God Working Through Elijah

If you ever wonder why Elijah was one of two Old Testament figures to appear during the Transfiguration of Jesus (Luke 9, Mark 9, Matthew 17), see how God used him mightily during the encounter with the prophets of Baal and Asherah in 1 Kings 18.

Quite a crowd gathered that day – all the people of Israel, all the prophets of Baal, plus Elijah and King Ahab, all on Mount Carmel, near the sea, in northwest Israel.  The event was the great Champion Burn Off.  Elijah for the LORD and the many prophets for Baal prepared a slaughtered bull on their altar and called upon their god to burn it up.

The event had sadness.   Elijah challenged the people of Israel to not “go limping between two different opinions.  If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.”   The people’s wretched response was utter silence – they did not say a word. 

The event had humorous heckling.  When the Baal believers were having trouble getting a response, Elijah suggested louder chanting, since maybe your god is asleep or on holiday, or sitting on the potty. They “raved” on, but got no response.

The event had an awesome prayer.  After Elijah built his altar with twelve stones for the tribes of Israel, he dug a trench around it.  Then he had the people pour three massive loads of water on the altar, drenching the wood, meat, and stones, and overflowing the trench.  His prayer is bold, “let it be known this day that you are the God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word,  Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.”

The event had a fearful climax.  Fire indeed came down from the LORD, hot enough to evaporate all the water and burn up the offering and the wood, plus vaporize the stones and the dust all around!  The people fell on their faces and finally cried out, “The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God.”  And at Elijah’s direction, all the prophets of Baal were seized and slaughtered, not one of them escaped.

God certainly used Elijah in a powerfully miraculous way that day.

Cool Number Dates – 6/22/14-6/28/14

Mostly there are even numbered days this week – four dates that are all multiples of 2: 6/22/14, 6/24/14, 6/26/14, and 6/28/14.

And, the half-back day for this month is today!  Go up 16 from 6 to 22, then come half way back (8) to 14: 6/22/14.

Don’t be bored with all these even number dates in June.  There are only 8 cool dates in all of July!

Freighter Math

If Captain Jim’s freighter picked up 60 million tons of ore in Marquette, and lost 3% of it per Great Lake on his way to Buffalo, how massive was Captain Jim’s post-Erie-ore?

 

Thanks to Frazz (6-6-14)

Praying Scriptural Promises

A group gets together at church every Sunday morning to pray for the day’s activities – for visitors, the worship team, the sound team, the audio team, Sunday School teachers, crucial congregational issues, and whatever else seems appropriate.

One thing we ALWAYS pray for is the preaching of the Word. The phrases in the prayers vary, but are always based on the promises of God through the scriptures:

1.The word of the Lord goes out and accomplishes what God has purposed (Isaiah 55.10-11)

2.The word of God is living and active (Hebrews 4.12)

3.The Holy spirit works in the preparations and presentation of the preacher, and the ears of the congregation (1 Corinthians 2.12)

4.The Holy Spirit convicts of sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16.8)

5.The Heavenly Father gives the Holy Spirit abundantly to those who ask (Luke 11.13)

6.The prayer of righteous men has great power as it is working (James 5.16)

We thank God for his Word, both the Bible and Jesus; we pray that the Holy Spirit would cause the preacher’s speaking and thoughts to be dynamic and powerful; we ask that the congregation would hear, understand and be able to apply; we request that those who have never heard the gospel would be convicted and believe; we pray that all the children would also hear, understand, and believe.

Every week, over and over, we claim the promises.  We all love the Lord, all have saving faith, and all understand and know the Sufficiency, Clarity, Authority, and Necessity of scripture.

And we see the promised results.  Every week the preaching is solid, understandable, convicting, and applicable.  The congregation is growing in the understanding of God. Worship times are sweet. We praise the LORD!

 

Wisdom’s Source

Monday’s topic was Seek Wisdom from Proverbs 2.1-4.  Yesterday was Find Wisdom, the expected results of having God’s knowledge, from verses 5 and 9-12.  And today we look at  Wisdom’s Source, where verses 6-8 make it clear that even with all our seeking, it is God who controls the understanding.

The provision of wisdom is from the LORD:

  • The LORD gives wisdom
  • From His mouth comes knowledge
  • From His mouth comes understanding
  • God stores up sound wisdom for the upright
  • God is a shield for those who walk in integrity
  • God guards the paths of justice
  • God watches over the way of his saints

See that with the wisdom and understanding, God provides bonus features – shielding, guarding, and watching over His people.

Find Wisdom

Yesterday’s topic was Seek Wisdom from Proverbs 2.1-4.  Today is Find Wisdom, the expected results of having God’s knowledge, from verses 5 and 9-12.  And tomorrow is about Wisdom’s Source, where verses 6-8 make it clear that even with all our seeking, it is God who controls the understanding.

When you are attentive to wisdom, call out for insight and treasure understanding as suggested in verses 1-4, then you will

  • Understand the fear of the LORD
  • Find the knowledge of God
  • Understand righteousness
  • Understand  justice
  • Understand equity
  • Understand every good path

And

  • Wisdom will come into your heart
  • Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul
  • Discretion will watch over you
  • Understanding will guard you
  • Understanding will deliver you from the way of evil
  • Understanding will deliver you from men of perverted speech.

Notice that the knowledge of God is “pleasant” to your soul and understanding provides discernment when listening to men.

Seek Wisdom

The next three days’ posts are Holy Lists about wisdom, all from Proverbs 2.  Today is Seek Wisdom, the admonitions in verses 1-4 about its value.  Tomorrow will be Find Wisdom, the expected results of having wisdom, from verses 5 and 9-12.  And Wednesday will be about Wisdom’s Source, where verses 6-8 make it clear that even with all our seeking, it is God who controls the understanding.

It is good to desire wisdom, understanding, and insight.  Notice the increasing stakes in this list… the importance of understanding and the effort required grows with the verses:

  • Receive my words
  • Treasure up my commandments within you
  • Make your ear attentive to wisdom
  • Incline your heart to understanding
  • Call out for insight
  • Raise your voice for understanding
  • Seek wisdom like silver
  • Search for understanding as for hidden treasures