When there is no money............!

My budget's been cut - again! I know, I'm not the only one, but I have things I need to do and this is the fourth year in a row. I have choices to make: do I

complain and moan and ask for a re-think or do I just live with it? Or I could do both; that's a great temptation. So I spend a disturbed night thinking about the options wondering where I can scrimp and save, which projects I can delay, how I can keep up my staff morale and about 4:00am fall into a deep sleep. I wonder how Jesus would have felt in my position ... Then I remember that the Bible states that He too had problems and temptations and I realise that Jesus also had budget cuts much worse than mine!

He had twelve disciples and one of them (Judas) was a thief. OK: tell the Treasurer to lock the cash away whenever Judas is around. That's not going to work; Judas is the Treasurer. That's a problem, but Jesus didn't call the police; He didn't tell the rest, in fact He did nothing - except to trust His Father. How did that work out in practice? 

One day the tax man came to the door and asked if Jesus was going to pay His taxes ( probably making some sarcastic comment like '......... or does He think He has an exemption?'). This threw Peter. Jesus always paid His bills. He provided for everyone who had a need and came to Him. Money had never been a problem before. Maybe Peter went to Judas who spread his hands and opened the empty money box (no help there then!). Finally Peter went to Jesus. "This guy's at the door demanding money. I've seen Judas and there's no cash, what are we (he really meant 'you') going to do about it? The solution was simple and miraculous. 'Take the taxman for a coffee at Starbucks, and Peter, you go fishing. That's your trade; do what you have always done.

But this time, the first fish you catch, look in it's mouth and there will be a gold coin - enough to satisfy the taxman!' Matthew 17:24-27. All Peter had to do was what he had learned over the last couple of years - trust Jesus and do what He told him to. How does that apply to my budget problems and your finances of whatever sort? No fish or coins around here! 

Go to Jesus first. Ask Him how to handle the problem. You can go to the

treasurer, the bank, the piggy bank .............

or anywhere else there might be some cash, but when that turns up empty, ask Jesus how He is going to solve the problem. He has the answer and wants to help. His help will always be sufficient; His supply will always be enough. You may not understand what He tells you to do; you may not even want to do it. Do it anyway. You will be shocked at the result. It may not resolve the issue in an instant but it will resolve it eventually, and your faith will be built up dramatically. I dare you to try it now.