Meeting Needs

“They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.” Luke 9:17 (NIV) God wants to use you to meet needs. In order to meet needs, you must be sensitive to the needs of others. Living a life of “other-centeredness” is essential to joining God in His personal touch ministry. Selfishness will blind you to the needs around you. Selfishness will steer your focus inward every time. Jesus told the disciples to feed the multitudes. The number of men was five thousand besides the women and children. Jesus was asking the disciples to feed over fifteen thousand people. All they could find was a little boy with a sack lunch with five loaves of bread and two fish. “Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to set before the people”(Luke 9:16 NIV). Jesus multiplied what He had been given in order to meet the physical needs of the masses. They all ate and were satisfied! Where did the twelve basketfuls of leftovers come from? There is a valuable lesson to learn here. Just bring Jesus what you have. Jesus will take what you have and multiply it to meet needs. God will never ask you to do anything without providing everything you need to accomplish His will. Perhaps you know the saying, “Where God guides, He always provides.” Will you make yourself available for God’s use this week? Will you look for opportunities to meet the needs that God brings into your path? Be sensitive. Be selfless. Be willing to seize the opportunities God gives you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Meeting Needs

“He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.” Eph 4:28 (NIV) You may have disengaged from this verse since you immediately recognized that you are not a thief. You are not stealing. You, in fact, have a strong work ethic and would never dream of stealing. So what is God trying to say to you through this verse? Look closely at the last phrase. Work. Do something useful and productive so that you can acquire more and attain greater prominence. Do something useful so you can gain momentum in the pursuit of the American dream. Is that right? Is that what God is saying? Not even close! God wants you to embrace a strong work ethic so that you can be a blessing to others. His desire is for you to work diligently so that you can share with those in need. You ought to get all the education you can so that you can excel and be the best at what God called you to do. Why? Because God deserves your best! However, it is not about you! It is about positioning yourself in alignment with God’s priorities so that you can be a blessing to others. God does not bless you so that you can funnel the blessings into your self centered pursuits. God blesses you in order to expand your capacity to bless others. Do you have anything left to share with those in need? Statistics show that the average American lives on 120% of his or her income. That means we spend more than we make. Maybe it’s time to re-think the American dream. The life God blesses is the life given to being a blessing to those in need. You are blessed to be a blessing! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Pastor of Leadership and Pastoral Care