Participants: Pr. Walter Pearson
Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000310
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00:02 Announcer: BREATH OF LIFE PRESENTS RELENTLESS PURSUIT WITH
00:08 PASTOR WALTER L. PEARSON, JR. 00:11 JOIN US NOW AS PASTOR PEARSON CONTINUES HIS MESSAGE FROM FIRST 00:15 KINGS, CHAPTER 19 ON ELIJAH. 00:19 (theme music) WP: HERE IS THE CHALLENGE, 00:24 BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE ALL LOOK AT THE BIBLE, AND IF WE EVEN 00:27 BELIEVE IN IT WE SAY, "AH, UM, WASN'T MUCH DRAMA IN THERE." 00:34 FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS, AHAB AND JEZEBEL HAVE CONTACTED 00:39 ALL OF THE NATIONS WITHIN REACH, AND THEY HAVE SAID TO 00:43 THEM, "SEARCH YOUR COUNTRY FOR A MAN NAMED ELIJAH. 00:51 YOU'LL BE ABLE TO FIND HIM; HE DRESSES FUNNY--COARSE GARMENTS. 00:56 YOU'LL KNOW HIM ALSO BECAUSE SAYS AMAZING THINGS. 01:01 HE'S CAUGHT UP IN SOME POWER TRIP THAT WE DON'T UNDERSTAND. 01:05 WE DON'T CARE IF YOU LIKE HIM OR NOT--FIND HIM ! 01:09 AND WE WANT HIM HERE. 01:11 AND EVERY HEAD OF STATE HAD ANSWERED, "WE CAN'T FIND HIM." 01:16 MAKES ME WONDER ABOUT SOME THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING 01:18 CONCURRENTLY, BUT I'LL LEAVE THAT ALONE. 01:26 NOW GOD SAYS, "GO AND SHOW YOURSELF TO AHAB." 01:31 LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE SOME FAITH 01:33 NOW, BECAUSE THE WHOLE COUNTRY IS DRY AND PARCHED, SOME PARENTS 01:41 HAVE LOST THEIR CHILDREN BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FEED THEM. 01:49 IS THE PLACE STIRRED UP ? 01:51 THESE PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED TO ANYONE WHO WAS IN AUTHORITY AND 01:54 THEY SAY, "WHAT'S HAPPENING ? 01:56 WHAT'S CAUSING THIS ?" 01:57 AHAB'S ANSWER, "IT'S A STRANGE LOOKING MAN NAMED ELIJAH." 02:04 THEY BLAMED HIM FOR IT. 02:07 AND GOD SAYS, "NOW I WANT YOU TO GO TO AHAB. 02:09 GO SHOW YOURSELF TO HIM AND TELL HIM THAT IF WE CAN WORK 02:12 THIS THING OUT AS I INSTRUCT YOU, THERE WILL BE RAIN." 02:19 SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU KNOW GOD WELL ENOUGH, YOU'RE NOT AFRAID 02:22 TO GO, I DON'T CARE HOW HARD THEY'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU. 02:26 YOU GO ON UP THERE IN HIS FACE, BECAUSE IF GOD BE FOR YOU, 02:31 WHO COULD BE AGAINST YOU ? 02:33 SO, ARE YOU AFRAID OF AHAB ? 02:35 I DON'T THINK SO. 02:37 GOD HAS HIDDEN YOU AND NOW HE BRINGS YOU OUT, SO INSTEAD OF 02:40 RUNNING INTO AHAB, ELIJAH RUNS INTO OBADIAH, WHO IS THE 02:46 GOVERNOR OF AHAB'S HOUSE, A MAN WHO BELIEVES IN THE 02:51 GOD OF HEAVEN, WHO DURING THE INTERIM, WHEN JEZEBEL WENT OUT 02:57 TO KILL EVERY PROPHET OF THE GOD OF HEAVEN SHE COULD FIND, 03:02 THIS MAN HID A HUNDRED OF THEM IN A CAVE BY FIFTIES. 03:06 YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE SOME SERIOUS RELATIONSHIP WITH 03:09 GOD TO DISOBEY THE MAN WHOSE HOUSE YOU ARE GOVERNOR OVER. 03:15 BUT IF GOD IS IN YOUR HEART, YOU GET HOLY BOLDNESS. 03:19 YOU DON'T GET SILLY; YOU GET BOLD. 03:23 THERE IS A DIFFERENCE. 03:24 SO HE'S STILL WORKING IN THE HOUSE OF AHAB AND JEZEBEL, 03:28 BUT HE HAS HIDDEN A HUNDRED OF THE PROPHETS OF GOD. 03:32 AND NOW HE RUNS INTO ELIJAH. 03:35 HERE'S HOW THIS GOES, AND I KNOW YOU DON'T THINK IT OUGHT TO BE 03:38 TRAUMATIC, BUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THAT EVERY HEAD OF STATE THAT 03:42 HAS ANSWERED BACK HAS SAID, "WE CAN'T FIND HIM. 03:44 WE HEARD HE WAS HERE, BUT WHEN WE GO TO LOOK WHERE THEY SAID 03:48 HE WAS, HE'S NOT THERE." 03:52 HOW MANY BELIEVE GOD CAN DO THAT ? 03:54 SOME OF YOU IN HERE ARE WORRIED ABOUT YOUR ENEMIES RIGHT NOW; 03:57 WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO TO YOU. 03:58 YOU KNOW SOMETHING; IF GOD IS WITH YOU YOUR ENEMIES 04:01 CAN'T FIND YOU. 04:03 THEY'LL GO WHERE PEOPLE SAID YOU WERE; PEOPLE ARE USUALLY WRONG, 04:08 ANYWAY, SO THAT'S NOT A MIRACLE, BUT EVEN WHEN YOU NEED A 04:11 MIRACLE, GOD CAN MAKE YOU NOT BE WHERE THEY THOUGHT YOU WERE. 04:16 SO, OBADIAH SAYS, "WHOA, HOW YOU DOING ?" 04:23 "I'M FINE, HOW ABOUT YOU ?" 04:24 "WELL, OKAY." 04:26 HE SAID, "GO TELL AHAB I WANT TO TALK TO HIM." 04:29 "PLEASE, PLEASE, YOU KNOW I RESPECT YOU. 04:34 YOU KNOW YOU AND I BELIEVE IN THE SAME GOD, BUT IF I GO 04:37 TELL HIM THAT I FOUND YOU AFTER ALL THE PEOPLE HE'S CONTACTED 04:42 TO FIND YOU, AND THEN I COME BACK WITH HIM AND YOU ARE 04:45 NOT HERE, ELIJAH, I'M GOING TO BE GONE, YOU KNOW. 04:51 I'VE BEEN PLAYING A PRETTY DECENT BALANCING ACT LIVING IN 04:55 THE MAN'S HOUSE, BELIEVING IN THE GOD THAT YOU AND I KNOW TO 04:58 BE TRUE, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I'M WILLING TO TAKE THAT RK. 05:02 WHY DON'T YOU GO TELL SOMEBODY ELSE TO GO GET AHAB FOR YOU ? 05:06 ELIJAH SAYS, "NO, I'M STAYING RIGHT HERE. 05:09 BRING HIM. 05:10 I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE. 05:11 YOUR LIFE IS NOT IN DANGER; YOU CAN TRUST MY WORD." 05:14 SO OBADIAH GOES AND SAYS, "AHAB, SIR, THIS IS NOT 05:22 AN EASY THING TO SAY. 05:26 I HAVE FOUND SOMEBODY YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR." 05:30 "WHO IS IT ?" 05:32 "WELL, DO YOU WANT TO SIT DOWN, SIR ?" 05:35 "I'LL SIT DOWN; TELL ME WHO IT IS ?" 05:38 "IT'S ELIJAH." 05:41 "YOU HAVE FOUND ELIJAH ?" 05:44 "SIR, I DID NOT FIND HIM; HE FOUND ME. 05:48 REMEMBER YOU WERE OUT SEARCHING FOR ENOUGH WATER TO KEEP OUR 05:51 LIVESTOCK ALIVE, AND I WAS, TOO. 05:55 WE SPLIT UP AT YOUR INSTRUCTION. 05:58 I WISH WE HAD BEEN TOGETHER BECAUSE THEN I WOULDN'T BE 06:00 WORRIED ABOUT THIS CONVERSATION, BUT HE DID NOT COME TO YOU; 06:04 HE CAME TO ME, AND HE TOLD ME TO BRING YOU TO HIM." 06:08 INCIDENTALLY, IF YOU SERVE GOD, GOD WILL BRING YOUR ENEMIES 06:10 TO YOU FROM TIME TO TIME. 06:13 WHEN AHAB SHOWS UP--YOU KNOW SOMETHING, WHEN YOU'VE BEEN 06:16 LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY FOR A LONG TIME, AND YOU'VE BEEN THINKING 06:18 ABOUT ALL THE HORRIBLE THINGS YOU'RE GOING TO DO TO THEM, AND 06:21 THEN YOU RUN INTO SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS THE MOST HIGH GOD, AND 06:24 YOU RECOGNIZE THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO WHAT 06:26 YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD ? 06:27 IN FACT, THE CLOSER YOU GET TO THEM, THE MORE OF GOD'S 06:30 INFLUENCE YOU FEEL, AND YOU REALIZE THAT I'D BETTER BE 06:33 CAREFUL WHAT I DO BECAUSE THE POWER THAT'S WITH HIM IS GREATER 06:38 THAN THE POWER THAT IS WITH ME. 06:40 I'VE GOT SOLDIERS, BUT HE'S GOT GOD. 06:45 ALL THAT STUFF HE SAID, I'M SURE HE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS 06:47 WITH JEZEBEL AND SAID, "YOU WAIT TILL I FIND HIM. 06:52 WHEN I FIRST LAY EYES ON HIM, I'M GOING TO CAUSE 06:56 HIS LIFE TO BE MISERABLE." 06:58 BUT NOW THAT HE COMES INTO THE PRESENCE OF THE MAN OF GOD, 07:02 ALL HE CAN SAY IS, "ART THOU HE THAT TROUBLETH ISRAEL ?" 07:10 HEY, GUESS WHAT ELIJAH SAYS ? 07:12 SEE, YOU FOLK, YOU'VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN GOD 07:15 ENDORSES YOUR MINISTRY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BACK DOWN, 07:19 YOU DON'T HAVE TO WALK AROUND WITH HAT IN HAND. 07:21 YOU SHOULDN'T MEAN TO PEOPLE, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO 07:24 AROUND ACTING AS THOUGH YOU HAVE NO POWER. 07:26 WHEN YOU'VE GOT GOD ON YOUR SIDE, YOU'VE GOT POWER. 07:35 LOOK AT THIS, LOOK AT THIS. 07:38 HERE IS A MAN WITH POWER. 07:39 SO HE SAYS, "YOU ARE THE ONE; YOU AND YOUR FATHER'S HOUSE 07:44 ARE THE ONES WHO BROUGHT THE TROUBLE ON ISRAEL." 07:47 HE SAID, "I'VE COME TO BRING YOU A PROPOSITION FROM GOD. 07:50 I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO GET ALL OF THE PROPHETS OF 07:54 BAAL, 450 OF THEM. 07:57 I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO GET THE PROPHETS WHO EAT FROM YOUR 08:00 WIFE'S TABLE, 400 OF THEM. 08:04 I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO BRING THEM WITH YOU TO MT. CARMEL. 08:07 BRING TWO BULLOCKS WITH YOU. 08:10 AND HERE IS WHAT I PROPOSE: WHY DON'T WE SETTLE THIS THING 08:15 ABOUT WHO IS REALLY GOD. 08:18 IT'S TIME TO STOP HALTING BETWEEN TWO OPINIONS." 08:23 YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK IS WRONG RIGHT NOW WITH MOST CHRISTIANS ? 08:27 WE HALT BETWEEN TWO OPINIONS. 08:31 WE WANT TO BE WITH THE LORD; WE WANT TO BE ON THE SIDE OF 08:36 JESUS, BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN WHEN WE GET AROUND POWERFUL 08:39 PEOPLE, WE KIND OF WANT TO KIND OF HOBNOB WITH THEM. 08:43 SO, WE TALK LIKE THEY WANT US TO TALK, AND WE STOP CALLING 08:47 ON THE NAME OF GOD AND TRY TO USE EUPHEMISMS. 08:50 LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING. 08:51 YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE UP YOUR MIND ONE DAY--WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON ? 08:55 WHO IS IT THAT REALLY HAS THE POWER ? 08:59 SO, HE SAYS, "YOU TELL THEM TO BRING THE BULLOCKS 09:01 AND WE'LL MEET ON MT. CARMEL, AND WHEN THEY COME, WE 09:04 WILL MAKE A DECISION. 09:06 WE WILL CHOOSE WHICH BULLOCK; WE WILL LET THEM CHOOSE. 09:09 I'LL TAKE THE ONE THEY DON'T WANT, AND ON THAT DAY, WHEN WE 09:13 GO TO MAKE SACRIFICES, WE WILL BRING NO FIRE, AND THE GOD WHO 09:23 ANSWERS BY FIRE WILL BE GOD." 09:28 AHAB SAID, "NO PROBLEM, NO PROBLEM. 09:34 I'VE GOT 850 RELIGIOUS PEOPLE. 09:39 YOU THINK THEY CAN'T MAKE FIRE ?" 09:42 THEY GO TO CARMEL. 09:43 LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING. 09:45 YOU REMEMBER THE SAME GOD WHO TOLD HIM TO GO TO THE PALACE OF 09:48 AHAB AND JEZEBEL, AND HE WAS FINE BECAUSE GOD SENT HIM. 09:52 THE BROOK CHERITH ? 09:53 FINE, GOD SENT HIM. 09:54 ZEREPHETH ? 09:55 FINE, GOD SENT HIM. 09:57 CARMEL ? 09:59 I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THIS. 10:01 GOD TOLD HIM WHAT TO DO, AND IF YOU TAKE GOD'S 10:05 PLAN, YOU'RE FINE. 10:07 SO THERE WAS NEVER ANY DOUBT IN THIS PROPHET'S MIND, 10:13 BECAUSE HE KNEW THAT IF GOD SENDS YOU, IT'S DONE. 10:18 IT'S DONE. 10:19 YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING. 10:21 SOMEBODY'S WORRYING ABOUT TUITION. 10:23 WELL, IF YOU'RE NOT ON GOD'S SIDE, KEEP WORRYING. 10:27 KEEP WORRYING. 10:29 SOMEBODY'S WORRYING ABOUT WHAT THE ECONOMY IS GOING TO DO TO MY 10:32 PARENTS, AND HOW WILL THEY DO ? 10:33 IF YOU'RE NOT ON GOD'S SIDE, KEEP WORRYING, BECAUSE NOBODY 10:36 CAN ALLAY YOUR FEARS EXCEPT THE GOD OF HEAVEN, AND HE 10:39 CAN MAKE ALL THINGS RIGHT. 10:41 SO, THIS PROPHET WALKS UP TO CARMEL AND TELLS HIM, "WHY 10:47 DON'T YOU GO FIRST BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE OF YOU ?" 10:52 AND 850 RELIGIOUS PEOPLE, ALONG WITH THOUSANDS WHO REPRESENT 11:03 ISRAEL; THEY ARE THERE WHEN ELIJAH SAYS, "CHOOSE YE THIS 11:10 DAY WHOM YOU'LL SERVE." 11:13 AND WHEN HE PUTS THE QUESTION TO THEM, ALL THOSE RELIGIOUS 11:17 PEOPLE--AND SEE, SOME FOLK DON'T THINK ABOUT THAT, BUT ALL 11:19 THOSE PEOPLE HAD CLAIMED THAT THEY WERE CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM; 11:23 THAT THEY WERE GOD'S CHILDREN; THEY WERE CHILDREN OF GOD 11:27 JEHOVAH, AND YET, WHEN ELIJAH PUTS THE QUESTION, 11:30 HE CAN'T GET AN ANSWER--LIKE SOME FOLK IN CHURCHES. 11:36 I'M NOT SAYING EVERYBODY'S GOT TO BE SAYING AMEN AT 11:39 THE TOP OF YOUR VOICES, BUT WHEN YOU HEAR SOME TRUTH, 11:41 YOU OUGHT TO AT LEAST RESPOND IN SOME WAY TO TRUTH. 11:46 BUT HE SAYS, "WHOM WILL YOU SERVE ?" 11:49 AND THE PEOPLE SAID NOT A WORD. 11:53 IF THERE'S ONE THING THAT GOD HATES, IT IS NEUTRALITY; PEOPLE 11:58 WHO DON'T BELIEVE IN ANYTHING. 12:01 AND IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN ANYTHING, YOU ARE LIABLE 12:03 TO FALL FOR ANYTHING. 12:06 SO THE PEOPLE ARE QUIET. 12:08 AND THEN THEY START. 12:11 YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT IT--YOU'VE HEARD PREACHERS GO ON AND 12:14 ON ABOUT ALL THE PRACTICES OF THESE RELIGIOUS FOLK. 12:17 HOW THEY WERE SOMEWHAT LOUD IN THEIR REMONSTRATIONS 12:22 AND HOW THEY CUT THEMSELVES EVENTUALLY BECAUSE THEY 12:25 WERE CALLING ON BAAL. 12:26 THEY WANTED HIM TO SHOW HIMSELF; BRING FIRE DOWN. 12:29 I HAPPEN TO KNOW FROM ONE OF MY FAVORITE WRITERS THAT THE PRINCE 12:34 OF THE POWER OF THE AIR WAS THERE, AND HE TRIED HIS BEST 12:37 TO GET SOME LIGHTNING ON MT. 12:39 CARMEL, BUT WHEN SATAN WAS THERE WITH HIS PRINCELY POWER, 12:45 GOD WAS THERE WITH ALL OF HIS ANGELS, AND THEY WOULD NOT 12:48 LET LIGHTNING COME DOWN. 12:51 IT MIGHT HAVE COME DOWN LOW, BUT IT@OULD NOT TOUCH CARMEL, 12:54 BECAUSE GOD WAS NOT ABOUT TO ALLOW SATAN TO MESS UP THIS DAY. 12:58 THIS WAS A DAY OF CHOICE ! 13:03 AND INCIDENTALLY, ELIJAH WAS WATCHING, TOO. 13:05 SOME FOLK THINK BECAUSE YOU PRAY YOU DON'T HAVE 13:07 TO WATCH, YOU KNOW. 13:13 LIKE, "HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING OVER THERE ?" 13:17 "WELL, I JUST HAD THESE TWO LITTLE ROCKS, AND I WAS JUST 13:21 SEEING WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I KIND OF RUB THEM LIKE THIS." 13:26 "PUT THE ROCKS DOWN. 13:27 YOUR GOD NEEDS YOUR HELP WITH LITTLE ROCKS. 13:30 I THOUGHT YOUR GOD WAS POWERFUL. 13:32 TELL BAAL TO BRING THE FIRE. 13:34 PUT THE ROCKS DOWN." 13:35 "WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE LOOKING." 13:37 "I'M LOOKING. 13:40 I'M PRAYING, BUT I'M WATCHING." 13:44 AND ALL DAY LONG THEY GOT TO NOON, AND THEN ELIJAH STARTS 13:48 DOING SOMETHING THAT MOST PEOPLE THINK IS REALLY OUT OF PLACE. 13:51 YOU KNOW SOME RELIGIOUS PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR 13:55 AT ALL, AND I DON'T WANT TO HURT YOUR FEELINGS, BUT WHAT 13:59 IS WRONG WITH YOU ? 14:01 WHEN YOU'RE HAPPY AND YOU KNOW IT ! 14:05 WHEN YOU'VE GOT JESUS' JOY IN YOUR HEART, WHEN YOU LOOK 14:09 AT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT, LOVE, THE FIRST THING THAT 14:14 HAPPENS AFTER LOVE IS JOY, SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY JOY, 14:18 I'M WONDERING IF YOU'VE GOT ANY SPIRIT ! 14:21 THAT'S JOY IN YOUR HEART ! 14:23 ELIJAH WAS UP THERE CONFIDENT SO WHEN THEY COULDN'T GET THEIR 14:26 GOD TO COME, HE SAID, "MAYBE HE'S TRAVELING, MAYBE HE'S 14:32 HUNTING, MAYBE YOU NEED TO CALL A LITTLE LOUDER BECAUSE 14:38 HE MAY HAVE GONE ON SOME TRIP. 14:41 OR MAYBE HE'S SLEEPING. 14:45 MY GOD DOESN'T SLEEP. 14:47 HE NEVER SLEEPS; HE NEVER SLUMBERS, BUT YOUR GOD MAY 14:52 BE ASLEEP, WHY DON'T YOU CALL HIM A LITTLE LOUDER ?" 14:54 AND FOR THE REST OF THE DAY UNTIL THE TIME OF THE EVENING 14:57 SACRIFICE, THOSE PEOPLE DID EVERYTHING THAT YOU 15:01 HAVE READ ABOUT. 15:02 I DO NOT DISPARAGE THEM BECAUSE I DO NOT POKE FUN AT OTHER 15:07 PEOPLE'S RELIGIOUS PRACTICES. 15:09 I DON'T POKE FUN AT THAT. 15:11 YOU DO WHATEVER YOU THINK YOU SHOULD DO WITHIN THE CONTEXT 15:15 OF YOUR BELIEF SYSTEM. 15:17 BUT THEN WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR ELIJAH, HE STOOD, 15:20 YOU KNOW, CALMED DOWN. 15:23 "HERE'S WHAT I WANT TO DO." 15:25 THE FOLK WENT TEARING DOWN TO THE PLACE WHERE WE SACRIFICE 15:28 TO OUR GOD, SO LET'S START OFF BY PUTTING THE STONES BACK 15:32 WHERE THEY OUGHT TO BE--12 STONES FOR THE SONS OF JACOB. 15:36 PUT THEM BACK IN PLACE. 15:38 THEN PUT THE BOARD THERE. 15:40 LET'S CUT THE OFFERING, LET'S CUT IT AS IT OUGHT TO BE CUT, 15:46 BUT THEN I WANT YOU TO DO A LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA, BECAUSE 15:48 GOD IS ABOUT TO SHOW HIMSELF." 15:51 DOES ANYBODY KNOW THAT, WHO KNOWS THAT GOD CAN SHOW UP ? 15:57 AND WHEN HE SHOWS UP THERE IS NO QUESTION. 16:00 SO, HE SAID, "BRING FOUR BARRELS OF WATER IN THAT 16:05 TRENCH I TOLD YOU TO DIG, AND LET'S POUR IT IN THERE. 16:08 IN FACT, GO GET ANOTHER LOAD--MAKE IT 8; GO GET 16:14 ANOTHER LOAD, MAKE IT 12." 16:17 "I DON'T HE MEANS TO DO." 16:23 AND WITHOUT ANY KIND OF STRANGE REACTION AT ALL, HE SIMPLY 16:29 TURNS HIS EYES HEAVENWARD. 16:34 "GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB, IF I'M YOUR SERVANT AND 16:42 IF I'VE DONE WHAT YOU'VE TOLD ME TO DO, THEN SEND FIRE." 16:50 FORGIVE ME; I'M JUST TRYING TO CALM MYSELF DOWN. 16:54 FIRE DID NOT ERUPT ON THE GROUND. 16:59 THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SUSPICIOUS. 17:03 FIRE RAINED DOWN FROM AS HIGH AS YOU COULD SEE IN THE SKY, LIKE 17:09 LIGHTNING FALLING AT FIRST. 17:11 THEN LIKE THE PILLAR OF CLOUD THAT FOLLOWED ISRAEL AT NIGHT IN 17:16 THE WILDERNESS, AND THE STRANGE THING THAT I'VE LEARNED ABOUT 17:20 THE PILLAR OF CLOUD AND THE PILLAR OF FIRE IS THAT AT 17:23 NIGHT, WHEN THE PILLAR OF FIRE SEPARATED BETWEEN GOD'S PEOPLE, 17:27 THE ISRAELITES, AND THE EGYPTIANS, IT WAS SO HIGH THAT 17:31 IT LOOKED LIKE IT REACHED ALL THE WAY UP TO HEAVEN, AND NOBODY 17:34 WAS ABOUT TO COME AROUND IT. 17:37 IT WAS TOO WIDE. 17:38 NOBODY WAS TRYING TO COME THROUGH IT, AND THEY KNEW 17:40 FROM WHENCE IT CAME. 17:42 IT WAS NOT ORDINARY FIRE ! 17:47 AND WHEN THOSE FOLK LOOKED UP, GOD MADE IT SO THAT FIRE POURED 17:53 DOWN FROM HEAVEN AND CAME DOWN AND BURNED UP THE BULLOCK, 17:58 BURNED UP THE WOOD, BURNED UP THE STONES, LICKED UP THE 18:01 DUST AND THE WATER EVANESCED. 18:07 THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT, AND EVEN THE PROPHETS OF BAAL BOWED DOWN. 18:15 THE BIBLE SAYS THERE WILL COME A DAY WHEN EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW, 18:21 AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL CONFESS. 18:23 NOW I'VE GOT TO YOU THIS FAST, BECAUSE THIS, AMAZINGLY, IS 18:28 WHAT I CAME TO PREACH ABOUT. 18:33 GOD SAID GO TO THE PALACE, GOD SAID GO TO THE BROOK CHERITH, 18:38 GOD SAID GO TO ZEREPHETH, GOD SAID GO BACK TO THE PALACE, 18:43 MEET HIM WHEREVER HE IS, GOD SAID GO TO CARMEL, BUT NOW 18:47 EVEN ELIJAH FINDS HIMSELF GOING WHERE GOD HAS NOT SENT HIM. 18:55 WHEN THAT THING HAPPENED, THEY WENT DOWN AND KILLED ALL THE 18:59 PROPHETS OF BAAL AND ALL THE PROPHETS THAT ATE AT THE TABLE 19:02 OF JEZEBEL, AND YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT THAT WOULD HAVE 19:05 MEANT REVIVAL, BECAUSE ALL THOSE RELIGIOUS PEOPLE WHO SERVED 19:09 STRANGE GODS WERE NOW DEAD. 19:11 THEN ELIJAH SAYS GO TELL AHAB TO EAT BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING READY 19:17 TO COME DOWN FROM HERE BECAUSE GOD SAID RAIN IS COMING. 19:20 THE SERVANT GOES OUT AND TRIES TO SEE ANYTHING HAPPENING; 19:23 THERE ARE NO CLOUDS, BUT THE MAN OF GOD HAS HIS HEAD BETWEEN 19:26 HIS KNEES; HE'S PRAYING. 19:27 HE SAYS, "GO BACK, GO BACK." 19:28 HE GOES BACK SIX TIMES--NOTHING. 19:33 BUT NUMBER SEVEN, HOWEVER, HAS THE ABILITY OF 19:36 REPRESENTING PERFECTION. 19:39 WHEN HE WENT OUT THE SEVENTH TIME, HE CAME BACK AND SAID, 19:42 "ELIJAH, I SEE SOME LITTLE CLOUD LIKE THE SIZE OF A MAN'S HAND." 19:46 HE SAID, "I'M GOING DOWN TO TELL AHAB I'M GETTING READY 19:48 TO GUIDE HIM HOME, NOW. 19:51 BECAUSE IF YOU SEE THAT, GOD IS ABOUT TO SEND RAIN." 19:53 HE GOES AND TELLS AHAB, "I'M GOING TO TAKE YOU HOME." 19:56 STRANGE THING, ISN'T IT, WHEN YOU STAND FOR GOD, YOU DON'T 19:58 HAVE TO BE MEAN TO PEOPLE. 20:00 HE GETS IN FRONT OF HIS CHARIOT AND THE RAIN STARTS COMING. 20:03 SOMEBODY SAY AMEN FOR THE RAIN ! 20:06 THE RAIN FALLS IN TORRENTS. 20:08 HE TAKES THIS KING BACK TO JEZREEL TO HIS HOME AND IS 20:12 CONTENT TO SLEEP OUTSIDE IN THE RAIN ! 20:17 IF YOU'VE BEEN PREDICTING RAIN BY THE POWER OF GOD, THE BEST 20:20 THING FOR YOU TO FEEL ON YOUR BODY IS RAIN THAT GOD SENT ! 20:27 SO, IN THE RAIN HE SLEEPS. 20:29 I'M SURE THE MAN OF GOD THOUGHT, "IT'S GOING TO BE WONDERFUL. 20:32 WHEN JEZEBEL HEARS ABOUT THIS, SHE'S GOING TO TURN; 20:36 HER HEART WILL MELT." 20:38 I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT WOMEN IN A NEGATIVE FASHION 20:40 IN THIS STORY BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME MEN, ALSO, FOR 20:47 WHOM NOTHING IS ENOUGH. 20:50 AHAB GOES INSIDE AND SAYS, "HEY, JEZEBEL, YOU'RE NOT 20:55 GOING TO BELIEVE THIS. 20:56 OH, I WISH YOU'D HAVE BEEN THERE TODAY." 20:59 "WHAT HAPPENED ?" 21:01 "WELL, FIRST THEY HAVE--YOU KNOW I TOLD YOU ABOUT THIS 21:03 THING ABOUT THE BULLOCKS AND WE DID ALL THAT STUFF, AND YOU 21:05 KNOW, YOUR PROPHETS, THEY WERE GOOD, I'VE GOT TO GIVE IT 21:08 TO THEM; THEY DID A GOOD JOB. 21:10 YOU WOULD HAVE LIKED THEM. 21:11 EVEN THOSE 400 WHO EAT FROM YOUR TABLE--THEY DID THE BEST 21:14 THEY COULD, I'M TELLING YOU. 21:15 I WATCHED THEM ALL DAY LONG. 21:16 THOSE GUYS GAVE THEIR ALL. 21:21 "BUT SOMETHING WENT WRONG, JEZEBEL, AND NO FIRE CAME. 21:24 THEN THAT ONE MAN OUT THERE BY HIMSELF CALLED ON HIS GOD AND 21:28 FIRE RAINED DOWN OUT OF HEAVEN, AND YOU COULD SEE WHERE IT 21:31 STARTED, WELL, NOT QUITE WHERE IT STARTED, BUT YOU COULD SEE 21:34 IT COME ALL THE WAY DOWN AND IT ATE UP THE SACRIFICE AND ATE UP 21:37 THE WOOD AND ATE UP THE STONES AND ATE UP THE WATER AND THEN 21:41 IT LICKED UP THE DUST. 21:43 MAN YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN OUT THERE !" 21:45 SHE SAID, "AND YOU'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT ?" 21:47 "YEAH, WELL, YOU HAD TO BE THERE !" 21:50 "AND SO WHAT HAPPENED WAS AFTER THAT HAPPENED WAS 21:52 ALL YOUR PRIESTS BOW DOWN." 21:55 "THEY DID WHAT ?" 21:57 "OH, AH, YEAH, THEY BOWED DOWN, AND ALL YOUR PROPHETS 22:03 BOWED DOWN, AND AT THAT POINT ALL OF US THOUGHT IT WAS 22:06 RIGHT TO KILL THEM." 22:16 "YOU KNOW SOMETHING, AHAB, SOMETIMES I WORRY ABOUT YOU." 22:20 "WELL, THEY KILLED THEM. 22:24 THEY'RE GONE; KILLED EVERY ONE OF THEM. 22:28 I JUST WISH YOU HAD BEEN THERE, BECAUSE I THINK IF 22:31 YOU'D BEEN THERE, YOU'D HAVE BEEN IN AGREEMENT WITH IT." 22:34 "OH, YOU THINK SO ? 22:35 WELL, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, CAN YOU GET ME A MESSENGER ? 22:38 COULD YOU CALL ME SOMEBODY ? 22:39 WHERE IS ELIJAH NOW ?" 22:41 "WELL, I DON'T KNOW. 22:42 HE LED ME DOWN HERE. 22:44 YOU KNOW, I RODE ON IN TO THE PROPERTY AND THAT'S 22:47 THE LAST I SAW OF HIM. 22:48 I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE'S DOING." 22:49 "BRING ME A MESSENGER. 22:52 YOU GO TELL THAT MAN," AND THIS IS A TRANSLITERATION, NOW, 22:55 "JUST AS SURE AS HE IS ELIJAH AND I AM JEZEBEL, HE WILL BE 23:02 JUST LIKE MY PROPHETS BY TOMORROW AT THIS TIME." 23:07 NOW, LET ME TALK FAST, BUT I'VE GOT TO TALK STRAIGHT. 23:11 DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS ? 23:13 THERE ARE SOME OF US WHO THINK THAT WHEN A MIRACULOUS THING 23:17 HAPPENS, THAT'S THE END. 23:21 "IT'S ALL OVER. 23:22 I WENT TO A WEEK OF PRAYER AND I'M CHANGED. 23:25 IT'S GONE; I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY MORE PROBLEMS. 23:29 I COULD FEEL ALL MY BURDENS FLOATING AWAY." 23:34 SOME OF US HAVE BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT IT IS RIGHT 23:37 AFTER YOUR GREATEST TRIUMPHS WHEN YOUR GREATEST TRIALS COME. 23:42 GOD HAS NOT PROMISED UNTIL THE END TO TAKE AWAY ALL 23:46 OF SATAN'S POWER. 23:48 HE WILL LEAVE SATAN WITH SOME POWER. 23:51 THE ONLY THING THAT WE NEED TO KNOW IS: 23:53 GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN US THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD. 23:56 IF YOU'VE GOT GREATER POWER, THEN YOU CAN DEAL, RIGHT ? 24:01 SO THIS PROPHET WITH ALL OF THAT COURAGE, FOR THE FIRST 24:05 TIME GOES SOMEWHERE THAT GOD DIDN'T SEND HIM. 24:10 HE EVEN CAME TO JEZREEL WHEN GOD SAID COME. 24:14 BUT NOW HE HEADS TO BEERSHEBA BECAUSE HE'S SCARED. 24:19 THE VOICE OF JEZEBEL SCARED HIM. 24:23 ELIJAH GOES TO SLEEP AND SOMEONE TOUCHES HIM, SOMEBODY. 24:28 IT'S AN ANGEL. 24:32 ANGEL SAYS, "WAKE UP, I'VE GOT FOOD FOR YOU AND THERE 24:35 IT IS OVER THERE. 24:37 IT'S COOKED. 24:38 GET UP AND EAT." 24:40 HE GOES BACK TO SLEEP. 24:41 HE'S AWAKENED A SECOND TIME. 24:44 "GO EAT BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT A LONG JOURNEY." 24:46 NOW, LISTEN TO THIS; THIS IS WHAT YOU MUST UNDERSTAND. 24:49 ELIJAH IS NOW GOING WHERE GOD HAS NOT SENT HIM. 24:53 IN FACT, HE IS GOING AWAY FROM WHERE HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE, 24:59 AND THE GOD THAT SOME OF US BELIEVE IN WOULD HAVE SAID, 25:01 "I'M NOT GOING TO HELP HIM. 25:03 YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN." 25:04 BUT I'M TELLING YOU THAT GOD LOVES US SO MUCH THAT HE 25:07 PURSUES US EVEN WHEN WE'RE GOING WHERE HE DID NOT SEND US. 25:13 AND WHEN HE FINALLY GOT TO THAT PLACE, GOD ASKED HIM A QUESTION, 25:19 "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE ? 25:22 I SENT YOU TO ALL THOSE OTHER PLACES, BUT I 25:24 DIDN'T SEND YOU HERE." 25:26 AND HERE IS MY QUESTION--WHAT IS GOD DOING THERE ? 25:35 IF I AM RUNNING FROM GOD, WHAT KIND OF GOD WOULD GO WITH ME ? 25:44 THERE ARE SOME OF YOU LISTENING TO ME RIGHT NOW AND YOU ARE 25:46 CONVINCED THAT BECAUSE OF THINGS YOU HAVE DONE IN YOUR PAST, 25:48 THAT GOD HAS FORSAKEN YOU. 25:52 AND I TELL YOU ON THE BASIS OF WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THE 25:54 WORD OF GOD, THAT EVEN WHEN YOU RUN THE WRONG WAY, GOD 26:00 WILL NOT CUT YOU OFF FROM HIM. 26:02 HIS LOVE EXTENDS TO THOSE WHO ARE RUNNING WHERE 26:07 HE NEVER SENT THEM. 26:09 AND SO IN THAT PLACE, THERE IS FIRST A WIND, THEN AN 26:12 EARTHQUAKE AND THEN A FIRE ! 26:15 BUT WHAT GOD IS TRYING TO SHOW THIS PROPHET IS, "EVEN WHEN MY 26:19 ANSWERS DON'T MAKE LOUD NOISES, SOMETIMES I'M ANSWERING YOUR 26:25 PRAYER IN A STILL, SMALL VOICE." 26:29 EVEN WHEN IN YOUR LIFE YOU DON'T HAVE A SPIELBERG MOMENT. 26:34 EVEN WHEN NO FURNITURE MOVES AND NO WIND BLOWS IN YOUR HOUSE, 26:37 EVEN WHEN THERE'S NOTHING THAT YOU COULD GO TELL 26:40 YOUR NEIGHBORS: "YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN 26:42 MY HOUSE THE OTHER NIGHT. 26:43 I FELT SOMETHING." 26:43 LISTEN, IF GOD PROMISES YOU SOMETHING, YOU DON'T HAVE TO 26:45 FEEL ANYTHING IN YOUR HOUSE. 26:47 YOU CAN TAKE HIM AT HIS WORD. 26:50 SO TONIGHT MY ADMONITION TO YOU IS THIS--I DON'T 26:53 CARE WHERE YOU'VE RUN. 26:57 I DON'T CARE HOW MANY TIMES YOU'VE GONE WITHOUT THE POWER 27:01 OF GOD WITH YOU, YOU THOUGHT. 27:03 GOD LOVES YOU SO MUCH THAT HE'LL FOLLOW YOU WHERE YOU 27:07 RUN, AND GIVE YOU POWER IN THAT VERY PLACE. 27:11 GOD BLESS YOU. 27:13 Announcer: JOIN US NEXT TIME FOR MORE BREATH OF LIFE WITH PASTOR 27:16 WALTER L. PEARSON, JR. 27:22 Narrator: THERE'S NO BETTER WAY TO START EXPLORING THE PLANS 27:24 THAT GOD HAS FOR YOU THAN IN THE DISCOVER BIBLE GUIDES. 27:27 IT'S THE BREATH OF LIFE GIFT OFFER THIS WEEK. 27:30 JUST CALL OUR TOLL-FREE NUMBER AT 1-877-BOL-OFFER. 27:33 THAT'S 1-877-265-6333, AND ASK FOR YOUR COPY OF 27:39 THE DISCOVER BIBLE GUIDES, OR YOU MAY WRITE TO: 27:42 BREATH OF LIFE, P.O. BOX 97192, 27:44 WASHINGTON D.C., 20077. 27:48 THE DISCOVER BIBLE GUIDES. 27:49 DISCOVER FOR YOURSELF. 27:53 (theme music) |
Revised 2015-02-05