My post yesterday talked about a pastor who was asking his followers to support him in buying a $65M jest. On my Facebook feed, there was a great discussion on giving, and differentiating between our wants and needs.
I want to go back to that point this morning because I believe God is calling us to change our way of thinking about resources. I think God wants us to think bigger, believe for more, and not get caught up on the question: How are you going to pay for that?
There were 5000 hungry people, spiritually and physically hungry people. Jesus saw them, had compassion upon them, and then had a vision for them. He shared the vision with the disciples. “Give them something to eat.” The disciples response is the same response we struggle with today: “Jesus, how are we going to pay for that?”
Are we limiting what God wants to do in us and through us by what our bank account says? By our education level? By our perceived lack? Are we failing to see the bigger picture because our minds can’t perceive it. Is our asking, thinking, and imagining limited by societal norms, religious thinking, a poverty mindset? Are we limiting Jesus’ vision for our lives because we are underestimating His ability to feed 5000 and still have more leftover?
Friends, I am not asking you to believe for a $65M jet. I am asking you to stretch your faith and believe for the impossible, the extravagant, the more than enough, God has put in front of you to believe today.
My very dear friend commented yesterday, that people were making fun of these pastors. But I wonder if the disciples looked at Jesus sideways when he suggested feeding 5000 people with so little. I’m sure if Jesus had tweeted, “We are about to feed 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish”, it would have gone viral with criticism. People of great faith must be willing to stand alone, to be mocked, to be ridiculed (Jesus is our example). You will never believe for anything big if you are concerned with or listen to the voice of your naysayers.
So here is our lesson for today: where God gives vision, He also gives provision. He is an abundant God who is able to exceed all we can ask, think, or imagine. Therefore, ask, think, and imagine BIG!
When Jesus said, “Give them something to eat.” Everyone was fed and satisfied and there were leftovers. What is Jesus calling you to do? Let it be unto you according to your faith.
“But He answered them, “You give them something to eat!” And they said to Him, “Shall we go and spend two hundred denarii on bread and give them something to eat?”
They all ate and were satisfied,”
Mark 6:37, 42 NASB