📅 18 February 2026
📚 BELIEVE HIS PROPHETS
📖 Daily Bible Reading
🏛️ 1 Kings 17 – Elijah Appears – God Provides in Secret
✨ Learning to Trust in Times of Drought
🌐 Read online here
📍 Introduction
With chapter 17, a new section begins in Israel’s history. In the midst of spiritual darkness, a man suddenly appears — without long introduction, without genealogy, but with clear authority: Elijah.
While King Ahab promotes the worship of Baal, God sends a prophet. And this prophet not only brings a word of judgment but personally experiences God’s miraculous provision.
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🧵 Commentary
Without warning, Elijah the Tishbite from Gilead stands before Ahab. His words are brief and powerful:
As surely as the Lord lives — there will be neither dew nor rain in these years except at my word.
In a land that worships Baal as the god of weather and fertility, this is a direct challenge. No rain means drought. Drought means hunger.
Then Elijah disappears — not out of fear, but at God’s command.
God sends him to the Brook Cherith, east of the Jordan. There he is to hide. The water of the brook quenches his thirst, and ravens bring him bread and meat — morning and evening.
In the midst of drought, God provides in an unusual way.
But after some time, the brook also dries up.
Again God speaks. Elijah is to go to Zarephath in Sidon — into Jezebel’s homeland. There God has commanded a widow to provide for him.
When Elijah reaches the town, he sees a widow gathering sticks. He asks her for water — and for a piece of bread. She answers honestly: she has only a handful of flour and a little oil left. She is gathering wood to prepare a final meal for herself and her son — and then she expects to die.
Elijah challenges her:
Do not be afraid. Make me a small cake first. For thus says the Lord: The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain.
It is a call to trust — in the moment of deepest need.
The widow acts in faith.
And indeed: day after day, the flour does not decrease, the oil does not fail. God’s provision remains faithful.
But then the unimaginable happens. The widow’s son becomes sick — and dies.
In despair, the woman turns to Elijah. Has he come to expose her sin and let her child die?
Elijah carries the boy to the upper room. Three times he stretches himself over him and cries out to the Lord:
Lord my God, let this child’s life return to him!
And God hears him.
The child lives again.
Elijah brings the boy down and gives him to his mother. The woman recognizes: Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.
Thus Elijah’s ministry begins — with drought, hidden provision, a test of faith, and a miracle of resurrection.
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🧺 Summary
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Elijah announces a multi-year drought.
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God provides for him at the Brook Cherith through ravens.
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The brook dries up, and Elijah is sent to Zarephath.
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A widow experiences God’s provision of flour and oil.
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Her son dies and is raised through Elijah’s prayer.
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God’s word proves to be true.
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🔦 Message for us today
Chapter 17 shows us:
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God works even in times of spiritual drought.
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Provision sometimes comes in unexpected ways.
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Trust often begins with a step of faith.
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God sees the need of individuals — even outside Israel.
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Trials can lead to deeper faith.
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God’s Word is living and powerful.
Sometimes God first leads us to the brook — and then into a greater test of faith.
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📝 Reflection
Where am I currently experiencing “drought” in my life?
Am I willing to trust God, even when my supplies seem insufficient?
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📆 18 – 21 February 2026
📚 BELIEVE HIS PROPHETS
📖 Weekly Reading from the Spirit of Prophecy
📘 Ellen White | Patriarchs and Prophets
🔥 Chapter 63 : David and Goliath
✨ Faith That Brings Down Giants – Courage Born from Trust in God
🌐 Read online here
📘 Blog 1 : 🎵 A Rejected King and a Prepared Shepherd
When pride collapses and God prepares in secret
📍 Introduction
While Saul is collapsing inwardly, God quietly begins forming a new king. Two life paths intersect — one marked by pride and despair, the other by humility and trust.
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🧵 Commentary
Saul could not accept Samuel’s message. God had rejected him. But instead of repenting, he hardened his heart. He perceived God’s decision as injustice. Not repentance filled him, but defiance. His pride turned into bitterness, his bitterness into despair.
The spirit of peace departed from him. Dark thoughts tormented him. Music was meant to help — and so David came to the court. The young shepherd played his harp, and the melodies brought light into Saul’s troubled mind.
But David was not there by accident. While Saul was breaking inwardly, David was being prepared. He observed kingship up close. He saw responsibility, temptation, loneliness. He learned. And when worries troubled him, he took up his harp. His thoughts rose to God.
In the mountains he had already learned what it meant to carry responsibility. As a shepherd, he protected the sheep from lions and bears. Courage for him was not a sudden impulse, but faithfulness developed in daily life.
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🧺 Summary
Saul lost his kingdom through pride.
David gained inner strength through trust.
While one fell apart, the other was being prepared.
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🔦 Message for us today
God often prepares us in secret while others fail in public. Character is not formed in the spotlight, but in faithfulness.
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📝 Reflection
Where do you react like Saul — with defiance instead of humility?
And where might God be quietly preparing you for something greater?
