The Widow's Oil

From 2nd Kings 4:1-7

How many jars would you ask for if you knew God's blessing would keep flowing until you filled all the jars? 

The Widow’s Olive Oil

4 The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.”

² Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”
“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”
³ Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. ⁴ Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”
⁵ She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. ⁶ When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.”
But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing.
⁷ She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”

Quilt Holes

"The Quilt Holes"

    As I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt before the Lord along with all the other souls.    Before each of us laid our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles; an angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that was our life.

 

But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was.  They were filled with giant holes.  Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in every day life.  I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all.

I glanced around me.  Nobody else had such squares.  Other than a tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich color and the bright hues of worldly fortune.  I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened.

 My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air.

 Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth.  The others rose, each in turn, holding up their tapestries.  So filled their lives had been.  My angel looked upon me and nodded for me to rise.

 My gaze dropped to the ground in shame.  I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes.  I had love in my life and laughter.  But there had also been trials of illness and wealth, and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it.  I had to start over many times.  I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again.  I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life.  I had often been held up to ridicule, which I endured painfully, each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the judgmental gaze of those who unfairly judged me.

 And now, I had to face the truth:  My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was.

I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light. An awe-filled gasp filled the air.  I gazed around at the others who stared at me with wide eyes.

 

Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me.  Light flooded the many holes, creating an image: the face of Christ.  Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes.  He said, 'Every time you gave over your life to Me, it became My life, My hardships, and My struggles.

 'Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you.'

 

May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing Christ to shine through!

 God determines who walks into your life...it's up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay and who you refuse to let go.

Life Everlasting

Question: "How can it be said that we have everlasting life when we still die?"

Answer: The Word of God assures us that all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ will have everlasting life (John 3:16; 6:47; 1 John 5:13). The Greek word translated “everlasting” means “perpetual, eternal, forever.” Perhaps the wordperpetual best explains the biblical concept of everlasting life; it is life that, once begun, continues perpetually into eternity. This speaks to the idea that man’s life is not merely physical. Rather, the true life of human beings is spiritual, and while the physical life ends, the spiritual continues throughout eternity. It is perpetual.

When God created Adam and Eve, He put them in the Garden with the tree of life, intending that they would live joyously forever, both physically and spiritually, but they sinned and brought physical and spiritual death to themselves and to all subsequent generations (Romans 5:12–14). God then sent Adam and Eve from the Garden and stationed cherubim to guard the way to the tree of life, and He did so because in His mercy He did not want man to live forever under the weight of sin. But sin must be punished and the only acceptable punishment to a holy God is everlasting punishment (Mark 9:43–44). However, our merciful God sent His Son as a perfect sacrifice to suffer, once for all time, the punishment due mankind for sin, thereby providing a perfect way to the tree of life for anyone and everyone who believes in Him (1 John 5:12; Revelation 22:14).

We receive everlasting life by dying to our own efforts and receiving Christ Jesus into our hearts as our Lord and Savior, and, when we do, we are instantly reborn and made alive in Christ. We may not feel any immediate change, but there has in fact been a rebirth in the heart (John 3:6–7), and we are now free of the fear of death; we have the promise of God that we will never die spiritually, but instead will live forever with our Lord Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:9–10). Later, when we die physically, our soul will immediately be with the Lord, and still later, when He returns, the Lord will resurrect our bodies to meet Him in the air. As for those Christians who are alive at His return, their bodies will be changed “in the twinkle of an eye,” and they will not experience even physical death (1 Corinthians 15:51–52).

Jesus Christ instructed the Apostle John to write the last book of the Bible, and therein we again read about the tree of life: “To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God'” (Revelation 2:7b). The tree of life in Revelation is symbolic of Jesus Christ. It is in Christ that all Christians trust, and it is in God’s power that we rest, assured of our everlasting life (1 Peter 1:3–5). The one true God who created all things, including life and death and rebirth, will keep His Word. Our God is all-powerful and full of grace and truth (John 1:14), and He wants us to know that our eternal state is assured: Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies” (John 11:25).

Recommended Resources: Heaven by Randy Alcorn and Logos Bible Software.

Fly Like An Eagle

While walking through the forest one day, a farmer found a young eagle which had apparently fallen out of his nest. He took it home and put it in his barnyard with his chickens and there it stayed for years. It wasn't long before the little eagle learned to eat and behave like the chickens.

One day a naturalist passed by the farm and saw the eagle confined in the barnyard with the chickens. When he inquired about this strange sight, the farmer told the man his story. "Unfortunately," said the farmer, "the poor little guy just never learned to fly." "Still," the naturalist sighed, "he has the heart of an eagle and can surely be taught. Will you allow me to work with him?" The farmer agreed, but with much disbelief.

The naturalist picked up the eagle and lifted him toward the sky and said, "You belong to the sky and not to the earth. Stretch forth your wings and fly." The eagle, however, was confused. He did not know who he was, and seeing the chickens eating their food, he jumped down to be with them again. The naturalist took the bird to the roof of the house and urged him again, saying, "You are an eagle. Stretch forth your wings and fly." But the eagle was afraid and jumped down once again to be with his chicken friends. Finally the naturalist took the eagle out of the barnyard to a high mountain. There he held the king of the birds high above him and encouraged him again, saying, "You are an eagle. You belong to the sky. Stretch forth your wings and fly!" The eagle looked around, back towards the barnyard and then up to the sky. Slowly, he stretched his wings, and with a triumphant cry, he soared away into the heavens.

We all, at times feel like we are in a “chicken coop” just clucking away with the rest of the world. But we have been called to fly, to soar with wings as an eagle! To rise above the things of this world. Let’s not be content with pecking away at the dirt, but to fly to the heights we were born to fly.

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

No Limits

A few years ago (5yrs), I bred border canaries as a hobby. I love canaries. My most favorite canary was a girl named Willow. I had her from an early age and she was a sweetie.

One day, when cleaning her cage, she flew out! I was frantic, if she got out the door she would die, being a tamed bird from 6 weeks old! But the weirdest and saddest thing happened.

Willow wouldn't fly higher than the cage she was raised up in! She only flew as high, as she thought she could. She would fly to the height of her cage, then stop and land to the ground again.

Well, I had mingled emotions. I felt so relieved my bird was ok. But I felt so sad; my bird didn't know she could fly high to the skies. She was limited by what she thought she could do.

Well I shared this with my daughter and husband. We turned it into a life lesson.

This was the lesson: "Don’t allow the circumstances to dictate to us what we can or can’t do. We can do all things."

Let’s not limit ourselves. Thinking we can’t do it, why try? Just keep doing what we have always known and not try something new.

~Our environment does not dictate how high we can fly, our minds do. ~

Let’s not be like my poor bird, limited by what she thought she could do. Let’s put no limits on ourselves. We can fly; we just need to know we can if we try.

5 Things To Say To A Friend

The 5 Best Things to Say to a Friend Today
Lysa TerKeurst

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” Romans 12:12-13 (NIV)
I remember sitting in the smelly middle school gym like it was yesterday.
I’d survived the awkward and much-dreaded moments of changing into my PE uniform in the girls’ locker room. And now I sat on the hard bleachers listening to the squeak of tennis shoes, the uneven cadence of bouncing balls, the teacher’s sharp whistle and the girls laughing behind me.
They weren’t laughing with me. That would have meant I was accepted, wanted and invited in to be a part of their group.

No, they were laughing at me.
I was the subject of their gossip. I was the punch line of their jokes.
And it hurt.

I imagine you know that hurt too. Change the scenery and people, and this same hurt can be found in most of our lives.
• When your co-workers all make plans to go to lunch, but you weren’t invited.
• When that other preschool mom says, “Several of us moms are concerned with how aggressive your child seems on the playground.”
• When everyone else’s social media makes marriage look dreamy and uber-romantic as you’re crying yourself to sleep.
Then a friend steps in with a gentle smile and a few simple words of encouragement and suddenly you’re not alone.

I want to be that friend for you today.
In the midst of whatever it is that’s made your heart feel knocked off-kilter, can I whisper what I believe are the 5 best things one can say to a friend? And then might you give the gift of saying these things to a friend today?
This list is from our key verses, Romans 12:12-13, in a section titled “Love.”

1. “You’re wonderful.”
(Romans 12:12, “Be joyful in hope …”)
What a loving thing to infuse joyful hope into your friend’s life by reminding her why you think she is wonderful.
The world is quick to tell us girls all the ways we fall short. We are hyperaware of our faults and frailties.
So, what a precious gift to remind a friend of specific ways she’s a wonderful friend, a wonderful mom, a wonderful Jesus girl, a wonderful wife, a wonderful co-worker, a wonderful person.

2. “Me too.”
(Romans 12:12, “… patient in affliction …”)
What a gift to remind a friend we all have afflictions, hurts, faults and tender places. We all get sick both emotionally and physically.
The patient friend freely gives grace because she so desperately needs it herself. “Me too” acknowledges that I’m no better than you, but together we can get stronger. It is such a loving and disarming admission that we’re all in this together.

3. “I’ll pray.”
(Romans 12:12, “… faithful in prayer.”)
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to tell a friend you will absolutely be faithful in your prayers for her? I have someone who prays for me faithfully and even texts me Scriptures she’s praying.
But here’s what I really love about her. She doesn’t just pray about my situations. She prays me through them.
I honestly don’t know how she hasn’t gotten tired of praying for some of my same issues for so long. I get so tired of me … but she never does. What a gift. A gift I know I must pass on by being faithful in my prayers for others.

4. “I’ll share.”
(Romans 12:13, “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need …”)
When we notice a need in a friend’s life, might we be willing to step in and be part of the solution?
I have a friend who lost every possession she owned due to a chemical spill in her home. So, we threw her a “Job (like the man in the Bible) Party.” Each of us brought a few things to help her family start over.
We didn’t come close to fully meeting their financial needs. But we helped build a foundation of restoration and gave this family the assurance that God was working on their behalf.

5. “Come over.”
(Romans 12:13, “Practice hospitality.”)
Welcoming a friend inside the sacred space of our home is such a needed gesture. There’s just something about relationships that are less pixilated when we get eye-to-eye, voice-to-voice and talk. Really talk.
Over broken bread we share broken hearts. And then we celebrate the parts of us that are still intact. We reach across the table and across our differences to grab hold of the glorious bond of friendship.
Yes, these are 5 great things, maybe even the best things, to say to a friend. So, today, I pause and say them to you.
Now, I haven’t quite figured out how to do that last one. It would be such a hoot trying to fit you all in my kitchen, but I sure am dreaming about it!
Dear Lord, thank You for the gift of friendship. Please show me who I can encourage today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.