Faith, Brokenness, and Intimacy with God

Devotional

Day 1: Faithfulness in Small Acts of Obedience

In the story of the widow of Zarephath, we see a profound example of faithfulness in small acts of obedience. Despite her dire circumstances, the widow chose to trust and obey God's word through Elijah by offering her last meal. This simple act of faith was significant enough to be highlighted by Jesus, demonstrating that God values our faithfulness in seemingly insignificant moments. These small acts of obedience can have eternal significance, as they reflect our trust in God's provision and His ability to work through our lives in extraordinary ways. [12:47]

1 Kings 17:13-14 (ESV): "And Elijah said to her, 'Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, "The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth."'"

Reflection: What small act of obedience is God calling you to today, and how can you trust Him to use it for His purposes?

Day 2: Strength in Brokenness and Worship

Jacob's life, filled with deception and struggle, culminated in a moment of profound humility and worship as he leaned on his staff and blessed his grandsons. This act, underscored by the Holy Spirit in Hebrews, shows that God cherishes our moments of surrender and worship, even when the world sees them as weakness. True strength is found in humility and dependence on God, and Jacob's story reminds us that God often uses our brokenness to draw us closer to Him, transforming our trials into testimonies of His faithfulness. [22:44]

Hebrews 11:21 (ESV): "By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff."

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to embrace humility and dependence on God, allowing Him to transform your brokenness into strength?

Day 3: Trials as Opportunities for Growth

God uses trials to draw us closer to Him, transforming our challenges into opportunities for deeper knowledge and intimacy with Him. Our response to these trials can either result in a fragrant aroma of faith or be wasted in complaints. The choice is ours: to embrace the crushing and allow it to produce a deeper knowledge of God or to resist and miss the opportunity for growth. As we navigate life's challenges, may we lean on God's everlasting arms, trusting that He is our refuge and strength. [37:53]

James 1:2-4 (ESV): "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

Reflection: How can you view a current trial as an opportunity to grow closer to God, and what steps can you take to embrace this process?

Day 4: Knowing God More Intimately Through Trials

The ultimate purpose of trials is to know God more intimately. God desires for us to lean on His everlasting arms, trusting Him as our refuge and strength. Every trial is an invitation to deepen our relationship with Him. By embracing the challenges we face, we can experience a more profound understanding of God's character and His faithfulness. This deeper knowledge of God transforms our perspective, allowing us to see trials not as burdens but as opportunities to grow in our faith and trust in Him. [47:10]

2 Corinthians 1:8-9 (ESV): "For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead."

Reflection: What specific trial are you facing today, and how can you use it as an opportunity to deepen your relationship with God?

Day 5: Success in God's Eyes

True success is defined by our relationship with God, not by the world's standards. If Jesus is pleased with us, we are successful, regardless of the world's opinion. Our focus should be on knowing God and seeking His approval above all else. This perspective shifts our priorities, allowing us to live a life that is pleasing to God and aligned with His purposes. By seeking God's approval, we find true fulfillment and purpose, knowing that our worth is not determined by worldly achievements but by our relationship with Him. [53:50]

Galatians 1:10 (ESV): "For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ."

Reflection: In what ways are you seeking approval from the world, and how can you shift your focus to seeking God's approval in your daily life?

Sermon Summary

In today's reflection, we explored the profound lessons embedded in the story of the widow of Zarephath and the life of Jacob. These narratives, though seemingly small and ordinary, reveal the extraordinary ways God works through our lives, especially in moments of brokenness and surrender. The widow, despite her dire circumstances, chose to trust and obey God's word through Elijah, offering her last meal. This act of faith, though simple, was significant enough to be highlighted by Jesus, demonstrating that God values our faithfulness in small acts of obedience.

Similarly, Jacob's life, filled with deception and struggle, culminated in a moment of profound humility and worship as he leaned on his staff and blessed his grandsons. This act, underscored by the Holy Spirit in Hebrews, shows that God cherishes our moments of surrender and worship, even when the world sees them as weakness. These stories remind us that God often uses our brokenness to draw us closer to Him, transforming our trials into testimonies of His faithfulness.

God's desire is for us to know Him deeply, and He often uses trials to achieve this purpose. Our response to these trials can either result in a fragrant aroma of faith or be wasted in complaints. The choice is ours: to embrace the crushing and allow it to produce a deeper knowledge of God or to resist and miss the opportunity for growth. As we navigate life's challenges, may we lean on God's everlasting arms, trusting that He is our refuge and strength, and that every trial is an invitation to know Him more intimately.

Key Takeaways

1. Faith in Small Acts: The widow of Zarephath's willingness to give her last meal to Elijah exemplifies faith in small acts of obedience. Her story, highlighted by Jesus, teaches us that God values our faithfulness in seemingly insignificant moments, and these acts can have eternal significance. [12:47]
2. Brokenness and Worship: Jacob's life illustrates that God cherishes our moments of brokenness and worship. Leaning on his staff, Jacob's act of blessing his grandsons was a testament to his surrender and trust in God, showing that true strength is found in humility and dependence on God. [22:44]
3. Trials as Opportunities: God uses trials to draw us closer to Him, transforming our challenges into opportunities for deeper knowledge and intimacy with Him. Our response to these trials can either result in a fragrant aroma of faith or be wasted in complaints. [37:53]
4. Knowing God Through Trials: The ultimate purpose of trials is to know God more intimately. God desires for us to lean on His everlasting arms, trusting Him as our refuge and strength. Every trial is an invitation to deepen our relationship with Him. [47:10]
5. Success in God's Eyes: True success is defined by our relationship with God, not by the world's standards. If Jesus is pleased with us, we are successful, regardless of the world's opinion. Our focus should be on knowing God and seeking His approval above all else. [53:50]
** [53:50]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[12:06] - The Widow's Last Meal
[12:47] - Elijah's Request
[13:17] - Act of Faith
[14:19] - Jesus' Highlight
[15:39] - Small Acts of Faith
[16:44] - God's Purpose in Breaking
[17:19] - Job's Story
[18:18] - God's Use of the Ordinary
[19:25] - Naaman's Obedience
[21:04] - Jacob's Highlighted Moment
[22:44] - Leaning on the Staff
[24:17] - Worship in Brokenness
[32:29] - Redeeming Our Situations
[37:53] - Trials and Knowing God
[47:10] - God's Desire for Intimacy
[53:50] - True Success in God's Eyes

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

1 Kings 17:8-16 - The story of the widow of Zarephath.
Hebrews 11:21 - Jacob's act of faith and worship.
1 Peter 1:6-7 - Trials and the testing of faith.

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Observation Questions:

What was the widow of Zarephath's situation when Elijah asked her for food, and how did she respond? [12:23]
How did Jesus highlight the widow's act of faith, and why was it significant? [15:04]
What specific moment in Jacob's life does Hebrews 11:21 highlight, and why is it important? [22:10]
According to 1 Peter 1:6-7, what is the purpose of trials in a believer's life?

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the widow of Zarephath's willingness to give her last meal to Elijah demonstrate faith in small acts? What does this teach us about God's values? [13:37]
In what ways does Jacob's act of blessing his grandsons while leaning on his staff illustrate the concept of worship in brokenness? [22:44]
How can trials be seen as opportunities for deeper knowledge and intimacy with God, according to the sermon? [37:53]
What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between trials and knowing God more intimately? [47:10]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on a recent trial you faced. How did you respond, and what might it look like to respond with faith and trust in God in similar situations in the future? [37:53]
Consider a small act of obedience you can take this week that might seem insignificant. How can you trust that God values this act? [12:47]
Think about a time when you felt broken or weak. How can you turn that experience into an opportunity for worship and reliance on God? [22:44]
Identify a current challenge in your life. How can you view this as an invitation to know God more deeply, rather than just a problem to solve? [47:10]
How do you define success in your life? How does this align with the idea that true success is defined by our relationship with God, as mentioned in the sermon? [53:50]
What specific steps can you take to lean on God's everlasting arms during times of trouble, trusting Him as your refuge and strength? [51:42]
Reflect on a time when you complained during a trial. How can you shift your perspective to see trials as opportunities for growth and intimacy with God? [37:53]

Sermon Clips

"Some of the stories in the Bible, some of the great acts of faith are so small, like the great act of this woman is in verse 15 of working 70. So she went and did according to the word of Elijah. Sounds such a simple thing, but if you put yourself in her shoes, one meal left, that's it." [00:13:30]

"God is saying created and we have to see that we have to see that even the whole world may despise me because of look he lost his job God must be angry with him, look this happened him God must be accepted look that happened this child has this problem what is their business from going on his marriage God must be angry." [00:23:20]

"God allows these breakings in our lives with the hope that we will lean on him, and the question is Lord can you say that that's what the breaking did to me, you've a lot of different situations to come in my life, you said no and I thought your will would definitely be say yes it makes so much sense in my mind that you should do it this way but you did it that way." [00:24:45]

"God is trying to break us and he's never done with breaking us because he loves he wants us to be broken but whenever we harden ourselves but says I don't break you again God would love for us to remain broken God says I want you to humble yourself, remain humble but no worries if you get hard I'll break you." [00:31:05]

"God can easily forgive you of all the times you've complained from all the trials you don't that's the beginning thing that you should know and forgiveness is very easy when you accept Christ when you ask for Christ's forgiveness even now if you confess your sins and if you walk in the light he can cleanse you it's easy." [00:37:23]

"God is looking for is if it can result in not our forgiveness God can easily forgive you of all the times you've complained from all the trials you don't that's the beginning thing that you should know and forgiveness is very easy when you accept Christ when you ask for Christ's forgiveness even now if you confess your sins." [00:37:23]

"God is trying to break us and he's never done with breaking us because he loves he wants us to be broken but whenever we harden ourselves but says I don't break you again God would love for us to remain broken God says I want you to humble yourself, remain humble but no worries if you get hard I'll break you." [00:31:05]

"God allows these breakings in our lives with the hope that we will lean on him, and the question is Lord can you say that that's what the breaking did to me, you've a lot of different situations to come in my life, you said no and I thought your will would definitely be say yes it makes so much sense in my mind that you should do it this way but you did it that way." [00:24:45]

"God is saying created and we have to see that we have to see that even the whole world may despise me because of look he lost his job God must be angry with him, look this happened him God must be accepted look that happened this child has this problem what is their business from going on his marriage God must be angry." [00:23:20]

"Some of the stories in the Bible, some of the great acts of faith are so small, like the great act of this woman is in verse 15 of working 70. So she went and did according to the word of Elijah. Sounds such a simple thing, but if you put yourself in her shoes, one meal left, that's it." [00:13:30]

"God is trying to break us and he's never done with breaking us because he loves he wants us to be broken but whenever we harden ourselves but says I don't break you again God would love for us to remain broken God says I want you to humble yourself, remain humble but no worries if you get hard I'll break you." [00:31:05]

"God allows these breakings in our lives with the hope that we will lean on him, and the question is Lord can you say that that's what the breaking did to me, you've a lot of different situations to come in my life, you said no and I thought your will would definitely be say yes it makes so much sense in my mind that you should do it this way but you did it that way." [00:24:45]

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Faith, Brokenness, and Intimacy with God

Devotional

Day 1: Faithfulness in Small Acts of Obedience

Day 2: Strength in Brokenness and Worship

Day 3: Trials as Opportunities for Growth

Day 4: Knowing God More Intimately Through Trials

Day 5: Success in God's Eyes

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Faith, Brokenness, and Intimacy with God

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