Our Unlimited Resources in Christ (by Wil Pounds)

Our Unlimited Resources in Christ

(Original post from http://gospeldelights.loaves-and-fishes.org/profiles/blogs/our-unlimited-resources-in)

William Carey, the father of the modern missionary movement said, “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.”

Carey’s motto is similar to D. L. Moody’s, who listened to the challenge of a pastor who said, “The world has yet to see what God will do through one man fully surrendered to Him.” Moody’s response was, “By the grace of God I will be that man.”

In John 6:1-14 a great challenge confronted Philip and Andrew. Multitudes kept following Jesus because they were continually seeing the signs that He was continually performing on those who were sick (v. 2). Jesus went up on the mountainside and seeing the great multitude gathering asked His disciple Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, that these may eat?” (v. 6). Unaware that he was in the presence of the all-sufficient Christ, he said, “We have a days wages worth of bread, but that is not sufficient for everyone of these to receive a little.”

John tells us that Jesus asked this question to test Philip because Jesus already had in mind what He was gong to do (v. 6).

Andrew spoke up and said, “There is a lad here, who has five barley loaves, and two fish; but what are these for so many people?” (v. 9).

What would you have done if you saw 5,000 hungry men gathering together? Would you have rung your hands in despair? As you face difficult, near impossible situations in your life, what is your typical response? Do you take it to the Lord? What do you trust in when you face the challenges of life? Do you trust in your money, intellect, people, and organizations? Do you fret when they do not provide your needs?

Philip and Andrew left Christ out of the picture. We do not have enough money, and we do not know where we can get such an amount. Five little barley loaves and two dried pickle fish is all we have. “What are these for so many people?”

With Christ it is more than enough. His desire is to bless us abundantly.

If anything was going to happen, Philip and Andrew had to cast themselves upon the Lord to provide. What are great needs that stand before you in your ministry today? Do you see the multitudes standing before you in dire need? What will you do? How will you meet the challenge? Have you run out of money meeting the challenge God has placed before you? Are your resources down to five pieces of bread and two pickled fish?

There is nothing that God cannot do in your life if it is according to His will that He has done in any other Christian's life in church history. He is just as active today in His church as He was in the New Testament times.

If He has placed something in your life to test you He has done it in order that you and others will bring honor and glory to His holy name.

Do you see yourself as insignificant and inefficient? What are five pieces of bread and two sardines in the hand of our omnipotent God? Everything! Two sardines may be useless to you, but not to God. If you will take what you are and what you have and give it over to the Lord to use as He pleases, you will find that it is more than sufficient for the task He sets before you.

All that He asks of you is for you to make yourself available to Him one day at a time. Are you ready for the Master to expand your horizons? Will you trust it to Him? Will you surrender what He has given to you into His hands? Will you surrender whatever is in your hands to the Lord? All that He asks of you is to make yourself available to Him just like the lad with the five small barley loaves and the two fish.

Perhaps you are one of the crowd and you stand in need today. Have you asked God to supply that need? The apostle Paul lived by the conviction, “My God shall supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Do you ask Him for everything in which you stand in need? Jesus knows your situation you are in right now. He is aware of your current needs, and He is willing to supply all your needs according to His abundant supply.

Jesus is the only bread that satisfies men spiritually. But there must always be a recognition of need before He can meet it.

Jesus Christ is all-sufficient. He gives spiritual food in abundance.

Do you come to Jesus daily expecting to be fed? A. W. Pink writes, "This is what Jesus does to all His people. He comes to the poor bankrupt believer, and, placing in his hand a draft on the resources of heaven, says to him, ‘Write on it what you will.’ Such is our precious Lord still. If we are straightened, it is not in Him, but in ourselves. If we are poor and weak, or tired and tempted, it is not that we cannot help ourselves—it is because we do not. We have so little faith in things unseen and eternal. We draw so little on the resources of Christ. We come not to Him with our spiritual wants—our empty vessels—and draw from the ocean of His grace."