Friends everywhere, if the cost of bills are rising around you, remember that Jesus as God can provide ways to create money to pay these bills and give us extra money to bless the poor. The other day Brother Bob's rent, electric bill and bus fare prices all rose in one day as his unsaved parents had nothing to do with Brother Bob. As I studied about the picture above of the widow who was able to pay her bills and keep blessing the poor by selling oil that God miraculously created, I was encouraged and Jesus told me to write this bible study.
Pictured above, at 2 Kings 4 a widow had no money to pay bills to a creditor and sought advice from the prophet Elisha. She told Elisha that the creditor would take her two sons as bondmen or slaves if the debt was not fully paid. Elisha told the widow What hast thou in thy house? The widow replied Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.
Elisha's advice to the widow can be found at 2 KIngs 4:3 and says Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels, borrow not a few. And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.
2 Kings 4:5 goes on to say So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her, and she poured out. And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. Wow, God made oil appear out of nowhere to fill all the vessels and kept the oil from spoiling to be used for sale to pay off all the widow's debt.
After the widow filled all the vessels with oil, she again sought Elisha's advice as to how to pay her bills from the creditor. Elisha told the widow at 2 Kings 4:7 Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest. In Jesus name, I pray for anyone reading this, like the widow, Jesus will provide ways to pay all our bills with extra money to bless the poor. Be encouraged friends everywhere, Jesus will provide money to pay all your bills with extra money to bless the poor. Remember the widow not only was able to pay off her debt from her sold oil, but also had extra money called the rest for her and her children to live off of.
OK, let's see how the widow pictured above kept blessing Elijah with her last bread and water as God made food appear out of nowhere to feed the widow and her son. Friend reading this anywhere, be like the widow and keep blessing the poor as bills rise around you. Jesus will provide for all your needs and continue to bless you greatly to assist the poor. Most people stop blessing the poor when rent, electric bills, and gas prices rise up. But, Galatians 6:9 says And let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
1 Kings 17:10 describes the picture above and says So he (Elijah) 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. 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.
The widow replied to Elijah at 1 Kings 17:12 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. 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. 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.
Friends, see how God made food appear out of nowhere to bless the widow as she obeyed Elijah's request. 1 Kings 17:15 says And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah; and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. 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. I pray in Jesus name, that anyone reading this will be like this widow and continue to bless the poor as Jesus provides all our needs making food and money appear out of nowhere. Matthew 6:33 promises But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.
Friends everywhere, let's do the advice of the prophet Habakkuk and continue to rejoice, bless the poor, and serve Jesus with strength when we are surrounded by higher rental payments, higher bus fares, higher bills, and an ungodly world. Habakkuk 3:17 says Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls; Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds' feet, and He willl make me to walk upon mine high places.
Also, remember that when Jesus and Peter had to pay taxes, Jesus made money appear out of nowhere in a fish's mouth to pay taxes. Jesus said at Matthew 17:27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money; that take, and give unto them for me and thee. And an angel created out of nowhere a cake and water for Elijah under the juniper tree that strengthened Elijah for forty days and nights. 1 Kings 19:5 says And as he (Elijah) lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. 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.
And when Hagar and Ishmael had no water to drink in the desert, God provided water out of nowhere from a well to keep them alive. Genesis 21:19 says And God opened her (Hagar's) eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad (Ishamael) drink. Finally, remember how God provided manna falling from heaven for food to the children of Israel in the wilderness. Today, Jesus is our manna and bread that will always feed us and provide all our needs forevermore. Jesus said at John 6:35 I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
Friends, as you look at the two pictures above remember that when we believe Jesus is God and that Jesus died for us on the cross and rose again, angels will protect us, make us invisible to any enemy, causing our enemies to bless us. In the first picture an angel with a sword protected the children of Israel and stopped Balaam from cursing God's people. Friend reading this, an angel will also protect you if you get saved and confess Jesus as God, believing Jesus died on the cross for you and rose again. Psalm 34:7 promises the angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.
Balaam's ass first saw the angel and Balaam kept trying to curse God's people even after his ass spoke. But, when Balaam saw the angel, he decided to bless and not curse God's people. The scripture that shows how an angel with a sword withstood Balaam and protected the children of Israel can be found at Numbers 22:31 and says Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face. Rejoice friends everywhere, Jesus said at Luke 20:43 that He would make our enemies our footstool.
In the second picture we see that two angels protected Lot and his family from men that wanted to have sex with the men angels. Lot tried to reason with the men of Sodom and offered his daughters to the men. Friend reading this remember that you can't reason with the devil. Jesus said when you go to a house, if the people of the house reject you, shake the dust off your feet and move to the next house where someone will receive Jesus and bless you. Jesus said that we should let peace rest upon any house where people receive us and the Lord Jesus.
The men of Sodom rejected Lot's daughters and wanted to have sex with the men angels. These angels protected Lot and his family by blinding the people of Sodom, as Lot and his family escaped to Zoar for safety. Genesis 19:10 says But the men (angels) put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great; so that they wearied themselves to find the door. I pray in Jesus name that all my friends everywhere who read this will also be protected by angels who make the saints invisible to the enemies like muslim terrorists in this present world.
To end up today's bible study, enjoy some words of wisdom I heard from a backhills country preacher. First, what is the fastest way to heaven? Turn right and go straight. Second read the following story about Ephesians 5:23 that says for the husband is the head of the wife, even as Chirst is the head of the church; and He is the saviour of the body.
A farmer said he would give a rooster to the first husband who admitted he was the head of his house. The farmer came to the first house and asked the husband, are you the head of the house? The man said nope, the wife makes the decisions here. The farmer came to the second house and asked the husband, are you the head of the house? The man said nope it's 50/50 here. Finally, the farmer came to the last house and asked the husband, are you the head of the house? The man said yep but wait a minute; honey can we take a rooster into our home?
And finally, one more story to think about. A country preacher sent his kid to college hoping he would become smart. One night as they were all eating dinner, the country preacher asked his kid, what have you learned? The kid said pi r squared. The backhills preacher said you haven't learned a thing. Pie are round, cornbread is squared. Friends remember that the only way to become smart and have wisdom is to know our Lord Jesus. 1 Corinthians 1:30 defines wisdom as Jesus who is the Word of God. Memorize the entire bible and become wise.
As always it is a great blessing to write these bible studies that I pray in Jesus name will bless multitudes of people all over this earth. Feel free to email Brother Bob anytime at rz9tlm@gmail.com or write to Brother Bob Malkin, 2233 Pinetree Lane, Apt. N., Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068 (614) 604-7133. Till we all meet again soon to lift up our Lord Jesus, everyone have a blessed day in Jesus name.
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