??Introduction：When you go to a park, do you ever take some stale bread to feed the birds？It's fun to watch them dive for the broken pieces, isn't it! But how would you feel if you went to the park one day and the birds brought food to you! That would be incredible, wouldn't it？Just as incredible as our true story from God's Word today!
??Something very upsetting is going on in the palace of Ahab, the king of Israel. The
??prophet Elijah has just brought a message from God to the king："As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew or rain these years, but according to my word." No rain for years! This is serious! No rain in the land of Israel would mean no plants would grow, and the streams and rivers would soon dry up. There would be no water to drink. Why would God do this to His people？The answer is simple enough：wicked King Ahab and his wife Jezebel had filled the land of Israel with idols and had turned the people of Israel to worship these statues. God had warned His people for years about this very thing. Let's go back to the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 11. Verse 16 warns："Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and you turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; " God went on to say that if the people of Israel turned to worship other gods, God's anger would be against them and He would shut up heaven that no rain would come. The people of Israel knew God's warning, but they had turned away from Him to serve idols. They were deliberately sinning against God.
??Gospel：But you and I sin against God too. Maybe you don't worship idols, but do you put other things or people first in your life before God？Do you sometimes disobey your parents？Are there times when you've been jealous or envious of others？Those are all ways we sin and displease our perfectly holy God. And even though He created us and loves us, God says we cannot be with Him in Heaven because of our sin. How much He longs for us to have our sins forgiven so we can be with Him and enjoy His wonderful home in Heaven forever! God longs to have you with Him so much that He allowed His perfect beloved Son Jesus to suffer your punishment for sin. Jesus' death on the cross was a willing sacrifice for you. I Peter 2：24 says, "Who his own self bare (or took) our sins in his own body on the tree, that wea？|should livea？|" After the Lord Jesus died to pay for our sins, He rose on the 3rd day and later went up to Heaven. You can deliberately choose to pray today, asking Jesus to save you from sin.
??The people of Israel had deliberately chosen to turn away from God and worship idols.
??Now they would have to suffer the terrible consequences of their sin. No rain means no life. But what about Elijah？He believed in the true and living God, what would happen to him during the years of no rain？You can be sure God was taking care of His prophet Elijah! God told him to go hide himself by the Brook Cherith. Elijah obeyed, and found plenty of water to drink. And here is one of the incredible things that happened to Elijah：he did not feed the birds, the birds fed him! Yes, the Bible tells us God commanded the ravens to come every morning and evening to bring Elijah bread and meat. Ravens are big black birds, and would usually be very greedy to eat up any food they found. But this time the ravens obeyed God and faithfully fed the prophet Elijah every day.
??What an unusual and miraculous way God had of supplying Elijah's needs!
??Main teaching：If you have believed on the Lord Jesus already, you are God's child, and you can trust Him to supply your every need! Our memory verse for today is Philippians 4：19, "My God shall supply all your need, according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." What are some of your needs？Everyone needs food, shelter, clothing, water and air. We have a need to feel safe, to belong, to be loved. When you have a need, what do you do？Do you worry or complain？Do you look to others, such as your parents, to meet your needs'sometimes God does use others, especially your parents, to supply your needs. And very often God may show you how you can meet your own need. But the basic truth is that God supplies all your needs! If you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior from sin, God is your wise Heavenly Father, and He wants you to pray and tell Him about your needs. Then He will use the wisest way to meet that need.
??If you are God's child, He has met your GREATEST need by forgiving your sin and saving you from sin's eternal punishment. Thank Him daily for supplying all your needs. I'm sure Elijah did not forget to thank God for the bread and meat the ravens brought him every day.
??After awhile, the little brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. But God knew the plans He had for Elijah! In I Kings 17：9 God told Elijah to get up and go live in a town called Zarephath in Zidon. Oh, if Elijah had been given a choice he would never have chosen Zidon. It was a country full of idol worship, and they had helped turn the people of Israel away. But God did the choosing for a reason, and Elijah obeyed.
??As he came to the gate of the city he saw a sad, tired-looking woman. She was gathering sticks of wood to make a fire. It seems a little strange that Elijah passed right on by a polite introduction and said, "Go get me a little water, please, so I can drink." Stranger still, the woman immediately turned to obey, never asking a question. Elijah called out to her, "And bring me a little bread too, please."
??The woman turned and perhaps she cried as she told Elijah her sad story："As the Lord your God lives, sir, I don't have any bread. All I have is a little flour in the bottom of the barrel and a little oil left in the jug. I came out to gather two sticks to make a fire to cook the last little bit of bread I can make. Then my son and I will eat it and die." Boys and girls, can you see what terrible things happen when there is no rain.
??Elijah was not troubled, however. He said, "Don't be afraid; go and make that little bit of bread, but bring me some first, and then afterwards make for you and your son. For the Lord God of Israel says, 'The barrel of flour will not go empty, neither will your jug of oil fail until the day the Lord sends rain upon the earth.' "
??God knew that widow's heart before He sent Elijah there. The widow went quickly and quietly to obey Elijah, and sure enough, she made Elijah's bread first and took it to him.
??Well, what do you think, boys and girls？Was there flour and oil left to make bread for her and her son？There was plenty for them all "many days" just as God had said there would be!
??Isn't the life of Elijah exciting to read! But you must remember, this is real life! These things really happened although a long time ago. The God Who provided for Elijah is
??the same God Who still promises He will supply our needs today. If you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior from sin, trust Him to meet your needs! Rather than complaining or worrying, go to Him in prayer asking Him for what you need. Why not keep a little book and write down your requests and the date you made them. Watch and record your answers to prayer. Aunt Dee loves to keep a record of how God supplies needs, and what a reason to praise Him!
??If you have never believed in the Lord Jesus, your greatest need is to have your sins forgiven. Even if all your other needs were met, what would happen if you died today？Only having our sins forgiven by the Lord Jesus can meet that need to be made right with God. Won't you go right now to "How to Be a Child of God" and follow the steps.
??我们去公园的时候, 有时会拿一些面包喂鸟。看到鸟飞过来抢吃的, 满有意思的。
??如果有一天, 鸟叼来食物给你吃, 你会不会觉得难以置信呢？我们今天的圣经故事, 就是要讲到这样一个令人难以置信的事儿。
??那个时候以色列的王叫亚哈。这两天, 亚哈听到一个很令他不安的消息。神的先知以利亚带来的神的信息。以利亚说："我指著所事奉永生耶和华以色列的神起誓, 这几年我若不祷告, 必不降露不下雨。"
??几年不下雨, 这实在是一个很严重的问题！不下雨植物就不生长, 溪流就干枯, 就没有水喝。神为什么要这样对他的百姓呢？答案很简单：亚哈和他的妻子耶洗别到处造偶像, 并让人们去拜这些偶像。很多年以来, 神常常警告他的百姓远离偶像。
??在圣经中申命记11：16神说：你们要谨慎, 免得心中受迷惑就偏离正路, 去事奉敬拜别神。神又说如果以色列百姓去事奉偶像, 神就与他们为敌把天关上, 不降雨。以色列人知道神的警告, 但他们还是背叛神去事奉偶像。他们是故意向神犯罪。
??小朋友们，不只是以色列人, 我和你也都犯罪得罪了神。也许你并没有去拜偶像。
??但你有没有把其他的人或事看得比神更重要呢？你有没有不听父母的话？你有没有嫉妒过别人, 我们做的这些事在神眼中都是罪。虽然我们是神所造, 神爱我们, 但因为我们的罪, 我们就不能跟神在一起, 不能去天堂。神是多么愿意我们能够去天堂!神是那么地爱我们, 他就让他独生爱子，我们的主耶稣承担了我们的罪。耶稣心甘情地死在十字架上担当我们的罪, 使我们这些相信他的人能够与神和好。
??彼得前书2：24说，他被挂在木头上亲身担当了我们的罪, 使我们既然在罪上死, 就得以在义上活。主耶稣死后第三天复活, 又回到天上。你可以现在就祷告, 让主耶稣把你从罪中拯救出来。
??那些以色列人, 他们故意地背叛神去拜偶像。现在, 他们就要忍受罪带来的后果。
??没有雨就不能生存。以利亚怎么办呢？他相信那位又真又活的神, 神一定会看顾他的。神告诉他去藏在约但河东边的基立溪旁。以利亚照着神的话去做。在那里他找到了水喝。还有一件令人难以置信的事：鸟叼来食物给他吃。圣经告诉我们，神吩咐乌鸦早晚给他叼饼, 和肉来。乌鸦, 大家都知道是一种很贪婪的鸟, 他们又大又黑。谁想到他们竟听神的话, 每天早晚叼来食物喂以利亚。
??神实在是用了这样一个特别的方法来供应以利亚的需要。如果你已经接受了耶稣做你的救主, 你就成为神的孩子。你要相信神会看顾你一切的需要。
??在腓利比书4：19说, 我的神必照他荣耀的丰富, 在基督耶稣里, 使你们一切所需用的都充足。
??你有什么需要呢？每个人都需要吃饭, 住房, 穿衣服, 喝水, 呼吸空气。每个人都需要有安全感归属感, 都需要被爱。当你有需要的时候, 你怎么办呢？你是在那里担心, 报怨吗？你可以找爸爸妈妈, 有时神使用别人来帮助你, 特别是你的父母。有时, 神也会带领你自己来解决你的需要。最重要的是神赐给你一切所需的, 一样也不缺乏。如果你已经接受了耶稣做你的救主, 智慧的神就成为你的天父。神希望你能够祷, 告诉神你一切的需要。然后, 神会用最智慧的办法来解决你的需要。如果你已经成为神的孩子, 他已经解决了你生命中最大的需要, 就是把你从罪中拯救出来。我们要每天都来感谢丰盛的供应。我相信以利亚一定不会忘记感谢让乌鸦给他叼食物来喂养他。
??过了些日子, 溪水就干了, 因为很久没有下雨了。但神还要继续看顾以利亚。
??圣经中列王记上17：9说, 神让以利亚起身往西顿的撒勒法去, 住在那里。如果让以利亚自己选的话，他绝不会选西顿这个地方。因为那里到处都是偶像, 他们对以色列人产生了很坏的影响。但神选了西顿, 他有一个特别的原因。以利亚听了神的话, 就去了西顿。当他到了城门, 见有一个寡妇在那里捡柴, 她看起来非常地愁苦。她捡柴是为了生火。以利亚经过的时候, 就对她说，求你用器皿取点水来给我喝。这个寡妇连问都没问, 就马上去做了。她去取水的时候, 以利亚又呼叫她说, 也求你拿点饼来给我。这个寡妇伤心地告诉以利亚说, 我指著永生耶和华你的神起誓, 我没有饼, 坛内只有一把面, 瓶里只有一点油。我现在找两根柴, 回家要为我和我儿子作饼。我们吃了, 死就死吧。
??小朋友们, 你们看见了吗？因为不下雨, 人们的生活是这么地凄惨！以利亚却对她说, 不要惧怕, 就照你所说的去作吧。只要先为我作一个小饼, 拿来给我, 然后为你和你的儿子作饼。因为耶和华以色列的神如此说, 坛内的面必不减少, 瓶里的油必不缺短, 直到耶和华使雨降在地上的日子。
??在以利亚见到这个寡妇之前, 神早已知道她的光景。她照着以利亚的话去做了。她先做了饼给以利亚吃。那还有没有剩下的给她和她儿子吃呢？圣经上说, 她和她家中的人, 并以利亚, 吃了许多日子。坛内的面果不减少, 瓶里的油也不缺短, 正如耶和华藉以利亚所说的话。
??以利亚的故事真是太有意思了, 是不是？但它不光有意思, 它是真人真事, 这些事情发生的年代是很久很久以前。但那位养活以利亚的神今天也同样要满足我们的需要。 如果你已经接受了耶稣做你的救主, 要相信他会供给你一切的需要。不要在那里忧虑, 报怨, 为什么不来到耶稣的面前祷告, 求神来帮助你。你可以把你的需要写下来, 并注上时间。看看主耶稣有没有回答你的祷告。安蒂阿姨最喜欢这些记录下来, 当我看这些记录的时候, 我就常常感谢, 因为他总是供应我的需要。
??如果你还没有相信耶稣, 那么你最大的需要就是要让你的罪得到赦免。想想看, 虽然你所有其它的需要都被满足, 但如果你的罪还没有被赦免, 万一你今天死了, 你不能去天堂。与神和好的唯一方法就是相信耶稣, 罪得赦免。请你去听"怎样成为神的孩子", 并照那里所说的去做。 |