God's Man On The Run

First Church of God in Harvey

Sunday Morning, September 21st, 2008

)

Welcome (choir to sing welcome song.......greet others......)

This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. This is the day.......elaborate..

Since we last met, has God been good to you? Since you woke up this morning, has God been good to you? Any struggles? Any problems? Despite how things might appear to be, God is still a good God. If God has been good to you, then it is alright to give him thanks. Maybe you don’t feel good, but God is still good. (take time to praise the

Lord...........)

Let us pray.

Last Sunday we had our homecoming, friends and family day, and we thank God for the wonderful time we had despite all the flooding. Saints God truly has been good to us. Sometimes we complain of all the problems we are going through, only to realize that there are those who are worse off than we are. What would you do if you lost everything you had? You had worked 20. 30. 40 years, only to see in a few hours everything is lost. In Galveston and in Houston, Texas, and in other places there are people who have lost everything, but many are still alive. Today we are here, still alive, and so we can still thank God...........

Welcome back to our ladies who went on an overnight prayer retreat to Decatur.

Today I have some good news, and some bad news for you. Most of us like to hear good news, and the bad news we try to put off.. Is that true? Here is the good news, Jesus Christ died for your sins, and you don’t have to be lost. The bad news is, if you do nothing about it, you will be lost in your sins. Were you expecting some other news? It is quite possible you were. So here are some other news. AIG is bailed out by the

government for approximately 85 billion dollars. The stock market took an awful plunge, but went back up the next day. Gas prices keep going up and down. Election time is just a few weeks away. There all kind of news going around, and many of the news you cannot change. Today there is one bad news you can change, if you are here today and you are lost in your sins, you can run for your life, and seek refuge in Jesus Christ, and that will be good news. . Satan will do everything to destroy you, but you can be safe in the arms of Jesus if you start running for your life.

My to-pic for today is, God’s Man On The Run. Please turn with me in your bibles using The King James Version, to 1 Kings 19 verses 1 through 8, and let’s all stand and read together. Please tell someone sometimes you have to run.

Today we will consider the following about God’s man on the run. Number One ....His life was threatened; Number Two...He wanted to die, and Number Three..He is provided for by God.

As God’s children today, whether we accept it or not, we are all chased by the devil, and so we have to run for our life. The Bible says in 1 Peter 5 verse 8, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" The devil does not care how long you are saved, how spirit filled you are,how much bible verses you can quote, all he is concerned about is to devour you...........elaborate...so be on your guard......

When trouble comes your way, sometimes you have to run for your life. In 1 Kings 18 we find that the prophet Elijah had been on the mountain top. On the mountain top Elijah had experienced the manifestation of the glory of God. On the mountain top he had mocked and jeered the prophets of Baal. On the mountain top he had prayed to God and the fire of

the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice. On the mountain top Elijah requested that all the prophets of Baal be slain. On the mountain top Elijah had felt very close to God. Have you ever felt real, real close to God, and you just want to stay in his presence? Have

you ever had a real mountain top experience with the Lord........elaborate...

Mountain top experiences many times will not last forever. It might last for a long time, but after awhile you will have to get down from the mountain. Saints of God when you find yourself rejoicing in God; when you find yourself having a great mountain top experience, be on your guard, because the devil does not like it, and he will be on the