Mothers Turning a handful into a housefull

Mothers Day Sermon

1 Kings 17:7-16New King James Version (NKJV)

7 And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.” 11 And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.”

12 So she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”

13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’”

15 So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah

12 verse and verse 15

Topic: " Mother’s Turning a handful into a house full"

Introduction:

I believe most of us can agree this morning that a mother's job is never done. Many of us have witnessed it growing up or we are experiencing it even now in our homes.Mother's, have to play many roles, they are Nurses, hair dresses sales person, bus drivers, doctors, teachers,cleaners, cookers, counselors, mediators, sometimes even fathers, she is all of the above and more and they still have to come home and Wash clothes, be the cook, clean the house, pay attention to not only the kids but also pay attention to her husband I sometimes wonder how they do it.But a mother has a way of turning glitter to gold. She has a way of making the lil bit of food in the refrigerator seems like an entire grocery store. good mother will go out of her way to ensure her family is together.theres a saying that says “if Momma ain't happy ain't nobody happy”This is Because if mommy ain't happy ain't nobody eating, If mommy ain't happy ain't nobody gone have no clean clothes to Wear, but as long as we keep the momma happy everything goes smoothly. A mother has a way of managing her family and yet still making others feel important.

A mother can see the Good in her children no matter how much of a headache they are to their mother they are little Angels.

There was a story about a mother who's son finally made the Varsity Highschool football team and every Saturday after the game she would go to work and tell her co workers how good her son could play. So one Friday night the staff at the hospital were the works decided they would go and check him out. They went to the game. the 1st quarter went by her son did not get in, the second quarter went by her son still did not get in, third quarter as well. Finally the fourth quarter came and the mother son for in the game..With about about ten seconds in the fourth quarter her son made one tackle. That mother got up and yelled to top her lungs that's my boy.. and look back at her co-workers and said I told you so.

This shows that a mother always see the Good in their children. Not only do mother see the the good in their children but they can bring out the Good in their children

I remember I was in high school and playing football my momma was one that when she yelled the while stadium knew she was there.No matter what kind of day I was having if I looked up in the stands and saw momma. I felt I had to play a little harder no matter how tired I was when you seen or heard mother you felt a little better.

I remember When was in college my mother and my father would drive up 8 hours to Georgia..And when she got there she would cook a home cooked meal even though we only had a handful of groceries..She how to turn a handful into a house full,

As we get to the text we see that A good mother knows how to make a houseful out of a handful

In order for us to understand the text we have to under stand the context of the text. Leading up to this text the bible declares that Elijah was a prophet of God. During these times the people (Children of Israel) Begin to worship idol Gods such as Baal Many of them were bowing down to the image of Baal who is also known as the God of weather.

However to show the people that our God is the only God able to do the impossible and controls everything Elijah prayed to our God that he should stop the rain. (Look up if they prayed to baal in this scripture)

So God answered Ejijah Prayer and the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land;

God sent Elijah to a Brook and the Brook drive up.

Now The lord Sent Elijah to widow in the city of Zarephath

In 1Ki 17:10-11) Says So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks.He called to her and said, "Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink." And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, "Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand."

Elijah asks this women for a cup of water, and before she could return with the water he yells could you bring me a price of bread as well.

Isn't that just how it is sometimes with mothers and the rest of is too. before you get one thing done it seems as though something else is demamded of you. NEVERTHELESS this mother pressed her way and did as the prophet said.

She went out that morning to gather sticks, not to meet a guest. She was thinking about feeding her son and herself upon the last cake; certainly she had no idea of sustaining a man of God with just a handful of a meal.

Yet the Lord, who never lieth, spoke a truth when he spoke to Elijah and said , 'I have commanded a widow woman there.' He had so operated upon her mind that he had prepared her to obey the command when it did come by the lip of his servant the prophet."

We could learn three things from this single mother on how she turned a handful to a houseful

She was determined. If we look at the scriptures it declared that this women was a widow who was gathering sticks. Which means that she was a single mother with limited resources. Because she did not even have firewood in the time of famine of bread. but there was no famine of wood. But She did not let her circumstances stop her for being determined to press toward where god was going to take her. She was at her ends wit and in her mind she was getting her things together to prepare for her and her son before they died….But She was not going to die without a fight..I believe Im talking to some mothers and people in general the can relate and say I’ve been there before..Ive been at the place where there was more bills then money..Ive been at the place were we had to light candles in the house because the lights was off. Ive been a the place where i had plenty of places to go but plenty of pennies for the gas tank..Ive been there where I felt like I was at my ends wit….But you was determined to press your way through it all…but How many know God will supply all of our needs according to his riches in glory.

She was willing to work- This Widow mother did not wait for anyone to bring her any food….She did not sit around and cry….But I believe she saw her son hungry and it pushed her to go out and do all she could to put some food on her sons table. Some mothers can relate to this as well. i think this single mother had it easier then the mothers today..Because all her child wanted was food. But now not only do the children want food but they want all of I’s IF you don’t know what the I’s are they are the iPod, iPhone, iPad, The want Jordans and everything else..And they look at the mother as if its going to fall out the sky…However the mother will work long hours and make all other sacrifices just as this mother did to make sure her child could have food on the table;mml

3. She obeyed the voice of GOD

In 1st kings 17 13:14 the prophet Elijah asked this single mother to make him a cake…and after she made him a cake…Then make something to eat for you and your son…Can you imagine the look on this mothers face. Can you imagine what this mother was feeling, Can you imagine the thoughts that was going through her mind…She know that Elijah was a prophet of God. She could have looked at her current situation and said me and my child are down to our last and now here you are asking me to give you some cake and then feed my family. she had a choice to make her.. She could have easily said Elijah this time you are on your own. But God had already told elijah that he would supply for this women..Nevertheless this woman trusted the voice of God..and gave to the prophet. She gave what little she had..She gave her handful to God and God blessed her with so much that her and her family had a housfull to eat for many days. I believe Im talking to some today that can say I had to give up some things to obey God.. I had to sacrifice some things to obey God. I had to press my way with only a handful sometimes to obey God. I believe this women could quote Philliapians 4:19 But My God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in Glory.. I believe this women could understand what it means to walk by faith and not by sight.

Well maybe you are a mother or a person who can look and say well Preacher I understand the concept of the story.. I understand that some mothers has already turned their hand full into a housfull but it seems like Im still working with a handful. I just want you to know that If you hang in there a little while longer. God can turn your handful into a house full. Stay determined. be willing to work and Obey God. Keep trusting him. I know it looks like your working and not being appreciated. But today we appreciate you.. Your work is not in vain. God sees your labor.

And just in case you here today and you don't have a mother.

Can I encourage today that God will be a mother for hell be a father for you.

Proverbs 18 says he is friend that sticks closer to a brother...

What is it today that you only have a Handful of.. Maybe you only have a Handful of hope. Maybe you only have a Handful of peace maybe you only have a Handful faith.. can I just remind you that GOD specializes in turning a Handful into a houseful..

He turned a handful into a house full when he fed 5000 with two fish and five loaves of bread.

He turned a handful into a housefull when the women with the issue of blood had a handfull of faith and when she touched the hem of his garment she immediatly was made whole.

turned a handful into a housefull when Mary and Martha brother Lazaras was dead and when he got there he cried Lazarus come forth and gave him life,

He turned a handfull into a housefull when Peter was fishing and he had not caught anything and told him to launch out again, and the second time he launched out he had a houseful of fish, so much that his nets begin to break.

I'm reminded of another mother who was operating on only Handful..

A mother by the name of Mary who was the mother of Jesus..

Jesus and his mother were the guest of a wedding feast and they ran out of wine and a Jesus mother explained to Jesus that they only had a handful of water...

Jesus says to his servants. Fill the water jars to the brim..

And when they drank it they noticed that the water was turned to wine.

A handful to. Houseful

Mary at the cross where the crucified Jesus was operating on a Handful when she saw him pierced in the side

She was operating on a Handful when she saw them put a crown of thorns on her son's head.. she was operating out of a Handful when he gave up the ghost

She was operating out of Handful when the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that his son had been rolled away

She was operating on a Handful when she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb.

12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

13 Then they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him."

14 But she began to operate out of houseful when , she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.

15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?"She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, "Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away."

16 Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him,[fn] "Rabboni!" (which is to say, Teacher).

18 she was operating out of houseful when Mary Magdalene ran and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord.

Alter call

Mothers know how to turn a Handful to a House full..

Not only does Mother’s know how to turn a handful into a houseful

But Jesus does as well

2 fish five loaves of bread 5000 people was taking a handful into a houseful

GOD ALSO CAN TURN A HANDFUL TO A HOUSEFUL..

What is it that you only have a hanf of today