What if I told you you could receive a message straight from God, see an endless supplies of miracles, and still be quick to give up? It happened in scripture.

If we aren't determined to live with courage and faith, we will be determined to die in our fear and shame.

Join us as Pastor Chris Fluitt teaches us about the stick gathering widow of 1 Kings 17.

Hello! We are Redemption Church in Plano TX. My name is Chris Fluitt and I welcome everyone joining us online and everyone joining us in the church sanctuary, today. I am excited to share the Word of God with you today!Please turn in scripture to 1 Kings 17.Back to Life

We have been celebrating the news that Jesus came back to life. That is reason to celebrate. Because Jesus came back to life, you too can come back to life.1 Kings 17 tells us about a noteworthy prophet named Elijah.

The Lord had told Elijah to prophecy a time of drought of several years. The Lord had to hide Elijah because people wanted to kill him because of his true prophecy.

During this time of hiding the Lord fed Elijah with ravens and provided water from a secret brook.

1 Kings 17:7-12(NIV) 7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.”

10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”

12 “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”

God told Elijah to come to this town.God told Elijah to find a widow.God told Elijah that this widow would provide Elijah with food.

Yet when Elijah asks for a piece of bread, the woman's response is so unexpected, that you wouldn't blame Elijah for wondering if he had somehow misunderstood God or talked to the wrong widow.

She says...

"I don't have any bread, and the little supply I have is just enough for me to bake a cake for myself and my son… "that we may eat it - and die."Determined to die

This widow was determined to die. She had it all planned out. She had the recipe out ready to bake a cake, eat it, and then die. She was gathering her final supply by picking up sticks to make the fire.Her every effort in this story was to die on a full stomach.She was not determined to live. She was determined to die.

Am I talking to anyone like this widow?Are you in a drought?Have you run out of hope?Are you out of faith?Can't see a future?

You might not realize that you are like this "determined to die" widow.⦁ If you have no plans for a successful future you are more like this widow than you understand.⦁ If you are afraid to try and achieve your dreams and use your talent because it is just easier and safer to stay where you are… you are more like this widow than you know.

⦁ If you are constantly just trying to make it through the day instead of breaking through and overcoming… you are just gathering sticks.⦁ If you are comfortable with the status quo…⦁ If you are no longer praying and asking God to deliver you… then you have resigned yourself to death, like the widow.

Little did this widow know, the Lord of Heaven had seen her situation. God had sent a prophet to deliver a word to her and bring her back to life.

1 Kings 17 13-16 (NIV) 13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son.

14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel,