The message was brought by Rev. Eddie Foster on January 28, 2024.
I Kings 17:13 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.
Elijah prophesied to one of the most wicked kings in Israel, and he also had a very wicked wife. No one ever named their daughter Jezebel. King Ahab was told it wouldn’t rain and for 3 ½ years; it didn’t. God sent Elijah to the brook for water and the ravens fed him. God provided. He daily provides for us. God taught Israel in their wanderings that he provided daily needs. Jesus taught in the model prayer to say “give us this day our daily bread.” The scripture teaches us to prepare for “the rainy day” by saying we should consider the ant. But God also wants us to know that all provisions come from him.
When the water dried up, Elijah was instructed to go to Zarephath and a widow woman there would take care of him. She was gathering sticks to prepare and eat one more meal; then she and her son would wait to die. A raven. A widow. God provides help where we least expect it. Elijah asked her for water and then told her to fix him a meal. On the surface this sounds selfish of him. He is taking her food, but with it comes a promise. He told her in verse 14: 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. It kept coming. I want to mention five things for us to remember.
1) I see a defeated life. She’s given up hope. She’s accepted her fate: make a final meal and then starve to death. Some people are pessimistic. This is a source of discouragement. Dominated by the flesh. Thoughts are focused inwardly. Even Elijah was guilty of this. We do it too. Self-pity can get us. It can end up a life directed by the devil. He wants us to be defeated.
2) Fear not. As I’ve said before there is physical courage. I don’t have much of that. And there is moral courage. I want to do what’s right regardless. There is a good fear. The Bible teaches the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom. We need a reverential fear of God. Why? Because he’s God! We fear a lot of things in life–getting old, rejection, loss of health; some fear death. We must remember that we’ll have a new body in a better place. I don’t know how dying will be, but I do know God will be with me.
3) Put God first. This is what Elijah was teaching. In asking for a meal to be prepared for him first, Elijah was saying we must put God first. We obey him. I believe our priorities should be in this order: God, Family, Church, Work. If God is anywhere but first we’ll be in trouble. Be a Daniel–determined to do what’s right. Put the love of God first. If we’re not careful we’ll be like the church at Ephesus and lose our first love. Put God first in giving. He blesses our obedience in this.
4) Faith is tested. Testing isn’t enjoyable. The widow in this story was tested. Should she believe Elijah’s God could provide for her? If not God, who can!! What is faith–the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen. It requires action. The widow could have believed God would provide but still died if she hadn’t acted and obeyed. Noah built the ark before the rains came. Peter was tested before he was mightily used by God. John Mark was a quitter in early years but became necessary for Paul near the end. David sinned. These all repented and God used them. Testing destroys self assurance. We find out quickly how much we need God. He wants us to acknowledge that need. Faith teaches us to walk on when we can’t see. It teaches us to walk on in the valleys of life. It teaches us to work in spite of the opposition and in spite of discouragement. We are to not forget the teachings regarding the return of Christ. We’re forgiven and should live accordingly; we will when we remember his soon return.
5) Faith involves trust. They go together. Do we believe the Lord? He took hell deserving sinners and saved us. He had the right to cast us out, but he didn’t. The prodigal son came home. His father could have rejected him. He didn’t. In fact, he ran out to meet him when he saw him coming and they celebrated his coming home.
It’s time to let go of our own life and let God take charge. Do it in faith.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 