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1 Kings 17:7-16 (ESV)
And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” 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.’” And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.
REFERENCES: Matthew 14:13-21; 1 Kings 17:17-24; Luke 4:24-26
Have you ever felt God ask you to do something? Maybe it was His gentle voice asking you to forgive, or His stern command to give more than what is required. How quickly we respond to God is a measure of our faith. Although the blessing coincides with burden, God calls us to maintain a steady pace of obedience to develop us into mature believers.
God is looking for people that can handle the blessing and the burden.
Though the brook dried up, Elijah did not go without water. In our lives, it can seem as though we are lacking certain things or a source has “dried” up, but just like the Lord guided Elijah to where he should go next, He will do the same with us. Where He leads, He provides and it is simply our duty to obey His guidance. Elijah did not lack water because his source was not the brook, but God who is the living water.
When Elijah encountered the widow of Zarephath and asked for her to provide food for him in spite of her lack, she had a choice to make: would she trust God and release her resources into His hands? Or would she hold on to the little she had and face her demise? By remaining obedient, God was able to ensure that she and her son had all that they needed regardless of their circumstances. In that same way, when we trust God with what we have, He can multiply it beyond what we could ever imagine.
God is constantly inviting us to go deeper into our faith, and pushing us towards all that He has to offer. Some time later, the widow lost her son and knew exactly who to call, the man of God who first stirred up her bread faith. Elijah had caught the revelation that God has not yet failed him, and trusted that if God can make a miracle of bread and oil, He can exceed his expectations and bring her son back to life. It's up to us to be willing to give God the little we may have, so that He can do something more. Through the right lens of our heavenly father, we can hold tight to the truth that the burdens we face are preparing us for a greater blessing ahead. What is a blessing in one season may not be a blessing in the next. The blessings are not the source, He is.
Now that it is nearing the end of the year, take into account how God has shown up in your life this year and praise Him for all He has done. Just as you workout to strengthen and grow your muscles, the same is to be said with your faith. Remember that any weight that has come down on you is to strengthen you.
If someone in your Crew needs care, we want to come alongside you. Our Care Response Team is designed to equip you to walk with people in different seasons of their life.Our team is committed to celebrating life’s best moments with you and offering support through its hardest ones.We would love to come around you for the following life events:
+ Marriages
+ Births
+ Deaths
+ Hospitalizations/Illness
Please submit a request at vouschurch.com/requestcare
Saying yes to Jesus marks a brand new beginning. Baptism is your next step. It's how you go public with your faith and celebrate the new life God has given you. The past is behind you, and a fresh future is ahead. This is your moment. We are having baptisms this Sunday, July 27th, across all of our locations, and on the beach.
To sign up for baptisms, please click here.
This back-to-school season, we have the opportunity to show up for our city in a meaningful way. On Saturday, August 2, we’re hosting a Back to School Bash at the Samuel K. Johnson Youth Center, located inside Charles Hadley Park. It’s a chance to serve local families by distributing backpacks filled with school supplies and making sure every student feels seen, supported, and ready to start the year with confidence.
Donate - Fill backpacks for families in need for the school year. You can purchase supplies locally and bring to a VOUS Location or donate online.
Serve - Help host our annual Back To School Bash for families in our community — distribute backpacks, check-in guests, and serve our city during a morning of fun and games.
When: Saturday, August 2nd
Where: Samuel K. Johnson Youth Center
Address: 4900 NW 12th Ave, Miami, FL 33127
Team Rally: 10:20AM
Starting Sunday, August 3rd, we will be moving to brand new service times at all of our locations!
VOUS SoMi
10:00AM / 12:00PM / 6PM
VOUS City
10:00AM / 12:00PM / 6PM
VOUS Miami Gardens
8:30AM / 10:00AM / 12:00PM
VOUS Design District
8:30AM / 10:00AM / 12:00PM
The countdown is on! If you're ready to take your next step in ministry, leadership, or higher education, now is the time to apply. VOUS College application deadline is July 31st for both our degree-seeking and leadership programs. Don’t miss your chance to be part of a life-changing semester. Start your journey at vouscollege.com/apply.
VOUS SoMi
8:45AM / 10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS City
10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS Miami Gardens
8:45AM / 10:30AM / 12:30PM
VOUS Design District
10:30AM / 12:30PM
Church Online
10:30AM / 12:30PM / 5PM Español
Growth Track
After every service or join online at vouschurch.com/growthtrack
