Trusting God's Abundance Amidst Life's Challenges
Summary
Trusting in God's provision and abundance is a central theme that resonates deeply with our daily lives. Often, we find ourselves questioning whether we've derailed God's plan for us through our mistakes or setbacks. Yet, the truth remains that God's promises and provisions are steadfast, regardless of our circumstances. This is a powerful reminder that the "deal is still on" with God, even when we feel we've messed up.
Reflecting on a personal story, I shared an experience where I felt prompted by God to help someone in need but hesitated due to fear and doubt. This moment taught me about the importance of obedience and the realization that sometimes, we entertain angels unaware. It was a lesson in repentance and the grace of second chances, which God graciously provided later on.
The story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 in John 6 illustrates God's ability to multiply our seemingly insignificant resources. Jesus asked Philip where they could buy bread to feed the crowd, not because He needed an answer, but to involve His disciples in the miracle. Philip's response reflected a mindset of predetermined failure, a common trap we fall into when we focus on our limitations rather than God's limitless power.
We often underestimate what we have, seeing it as too small or insignificant. However, God specializes in using the ordinary to achieve the extraordinary. The key is to trust Him with what we have, no matter how little it seems. This trust is not about having everything figured out but about willingness and obedience.
The act of sitting, as mentioned in the story, symbolizes a posture of rest and trust in God's provision. It echoes Psalm 23, where the Lord leads us to green pastures, emphasizing that our efforts are secondary to His guidance and provision.
Ultimately, the miracle of provision happens when we release what we have into God's hands. It's a call to stop predetermining failure, to be thankful for what we have, and to trust in God's supernatural supply. By doing so, we align ourselves with His abundant provision and open the door to His blessings.
Key Takeaways:
- Trust in God's Provision: Despite our circumstances, God's promises remain unaltered. Our mistakes do not derail His plans. Trusting in His provision means believing that the "deal is still on" even when we feel we've messed up. [00:44]
- Obedience and Second Chances: God often gives us opportunities to obey Him, even when we initially fail. Repentance and a willingness to try again open the door for His grace and second chances. [02:27]
- God's Multiplication: The story of feeding the 5,000 teaches us that God can multiply our little when we trust Him with it. Our limitations are not a barrier to His abundance. [06:32]
- Predetermined Failure: Avoid the mindset of predetermined failure. Our words and thoughts shape our reality. Choose to speak life and possibility, trusting that God can do more with our little than we can imagine. [12:00]
- Rest in God's Guidance: Sitting symbolizes trust and rest in God's provision. Like Psalm 23, God leads us to green pastures, emphasizing that our efforts are secondary to His guidance and provision. [27:45]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:44] - Trusting God's Provision
- [02:27] - A Lesson in Obedience
- [03:31] - Entertaining Angels Unaware
- [04:46] - The Deal is Still On
- [06:32] - Feeding the 5,000
- [08:26] - Predetermined Failure
- [09:59] - The God of Abundance
- [11:21] - The Power of Words
- [12:56] - Changing Your Assumptions
- [14:52] - Trusting God's Supply
- [16:16] - Fixing a Broken Assumer
- [18:19] - God's Choice of the Ordinary
- [20:34] - Using What You Have
- [23:09] - The Power of "But"
- [27:45] - Resting in God's Guidance
- [30:03] - The Miracle of Distribution
- [32:42] - Blessing the Little
- [35:34] - God's Willingness to Provide
- [38:54] - Trust Beyond Circumstances
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- John 6:1-14 (The story of Jesus feeding the 5,000)
- Psalm 23:1-2 (The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.)
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Observation Questions:
1. In John 6, why did Jesus ask Philip where to buy bread for the crowd, and what was Philip's response? [06:32]
2. How did Andrew contribute to the situation in John 6, and what was his perspective on the resources available? [21:21]
3. What does the act of sitting down in the grass symbolize in the context of the sermon and the passage from John 6? [27:45]
4. How does the sermon illustrate the concept of "entertaining angels unaware" through a personal story? [03:31]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. What does the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 teach about God's ability to use our limited resources for His purposes? How does this relate to the idea of predetermined failure? [12:00]
2. How does the sermon connect the act of sitting in the grass to Psalm 23, and what does this imply about trusting in God's provision? [27:45]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that our words and thoughts can shape our reality, particularly in the context of trusting God's provision? [14:52]
4. How does the pastor's personal story about the stroller illustrate the themes of obedience and second chances? [02:27]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt you had "messed up" God's plan for you. How can the assurance that "the deal is still on" with God change your perspective on that situation? [04:46]
2. Consider an area in your life where you might be experiencing a mindset of predetermined failure. What steps can you take to shift your perspective and trust in God's abundance? [12:00]
3. Identify a small resource or talent you have that you often overlook. How can you offer it to God and trust Him to multiply it for His purposes? [20:34]
4. Think about a situation where you hesitated to obey a prompting from God. How can you prepare yourself to respond differently if a similar opportunity arises in the future? [02:27]
5. How can you practice resting in God's guidance this week, especially in areas where you feel anxious or uncertain? What practical steps can you take to symbolize this rest, similar to sitting in the grass? [27:45]
6. Reflect on the power of your words. How can you intentionally speak life and possibility into a challenging situation you are currently facing? [14:52]
7. What is one specific way you can be thankful for what you have, even if it seems small, and trust in God's supernatural supply? [41:39]
Devotional
Day 1: Trusting in God's Unwavering Promises
God's promises and provisions remain steadfast, regardless of our circumstances. Even when we feel we've messed up, the "deal is still on" with God. Trusting in His provision means believing that His plans are not derailed by our mistakes. This assurance allows us to live with confidence, knowing that God's faithfulness is not dependent on our actions but on His unchanging nature. [00:44]
"For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you." (Isaiah 54:10, ESV)
Reflection: In what area of your life do you feel you've messed up? How can you remind yourself today that God's promises remain unaltered despite your circumstances?
Day 2: Embracing Obedience and Second Chances
God often gives us opportunities to obey Him, even when we initially fail. Repentance and a willingness to try again open the door for His grace and second chances. This is a powerful reminder that God is not only a God of first chances but also of second, third, and infinite chances. His grace is abundant, and He desires for us to learn and grow through our experiences, trusting in His ability to redeem our failures. [02:27]
"Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster." (Joel 2:13, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a recent situation where you hesitated to obey God's prompting. How can you seek His grace and be open to a second chance today?
Day 3: God's Power to Multiply the Little
The story of feeding the 5,000 teaches us that God can multiply our little when we trust Him with it. Our limitations are not a barrier to His abundance. When we focus on what we lack, we miss the opportunity to witness God's miraculous provision. Instead, by offering what we have, no matter how small, we invite God to work in extraordinary ways, transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. [06:32]
"And Elisha said, 'Give to the men, that they may eat.' For thus says the Lord, 'They shall eat and have some left.' So he set it before them, and they ate and had some left, according to the word of the Lord." (2 Kings 4:43-44, ESV)
Reflection: What is one small resource or talent you have that you can offer to God today, trusting Him to multiply it for His purposes?
Day 4: Overcoming the Mindset of Predetermined Failure
Avoid the mindset of predetermined failure. Our words and thoughts shape our reality. Choose to speak life and possibility, trusting that God can do more with our little than we can imagine. By shifting our perspective from one of limitation to one of potential, we align ourselves with God's vision and open ourselves to His transformative power. [12:00]
"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits." (Proverbs 18:21, ESV)
Reflection: Identify a negative thought or word you often speak over your life. How can you replace it with a declaration of faith and possibility today?
Day 5: Resting in God's Guidance
Sitting symbolizes trust and rest in God's provision. Like Psalm 23, God leads us to green pastures, emphasizing that our efforts are secondary to His guidance and provision. By adopting a posture of rest, we acknowledge that God is in control and that His plans for us are good. This rest is not passive but an active trust in His ability to lead us to where we need to be. [27:45]
"For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, 'In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.' But you were unwilling." (Isaiah 30:15, ESV)
Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to stop striving and start resting in God's guidance? How can you practice this rest today?
Quotes
"Well, as we get into the message today, I want to go ahead and give you the bottom line of the message to start with, right from the beginning. The bottom line is you can trust God's provision and abundance despite your circumstances. Despite your circumstances, not because of it, but despite." [00:00:00]
"Maybe you've got a setback. Maybe you've had a delay. Maybe you've had something. I don't know what the something is, but if you felt that way and felt like you've missed God, even sometimes, you know, we even know. We know what God wants us to do. We know the direction we're supposed to take, and we still don't do it." [00:00:44]
"And you know, a few months later, he did. I was at the Hewlin Mall and it was a similar situation. And boy, I'll tell you this time, that stroller was so gone. It was like, phew. Amen. You know, no matter how desperate our situation is or how desperate it looks, God's promises and his provision, they remain unaltered." [00:03:59]
"Jesus went up on the mountain, say up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now, the Passover, the feast of the Jews was at hand. Lifting up his eyes then and seeing that a large crowd, say large crowd, was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, where, here's the question, where are we to buy bread so these people may eat?" [00:05:47]
"200 denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little, to get a little, say a little. So we got a, what kind of a crowd? A large crowd. And we got a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, There's a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?" [00:06:32]
"You know, if you're going to constantly be focused on obtaining a little bit, you're going to end up losing in life. God is the God of abundance, not the God of scrawny, in a little bit. There's no stretch. There's no reach. There's really no hope in just a little bit." [00:09:23]
"Predetermined failure. He had already decided that this would not work. He didn't even know yet. It hadn't even been tried. Let me say this. You cannot live your life successfully while at the same time predetermining your future failure. Can't do it. That's like putting your foot on the gas and the brake at the same time." [00:11:37]
"You will never have what you need until you use what you have. Think about that. You will never have what you need until you use what you have. And I know that many of you, I know many of your personal stories here today. I know that some of you are facing large situations that require whatever, a lot of money, a lot of time, a lot of effort, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot." [00:20:12]
"God's never immediately sided with the flashy and the thing that was on top and the unbelievable, amazing thing. No, he chooses the base things, the small things of this world to confound the mighty. He does amazing, extraordinary things with very ordinary people, very ordinary situations." [00:17:54]
"So Jesus said, have the people sit down. Now Jesus and his disciples, according to the beginning of the story, were already sitting down. They were already sitting there. So now he's having them sit down. And then there's this interesting sentence. Now there was much grass in this place. What is that about?" [00:27:17]
"The provision that day didn't look like much until it was being distributed. Because the miracle took place during the distribution. The little didn't become much until it was given away. Somebody needs to hear that today. You might be hanging on too much. The little bit is still just a little bit while it's in your hands, and it only becomes much when it leaves your hands." [00:29:51]
"Jesus blessed the little bit that he had instead of cursing it. And we've got to learn to do the same thing. Man, we got to learn to do that. How often does the Lord want to use what we have, but we downplay it and we see it as useless, too small, not enough." [00:32:33]
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