Daily SCRIPTURE 21 September 2023
BASIC SCRIPTURE: 1 KINGS 17: 1-17
1 Kings 17:1-17 (ESV):
1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.”
2 And the word of the Lord came to him:
3 “Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.
4 You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”
5 So he went and did according to the word of the Lord. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan.
6 And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.
7 And after a while, the brook dried up because there was no rain in the land.
8 Then the word of the Lord came to him,
9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.”
10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.”
11 And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.”
12 And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.”
13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first, make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son.
14 For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.'”
15 And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days.
16 The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.
17 After this, the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him.
FINISH READING: ODM 21 September 2023 WHEN THE BROOK DRIES UP
Prayer Points from the Passage:
- Faith in God’s Word: Pray for the faith to trust in God’s promises, even in times of drought and difficulty, as Elijah trusted that there would be no rain except by God’s word (1 Kings 17:1).
- Obedience to God’s Instructions: Ask God for the willingness to obey His instructions as Elijah did, whether it involves stepping out in faith or going to unexpected places (1 Kings 17:3-4, 9).
- Provision and Sustenance: Pray for God’s provision and sustenance in your life, just as He provided for Elijah through unexpected means like the ravens and the widow (1 Kings 17:4-6, 9-16).
- Fearlessness and Compassion: Ask God for the courage to approach those in need, as Elijah approached the widow, and the compassion to help others, even when you have limited resources (1 Kings 17:10-12).
- Miraculous Provision: Pray for God’s miraculous provision in situations where resources are scarce or seemingly insufficient, trusting that He can multiply what you have (1 Kings 17:14).
- Healing and Restoration: Pray for healing and restoration in situations of illness or distress, believing in God’s power to bring life even when there seems to be no hope (1 Kings 17:17).
- Dependence on God: Dedicate yourself to a life of dependence on God’s guidance, provision, and miracles, just as Elijah exemplified in this passage.
This passage from 1 Kings 17 teaches us about faith, obedience, provision, and the miraculous power of God. Pray through these points, seeking to apply the lessons from Elijah’s experience to your own life and circumstances.