Cherith The Brook Of Downsizing

Cherith The Brook of Downsizing

PPT 1 series title River Scenes

Inro and review, river scenes, first we discussed the river of life, and blessings, Ezekiel 47. The sea mentioned in this passage is the Dead Sea, it is the lowest place on the surface of the earth. This river of God has the power to bring dead things to life. The dead sea is called the dead sea because nothing lives in it. There are no plants, fish, or any other visible life in the sea. Its salt concentration is almost 9 times saltier than ocean water. It is toxic to all but a few forms of bacteria. But God’s river can even bring that dead place life! God wants us to be channels of his living water to bring life to the deadest people and places on earth. You can be in God’s river at different depths. Ankle deep, knee deep etc.

Next we gave a message on the river of trouble and wanting to hang up our harp and give up our song. Song is a powerful weapon to turn things around. The devil wants to steal your song because he knows how powerful songs song in a place of hardship are. Today we will be speaking on a third river scene, actually a brook

PPT 2 Message Title Cherith; The Brook of Downsizing (Picture of a gold fish being moved from a big bowl to a little one. )

God brings everyone to the brook of downsizing. Cherith is the place where we go from more to less, we go from freedom to restriction, where we experience a season of isolation, and yet it the midst of all that something wonderful is taking place.

Here is our text:

PPT 3-5

1 Kings 17:1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, surely there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word."

1 Kings 17:2 And the word of the LORD came to him, saying,

1 Kings 17:3 "Go away from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.

1 Kings 17:4 "And it shall be that you shall drink of the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there."

1 Kings 17:5 So he went and did according to the word of the LORD, for he went and lived by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.

Background Elijah has just given Evil king Ahab a prophecy of drought. Elijah will become the most famous of all the prophets in Israel’s history because of the miracles he performed and because of the impact he had on his nation. He was prophesied to come before Jesus, he will be with Jesus on the mount of transfiguration, and probably active during the great tribulation. This is the first time we meet him in the scriptures, this is the first instance of his stepping forth into prophetic ministry, and immediately he is shut down by God.

Today we are going to talk about the Cherith experience

1. Cherith is where we learn about conditional blessings.

2. Cherith is the place where the depth of our commitment to obedience is proved.

3. Cherith is a place where we are tested in and by isolation.

4. Cherith is the place of upsizing.

You can grow anywhere.

Cherith is the place where we live out the principle if we want to go up, you have to first go down.

Cherith Cherith means cutting/separation. Cutting as in what the water did to the rocks around it, and it also can be understood as the cutting off of Elijah from Israel, and perhaps cutting some things out of Elijah. Cherith is a place where difficulty carves some things into you. In Elijah’s case it was good things. Obedience, faithfulness,

1. Cherith is where we learn about conditional blessings.

PPT 6 text

1 Kings 17:4 "And it shall be that you shall drink of the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there."

Psalm 97:11 Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart"

The Lord told Elijah to go to the Brook Cherith. He had already commanded the ravens to bring Elijah bread and meat “THERE” every morning and evening. God had commanded in a specific place for food to be provided. Ps 97:11 light is sown, but it is to be harvested at a specific time and place. Be encouraged provision has been commanded, light has been sown, but be alert to this fact, certain things need to come into alignment to get what has been promised. If you have to go to Cherith to get it, you won’t get it anywhere else. It won’t be there.