Matthew 11:1-6 “And it came to pass when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.”
There are many, many people who struggle with questions and doubts. Even many of God’s best servants like Abraham, the father of faith, and David, who went through discouragements and was used by God to write Psalms of encouragement. In the last three “Challenging Concepts” we looked at the life of Elijah, who could face the large number of false prophets, but then ran from Jezebel. We could point out more of God’s servants who had questions and doubts but that gives a good reminder that God’s best servants had times of questions and doubts.
The man John the Baptist was no exception. I love this passage of Scripture in Matthew 11 because it shows just how human was this great man of God. Remember, John was of priestly descent. His father, Zacharias, was a priest and his mother Elizabeth was of the daughters of Aaron. John was also chosen by God as the forerunner of Jesus. His ministry, one of repentance, attracted a large following.
But it seems as if John, sitting in prison, has a time of questions and maybe even doubt. Why? Why did these questions come? He preached that the Messiah was coming but now seems to want to make sure that Jesus was the One Who was to come.
As our narrative starts here in verse 1 we read "And it came to pass when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities."
Jesus had been giving some private instructions to the chosen twelve. He then completes this and takes His teaching and preaching ministry beyond that chosen circle. I’m glad this part is included because if He had not extended the gospel beyond the inner circle you and I would not have had the opportunity to be saved. Peter writes in his second Epistle 3:9 A. . . not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.@
Verse two reveals that John is in prison, but is not in isolation because he can send and receive messages and does so. Let’s notice some thoughts:
1. HIS DOUBTS
Notice verses 2-3 "Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?"
What were the CAUSES of his questions and doubt? You would think that this man who had come out of the wilderness preaching fire and brimstone was so bold and confident that nothing could shake his belief system. He had separated himself from society and to preaching the kingdom of God was at hand. He had brazenly preached against the external emphasis of the Sadducees and Pharisees and had called them “a generation of vipers.” Even though this last of the Old Testament prophets didn’t feel worthy to do so, he even baptized Jesus at the start of His ministry. Why now the questions?
In a book entitled If I Really Believe, Why Do I Have These Doubts? Author Lynn Anderson lists some different types of doubters:
(1) Congenital Doubters (born that way)
(2) Rebel Doubters (nobody tells what to think)
(3) Disappointed Doubters (if God loved, why?)
(4) Wounded Doubters (from family, friends, etc)
But what about John? Why is he going through such questions that he resorts to sending some of his followers to ask Jesus if He really was Who He said He was? Let me give you a few of my own ideas:
(1) He could have been DISCOURAGED – Here he sits in a confined location. He’s used to the wide-open spaces. He had come from the wilderness and now finds himself closed in. He has gone from liberty to bondage, in a circumstance that he cannot change. You could understand the questions which might flood his mind.
(2) He could have been DISAPPOINTED – John did not have the privilege of the entire Word of God as we do. He had imagined the kingdom being ushered in at that time. If Jesus was the Messiah and possessed the scepter of David then why hadn’t He set him free? Wasn’t that the teaching of Isaiah 61:1 "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound."
(3) He could have been DISILLUSIONED – Notice verse 2 "Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, . ." While sitting in that prison, John hears about all that was happening in the ministry of Jesus. He heard about the healing of the sick, lame and blind. He also heard about Him raising the dead, but where is the attack on Rome? Where is the freeing of the Jews from the persecution of Rome? Isn’t this what all the Jews are waiting for?
Have you ever been here? I’m not talking about in prison, but having questions and maybe even doubts. Have you ever been in circumstances which you can’t change or in problems which you cannot solve?
I’m going to be totally transparent. In fact, I have been accused of being too transparent at times. I have had questions in my life. I have even wondered why God would do something for so-in-so and not for me.
One of the reasons we have doubts and questions is that we listen to our fears. Our fears come from the heart and we learn from Jeremiah 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" We read also in Proverbs 29:25 “The fear of man bringeth a snare: . . .” The Apostle Peter is a great illustration of this when he was accused by this little servant girl by the fire. He lied about knowing the Lord.
A person gets into trouble when he thinks as a natural man. God’s ways are not our ways. The wisdom of the Word of God tells us in Proverbs 16:25 "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."
What had happened in John’s life that would have brought this fear? He had gotten into trouble with the authority. He had boldly stood against King Herod and his action of taking his brother’s wife. And because of that he had been thrown into jail. In fact, he had been in jail for quite a long time. You can imagine how easy it would have been for him to be disillusioned. He begins to think. What else was there to do? He thinks of his circumstance, his future and what he knew about the coming Messiah. John thought the Messiah would overthrow the authority but Herod is still on the throne and he’s in prison. He began to question his life, his ministry and whether or not what he had preached was right or not.
Have we not questioned things that have happened in our lives? Have we wondered why things were going right in other’s lives and we were having difficulties?
If John is having some doubts, is that unbelief? How does Jesus deal with the questions of John? Next week we’ll answer those questions.
That’s my view; how about you?
Monday, September 27, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
THE PROVISION THAT WAS PROMISED
I Kings 17:15-16, “And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. 16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.”
We have followed the prophet Elijah from the Brook Cherith where he was fed by God using very unusual means, the ravens. Once God had taken some of the wind out of his sails, we saw him taken to the Gentile hot bed of Zarephath. This is hostile country. This was the place of Jezebel. And to make matter worse, Elijah is now forced to depend upon a widow who is in destitution herself. But we saw in last week’s “Challenging Concepts” that even though she doubted at the beginning of this test, she decided to obey the Word of the Lord and give Elijah her last meal.
In this test, God does not only have Elijah in mind, He also wants to do something in the life of this widow and her son.
This Gentile widow obeyed because the Word of the Lord commanded her, and also gave her a fantastic promise. Notice again the command and promise given in verses 13-14 “And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste neither shall the cruse of oil fail until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.”
Notice the two words “fear not.” Someone has said, “Fear actually is related to love, as are all passions. Love is an attraction for an object; fear is flight from it.”
God is saying through His prophet for the widow not to flee from this trial in her life. He has a special blessing in store for her and her son.
I wonder how many believers have fallen prey to “fear” and have not experienced all that God has for them. Fear can cause many problems in the life of the believer. I know first hand how hard it is to step out on a new venture.
Jesus knows each of us and our fears. He did with His newly called disciples. Notice what Jesus said to James, John and Simon Peter when He called these rugged fishermen to a ministry of reaching men and women: Luke 5:10 “And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.”
After Jesus had been crucified and was risen from the dead, the disciples were told to go into the city and He would show Himself to them. And here they were and they were afraid of the Jews. But notice what Jesus says to this fearful group: John 20:19 “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.”
It is natural for the widow to be afraid to give the last bit of meal to this total stranger. She does take that step of faith and claiming that promise, she did what God had said. She took a step of faith and was rewarded for it.
What happened? What was the result? The supply did not run out. Isn’t that great? Think about this, if you will. This widow traded the certain for the uncertain and received the impossible in return. What a fantastic provision she received.
Let’s notice some insights into what God did for this widow:
1. NOTICE THE GRACE
Because this widow was willing to obey from the heart, God blessed her, her son and Elijah. While all around them people were starving, they enjoyed plenty. That’s Grace. This widow had learned to live by faith and God supplied her need. God always honors faith. Why? Faith honors God.
We should never be afraid to trust God. God will keep His promises.
2. NOTICE THE GREATNESS
Until it rained, every meal time was a miracle. She would go to the barrel, there it was. She would go to the jar, it still had enough. He took what she gave and made it last until it was no longer needed. We serve a Great God. Our God specializes in doing the impossible. Our circumstance may look hopeless at times, but we must never count God out. He takes the little that is dedicated to Him by faith and multiplies it to enormous proportions.
Do you emember the story of the 5 loaves and 2 fish that fed a multitude? I’m sure that little boy had no idea what was in store for him when he left home that morning. But because he was willing to give all, even though it was little, Jesus performed a miracle which not only touched many lives that day, but has continued to this day as people read what God did.
I love the song: “Little Is Much When God Is In It.” There’s a line in that song that says “There’s a prize and you can win it, if you’ll go in Jesus name.” That can apply to a widow in a Gentile town who obeys by faith and is rewarded for that faith. God is GREAT.
3. NOTICE THE GLORY
The glory of this story lies in the fact that the barrel and cruse were never full. It doesn’t say they had plenty because God filled the barrel to the brim. Elijah and the widow were taught to live day by day. The precious lady had to go to the barrel and scrape the bottom for every meal. She had to pour out the last drop of oil at every meal. Every meal brought another opportunity for that widow to give it all again, and again and again. They were taught to trust God day after day after day.
Can you imagine what this did for strengthening the faith of both her and Elijah? They saw the Lord provide day after day.
Elijah has seen God provide through the ravens and now through this specially prepared widow. He is being strengthen for greater ministry. On the other hand, this is the first test, as far as we know, on the part of this widow and she has passed with flying colors and is having a short lived faith strengthen day in and day out. This is the glory of this story.
Have you ever wondered why God doesn’t just drop a million dollars in your lap when a financial need arises? If that happened I have no doubt you and I would give all the glory to God. But that would not do as much for our faith as His provisions day by day. When I look back at our married life, there have been many financial needs that Grace and I have faced. God hasn’t seen fit to give us financial security as the world sees it, but we have seen Him supply day after day and has never let us down. Our faith may not be as strong as it should be, but it’s a lot stronger than it was years ago. And we give God all the glory.
What a lesson we learn from Elijah and this dear widow! Let me mention two last thoughts:
(1) God has always demanded our ALL.
(2) We must be willing to OBEY.
That’s my view; how about you?
We have followed the prophet Elijah from the Brook Cherith where he was fed by God using very unusual means, the ravens. Once God had taken some of the wind out of his sails, we saw him taken to the Gentile hot bed of Zarephath. This is hostile country. This was the place of Jezebel. And to make matter worse, Elijah is now forced to depend upon a widow who is in destitution herself. But we saw in last week’s “Challenging Concepts” that even though she doubted at the beginning of this test, she decided to obey the Word of the Lord and give Elijah her last meal.
In this test, God does not only have Elijah in mind, He also wants to do something in the life of this widow and her son.
This Gentile widow obeyed because the Word of the Lord commanded her, and also gave her a fantastic promise. Notice again the command and promise given in verses 13-14 “And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste neither shall the cruse of oil fail until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.”
Notice the two words “fear not.” Someone has said, “Fear actually is related to love, as are all passions. Love is an attraction for an object; fear is flight from it.”
God is saying through His prophet for the widow not to flee from this trial in her life. He has a special blessing in store for her and her son.
I wonder how many believers have fallen prey to “fear” and have not experienced all that God has for them. Fear can cause many problems in the life of the believer. I know first hand how hard it is to step out on a new venture.
Jesus knows each of us and our fears. He did with His newly called disciples. Notice what Jesus said to James, John and Simon Peter when He called these rugged fishermen to a ministry of reaching men and women: Luke 5:10 “And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.”
After Jesus had been crucified and was risen from the dead, the disciples were told to go into the city and He would show Himself to them. And here they were and they were afraid of the Jews. But notice what Jesus says to this fearful group: John 20:19 “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.”
It is natural for the widow to be afraid to give the last bit of meal to this total stranger. She does take that step of faith and claiming that promise, she did what God had said. She took a step of faith and was rewarded for it.
What happened? What was the result? The supply did not run out. Isn’t that great? Think about this, if you will. This widow traded the certain for the uncertain and received the impossible in return. What a fantastic provision she received.
Let’s notice some insights into what God did for this widow:
1. NOTICE THE GRACE
Because this widow was willing to obey from the heart, God blessed her, her son and Elijah. While all around them people were starving, they enjoyed plenty. That’s Grace. This widow had learned to live by faith and God supplied her need. God always honors faith. Why? Faith honors God.
We should never be afraid to trust God. God will keep His promises.
2. NOTICE THE GREATNESS
Until it rained, every meal time was a miracle. She would go to the barrel, there it was. She would go to the jar, it still had enough. He took what she gave and made it last until it was no longer needed. We serve a Great God. Our God specializes in doing the impossible. Our circumstance may look hopeless at times, but we must never count God out. He takes the little that is dedicated to Him by faith and multiplies it to enormous proportions.
Do you emember the story of the 5 loaves and 2 fish that fed a multitude? I’m sure that little boy had no idea what was in store for him when he left home that morning. But because he was willing to give all, even though it was little, Jesus performed a miracle which not only touched many lives that day, but has continued to this day as people read what God did.
I love the song: “Little Is Much When God Is In It.” There’s a line in that song that says “There’s a prize and you can win it, if you’ll go in Jesus name.” That can apply to a widow in a Gentile town who obeys by faith and is rewarded for that faith. God is GREAT.
3. NOTICE THE GLORY
The glory of this story lies in the fact that the barrel and cruse were never full. It doesn’t say they had plenty because God filled the barrel to the brim. Elijah and the widow were taught to live day by day. The precious lady had to go to the barrel and scrape the bottom for every meal. She had to pour out the last drop of oil at every meal. Every meal brought another opportunity for that widow to give it all again, and again and again. They were taught to trust God day after day after day.
Can you imagine what this did for strengthening the faith of both her and Elijah? They saw the Lord provide day after day.
Elijah has seen God provide through the ravens and now through this specially prepared widow. He is being strengthen for greater ministry. On the other hand, this is the first test, as far as we know, on the part of this widow and she has passed with flying colors and is having a short lived faith strengthen day in and day out. This is the glory of this story.
Have you ever wondered why God doesn’t just drop a million dollars in your lap when a financial need arises? If that happened I have no doubt you and I would give all the glory to God. But that would not do as much for our faith as His provisions day by day. When I look back at our married life, there have been many financial needs that Grace and I have faced. God hasn’t seen fit to give us financial security as the world sees it, but we have seen Him supply day after day and has never let us down. Our faith may not be as strong as it should be, but it’s a lot stronger than it was years ago. And we give God all the glory.
What a lesson we learn from Elijah and this dear widow! Let me mention two last thoughts:
(1) God has always demanded our ALL.
(2) We must be willing to OBEY.
That’s my view; how about you?
Monday, September 13, 2010
A FANTASTIC PROMISE
I Kings 17:12-14 “And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.”
In last week’s “Challenging Concepts” we notice the command, challenge and comfort Elijah received in coming to Zarephath. In this Gentile city, Elijah has been told that he is to be sustained by “the” widow that he will meet. As he enters this heathen town, he indeed does meet “the” widow and Elijah learns that he can trust God to meet his needs through unusual means.
But it’s not only Elijah that will learn a lesson at this point in our study. “The” widow will also learn that obedience to the will of God will result in blessings for her and her son.
What happens with this precious lady can be related too by many of us as she reacts naturally and then steps out on faith and watches God do something very miraculous.
1. THERE IS DOUBT
When this widow is asked for some bread, all of a sudden you sense that she might be a little afraid. According to verse 9 God had already commanded her to meet the need of His prophet, but now she seemed to have a lack of faith. Why is this? It’s usually because a person has his eyes on the circumstance instead of on God who controls the circumstance. She also has a need, and has also concluded that there is no way she can survive.
Too many of God's people live in the same place in their lives. They look at the problems and needs, and also come to the conclusion their circumstance is hopeless. A child of God is not to look at the problem but at the Provider. There is no doubt about the fact that Elijah was set to Zarephath for his benefit, but he was also sent there for the benefit of “the” widow. God is also in the process of teaching her to trust Him.
You and I need to ask ourselves if we're trapped in doubt. Does it seem as if the circumstance we are in today is hopeless? If that is so in our lives, then we need to get our eyes beyond the problem to the problem solver. Notice what is written in Hebrews 12:1-2, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
We are all in a race and we’re to lay aside anything and everything that hinders us from running that race, even our lack of faith and doubt.
God will supply. We read in Matthew 6:25, 31-34, “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? . . . . . Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”
When we doubt, we’re saying that God is not able to do what He’s said He’ll do. Is He God or not? When we doubt we’re saying that our God is dead. God is very much alive, and He's in control of all circumstances and will supply all our needs.
Real Faith Knows That God Is Greater Than What The Eye Can See.
At this point, the widow has a heart problem. Remember, Stewardship is a matter of the heart.
2. THERE IS A DEMAND
Notice verses 13-14, “And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.”
I can hear the natural man say that this sounds pretty cold. When you realize the widow doesn't have much but is demanded to make a cake for the preacher, that sounds very selfish. But in reality, it’s a plea for faith and surrender to the will of God.
I’ve heard people say that a person who only lives on social security shouldn’t be expected to tithe. I say that person must tithe because they need God’s blessings on their life. Giving a tithe back to God is a step of faith.
Let’s analyze the demand:
a. Notice the Encouragement – “fear not”
The man of God speaks words of comfort. He is assuring her that she can put her trust in God. David wrote in Psalm 7:1 “O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust. . .”
God expects the child of God to demonstrate faith at all times. We read in Hebrews 10:38 “Now the just shall live by faith:. . .” God’s character is absolutely trustworthy.
b. Notice the Enlightenment – “thus saith the Lord God of Israel”
Here is a direct word from God. God has promised to take care of her. The promise is that if she will give as directed, then God will meet her need.
The promise includes details. Look at verse 14, “. . . The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.” God is giving this widow notice that she’s about to be the focus of a miracle that’s designed especially to meet the need of one of His servants, but also to build her faith for the future. She’s about to see a manifestation of the power of Almighty God.
Now, let me remind us, God often calls on us with demands that are difficult to understand. They may be hard for us to reason, but when God’s demands are accompanied with His clear promise, we need to have no fear or hesitation. We need to respond immediately in faith.
Being faithful in the area of stewardship is not something to fear, question or delay. God’s command to tithe is clearly accompanied by the promise that He will supply all our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus.
3. THERE IS A DECISION
Notice verse 15 “And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.”
When the widow heard the word of God, she obeyed. Using the last bite in the house was not easy to do. Giving that last bite to a total stranger was hard.
Total obedience from the heart is the place that God wants all of us to be. Regardless of how things look outwardly, He wants our heart to respond with total obedience. God wants us to get to the place in our lives where we’re willing to give it all, if He asks us to do so.
Are we at that point? Can we do that?
Next week we’re going to explore how God fulfills His promise to the faith of this dear lady! We’ll try to challenge each person to try God and see if He will not pour out blessings far beyond our expectations.
That’s my view; how about you?
In last week’s “Challenging Concepts” we notice the command, challenge and comfort Elijah received in coming to Zarephath. In this Gentile city, Elijah has been told that he is to be sustained by “the” widow that he will meet. As he enters this heathen town, he indeed does meet “the” widow and Elijah learns that he can trust God to meet his needs through unusual means.
But it’s not only Elijah that will learn a lesson at this point in our study. “The” widow will also learn that obedience to the will of God will result in blessings for her and her son.
What happens with this precious lady can be related too by many of us as she reacts naturally and then steps out on faith and watches God do something very miraculous.
1. THERE IS DOUBT
When this widow is asked for some bread, all of a sudden you sense that she might be a little afraid. According to verse 9 God had already commanded her to meet the need of His prophet, but now she seemed to have a lack of faith. Why is this? It’s usually because a person has his eyes on the circumstance instead of on God who controls the circumstance. She also has a need, and has also concluded that there is no way she can survive.
Too many of God's people live in the same place in their lives. They look at the problems and needs, and also come to the conclusion their circumstance is hopeless. A child of God is not to look at the problem but at the Provider. There is no doubt about the fact that Elijah was set to Zarephath for his benefit, but he was also sent there for the benefit of “the” widow. God is also in the process of teaching her to trust Him.
You and I need to ask ourselves if we're trapped in doubt. Does it seem as if the circumstance we are in today is hopeless? If that is so in our lives, then we need to get our eyes beyond the problem to the problem solver. Notice what is written in Hebrews 12:1-2, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
We are all in a race and we’re to lay aside anything and everything that hinders us from running that race, even our lack of faith and doubt.
God will supply. We read in Matthew 6:25, 31-34, “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? . . . . . Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”
When we doubt, we’re saying that God is not able to do what He’s said He’ll do. Is He God or not? When we doubt we’re saying that our God is dead. God is very much alive, and He's in control of all circumstances and will supply all our needs.
Real Faith Knows That God Is Greater Than What The Eye Can See.
At this point, the widow has a heart problem. Remember, Stewardship is a matter of the heart.
2. THERE IS A DEMAND
Notice verses 13-14, “And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.”
I can hear the natural man say that this sounds pretty cold. When you realize the widow doesn't have much but is demanded to make a cake for the preacher, that sounds very selfish. But in reality, it’s a plea for faith and surrender to the will of God.
I’ve heard people say that a person who only lives on social security shouldn’t be expected to tithe. I say that person must tithe because they need God’s blessings on their life. Giving a tithe back to God is a step of faith.
Let’s analyze the demand:
a. Notice the Encouragement – “fear not”
The man of God speaks words of comfort. He is assuring her that she can put her trust in God. David wrote in Psalm 7:1 “O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust. . .”
God expects the child of God to demonstrate faith at all times. We read in Hebrews 10:38 “Now the just shall live by faith:. . .” God’s character is absolutely trustworthy.
b. Notice the Enlightenment – “thus saith the Lord God of Israel”
Here is a direct word from God. God has promised to take care of her. The promise is that if she will give as directed, then God will meet her need.
The promise includes details. Look at verse 14, “. . . The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.” God is giving this widow notice that she’s about to be the focus of a miracle that’s designed especially to meet the need of one of His servants, but also to build her faith for the future. She’s about to see a manifestation of the power of Almighty God.
Now, let me remind us, God often calls on us with demands that are difficult to understand. They may be hard for us to reason, but when God’s demands are accompanied with His clear promise, we need to have no fear or hesitation. We need to respond immediately in faith.
Being faithful in the area of stewardship is not something to fear, question or delay. God’s command to tithe is clearly accompanied by the promise that He will supply all our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus.
3. THERE IS A DECISION
Notice verse 15 “And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.”
When the widow heard the word of God, she obeyed. Using the last bite in the house was not easy to do. Giving that last bite to a total stranger was hard.
Total obedience from the heart is the place that God wants all of us to be. Regardless of how things look outwardly, He wants our heart to respond with total obedience. God wants us to get to the place in our lives where we’re willing to give it all, if He asks us to do so.
Are we at that point? Can we do that?
Next week we’re going to explore how God fulfills His promise to the faith of this dear lady! We’ll try to challenge each person to try God and see if He will not pour out blessings far beyond our expectations.
That’s my view; how about you?
Monday, September 6, 2010
ANOTHER PROVISION
I Kings 17:8-11 “And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.”
It’s interesting to see how God provided for his servants in the Word of God. One such individual who experienced the hand of God in providing for him was the prophet Elijah. After God demonstrated His power in the conflict Elijah had with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, Elijah received provisions by way of a brook and ravens. As strange as that was, the next step in Elijah’s dependence upon God for his daily needs was even more testing. This test takes him right into the land of the Gentile city of Zarephath. Not only to the land of idolatry, but he is going to be sustained by a widow, of all people.
1. THE COMMAND – vs 9 “Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.”
I understand that this command will take Elijah some 100 miles through hostile country ruled by King Ahab who is on the hunt for him. This may test our common sense, but remember, God doesn’t have to work according to our thinking. I’m sure building the ark didn’t make sense, or walking around the walls of Jericho, or even looking at a brass serpent on a pole to heal a snake bite.
2. THE CHALLENGE – vs 9 “. . .and dwell there:. . .” That means that Elijah is to go there and stay till further notice.
This is a very difficult issue for most of us. We don’t like tests, but to think there’s no guarantee as to how long the test will last is hard to accept. If you’re like me, it sometimes takes a long time for the Potter to accomplish what is needed with this clump of clay.
To realize that he has no guarantee in the length of this stay in heathen territory is bad enough, but the next part of Elijah’s experience at Zeraphath is a greater test.
Notice the phrase “. . . behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.”
You talk about a blow to a prophet’s ego, this is it. In those days, widows were the poorest of the poor. Instead of God telling the prophet to go take care of the widow, he is going to be taken care of by the widow.
The name Zaraphath has a very interesting meaning. It means “Smelting Furnace of Refining.” I believe Elijah is about to find out that this town is going to live up to its name. Elijah had his knees cut out from under him at the Brook Cherith in that he had to depend on ravens to bring his food, and now he’s going to feel the fires of refining. In this Gentile town Elijah is going to have his pride and self-reliance stripped away.
Most of us believers are self-reliant people. We want to believe that we can make it on our own. We want to handle and be in control of all circumstances.
When God has something very special for His children, He will send us to “Zarephath” where we have to learn to depend on nothing but Him. It’s at this place that we learn Who is in control. We learn that God is still on the throne and He’s the one who calls all the shots.
Submission to His will is what God wants out of each of His children. God wants each of us to live by faith. We read in Romans 1:17 “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”
It’s at “Zarephath” that we learn that God will provide everything we need. Paul wrote in Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
In this journey of faith Elijah has been given a command. He has also faced a test which has been a great challenge. But now this great prophet of God is going to be given some encouragement in the midst of the challenge.
3. THE COMFORT – vs 10-11 “So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.”
After the great victory on Mount Carmel, Elijah dropped to one of the lowest points in his spiritual life. This is very easy to do. In his book "Be Strong," Dr. Warren Wiersbe writes “After we’ve experienced an exciting victory of faith, God often permits us to be tested. . .Since great victories can lead to great pride, God allows us to be tested in order to remind us to depend on Him.” In that same book Dr. Wiersbe quotes the Scottish preacher Andrew Bonar (1810-92) “Let us be as watchful after the victory as before the battle.” Elijah should have known that truth.
But now Elijah is growing one day at a time. When he gets the command, he doesn’t balk, question, or even hesitate. He obeys and sets out immediately on his cross-country hike. And when he gets to Zarephath there is something very special awaiting him. At the gate to the city, he sees “the” widow picking up sticks. It is not just an ordinary widow, it’s “the” widow that God has chosen for this task. God is not going to leave His growing prophet out in the cold wondering if this is the one. He directs him to the exact Widow that’s to supply his need. When Elijah sees her, he calls to her to fetch him a drink of water. It must have been a real comfort to his heart to see her turn to fetch his drink. It must have appeared as if God had things lined up for him.
This is reminiscent of the way God directed the servant of Abraham to the exact well where the right young lady was waiting for him, when he was sent to get a bride for his son Isaac. Elijah probably could have sung a duet with Abraham’s servant when he said “. . . I being in the way, the LORD led me. . .” (Gen 24:27)
I have learned through my study and through experience that when God is working to provide needs in our lives, He usually works on both ends:
* When Jacob and his sons needed food, God provided and allowed Joseph to be sold into slavery and then elevated to second in command of the nation of Egypt.
* When the spies needed protecting in the city of Jericho, God provided “the” harlot named Rahab to be available.
* When the Jews faced slaughter at the hands of wicked Haman, God provided “the” young lady named Esther.
*When the Ethiopian Eunuch needed salvation, God broke up a revival and sent “the” evangelist named Phillip to the desert with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
When your time of need comes, you can rest assured that your Heavenly Father has already gone ahead of you to spread the table of provision on your behalf.
Elijah has learned a tremendous lesson about the provision of God. But this story has a lesson also for this dear widow. We’ll look at that lesson next week.
That’s my view; how about you?
It’s interesting to see how God provided for his servants in the Word of God. One such individual who experienced the hand of God in providing for him was the prophet Elijah. After God demonstrated His power in the conflict Elijah had with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, Elijah received provisions by way of a brook and ravens. As strange as that was, the next step in Elijah’s dependence upon God for his daily needs was even more testing. This test takes him right into the land of the Gentile city of Zarephath. Not only to the land of idolatry, but he is going to be sustained by a widow, of all people.
1. THE COMMAND – vs 9 “Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.”
I understand that this command will take Elijah some 100 miles through hostile country ruled by King Ahab who is on the hunt for him. This may test our common sense, but remember, God doesn’t have to work according to our thinking. I’m sure building the ark didn’t make sense, or walking around the walls of Jericho, or even looking at a brass serpent on a pole to heal a snake bite.
2. THE CHALLENGE – vs 9 “. . .and dwell there:. . .” That means that Elijah is to go there and stay till further notice.
This is a very difficult issue for most of us. We don’t like tests, but to think there’s no guarantee as to how long the test will last is hard to accept. If you’re like me, it sometimes takes a long time for the Potter to accomplish what is needed with this clump of clay.
To realize that he has no guarantee in the length of this stay in heathen territory is bad enough, but the next part of Elijah’s experience at Zeraphath is a greater test.
Notice the phrase “. . . behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.”
You talk about a blow to a prophet’s ego, this is it. In those days, widows were the poorest of the poor. Instead of God telling the prophet to go take care of the widow, he is going to be taken care of by the widow.
The name Zaraphath has a very interesting meaning. It means “Smelting Furnace of Refining.” I believe Elijah is about to find out that this town is going to live up to its name. Elijah had his knees cut out from under him at the Brook Cherith in that he had to depend on ravens to bring his food, and now he’s going to feel the fires of refining. In this Gentile town Elijah is going to have his pride and self-reliance stripped away.
Most of us believers are self-reliant people. We want to believe that we can make it on our own. We want to handle and be in control of all circumstances.
When God has something very special for His children, He will send us to “Zarephath” where we have to learn to depend on nothing but Him. It’s at this place that we learn Who is in control. We learn that God is still on the throne and He’s the one who calls all the shots.
Submission to His will is what God wants out of each of His children. God wants each of us to live by faith. We read in Romans 1:17 “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”
It’s at “Zarephath” that we learn that God will provide everything we need. Paul wrote in Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
In this journey of faith Elijah has been given a command. He has also faced a test which has been a great challenge. But now this great prophet of God is going to be given some encouragement in the midst of the challenge.
3. THE COMFORT – vs 10-11 “So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.”
After the great victory on Mount Carmel, Elijah dropped to one of the lowest points in his spiritual life. This is very easy to do. In his book "Be Strong," Dr. Warren Wiersbe writes “After we’ve experienced an exciting victory of faith, God often permits us to be tested. . .Since great victories can lead to great pride, God allows us to be tested in order to remind us to depend on Him.” In that same book Dr. Wiersbe quotes the Scottish preacher Andrew Bonar (1810-92) “Let us be as watchful after the victory as before the battle.” Elijah should have known that truth.
But now Elijah is growing one day at a time. When he gets the command, he doesn’t balk, question, or even hesitate. He obeys and sets out immediately on his cross-country hike. And when he gets to Zarephath there is something very special awaiting him. At the gate to the city, he sees “the” widow picking up sticks. It is not just an ordinary widow, it’s “the” widow that God has chosen for this task. God is not going to leave His growing prophet out in the cold wondering if this is the one. He directs him to the exact Widow that’s to supply his need. When Elijah sees her, he calls to her to fetch him a drink of water. It must have been a real comfort to his heart to see her turn to fetch his drink. It must have appeared as if God had things lined up for him.
This is reminiscent of the way God directed the servant of Abraham to the exact well where the right young lady was waiting for him, when he was sent to get a bride for his son Isaac. Elijah probably could have sung a duet with Abraham’s servant when he said “. . . I being in the way, the LORD led me. . .” (Gen 24:27)
I have learned through my study and through experience that when God is working to provide needs in our lives, He usually works on both ends:
* When Jacob and his sons needed food, God provided and allowed Joseph to be sold into slavery and then elevated to second in command of the nation of Egypt.
* When the spies needed protecting in the city of Jericho, God provided “the” harlot named Rahab to be available.
* When the Jews faced slaughter at the hands of wicked Haman, God provided “the” young lady named Esther.
*When the Ethiopian Eunuch needed salvation, God broke up a revival and sent “the” evangelist named Phillip to the desert with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
When your time of need comes, you can rest assured that your Heavenly Father has already gone ahead of you to spread the table of provision on your behalf.
Elijah has learned a tremendous lesson about the provision of God. But this story has a lesson also for this dear widow. We’ll look at that lesson next week.
That’s my view; how about you?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
