How Do Your Circumstances Effect You?

From the Desk of Pastor Toby Powers

Truth Baptist Church

Hwy 78

Bremen, GA

How Do Your Circumstances Effect You?

I Kings 19:1-4

Intro: Elijah was a man that faced many trials. He worked many miracles, and God blessed his ministry. But we see him here sitting under a juniper tree begging to die because a woman is mad with him. Through his life and example, I see some things that seem to be so true to us as well. The same things that got the great prophet to pout and doubt is the same things that often bring us down as well.

Notice:

I. It was a smaller trial that caused him to give up: He had faced many great trials and through them all he had kept the faith. He was faithful through the:

A. Brook Experience, he had no food or water, but God fed him with ravens and he drank from the brook.

B. Barrel Experience, the widow prepared for him a cake when she had but a handful of mill and a little oil. When she obeyed God, the mill and oil never ran out through the entire famine.

C. Blaze Experience, On Mount Carmel 450 prophets of Baal tried to pray fire down from heaven, but they could not. Elijah repaired the altar of the Lord, poured twelve barrels of water on it, and God sent fire!

But now he was running from a woman. He was not frightened by 450 prophets of Baal or the congregation of Israel. The king did not intimidate him, but this woman Jezebel had him begging to die! It is more often than not, the little trials in life that have us ready to quit. SOS 2:15 said that it was not the big foxes but the little ones that destroyed the vines.

II. It was a trial of words not of works that made him say, “I quit!”: Jezebel never touched him, but he was acting as though his life was all over. Remember that Jesus said, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” (Matthew 5:10-12). Paul promised us in II Timothy 2:12, that all that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Furthermore, Jesus told us in the parable of the sower that some seed would fall on stony ground. This was likened unto the Christian that when he fell into tribulation for the sake of the word, fell by the wayside.

III. It was a trial magnified by Elijah’s distorted vision: He thought that he was the only person that was right with God; therefore, it must not be worth it for him to live right either. But it does not matter if anybody else ever lives for God or not, we must determine to live right anyway.

He was more concerned about the approval of Jezebel than the will of God!

Note this, however, No matter how small you trial or how foolish your reaction, Jesus cares!

1. God sent angels to Elijah with cakes of bread and canteens of water: v. 5-8

2. Matthew 17, Peter did not have enough money to pay taxes, but Jesus saw him in his seemingly small trial, and sent him a fish with tax money in his mouth!

3. Mark 4 the disciples trembled while Jesus snored! They asked him if he just did not care if they all died in the storm, but he calmed the winds and the waves!

Yes, He Cares. I Know He Cares!!

How have the circumstances of life effected you? Regardless of how small a trial it may be, if it has hindered your worship or troubled your mind, will you bring it to Jesus in prayer?