1 Kings 17:15-16

[15] So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her family continued to eat for many days. [16] There was always enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.

In 1 Kings 17:8-16 we read the story of God instructing Elijah to go into a new city and there he’d find a widow who would provide food for his needs. Sure enough she was there gathering sticks to build a fire to bake bread for herself and her son. The sad part of this story was she only had enough flour and oil for one small loaf of bread, after that they'd starve to death. When Elijah asked her to give him a loaf of bread first she must have thought this would be the end of her, but because Elijah was a man of God, she did as instructed. 

As we read on, to her amazement there were more than enough ingredients to make bread for Elijah and herself and son. Because of her obedience, God continued to provide oil and flour to sustain them for days on end.

I've had similar experiences in my life where my resources were low, almost gone, yet God was faithful to provide for my needs, oftentimes doubling those resources. God can and will do the same for you when you put your faith and trust in Him to supply all your needs. 

I Thessalonians 5:24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

 Psalms 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Here in the South, we are wrapping up the Spring blooming season, where pollen fills the sky and covers every square inch of ground, building, vehicle, and person. This year has seen an overwhelming amount of pollen, breaking a 20 year record. One of the challenges during this time of year is keeping your vehicle clean. You can wash your car today and tomorrow it will be covered in yellow pollen and need another washing. 

I'm willing to bet today's verse was written in the Springtime. Its author knew his heart needed a daily cleaning from the worldly covering of sin, lust, pride, greed, unrighteous behavior, and whatever else was staining the heart that day. As Christians living in today's world, it's easy to get caught up in the pollen of sin that can choke out the breath of God's Holy Spirit, leaving that child of God vulnerable to spiritual sickness. That's why it's so important to ask God to cleanse the heart of sin, almost hourly, so the Holy Spirit has room to fulfill God's purpose for your life. 

I highly recommend you commit today's verse to memory and let it be repeated in a prayer to God as often necessary to keep you unspotted from the world. 

I Peter 2:11-12 NKJV

[11] Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, [12] having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. 

 Galatians 6:2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 

Saturday night, my wife and I attended a gospel singing concert. Midway through the program I noticed the minister walk down to the altar to pray. Almost immediately a group of people surrounded him. As he and the others finished, he was about to walk back to his pew when he noticed his wife was still kneeling in prayer, so he turned around and knelt by her side. 

Today's verse challenges us to pray for one another. Spouses definitely need to cover each other in prayer as it helps keep the bond of marriage intact. So many forces of evil scheme to hurt and destroy relationships blessed by God. If you could truly see into the spiritual world, you'd understand why prayer is important to protect and ward off the temptations, frustrations, and sometimes resentful attitudes that could easily cause division among the husband and wife. 

If you are married, pray for each other. If you are single, pray for your future partner, that God would protect them from harmful things that could scar their heart, bringing unnecessary baggage into your future marriage. We all need to pray for one another. It's a privilege and honor to cover others with your prayers. 

 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of God.” “Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” Mark 10:14-15

 The two weekends leading up to Easter our church held an Easter production entitled “He’s Alive”. Three thousand people attended the 4-night production. On one of those nights, a 7-year-old child and his grandfather were in attendance. During the scene where Jesus was mocked and beaten, the young boy told his grandfather that someone needed to help Jesus. The boy was so visibly shaken that he left his seat and was ready to go on stage to defend Jesus, but the grandfather was able to hold him back and the play continued without interruption.

 When I heard this story, today’s verses came to mind. What a deep fondness this boy had for Jesus Christ. Although it was an act in the production, it was real to this young boy and he was ready to do all he could to save Jesus Christ from pain and suffering.

 Jesus Christ came to earth because of the same kind of love and devotion this boy showed that night. Jesus wanted to bridge the gap between us and God and only through His persecution and payment of mankind’s sins through death on a cross, He took our place of punishment so we could live a life of freedom and declared guilt-free.

 Do you have this kind of love for Jesus Christ? Do you acknowledge what pain, suffering, to the point of death that He experienced, just to save you? In Jesus’ own’s words: “Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not received the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” Just like this 7-year-old boy; grow and develop your faith, appreciation, and love for Jesus Christ who saved you for eternity. God bless!

 He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young. Isaiah 40:11

 During various times of one’s life, that person will have caretakers who watch over them, care for their needs, and love them. From birth until a child is on his own, parents, and other family members, take care of them. In adult years, that person might need medical attention, thus a doctor or nurses take care of them. If they live a long time, they might require visits from a home health nurse or live in a nursing home, there staff take care of their every need, just as they were cared for as a baby. But who watches over them during those in-between times?

 I ran across todays’ verse while doing some devotional studies and thought what a beautiful verse and the perfect example of how God takes care of us every minute of our lives, providing parents, caregivers, and even during the times when we don’t think we need help, He’s always there watching over us. Take a moment and re-read Isaiah 40:11. Can you think of times when you’ve seen God’s hand provide care for you? Maybe it was a special doctor who was able to find a cure for your ailment, or you avoided a car crash by some miracle, or maybe a special person became a mentor in your life that shaped you into the person you are today.

 I recall a time when I had taken a break from college and was working minimum wage jobs, with no direction for my life. My best friend and roommate gave me a serious talk about how I needed to get my life in order by going back to college and pursuing something more meaningful. From that moment I took his advice and chose the career path that provided me a very comfortable life and now I’m enjoying the benefits of retirement. I truly believe God put my friend in my life to guide me into God’s plan for my future.

 All I can say is, God you are so good, loving, and always watching out for me. God is available to do the same for you if you are willing to let Him have control of your life, your future and eternal destiny. Give God the wheel of your life and I promise you, He’ll carry you through it with a nurturing love like no one else can provide.

 Psalms 119:71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.

No one likes to be sick, and it usually occurs when your body's immunity is low due to a lot of stress, lack of sleep, and overworked. One of the best things you can do during times of sickness is rest. Adequate rest does so much good for the human body, especially if you want to stay healthy. 

The author of today's scripture found it good for him to be afflicted as it allowed for growth in spiritual wisdom. Affliction causes us to slow down and gives time to evaluate what has happened and what went wrong spiritually. If this verse applies to you, you know that during the process of affliction, you've reached for your Bible to read it for help or encouragement, you've prayed more often, and possibly sought spiritual counseling. Through it all, you grew closer to God, gained spiritual wisdom, and hopefully was able to hear the voice of God speak directly to your heart. I can honestly say I've experienced these moments of spiritual renewal during times of great affliction, and it's helped me refine my day to day choices. 

The next time you find yourself afflicted, whether it's physical or spiritual in nature, seek out God's guidance, He might have allowed this affliction to slow you down so you can hear Him more clearly. You'll be glad you did. God bless. 

 I Peter 4:8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” 

Happy Easter everyone. Today we celebrate our risen Savior, Jesus Christ, who died a horrible death on a Roman cross, to make payment for the sins of mankind. He became the sacrificial lamb. No longer do we have to sacrifice an animal for our sins, Jesus took the place of that requirement. Why?

There's one word in today's verse that explains the why, “fervent”. That word is defined as displaying a passionate intensity. That's the kind of love God has for you and me. He took on your sins in the form of human flesh, Jesus Christ, because of His passionate love for us. 

As humans, He wants to have a personal relationship with each of us, but that can only happen by surrendering yourself to Him, asking Jesus to come into your heart and forgive your sins. Once saved, you need to express the kind of love God has for you to others. Through this intense love, you can reshape the world around you. 

Who can you share the love of God with today?