1 Kings 17:12-14

 

“As surely as the LORD your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”

Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD sends rain on the land.’” As surely as the LORD your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”

Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD sends rain on the land.’” As surely as the LORD your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”

Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD sends rain on the land.’”

 

Elijah had faith in the word of the Lord and because he knew that God had led him to the woman ( the widow) for sustenance , he proclaimed to the widow in faith that her flour and oil will not run out as long as it did not rain because God had made her the care taker of Elijah during this time . 

 

God was looking at the bigger picture of the miracle to be displayed to Ahab by Elijah . Cause rain was going to come down only at the word of Elijah . 

 

Elijah’s faith and capacity to listen was a blessing to the widow and her son.

 

Your obedience to God is not only a blessing to you but it could have a ripple effect in blessing to others you know not off. 

 

Your faith can renew, restore and even establish new faith in the people who lost faith or who do not know the saviour.

 

1 Kings 17:24

Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is the truth.”

 

 

On seeing Elijah’s faith and his capacity to renew life in her son . The widow now believed in the Living and only God. 

God will do miracles through you for the restoration or imprinting of faith in others around you .

Prayer point :

God help us see the bigger picture in your plan for us. 

Help us be a blessing where you intend it to go . 

Help us stick to the path directed by you , come what may. 

 

2. Believing when in plenty 

The faith of the men that carried the paralysed man was greater than the the paralysed man.

The person going through pain will believe in anything but it is commendable of people who believe even when they have plenty . 

 

Luke 5:17-20

One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

 

Remember Jesus could heal because the power of the Lord was with Jesus. 

What is this power? His spirit , his presence.

 

Jesus knows that the flesh is weak and can fail ,  but the spirit of the Lord cannot fail. 

 

Yes we are comfortable and living a blessing in Australia but I must commend you that you are a group of men who have not forgotten about the presence of God and the majesty of the Holy Spirit. 

 

Luke 4:1-13 : shows how the Devil attacks with Bad hunger , greed and doubt. 

Jesus depicts that man can resist the devil . In flesh he resisted and defeated the devil 

 

 

The spirt will override the need of the flesh 

 

Prayer :

Let us adore God for who he is ? Lift him up in adoration. 

Thank him for the power of the Holy Spirit in your lives today that is helping you resist the devil. 

Pray that he may guide your ways not for your selfless desire but for the completion of his plan through you. 

 

3. Whispers for others 

 

1 Kings 19:11-13

 

The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.”

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

 

The Lord is talking to you daily and some of these conversations are not only for yourself but for others. 

He knows you have a lifetime and there is a need of transference of responsibility. 

 

The Holy Spirit spoke to me in one of my morning devotions about the need to transfer the ability and knowledge of how “to walk with God daily “ to our children. It is a “Spiritual Skill” which you all will agree is life changing not only for you but for all who come in contact with you. 

 

We our leaders in our families and hence we need to transfer this Spiritual skill to our children . 

 

What are you willing to give up ? 

When Elijah put the cloak around Elisha . 

Elisha took a drastic step in faith .

 

1 Kings 19:21

So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.

 

This is what we need to transfer to our Kids . “ The ability to hear God and to faithfully follow him “

 

Prayer : 

Lord help us to be good examples to our children. 

Lord help us to lead the children loaned to us by you in the direction you intend them to Go. 

Help transfer the right cloak on to them.