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Ever picked up a hitchhiker? Ever given money to a homeless man on the street? Ever given your last meal to a wandering prophet?

1 Kings 17:7-16

English Standard Version (ESV)

⁷ And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.⁸ Then the word of the Lord came to him, ⁹ “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” ¹⁰ So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” ¹¹ And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” ¹² And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” ¹³ And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. ¹⁴ For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’” ¹⁵ And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. ¹⁶ The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.

The widow who helped Elijah didn’t pick up a hitchhiker. She didn’t just give an extra buck to a homeless man. This took more guts than anything that we would consider risky.

First of all, Why this woman?

This window wasn’t just a random lady. Verse 9 says, God commanded, or chose her, to help Elijah. The Hebrew word for commanded used here is tsâvâh – meaning to command, charge, give orders. So she knew who she was helping.

So she wasn’t necessarily a “nice lady” she was a “faith-lady” if you want to classify her, she was following what God told her, regardless of the risk. If she hadn’t been told to help Elijah she would have only been putting her trust in him. However since she was already set apart for this task, she was actually putting her trust and faith in God.

Secondly, what was her story?

First of all, the widow lived in a town called Zarephath, located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea on its own peninsula.

Now I’m going to generalize for a bit from research done online, this is simply a little history and geography lesson. Zarephath today is a city called Sarepta. In biblical times it was a metal working town, and they also supplied timber to the rest of the country. By no means was this a “farm” town.

But yet what the widow gave Elijah was bread from flour she had. Most likely, that’s not something she would have a lot of because she didn’t have a garden in the backyard; this was something she had bought.  So keep in mind, her town was not one with farmland, wheat would be something imported from somewhere else. Even so, she was a widow who wouldn’t have much. And above all else it was a famine. This flour she had was worth more than what we realize.

It’s interesting, that she gave Elijah bread, rather than fish, or something else that surely was easier to come by. Why would the bread be the only thing she had left? Don’t get me wrong it could be because it simply lasted longer, or she so happened to have that left just because she wanted to save it.

But remember, she knew Elijah was coming. God told her to help him. So it seems to me that she saved up the best she had for Elijah. This also wasn’t just the best she had, it was the last thing she had too. She was giving him her and her son’s last meal. That was the absolute most she could give him, that was everything she had. It wasn’t just leftover crumbs she gave Elijah. It was life to her.

God doesn’t want our leftover crumbs. God wants the “whole meal” from us. True faith is dedicated faith. Faith doesn’t make us give the bare minimum, but urges us to go above and beyond.

Even when we don’t think we have much to give, our full faith in God is what he really is looking for.

The widow took a step she couldn’t take, that’s faith.

1 Kings 17:17-24

English Standard Version (ESV)

 ¹⁷ After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. ¹⁸ And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!” ¹⁹ And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed. ²⁰ And he cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?” ²¹  Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this child’s life^[b] come into him again.” ²² And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. ²³ And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.” ²⁴ And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.

It seems just as the widow thought she had it all, something else happens.

Sometimes things seem simple that aren’t really simple. You’ve heard the phrase “Easier said than done.”  Well just like that phrase, staying with your faith is easier said, than done.

For example, it might be hard to keep with your faith when you have financial problems. Or maybe you lose faith when you have family problems or problems with a friend. Things that shouldn’t get in the way of our faith in God… do. God said faith can move a mountain…. Well if it could move a mountain, Why not anything smaller? Why does a problem to us seem bigger than what God can do for us? And that’s because… we lose focus.

It’s not that you no longer believe in God… it’s just that he’s not first on your list.

Sure the widow believed in God. She had Faith in him to give up her last meal to a stranger. She had extreme faith. But did that keep her son from dying?

Sure, you may have faith in God; you can say that all you want. But if your focus is not on him, than is it really faith?

James 2:17 says, “ So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

The widow could have sent Elijah away and hated him till the day she died. But she let him go to her son, because her faith was still in action.

Just because you know who God is and have faith in him, doesn’t mean problems won’t come. And just because you don’t see the outcome of a problem, doesn’t mean God’s not going to fix it for you. From the beginning of our text until the end, the woman still knew who God was. Even if she had problems and doubted some, faith in God is what she still had in the end.

So was she perfect? No. Was she dedicated? Yes.

Even when we have hopeless circumstances, faith gets us through. And coming out of it after having faith the entire time, makes us stronger.

-         Rodney

(Please note I am in no way, or claim to be, a biblical scholar. This post is for study and daily devotional purposes)

Scriptures used are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles

Those of you who are on Facebook have probably played or heard of Words with Friends. It’s a game where you have a set of letters, make the best word you can on the board, and then send it to your friend. Then the friend makes a word and sends it back to you and so forth. For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, Words with Friends is basically virtual Scrabble. As in either game you get seven letters to work with on the board. Sometimes you have some pretty good letters where you could make so many great words. But most often it seems we get frustrated because we draw all consonants or all vowels, it’s annoying, I know.

Considering all this, plug the game Words with Friends or Scrabble into real life. Just as if you have seven “good” letters, sometimes you have everything going for you, and things seem to fit right into place. You’ve got a new job that is paying you the right money and has the right benefits. You just paid your car off. You got accepted to that dream college you want to attend. Your family and friends love you and they support you in all that you do. The house is clean. Nothing has been broken or needs fixed lately. The kids are doing great in school. Everything in life is really working out and you’re as happy as a wormless apple being made into a pie by a pastry chef.

Other times you don’t know what to do with your life, you are stressed, there’s too much going on, and you have a “j, x, z, v, k, b, and q” to work with. The dishwasher broke and is leaking all over the kitchen. You have no idea how you’re going to pay your next electric bill or house payment. Something needs fixed on the car… again. You’ve been laid off and can’t find work. You stepped in dog poop in the yard… the worst part is… you don’t have a dog. Everyone seems to be putting you down. No one cares. And every time you think you’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, you draw a blank and you’ve got some hard choices to make.

Most of the time, whether it’s in a word game or real life, we think we have all the “q’s.” You’ve no idea where to put them unless there’s just the right letters to go with it. The good news is, there’s always more letters to draw until the game is over.

So if there’s always more letters to draw, and eventually it all ends anyways… there’s not much to deal with right? No, we still have the most important part of the game to consider: the other players.

Everything in Words with Friends or Scrabble depends on what the other players make. You don’t just have your letters you have the other ones on the board to work with too. Without another player’s words to work off of you can’t take your turn.

So who are these other players in our lives? Christians: our brothers and sisters in Christ who are all working towards the same goal as we are, to finish the game.

So this “game” isn’t Words with Friends anymore, we’re going to call it “Word’s with Christians.”

We need to work with and encourage our fellow Christians in our lives to help us achieve our goal.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 – English Standard Version (ESV) -

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”

When another brother or sister in Christ has a “q” in their life, you may have a “u” to help their letter out. We “build one another up” (v.11).

We can accomplish this building each other up with “seven letters” on our boards. Actually with seven words that God tells us to use in Colossians.

Colossians 3:12-17 -English Standard Version (ESV)

“12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

There are seven words written to us in this passage that tells us how to “play our letters” together.

1. Compassion – We need to have “compassionate hearts” (v.12) towards one another. Not just pretending to want to be helpful to each other, but in our hearts, have compassion to work with each other. This isn’t the same thing as love. Love is a feeling of commitment to someone. Compassion is the urge of acting upon that commitment. Be genuinely compassionate with one another.

2. Kindness – We need to be kind to one another. This is the action of compassion. When there’s an opportunity to help, then do it. Show others that you’re here to build them up. Actually interact and work with others, don’t just be a “nice person”.

3. Humility – We need to have humility. Don’t feel great about how good you are about serving others. Help encourage others without feeling that you’ve earned something. By building someone else up you’re passing on strength to them, don’t take their confidence away by thinking it’s all because of what you did.

4. Meekness – We need to have meekness. Meekness is a combination of humility and patience, it means “gentle” or “passive.” This means we need to have a controlled way of doing things. When you’re encouraging someone else, plan what you’re doing. Have a purpose for your actions. Control what you want to accomplish with gentleness.

5. Patience – We need to have patience with one another. Don’t get upset or frustrated with one of your fellow Christians. When there’s someone who needs support, don’t rush them. Build someone at their pace, everyone is different. Everyone works in different ways and has different needs. Give the same amount of attention and help to every Christian. “Bearing with one another”(v.13) is how we have patience.

6. Forgiveness – We need to forgive one another. When someone hasn’t helped you in the right way or someone has offended you… Forgive. When someone else isn’t “playing their words” right… forgive. “if one has a complaint against another” (v.13) Forgive.

7. Love- We need to do all of this with love. If you’re going to build someone else up, you have to love doing it. Love is what “binds everything together in perfect harmony” (v.14).

These “Words with Christians” we need to use should become a natural and regular part of our walk with Christ. Compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, and love should be on our “playing board” if we’re going to work towards our goal together.

You may draw different letters than you want, and it may be difficult at times, but working together we can make the words we need to finish the game.

- Rodney

“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” – Hebrews 12:1

Referring to a sporting event of his day, the apostle Paul tells of a runner, who is encouraged by onlookers to win the race. Their support is a primary and contributing factor in victory.

Hometown fans do make a big difference. Sociologists Barry Schwartz and Stephen Barsky examined wins and losses in athletic events. To no one’s surprise, they learned that teams win more games at home than they do “away games”—not because of the familiarity of the home field or court, or not having “traveling fatigue”, but because of the psychological support of the hometown boosters. Loud cheers and applause for good plays serve as reinforcement for the home town team, who are motivated to try harder for another home run or another touch down or a 3-pointer. It indeed would be a boring game to just sit here quietly on the side-line if no one said a word.

I think this might be applied to the church, also. I don’t mean that we should get radical and jump the pews or climb the walls or swing from the rafters. But a nod of the head, or an “amen” or a friendly handshake, a pat on the back, or word of encouragement will go a long way toward “winning the game”; and it really “gets good” when someone makes a decision for Christ!

We, who are still living, are still “in the race”, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Let us hear the cheers and the words of encouragement, even the silent nods of the heads from those who surround us from “the bleachers and sidelines”—those who have already run the race and have finished the course.

Let’s hear it for the BIG TEAM: “Go Mighty Church! Go, fight, win! You can do it! There is victory in Jesus!” The angelic “cheerleaders” from the clouds said that He’d be back.

Wait ‘til next time!

- Dale

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the Devil, as a roaring lion, walketh aboutseeking whom he may devour; whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictionsare accomplished in your brethren that are in the world” (I Peter 5:8-9).

In these uncertain and troublesome times, we hear more and more often the words “HighAlert”. World-wide conditions caused by the enemies, often put our military and other informedpersonnel on the alert, not knowing when or where the terrorists will strike or attack. High alertmeans the conditions are favorable or the enemy has warned of his attack plans. We are fortunateto have guards in positions of security: the CIA, Secret Service, etc. But so often the adversary out-smarts us and makes his devastating attacks.The Christian has been put on “High Alert” from two directions. Number One is the devil—that sly, crafty deceiver, called Satan. Sometimes he figures out his way of attack and comes infrom “the back door”, or maybe from the front door that we leave open!He attacked the apostle Peter and gave him a “knock-down” blow, from which he recovered.He gave Judas a “knock-out” blow, from which he did not recover. Satan even attacked the Lord,but Jesus used the Word-power and put him to flight.While Satan is the “roaring lion” type of enemy, he can make his entrance silently. Toovercome him, two things are needful: we must be alert and we must resist him. It is always a goodfeeling when we see his “tail lights”.The other “High Alert” status is the sudden appearance of our Lord from heaven. He gave usthis warning, nearly two thousand years ago, and now two thousand years later, surely we shouldraise the “High Alert” level!

In that warning, He said, “Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house

cometh, at evening, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning: lest coming suddenly

He find you sleeping. And what I say unto you, I say to all, Watch!” (Mark 13:35-37)

There’s a great day coming, a great day coming, there’s a great day coming by and by; when the saints and the sinners shall be parted right and left. Are you ready for that day to come?”

-Dale