Last Sunday morning, Alan Scotland, a father figure in our church body, tenderly prodded our congregation to be a people motivated by not by the concerns of this world, but be a people in tune with reality. We must be the person we want to be tomorrow today.
His text for the sermon was 1 Kings 18:46 - 1 Kings 19.
After Elijah's trust in a living God made mockery of the pagan priests worship of an unresponsive god (Baal) in Kings 18, Elijah falls asleep in the wilderness discouraged by Jezebel's death threat (1 Kings 19:2). The study notes in my Bible comment: "Although the Lord had defeated Baal, Elijah has become a fugitive from Ahab and Jezebel (rulers in Israel). Because of the incongruity between the visible (the promoters of Baal who still govern Israel) and the invisible (the lordship of Yahweh), Elijah wants to die."
1 Kings 19:6-8 recounts how God renewed Elijah's hope and restored his prophetic soul.
God's plan for you is the same: to renew your hope in a God and to restore your prophetic soul.
Alan defined "prophetic expression"as the heart of where God is. Our "soul" is the actual personality of our spirit (our motivations). The call on a Christian's life is to reflect Him in the deepest ways possible.
We do not know the half of the plans that God has for us.
It is difficult to get to a place where God can speak to us.
Do you feel his hand on you?
Sure, you may not feel worthy. And well, you aren't. But it's not down to you. It's not about your worthiness. When the Lord's hand is upon you, you can be who God wants you to be. He'll give you the determination.
The enemy sometimes doesn't need the devil but one word from someone at the right time to lock you up for the rest of your life.
We need to learn to recognize God's intent to use you and work in you.
Elijah cried out to God in suicidal despair: "It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers" (1 Kings 19:4). God then fed Elijah and sustained on his journey.
What God is doing in this world is wonderful. He does not leave us to without food or direction.
Half the problem is that we are running on empty. We aren't talking to God. We aren't reading his word. We aren't serving one another.
Alan asked the following questions, much like God asked Elijah in 1 King 19:9 --
What are you doing here?
Where are you going in the place your in?
Why are you are where you are?
Is your prophetic soul alive and well?
The call on our lives is to reflect Him. How well are you reflecting who he is? You can't reflect what you don't know. How well do you know Him?
Enough is enough.
Today we express our tomorrows.
Rise to the voice of the Lord today.
Amen!
(To listen to Alan's message in it's entirety go to Risen Lord Community Church sermon downloads.)
