100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:08,020We’re going to look at a series of stories from the life of Elisha and all of200:00:08,040 –> 00:00:14,100them have the same message to us, they say look at who God is. Look at what he300:00:14,100 –> 00:00:23,440has done. Look at what he is doing. Look at what he will do. Believe in him. Trust400:00:23,540 –> 00:00:30,500him. Have confidence in him. Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith500:00:30,500 –> 00:00:34,820I’m David Pick. Glad you could join us today. Colin we’re starting a600:00:34,820 –> 00:00:40,779series today called in God We Trust from Two Kings what kind of stories will we700:00:40,779 –> 00:00:45,560be looking at in the series. We are looking at some wonderful stories from800:00:45,560 –> 00:00:51,500the Old Testament. I find the life of Elisha absolutely fascinating. We’ll look900:00:51,660 –> 00:00:58,060example at the story of the Shunammite woman as she is known who received the1000:00:58,060 –> 00:01:03,740miraculous gift of a son a wonderful gift from God and the son then died and1100:01:03,740 –> 00:01:08,739then amazingly was raised to life. It is an extraordinary story then there’s the1200:01:08,739 –> 00:01:15,419story of Naaman a Syrian commander of the army and he had leprosy and he came1300:01:15,419 –> 00:01:20,220to Elisha who was a prophet and Elisha told him something he didn’t want to1400:01:20,220 –> 00:01:24,059hear but when he believed God’s promise he was wonderfully healed1500:01:24,059 –> 00:01:28,260that’s an amazing story but we’re going to start today with I think one of the1600:01:28,260 –> 00:01:34,180most wonderful and beautiful stories of all it’s the story of a widow a godly1700:01:34,180 –> 00:01:41,120woman who was in great need and God provided for her in an extraordinary way1800:01:41,120 –> 00:01:45,220it’s a story that I think many people will know well and the reason it’s known1900:01:45,260 –> 00:01:51,220well is it so beautifully conveys the tender compassion and the Almighty power2000:01:51,220 –> 00:01:56,040and provision of God it’s a wonderful encouragement and I’m excited to be2100:01:56,040 –> 00:02:01,080beginning this new series today so join us today if you can in the book of two2200:02:01,080 –> 00:02:06,879Kings chapter 4 as we begin a message God will provide for us here is pastor2300:02:06,879 –> 00:02:13,559Colin the plan for us is that we will be looking together at the life of Elisha2400:02:13,940 –> 00:02:21,899and I have preached before on the life of Elijah but never on the life of2500:02:21,899 –> 00:02:30,460Elisha and Elijah of course is the better known of these two prophets but2600:02:30,460 –> 00:02:36,979God’s people enjoyed more blessing under the life of Elijah in the time of2700:02:36,979 –> 00:02:43,339Elisha than they ever did in the days of Elijah now the series over2800:02:43,339 –> 00:02:49,800these six weeks is entitled in God we trust we’re going to look at a series of2900:02:49,800 –> 00:02:55,899stories from the life of Elijah and all of them have the same message to us they3000:02:55,899 –> 00:03:03,940say look at who God is look at what he has done look at what he is doing look3100:03:03,940 –> 00:03:14,080at what he will do believe in him trust him have confidence in him the God who3200:03:14,080 –> 00:03:23,460was with Elijah was also with Eliza God’s servants change but God’s work3300:03:23,460 –> 00:03:30,419continues so I hope you’ll open your Bible at 2nd Kings and chapter 4 and3400:03:30,460 –> 00:03:36,940we’re looking today at the story of a woman who was married to a godly man3500:03:36,940 –> 00:03:43,000you’ll see that in verse 1 that her husband was one of the sons of the3600:03:43,000 –> 00:03:51,179prophets now prophets of course spoke the Word of God and so this lady was3700:03:51,179 –> 00:03:58,360married to someone who had a ministry of the word and it’s clear that her3800:03:58,399 –> 00:04:03,559husband was a faithful servant of God she says to Elisha you know that3900:04:03,559 –> 00:04:11,419your servant feared the Lord and it seems from what she says in verse 1 that4000:04:11,419 –> 00:04:18,040her husband was especially close to Elisha she describes her husband as4100:04:18,040 –> 00:04:24,679Elisha’s servant not once but twice notice your servant my husband and then4200:04:24,760 –> 00:04:31,359she says you know that your servant feared the Lord this woman’s husband may4300:04:31,359 –> 00:04:40,440well have been Elisha’s right-hand man so here is a woman who has been greatly4400:04:40,440 –> 00:04:48,679blessed by God we are not told her name we’re simply told that she was married4500:04:48,760 –> 00:04:56,380to a godly husband a faithful son of the Prophet’s and we’re told here that she4600:04:56,380 –> 00:05:07,220had two wonderful sons but then tragedy struck the woman’s husband died and4700:05:07,220 –> 00:05:15,019because she refers to her son’s as children it seems that her husband died4800:05:15,079 –> 00:05:22,420really very early in life God’s faithful servants suffer and sometimes4900:05:22,420 –> 00:05:29,359suffer greatly well this great loss and tragedy that came into this woman’s life5000:05:29,359 –> 00:05:36,899opened a whole new chapter of troubles God’s law as you may remember made5100:05:36,899 –> 00:05:43,679provision for widows and that provision was primarily through the extended5200:05:43,679 –> 00:05:50,920family circle but for whatever reason this woman seems to have as we would say5300:05:50,920 –> 00:05:57,720fallen through the net and she was left with mounting debts she speaks here in5400:05:57,720 –> 00:06:02,820verse 1about a creditor notice what she says now the wife of5500:06:02,820 –> 00:06:10,359one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha your servant my husband is dead5600:06:10,359 –> 00:06:20,459and you know that your servant feared the Lord but the creditor has come to5700:06:20,459 –> 00:06:30,140take my two children to be his slaves so you see the man who had lent her money5800:06:30,140 –> 00:06:36,500had come knocking at the door and it’s not hard to imagine the conversation is5900:06:36,500 –> 00:06:49,799it you owe me money I don’t have any money to give you well what do you have6000:06:49,799 –> 00:06:59,019I don’t have anything you look round my house my shelves are empty my cupboard6100:06:59,059 –> 00:07:07,739is bare I only have one little jar of oil what use is a jar of oil to a6200:07:07,739 –> 00:07:16,200creditor but the creditor then steps forward with menace in his eyes but you6300:07:16,200 –> 00:07:27,339do have something don’t you you have these two fine young men here if your6400:07:27,359 –> 00:07:35,059debt is not paid by the end of this month your son’s will work for me and6500:07:35,059 –> 00:07:41,980they will keep working for me until your debt is paid in full and then he6600:07:41,980 –> 00:07:52,380says I’ll be back soon and he walks out slamming the door behind him so this6700:07:52,600 –> 00:07:58,679woman was desperate she’s lost her husband now she’s facing the imminent6800:07:58,679 –> 00:08:05,059prospect of losing her two sons and so she goes to Elijah she cries out to him6900:08:05,059 –> 00:08:10,739she’s desperate for help she knew that Elijah walked closely with God as it7000:08:10,739 –> 00:08:14,600seems her husband who also walked with God had walked closely with Elijah7100:08:14,600 –> 00:08:19,940perhaps God could do something to help her7200:08:19,959 –> 00:08:26,200well what we have here friends is a wonderful wonderful story of God’s7300:08:26,200 –> 00:08:33,000provision and I want us to see some very practical things from it today I want us7400:08:33,000 –> 00:08:41,679to see first how God provides then I want us to see how we are involved in7500:08:41,679 –> 00:08:47,460God’s provision and then I want us to see of course how the story points us7600:08:47,619 –> 00:08:54,500wonderfully to what God does for all of us in and through our Lord Jesus Christ7700:08:54,500 –> 00:08:59,859so first year I want us to see a pattern of how God provides and for us7800:08:59,859 –> 00:09:07,739to note that God works with what he has already given. Look at verse two if you7900:09:07,739 –> 00:09:15,059would and Elisha said to her what shall I do for you tell me what have you in8000:09:15,840 –> 00:09:30,979except a jar of oil. I love that except except a jar of oil. Now there is8100:09:30,979 –> 00:09:35,859something very practical and very important here about how to help a8200:09:35,859 –> 00:09:42,380person in need we will all perhaps at some point be in a position of trying to8300:09:42,380 –> 00:09:50,960figure out how best to contribute to a situation of great need. And I want you8400:09:50,960 –> 00:09:58,520to notice that Elisha’s first question here is what do you have? What do you8500:09:58,520 –> 00:10:02,580have that you could sell you? You have this debt, what do you have that you could sell?8600:10:02,580 –> 00:10:09,440What means do you have at your disposal to make some money that would pay off8700:10:09,679 –> 00:10:19,500this debt? In any situation of need a wise first question is to ask what has8800:10:19,500 –> 00:10:26,780God given already? Tell me what have you in the house? And you see that is the8900:10:26,780 –> 00:10:34,880first question because God most often works with what He has already given. Now9000:10:34,900 –> 00:10:41,979to be clear, God is not limited to working with what he has already given.9100:10:41,979 –> 00:10:46,940God is not limited in any way. God is in heaven. He does whatever pleases Him.9200:10:46,940 –> 00:10:54,219There are other ways that God can work, but this is a pattern that we often see9300:10:54,219 –> 00:10:59,919in the Bible and therefore a pattern that we should often expect to see in9400:11:00,280 –> 00:11:07,419our lives and in the lives of others. God works with what he has already given.9500:11:07,419 –> 00:11:13,760I mean, let me give you one or two examples. Think about Moses when God9600:11:13,760 –> 00:11:20,400called him to speak to Pharaoh and Moses said, I am not eloquent. I am slow9700:11:20,599 –> 00:11:22,440of speech and of tongue.9800:11:23,960 –> 00:11:31,299But you see, God had already given to Moses a brother, whose name was Aaron.9900:11:32,479 –> 00:11:36,859And if you read the account, it just so happened that at that very moment where10000:11:36,859 –> 00:11:40,719Moses was protesting his inability, Aaron was coming out into the10100:11:40,719 –> 00:11:41,539desert to see him.10200:11:41,539 –> 00:11:45,260You see God provided through what he had already given.10300:11:45,260 –> 00:11:47,619You get the same later on in the story of Moses.10400:11:47,619 –> 00:11:52,059Remember when he was absolutely overwhelmed with all of these people10500:11:52,059 –> 00:11:55,619bringing all of their problems to him day after day.10600:11:56,000 –> 00:12:04,179And the answer lay in wise and godly people who the Lord had already10700:12:04,179 –> 00:12:06,500placed around Moses.10800:12:06,840 –> 00:12:08,340They were the ones to help him.10900:12:08,380 –> 00:12:11,340God worked through what he had already given.11000:12:11,500 –> 00:12:16,200And of course, the most obvious example of this is in the New Testament,11100:12:16,280 –> 00:12:22,039that wonderful occasion where there was a vast crowd of people gathered around11200:12:22,039 –> 00:12:24,400Jesus to hear him in a remote desert place.11300:12:24,659 –> 00:12:29,039And after many hours, you remember they were hungry and Jesus said to his11400:12:29,039 –> 00:12:32,400disciples, how many loaves do you have?11500:12:33,380 –> 00:12:36,799You see, he starts with the question, what is already been given?11600:12:36,799 –> 00:12:37,799Go and see.11700:12:39,239 –> 00:12:43,400Well, you remember that they went to do the research on what God had already11800:12:43,840 –> 00:12:46,340given and what they found was it didn’t amount to much.11900:12:46,679 –> 00:12:52,500John records that they came back, there is a boy here who has five12000:12:52,500 –> 00:12:57,859barley loaves and two fish, but what are they among so many?12100:12:58,979 –> 00:13:00,659You see the pattern?12200:13:00,659 –> 00:13:01,659What do you have?12300:13:03,380 –> 00:13:10,500Well nothing, except for five loaves and two fish.12400:13:10,859 –> 00:13:15,700But you see God worked with the five loaves and two fish that12500:13:15,700 –> 00:13:21,780he had already given when they were placed into the hands of12600:13:21,780 –> 00:13:23,619our Lord Jesus Christ.12700:13:25,299 –> 00:13:27,219God works with what he is already given.12800:13:27,219 –> 00:13:31,179Now you see very clearly that that is precisely the pattern12900:13:31,500 –> 00:13:33,659that we find here in the story.13000:13:33,900 –> 00:13:36,419What do you have in the house Elijah says the widow?13100:13:36,419 –> 00:13:37,659Well nothing.13200:13:38,580 –> 00:13:41,460Except for a jar of oil.13300:13:43,099 –> 00:13:45,380Well let’s see what God can do with a jar of oil.13400:13:45,780 –> 00:13:47,299That’s the point.13500:13:47,700 –> 00:13:50,020And God could have created oil out of nothing.13600:13:50,219 –> 00:13:51,340But he didn’t do that.13700:13:51,340 –> 00:13:55,140He worked with the oil he had already given.13800:13:55,299 –> 00:13:57,419He could have created loaves and fish out of nothing in the13900:13:57,419 –> 00:13:57,820desert.14000:13:57,859 –> 00:13:58,619He didn’t do that.14100:13:58,659 –> 00:14:05,099He worked with the loaves and fish he had already given.14200:14:05,419 –> 00:14:09,460God works through what he has already given.14300:14:09,780 –> 00:14:13,859So in any situation of need what’s the first thing you do?14400:14:15,020 –> 00:14:17,059You look at what God has given already.14500:14:17,820 –> 00:14:20,380You’re listening to Open The Bible with Pastor Colin Smith.14600:14:20,419 –> 00:14:23,260We have to pause briefly here but we’ll be back very shortly.14700:14:23,260 –> 00:14:25,020So please do stay with us.14800:14:25,419 –> 00:14:29,020We’ve been hearing the principle that God works through what he14900:14:29,020 –> 00:14:30,099has already given.15000:14:30,539 –> 00:14:34,799So if we’re in any situation of need we should look first to see15100:14:34,840 –> 00:14:36,679what God has given us already.15200:14:37,320 –> 00:14:40,919If you ever miss one of the messages you can easily catch up or go back15300:14:40,919 –> 00:14:44,599and listen again by coming online to our website OpenTheBible.org.uk15400:14:44,679 –> 00:14:49,520or find us as a podcast on all the main podcast15500:14:49,520 –> 00:14:52,679sites by searching for Open The Bible UK.15600:14:53,159 –> 00:14:54,200Back to The Message now.15700:14:54,239 –> 00:14:56,140We’re in 2 Kings Chapter 4.15800:14:56,440 –> 00:14:58,080Here again is Pastor Colin.15900:14:58,640 –> 00:15:02,679God works through what he has already given.16000:15:03,039 –> 00:15:07,520So in any situation of need, what’s the first thing you do?16100:15:08,760 –> 00:15:10,400You look at what God has given already.16200:15:12,099 –> 00:15:13,719What gifts do you have?16300:15:15,940 –> 00:15:19,400What friends has he given you?16400:15:20,799 –> 00:15:23,080What opportunities do you have?16500:15:25,299 –> 00:15:29,780What resources have already been placed in your hand?16600:15:30,460 –> 00:15:33,919Look at these things because these things16700:15:33,919 –> 00:15:38,479may be the very things that God uses to provide for you.16800:15:40,960 –> 00:15:42,760It’s very practical.16900:15:42,760 –> 00:15:46,479God works through what he has already given.17000:15:46,479 –> 00:15:48,840Second observation from this wonderful story17100:15:48,840 –> 00:15:53,840is that God works through our faith and obedience.17200:15:54,280 –> 00:15:56,179Look at verse three.17300:15:56,179 –> 00:15:59,919Then he said go outside,17400:16:00,919 –> 00:16:04,619borrow vessels from all your neighbors,17500:16:04,619 –> 00:16:09,619empty vessels, and not too few.17600:16:10,119 –> 00:16:11,320This is very significant.17700:16:11,320 –> 00:16:14,039God is going to wonderfully miraculously17800:16:14,039 –> 00:16:16,500provide for this lady.17900:16:16,500 –> 00:16:19,380But there is something for her to do.18000:16:20,700 –> 00:16:22,820And what we learn from this story18100:16:22,859 –> 00:16:27,359is that God provided for her as she walked18200:16:27,359 –> 00:16:32,320in faith and in obedience.18300:16:32,320 –> 00:16:35,140Now again, to be clear,18400:16:35,140 –> 00:16:38,159God is able to do far above18500:16:38,159 –> 00:16:41,500all that we ask and all that we imagine.18600:16:41,500 –> 00:16:44,880God is not limited to the range18700:16:44,880 –> 00:16:48,039of our faith or of our obedience.18800:16:48,039 –> 00:16:51,099But it is very very clear from Scripture18900:16:51,099 –> 00:16:55,020that God calls us to be actively engaged19000:16:55,020 –> 00:16:59,460in the means by which he provides.19100:16:59,460 –> 00:17:01,239Again, just to take an example19200:17:01,239 –> 00:17:02,799from another part of Scripture,19300:17:02,799 –> 00:17:05,880you see this in the story of Noah.19400:17:05,880 –> 00:17:10,760God saved Noah and his family from the flood.19500:17:12,260 –> 00:17:16,300But Noah’s obedience and faith19600:17:16,300 –> 00:17:19,640were actively engaged in God’s salvation19700:17:19,660 –> 00:17:21,180of him and his family.19800:17:22,319 –> 00:17:26,000He obeys the command to build an ark in the desert,19900:17:26,000 –> 00:17:28,439which must have seemed a very strange thing to do.20000:17:29,640 –> 00:17:33,339And in an act of faith, when God commanded him,20100:17:33,339 –> 00:17:37,560he got into the ark with the animals, with his family20200:17:37,560 –> 00:17:40,400and God shut the door when there wasn’t even any rain.20300:17:41,800 –> 00:17:43,660Imagine getting into an ark20400:17:45,000 –> 00:17:46,780when there wasn’t even any rain.20500:17:47,619 –> 00:17:51,060It would take an act of faith to do that.20600:17:52,099 –> 00:17:54,939Well, God saved Noah and his family in the ark,20700:17:54,939 –> 00:17:59,099but Noah was actively involved in his own salvation.20800:17:59,099 –> 00:18:03,540God worked through his faith and his obedience,20900:18:03,540 –> 00:18:08,140not without his faith or without his obedience.21000:18:08,140 –> 00:18:11,540Now, you see the same pattern in the story here21100:18:11,540 –> 00:18:12,699of the widow.21200:18:12,699 –> 00:18:14,780Very clearly, Elisha says to her,21300:18:14,780 –> 00:18:16,119now you got to go outside,21400:18:16,119 –> 00:18:18,260borrow vessels from all of your neighbors,21500:18:18,260 –> 00:18:22,060empty vessels and not too few.21600:18:22,060 –> 00:18:24,060And remember Elisha was a prophet,21700:18:24,060 –> 00:18:27,619so this really was the word of God to her.21800:18:27,619 –> 00:18:29,739Go borrow vessels from your neighbor.21900:18:29,739 –> 00:18:31,359It was a command for her to obey22000:18:33,660 –> 00:18:36,680and Elisha says, make sure you don’t borrow too few.22100:18:37,699 –> 00:18:39,800So there was faith involved here.22200:18:39,800 –> 00:18:42,339He calls her to exercise faith.22300:18:43,339 –> 00:18:46,020Don’t make the mistake of underestimating22400:18:46,020 –> 00:18:47,619what God is going to do for you.22500:18:50,339 –> 00:18:55,339Walk in obedience and anticipate his blessing.22600:18:56,359 –> 00:18:58,160That’s what Elisha is saying to her.22700:18:59,239 –> 00:19:02,400God will provide for her,22800:19:02,400 –> 00:19:05,479but there is something for her to do.22900:19:06,520 –> 00:19:11,520Faith and obedience were woven into God’s plan23000:19:13,219 –> 00:19:15,400to provide for this widow.23100:19:15,400 –> 00:19:19,000And your faith and your obedience will be woven23200:19:19,000 –> 00:19:24,000into God’s plan to provide for you.23300:19:25,500 –> 00:19:27,359Now it’s clear from the story23400:19:27,359 –> 00:19:31,900that this woman did exactly what Elisha had said.23500:19:31,900 –> 00:19:35,140Notice the parallels between verse four and verse five,23600:19:35,140 –> 00:19:37,060exactly the same language.23700:19:37,060 –> 00:19:39,880Verse four, Elisha told her,23800:19:39,880 –> 00:19:44,880then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons23900:19:44,939 –> 00:19:47,979and pour into all these vessels.24000:19:47,979 –> 00:19:50,540And when one is full, set it aside.24100:19:50,540 –> 00:19:52,199That’s what she was told to do.24200:19:52,199 –> 00:19:53,900Verse five, what she did,24300:19:53,900 –> 00:19:57,619so she went from him and shut the door behind herself24400:19:57,619 –> 00:19:58,780and her sons.24500:19:58,780 –> 00:20:02,780And as she poured, they brought the vessels to her.24600:20:02,780 –> 00:20:05,420She did exactly24700:20:05,420 –> 00:20:07,099what Elisha24800:20:07,099 –> 00:20:08,699had said.24900:20:08,699 –> 00:20:13,219And we will see at the end of the story25000:20:13,219 –> 00:20:15,579clear evidence25100:20:15,579 –> 00:20:18,900that she did indeed go to all the neighbors25200:20:18,900 –> 00:20:23,900and that she did indeed borrow vessels and not too few.25300:20:25,520 –> 00:20:28,780She did exactly what he said.25400:20:29,939 –> 00:20:32,060Now I want you to picture with me for a moment25500:20:32,060 –> 00:20:37,060the scene as this miracle of God’s provision took place25600:20:38,000 –> 00:20:43,000and you picture this house and it is literally stacked25700:20:43,780 –> 00:20:48,780from floor to ceiling with jars, pots,25800:20:49,420 –> 00:20:53,619vessels of varying shapes and sizes.25900:20:55,739 –> 00:20:59,380And one of the widow’s sons takes a jar,26000:20:59,380 –> 00:21:02,140biggest one he could see in front of him26100:21:02,140 –> 00:21:03,819and puts it on a table.26200:21:04,660 –> 00:21:09,979The widow takes the small jar of oil in her hand,26300:21:10,959 –> 00:21:15,959it’s all she has, but in an act of faith26400:21:16,060 –> 00:21:18,420she begins to pour it out.26500:21:19,459 –> 00:21:20,760It was just a little jar.26600:21:22,020 –> 00:21:25,119It should have emptied itself out in seconds,26700:21:26,719 –> 00:21:28,219but to the woman’s amazement,26800:21:28,219 –> 00:21:31,020the large jar into which she was pouring26900:21:31,020 –> 00:21:33,380was soon nearly full.27000:21:34,079 –> 00:21:35,400And so she calls on her son,27100:21:35,400 –> 00:21:37,579bring another jar, bring another jar.27200:21:37,579 –> 00:21:42,000One of the sons then places another empty jar on the table.27300:21:42,000 –> 00:21:45,760The other son takes the full one and puts it on the floor.27400:21:45,760 –> 00:21:48,900They got a little production line going, the three of them.27500:21:50,520 –> 00:21:52,180And the woman just kept pouring.27600:21:54,040 –> 00:21:57,839And every few seconds, another jar,27700:21:57,839 –> 00:22:01,099another jar, another jar.27800:22:02,479 –> 00:22:03,760Then verse six.27900:22:04,680 –> 00:22:07,260When the vessels were full,28000:22:08,260 –> 00:22:10,900she said to her son, bring me another vessel.28100:22:10,900 –> 00:22:13,500And he said to her there is not another.28200:22:13,500 –> 00:22:16,579And the oil stopped flowing.28300:22:17,819 –> 00:22:21,560The oil flowed from that little jar28400:22:21,560 –> 00:22:24,459as long as there were empty jars to fill.28500:22:24,459 –> 00:22:26,180So you see if the woman had not obeyed28600:22:26,180 –> 00:22:29,260the command of Elisha to go to the neighbors28700:22:29,260 –> 00:22:31,260and get the jar, she would never have seen this miracle.28800:22:32,180 –> 00:22:36,420God works through our faith and through our obedience.28900:22:37,660 –> 00:22:39,540You’ve been listening to Pastor Colin Smith29000:22:39,540 –> 00:22:42,819and the message called God Will Provide for Us.29100:22:42,819 –> 00:22:44,760Next time we’ll see how God works29200:22:44,760 –> 00:22:46,579for our freedom and joy.29300:22:46,579 –> 00:22:48,819So do join us for that.29400:22:48,819 –> 00:22:51,099The message is part of a series called29500:22:51,099 –> 00:22:53,859In God We Trust based on Two Kings.29600:22:53,859 –> 00:22:56,479And if you ever miss one of the messages in the series,29700:22:56,479 –> 00:22:58,959you can easily catch up or go back and listen again29800:22:59,219 –> 00:23:03,119by coming online to our website OpenTheBible.org.uk.29900:23:04,380 –> 00:23:06,219Also find us as a podcast30000:23:06,219 –> 00:23:08,260and those are all in the main podcast sites.30100:23:08,260 –> 00:23:11,000You’ll find them by searching for OpenTheBible.UK.30200:23:12,579 –> 00:23:15,699Open the Bible is supported by our many listeners.30300:23:15,699 –> 00:23:18,900And if you’re one of them, thank you so much.30400:23:18,900 –> 00:23:21,339It’s not just the radio program,30500:23:21,339 –> 00:23:24,500the website and podcast that you’re supporting.30600:23:24,500 –> 00:23:27,660Here’s Open the Bible’s Executive Director John Martin.30700:23:27,699 –> 00:23:28,900David, it’s very exciting30800:23:28,900 –> 00:23:33,040that we’ve seen an open door ironically into prisons.30900:23:33,040 –> 00:23:35,000We have distributed the film31000:23:35,000 –> 00:23:36,619of the story of the thief on the cross,31100:23:36,619 –> 00:23:39,020Heaven, How I Got Here, based on Colin’s short book.31200:23:39,020 –> 00:23:42,699We printed this onto a DVD and sent it into every prison31300:23:42,699 –> 00:23:45,400in England and Wales last year.31400:23:45,400 –> 00:23:48,780And this year we are trialling a 15 session course31500:23:48,780 –> 00:23:52,459of Colin’s material, Fly Through the Bible.31600:23:52,459 –> 00:23:54,260This has been done in partnership31700:23:54,260 –> 00:23:56,180with Daylight Christian Prison Trust31800:23:56,180 –> 00:23:59,040who also helped us distribute the film,31900:23:59,040 –> 00:24:01,400and we’re also partnering with London City mission32000:24:01,400 –> 00:24:03,199to trial this course.32100:24:03,199 –> 00:24:05,699Sessions begin with inmates watching a short video32200:24:05,699 –> 00:24:08,699of Pastor Colin reading each chapter of the book.32300:24:08,699 –> 00:24:10,579And then they do a simple Bible study32400:24:10,579 –> 00:24:13,079with booklets designed for prison use32500:24:13,079 –> 00:24:15,160given to every participant,32600:24:16,140 –> 00:24:18,579One prison chaplain said this,32700:24:18,579 –> 00:24:21,359the men really listen to pastor Colin32800:24:21,359 –> 00:24:24,380the focus on the Bible characters has been really good32900:24:24,780 –> 00:24:27,640and rich conversations have come from it.33000:24:27,640 –> 00:24:30,239One of the men is using it on his wing33100:24:30,239 –> 00:24:32,239to lead his own Bible study with other men33200:24:32,239 –> 00:24:33,819who aren’t in the groups.33300:24:33,819 –> 00:24:36,000It’s all very encouraging.33400:24:36,000 –> 00:24:37,680So David, if listeners are interested33500:24:37,680 –> 00:24:39,400in supporting this prison ministry33600:24:39,400 –> 00:24:41,020that we have in partnership33700:24:41,020 –> 00:24:42,300with daylight Christian Prison Trust33800:24:42,300 –> 00:24:44,160and the London City mission,33900:24:44,160 –> 00:24:45,479they can get in touch with us34000:24:45,479 –> 00:24:47,839and do a donation through the website.34100:24:47,839 –> 00:24:50,939You can get involved in supporting Open the Bible’s work34200:24:50,939 –> 00:24:52,560by coming to our website,34300:24:53,439 –> 00:24:55,180www.openthebible.org.uk34400:24:55,180 –> 00:24:57,160You’ll find lots more information,34500:24:57,160 –> 00:25:00,680Terms and conditions and you can give online.34600:25:00,680 –> 00:25:03,359For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith,34700:25:03,359 –> 00:25:04,479I’m David Pick.34800:25:04,479 –> 00:25:06,780Join us again next time on Open the Bible.34900:25:06,979 –> 00:25:19,660www.openthebible.com35000:25:19,660 –> 00:25:24,380What role do faith and obedience play in God’s provision?35100:25:24,380 –> 00:25:27,660Find out next time on Open the Bible.