1. Almsgiving: Elijah and the Widow

2. Flashback…..  1 Kings 17 (Reference)  Who can remember the story about Eljah and the warning he gave to king Ahab about the famine that was to cross his land?  He warned the king that the famine would continue for a long time.  So God sent Elijah to the brook of Cherith, where the ravens fed him and he drank water from the brook  1 Kings 17 (Reference)  Who can remember the story about Eljah and the warning he gave to king Ahab about the famine that was to cross his land?  He warned the king that the famine would continue for a long time.  So God sent Elijah to the brook of Cherith, where the ravens fed him and he drank water from the brook

3. Story….  The Lord sent Elijah to Zarephath, to a house where a widow lives with her son.  When Elijah arrived, the widow was gathering firewood to make fire to bake a loaf of bread. She had very little: a handful of flour and a little oil.  She would eat the loaf of bread with her son then wait for death.  The Lord sent Elijah to Zarephath, to a house where a widow lives with her son.  When Elijah arrived, the widow was gathering firewood to make fire to bake a loaf of bread. She had very little: a handful of flour and a little oil.  She would eat the loaf of bread with her son then wait for death.

4.  The prophet asked her to bring him food and a drink of water.  The widow told him her story and then Elijah told her, “The bowl will not run out of flour or the jar out of oil before the day that the Lord sends rain.”  The widow obeyed, her faith was deep!  The God of Elijah fulfilled his promise.  The prophet asked her to bring him food and a drink of water.  The widow told him her story and then Elijah told her, “The bowl will not run out of flour or the jar out of oil before the day that the Lord sends rain.”  The widow obeyed, her faith was deep!  The God of Elijah fulfilled his promise.

5.  Elijah stayed for a long time in the widow’s house, and the bowl of flour and the jar of oil was never empty.  There was always flour in the bowl and oil in the jar to feed them all.  The Lord blessed the woman and Elijah spoke to her everyday about the Lord.  Elijah stayed for a long time in the widow’s house, and the bowl of flour and the jar of oil was never empty.  There was always flour in the bowl and oil in the jar to feed them all.  The Lord blessed the woman and Elijah spoke to her everyday about the Lord.

6. Questions?  Where did Elijah go when the brook dried up?  What was the widow doing?  What did Elijah ask her to do?  What was her reply?  What did Elijah promise to the widow?  Where did Elijah go when the brook dried up?  What was the widow doing?  What did Elijah ask her to do?  What was her reply?  What did Elijah promise to the widow?

7. Conclusion  The Lord did not neglect Elijah when the land dried up, so you must not fear anything when the world becomes full of troubles  We must always trust in the Lord that He will protect us and be with us  The Lord blessed the bowl of flour and the jar of oil by the hand of Elijah.  He can also bless our life and everything that our hands extend to.  The Lord did not neglect Elijah when the land dried up, so you must not fear anything when the world becomes full of troubles  We must always trust in the Lord that He will protect us and be with us  The Lord blessed the bowl of flour and the jar of oil by the hand of Elijah.  He can also bless our life and everything that our hands extend to.

8. Memory Verse  “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it” (Proverbs 10:22)  “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it” (Proverbs 10:22)