When You’re Hoping For a Miracle- Part 1
1 Kings 17:1-16
“Now Elijah confronted King Ahab, ‘As surely as God lives, the God of Israel whom I worship and serve— there will be no dew or rain during the next few years unless I give the word!’”
1 Kings 17:1
KERITH (cut off) : THE RAVINE (cold, dark, lonely...) OF OBSCURITY
“Then the Lord said to Elijah, ‘Go east and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. The Kerith brook will give you fresh water to drink and I’ve commanded ravens to bring you food there every day.’ So Elijah obeyed what the Lord said to do. He moved to the Kerith Ravine and lived there. The birds brought him food each morning and evening and he drank from the brook. BUT AFTER A WHILE THE BROOK DRIED UP, because there was no rain.”
1 Kings 17:2-7
You need time alone with God, God need your undivided attention.
3 REASONS GOD ALLOWS BROOKS TO DRY UP (something good was lost)
- Keep me from depending on the brook instead of God.
- To move me to a better place.
- To proof God has not forgotten me.
JOURNEY NORTH: THE ROAD (scary, insecure and no idea where to go and how long the journey it gonna takes) OF INSECURITY
“Then the Lord said, ‘Now get up and go to Zarephath and live there. I’ve prepared a widow there to take care of you.’ So Elijah went to Zarephath.”
1 Kings 17:8-9a
Elijah go from bad to worse...
WHAT TO REMEMBER:
When you scare to dead, do the 3 things:
- The path to a miracle is always through uncomfortable territory.
Like Moses need to walk through the Red Sea before get in the promised land; David need to walk out to the battle field before he get the victory when face the Goliath...
Which is the thing you feel insecure? Financially? ... congrats you are path to miracle.
- The source of the miracle is always unexpected.
You can't figure out the way which God want to do the miracle. You can't manipulate God.
Like Abraham, God say want let him be great nation, but he thought he could have child from the lady not Sarah.... that's wrong... that's Abraham plan not God's plan.
When we try to figure out how God will do it, it will always not happened as the same we thought, as God does miracle in illogical ways as “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.”
Isaiah55:8NLT
Our ways is second best, His ways is the Best.
"God is God, but I'm not."
What you need to do when you on this road?
Don't fret, don't fear, don't forget, don't figure out, don't try to formulate, just have faith, just trust God. When God ask me to do even doesn't make sense, I'm gonna do it because God say do it, then you been set up for a miracle.
- The path to a miracle is always CPR. Command, Promise, Risk.
Every time God does a miracle everywhere, always will come with this format.
There is a command, and promises and you take Risk (step out in faith).
ZAREPHATH: THE REFINERY (use heat and pressure to purify and shape raw medal) OF SCARCITY
“When he reached the town gate, Elijah saw a widow gathering firewood. He asked her, ‘Would you please bring me a drink of water?’ As she was going to get it, Elijah added, ‘and please bring me a small piece of bread, too.’ The woman answered, ‘As surely as your God lives, I swear I have no bread. I only have a handful of our left in a small jar and a little olive oil left in a jug. I came to gather some wood so I could go home and cook our last meal.
My son and I will eat it and then we’ll die of hunger.’”
“‘Don’t be afraid!’ Elijah said. ‘Go home and first make a small loaf of bread from what you have, and bring it to me. Then cook something for yourself and your son. God says, ‘I assure you that jar of flour will never be empty, and the jug of oil will never run out, until the day I send rain to the land.’ So the widow did what Elijah told her to do, and she and her son and Elijah had enough food every day. The jar of our and the jug of oil never ran out, just as God had promised.” 1 Kings 17:9b-16
Elijah also give the widow a chance for a miracle too. A test of FAITH.
WHAT TO REMEMBER:
What to remember when you out of the resources? 3 things:
- Whatever I need more of, give what I have to God. In fact give it all...
We can always afford to be generous. God wanna teach you be generous and have faith.
- Whatever I have the least stuff, I gave it to God. Is a test.
World teach you: whatever you have extra, give it away. (Financially, time, energy...) give the leftover...
God teach you: give what you don't have to give, and give the really need to hold on to it.
- I don't give to get a blessing but to be a blessing.
Be a blessing, a giver... not a taker.
LESSONS FOR RECESSIONS
- God is all I need. (Draw close to God, have private time with him)
- Where God guide, God provide. (God won't sent you to a place which he not gonna provide for you)
- I must trust Him one day at a time.
- God promises hence on my obedience. (Command, promises and risk)
“My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”
Phil. 4:19
