I was cutting my grass in 2004. Two weeks prior to me cutting my grass, I had some unexpected bills that came up and I had to pay out quite a bit of money. I had it, yet there wasn’t nothing left. I had gas for my vehicle, and food in my house. The food I had in the house was: oatmeal, spaghetti noodles, macaroni, peanut butter, dry beans, some canned vegetables, rice, but no meat. I said in my mind, “Hey, I got my necessities.” I didn’t pout, feel bad, or complain. So…I’m gonna fast forward up to the point when I was cutting my grass, 11 days later. Okay, while cutting my grass, I begin to have a desire to eat some chicken, and soon after in my mind I started to tell myself, “Hold on, you got 3 days before you get paid.” So…I continued to cut my grass, and while cutting my grass, my neighbor, this 88 yr old woman came across the street with a styrofoam container with a freshly fried chicken sandwich(lettuce, tomatoes, mayo) and french fries from this restaurant on the corner close by our houses. So it was between 10-15 minutes after I had a desire for chicken that this woman came across the street. I knew exactly what happen. God had compassion for me, and because I had the mind to go all the way without complaining, and asking him for something I already had. I had food, but I didn’t have flesh meat. The food I had was my meat. It’s written:
Genesis 1: 29-30
29. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
Note: Before Adam sinned, their meat was: vegetables, fruits, leaves, beans, ect. only.
30. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
Remember: Death had not been introduced to man or beast before Adam sinned. All living species were immortal, nobody died, no one was eating meat, not even the flesh eating animals, birds, and fish we know of today. Everyone was vegans or vegatarians.
((I could have borrowed money from my fellow brothers or sisters, or my Big sister, or from one of my friends, but if I had done that, I would have called God a liar, saying he had not provided me with my necessities, even if I had not literally said it, my actions would have spoken for me. He(God) moved the mind of that 88 year old woman, to bring me the desire of my heart(mind), without even asking. I was gonna wait 3 more days until I get paid. I didn’t know he was going to give me my desire. He knew I was sincere about serving him, not pouting, and was neither angry throughout the 11 days. He knew I didn’t mind waiting 3 more days. He had compassion on me, therefore he showed me his power. I think about this next story within the bible when I think about my situation, concerning the Lord sending that 88 year old woman over to my house with some chicken and fries.))
Here’s a story concerning servants who relied on the Lord to take care of them. This story is about Elijah who had slain Jezebel’s prophets. She found out and threaten him and he took off running.
1 Kings 19: 4-8
4. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
((The first thing I notice is that he felt bad about running from this woman, his flesh rose up on him, he feared being killed by this woman Jezebel(she wasn’t a female street walking prostitute, she was a female preacher/pastor). Elijah acknowledged his weakness, admitted to God, basically saying he’s not worthy to live, saying, “I am not better than my fathers.” He was sincere, this is what the Lord is looking for within us. He wasn’t fronting or perping(perpetrating) like he was sufficient, he confessed his weaknesses. Check these scriptures out.))
2 Corinthians 12:8-9
8. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Infirmity means: the state of being weak in health or body. Glorying in infirmities means beholding your peace and praising God while in infirmities, although becoming weak at certain points.
(( How is our strength made perfect in weakness? First, we have to acknowledge that our own strength is not enough. When we understand and believe our strength is weak, then we know that we are incomplete. Our next move is to fill this void with something. Some look to controlling positions and/or pleasure. Some look to money, weapons, and materials objects to make them feel adequate, complete, or powerful. We shouldn’t rely on any of these things as strength. When we acknowledge that we need Christ, and accept Christ(by living righteously), we’re saying we’re weak, then our strength becomes perfect in weakness because only Christ can feel that void to the point of perfect strength, because we’ve let go. Paul says in verse 9: “Gladly, I rather glory(praise God) in my infirmities(weaknesses) that the power of Christ may rest upon me. He’s basically saying, that the only way Christ’s power can rest upon him, is by submission, and confessing I’m nothing without you. This is what Jesus said unto his disciples after his resurrection.))
Matthew 28:16-18
16. Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
17. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
18. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
((Jesus says that, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” I ask you, “What is he lacking? And What doesn’t he have control of? If he has all power, and he’s resting upon us, “What are we lacking?” Let’s take a look at this next scripture.
2 Corinthians 12:10
10. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
For Christ sake and to obtain his power, “What are we willing the take pleasure in?” He has everything we need even when there’s nothing left that’s visible. Let’s read this full story about Elijah.
1 Kings 19: 4-8
4. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
((Okay, Elijah humbled himself before God, let’s continue.))
5. And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
6. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
((When it seems like it’s over, it’s not over, he sends us what we are lacking, whether it’s by man, or by the hand of an angel.))
7. And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.
8. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
((When it comes to serving the Lord, it doesn’t matter how little we eat, if the Lord want us to survive and carry on, he’ll make what we have, sustain us, far longer than what man believe is possible. Here’s another story concerning Elijah. Let’s continue.))
1 Kings 17: 1-16
1. And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
((Elijah was so connected to God, he even caused it not to rain for years, according to his word, his faith(belief).
2. And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
3. Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
4. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.
((Who has control? The Lord(This was Jesus in his former state, before he became the son, he was called Jehovah). You can easily say that, Jesus, told Elijah to get hence unto the brook of Cherith, and drink of the brook, and I have commanded ravens to feed the there. We have to look pass man, man in general has limitations, the creator doesn’t. We ourselves was created to run this earth, call shots, I mean really call shots. Yeah…we can train, teach, and command a few animals, yet we’re lacking greatly. I mean call shots, as far a controlling and commanding the atmosphere, angels, animals, beast, and birds, even the earth and it has no choice but to obey. The Lord has no respect of persons. These prophets aren’t no better than us, the only difference is, is that they had strong….faith. We have to get to the point where nothing else matters but truth, and when we get to that point, you will see the fruit of your labour, and I am not talking about possessions/material things. Let’s continue.))
5. So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
6. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.
((The Lord take care of his, if mankind is not around, or want to be selfish, stiff neck, or inconsiderate, he’ll command his creation to take care of his. You hold fast to the “God of Israel(Jesus),” no matter what. It don’t matter which son of Noah you come out of: Shem, Ham, or Japhet. ))
7. And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
((Okay, Elijah called it, there has been no rain, and where water was, it’s now being depleted and drying up.))
8. And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
9. Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.
((Like I mentioned before, Who has control? The Lord. He commands a widow woman to sustain him. Let’s continue.))
10. So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
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.
12. And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an 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.
((The man of God, Elijah, asked her for water and bread. Okay, so..she was on her last leg(last meal). She also understands who the true and living God is. You know, she’s looking at him saying, “this is all we have, my son and I will eat this, then perish(die).” Let’s continue))
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.
((Okay, Elijah encouraged her to do as she said, but first make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. This is where it’s at, “FAITH!” You know, a lot of us have grown up putting ourselves before others. It’s all about judgment. We have to understand and know when to stop. 2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. We bring the spirit of fear(mind of fear) upon ourselves, by fear(being afraid) and unbelief that God will sustain us. So… we look to save ourselves, more often than saving those who come in our path, and therefore God is not able to show his power in saving us, because we don’t believe. He(God) said prove me, yet we have to make the first step. Then he’s gonna prove to us, he is, who he say he is. God Almighty. I mean All……Mighty in everything. Let’s continue.))
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 sendeth rain upon the earth.
((Keep in mind, that it wasn’t going to rain for some years. So the barrel of meal and oil wasn’t going to run out for some years. Who can make that happen, but the Lord God of Israel. Why wouldn’t anyone want to serve the God that can do that. When there’s nothing left, he’ll sustain us with what we have. In Luke 9: 11-7, Jesus fed 5,000 people with only having two fishes and 5 loaves of bread, and still had 12 baskets of food left over after feeding the 5,000. In Mark 10: 27, it’s written that all things are possible with God. Let’s continue.))
15. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
16. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.