Make It Rain

1 Kings 18

Many days had passed from the time God sent the prophet Elijah to confront the evil king Ahab, until He was ready to reveal His omnipotence to the nation that had turned against Him. During these times, a severe famine overtook Samaria, but the king and those he ruled were still unconvinced of the sovereignty of the true and living God. After an eventful three years of miraculous signs and provision, God spoke to the prophet Elijah, and instructed him to return to the king with another important message. The Lord said to Elijah, “Go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.” Could you imagine not having rain for three years? Without rainfall on the earth, there would be catastrophic damage all over the world. But, God allows things to happen so others can witness for themselves, all power belongs to Him, and He alone is deserving of worship, honor, and glory. Unfortunately, men are too consumed in their own beliefs, that they totally disregard the obvious workings of the living God, in favor of their futile idolatry.

As you read further into chapter 18, you’ll discover the very unique and elaborate plan God commanded Elijah to follow, which revealed the falsehoods and foolishness of Baal worship, and brought to light the mighty power of the God of Heaven and earth. 450 prophets who worshiped Baal were left without an answer from their “god of rain and plenty”, yet they witnessed the power of the true God with their own eyes.

Nothing compares to the power of the almighty God. Men and women are drawn away daily into deception, and allow falsehoods to overtake their sensibility, but every idol worshipped by men, has no power to do anything, except distract them from the truth. Have you pledged your allegiance to serve weak and powerless idols, or are you aligned with the God who created all things?

Fruitful In The Famine

Genesis 41:25-33, 37-40, 50-52

Why do bad things happen to good people? Well, bad things happen to everyone, but it seems, at times, that the good suffer unnecessarily, simply for doing what’s right. Many have lost their lives in the past, for standing for truth, and although they were unable to live full lives, their message still resonates in our current time. In Scripture, Stephen was stoned to death, for doing great wonders and miracles among the people, and teaching the truths of Jesus. Many who strive to do good, suffer unfortunate hardships, but God sees all, and can use those hardships to promote those who endure them.

Our text summarizes the theme of Joseph’s life. Although he didn’t suffer death from all his negative occurrences, God proved to him that those who remain obedient to His Word, can and will be rewarded in the earth. Aside from being blessed during the famine, Joseph’s obedience to God caused him to become ruler of Egypt. Pharoah said to Joseph, “only in the throne will I be greater than thou” (vs. 40b). Wow, what an honor! Allow this lesson to encourage you to continue fighting the good fight. Bad things will happen to good people, but God will use those bad experiences, to elevate them to greater levels in Himself, and among men.

We live this life for purpose and reason, but not too long, for only a season.

Ell

One Source

Genesis 41:53-57

Trying to prosper in this life while navigating on your own judgment and intellect, will always lead you to an unfruitful end. There’s nothing inherently good in the earth (especially these days) except for those things we have need of to remain alive. Food, clothing, shelter, and good health are most important among all things we can accumulate, and without them, living could easily become a hard thing to do.

God gives those who trust in Him, wisdom required to navigate in the earth. The Lord knows all, and sees the end from the beginning. God knows when seasons will change, whether in nature, or in our own lives. He keeps His children clothed, fed, and protected, during all seasons, and desires that they always be prepared to extend provisions to others as well. It’s hard to convince someone, the God we serve is full of grace, and can supply all our needs, when we’re broke and struggling, but God can and will provide for those who diligently seek Him, and desire to do only what’s pleasing in His sight.

As we continue delving into the story of Joseph, we find where the seven years of plenty had come to an end, and famine took precedence in all civilized lands that surrounded Egypt. Because of Joseph’s interpretation of Pharoah’s dream, God allowed Egypt the opportunity to prepare well, before the time of dearth invaded the lands. It’s uncertain whether or not the other lands got wind of the prophetic words of Joseph, but the Bible noted, “And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph to buy corn; because the famine was so sore in all lands” (vs. 57).

We may not know what tomorrow holds, but we can be certain of who holds tomorrow. God will supply all our “need”, according to His riches in glory, and He expects His people to be ready and willing to help those who are in lack. Giving is God’s modus operandi, and it should be engrained in the minds of all Saints, to operate the same. “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again” (Luke 6:38 KJV). God is the source of all good things, and we can always come to Him to receive those things we have need of.

We live this life for purpose and reason, but not too long, for only a season.

Ell

God Protects His Own

Esther 8:3-8, 16-17

Throughout history, all who made attempts to thwart the progress of God’s people, were eventually convinced to stand down, by way of force, or even death. When Pharoah refused to release the children of Israel from Egypt, he and his people suffered plagues, the likes of which caused many to lose faith in their false gods, and respect the power of the true, and living God. When the mighty Goliath breathed threatenings against God’s people, the Lord used young David, to prove to him, and the Philistines, where the source of true power came from. Time after time, God’s people were confronted by men, whose sole purpose was to stop the spread of His kingdom in the earth, but despite their unyielding efforts, God worked mightily through His people, to keep His plan in motion.

Our text this week, was centered on the story of Esther, and Mordecai, and How God protected, and provided for them, in the midst of an evil plot to destroy all the Jews within the king’s provinces. The same evil spirit that controlled the minds and thoughts of men like Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, and Pol Pot, once ruled in the heart of Haman. Such a spirit promotes pride, arrogance, haughtiness, jealousy, strife, wrath, lack of reasoning, lack of understanding, and lack of love. Men who portray these attributes may cause certain levels of shame and destruction to the lives of innocents, but God will always have the last word in such cases.

Through prayer and fasting, God turned Haman’s plot against him. The same gallows he built to hang Mordecai, was ironically used to hang himself. In addition, the Jews were permitted to destroy all those who hated the them (including Haman’s ten sons), so that God’s people could be free from any more threats of destruction. Without hesitation, the king reversed Haman’s wicked decree, and allowed Mordecai to write whatever law he desired, that was in favor of his people. That’s amazing! This was equivalent to being granted a blank check from a billionair!

God has a way of doing things, and while we may not always understand His plans at first, it’s comforting to know, He will expose our enemies, provide protection through the process, and give us more blessings and resources than we had, in the end.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Yes, He cares

Matthew 6:25-30

In the beginning, God created so many amazing things, including birds that fly in the air, fish to swim in the seas, trees, plants, and all types of flora and fauna that inhabit the entire planet! There are millions of different trees and animals that exist in the earth, that all rely on God’s sustaining hand, to keep them fed. He gives sunlight and rain, so that plants and trees can receive nourishment, and makes certain that all the animals get their daily nutrition as well. God made everything good in the beginning, and still provides for His creation today, from the tiny little bumblebee, to the great oak tree. It’s amazing to even fathom how God pays attention to the smallest details of everything He created! This not only applies to plants and animals, but to you and I as well. To all who feel that God doesn’t, or has stopped caring for them, I strongly advise you to think again. Yes, God looks after things that may last mere moments, but He certainly cares for His people the more. God didn’t create man for jest or nought, but we were fashioned in His own likeness, to inhabit the earth, and spread goodness throughout. If God thinks enough to care for birds and trees, do you have faith enough to believe that He’ll take care of you too?

Walk in love,

Ell

God’s forever covenant with David

Psalm 89:19-37

How long is forever? Have you ever considered that? If so, what are your thoughts? According to the United Nations World Population Prospects report, approximately 7,452 people die every day in the United States. To be more precise, a person in the US dies nearly every 12 seconds. Makes you wonder, when will our time come to move on from this life to the next. In any case, forever begins, when this present life ends, but the future doesn’t have to be a scary thought, if your life is planted firmly in the will of God.

When a person makes a commitment to follow after God, He will never leave, nor forsake them. In fact, they literally become engrafted into the family of God, thus allowing them to reap the full benefits He provides. When we join in covenant with God, He will immediately become our protector, provider, counselor, strength, compass, inspiration, and Father. These truths were revealed in the life of king David, as he and God shared countless experiences of faithfulness and righteousness during David’s reign. Out of all the people of his time, God chose David, exalted him, anointed him with oil, then established His kingdom and righteousness through his leading. As David walked in obedience to God, he was witness to the incredible power God holds. For example, God literally “beat down” all the king’s foes, and caused plagues to come upon those who hated him. God never was, nor is unjust in His ways, but when a man dishonors, and disrespects the children of God, He steps in and sets the record straight.

Like any good parent, who wants the best for their children, God made sure David, and his people were provided all the necessities of life, and lacked no good thing. Believe it, or not, the same way God promised to always be with David, He will do the same for those who walk according to His Word today. Are you living according to your own standards and ways? If you are, what does your life look like up to this point? While you still have time, commit your ways unto the Lord, and trust in Him, so that your living won’t be in vain any longer, you’ll experience protection like never before, and you’ll discover the peace that surpasses all understanding, forever!

Walk in love,

Ell

God’s forever steadfast love

1 Chronicles 16:8-13, 28-36

In the United States, and other countries of the world, sports have become big business. Most major sports including basketball, baseball, and American football, pay their players an average of 4.9, 3.8, and 2 million dollars, respectively. Major sports also contribute to the revenue of the cities, states, or countries they represent. Of all the contributions that make sports successful, the most important are the fans. It’s amazing how some people take their fandom so seriously, until it seems to become sort of a religion to them. Some even invest thousands of dollars yearly to attend games, and purchase expensive meals and other items offered at stadiums. What’s most intriguing is, many fans yell, scream, and shout during games, until they have no voice, in support of their team’s success. At the end of every season, teams regroup, and fans anticipate the coming season, while preparing to continue in their unyielding support of their team.

I mentioned that brief description of how fans literally sell themselves to sports teams, that offer absolutely no real benefits to their lives, in order to compare and contrast it with how men should offer themselves to “team God”, who offers the best of the best benefits anyone could ask for. One particular line I use often is, “God cares nothing for sports”, because it does nothing to bring glory to His name, yet we’ve become accustomed to investing days of our lives into them, when our time could be spent singing, praising, and giving glory to the name of the Lord. Men aren’t thrilled today, as they were in the past, about offering worship to God, because there are countless distractions that keep their minds tuned into other things. But, God is still the same yesterday, today, and will be forever.

Too often we forget, we need God for everything! I won’t delve too deep into how much we need God, as I did in previous lessons, but I want to bring to light, the misguided, and misdirected praise we give to men, when all praise belongs to God.

If your life was put up on the big screen, and God went through all the many blessings He provided for you, how would you respond after viewing all that God revealed? Although our lives are nowhere near perfect, and we’ve all made decisions we wish we could take back, God never stopped loving, providing for, or protecting us our entire lives. Anyone over the age of 21, can think of at least 100 amazing things God did in their lives, so our response should be perpetual, fervent, and effective praise and worship to the God who is AWESOME, and will NEVER EVER EVER stop loving us!

Walk in love,

Ell

Elijah restores life to a widow’s son

1 Kings 17:17-24

During our seasons of testing and suffering, God will always sustain His people, as long as they remain committed to His agenda. As the inhabitants of Israel continued to suffer from famine, God continued to provide for His prophet, Elijah. When the first place God sent Elijah to rest had ceased from providing water, God prepared the heart of a widow to receive the prophet, and care for his needs for a season. God has a very unique way of bringing people together, in order to fulfill His will. Elijah had no idea the woman wasn’t in a good position to provide for anyone, but God knew that she needed divine intervention, and Elijah was capable of interceding, to bring that to pass. God places people in our lives for seasons, so that they can help take us to the next level, because there will be times when we won’t be capable of getting there on our own.

While the widow woman was gathering sticks one day to prepare the last meal for herself and her son, Elijah approached her, then asked for water to drink. As she left to get water, Elijah also asked if she could bring him something to eat as well. Take a brief moment, and put yourself in the shoes of the woman. God had already told you He was sending a man who needed your help, and in turn, you’d be blessed beyond measure (I’m uncertain how God relayed that message to the woman, but she got it somehow). Would you follow through with the man’s requests, without hesitation, or would your faith waver at the thought of not having enough supplies to care for you and your son? Faith tests aren’t always easy, but the benefits of following through are usually amazing!

Knowing what God had commanded her to do, the woman still felt the need to inform the prophet of her lack of resources. Elijah’s faith in God’s power of provision had already grown stronger after his experience at the brook of Cherith, so he knew that if the woman took care of his need, God would definitely take care of hers. So, the woman did as she was commanded, and was blessed with more than she could ever imagine. Ironically, this miracle wasn’t enough to fully convince the woman that Elijah was a true man of God, and that his words were complete truth. That’s odd, because she had seen the plan of God play out accordingly, but still held doubts. Many of us today are the same way, because God can do something super duper amazing for us, but when something more challenging comes along, we cringe in fear.

Following many days of miraculous increase, the woman’s son got sick, and died. Rather than approach the man of God in humility, and request his assistance for intercession, the woman question whether or not Elijah came to kill her son. Oh how frail we humans become, when times of blessing become moments of sorrow. Elijah took the boy, laid him on his bed, cried to God and asked the same question the widow woman posed to him. Interesting. Elijah stretched himself over the child three times, then asked God to bring life back into the boy. God granted his request. This miracle was more than enough to convince the woman that God lived through Elijah.

Are you fully persuaded in the power of God to take care of you, or do you live in fear that someday you’ll be left broke and destitute. The Bible is filled with examples of God’s grace and mercy on those who are committed to Him, and obey His simple commands. Trust God wholeheartedly, and never doubt that He is able to sustain you, no matter what condition you find yourself in.

Walk in love,

Ell

Reporting mixed reviews

Numbers 13:30-33

Our lesson today is a very interesting one, in that it vividly contrasts faith, with unbelief, and proves the frailty of the hearts of men, when their trust is not in the Lord.

As the spies went out to survey the land God promised to give them, they discovered some interesting findings there. Not only were the structures of the buildings well-built and fortified, and the lands overflowing with vegetation, but there were actual giants living in the land as well. How cool is that, to actually see an entire civilization of giants roaming the land!

After searching the promised land for 40 days, and seeing all the wonders there, the twelve spies couldn’t wait to return to Moses and Aaron, to tell them of their discoveries, but all weren’t prepared to present the same report. God’s promise of innumerable generations, and prosperous lands was first given to Abraham, then confirmed to his son Isaac, and then to Isaac’s son Jacob. So, for generations, the children of Israel anticipated the day when they would inhabit the land of promise God had prepared for them. Unfortunately, when the time finally came to take the land, ten of the twelve spies gave a negative report, saying “The land through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature” (vs. 32). The men continued to complain that the inhabitants of Canaan were stronger than themselves, and they were as grasshoppers in their sight. Knowing that God promised this land to them, you’d think the people would be more jubilant, and ready to overtake the lands, with God’s leading, but their faith in God was underdeveloped, and shaky, which struck fear in all the people.

Caleb, one of the spies who searched the land as well, spoke out and said, “Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it” (vs. 30). What an interesting development; where ten men said they aren’t able to take on the inhabitants of the land, because there were giants there, and one man believed with all his heart that they were “well able” to take the land. Caleb trusted in the power of God, and held firmly to the miracles that were performed before his eyes, so believing that God could wipe out a land running with giants, was just as easy as providing manna from Heaven, or parting the Red Sea.

God responds based on our faith, and not our fear. “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you” (Matthew 17:20). Faith is believing that God can, and will do what He said, even before it’s manifested. Caleb understood this simple concept, while the other spies were oblivious to it, unfortunately.

Is your faith in the power of God being held hostage by fear of the circumstances you face daily? Do you cringe at the sight of giant tests and trials that confront you, or do you hold fast to your confidence in the power that God revealed to you many times before? Keep your faith strong in the Lord, even when those around you aren’t willing to. Remember, God moves according to our faith, and not our fear.

Walk in love,

Ell

God provides for the people

Exodus 16:1-8,13-15

In times of great need, people change drastically. For example, when someone is diagnosed with a certain illness, that may require extensive treatment, their attitudes shift from murmuring and complaining, to appreciation and gratefulness, because they then realize the seriousness of life, and the frailty of the human body. Others get antsy and careless in times when their funds are low, which cause them to resort to unwise methods of making money. Trusting God to supply our needs won’t always be an easy thing to do, especially when those needs are dire, and essential, but when He finally releases the blessings we prayed for, they more than make up for all the time we spent waiting patiently for them.

Our lessons this week have been centered around the children of Israel, and their wilderness experiences. After being delivered from oppression in Egypt, God allowed Moses to lead the people on a path to a land flowing with “milk and honey”. God watched His people suffer for years, and had a blessing awaiting them so massive, that if they had only been obedient to His word, they would have indulged in a lifetime of wealth, peace, and prosperity (that’s a topic for another lesson).

A few months after their great escape from Egypt, and miraculous journey through the Red sea, the people apparently had been talking amongst themselves about the leading of God’s chosen men, then brought their complaint to Moses and Aaron. The people said, “…Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full: for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger” (vs. 3). Wait a minute! Why would they prefer bondage where they could eat good, but were still under oppression, as opposed to being free from slavery, and having the Almighty God standing ready to provide? People are some of the most strange, and unpredictable things of God’s creation. Rather than bask in the awe-inspiring miracles they saw and experienced, they were more focused on how good they had things, while being held against their will in Egypt. If I went to the beach tonight, and God divided the waters, then told me to walk on the dry land for a few moments, (after taking millions of pics of the rising walls of water) I would never doubt that He could do anything in my life after that, let alone provide something as simple as food, or even a light bill. Unfortunately, the children of Israel allowed their natural hunger to supercede their spiritual appetite that desired to be fed as well.

God knows what we need, and when we need them, but He doesn’t move because of our tears or complaints. Yes, He provided for the people when they complained, but I’m apt to believe that His plan was to provide manna and flesh for them the whole time. Look at it this way, if God blessed us everytime we complained about something, imagine how different this world would look. We would be out of control, and spoiled rotten to the core. God knows what He’s doing, and has full understanding of what’s required to sustain us. Rather than murmur and complain when times get hard, and we go through seasons of lack, praise God for all the great things He has already done for you, and look at some of the symbols you hold, that signify moments when God came through for you big time!

Walk in love,

Ell