Dealing With Disappointment Series

When Your Brook Dries Up”

Elijah at Cherith

I Kings 17:1-16

Last week we talked about desperate times.

This week we want to talk about disappointing times.

If you open the paper, turn on the TV, attend a family reunion

Go to church or just go home.

Life is filled with disappointment.

I’m not even going to talk about the upcoming campaign.

Even Children are disappointed.

A little boy was looking forward to going to work with his dad.. Although usually shy, he seemed eager to meet each co-worker. On the way home, the little boy appreared sullen. When the father asked why he seem disappointed? HE said: "Well, dad, I never got to see the clowns you said you worked with."

I have been disappointed this week.

Planned Parenthood the nation’s largest abortion provider,

is offering T-shirts for sale that proclaim "I had an abortion."

Since when did we become proud about killing unborn babies

that we wear it on our T-shirt.

The church can be disappointing.

I know a couple who have stopped coming to our church and when I called on them,

They said it was because we were not friendly and

they were not treated equally as others..

Maybe some of you have been disappointed with me as your pastor.

I. LIFE IS FULL OF DISAPPOINTMENTS

Almost every month I visit a young women in the hospital who

Has to deal with chronic pain.

Fainting and blackouts and disabling headaches.

Doctors can’t seem to find anything to help.

But I am amazed at her ability to trust God and sustain life at a pain level of 5 or 6

Our youth had a great trip to Mexico,

But there was some great disappointment

When some of them came back sick and we had

parents who were at wits ends dealing with

The unknown illness in their family member.

Some of you have dealt with the disappointment of cancelled wedding.

Others with children born, who need some corrective surgery.

Others whose children have been arrested for drug dealings.

Terrible things are happening in Iraq and Afghanistan

but terrible things are happening at home too.

Just this week we had to deal with the death of a young

Man who was murdered. The best years of his life ahead.

The dreams of his parents destroyed..

I know this morning many of you are facing disappointments.

I see the tears streaming down your face.

I see the grief in your eyes.

I see the confused and frustrated looks that life leaves.

I wonder what can we offer.

Yet after the service.

many of you will thank me for the service,

because you discover hope in the presence of the living God.

You reach out to his Love, grasp hold of his grace.

And you experience the Sweet spirit.

That God is in control.

And if we trust in him.

There is nothing that can separate us from his love.

If we stop to think about it.

Without Gods hope and help.

We could be like Ahithophel-brother of foolishness.

. Ahithopel was an prophet giving advice to Absalom when he chased King David out of Jerusalem and was taking over the throne. Ahithopel gave Absalom correct advice that would make him the knew king and bring him victory but the bible says Absalom rejected it.

2 Samuel 17:23 When Ahithophel saw that his advice has not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his house in order and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.

II. DISAPPOINTMENTS CREATE A CHOICE -CROSSROADS

We can stop and be defeated,

Or we can act and be obedient.

Disappointment can bring out the worst in us or the best in us.

For Israel it was the time of the WORST KING

And THE GREATEST PROPHET.

People had a choice.

King Ahab and his wife Jezebel wrote the book on evil and Idolatry.

Jezebel had introduce the worship of Baal the weather God.

God sent Elijah to correct them.

To awaken them from their evil and idolatry.

"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" (I Kings 17:1).

The drought lasted three and a years (James 5:17–18).

Instead of repenting Jezebel was enraged.

This meant disaster for an agro-based economy.

This meant disaster for her false religion.

Because Baal--Baal-Melqart---was the God of thunder, rain and good crops.

Her gods couldn’t produce rain,

Elijahs true God shut it down when he prayed.

Baal was false and impotent.

The Baal prophets were liars and they worshiped dumb idols

It is Yahweh who created and sustained the world.

Does Jezebel repent like Nineveh in sackcloth and ashes?