TH130509/The Battle of the gods

Harvest messages are brought to you by harvest partners receive free email daily devotions or to become a harvest partner, please visit us online@harvest.org. The title of the message is the battle of God. We would all agree that there is a battle going on in America right now and it's a battle for our very soul. A battle for right and wrong battle over the Bible. A battle over the family really what it is, is that the battle over worldviews and if you want a simplified here's the bottom line. It's a battle of the God you see in the Bible there is only one God is not multiple-choice. The Lord says I the Lord am one God.

There is no other God effectively. There is a true and living God, the God of Scripture, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God that loves us so much he sent his son Jesus Christ to die on the cross. Then there are all the other gods and I might spell that with a small G and only one of these gods can be true, and so the battle rages today. The battle of the God of the battle of the worldviews and sometimes as followers of Jesus Christ. Believers in the Bible doesn't it feel like were losing ground in our country.

I read a story from the Korean War that illustrated the kind of attitude we ought to have his believers as the story goes, his enemy forces were advancing bigger company was cut off from the rest of the regiment for several hours. No word was heard even through headquarters, though they tried repeatedly communicate with the missing unit finally obtained signal was received straining to hear each word a corpsman asked Baker company Baker company do you read me there's some static all this is Baker company. What is your situation Baker company replied the enemy is to the east of us, the enemy is to the west of us, the enemy is to the south of us and the enemy is to the north of us is a brief pause and the boys are bigger company comes back and says, not going to let them escape this time we ever feel that way like you're busy. The enemy is on the east and the west and the north and the south.

Everywhere you turn, it seems like your losing ground will here's the good news.

The battle belongs to the Lord and I read the last page of the Bible and you are to enter studies in Revelation, we win in the yeah so we need to remember that as the battle rages on every single day.

I'm reminded of the story of Elisha and his servant to Hayes.in they were surrounded by enemy forces and Elisha was so confident in the Lord. He took a little nap in. And that is servant will come up alarm disunity forces are closing in hello like to send Lord open his and that servant's eyes were opened and he saw the Angels of the Lord all around. Listen moron are on our side than there are on the enemies side but listen, we do live in troubled times. Sexual promiscuity and perversion are rampant, senseless and random acts of violence only continue to grow our nation is been rocked by terrorism. Listen the war on terrorism is not over and it's raging on. Unfortunately in experts tell us the things may actually get worse before they get better so you might feel in some ways, as though there is no hope, and you might even say there's nothing I can ever do to make a difference well I want to say there is something you can do, because here in first Kings is the story of Israel's history that the many ways parallels our history today conditions back then were strikingly similar to our own and in some ways they were even worse and one man made a difference in his name was Elijah. Elijah.

One of the dark is the most evil time on Israel states now his story.

He's introduced introduced to his brother in first Kings 17 but the chapters leading up to this show us how bad things had gotten Israel had turned the fulltilt idol worship. And here's the weird thing they wanted to worship the Lord, for they wanted to worship their idols as well, sort of the idea of having your cake and eat it too, for that expression you can have your eight cake and needed to know. I've actually had taken eat, so I'm not sure what that means exactly which understand the idea you can have it both ways and it's not that the people of Israel were atheistic. They just wanted to worship other gods along with the Lord. But the Lord would have none of that and it would be like us today worshiping another God. They don't see a lot of idol worship, at least outwardly in our culture, but I think in some ways maybe there is to worship another God would be like to know somebody falling in love with management. Can you imagine that you know maybe this guy leaves his wife and he takes up with a manic and you want to manic units right they hang the clothes on in the stores and so he says why did you do that he says will you know what she's always smiling.

She's always been a good mood and not say something else.

She never nags me.

I love this woman.

He drives around with her as his arm around her, you know he's always as a mother would be insane right, of course, it would.

Is it any different to worship another God besides the Lord so you might say well I would never workable. Both giveaway the second anyone or anything that takes the place of the true and living God in your life can potentially become an idol everybody has an alternate bow before some doll before the altar of philosophy. Others bow before the altar of possessions.

Others bow before the altar of their physique. It's all about how they look, but in time the greatest physique will fail the most brilliant mind will pay others novel for other altars. But here's the bottom line when crisis is is that God going to save you. Can you cry out and say American Express probably now know, I don't think American Express will come to your aid.

Know your false gods with the Lord will so Israel's false gods could not help them either. So it was time for a showdown with the Carmel chorale. You've heard of the drilling in Manila or the rumble in the jungle of this is the ultimate conflict as Elijah faces off of the false prophet a bail on Mount Carmel in the battle of the gods know little historical background will help her over 100 years Israel had lived under the reign of three Kings. They were salt David and David's son Solomon each have their flaws, some more than others. At the end of Solomon's life Israel had a civil war and they broke into two kingdoms.

The northern kingdom in the southern kingdom and sin abounded, and now a new king emerges to lead Israel and he was the worst of the lot. The most sinful king to date 1/2 and if he wasn't bad enough, his wife was even worse. She was the power behind the throne and her name was Jezebel. She was a fulltilt idol worshiper listen when you're thinking of names for your sons and daughters don't take Ahab and Jezebel are these of the worst of the worst impact a Jezebel's evil evil reputation was so notorious. Her name was used many years later by the apostle John illustrates evil seeping into the church in Revelation 220. He says you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess by her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality.

So John actually uses Jezebel is a picture of evil, but there was a real person name Jezebel. This is her her and her husband Ahab set up a sacred grove of trees for the worship of Ashtoreth.

They not only worship bales will see a few moments but*not*was the goddess of sex and violence. Do you think people still bow at the altar of*today, maybe not by name but I know some people are obsessed with filling their minds with sex and violence in the Bible tells us of God was not pleased with this in first Kings 16 says he had made a grove and he did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before, so he effectively picked a fight with God. Just what if you pick a fight with God.…

It's been said your arms are too short to box with God.

So don't even try. Now during this time most of God's people were compromised. Of the thousands of Jews under the reign of Ahab only 7000 remain with not doubt the need to bail in. Of those 7000.

They were primarily paralyzed by fears of their existence was unknown to the prophet Elijah.

So in this dark dark background emerges this rough hewn prophet is very name sums up his mission in purpose the word or the name Elijah means my God is Jehovah or the Lord is my God, think his name was a rebuke to the wicked king and queen your God.

Maybe Dale, but my name is God is the Lord's almost like was action and linking from an original Hebrew word nanny nanny Nana and it's translated to this feeling of really nanny nanny Nana you get the idea. You're worshiping a false God, his name alone set it all and where did he come from the Bible tells us he was a Tisch body from Gilead on that means very little to us, but it's important for us to know that Gilead is east of the Jordan River. The people that live there were roughhewn tan from the sun top journal like the Australian outback to be dressed in animal skins. Elijah given one of the Robertson family of Duck Dynasty anonymous and normally think of Elijah. We generally think of our former miracles and no doubt he was one of the greatest miracle working prophets of all you raise the dead. He stopped the rain, he called fire down from heaven. By the way, a great guy. They have at a barbecue know your meats a little underdone.

Elijah could you torts is formally no problem what he wanted done, well done, good and people servant Garrett is only known as a man. He was bald.

He was courageous he was fearless so we hear a story like this and we say what what is it's hard to do to me. Here's what the Bible tells us that we need to know. It tells us in the book of James. Elijah was a man subject to the same passions as we are for another translation of Elijah was a man just like and sometimes he seems like a super man but he wasn't.

In fact, he had moments of great fear and at one point he was so despondent he wanted to give up and die.

Have you ever felt that way. So here's the good news.

God can use flawed people. God can use imperfect people. God can use people who have weaknesses. In fact, it seems as though he goes out of his way to find people like that.

Why, because of the only use super talented, beautiful, handsome people, we would say well there's no hope for me, but he refuses person that pretty much an idiot like we are with a will there is hope in God chooses the foolish things of the world. The Bible says to confound the wise.

So now here is the story of Elijah emerging on the scene. Maybe I could even say exploding on the scene first Kings 17, read one verse. Elijah, the Tisch by of the inhabitants of Gilead, said the way have the king is the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there will not be dew nor rain these years, except that my work stopper were to prayer the Lord as we explore the life of this great prophet. This man that made a difference in his generation, may we find inspiration to make a difference in our generation. Maybe learn the principles that he operated by so speak to us as we look in your word now in Jesus name, amen. So here comes Elijah storming boldly in the court of the notoriously wicked King Ahab flings down the gauntlet of his challenge to the very nerve center of Israel. I wanted to get such boldness. Notice he doesn't follow any protocol makes no introduction. He doesn't defer to the king's guide from the outback comes walking in. Someone probably asked how did he get through security. It is one writing like he owns the place.

What were his secrets is one of them. He was aware that wherever he went.

God was with Elijah was aware that wherever he went. God was with them will give verse one he says is the Lord lives, before whom I stand, if you like to serve the living God, not a dead one like Ahab and Jezebel like Joby could say I know my Redeemer lives.

This is an interesting expression, before whom I stand him and that wherever he went. He recognized he stood in God's presence.

He was in the Lord's presence to understand that wherever you go wherever you're talking to wherever you are. If you're a Christian, God is with you, Jesus, that I will never leave you or forsake you. The believer is never alone. So we automatically become a majority of one because God is on our side to see and so Elijah recognize that he was always in the presence of the Lord and listen to this.

When you stand in the presence of God. You will not bow before any man or woman because you will have courage. The Bible says that the righteous are as bold as a lion. In Proverbs 28.

This awareness of God's presence gave Elijah the courage to stand his ground. He knew God was there and we need to remember that as well. Are you willing to take a stand like this still attends Christians are afraid to stand out. We don't want to offend anyone. We want to get along with people. Most Christians I know are pretty nice people. Pretty pleasant people and just so you don't want to see the sum of all that's wrong right disagree with that. So maybe they'll tell a dirty joke and you know you'll laugh along as you want to come off like some kind of a fruit or or maybe someone will make a compromise and you'll go along with it as well, or you won't speak up and say something is wrong because I would be politically incorrect listen. Elijah was no compromise or in God is looking for men and women today that will stand up for what is true. Ezekiel 2230 God says I thought for a man among them who could make up a wall and stand in the gap performing on behalf of the land that I should not destroy, but found none.

Are you willing to stand up in your family or Christ.

Are you willing to stand up in your office for Christ. Are you willing to stand up in your neighborhood for Jesus Christ Chuck Swindell wrote my quote. Those who find comfort in the court of Ahab can never bring themselves to stand in the gap with Elijah." So true, so number one. He was constantly aware that he was in the presence of God that God was with him number two.

Elijah was a man of prayer.

He was a man of prayer, James 517 says Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not ring the land for 3 1/2 years.

Again he prayed in the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crop is here was Elijah's prayer in private. That was the source of his power in public.

He had a prayer life and thus he had this boldness.

In fact, it's interesting. During James 517. It says he prayed earnestly that he would not rain, and we see them there on Mount Carmel facing off with the prophet to bail. He prays with all of his heart is not some really bad prayer, hate, you know, like, dude, Lord, well, which heavy anyway. Lord of the way prayer you call in the Lord with fervency and with passion and then that's how Elijah prayed back to the word used during James for earnestly is a word that means he prayed with prayer. I like that he prayed with prayer.

This was a heartfelt prayer. This was a passionate prayer he put everything into this prayer so number one.

He walked to the awareness of God's presence. Number two. He was a man of prayer. Number three. Listen to this one.

He faithfully delivered the message he faithfully delivered the message. By the way, he didn't have an easy message to deliver notice message was go tell Ahab it's gonna rain for a long time you go telling others going to be a draw.

That was his mess knots can a message you don't want to necessarily deliver and I think in the same way God has given us a message. That's not the easiest one to deliver Brinson to say to people that we believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and the only way to God and think that the popular thing to say in our culture today. We believe that the Bible is the word of God.

The only truly inspired book do you think God a popular thing to say because when I say that I'm in affixing these other religious book will, they are not true and I can sound very unloving to someone will go through judgmental of you work that's very prideful. How could you think my just saving the Bible says that that it's inspired by God and I'm just saying it because Jesus said he was the way the truth and the likely units to narrowminded you can say that that your truth that's not my church. While whatever this is what the Bible says in her note to say the like say not the only way to make this car run as would fuel it was an agreement that men why not move his ideas that churches I think I can put in the water in it that will run go for what I think birdseed would work to put the birdseed and if you want to, but I'm telling you this car was made a running gasoline and that's the only thing it will run on now that may seem narrowminded to you but I'm simply stating a fact when I tell you that Jesus Christ is the only way to the father.

I'm simply stating a fact. Don't shoot me. I'm only the messenger listener. This they will shoot you, they will shoot you. Now you want to do this with as much compassion and grace as you can gloss a Colossians 46 is let your conversation be gracious and attractive. She will have the right response for everyone but the bottom line is all that live godly in Jesus Christ.

For persecution in the gonna take it out on you when I was back in Washington DC for the national Day of prayer. I didn't go back there to get into a fight with anybody I want Dr. to pray as I was asked to pray at the meeting there at the Canon office building in the pre-and the Pentagon, and it wasn't my choice to to get into this engagement with these activists, homosexual groups that were calling me homophobic and in all that the look I mean the way I looked at it, it could've been on a number of issues easy.

I have a lot of controversy over views and or nope you know the I also think it's a sin to commit adultery.

I think it's a sin to have sex before marriage and think it's a sin to live think it's a standard field.

By the way, I didn't come up with this stuff on my own call the 10 Commandments and to the point we build our judicial system on these teachings from Scripture, but nowadays when you dare to say something that is a sin because the Bible says it is that is wrong in the minds of some will all we can do just underground see what a lot of people are looking for is not tolerance. They say they want tolerance. But here's what they really want. They want acceptance and approval. II think Christians are very tolerant people really do because you see I do not agree with somebody but I will not try to censor them or silenced. In fact all events. They were Americans. We have freedom of speech you can express your views.

Let's have a symbol civil conversation about this. I would actually like to persuade you to believe what I believe.

But if you choose not to believe what I believe you have the right, this is America. I will try to stop you from having that view, but there are people out there would say to us. You can't have that you you cannot express that view and not only that we want to silence you and the only way will be satisfied is when you come back to us and say not only do we tolerate what you believe, but we accepted and we approve it then will be happy sorry can't do that can't do that because to do.

That means to walk away from what the Scripture said I'm understand on the teaching of this book. So the only this finds good conduct every doorstep of every believer in some way shape or form. Are we Dennis down on the word of God or on the shifting sands of culture. It's not my job to edit God's word to try am my mind to improve upon it or to remove things I think might be offensive. It's my job to declare the whole counsel of God. So like you had a tough job.

You go tell Ahab it's not gonna rain on you know we want to tell everyone God loves him and it's true.

God loves him who want to tell them that you know the Bible also says that there's a final judgment where one is on that is why I say that man will never talk to me again. Will that may be true that may not be true, but really it's just for us to deliver the message faithfully number four. Elijah was a man of faith and obedience. He was a man of faith and obedience ending after such a moment delivering this message to King Ahab Elijah my this it all right Marla let's list is gone. Let's have the face-off of the province available now, let's talk for this is really an interesting twist in the story, God says you know what was paraphrase now under different plan in mind for you Elijah. I wanted disappear from the scene for a while.

I'm going to go over to this little brook of water called Sheriff this hang out there a while how McGinty provides delivery. I'll bring the food to you.

Okay guess how God did that ravens birds you know it now, I don't think there like flying through In-N-Out Burger and picking up you know little bags and drop them off and you know it ravens that they look to glued bits of food here and there in the deacon and brought it to Elijah and that's all he had to live one into a place of total obscurity. It doesn't make any sense and it makes total sense because sometimes God will use us and the mortal sake. Now I have to work on your for a while because when I got next for you. You're not ready for you. I got agenda with you in the shape a little bit more. That's what he was doing with Elijah recently done. This company recently. Maybe you had it successful career and in you pull back because you probably need to spend more time with my family. Or maybe there was a cutback at work and you were let go or made you in a ministry that was flourishing and suddenly the subfloor seems like it once did our perhaps sickness is altered your plans. You don't have the energy you once did an event to make changes and it seems like yeah you don't get it. Maybe it's not the end of all. Maybe it's a new beginning, God closes one door to open another and maybe he's close the door for you because he is another door ready to open any time. So here's what you need to do. You need to just wait on the Lord and be faithful to the Lord because everything we go through in life is preparation for something else.

God is preparing you for something in your future. Look how long it took God to get Moses within the shape he wasn't. He was 80 when he was ready to roll. ADD I mean people are anywhere they got it. That's it for them know now Moses was just getting going. He spent 40 years in the Pharaoh's court finding out it was a somebody 40 years in the backside of the desert finding out it was a nobody that he spent 40 years finding out what God can do with a somebody who realizes there are no so maybe you're in one of those places right now were God is prepping you well anyway he waits in the Lord get some Reading and then the Lord comes Elijah in first Kings 18 says all right.

Three years later. Go present yourself to Ahab, and I'll send rain on the earth.

Nonmember after Elijah made that announcement to King Ahab. He was not a popular God there wanted posters all over town England. Every post office wall your centerline at the post office leave those pictures on the wall. Then you look around behind you like this. I don't see any of those people in here I guess were okay. His face was everywhere he was wanted dead or alive preferably dead now emerges on the scene again and Elijah in a haphazard confrontation, and the prophet throws down the gauntlet first Kings 1817 and Apple when Ahab saw Elijah Ahab said to him, is that you owe struggle of Israel alive. Just as I am in trouble.

Israel but you and your father's house and that you forsaken the commandments of the Lord now. Elijah issues a challenge.

Ahab I wanted to send together all Israel to me on Mount Carmel 450 province of bail 400 and 400 province of*, we the Jezebel's table know it's interesting because Ahab calls Elijah trouble were trouble or could better be translated snake in the grass or Viper Viper you snake in the grass under the pipe call a guy a snake in the grass with the ability to call fire down from heaven on you. Oh yeah, we your toast baby.

No I didn't do that.

He came right back at him and sit down at the snake in the grass. You're the snake in the grass you brought this on yourself because you turn the false gods is always amazing to me how people will break God's command over and over again resist his loving warnings and then when hardship hits often as a result of their own actions.

They blame God, why did God love this eliminated.

My marriage is falling apart. Why not do this because you're a jerk because you're a lousy husband or horrible white.

Maybe that had something to do with that.

While my children turned from the Weiser summit honey. I'm not saying that's always the reason, but I'm saying there is cause-and-effect sometimes will do horrible things and that will reap the consequences and scratch. I wonder why even have the audacity to blame God for all of it, one in effect were reaping what we so and sometimes and got people facing hardship and likely latch onto God and thus they will lash out at God's representative. If you read some get mad at you just because you are a Christian you know comes up in the conversation.

Will I believe Jesus will tell you that Jesus Christ then they start ripping into you like what what I was they tried being a pastor. But I accept I am a representative of the Lord not the only one in one of them so people can lash out at you at times and so that's really what I got was a huge trouble or of Israel. You snake in the grass alleges a name and you're the snake in the grass you brought this on yourself. But I'll tell you what, let's have this.

Let's get this over with. Let's have you bring your God, and I'll bring my God, and let's see who wins it to showdown. Amazingly, Ahab agrees and assembles a province of bail amount Carmel think he was desperate.

He just wanted some rain and if Elijah's prayers would bring it so be it.

But I think the fact is, is that God moved the king to step into this trap and Elijah set. The Bible says that God moves the king's heart wherever he wants.

God's in control.

Ultimately, of our leaders even are leaders that are not godly. He can direct them in the way that he wants them to go. That's why we still need to pray for our leaders and so Elijah says okay here's the deal.

Ahab let's say that the God who is real to answer by fire here.

That's a pretty sweet deal for you right you were certain bail and bail with the Lord of the sun. He was the son God the God was in control of the elements, so surely the son God the God in charge of the weather could bring a little precipitation he could deliver some rain and does so they get up there now amount Carmel hears all the profits of bail and all the prophets of*, the goddess of sense and violence in their all gathered together now. Elijah want to say a word to the Israelites are watching this and he says in verse 21 to the people. How long will you falter between two opinions of the Lord is God, follow him feel as God, follow him and the Bible says and the people answered him not a word he said come on guys, this time to take a stand for the Lord who is on the Lord side and went like I want to say anything. Why because they were afraid of Ahab and Jezebel would persecute them. It was unpopular at this time to worship the Lord as its unpopular to worship him today. These are people were trying to live into world. So now it's time for the contest to start.

Elijah says to the prophets avail you guys go first first Kings 18 verse 26, so they prepared one of the bowls and placed it on the altar. This is the new living translation.

Then they called on the name of bail all morning shouting all bail. Answer us for there was no reply of any kind, then the dancing wildly around the altar they had made in around noon time.

Elijah began marking them payola to shout louder. I mean, he's a God baby. He's deep in thought or he's relieving himself or his away the trip resist sleeping needs to be awakened, so they shouted louder and following their normal custom. They cut themselves with knives and swords until the blood gushed out. They raved all afternoon, so I guess it raves back into they raved all afternoon until the time of the evening sacrifice. And so there was no reply no voice, no answer. I think Elijah is enjoying himself here is marking them really came in yellow or maybe a trip.

Maybe he's relieving himself, you read right. Verse 27 where is a living translation puts it, maybe he's sitting on a toilet now proceeded have toilets packed and right but that is actually what Elijah said in the original language.

He said that your God. You know out there relieving himself meant.

I mean it's kind of funny really right.

He was mocking them, but really their own gods were mocking them. The emptiness of these gods that could not save them nor deliver them.

You know, God did a similar thing with the Pharaoh and the people of Egypt. Egyptians worshiped pretty much everything they worshiped frogs.

They worship birds.

They worshiped the water.

They worshiped the Nile River. They worship plans. They worship trees email you name it they worship that they thought it was some kind of a God. So the Lord in his legs afflicted them with the very thing they worship it was effectively safe. Hey you guys want to worship service. Probably some frogs on you worship away and there frogs everywhere frogs in their bed frogs and their ovens frogs on the floor, frogs, you name it. There was a frog there. Go to sleep at night tonight honey, you know so he can mark them in that way he was showing them the futility of that which they trusted sometimes double C that to you. We have our God. We don't call it the God what is what we trust in maybe it's a person. Maybe it's a bank account. Maybe it's a career.

Maybe it's in our appearance. Maybe it's in something else. That's our identity. That's who we are. That's what were all about and then one day something happens and were not all that anymore. You know that there's something happens and we lose that money that was in that account. Something happens and we lose that position. Age happens it's called gravity were not the person we used to be somebody else comes along and takes our place and that sort of a wake-up call to realize that that was never a good thing to build your life on to begin with, and so these people are calling on their God, who cannot deliver them and this is really to me a perfect picture of the world and all of its glory and wonder. I mean these guys a startup calling out to their God mixing another charting themselves, or believe the unit just like a grotesque mass. You know the world could be so attractive. At first when you don't know better, and easy generation after generation of young people buying into the same lies. You know, and then you see what happens to people that live that life and life choose a mop and it spits them out and some people are cold before their time. Because of the kind of lifestyle they live. A lot of people come to mind that I could name right now that are out there in the public eye that they they look like they could be their own mother or father because of the lifestyle they've chosen to live the world to be so attractive. But then you see really what it's all about to hear these guys. They been praying and quotes from morning to evening, beaten, bloodied bonds. Now they come to their wits and the largest sanitary are you guys done in overtime. Okay, let's clean this place up, he cleans up the altar. He puts everything, documents, place, and he says I want someone to douse the sacrifice with water lots of water so the dump water all over it.

I want you to do it again they do to get I want to do it 1/3 time. Why was he doing that because he wanted to know were no tricks here. This was not some little game he was playing this was going to be God answering by fire and there was no way that this sacrifice could night apart from supernatural fire coming from heaven. So now the altars re-bill it's doused with water in the Elijah phrase first king 18 verse 36 at the customary time dropper in the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed all Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob proved today that you are God in Israel and I am your servant prove that I've done all of this at your command. Verse 37 the Lord answer me answer me so these people will know that you are God and that you brought them back to yourself immediately. The fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull the word, the stones, the dust look up all the water in the ditch, the people thought they pull on their faces and write out the Lord is God, the Lord is God right so this is one of the greatest stories ever told what we learn from this man just like us. Elijah number one.

He was aware that wherever he went. God was with him. He stood continually in the presence of the Lord. He said they have is the Lord God lives, before whom I stand, remember when you stand in the presence of God will not bow before any man number two. He was a man of prayer. He put all aligned. As he prayed earnestly, and God answered it was Elijah's prayer in private. That was the source of his power in public. Thirdly, he faithfully delivered the message wasn't an easy message to deliver what he brought it we been given our marching orders from our commander-in-chief to go to all the world and preach the gospel is not for us to update these popular update popularized or edit the gospel just deliver it theology without apology number four. He was a man of faith and obedience after his message was delivered he disappeared in obscurity until God call them.

So here's the message for us defeat forthwith the Lord is set before you.

Now he's preparing you for something later to those little things faithfully for God and he will open up greater opportunities for you. You know, maybe you've come to the end of your God, your idol, your passion in life.

He is to get such a charge from it. But not anymore no longer satisfies you, it's empty. In a way it's even mocking you and you think it's time to give the true and living God a chance in your life.

He may answer you dramatically by fire.

In a sense, not literally, of course, but there may be a surge of emotion and then you may feel very little. I member the day that I give my life to Jesus Christ. I was on the campus of Harbor high school 17-year-old kid not raising anything even remotely resembling a Christian home and as I heard the message of Jesus Christ.

A look around at the other Christians I thought you know I I believe they believe this and I'm not one of them and I don't know if I can believe this, so I would like to is I was very cynical because of the way I was raised in the disappointment side face throughout my life thus far.

At the ripe old age of 17, and the guy was speaking said Jesus said you're either forming or against me your with me or opposed to me and I looked at the Christians and I thought whatever forum I'm not one of them. So does that mean I'm against them, and I didn't want to be against Jesus so he gave an invitation for people to come right there and pray and accept Christ into their life and I hung my head down my hair was hanging on my eyes. Is your imagination, and I thought I would like to go up there and pray that prayer, but I don't think this will work for me. I don't think I'm the religious time. I can see myself as a Christian. I'm too cynical and too sarcastic it will work for mixing. I knew I was up there praying and I also remember that the people around me had an emotional experience. One person I loved was weeping, another on my right was laughing with joy and I felt nothing. And you know what I thought. Figures God's gift to me and there but you know Christ did come in my life that day but I didn't have a big emotional experience and sometimes people think they have to feel something.

What endeavors you may feel something, you may feel nothing has nothing to do with healing all about. And when you turn from your sin in US Jesus Christ to forgive you. He comes into your life now since that day I've had emotional experiences but I've never built my faith on that.

I feel my faith in what Jesus said and what Jesus is done and what the Bible says and he has been faithful to me all these years and he'll be faithful to you, so could be a big emotional moment in this verse might be more subdued as it is for others, myself included, but here's the good news for whoever will call upon him. The Bible says they will be saved. Horrible call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Jesus said see that would come to me I would in no way cast. He wants a yes to some and no to others and say yes to any person who comes to him to be forgiven.

So if your other gods let you down yet. Let me tell you something in time they will not tell you why they're not real, there's only one God in this battle of the gods is only one real God and he's the God who is going to win and I hope you won't waste your life, finding that out the hard way. I hope that you will believe in Jesus. Right now there might be some of you that are young and you're just sort of starting out in life and your credit been drawn to these evil things and this could be a wake-up call for you to get on the right path.

Following Christ not I became a Christian when I was 17 I give up a lot of stuff and I'll tell you what, I've never look back with regret there might be some of you that have gone the wrong direction and you been down life's road for a number of years now and you discover these things for yourself will listen. The good news is it's not too late to get on that narrow road that leads to life is not too late to change your direction so when you close down prayer, to give you an opportunity to get right with God through any get right with God. Here's the bottom line. Everyone is sin.

Everyone is fallen short of God's glory. Everyone is broken God's commandments.

The good news is, as God loved us so much.

2000 years ago. He sent his son Jesus Christ to die in the cross for our sin both turn from our sin and asked Jesus to come into our heart and life.

The Savior and Lord. He will forgive us and changes in change our eternal address from a place called hell to a place called heaven if you've not asked to move your life yet do it now if you fallen away from the Lord, you need to make a recommitment to him do that as well. Let's hope our heads for prayer. If you would please father, thank you for your word to us now. I pray that you will help every person hearing. Watching this to see their need for Jesus can help them to come to you and being forgiven our heads about her eyes are closed and were praying. How many of you would say Greg pray for me. I want Jesus Christ to come in to my life. I want him to forgive me of my sin. I want to know that when I die I will go to heaven.

I'm ready to say yes to Jesus.

Pray for me that your desire. If you want Christ to come of your life you want him to forgive you of your sin if you want to go to heaven when you die, would you raise your hand up right or wherever you are about to pray for you raise your hand up and I'll pray for you publish this raise your hand and we pray for you. You want Christ to come in your life.

God bless you. God bless you wherever you're sitting slip your hand up. I'll pray for you accomplish there in the backup bless even if I can't see you. It doesn't matter. You raise your hand and take this little step of faith. God bless you what I have just about maybe there are some of you that would say, you know, I know this is true, but I've fallen away from it, but I want to make a recommitment to Jesus. I want to return to the Lord right now. Pray for me that your desire to want to come back to Jesus Christ, would you raise up your hand and let me pray for you right now you want to come back home again.

The safety of your father's house in a relationship with God, let me pray for you raise your hand up you are publish the slip your hand publish anybody else. If your hand up. I'll pray for you right now. You raise your hand if you would please I want you to stand your feet nominally join a prayer again everyone of you that just raise your hands and you want Christ to come in your life only to the stand up nominally join a purse or wherever you are right now. Stand up and tried to stand up. God bless you end up others are standing will be the only one. Stand up, you heard me right. Stand your feet. God bless you. We wanted to standing God bless you. God bless you stand up now. Even if you do not raise your hand but you want to make this commitment a recommitment to Christ nominally join a prayer to stand up.

God bless you. Anybody else couple more moments in the stand stand no publish you on final moment stand up a lead you in this prayer alright knowledge and understanding. I want you to pray this prayer out loud out for me. This is where you are asking God to forgive you of your sin again as I pray pray this out loud after me. Pray this after me if you would right now how about Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner but you got them across and you shed your blood for every sin I've ever committed. I turn from that sin no I choose to follow you from this moment forward, Savior and Lord is God and friend. Thank you for calling me and accepting me and for giving me in Jesus name I pray.

Amen. God bless you guys