II Kings 4
From Elisha's Journals
I returned to Samaria after finishing my work on Mount Carmel. The next day, I met with a group of prophets.
In the group, standing in the back, was a woman I recognized. She was the wife of a prophet, a friend.
The men began a discussion among themselves and as they spoke the woman cried out. "Elisha, you may recall my husband was a prophet. He has died."
This indeed was sad news to hear. I waited for her to finish speaking.
"You know my husband revered the Lord," she said. "But now the bill collectors are coming to take my sons as slaves to pay our unpaid bills.
This could not be. I had to do something to help this poor woman. She needed her sons to help her earn money. "How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?"
Her eyebrows rose to show her concern. "I have nothing in my house at all except a little oil."
God spoke to my heart right away, telling me what to say. "Go around and ask all of your neighbors for empty jars. Don't ask for just a few ask for big ones and accept everything they will share. Then go inside your home and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side."
The woman left, immediately.
That evening she came back to me and said, "I did as you asked. We went to every home in our neighborhood and borrowed every jar and container we could. My sons and I took them home, closed our door, and poured the oil from my little jar. The oil did not kept flowing, more than what should have been in the jar. We filled every container. What should we do next?"
The Lord spoke to my heart again, giving me the next instruction for her. "Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left."
She followed my instructions and saw with her own eyes how God loves us and takes care of us, using what we already have.
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photo courtesy of visualbiblealive.com
1. The woman's husband was a ____________.
2. When he died, the bill collectors want to take her _______
3. Why did they want to take her ______?
4. She ask __________ for help.
5. The woman was told to borrow many ________
6. Fill them with ___________
7. And __________ them to pay her debts.
8. Did Elisha say she would have any money left over?
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