When reading the story of the widow and the oil in 2 Kings 4:1-7, I observed some very powerful principles. I used those principles in a sermon titled, “What do you have?”

Here are the key points:

1. I have something
2. I must anticipate blessing
3. I must commit everything
4. I have more than enough

1. The widow felt that she had nothing. When Elisha asked her, she said, “Your servant has nothing there at all.” Then she added “except a little oil.” Some people tend to keep a “victim” mentality and feel that they are abused and short-changed in everything. But the reality is that we do have SOMETHING! It may be small and insignificant, but we have something.

• God never asks for more than we have
• If we only have a little, then God does not require much
• The question is not “What can you GET?” Rather, it is “What do you HAVE?”

God wants us to count our blessings instead of our battles. He does not call those who are equipped, He equips those He calls! Moses felt that he was incapable of facing pharaoh & the children of Israel. But God said, “What is that in your hand?” and it miraculously was changed into a snake which later became a sign to everyone that God was directing the events.

The “little oil” that seemed so improbable as a means of saving her sons, became the instrument of their salvation. Likewise, God wants to take the insignificant things in our lives and transform them into the solution to our problems. Read the rest of this entry »

The “Notes From The Valley” for this week come from Colossians, Chapter 3. I like to call it “God’s Dress Code.” The great things about this wardrobe are:

• everything’s already picked out (no shopping);
• everything fits perfectly (no dieting); and
• everything is paid for (no bills).

In the Message Translation these verses read,

“So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s the basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.”

All of us have something in life that just sets us off. For me, it used to be drivers that weren’t in as big a hurry as I usually was, but wouldn’t get out of my way. I used to get rather vocal and animated towards those people. Read the rest of this entry »