Text : Proverbs 20:17: Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel. There is something strangely appealing about shortcuts. The human heart is often lured by “sweet” opportunities. The desire to cut corners, the desire for quick success are all lurking in the corner of the heart of man. This will eventually lead to hidden compromise and the kind of deceitful gain that seems harmless because no one appears to be hurt. Proverbs tells us honestly that deceit can feel sweet at first. It can taste like victory, relief, or advantage. But God sees what we sometimes forget: the taste doesn’t last - the aftermath of the sweetness which is pain and bitterness. Note that the sweetness of sin is temporary. The word of God acknowledges a real human experience: sin can feel good in the moment, God's words does not deny this. But the Scripture warns that beneath that sweetness lies something sharp, and destructive. What began as sweetness becomes grav...
Text : 1 Kings 17:14. Because this is what the LORD God of Israel says: ‘That jar of flour will not run out, nor will that bottle of oil become empty until the very day that the LORD sends rain on the surface of the ground. Before Elijah spoke this promise, the widow of Zarephath was overwhelmed with fear. Her resources were almost gone. Her hope was fading. She was preparing for the worst. And then, God stepped into her fear with a word, - “Do not be afraid.” (Elijah says this to her in verse 13.) This word is an invitation to *shift your gaze from your circumstances to the God that can handle all circumstances.* God wasn’t asking her to ignore her circumstances, He was asking her to look beyond them unto Him. Fear told the widow: “This is the end.” But God told her: “This is where I begin.” *Fear focuses on what we lack.* *Faith focuses on who God is.* Fear says, “I don’t have enough.” God says, “I will sustain you.” The promise of 1 Kings 17:14 is God confront...