“So, she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days.” – 1 Kings 17:15
REFERENCE:
Have you ever been in a place where you think you need all the help you can get, but you sense God is asking you to help someone in need or for His kingdom work? You wonder why God would ask you when He knows your current challenges and desires. You fail to see that God never does anything to shortchange you; never! IT IS A SETUP.
It seemed insensitive of Elijah to ask this widow to give him her family’s last meal. It would have been nice if the prophet came with bags full of groceries for her, but he came with a beggar’s plate. The woman could have mocked him and called him a false prophet, but she took a step of faith and risked all she had for the sake of what she was promised. That is faith – taking risks based on God’s word, and believing the word so much that you act on it, despite your current condition. As inconvenient as Elijah’s request was to the widow, it was the key (by acting in faith) that unlocked her supernatural sustenance for about 42 months – it was a divine setup.
God once asked me, “How do you know a rich person?” My thoughts floated to the different indices we use to measure wealth, but God told me, “A wealthy person is a person that God asks for a gift or help.” That is the case with the widow; God came to ask her for something. Why did God not take from one of His cattle on the thousand hills to feed His prophet? He comes disguised with a need to set us up for bigger things. The widow was wealthy but did not experience it; it took her response of faith to God’s request (or need) to unlock her wealth.
The action of faith is the setup for your next level. It takes faith to give tithes and offerings when you do not have enough for yourself. Faith is at work when a man puts God’s needs, work, or kingdom projects ahead of his personal needs. Until you are ready to take faith risks for God, you will rarely see the best of God. When God comes knocking, asking, or, as it were, begging, it is a setup. When He begged Peter for his boat, it was a setup. When He borrowed fish and bread from a little boy, it was a setup. God will never cheat you.
Has God been placing unusual demands on you lately? Do you feel irritated by a kingdom request that disregards your personal needs? Do you think you have needs, yet, all that has been coming to you lately are requests from other people? It may just be God. It is a setup.
PHOTO QUOTE
ADDITIONAL STUDY:
Luke 5:3-6, Hebrews 13:1-2, and Luke 6:38.
PRAYER POINTS
+ May my faith be strengthened as I study the word, that I may take actions that correspond to my belief.
+ Father, may I see Your reward in my life today as I respond to Your needs around me.
+ I ask for the grace to see God’s needs around me differently; may I see them as a setup.
Lord, may I not miss You when You come disguised as a need or as a call to render help. May my needs not blind me or make me unresponsive to Your needs, in Jesus’ name. Help me to know that IT IS A SETUP.
Lord, may my heart be so tuned to Yours that it is moved by the things that move You and as I partner with You, may Your blessings fall on me.
I needed to read this today, Thank you Lord for the setup that activates faith
“… make me a small cake from it FIRST,…” 😫
Through whomever I consider you speaking to me. Help me respond adequately to your ‘needs’ Lord. 🙏🏽
Help me Lord never to fail in seeing the benefits of sacrifices and service in Jesus glorified name 🙏
Hmmmm, May we not miss our opportunity to experience God. Amen