Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Zephaniah 3:17
Did
you know that the Lord God Almighty, the creator of all creation,
doesn't look down at you from his throne all grumpy saying, "why cant
they get their act together"? No! He takes delight in you with
Gladness. He shouts and sings in JOY for you! Imagine that! He is a
proud Papa who brags on you to His angels. He is mighty to save!
Zephaniah 3:17
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Don't be like the Widow of Zarephath
Don't be like the Widow of Zarephath.
This lady lived under the supernatural provision of God but failed from so many levels. First, she had an encounter with the Lord where He told her Elijah was going to be coming to her house and "Commanded" her to provide for His prophet. Yet, when Elijah came to her she was preparing to end her life with her son because they were out of food. She didn't receive the Word of the Lord.
Then Elijah prophecies, "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."
And, the barrel nor cruse never ran dry. She was living in the supernatural provision of the Lord. After many days, possibly years, her son dies and she blames Elijah. Elijah raises her son from the dead and she says,
"Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth."
Really? The endless barrel and cruse lasting years didn't do it. The blessing just became like manna in the desert, blah! This lady lived under the provision of the Lord but never recognized it. Possibly never thanked and praised the Lord for it.
Was this the sin that she feared Elijah was bringing to remembrance?
I hear people say, I tried tithing but it doesn't work; all I do is give but never get back. They look at all that is wrong around them and say "where is God?" I lost my job, I lost my wife, I lost, I lost, I lost.
Start recognizing and praising God for the small things that he does. His provision isn't always a fat wallet, sometimes it's as simple as scraps of bread and flesh from the ravens. Sometimes, it is as simple as the breath you breathe.
Matthew 6
25“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life ?
28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
This lady lived under the supernatural provision of God but failed from so many levels. First, she had an encounter with the Lord where He told her Elijah was going to be coming to her house and "Commanded" her to provide for His prophet. Yet, when Elijah came to her she was preparing to end her life with her son because they were out of food. She didn't receive the Word of the Lord.
Then Elijah prophecies, "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."
And, the barrel nor cruse never ran dry. She was living in the supernatural provision of the Lord. After many days, possibly years, her son dies and she blames Elijah. Elijah raises her son from the dead and she says,
"Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth."
Really? The endless barrel and cruse lasting years didn't do it. The blessing just became like manna in the desert, blah! This lady lived under the provision of the Lord but never recognized it. Possibly never thanked and praised the Lord for it.
Was this the sin that she feared Elijah was bringing to remembrance?
I hear people say, I tried tithing but it doesn't work; all I do is give but never get back. They look at all that is wrong around them and say "where is God?" I lost my job, I lost my wife, I lost, I lost, I lost.
Start recognizing and praising God for the small things that he does. His provision isn't always a fat wallet, sometimes it's as simple as scraps of bread and flesh from the ravens. Sometimes, it is as simple as the breath you breathe.
Matthew 6
25“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life ?
28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)