A Little Piece Of Cake

I Kings 17: 8-13

1. For the past 5 Sundays I have been preaching a series on Elijah and the Lessons learned

Remember the Apostle James says Elijah was a man subject to like passions just like we are- yet God used him to turn a nation back to God…

Some time ago I preached a message on Elijah titled a little piece of cake

I want to conclude our series on Elijah with this same scripture but perhaps in a different way

2. Notice the line in vs 13…“Make me thereof a little cake first.”

That short line says it all. ….It contains a spiritual lesson for all generations forever

In vs 8 God told Elijah I have commanded a widow woman to sustain you..

God spoke it but notice the Widow Woman didn't know that God was going to use her...

She would be the vessel God used to sustain Elijah….and she & her son would receive blessings also for 2 years

Right now God may be intending to use you to accomplish something outstanding

I think of the church FOM are building in Africa….who knows what will come from that church….another great man or woman of God….a revival that will shake the nations

...Who knows how God will sustain his work by using you right now…right where you are….with what you have in your hand

3. And Elijah wasn't even sure if the woman he was talking to was indeed the

woman God was sending him to

Elijah sees a woman there gathering sticks to cook her last little meal

He asks her for a drink of water….no one denied a stranger a drink of water in those days….(Elieazar asked Rebecca to draw water for his camels when he was seeking a bride for Isaac)

She responded favorable and went to get Elijah some water…while she was going Elijah says...Oh and by the way give me the bread that is in your hand

4. Her reply lets Elijah know she knows God…She says: As the Lord God Liveth…

Then Elijah learns about her poverty……..I don't have a cake….

A little handful of meal in a barrel And a little oil is all I have

..As she goes on she mentions her son….no husband

ELIJAHA KNOWS IT IS HER BY HER OWN TESTIMONY AND PROMISES THAT GOD GAVE TO HIM THAT GOD HIMSELF WILL BLESS HER …IF SHE GIVES HIM FIRST THE WATER AND SMALL CAKE

Notice something here ….because it is how God always works…..Without faith it is impossible to please God

1. There was more than appeared on the surface in this request,

But it was not revealed until the request itself was acted upon

A great miracle came to the woman who heard and then acted upon what she heard.

And this story is a miniature picture of how God so often works in the lives of his people

And the miracle that this woman received hundreds of years ago….still repeats its self repeatedly again today .

2. Look at the situation in which this great miracle unfolds

It was a time of great depression

The preacher, Elijah, had been miraculously provided with food by the birds of the air, (Ravens)

He was given drink from the cool waters of the brook.

One day both these sources of supply closed and God sent His servant to a widow.

3. It wasn’t an easy journey for Elijah.

Ahab, the wicked king had placed a reward upon the prophets head.

It was a gloomy situation at best ….

The widow had collected the last of her supplies.

It was to be a farewell meal for herself and her son.

Starvation was in the land.

How could she possibly feed another mouth?

The demand seems unreasonable.

A grown hungry man, weary from travel, would take all she had…knowing it was

her last meal

4. I think she eyed Elijah really closely

Is this man really a prophet of God…Am I being foolish to trust him

Really….how dare he ask for me and my sons last bit of food

He doesn’t have that right to make such a demand?

She and her child needed the food even more than he.

5. Notice that Elijah never gave her a word of sympathy or sorrow.

Instead, he says, “Make me thereof a little cake first.”

Sounds a little arrogant …..What man could look at a starving child and his widowed mother, and make such a demand.

6. She had to make a decision……She faced a command that required obedience!

And in the end it was her obedience that saved her life.

What lessons are there in this incident for us today? I believe there many …but I want to look at three.

First, he asked for a cake.

He might have made many requests.