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September 23, 2022 3:00 am
None of us likes to wait. Like when we’re on hold hearing that annoying music repeat over and over again. Or when we’re in line at the grocery store or the airport. Or in the waiting room at the doctor’s office, and our name is finally called and we go to the exam room to . . . wait some more. Today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie points out that when we wait on GOD, it can renew us. We’ll see some great miracles took place through the prophet Elijah AFTER a time of waiting on the Lord.
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A New Beginning is the daily half-hour program hosted by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Southern California. For over 30 years, Pastor Greg and Harvest Ministries have endeavored to know God and make Him known through media and large-scale evangelism. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.
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You are listening to a new beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God.
Visit our website and learn more about harvest partners@harvest.org waiting on the Lord shall do the visual run and not be weary, they shall walk and not think that's a good biblical roofing recharging batteries are you waiting on God Pastor Greg Maurice's refresh and energizes us as we wait on the reason you're so tired and worn out, pleaded because limited way more like when were on hold. Knowing use over and over one were lot of the grocery store or the waiting room with the doctors name is why we called and we go to the exam room to Greg Laurie points out, when we wait on God, and renew great miracles replaced the light in your Bibles.
The first chapter 18 that's right after first Kings 17. If you don't know where to turn. The title of my messages, which side are you on or talking of course about Elijah the prophet, and it's a series recalling Elijah the power to stand and were looking at how one man's life made a difference and Israel had gone off the rails are actually and morally. Whenever you go off the rails spiritually. You'll go off the rails morally to. That's exactly what they had done instead of worshiping the true and living God would been so good to them. They turn to false gods returned to idols and specifically in their case, they turned to Bayeux and Ashtoreth in effect, it was Jezebel the Queen who brought the worship of bail into Israel. Ahab was a spineless man who was really manipulated by effectively. The wicked witch of the West.
Jezebel so that they're in charge and everything is going the wrong direction. Enter Elijah who enters the picture with boldness and courage and throws down the gauntlet. I would've some of you feel like you're the only one around who speaks up for your faith. Maybe it's in your family. Maybe it's in your workplace or your campus or your neighborhood forever, but you feel all alone and that's probably how Elijah felt she wasn't the only one, but he felt like it at time so we can read no. One of the most well-known stories and all of the Bible. This is where there up on Mount Carmel. This is bigger than the thriller in Manila.
This is bigger than the rumble in the jumble dongle not jumble there's no jumble. These are fights from days gone by for don't know what you're talking about this is that shoot out at the Carmel chorale. This is where Elijah stands up amount Carmel and throws down a challenge and says let's as the real God to answer us by fire and appropriate challenge considering the fact that bail in theory was the God of the elements, the God of the sun, the God of the rain, the God of everything, and so let's go ahead and just let God answer us self fire from heaven. Can you imagine if you had the power to call fire down from heaven.
Elijah did use it on two occasions.
One is amount Carmel. The other is when I Kings sent a captain of 50 soldiers to arrest Elijah was up on the hill and the captain said Elijah man of God. The king says come down from that hill right now. Elijah says a prime amount of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your 50 soldiers well. He was a man of God, and fire came down. Now another poor guy is tasked with doing the same thing. He comes up to Elijah up and then releases all man of God.
The king says come down from there lie just as if I'm a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your 50 soldiers. He was still a man of God they got torched to the third.
Guys like high Sir Mr. Elijah look I just know my job. Whatever the other guys would you pretty please come down. Use pictures of my family look. Elijah says okay because it Angel of the Lord said Elijah go with you so he had this ability and if I had the ability to call fire down from heaven, there would be some torched people on the freeway. I the crazy things people to come in over eight lanes right does or you know tailgating you the whole time work the things that people do and there would be some torched people using cell phones do, especially people using cell phones on the freeway, which is the reason they do a lot of crazy things that they do affect interesting story in the New Testament James and John aptly described as the Sons of thunder were upset because a certain city of Samaria was not hospitable to Jesus and the disciples they said, Lord, shall we call fire down from heaven on them, as Elijah did. Jesus is like for guys, I didn't come to torched people liking this people. Then he said you don't even know what kind of spirit. Your to make a statement like this, but Elijah never use this ability for a personal purpose or to vent his anger. He did it when the Lord called them to do where Elijah get this courage that he had reviewing back and semi-given the first message of you taking notes number one, Elijah stood continually in the presence of God.
Elijah stood continually in the presence of God. He said to King Ahab is the Lord God lives first Kings 17 one says the Lord God lives, before whom I stand, there will not be rain, but according to my work. These are the living God, that he was aware of the fact that he constantly was in the presence of God.
And when you stand in the presence of God.
You will not bow before any other person.
Proverbs 28 one says the righteous are as bold as a lion.
Secondly, Elijah 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 rain in the land for 3 1/2 years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crop. It was Elijah's prayer and private, that was a source of his power in public.
Let me say that again it was Elijah's prayer in private. That was a source of his power in public. That's where he got his courage third Elijah knew Scripture and acted on it. Others statement given to us in Deuteronomy 11 were God warned Israel turn to idols he would send a drop to their land and so he knew what the word of God said so what he did was based on Scripture portly Elijah faithfully delivered the message. This is not an easy message to deliver everybody are going to experience a great product and many of you are going to die even a great audience. Good night God bless my truck right now that who want to give a message like that and other same way. It's hard for us sometimes to tell people what the Bible says about final judgments and how Christ is the only way to the father. Or maybe we have a discomfort with certain areas of Scripture, but if we want to serve the Lord in representing.
We need to give his truth and not edited or varnish it or whitewash it or anything else. Also, number five, Elijah was a man of faith and obedience. So after he throws down the gauntlet in the court of Ahab and Jezebel Lord says okay let's go you're leaving and he sends into a little brook called share he has to go off the grid action man has to be quiet is this is an outdoorsy kind of rough-and-tumble kinda guy and now he has to go in basically be silent, and wait on the Lord. He could complain he could have said nobody did exactly what God called him to do. You know we live in an instant gratification culture today don't link you download everything one read books downloaded have in the few seconds all you can get your news real time on the feed on your phone you consented. Texan food is on the way you want to watch a movie. Over the days blockbuster we go to Blockbuster and rent these things called videotapes member the statement be kind rewind member that ancient history. Then there were DVDs all DVD and so you could get an account with Netflix and they would send you a DVD and then he would want to, and he would return the DVD and so forth. And then it became downloadable in our everything is downloadable, who even looks at DVDs anymore so were used to getting things quickly, immediately. Amazon same day delivery, whatever you need, you can have it now, so it's hard. God says to us, slowdown. But God as is timing.
You know, when you see a work of God that is working.
It's always the right person in the right place at the right time. Just as important as the will of God is, is the timing of God.
We read over in Isaiah 4031 they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as eagles they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Notice that God energizes us as we wait upon and maybe the reason you're so tired and worn out and depleted is because you haven't taken time to just wait on the Lord to just sit before the Lord your always on the go, always moving, always active, and sometimes it's good to just sit that's what Elijah did break wrong. Of time then the Lord said, I want to go over some Windows house and asked her for free food and live there for a while and he did it. Any obey the Lord and God was getting him ready Mr. Greg Moore will have the second half of this message just a moment.
Many listeners write or call us sharing their stories of how these daily studies in God's word make an impact on lives through your true medical appointment to the radio on your end of the word very first and have you give your life who found in the word that were giving your thank you very much God bless. What an encouragement to know that pastor Grace messages or touching lives in some unexpected ways. Do you have a comment to share with pastor Greg.
If so, call 1-866-871-1144 866-871-1144 now pastor Greg continues this fascinating section of Scripture and his message called which side are you on.
So now we come to first Kings 18 verse two and were introduced to a man named Obadiah. Meanwhile, the family become very severe in Samaria. So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace and then we have this very important statement. Obadiah was a devoted follower of the Lord once when Jezebel had tried to kill all the Lord's prophets, Obadiah get 100 of them into okay so Elijah is making his way to the palace and here comes Obadiah was in charge of the palace of the king. But then this detail is Atticus. We could quickly say oh in charge of the palace of the king. That's a wicked king.
This is a corrupt men all know it says he's a devoted follower of the Lord God often places his people in positions of significance. Think of Joseph there in the court of the Pharaoh giving him advice. Daniel before two kings advising them as well. Nehemiah the cupbearer of the king what the king's trust who is able to take a position he had been in use it for God's glory and help to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and the king even funded. It was amazing and so God will often places his people in these important positions. I think sometimes we think you know when you become a Christian. Now you need to serve the Lord, and you probably should be a pastor or a preacher or maybe work in a church that from these just go hang around of the church all day in criticize other people right now know that God is calling for many people. God is not called us to isolate but to infiltrate this and we need Christian teachers and our schools today right. Many Christian doctors. We need Christian businessmen, many Christian lawyers, especially Christian lawyers. We need Christian mayors and congresswomen, senators and Christians impolitic and I think about some of the people I've gotten to know in Washington DC who are strong believers like Sen. Marco Rubio, former Congressman Trey Gaudi Sen. Tim Scott and I talk with these guys and I prayed with these guys and see how they have their faith in God puts people in amazing places about Alice Cooper right to bring the book you know Lyndonville and Allison Jesus. Is it possible that God could place his man in the middle of rock music to be an influence on other people out the answers yes by the way, and Alice told me that he shared the gospel with Johnny Depp. He told me that he gave a Bible to Marilyn Manson. I said to be burning or anything you said oh no, he was able to get it. You know so not everyone is called to be Elijah Sommer called to be an Obadiah we might do with her compromisers. Why do you say that God put them there in the Bible says he was a deeply committed man to the Lord.
Think of Queen Esther, you can see she was her compromisers. She was in a beauty contest that sinful really well.
Looks like the Lord had his hand in all those events and she ultimately became the queen and it's an interesting thing she did want to think everybody on Jewish just in case you didn't know she kept it to herself until she needed to use her influence for good and ended up saving the Jewish people because God had put her there for such a time as this. Some of us are called to be Elijah's. Some of us are called to be Obadiah's, but every one of us is called to use our influence for God's glory were ever we are yours.
An interesting story when Jesus was talking about how John would live on longer and how Peter would die. Peter didn't like what he was hearing and he said about John what about him. And Jesus said what is that to you. Follow me sometimes like they were about you, what you agree with that will lurch us with that to you.
You follow me, don't worry about how well someone is doing it somewhere else or if they're not meeting your expectations and just make sure you're using your life to bring glory to God for the Lord's place to stay in your lane of focus side so Obadiah goes back and says they had guess who's back Elijah the prophet is gonna hard to midseason Harry dude with a crazy close in the wild look yes he wants to talk to you so Ahab can't wait to confront Elijah first Kings 18 verse 16 so Obadiah went to Delhi have been Elijah had come, and Ahab went out to meet Elijah when Ahab saw him, he exclaimed so is that really you troublemaker of Israel. Elijah replied I didn't make any trouble for Israel, you and your family are the troublemakers for you've refused to obey the commands of the Lord, and you worship the image is a bail instead. There interesting statement Ahab calls Elijah the troublemaker of Israel through troublemakers from a root word that means one who wreaks havoc or brings a pestilence or as a play. The Hebrew word is snake snake in the grass. Elijah, the one that's because all the chaos you're like a walking flagman why you even hear lodges as I'm up a walking plague. You are, you're the one that brought this upon yourself and I just think about the differences.
Like maybe we need more troublemakers like this today, right because the church is the only hope for America. The church say why do you say that because the church established by Christ himself is the restraining force in the world today. You know I mentioned earlier there were called to be salt and light in the world, and salt in the first century was used as a preservative. It was used to stop the rotting of the meat, and in many ways the church stands and we speak out against what is wrong. We speak up for what is true and the antichrist can even be revealed until the church is caught up to meet the Lord in the air because were told in Thessalonians, he who now restrains will continue to do so until he is taken out of the way and then the wicked one will be revealed whom the Lord will destroy with the brightness of his coming. And speaking of the work of the Holy Spirit through the church where the restraining force.
Imagine that we were suddenly taken from this earth overnight how easily evil could spread rapidly, quickly, with no one speaking up. No one saying a thing and so you can see how our influence is still needed in our culture. So Elijah says okay Ahab, here's the deal, first Kings 1819 summoned all of Israel to join the amount Carmel along with the 450 prophets a bail and 400 prophets of Ashtoreth who are supported by just about Elijah like these odds 851 bring out all your false prophets. Let's get up there and mount Carmel tell Israel to show up, you know, bring the popcorn and milk duds.
Let's do this thing, let's have it out let's have this battle right now.
It was the battle of the gods. Here's what amazes me is Ahab agrees to this. Now why would he think he had any advantage over Elijah bail his God of the elements of the weather was kind of in the right.
He had not brought the rain.
When Elijah said it would not rain.
Why did he think that bail would be able to send fire from heaven. Why would he agree to this thing and put all Israel up there to watch it simple answer of settable for all say it again. Sin makes you stupid. This is the biggest mistake of Ahab's life to agree with this idea first Kings 1820 so Ahab summoned all of Israel in the province amount Carmel Elijah stood in front of them and said how much longer will you waiver hobbling between two opinions of the Lord is God, follow him to bail is God, then follow him look at this, but the people were completely silent.
Their silence was deafening. Why because they worship many gods they did not want so Haley let's go.
Let's see who has the real God. All the best part of the story is yet to come. Pastor Greg Laurie will have more from this encounter between God's prophet Elijah and the 850 prophets of bail and Asherah sure to keep listening to a new beginning and then we want to mention Pastor Greg's compelling resource called Revelation, a book of promises. Nearly everyone can think of a question that like to ask about the book of Revelation.
Maybe something about the 144,004 if believers will be here when the Antichrist is revealed when they find answers in your new book 100%. They will let me just give quick answer to every one of those questions were the hundred and 44,000. There hundred and 44,000 Jewish people who believe in Jesus as the Messiah. There sort of like 144,000 kosher Billy Graham's combing the planet sharing the gospel in their under divine protection and then you mentioned will believers be here to see the antichrist. I think the simple answer is no because the Bible says he who now restrains will continue to do so until he is taken out of the way and then will that wicked one, be revealed, whom the Lord will destroy with the brightness of his coming.
The restraining force in the world today is the work of the Holy Spirit through the church.
It is my opinion that antichrist cannot be revealed until the church is removed, so we should not waste time looking for antichrist, but instead be looking for Jesus Christ.
So the main thing we want to focus on is being ready to meet the Lord. So I answer those questions and a lot more in this book called Revelation, a book of promises. It's hardcover this is a pretty thick book folks and working to send it to you for your gift of any size because I believe this is going to be a resource that you can go to time and time again as you study this book. It's understandable. It's down to earth.
It's practical. I don't use a lot of theological language I speak in a way that you can grasp it and I want to send you this book again for your gift of any size whatever you can send will use to reach more people with the gospel and the teaching of the word of God.
Yet we so much appreciate that investment. It's really an investment in touching and changing lives.
So get in touch today with that donation and will thank you with a copy of Pastor Greg's book Revelation, a book of promises and by the way, will include a bookmark designed by our team to show the timeline of end times events very clearly what comes before watch what comes after what to write us today at a new beginning.
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