Welcome to Faith Chapel.
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My name is
Pastor Martin Fancher.
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I pastor the DeFuniak Springs,
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Florida and Fort
Walton Beach, Florida,
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Seventh-day Adventist Churches.
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It's pleasure to
be here today with you
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to share with you a subject
of great importance to me.
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"The Final Showdown"
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is the title of today's message.
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Doesn't that sound like
one that will catch you?
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"The Final Showdown"
sounds straight from Star Wars.
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Well, it really is.
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Would you bow your
head with me as we pray?
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Father in heaven,
we thank you so much
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for your love for us.
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Open our hearts and our
minds that we may drawn closer
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and closer to you.
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That we will
become one with you,
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one in spirit, one in unity,
one in thought and desire.
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So that when someone sees us,
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they will see a
reflection of Jesus Christ.
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We pray these
things in Jesus name, amen.
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Oh, it's such a privilege
to talk about a showdown.
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Everybody likes a
showdown from the O.K. Corral
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to the Jedi
Knights of Star Wars.
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There always comes down this
battle between good and evil,
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right and wrong.
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And as always in today's world,
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wrong is about to conquer
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when right at the last
moment comes right over the top
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and it's victorious.
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And my friend, that's the way
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that the Great Controversy
looks today in our world.
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It appears by all side around us
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and sound that Jesus is
loosing and Satan is winning.
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But my friend, what we
see often times is deceiving
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and it's not true,
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because my friend
Jesus has already won.
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Today we're going to
be looking at a story
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from the Old Testament.
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It's a story about
the man named Elijah
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who has had an
encounter with the king
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and the king lived to regret it.
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Because Elijah was
a messenger from God
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and the message was from God
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and any message God
gives is gonna come true.
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That's exactly what happened
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and the story we're going to
pick up in just a few moments
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is after three years of no rain
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which the Lord had
provided for Elijah to tell.
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There would be no
rain, the land would be dry.
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The people had
slipped into idolatry.
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God's people
were now mixing pagan
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and Christian worship together
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and they weren't
committing to either one fully
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and God was
being angry with that.
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God is a God, a jealous
God, the Bible tells us.
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And for what He has done for us,
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He simply asks us to
respond in accordance
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with our thankfulness,
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not sharing our
affections with a false God.
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And so these people
were gathered together,
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God threw His prophet,
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had challenged the
king to a showdown.
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A showdown on a
mountain and when we get there,
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we're going to
discover this people
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didn't just one
day wake out of bed
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and decide oh I think today
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we're gonna serve a false God.
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No, we're gonna find out
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that their descent into
degradation was gradual.
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They one step at a time,
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turn their backs on
God little by little,
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compromise by compromise,
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little white lie
by little white lie,
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they turned and
walked away from God.
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Now the showdown
is about to happen.
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King Ahab has
marshaled his forces
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and they have
met on Mount Carmel.
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Elijah versus
the prophets of Baal.
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That's interesting to
see how this turns out.
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If we open our Bibles
to 1 Kings Chapter 18,
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we'll begin reading
the first few versus 21-24.
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And Elijah came to
all the people and said,
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"How long will you
falter between two opinions?
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If the Lord is God, follow Him;
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but if Baal, follow him."
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But the people
answer him not a word.
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Then Elijah said to the people,
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"I alone am left a
prophet of the Lord,
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but Baal's prophets are
four hundred and fifty men.
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Therefore let
them give us two bulls.
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Let them choose
one bull for themselves
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and cut it in pieces,
and lay it on the wood,
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but put no fire under it,
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and I will
prepare the other bull,
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and lay it on the
wood, and lay it on the wood,
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but put no fire under it.
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Then you call on
the name of your Gods,
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and I will call on
the name of the Lord,
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and the God who
answers by fire, He is God."
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So all the people
answered and said,
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"It is well spoken."
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Do you have the
picture? Can you see it now?
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Elijah's up there
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and he lays out the
ground rules for this test.
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He says since there
are four hundred fifty men,
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we're going to go ahead
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and let them provide the bulls.
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We get one, they get one,
they are going to go first.
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Something interesting
to note about this test.
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Why did God choose to
put a drought on the people?
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Maybe because there was a
spiritual drought going on,
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maybe that was the case.
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But it's amazing
that instead of saying
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whoever is God
provides water, then he is God.
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Elijah's test is
whoever produces fire
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then he will be God.
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Interesting how
God chooses to work,
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He could have made it
rain, but no He calls for fire.
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What's happening here is
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Elijah is
comforting the indifference,
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the spiritual
indifference of God's people.
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You can't be on
both sides of the fence,
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either you are for me or
you are against me God says
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and the test is
about to take place.
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Let's keep reading versus 27-29.
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And it so it was, at noon,
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that Elijah
mocked them and said,
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"Cry aloud, for He is a
God, either He is meditating,
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or He is busy, or may
be He is on a journey,
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or perhaps He is
sleeping and must be awakened."
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So they cried
aloud, they cut themselves,
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and was their
custom, with knives
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and lances until the
blood gushed out on them.
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When midday was past,
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they prophesied until the time
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of the offering of
the evening sacrifice.
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But there was no voice,
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no one answered,
no one paid attention.
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Well, they are not
off to a good start.
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God's people
are standing around,
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the prophets of Baal
four hundred and fifty
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strong have
been marching around.
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They've been praying,
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they've been calling upon
God of Baal to answer them.
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Elijah appears to be taunting,
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maybe he is gone on a vacation,
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maybe he doesn't hear
you, talk a little louder.
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So what happens, they
start to scream and rant
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and rave and cry
louder to their God.
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They even begin
to cut themselves
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the Bible says as we read,
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till the blood was
gushing out of them.
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Trying to awaken
or catch the attention
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of their God for an answer.
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My friend, aren't you glad
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to capture the attention
of the almighty living God,
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we do not have to go to
such drastic circumstances.
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We don't have to cut ourselves
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and afflict ourselves
to capture His attention.
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We need simply but to call
on His name and He will hear.
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While the test isn't over yet.
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The people are
wearing over this.
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They are beginning to be tired,
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the day is almost spent.
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I can picture
the prophets of Baal
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some of them taking shifts,
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taking turns because they
are wearing themselves out.
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They've tired because
of the blood they lost.
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They've tired because
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they have been on
their feet all day.
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They are physically exhausted
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and the God of
Baal remains silent.
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Well, we wonder what kind
of a victory that might be.
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But we're gonna have
to take a look and see.
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Let's continue
with versus 36 and 37.
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And it came to pass, at
the time of the offering
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of the evening sacrifice,
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that Elijah the
prophet came near and said,
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"Lord God of
Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,
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let it be known this day
that you are God in Israel
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and I am Your servant,
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and that I have done all
these things at your word.
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Hear me, O Lord, hear me,
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that this people may know
that you are the Lord God,
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and that you have turned
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their hearts back to you again."
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Wow! Do you hear the
love in that message?
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I don't know, if I were Elijah,
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I just might want fire
to come down out of heaven
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and tackle all the
people that were there
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including the Gods of Baal.
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But I'm not Elijah
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and Elijah had a
great love for these people.
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He saw only their salvation,
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only what was in
their best interest.
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And he prayed in his
prayer to God so unselfish,
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turned their hearts towards you.
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Elijah in his
prayer even admitted
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that the power to
turn comes from God.
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Oh! My friend, He gives us
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the strength to turn
our lives over to Him.
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Did you see the
difference already?
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The prophets of
Baal are screaming.
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They're dancing, they
are cutting themselves.
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They're doing whatever they can.
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They're making a huge noise.
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The people are
listening and chanting,
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everything is going on.
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But in contrast,
the prophet of God,
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the prophet
Elijah of the true God
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stands quietly in
front of his altar
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and quietly prays to God,
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no frenzy, no jumping up
and down, no need to catch
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the attention of God almighty.
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He had the attention of God
and he simply bowed his head
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and humbly prayed.
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Oh! I'm so glad
that we serve a God
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that isn't into
pump and circumstance
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but is into love and acceptance
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and forgiveness.
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And all I know
is that those of us
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that have been forgiven by God.
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We respond with love toward God.
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And He continues to draw
us closer, and closer to Him.
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Well, we've discovered that
they've been praying all day.
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We've discovered that
Elijah comes and prays.
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After all this
isn't a test for Elijah,
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this is not a test for God,
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this is a test for the people.
00:11:18.78\00:11:21.06
They were started out by asking
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how long do you
waver between two opinions.
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Either God is
God, or Baal is God,
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whichever one is serve Him.
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Is that simple?
00:11:36.74\00:11:38.68
It always has been that simple.
00:11:38.69\00:11:40.96
If God is God
then give Him his due
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and if not then don't.
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So how do we
tell the difference?
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How do we know in the
day and age in which we live,
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how do we know that God is God?
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Well, if you've
ever been forgiven
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and understand
the peace that comes.
00:11:57.89\00:12:00.22
And when you discover
that when God forgives,
00:12:00.23\00:12:02.52
He not only
forgives, but He cleanses us.
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And as the Bible
tells us in Jude,
00:12:06.05\00:12:08.90
He presents us before the Father
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just as though
we've never sinned.
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Wow! I wonder what I
look like having never sinned.
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I wonder when God looks at me.
00:12:20.71\00:12:23.35
How Jesus has
presented me in perfection,
00:12:23.36\00:12:28.05
that robe of righteousness
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that He offers to
us is freely given,
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but it has to
be freely accepted.
00:12:33.44\00:12:36.49
If we keep going in the story,
00:12:38.34\00:12:39.67
we're gonna come to the great
finale of this prophet story
00:12:39.68\00:12:44.36
or we got the
showdown on the mountain
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has been going
on for three years.
00:12:46.04\00:12:47.84
They finally brought it together
00:12:47.85\00:12:49.17
to this great
test on the mountain
00:12:49.18\00:12:51.38
and Baal's prophets have
been going at it all day.
00:12:51.39\00:12:54.85
Now what does the
prophet of God do?
00:12:54.86\00:12:58.08
He humbly prays,
00:12:58.09\00:13:00.47
praise the Gods
blessing will be given.
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So that the people
may know that He is God
00:13:03.29\00:13:07.18
and that He will turn
their hearts toward Him.
00:13:07.19\00:13:11.05
And now follow as we
continue versus 38 and 39.
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It tells us then
the fir of the Lord
00:13:15.23\00:13:19.04
fell and consumed
the burnt sacrifice,
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and the wood and
the stones and the dust,
00:13:22.10\00:13:25.29
it licked up the water
that was in the trench.
00:13:25.30\00:13:29.13
Now when all the people saw it,
00:13:29.14\00:13:31.17
they fell on their
faces, and they said,
00:13:31.18\00:13:33.32
"The Lord He is God!
The Lord, He is God!"
00:13:33.33\00:13:38.64
Can you hear it?
00:13:38.65\00:13:39.80
Can you see it?
00:13:39.81\00:13:41.02
In your minds eye, have
you looked this whole crowd
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that has been
chanting for the God of Baal
00:13:44.59\00:13:47.51
and holding their breath
00:13:47.52\00:13:48.90
that they were to
see whose God wins.
00:13:48.91\00:13:51.55
Now in one accord
praises the living God
00:13:51.56\00:13:55.67
and proclaims Him victorious.
00:13:55.68\00:13:58.06
Well, that's not
the end of the story,
00:13:58.07\00:14:00.47
but the end of the story
00:14:00.48\00:14:02.90
actually isn't good
for the prophets of Baal.
00:14:02.91\00:14:05.65
As we well know,
Elijah sends his prophet
00:14:05.66\00:14:08.68
to go take a look and see
if the rain cloud is there.
00:14:08.69\00:14:11.74
And prophet's servant
comes back and says no sir,
00:14:11.75\00:14:15.47
there is no rain cloud
00:14:15.48\00:14:16.74
and he does it
again and he does it again
00:14:16.75\00:14:18.98
and he would wonder.
00:14:18.99\00:14:21.45
If God has caused this to happen
00:14:21.46\00:14:25.30
and the fire to come
down and not only eat up
00:14:25.31\00:14:28.65
and consume the sacrifice,
00:14:28.66\00:14:31.90
but to consume the
rocks and lick up the water
00:14:31.91\00:14:36.82
that they had poured over it
from the sea and left nothing
00:14:36.83\00:14:40.43
but a charred
hole in the ground,
00:14:40.44\00:14:42.44
why he cause them to wait?
00:14:42.45\00:14:46.14
My faith, my friends,
00:14:46.15\00:14:47.64
faith is what
brings us closer to God.
00:14:47.65\00:14:53.12
If we want to build our faith,
00:14:53.13\00:14:55.40
we must exercise that faith.
00:14:55.41\00:15:00.19
The faith of
Elijah is steadfast ensure
00:15:00.20\00:15:04.76
and he points to
the prophet to go
00:15:04.77\00:15:07.30
and the prophet goes
00:15:07.31\00:15:08.34
and finally the
prophet comes back and says,
00:15:08.35\00:15:10.66
I see a cloud about
the size of a man's hand.
00:15:10.67\00:15:14.75
And immediately Elijah
goes to King Ahab and says
00:15:14.76\00:15:17.31
King we've got
to get out of here.
00:15:17.32\00:15:20.49
It's going to let loose and rain
00:15:20.50\00:15:23.24
such as it's
never rained before.
00:15:23.25\00:15:26.69
And the Bible tells us
00:15:26.70\00:15:28.05
that Elijah led the King down.
00:15:28.06\00:15:30.79
It started to rain
00:15:30.80\00:15:32.46
and the horses
even were confused
00:15:32.47\00:15:36.19
by instinct of the
direction they should go.
00:15:36.20\00:15:39.10
And the Bible says that Elijah
00:15:39.11\00:15:41.85
grabbed a holt of
the bridle of the horses
00:15:41.86\00:15:45.24
and let them all the
way back to the palace
00:15:45.25\00:15:48.10
where he deposited Ahab.
00:15:48.11\00:15:51.67
Now my friend if that
isn't a miracle of God,
00:15:51.68\00:15:53.49
I don't know what is
because God answers prayer.
00:15:53.50\00:15:59.25
My friend right on the heel
of this comes another story.
00:15:59.26\00:16:04.77
He is tired, Elijah
has just been up all day,
00:16:04.78\00:16:09.23
he has been
working hard for God.
00:16:09.24\00:16:13.77
And he is now led
the King chariot back
00:16:13.78\00:16:17.43
and now he is
exhausted and he lay sleeping,
00:16:18.79\00:16:23.93
but the showdown isn't over.
00:16:23.94\00:16:28.35
Oh! Yes, King
Ahab's wife Jezebel says
00:16:28.36\00:16:31.99
this is not a good thing.
00:16:32.00\00:16:34.04
I cannot have this
prophet showing up our prophets
00:16:34.05\00:16:38.81
and so she had a
message sent to Elijah
00:16:38.82\00:16:41.70
which simply said this.
00:16:41.71\00:16:44.63
By tomorrow may God due to you
00:16:44.64\00:16:48.64
or due to me rather,
00:16:48.65\00:16:50.28
if you're head is
still on you tomorrow,
00:16:50.29\00:16:53.61
you will die Elijah.
00:16:53.62\00:16:57.06
Now Elijah could
have stood up and said
00:16:57.07\00:16:59.80
take the queen back the message,
00:17:01.51\00:17:04.25
message received.
00:17:04.26\00:17:06.07
But I'm not afraid,
for I serve the living God.
00:17:06.08\00:17:09.19
He just had called
fire out of heaven from God.
00:17:09.20\00:17:11.93
He had just slew
00:17:11.94\00:17:13.46
four and hundred
fifty of the false prophet.
00:17:13.47\00:17:16.41
He had run all the
way back to the palace
00:17:16.42\00:17:20.09
leading the Kings horses.
00:17:20.10\00:17:21.47
And now the queen
gives him a death threat
00:17:21.48\00:17:27.00
and he runs scarred.
00:17:27.01\00:17:29.43
The Bible tells us that he left
00:17:31.66\00:17:35.18
and he ran and he ran
and he ran and he ran,
00:17:35.19\00:17:40.53
until he was so exhausted
00:17:40.54\00:17:43.04
that he falls down by that brook
00:17:43.05\00:17:45.31
where the angle as you well know
00:17:45.32\00:17:48.33
feeds him by bringing the raven
00:17:48.34\00:17:51.67
and bringing the food.
00:17:51.68\00:17:54.84
God is good to
take care of his prophet
00:17:54.85\00:17:56.63
even in the
midst of disappointment
00:17:56.64\00:17:59.94
and discouragement.
00:17:59.95\00:18:01.64
My friend there is a lesson
that we can learn from this.
00:18:01.65\00:18:04.34
That when we get
tired, when we grow weary,
00:18:04.35\00:18:09.83
our faith can lapse and
we can grow discouraged.
00:18:09.84\00:18:14.03
Another lesson that we can learn
00:18:15.47\00:18:18.00
is the lesson of
faithfulness to God.
00:18:18.01\00:18:21.70
Elijah didn't ask how,
00:18:21.71\00:18:24.06
he just followed
the leading of God
00:18:24.07\00:18:26.31
and we're to follow
the leading of God as well.
00:18:26.32\00:18:29.17
There is an old
song that simply says,
00:18:29.18\00:18:31.01
amazing Grace,
how sweet the sound,
00:18:31.02\00:18:34.65
that saved a wretch like me.
00:18:34.66\00:18:37.33
I once was lost
but now I'm found,
00:18:37.34\00:18:39.61
was blind, but now I see.
00:18:39.62\00:18:43.97
You see we need to
understand our condition.
00:18:43.98\00:18:48.15
As the people of God did there,
00:18:48.16\00:18:50.06
when they denounced Baal
00:18:50.07\00:18:51.64
and proclaimed the living God
00:18:51.65\00:18:53.73
as the King of
Kings and Lord of Lords.
00:18:53.74\00:18:55.90
When they shouted
together the Lord, He is God,
00:18:55.91\00:18:59.10
the Lord He is God.
00:18:59.11\00:19:02.44
And believe me, it wasn't
just words off their lips,
00:19:02.45\00:19:05.60
it was melted and sunk
00:19:05.61\00:19:08.17
and written in
their very hearts.
00:19:08.18\00:19:11.12
They knew they had
been in the presence of God.
00:19:11.13\00:19:15.28
You and I can
know when we've been
00:19:15.29\00:19:16.71
in the presence
of God too my friend.
00:19:16.72\00:19:19.07
Each and everyday of our lives,
00:19:19.08\00:19:21.82
we can live in
the presence of God.
00:19:21.83\00:19:26.01
God was faithful,
00:19:26.02\00:19:27.87
in the midst of a death threat
00:19:27.88\00:19:29.41
Elijah abandons and runs.
00:19:29.42\00:19:32.05
It appears he abandons God,
00:19:32.06\00:19:33.54
he runs scared rather than
00:19:33.55\00:19:36.52
praying that God will
protect him, he flees.
00:19:36.53\00:19:40.42
But though we may run from God,
00:19:40.43\00:19:43.13
God will never
leave us or forsake us.
00:19:43.14\00:19:48.10
And that's a
promise that you and I
00:19:48.11\00:19:49.47
can go to the bank
on each and everyday.
00:19:49.48\00:19:52.72
Now whether we'll
take it at face value,
00:19:52.73\00:19:55.79
that's up to each
one of us to decide.
00:19:55.80\00:19:58.18
God will never force
us to accept Him as Lord
00:19:58.19\00:20:02.95
and Savior of our lives.
00:20:02.96\00:20:04.83
He will never
force us to do that.
00:20:04.84\00:20:06.24
He will make Himself available
00:20:06.25\00:20:08.23
just as Elijah
made himself available
00:20:08.24\00:20:11.55
to be the prophet of
God and to follow Him.
00:20:11.56\00:20:14.21
God will use each one of us,
00:20:14.22\00:20:16.61
if we'll just let Him.
00:20:18.48\00:20:22.19
The final showdown,
the final showdown here
00:20:22.20\00:20:26.16
on this earth
will be over worship.
00:20:26.17\00:20:30.58
Whom do we serve?
00:20:30.59\00:20:32.22
Do we serve the
living God or do we not?
00:20:33.20\00:20:38.19
Well, whether you take
it straight from Star Wars
00:20:39.72\00:20:41.92
or you take it from television,
00:20:41.93\00:20:43.73
each and everyday they
has the bad guys appear to win
00:20:43.74\00:20:46.79
before the good guy
rushes into the rescue.
00:20:46.80\00:20:49.06
The war of the Great
Controversy is different
00:20:49.07\00:20:51.49
because God has already won.
00:20:51.50\00:20:55.30
The major battle is over.
00:20:55.31\00:20:58.87
There are still
skirmishes here and there.
00:20:58.88\00:21:00.80
God is waiting for us to choose.
00:21:00.81\00:21:02.99
And as He said in
the Book of Joshua,
00:21:03.00\00:21:05.35
choose you this
day who you will serve.
00:21:05.36\00:21:08.01
But as for me in my
house, we will serve the Lord,
00:21:08.02\00:21:13.92
not Baal, not
money, not this world,
00:21:13.93\00:21:17.72
not the things
this world has to offer,
00:21:17.73\00:21:19.74
but we will
serve the living God.
00:21:19.75\00:21:23.90
You and I need to come
to the place in our lives
00:21:23.91\00:21:26.13
where each and everyday
00:21:26.14\00:21:28.02
we will make that
commitment to Him.
00:21:28.03\00:21:30.49
Not yesterday, or tomorrow,
00:21:33.19\00:21:34.31
but today my friend
00:21:34.32\00:21:36.77
is the day that
salvation can come.
00:21:36.78\00:21:39.42
We can also learn from Elijah,
00:21:41.59\00:21:46.09
that when we run from God,
00:21:46.10\00:21:47.80
not only does
God not abandon us,
00:21:47.81\00:21:50.28
but God will
still take care of us.
00:21:50.29\00:21:53.49
He was beside the brooks,
he is right on the shore,
00:21:53.50\00:21:56.04
he had the birds
possibly even bringing food
00:21:57.99\00:22:01.66
from the Kings
table to Elijah there.
00:22:01.67\00:22:05.72
But God allowed
Elijah to get some rest
00:22:07.39\00:22:12.45
and with rest comes strength.
00:22:12.46\00:22:15.11
And with physical strength
00:22:15.12\00:22:17.30
can come physical
and spiritual strength.
00:22:17.31\00:22:22.64
Have you ever notice that.
00:22:23.43\00:22:24.85
That when you are tired,
00:22:24.86\00:22:26.97
Bible study and prayer
seems more like a chore,
00:22:26.98\00:22:30.15
or it's easier to put
it off until tomorrow.
00:22:30.16\00:22:33.87
But my friend, it
may not be the showdown
00:22:33.88\00:22:36.25
of Mount Carmel
where we're calling
00:22:36.26\00:22:37.59
fire down from heaven,
00:22:37.60\00:22:38.97
but it's a showdown nonetheless
00:22:38.98\00:22:40.41
to invite Jesus into our hearts.
00:22:40.42\00:22:43.52
We may think of
that as a little thing,
00:22:43.53\00:22:44.97
but it is no less significant
than what Elijah called
00:22:44.98\00:22:48.26
the people of God to
commit to on that day.
00:22:48.27\00:22:51.07
That very day he asked
them to dethrone their hearts
00:22:52.56\00:22:58.24
and let God have a seat.
00:22:59.44\00:23:03.29
That exactly
what you and I can do
00:23:03.30\00:23:05.43
and sometimes when we're tired,
00:23:05.44\00:23:07.77
sometimes when
we're physically weak,
00:23:07.78\00:23:10.58
we become spiritually weak.
00:23:10.59\00:23:14.12
And when we get
spiritually weak,
00:23:14.13\00:23:15.73
how easy it is to
become discouraged.
00:23:15.74\00:23:18.89
When we get discouraged,
00:23:18.90\00:23:20.06
how easy it is to
cast disparaging false God.
00:23:20.07\00:23:23.75
Why did you let
this happen to me?
00:23:23.76\00:23:26.28
Oh! God, where are
you when I need you most.
00:23:26.29\00:23:28.77
God has never left and
He has never forsaken us.
00:23:31.65\00:23:36.32
We, who want
Jesus in our hearts,
00:23:36.33\00:23:41.09
so, Jesus waits, He feeds us
00:23:41.10\00:23:43.45
He gives us that strength
until we're back on our feet
00:23:43.46\00:23:46.52
and when we're back on our feet,
00:23:46.53\00:23:48.38
He continues to woo us
00:23:48.39\00:23:50.97
and to draw us
closer and closer to Him.
00:23:50.98\00:23:54.51
Isn't that what the Bible said?
00:23:54.52\00:23:56.65
It said the people
when the fire came down
00:23:56.66\00:23:59.01
from heaven and
devoured everything.
00:23:59.02\00:24:01.98
They fell on their faces
00:24:01.99\00:24:03.87
in supreme
worship to the living God.
00:24:03.88\00:24:07.58
You and I need to understand
00:24:07.59\00:24:09.30
that we have come
face to face with God.
00:24:09.31\00:24:13.02
We are at the final showdown,
00:24:13.03\00:24:15.64
the final showdown
isn't for a mountain,
00:24:15.65\00:24:17.78
it's not for a
hill, it's not for a city,
00:24:17.79\00:24:20.16
it's for a heart
and that heart is yours
00:24:20.17\00:24:23.81
and that heart is mine.
00:24:23.82\00:24:27.25
There is a song that says
00:24:27.26\00:24:29.28
that Jesus Christ
is Lord of our life.
00:24:29.29\00:24:33.97
And that we crown Him to be Lord
00:24:33.98\00:24:37.22
in that position in our hearts.
00:24:37.23\00:24:40.31
I'll pray that you
have prayed that prayer,
00:24:40.32\00:24:42.55
that you've invited
Jesus Christ into your heart
00:24:42.56\00:24:45.36
and allowed Him
to reign supreme.
00:24:45.37\00:24:48.08
Oh, from time to time,
your life will grow weak,
00:24:48.09\00:24:51.24
your spiritual walk
with Jesus will grow cool,
00:24:51.25\00:24:54.79
you'll be prone
to be discouraged.
00:24:54.80\00:24:58.21
When discouragement comes
00:24:58.22\00:24:59.98
we'll be tempted to
just throw in the towel.
00:24:59.99\00:25:03.76
But my friend, don't
give way to those feelings.
00:25:03.77\00:25:08.39
When you and I
are at our weakest,
00:25:08.40\00:25:11.86
it's when we can
become the strongest.
00:25:11.87\00:25:16.14
Don't our children
saying Jesus loves me,
00:25:16.15\00:25:20.05
this I know for
the Bible tells me so
00:25:20.06\00:25:24.35
little ones to Him belong
00:25:24.36\00:25:27.16
they are weak but He is strong.
00:25:27.17\00:25:31.88
God wants the
greatest strength in us,
00:25:31.89\00:25:34.85
not to come from us
but to come from Him
00:25:34.86\00:25:38.51
and that is possible
00:25:38.52\00:25:41.30
with total surrender to Jesus.
00:25:41.31\00:25:45.67
And that is
possible if we relay waste
00:25:45.68\00:25:49.55
to the altars of our life
00:25:49.56\00:25:51.58
as Elijah did to
the altars of Baal there
00:25:51.59\00:25:54.31
that day on Mount
Carmel after God answered
00:25:54.32\00:25:56.85
he destroyed them, so
that all traces would be gone,
00:25:56.86\00:25:59.37
all remnants would be gone
00:25:59.38\00:26:00.62
and the people wouldn't
have opportunity to go back.
00:26:00.63\00:26:03.23
But I pray as he
prayed that they would not
00:26:03.24\00:26:06.45
want the opportunity to go back,
00:26:06.46\00:26:08.85
because after all Elijah prayed
00:26:08.86\00:26:12.35
that God would turn
their hearts to Him.
00:26:12.36\00:26:17.10
That's all we need today.
00:26:18.81\00:26:21.71
That's all we need everyday
00:26:21.72\00:26:24.55
is to pray that God
will take our hearts
00:26:24.56\00:26:28.52
and draw them home.
00:26:28.53\00:26:32.00
God will answer
an honest prayer.
00:26:32.01\00:26:37.17
Would you like to
share that with me?
00:26:37.18\00:26:39.60
Let's bow your
heads as we ask God.
00:26:39.61\00:26:42.65
Father in heaven, we come to You
00:26:42.66\00:26:45.67
to ask You to point
our hearts toward home.
00:26:45.68\00:26:50.85
Make us more like You,
00:26:50.86\00:26:53.85
take our hearts,
bring us into unity with You
00:26:53.86\00:26:59.10
that our hearts will be cleaned
00:26:59.11\00:27:01.51
and made fresh,
00:27:01.52\00:27:03.67
that we may be
represented to God
00:27:03.68\00:27:05.85
the Father just as
though we've never sinned.
00:27:05.86\00:27:10.11
We cast down the
idols of our hearts
00:27:10.12\00:27:12.18
and ask You to reign
supreme from this day
00:27:12.19\00:27:15.21
forward is our
prayer in Jesus name. Amen.
00:27:15.22\00:27:19.64
May God continue to
give you the strength
00:27:21.45\00:27:24.84
and the courage each
and everyday to appoint Him
00:27:24.85\00:27:29.09
Lord of your life
and Lord of the day.
00:27:29.10\00:27:33.37
And my friend, I
promise you this,
00:27:33.38\00:27:35.50
if you will give
your hearts to Him,
00:27:35.51\00:27:39.11
He will here, He will come
00:27:39.12\00:27:43.60
and you will
indeed be victorious
00:27:43.61\00:27:47.33
for the greatest
showdown that ever lift
00:27:47.34\00:27:50.19
is the showdown for
your heart and mind.
00:27:50.20\00:27:54.32
Thank you.
00:27:54.33\00:27:55.58