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??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.
