A Little Extra

There are times in life that we feel that we need just a little bit extra. It may be extra time, money, attention, love, patience or something extra from God. There have always been times when people have wanted a little extra from God. I appreciate our “daily bread”, Mt 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread. I believe we are living in a time that we need “a little extra”. Even in the wilderness the children of Israel were to gather extra manna on the day before the Sabbath, Ex 16:21 And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.
22 ¶ And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.

We are living at the close of the sixth day (6000 years). It is time for “a little extra”. The thing about a little extra is that it costs a little extra. There are greater requirements involved. For a greater reward there is a greater cost. A beautiful story in the Bible is about Elijah and Elisha. It was a time God was going to make a change in leadership. It was a time that God required “a little extra.”
2Kings2:9 ¶ And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
13 ¶ He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;
14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.

In this story Elisha made a request. God didn’t say no or maybe. God said ok, but I will require something “a little extra” from you. Stay close, watch, observe. I don’t believe you could get a hair between Elijah and Elisha. This is why God sent the chariot. Some say the chariot took Elijah away. No, the chariot separated Elijah and Elisha so God could take Elijah away. This is the day that we need to be watchful and prayerful. Don’t let anything get between you and God. Anything you harbor In your heart is between you and God. You can’t see God for seeing an individual. If you want “a little extra”, God will require”a little extra” from you.

Do you want “a little extra?” Jesus said: Mt 5:41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. We are encouraged to go the extra mile. Now what isn’t written in this verse is the reward for going the extra mile. God will always honor us when we “give a little extra.”

Mt 26:38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

What if the disciples had felt like Elisha? What if they had gone a little farther? What if they had given “a little extra? What if they wouldn’t have let Jesus out of their sight? We will never know. This is our day. It is our time to go “a little farther”. It is our time to “give a little extra”. It is easy to settle for what we have. It is easy to float down steam. It is easy to lose our hunger, Mt 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

We are living in a day that God wants “a little extra” from us and he will give us “a little extra”. There is a higher calling that we have been called to. There are greater rewards awaiting us, 2Co 5:1 ¶ For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

Seems like I can hear the Apostle Paul encouraging us: Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15 ¶ Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

I WANT A LITTLE EXTRA, SO I MUST GIVE A LITTLE EXTRA.

RGW