Our Abundance

Psalm 30 / 2 Corinthians 8:7-15

Daily Bread

Exodus 16:13–15 “In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. 14 And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.”

Exodus 16:16–18 “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’ ” 17 And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat.”

Proverbs 30:8 “Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,”

Matthew 6:9–11 “Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread,”

2 Corinthians 8:15 “As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.””

Collections

For Jerusalem

1 Corinthians 16:1–2 “Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.”

Romans 15:25–26 At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem.”

Because of Christ - v9

Matthew 20:28 “even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.””

Love and Desire, not compulsion - v8 & 10

v8 - not as a command

2 Corinthians 9:7 “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

v10 - it benefits you

Acts 20:35 “In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ””

2 Corinthians 9:6–8 “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”

God’s Plan: Need, Desire, and Equality -v13 & 14

God allots abundance and need that they may be equalized in our lives to His Glory, and to the training of our hearts

Before the quail and manna, God first caused the Egyptians to provide for the Hebrew Peoples’ needs

Exodus 12:35–36 “The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. 36 And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.”

It ought to be our prayer that God would impress upon our hearts a desire to find outlets of grace and generosity in accordance with how the Lord has blessed us materially.

Our Abundance and Equality

In what ways are we in need?

What are we doing about it?

How can we better pray for God to supply our needs?

In what ways are we in abundance?

Are there needs in the lives of others, in the ministry that we could fill?