The Power Behind Giving

Scripture

7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” 10 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?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.” 12 “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.” 13 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. 14 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.’ ” 15 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. 16 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. The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 1 Ki 17:7–16.

The church should be the most exciting and thrilling place in the world, and if she is not we are somehow or other ‘quenching the Spirit’. The Christian Warfare, 280

David Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Welsh Preacher and Writer)

Introduction

The Holy Spirit uses our obedience in giving to power us through tough times.

As we have been exploring the practical applications of the power poured out on the people at Pentecost and the benefits of the early church powered by the Holy Spirit it is easy to see the benefit of giving played on the early church. "One of the first evidences of a Spirit-filled church was generosity." Acts 2:45 says, they sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.

It is important to note that the symbolism of the fire on Pentecost had several implications that gives hope to believers. The common misconception is to pair fire with fear and destruction but for a believer it's important to know that fire is a cleanser and even gold is refined by fire. Don’t believe me just ask Nebuchadnezzar, he learned that fire does not destroy but it reveals the power and glory of God upon the life of the believer.

"A widow is preparing her last meal. She believes she and her son are about to die. Yet in the middle of her crisis God asks her to give."

There are 3 elements of fire that I will highlight to help us tie this Pentecostal fire into our story of Elijah to show how God uses our obedience in giving to power us through tough times. The three elements of fire are fuel, oxygen, and heat. If one of these elements are removed its important to note that the fire will be extinguished. Fire has always been a powerful symbol for those in relationship with God. Priest had the important job of maintaining the fire on the altar by simply not letting the fire go out.

I stopped by to remind you that today our job is still to not let the fire go out. I know we are living in a world filled with ups and downs, chaos and peace but don’t let your fire go out. I know you tired of feeling like you are the only one giving all the time. Whatever it takes, whatever you need to do despite what you may face don’t let your fire go out. I don't care what the financial budget says, who the president, governor or mayor is don’t let your fire go out. Despite the doctors’ report, despite the fallout or who walks out don’t let your fire go out. Take a moment and just encourage your neighbor to keep their fire burning.

Oxygen

"As long as you've got breath, keep the fire burning."

God sent Elijah to a widow in Sidon who was gathering a few sticks to make what she thought was her and her son’s last meal. There was a famine no food or water and all she had was a little corner of substance left, and she had already accepted their fate. Here is the problem I have with the story though. God told Elijah that he had already directed the widow to feed him. I am sure Elijah saw this widow gathering sticks and he expected that surely, she had enough food, but she was down to her last. Did God mislead Elijah or did he run into the wrong widow? God had already directed her before she even knew she was directed.

The Spirit helped me to see through the elements of fire the power behind giving. See this widow thought it was over and often times God has a plan for us, He has something for us to do but circumstances tell us that it’s over that time is up and our resources are limited but can I tell you as long as you have oxygen in your body there is still reason, still hope to keep the fire burning. Oxygen is required to surround the fuel and sustain the chemical reaction for fire. Normal air contains 21% oxygen which is more than enough to support combustion to keep fire burning.

The Bible says let everything that has breath praise the Lord. When God made man the Bible says that he breathed in him the Ruah breath of life. The Bible says that Jesus breathed over the disciples and declared receive the Holy Spirit. The Bible says that scripture is God Breathed. Can I tell you that as long as you got breath in your body you still got something to give. You still have hope, God can still use you. God still has a purpose for your life. It may not always feel like it, people around you may not always see it but there is purpose for you and God has already directed a plan for your life so don't give up don’t throw in the towel let everything that have breath praise the Lord. Regardless of the economy, regardless of what's going on in the world you have to believe that God can still use you. "As long as you've got breath, keep the fire burning."

Fuel

"As long as you've got faith, keep the fire burning."

See fuel in the element of fire is any combustible material that burns. The widow in our text was gathering a few sticks to prepare a final meal but needless to say she would need more than a few sticks. Through her faith and generosity God would sustain her through her life’s toughest time.

Giving fuels a fire that spreads not only in the church but through our community. It was after Pentecost that we see the effect of the spirit of generosity on the growth of the church.

When you give and I pay you back the loop is closed but if I give without expecting a return you become a giver because you experienced receiving. Now what has happened is labeled paying it forward. Thus, giving becomes like a river that flows and not like pond water.

Elijah was not being sustained by the woman, but he was being sustained by God. God already showed earlier in the chapter that he could even use ravens if he had to. If you think the church is fueled by your giving don’t be fooled because the church is fueled by the generosity of God. We are not here because you gave but we are here because God gave. Our Faith allows us to partner with God in something that is bigger than us.

I am glad you are here but I came to experience God. You don’t know how God fueled my week and so, I was glad when they said unto me let us go into the house of the Lord. God is not dependent upon us, but we are dependent upon God.

I am talking to somebody this morning that knows God as Jehovah Jireh and understands that you can’t beat God giving.

The early church gave to ensure everyone had. Not for show but because their love for God fueled their giving.

This widow had practically nothing left, she was not in financial position to meet Elijah’s request. Requesting water from women was a social norm of their time. Traditionally in Near East custom drawing and distributing water fell as a responsibility of females in society. So, this was not an abnormal request made by Elijah. In fact it was expected for travelers to make such request and showing hospitality and kindness to strangers would have been considered as a duty for this widow. Middle Eastern hospitality conventions prioritized feeding and caring for guests, even when one’s own family went without. Elijah’s request placed a lot of pressure and tension on this widow. Asking her for water in the midst of a drought and asking a widow to share her last. This reveals how binding these customs were, even in desperate circumstances. Yet, God shows us that He does not ask us to give what he can’t replenish. He does not ask us to take food out of our own family’s mouth for a stranger, but God provides us with more than enough to be a blessing to somebody else.

I know you thought it was just you and that God was putting unrealistic expectations on you. I mean the audacity for God to ask you to love and forgive your enemies. As if he didn’t know what they did to you. The rich young ruler encountered this same test when Jesus instructed him to sell his possessions and give to the poor (Matt 19:16–22; Luke 18:18–30). Like the widow, this man faced a choice between security and obedience—yet he turned away, unable to release his wealth (Matt 19:16–22; Luke 18:18–30). The widow succeeded where he failed.

Giving even when we don’t understand it fuels our faith, fuels our future success, and sets us up to understanding God on a deeper level.

Our giving, our obedience even when it doesn’t make sense provides us with enough hope to fuel our faith to go beyond what makes sense. Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things unseen. I know it may not make sense to you but the God we serve is a way maker. I know according to your educational expertise the math is not mathing but God can take your 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread and feed 5000. It may not make sense medically but by his stripes we are healed. So just try Jesus, trust in Him and you will find enough fuel to run on and see what the end is going to be like. The song writer said it this way I don’t feel no ways tired, I’ve come too far from where I started from. Nobody told me the road would be easy, I don’t believe He brought me this far to leave me.

As long as you've got faith, keep the fire burning."

Heat

"As long as you've got God, keep the fire burning."

"Breath keeps the fire alive. Faith supplies the fire. But every fire eventually faces heat." Heat is the thermal energy source required to raise the temperature of the fuel to its ignition point, allowing it to vaporize and ignite. It is also necessary to maintain the fire and enable it to spread.

In layman’s term if you can’t stand the heat stay out the kitchen. This widow was feeling the heat of the famine, the loss of her husband and raising a son in such terrible times. Yet she endured the heat stepping out on faith and found that God is a provider and that he is able. Her faith spread like a wildfire and God sustained her, her son, and the prophet Elijah. Elijah told her don’t be afraid of the heat go and make the bread but make some for me first then you and your son. This was not a selfish act of Elijah, but it was an implication of the high level of heat associated with following God. you have to be willing to face the heat to give God your first fruits, to put glorifying God over getting those back who despitefully misused you. Embracing the heat is vital to the sustainment of the fire. I know you feel like saying why me but why not you.

My son and nephew were in the swimming pool, and they said the water was cold. I was confused because it was extremely hot outside so how could the water be cold. I looked at the temperature and the water temperature gauge said hot. Then I realized the water was not cold it was just that their body temperatures were at a hotter level so to them the water felt cold.

I am not saying all that we have to deal with in this world today is not hot but what I am saying based on what’s happening on the inside of you it won’t feel as hot because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. You will face tough times the temperature will rise you will feel the heat but as long as you got God its just keeping your fire burning.

I know you thought it was going to be easy. However, it is when the temperature is turned up that reminds us to put our trust in the Lord and lean not to our own understanding. It’s the heat that reminds us to call on the name of the Lord, it is the rise of the temperature that reminds us that we are in it to glorify the Lord so come what may nothing shall separate us from the Love of God not death or famine, not sickness or hardship nothing shall separate us. As long as you got God, keep the fire burning don’t run from the heat.

Closing

“Oxygen, Fuel, Heat”

In the garden the heat was turned up so high on Jesus the Bible said he was sweating drops of blood, but he prayed not my will, but your will be done. Pontius Pilate turned the heat up and tried to take the breath out of Jesus ministry by having him flogged with 40 lashes, he let his soldiers make fun of him putting a robe on him and crown of thorns on his head, but Jesus never said a mumbling word. The people turned the heat up on him when they fueled the release of Barabbas over Jesus. Screaming give us Barabbas. Again, the heat was turned up 7 times hotter they put nails in his hands and nails in his feet and hung him on an old, rugged cross daring him to come down. They turned the heat up as high as it could go and placed his dead body in an empty tomb sealed with a large stone hoping to smother the fire surrounding his ministry.

They tried starving him to remove the fuel but he had food they knew nothing about, They tried cooling his ministry down to quench his fire.

Fire is quenched by pouring on water or withdrawing fuel; so the Spirit is quenched by living in sin, which is like pouring on water; or not improving our gifts and grace, which is like withdrawing the fuel.

Thomas Manton

They thought the fire was out of oxygen being in the tomb all day Friday. They were sure the fire was contained because he stayed in the grave all day Saturday. There was no sign of smoke but the countdown had already begun 0 minus 3, 0 minus 2, 0 minus 1 and early on the 3rd day Jesus rose with all power in his hand setting the whole world on fire.

Unquenchable fire

God sustained the provisions of the widow, and he who started the fire in you is able to see it to completion. One of the things that took me back in this story is that the Bible says God ensured that the oil and flour didn’t run out but it said nothing about the fire or the wood. So, I take it that it was up to the widow, Elijah and her son to keep gathering sticks daily to keep the fire going to make bread. I am so glad that every day I get up and chose to gather sticks for the fire to prepare what God is providing for me in my life. I don’t know about you but I have picked up enough sticks in my life to know that it's best to keep the fire burning because no matter how tough things get the Lord will provide.

"Look at somebody and tell them:

Pick up another stick.

You may be tired, but pick up another stick.

You may be hurting, but pick up another stick.

You may not understand what God is doing, but pick up another stick.

Because the God who provided yesterday is still providing today."

Every testimony is like another stick. Every time I step out on faith its like picking up another stick. Every time I see how God moves in your life its like picking up another stick. Every testimony, every time God puts me in position to be a blessing to somebody else it's like picking up another stick because there is power behind giving and I can’t let the fire go out because the Lord will provide.

The Holy Spirit uses our obedience in giving to power us through tough times