Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: EG
Program Code: EG021340A
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00:00 (MUSIC)
00:15 >>TODAY I'D LIKE TO BEGIN A NEW SERIES, THAT DEALS ONE OF THE 00:21 GREATS OF THE BIBLE. AND THAT WOULD BE THE PROPHET 00:25 ELIJAH. NOW ELIJAH IS SO IMPORTANT THAT 00:32 HE WENT TO HEAVEN IN A FIERY CHARIOT. 00:35 ELIJAH IS SO IMPORTANT THAT HE APPEARS TO JESUS AFTER HIS 00:40 ASCENSION, DURING THE MINISTRY OF CHRIST. 00:45 ELIJAH IS REFERENCED ALL THE WAY BACK IN THE BIBLE, IN THE BOOK 00:49 OF JAMES - AND HE'S COMPARED WITH JOHN THE BAPTIST. 00:56 THE BIBLE TELLS US IN THE LAST DAYS BEFORE THE COMING OF THE 00:58 LORD THERE WILL BE ANOTHER RETURN OF THE SPIRIT 01:02 AND POWER OF ELIJAH. AND SO THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT 01:05 SUBJECT. AND SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE 01:08 HELPFUL FOR US TO GO BACK IN THE BIBLE AND TO BEGIN A STUDY IN 01:11 THE SUBJECT OF ELIJAH. AND IF YOU'LL TURN WITH ME IN 01:14 YOUR BIBLES TO THE BOOK OF FIRST KINGS, FIRST KINGS CHAPTER 16. 01:21 FIRST I WANT TO INTRODUCE THE TIMES IN WHICH WE'RE LIVING. 01:26 1 KINGS 16:29 "IN THE THIRTY-EIGHTH YEAR OF ASA KING OF 01:33 JUDAH, AHAB THE SON OF OMRI BECAME KING OVER ISRAEL; 01:38 AND AHAB THE SON OF OMRI REIGNED OVER ISRAEL IN SAMARIA 01:42 TWENTY-TWO YEARS. NOW AHAB THE SON OF OMRI DID 01:46 EVIL IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD, MORE THAN ALL WHO 01:49 WERE BEFORE HIM." THIS IS TELLING US IT'S A WICKED 01:52 KING. "AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS THOUGH 01:56 IT HAD BEEN A TRIVIAL THING FOR HIM TO WALK IN THE SINS OF 01:59 JEROBOAM THE SON OF NEBAT," NOW, JUST TO GIVE YOU 02:03 HISTORY, JEROBOAM WAS THE KING WHO HELPED DIVIDE 02:07 THE KINGDOM, MATTER OF FACT, I'M GOING TO PUT A MAP 02:10 UP ON THE, YOU NEED TO GET GEOGRAPHICALLY WHAT'S 02:13 HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. IF YOU SEE THE MAP ON THE 02:16 SCREEN, THIS IS THE LAND OF ISRAEL DURING THIS TIME PRIOR TO 02:20 THE TIME OF JEROBOAM, IT WAS ONE KINGDOM DURING THE TIME OF 02:23 SOLOMON. BUT FOLLOWING SOLOMON, THE SON 02:27 OF SOLOMON, REHOBOAM, NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH JEROBOAM. 02:32 REHOBOAM GAVE SOME BAD COUNCIL TO THE PEOPLE. 02:37 THEY REVOLTED, TEN OF THE TRIBES SAID WE ARE NOT GOING TO SERVE 02:40 THE DECENDANTS OF DAVID, WE'RE GOING TO PICK OUR OWN KING. 02:43 THEY PICKED A KING NAMED JEROBOAM. 02:46 JEROBOAM LED THE NORTHERN KINGDOM, WHICH YOU SEE IN GREEN 02:49 THERE, IT WAS ABOUT NINE AND A HALF TRIBES THAT WERE IN THE 02:54 NORTH. THE SOUTHERN TRIBE WAS JUDAH 02:57 PRINCIPALLY. BUT ALSO THE LEVITES REMAINED 03:00 IN THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM, AND ALSO THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN WAS 03:03 THERE. AND SO THE KINGDOM BECAME SPLIT, 03:06 AND IT REMAINED THAT WAY UNTIL THE NORTHERN TRIBES WERE 03:09 CARRIED OFF BY THE ASSYRIANS BECAUSE OF THEIR IDOLATRY 03:13 AND THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM WAS LATER DESTROYED BY THE KING 03:15 OF BABYLON, NEBUCHADNEZZAR. WELL, THE WORST OF THE WORST IN 03:20 THE NORTHERN KINGDOM WAS NOT JEROBOAM, WHO FIRST INTRODUCED 03:24 IDOLATRY, BY PUTTING GOLDEN CALVES IN THE TOWNS OF DAN AND 03:28 BETHEL, BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT THEM GOING TO THE SOUTHERN 03:30 KINGDOM TO JERUSALEM. HE THOUGHT THEY'D START GOING 03:34 BACK TO WORSHIPING THE SONS, OR TO OBEYING THE SONS OF DAVID AS 03:38 KING. SO HE THOUGHT, WE'RE GOING TO 03:40 HAVE TO GET A COUNTERFEIT RELIGION IN THE NORTH TO KEEP 03:42 THEM UP HERE. AND SO AHAB THEN, HE GOES ONE 03:47 STEP FURTHER THAN JUST WORSHIPPING THESE IDOLS, HE GETS 03:51 INTO FULL BLOWN BAAL WORSHIP. "AND AS THOUGH IT HAD BEEN A 03:55 TRIVIAL THING FOR HIM TO WALK IN THE SINS OF JEROBOAM" 03:58 WORSHIPPING THE IDOLS AT DAN AND BETHEL, THE GOLDEN CALVES, 'THE 04:02 SON OF NEBAT,' HE TOOK AS WIFE JEZEBEL THE DAUGHTER OF ETHBAAL, 04:10 KING OF THE SIDONIANS;" THE SIDONIAN KINGDOM WOULD BE UP 04:13 FURTHER IN THE NORTH, TYRE AND SIDON - THE PHOENECIAN KINGDOM. 04:18 AND SO AHAB, INSTEAD OF MARRYING ONE OF THE DAUGHTERS OF ISRAEL, 04:22 HE MARRIES THE DAUGHTER OF THIS PHOENECIAN KING, WHO IS SOLD OUT 04:28 FOR THE WORSHIP OF BAAL. "AND HE WENT AND SERVED BAAL AND 04:34 WORSHIPPED HIM. THEN HE SET UP AN ALTAR FOR BAAL 04:38 IN THE TEMPLE OF BAAL, WHICH HE BUILT IN SAMARIA." 04:41 SAMARIA IS THE CAPITOL OF THE NORTHERN KINGDOM, JERUSALEM IS 04:44 THE CAPITOL OF THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM. 04:47 SO NOW THE KINGDOM IS LED INTO FULL BLOWN BAAL WORSHIP. 04:52 "AND AHAB MADE A WOODEN IMAGE. AHAB DID MORE TO PROVOKE THE 04:56 LORD GOD OF ISRAEL TO ANGER THAN ALL THE KINGS OF ISRAEL WHO WERE 04:59 BEFORE HIM." SO THIS INTRODUCES WHAT'S GOING 05:02 ON IN THE KINGDOM DURING THIS TIME. 05:05 NOW WITH THAT BACKDROP, GO DOWN, IF YOU HAVE YOUR BIBLES TO 05:08 CHAPTER 17, 1 KINGS CHAPTER 17, AND WE'LL START WITH THE 05:14 INTRODUCTION OF THE NARRATIVE OF ELIJAH. 05:19 "AND ELIJAH THE TISHBITE, OF THE INHABITANTS OF GILEAD, SAID TO 05:24 AHAB, AS THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL LIVES, BEFORE WHOM I STAND, 05:28 THERE SHALL NOT BE DEW NOR RAIN THESE YEARS, EXCEPT AT MY WORD." 05:33 NOW THAT'S AN ABRUPT INTRODUCTION. 05:36 ELIJAH, THE TISHBITE FROM GILEAD. 05:41 WHAT TRIBE IS HE FROM? WE DON'T KNOW. WHAT WAS HE DOING BEFORE? 05:46 WE DON'T KNOW. WAS HE A PRIEST, OR WAS HE 05:49 FROM, RELATED TO ONE OF THE PROPHETS? 05:52 OR THE SONS OF THE PROPHETS? WE DON'T KNOW. ELIJAH IS DROPPED 05:56 INTO THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL RIGHT OUT OF THE SKY, AND WE 06:00 DON'T KNOW WHERE HE CAME FROM. SO MUCH SO, BECAUSE HE SEEMS TO 06:03 COME FROM NOWHERE, AND HE LATER GOES TO HEAVEN IN A FIERY 06:06 CHARIOT, I HOPE I'M NOT RUINING THE STORY FOR ANYONE, YOU ALL 06:09 KNEW THAT DIDN'T YOU? BECAUSE HE SEEMS TO APPEAR FROM NOWHERE, 06:13 SOME OF THE JEWISH RABBIS TAUGHT THAT ELIJAH WAS AN ANGEL IN 06:18 MAN'S GARB, AND THERE ARE SOME WHO STILL CLING TO THAT. 06:23 NO, ELIJAH WAS A MAN. MATTER OF FACT, IF YOU LOOK IN THE BOOK OF 06:26 JAMES, IF YOU HAVE YOUR BIBLES, YOU GO TO JAMES 5:17 AND IT 06:33 MAKES IT PRETTY CLEAR THAT ELIJAH'S A REAL PERSON. 06:36 IT SAYS "ELIJAH WAS A MAN WITH A NATURE LIKE OURS, AND HE PRAYED 06:41 EARNESTLY THAT IT WOULD NOT RAIN; AND IT DID NOT RAIN ON THE 06:44 LAND FOR THREE YEARS AND SIX MONTHS. AND HE PRAYED AGAIN AND 06:48 THE HEAVEN GAVE RAIN AND THE EARTH PRODUCED ITS FRUIT." 06:51 SO JAMES IS TELLING US ELIJAH WAS A REAL PERSON AND HE WAS A 06:53 MAN SUBJECT TO THE SAME PASSIONS AS WE WRESTLE WITH. 06:56 HE PRAYED LIKE WE PRAY, MATTER OF FACT, JAMES IS ESPECIALLY 06:59 EMPHASIZING THE HUMANITY OF ELIJAH. LATER IN THE STORY 07:02 YOU'LL SEE ELIJAH GETS DISCOURAGED AND WISHES HE COULD 07:05 DIE. HE'S NOT PERFECT, HE'S NOT AN ANGEL, HE WAS A MAN, HE WAS A 07:08 PROPHET OF GOD, BUT HE WAS AMONG THE MIGHTIEST OF THE PROPHETS OF 07:11 GOD. AND SO WE READ ABOUT HIM JUST SUDDENLY APPEARING OUT OF 07:17 NOWHERE. AND THEN HE MAKES THIS DIVINE JUDGMENT. 07:23 THIS PRONOUNCEMENT IS MADE AND HE SAYS THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE 07:29 DEW OR RAIN, THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANY MOISTURE "EXCEPT 07:32 AT MY WORD" IN OTHER WORDS, UNTIL YOU HEAR BACK FROM ME. 07:35 AND IT'S UNDERSTOOD BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY HAD DONE, BECAUSE OF 07:37 THE SINS THAT THE PEOPLE COMMITTED. AND YOU KNOW IT'S 07:41 ALSO THE SINS OF JEZEBEL. SHE'S KILLING OFF THE PROPHETS 07:44 OF GOD, BECAUSE SHE WANTS TO PROMOTE THE WORSHIP OF BAAL, ANY 07:50 OF THE PROPHETS OF GOD THAT SPOKE AGAINST IT, THEY WERE 07:53 EXECUTED BY JEZEBEL. OBADIAH, WHO WORKED FOR AHAB, HE 07:59 WORSHIPPED JEHOVAH, HE EVEN TOOK SOME OF THE PROPHETS OF GOD AND 08:02 HE HID THEM DURING THE TIME OF THIS TERRIBLE PERSECUTION, AND 08:06 HE SMUGGLED THEM FOOD. HE HID FIFTY OF THEM IN ONE 08:08 CAVE, AND FIFTY IN ANOTHER, AND TO KEEP THEM ALIVE, HE HAD TO 08:11 SMUGGLE FOOD TO THEM. SO THESE WERE TIMES OF GREAT 08:15 PERSECUTION DURING THE LEADERSHIP OF AHAB AND JEZEBEL. 08:20 NOW IT'S AMAZING THAT, AND IF YOU READ THIS STORY IN THE BOOK 08:24 PROPHETS AND KINGS, ELIJAH JUST MARCHES RIGHT INTO THE PALACE, 08:28 HE DOESN'T RUN INTO AHAB JUST OUT IN THE FIELD ONE DAY. 08:32 HE WALKS RIGHT INTO THE PALACE, WALKS RIGHT PAST THE GUARD. 08:37 THEY DIDN'T LET ANYBODY COME TO THE KING, IF YOU WANTED TO GIVE 08:40 SOMETHING TO THE KING YOU FIRST GAVE IT TO THE SERVANTS, 08:43 WHO THEN BROUGHT IT TO THE KING, AND HE SOMEHOW JUST WALKS BY 08:48 EVERYBODY, IT'S LIKE THEY'RE ALL BLINDED. 08:50 AND HE STANDS IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD, HE MAKES THIS 08:54 OUTRAGEOUS PREDICTION, THIS PROCLAMATION, THAT THERE'S NOT 08:57 GOING TO BE ANY RAIN, THAT A FAMINE IS COMING, BECAUSE OF 09:00 THEIR WICKEDNESS, THEN HE DOES AN ABOUT FACE, AND HE MARCHES 09:03 BACK OUT AGAIN, AND THEY'RE ALL STANDING THERE WITH THEIR MOUTHS 09:07 GAPING, AND THEIR EYES OPEN GOING, WHAT JUST HAPPENED? 09:11 AND THEN FINALLY THE KING SAYS, "GO FIND THAT MAN, ARREST HIM!" 09:14 THEY CAN'T FIND HIM ANYWHERE. HE JUST HAD THE BOLDNESS TO COME 09:17 RIGHT IN. YOU KNOW THERE WAS A MAN A FEW 09:19 YEARS AGO, I CAN'T REMEMBER HIS NAME, BUT HE WAS CALLED THE 09:21 HANDSHAKE MAN. AND HE HAD THIS ABILITY TO JUST 09:26 WALK IN TO THE PRESENCE OF THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES. 09:29 HE SHOOK HANDS WITH FIVE PRESIDENTS, SOMEHOW WALKED RIGHT 09:31 BY THE SECURITY, DID IT WITH GEORGE BUSH HERE IN TOWN AT A 09:34 BREAKFAST, WALKED RIGHT IN. CONDALEEZA RICE WAS THERE, 09:37 LAURA BUSH WAS THERE, THE SECURITY WAS 09:39 THERE, SHOOK HANDS WITH THE PRESIDENT, HANDED HIM A LETTER, 09:42 HE DRESSED NICE, HE WAS A PASTOR AND HE SAID HE HAD A MESSAGE 09:44 FROM GOD. AND HE DID THIS WITH BILL 09:48 CLINTON, HE DID IT WITH THE OTHERS, HE WOULD JUST ACT LIKE, 09:50 I'VE GOT A MESSAGE AND I'M AUTHORIZED, AND HE'D JUST 09:52 WALK RIGHT IN AND GIVE IT TO HIM AND WALKED RIGHT OUT. AND 09:55 PEOPLE WOULD SAY, "HOW DID YOU DO THAT?" HE'D SAY "GOD WOULD 09:56 PART THE WAY FOR ME." AND HE WOULD HAVE THESE MESSAGES WHERE 10:02 HE WOULD TELL BUSH TO BE TRUE TO THE LORD, OR SOMETHING LIKE 10:05 THAT, AND THEY CALLED HIM THE HANDSHAKE MAN. COUPLE TIMES 10:08 THE SECRET SERVICE PULLED HIM ASIDE AND ASKED HIM QUESTIONS, 10:11 BUT THEY NEVER ARRESTED HIM, BECAUSE HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING 10:13 ILLEGAL. PRESIDENT'S A CITIZEN, YOU CAN WALK UP AND SHAKE 10:17 HANDS WITH HIM. AND THEN HELP YOURSELF. IF YOU CAN GET 10:20 BY THE SECURITY. NOW, BAAL WORSHIP, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT 10:25 THAT ELIJAH SAYS THERE'S GOING TO BE NO RAIN. BECAUSE 10:29 THEY BELIEVED THAT BAAL BROUGHT THE THUNDER AND THE 10:33 RAIN. HE BROUGHT THE BOUNTIES OF HEAVEN. AND BECAUSE THEY 10:37 WERE GIVING CREDIT TO THIS, THIS PAGAN, NON-EXISTENT GOD, 10:42 GOD SAYS, LOOK, I'M GONNA TOUCH YOU RIGHT WHERE HE CLAIMS 10:45 TO HAVE THE POWER. WHEN THE PLAGUES CAME ON THE NATION OF 10:48 EGYPT, WHY THOSE TEN PLAGUES? WHEN YOU STUDY IT, DURING 10:53 THE EXODUS, THE TEN PLAGUES WERE ACTUALLY JUDGMENTS ON 10:56 THE GODS OF THE EGYPTIANS. AND THIS IS WHAT THE LORD SAYS. 11:00 THE EGYPTIANS WORSHIPED THE RIVER, THERE'S A PLAGUE ON THE 11:02 RIVER. THEY WORSHIPED THE SUN, THERE'S A PLAGUE ON THE SUN. 11:05 THEY WORSHIPED FROGS, THERE'S A PLAGUE OF FROGS. YOU CAN SEE 11:09 SCARABS AND BUGS IN EGYPT - THESE GOLDEN BEETLES - THEY 11:12 WORSHIPPED ALL THESE STRANGE THINGS. ALL THESE PLAGUES WERE 11:16 REALLY JUGDMENTS ON THE FALSE GODS OF THE EGYPTIANS. AND SO 11:21 NOW THEY'RE WORSHIPING BAAL AND THEY'RE SAYING THAT HE'S THE 11:23 ONE WHO PROVIDES THE RAIN, AND THE STORMS. GOD SAYS THERE'S 11:27 GOING TO BE NO RAIN, THERE'S GOING TO BE NO DEW UNTIL YOU 11:31 REALIZE IT COMES FROM ME. NOW THIS SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN TOO 11:34 SURPRISING, IF YOU LOOK IN YOUR BIBLE. DEUTERONOMY 11 AND THIS 11:38 IS ONLY ONE OF SEVERAL PLACES. DEUTERONOMY 11:16-17. 11:43 HERE MOSES SAYS, "TAKE HEED TO YOURSELVES, LEST YOUR HEART BE 11:48 DECEIVED, AND YOU TURN ASIDE AND SERVE OTHER GODS AND WORSHIP 11:53 THEM, LEST THE LORD'S ANGER BE AROUSED AGAINST YOU, AND HE SHUT 11:58 UP THE HEAVENS SO THAT THERE BE NO RAIN, AND THE LAND YIELD NO 12:02 PRODUCE, AND YOU PERISH QUICKLY FROM THE GOOD LAND WHICH THE 12:06 LORD IS GIVING YOU." GOD SAID THROUGH MOSES, IF YOU'RE 12:10 WORSHIPING OTHER GODS, AND YOU FORGET ABOUT THE LORD, THE LORD 12:14 MAY BECOME UPSET WITH YOU AND HE'LL WITHDRAW THE BLESSINGS OF 12:18 HEAVEN. IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD POINT FOR US TO APPLY THAT TO 12:23 OUR LIVES. DO WE SOMETIMES TAKE CREDIT OR MISAPPLY CREDIT THAT 12:28 BELONGS TO GOD, FOR BLESSINGS? OR ANYTHING GOOD THAT GOD 12:33 ACCOMPLISHES THROUGH US? WE TAKE THE CREDIT. HERE, WE SHOULD GIVE 12:38 GLORY TO GOD FOR THE BOUNTIES OF HEAVEN, AND WHEN THEY TOOK THAT 12:41 UPON THEMSELVES, OR THEY APPLIED IT TO ANOTHER GOD, THE LORD 12:45 MIGHT SAY, "LOOK, I'M VERY PATIENT, BUT MAYBE YOU NEED TO 12:48 FIND OUT I'M THE SOURCE OF YOUR BLESSING. 12:51 AND SO HE WITHDRAWS IT. AND SOMETIMES WHEN YOU'RE GOING 12:54 THROUGH SOME KIND OF A TRIAL, YOU MIGHT ASK YOURSELF, COULD IT 12:59 BE BECAUSE I FORGOT WHERE THE BLESSING CAME FROM? 13:03 OR I THOUGHT I WAS PROSPEROUS BECAUSE OF MY CLEVERNESS AND 13:06 HARD WORK. BUT - IT'S REALLY COMING FROM 13:09 GOD. EVERY GOOD AND PERFECT GIFT 13:13 COMES FROM GOD ABOVE, AND SO WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT. 13:16 WELL, THEY WERE GIVING THE CREDIT TO A DIABOLICAL GOD 13:20 NAMED BAAL. AND PART OF BAAL WORSHIP WAS 13:23 ESPECIALLY INSIDIOUS. IF THEY WERE STRUGGLING TO FIND 13:26 RAIN, FIRST THEY WOULD TORTURE THEMSELVES, YOU SEE LATER WHERE 13:32 THE PROPHETS OF BAAL CUT THEMSELVES. 13:34 AND AT THE EPITOME, NOT ALWAYS, BUT BAAL WORSHIP SOMETIMES 13:38 TURNED TO HUMAN SACRIFICE - WHERE, IN ORDER TO APPEASE THE 13:43 GODS, THEY WOULD GIVE THE FIRSTBORN SON OF SOMEBODY, KIND 13:47 OF A COUNTERFEIT FOR WHAT THE LORD DID. 13:49 AND THEY WOULD MAKE HIM WHAT THEY CALL PASS THROUGH THE FIRE. 13:53 AND THAT MEANS THAT THEY WERE OFFERED IN THE FIRE. 13:56 AND YOU CAN EVEN SEE WHERE MANASSEH DID THAT. HE MADE 13:59 HIS CHILDREN PASS THROUGH THE FIRE TO THE VARIOUS GODS. SO 14:02 THIS PHOENICIAN GOD - BAAL - ACCEPTED THAT KIND OF FALSE 14:06 SACRIFICE. NOW A LITTLE STUDY, YOU'VE GOT SOME IMPORTANT 14:11 CHARACTERS THAT APPEAR IN THIS STORY. AHAB IS THE KING. 14:17 THE NAME AHAB, IT MEANS FATHER'S BROTHER. 14:21 WHEN YOU SAY "AB" IN HEBREW, LIKE WHEN YOU SAY 14:25 ABBA, THAT'S THE CHILD'S WAY OF SAYING PAPA IN HEBREW. AND PAUL 14:30 USES THAT TERM ABBA. AND THEY'VE GOT DIFFERENT 14:33 CHRISTIAN GROUPS BY THAT NAME. WHEN YOU SEE, FOR INSTANCE, 14:36 BARABBAS, IT MEANS SON OF THE FATHER. AHAB, OR A-AB, MEANS THE 14:43 FATHER'S BROTHER. OR IT'S ALMOST LIKE AN UNCLE. AND SO THAT'S 14:48 WHAT HIS NAME MEANS. JEZEBEL, HER NAME MEANS, BAAL IS 14:52 THE PRINCE. SO, BUILT INTO THE NAME OF 14:55 JEZEBEL IS WORSHIP FOR BAAL. BUT ELIJAH'S NAME MEANS, MY GOD 15:03 IS JEHOVAH. THE LORD IS JEHOVAH. 15:06 AND SO RIGHT IN HIS NAME, WHEN HE APPEARS, THE ONE WHOSE NAME 15:10 IS GOD IS JEHOVAH, APPEARS TO AHAB AND SAYS, BECAUSE YOU'RE 15:15 NOT GIVING JEHOVAH CREDIT, THERE'LL BE NO DEW, THERE'LL BE 15:17 NO RAIN. SOMETHING ELSE WE LEARN ABOUT AHAB, I'M SORRY, ABOUT 15:21 ELIJAH RIGHT AWAY IS THAT THE WORD OF THE LORD COMES TO HIM, 15:27 AND THE WORD OF THE LORD GOES FROM HIM. IT SAYS IN 1 KINGS 15:34 17:2, IT SAYS "THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO HIM." 15:38 SO HE SHARES THE WORD OF GOD AND HE GIVES THE WORD OF GOD. 15:41 JUST APPEARS OUT OF NOWHERE AND THEN HE DISAPPEARS QUICKLY. 15:46 SO EVERYBODY IN THE KINGDOM NOW IS LOOKING FOR ELIJAH. WELL, 15:50 A FEW MONTHS GO BY, AND THERE'S NO RAIN. AND THEY JUST THINK 15:55 "WELL, YOU KNOW EVERY YEAR WE HAVE SOME WET MONTHS AND WE 15:57 HAVE SOME DRY MONTHS." WE'VE HAD A MONTH WITHOUT ANY RAIN 16:00 HERE IN SACRAMENTO. DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A 16:02 FAMINE. BUT THEN IT KEEPS GOING, AND NOW 16:05 EVERYBODY'S GETTING A LITTLE ANTSY. AND THE KING IS SAYING, 16:07 "NOW WHAT WAS, SOMEONE RECOGNIZED, WHAT WAS HIS NAME?" 16:10 "HIS NAME WAS ELIJAH." "AND WHERE MIGHT WE FIND HIM?" 16:12 "WELL, HE'S A TISHBITE, HE WAS FROM GILEAD." 16:15 GILEAD WAS UP IN THE NORTH. IT'S A LITTLE TOWN, IT'S 16:17 ACTUALLY MENTIONED IN OTHER HEBREW HISTORY. AND HE SEARCHES 16:22 THE AREA, AND THEY CAN'T FIND HIM. 16:24 AND AS THE DROUGHT PROLONGS, THEY START LOOKING FOR HIM. 16:26 HE SAID, "WELL WHAT DID HE LOOK LIKE?" WELL YOU KNOW THE BIBLE 16:29 TELLS US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT ELIJAH LOOKED LIKE. 16:31 YOU CAN READ IN 2 KINGS 1:8. AFTER ELIJAH GAVE A PROPHECY, 16:37 THE KING SAID "WHAT DID HE LOOK LIKE?" HE SAID HE WAS "A HAIRY 16:40 MAN WEARING A LEATHER BELT AROUND HIS WAIST." HE SAID, 16:44 "AHH, THAT'S ELIJAH THE TISHBITE." AND WHEN IT SAYS HE 16:47 WAS A HAIRY MAN, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT HE LOOKED 16:50 LIKE ESAU, AND HE JUST KIND OF HAD BEAR HAIR ALL OVER HIS BODY, 16:55 WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT HE WAS WEARING A HAIRY GARMENT. 17:00 AND HE MAY HAVE HAD LONG HAIR AND A BEARD, AND SO YOU CAN DO 17:04 BOTH IF YOU WANT. WHO ELSE DOES THAT REMIND YOU OF? JOHN THE 17:09 BAPTIST WORE CAMEL CLOTH, AND A LEATHER BELT. THE PROPHETS OF 17:15 GOD, THAT WAS THEIR COMMON ATTIRE. THEY WOULD WEAR THE 17:18 SKIN OF GOATS, OR THEY MIGHT WEAR THE SKIN OF A CAMEL, OR A 17:21 SHEEP OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEY HAD A LEATHER BELT, IT WAS 17:24 VERY SIMPLE CLOTHING. AND, YOU KNOW, DURING THE TIME 17:28 OF WYCLIFF, WYCLIFF TRAINED THESE ITINERANT MINISTERS TO GO 17:32 AROUND ENGLAND, THEY CALLED THEM LOLLARDS AND THEY 17:35 WORE THESE SIMPLE RED ROBES AND THEY GO BAREFOOT WITH A 17:38 STAFF IN HAND AND THEY PREACH. AND THEY BECAME KNOWN, IF THEY 17:41 WERE WEARING THIS GARMENT, THAT MEANT THAT THEY WERE KIND OF 17:44 ITINERANT PREACHERS. WELL BACK IN THE BIBLE TIMES, IF YOU HAD 17:48 SHEEP SKIN OR GOAT SKIN, OR CAMEL SKIN AND A LEATHER BELT, 17:51 IT COULD MEAN THAT YOU'RE A PROPHET. 17:53 AND BY THE WAY, THERE'S ANOTHER VERSE THERE. HEBREWS 11:37 17:57 "THEY WANDERED ABOUT" SPEAKING OF GOD'S MESSENGERS. 18:00 "THEY WANDERED ABOUT IN SHEEPSKINS, AND GOATSKINS," 18:03 SAYS THE APOSTLE. SO THEY WORE THESE ROUGH, SIMPLE GARMENTS. 18:08 YOU CAN READ IN MATTHEW 3:4, "AND THE SAME JOHN HAD HIS 18:12 RAIMENT OF CAMEL'S HAIR, AND LEATHER GIRDLE ABOUT HIS 18:15 LOINS." SO THEY'RE LOOKING EVERYWHERE 18:18 FOR ELIJAH. AND AS TIME GOES BY, THEY CAN'T FIND HIM. 18:22 MATTER OF FACT, AHAB STARTS SENDING MESSENGERS, HE FIGURES, 18:25 HE FLED TO ANOTHER KINGDOM. AND AHAB STARTS SENDING MESSENGERS 18:29 TO OTHER KINGDOMS THAT WERE SURROUNDING. 18:31 AND SAID WE'RE LOOKING FOR THIS, "HE'S ON OUR MOST 18:34 WANTED LIST, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SEND HIM BACK TO OUR 18:39 COUNTRY, TO DEPORT HIM. AND I'LL PAY YOU A REWARD IF YOU 18:42 DEPORT HIM, HE'S A CRIMINAL." AND THEY COULDN'T FIND HIM. 18:45 ALL OVER ISRAEL THEY'VE GOT WANTED POSTERS AND SIGNS SAYING 18:49 "ELIJAH THE TISHBITE." AND PICTURES OF THIS HAIRY GUY 18:53 WERE DRAWN IN THERE. AND SO, YOU KNOW AT THE POST 18:56 OFFICE IT SAID, "WANTED, ELIJAH" AND SO EVERYWHERE 18:58 THEY'RE LOOKING FOR HIM BECAUSE IT'S GETTING DRIER AND DRIER. 19:02 YOU KNOW I TOOK A LITTLE PARAGRAPH FROM THE BOOK 19:06 PROPHETS AND KINGS, PAGE 124. IT SAYS, "A YEAR PASSES AND 19:11 THERE IS NO RAIN. THE EARTH IS PARCHED AS IF WITH 19:15 FIRE. THE SCORCHING HEAT OF THE SUN 19:18 DESTROYS WHAT LITTLE VEGETATION HAS SURVIVED. STREAMS DRY UP AND 19:23 THE LOWING HERDS AND BLEATING FLOCKS WANDER HITHER AND THITHER 19:27 IN DISTRESS. ONCE FLOURISHING FIELDS 19:30 HAVE BECOME LIKE BURNING DESERT SANDS IN A DESOLATE WASTE. 19:34 THE GROVES DEDICATED TO IDOLS ARE LEAFLESS. THE FOREST TREES 19:39 ARE GAUNT SKELETONS OF NATURE. THEY AFFORD NO SHADE. THE AIR 19:43 IS DRY AND SUFFOCATING. DUST STORMS BLIND THE EYES AND 19:47 NEARLY STOP BREATH. ONCE PROSPEROUS CITIES AND 19:50 VILLAGES HAVE BECOME PLACES OF MOURNING. HUNGER AND THIRST ARE 19:54 TELLING UPON MAN AND BEAST WITH FEARFUL MORTALITY. 19:58 FAMINE WITH ALL ITS HORROR HAS COME CLOSER AND CLOSER. 20:05 THERE'S A PICTURE THAT MANY OF US HAVE SEEN. DURING A FAMINE IN 20:09 AFRICA A PHOTOGRAPHER CAPTURED THIS - LOOKED LIKE A TWO OR 20:14 THREE-YEAR-OLD AFRICAN BOY THAT IS SQUATTING ON DRY GROUND 20:20 LOOKING LIKE HE'S JUST DYING OF HUNGER. AND THERE'S A VULTURE 20:24 ABOUT TWELVE FEET AWAY, LOOKING ON AND WAITING. HAVE ANY OF YOU 20:28 EVER...IT WAS ACTUALLY AN AWARD WINNING PICTURE. IT'S A 20:30 HORRIFYING PICTURE. AND MAKES YOU WONDER, DID THE 20:35 PHOTOGRAPHER HELP THE BOY AFTER HE SAW THE PICTURE? THIS WEEK 20:43 SOMEONE IN WASHINGTON D.C. DOUSED THEMSELVES WITH GASOLINE 20:46 AND SET THEMSELVES ON FIRE. AND I REMEMBER HEARING A STORY A FEW 20:50 YEARS AGO WHERE A MAN IN NEW YORK CITY DID THE SAME THING 20:53 AND THE NEWS CREW THAT WAS TOLD THAT SOMEONE WAS GOING TO 20:56 SELF-IMMOLATE, BURN THEMSELVES, THEY HAD TO MAKE A DECISION 21:01 "DO WE TRY TO STOP THE MAN, OR DO WE RECORD IT AS NEWS 21:03 REPORTERS?" AND THEY THOUGHT, "WELL, WE'RE HERE TO REPORT AN 21:05 EVENT, WE'RE NOT TO INTERFERE." AND SO THEY STOPPED AND THEY 21:08 WATCHED THIS UNTIL THEY COULDN'T STAND IT ANYMORE. 21:11 THEY TURNED OFF THE CAMERAS AND THEY WENT AND DID WHAT THEY 21:13 COULD TO PUT THE MAN OUT, BUT HE ENDED UP DYING FROM 21:15 HIS BURNS. YOU CAN ONLY STAND BACK AND WATCH THAT KIND OF 21:20 SUFFERING AND IT'S HARD TO BEAR. AND ELIJAH NOW, THINK ABOUT THIS 21:27 - WHY IS IT NOT RAINING? YOU REMEMBER WHAT I JUST READ 21:30 TO YOU FROM JAMES 5:17? NOT ONLY DOES ELIJAH LATER PRAY 21:35 FOR RAIN, IT SAYS ELIJAH PRAYED THAT IT WOULD NOT RAIN. 21:39 HAVE YOU EVER PRAYED THAT GOD WOULD SEND TROUBLE TO SAVE 21:43 SOMEONE? YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY WHEN WE PRAY 21:46 FOR OUR LOVED ONES, IF WE PRAY THAT GOD WILL BLESS THEM, AND 21:50 GOD WILL PROTECT THEM, AND GOD WILL PROVIDE FOR THEM, AND WE'RE 21:53 ALWAYS THINKING THAT GOD WILL DO WHATEVER HE CAN DO TO MAKE THEM 21:55 COMFORTABLE. BUT SOMETIMES WE MIGHT BE PRAYING WRONG. 22:00 IF A PERSON WE KNOW AND LOVE IS NOT SAVED, OR IF A COUNTRY IS 22:04 TURNING AWAY FROM GOD, MAYBE WE SHOULD BE PRAYING MORE LIKE 22:07 ELIJAH? I MEAN, DO WE WANT GOD TO KEEP 22:11 BLESSING US ON OUR WAY TO DESTRUCTION? OR DO WE WANT HIM 22:15 TO ARREST OUR ATTENTION HOWEVER HE SEES FIT? AND IF ELIJAH SAW 22:18 THEM THANKING AND PRAISING BAAL FOR THE GIFTS OF HEAVEN, AND 22:22 THEY SAID, "OH THE RAIN KEEPS COMING, THANK YOU BAAL, THANK 22:24 YOU BAAL." ELIJAH SAID LORD, STOP SENDING THE RAIN. 22:27 THEY'RE GIVING THE DEVIL THE CREDIT. AND GOD IS LONG- 22:29 SUFFERING, HE SENDS THE RAIN ON THE JUST AND THE UNJUST. 22:32 BUT THERE COULD BE A LIMIT TO GOD'S PATIENCE. 22:35 ISN'T THAT RIGHT? I MEAN YEARS WENT BY WITH THIS 22:37 HAPPENING, THERE'S A LIMIT TO GOD'S PATIENCE. 22:40 SOMETIMES MAYBE WE OUGHT TO BE PRAYING THAT GOD SENDS TROUBLE 22:45 THAT PEOPLE MIGHT BE SAVED. THAT A NATION MIGHT REPENT. THE 22:51 WAY I SEE THINGS HAPPENING IN OUR COUNTRY I WONDER HOW WE 22:53 OUGHT TO BE PRAYING. TYPICALLY WE PRAY, GOD BLESS AMERICA. 22:58 BUT MAYBE WE SHOULD SAY, "LORD IF IT MEANS AMERICA NEEDS TO 23:01 REALIZE THEIR DEPENDENCE ON YOU, MAYBE AMERICA NEEDS TROUBLE." 23:06 IT'S OFTEN THROUGH TRIBULATION THAT REVIVAL COMES. 23:11 IS THIS TRUE? I'M JUST READING THE BIBLE TO 23:13 YOU, I MEAN THIS IS WHAT HE DID, HE PRAYED THAT IT WOULD NOT RAIN 23:16 AND GOD HEARD HIS PRAYER. WHAT A MEAN GUY! FAMINE IS AWFUL. 23:22 I MEAN WHO WOULD WANT TO PRAY THAT SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD 23:25 HAPPEN TO A COUNTRY WHERE PEOPLE MIGHT DIE? PEOPLE MIGHT SUFFER. 23:29 BUT YOU KNOW SOMETIMES THAT HAS TO HAPPEN BEFORE MANY CAN BE 23:32 SAVED. BY THE WAY, THEY WERE DYING ANYHOW. IF PEOPLE DON'T 23:38 HAVE THE LORD - WHETHER THEY'RE FULL OR WHETHER THEY'RE HUNGRY - 23:40 THEY'RE DEAD. YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? 23:45 SO, DURING THIS TIME, THE PRIESTS NOW, HOW ARE THEY 23:49 RESPONDING? THE PRIESTS OF BAAL. THEY'RE SAYING "BAAL IS 23:54 ANGRY BECAUSE YOU'RE LETTING ELIJAH AND THE FALSE PROPHETS OF 23:57 JEHOVAH LIVE. SO HE HAS WITHELD THE RAIN BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T 24:02 CAPTURED ELIJAH." SO THIS IS JUST WORKING THE 24:05 PEOPLE INTO A FRENZY. THEY BEGIN TO PERSECUTE THE 24:06 PROPHETS OF GOD. ANYONE WHO SAYS THEY 24:09 WORSHIP JEHOVAH HAS TO GO UNDERGROUND. 24:11 THEY GET BLAMED FOR EVERYTHING. NOW IT'S INTERESTING HOW WHILE 24:16 AMERICA STARTED AS A COUNTRY LARGELY FOUNDED AS A PLACE FOR 24:21 CHRISTIANITY TO FLOURISH, NOW IT'S BECOMING A PLACE WHERE 24:26 CHRISTIANS ARE THE MOST PERSECUTED SECT IN AMERICA. 24:30 THEY ARE MOCKED, THEY ARE DERIDED IN THE MEDIA, IT'S A 24:32 DIRTY WORD TO SAY SOMONE IS A BELIEVING CHRISTIAN - 24:35 IN MANY CIRCLES, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT?" 24:37 THE MEDIA MAKES GREAT SPORT OF THEM. 24:40 AND YOU WONDER JUST HOW FAR IT'S GOING TO GO AND IF THE PENDULUM 24:43 WILL THEN SWING BACK THE OTHER WAY AND GO TOO FAR. 24:46 BUT IT'S PRETTY CLEAR TO ME THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT. 24:48 WELL, I SUPPOSE THAT JEZEBEL TOLD ALL THE PRIESTS TO MAKE 24:53 LITTLE VOODOO DOLLS OF SOME HAIRY MAN WITH A LEATHER BELT 24:59 AND POKE HIM FULL OF PINS AND THEY WERE TRYING TO DO 25:02 EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO FIND AND GET BACK AT 25:05 ELIJAH BECAUSE THE RAIN WAS NOT COMING AND THEY WERE POWERLESS. 25:08 THEY WERE CARRYING ON, THEY WERE MAKING SACRIFICES, THEY 25:11 WERE PROBABLY OFFERING HUMAN SACRIFICE. YOU WONDER WHAT 25:14 ARE THE PROPHETS OF BAAL DOING IF THE PEOPLE COME TO THEM AND 25:16 SAY "LOOK WE STARTED WORSHIPING BAAL AND HE WAS SENDING THE 25:19 RAIN, NOW WHAT'S HAPPENED?" WHAT KIND OF ANSWERS WERE THEY 25:21 GIVING? THEY HAD ALL THESE LIES AND THEY WERE SAYING, "YES THE 25:25 RAIN COMES FROM BAAL", BUT IT WASN'T COMING NOW. AND THEN 25:29 IT SAYS THAT THE LORD TOLD ELIJAH - TURN BACK TO OUR VERSE 25:33 IN 1 KINGS 17. AFTER HE SAYS THERE'S NOT GOING 25:38 TO BE RAIN OR DEW, YOU NOTICE IN THAT VERSE ONE IT SAYS, "THESE 25:43 YEARS". IT DOESN'T SAY THERE'S NOT GOING 25:46 TO BE RAIN OR DEW FOR A FEW DAYS, THAT'S NORMAL. 25:49 HE SAY'S "THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE RAIN OR DEW FOR YEARS." 25:52 HE DOES NOT SAY, JUST RAIN, HE SAYS RAIN OR DEW. 25:56 YOU KNOW BEFORE IT EVER RAINED THE BIBLE SAYS THAT A DEW CAME 25:59 UP FROM THE GROUND. AND WATERED THE EARTH. 26:02 THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANY MOISTURE. 26:04 YOU KNOW EVEN, IT'S NOT JUST THE RAIN THAT'S A BLESSING, SO YOU 26:07 REMEMBER WHEN GIDEON PRAYED, AND HE SAID, "LET THE DEW BE ON THE 26:10 FLEECE AND NOT ON THE GROUND" HE SAID, "NOW TODAY, I WANT THE DEW 26:13 TO BE ON THE GROUND AND NOT ON THE FLEECE." 26:15 HE'S NOT ONLY A GOD OF THE RAIN, HE'S A GOD OF THE DEW, ISN'T HE. 26:19 SO HE SAYS THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANY MOISTURE. 26:22 IT'S NOT ONLY NOT GOING TO FALL FROM THE GROUND, FROM HEAVEN, 26:25 IT'S NOT GOING TO COME UP FROM THE GROUND EITHER, FOR YEARS. 26:29 AND SO THEY'RE NOTICING AS MONTHS GO BY AND AS YEARS GO 26:31 BY, ELIJAH HAD PROPHESIED YEARS. AND THEY'RE THINKING, THEY'RE 26:36 DESPERATE NOW. WELL AFTER HE GIVES HIS PROPHESY, IT SAYS 26:40 "THEN THE WORD OF THE LORD," I'M IN VERSE 2, "CAME TO ELIJAH 26:44 SAYING, GET AWAY FROM HERE AND TURN EASTWARD AND HIDE BY THE 26:49 BROOK CHERITH, WHICH FLOWS INTO THE RIVER JORDAN." YOU MEAN GOD 26:55 WANTS HIS PEOPLE TO HIDE? SOMETIMES. IS THERE A TIME TO 27:00 RETREAT? DID JESUS SAY, "IF THEY PERSECUTE YOU IN THIS 27:05 CITY, JUST GET IN THEIR FACE AND PREACH LOUDER"? IS THAT 27:09 WHAT HE SAID? NO, HE SAID, IF THEY PERSECUTE YOU IN THIS CITY, 27:12 GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. PAUL WAS SORT OF BOLD AND THEY NEARLY TORE ONE 27:19 CHRISTIAN LIMB FROM LIMB IN A GREEK CITY AND PAUL SAID, "LET 27:22 ME GO IN THERE." AND THEY HAD TO HOLD HIM BACK 27:24 AND SAID "NO, YOU BETTER GET OUT OF TOWN, THEY'RE GOING TO KILL 27:26 YOU AND WE NEED YOU." DAVID WAS LIKE THAT, DAVID GOT 27:29 OLD, IN BATTLE HE NEARLY GOT KILLED BY ONE OF GOLIATH'S SONS 27:32 AND ADONIJAH HAD TO COME AND RESCUE HIM, AND THEY 27:34 SAID "LOOK, YOU'RE NOT GOING INTO BATTLE ANYMORE. 27:36 THERE'S A TIME TO FIGHT AND THERE'S A TIME TO WATCH FROM A 27:38 DISTANCE." ELIJAH WAS BRAVE, HE WENT AND 27:41 MADE HIS PROPHECY. NOW GOD SAID "AHAB IS GOING TO LOOK 27:44 EVERYWHERE FOR YOU, YOU NEED TO GO HIDE." 27:48 THERE'S EVEN A TIME FOR COUNTRY LIVING, ISN'T THERE? 27:51 AND HE SAID, "I'LL TELL YOU WHERE TO HIDE." 27:54 THERE'S A BROOK THAT GOES DOWN FROM THE HILLS, ON THE EAST 27:57 SIDE OF THE JORDAN, IT'S A REMOTE AREA AND THERE'S A LOT 28:03 OF BRUSH. AND DURING THIS TIME OF, DURING 28:09 THIS TIME OF FAMINE, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE RUNNING, BUT THERE'S 28:12 PLACES WHERE...WHEN YOU'VE GOT A NATURAL BROOK IN A HILL, A 28:16 CREEK, AND IT STARTS DRYING AND THERE'S NO MOISTURE, EVEN DURING 28:22 THE DRY TIMES, IF THERE'S A ROCK PART OF THE BROOK, WHERE IT'S 28:26 GOT A ROCK BOTTOM, IT FORCES THE WATER UP AND YOU MAY FIND PLACES 28:30 IN A RIVER OR CREEK IN THE SUMMER THAT STILL HAVE WATER. 28:33 EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT FLOWING. YOU KNOW, HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW 28:35 WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, YOU'VE BEEN OUT IN THE HILLS? 28:36 I THINK GOD DIRECTED HIM TO A PLACE WHERE THE WATER SURFACED 28:40 AGAIN. WHEN I LIVED UP IN THE CAVE, I 28:42 CAN REALLY RELATE TO THIS STORY, I LIVED UP IN THE HILLS IN THE 28:44 SUMMERTIME IN THE CANYON, THERE WERE PLACES THERE WAS NO WATER. 28:48 BUT I HAD WATER OUTSIDE MY CAVE BECAUSE IT WAS A ROCK BOTTOM AND 28:50 IT WAS FORCED BACK TO THE SURFACE AGAIN. 28:53 AND SO HE WAS DIRECTED TO A PLACE WHERE HE WOULD 28:55 HAVE WATER TO DRINK, THERE WAS PROBABLY SOME SHADE, 28:58 SOME SHRUBS, MIGHT HAVE BEEN A CAVE OR ROCK, I DON'T KNOW. 29:02 HE HAD SOME SHELTER FROM THE SUN, I HOPE THAT THERE WAS SOME 29:06 - A CAVE IS A LOT COOLER THAN BRUSH. I'M HOPING HE HAD SOME 29:09 SHELTER THERE. AND GOD SAID I'M GOING TO FEED 29:11 YOU SUPERNATURALLY. AND THIS WAS VERY UNUSUAL. 29:15 HE SAID, "GET AWAY BY THE BROOK WHICH FLOWS TO JORDAN AND IT 29:18 WILL BE THAT YOU WILL DRINK FROM THE BROOK, AND I HAVE COMMANDED 29:22 THE RAVENS TO FEED YOU THERE. WELL THAT'S NOT HOW YOU NORMALLY 29:27 PRAY TO GET YOUR FOOD, IS IT? SO HE WENT AND DID ACCORDING TO 29:32 THE WORD OF THE LORD, HE OBEYED. AND HE WENT AND STAYED BY THE 29:35 BROOK CHERITH, WHICH FLOWS INTO JORDAN. 29:38 ANOTHER INTERESTING THOUGHT, WHEN ELIJAH FIRST APPEARS, THE 29:46 WORD JORDAN APPEARS. SHORTLY AFTER HE APPEARS. 29:50 WHEN ELIJAH DISAPPEARS, THE WORD JORDAN APPEARS. 29:54 WHEN JESUS BEGINS HIS MINISTRY, WHERE DOES HE FIRST APPEAR? 30:00 IT'S, HE BEGINS THERE, HE'S BEING BAPTIZED BY JOHN - 30:04 HE'S A TYPE OF ELIJAH, - IN THE JORDAN. 30:06 AND IT SAYS, "THE RAVENS," I'M IN VERSE 6, "BROUGHT HIM 30:10 BREAD AND MEAT IN THE MORING. AND BREAD AND MEAT IN THE 30:14 EVENING. AND HE DRANK FROM THE BROOK. SO, SOMEONE'S GOING TO 30:18 SAY THIS IS A GOOD ARGUMENT FOR TWO MEALS A DAY. 30:22 MAYBE IT IS, I DON'T KNOW? OF COURSE, THIS IS DURING FAMINE 30:24 TIMES. BUT THAT'S VERY INTERESTING THAT 30:28 GOD BROUGHT RAVENS. RAVENS ARE UNUSUAL BIRDS. 30:31 THEY BELONG TO THE CORVID FAMILY. 30:33 OUR NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE STREET FROM KAREN AND I - ED HARPER - 30:38 IS ONE OF THE EMINENT ORNITHOLOGISTS IN, WELL, IN THE 30:44 WORLD, BUT CERTAINLY IN SACRAMENTO. 30:47 HE'S A GREAT BIRD LOVER, AND IT'S FUN TALKING TO HIM 30:50 ABOUT THE BIRDS. YOU CAN WALK DOWN A TRAIL AND HE'LL HEAR 30:51 TWENTY BIRDS WHERE I DON'T HEAR ANY, AND HE'LL TELL YOU WHAT 30:54 THEY ALL ARE. HE'S A GREAT EXPERT IN THAT. 30:58 CORVIDS, RAVENS, ARE AMONG THE SMARTEST BIRDS IN THE WORLD. 31:02 THEY CAN EVEN LIVE, I THINK ONE HAS LIVED UP TO FORTY YEARS. 31:06 IN THE WILD THEY TYPICALLY LIVE ABOUT FIFTEEN YEARS, BUT SOME 31:10 HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO LIVE LONGER. THEY PAIR UP FOR LIFE. 31:14 UNLESS, YOU KNOW THEY LOSE A MATE, AND THEN THEY MIGHT LOCATE 31:17 ANOTHER ONE. AND THEY'RE EXTREMELY INTELLIGENT. 31:20 THEY'RE ONE OF THE FEW BIRDS THAT ACTUALLY USES TOOLS. 31:24 THEY WILL PICK UP A STICK, THEY'LL TAKE A THORN, AND THEY 31:28 KNOW HOW TO WORK A GRUB OUT OF A LOG WITH A THORN USING 31:31 LEVERAGE. AND THEN THEY'LL PUT IT DOWN AGAIN. AND THEY FIND A 31:33 FAVORITE THORN. THEY FIND ONE WORKS THAN ANOTHERS. 31:37 AND THEY TEACH THE OTHER BIRDS. YOU'LL SEE ONE BIRD, ONE CROW OR 31:41 RAVEN, THEY'RE ALL IN THE SAME, BLUE JAYS ARE ACTUALLY IN THAT 31:43 FAMILY, IN THE CORVID FAMILY. IT'LL BE WATCHING THE OTHER AND 31:46 THEY CAN STUDY, AND THEY CAN LEARN THINGS. 31:49 THEY'VE ALSO FOUND OUT - AND THERE'S A LOT OF SPOOKY THINGS. 31:52 YOU KNOW, WHO WAS IT? EDGAR ALLEN POE WROTE A POEM 31:55 ABOUT THE RAVEN. IT'S KIND OF SPOOKY BECAUSE IF A RAVEN DIES, 31:59 THE OTHER RAVENS HOLD A FUNERAL. THEY WILL GO AND THEY WILL ALL 32:03 SIT IN THE TREES AND THEY'LL LOOK AT IT FOR A LONG TIME, FOR 32:06 HOURS. AND THEN THEY'LL GO UP AND 32:08 THEY'LL CIRCLE AROUND THAT ONE, AND THEN THEY'LL FLY OFF. 32:11 AND SO, THEY'RE JUST A VERY INTERESTING, VERY INTELLIGENT 32:14 BIRDS. AND JUST READ AN ARTICLE LAST 32:17 WEEK, TOTALLY DISRELATED FROM THE SERMON, THAT SAID 32:20 THAT RAVENS EVEN POSSESS SOME HUMAN-LIKE QUALITIES IN THE WAY 32:24 THAT THEIR BRAINS WORK. THEY'VE GOT THE LARGEST BRAIN OF ANY 32:27 BIRD. THEY CAN BE TAUGHT TO TALK. YOU KNOW, KIND OF LIKE A 32:34 PARROT, MOCKINGBIRD, SOME OF THESE THINGS, THEY CAN LEARN TO 32:36 REPRODUCE AND MIMIC CERTAIN SOUNDS. NOW, I SHARE ALL THIS 32:41 BECAUSE I THINK IT'S INTERESTING THAT GOD WOULD USE THESE 32:45 BLACKBIRDS THAT ARE UNCLEAN BIBLICALLY TO TAKE CARE OF HIS 32:51 PROPHET. THEY'RE VERY LOYAL TO THEIR 32:55 YOUNG, AND I ALWAYS WONDERED WHERE DO THE RAVENS GET THEIR 33:00 FOOD? I MEAN THERE'S A FAMINE IN 33:03 THE LAND, THE ONLY PLACE IN THE LAND THAT, I MEAN THEY EITHER 33:07 HAD TO FLY MILES TO GET FOOD, OR THEY WENT TO THE PALACE. 33:12 THEY PROBABLY HAD FOOD IN THE PALACE, RIGHT? 33:15 AND I JUST PICTURE THAT AHAB AND JEZEBEL WOULD SIT DOWN TO EAT, 33:19 YOU KNOW AND THEY HAD OPEN WINDOWS BACK THEN, THEY DIDN'T 33:21 HAVE GLASS. AND THAT IN THE RAVENS WOULD 33:25 FLY, GRAB BREAD OFF THEIR TABLE AND THEY'D FLY OUT. AND THEN 33:32 LATER THAT - KAREN AND I JUST WERE EATING IN HAWAII, AND AT 33:35 OUR TABLE WHERE WE WERE EATING, THE LITTLE DOVES, THE PIGEONS, 33:40 DOVES AND PIGEONS WERE COMING RIGHT UP TO US, AND DUCKS. 33:42 THEY WERE EATING RIGHT THERE AT THE TABLE. 33:46 ANY OF YOU EVER HAVE BIRDS AT AN OUTDOOR RESTAURANT KIND OF GRAB 33:48 YOUR FOOD OFF THE TABLE. AND I COULD JUST SEE AHAB AND 33:52 JEZEBEL SITTING DOWN AND RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR PRAISING 33:55 BAAL FOR THEIR FOOD, BEFORE THEY EAT, TWO RAVENS FLY IN AND THEY 33:59 SAY "WHERE'S ELIJAH, WHERE'S ELIJAH," AND GRAB BREAD AND THEY 34:03 FLY OUT. AND BECAUSE I'VE GOT AN ACTIVE IMAGINATION, I ALSO 34:08 PICTURE - IT SAYS THAT ELIJAH WORE A HAIRY GARMENT - MAYBE HE 34:13 WORE LIKE GOATSKIN, MAYBE IT WAS BLACK GOATSKIN. AND IF HE HAD 34:16 LONG, BLACK HAIR AND HE WAS WEARING BLACK GOATSKIN, THE 34:19 RAVENS PROBABLY JUST THOUGHT HE WAS A BIG CHICK? AND THEY KEPT 34:24 FEEDING HIM EVERY DAY. YOU KNOW THEY'VE GOT THIS 34:26 NURTURING - THESE BIRDS HAVE GOT THIS NURTURING THING WHERE IF 34:30 THE CHICKS ARE CRYING THEY PUT FOOD IN THEIR MOUTH. 34:34 AND EVERY MORNING WHEN ELIJAH WAS PRAYING, THEN THERE 34:37 CAME THE RAVENS. AND THEY DROPPED THE BREAD AND 34:40 THEY DROPPED THE FLESH. AND THAT COULD MEAN ONE OF 34:43 SEVERAL THINGS. IT JUST MEANT FOOD OTHER THAN BREAD. 34:46 IT COULD HAVE BEEN MEAT. IT COULD HAVE BEEN EGGS, YOU 34:48 KNOW, RAVENS SOMETIMES ROB OTHER NESTS FOR EGGS, AND, SO I DON'T 34:52 KNOW. THEY WERE BRINGING HIM FOOD 34:53 EVERYDAY AND BREAD EVERYDAY. EVERYONE'S STARVING. 34:58 YOU KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PROMISES IN THE BIBLE, THAT GOD 35:00 PROVIDES FOR HIS OWN. DOESN'T HE? IF YOU ARE WILLING TO BE 35:04 USED FROM GOD...KING DAVID SAID, "I WAS YOUNG, AND I AM 35:09 NOW OLD, BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN THE RIGHTEOUS FORESAKEN, OR HIS SEED 35:13 BEGGING BREAD." AND JESUS TELLS US THAT IF WE SEEK FIRST THE 35:18 KINGDOM OF GOD - AND THAT WAS THE CONCERN OF ELIJAH - AND HIS 35:22 RIGHTEOUSNESS, THAT HE'LL PROVIDE FOR US. 35:25 AND HE SAID "YOU WILL DRINK FROM THE BROOK." 35:29 SO ELIJAH NOT ONLY SPEAKS THE WORD OF GOD, HE OBEYS. 35:33 HE DOES WHAT GOD SAYS, HE GOES TO THE BROOK, 35:37 AND HE WAITS. GOD FEEDS HIM EVERYDAY, BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK 35:41 HE'S DOING EVERYDAY? A YEAR GOES BY NOTHING HAPPENS. 35:45 I'M SURE HE DIDN'T JUST SIT UNDER A BUSH ALL DAY LONG. 35:48 HE PROBABLY VENTURED OUT A LITTLE BIT, TOOK WALKS AT NIGHT, 35:50 MAYBE HAD SOME LITTLE PROJECTS, HE MIGHT HAVE CARVED THINGS, 35:53 I'M SURE HE WAS SPENDING TIME IN PRAYER. BUT HE REALLY 35:56 HAD TO LIVE THE LIFE OF A HERMIT. AND JUST HE WAS HIDING 36:01 OUT IN THE WILDERNESS, FOR YEARS. 36:05 OR AT LEAST UNTIL THE BROOK GOES DRY. 36:08 AND THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT GOD PROVIDED FOR HIM. 36:13 "IF PROVIDENCE CALLS US TO SOLITUDE AND RETIREMENT, IT 36:17 BECOMES US TO GO WHEN WE CANNOT BE USEFUL, WE MUST 36:19 BE PATIENT." I'M QUOTING I BELIEVE FROM MATTHEW HENRY'S 36:22 COMMENTARY. "AND WHEN WE CANNOT WORK FOR GOD, WE 36:25 MUST SOMETIMES SIT STILL QUIETLY AND WAIT FOR GOD." 36:29 ELIJAH PRAYED IT WOULDN'T RAIN, AND GOD IS ANSWERING HIS 36:31 PRAYER AND NOW WHAT ELIJAH NEEDED WAS PATIENCE. AND 36:35 HE'S PRAYING EVERY DAY THAT THIS PLAGUE, THIS FAMINE 36:42 IS GOING TO HAVE ITS NEEDED EFFECT. HOW OFTEN DID GOD 36:46 FEED ELIJAH? DID GOD SEND AN ELEPHANT TO DUMP A MONTH'S 36:50 WORTH OF BREAD? OR DID HE SEND BIRDS TO BRING IT ONE 36:55 MEAL AT A TIME? YOU KNOW IN THE LORD'S PRAYER, WHAT 36:58 DOES IT SAY? GIVE US THIS DAY OUR WEEKLY BREAD? 37:03 GIVE US OUR MONTHLY BREAD, OUR YEARLY BREAD? HAVE 37:07 YOU EVER HAD TO LIVE BY FAITH THAT THE BIRDS WOULD 37:10 COME TWICE A DAY? WHERE YOU JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THE 37:15 NEXT MEAL WAS COMING AND YOU WERE PRAYING AND THEN IT 37:17 CAME. WOULD YOU SAY A PRAYER OVER YOUR FOOD AND THANK 37:21 THE LORD FOR YOUR FOOD IF THERE'S A FAMINE AND EVERYONE'S 37:23 STARVING, BUT BIRDS MIRACULOUSLY BRING YOU YOUR FOOD 37:25 TWICE A DAY? YOU KNOW, REALLY IT IS A MIRACLE THAT FEEDS 37:29 US, WE SOMETIMES TAKE IT FOR GRANTED. IT'S ONLY THE 37:33 BOUNTY AND PROVISION OF GOD. WHERE DO BIRDS COME FROM? 37:38 DO THEY COME FROM BELOW, DO THEY COME HORIZONTALLY? 37:41 OR DO THEY COME FROM ABOVE? SO GOD IS TRYING TO TELL US 37:44 THAT THESE BIRDS COMING FROM ABOVE IS A SYMBOL THAT HE 37:48 IS THE ONE THAT BRINGS US THAT BREAD. JESUS SAID "I AM THAT 37:52 BREAD THAT COMES DOWN FROM HEAVEN. AMEN? GIVE US OUR 37:57 BREAD. THE RAVENS BROUGHT SPECIFIC FOOD TO A SPECIFIC 38:01 PLACE, AT A SPECIFIC TIME. TWICE A DAY, BREAD AND FLESH, TO 38:07 THE BROOK CHERITH, WHERE ELIJAH IS HIDING OUT. BY THE WAY, 38:12 THAT WORD CHERITH MEANS A PLACE OF CUTTING. IT'S A PLACE 38:17 WHERE HE IS BEING TRIED. AND HE'S GOING THROUGH A LITTLE 38:21 BIT OF GROWTH HIMSELF, WHILE HE IS THERE. WHEN THE PROVISION 38:25 OF EARTH FAILED, THE PROVISION OF HEAVEN CAME. YOU KNOW 38:31 EVENTUALLY, WE READ IN 1 KINGS 17:7, "AND IT HAPPENED AFTER 38:36 A WHILE THAT THE BROOK DRIED UP, BECAUSE THERE HAD BEEN 38:38 NO RAIN IN THE LAND." THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MINUTE. 38:43 GOD IS MIRACULOUSLY SENDING ELIJAH BREAD FROM HEAVEN. 38:48 WHY WOULD GOD ALLOW THE BROOK TO DRY UP? WHEN YOU PRAY THAT 38:54 GOD WILL DO SOMETHING TO REACH PEOPLE DOES IT MEAN THAT 38:58 YOU MIGHT ALSO BE AFFECTED BY IT? YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE'S 39:03 WAR IN THE WORLD, EVEN CHRISTIANS STRUGGLE DURING 39:06 THOSE WARS. WHEN THERE'S PROBLEMS IN THE 39:07 WORLD, TIME AND CHANCE HAPPENS TO ALL, AND GOD OBEYS HIS OWN 39:13 LAWS. AND EVENTUALLY THE WATER STOPPED 39:15 RUNNING. GOD SAID, "LOOK THERE'S NO MORE 39:17 WATER HERE, AND I'VE GOT SOMETHING FOR YOU TO DO 39:19 SOMEWHERE ELSE." SO, THE LORD ALLOWED THE BROOK 39:21 TO GO DRY. EVEN BELIEVERS MIGHT EXPERIENCE 39:26 PERIODS OF DROUGHT. ONE DAY, ELIJAH NOTICED 39:28 THE WATER LEVEL IN THE BROOK WAS GETTING LOWER AND LOWER. 39:31 YOU KNOW WHEN I LIVED IN THE CAVE, AND IN THE SUMMERTIME I 39:34 WAS UP THERE, THE CREEK - TAHQUITZ CREEK - BY THE WAY, 39:38 TAHQUITZ CREEK IS THE CREEK THAT SUPPLIES WATER FOR PALM SPRINGS. 39:42 BUT IT WOULD STOP RUNNING IN THE SUMMER, EXCEPT AT MY CAVE, BUT 39:45 I NOTICED EVERY MORNING THE LEVEL WAS A LITTLE HIGHER - THE 39:48 END OF THE DAY IT WAS DOWN. IN THE MORNING IT WOULD COME UP 39:49 A LITTLE, BUT THEN IT WOULD DOWN. AT THE END OF THE SUMMER 39:52 IT WOULD GET PRETTY LOW. WELL THE FAMINE WENT SO LONG, THAT 39:56 ELIJAH REALIZED, "LORD", HE SAID, "I PROBABLY GOT ANOTHER 39:59 DAY'S WATER, LEFT IN THE CREEK, AND NOW WHAT?" AND HE THEN 40:06 GAVE HIM OTHER INSTRUCTIONS. SO, GOD IS PROVIDING FOR 40:11 ELIJAH, AND HE'S GOING TO REACH THE NATION. 40:13 BUT HE'S KIND OF - ELIJAH NEEDS TO FEEL A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT THE 40:16 NATION IS FEELING HERE. LUKE 12:24, ONE MORE THOUGHT. 40:23 CAN GOD USE AN UNCLEAN BIRD TO BRING CLEAN MEAT, CLEAN FOOD TO 40:30 HIS PEOPLE? CAN GOD USE A DONKEY TO SPEAK 40:34 TRUTH? ARE DONKEYS CLEAN OR UNCLEAN 40:37 ANIMALS? WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD THEY'RE UNCLEAN ANIMALS. 40:42 AND, YOU KNOW SOMETIMES THE LORD CAN USE UNCLEAN PEOPLE 40:47 TO HELP HIS PEOPLE. WHO IS ELIJAH GOING TO BE SENT TO? 40:53 A GENTILE WOMAN. A SIDONIAN WOMAN. 40:56 INTERESTING, THAT'S WHERE JEZEBEL COMES FROM, AND GOD IS 40:59 GOING TO USE HER TO FEED HIM. AND HE'S GOING TO USE HIM TO 41:02 FEED HER WITH THE BREAD OF LIFE. BUT THAT'S 41:05 REALLY GOING TO HAVE TO BE THE SUBJECT FOR ANOTHER SERMON. 41:08 NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A TERRIBLE FAMINE THAT COMES TO 41:12 GOD'S PEOPLE. WHY DOES GOD ALLOW THIS FAMINE? SO THEY'D 41:17 TURN BACK TO HIM. DO WE READ ABOUT A PROPHESIED FAMINE 41:21 IN THE BOOK OF AMOS? AMOS 8:11 "BEHOLD, THE DAYS ARE 41:26 COMING," SAYS THE LORD GOD, THAT I WILL SEND A FAMINE 41:29 ON THE LAND, NOT A FAMINE OF BREAD, NOR A THIRST FOR WATER, 41:34 BUT OF HEARING THE WORDS OF THE LORD." I TALKED ABOUT THIS 41:36 A FEW WEEKS AGO. "THEY SHALL WANDER FROM SEA TO SEA, AND 41:40 FROM NORTH TO EAST; THEY SHALL RUN TO AND FRO, SEEKING 41:43 THE WORD OF THE LORD, BUT SHALL NOT FIND IT." NOW IS IT 41:46 UNUSUAL THAT YOU WOULD NOT FIND THE WORD OF THE LORD 41:48 IN A PAGAN, DARK COUNTRY? NO. WHAT MAKES IT A FAMINE FOR 41:54 THE WORD OF GOD, IS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THE WORD OF GOD 41:57 IN GOD'S COUNTRY AMONG GOD'S PEOPLE. I MEAN YOU WOULDN'T 42:01 BE LOOKING FOR THE WORD OF THE LORD IN A DARK, PAGAN COUNTRY 42:05 WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE THE WORD OF GOD. BUT WHERE YOU'VE 42:07 GOT THE TEMPLE OF GOD, AND YOU'VE GOT THE WORD OF GOD, 42:09 AND YOU'VE GOT THE PEOPLE OF GOD, YOU EXPECT TO FIND THE 42:12 TRUTH, BUT IF YOU'RE NOT HEARING THE WORD OF THE LORD, 42:14 IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES, THEN YOU'VE GOT A FAMINE. COULD 42:18 IT BE WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER FAMINE FOR THE WORD OF GOD AMONG 42:22 THE PEOPLE OF GOD IN THE LAST DAYS? WHAT DO YOU THINK? 42:27 I THINK SO. AND IT WAS DURING THAT TIME THAT THERE WAS A 42:31 FAMINE FOR THE TRUTH GOD SENT ELIJAH, AND IT WAS DURING 42:34 THAT TIME THERE WAS A FAMINE FOR TRUTH, GOD SENT JOHN THE 42:37 BAPTIST, WHO IS A TYPE OF ELIJAH. AND IN THE LAST DAYS, 42:40 GOD IS GOING TO SEND, I BELIEVE, OTHER ELIJAHS TO BRING HIS 42:43 PEOPLE BACK TO THE LORD. I PRAY HE SENDS THEM NOW. 42:47 BECAUSE WE'RE LIVING IN THE DAYS OF ELIJAH NOW. 42:50 I THINK THAT THERE'S A FAMINE, I THINK THERE'S A DROUGHT FOR 42:53 TRUTH IN OUR WORLD I THINK IT'S IT'S VERY RARE, AMONG GOD'S 42:57 PEOPLE. AND PART OF IT IS BECAUSE, 43:00 INSTEAD OF PEOPLE GOING TO THE LORD TO WORSHIP GOD, THEY'RE 43:04 GOING TO THE THINGS OF THE WORLD. INSTEAD OF THE AVERAGE 43:06 CHRISTIAN SPENDING TIME IN THE WORD OF GOD, AND BEING 43:09 WITNESSES FOR GOD, WE'RE WORSHIPPING AT AN IDOL 43:12 TELEVISION. PEOPLE ARE BEING ENTERTAINED TO 43:15 DEATH. AND THEY JUST ARE NOT FIXING 43:19 THEIR EYES ON THE LORD, AND LOOKING AT OTHER THINGS. 43:22 I APPRECIATED THE CHILDREN'S STORY THIS MORNING 43:24 THAT'S TALKING ABOUT THIS. WELL YOU KNOW IN CONCLUSION 43:27 I'D LIKE TO JUST REMIND YOU. WHEN THERE WAS NO WATER, 43:33 GOD PROVIDED WATER FOR ELIJAH. JESUS SAID IN JOHN 4:13, 43:38 "WHOEVER DRINKS OF THIS WATER WILL THIRST AGAIN, BUT 43:41 WHOEVER DRINKS OF THE WATER THAT I SHALL GIVE HIM WILL 43:43 NEVER THIRST. BUT THE WATER THAT I SHALL GIVE HIM WILL 43:46 BECOME IN HIM A FOUNTAIN OF WATER SPRINGING UP INTO 43:49 EVERLASTING LIFE." IF GOD'S SERVANTS NEED BREAD, HE GIVES 43:53 THEM BREAD. JESUS SAID, JOHN 6:35 "I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE. 43:58 HE WHO COMES TO ME SHALL NEVER HUNGER, AND HE WHO 44:01 BELIEVES IN ME SHALL NEVER THIRST." AND THEN YOU HAVE A 44:04 PROMISE THAT WHEN THERE IS A FAMINE IN THE LAST DAYS, WILL 44:07 GOD'S PEOPLE GET HUNGRY? ISAIAH 33:16 "HE WILL DWELL ON HIGH; 44:13 HIS PLACE OF DEFENSE WILL BE THE FORTRESS OF ROCKS;" TALKS 44:16 ABOUT GOD'S PEOPLE IN THE WILDERNESS. "BREAD WILL BE GIVEN 44:20 HIM, HIS WATER WILL BE SURE." WE WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT 44:24 THAT. WHY? IF WE SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS 44:28 RIGHTEOUSNESS, ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE ADDED TO US. GOD 44:34 WILL GUIDE US WHERE TO GO TO SATISFY OUR HUNGER WITH THE 44:36 BREAD OF LIFE, AND TO QUENCH OUR THIRST WITH THE LIVING 44:38 WATER. AS HE DID IT BEFORE FOR THE ISRAELITES, HE'LL DO IT FOR 44:41 US IN THE LAST DAYS. AND WE NEED HIM TO GUIDE US NOW, 'CAUSE 44:46 I THINK THERE IS A FAMINE IN THE LAND, AND - WHAT DOES THE 44:51 NAME ELIHAH MEAN? MY GOD IS JEHOVAH. IS JESUS YOUR LORD? 44:59 IS JEHOVAH YOUR GOD? WELL, WE'RE GOING TO SING ABOUT 45:02 THAT. OUR CLOSING SONG, "GUIDE ME THOU O GREAT JEHOVAH", 538. 45:07 "GUIDE ME THROUGH THIS BARREN LAND." 45:09 LET'S STAND TOGETHER AS WE SING. 45:28 >>GUIDE ME O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH, PILGRIM THROUGH THIS 45:36 BARREN LAND. I AM WEAK, BUT THOU ART MIGHTY, HOLD ME WITH 45:45 THY POWERFUL HAND. BREAD OF HEAVEN, BREAD OF HEAVEN, FEED 45:55 ME TILL I WANT NO MORE, FEED ME TILL I WANT NO MORE. OPEN NOW 46:08 THE CRYSTAL FOUNTAIN, WHENCE THE HEALING STREAM DOTH FLOW; 46:16 LET THE FIRE AND CLOUDY PILLAR LEAD ME ALL MY JOURNEY 46:25 THROUGH; STRONG DELIVERER, STRONG DELIVERER. BE THOU STILL 46:33 MY STRENGTH AND SHIELD, BE THOU STILL MY STRENGTH AND SHIELD." 46:44 >>YOU KNOW THERE'S SO MANY THINGS IN THE STORY OF ELIJAH 46:46 THAT WE'RE GOING TO LEARN. FIRST OF ALL, IT TELLS US HOW TO PRAY. 46:51 IT ALSO TELLS US ABOUT FAITH. IT TELLS US ABOUT GOD PROVIDING FOR 46:54 US. IF GOD COULD PROVIDE FOR HIM IN 46:57 THAT DESERT, HE CAN PROVIDE FOR US. 46:59 SOMETIMES GOD PROVIDES IN THE MOST UNEXPECTED WAYS, 47:04 SOMETIMES GOD HAS US WAITING. AND YOU JUST GOT TO SIT BY THE 47:08 BROOK FOR A WHILE. AND SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU MAY FIT IN 47:11 THAT STORY, BUT LET'S REMEMBER THAT BECAUSE ELIJAH PUT THE 47:15 LORD FIRST, THAT ULTIMATELY BROUGHT A GREAT REVIVAL TO GOD'S 47:18 PEOPLE. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE NEEDING TODAY. 47:21 I WANT THAT KIND OF REVIVAL IN MY LIFE. 47:23 WE'RE GOING TO BE STUDYING ABOUT THAT AS WE STUDY THE LIFE OF 47:26 ELIJAH. AND JUST AS WE SING THE NEXT 47:29 VERSE IN THIS SONG, IF THERE'S SOME HERE THAT HAVE SPECIAL 47:31 NEED, MAYBE YOU'RE EXPERIENCING SOME FAMINE OR DROUGHT IN 47:35 YOUR LIFE AND YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE LORD TO GUIDE YOU OR 47:38 SUPPLY FOR YOU. OR YOU WONDER IF MAYBE YOU'VE BECOME 47:42 DISTRACTED WITH ANOTHER KIND OF WORSHIP, AND YOU NEED TO 47:44 ASK THE LORD TO BE THE CENTER OF YOUR LIFE AND YOUR PRIMARY 47:48 WORSHIP. THEN WHATEVER THAT NEED MIGHT BE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO 47:51 COME FOR SPECIAL PRAYER OR SOME OTHER BURDEN YOU'D LIKE TO 47:53 BRING TO THE LORD, COME. THIS IS A THRILLING SONG. 47:57 GUIDE ME GREAT JEHOVAH. WE'LL SING VERSE 3. 48:04 >>WHEN I TREAD THE VERGE OF JORDAN, BID MY ANXIOUS FEARS 48:12 SUBSIDE. DEATH OF DEATH AND HELL'S DESTRUCTION, LAND ME 48:19 SAFE ON CANAAN'S SIDE; SONGS OF PRAISES, SONGS OF PRAISES I 48:29 WILL EVER GIVE TO THEE, I WILL EVER GIVE TO THEE." 48:40 >>AMEN. ARE YOU WANTING TO KNOW THAT THE LORD IS YOUR GOD? THAT 48:46 THE LORD IS YOUR JEHOVAH? AND THAT HE IS PRINCIPLE IN 48:50 YOUR LIFE. LET'S ASK HIM NOW TO COME IN AND 48:53 SIT ON THE THRONE OF OUR HEARTS. FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE'VE BEGUN A 48:57 JOURNEY TODAY, IN EXPLORING AND CONSIDERING THE LIFE OF ONE OF 49:01 THE GREAT CHARACTERS THAT YOU RAISED UP IN HOLY SCRIPTURE. 49:06 AND WE KNOW THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES THAT 49:09 ELIJAH FACED IN THE LAST DAYS IN WHICH WE'RE LIVING. 49:12 LORD HELP US TO BE WILLING TO LISTEN TO YOUR WORD, THAT WE 49:18 HAVE YOUR WORD IN US. AND THAT WE FOLLOW YOUR WORD LIKE ELIJAH. 49:22 I PRAY LORD YOU'LL GIVE US THAT KIND OF FAITH WHERE WE CAN BE 49:25 BOLD FOR YOU, AND THEN ALSO KNOW WHEN IT'S TIME TO RETREAT AND TO 49:29 HIDE OURSELVES. I ALSO PRAY THAT YOU'LL GIVE US 49:32 THE FAITH TO BELIEVE THAT YOU'LL PROVIDE FOR OUR NEEDS ON A DAILY 49:35 BASIS, AND WILL THANK YOU WHEN YOU DO. 49:38 WE ASK LORD THAT OUR COURAGE AND OUR CONFIDENCE IN YOU WILL BE 49:43 RENEWED AS WE CONSIDER THIS SUBJECT. 49:45 WE HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS THAT ARE REPRESENTED IN OUR LIVES, WE 49:48 PRAY FOR REVIVAL. HELP US TO BE GENUINE CHRISTIANS. 49:52 WE SENSE BOTH IN OUR COUNTRY AND EVEN IN OUR CHURCH 49:56 THERE'S A NEED FOR REVIVAL LORD, THAT THERE'S A FAMINE IN 49:59 THE LAND. HELP US TO BE PART OF THE ANSWER. AND WE PRAY THAT 50:02 YOU WILL NOURISH US WITH THAT BREAD OF HEAVEN AND WE 50:05 WILL SING YOUR PRAISES. WE THANK YOU DEAR JEHOVAH. WE ASK 50:09 THIS IN JESUS' NAME. AMEN. 50:13 >>FIVE HUNDRED YEARS AGO, GOD USED MARTIN LUTHER TO INSPIRE A 50:16 GREAT REFORMATION; HOWEVER, IN THE CENTURIES THAT FOLLOWED, 50:20 THE CHURCH HAS SLIPPED OFF THE BEDROCK OF TRUTH INTO THE VALLEY 50:23 OF LUKEWARM WORLDLINESS. THAT'S WHY, THIS FALL, I'LL BE 50:27 PRESENTING A BRAND-NEW NINE-PART SERIES CALLED FOUNDATIONS OF 50:32 FAITH - PLEASE PLAN, NOW, TO JOIN ME IN PERSON, ONLINE, OR ON 50:36 TELEVISION AND BE SURE TO INVITE OTHERS TO JOIN YOU AS WELL. 50:39 THE REFORMATION CONTINUES. (MUSIC) 50:46 >>AMAZING FACTS, CHANGED LIVES. 50:56 >>I WAS HEADING SOUTH ON INTERSTATE 5. 50:59 THIS COMMERCIAL COME ON KFBK RADIO ABOUT A REVELATION SEMINAR 51:04 BY AMAZING FACTS. I BEGAN - MY CHEST BEGAN TO TIGHTEN UP. 51:08 I BEGAN SWEATING PROFUSELY. I HAD DIFFICULTY IN BREATHING. 51:13 THERE WAS THIS BIG REST AREA AND, AT THIS TIME, I PULLED INTO 51:17 THERE. I THOUGHT,'WELL, MAYBE I'M 51:18 HAVING A HEART ATTACK.' I GOT OUT OF MY TRUCK, WALKED 51:22 INTO THE MEN'S RESTROOM THERE, AND PUT COLD WATER ON MY FACE, 51:26 AND THEN FINALLY THINGS SUBSIDED. 51:28 A WEEK LATER, AGAIN, I HEARD THIS AMAZING FACTS COMMERCIAL 51:31 COME ON THE RADIO. IN FACT, THE MEETINGS WERE GOING 51:33 TO START THAT VERY NIGHT - THIS - AND, AGAIN, IMMEDIATELY 51:37 I HAD THESE SAME SYMPTOMS. I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, 51:39 THIS ISN'T MY HEART. I HAVE TO GO TO THAT MEETING. 51:43 AND, AS I WAS GOING DOWN TO SACRAMENTO, I DECIDED TO PARK 51:46 AND GO INSIDE. WELL, I GOT IN AND WALKED INTO 51:50 THE FURTHERMOST REAR SEAT THEY HAD IN THE PEW THERE. 51:55 AND THIS PARTICULAR EVANGELIST, HIS NAME WAS KIM KJAER. 52:01 IT WAS LIKE TAKING ONE LAYER OFF AT A TIME OF AN ONION. 52:05 HE LAID IT OUT SO PERFECTLY THAT WE COULD ALL UNDERSTAND IT. 52:08 AND I WAS REALLY MOTIVATED. I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. 52:11 WELL, I FINISHED - I DIDN'T MISS A MEETING. 52:13 IN FACT, ON THE FIFTH NIGHT THEY HAD AN ALTAR CALL AND MY KNEES 52:18 STOOD RIGHT UP AND I WALKED FORWARD AND I GAVE MY HEART TO 52:21 JESUS CHRIST. I'VE LEARNED, THROUGHOUT THIS 52:24 WHOLE THING, THAT WHEN YOU - WHEN YOU LEAVE THE DEVIL'S 52:27 TERRITORY, HE GETS PRETTY ACTIVE IN CAUSING A LOT OF PROBLEMS. 52:32 WELL, I HAD THE EVANGELIST COME OUT AND THEY HAD PRAYER WITH ME 52:37 ABOUT MY BUSINESS. I WOULD FIND A SICK BUSINESS AND 52:40 MAKE IT WELL AND THEN MARKET IT. I FINALLY ENDED UP WITH A 52:44 BUSINESS THAT I REALLY ENJOYED THAT WAS ONE THAT WAS BUILDING 52:48 EQUESTRIAN CENTERS. AND THEY SAID TO ME, 'STEVE,' HE 52:51 SAID, 'YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GOING TO REALLY KEEP THE SABBATH 52:54 YOU'VE GOT TO SHUT YOUR DOORS ON THE SABBATH.' WELL, I DID AND 52:58 SO I SOLD THE BUSINESS TO MY BROTHER. IT TOOK ME 22 YEARS TO 53:01 BUILD THAT BUSINESS AND HE LOST IT IN 33 MONTHS. 53:06 MY SON, WHO WAS MY BUSINESS PARTNER, I'D BEEN GIVING HIM TEN 53:09 PERCENT OF THE BUSINESS EVERY YEAR. 53:11 HE THOUGHT I'D JUST FALLEN OFF THE BRIDGE. 53:16 MY SON DIDN'T TALK TO ME FOR FIVE AND A HALF YEARS. 53:19 THEN A FEW OTHER THINGS HAPPENED. 53:21 I HAD AN EX-EMPLOYEE LIVING IN MY GUEST HOUSE - HE KIND OF 53:24 WATCHED AFTER OUR PLACE - AND HE SAID, 'STEVE,' HE SAID, 'THERE'S 53:29 AN ALLIED MOVING VAN BACKED UP TO YOUR FRONT DOOR IN YOUR 53:32 HOME.' I SAID, 'YOU'RE KIDDING!' I SAID, 'WHAT DO YOU MEAN?' 53:35 HE SAID, 'THEY'RE MOVING EVERYTHING OUT OF YOUR HOUSE 53:38 INTO THIS TRUCK AND YOUR WIFE IS OUT THERE SUPERVISING THEM.' AND 53:42 WHEN I WENT HOME AND OPENED THE FRONT DOOR, MY VOICE ECHOED IN 53:45 THAT HOUSE. THERE WASN'T ANY FURNITURE LEFT ANYWHERE. 53:48 THERE WAS ONE BED LEFT IN THE HOUSE. 53:51 I KNEW MY WIFE WAS UPSET BECAUSE OF MY COMING TO THIS CHURCH, BUT 53:55 I HAD NO IDEA THAT SHE WOULD MOVE OUT LIKE THIS - THAT WAS A 53:59 TOTAL SHOCK TO ME. IT WAS SOME TIME THERE - 54:02 I LOCKED MYSELF IN THE BEDROOM AND I BEGAN READING THE BIBLE. 54:06 I SPENT ABOUT A HALF A YEAR JUST EVERY NIGHT, GETTING HOME AND I 54:09 WOULD STUDY. IT ALLOWED ME TO HAVE A PERSONAL 54:13 RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST. WELL, TO MAKE A LONG STORY 54:17 SHORT, I MET CRYSTAL, AND SHE WAS A GODLY WOMAN. 54:21 THAT WAS THE LORD'S DOING, NOT MINE, AND HE WAS JUST THERE TO 54:25 LET ME KNOW, 'I'M WITH YOU ALL THE WAY. EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE 54:28 GOING TO HAVE SOME TRIALS AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME 54:30 HARDSHIPS, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I'LL BE WITH YOU.' BECAUSE, 54:34 NO MATTER WHAT I DO NOW, HE IS MY LEADER. HE'S THE LEADER OF MY 54:39 MARRIAGE. HE'S THE LEADER OF EVERYTHING IN MY LIFE TODAY. 54:42 THAT ONE MEETING WITH THE AMAZING FACTS SEMINAR CHANGED MY 54:45 ENTIRE LIFE AND, TO THIS DAY, I'M STILL ON FIRE FOR GOD - I'M 54:51 STILL WITNESSING TO MY NEIGHBORS. 54:53 MY NAME IS STEVE JOHNSON AND IT'S BECAUSE OF YOU THAT AMAZING 54:56 FACTS HAS CHANGED MY LIFE. (MUSIC) 55:16 >>TODAY'S SMART PHONES ARE A VIRTUAL UNIVERSE OF INFORMATION 55:19 THAT FITS IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND. 55:21 IT'S A GOOD THING WE HAVE OPPOSABLE THUMBS! 55:23 WITH IT YOU CAN BUY YOUR GROCERIES, TAKE CARE OF YOUR 55:26 EXERCISE REGIME, WATCH A VIDEO, LISTEN TO MUSIC, YOU CAN SURF 55:31 THE INTERNATIONAL WORLD-WIDE WEB, WHICH MAY NOT ALWAYS BE A 55:34 GOOD THING. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE IS MORE 55:36 COMPUTER PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY AND POWER IN A LITTLE SMART 55:40 PHONE TODAY THAN WAS USED BY NASA TO PUT A MAN ON THE MOON. 55:44 AND I ALMOST FORGOT, YOU CAN ALSO USE THESE TO MAKE A PHONE 55:47 CALL, BUT WHO DOES THAT ANYMORE? TODAY COMMUNICATION IS 55:50 NOT IN COMPLETE SENTENCES. IT'S ALL ABOUT SHORT MESSAGE 55:54 SERVICING OR SMS TEXTING. THAT'S RIGHT, THERE ARE ABOUT 55:59 2.5 BILLION PEOPLE IN THE WORLD TODAY THAT ARE COMMUNICATING 56:03 WITH THEIR FELLOW HUMANS IN SHORT BYTES CALLED TEXTING. 56:06 THAT'S MORE DATA THAT IS BEING USED THAN THOSE WHO ARE SURFING 56:10 THE WEB OR EVEN PLAYING VIDEO GAMES. 56:12 AND, FRIENDS, NOWHERE IS THIS MORE TRUE THAN RIGHT HERE IN THE 56:15 PHILIPPINES. EVEN THOUGH THE PHILIPPINES HAS 56:17 ABOUT 100 MILLION PEOPLE, THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LARGEST 56:21 NUMBER OF TEXT MESSAGES OF ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. 56:24 THEY'RE THE TWELFTH-LARGEST COUNTRY, BUT THEY SEND 400 56:27 MILLION TEXT MESSAGES EVERY DAY. WOW, THAT'S A LOT OF FINGER 56:32 FATIGUE. EVEN THOUGH THE GREATEST NUMBER 56:35 OF TEXTERS IS HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES, THE RECORD FOR THE 56:37 FASTEST TEXTER IN THE WORLD IS FROM BRAZIL. 56:40 A YOUNG MAN BY THE NAME OF MARCEL FERNANDES FILHO - HE WAS 56:43 ABLE TO TEXT 25 VERY COMPLICATED WORDS IN A LITTLE MORE THAN 18 56:47 SECONDS. WOW, IT TAKES ME LONGER THAN 56:50 THAT TO JUST SAY 'I LOVE YOU' TO MY WIFE AND PRESS SEND. 56:54 ALL THUMBS. ONE OF THE NEAT THINGS ABOUT 56:57 TEXTING IS YOU CAN TEXT JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE. 56:59 IF YOU'RE SURROUNDED WITH PEOPLE AND YOU WANT TO SEND A PERSONAL 57:01 MESSAGE, YOU TEXT. YOU'RE IN A CROWDED SUBWAY 57:04 OR AN AIRPORT, YOU CAN TEXT. IF YOU'RE SURROUNDED BY NOISE 57:07 OR NOSEY PEOPLE, YOU CAN TEXT - JUST DON'T TEXT WHILE YOU'RE 57:11 DRIVING. THAT'S WHAT'S SO WONDERFUL, 57:13 FRIENDS, YOU CAN ALWAYS TEXT GOD A MESSAGE OF PRAYER 57:16 FROM YOUR HEART. WHEN YOU'RE WONDERING 57:18 'WHAT SCHOOL DO I GO TO?' 'WHAT JOB DO I TAKE?' 57:21 'WHO AM I SUPPOSED TO DATE THAT MAY BE A FUTURE LIFE PARTNER?' 57:24 YOUR PRAYERS DON'T HAVE TO BE LONG. 57:25 THE SHORTEST PRAYER IN THE BIBLE IS THREE WORDS - WHEN PETER 57:28 PRAYED, 'LORD SAVE ME.' AND JESUS ANSWERED HIS PRAYER. 57:32 IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW FAST YOU CAN TEXT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO 57:35 GOD, HE'LL KNOW WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR AND HEAR YOUR PRAYER 57:38 BEFORE YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO SAY 'AMEN' AND PRESS THE SEND 57:41 BUTTON. IN FACT, FRIENDS, YOU'LL BRING 57:42 JOY TO GOD WHEN YOU SEND HIM REGULAR MESSAGES FROM 57:46 YOUR HEART TO HIS. SO WHY DON'T YOU TALK 57:48 TO HIM RIGHT NOW? (MUSIC) |
Revised 2017-10-26