP YOU STRONG to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
SEE - God provides - there is no lack, He keeps, He is faithful!!! Their problem is this - acting out of deficit – Living in world that believes in scarcity – so they acted in accordance to their beliefs and hoard. Self-centred survival mode! Looking out for no.1.
YET the BIBLE says
•“…Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.” Eph. 1:13 (NIV)
•“…he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Phil.1:6 (NIV)
But if you live in Christ – “for me to live is Christ, to die is gain” “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” “The LORD is my shepherd, I should not want!”…
Then, you are well on the way to a life of true fulfillment, where needs are already met in Christ.
Abundance! Abundance!
5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. Jas.1
Feeling unstable? Come back to faith in a God of abundance, who let the wine flow at a wedding party in Cana. Acronym ASK - Ask, seek and knock!
Christ – God’s abundantly forgives… where sin abound, grace abounds even more!
Christ - we are given co-heirs with Christ status (Rom 8:17)
Read Matt.19:28-30. Rich young man – trusted in personal net worth- riches. Disciples too operate from deficit “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?" (v.27)
Business, family, marriage, relationships, school, volunteering at church, church growth – if operate from deficit, lacking- if operate from fullness what will be result? Can u imagine?
The Bible says:
8See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
9For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. - Colossians 2
You have been given fullness in Christ, you have been given fullness in Christ, you have been given fullness in Christ - say it with me… is that too hard for you to believe and apply?
God’s view of church is for full employment at church. No one is a welfare case, no one gets to sit on the bench, all of us are players, every at bat counts, no one gets left out, no one gets kicked out, everyone is a minister, because each one is given fullness, they are meant to serve from the abundance that God pours into each life, live on what God left you from the overflow… truth is do we really believe?
You were built for greatness, do u believe? You were made to be a blessing, do you bless and give. Or do you keep, hoard, responding with unbelief in a God of abudnance who will supply you provide for you according to His riches in glory, who made you to rule over creation, whose purpose for you as God’s masterpiece to do good things He planned for you… You are the resource that is scarce when u hold back!
Let me share with you another things I learn from 2 Kings 4 is that God will use what you have. Look at the little oil and the number of jars provided, but look how God filled them, with what little the widow has.
You may look at this church, lack of a big budget, lack of cash flow, lack of teachers for children’s work, but what if everybody starts believing, exercise their faith, their little gifts, give the little they have, will we not see how God multiplies like 5 loaves and 2 fish, see that the oil won’t stop flowing?
3 Elisha said, "Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. 4 Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side."
5 She left him and afterward shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 6 When all the jars were full, she said to her son, "Bring me another one."
But he replied, "There is not a jar left." Then the oil stopped flowing.
7 She went and told the man of God, and he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left."
Final scripture to chew on - “the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.” Rev.13:8 –says God provided even before world was created… even before the problem of sin… God had an answer. What a God who provides an answer before there was a question! God still has the answer for you for me for everyone, do you believe, stake your life on it, build life around our God of abundance. Will you change your practice, your life, to revolve around abundance or retreat in world of your own creation believe in scarcity?
To a widow who dared believed and act in obedience, her scarcity became God’s opportunity for abundance to pour like a never ending oil. She can lived on what’s left over and is still plenty. God is always abundant!
One university age gal’s parents went on holiday. She was asked to come over for a dinner meal with another couple. They asked her "how are you doing" She said it was tough going saying "The magic is gone". The couple was touched by her words. But she went on to say : the laundry is not magically done, food is not magically cooked, the cleaning is not magically done, the mail is not magically picked up, the dog is not magically fed, etc.
My friends, God will provide for me, for you but it is not by magic. He will use what you have, the little oil, your trust and obedience in following Him and see what He does in multiplying your gifts and talents. Don’t worry, have faith, trust in our big God who gives in abundance in a world that believes in scarcity!
