When I was a little girl, I frequently asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
Other little girls wanted to be ballerinas and princesses. I wanted to be a teacher and a mommy. But what does a six-year-old know about reaching such goals?
The Lord promises blessings and prosperity. Jesus said if we ask we will receive. Unfortunately, some believe they don’t have to do anything but wait for the Lord to drop down prosperity on them.
In Elisha’s day, creditors took everything from a certain widow, even her sons, to satisfy her husband’s debt. The only thing she had left in her house was a jar of oil. Elisha told her to gather as many empty vessels as she could. And she did. She poured oil from her meager supply into the vessels. What she didn’t know was that she poured from a never-ending stream of oil until all the vessels were filled. She then sold the oil to pay her debt and live on what was left. Had she not gathered the vessels, she would not have received the miracle of multiplication.
The Lord pours out blessings we cannot contain, but we have to participate with Him and prepare to receive the multiplication of blessing according to His instructions. If someone gave us a huge sum of money, we would need the right bank accounts and investment knowledge to handle it. If the Lord gave someone the ability to discover the cure for cancer, they would need the vessels of knowledge, experience, and perseverance to pursue that destiny.
The blessings we receive are directly connected to our preparation to receive them. Our oil will multiply until the vessels are full.
Gather your vessels today, and prepare the way for the Lord to fill them.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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Marcia Vogl is the founder and director of Bethany Projects and is the author of The Path Forward. She is an ordained minister who partners with Hidden with Christ Ministries of Tustin, CA. She also ministers through personal prayer sessions, mentoring workshops, and retreats. She holds a B.A. and an M.S. in music education and has trained at Elijah House. Marcia has completed both a Master and a Doctorate of Practical Ministry degree at Wagner Leadership Institute, with a specialty in women's ministry, deliverance, and workplace ministries. Other career experiences include being a music teacher for grades K-8, a college instructor for teacher credentials candidates, a full time mom, and a document supervisor in the mortgage industry. You can follow her at http://bethanyprojects.org and https://www.facebook.com/bethanyprojects.