Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20050417.htm

LIFE'S WILDERNESS SHORTAGES AND GOD
Part III: Looking To God For His Management Of What He Supplies
(Exodus 16:15-21, 22-30)
  1. Introduction
    1. God faithfully meets the living needs of His people so they can do His will on earth, Philippians 4:19.
    2. However, experience has shown God may provide for our living needs and we believers still feel we lack, a fact that may lead us to wonder why God has not provided more supplies for our needs!
    3. Well, God wants us to manage His supplies in accord with His will for blessing as Ex. 16:15-30 shows:
  2. Looking To God For His Managment Of What He Supplies, Exodus 16:15-21, 22-30.
    1. We learned in our last lesson that God graciously provided manna from heaven for His people, Ex. 16:15.
    2. However, some of the people still went hungry in spite of God's provision, Exodus 16:20, 27:
      1. Some stored the manna they collected overnight only to see it spoil the next morning, Exodus 16:20.
      2. Having been disheartened from storing the manna overnight, some failed to store the sixth day's double portion for the next day only to go hungry when God sent no manna on the Sabbath, Exodus 16:27!
    3. Examining the way God gave the manna, we see that had the people all followed those directives and managed God's provision in accord with His will, they would not have gone hungry:
      1. God wanted His people to pick up each day's food supply each day, so He allowed what they had horded overnight to spoil that they learn to look to Him or each day's needs, Ex. 16:4 with 16:16, 19.
      2. Also, God wanted them to rest on the seventh day, the Sabbath, cf. Ex. 16:23a, so the people were to keep the double portion of manna they collected that day overnight and God would keep it from spoiling so they could avoid working to collect it on the Sabbath, Exodus 16:23b-26.
    4. We thus peruse the passage to glean directives God wants us to use to manage His supplies as we should:
      1. Directive One - Be sure the supply source is condoned by God before accepting it, Ex. 16:15-16a. When God first sent the manna, the people asked what it was and received the confirmation from the man God had set over them that it was God's food (cf. Dt. 23:18 on an ungodly supply source).
      2. Directive Two - Use our God-given abilities to the full to acquire and use the supplies He sends us, Ex. 16:15-16. Some of the people gathered more, some less, according to the ability of each one; yet, as they shared, everyone had just enough, Ex. 16:17-18, meaning everyone had to do his best!
      3. Directive Three - Share ongoing excesses of our supplies from God with others in need, Ex. 16:18.
      4. Directive Four - Use God's supplies as the costs arise, Exodus 16:19-20. The manna collected each day was meant to be used for that day's needs; we should similarly pay our bills as they arise!
      5. Directive Five - Take initiative with the opportunities God provides to gain His supplies, Ex. 16:21. When the sun became hot (9 a. m.), it melted the manna. God expected the people to get up early as the opportunity presented itself so as to collect the manna and avoid going hungry.
      6. Directive Six - If an unusually large supply suddenly arrives from God, we should save it to use toward a need that God reveals we have, Ex. 16:22-27. The sixth day's double portion supply was meant for two day's worth of food, so the people were to save the extra for the second day, the Sabbath!
      7. Directive Seven - If God supplies enough of goods that we have spare time or human resources at our disposal, we should use them for His glory, Ex. 16:23, 26. The Sabbath day rest was to be used for the worship of God when enough food was provided on the sixth day that the people did not have to spend time gathering more food for the Sabbath.
      8. Directive Eight - We are to be at liberty to use God's supplies to fit our own tastes. God gave the people liberty to bake or boil the manna as they chose to meet their personal tastes, Exodus 16:23.
Lesson Application: God expects us to MANAGE His supplies so our living needs will be met: (1) We are to be sure a supply source is condoned by Him before we count on it; (2) we are to use our abilities to the full to gain and use His supplies; (3) we are to share ongoing excesses of supplies with others in need; (4) we are to pay our bills in a timely fashion with His supplies; (5) we are seek opportunities to gain His supplies; (6) we are to treat sudden, large supplies for needs He directs we meet; (7) we are use the human resources we have above earning a living to serve His interests and (8) be at liberty to apply God's supplies to fit our own tastes! We will then manage well what He gives us that we have no need!