You can give out of your need.

Have you ever been inspired by someone else’s words? I certainly have been. I was so honored to spend some time with Eric Celerier, on a recent trip to Holland. If you don’t know, Eric began the ministry that we call A Miracle Every Day and then invited other writers into this miraculous opportunity. As Eric shared the story of how AMED has grown, he inspired me by saying, “God told me that if I kept doing the ministry by myself that He would ADD to it.  But, if I gave the ministry away, He would MULTIPLY it!”

God is a generous God and He is also the God of multiplication. When we give back to God, He takes what little we may have and multiplies it for His glory. One of my favorite stories in scripture is described by John, a special friend of Jesus.

Jesus is teaching people about the Kingdom of God...a kingdom that is led by a multiplying King. At the end of a long day, the people have been fed spiritually but physically, they need food! Jesus knows that people have both spiritual and physical needs so, he asks, “What do we do about this? How should we feed these people?” The disciples have no answer to the question because there were not enough financial resources available to feed the crowd. It’s a good thing that Jesus was not looking for a financial answer. Jesus was looking for a FAITH answer!

One of the disciples says: “‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?’” (John 6:9, ESV) 

friend, this is a moment when Jesus is more interested in the faith of a boy than the finances of the disciples. All we know is that the boy gives what little he had to Jesus. He simply gives his fish and bread. He gives what is in his hand and trusts that God will do the rest.  

What happens? Jesus multiplies!!! The bread and fish keep multiplying until every single person is full both physically and spiritually.  

 “And when they had eaten their fill, He told His disciples, ‘Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.’” (John 6:12, ESV) 

​​friend, what do you have in your hand that you can offer to Jesus today? Would you be willing to offer what you have to Jesus so that others can be fed? Yes, the sacrifice will come at a cost but God will both see and honor the faith… and I can tell you – it is a sacrifice worth making!!!! Today, we can all live in the truth of 2 Samuel 24:24?

“‘I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing.’...” (NRSV)  

True sacrifice has a great cost, but with it comes an abundance and a blessing!

You’re a miracle!

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