Your “Not Enough” Becomes More Than Enough with God

 Man’s Inability Is The Lord’s Opportunity

Joh 6:8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,
9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

Jesus and his disciples are faced with a massive crowd of people who are hungry and need to be fed. The disciples are concerned about how they can possibly provide for so many people, as there are about 5,000 men, not counting women and children.

The Power of Being Available

The key insights about service from this passage include:

• Willingness Matters More Than Quantity: The boy did not calculate whether his lunch was "enough". He simply made it available.
• Surrender Precedes Multiplication: When the boy gave his meagre resources to Jesus, its was multiplied to feed thousands.
• No Resource is Too Small: What seems insignificant to us can be miraculous when placed in the hands of the Lord.

You are encouraged to offer what they have to the Lord, trusting that even a little can make a substantial difference when combined with purpose and faith. When you focus on being available for service, you become part of a greater purpose, your inabilities or capacity no longer become factors.

Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Your Spiritual Maturity: Milk Vs. Meat...Yum

1 Corinthians 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

 

2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

Diagnosis of Spiritual Immaturity

* **Milk**: Is the basic, foundational spiritual teachings. Just as an infant can only digest milk, new believers, or "babes in Christ," are only ready for the simplest doctrines of faith: 

-What is salvation?

-What is discipleship?

-What is the rapture?

-What is the church?

-What is the word of God? 

Paul's by inspiration of the holy ghost choice to "feed" you with milk indicates a necessary and fatherly approach, as you are not yet mature enough to handle more complex biblical principles.

* **Meat**: Is the deeper, more complex doctrines. Meat requires a stronger digestive system, and similarly, these advanced truths require a more mature, discerning spiritual mind. Paul states that he could not give you meat because you are not "able to bear it," implying that trying to teach them advanced concepts would have been unhelpful as you spiritual understanding is not yet developed.

Spiritual milk is the indispensable starting point for every baby Christian delivering the basics of faith in digestible form. However, a mature Christian, a true steward presses us onward to cultivate stronger “stomachs”, a more carnivorous diet for solid spiritual food, equipping us to stand firm in truth of the word of God. 

The Shepherd’s Mandate: Lead and Feed

The Lord's example to his leaders

 Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 

The tender Shepherd who leads his sheep to green pastures and still waters, restoring their souls and guiding them along paths of righteousness. 

In John 21, that same risen Shepherd affirms His love and entrusts you as he did Peter with His own flock —“Feed my sheep.” 

John 21:16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

Together these passages show a God who not only provides personal restoration but also commissions those who have committed themselves to his service to continue His work of shepherding.