The Blessed Life: Principle of Multiplication

THE WARM-UP:
Do you ever try to figure out in advance how God is going to provide for you? Can you give an example of how God provided for you and it wasn’t at all how you thought He was going to do it?

READ Luke 9:12-17
Points to Ponder:
• Something must be blessed before it can multiply
• Only what is given away can multiply
Notice in this scripture passage that Jesus prayed over the loaves and fish, but it wasn’t until the disciples began giving the food away that the miracle takes place. They kept giving and giving, and everyone was fed. If the disciples had tried to hoard the food and not give it away, the great miracle would never have happened.
“Worry” is what we do when we try to figure out on our own how God will take care of a problem in our life. He is ultimately in control of our life, so shouldn’t we trust Him to look out for us and give us what He believes is best for us? Most people find God when they realize that doing things their way only lead down a path toward destruction and misery. It is only through doing things God’s way that we find peace, joy and fulfillment in life. God’s way is to give of ourselves to others. When we give away our time, money, possessions, He promises to take care of us and to bless us just like He blessed the disciples when they gave away the loaves and fish. Note that they then collected many baskets full of “leftover” fish and bread.

THE TEAM WORK-OUT:
1. Why do you think people worry?
2. What are things that keep us from trusting God?
3. Can you think of a time when you gave something away and then God blessed you?