The VESSELS OF GRAINS AND OIL WILL NEVER RUN DRY
A man standing on a pinnacle of wealth and comfort must be ready to share with the ones looking up for help from the bottom of the rock. Actually, one can still bless even in one's low position as long as there is somebody in a lower position or in need. The more one gives with love and for the right reasons, the more the container of grains and the cup of oil remain full. One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty (Proverbs 11:24, New International Version).
Let us strive to be positive participants in making other people's dreams come true. We should try to move from our comfort zones to offer a hand of help to somebody else. Our God has a way of replenishing the gap created from giving, if we obey His command to lessen the burden of others. Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him: “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.” “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.” Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’" She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah (1 Kings 17:7-16).
A river needs to keep flowing for more refreshing, otherwise it will start stinking as a result of the natural settlements on the waters. We need to keep giving for the right reasons and not just keep storing our excesses that can create more storage problems in future. Blessing others usually sends a message of sacrifice, faith and selflessness. It is very difficult for a stingy fellow to give because of the fear of not having enough to cover his expenses in future. As believers, we need to move above the thoughts that we are our sole providers. It is God who provides for us. He has the supernatural Power to provide at the right time. "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:38).
Any attempt to plan just for our own needs may stop us from moving to a higher level of blessings. The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:1-3).
It is a kind gesture when we meet the genuine needs of others. We actually share the Agape Love of Christ as we bless one another. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people (Acts 2:44-47a). Anointing to give is not limited to material things. It extends to other resources like sharing one's time with others in order to bring a smile to somebody's face. Finding time to visit a person who needs that particular visit as an encouragement during the time of loneliness and pain or in the time of joy is a pointer to more grace from above. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn (Romans 12:15).
Mary's visit to Elizabeth during her pregnancy brought the gift of The Holy Spirit (The Spirit of Empowerment) to Elizabeth and blessings to Mary. At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her! (Luke 1:39-45).
The time spent to pray for others also goes a very long way spiritually. We have to find time to stand in the gap for one another in order to lessen each other's burden. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective (James 5:14-16). The LORD is always pleased with the pleasant and useful things we do for one another. The King will reply, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:40). Let us be encouraged to give from our available resources as giving usually breaks the yoke of poverty, pain and palaver. We need to cultivate a habit of giving; a habit of thinking about somebody else other than ourselves and our immediate family members.
We become spiritual neighbors as we extend our loving hands to help the needy. It is also divine when one goes beyond one's territory to show kindness. But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after you him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:29-37).
Sharing is a compassionate/merciful act that usually leads one into the pool of restoration, grace and blessings. Our hearts of compassion need to be boundless and as we give according to God's leading and for the right cause our containers of grain and oil will remain full in Jesus Name.
Let us strive to be positive participants in making other people's dreams come true. We should try to move from our comfort zones to offer a hand of help to somebody else. Our God has a way of replenishing the gap created from giving, if we obey His command to lessen the burden of others. Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him: “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.” “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.” Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’" She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah (1 Kings 17:7-16).
A river needs to keep flowing for more refreshing, otherwise it will start stinking as a result of the natural settlements on the waters. We need to keep giving for the right reasons and not just keep storing our excesses that can create more storage problems in future. Blessing others usually sends a message of sacrifice, faith and selflessness. It is very difficult for a stingy fellow to give because of the fear of not having enough to cover his expenses in future. As believers, we need to move above the thoughts that we are our sole providers. It is God who provides for us. He has the supernatural Power to provide at the right time. "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:38).
Any attempt to plan just for our own needs may stop us from moving to a higher level of blessings. The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:1-3).
It is a kind gesture when we meet the genuine needs of others. We actually share the Agape Love of Christ as we bless one another. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people (Acts 2:44-47a). Anointing to give is not limited to material things. It extends to other resources like sharing one's time with others in order to bring a smile to somebody's face. Finding time to visit a person who needs that particular visit as an encouragement during the time of loneliness and pain or in the time of joy is a pointer to more grace from above. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn (Romans 12:15).
Mary's visit to Elizabeth during her pregnancy brought the gift of The Holy Spirit (The Spirit of Empowerment) to Elizabeth and blessings to Mary. At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her! (Luke 1:39-45).
The time spent to pray for others also goes a very long way spiritually. We have to find time to stand in the gap for one another in order to lessen each other's burden. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective (James 5:14-16). The LORD is always pleased with the pleasant and useful things we do for one another. The King will reply, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:40). Let us be encouraged to give from our available resources as giving usually breaks the yoke of poverty, pain and palaver. We need to cultivate a habit of giving; a habit of thinking about somebody else other than ourselves and our immediate family members.
We become spiritual neighbors as we extend our loving hands to help the needy. It is also divine when one goes beyond one's territory to show kindness. But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after you him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:29-37).
Sharing is a compassionate/merciful act that usually leads one into the pool of restoration, grace and blessings. Our hearts of compassion need to be boundless and as we give according to God's leading and for the right cause our containers of grain and oil will remain full in Jesus Name.
