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
attack.........elaborate.... Have you been attacked recently?.......
In verses 1 through 3 of our text we find the life of God’s man is being threatened. It seems to me King Ahab was afraid to confront Elijah, and so in verse 1 of our text he reported to his queen what Elijah had done, not what God had done, and how the prophets of Baal were destroyed. Somehow Ahab knew how to get through to his wife. Somehow he knew how to make his story so appealing so that he could get some action. Somehow
he knew what buttons to push so as to make her resentful and wanting to kill Elijah. It seems in times of crisis women knows how to get things done. Can you hear Ahab speaking to his wife; my dear Jezebel, haven’t you heard what Elijah has done? He has called down fire from heaven, and he has given orders for all the prophets of Baal to be killed, and darling, I just can’t take this any more. What do you think I should do?
In verse 2 of our text we find Jezebel taking over. I can hear her saying, step back my king, I will take matters into my own hands. In reading verse 2 of our text, we find there is something wrong. Jezebel appears to be tough. She is taking out an APB or an All Points Bulletin on Elijah, but at the same time she is giving Elijah 24 hours notice of
what she is planning to do. Normally if somebody is going to kill someone, they don’t give that person notice, unless you are a convict waiting on death row. She was giving Elijah time to escape for his life, she was giving Elijah 24 hours head start. She was allowing God’s man to be on the run.
If you knew someone was planning to kill you, and if you were giving 24 hours warning,what would you do? Somehow Elijah knew that Jezebel meant business. Somehow he knew this was not a game. Somehow he knew she was out for revenge for killing the prophets of Baal. After putting all the facts together; after weighing the pros and cons, Elijah came to one conclusion, he must run for his life. Look at verse 3 of our text (read)
Elijah’s life was threatened, and so he has to run for his life. It seems Elijah had eased up on his trust in God, because Jezebel was going to kill him. It seems Elijah had forgotten what had happened on the mountain top, because Jezebel was after him. It seems somehow the joy that he had experienced on the mountain top, was now changed to
disappointment because Jezebel was after him. Before Elijah started to run for his life, the bible did not say he prayed, but that he arose, and went for his life. Elijah in running for his life made sure he was completely out of Jezebel’s reach, and so he left his servant in Beersheba, and went on a day’s journey into the wilderness.
After Elihjah had ran away from Jezebel; after he had taken matters into his own hands,after he was all by himself in the wilderness, it was now prayer time for him. Elijah’s prayer was not a prayer of rejoicing. His prayer was not a prayer of lack of trust in God,but a prayer for death. Let’s look at verse 4 of our text (read)
After Elijah had run for his life, he now wanted to die. Have you ever reached a place in your life when you just want to give up? A place in life when it seems everything is going against you? Saints, it’s
alright to run for your life. When Joseph was assaulted by Potiphar’s wife he had to run for his life, and in Genesis 39 verse 9b Joseph declares," how then can I do this great wickedness and sin againts God?" Moses was a murderer, he had killed an Egyptian, but he became afraid and fled for his life. David was pursued by king Saul, and his wife Michal planned his escape and he fled for his life. It is alright to run for your life when it is necessary. So here we find Elijah running for his life, he is all by himself in the wilderness, and he now takes the time to pray that he might die. It seems Elijah had lost
all hope, and so now he wanted to die. It seems everything was turning against him, and so now he wanted to die. Elijah had ran for his life, but now he prays that he may die.
Elijah was on the run, he was having a pity party, and he was telling God as he prayed that he had enough., he had suffered enough, and he was weary of living. He was telling God that he could not take it any more. Who told Elijah it was enough? God did not, because God knows what was enough for Elijah to do and to suffer. God had much more to teach Elijah, and he had more work for him to do.
When we don’t know what to do; when we think we have had enough; when we are tired and weary, God is there to bind up the brokenhearted, and to give us rest. Sometimes on our Christian journey, we do get weary, but God knows how to give us rest. Sometimes the old devil might think he is having the upper hand, but God knows how to give us rest.Sometimes we can’t pray, and all we can do is to groan out to God, but God knows how
to give us rest. Cheer up saints, God will take care of you. Cheer up saints, God knows what you are going through, and he will not leave you nor forsake you, and he knows how to give us rest.
Elijah God’s man was on the run, and he was saying to God, I have had enough, I can’t take it any more, and enough is enough. Over the past few months we have heard these words on the television, on the radio on the internet that enough is enough. Long before these famous words were uttered, there was a prophet of God who thought to himself that he could not take it any more, and so he said, "It is enough."
When is enough enough? Who determines what you can take and what you can’t take? Who decides when you have come to the end? The word declares that Elijah sat down under a juniper tree and requested for himself that he might die, ’It is enough, now, O Lord, take away my life....Here are a few quotes from the book "Preaching Through A
Storm,: written by H. Beecher Hicks, Jr, "It is enough, I’m tired of struggling with the Ahabs and the Jezebels of the world." "It is enough. I’m weary of wrestling with principalities and powers." "It is enough. I don’t have what it takes to struggle with the forces of iniquity and the regiments of unrighteousness." "It is enough. I’m tired
of walking in the counsel of the ungodly and standing in the way of sinners." "I’ve almost starved to death, I’ve had to be fed by a raven and to beg biscuits from a little widow woman. I’ve seen my brook dry up. I’ve had to fight 450 prophets of Baal when no one else would stand with me. Ahab and Jezebel have got a contract out on my head, and for all my work, I’m out here in a wilderness. I’m here all by myself . It is enough. And enough is enough." end of quotes.
Elijah was on the run, and now he was tired. He might have thought there was no need to live, but there under the juniper tree God was right there. The God who was on the mountain top with Elijah, was right there with him under the juniper tree. The God to whom he had prayed to on the mountain top, and as a result fire came down from heaven, was with Elijah under the juniper tree. You see saints of God, we can’t hide from God,for he is everywhere.
A few weeks ago we talked about the sleeping prophet Jonah who was running from God, and might have taught he could hide from God. Let’s refresh our memory again as we read from psalm 139 verses 7 through 10, "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven thou art there: If I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me."
As Elijah laid and slept under the juniper tree, God had not forgotten him, but God provided for him. In verse 5 of our text it says, an angel touched him,and told him to arise and eat. It seems to me that Elijah’s mountain top experienced had now changed into a valley experience, but even in the valley God was right there, and was providing for him. The psalmist David writes in psalm 23 verse 5," Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies..."
There under a juniper tree, away from the wicked hands of Jezebel, God sent his angel to minister to Elijah. Elijah wanted to die, but God sent an angel to preserve his life. Elijah wanted to give up, but God wanted him to know that he had more work for him to do. Elijah might have thought he had enough, but God wanted him to know that it was not so.
Maybe for you, things all around you are crumbling, maybe you are saying that you have had enough, God want you to know today, to hold on a little longer, because there is help on the way. Maybe you are being persecuted by those around you, and you are running for your life, God want you to know that there is help on the way, so don’t you give up. If
you are running for your life today, if things don’t look so good, I want you to cheer up,ande take heed to the words of this song," Be not dismayed whate’er betide, God will take care of you. Beneath his wings of love abide, God will take care of you........All you may need he will provide, God will take care of you, Nothing you ask will be denied, God will take care of you.....No matter what may be the test, God will take
care of you, Lean weary one upon his breast, God will take care of you....God will take care of you Through every day, O’er all the way; He will take care of you, God will take care of you" .elaborate...
Out in the wilderness, all by himself, waiting to die, in verses 6 through 8 of our text we find God provided for Elijah. As Elijah slept waiting for his prayer to be answered, he was awakened out of his sleep and was well provided for with angel cake and water. Elijah ate and drank, and then went back to sleep. Normally you can’t eat one or two
meals, and expect that one or two meals to take you through the week, much less forty days and forty nights, because after awhile you will become hungry again, but in Elijah’s case this was an exception. Elijah was told to eat a second time because he had a great journey, and the bible says he arose and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of
that meat forty days and forty nights....elaborate...what a mighty God we
serve..........elaborate....
The God of Elijah is our God today. The God who is there on the mountain top, is also the God who is in the valley. This same God has given us a promise in Hebrews 13 verse 5b, and he says," I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." If you are tired from running, today Jesus promise to give you rest, and he says in Matthew 11 verse 28, Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. If in your mind you feel that you have had enough, and you just can’t take it any more, then listen to the apostle Peter as he writes in 1 Peter 5 verse 7, Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. If life at home feels unbearable; if you can’t take what’s happening on the job any more; if it seems nobody really cares about you; if the suffering seems too much for you to bear; if it seems you just want to give up and die because you have had enough,then take heed to the words of our Lord from 2 Corinthians 12 verse 9, My grace is
sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Have you ever been driving on the highway, or just around town, having a pity party, and all you can do is cry out to God, Lord help? Maybe you might feel stressed out, tired out, worn out, and need a permanent time out, today there is help for you. Jezebel cannot destroy you, the devil
cannot keep you down, but thank God, God is here to help you, and he can help you right now.
Elijah, God’s man, his life was theatened. Elijah, God’s man wanted to die, because he thought he had enough, and he could not take it any more. Elijah, God’s man was provided by God, because God knows just how much we can bear.
If you are here today not saved, the good news is, you can repent of your sins by accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. The Bible says in Romans 10 verse 9,"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him frojm the dead, thou shalt be saved."
Cll to the unnsaved........If you are saved, and you need help from God, today you can cry out to God for help..elaborate.........
Let us all stand
Call to discipleship
Closing song/prayer)
