The Abundance Of Jesus

THE ABUNDANCE OF JESUS

(by brother Tarran Dookie)

THE MANNA IN THE WILDERNESS

Exod 16:16-21 This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents. And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating. And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning. Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them. And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.

When the children of Israel gathered the manna that God provided, he that gathered much had nothing over and he that gathered little had no lack. What the Lord gives us is always sufficient. We need not worry for He will provide according to our needs.

Moses told the people that they should eat the manna and not leave of it till the morning. But some of them did leave of it and it bred worms and stank. They were worried about the next day. They felt they should keep some just in case there was no manna on the morrow. Are we trusting God to meet our needs or are we always perturbed about tomorrow? If we trust in ourselves our provision will fail, our plans will be futile. The sufficiency is of God and not of ourselves.

Exod 16:22-26 And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none.

On the sixth day what they gathered was enough for two days. The seventh day was the sabbath of rest and God did not want them gathering manna on that day. They were surprised that on this occasion what was left over did not stink nor breed worms. When God gives us rest we no longer have to work. His grace is sufficient. The children of Israel did not have to gather on the seventh day. When we rest in God we shall cease from our labours. Our God shall supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Phil 4:19).

THE FEEDING OF THE MULTITUDE

Mark 8:17-20 And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.

When the Lord Jesus fed the five thousand there were twelve baskets full of fragments left and when He fed the four thousand there were seven baskets full of fragments left. The Lord gives us exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. With the Lord there is always something left over. There may seem to be no hope and no way in your circumstances. But God is able, for He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He will make a way and provide a solution. God wants to fill us with all His fullness. Let us partake of the true bread of life that we may be more than satisfied.

John 6:12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. 

The Lord asked the disciples to gather the fragments that remained so that nothing was lost. The blessings of the Lord are not to be squandered. We must be good stewards of the unsearchable riches of Christ Jesus. There must be a reserve in us so that when the enemy attacks we have the spiritual resources to respond. What the Lord gives in excess is not to be scattered and wasted. It must be stored up in the depths of our heart. So shall we be strong and do exploits in His name. May nothing be lost of the abundance of Jesus in our lives.