Economic downturn. Recession. Unemployment rate. These are terms that have filled our world for many years now. At the rate things are going it doesn't look like, in the natural, these terms will be leaving the forefront of our society anytime soon. However, they are not terms that should be affecting the Church. God is a God of abundance. Yesterday, one of the pastors briefly touched on this notion when he said, "all that God has is at my disposal." It is true; though we often do not act as though we believe it. God has given us His Spirit, Who Jesus said will "take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you" (John 16:14-15, NKJV, emphasis added). That's a lot of stuff...
Psalm 65:9-13 describes what happens when God steps on the scene. These are economic situations that are being described here. They are areas that bring supply to people. When God moves upon the earth, everything flourishes. God is a God of abundance. It is modeled in the life of Jesus. When Jesus called His disciples, He did not simply pull them away from what they were doing. When we picture the calling of Jesus' first disciples, we usually see in our mind's eye a group of fishermen dropping nets and walking away from the shore without so much as a word to anyone they had left behind. Peter was married; I doubt his wife would have handled that very well. In Luke 5, we see that that is not what actually happened. We see that Jesus had already established some kind of relationship with Peter and his associates (Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law in Luke 4). After spending time teaching the crowds, Jesus asks Peter to let out his nets for a catch. Peter, though skeptically, obliges - to the largest catch he and his business partners had ever received. You see, before calling them out of their line of work, Jesus abundantly provided the financial means for these men and their families. That is how God operates. When God moves in your circumstances abundance flows.
So, why isn't this a reflection of our lives today? Look at the story again in Luke. Peter listened to Jesus. Though it did not make much sense to him, he obeyed. There are many things we see in Scripture - particularly in the life of Jesus - that do not make sense. Unfortunately, that has led as to assume that there is only some "spiritual" meaning behind the stories of Jesus. While the spiritually aspects are true, it is also important to just do what Jesus says. If He says you have whatever you say, watch what you say. If He says nothing is impossible to the one who believes, start believing. If He says you reap what you sow, start sowing! Do what Jesus tells us to do. Follow the Word (it would help if some Christians would actually read it). God will see to it that all endeavors are supplied for when we are following His instructions. Are the situations you are facing a result of your obedience to God, or your own ideas? God has given us dreams and desires, but if we take it upon ourselves to see them through we will fail. If we try to do our own thing because it "seems right" the results can be severe (Proverbs 14:12)
We have been led to believe that God does not always abundantly supply. That "barely getting by" is still getting by, and that is all God promised us. That is a lie if ever there was one (try reading 2Corinthians 9:8 and Philippians 4:19). When you get in line with what God is saying and doing, you cannot help but be Blessed (which means "empowered to prosper"). That doesn't mean the devil won't fight you. The fight is on. Jesus told us that we will receive 100-fold "with persecution" (Mark 10:30). But God always causes us to win (Romans 8:37). God is only a "barely getting by" God if you expect Him to be (or if you stick your fingers in your ear and hum when people read 2Corinthians or Philippians).
Make no mistake, the economic times are tough; but the Bible tells us that in times like these, the people of God will have an abundance (Psalm 37:19). That abundance is found when you follow Jesus - to the letter - making His priorities your priorities (Matthew 6:33). In the wake of God's Presence there is abundant supply is at our disposal. Are you following??
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