What would you like to change about yourself? Would you like to be more confident? more relaxed? more outgoing? maybe have less fear, less bitterness, less boredom?
There are very few people in life who feel like they have attained perfection. Most of us are very interested in changing and we realize there is always room for improvement. So often people ask, "Why is it I can't change? I want to change but I don't know how or I don't have the power to change." We may go to seminars, conferences, looking for the painless cure that's going to zap our life and change us instantly and give us self discipline. Or we go on diets. I once went on a diet for an entire afternoon. Or we join a health club and our enthusiasm goes great for about two weeks and then it kind of wanes and we go back into the same old rut and we don't change. We read self‑ help books. The problem with self help books is they tell you what to do but they don't give you the power. They says things like, "Get rid of all your bad habits.... Be positive, don't be negative..." How? Where do I get the power to change? That's the basic problem -- a lack of power in our lives. How do I get my life off dead center? How do I get out of the rut? How do I break out of the mold I'm in? Where do I get the power to get off center?
Good News! Jesus Christ offers the power we need.
Philippians 3:10 "All I want to know is Christ and experience the power of His resurrection." Ephesians 1:20 "I pray that you will begin to understand how incredibly great His power is to help those who believe Him, the same mighty power who raised Christ from the dead."
The word "power" is used in the New Testament 57 times. It is a book of power. It is used to describe the most powerful event that ever happened, an event that separated A.D. and B.C. All history was split by one powerful event. What is that power? It's the power to change your life.
We're going to be talking about power. How do I have the power to change and how does God change me and make me what I want to be and what He wants me to be? Power! [I think of the new chaplain at the prison. He was nervous. He was assigned death row. He was trying to be positive when he went in to counsel the guy that was going to be executed the next day. He said, "I've really been praying for you." The guy said, "But you don't realize. Tomorrow I'm going to the electric chair." The chaplain said, "Well... more power to you."]
Paul said, I want to know the power of the resurrection. The Greek word for power is the word dunamis -- dynamite. God says, I want to give you dynamite power in your life! Paul said I want to know it. It's my personal goal. And I want you to know it. The same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead 2000 years ago is available for your life right now to change your life.
What is resurrection power? and.. how does it affect me?
Here’s what the Bible says.
1. IT'S THE POWER TO CANCEL YOUR PAST.
Your failures, your mistakes, your sins, your regrets. When I say cancel, I'm not talking about denying the past and saying it never happened. Cancel means to eliminate, neutralize, offset. Have you ever been half way through a project and wished you could start over? Like painting the living room? A lot of people feel that way about life. "I wish I could just start over. I've made so many mistakes. I wish I could wipe them out. Failures, problems, bad decisions." Everybody has regrets because nobody's perfect. I don't measure up to my own standards, much less God's. Some people can't seem to let go of their past and as a result they let the past control the present. They live in a state of regret. They're continually saying, "If only..." They are continually second guessing themselves. they're tortured by painful memories. "I blew it, therefore I'm going to pay for it the rest of my life."
God says that's unnecessary. God says it's unnecessary for you to go around with a heavy load of guilt, old hurts, memories of mistakes. Colossians 3:14 "He has forgiven all our sins and canceled [circled "canceled"] every record of the debt we had to pay." Christ has done away with it by nailing it to the cross.
It says, "He's forgiven all of our sins." What is sin? It's an archery term. It comes from bows and arrows. When a person in archery would shoot an arrow at a bulls eye and miss the target it was called a sin -- it missed the mark. That's why the Bible says, "All have sinned and have fallen short." It's an archery term. It falls short. The good news is that God offers complete forgiveness. He says He cancels every record of debt in your life. The words that describe forgiveness in the Bible are "blot out", "wipe out", "washed away", "canceled". It's completely forgotten.
Jesus Christ knows the things you've done wrong and He did not come to rub it in. He came to rub it out. He did not come to condemn you. He came to change you. Jesus Himself said, John 3:17 "I didn't come to condemn the world. . . I came to save it." He says I cancel out all of your past mistakes. It's like the Etch-A-Sketch. You make a mess, you flip it over and wipe the slate clean. The Bible says that's what God does to all the mistakes I've made in my life when I come to Him. He wipes it clean.
In Jeremiah 31:34 "I will remember their sins no more." That's got to be one of the most amazing verses in the Bible. God, who made the world, forgets. God chooses to forget your wrongs, your mistakes, your failures when you come and admit them to Him and ask Him to forgive you. He cancels your past. That's Good News!
Some of you if you would say today, "Christ Jesus, I want You to forgive me of all the things I've ever done wrong. I want to give my life to You. I want to make that commitment today." And then if you were to die tonight and stand before God in heaven and say, "God, about that sin I committed yesterday." He'd say, "What sin? What are you talking about?" Some of you have made some major mistakes in a business. He'd say, "What mistakes?" Some of you have gone through a divorce. He'd say, "What divorce?" God cancels your past. That allows you to get on with the present.
What is the basis for forgiveness? Romans 8:1 "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." When Jesus Christ died on the cross one of His last words from the cross were, "It is finished." In the Greek that's one word. It literally means "Paid in full." Canceled. It was what they would stamp on bills when they had been paid. It was stamped on prison sentences when they had been completed. Paid in full.
God says, "That's what I did on the cross. I paid for every mistake you've ever made." So, Jesus was crucified on the cross so you can stop crucifying yourself. He was hung for your hang ups. That's Good News!
If God forgets a sin the moment we confess it, don't you think you ought to forget it? How long do you remember a bill that's been paid for? I forget it. I don't worry about last month's utility bill. Once it's been paid, I forget it. Somebody said, God takes all your mistakes and your failures and puts them in the deepest part of the sea when you give them to Him and then He puts up a "No fishing!" sign. It's the power to cancel your past.
2. IT'S THE POWER TO CONQUER YOUR PROBLEMS.
The fact is everybody's got problems. You've got them. I've got them. It's a part of life. If you don't have any problems, check your pulse. The only people who don't have problems are in Cemeteries.
Our real problem is what we do with our problem. We try to solve them on our own power and our own strength. How do you know when you're trying to solve your problems in your own strength? You're tired all the time. You're sick. You're sick and tired of being sick and tired!
It's the power to conquer your problems. Rom. 8:35, 37
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ. Shall trouble or hardship or danger? No, in all of these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loves us." Circle "conquerors". That means according to Webster, "one who overcomes by gaining control."
I have met some people who feel like their lives are out of control. "I am a victim of my circumstance! What can I do? I'm powerless. Just about the time I make ends meet, somebody moves the ends." You walk up to somebody and say, "How you doing?" They say, "I'm doing ok, under the circumstances." What are you doing under them? Somebody said, "Circumstances are like a mattress. You get on top and you rest easy. You get underneath and you suffocate."
It depends on where you are. A lot of people are under their circumstances. The fact is we can't control our circumstances, but we can control how we respond to them.
"But you don't know my problems. You don't know all the problems I'm going through. It's bad!" You're having a wonderful pity party. Everybody hates me, nobody loves me; I'm going to go eat worms!
This verse says "We are more than conquerors." In the Greek it says, "We are super conquerors" -- overwhelming victory. If you put your life in God's hands and you rely on the power of the resurrection, nothing can devastate your life, nothing can swallow you up, nothing can destroy you. That's the Power of God. No matter how dark the situation is, God can turn it around. No situation is hopeless. The same power that enabled Jesus Christ to rise from the dead, will allow you to rise over your problems.
It's the power to cancel your past. It's the power to conquer your problems.
3. IT'S THE POWER TO CHANGE YOUR PERSONALITY
What would you like to change about you? What would your spouse like to change about you? Maybe that would be a little more accurate. One wife said, "My husband is so temperamental -- 90% temper, 10% mental!"
The power to change your personality. Complete this sentence: "It's just like me to be______________________________. Always late, ... worry, ... never stay on a diet, ... always put my foot in my mouth, ... always blow up, ... always be depressed, ... always get angry... whatever."
The fact is God uses a two step process to change us: When we commit our lives to Christ, that's the initial turning point. When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a new person inside. He's not the same anymore. A new life has begun." What happens? God says, I wipe out your past. All of it's gone. It's like starting over. That's why the Bible calls it being born again. Born again doesn't mean reincarnation, it just means you get another chance. Start over, new life! Not turn over a new leaf, you get a new life.
But then it's followed by a lifetime process.
Romans 12:2 "Don't let the world squeeze you into it's mold but let God remake you so that your whole attitude of mind is changed."
It's so easy to get into a rut, a routine, the rat race. There's a myth going around like this, "I can't change. I've tried to change. I've worked hard. I've used will power. I've read books. I've gone to seminars. I've listened to tapes, but I can't change. It's just the way I am. I'll never be able to change." You're right. You can't on your own power. But with God's power you can make a difference. God says, "I want to take your greatest weakness and turn it into your strength."
There is one thing that will keep you from changing. I don't know you but I can tell you one thing about your life. There is only one thing that's going to keep you from becoming the person you want to be and God wants you to be. What is it? Not the devil. It's not other people. It's not God. It's not circumstances.
It is one word. Procrastination. Procrastination is deadly. "I have every intention to change. I'll do it tomorrow." Waiting,
delay. Intentions don't do anybody any good.
Ever hear people say, "I'm aimin' to change." I want to say, "When are you going to pull the trigger?"
Procrastination is fatal. "One of these days.... I'm going to go to the dentist. ... I'm going to have that surgery I need. ... I'm going to spend more time with my family. ... I'm going to get serious about being a Christ-follower. ... I'm going to get active in church. ... I'm going to go after that dream. ... I'm going to get in shape. One of these days..."
Ever read about or hear the story of the Exodus? The Famous old school movie ‘The Ten Commandments’ “Let my people GO” There were different plagues and every plague made fun of a different Egyptian god. The cow, lice. One of the most interesting was the plague of frogs. How would you like to have frogs in your bed? The Bible says there were frogs everywhere! I'm sure Mrs. Pharaoh was putting pressure on Pharaoh to give in and get rid of the frogs. One day Moses comes and Pharaoh gives up. Moses says, "When do you want me to get rid of the frogs?" Pharaoh gives a clasic answer: "Tomorrow". He must have been crazy! There's a famous sermon on this text called "One more night with the frogs." Why in the world would anybody put off a change that was going to be positive? Why wouldn't he say, "Right now! Get them out of here." But he said, "Tomorrow."
You and I do that all the time. We procrastinate and put off making changes that would be good for us. Why? Maybe complacency -- we're just too lazy to change. Maybe fear -- we don't know what the changes are going to be. Maybe pride -- we're stubborn. We procrastinate.
Any NASA guru will tell you that most of the amount of fuel in a rocket is used up in the first few hundred yards. It takes tremendous energy and thrust to get the rocket off the launch pad. Once it's going in orbit, it's much easier to direct.
The hardest thing in life is to get going. The hardest thing in life is to break procrastination. It's one thing for me to come in here and say, "Jesus Christ can cancel your past. He can help you conquer the problems you're facing right now. He can change your personality." And you go out saying, "One of these days I'm going to let God do it. One of these days I'm going to let the power of God work in my life."
It’s the power of the resurrection. Jesus Christ is alive. Since He is alive He gives you the power to change.
Why not experience the power of Jesus Christ today.
(vid)
Prayer:
Jesus Christ has the power to make the changes in your life that you want so badly to see and He is available. He will give you the power to get started. He will give you the power to keep going. He will give you the power to break procrastination. Why can't I change? Why can't I be consistent? Why can't I stick with the things I know are good for me? Because you don't have the power on your own. You were made to depend upon God.
Have you been unable to let go of your past? Jesus Christ offers complete forgiveness. He can put your life back together again. Or do you feel like Humpty Dumpty. Do you feel like nothing can put you together? It is never too late to start over. You're never a failure until you give up. He can give you the peace of a clear conscious. Maybe you're overwhelmed by your problems. Easter says no situation is hopeless. Relax, trust, let go. You don't have to be controlled by circumstances. No problem is too big for God. He's still in the resurrection business. What are you waiting for? Open up your life. Why wait another day? Give your life to Christ right now.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Sunday, August 19, 2007
The Elijah Element - Re:Awake
How many of you have ever gotten a new car or new car to you? and then the very next day after you’ve gotten this new car
to you you see 100 of them just like yours - know what I’m talking about - there’s one, there’s one. they’re everywhere!
They were there before but didn’t see them.
Once you have eyes to see you can actually see some things that were there all the time but never really acknowledged them.
The color collage pictures that just look like a bunch of different colors swirled together, but if you look through them you’ll actually see an image w/in the collage. ( I was one of those guys you passed by at mall staring at the picture, after you had shopped for a few hours you passed by me again b/c I just couldn’t get it)
Once I saw the image in the collage I began to praise God I did it! and in that I slightly moved and lost it...
As we have been studying the life of Elijah this summer and looking at how we too could implement all these different Elijah Elements into our lives... what has happened in me and I believe has happened in us all is that we began to look beyond or look through ourselves and could now see, b/c of God’s Word all these elements that in reality may have always been right there but we missed them... we’re to distracted, to overloaded, maybe too busy, or just caught up in ourselves to the extent that we have been blinded a bit.
We have covered a whole lot in this study this summer and learned how much we could apply to our lives that Elijah lived out day by day - so that being the case today I wanted to revisit Elijah - quickly summarize some of the major elements that we can implement in our lives.
Try to crunch this down into 1 outline for us to keep or if you misplaced some along the way - we typically podcast every message but we’re not perfect and for different reasons we lose recordings so let’s jump back to the beginning.
1 Kings 17... Elijah jumps onto the scene out of nowhere to confront Ahab, the king of Israel - Ahab has been leading the people of Israel down an ungodly and idolatrous path.
and what we discovered was the immense contrast of one who was walking with the Lord, and one who simply lived for self.
To sum up the life of Ahab we could say,
Completely ignoring God and living for self.
We've seen people like this in our world. We know folks who fit this description don't we?
Completely ignoring God and living for self.
I think if we look really close, I think we'll see we all have a little Ahab in us. Not nearly to the extreme he took it, but something there. Ahab walked his own path, did what he wanted to do - we do that from time to time. “Aahhh it’s not that big of deal is it? I live under God’s grace”
Ahab choose to serve and worship other gods - we don’t do anything like that do we? That sounds so harsh. I don’t worship other gods! Really?
I do everytime I place something above God or at a higher priority than Him, or things I even choose to spend more time in or with - we have so many interests, hobbies, things we love to do,
watch on TV, and submerge ourselves totally in to. There are 1000's of things that fit this description.
In every instance, if not done in balance and with the proper priority in order w/ God, we too serve these other gods - we think they’re serving us, giving us great pleasure, but how naive we are. And soo... the 1st Elijah Element we saw was that Elijah was.. the polar opposite - a true follower of the Most High God.
One with a heart after God.
then we studied The Beatitudes which gives us a great picture of one who’s heart is running after God. Matthew 5:3-12
and we broke that scrip. down of how to be a man or woman who is ‘Going after God’ - more details on blog.
Then we saw that Elijah was a man of faith (vid)
We are to live by faith.
That means in it’s simplest form - obedience.
When we live by faith, walk in faith great things happen.
When we walk in obedience to God, in what His Word already says it is not only going to make a huge impact on our own lives, but a significant impact on the lives of others around us.
How cool is that! God’s Word will not return void/empty - the promises are true. All we have to do is live by them,
walk in them - what are wanting to see happen? what are you dreaming of? what do you want to see happen that is much bigger than you alone can make happen?
Simply live by faith - and watch the Creator of the Universe work
This is exactly what we see in the life of Elijah
Look at how often scripture shows us Elijah walking, moving in obedience -
17:2-5; 8-10; 18:1-2; 19:5-6; 7-8; 11-13; 15-19; 2 Kings 1:3-4; 15
in every command of God, Elijah moved in obedience, w/out hesitation (oh... im not sure about that God.. that doesn’t make any sense.. really, you want me to do that?)
Elijah went for it - w/ a heart completely in line w/ God - it was easy for him to live by faith.
As we kept reading the next element each of need to understand is that:
Where God Guides, He Provides
God told Elijah to run to Kerith Ravine - a desolate place - but God provided water from a dried up brook and ravens brought him food! Then from there God tells Eli. to go to Zarephath where you’ll meet up w/ a widow - 1 Kings 17:10-16
“So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, "Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?" As she was going to get it, he called, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread."
"As surely as the LORD your God lives," she replied, "I don't have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die."
Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.' "
She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family.
For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah.
Where God leads, He feeds, Where God guides, He provides.
God has help where we least expect it. He provides for us in ways that go beyond our limited imaginations or expectations.
No matter how difficult life becomes or how hopeless our situation may appear we can count on God to pull us through.
Where God leads, He feeds, Where God guides, He provides
So we said - If we want to receive from God, we must be in God's will.
The first area in which we need to be in the will of God is our relationship with Jesus Christ. This is our first priority. Maintain that love relationship with Jesus Christ.
Another area in which we need to make sure we are in the will of God is our relationship to the church. If we neglect our fellowship with one another then we will find ourselves out of the will of God
A final area of obedience is obedience in giving. So many people take themselves out of a position where they can receive from God because they will not be obedient in this vital matter.
God has promised that if we bring His tithes into the storehouse, He will pour out blessings upon us. “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows." Malachi 3:10
v.13-14 -
Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.' "
Give to God 1st and He will provide!
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33
So we must be obedient to God in terms of our relationship with Jesus Christ and with His church, and in terms of our giving.
When we walk in obed. putting God 1st - He will provide.
Where God guides, He provides
The next element we need to implement into our lives is PUSH
in 1 Kings 17:17-24 we see that the widows son becomes ill and eventually dies - so Eli. takes the child and begins to pray: 20 Then he cried out to the LORD, "O LORD my God, have you brought tragedy also upon this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?" 21 “Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried to the LORD, "O LORD my God, let this boy's life return to him!"
Look at how Elijah prayed 3 times here.
Don’t stop after one prayer. Elijah prays once for child, we’ll geez I tried, sorry lady.
Our tendency is to quit to soon - we pray once, don’t get an answer, “well must not have been God’s timing or will - I quit”
(it can happen... marriage... relat.... job.. school)
If you call someone, let it ring once, didn’t answer, I guess they’re not available, go over to friends house
go up to door, knock once, they don’t answer - you leave.
Why would our prayer life be any different - God is teaching us to persevere in our praying - He wants to answer, He wants our lives full of joy & happiness to so don’t stop.
The element we discovered is that
We all play a part
each of us have a mission, each of us play a part. In 1 Kings 18:1-8
Elijah connects w/ Obadiah and we saw the different ways each of them played their part in the Kingdom of God.
Ob. was more of a behind the scenes player while Eli. was front and center. We discovered that we have been shaped to serve -
we are shaped for significance. We have been created on purpose for a purpose - all of us have a mission, all of us play a part - we were not born to E.B.Ts & D. that God has bigger & better things in store for us all - so the ? is: what’s your part?
The next element we discovered was that Eli. was not only a man of faith, but
he was a man of Integrity.
in ch. 18 Eli. tells Ob. that he wants to see the king, but Ob. is not real sure about telling the king b/c others have told the king where Eli. was and when Eli. wasn’t where they said he was - they were killed! So Ob. is a little reluctant about losing his life.
But Eli. says, hey, you can bank on it, I’m gonna be here!
and that alone was enough for Ob.
You see “Our character is more caught than taught” and
it appears in - life of Integrity - and in that manner living this life of integrity is what gives us the credibility to impact others around us for the kingdom of God.
Then we read about the clash on Mt. Carmel. (vid)
Where Elijah basically takes on 850 pagan prophets - the prophets of Baal set up an altar and Eli. sets up an altar and whichever God answers by fire, He is God.
The prophets of Baal go 1st and they rave all morning, & all afternoon into the evening hrs. and get nothin.
Then Eli. gets ready and he tells his helpers to totally drench the wood w/ water and let the trenches overflow - basically saying I couldn’t even get a spark to land on this thing - Totally drown the thing man - like a typhoon
b/c I don’t want there to be any doubt, I don’t want a single
person questioning what’s really happening here.
Something similar ever happen to you?
Just as Elijah doused the altar w/ water basically saying, there’s no way I could even get a spark to land on this much less have it consumed in fire. Only God, the true living God will be able to.
as for us...
I mean you’ve hit rock bottom or you’re at your wits end - there is absolutely nothing more you can do - you’re out of options - if anything is going happen it’s gonna be God - only God can pull this off.
Welcome to God's Waiting Room. It’s that place in your life where there are things beyond your control that you can’t speed up—an answer to prayer, a miracle, a change in a situation—you want it to happen, and happen quickly, but it is totally out of your control and you have to wait on God. Have you been there? Are you there now?
We need to remember what God CAN do and not only what we can do
we must be patient and faithful.
and as he prays here’s what happens - 1 Kings 18:37,38
37 Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again." (check this out)
38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.
Sometimes we put our great big God in a little-bity box.
How big is your God? The God I know and love is HUGE, beyond my comprehension.
Then the funny thing was right after this amazing miracle that God displays His mighty power - He’s the man!
King Ahab tells his wife Jezebel and she’s so mad that she threatens Elijah’s life and get this, he runs... he runs out of fear.
We said, what is fear anyway? False Evidence Appearing Real
That’s exactly what was happening here to Elijah.
Then we discussed What should we do w/ FEAR?
don’t look inward or outward - look upward.
Trust in God. Instead of listening to others or ourselves, listen to God. “but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.” Proverbs 1:33
Elijah was lone., scared, discouraged, and depressed - he was mess. As we read thru ch. 19 God showed us what to do when life gets us down - Rest, Renew, Refocus.
most spiritual thing take a nap, feel beaten down we need to be renewed in the PofL, then God told Eli. to refocus, back to the mission at hand.
then God showed Elijah how to deal with the loneliness he was experiencing by telling him as you refocus and get back to your mission connect with other godly men and women who will encourage, support, stretch, and urge you forward.
Another Elijah element for us is to:
Get Connected
We looked at Hebrews 10:24-25 that describes that we have been created for community. That each of us have these different needs that can only be met in true community w/ other believers, other people who share the same values as we do.
We finished our study in 2 Kings ch. 2 where we learned of 2 more elements to implement into our lives:
Investing in other’s spiritual development and...
Walk in Purpose and Progress
As Elijah’s life came to an end here on earth a couple more elements became very clear - He lived w/ a sense of purpose up to his very last day which included pouring himself into younger, up and coming leaders.
He took it as his personal responsibility to encourage and train disciples to continue God’s work.
As is the case w/ us... Jesus Christ gave the Church (that’s every believer, every Christ follower) the great commission
“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
Matthew 28:19-20
Each of us are to be walking in purpose and progress for the kingdom of God, investing in and pouring ourselves into so that we can advance God’s agenda of reaching the world.
to you you see 100 of them just like yours - know what I’m talking about - there’s one, there’s one. they’re everywhere!
They were there before but didn’t see them.
Once you have eyes to see you can actually see some things that were there all the time but never really acknowledged them.
The color collage pictures that just look like a bunch of different colors swirled together, but if you look through them you’ll actually see an image w/in the collage. ( I was one of those guys you passed by at mall staring at the picture, after you had shopped for a few hours you passed by me again b/c I just couldn’t get it)
Once I saw the image in the collage I began to praise God I did it! and in that I slightly moved and lost it...
As we have been studying the life of Elijah this summer and looking at how we too could implement all these different Elijah Elements into our lives... what has happened in me and I believe has happened in us all is that we began to look beyond or look through ourselves and could now see, b/c of God’s Word all these elements that in reality may have always been right there but we missed them... we’re to distracted, to overloaded, maybe too busy, or just caught up in ourselves to the extent that we have been blinded a bit.
We have covered a whole lot in this study this summer and learned how much we could apply to our lives that Elijah lived out day by day - so that being the case today I wanted to revisit Elijah - quickly summarize some of the major elements that we can implement in our lives.
Try to crunch this down into 1 outline for us to keep or if you misplaced some along the way - we typically podcast every message but we’re not perfect and for different reasons we lose recordings so let’s jump back to the beginning.
1 Kings 17... Elijah jumps onto the scene out of nowhere to confront Ahab, the king of Israel - Ahab has been leading the people of Israel down an ungodly and idolatrous path.
and what we discovered was the immense contrast of one who was walking with the Lord, and one who simply lived for self.
To sum up the life of Ahab we could say,
Completely ignoring God and living for self.
We've seen people like this in our world. We know folks who fit this description don't we?
Completely ignoring God and living for self.
I think if we look really close, I think we'll see we all have a little Ahab in us. Not nearly to the extreme he took it, but something there. Ahab walked his own path, did what he wanted to do - we do that from time to time. “Aahhh it’s not that big of deal is it? I live under God’s grace”
Ahab choose to serve and worship other gods - we don’t do anything like that do we? That sounds so harsh. I don’t worship other gods! Really?
I do everytime I place something above God or at a higher priority than Him, or things I even choose to spend more time in or with - we have so many interests, hobbies, things we love to do,
watch on TV, and submerge ourselves totally in to. There are 1000's of things that fit this description.
In every instance, if not done in balance and with the proper priority in order w/ God, we too serve these other gods - we think they’re serving us, giving us great pleasure, but how naive we are. And soo... the 1st Elijah Element we saw was that Elijah was.. the polar opposite - a true follower of the Most High God.
One with a heart after God.
then we studied The Beatitudes which gives us a great picture of one who’s heart is running after God. Matthew 5:3-12
and we broke that scrip. down of how to be a man or woman who is ‘Going after God’ - more details on blog.
Then we saw that Elijah was a man of faith (vid)
We are to live by faith.
That means in it’s simplest form - obedience.
When we live by faith, walk in faith great things happen.
When we walk in obedience to God, in what His Word already says it is not only going to make a huge impact on our own lives, but a significant impact on the lives of others around us.
How cool is that! God’s Word will not return void/empty - the promises are true. All we have to do is live by them,
walk in them - what are wanting to see happen? what are you dreaming of? what do you want to see happen that is much bigger than you alone can make happen?
Simply live by faith - and watch the Creator of the Universe work
This is exactly what we see in the life of Elijah
Look at how often scripture shows us Elijah walking, moving in obedience -
17:2-5; 8-10; 18:1-2; 19:5-6; 7-8; 11-13; 15-19; 2 Kings 1:3-4; 15
in every command of God, Elijah moved in obedience, w/out hesitation (oh... im not sure about that God.. that doesn’t make any sense.. really, you want me to do that?)
Elijah went for it - w/ a heart completely in line w/ God - it was easy for him to live by faith.
As we kept reading the next element each of need to understand is that:
Where God Guides, He Provides
God told Elijah to run to Kerith Ravine - a desolate place - but God provided water from a dried up brook and ravens brought him food! Then from there God tells Eli. to go to Zarephath where you’ll meet up w/ a widow - 1 Kings 17:10-16
“So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, "Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?" As she was going to get it, he called, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread."
"As surely as the LORD your God lives," she replied, "I don't have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die."
Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.' "
She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family.
For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah.
Where God leads, He feeds, Where God guides, He provides.
God has help where we least expect it. He provides for us in ways that go beyond our limited imaginations or expectations.
No matter how difficult life becomes or how hopeless our situation may appear we can count on God to pull us through.
Where God leads, He feeds, Where God guides, He provides
So we said - If we want to receive from God, we must be in God's will.
The first area in which we need to be in the will of God is our relationship with Jesus Christ. This is our first priority. Maintain that love relationship with Jesus Christ.
Another area in which we need to make sure we are in the will of God is our relationship to the church. If we neglect our fellowship with one another then we will find ourselves out of the will of God
A final area of obedience is obedience in giving. So many people take themselves out of a position where they can receive from God because they will not be obedient in this vital matter.
God has promised that if we bring His tithes into the storehouse, He will pour out blessings upon us. “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows." Malachi 3:10
v.13-14 -
Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.' "
Give to God 1st and He will provide!
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33
So we must be obedient to God in terms of our relationship with Jesus Christ and with His church, and in terms of our giving.
When we walk in obed. putting God 1st - He will provide.
Where God guides, He provides
The next element we need to implement into our lives is PUSH
in 1 Kings 17:17-24 we see that the widows son becomes ill and eventually dies - so Eli. takes the child and begins to pray: 20 Then he cried out to the LORD, "O LORD my God, have you brought tragedy also upon this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?" 21 “Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried to the LORD, "O LORD my God, let this boy's life return to him!"
Look at how Elijah prayed 3 times here.
Don’t stop after one prayer. Elijah prays once for child, we’ll geez I tried, sorry lady.
Our tendency is to quit to soon - we pray once, don’t get an answer, “well must not have been God’s timing or will - I quit”
(it can happen... marriage... relat.... job.. school)
If you call someone, let it ring once, didn’t answer, I guess they’re not available, go over to friends house
go up to door, knock once, they don’t answer - you leave.
Why would our prayer life be any different - God is teaching us to persevere in our praying - He wants to answer, He wants our lives full of joy & happiness to so don’t stop.
The element we discovered is that
We all play a part
each of us have a mission, each of us play a part. In 1 Kings 18:1-8
Elijah connects w/ Obadiah and we saw the different ways each of them played their part in the Kingdom of God.
Ob. was more of a behind the scenes player while Eli. was front and center. We discovered that we have been shaped to serve -
we are shaped for significance. We have been created on purpose for a purpose - all of us have a mission, all of us play a part - we were not born to E.B.Ts & D. that God has bigger & better things in store for us all - so the ? is: what’s your part?
The next element we discovered was that Eli. was not only a man of faith, but
he was a man of Integrity.
in ch. 18 Eli. tells Ob. that he wants to see the king, but Ob. is not real sure about telling the king b/c others have told the king where Eli. was and when Eli. wasn’t where they said he was - they were killed! So Ob. is a little reluctant about losing his life.
But Eli. says, hey, you can bank on it, I’m gonna be here!
and that alone was enough for Ob.
You see “Our character is more caught than taught” and
it appears in - life of Integrity - and in that manner living this life of integrity is what gives us the credibility to impact others around us for the kingdom of God.
Then we read about the clash on Mt. Carmel. (vid)
Where Elijah basically takes on 850 pagan prophets - the prophets of Baal set up an altar and Eli. sets up an altar and whichever God answers by fire, He is God.
The prophets of Baal go 1st and they rave all morning, & all afternoon into the evening hrs. and get nothin.
Then Eli. gets ready and he tells his helpers to totally drench the wood w/ water and let the trenches overflow - basically saying I couldn’t even get a spark to land on this thing - Totally drown the thing man - like a typhoon
b/c I don’t want there to be any doubt, I don’t want a single
person questioning what’s really happening here.
Something similar ever happen to you?
Just as Elijah doused the altar w/ water basically saying, there’s no way I could even get a spark to land on this much less have it consumed in fire. Only God, the true living God will be able to.
as for us...
I mean you’ve hit rock bottom or you’re at your wits end - there is absolutely nothing more you can do - you’re out of options - if anything is going happen it’s gonna be God - only God can pull this off.
Welcome to God's Waiting Room. It’s that place in your life where there are things beyond your control that you can’t speed up—an answer to prayer, a miracle, a change in a situation—you want it to happen, and happen quickly, but it is totally out of your control and you have to wait on God. Have you been there? Are you there now?
We need to remember what God CAN do and not only what we can do
we must be patient and faithful.
and as he prays here’s what happens - 1 Kings 18:37,38
37 Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again." (check this out)
38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.
Sometimes we put our great big God in a little-bity box.
How big is your God? The God I know and love is HUGE, beyond my comprehension.
Then the funny thing was right after this amazing miracle that God displays His mighty power - He’s the man!
King Ahab tells his wife Jezebel and she’s so mad that she threatens Elijah’s life and get this, he runs... he runs out of fear.
We said, what is fear anyway? False Evidence Appearing Real
That’s exactly what was happening here to Elijah.
Then we discussed What should we do w/ FEAR?
don’t look inward or outward - look upward.
Trust in God. Instead of listening to others or ourselves, listen to God. “but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.” Proverbs 1:33
Elijah was lone., scared, discouraged, and depressed - he was mess. As we read thru ch. 19 God showed us what to do when life gets us down - Rest, Renew, Refocus.
most spiritual thing take a nap, feel beaten down we need to be renewed in the PofL, then God told Eli. to refocus, back to the mission at hand.
then God showed Elijah how to deal with the loneliness he was experiencing by telling him as you refocus and get back to your mission connect with other godly men and women who will encourage, support, stretch, and urge you forward.
Another Elijah element for us is to:
Get Connected
We looked at Hebrews 10:24-25 that describes that we have been created for community. That each of us have these different needs that can only be met in true community w/ other believers, other people who share the same values as we do.
We finished our study in 2 Kings ch. 2 where we learned of 2 more elements to implement into our lives:
Investing in other’s spiritual development and...
Walk in Purpose and Progress
As Elijah’s life came to an end here on earth a couple more elements became very clear - He lived w/ a sense of purpose up to his very last day which included pouring himself into younger, up and coming leaders.
He took it as his personal responsibility to encourage and train disciples to continue God’s work.
As is the case w/ us... Jesus Christ gave the Church (that’s every believer, every Christ follower) the great commission
“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
Matthew 28:19-20
Each of us are to be walking in purpose and progress for the kingdom of God, investing in and pouring ourselves into so that we can advance God’s agenda of reaching the world.
Monday, August 13, 2007
The Elijah Element - More Power To YA
2 Kings 2:1-6
The life of Elijah has been a whirlwind of activity! From the time he stepped out of nowhere to confront the king of Israel, to his adventures of faith at the dry brook and the widow’s house, to his great victory on Mount Carmel. Elijah’s life has been pretty amazing to say the least! Now, that life is about to end! Verse one of our text makes it clear that God is about to remove the prophet from this earth. He will leave here like he lived here;
in a whirlwind!
I believe that Elijah sets a great example for those of us who are waiting on that time when we too will leave this world. If we were to be honest this morning, every saved person here would readily admit that they are anxiously awaiting that time when they will be home with the Lord in heaven. But, what are we to be
doing here, in the meantime, while we wait? Elijah shows us in this passage! As we read this account, we find there are three ways that Elijah spent his time as he waited on the whirlwind. One of these days all of our journeys will be over. Those who are saved will leave this world either by way of the cemetery or be way of the rapture. Either way, we will leave here in a whirlwind. Swept away into the presence of God. Until that day comes, we must live our lives in a way that is pleasing to the Lord and in a way that honors His will. Elijah shows us how to do just that. Let’s look in on Elijah and see the ways he spent his time as we think on the subject, Waiting On The Whirlwind.
Illustration: What if on your way to church this morning you drove up on me and my family and we we’re pushing our van to church this morning? You stopped and asked me if I was out of gas…I said no…then you asked if our van was broke down but no I told you it was running fine. Wouldn’t you want to know why my family and I were pushing the van instead of ridding in it? And with that I inform you that I preferred to push the van instead of drive it. Wouldn’t you think that was silly? In truth it’s not any more ridiculous than a Christian living their life and not utilizing the power of the Holy Spirit. Many Christians today are pushing their life through human effort and struggle when all the power of the Holy Spirit is available to them.
Illustration: When a mother eagle is trying to teach its eaglets how to fly, but the baby eaglets are too afraid to jump out of the nest. The mother eagle will go and catch something the eaglets love to eat like a rabbit or something and fly right by the nest just out of reach of the eaglets to coax them out of the nest. Then sometimes when the baby eaglet comes out of the nest it falls to the earth, when that happens the mother eagle with wings spread will catch them and literally lift them up with their wings. Until they catch the air currents they call thermals. An eagle can fly anywhere from 30 to 50 miles per hour, but when they catch a thermal they can get anywhere from 80 to 100 miles per hour. And it’s effortless because they are ridding on the wind. That’s exactly how we are to live as Christians, we are to spread our arms and surrender and let the Holy Spirit’s power lift us up and carry us as we surrender the Lord.
(V.1) “When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind”
WE NEED TO BE WATCHING AND WAITING
According to this verse, Elijah knew the precious truth that he was going to get to go to Heaven without having to pass through death. This was a privilege that had only been enjoyed by one other person in history. Genesis 5:21-24 tells that story of a man named Enoch. He was a man who lived for and walked with the Lord. When his time here was over, God simply took Enoch to Heaven, without him having to pass through death! This is the precious event that Elijah was anticipating. By the way, this is something that could happen to you and me! The Bible teaches us that there will be a future event know as the rapture. At that time, the Lord Jesus Christ will return in the clouds above this earth and He will call His people home to Heaven, 1 Thes. 4:13-18. This is a precious event that could happen to us at any moment, 1 Cor. 15:51-52, and when it does, we will go to Heaven without having to die to get there. That excites me! I think I’ll just repeat the prayer John prayed on Patmos: "Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.", Rev. 22:20
Just as everyone seemed to know about Elijah’s rapture, the Bible has informed us today about the coming rapture. It has not been hidden, the information is available to anyone with a Bible. Even though all these people knew it was coming, no one knew exactly when it would happen! Elijah knew that God was coming for him, but he did not know just when. Therefore, he lived his last days and hours in anticipation of that coming event.
How did Elijah live up to his last day on earth?
V. 1-6 Walking With Purpose -
As Elijah anticipated his departure from this world, he continued to live as he always had. He continued to walk in humble obedience before the Lord God! Notice his statement, "The LORD hath sent me...", v. 2, 4, 6. If Elijah had been like many in our day, he would have spent his last days on the earth in retirement from service. He would have spent his time doing all the things he hadn’t had time to do while he was active serving the Lord. However, Elijah knew a truth that many people never learn: There is no higher call than that of following the Lord and doing what He asks you to do!
The lesson for us is this: there will never come a day when we can quit serving the Lord. Even though we know we are leaving, and that our leaving could be today, we should still seek to live lives that are filled with surrender to the call of the Lord. Several years ago, there was a group of people in Texas who became convinced that Jesus was going to return on a given date. As a result, they sold all their possessions, quit their jobs and went to the top of a mountain, sat down and waited fro the rapture. That is not what God wants you and me to be doing! He wants us to be busy in His work until He returns to take us home to glory! This was the problem in Thessalonica,
2 Thes. 3:11-13.
“We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.”
These people were looking for Jesus to return at any moment, so they just quit doing anything. That is not God’s plan! If we want to take a biblical example, let us look to the book of Nehemiah. As he and his workers were being threatened by their enemies, they worked with one hand and held a weapon in the other, Neh. 4:17. In other words, they watched and they worked all at the same time! I will say it again, there will never come a day when we can quit serving the Lord! If you have been guilty of quitting on the Lord, let me encourage you to pick up your tools again! There is work to be done! Let us work until Jesus comes for us, whether it be in the clouds or by the clods.
v. 1-8 Walking With Progress -
As the Lord led Elijah from place to place, these places he visited allowed him the opportunity to visit the schools of the prophets. He was permitted to speak to the young men who were training to serve the Lord. He was allowed to be an encouragement to them. These places also gave Elijah the opportunity to reminisce about his life and how the Lord had worked in it so powerfully and so wonderfully. Let’s take a moment to look at each of these places Elijah visited and note the significance each held for the prophet.
Why did the older prophet want his servant to accompany him to Bethel and Jericho? Surely it wasn’t just a sentimental journey for Elijah, one last trip down memory lane. No - this wise, old man wanted to teach Elisha - as well as us today - our need for more of God’s power and anointing.
1. Gilgal - v. 1 POINT OF SALVATION - Gilgal was the first place Israel camped when they crossed the Jordan and entered the Promised Land. Gilgal was the place of new beginnings. Here, they were near the battles, but not fighting them yet. They were in a place of safety, of preparation, and of communion with the Lord. Here, they renewed their covenants and grew strong in their relationship with the Lord.
For Elijah it was time for him to remember how it all began for him. How the Lord called him and filled him to use him for the glory of God. (To follow the illustration of pushing a car rather then driving it: this is the point you actually get into the drivers set and realize the potential of driving rather then pushing.)
2. Bethel - v. 2-3 POINT OF SURRENDER- Bethel was a holy place for the people of Israel.
It was at Bethel that the patriarch Jacob had met the Lord God, Gen. 28:11-22. Bethel signified the place of the altar and of total dependence upon the Lord. This is the place that Jacob totally surrendered his life to God. Bethel was the place of revelation. Bethel was the place where God became known and where He became big in the eyes of those who worship Him.
For Elijah, Bethel was a place to reflect upon all the altars he had experienced in his life. He remembered how his life had lived in total dependence upon the Lord God! (This is were you turn the key and actually start the engine and prepare to use its power instead of your own.)
DO NOT SPEAK OF IT – When Elisha says to the prophets that he knows Elijah is going to die but he doesn’t want to talk about it I don’t think it was so much because it was too upsetting to him, I believe it was a matter of focus. Yes everyone knew that God was going to take Elijah but lets don’t stop and worry over it, lets get ready for it. Just as our focus today is not to sell everything and go wait on top of a mountain for God to come rapture us out of this world. We are to be focused on what we’re doing for God this day at this moment in our life preparing ourselves for our future resurrection. God doesn’t want us to put everything on spiritual hold and freeze all our spiritual assets and wait for Him, He wants us to be busy working, walking and watching as we journey through this life.
3. Jericho - v. 4-5 POINT OF BATTLE- For the people of Israel, Jericho represented the power of God to give victory in the day of battle. This was the place of their first major conquest in the Promised Land. Jericho was the place of victory and power.
For Elijah, Jericho was a place for him to remember all the great victories he had enjoyed in his life. He could reflect back on all the great things God had done for him and through him. Times like the ravens, the everlasting meal, the resuscitated child, the victory at Carmel, all flooded the prophet’s mind. He remembered a life of powerful victories! (At this point you put the car in gear and begin to travel and experience the difference of moving in its power over struggling with your power.)
4. Jordan - v. 6-8 POINT OF TRANSFORMATION- For Israel, the river Jordan marked the end of their wilderness wanderings. It was a picture of death. That is, it was the place where the pilgrims died. When they crossed Jordan, they were no longer pilgrims, but they were a people who had arrived home. Jordan was the place of death.
For Elijah, it was the perfect place to reflect on all the ways he had died to self during his years as a man of God. There, he could reflect on the fact that he had lived a selfless life, and that he had lived a life to the glory of God! (At this point it’s like turning on the air-conditioner in your car when it’s about 100 degrees outside, so their you are driving down the road at speeds you could never push with your own strength, cool, calm and comfortable. It’s here you decide you’ll never go back to pushing your car again.)
The Christian life is not meant to be a life of stagnation. It is meant to be a life of progression. The Lord wants to grow us and fashion us into His image. As He leads us from place to place along the road of life, may we, like Elijah, simply follow in humble obedience to His will for us! After all, the greatest gift we can give the Lord is ourselves, totally surrendered and dedicated to His will, Rom. 12:1-2.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
read vs. 7-14: As we are walking in purpose and progress we will naturally desire for more from God - How can we?
IF WE WANT A DOUBLE PORTION OF GOD WE MUST:
FOLLOW CLOSLY THOSE WHOM GOD HAS ANOINTED v.6
Elisha followed Elijah
Joshua followed Moses
Timothy followed Paul
I don’t think Elijah was trying to get rid of Elisha as much as he was putting his close companion, his successor-in-the-making, to the test. But Elisha was relentless. He stayed by the old prophet’s side. We need a few Elishas in our lives, intimate friends who will stick with us through thick and thin. They bring us strength and encouragement; they are a rare breed indeed!
V. 9-10 TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THOSE WHO COME AFTER US - As they walk together, Elijah spends his last moments with Elisha teaching him about obedience and faithfulness. Elisha’s request and the stipulations attached to its fulfillment. Elijah doesn’t slap Elisha on the shoulder and walk off into the sunset. He knows this man is to take his place some day. He knows that Elisha needs and deserves the best training he can be given. The future depends on Elijah doing his duty today. Before he leaves, he must hand down his ministry to the same keeping of the next generation.
There is another generation coming along behind us. What are we teaching them about faith, obedience to God, faithfulness to the Lord’s house and work, love for the Bible, etc? What kind of legacy are we leaving behind as we travel toward our crossing? We are here this morning because some people were faithful to hand down their faith to us, 2 Tim. 2:2. “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” Our duty to those who follow is to give them what they need to get the job done for Jesus.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK BIG THINGS OF GOD (V. 10)
The mind-set of too many Christians is far too limited. We would do well to learn a lesson about vision from Elijah’s faithful companion. Yet even Elijah, with all the great things he asked of God – remember, this is the man who called down fire from heaven – is a bit taken back here. “That’s a tough one,” he tells Elisha. “But if you see me when I’m taken from you, then what you ask shall be yours. If you don’t, it will not be.” After that there was no way Elisha was going to let Elijah out of his sight.
V. 11) They were walking along and talking together. Elijah was not preaching or prophesying. It was just the two intimate friends. Walking along together and talking. What a fantastic moment that must have been. Then just like that! Instantly he was gone “up to heaven in a whirlwind.” Elisha saw the chariots, and he cried out in amazement and fright. He must have been physically and mentally terrified at this sight. The whirlwind blew so hard against Elisha that it blew him away from Elijah.
BE WILLING TO CHANGE YOUR COAT (V. 13)
What if Elisha would’ve have thought he liked his clothes too much to put on Elijah’s coat? Elisha tore away his clothes just as he was tearing away from his old way of life in which he was a follower of Elijah to a leader of God’s people. You’ve heard the expression it’s time to make a new break, that’s exactly what Elisha did.
You know that as the years went on that Elisha looked down at that old cloak of Elijah and remembered the times they spent together. Times when Elijah fearlessly proclaimed the Almighty God to the pagan world, and the time when God’s power came to rest on Elisha. That old cloak served to strengthen the younger Elisha, whom God destined to use in even greater ways. and so can we... if we are willing to move w/ God and allow Him to change and mold us/
(the potter video)
Conclusion: I doubt if any of you are going to go out this morning and push your car home, so don’t leave here and push your spiritual life either. Surrender today to the power of the Holy Spirit in your life and allow Him to lift you up and power you life all the days of your journey here on earth.
The life of Elijah has been a whirlwind of activity! From the time he stepped out of nowhere to confront the king of Israel, to his adventures of faith at the dry brook and the widow’s house, to his great victory on Mount Carmel. Elijah’s life has been pretty amazing to say the least! Now, that life is about to end! Verse one of our text makes it clear that God is about to remove the prophet from this earth. He will leave here like he lived here;
in a whirlwind!
I believe that Elijah sets a great example for those of us who are waiting on that time when we too will leave this world. If we were to be honest this morning, every saved person here would readily admit that they are anxiously awaiting that time when they will be home with the Lord in heaven. But, what are we to be
doing here, in the meantime, while we wait? Elijah shows us in this passage! As we read this account, we find there are three ways that Elijah spent his time as he waited on the whirlwind. One of these days all of our journeys will be over. Those who are saved will leave this world either by way of the cemetery or be way of the rapture. Either way, we will leave here in a whirlwind. Swept away into the presence of God. Until that day comes, we must live our lives in a way that is pleasing to the Lord and in a way that honors His will. Elijah shows us how to do just that. Let’s look in on Elijah and see the ways he spent his time as we think on the subject, Waiting On The Whirlwind.
Illustration: What if on your way to church this morning you drove up on me and my family and we we’re pushing our van to church this morning? You stopped and asked me if I was out of gas…I said no…then you asked if our van was broke down but no I told you it was running fine. Wouldn’t you want to know why my family and I were pushing the van instead of ridding in it? And with that I inform you that I preferred to push the van instead of drive it. Wouldn’t you think that was silly? In truth it’s not any more ridiculous than a Christian living their life and not utilizing the power of the Holy Spirit. Many Christians today are pushing their life through human effort and struggle when all the power of the Holy Spirit is available to them.
Illustration: When a mother eagle is trying to teach its eaglets how to fly, but the baby eaglets are too afraid to jump out of the nest. The mother eagle will go and catch something the eaglets love to eat like a rabbit or something and fly right by the nest just out of reach of the eaglets to coax them out of the nest. Then sometimes when the baby eaglet comes out of the nest it falls to the earth, when that happens the mother eagle with wings spread will catch them and literally lift them up with their wings. Until they catch the air currents they call thermals. An eagle can fly anywhere from 30 to 50 miles per hour, but when they catch a thermal they can get anywhere from 80 to 100 miles per hour. And it’s effortless because they are ridding on the wind. That’s exactly how we are to live as Christians, we are to spread our arms and surrender and let the Holy Spirit’s power lift us up and carry us as we surrender the Lord.
(V.1) “When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind”
WE NEED TO BE WATCHING AND WAITING
According to this verse, Elijah knew the precious truth that he was going to get to go to Heaven without having to pass through death. This was a privilege that had only been enjoyed by one other person in history. Genesis 5:21-24 tells that story of a man named Enoch. He was a man who lived for and walked with the Lord. When his time here was over, God simply took Enoch to Heaven, without him having to pass through death! This is the precious event that Elijah was anticipating. By the way, this is something that could happen to you and me! The Bible teaches us that there will be a future event know as the rapture. At that time, the Lord Jesus Christ will return in the clouds above this earth and He will call His people home to Heaven, 1 Thes. 4:13-18. This is a precious event that could happen to us at any moment, 1 Cor. 15:51-52, and when it does, we will go to Heaven without having to die to get there. That excites me! I think I’ll just repeat the prayer John prayed on Patmos: "Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.", Rev. 22:20
Just as everyone seemed to know about Elijah’s rapture, the Bible has informed us today about the coming rapture. It has not been hidden, the information is available to anyone with a Bible. Even though all these people knew it was coming, no one knew exactly when it would happen! Elijah knew that God was coming for him, but he did not know just when. Therefore, he lived his last days and hours in anticipation of that coming event.
How did Elijah live up to his last day on earth?
V. 1-6 Walking With Purpose -
As Elijah anticipated his departure from this world, he continued to live as he always had. He continued to walk in humble obedience before the Lord God! Notice his statement, "The LORD hath sent me...", v. 2, 4, 6. If Elijah had been like many in our day, he would have spent his last days on the earth in retirement from service. He would have spent his time doing all the things he hadn’t had time to do while he was active serving the Lord. However, Elijah knew a truth that many people never learn: There is no higher call than that of following the Lord and doing what He asks you to do!
The lesson for us is this: there will never come a day when we can quit serving the Lord. Even though we know we are leaving, and that our leaving could be today, we should still seek to live lives that are filled with surrender to the call of the Lord. Several years ago, there was a group of people in Texas who became convinced that Jesus was going to return on a given date. As a result, they sold all their possessions, quit their jobs and went to the top of a mountain, sat down and waited fro the rapture. That is not what God wants you and me to be doing! He wants us to be busy in His work until He returns to take us home to glory! This was the problem in Thessalonica,
2 Thes. 3:11-13.
“We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.”
These people were looking for Jesus to return at any moment, so they just quit doing anything. That is not God’s plan! If we want to take a biblical example, let us look to the book of Nehemiah. As he and his workers were being threatened by their enemies, they worked with one hand and held a weapon in the other, Neh. 4:17. In other words, they watched and they worked all at the same time! I will say it again, there will never come a day when we can quit serving the Lord! If you have been guilty of quitting on the Lord, let me encourage you to pick up your tools again! There is work to be done! Let us work until Jesus comes for us, whether it be in the clouds or by the clods.
v. 1-8 Walking With Progress -
As the Lord led Elijah from place to place, these places he visited allowed him the opportunity to visit the schools of the prophets. He was permitted to speak to the young men who were training to serve the Lord. He was allowed to be an encouragement to them. These places also gave Elijah the opportunity to reminisce about his life and how the Lord had worked in it so powerfully and so wonderfully. Let’s take a moment to look at each of these places Elijah visited and note the significance each held for the prophet.
Why did the older prophet want his servant to accompany him to Bethel and Jericho? Surely it wasn’t just a sentimental journey for Elijah, one last trip down memory lane. No - this wise, old man wanted to teach Elisha - as well as us today - our need for more of God’s power and anointing.
1. Gilgal - v. 1 POINT OF SALVATION - Gilgal was the first place Israel camped when they crossed the Jordan and entered the Promised Land. Gilgal was the place of new beginnings. Here, they were near the battles, but not fighting them yet. They were in a place of safety, of preparation, and of communion with the Lord. Here, they renewed their covenants and grew strong in their relationship with the Lord.
For Elijah it was time for him to remember how it all began for him. How the Lord called him and filled him to use him for the glory of God. (To follow the illustration of pushing a car rather then driving it: this is the point you actually get into the drivers set and realize the potential of driving rather then pushing.)
2. Bethel - v. 2-3 POINT OF SURRENDER- Bethel was a holy place for the people of Israel.
It was at Bethel that the patriarch Jacob had met the Lord God, Gen. 28:11-22. Bethel signified the place of the altar and of total dependence upon the Lord. This is the place that Jacob totally surrendered his life to God. Bethel was the place of revelation. Bethel was the place where God became known and where He became big in the eyes of those who worship Him.
For Elijah, Bethel was a place to reflect upon all the altars he had experienced in his life. He remembered how his life had lived in total dependence upon the Lord God! (This is were you turn the key and actually start the engine and prepare to use its power instead of your own.)
DO NOT SPEAK OF IT – When Elisha says to the prophets that he knows Elijah is going to die but he doesn’t want to talk about it I don’t think it was so much because it was too upsetting to him, I believe it was a matter of focus. Yes everyone knew that God was going to take Elijah but lets don’t stop and worry over it, lets get ready for it. Just as our focus today is not to sell everything and go wait on top of a mountain for God to come rapture us out of this world. We are to be focused on what we’re doing for God this day at this moment in our life preparing ourselves for our future resurrection. God doesn’t want us to put everything on spiritual hold and freeze all our spiritual assets and wait for Him, He wants us to be busy working, walking and watching as we journey through this life.
3. Jericho - v. 4-5 POINT OF BATTLE- For the people of Israel, Jericho represented the power of God to give victory in the day of battle. This was the place of their first major conquest in the Promised Land. Jericho was the place of victory and power.
For Elijah, Jericho was a place for him to remember all the great victories he had enjoyed in his life. He could reflect back on all the great things God had done for him and through him. Times like the ravens, the everlasting meal, the resuscitated child, the victory at Carmel, all flooded the prophet’s mind. He remembered a life of powerful victories! (At this point you put the car in gear and begin to travel and experience the difference of moving in its power over struggling with your power.)
4. Jordan - v. 6-8 POINT OF TRANSFORMATION- For Israel, the river Jordan marked the end of their wilderness wanderings. It was a picture of death. That is, it was the place where the pilgrims died. When they crossed Jordan, they were no longer pilgrims, but they were a people who had arrived home. Jordan was the place of death.
For Elijah, it was the perfect place to reflect on all the ways he had died to self during his years as a man of God. There, he could reflect on the fact that he had lived a selfless life, and that he had lived a life to the glory of God! (At this point it’s like turning on the air-conditioner in your car when it’s about 100 degrees outside, so their you are driving down the road at speeds you could never push with your own strength, cool, calm and comfortable. It’s here you decide you’ll never go back to pushing your car again.)
The Christian life is not meant to be a life of stagnation. It is meant to be a life of progression. The Lord wants to grow us and fashion us into His image. As He leads us from place to place along the road of life, may we, like Elijah, simply follow in humble obedience to His will for us! After all, the greatest gift we can give the Lord is ourselves, totally surrendered and dedicated to His will, Rom. 12:1-2.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
read vs. 7-14: As we are walking in purpose and progress we will naturally desire for more from God - How can we?
IF WE WANT A DOUBLE PORTION OF GOD WE MUST:
FOLLOW CLOSLY THOSE WHOM GOD HAS ANOINTED v.6
Elisha followed Elijah
Joshua followed Moses
Timothy followed Paul
I don’t think Elijah was trying to get rid of Elisha as much as he was putting his close companion, his successor-in-the-making, to the test. But Elisha was relentless. He stayed by the old prophet’s side. We need a few Elishas in our lives, intimate friends who will stick with us through thick and thin. They bring us strength and encouragement; they are a rare breed indeed!
V. 9-10 TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THOSE WHO COME AFTER US - As they walk together, Elijah spends his last moments with Elisha teaching him about obedience and faithfulness. Elisha’s request and the stipulations attached to its fulfillment. Elijah doesn’t slap Elisha on the shoulder and walk off into the sunset. He knows this man is to take his place some day. He knows that Elisha needs and deserves the best training he can be given. The future depends on Elijah doing his duty today. Before he leaves, he must hand down his ministry to the same keeping of the next generation.
There is another generation coming along behind us. What are we teaching them about faith, obedience to God, faithfulness to the Lord’s house and work, love for the Bible, etc? What kind of legacy are we leaving behind as we travel toward our crossing? We are here this morning because some people were faithful to hand down their faith to us, 2 Tim. 2:2. “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” Our duty to those who follow is to give them what they need to get the job done for Jesus.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK BIG THINGS OF GOD (V. 10)
The mind-set of too many Christians is far too limited. We would do well to learn a lesson about vision from Elijah’s faithful companion. Yet even Elijah, with all the great things he asked of God – remember, this is the man who called down fire from heaven – is a bit taken back here. “That’s a tough one,” he tells Elisha. “But if you see me when I’m taken from you, then what you ask shall be yours. If you don’t, it will not be.” After that there was no way Elisha was going to let Elijah out of his sight.
V. 11) They were walking along and talking together. Elijah was not preaching or prophesying. It was just the two intimate friends. Walking along together and talking. What a fantastic moment that must have been. Then just like that! Instantly he was gone “up to heaven in a whirlwind.” Elisha saw the chariots, and he cried out in amazement and fright. He must have been physically and mentally terrified at this sight. The whirlwind blew so hard against Elisha that it blew him away from Elijah.
BE WILLING TO CHANGE YOUR COAT (V. 13)
What if Elisha would’ve have thought he liked his clothes too much to put on Elijah’s coat? Elisha tore away his clothes just as he was tearing away from his old way of life in which he was a follower of Elijah to a leader of God’s people. You’ve heard the expression it’s time to make a new break, that’s exactly what Elisha did.
You know that as the years went on that Elisha looked down at that old cloak of Elijah and remembered the times they spent together. Times when Elijah fearlessly proclaimed the Almighty God to the pagan world, and the time when God’s power came to rest on Elisha. That old cloak served to strengthen the younger Elisha, whom God destined to use in even greater ways. and so can we... if we are willing to move w/ God and allow Him to change and mold us/
(the potter video)
Conclusion: I doubt if any of you are going to go out this morning and push your car home, so don’t leave here and push your spiritual life either. Surrender today to the power of the Holy Spirit in your life and allow Him to lift you up and power you life all the days of your journey here on earth.
Monday, August 06, 2007
The Elijah Element - Investing in Others Spiritual Development
let's turn to where we left off last week—1Kings 19.
He thought he was alone, but God showed him he was wrong. God had other people through whom he would work to accomplish his plan. This is why one of the things God told Elijah to do after this was to anoint Elisha as his successor ( read 1 Kings 19:16, “...anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.”
19-21 - “So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. 20 Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. "Let me kiss my father and mother good-by," he said, "and then I will come with you."
"Go back," Elijah replied. "What have I done to you?"
21 So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant.”
Now let’s fast-forward about 10 years to 2Kings2, which records Elijah's last day on earth. It is a poignant narrative, and it contains an important lesson for us—read 2:1-6.
“When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel."
But Elisha said, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel.
3 The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, "Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?" "Yes, I know," Elisha replied, "but do not speak of it."
4 Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here, Elisha; the LORD has sent me to Jericho." And he replied, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So they went to Jericho.
5 The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, "Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?" "Yes, I know," he replied, "but do not speak of it."
6 Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here; the LORD has sent me to the Jordan." And he replied, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So the two of them walked on.”
Investing in other’s spiritual development
We learn from this narrative that Elijah’s role in God’s service was not exclusively dramatic. Yes, the dramatic events were a key part of his role—but he had another role that, although not dramatic, was just as important. As this passage traces Elijah's final journey through Gilgal, Bethel and Jericho, it becomes clear that Elijah has invested long and deeply in the lives of certain individuals so that they may play their roles in God’s service after Elijah is gone.
Notice the priority he places on visiting different “groups of prophets” (2:3,5,7). These were younger people (lit. “sons”)
being developed by Elijah and other prophets (e.g. Micaiah) to learn the scriptures, and provide spiritual leadership for Israel in the midst of Ahab and Ahaziah's apostasy. He probably wanted to encourage them one last time.
Even more so, notice the friendship bond that Elijah and Elisha share. They had spent ten years together, and this last day is tearing both of them apart. Elijah wants to spare Elisha the pain of his departure. Elisha refuses to leave Elijah even though he knows he must depart, but he won't talk about this to the groups of prophets—probably because it is too painful for him (more on that next week)
This is part of a larger biblical pattern in which followers of God get personally and intentionally involved with other followers of Christ to help them fulfill God’s purpose for their lives.
This is necessary for our spiritual development.
Just as we discussed last week the importance of being a part of community - connected w/ other Christ followers - now let’s take that a step further.
For us to grow in our walk w/ Christ each of us need 3 different individuals in our lives:
A Paul
A Barnabas
A Timothy
PAUL, this is a “mentor-protégé” relationship—one is (usually) chronologically older and (always) much more spiritually mature than the other. In the context of a close love relationship, the older one trains the younger one to carry on after he is gone (e.g. MOSES & JOSHUA; ELIJAH & ELISHA; JESUS & 12; PAUL & TIMOTHY). We learn from this pattern that spiritual leaders are responsible not only to serve publicly through teaching and preaching, but also to privately develop more godly leaders who can repeat this pattern with others. (Titus 1&2)
I have a few PAUL’S in my life - men and women who have been-there-done that. More experienced, more mature in Christ who lead us upward, towards God’s purpose in our lives.
They not only train us but provide great perception - to help us see through or get past problems in life.
(story of felling down... met w/ mentor)
(1 Samuel 3)
Can you name a PAUL or 2 in your life?
(if so, write it down, if not begin to pray today) it may be parent...
But the “mentor-protégé” relationship is not the only biblical way of helping people toward spiritual development.
That’s where BARNABAS comes in...
We also see examples of intentional peer friendships that pursue this godly goal (read Prov.27:17; DAVID & JONATHAN; PAUL & BARNABAS). Paul’s vision of the church is highly relational and highly intentional communities (house churches) in which the members help one another to become spiritually mature servants (Eph.4:15,16).
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”
This was mainly how Cathleen and I developed into leaders.
Each of us had input from more mature leaders who occasionally would pour into our lives. Sometimes in a one on one setting, sometimes in a group setting.
But most of our development as leaders came as we learned together and challenged one another and served together as peers—with occasional input from much more experienced Christians.
You see we need both - we need people pouring their knowledge, their experiences into us and we need others side-by-side, peers, who will challenge us to keep going, move ahead, go further than we think we can go. You’re buds, w/ similar goals of going after God and serving Him. Who’s your BARNABAS?
Ahhh but there’s more...
We each need a TIMOTHY in our lives...
the discipleship relationship
“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” (read 2 Tim.2:2).
This is someone you are pouring into - your life, your experiences, the ups and downs and how you and God made it through - encouraging them in whatever they are facing in the here-and-now.
It could be your children, it should be your children... finding creative ways to teach God’s truths. It could be a niece or nephew, hey it could be a younger brother or sister, or maybe a co-worker, or a friend - however it plays it out... are you pouring yourself into someone else?
This is a big part of my role, w. my girls and beyond that. You see me as a public leader and teacher, and this is a key part of my spiritual service. But I also need to spend time w/ others privately, one on one or in a small group setting to help them become and improve as spiritual leaders. It would be very short-sighted of me to neglect this private work for more public ministry. Each of us need this in our lives.
This is a key role of community group leaders. Or any who are considered ‘lay pastors’ that help in the ministry of the church. According to the Bible, spiritual transformation (real, deep-seated and lasting change) requires more than larger meetings like this. It happens in the context of community—that’s why we emphasize small groups. Everyone who wants spiritual transformation should have the opportunity to be in a home group.
Where will these future leaders come from? They won’t appear from nowhere—they must be developed by the existing leaders in this personal and private and intentional way. So having home group leaders who will take this principle seriously may be the greatest strength of our church!
Who is your TIMOTHY? Who are you pouring into? pouring God’s truth into?
This principle, then, is a watershed issue in the health of a church. When churches emphasize and practice these
principles, they become like a HEALTHY GROWING
EXTENDED FAMILY. The parents help their children mature. The older siblings help their younger siblings develop. The children grow up to have their own families, where the same personal development happens—and the result is a healthy extended family. But when churches ignore this principle, they become dysfunctional—like PERPETUAL DAY-CARE CENTERS. A few professional care-givers (the pastors) get worn out doing public ministry, while the children (the church members) remain in a state of arrested development.
What about you? Are you committed to this principle like Elijah was? Even if you are a comparatively young Christian, you can do this. You don’t have to wait until you’re a veteran “mentor.” You don’t have to be a Bible scholar. You don’t have to have a problem-free character. You just need to be serious about following Christ, get involved in a few others’ lives and let them get involved in yours, share what you’re learning, and help one another serve others. You can do this! And it will be a huge part of your spiritual legacy!
God has so much for you - bigger and better things in life. God has not called us to just sit on our hands, or be happy w/ the status quo - He has more! and as we saw in Elijah today we too need to implement this element into our own lives. For our spiritual dev. we all need 3 diff. ind. in our lives. Paul - Barnabas - Timothy
He thought he was alone, but God showed him he was wrong. God had other people through whom he would work to accomplish his plan. This is why one of the things God told Elijah to do after this was to anoint Elisha as his successor ( read 1 Kings 19:16, “...anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.”
19-21 - “So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. 20 Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. "Let me kiss my father and mother good-by," he said, "and then I will come with you."
"Go back," Elijah replied. "What have I done to you?"
21 So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant.”
Now let’s fast-forward about 10 years to 2Kings2, which records Elijah's last day on earth. It is a poignant narrative, and it contains an important lesson for us—read 2:1-6.
“When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel."
But Elisha said, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel.
3 The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, "Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?" "Yes, I know," Elisha replied, "but do not speak of it."
4 Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here, Elisha; the LORD has sent me to Jericho." And he replied, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So they went to Jericho.
5 The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, "Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?" "Yes, I know," he replied, "but do not speak of it."
6 Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here; the LORD has sent me to the Jordan." And he replied, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So the two of them walked on.”
Investing in other’s spiritual development
We learn from this narrative that Elijah’s role in God’s service was not exclusively dramatic. Yes, the dramatic events were a key part of his role—but he had another role that, although not dramatic, was just as important. As this passage traces Elijah's final journey through Gilgal, Bethel and Jericho, it becomes clear that Elijah has invested long and deeply in the lives of certain individuals so that they may play their roles in God’s service after Elijah is gone.
Notice the priority he places on visiting different “groups of prophets” (2:3,5,7). These were younger people (lit. “sons”)
being developed by Elijah and other prophets (e.g. Micaiah) to learn the scriptures, and provide spiritual leadership for Israel in the midst of Ahab and Ahaziah's apostasy. He probably wanted to encourage them one last time.
Even more so, notice the friendship bond that Elijah and Elisha share. They had spent ten years together, and this last day is tearing both of them apart. Elijah wants to spare Elisha the pain of his departure. Elisha refuses to leave Elijah even though he knows he must depart, but he won't talk about this to the groups of prophets—probably because it is too painful for him (more on that next week)
This is part of a larger biblical pattern in which followers of God get personally and intentionally involved with other followers of Christ to help them fulfill God’s purpose for their lives.
This is necessary for our spiritual development.
Just as we discussed last week the importance of being a part of community - connected w/ other Christ followers - now let’s take that a step further.
For us to grow in our walk w/ Christ each of us need 3 different individuals in our lives:
A Paul
A Barnabas
A Timothy
PAUL, this is a “mentor-protégé” relationship—one is (usually) chronologically older and (always) much more spiritually mature than the other. In the context of a close love relationship, the older one trains the younger one to carry on after he is gone (e.g. MOSES & JOSHUA; ELIJAH & ELISHA; JESUS & 12; PAUL & TIMOTHY). We learn from this pattern that spiritual leaders are responsible not only to serve publicly through teaching and preaching, but also to privately develop more godly leaders who can repeat this pattern with others. (Titus 1&2)
I have a few PAUL’S in my life - men and women who have been-there-done that. More experienced, more mature in Christ who lead us upward, towards God’s purpose in our lives.
They not only train us but provide great perception - to help us see through or get past problems in life.
(story of felling down... met w/ mentor)
(1 Samuel 3)
Can you name a PAUL or 2 in your life?
(if so, write it down, if not begin to pray today) it may be parent...
But the “mentor-protégé” relationship is not the only biblical way of helping people toward spiritual development.
That’s where BARNABAS comes in...
We also see examples of intentional peer friendships that pursue this godly goal (read Prov.27:17; DAVID & JONATHAN; PAUL & BARNABAS). Paul’s vision of the church is highly relational and highly intentional communities (house churches) in which the members help one another to become spiritually mature servants (Eph.4:15,16).
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”
This was mainly how Cathleen and I developed into leaders.
Each of us had input from more mature leaders who occasionally would pour into our lives. Sometimes in a one on one setting, sometimes in a group setting.
But most of our development as leaders came as we learned together and challenged one another and served together as peers—with occasional input from much more experienced Christians.
You see we need both - we need people pouring their knowledge, their experiences into us and we need others side-by-side, peers, who will challenge us to keep going, move ahead, go further than we think we can go. You’re buds, w/ similar goals of going after God and serving Him. Who’s your BARNABAS?
Ahhh but there’s more...
We each need a TIMOTHY in our lives...
the discipleship relationship
“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” (read 2 Tim.2:2).
This is someone you are pouring into - your life, your experiences, the ups and downs and how you and God made it through - encouraging them in whatever they are facing in the here-and-now.
It could be your children, it should be your children... finding creative ways to teach God’s truths. It could be a niece or nephew, hey it could be a younger brother or sister, or maybe a co-worker, or a friend - however it plays it out... are you pouring yourself into someone else?
This is a big part of my role, w. my girls and beyond that. You see me as a public leader and teacher, and this is a key part of my spiritual service. But I also need to spend time w/ others privately, one on one or in a small group setting to help them become and improve as spiritual leaders. It would be very short-sighted of me to neglect this private work for more public ministry. Each of us need this in our lives.
This is a key role of community group leaders. Or any who are considered ‘lay pastors’ that help in the ministry of the church. According to the Bible, spiritual transformation (real, deep-seated and lasting change) requires more than larger meetings like this. It happens in the context of community—that’s why we emphasize small groups. Everyone who wants spiritual transformation should have the opportunity to be in a home group.
Where will these future leaders come from? They won’t appear from nowhere—they must be developed by the existing leaders in this personal and private and intentional way. So having home group leaders who will take this principle seriously may be the greatest strength of our church!
Who is your TIMOTHY? Who are you pouring into? pouring God’s truth into?
This principle, then, is a watershed issue in the health of a church. When churches emphasize and practice these
principles, they become like a HEALTHY GROWING
EXTENDED FAMILY. The parents help their children mature. The older siblings help their younger siblings develop. The children grow up to have their own families, where the same personal development happens—and the result is a healthy extended family. But when churches ignore this principle, they become dysfunctional—like PERPETUAL DAY-CARE CENTERS. A few professional care-givers (the pastors) get worn out doing public ministry, while the children (the church members) remain in a state of arrested development.
What about you? Are you committed to this principle like Elijah was? Even if you are a comparatively young Christian, you can do this. You don’t have to wait until you’re a veteran “mentor.” You don’t have to be a Bible scholar. You don’t have to have a problem-free character. You just need to be serious about following Christ, get involved in a few others’ lives and let them get involved in yours, share what you’re learning, and help one another serve others. You can do this! And it will be a huge part of your spiritual legacy!
God has so much for you - bigger and better things in life. God has not called us to just sit on our hands, or be happy w/ the status quo - He has more! and as we saw in Elijah today we too need to implement this element into our own lives. For our spiritual dev. we all need 3 diff. ind. in our lives. Paul - Barnabas - Timothy
Sunday, July 29, 2007
The Elijah Element - The Only One Left?
1Kings 19:8-18
“So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.
And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
10 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
14 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
15 The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."
Last week we saw Elijah worn out, depressed and discouraged - he ran out of fear - the threat of Jezebel to take his life.
In his discouraged, depressed state he’s also feeling extremely lonely. In this passage alone he states twice he is the only one left who loves and follows God. He’s feeling alone - lost and alone and wanting to give up. there are times we can relate.
A number of years ago the following ad was placed in a Midwestern newspaper: "I will listen to you talk for 30 minutes without a comment for $5.00." Sounds like a scam, doesn't it? It was not. Person placing ad received 10-20 calls a day.
As his UCLA football team suffered through a poor season in the early 1970s, head coach Pepper Rodgers came under intense criticism and pressure from alumni and fans. Things got so bad, he remembers with a smile, that friends became hard to find. “My dog was my only true friend,” Rodgers says of that year. “I told my wife that every man needs at least two good friends—and she bought me another dog.”
Loneliness. It's not uncommon.
There are two (2) basic types of loneliness:
a. GEOGRAPHICAL LONELINESS. 1) What special military ops people feel alone in desert. 2) This is loneliness we feel on business trips; phone call helps--not the same as being there!
b. LONELINESS OF SPIRIT. 1) Husband & wife under same roof but distant. 2) Unwed mother whose former lover deserts her. 3) Elderly person who waits for call/mail/visit.
There are times when we all feel lonely. 1) New town, new job, new school, loss of loved one. 2) That kind of loneliness is natural--won't last. 3) But for some, loneliness runs much deeper.
-Sometimes loneliness is a choice.
We turn back on folks who really care (friends, family).
we can choose against love; to squander relationships;
loneliness is a decision--yours!
with Elijah it was his decision - in vs. 3 he took off on his own, then left his servant and traveled further by himself.
-Sometimes we throw a self-pity party
we make it worse than it really is. Oh whoa is me!
I don’t know why we pout in our self-pity, no one’s around
vs. 4 “while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors."
-Sometimes we exaggerate loneliness.
We can blow up a minor mishap into a huge ordeal.
a little argument w/ the spouse can result in sleeping in separate rooms for a few days.
in vs. 10 & 14 Elijah exaggerates his situation and speaks of how he is the only one left.
Funny thing is - he’s not the only one left and he knows it!
1st there was Ob. who he connected with who is a devout follower of God, scripture tells us, and not only just Ob, b/c Ob also told Elijah that there were 100 more hidden from Jezebel.
So now we just went from 1 left to 101 left - that’s a huge increase, especially if you break it by percentage!
You’re not the only one left Elijah.
Regardless of what the case may be, sometimes we create this loneliness ourselves, sometimes we don’t but regardless of how it’s happened the bottom line is if you FEEL lonely, then that’s all that really matters at that point. and this is how Elijah felt.
in vs. 10 & 14 he says I’m the only one left, that’s how he FEELS... it’s interesting that Elijah says he’s alone twice and twice God asks Elijah, “what are you doing here?” mmmm...
Elijah’s in a cave, fearful, alone, no one gets me, no one struggles like me - tell me if this resonates w/ you - no one has the thoughts I have... if you’re married, no1 argues w/ their spouse like me... if people knew the real me, I would die.. people might be depressed, but no1 like me... people don’t hate people like I do, people don’t have an infatuation w/ their middle finger when they’re on I-10 like I do, right?
We’re so afraid to come out of the cave, b/c we feel like no1 gets us - we feel alone and we want freedom from that.
Look here how God remedies that - you see He doesn’t do it by a great worship experience, a fire or earthquake or anything like that. He doesn’t say, “Hey, we’ll sing 8 songs and then you’ll get it” although that can & could certainly happen, but not here, and not usually - look at what God does: He tells Elijah to get back to work (last week)
18 “Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."
This is what God is basically saying, “you think you’re the only left, but if you head over that mountain you’ll see 7,000 just like you
How does God remedy it? Community
Hebrews 10:24-25
You know it was George Gallop who said, “Americans are among the loneliest people in the world.”
The most advanced society, the most technologically driven people ever created, yet we feel all the time, that we’re in this thing alone, doing life by ourselves.
Although we work in offices and people are around us all the time, we drive into our neighborhoods full of houses, our head can hit the pillow at night and we feel like we’re all alone. Ever felt that way?
How many of you would agree life is confusing at times - raise hands? how about difficult at times?
Then why in the world would we want to try to figure it all alone - why try and do this journey by ourselves? So often in life we think, I’ll just go at it alone and that is not how God created it to be.
God created this network w/in the church to help us do life.
We believe here at FOCUS* that the church must grow larger and smaller at the same time. (Always reaching out to others growing the church and at the same time doing life together in a multitude of small community groups)
I’m not real sure how you walked in here felling this morning and when I mentioned Gallop said Americans are some of the loneliest people it may have resonated with you or maybe you have thought, I have a lot of friends but the relationships are about this deep.
Ladies and gentlemen God did not create you to live alone - He created you to do life with other people
What’s the big deal about community - we all have needs:
1. I NEED OTHERS TO KNOW ME.
Beyond the superficial, I need others to know me - not know who I am, I want others to know me. (it has been one of the frustrating things to deal with in moving here to Houston - left tight knit group of back in Cali.) I want that deep relationship, not just business, not just let’s go play hoops once a month, someone to know me. And there’s not 1 of us in this room that does not have this desire w/in us to be known.
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing… Hebrews 10:25a
It’s interesting that the writer continues to make this a plural assumption, ‘Let US not’ - God created us for community - for others to know us. Doing life with others is God’s answer to loneliness
Community is God’s answer to … LONELINESS.
2. I NEED OTHERS TO WALK WITH ME.
I need to know I’m not doing this journey by myself.
What a shame, when we hit difficult spots in life and wish we had someone around to tell us what’s next - God put this process in place, this network called community w/in the church for us to do life with to know we’re not alone.
Maybe parenting issues arise, were not sure how to handle something, “I wish we had some others in our lives to help”
Maybe a job/career change, “I sure would like some input from a close friend” We feel like we’re in it all alone.
Community is God’s answer to … SPIRITUAL IMMATURITY.
Do you know what we learn from others in our lives that we cant get from a seminar or a book, real life experiences, been there done that. Some of the greatest lessons I’ve learned in life didn’t come from a book or seminar, they came from another persons life b/c they help grow you up. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17 Ever hit that phase in life where it's all about you - it’s all about me, my stuff, my life and in that there are times I need others to walk w/ me so I can grow up.
3. I NEED OTHERS TO CARE FOR ME.
Let us consider (think about)how we may spur (encourage, urge) one another on toward love…Hebrews 10:24
Let’s just talk, there’s just times when we get down, isn’t there? Isn’t there times when you just hit a wall -
you just need someone to come along a put their hand on your back and say keep your head up, keep going, you’re gonna make it - do you ever get that? Do you need that? I know I do, even recently
But you know what, we cant get it just coming here for an hour on Sunday - not even if you do lunch occasionally
We all hit a crisis, there are times where there’s just no answers and life is not easy - those days are comin’ and when they do we are going to want someone in our lives walking w/ us and caring for us.
Listen folks, no one will just walk in if we haven’t cultivated that relationship - it happens spending time together -
the best way is to get hooked up in-community, get plugged in to a community group (guys thur, girls tue.)
You see the enemy knows, if he can keep you isolated he can keep you down - look at God’s answer
Community is God’s answer to … DESPAIR.
From feeling like you’re going down and there’s nobody there to help you - there’s just something about being there with other people - Christianity, this journey is not meant to be done alone, it’s a team game.
We could have an amazing time together on Sundays, great worship, God’s Word may pulsate within you, I’m talking you walk out of here different - which is incredible and only by God’s Holy Spirit, but that alone is not enough, that is not how God created us. God created us for community.
4. I NEED OTHERS TO SERVE WITH ME.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward … good deeds. Hebrews 10:24
B/c we are selfish-driven people our lives tend to focus only on our needs, our wants, our desires so I need other people around me to remind me that it’s not all about MUAH!
We are to serve others
It’s one of the reasons we’re involved in the Montrose Street Church -
we just give, we just serve... together
Community is God’s answer to … SELFISH LIVING.
It’s His answer to ‘it’s all about us’
5. I NEED OTHERS TO WATCH OUT FOR ME.
…but let us encourage one another… Hebrews 10:25b
Community is God’s answer to … SPIRITUAL ATTACKS.
If you were going out to war and the battle is looming, one of the 1st things we want to know is, “who’s got my back?”
Would you agree?
The Bible tells us in Ephesians we are in a war, and the battle is not on the ground, it’s in the spiritual realm.
We need others to have our backs, to pray for us, lift us up, keep us in mind.
Here’s the deal guys, I know that you know God, I know that you have Christ, I know you have your bible... you need someone with skin on who can talk about your value & the significance of your place, your person, somebody who understands how you’d love to pinch the heads off your kids, somebody who understands what it feels like to work for that pushy boss - life can be hard, it can be a battle, we need others who will be there for us -
you’ll find them in-community... get plugged in, & stay
connected,
Make it a PRIORITY.
A sign of growth in the world of nature is change - change in the dimensions of a tree, fruit appearing on the vine, flowers blooming - in a similar way, change for us means new levels of maturity, of understanding, of the way we relate to family and friends - But what does it take for change to occur?
GET CONNECTED
“So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.
And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
10 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
14 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
15 The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."
Last week we saw Elijah worn out, depressed and discouraged - he ran out of fear - the threat of Jezebel to take his life.
In his discouraged, depressed state he’s also feeling extremely lonely. In this passage alone he states twice he is the only one left who loves and follows God. He’s feeling alone - lost and alone and wanting to give up. there are times we can relate.
A number of years ago the following ad was placed in a Midwestern newspaper: "I will listen to you talk for 30 minutes without a comment for $5.00." Sounds like a scam, doesn't it? It was not. Person placing ad received 10-20 calls a day.
As his UCLA football team suffered through a poor season in the early 1970s, head coach Pepper Rodgers came under intense criticism and pressure from alumni and fans. Things got so bad, he remembers with a smile, that friends became hard to find. “My dog was my only true friend,” Rodgers says of that year. “I told my wife that every man needs at least two good friends—and she bought me another dog.”
Loneliness. It's not uncommon.
There are two (2) basic types of loneliness:
a. GEOGRAPHICAL LONELINESS. 1) What special military ops people feel alone in desert. 2) This is loneliness we feel on business trips; phone call helps--not the same as being there!
b. LONELINESS OF SPIRIT. 1) Husband & wife under same roof but distant. 2) Unwed mother whose former lover deserts her. 3) Elderly person who waits for call/mail/visit.
There are times when we all feel lonely. 1) New town, new job, new school, loss of loved one. 2) That kind of loneliness is natural--won't last. 3) But for some, loneliness runs much deeper.
-Sometimes loneliness is a choice.
We turn back on folks who really care (friends, family).
we can choose against love; to squander relationships;
loneliness is a decision--yours!
with Elijah it was his decision - in vs. 3 he took off on his own, then left his servant and traveled further by himself.
-Sometimes we throw a self-pity party
we make it worse than it really is. Oh whoa is me!
I don’t know why we pout in our self-pity, no one’s around
vs. 4 “while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors."
-Sometimes we exaggerate loneliness.
We can blow up a minor mishap into a huge ordeal.
a little argument w/ the spouse can result in sleeping in separate rooms for a few days.
in vs. 10 & 14 Elijah exaggerates his situation and speaks of how he is the only one left.
Funny thing is - he’s not the only one left and he knows it!
1st there was Ob. who he connected with who is a devout follower of God, scripture tells us, and not only just Ob, b/c Ob also told Elijah that there were 100 more hidden from Jezebel.
So now we just went from 1 left to 101 left - that’s a huge increase, especially if you break it by percentage!
You’re not the only one left Elijah.
Regardless of what the case may be, sometimes we create this loneliness ourselves, sometimes we don’t but regardless of how it’s happened the bottom line is if you FEEL lonely, then that’s all that really matters at that point. and this is how Elijah felt.
in vs. 10 & 14 he says I’m the only one left, that’s how he FEELS... it’s interesting that Elijah says he’s alone twice and twice God asks Elijah, “what are you doing here?” mmmm...
Elijah’s in a cave, fearful, alone, no one gets me, no one struggles like me - tell me if this resonates w/ you - no one has the thoughts I have... if you’re married, no1 argues w/ their spouse like me... if people knew the real me, I would die.. people might be depressed, but no1 like me... people don’t hate people like I do, people don’t have an infatuation w/ their middle finger when they’re on I-10 like I do, right?
We’re so afraid to come out of the cave, b/c we feel like no1 gets us - we feel alone and we want freedom from that.
Look here how God remedies that - you see He doesn’t do it by a great worship experience, a fire or earthquake or anything like that. He doesn’t say, “Hey, we’ll sing 8 songs and then you’ll get it” although that can & could certainly happen, but not here, and not usually - look at what God does: He tells Elijah to get back to work (last week)
18 “Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."
This is what God is basically saying, “you think you’re the only left, but if you head over that mountain you’ll see 7,000 just like you
How does God remedy it? Community
Hebrews 10:24-25
You know it was George Gallop who said, “Americans are among the loneliest people in the world.”
The most advanced society, the most technologically driven people ever created, yet we feel all the time, that we’re in this thing alone, doing life by ourselves.
Although we work in offices and people are around us all the time, we drive into our neighborhoods full of houses, our head can hit the pillow at night and we feel like we’re all alone. Ever felt that way?
How many of you would agree life is confusing at times - raise hands? how about difficult at times?
Then why in the world would we want to try to figure it all alone - why try and do this journey by ourselves? So often in life we think, I’ll just go at it alone and that is not how God created it to be.
God created this network w/in the church to help us do life.
We believe here at FOCUS* that the church must grow larger and smaller at the same time. (Always reaching out to others growing the church and at the same time doing life together in a multitude of small community groups)
I’m not real sure how you walked in here felling this morning and when I mentioned Gallop said Americans are some of the loneliest people it may have resonated with you or maybe you have thought, I have a lot of friends but the relationships are about this deep.
Ladies and gentlemen God did not create you to live alone - He created you to do life with other people
What’s the big deal about community - we all have needs:
1. I NEED OTHERS TO KNOW ME.
Beyond the superficial, I need others to know me - not know who I am, I want others to know me. (it has been one of the frustrating things to deal with in moving here to Houston - left tight knit group of back in Cali.) I want that deep relationship, not just business, not just let’s go play hoops once a month, someone to know me. And there’s not 1 of us in this room that does not have this desire w/in us to be known.
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing… Hebrews 10:25a
It’s interesting that the writer continues to make this a plural assumption, ‘Let US not’ - God created us for community - for others to know us. Doing life with others is God’s answer to loneliness
Community is God’s answer to … LONELINESS.
2. I NEED OTHERS TO WALK WITH ME.
I need to know I’m not doing this journey by myself.
What a shame, when we hit difficult spots in life and wish we had someone around to tell us what’s next - God put this process in place, this network called community w/in the church for us to do life with to know we’re not alone.
Maybe parenting issues arise, were not sure how to handle something, “I wish we had some others in our lives to help”
Maybe a job/career change, “I sure would like some input from a close friend” We feel like we’re in it all alone.
Community is God’s answer to … SPIRITUAL IMMATURITY.
Do you know what we learn from others in our lives that we cant get from a seminar or a book, real life experiences, been there done that. Some of the greatest lessons I’ve learned in life didn’t come from a book or seminar, they came from another persons life b/c they help grow you up. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17 Ever hit that phase in life where it's all about you - it’s all about me, my stuff, my life and in that there are times I need others to walk w/ me so I can grow up.
3. I NEED OTHERS TO CARE FOR ME.
Let us consider (think about)how we may spur (encourage, urge) one another on toward love…Hebrews 10:24
Let’s just talk, there’s just times when we get down, isn’t there? Isn’t there times when you just hit a wall -
you just need someone to come along a put their hand on your back and say keep your head up, keep going, you’re gonna make it - do you ever get that? Do you need that? I know I do, even recently
But you know what, we cant get it just coming here for an hour on Sunday - not even if you do lunch occasionally
We all hit a crisis, there are times where there’s just no answers and life is not easy - those days are comin’ and when they do we are going to want someone in our lives walking w/ us and caring for us.
Listen folks, no one will just walk in if we haven’t cultivated that relationship - it happens spending time together -
the best way is to get hooked up in-community, get plugged in to a community group (guys thur, girls tue.)
You see the enemy knows, if he can keep you isolated he can keep you down - look at God’s answer
Community is God’s answer to … DESPAIR.
From feeling like you’re going down and there’s nobody there to help you - there’s just something about being there with other people - Christianity, this journey is not meant to be done alone, it’s a team game.
We could have an amazing time together on Sundays, great worship, God’s Word may pulsate within you, I’m talking you walk out of here different - which is incredible and only by God’s Holy Spirit, but that alone is not enough, that is not how God created us. God created us for community.
4. I NEED OTHERS TO SERVE WITH ME.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward … good deeds. Hebrews 10:24
B/c we are selfish-driven people our lives tend to focus only on our needs, our wants, our desires so I need other people around me to remind me that it’s not all about MUAH!
We are to serve others
It’s one of the reasons we’re involved in the Montrose Street Church -
we just give, we just serve... together
Community is God’s answer to … SELFISH LIVING.
It’s His answer to ‘it’s all about us’
5. I NEED OTHERS TO WATCH OUT FOR ME.
…but let us encourage one another… Hebrews 10:25b
Community is God’s answer to … SPIRITUAL ATTACKS.
If you were going out to war and the battle is looming, one of the 1st things we want to know is, “who’s got my back?”
Would you agree?
The Bible tells us in Ephesians we are in a war, and the battle is not on the ground, it’s in the spiritual realm.
We need others to have our backs, to pray for us, lift us up, keep us in mind.
Here’s the deal guys, I know that you know God, I know that you have Christ, I know you have your bible... you need someone with skin on who can talk about your value & the significance of your place, your person, somebody who understands how you’d love to pinch the heads off your kids, somebody who understands what it feels like to work for that pushy boss - life can be hard, it can be a battle, we need others who will be there for us -
you’ll find them in-community... get plugged in, & stay
connected,
Make it a PRIORITY.
A sign of growth in the world of nature is change - change in the dimensions of a tree, fruit appearing on the vine, flowers blooming - in a similar way, change for us means new levels of maturity, of understanding, of the way we relate to family and friends - But what does it take for change to occur?
GET CONNECTED
Monday, July 23, 2007
The Elijah Element - Getting Up when Life Gets You Down
1 Kings 18
40Then Elijah commanded them, "Seize the prophets of Baal. Don't let anyone get away!" They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.
41 And Elijah said to Ahab, "Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain." 42 So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees.
43 "Go and look toward the sea," he told his servant. And he went up and looked. "There is nothing there," he said. Seven times Elijah said, "Go back." (persistent prayer - push)
44 The seventh time the servant reported, "A cloud as small as a man's hand is rising from the sea." So Elijah said, "Go and tell Ahab, 'Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.' "
45 Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain came on and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. 46 The power of the LORD came upon Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
Elijah outruns Ahab back to Jezreel - Ahab is in a chariot!
Now that’s fast! I wonder what his 40 time is?
Elijah runs 6 miles back to the city - why? b/c the clouds are getting dark, the wind is blowin’ maybe thunder in the sky - the storm is here.
Remember in week 2 of our study Elijah confronted Ahab about leading the people of Israel into sin and idolatry.
He then tells Ahab, there’s not gonna be rain or even dew for the next few years expect by my word. Elijah is saying, “These are the consequences God has laid out buddy”
so now here we are a few years later and the rain is here by Elijah’s word (his prayer to God) and the reason he took off to the city was to give Ahab another chance to turn away from his sin. Our God is the God of the 2nd chance, & 3rd, 4th, 5th, 100th - His grace and love for us is enormous!
His greatest desire is to be close to you and for us to draw close to Him. We cannot even begin to fathom the love He has for us - all of our thoughts that we have of His love for us are just like a teaspoon of the ocean. It is astronomical beyond measure.
It is big enough to forgive Ahab and all that he has done.
It is big enough for you - if you ever wondered, or questioned that - let’s just lay that to be bed right now.
Nothing can separate you from God. No sin, no thoughts,
no attitudes, nothing!
“Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion.” Isaiah 30:18
whatever the sin may be, if we come to Him and ask for forgiveness - it is gone!
“as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12
His grace and love for us is enormous!
1 Kings 19
1 “Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them."
eewwww scary! You see Ahab went right to Jezebel - That happens to us from time to time - we know we should go to God, but instead we look to ourselves or someone else.
Ahab goes to Jez. and now she is hot! fiery mad! (I’m not sure there’s anything worse, nothing scarier than a mad woman!
Bulldog foamin at the mouth, Cobra head straight up staring at me, stuck in a cage w/ a Grizzly, I’ll take any of those!)
She’s mad, she’s mad b/c she has lost all of her ‘YES’ men.
The guys who told her everything she wanted to hear, and prophesying her future glory & power.
She’s lost her ‘YES’ men & her pride has taken a hit. Plus now her authority has been damaged - opening up questions from others.
So b/c Jezebel couldn’t control Elijah’s actions, she decides, “fine then, I’ll just take him out, kill him.”
3 "Elijah was afraid and ran for his life."
Look at this - Elijah ran on his own this time - not by God’s
direction - a few weeks ago we talked about how God told Elijah to run, to flee for safety, b/c there are times in life we just need to “get the heck outta Dodge” b/c we can’t hang -
God knows that - we’re human, prone to mess up. So there are certain things in life we just need to avoid, to run from.
we looked at a few things God tells us to run from - if God says run, you better run - but here, today, Elijah ran on his own.
Elijah ran out of fear - fear will do that to us wont it?
Fear can cause us to abandon all logic, knowledge, even
common sense of what to do.. causing us to create these “what if” scenerios in our minds - instead of looking to God.
What is FEAR?
False
Evidence
Appearing
Real
and that’s exactly how Elijah took this threat from Jezebel - appearing real.
What should we do w/ FEAR?
don’t look inward or outward - look upward.
Trust in God. Instead of listening to others or ourselves, listen to God.
“but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.” Proverbs 1:33
‘is there something creating fear in your life? What are you doing w/ that? are you giving it to God?
You may say, "Yea Man, I'm prayin" - but is that truly where you're trust lies?
3 "Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors."
Elijah now is experiencing the depths of fatigue and discouragement even after his 2 great spiritual victories: the defeat of the prophets of Baal and his answered prayer for rain.
Quite often discouragement sets in after great spiritual experiences, especially those requiring physical effort or great emotion
Fatigue, discouragement, depression all can follow these great victories in our lives, b/c we feel we have completed this huge task and now no longer have this sense of purpose anymore and on top of that you better believe the enemy Satan isn’t happy about this at all - so there becomes the spiritual attacks upon us, creating these depressed and discouraged emotions.
So what should we do when we find ourselves in one of these depressed or discouraged states.
How do we battle discouragement?
Rest
We need to take the time to rest.
5 "Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep."
Hey can I tell you this, for some of you here the most spiritual thing that you could do is take a nap. (Hey, not right now)
Get some rest.
Now there are others of you who may need to wake-up a little more often - but some of you need to take a break!
How about a little perspective - Even God took a day off, right.
On the 7th day He.... rested.
If God is resting.... then how arrogant are we if we think or say, “I don’t have the time to rest, I don;t have the time to take a break” - really?
If we don’t we’ll find ourselves right here w/ Elijah depressed and discouraged.
“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.Trust in him at all times, O
people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.”
Psalm 62:5-8
Renew
v.5-11 “All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." 6 He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
10 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."
If we find ourselves in a depressed or discouraged place we need to find renewal in the Lord.
God says, come to me, again don’t look inward or outward but look upward so that you may be renewed to continue on.
That’s what God was doing w/ Elijah.
"Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." Mark 6:31
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
If we feel beaten down, we don’t think we could take another step forward - We can be renewed, have this new found strength in God alone to keep on keepin on.
“who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. Ps. 103:4-6
It is in Him.
Refocus
v.9-15
“And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?".... 11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
14 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
15 The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there...
and God gives specific instructions.
In order to lead Elijah out of this depression and discouragement, 1st God says, get some rest, then come before me to be renewed, now God is getting him refocused.
Elijah I have more for you, God is getting him refocused.
It’s time to return to your mission, there’s still work for you to do.
God’s word to us all is there’s more work to do. Back to the task at hand. Now w/ this new found strength and power from God Elijah moved ahead boldly.
So can we. Regardless of what’s going on. If we force ourselves to slow down and rest - in that time come before the Lord to be renewed we too will have the power and strength to move forward to keep going.
“I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.
So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us.” Philippians 3:13-15
God is calling us to live for Him
40Then Elijah commanded them, "Seize the prophets of Baal. Don't let anyone get away!" They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.
41 And Elijah said to Ahab, "Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain." 42 So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees.
43 "Go and look toward the sea," he told his servant. And he went up and looked. "There is nothing there," he said. Seven times Elijah said, "Go back." (persistent prayer - push)
44 The seventh time the servant reported, "A cloud as small as a man's hand is rising from the sea." So Elijah said, "Go and tell Ahab, 'Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.' "
45 Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain came on and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. 46 The power of the LORD came upon Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
Elijah outruns Ahab back to Jezreel - Ahab is in a chariot!
Now that’s fast! I wonder what his 40 time is?
Elijah runs 6 miles back to the city - why? b/c the clouds are getting dark, the wind is blowin’ maybe thunder in the sky - the storm is here.
Remember in week 2 of our study Elijah confronted Ahab about leading the people of Israel into sin and idolatry.
He then tells Ahab, there’s not gonna be rain or even dew for the next few years expect by my word. Elijah is saying, “These are the consequences God has laid out buddy”
so now here we are a few years later and the rain is here by Elijah’s word (his prayer to God) and the reason he took off to the city was to give Ahab another chance to turn away from his sin. Our God is the God of the 2nd chance, & 3rd, 4th, 5th, 100th - His grace and love for us is enormous!
His greatest desire is to be close to you and for us to draw close to Him. We cannot even begin to fathom the love He has for us - all of our thoughts that we have of His love for us are just like a teaspoon of the ocean. It is astronomical beyond measure.
It is big enough to forgive Ahab and all that he has done.
It is big enough for you - if you ever wondered, or questioned that - let’s just lay that to be bed right now.
Nothing can separate you from God. No sin, no thoughts,
no attitudes, nothing!
“Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion.” Isaiah 30:18
whatever the sin may be, if we come to Him and ask for forgiveness - it is gone!
“as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12
His grace and love for us is enormous!
1 Kings 19
1 “Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them."
eewwww scary! You see Ahab went right to Jezebel - That happens to us from time to time - we know we should go to God, but instead we look to ourselves or someone else.
Ahab goes to Jez. and now she is hot! fiery mad! (I’m not sure there’s anything worse, nothing scarier than a mad woman!
Bulldog foamin at the mouth, Cobra head straight up staring at me, stuck in a cage w/ a Grizzly, I’ll take any of those!)
She’s mad, she’s mad b/c she has lost all of her ‘YES’ men.
The guys who told her everything she wanted to hear, and prophesying her future glory & power.
She’s lost her ‘YES’ men & her pride has taken a hit. Plus now her authority has been damaged - opening up questions from others.
So b/c Jezebel couldn’t control Elijah’s actions, she decides, “fine then, I’ll just take him out, kill him.”
3 "Elijah was afraid and ran for his life."
Look at this - Elijah ran on his own this time - not by God’s
direction - a few weeks ago we talked about how God told Elijah to run, to flee for safety, b/c there are times in life we just need to “get the heck outta Dodge” b/c we can’t hang -
God knows that - we’re human, prone to mess up. So there are certain things in life we just need to avoid, to run from.
we looked at a few things God tells us to run from - if God says run, you better run - but here, today, Elijah ran on his own.
Elijah ran out of fear - fear will do that to us wont it?
Fear can cause us to abandon all logic, knowledge, even
common sense of what to do.. causing us to create these “what if” scenerios in our minds - instead of looking to God.
What is FEAR?
False
Evidence
Appearing
Real
and that’s exactly how Elijah took this threat from Jezebel - appearing real.
What should we do w/ FEAR?
don’t look inward or outward - look upward.
Trust in God. Instead of listening to others or ourselves, listen to God.
“but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.” Proverbs 1:33
‘is there something creating fear in your life? What are you doing w/ that? are you giving it to God?
You may say, "Yea Man, I'm prayin" - but is that truly where you're trust lies?
3 "Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors."
Elijah now is experiencing the depths of fatigue and discouragement even after his 2 great spiritual victories: the defeat of the prophets of Baal and his answered prayer for rain.
Quite often discouragement sets in after great spiritual experiences, especially those requiring physical effort or great emotion
Fatigue, discouragement, depression all can follow these great victories in our lives, b/c we feel we have completed this huge task and now no longer have this sense of purpose anymore and on top of that you better believe the enemy Satan isn’t happy about this at all - so there becomes the spiritual attacks upon us, creating these depressed and discouraged emotions.
So what should we do when we find ourselves in one of these depressed or discouraged states.
How do we battle discouragement?
Rest
We need to take the time to rest.
5 "Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep."
Hey can I tell you this, for some of you here the most spiritual thing that you could do is take a nap. (Hey, not right now)
Get some rest.
Now there are others of you who may need to wake-up a little more often - but some of you need to take a break!
How about a little perspective - Even God took a day off, right.
On the 7th day He.... rested.
If God is resting.... then how arrogant are we if we think or say, “I don’t have the time to rest, I don;t have the time to take a break” - really?
If we don’t we’ll find ourselves right here w/ Elijah depressed and discouraged.
“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.Trust in him at all times, O
people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.”
Psalm 62:5-8
Renew
v.5-11 “All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." 6 He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
10 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."
If we find ourselves in a depressed or discouraged place we need to find renewal in the Lord.
God says, come to me, again don’t look inward or outward but look upward so that you may be renewed to continue on.
That’s what God was doing w/ Elijah.
"Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." Mark 6:31
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
If we feel beaten down, we don’t think we could take another step forward - We can be renewed, have this new found strength in God alone to keep on keepin on.
“who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. Ps. 103:4-6
It is in Him.
Refocus
v.9-15
“And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?".... 11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
14 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
15 The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there...
and God gives specific instructions.
In order to lead Elijah out of this depression and discouragement, 1st God says, get some rest, then come before me to be renewed, now God is getting him refocused.
Elijah I have more for you, God is getting him refocused.
It’s time to return to your mission, there’s still work for you to do.
God’s word to us all is there’s more work to do. Back to the task at hand. Now w/ this new found strength and power from God Elijah moved ahead boldly.
So can we. Regardless of what’s going on. If we force ourselves to slow down and rest - in that time come before the Lord to be renewed we too will have the power and strength to move forward to keep going.
“I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.
So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us.” Philippians 3:13-15
God is calling us to live for Him
Monday, July 16, 2007
The Elijah Element - The Showdown
1 Kings 18:16-39
“So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. When he saw Elijah, he said to him, "Is that you, you troubler of Israel?"
"I have not made trouble for Israel," Elijah replied. "But you and your father's family have. You have abandoned the LORD's commands and have followed the Baals. Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table."
20“So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel.
So here we have the showdown.
Ahab brought 850 pagan prophets to M.C. to match wits w/ Eli.
850! Do you ever notice how evil loves to gather together?
Or how negative people just feed off of one-another?
A Farmer had a neighbor that just absolutely was negative, no matter what. If it was raining, the farmer would say to his neighbor, "Boy, look at it rain, God's sort of washing it clean." "Yeah, but if it keeps up it's gonna flood." Then the sun would come out and he'd say, "If it keeps that up, it's gonna just scorch the crops." The farmer thought, "What am I gonna do to win this guy?" So he trained his dog to walk on water. He didn't tell his neighbor, he just took him duck hunting. Boom! Boom! They brought these ducks out of the sky, and said to his dog, "Go get 'em." The dog went across, picked them up, and hopped back in the boat, nothing wet-- just his paws. The farmer said, "What do you think of that?" The neighbor said, "He can't swim, can he?"
Ahab, as well as other evil kings hated God’s prophets b/c they spoke against sin and idolatry. So w/ the kings’ backing many pagan prophets sprang up to counter the word of God’s
prophets.
But Elijah showed the people that just speaking a prophecy wasn’t enough, that one needed the power of the true living God to fulfill it.
21 Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." But the people said nothing.”
Elijah challenges the people to take a stand - to follow whoever was the true God. Why do you think so many people wavered between the 2 choices? Maybe some people were just not sure
- like the undecided votes we always hear about prior to election times.
However, many of them did know that the Lord was God, but they enjoyed the sinful pleasures and other selfish benefits that came along with siding w/ Ahab.
This really demonstrates the importance of taking a stand for Christ. If we just drift along w/ whatever is pleasant and easy, we will someday discover that we have been following a false god - ourselves.
So many live for themselves - we must take a stand b/c we too can drift into nothingness - meaningless - we think we have all these current, important, even urgent issues, but in reality most of them are meaningless.
Solomon, the wisest man to ever live tells us it’s all meaningless apart from God. in Eccl. chapters 1 & 2 he goes into specific
detail of all the things we consider of great importance are meaningless - work, play, pleasures, fooling around, a full list.
“You gotta stand for something or you’ll fall for anything”
we kinda laugh at that quote, but it’s really quite true.
It’s what happens to alot of us - we fall for anything, the current, urgent issues of each day can keep us from what really matters if we are not settled in already that everything is meaningless apart from God - He must be the center and highest priority.
Listen... is that the case in your life? Or is your life full of “anythings”?
We’ve become accustomed to watching life happen rather than living it. If we want to be heroic we just p/u a copy of BraveHeart, if we want a love story we p/u Sleepless in Seattle,
if we want mystery or adventure we p/u Lord of the Rings or Fantastic 4 - in actuality we deceive ourselves and we think we’re living life when we’re really just watching.
And what God is wanting us to hear is we can live a life more wonderful, more powerful than anything we can observe.
read v.22 on...
Then Elijah said to them, "I am the only one of the LORD's prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. 23 Get two bulls for us. Let them choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. 24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire—he is God." Then all the people said, "What you say is good."
25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire." 26 So they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. "O Baal, answer us!" they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.
27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. "Shout louder!" he said. "Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened." 28 So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. 29 Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.”
Although the prophets of Baal raved all afternoon, no one
answered them. Their god was silent b/c it’s not real!
You see the gods were tempted to follow may not be made of wood or stone, but they’re just as false, just as dangerous b/c they cause us to follow something other than the true God.
Be it power, status, money, appearance, or materialism can become our gods if we devote our lives to them - if they have a higher priority then is it a false god in our lives.
30“Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come here to me." They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD, which was in ruins. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, "Your name shall be Israel."
I love this... Elijah calling the people towards him - “get closer
I don’t want you to miss this” (Venice Beach entertainer walking on glass - come closer)
Elijah grabs 12 stones to build the altar - you may remember in week 1 of this series we discussed the splitting of Israel into 2 kingdoms - a southern and northern kingdom - the north w/ 10 tribes of Israel and the south w/ 2.
Placing 12 stones around the altar was a silent reminder of they’re selfish reasons for the split.
Do you ever notice God placing these little silent reminders in your life? Little subtle hints, a small tap on the shoulder whenever our selfish wants start taking over?
Hey, don’t miss those - He has our best interest
32 “With the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33 He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, "Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood."
34 "Do it again," he said, and they did it again. "Do it a third time," he ordered, and they did it the third time. 35 The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.”
Totally drown the thing man - like a typhoon
b/c I don’t want there to be any doubt, I don’t want a single
person questioning what’s really happening here.
Something similar ever happen to you?
Just as Elijah doused the altar w/ water basically saying, there’s no way I could even get a spark to land on this much less have it consumed in fire. Only God, the true living God will be able to.
as for us...
I mean you’ve hit rock bottom or you’re at your wits end - there is absolutely nothing more you can do - you’re out of options - if anything is going happen it’s gonna be God - only God can pull this off.
Welcome to God's Waiting Room. It’s that place in your life where there are things beyond your control that you can’t speed up—an answer to prayer, a miracle, a change in a situation—you want it to happen, and happen quickly, but it is totally out of your control and you have to wait on God. Have you been there? Are you there now?
We need to remember what God CAN do and not only what we can do - we must be patient and faithful. - watch what happens -
36”At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37 Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, (see his humility - last week)and that you are turning their hearts back again." (check this out)
38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.
39 When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The LORD -he is God! The LORD -he is God!"
I bet they did! I’m thinking if I were on the other side of this I’d be crying out, "The LORD -he is God! The LORD -he is God!"
Here God flashed fire from heaven for Elijah.
You know what? He’ll help us too - to accomplish what He commands us to do. The proof of that may not be as dramatic in our lives as in this case, but God will make resources available to us in creative ways to accomplish His purposes.
He will give us the wisdom to raise a family, the courage to take a stand a stand for truth, or the means to provide help for someone in need.
Like Elijah, we can have faith that whatever God commands us to do, He will provide what we need to carry it through.
‘Where God guides, He provides’
Here’s what we’ve seen studying Elijah today:
We’ve gotta stand for something, something real, authentic - something of eternal value - We can only find that in God
Sometimes, God asks us to get closer, don’t miss this.
It appears you may be at a dead-end, out of options, nothing more you can do - and God says, get closer, watch this
and pulls us thru and all we can do is stand in awe, jaw dropped awe - God is breath-taking, awe-inspiring, wonderfully
magnificent!
As we see w/ our own eyes, there’s no way this could have happened other than a miracle, only by the hand of God.
It builds our faith and we draw closer relationally to the Creator of the Universe. Our heart beats w/ His & that’s a good thing.
We can’t waver - we need to make God the most important thing in our lives. And you know what, when we do that - life is soooo much better, much better.
It doesn’t mean we will live these pain-free perfect lives - but it sure is alot easier to deal with b/c of the love He has for us and the hope we have in the God who has created everything and in control of everything.
Whatever you are dealing with, whatever difficulty is in your life right now...
God is saying, "Come closer... I don't want you to miss this"
“So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. When he saw Elijah, he said to him, "Is that you, you troubler of Israel?"
"I have not made trouble for Israel," Elijah replied. "But you and your father's family have. You have abandoned the LORD's commands and have followed the Baals. Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table."
20“So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel.
So here we have the showdown.
Ahab brought 850 pagan prophets to M.C. to match wits w/ Eli.
850! Do you ever notice how evil loves to gather together?
Or how negative people just feed off of one-another?
A Farmer had a neighbor that just absolutely was negative, no matter what. If it was raining, the farmer would say to his neighbor, "Boy, look at it rain, God's sort of washing it clean." "Yeah, but if it keeps up it's gonna flood." Then the sun would come out and he'd say, "If it keeps that up, it's gonna just scorch the crops." The farmer thought, "What am I gonna do to win this guy?" So he trained his dog to walk on water. He didn't tell his neighbor, he just took him duck hunting. Boom! Boom! They brought these ducks out of the sky, and said to his dog, "Go get 'em." The dog went across, picked them up, and hopped back in the boat, nothing wet-- just his paws. The farmer said, "What do you think of that?" The neighbor said, "He can't swim, can he?"
Ahab, as well as other evil kings hated God’s prophets b/c they spoke against sin and idolatry. So w/ the kings’ backing many pagan prophets sprang up to counter the word of God’s
prophets.
But Elijah showed the people that just speaking a prophecy wasn’t enough, that one needed the power of the true living God to fulfill it.
21 Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." But the people said nothing.”
Elijah challenges the people to take a stand - to follow whoever was the true God. Why do you think so many people wavered between the 2 choices? Maybe some people were just not sure
- like the undecided votes we always hear about prior to election times.
However, many of them did know that the Lord was God, but they enjoyed the sinful pleasures and other selfish benefits that came along with siding w/ Ahab.
This really demonstrates the importance of taking a stand for Christ. If we just drift along w/ whatever is pleasant and easy, we will someday discover that we have been following a false god - ourselves.
So many live for themselves - we must take a stand b/c we too can drift into nothingness - meaningless - we think we have all these current, important, even urgent issues, but in reality most of them are meaningless.
Solomon, the wisest man to ever live tells us it’s all meaningless apart from God. in Eccl. chapters 1 & 2 he goes into specific
detail of all the things we consider of great importance are meaningless - work, play, pleasures, fooling around, a full list.
“You gotta stand for something or you’ll fall for anything”
we kinda laugh at that quote, but it’s really quite true.
It’s what happens to alot of us - we fall for anything, the current, urgent issues of each day can keep us from what really matters if we are not settled in already that everything is meaningless apart from God - He must be the center and highest priority.
Listen... is that the case in your life? Or is your life full of “anythings”?
We’ve become accustomed to watching life happen rather than living it. If we want to be heroic we just p/u a copy of BraveHeart, if we want a love story we p/u Sleepless in Seattle,
if we want mystery or adventure we p/u Lord of the Rings or Fantastic 4 - in actuality we deceive ourselves and we think we’re living life when we’re really just watching.
And what God is wanting us to hear is we can live a life more wonderful, more powerful than anything we can observe.
read v.22 on...
Then Elijah said to them, "I am the only one of the LORD's prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. 23 Get two bulls for us. Let them choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. 24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire—he is God." Then all the people said, "What you say is good."
25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire." 26 So they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. "O Baal, answer us!" they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.
27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. "Shout louder!" he said. "Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened." 28 So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. 29 Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.”
Although the prophets of Baal raved all afternoon, no one
answered them. Their god was silent b/c it’s not real!
You see the gods were tempted to follow may not be made of wood or stone, but they’re just as false, just as dangerous b/c they cause us to follow something other than the true God.
Be it power, status, money, appearance, or materialism can become our gods if we devote our lives to them - if they have a higher priority then is it a false god in our lives.
30“Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come here to me." They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD, which was in ruins. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, "Your name shall be Israel."
I love this... Elijah calling the people towards him - “get closer
I don’t want you to miss this” (Venice Beach entertainer walking on glass - come closer)
Elijah grabs 12 stones to build the altar - you may remember in week 1 of this series we discussed the splitting of Israel into 2 kingdoms - a southern and northern kingdom - the north w/ 10 tribes of Israel and the south w/ 2.
Placing 12 stones around the altar was a silent reminder of they’re selfish reasons for the split.
Do you ever notice God placing these little silent reminders in your life? Little subtle hints, a small tap on the shoulder whenever our selfish wants start taking over?
Hey, don’t miss those - He has our best interest
32 “With the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33 He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, "Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood."
34 "Do it again," he said, and they did it again. "Do it a third time," he ordered, and they did it the third time. 35 The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.”
Totally drown the thing man - like a typhoon
b/c I don’t want there to be any doubt, I don’t want a single
person questioning what’s really happening here.
Something similar ever happen to you?
Just as Elijah doused the altar w/ water basically saying, there’s no way I could even get a spark to land on this much less have it consumed in fire. Only God, the true living God will be able to.
as for us...
I mean you’ve hit rock bottom or you’re at your wits end - there is absolutely nothing more you can do - you’re out of options - if anything is going happen it’s gonna be God - only God can pull this off.
Welcome to God's Waiting Room. It’s that place in your life where there are things beyond your control that you can’t speed up—an answer to prayer, a miracle, a change in a situation—you want it to happen, and happen quickly, but it is totally out of your control and you have to wait on God. Have you been there? Are you there now?
We need to remember what God CAN do and not only what we can do - we must be patient and faithful. - watch what happens -
36”At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37 Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, (see his humility - last week)and that you are turning their hearts back again." (check this out)
38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.
39 When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The LORD -he is God! The LORD -he is God!"
I bet they did! I’m thinking if I were on the other side of this I’d be crying out, "The LORD -he is God! The LORD -he is God!"
Here God flashed fire from heaven for Elijah.
You know what? He’ll help us too - to accomplish what He commands us to do. The proof of that may not be as dramatic in our lives as in this case, but God will make resources available to us in creative ways to accomplish His purposes.
He will give us the wisdom to raise a family, the courage to take a stand a stand for truth, or the means to provide help for someone in need.
Like Elijah, we can have faith that whatever God commands us to do, He will provide what we need to carry it through.
‘Where God guides, He provides’
Here’s what we’ve seen studying Elijah today:
We’ve gotta stand for something, something real, authentic - something of eternal value - We can only find that in God
Sometimes, God asks us to get closer, don’t miss this.
It appears you may be at a dead-end, out of options, nothing more you can do - and God says, get closer, watch this
and pulls us thru and all we can do is stand in awe, jaw dropped awe - God is breath-taking, awe-inspiring, wonderfully
magnificent!
As we see w/ our own eyes, there’s no way this could have happened other than a miracle, only by the hand of God.
It builds our faith and we draw closer relationally to the Creator of the Universe. Our heart beats w/ His & that’s a good thing.
We can’t waver - we need to make God the most important thing in our lives. And you know what, when we do that - life is soooo much better, much better.
It doesn’t mean we will live these pain-free perfect lives - but it sure is alot easier to deal with b/c of the love He has for us and the hope we have in the God who has created everything and in control of everything.
Whatever you are dealing with, whatever difficulty is in your life right now...
God is saying, "Come closer... I don't want you to miss this"
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
The Elijah Element - Integrity
7 As Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized him, bowed down to the ground, and said, "Is it really you, my lord Elijah?"
8 "Yes," he replied. "Go tell your master, 'Elijah is here.' "
9 "What have I done wrong," asked Obadiah, "that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to be put to death? 10 As surely as the LORD your God lives, there is not a nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to look for you. And whenever a nation or kingdom claimed you were not there, he made them swear they could not find you. 11 But now you tell me to go to my master and say, 'Elijah is here.' 12 I don't know where the Spirit of the LORD may carry you when I leave you. If I go and tell Ahab and he doesn't find you, he will kill me. Yet I your servant have worshiped the LORD since my youth. 13 Haven't you heard, my lord, what I did while Jezebel was killing the prophets of the LORD ? I hid a hundred of the LORD's prophets in two caves, fifty in each, and supplied them with food and water. 14 And now you tell me to go to my master and say, 'Elijah is here.' He will kill me!"
15 Elijah said, "As the LORD Almighty lives, whom I serve, I will surely present myself to Ahab today."
16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17 When he saw Elijah, he said to him, "Is that you, you troubler of Israel?" 1 Kings 18:7-17
Something we have seen as we study this together is that Elijah is not only a man of faith, he is also a man of his word.
Ob. is freakin’ out - “no way Elijah, r u kidding me? - you’re gonna get me killed - I’ll be hung at the gallows” - “I’m not gonna tell Ahab you’re here, he’s been looking for you for years and people have died when you weren’t found”
Elijah calms him by reassuring Ob. - “I’m gonna be here - you can bank on that - I’m gonna do what I say”
Ob. knows the character of Elijah and that alone is enough for him to trust Elijah.
“Our character is more caught than taught”
In every sphere of our culture—business, government, sports, education and religion—we face an integrity crisis. Long-accepted ethical codes of conduct are giving way to the short-term pragmatics of ambition, profit, and pleasure. What scares me the most about all of this is that a lack of integrity no longer shocks people anymore. Ethical compromise is no longer reprehensible, but is actually gaining acceptability.
Some time ago the Dallas Times Herald reported that while on his way to school one day, a young boy found two large canvas sacks lying in the street. When he looked inside he was amazed to find that the sacks were full of money—$415,000 in fact! When he returned the money to the Princeton Armored Service, he received a reward of $1,000 and got his story in the paper. But the young boy was very unhappy about it all. In his interview he said he had expected a larger reward. “I don’t understand it,” he complained. “If I had to do it over again, I’d probably keep the money.”
No matter who you are, whether you’re aware of it or not - our character is always on trial. I read a story recently about a pastor who preached a sermon on honesty one Sunday morning. The next day he took the bus to get to his office. After he paid the fare, he realized that the bus driver had given him back way too much change. During the rest of the journey, the pastor rationalized how God had provided him with some extra money he needed for the week. But he just could not live with himself, and before he got off the bus he said to the driver, “You have made a mistake. You’ve given me too much change.” And he proceeded to give back the extra money. The driver smiled and said, “That was no mistake. I was at your church yesterday and heard you preach on honesty. So I decided to put you to a test this morning!”
There are a number of people who think it’s Ok, who rationalize
how they can cut corners in life. “Who will ever know” they say.
But the truth is that other people know.
Your spouse, children, friends, family, co-workers all know.
And more important, even if you cover your tracks really, really well, and others do not see up front what you’re up to, you do!
Just as the pastor on the bus, we don’t want to give away or sell our integrity for any price.
Integrity commits itself to character over personal gain, to
people over other things, to service over power, to principle over convenience, to the long view over the immediate.
But we want the immediate, we don’t want to work so hard - it’s easy to cut corners for our own or even our family’s benefit.
b/c everybody else is doing it - but,
The road of integrity may not be the easiest one, but it’s the only one that will get us where we ultimately want to go.
it appears in - life of Integrity
The Character you Demonstrate
There’s a person at work that you can trust, you know that when they give you their word they’re gona keep it.
1 of ways to BA from crowd of compromise is to live a life of integrity.
It’s the character you demonstrate and not to allow yourself to compromise your ethics.
I’m amazed by the fact that so many believers find it OK to blur the lines and smear their character.
I think it’s just that we live in an envir. where it’s OK to be dishonest, to compromise values and principles - I think what we under-estimate is that we are supposed to be the human personification of the exact opposite of Enron.
We should be the solution to the corruption in the world.
And people whether they believe in God or not, should be able to watch our lives and say, “I don’t know all about this guys belief system, but I know I can trust him. His values, his chara., his morals”
It shows by the Character you Demonstrate
It is then when you can begin to influence the lives of others w/ the good news of J.C.
How do we become a person who can positively influence other people? We need to develop these qualities of integrity and live by them everyday.
Commit yourself to Honesty and reliability
Integrity begins w/ a specific, conscious decision. If we wait until a moment of crisis before settling our integrity issues, we will set ourselves up for failure. Chose today to live a life that honors God, full of integrity and.... determine to stick w/ it.
“Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this” Psalm 37:4-5
Consistent Character
Solid trust can only develop when people can trust you ALL THE TIME. If they never know from moment to moment what you’re going to do, then we can never get to a deep confident level of trust. 1 Cor. 13 gives us insight of consistent character.
the love of a Christ follower -
“It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” 1 Corinthians 13:7 - it’s consistent
Straight Talk
Honest communication. To be trustworthy, we must walk the talk.
“Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'” Matt. 5:37
Open Up
Value transparency - people eventually find out about your flaws, even if you try to hide them. But when we’re honest up front, admit our weaknesses, they appreciate your honesty and integrity - and are able to relate better to you.
“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor” Ephesians 4:25
Humility
People wont trust you if they see that you’re driven by ego,
jealousy, or the belief that you’re better than others.
“Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.”
1 Peter 3:8
Support Others
Nothing develops or displays character better than your desire to put others 1st - above yourself.
“If any of your people become poor and unable to support themselves, you must help them, just as you are supposed to help foreigners who live among you.” Leviticus 25:35
An Attitude of Servitude
“Your attitude must be like my own, for I did not come to be served, but to serve” Matthew 20:28
Giving of yourself and your time to others shows that you care about them. to be known by love
Fulfill your promises
Say what you mean - mean what you say
“be... trustworthy in everything.” 1 Timothy 3:11
Never promise anything you can’t deliver - and when you say you’ll do something - do it - follow thru. A sure way to break the trust of others is to fail to fulfill your commitments. - kids (parents w/empty promises and/or empty threats)
8 "Yes," he replied. "Go tell your master, 'Elijah is here.' "
9 "What have I done wrong," asked Obadiah, "that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to be put to death? 10 As surely as the LORD your God lives, there is not a nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to look for you. And whenever a nation or kingdom claimed you were not there, he made them swear they could not find you. 11 But now you tell me to go to my master and say, 'Elijah is here.' 12 I don't know where the Spirit of the LORD may carry you when I leave you. If I go and tell Ahab and he doesn't find you, he will kill me. Yet I your servant have worshiped the LORD since my youth. 13 Haven't you heard, my lord, what I did while Jezebel was killing the prophets of the LORD ? I hid a hundred of the LORD's prophets in two caves, fifty in each, and supplied them with food and water. 14 And now you tell me to go to my master and say, 'Elijah is here.' He will kill me!"
15 Elijah said, "As the LORD Almighty lives, whom I serve, I will surely present myself to Ahab today."
16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17 When he saw Elijah, he said to him, "Is that you, you troubler of Israel?" 1 Kings 18:7-17
Something we have seen as we study this together is that Elijah is not only a man of faith, he is also a man of his word.
Ob. is freakin’ out - “no way Elijah, r u kidding me? - you’re gonna get me killed - I’ll be hung at the gallows” - “I’m not gonna tell Ahab you’re here, he’s been looking for you for years and people have died when you weren’t found”
Elijah calms him by reassuring Ob. - “I’m gonna be here - you can bank on that - I’m gonna do what I say”
Ob. knows the character of Elijah and that alone is enough for him to trust Elijah.
“Our character is more caught than taught”
In every sphere of our culture—business, government, sports, education and religion—we face an integrity crisis. Long-accepted ethical codes of conduct are giving way to the short-term pragmatics of ambition, profit, and pleasure. What scares me the most about all of this is that a lack of integrity no longer shocks people anymore. Ethical compromise is no longer reprehensible, but is actually gaining acceptability.
Some time ago the Dallas Times Herald reported that while on his way to school one day, a young boy found two large canvas sacks lying in the street. When he looked inside he was amazed to find that the sacks were full of money—$415,000 in fact! When he returned the money to the Princeton Armored Service, he received a reward of $1,000 and got his story in the paper. But the young boy was very unhappy about it all. In his interview he said he had expected a larger reward. “I don’t understand it,” he complained. “If I had to do it over again, I’d probably keep the money.”
No matter who you are, whether you’re aware of it or not - our character is always on trial. I read a story recently about a pastor who preached a sermon on honesty one Sunday morning. The next day he took the bus to get to his office. After he paid the fare, he realized that the bus driver had given him back way too much change. During the rest of the journey, the pastor rationalized how God had provided him with some extra money he needed for the week. But he just could not live with himself, and before he got off the bus he said to the driver, “You have made a mistake. You’ve given me too much change.” And he proceeded to give back the extra money. The driver smiled and said, “That was no mistake. I was at your church yesterday and heard you preach on honesty. So I decided to put you to a test this morning!”
There are a number of people who think it’s Ok, who rationalize
how they can cut corners in life. “Who will ever know” they say.
But the truth is that other people know.
Your spouse, children, friends, family, co-workers all know.
And more important, even if you cover your tracks really, really well, and others do not see up front what you’re up to, you do!
Just as the pastor on the bus, we don’t want to give away or sell our integrity for any price.
Integrity commits itself to character over personal gain, to
people over other things, to service over power, to principle over convenience, to the long view over the immediate.
But we want the immediate, we don’t want to work so hard - it’s easy to cut corners for our own or even our family’s benefit.
b/c everybody else is doing it - but,
The road of integrity may not be the easiest one, but it’s the only one that will get us where we ultimately want to go.
it appears in - life of Integrity
The Character you Demonstrate
There’s a person at work that you can trust, you know that when they give you their word they’re gona keep it.
1 of ways to BA from crowd of compromise is to live a life of integrity.
It’s the character you demonstrate and not to allow yourself to compromise your ethics.
I’m amazed by the fact that so many believers find it OK to blur the lines and smear their character.
I think it’s just that we live in an envir. where it’s OK to be dishonest, to compromise values and principles - I think what we under-estimate is that we are supposed to be the human personification of the exact opposite of Enron.
We should be the solution to the corruption in the world.
And people whether they believe in God or not, should be able to watch our lives and say, “I don’t know all about this guys belief system, but I know I can trust him. His values, his chara., his morals”
It shows by the Character you Demonstrate
It is then when you can begin to influence the lives of others w/ the good news of J.C.
How do we become a person who can positively influence other people? We need to develop these qualities of integrity and live by them everyday.
Commit yourself to Honesty and reliability
Integrity begins w/ a specific, conscious decision. If we wait until a moment of crisis before settling our integrity issues, we will set ourselves up for failure. Chose today to live a life that honors God, full of integrity and.... determine to stick w/ it.
“Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this” Psalm 37:4-5
Consistent Character
Solid trust can only develop when people can trust you ALL THE TIME. If they never know from moment to moment what you’re going to do, then we can never get to a deep confident level of trust. 1 Cor. 13 gives us insight of consistent character.
the love of a Christ follower -
“It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” 1 Corinthians 13:7 - it’s consistent
Straight Talk
Honest communication. To be trustworthy, we must walk the talk.
“Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'” Matt. 5:37
Open Up
Value transparency - people eventually find out about your flaws, even if you try to hide them. But when we’re honest up front, admit our weaknesses, they appreciate your honesty and integrity - and are able to relate better to you.
“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor” Ephesians 4:25
Humility
People wont trust you if they see that you’re driven by ego,
jealousy, or the belief that you’re better than others.
“Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.”
1 Peter 3:8
Support Others
Nothing develops or displays character better than your desire to put others 1st - above yourself.
“If any of your people become poor and unable to support themselves, you must help them, just as you are supposed to help foreigners who live among you.” Leviticus 25:35
An Attitude of Servitude
“Your attitude must be like my own, for I did not come to be served, but to serve” Matthew 20:28
Giving of yourself and your time to others shows that you care about them. to be known by love
Fulfill your promises
Say what you mean - mean what you say
“be... trustworthy in everything.” 1 Timothy 3:11
Never promise anything you can’t deliver - and when you say you’ll do something - do it - follow thru. A sure way to break the trust of others is to fail to fulfill your commitments. - kids (parents w/empty promises and/or empty threats)
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