April 29, 2022
Avenue for Provision
Beloved one some people don’t make much money and struggle with stewardship, and some people make a lot of money who are not good stewards. I’m not talking about how much money you make; we are talking about how you think about stewardship and ownership. I believe there are ten commandments of finances I want to share with you over the next ten days that actually line up with the ten commandments. The Bible teaches us we are to give ten percent of our income as the tithe because it already belongs to God. We are just giving back to God what already belongs to Him.
1. Put God first. This goes with (Exodus 20:3) you shall have no other gods before Me, says the Lord.
The Lord said to Elijah, “Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.” So, he went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the village, he saw a widow gathering sticks, and he asked her, “Would you please bring me a little water in a cup?” As she was going to get it, he called to her, “Bring me a bite of bread, too.” But she said, “I swear by the Lord your God that I don’t have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die.” But Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid! Go ahead and do just what you’ve said but make a little bread for me first. Then use what’s left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends the rain, and the crops grow again!” (1 Kings 17:8-14 NLT)
This woman had miraculous provision when she put God first. God gave her provision through a drought for three and a half years. Why didn’t God send Elijah to a rich person? God sent him to her so she could provide for Elijah, and He sent Elijah to her so God could provide for her. People think God wants them to tithe so the church can be taken care of. No! God wants you to tithe so you can be taken care of! God doesn’t need your money. He already owns it all. Here’s a woman who had one meal left and her son had a terminal disease he died a few months later and Elijah raises him up. It wasn’t just so God could provide for her financially, it was about her family. God doesn’t want to just bring your finances in order, He wants to bring order to your family. God is concerned about your family.
