13 August 2006
U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris
Presidio of Monterey (ORD Military Chapel)
Monterey California, 93940
BIG IDEA: DISCOURAGED BELIEVERS, while in the midst of their crisis, need to affirm to others that GOD sees, their adversities, and He will make the necessary provisions for them.
References: Psalms 30:5b – David praises God for deliverance – “… weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning (KJV); Jeremiah 29:11-12 (MSG)”I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out – plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. “When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen”. ; Job 14:1 (KJV) – Man that is born of a woman is of a few days and full of trouble; Job 2:7-9 (ESV) So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes. Then his wife said to him, Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die; Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: 1 Kings 19:1-8 (ESV); Job 2:7-9 (ESV)
II. READ THE PERICOPE: 1 Kings 19:1-8 (ESV); Job 2:7-9 (ESV)
III. READ THE TEXT: 1 Kings 19:1-8 (ESV) And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again.
IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the hearers which are dealing with depression OR feeling discouraged to affirm to others that GOD sees, their adversities, and He will make the necessary provisions for them.
V. INTRODUCTION:
In my sermon preparation, I came across a short BUT humorous FACT sheet about STRESS, which was written by Reverend David Yarbrough of Texas:
"The population of this country is 200 million. 84 million are retired. That leaves 116 million to do the work. There are 75 million in school, which leaves 41 million to do the work. Of this total, there are 22 million employed by the federal government.
"That leaves 19 million to do the work. 4 million are in the armed forces, which leaves 15 million to do the work. Take from that total the 14.8 million who work for state and city governments and that leaves 200,000 to do the work. There are 188,000 people in the hospital at any given time, leaving 12,000 to do the work.
Currently, there are 11,998 people in jail. That leaves just two people to do the work - you and me. And you’re just sitting there listening. No wonder I’m stressed!"
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My brothers and sisters … I have a confession to make! I confess as a 44 year old Man of God, I’m learning more and more each day … that regardless of how devastating …. or challenging a situation is for me, … God knows what He’s doing, … and God knows what He is allowing to occur in my life.
I also confess that I’m NEVER alone! Neither is my situation or circumstance EVER … HIDDEN from God.
Because …God has ANGELS watching over me!
For God WORD says (in The Book of Jeremiah – 29:11-12 MSG): ”I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out – plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. “When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen”.
****************TAKE 5 BEATS*******************
MOVE 1: Now, that you have heard my confession …
a. How many of you - in Ord Chapel (this morning) –TRULY believe that … in the midst of a CRISIS … God would never leave you alone?
b. Now, don’t raise your hand … unless you really want to … but “how many of you … have EVER felt LIKE YOU WERE DISAPPOINTED with God?
c. Finally, if you don’t mind, by a show of hands – how many of you HAVE … ever … REALLY BEEN ANGRY with God?
d. I contend this morning … that there are some believers (in our presence) that are STILL ANGRY WITH GOD. And in their minds eye – THEIR ANGER WITH GOD is justified!
e. I don’t know … maybe GOD allowed THEIR love one or significant other to die;
f. maybe THEIR husband (or wife) recently left THEM FOR SOMEONE ELSE;
***********************TAKE 5 BEATS*******************
MOVE 2: Or perhaps … God didn’t deliverer them out of a particular CRISIS … when they thought He should have.
a. Or maybe the Word of God is speaking directly to you.
b. For you see …You have been faithfully attending worship services, and week after week …
c. … helping out at the homeless shelters. You’ve been fulfilling God’s Will in your life …. or at a miminum …
d. you’ve been fulfilling your understanding of God’s Will in your life.
e. Still, after all of that for God … It seems as if HE has ignored your request of Him.
f. It seems like God has left you out here alone … by yourself. Things have not gotten better for you; instead, it looks like they’ve gotten worse.
g. And you’re ANGRY!
************************TAKE 5 BEATS******************
MOVE 3: You have been FAITHFUL. And it looks like someone else has received your blessings.
a. Listen to me.
b. If you want …You can act like this message isn’t for you. But the fact of the matter is …
c. whatever God didn’t do for you – ANGERED you! And I definitely understand!
d. Many years ago when I was 16 years old, my family (my mom, dad, and I) were already extremely poor.
e. When I, too, experienced a CRISIS that left me angry with God. In fact, I was so angry that I vowed within myself to never serve or worship Him again.
********************TAKE 5 BEATS*********************
MOVE 4: Some of you think you have been angry with God. I WAS ANGRY … AND I DIDN’T CARE WHO KNEW IT!
a. At that time, I was the youngest Sunday School Superintendent in the State of Florida.
b. My resume’ included being an up and coming High School Basketball Star, with a bright academic future ahead of me.
c. Then SUDDENLY, out of nowhere … my father died. He had a massive heart attack at the age of 48.
d. You can’t possibly imagine how devastating that CRISIS was for an only child, …
e. … living in the dangerous ghetto side of Jacksonville, Florida.
f. My dad was my everything.
g. He was our family brain and protector! I remember thinking, “HOW COULD THIS BE HAPPENING TO ME?”
h. How could this be happening to my mom? I was a good kid!
i. How could the God I serve find room to allow a CRISIS like this … to come upon one of his faithful ones.
******************TAKE 5 BEATS************************
MOVE 5: In my minds eye … things were so bad that … I EVEN wondered (at times) if God even knew I existed.
a. Because, in my mind, if God knew I existed …
b. …and all that I had done for Him … surely He wouldn’t allow this to happen to me!
c. My brothers and sisters … I must have cried out to God until I literally couldn’t cry anymore!
d. And when I was done … the fact remained.
e. My dad was dead.
f. My mom and I were devastated.
h. And I felt like God couldn’t see; and God couldn’t hear!
***********************TAKE 5 BEATS*******************
MOVE 6: Likewise, … In the Book of Job, we find the narrative of Job’s wife:
a. For don’t you remember.
b. When Mrs. Job loss 7 sons and 3 daughters … and her husband was on the break of losing his life …
c. She mistakenly encouraged JOB to CURSE GOD AND DIE … (THEOLOGICAL SUICIDE)
d. … IN OTHER WORDS … her crisis had mentally, and emotionally gotten the best of her. In her minds eye … she had experienced ENOUGH …
e. In fact, I believe, IF WE COULD HAVE SEEN MRS. JOB’S FACE …
f. WE would (no doubt) ATTEST to the fact THAT SHE WAS mentally … and emotionally … GOING THROUGH A CRISIS.
*******************TAKE 5 BEATS***********************
MOVE 7: We would probably see pain and the inward desire to quit praying and seeking God’s Will all over her countenance …. (red swollen eyes; with bags under them … as if she had cried every ounce of water … out of her body) …
a. For you see… my brothers and sisters … it’s my belief that Mrs. Job didn’t mean to infer that God would not and COULD NOT DELIEVER her and Job.
b. She didn’t mean to infer that God could not See her problems … and THAT God did not care!
c. BUT THAT IS EXACTLY … WHAT SHE IMPLIED!
d. LIKEWISE, ACCORDING TO OUR TEXT…(FOUND IN 1 KINGS 19:1-8) … this morning …
e. We find the behavior of the Prophet Elijah’s … ALSO … implying that God does not See, and God does not care.
f. We see this through the prophet’s behavior. Because, In our text, today, Elijah is running for his life. He’s scared!
g. He’s exhausted. He’s depressed, and he has a proclivity to DIE. He doesn’t want to LIVE!
*******************TAKE 5 BEATS**********************
MOVE 8: For don’t you remember THE STORY …
a. Elijah defeated the Prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. And as a result, King Ahab informed his wicked and notorius wife, JEZEBEL.
b. who reacted with vengenance and threats UPON Elijah’s life.
c. UPON RECEIVING THE MESSAGE that the wicked queen wanted to kill him …
d. Elijah, the great and powerful Man of God …
e. … ran for his life down to Beersheba in the Southern part of Judah.
f. Elijah’s behavior in our scripture is totally out of character for him.
g. For just one chapter ago (1 Kings 18) he had experienced God’s super natural strength to do some extraordinary things!
h. Just one chapter ago, he had felt the anointing of God upon his life mightily.
i. One chapter ago, he was bold and courageous as he faced all kinds of odds.
******************TAKE 5 BEATS************************
MOVE 9: In fact, ONE CHAPTER AGO, this Man of God was so anointed … the chapter concludes …. “the hand of the Lord was on Elijah”, …
a. So, this passage of scriptures today reminds us all of our vulnerability. We are nothing without God!
b. It’s important that each of us become aware of our strengths and weakneeses in our Christian Walk … or we will fail …
c. How we focus or see our crisis/situation can empower and encourage us;
d. … Or how we see our crisis or current circumstances CAN neutralize us into DISCOURAGED BELIEVERS… wanting to die and NOT LIVE.
e. The worst thing that we can do as believers … Is to LOSE FAITH in our Savior and as Christians live SCARED.
******************TAKE 5 BEATS***********************
MOVE 10: Like many of us … Elijah was expecting a different outcome.
a. He was expecting something different from God. Something more POSITIVE.
b. Perhaps, he was looking for a real turn-around in the spiritual arena of God’s kingdom.
c. And when … what he EXPECTED didn’t happen – he LOST FAITH AND BECAME SCARED.
d. Now, my brothers and sisters, life is full of disappointments; and if we are not extremely careful.
e. Our expectations CAN and will derail us
f. And like Elijah … we can temporarily BECOME SCARED of our circumstances AND LOSE FAITH IN GOD.
g. For when our expectations become demands of our heart, we’re in trouble.
******************TAKE 5 BEATS***********************
MOVE 11: In other words, When we expect something to happen SO MUCH SO that when it doesn’t, it BECOMES a tremendous emotional let down for us!
a. … We are allowing the enemy (of our faith) to challenge our faith in God.
b. And we are embarking upon some form of DEPRESSION OR DISCOURAGEMENT.
c. For instance, SEVERAL months ago, while stationed in South Korea, I was informed of the housing requirements of Pennicle; So, as directed, I went to the housing website. I viewed the beautiful homes that were displayed and picked-out the floor plan that best suited my family.
d. I was so excited. Not, only was I leaving South Korea after having served for 3 years; but from the look of those HOMES on the website … I was also returning to the STATES in STYLES.
e. Now. My brothers and sisters … I can still vividly recall the excitement I felt in my heart. And if that wasn’t enough …. Seeing the expressions upon my wife’s (Dedra) face (who rarely displays her emotions) took the cake for me.
f. We were on our way to America … and speicifically … Monterey California and the La Mesa Subdivision (Tell The Story) …
g. Later … I discovered that things weren’t as they had appeared.
h. My expectations were derailed; and I was livid. I didn’t want to die. But, I was outraged.
i. My brothers and sisters … it was during this OUTRAGED stage ….that I too wondered if God was in the midst.
j. For … How was this situation going to Work-out IN MY FAVOR? Why did I have to reside in the Military Projects.
k. I was being emotionally manhandled …. Pushed around like my feelings didn’t matter.
l. … And I could do nothing. The Devil, no doubt, was using his forces through the lives of other people to DISCOURAGE me … AND IT WAS WORKING!
m. I was discouraged. I was angry; IT GOT SO BAD … THAT THERE WERE MOMENTS WHEN I was DOUBTING MY RELATIONSHIP with GOD.
*****************TAKE 5 BEATS ************************
MOVE 12: My brothers and sisters …The Bible says, “ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD FOR THEM THAT LOVE THE LORD AND ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE.
a. In our text this morning … I DON’T QUITE UNDERSTAND why Elijah did what he did.
b. But, neither do I understand why I felt led to do some of the things I did during my CRISIS.
c. I am reminded that the APOSTLE PAUL SAID IT BEST, in 1 Thessalonian 5:18:
d. “In every thing give thanks for this is THE WILL OF GOD in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
e. In other words, “Although this crisis (THAT WE may be going THROUGH HAS TAKEN US BY SURPRISE … BECAUSE … WE DIDN’T KNOW IT WAS COMING; IT did not SURPRISE GOD).
f. My brothers and sisters …REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE’RE GOING THROUGH … WE ARE GOD’S TOOLS AND HIS INSTRUMENTS.
g. THE ONLY HANDS THAT GOD HAS ON EARTH ARE OURS.
h. SOMETIMES … WE ARE USED … in this life … FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS …
*****************TAKE 5 BEATS ***********************
MOVE 13: And just like GOD provided “angels and food for Elijah” in the midst of his crisis; he has also ‘s made provision for you and me … in the midst of our crisis.
a. GOD has brought people into our lives to encourage us and to let us know that He sees and He cares!
b. Now, don’t get me wrong – It’s not wrong for us to hope for the best and to look to the Lord for assistance.
c. But, God holds us responsible for TRUSTING IN HIM;
d. HE HOLDS US RESPONSIBLE FOR LOVING HIM.
e. HE HOLDS US RESPONSIBLE FOR ENDURING.
f. THE DEVIL IS A LIAR. God does LOVE US.
g. BUT GOD HOLDS US RESPONSIBLE FOR FAITHFULNESS.
h. HE DOES NOT HOLD US RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RESULTS. THE RESULTS ARE IN HIS HANDS … AND NOT OURS!!
*******************TAKE 5 BEATS *********************
CELEBRATIONS:
But, … GOD … EXPECTS US TO DO WHAT HE HAS CALLED US TO DO.
WE ARE TO BECOME LIGHT IN THE MIDST OF DARKNESS. AND JUST LIKE HE CAUSED ANGELS TO MINISTER TO THE NEEDS OF ELIJAH … HE WILL DO THE SAME FOR YOU AND ME ….
JUST LIKE GOD PROVIDED SHELTER and shade FOR ELIJAH … HE WILL PROVIDE shelter and SHADE FOR YOU AND ME.
And JUST LIKE GOD ENCOURAGED ELIJAH IN THE MIDST OF HIS CRISIS … GOD ENCOURAGES YOU AND ME… today!
BECAUSE … HE SEES AND HE CARES….
For remember the Word of The Lord says in Jeremiah 29:11-12 (MSG) …
”I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out – plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. “When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen”. For don’t you remember:
GOD SEES … AND GOD CARES …
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
