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Show A LITTLE CAKE FIRST / Most of us I Kings 17: 13 familiar with the story of the brook that dried up. We are Elijah down by have heard how he went to town and met widow woman. widow woman We have even a heard how the brought the man of God a morsel of bread in her hands. However, we have not paid much attention to the instructions given to the widow "And as woman Elijah by Elijah. Listen to the text: said unto her, Fear not; go and do 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." A LITTLE CAKE FIRST. Had the prophet misunderstood what the woman said? "As the Lord thy God liveth, I 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, have not a 1 and die." cannot (17: 12) Surely, expect this woman the man of God to do for him what she cannot do for her self and her son. The says, Oh, yes I heard her clearly. "F or thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of prophet meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth." (1 7: 14) What he was trying to say and show the woman was that she needed to put first things first, to make him A LITTLE CAKE FIRST. In other words, these words of God for all of us. When do, we must make God a we are the priority decide what to little cake first. You do remember that the commandment of God is bring and give the first fruits. "Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits and of the liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thy give unto me." (Exodus 22: 29) "The first fruit also of thy com, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him." (Deuteronomy 18: 4) "All for us to 2 the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the first fruits of them which they lord, them have shall offer unto the 1 given in the land, unto the Lord, shall be thee. And whatsoever is first ripe they shall bring thine (Numbers 18: 12-13) When it comes to giving, God does not want our leftovers, our tips, or our throwaways. Our trash is not God's which " ... diamond. He wants A LITTLE CAKE FIRST. Furthermore, the New Testament calls attention and reminds us to "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew us: 6: 3 3) When you seek God first, then you can join the Psalmist in singing: "I have been young, old; yet have 1 not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." (37: 25) You can declare with conviction: "'The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord." and now am (Psalm "I can 23) You can live a life that testifies: do all things through Christ which 37: 3 strengthens me." (Philippians 4: 13) time, God wants a little cake first. We spend our talents, God wants a When we use our little cake first. We wants a give little cake first. our other in When Jesus died ought to come is original, which We before God with that which precedes all importance. resources, God time, in order, and in on the cross and rose from the grave, Paul reported that he was the first fruits of those that have fallen asleep. (I Corinthians 15: 20) He is a taste and a guarantee of the full eschatological harvest of resurrection yet to come which will include you and me when the dead in Christ shall rise first. 4 |
