Five Distinctives of the The Jesus Way

While listening to Judah Smith of The City Church in Seattle, I was amazed by how he put into the words of his preaching "Jesus is my Provision" how God wants to encourage me not just with life in general but more specifically in big chunks of my precious life like my finances.

He goes to describe how Jesus works, and thus titles it The Jesus Way. The following list is not all encompassing of how God works but just some that we can grasp to understand and see when His hand is working.

John 6:1-14 (Jesus feeds the 5,000)

1. It's always STRETCHING

Have the people sit down (v.10)

Isn't sitting down the last thing we want to do when we are in lack? But Jesus wants us to sit down at a time when it's logical to move and do something! That's just one stretchmark. There are others I an attest to like at times when you think you have so little to stretch, that's when He tells you to GIVE, or SPEND TIME, or SAY SORRY, or STAY or maybe even LET GO. He can really get into your nerves if you wont submit to His stretching. Like sometimes when God wants me to do something illogical, I would tend to ask Him to explain first but my 8 years of Christian life tells me i don't always have to know.
But I get relief at the truth that God has always been in charged of providing throughout the entire history of the world and He has a good record :) So reject fear and doubt!

There has to be a profound peace for us believers of Jesus especially when it comes to our resources and finances because He is the provider.

2. You have to prepare for abundance where there's only lack.
Jesus made the people sit down even before they have the food! He gave the 5,00 men an expectation that they will be given food when there's really nothing except the 5 barley loaves and 2 pieces of fish that was available.
Realize what you have in Jesus because He is the God of more than enough. What you have as little as it may seem can be the key for God's miracle to meet your needs in abundance.

One of great way to prepare you for abundance is through your mouth

3. Develop a habit for using your mouth for generosity by giving away thanks!!! Thank God for everything and say it with your mouth! There's always something to be thankful for. It's hard to be grumpy and complaining if you're thankful.

Generosity has an ATTITUDE and it's called GRATITUDE

4. Join the distribution plan of God.
Distribution is a systematic way of sharing. The church is God's distribution plan on Earth and when you become part of his distribution plan, the miracle manifest in your hand just as how the miracle happened as the disciples started to hand out the bread and fish but it's not running out! Experience what it feels like to have the bread in your hand and give it away without it running. Instead of asking "how much should I give?" Ask "how much should i keep?". The more you give it out, the more you realize it's not running out! There's no lack in Jesus, you can have as much as you have!

5. Ultimately the passion for God's provision is so that no people are lost. Get your resources involved in God's rescue mission. You can use your meaningless paper to impact what's eternal.

Choose not the way of logic, safe, just enough, worry when it comes to your finances. Choose the Jesus way!

Just needs practical application now :)