God’s Economy – Scarcity Or Abundance Mindset. Which One Do You Have?

When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” John 6:5 NIV

One of the topics that most people struggle with is money. It is also one of the most discussed subjects in the Bible. I don’t think that this is by accident.

Pastor Rurel of Crosspoint Church in Northwest Florida started a sermon series called “God’s Economy.” This post summarizes my notes and the thoughts that came to me while listening to this great message.

He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” John 6:6-7 NIV

Two things to take away here is that we find that Jesus asked Philip this question to test him. What does this mean for us?

1. There will be tests that come our way.

I’m hoping that anyone reading this blog is a disciple of Jesus. With discipleship comes a study, and with study comes tests. The one source of that study that is vital in our walk with Jesus is the Bible.

Philip has been around Jesus and has seen Him do miracles up to this point, but when faced with the question, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”

2. Philip didn’t answer the question asked.

Philip didn’t answer where, but he immediately went to the scarcity of funds to make that happen. In essence, Philip responded to the question, “How much will this cost?”

How often do we do this? We limit our service to God based on our financial limitations, not on the ability of our God, who owns everything.

One of the most significant tests ever recorded is when God asked Abraham to sacrifice his promised son, Issac.

The promise to Abraham was that he would be a great nation, and the son that he and Sarah waited for was now to be sacrificed on an altar.

Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Genesis 22:6-7 NIV

As they were walking, Isaac, who was carrying everything needed for the sacrifice, finally spoke up, saying, “Where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together. Genesis 22:8 NIV

Here is where we start to see Abraham’s faith in God’s promise. “God himself will provide…”

When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. Genesis 22:9-11 NIV

When I read this portion of scripture, I think to myself, did Isaac struggle when his father tied him up? Or did Isaac respect his father, trusting that he was doing what needed to be done?

This portion of scripture is one of those areas where people will ask, why would a loving God ask someone to sacrifice his son? But that comes from scarcity thinking. God’s ways are higher than our ways, and I can’t wait to see it when His work is complete.

“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.” Genesis 22:12-14 NIV

Abraham’s faith was that even if it ended up with his son’s death on that mountain, God would bring his son back to life.

By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.

Hebrews 11:17-19 NIV

Going back to John 6, we find Andrew locating a young boy with five loaves and two fish.

Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” John 6:8-9 NIV

The New King James Version refers to the young boy as a “lad,” I like that. We find here that we have a young boy willing to give up what he has for the Lord. And what we willingly give up for the Lord is enough for Him to work with.

We also find that Andrew had some scarcity thinking with this statement “…but how far will they go among so many?”

Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. John 6:10-11 NIV

When working with the Creator of the universe, He can take the crumbs we bring to Him to accomplish His Will. He can take our broken lives and make them shine to provide hope for others.

In this recorded case, He took five loaves and two fish and fed what is said to be the equivalent of 12,000 to 15,000 people. It says that everyone had “as much as they wanted.”

When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are leftover. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. John 6:12-13 NIV

Jesus, not wanting to waste anything, collected what was left, and they ended up with twelve baskets leftover.

In God’s economy, there is always enough. In our scarcity thinking, we see five plus two equals seven. But God’s math is five plus two given to Jesus equals enough for everyone with more leftover than we began with.

So how do we break free from the “scarcity” mindset?

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10 NIV

1. We need Jesus. Without Him in our lives, nothing else matters. If you are reading this and you have not asked Jesus to Lord over your life. Do that now.
2. Gratitude – Being thankful for what God has already provided is a form of worship.
3. Generosity – Our generosity is rewarded when we do it with a willing heart that expects nothing in return. A problem that we have is that we keep score. We keep accounts. Not to say that keeping accounts is a bad thing when it comes with our finances but not with our giving.

When God brings us to a point in our lives that we know is of His Will for us, the question, “What does it cost?” should not be the first question that enters our mind.

God wouldn’t bring us to a place of making the proper decision to follow His will for us without providing what is necessary to complete it.

At this point in Jesus’s ministry, He was drawing the large crowds partly because He was fulfilling the physical needs of the people coming to see Him, either by feeding them or healing them. They wanted to force Him to be their king because of this.

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” John 6:26-27 NIV

What was most important to Jesus was not their physical needs but was their spiritual needs. When we seek Him above our physical needs, He will take care of all of it.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 NIV

Our actions should not be dictated by the physical resources we see but faith in God and His willingness to provide for those who seek His Will for their lives.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. Hebrews 11:1-3 NIV

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your abundance. I pray that You open our eyes to see Your Will for our lives. And that You provide us the courage to act on Your Will.

I thank You for the Pastors that are in the pulpit faithfully preaching Your Word.

I pray that You give us the courage to live our lives with Jesus centered in our hearts. I pray that we bestow the same grace, mercy and forgiveness on the people around us that You did for us.

I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!! 🙏❤️