“THERE”
(In producing this proclamation, I was intrinsicaly excited about the implications of that word "there". I gleaned from the interpretations of others, and the insight offered by many to come to the conclusion that there is a real blessing in being positionally exactly where God wants us to be. Any sources have been credited, and no additions or omissions are intended. May God Bless You as You read this message). I’m encouraged and excited about the possibilities of being "THERE"~.
I Kings 17:1-4,8-9, 17
1. And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
2. And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,
3. Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
4. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.
8. And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,
9. Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.
1Ki 17:17
And it came to pass after these things, [that] the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him
Elijah was a man whom God chose for critical times. He was a man of passion, (I Kings 19:4), of Prayer….I kings 17:20, Of Power I kings 17:1, Of patience I kings 17 5-7, and a man protected by God. I Kings 18:10.
There was Boldness in His testimony.
Obedience to Divine commands.
Dependence on God’s supplies.
But today, I want to deal with something that has not escaped the Holy Spirit’s revelation. It’s a simple word….but its tremendously important. The word is "THERE"!!!
There occurs 2299 times in 2083 verses
Is it important that we communicate with well defined words? Since we all know what the words mean, why spend time defining them? Every word refers to a concept, which exists in the memory of the listener’s mind. Some concepts are the product of nonverbal experiences. For instance, when we were very young, we saw several kinds of animals, which other people called dogs; this formed our concept of "dog". Since the particular animals we saw differed from those seen by other people, our concept is slightly different from the concepts that other people have. On the other hand, certain concepts are the result of verbal or written explanations by other people. Here the explanations differed, so again our concept is not identical to that of other people. Any concept that we have, therefore, consists of other, previously learned, concepts and these concepts differ from person to person. So you see, no two people can have exactly the same concept, as related to a given word. The experience of science has shown that only when we correctly define all the words we use, then it is possible to come to firm conclusions. In physics, chemistry, and all the other "hard" sciences, this condition is true. Our everyday experiences show that slightly different interpretations of words produce unnecessary confusion and make understanding another person difficult.
THE FOLLOWING IS A QUOTE FROM A PERSONAL COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM DR. RICARDO GUIBOURG: "THE SEMANTIC CONTENT OF A WORD, IN A COMMUNICATION PROCESS, DEPENDS ON THE DEGREE OF INTERSECTION BETWEEN THE MEANING GIVEN BY THE SENDER AND THE MEANING GIVEN BY THE RECIEVER LOOK AT “THERE”.
ADV. AT OR IN THAT PLACE: SIT OVER THERE.
1. TO, INTO, OR TOWARD THAT PLACE: WOULDN’T GO THERE AGAIN.
2. AT THAT STAGE, MOMENT, OR POINT: STOP THERE BEFORE YOU MAKE ANY MORE MISTAKES.
3. IN THAT MATTER: I CAN’T AGREE WITH HIM THERE.
PRON.
1. USED TO INTRODUCE A CLAUSE OR SENTENCE: THERE ARE NUMEROUS ITEMS. THERE MUST BE ANOTHER EXIT.
2. USED TO INDICATE AN UNSPECIFIED PERSON IN DIRECT ADDRESS: HELLO THERE.
ADJ.
1. USED ESPECIALLY FOR EMPHASIS AFTER THE DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUN THAT OR THOSE, OR AFTER A NOUN MODIFIED BY THE DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVE THAT OR THOSE: THAT PERSON THERE OUGHT TO KNOW THE DIRECTIONS TO TOWN.
2. NONSTANDARD. USED FOR EMPHASIS BETWEEN A DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVE MEANING “THAT” OR “THOSE” AND A NOUN: NO ONE IS SITTING AT THAT THERE TABLE. THEM THERE BEANS OUGHT TO BE PICKED.
N.
THAT PLACE OR POINT: STOPPED AND WENT ON FROM THERE.
INTERJ.
USED TO EXPRESS FEELINGS SUCH AS RELIEF, SATISFACTION, SYMPATHY, OR ANGER: THERE, NOW I CAN HAVE SOME PEACE!
THEREFORE, WE MUST GIVE PRECISE DEFINITIONS FOR ALL IMPORTANT CONCEPTS USED IN INVESTIGATING INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS, SOCIETIES, AND ETHICS.
1 KINGS 17:4 AND IT SHALL BE, THAT THOU SHALT DRINK OF THE BROOK; AND I HAVE COMMANDED THE RAVENS TO FEED THEE THERE.
GOD SPECIFICALLY GAVE ELIJAH DIRECTIONS FOR HIS PROTECTION AND HIS PROVISION, HE COULD ONLY EXPECT THESE PROVISIONS IF HE OBEYED GOD.
I. WHERE IS THERE? THERE IS WHEREVER GOD HAS YOU, OR HAS DIRECTED YOU. THERE IS NOT USUALLY THE PLACE OF OUR CHOOSING, IT’S THE PLACE GOD HAS CHOSEN FOR US. "THERE" OBVIOUSLY REPRESENTS THE CENTER OF GOD’S WILL. THERE IS WHERE “’SINCERE INTENTIONS COME FACE TO FACE WITH MATURE ATTAINMENT"! "THERE" IS WHERE WE LEARN TO MOVE FROM INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE TO PASSIONATE LOVE. "THERE" IS THE PLACE WHERE A DIVINE DRAMA WAITS TO BE PLAYED OUT. "THERE" IS THE PLACE WHERE CARNAL KNOWLEDGE MUST BE THROWN OUT, AND STRONGHOLDS ARE BROKEN THROUGH THE TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. "THERE" IS WHERE HOLY PASSION IS IGNITED THROUGH THE INTIMACY CREATED BY THE AWESOME PRESENCE OF GOD. FOR JEREMIAH, "THERE" WAS THE POTTERS HOUSE
JER 18: 1 THE WORD WHICH CAME TO JEREMIAH FROM THE LORD, SAYING,
2 ARISE, AND GO DOWN TO THE POTTER’S HOUSE, AND THERE I WILL CAUSE THEE TO HEAR MY WORDS.
FOR NAAMAN "THERE" WAS A PUNY MUDDY RIVER CALLED JORDAN.
2 KINGS 5:12 ARE NOT ABANA AND PHARPAR, RIVERS OF DAMASCUS, BETTER THAN ALL THE WATERS OF ISRAEL? MAY I NOT WASH IN THEM, AND BE CLEAN? SO HE TURNED AND WENT AWAY IN A RAGE.
2 KINGS 5:14 THEN WENT HE DOWN, AND DIPPED HIMSELF SEVEN TIMES IN JORDAN, ACCORDING TO THE SAYING OF THE MAN OF GOD: AND HIS FLESH CAME AGAIN LIKE UNTO THE FLESH OF A LITTLE CHILD, AND HE WAS CLEAN.
FOR MOSES "THERE" WAS A CLEFT IN THE ROCK
MOSES DESIRED TO SEE THE GLORY OF GOD,
EXE 33:21-23 AND THE LORD SAID, BEHOLD, THERE IS A PLACE BY ME, AND THOU SHALT STAND UPON A ROCK:
22 AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, WHILE MY GLORY PASSETH BY, THAT I WILL PUT THEE IN A CLIFT OF THE ROCK, AND WILL COVER THEE WITH MY HAND WHILE I PASS BY:
23 AND I WILL TAKE AWAY MINE HAND, AND THOU SHALT SEE MY BACK PARTS: BUT MY FACE SHALL NOT BE SEEN.
FOR JOSEPHS FATHER AND BRETHREN "THERE" WAS THE LAND OF GOSHEN
GEN 45:10-11 AND THOU SHALT DWELL IN THE LAND OF GOSHEN, AND THOU SHALT BE NEAR UNTO ME, THOU, AND THY CHILDREN, AND THY CHILDREN’S CHILDREN, AND THY FLOCKS, AND THY HERDS, AND ALL THAT THOU HAST:
11 AND THERE WILL I NOURISH THEE; FOR YET THERE ARE FIVE YEARS OF FAMINE; LEST THOU, AND THY HOUSEHOLD, AND ALL THAT THOU HAST, COME TO POVERTY.
GOSHEN = DRAWING NEAR
NOURISH =SUSTAIN, SUPPORT, HOLD, SUPPLY, FEED.
SO OFTEN WE FORGET THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO BE IN CHURCH YET BE IN A FAR COUNTRY, AND NOT HAVE THE NOURISHMENT OF GOD SIMPLY BECAUSE OUR HEARTS AND MINDS ARE NOT REALLY "THERE".
IN LUKE 15 AND THE PARABLES OF LOST THINGS....REMEMBER THAT THE COIN WAS LOST IN THE HOUSE,.......THE SHEEP WAS LOST FROM THE FLOCK,..AND THE PRODIGAL WAS LOST, AND DID NOT DISCERN THAT HE WAS LOST UNTIL HE "CAME TO HIMSELF". "THERE" IS A TOUGH PLACE! JUST ASK MOSES!
EXE 24:12 AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES, COME UP TO ME INTO THE MOUNT, AND BE THERE: AND I WILL GIVE THEE TABLES OF STONE, AND A LAW, AND COMMANDMENTS WHICH I HAVE WRITTEN; THAT THOU MAYEST TEACH THEM.
BE THERE: BRING YOUR WHOLE BEING TO ME,. (HE’S NOT ALL THERE) NOT CONNECTING WITH WHAT’S GOING ON AROUND HIM.
FOR JOSEPH "THERE" WAS A PRISON, BETRAYED BY HIS BROTHERS, AND FALSELY ACCUSED OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT AND FORGOTTEN.
GEN 41:9-10
9 THEN SPAKE THE CHIEF BUTLER UNTO PHARAOH, SAYING, I DO REMEMBER MY FAULTS THIS DAY:
10 PHARAOH WAS WROTH WITH HIS SERVANTS, AND PUT ME IN WARD IN THE CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD’S HOUSE, BOTH ME AND THE CHIEF BAKER:
11 AND WE DREAMED A DREAM IN ONE NIGHT, I AND HE; WE DREAMED EACH MAN ACCORDING TO THE INTERPRETATION OF HIS DREAM.
12 AND THERE WAS THERE WITH US A YOUNG MAN, AN HEBREW, SERVANT TO THE CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD; AND WE TOLD HIM, AND HE INTERPRETED TO US OUR DREAMS; TO EACH MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DREAM HE DID INTERPRET.
13 AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS HE INTERPRETED TO US, SO IT WAS; ME HE RESTORED UNTO MINE OFFICE, AND HIM HE HANGED.
14 THEN PHARAOH SENT AND CALLED JOSEPH, AND THEY BROUGHT HIM HASTILY OUT OF THE DUNGEON: AND HE SHAVED HIMSELF, AND CHANGED HIS RAIMENT, AND CAME IN UNTO PHARAOH.
THERE IS A PLACE OF OBEDIENCE, PREPARATION AND HUMBLING; WHERE WE GAIN INTIMACY WITH GOD THROUGH LEARNING TOTAL DEPENDENCE AS WE RECEIVE HIS REVELATION, CLEANSING, REVIVING AND RESURRECTION POWER. IT WAS AT A PLACE CALLED THERE THAT ELIJAH WAS PREPARED FOR MT CARMEL. MANY TIMES WE MISS MT CARMEL EXPERIENCES BECAUSE WE WON’T GO TO THE THERE’S THAT GOD PREPARES FOR US. Did you know that Jesus went "THERE"?..........Look at the scriptures in the Gospel of Matthew......see if you find the word "THERE" ......and discern the significance of being "THERE".
THERE AND JESUS IN MATTHEW:27
36. AND SITTING DOWN THEY WATCHED HIM THERE;
37. AND SET UP OVER HIS HEAD HIS ACCUSATION WRITTEN, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
38. THEN WERE THERE TWO THIEVES CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, ONE ON THE RIGHT HAND, AND ANOTHER ON THE LEFT.
45. NOW FROM THE SIXTH HOUR THERE WAS DARKNESS OVER ALL THE LAND UNTO THE NINTH HOUR.
46. AND ABOUT THE NINTH HOUR JESUS CRIED WITH A LOUD VOICE, SAYING, ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI? THAT IS TO SAY, MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?
47. SOME OF THEM THAT STOOD THERE, WHEN THEY HEARD THAT, SAID, THIS MAN CALLETH FOR ELIAS.
55. AND MANY WOMEN WERE THERE BEHOLDING AFAR OFF, WHICH FOLLOWED JESUS FROM GALILEE, MINISTERING UNTO HIM:
56. AMONG WHICH WAS MARY MAGDALENE, AND MARY THE MOTHER OF JAMES AND JOSES, AND THE MOTHER OF ZEBEDEE’S CHILDREN.
57. WHEN THE EVEN WAS COME, THERE CAME A RICH MAN OF
ARIMATHAEA, NAMED JOSEPH, WHO ALSO HIMSELF WAS JESUS’ DISCIPLE:
61. and there was mary Magdalene and the other mary over against the sepulcher.
MATTHEW - CHAPTER 28
2, AND, BEHOLD, THERE WAS A GREAT EARTHQUAKE: FOR THE ANGEL OF THE LORD DESCENDED FROM HEAVEN, AND CAME AND ROLLED BACK THE STONE FROM THE DOOR, AND SAT UPON IT.
3. HIS COUNTENANCE WAS LIKE LIGHTNING, AND HIS RAIMENT WHITE AS SNOW:
4. AND FOR FEAR OF HIM THE KEEPERS DID SHAKE, AND BECAME AS DEAD MEN.
5. AND THE ANGEL ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO THE WOMEN, FEAR NOT YE: FOR I KNOW THAT YE SEEK JESUS, WHICH WAS CRUCIFIED.
6. HE IS NOT HERE: FOR HE IS RISEN, AS HE SAID. COME, SEE THE PLACE WHERE THE LORD LAY.
7. AND GO QUICKLY, AND TELL HIS DISCIPLES THAT HE IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD; AND, BEHOLD, HE GOETH BEFORE YOU INTO GALILEE; THERE SHALL YE SEE HIM: LO, I HAVE TOLD YOU.
8. AND THEY DEPARTED QUICKLY FROM THE SEPULCHRE WITH FEAR AND GREAT JOY; AND DID RUN TO BRING HIS DISCIPLES WORD.
9. AND AS THEY WENT TO TELL HIS DISCIPLES, BEHOLD, JESUS MET THEM, SAYING, ALL HAIL. AND THEY CAME AND HELD HIM BY THE FEET, AND WORSHIPPED HIM.
10. THEN SAID JESUS UNTO THEM, BE NOT AFRAID: GO TELL MY BRETHREN THAT THEY GO INTO GALILEE, AND THERE SHALL THEY SEE ME.
11. NOW WHEN THEY WERE GOING, BEHOLD, SOME OF THE WATCH CAME INTO THE CITY, AND SHEWED UNTO THE CHIEF PRIESTS ALL THE THINGS THAT WERE DONE.
12. AND WHEN THEY WERE ASSEMBLED WITH THE ELDERS, AND HAD TAKEN COUNSEL, THEY GAVE LARGE MONEY UNTO THE SOLDIERS,
13. SAYING, SAY YE, HIS DISCIPLES CAME BY NIGHT, AND STOLE HIM AWAY WHILE WE SLEPT.
14. AND IF THIS COME TO THE GOVERNOR’S EARS, WE WILL PERSUADE HIM, AND SECURE YOU.
15. SO THEY TOOK THE MONEY, AND DID AS THEY WERE TAUGHT: AND THIS SAYING IS COMMONLY REPORTED AMONG THE JEWS UNTIL THIS DAY.
16. THEN THE ELEVEN DISCIPLES WENT AWAY INTO GALILEE, INTO A MOUNTAIN WHERE JESUS HAD APPOINTED THEM.
17. AND WHEN THEY SAW HIM, THEY WORSHIPPED HIM: BUT SOME DOUBTED.
18. AND JESUS CAME AND SPAKE UNTO THEM, SAYING, ALL POWER IS GIVEN UNTO ME IN HEAVEN AND IN EARTH.
19. GO YE THEREFORE, AND TEACH ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON, AND OF THE HOLY GHOST:
20. TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED YOU: AND, LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAY, EVEN UNTO THE END OF THE WORLD. AMEN.
SO OFTEN WE RUN FROM THE PEOPLE, PLACE OR SITUATION THAT GOD HAS DESIGNED TO BE A BLESSING TO US AS WE WALK OBEDIENTLY AND STRIVE TO GLORIFY HIS NAME. YOU SEE,..IF JEREMIAH HAD NOT GONE TO THE POTTERS HOUSE,..HE NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN THE PROPHET WHO COULD CRY ALOUD "ITS LIKE A FIRE SHUT UP IN MY BONES"; IF NAAMAN HAD NOT GONE WHERE THE PROPHET TOLD HIM TO GO, THEN HE NEVER WOULD HAVE GOTTEN HIS HEALING! IF MOSES HAD NOT GONE TO THE CLEFT OF THE ROCK, HE NEVER WOULD HAVE KNOWN THE SHEKINAH POWER OF GOD’S GLORY OR RECEIVED THE COMMANDMENTS FROM THE LORD. IF JOSEPH’S BRETHREN HAD NOT GONE "THERE" THEY WOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN FED. FOR JOSEPH HE HAD TO GO TO THE PRISON BECAUSE HE WAS "SET UP, TO BE SET BACK, TO BE SET FREE". IF JESUS HAD NOT GONE "THERE" TO CALVARY....WE WOULD NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO THE TREE OF LIFE. IF ELIJAH HAD NOT GONE TO THE BROOK, HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN FED,..IF HE HAD NOT GONE TO ZAREPETH, HE WOULD NOT HAVE MET THE WIDOW WOMAN, AND BEEN SUSTAINED BY WHAT GOD HAD,..NOR WOULD HE HAVE BEEN PRESENT TO BE USED TO RAISE THE WIDOW’S SON AND MAKE THE WIDOW REMEMBER HER SINS, AND ACKNOWLEDGE GOD’S AUTHORITY IN HER LIFE!
ARE YOU "THERE"?
STOP HESITATING, STOP PROCRASTINATING....MOVE FORWARD IN FAITHFULNESS AND OBEDIENCE! BECAUSE IF YOU ARE "THERE", THEN YOU ARE IN FOR A GREAT BLESSING! BECAUSE "HE" IS "THERE" WITH YOU!
DON’T BE AFRAID TO GO "THERE"!
