"The Best Is Yet To Come"

The Best Is Yet To Come

TEXT:

Ex 15:6-11 (KJV)

6 Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.

7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.

8 And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.

9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.

10 Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.

11 Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

1 Tim 2:8 (KJV)8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

Introduction:

Many times I have heard someone speak of the “Good Old Days”

The days when life was simple;

People trusted in God and spoke of Him openly and unashamedly.

People worked long hours yet they never forgot about God, they never

Failed to show up for worship services.

But often what people refer to as the “Good Old Days” were times of war and times of economic hardships.

These things seemed to create a sense of awareness of the need for

A strong relationship with the Creator!

Sept. 11, 2001 ushered in a different way of life.

For years we had been living and enjoying “Peace Time.”

But now we are reminded of our mortality and our need for a Strong

Relationship with the Savior, Jesus Christ.

These are days of great trials, of famine and darkness and sword;

(1) Earth quakes,

(2) Fires out west.

(3) Flooding in our nations mid section

(4) The terriost attacks upon New York City and Washington D.C.

Winston Churchill said so long ago;

“ I am an old man, I have lived a long life, yet I have never seen time like these, I see no hope for the future.”

But because God often uses hardships to bring His people back into a right relationship with Him, I believe that the Best Days the Church has ever known could be right in front of us;

We are the church, we are the voice in the desert crying out “Prepare ye the way of the Lord!”

Of lift up your voice and praise Him, It’s the day of Salvation, your sins be forgiven, Out of Zion’s hill Salvation comes!

I. These Are The Days Of Elijah

Declaring the Word of The Lord!

[A] During the days of Elijah, Ahab becomes king.

(1) Ahab had taken a wife from a foreign land,

*His wife was raised to worship idols including Baal

*Baal was the God of nature.

[B] Ahab incorporated the worship of Baal in an effort to please his

wife.

Ahab did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.

Israel became increasingly wicked.

[C] Elijah comes on the scene and declares to Ahab that it is no longer

Going to rain unless He gives the word.

(1) For over 3 years the skies were shut up.

(2) There is a severe famine in the land.

(3) The prophets of Baal can not get the their god of nature to move.

[D] Elijah’s God was in control.

[E] During this time Elijah comes into the home of a widow woman and

her son who are starring death in the face.

(1) Because of the famine, they are on the verge of starvation.

(2) This woman has nothing except a little meal and some oil.

(3) This woman lives in the city of Zarephath which is located

In Sidon.

(4) Jezebel’s Father rules this area. This was where this Baal thing

Had come from.

(5) In fact it was from this very area that missionaries of Baal were

Recruited to come to Israel and lead the people in Baal worship.

[F] The Miracle of Food in the widow’s home.

(1)Her great faith.

[G] While Elijah is staying in their home, the widow’s son dies.

1 Kings 17:18 (NKJV)18 So she said to Elijah, "What have I to do with you, O man of God? Have you come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to kill my son?"

(1) The Widow Woman blamed herself and God for the death of her

son.

(2) Elijah said give me the boy, he took the boy from his mothers

arms;

(3) Elijah carried to young boy up stairs into his room and laid him