Today we’re studying the concept of enough. If you are stumbling under the weight of the backpack on your shoulders, today is going to be a good day to open it up and see if there are any rocks in there that you don’t need to be carrying. If you don’t have enough energy or motivation to take another step, if your hope tank is on empty, God can provide whatever you need today.
Show Links:
Nehemiah 8:10 – “…for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”
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Transcription:
If you are stumbling under the weight of the backpack on your shoulders, today is going to be a good day to open it up and see if there are any rocks in there that you don’t need to be carrying. If you don’t have enough energy or motivation to take another step, if your hope tank is on empty, God can provide whatever you need today. Listen to what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians,
But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
You’re covered today. Hi, I’m Erica. Welcome to the Bible for Busy People. Today we’re studying the concept of enough. Have you said that lately, even in your own mind? Enough! I just can’t handle everything on my to-do list. I’ve got so many obligations to family and to work, and I never know where to draw the line. I’m trying to figure out where to draw the line too, and I’m looking at God’s word and here’s what I’m seeing with you this week. This is a partnership. First we got to figure out his people. Are we doing exactly what God wants us to do, or are we taking on more that he hasn’t asked us to do? Are we putting unfair obligations on ourselves? I do that a lot. I beat myself up for not being enough for all of the people in my life. I just feel like Bilbo Baggins said in the story of the Hobbit, like butter stretched out over too much bread. Does that describe you today? Well, join me in First Kings chapter 17, beginning in verse seven because we’re going to meet a woman who literally didn’t have enough, but the Lord is about to fill her up. All right?
But after a while the brook dried up, for there was no rainfall anywhere in the land. 8 Then the Lord said to Elijah,
Who by the way, note here was a prophet. I like to say a modern day mailman for the Lord. Verse nine,
“Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.” 10 So he went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the village, he saw a widow gathering sticks, and he asked her, “Would you please bring me a little water in a cup?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called to her, “Bring me a bite of bread, too.”12 But she said, “I swear by the Lord your God that I don’t have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die.” 13 But Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid! Go ahead and do just what you’ve said, but make a little bread for me first. Then use what’s left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crops grow again!” 15 So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her family continued to eat for many days. 16 There was always enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.
Here’s what the Lord does, He comes right on time and he gives you exactly enough, what you need for the day. I think what you and I try to do sometimes is borrow from tomorrow and the Lord’s like, hold up, let’s focus on today. I’m giving you what you need for today. Like the Israelites in the desert, remember how God fed them? He gave them a certain amount of manna every single day. They weren’t to collect leftovers except for the Sabbath day, and it was him teaching the Israelites to depend upon God daily. So, don’t go overboard. Trust him for enough strength for today. What do ya say you and I pick up a carpet square, each of us, and listen to the Lord Jesus? He’s going to share some words with us in Matthew chapter six, beginning in verse 24.
“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. 25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
I almost want to write that on a post-it note and pop it on my steering wheel.
Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
Let’s just marinate on that for a second. No! My husband recently said to me, Erica, I know you’ve got all this stuff that you’re going over in your mind and you’re worried about things, but the Lord never said that worry will be your strength. He said, The joy of the Lord is your strength. And I will put that Bible verse in the show notes because I forget where it is right now, but that’s so powerful. Worry doesn’t add anything. Joy adds everything. When we can tap into the presence of the Lord working in our lives today, giving us enough for today, that is everything. Verse 28 now.
“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? 31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God[a] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
You can underline everything, put it in italics and in bold, a really pretty purple color everything you need.
“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
God is going to give you all of the grace you need for today’s problems. He’s going to meet you right where you are. You don’t have to worry that he’s gone away. He’s right beside you. He wants to provide for you and care for your every need. He already knows whatever that thing is that’s pressing on your heart, he’s got it. It is front and center on his desk…if he has a desk. I don’t know exactly how God works. It’s a mystery, but if there’s a desk up in heaven, your case is before him. Your Google doc is open on God’s laptop. He has not forgotten you. He knows how hard you’re working. He knows how hard you’re trying to spin all of these plates in the air. Give him a few to spin. Look at the rocks of the problems in your life that you’re carrying around, and ask him, Lord, would you take this one and that one? Pray about it. Ask him, am I carrying around rocks that I don’t need to be carrying around? And ask Jesus to help you let them go. He’s going to give you all the strength you need for today. All right, until next time, you are loved.
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