Save A Pot Of Oil
Our associate pastor, Ryan Crawford, brought us our Sunday morning message: “Save a Pot of Oil.”
We stood for opening prayer and the reading of God’s word taken from 2 Kings 4:1-7. What a great story of God’s provision for those that seek him.
Pastor Crawford began, “My God supplies all your needs accordingly. God promised that He will provide.”
“I want to note a few facts before we get into our study,” Brother Crawford stated. “Here’s a woman who is so desolate, discouraged, downhearted depressed, down and out, and done, she thought. And Elisha said unto her, ‘What shall I do for thee? Tell me, what hast thou in the house?’ And she said, ‘Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.’ Verse 4 tells her to borrow vessels from her neighbors, including empty ones, and not just a few. ‘And when thou art come in, thou shall shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shall pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.’ Her oil vessels overflowed as God provided with a never-ending supply.
“God’s people go through hard times,” Pastor Crawford told us. “Death, debt, and despair: These were good people. Her husband was a prophet of Elisha. He feared God. Her husband had died. This family felt the touch of death. She knew the creditors were coming and had nothing to give, and she was desperate not to lose her sons.
“She came to the right place — to hear the word of God from the man of God (Elisha). God hears all, sees all and is in all. He promised those that love him and/or called to him all things work together for good.
She and Elisha knew that Elisha couldn’t help, but she did know that her husband feared God, so if it was good enough for him, then it’s good enough for her.
“Dads, isn’t it about time to fear God?” Pastor Crawford asked. “Show your wife and kids you fear God — not cowering down, but standing up! Not worrying, but trusting. Not whispering, but shouting and praising. Not hating, but loving. Go to the mountain of God, and when you get in his presence, come down that mountain and BOOM! Show and train what you learned in his presence.”
When the storms of death, debt, and depression come your way, look up! Look up. Look to the Word of God; look for his will and for the work of God. God’s provision and peace comes rushing your way.
The Lord helped her to see what she couldn’t see on her own. She was sickened to her soul and blinded. She needed to see what she did have — no husband, no money, and no hope, but she did have a house, strength to work, a mind to understand, neighbors, boys and she had a pot of oil.
The Holy Spirit never leaves when times get tough. You may not know what to read in your Bible or ask for in prayer or what God’s plan is in the situation, but the Holy Spirit is there for you to turn to in your trials. If you have a body that’s healthy, family about you, shoes, clothes, a roof over your head, a jingle in your pocket, then you ought to praise God. You’re wealthier than 90 percent of the world. The Lord will show you what you have instead of what you don’t have. After all, He is the one who gave it to you.
“What do you have?” Pastor Crawford asked us. “Moses, what is that in your hand? Even in the valley, God is good. Psalm 37:25 says, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”
Get to work. Labor in my vineyard. Witness of that light. Tell it on the mountains. Stop worrying about all the stuff with which the world clouds our minds. The cycle of life will cause you to slam on your brakes; you will mourn and go. And somehow, some way, the Holy Spirit is enough to get the job done. The woman had faith and a never ending supply of oil.
Sometimes, you need a touch of pain to be transformed by His power. God has a plan beyond your pain. He is faithful. His mercies are the reason we are not consumed. Praise be to God.
“I’ve failed Him many times but, He has never failed me.”
Have you read your Bible today? If not read, Ecclesiastes 3.
“Thank you Lord for your blessings on me”
There’s a roof up above me. I’ve a good place to sleep. There’s food on my table, And shoes on my feet. You gave me Your love, Lord, and a fine family,
“Thank you Lord for your blessings on me.”
Please come join us for church if you do not have a home church. We are considered one of the friendliest churches around. Sunday School starts at 9 a.m. and church service immediately follows at 10 a.m.
The Nursing Home Ministry meets at McDonald County Living Center in Anderson at 2:30 p.m. every other Saturday. Next meeting is Dec. 17.
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