TOPIC: FROM ZERO TO ABUNDANCE
MEMORISE: Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7
READ: 1 Kings 17:8-16
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.
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.
And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
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.
MESSAGE:
There are two principles that you can learn from the story of the widow of Zarephath. These tested and proven principles are God’s blueprint for moving His children to the peak of financial sufficiency.
The widow of Zarephath was so poor that she had only one meal left in her house, but God took her from point zero to a point where she never lacked again.
How did it happen? The widow of Zarephath sowed when it was absolutely difficult; she sowed her last meal. If you want to challenge God with giving, give when it is not convenient, and God will bless you – this is the first principle.
The second principle is to sow on good ground. The widow sowed into the life of Elijah, the best ground available in Israel at the time.
When you sow into the life of a servant of God, you will not only get physical and material blessings, you will also get things that money cannot buy.
If you can learn and practice the kind of giving exemplified by the widow, you will give your way into prosperity.
God is looking for divine treasurers who will give to His servants and kingdom projects sacrificially.
KEY POINT:
Learn to give sacrificially; God will bless you for it.
HYMN 26
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS
There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.
Refrain:
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.
There shall be showers of blessing,
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain. [Refrain]
There shall be showers of blessing:
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing,
Come and now honor Thy Word. [Refrain]
There shall be showers of blessing:
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call! [Refrain]
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: EZEKIEL 44:1-45:12 1 PETER 1:1-12
AUTHORS PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE AND FOLU ADEBOYE