Books
Elijah and the Widow
Read 1 Kings 17:8-16
The word of the LORD came to Elijah. There were three things that God told Elijah to do:
* Arise – he had to get up. He could not keep sitting and accomplish anything.
* Get thee to Zarephath – he had to go somewhere. He had to go where God wanted him to go (to Zarephath). The word Zarephath means refinement. God was going to do some fine tuning on Elijah and the widow. He was going to refine (free from impurities) both of them. Zarephath was in Zidon. Zidon means catching fish. Elijah was going to do some fishing there (spiritual fishing). Through Elijah, God was bringing the widow to know Him.
* Dwell there – Elijah was to live where God sent him.
Before Elijah arrived, God had provided for his needs. He told Elijah that he had commanded the widow to feed him. God never sends us anywhere that He hasn’t already provided for us.
God had commanded the widow woman, who was a Gentile, to sustain Elijah. She was to feed, receive, and make provision for him. God had already told her to do this. He commanded her to do it. This was a Gentile woman. This was someone who did not know God, yet He commanded her to supply the needs of Elijah (a man of God). Continue reading
God Speaks in a Still Small Voice
Sometimes people tell me they have problems hearing God’s voice. It is important that we hear when God speaks to us. He tells us several times in the Bible to listen and be obedient to His voice. He also says that if we will seek Him (this means to actively search for Him, to be serious about wanting Him and wanting to hear from Him), we will be able to find Him.
Deuteronomy 4:29-31 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.
Since we are to be obedient to His voice, we need to know how to hear God when He speaks to us. Let’s look at an example from Elijah. Elijah had just won a battle with evil and false prophets. Then, when the started searching for him to kill him, he let his fear take over and he ran away – afraid. He went and hid in the mountains. God found him, hiding there in the mountain. God told Elijah how to hear His voice when He speaks. (Can you imagine – even Elijah had problems hearing God’s voice at time – so you see, we are not alone in this problem.) Continue reading
Be Still and Know He is God
Psalm 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
There are times when God expects us to just be still and wait on Him. Be still and know that God is God and He will take care of you. Be still and listen for the voice of God. Sometimes we have to be still in order to hear Him because there are times when He speaks in a still small voice. He tells us that in the Bible when He was speaking to Elijah. (I suggest you read the whole 19th chapter of 1 Kings – or even that whole story to get the full details of what happened before this point.)
1 Kings 19:11-12 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
If you are having problems hearing the Lord, maybe it is your time to be still and know that He is God!
Until next time,
Linda Sedrick Pearson
