Love ❤️ at Home: God Cares for Single Parents: The Widow of Zerephath, Blessings Lost and Blessings restored.

By Pastor and Mrs Chifamba

GOD RECOGNIZES SINGLE PARENTS WHO ARE FAITHFULL TO HIM. JESUS COMMENDED THE WIDOW OF ZEREPHATH FOR FEEDING ELIJAH YET SHE WAS NOT SPARED OF CALAMITY EVEN IN THE PRESENCE OF THE PROPHET

Luke‬ ‭4‬:‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭ESV‬‬.

“But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.”

‭‭

CALAMITIES ALSO STRIKE GOOD PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD OF SIN. THE SINGLE PARENT WHO FED THE PROPHET MET WITH A TERRIBLE CALAMITY THE DEATH OF HER ONLY SON. THE DEVIL WARS AGAINST GOD’S PEOPLE.

Ephesians 6:11-12

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Revelation 12:17

And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

1 Kings 17:17-22

And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. 18And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son? 19And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. 20And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? 21And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again. 22And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.

SOMETIMES IN THIS LIFE WE LOSE THE BLESSINGS GOD HAS GIVEN US BUT GOD HAS CAPACITY TO RESTORE THAT WHICH IS LOST, BE IT THROUGH CALAMITIES, SICKNESS, DEATH OR WICKED PEOPLE!

2 Chronicles 25:9

And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.

Haggai 2:8

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.

Psalm 50:10-12

For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. 11I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. 12If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.

Joel 2:25-27

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. 26And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. 27And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.

WHAT HAVE YOU LOST IN LIFE? TURN TO GOD HE HAS POWER AND CAPACITY TO RESTORE. THOSE THAT CALL ON HIM WILL NEVER BE ASHAMED

Romans 10:11-13

For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Love ❤️ at Home: God Cares for Single Parents: Be a Generous Single Parent! Widow of Zarephath

IN THE STRUGGLES OF SINGLE PARENTS TO MAKE ENDS MEET, THEY MUST PUT GOD FIRST FOR LITTLE IS MUCH WHEN GOD IS IN IT.

Matthew 6:33

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

1 Kings 17:13-6

And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. 14For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. 15And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. 16And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

The widow of Zarephath shared her morsel with Elijah, and in return her life and that of her son were preserved. And to all who, in time of trial and want, give sympathy and assistance to others more needy, God has promised great blessing. He has not changed. His power is no less now than in the days of Elijah. No less sure now than when spoken by our Saviour is the promise, “He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward.” Matthew 10:41. – {Prophets and Kings p.131.5}

Proverbs 3:9-10

Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: 10So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

FAILURE TO PUT GOD FIRST WILL MAKE US LOSE GOD’S BLESSINGS ON OUR INCOME

Haggai‬ ‭1‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭NKJV

“Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?” Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways! “You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, Earns wages to put into a bag with holes.”‬

Malachi‬ ‭3‬:‭8‬-‭12‬ ‭NKJV‬

“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me...”

If professing Christians would faithfully bring to God their tithes and offerings, His treasury would be full. There would then be no occasion to resort to fairs, lotteries, or parties of pleasure to secure funds for the support of the gospel. – {Acts of Apostles p. 338.1}

Men are tempted to use their means in self-indulgence, in the gratification of appetite, in personal adornment, or in the embellishment of their homes. For these objects many church members do not hesitate to spend freely and even extravagantly. But when asked to give to the Lord’s treasury, to carry forward His work in the earth, they demur. Perhaps, feeling that they cannot well do otherwise, they dole out a sum far smaller than they often spend for needless indulgence. They manifest no real love for Christ’s service, no earnest interest in the salvation of souls. What marvel that the Christian life of such ones is but a dwarfed, sickly existence! – {Acts of the Apostles p. 338.2}

NOBODY SHOULD BE COMPELLED TO GIVE IT MUST WILLINGLY FROM A HEART THAT LOVES THE LORD. GOD SO LOVED AND GAVE. WE TOO IF WE LOVE WE WILL GIVE TO GOD AND OUR FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS.

2 Corinthians 9:6-7

But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

God does not compel men to give. All that they give must be voluntary. He will not have His treasury replenished with unwilling offerings. – {Counsels on Stewardship p. 69.2}

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

‭‭

Love ❤️ at Home: God Cares Single Parents: Be a Generous Single Parent! The Widow’s Mite

By Pastor and Mrs Chifamba

Psalms‬ ‭146‬:‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“The Lord watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; But the way of the wicked He turns upside down.”

‭‭

EVEN WITH SUCH PRECIOUS PROMISES OF DIVINE HELP, AT TIMES SINGLE PARENTS TEND TO BE STINGY BECAUSE THEY THINK EVERYTHING DEPENDS ON THEM ALONE. THEY DO NOT PUT GOD IN THE PICTURE. DON’T MISS OUT ON THE BLESSINGS OF GIVING

Acts 20:35

I showed you all things, that working in this way we ought to help those being weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE RICH IN ORDER TO BE GENEROUS. GENEROSITY IS A HEART ISSUE NOT AN AMOUNT ISSUE

Mark‬ ‭12‬:‭41‬-‭44‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

When Jesus said of the widow, She “hath cast in more than they all,” His words were true, not only of the motive, but of the results of her gift. The “two mites which make a farthing” have brought to God’s treasury an amount of money far greater than the contributions of those rich Jews. The influence of that little gift has been like a stream, small in its beginning, but widening and deepening as it flowed down through the ages. In a thousand ways it has contributed to the relief of the poor and the spread of the gospel. Her example of self-sacrifice has acted and reacted upon thousands of hearts in every land and in every age. It has appealed to both the rich and the poor, and their offerings have swelled the value of her gift. God’s blessing upon the widow’s mite has made it the source of great results. So with every gift bestowed and every act performed with a sincere desire for God’s glory. It is linked with the purposes of Omnipotence. Its results for good no man can measure. – {Desire of Ages p. 616.1}

Proverbs 11:24-25

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. 25The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

Proverbs 19:17

He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

Luke 6:38

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

GOD MARKS AND REMEMBERS NOT ONLY OUR PRAYERS BUT ALSO OUR ACTS OF GENEROSITY

Acts‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.”

Hebrews‬ ‭6‬:‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.”