lighthouse2014

The danger of giving oneself over to sin is that we sell ourselves over in to slavery of sin, we have sold out to wickedness, breaking our relationship to the Lord. This giving into sin opens the door for the devil to bring more temptations into our lives. We lose sensitivity of wrongfulness and indulge ourselves into greater sin. Repentance of sin, prayer and asking the Lord for forgiveness is the only way we can come back to the Lord for his mercy and loving kindness, for he is a just God.

I believe Ahab is depressed because he did not get his way. Also probably felt that his pride was injured, after all he is the king and king's get what they want. Jezebel cheers up Ahab by telling him to eat and be cheerful, she will get him the vineyard he desires. After all he is the king and has a reputation to uphold. To obtain the vineyard of Naboth Jezebel writes a letter to the elders and forages Ahab's seal to it, to make look official from the king's hand. She asked the elders to honor Naboth and ring two false witness to accuse Naboth of blasphemy. Thus Naboth is stoned to death. The elders knew this was a transgression of the law, making them just as guilty of the crime as Jezebel. Ahab also is guilty for not stopping jezebel for suborning perjury.

Ahab wants Naboth's vineyard most likely for a personal terrace to over look valley below, very doubtful he wanted it for a garden. As a King he believes he can have or do anything he wants with no refusal. Ahab's proposal to Naboth for the vineyard seems reasonable, however, Naboth's refuses because it is part of his family heritage which is passed down through generations, and he has no intention of giving it up.

God seems to enjoy proving to the Israelites that he is God, showing that the false gods and beliefs are indeed fake and an abomination to him. God whittled down Gideon's to 300 to show that God would defeat the enemy with only a small group of warriors and there for they can not boast that it was their own effort that defeated the enemy. This shows that the Lord is God and faithful in impossible situations. An impossible situation in my life is the healing of my wife back to normal life instead of suffering from continuous set backs.

The sends a prophet to a corrupt king and people because he wants to prove them that he is God and hopefully draws people back to Him and that he is their true Lord. Ahab is not convinced that the Lord is going to go to battle for them, he shows his doubt by asking who or whom was going to go first to initiate the battle. When victory is completed, they will know that he is their true God.

A child loves his parents and he knows they love him also, but when he is rebuked by them he knows he let them down because of his actions. A child doing what he thought was best for him could have been foolish and or dangerous. God's rebuke for us is hard because we think we know what His will is for us or others. A loving rebuke to our children is best done by explaining the reason for their actions as compared to what really should be the correct situation. God has rebuked me by coming in that still small voice when I am alone with Him and even then it is hard to take, but he always explains the situation and what is reserved for His glory. Being rebuked by the Lord does prove that He loves me.

The Lord's voice is best heard when we are alone with Him, no surrounding noise or distractions whether from the elements or human noise. Elijah is comforted from the low whisper he has heard from the Lord. He now knows that the Lord is not disappointed in him. The Lord has given him a new assignment to fulfill and assured Elijah that there are 7,000 other's who are faithful to Him. It can be difficult to miss the small voice of the Lord especially when there is noise in our surroundings, being alone in our quite place of prayer is best to listen for the Lord to speck to us.

Elijah has been a faithful servant of the Lord, because of the threats from Jezebel he has taken his eyes off the Lord and allowed depression to take over. Just as Peter was walking on water, he took his off Jesus and began to look at at his surroundings. God does not chide him for his lack of faith, he is exhausted and feels that he has failed the the Lord. A friend that has isolated themselves and gone into depression should be encouraged that their life does have meaning, the love others have for them. It is important to help them regain self esteem and pray that the Lord will guide them if they can trust Him.

It is important for us to make a clean break away from our old habits and things that tempt us in our relationship with the Lord. If we do not make a clean break with our past temptations and habits we will keeping falling back into the old problems we had, never coming to know the true love the lord has for us. Making a sincere repentance of our sins and with the help of the Holy Spirit we will become Faithfull servants for the Lord.

Elijah's ministry of turning hearts back to the Lord is demonstrated by his obedience and faithfulness toby the Lord. His courage is shown by facing Ahab and the false prophets. John the Baptist is a type of successor of Elijah by facing the Pharisees, Sadducees and the king of Israel at the time of Christ. By his ministry he brought many to repentance and baptism as a confirmation of their faith.

The people of Israel have have fallen into deep worship of faults gods and practices. Elijah rebuilding the alter of the Lord and the miracles that fallowed reminds the people that there is only one true God and they have strayed dramatically from their true God.

The danger of syncretism, especially in religion would bring a false belief and practice in to the true worship of the Lord God, who is a jealous God and will have no other gods or their beliefs brought before Him. My allegiance to the Lord as for as time and commitment is just as it is no time. Taking care of grandchildren and a disabled wife takes patience to the max.

I have learned from the passages of 1Kings 18: 1-18 that Obadiah was a servant of the Lord from youth. Being a servant of the ruthless King Ahab of Israel, Obadiah secretly hidden prophets of the Lord, knowing that if he is found out he will be put to death. If I were in Obadiah's place I would most likely not have the courage that he has displayed in serving the Lord.

Another test of Elijah's faithfulness, he is sent to a poor widow that has no food for herself or her son. I imagine he wonders why the Lord has sent him there. This miracle of replenishing the flour and oil for the widow, child and Elijah proves that God care's for all that take faith in him.

We use common sense to guide us through our daily lives in what ever the circumstances may be. But God has a different plan that seems very contrary to our common sense. Stepping out and obeying God would most likely make us feel very uneasy and uncomfortable at best. However, following his word will make us better faithful and obedient servants.

Elijah has been a faithful servant by obeying God and delivering his to the message to the King. The Lord will show his faithfulness by telling Elijah to hide in a ravine east of Jordon. In this wilderness there is no food so the Lord provides Ravines to feed him. This also proves God's faithfulness to his servant.

Elijah no doubt knows that going before King Ahab with a message of drought could get him killed. He also knows that the King and Queen have a reputation of being very evil. He also knows the Lord will protect him from the King's wrath.

A person who loses "his first love" in Christ is a person who claims to be a Christian but slowly drifts back into the worldly ways while all the time maintaining his Christian appearance or surrade. A person can regain his personal relationship with Christ by repenting asking the Lord for forgiveness. One may have to share his mistakes that caused him to lose his relationship with Christ by going to a pastor or a close friend that can be his confident. Praying together and helping one another is possibility the only way to get our relationship back to the Lord.

Pride in our own righteousness and religious achievements actually get in the way of knowing Christ because we have totally become prideful and are not letting Christ fulfill his will through us. In fact could we actually say that we are true Christians if we do not humble ourselves and let the Lord lead? For sure we are not acting in faith for what the Lord has done for us. This has happened to me on several occasion when I get over confident in what I am doing for the Lord. I get in the way of my own self, however the Lord finds ways to bring me back into humility. Only by repentance and asking for forgiveness can I find my way back to the Lord. I have known of several others who thought that their way was the correct way to handle their stewardship in the church congregation only to find that they were wrong and refusing to admit their mistake and repent they left for another congregation.

Because Christ has shed his blood for us, through faith we are joined with him by the Holy Spirit. We are now one in Christ, we are now a new creation the old nature is gone. It is important to have this union with Christ because he has made us a new creation, by his power we can overcome the sinful nature that we once had and bring glory to God.

Jesus demonstrates his humility by foregoing his Godly attributes of omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence and to take on the form of a slave. By humbling himself, and being obedient to do God's will, he submitted himself to a shameful death whereby he bore humanity's sin's so that we could be reconciled to the Father in heaven. When we exalt ourselves rather than waiting for God's will, we are no longer able to allow the Lord to work in our lives therefore we no longer bring glory to God. We call this self exaltation by no other word but Pride. We have no longer allowed the lord to lead us.

For the apostle Paul death was gain for him because he will be in the presence of the Lord and reap his reward. As for Paul it was better to remain with the living because it was for their gain that he remained with them. He could continue teaching and evangelizing where ever he went. Because of his persecution he counted it gain for himself to be with the Lord. Paul would rather have death versus living, for he states he has finished the race the Lord has given and he is ready to meet the Lord.

Appearing before Christ as judgement would make me fearful because God the Father has granted Him all authority in heaven and earth. God can not tolerate sin in any form or fashion. Only being washed in the blood of Christ will we be saved and spared eternal punishment. However, though we are saved through faith in Christ, our works will be tested as through fire, we will be rewarded for those works which endure.

To me, heaven is like home, to be present with the Lord and be where he is. It is he I love and the one I want to spend eternity with. The kind of faith it takes to walk and live in my belief is to me astronomical, only through Christ and the Holy Spirit can I even do this. For the cravings of the flesh are even stronger it seems because of the war between my spirit and the flesh. These earthly possessions are only temporary and will do nothing for me in eternity.

We may become quieted quickly when society around us shows disapproval to our witness because of several reasons; one we may become ashamed to share our witness, two we may start an uprising. We should never become afraid to share our witness or the gospel. It may be the only time some individuals will the the truth and be saved. We never know who the Holy Spirit is convicting to repent and come to the Savior. Enduring the hardship "of like a good soldier of Christ" coming under persecution of man and Satan is our duty for Christ. We count ourselves as nothing for bring lost souls to Christ. It is our duty as ambassadors for him that we were brought to the saving grace of God. To fight the good fight I am willing to take the gospel anywhere the Lord has led me, whether one on one or a group we stand for the Lord, he will never abandon us.