Faithful In Times of Adversity. Part [10] 09/15/2025 (Evening thought)

1st Kings 17:14 For 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 sends rain upon the earth.

Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the store- house, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it…. Haggai 1: 7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways. 8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.

Haggai 2: 18 Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid, consider it….. [Education pp 126] Every command is a promise…. [MB pp 76] In every command or injunction that God gives there is a promise, the most positive, underlying the command.

Apparently, it always comes down to whether or not persons will believe God. This seems to be the crux of the problem, for God does not ask us to return to Him that which is His, without giving us the backing of His promises. And so said, so done, for after the widow woman Obeyed the command, after she made a deliberate choice to put God, and the interests of His kingdom first, the sacred record tells us that everyone in her household was well fed.

Haggai 2:19 Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.

May God add His blessing to the study of His word. “Good night” and God bless!

Faithful In Times of Adversity. Part [9] 09/14/2025 (Morning thought)

1st Kings 17:12 And she said, As the Lord thy God lives I have not a cake, but a handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

Again, the question is asked, what should the widow woman do in such a grave situation? Let us say she was living today in Gaza, where food and water are quite scarce to say the least, and her son has been reduced to a skeleton. If God were to send His servant to request her water that is almost gone, what should she do, and what is the right thing for the you and me to do, if we were in her shoes.

Without a murmur, the widow goes on to acknowledge God as the Giver of all things. But the test of faithfulness hits even closer to home when Elijah asks her to make him some bread from her scanty store. This second test will definitely put her life on the line, for it was barely enough for her and her son….. 1st kings 17:11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.

This brings us to an understanding of the command to return a faithful tithe and offering, because God does not ask us to do so without giving us promises to support our faith, especially in times of adversity. Thus, the real question at the heart of the issue is whether or not we would trust God at His word, or whether we will go with logical reasoning that seeks to justify a deviation from principle, because of dire circumstances.

1st Kings 17:13 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.

May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!