1 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:06,040 Welcome to the Liberty Baptist Sermon Archives. 2 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:09,080 The message you're about to hear was preached at Liberty Baptist 3 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:13,080 Church in Easton, MA. You can find out more about us, 4 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:17,360 or contact us at my libertybaptist.org, or just look 5 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:19,800 us up on Facebook. And now we hope that this 6 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:22,080 message from God's Word will be a blessing to you. 7 00:00:25,020 --> 00:00:28,580 So the idea is this is that we want to make sure that when we 8 00:00:28,580 --> 00:00:31,780 get to the issue of service that it's not as much signing up on a 9 00:00:31,780 --> 00:00:33,700 sheet, but way before you ever get to that. 10 00:00:33,860 --> 00:00:36,620 It's the issue of the heart. It's making sure that we have 11 00:00:36,620 --> 00:00:39,300 the heart of service. But I'd also say at the same 12 00:00:39,300 --> 00:00:42,820 time that when it comes to the heart of service, that there are 13 00:00:42,820 --> 00:00:48,100 times that it can be discouraging to be a servant. 14 00:00:48,780 --> 00:00:52,980 There are times that maybe you are serving, that maybe you are 15 00:00:52,980 --> 00:00:55,980 thinking about serving. Or maybe you have served in the 16 00:00:55,980 --> 00:01:01,180 past and we can be discouraged in those times and seasons of 17 00:01:01,180 --> 00:01:03,900 service that we have. Imagine a group of students 18 00:01:03,900 --> 00:01:05,900 preparing for a challenging exam. 19 00:01:06,700 --> 00:01:09,660 In this scenario, a teacher might provide first positive 20 00:01:09,660 --> 00:01:12,580 reinforcement and support to motivate the students. 21 00:01:12,820 --> 00:01:15,900 For instance, the teacher could give encouraging words like you 22 00:01:15,900 --> 00:01:19,180 studied well and I believe in your abilities, keep going and 23 00:01:19,180 --> 00:01:21,780 do your best. The students would probably feel 24 00:01:21,780 --> 00:01:23,820 motivated, inspired, and confident. 25 00:01:24,220 --> 00:01:26,860 In their preparation because of the teachers encouragement. 26 00:01:27,500 --> 00:01:29,780 But on the other hand, discouragement in the same 27 00:01:29,780 --> 00:01:34,140 scenario would involve conveying negative messages that reduce 28 00:01:34,140 --> 00:01:36,380 the students confidence and motivation. 29 00:01:36,900 --> 00:01:39,980 For example, the teacher might say this exam it's too hard, 30 00:01:40,260 --> 00:01:41,820 most of you will probably fail anyway. 31 00:01:42,340 --> 00:01:45,060 It's unlikely that anything that you do will even pay off. 32 00:01:45,900 --> 00:01:50,100 This kind of discouragement will lead to a lack of motivation 33 00:01:50,100 --> 00:01:53,440 which could hurt. The students overall abilities. 34 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:56,000 And that's the thing with discouragement. 35 00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:59,080 You think discouragement is the opposite of encouragement. 36 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:02,200 To be encouraged means to take courage. 37 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:04,960 And when someone is encouraged, when someone takes courage, 38 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:08,759 they're able to do greater things than they had even 39 00:02:08,759 --> 00:02:10,639 imagined. You think on the battlefield, 40 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:15,760 sometimes small groups of people are able to conquer large groups 41 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:19,760 of people because they took courage in the thing that 42 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:23,160 they're fighting for. But we can also say on the other 43 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:25,280 hand, that we've been discouraged and someone maybe, 44 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:28,840 who has great abilities, someone who should be able to easily do 45 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:32,680 a task or maybe easily in the field of battle, be able to win 46 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:35,920 because they are discouraged, because they are just motivated. 47 00:02:35,920 --> 00:02:39,840 Because of that they're actually are able to do less than what 48 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:42,680 they're actually capable of, because they have been 49 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:45,720 discouraged. Now this morning, I want us to 50 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:48,920 look at one of what I believe is the greatest servants you'll. 51 00:02:48,920 --> 00:02:52,010 Ever find in the Bible? And that's the prophet Elijah. 52 00:02:52,690 --> 00:02:55,890 You might be surprised to know that after his maybe most 53 00:02:55,890 --> 00:02:59,410 courageous moment in his life, he actually went through a 54 00:02:59,410 --> 00:03:04,970 period as a servant of God of crippling discouragement, a man 55 00:03:04,970 --> 00:03:09,130 who in one chapter showed maybe some of the greatest courage 56 00:03:09,370 --> 00:03:11,050 you'll find anywhere in the word of God. 57 00:03:11,730 --> 00:03:16,690 But in the very next chapter, discouragement sets in, and the 58 00:03:16,690 --> 00:03:19,870 exact opposite happens. My goal this morning is not to 59 00:03:19,870 --> 00:03:22,550 try to discourage you in your service to God. 60 00:03:23,270 --> 00:03:28,070 Rather, my goal today is to say if you are discouraged in your 61 00:03:28,070 --> 00:03:31,390 service to God, or if you are discouraged, you have not served 62 00:03:31,390 --> 00:03:35,070 God the way that you believe you should serve God, that there's 63 00:03:35,070 --> 00:03:38,190 encouragement. And hope in the life of this 64 00:03:38,190 --> 00:03:41,270 man, Elijah. That applies to us here today. 65 00:03:41,630 --> 00:03:43,150 Would you stand please for the reading of God's word? 66 00:03:43,150 --> 00:03:45,150 We're going to read a lot of different passages of scripture 67 00:03:45,150 --> 00:03:49,670 today, but we're going to start here in First Kings chapter #19, 68 00:03:50,110 --> 00:03:54,710 and we'll begin in verse number one, First Kings 19, and we'll 69 00:03:54,710 --> 00:03:56,830 begin in verse #1, where it says this. 70 00:03:57,310 --> 00:04:01,990 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and with all 71 00:04:02,150 --> 00:04:04,910 how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. 72 00:04:05,510 --> 00:04:08,750 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah saying. 73 00:04:09,250 --> 00:04:13,410 So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy 74 00:04:13,410 --> 00:04:17,890 life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time. 75 00:04:18,730 --> 00:04:21,769 And when he saw that he arose and went for his life, and came 76 00:04:21,769 --> 00:04:25,410 to Beersheba, which belonged to Judah, and left his servant 77 00:04:25,410 --> 00:04:30,330 there, and he but he himself, when a day's journey into the 78 00:04:30,330 --> 00:04:33,970 wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree, and 79 00:04:33,970 --> 00:04:37,170 he requested for himself that he might die, and said, it is 80 00:04:37,170 --> 00:04:41,020 enough now, Lord. Take away my life, for I'm not 81 00:04:41,020 --> 00:04:44,900 better than my father's. You read just those four verses 82 00:04:44,900 --> 00:04:48,260 and you think, man, this is a guy who's pretty discouraged. 83 00:04:48,940 --> 00:04:52,300 But what's amazing about this discouragement season that he's 84 00:04:52,300 --> 00:04:54,340 in is that we're going to see in a moment. 85 00:04:54,340 --> 00:04:56,980 In the previous chapter, he was on the mountain top. 86 00:04:57,660 --> 00:05:00,300 In the previous chapter, he was doing things for God that nobody 87 00:05:00,300 --> 00:05:03,460 had done before him anyways. And it's just a reminder to us 88 00:05:03,580 --> 00:05:05,180 that when. We are in seasons of 89 00:05:05,180 --> 00:05:07,740 discouragement in our service to God. 90 00:05:08,130 --> 00:05:11,130 There's encouragement for us found in the life of Elijah, but 91 00:05:11,130 --> 00:05:15,130 found for us in God himself. Heavenly Father be with us this 92 00:05:15,130 --> 00:05:16,170 morning as we get into your word. 93 00:05:16,170 --> 00:05:18,610 Thank you for this time and these your people and we ask it 94 00:05:18,610 --> 00:05:20,090 in Jesus name. Amen. 95 00:05:20,090 --> 00:05:24,370 Thank you may be seated. As you can see this is a pretty 96 00:05:24,370 --> 00:05:27,810 sad a state of affairs for the man of God, the prophet Elijah. 97 00:05:28,330 --> 00:05:31,170 But maybe what's most astounding is not just. 98 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:35,560 That he did great things in chapter #18, but what exactly it 99 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:38,160 was that he did in those chapters? 100 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:40,640 Go to chapter #18 very quickly. Like I said, we're going to go 101 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:42,200 to a few different passages here today. 102 00:05:42,280 --> 00:05:45,040 Chapter #18. Look at verse #21. 103 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:50,280 You remember that Ahab was a wicked king of the people of 104 00:05:50,280 --> 00:05:53,240 Israel, and that he had done great wickedness against the 105 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,760 Lord and to his own people. Elijah was the prophet of God 106 00:05:56,760 --> 00:05:59,440 who came to Ahab and said that you had done wickedly, and he 107 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:01,740 said this. Until the Lord says so, there 108 00:06:01,740 --> 00:06:03,980 will be no rain in this land. And we know from the book of 109 00:06:03,980 --> 00:06:06,940 James that for 3 1/2 years there was great. 110 00:06:07,580 --> 00:06:10,460 There was great famine in the land because there was no rain 111 00:06:10,460 --> 00:06:12,340 in it. Year after year, season after 112 00:06:12,340 --> 00:06:16,660 season, as no grain is planted, as no grain is harvested, as no 113 00:06:16,660 --> 00:06:18,660 food is able to gather. And then of course as animals 114 00:06:18,780 --> 00:06:21,300 have less and less to eat themselves, the situation 115 00:06:21,300 --> 00:06:23,660 becomes more and more dire in Israel. 116 00:06:23,940 --> 00:06:29,580 Finally, God leads Israel, or rather God leads Ahab and Elijah 117 00:06:29,820 --> 00:06:31,700 into. Standoff and the standoff takes 118 00:06:31,700 --> 00:06:36,220 place in Mount Carmel, which is there in the Land of Israel, and 119 00:06:36,420 --> 00:06:39,060 they are to go and gather all the people. 120 00:06:39,060 --> 00:06:42,060 And Elijah says this. He says what we're going to do 121 00:06:42,060 --> 00:06:43,660 is we're going to take all the prophets of bail. 122 00:06:43,660 --> 00:06:45,740 And of course bail was a false God. 123 00:06:45,940 --> 00:06:47,580 Those prophets were false prophets. 124 00:06:47,740 --> 00:06:49,620 He says we're going to take the prophets of bail and we're going 125 00:06:49,620 --> 00:06:51,860 to put them on one side and we're going to take the prophets 126 00:06:51,900 --> 00:06:54,890 of Jehovah God, which, well. Would have been him, and we're 127 00:06:54,890 --> 00:06:56,810 going to put him on the other side, he says. 128 00:06:56,810 --> 00:06:58,610 Then what we're going to do is we're going to have the 129 00:06:58,610 --> 00:07:01,650 sacrifice and we're going to have the sacrifice made and 130 00:07:01,650 --> 00:07:03,170 we're going to call fire down from heaven. 131 00:07:03,370 --> 00:07:06,210 And the one who can call the fire down from heaven in front 132 00:07:06,210 --> 00:07:08,970 of all the people of Israel, they will all know who the true 133 00:07:08,970 --> 00:07:10,330 God is. I mean that's an amazing 134 00:07:10,330 --> 00:07:12,650 contest. And by the way, great audacity 135 00:07:12,650 --> 00:07:16,410 on the side of Elijah. To even have this contest take 136 00:07:16,410 --> 00:07:19,770 place in the 1st place with such a wicked man like Elijah or 137 00:07:19,770 --> 00:07:22,850 rather like Ahab and to have all the people there to watch this 138 00:07:22,850 --> 00:07:24,890 take place. In the first place. 139 00:07:24,890 --> 00:07:29,210 So look at verse #21 as we pick up here in chapter #18 where it 140 00:07:29,210 --> 00:07:32,850 says And Elijah came unto all the people and said, how long 141 00:07:32,850 --> 00:07:35,890 halt ye between two opinions? Meaning this how long are you 142 00:07:35,890 --> 00:07:37,970 going to stand between Jehovah God and bail? 143 00:07:38,450 --> 00:07:40,530 How long are you going to say? I'm not going to choose. 144 00:07:40,570 --> 00:07:43,530 You've got to choose. If the Lord be God, follow him, 145 00:07:43,530 --> 00:07:47,890 but if bail then follow him. And the people answered him not 146 00:07:47,890 --> 00:07:50,130 a word. Then said Elijah unto the 147 00:07:50,130 --> 00:07:53,210 people, I even I only remain a prophet of the Lord's. 148 00:07:53,620 --> 00:07:58,220 But Bale's profits are 450 men. Let them therefore give us 2 149 00:07:58,220 --> 00:08:01,020 bullocks, and let them choose one Bullock for themselves, cut 150 00:08:01,020 --> 00:08:04,220 in pieces, Lay it on wood, and put no fire under it, and I will 151 00:08:04,220 --> 00:08:06,300 dress the other Bullock and lay it on. 152 00:08:06,300 --> 00:08:09,380 Wood and put no fire under it, so he gives the terms. 153 00:08:09,710 --> 00:08:12,790 He says, let's have two bulls. He says they can pick whichever 154 00:08:12,790 --> 00:08:14,470 one they want. I'll take the other one. 155 00:08:14,750 --> 00:08:16,390 Let's go ahead and flay that bull. 156 00:08:16,390 --> 00:08:19,510 Let's go ahead and and put that on their altar. 157 00:08:19,510 --> 00:08:21,030 And let's go ahead and call upon our gods. 158 00:08:21,030 --> 00:08:23,950 And let's see which God is God and which one is not. 159 00:08:24,070 --> 00:08:26,670 Drop down to verse #30 where it says this. 160 00:08:26,910 --> 00:08:30,510 And Elijah said unto the people come near unto me, And all the 161 00:08:30,510 --> 00:08:33,150 people came near unto him, and he repaired the altar of the 162 00:08:33,150 --> 00:08:36,659 Lord that was broken down. Now we skipped over the last few 163 00:08:36,659 --> 00:08:40,299 verses where the prophets of bail tried their best to be able 164 00:08:40,299 --> 00:08:42,340 to call down fire from heaven. And I know you're going to be 165 00:08:42,340 --> 00:08:43,980 surprised about this, but they couldn't do it. 166 00:08:43,980 --> 00:08:47,260 That no matter how much they yelled and screamed and 167 00:08:47,260 --> 00:08:49,740 literally cut themselves and allowed the blood to flow down 168 00:08:49,740 --> 00:08:52,460 their bodies to try to get the attention of their God, they 169 00:08:52,460 --> 00:08:54,060 couldn't get the attention of their God because their God 170 00:08:54,060 --> 00:08:57,400 didn't exist. And so Elijah says, well, now 171 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:00,360 that that carnival sideshow is done, I want you all to come 172 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:02,920 over here because we're going to see the power of God at work. 173 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:06,560 And so he calls him over, and it says he repairs the altar of the 174 00:09:06,560 --> 00:09:08,600 Lord that was broken down. And there's probably a sermon 175 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:11,200 there in verse #30 about repairing the things of the Lord 176 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:13,560 that are broken. But going on the verse 31, it 177 00:09:13,560 --> 00:09:15,880 says this. And Elijah took 12 Stones 178 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:19,200 according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob unto 179 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:22,680 whom the ward of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy 180 00:09:22,680 --> 00:09:25,000 name. And with the stones he built an 181 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:27,880 altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a trench about the 182 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:30,880 altar as great as would contain 2 measures of seed. 183 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:33,560 And he put the wood in order and cut the bullocks and pieces, and 184 00:09:33,560 --> 00:09:36,920 laid him on the wood, and said fill 4 barrels with water, and 185 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:39,440 poured on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood. 186 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:41,320 And he said do it the second time. 187 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:43,960 And they did it the second time, and he said do it the third 188 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:45,680 time. And they did it the third time. 189 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:49,000 And the water ran about the altar, round about the altar And 190 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:50,920 he filled the trench also with water. 191 00:09:51,550 --> 00:09:54,350 And it came to pass at the time of the evening sacrifice, the 192 00:09:54,350 --> 00:09:56,550 offering, the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came 193 00:09:56,550 --> 00:10:00,390 near and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel. 194 00:10:01,030 --> 00:10:03,470 And it be known this. Day that thou art God in Israel, 195 00:10:03,750 --> 00:10:06,590 and that I am thy servant, and that I've done all these things 196 00:10:06,590 --> 00:10:09,310 at thy word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me that 197 00:10:09,310 --> 00:10:12,190 this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou 198 00:10:12,190 --> 00:10:13,510 hast turned their heart back again. 199 00:10:14,030 --> 00:10:17,990 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consume the burnt sacrifice. 200 00:10:17,990 --> 00:10:19,430 And the wood, and the stones and the. 201 00:10:19,430 --> 00:10:21,260 Dust. And looked at the water that was 202 00:10:21,260 --> 00:10:23,780 in the trench and when all the people saw it they fell on their 203 00:10:23,780 --> 00:10:29,220 faces and they said the Lord he is God, the Lord he is God. 204 00:10:29,700 --> 00:10:30,860 I mean Can you imagine the scene? 205 00:10:31,220 --> 00:10:33,820 Not only did he do what the prophets of Bale did, but did 206 00:10:33,820 --> 00:10:38,060 you catch what he did additionally to try to make the? 207 00:10:39,860 --> 00:10:43,580 Sacrifice even more difficult was not only did he lay all of 208 00:10:43,580 --> 00:10:46,820 this in order with the wood, but they took barrels of water and 209 00:10:46,820 --> 00:10:50,940 poured water and water over so much water that the water would 210 00:10:50,940 --> 00:10:53,980 have soaked the sacrifice, soaked the wood, and then even 211 00:10:53,980 --> 00:10:56,340 filled the trench. That was roundabout and all Lija 212 00:10:56,340 --> 00:10:59,020 did was offer a simple. Prayer he called into the Lord 213 00:10:59,020 --> 00:11:02,340 of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob of Israel of Jacob, and he calls 214 00:11:02,340 --> 00:11:04,020 him to the Lord. And the fire, the Bible says, 215 00:11:04,020 --> 00:11:07,180 came down from heaven. And not only did the fire take 216 00:11:07,180 --> 00:11:10,370 the sacrifice. But the fire took the wood, the 217 00:11:10,370 --> 00:11:13,490 fire took the water that was in the trench, and the fire took 218 00:11:13,490 --> 00:11:16,210 the stones that were there as well. 219 00:11:16,210 --> 00:11:18,490 Now, I don't know a whole lot about fire, but I do know this 220 00:11:18,850 --> 00:11:21,370 fire could take sacrifice. I mean, that's kind of what it's 221 00:11:21,370 --> 00:11:23,210 supposed to do, although it would leave residue. 222 00:11:23,210 --> 00:11:27,490 Fire is supposed to take wood. Fire will even evaporate water, 223 00:11:27,490 --> 00:11:29,730 but it's not supposed to take stones. 224 00:11:31,410 --> 00:11:34,730 What's the picture here? That there could be no doubt in 225 00:11:34,730 --> 00:11:38,700 anyone's mind that saw this? That what happened was not just 226 00:11:39,060 --> 00:11:43,620 an environmental phenomenon, but that it was God himself at work 227 00:11:43,620 --> 00:11:47,340 authenticating the messenger, but most importantly 228 00:11:47,460 --> 00:11:50,180 authenticating himself and who he was. 229 00:11:50,300 --> 00:11:52,780 And the people that were there. They could come to no other 230 00:11:52,780 --> 00:11:54,820 conclusion. They no longer had to halt 231 00:11:54,820 --> 00:11:57,740 between two opinions. They were no longer standing or 232 00:11:57,740 --> 00:12:02,140 straddling between God and bail. No, they said, the Lord Jehovah, 233 00:12:02,140 --> 00:12:05,900 He is God, the Lord He is God. Now we know what happened here 234 00:12:06,020 --> 00:12:07,060 was totally. God. 235 00:12:07,140 --> 00:12:10,100 It was God. 100%. There is no way that Elijah 236 00:12:10,100 --> 00:12:12,220 conjured this up. There was no way that Elijah 237 00:12:12,220 --> 00:12:14,660 could have manipulated this. But let's also say this. 238 00:12:14,900 --> 00:12:19,580 God used Elijah as his servant because he was willing to serve 239 00:12:19,740 --> 00:12:23,500 and willing to stand up for God in a time when no one else was 240 00:12:23,500 --> 00:12:26,140 standing up for God. Let's be clear, it was God that 241 00:12:26,140 --> 00:12:28,900 did it. But God used Elijah to do 242 00:12:28,900 --> 00:12:31,860 something great. Absolutely incredible. 243 00:12:32,620 --> 00:12:37,160 But that's not it, remember? That they've now had a drought 244 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:41,200 for all of this time. God's point has been made. 245 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:46,720 Let's continue reading. Go down to verse #40 and Elijah 246 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:48,960 said under them take the profits of bail that not one of them 247 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:51,400 escape and they took them and Elijah brought them down to the 248 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:55,120 book Kidron Kyshawn rather and slew them there. 249 00:12:55,680 --> 00:12:59,360 And Elijah said under a ham, Get the up eat and drink for there 250 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:03,160 is a sound of abundance of rain. Now. 251 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:05,280 Yesterday I kept thinking there was going to be rain. 252 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:07,920 You know why? But one, because there was but 253 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:10,960 two there were rain clouds. We're going to continue to read 254 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:13,280 here And I don't believe there was even one cloud in the sky. 255 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:19,960 But he said not with the ears of the the body, but with the ears 256 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:22,240 of faith. He says you better get ready 257 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:26,160 because it's about to storm. And he said to a servant, go now 258 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:28,280 and look toward the sea. And he went up and looked and 259 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:31,640 said there was nothing. And he said go up again 7 times. 260 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:33,680 So seven times he sends a servant back and forth. 261 00:13:33,680 --> 00:13:35,550 Where's the rain? There's no rain. 262 00:13:35,550 --> 00:13:37,110 Go again. Where's the rain? 263 00:13:37,230 --> 00:13:40,070 There's no rain. Go again. 7 times this goes 264 00:13:40,070 --> 00:13:42,150 forward. And it came to pass the 7th time 265 00:13:42,150 --> 00:13:44,670 that he said, behold, there arises a little cloud out of the 266 00:13:44,670 --> 00:13:47,710 sea like a man's hand. So see, I believe that shows 267 00:13:47,710 --> 00:13:49,310 that there was no cloud there before. 268 00:13:49,510 --> 00:13:51,790 So when he heard the sound of rain, it wasn't because rain 269 00:13:51,790 --> 00:13:53,870 clouds were gathering. He said there's a little cloud 270 00:13:53,870 --> 00:13:58,150 like a like a man's hand. And he said, get up, Santa. 271 00:13:58,150 --> 00:14:00,790 Aha, prepare thy chariot. Get thee down at the rain. 272 00:14:00,790 --> 00:14:02,740 Stop thee not. And it came to pass in the 273 00:14:02,740 --> 00:14:05,940 meanwhile, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and 274 00:14:05,940 --> 00:14:09,380 there was a great rain like they hadn't seen in years, and Ahab 275 00:14:09,380 --> 00:14:10,260 Rd. And went to. 276 00:14:10,260 --> 00:14:13,220 Jezreel and the hand of the Lord was on Elijah, and he girded his 277 00:14:13,220 --> 00:14:15,660 loins and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. 278 00:14:16,020 --> 00:14:19,620 I believe that on top of all of this, not only did he perform 279 00:14:20,020 --> 00:14:23,460 this great miracle at the hands of God to have the sacrifice 280 00:14:23,460 --> 00:14:26,340 consumed, not only did he have the great faith to be able to 281 00:14:26,340 --> 00:14:30,500 know that it was about to rain, and he prayed, and the rain came 282 00:14:30,500 --> 00:14:32,620 for the first time in three. And a half years. 283 00:14:32,780 --> 00:14:37,140 But I believe that he told Ahab get in your chariot and go down 284 00:14:37,580 --> 00:14:40,460 to Jezreel and it says that he got there before him. 285 00:14:40,460 --> 00:14:42,100 Well how did he do that? He may have had some 286 00:14:42,100 --> 00:14:44,700 supernatural running abilities during that time and it was just 287 00:14:44,700 --> 00:14:48,300 like God wanted to show Ahab one more time how feeble he was and 288 00:14:48,300 --> 00:14:51,540 how great God was Ahab getting his chair ride ride man. 289 00:14:51,540 --> 00:14:53,660 We got we got to go it's it's going to storm. 290 00:14:53,660 --> 00:14:55,380 We got to get back to our palace. 291 00:14:55,380 --> 00:14:57,780 We got to get back to where we need to go and and the chariot 292 00:14:57,780 --> 00:15:00,340 driver is is looking in his rearview mirror. 293 00:15:01,670 --> 00:15:04,870 And someone's coming up hard on the side, and I can almost 294 00:15:04,870 --> 00:15:07,110 imagine they have, looking out the chariot and realizing. 295 00:15:07,430 --> 00:15:09,070 It's. Not the Road Runner. 296 00:15:10,150 --> 00:15:14,190 It's Elijah. Meet me and he's gone, he said. 297 00:15:14,190 --> 00:15:16,470 Well, why is that important? Well, it's important because God 298 00:15:16,470 --> 00:15:19,430 is showing himself to be great and mighty. 299 00:15:19,630 --> 00:15:23,750 And again, who is he using? He's using Elijah. 300 00:15:25,150 --> 00:15:28,510 Was Elijah the one who caused the sacrifice to be consumed? 301 00:15:28,910 --> 00:15:31,150 No. Was Elijah the one. 302 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:33,840 Who caused the rain to fall? No. 303 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:39,120 Was Elijah the one who had supernatural speed within his 304 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:40,240 body? No. 305 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:46,640 But God used Elijah to be able to do all of those things as his 306 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:48,560 servant. And I would submit to you that 307 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:54,800 God used Elijah that day as a servant in a way that very few, 308 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:58,640 if any, of God's servants have ever been used throughout 309 00:15:58,640 --> 00:16:01,320 recorded history. Absolutely. 310 00:16:01,700 --> 00:16:06,460 Incredible. But here's the thing that brings 311 00:16:06,460 --> 00:16:12,580 us to Chapter 19. That brings us back to our text. 312 00:16:13,820 --> 00:16:16,260 Because remember, our focus really is not on what we just 313 00:16:16,260 --> 00:16:18,980 read in chapter 18. It's in Chapter 19. 314 00:16:18,980 --> 00:16:21,940 Look at it again and we can almost put it this way. 315 00:16:22,020 --> 00:16:25,900 And after all this, Ahab told Jezebel. 316 00:16:25,900 --> 00:16:28,340 All that Elijah had done. Apparently Jezebel did not go to 317 00:16:28,340 --> 00:16:31,500 Mount Carmel herself. But they had filled her in on 318 00:16:31,500 --> 00:16:33,460 what happened. She apparently did not watch the 319 00:16:33,460 --> 00:16:37,180 live stream. And with all how he had slain 320 00:16:37,180 --> 00:16:40,380 all the prophets with the sword 450 prophets dead her personal 321 00:16:40,380 --> 00:16:43,060 prophets. Then Jezebel sent a message 322 00:16:43,060 --> 00:16:47,380 under a over into Elijah saying. So let the gods do to me a more 323 00:16:47,380 --> 00:16:51,700 also if I make not thy life as one of them by tomorrow about 324 00:16:51,700 --> 00:16:54,140 this time. I don't know how long this could 325 00:16:54,140 --> 00:16:58,180 have been, but very likely we're talking within the same day or 326 00:16:58,180 --> 00:17:00,000 so. Why? 327 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:02,040 Well, because he went to Jezreel. 328 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:03,080 He would have gone to the palace. 329 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:04,480 Very likely. He would have seen Jezebel. 330 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:06,880 Very likely Jezebel. Would have been interested of 331 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:08,640 having known what happened on Mount Carmel. 332 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:11,079 In fact, Jezebel couldn't have insulated herself from what 333 00:17:11,079 --> 00:17:13,599 happened on Mount Carmel for very long because it would have 334 00:17:13,599 --> 00:17:16,079 been the talk of the entire Kingdom of what God had done 335 00:17:16,079 --> 00:17:17,960 there. So Jezebel would have heard this 336 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:20,560 news very quickly. And she sends a message to 337 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:22,400 Elijah. And this message is this, you 338 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:24,440 know how you killed all my prophets, He says. 339 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:26,839 By tomorrow you'll be dead too, just like them. 340 00:17:28,530 --> 00:17:32,570 Now here's where Elijah. Here's where Elijah says, oh, 341 00:17:32,570 --> 00:17:35,530 you're swearing by your gods. You mean those gods that don't 342 00:17:35,530 --> 00:17:37,370 exist? Those gods that we proved to be? 343 00:17:37,370 --> 00:17:41,290 Nobody's just a few days ago. Well, if you want me, come get 344 00:17:41,290 --> 00:17:42,570 me. Because here I am. 345 00:17:42,570 --> 00:17:44,530 I'm standing for God. I'm serving God. 346 00:17:44,730 --> 00:17:47,410 Listen, he seemed untouchable just the chapter ago. 347 00:17:47,530 --> 00:17:50,650 He stands up and says, no. Do what you want, lady. 348 00:17:50,770 --> 00:17:53,170 I'm here. I'm going to stand my ground, 349 00:17:53,170 --> 00:17:57,370 and there's nothing you can do. But it was exactly the opposite. 350 00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:00,960 Spurgeon put it this way. Elijah failed in the very point 351 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:05,400 at which he was strongest, and this is where most people fail. 352 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:10,320 In Scripture, it is the wisest man who proves himself at times 353 00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:13,240 to be the greatest fool, just as the meekest man. 354 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:15,280 Moses spoke hasty and bitter words. 355 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:20,240 Abraham failed in his faith and job and his patience. 356 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:24,240 So who was so? He was who. 357 00:18:24,360 --> 00:18:27,460 And let's try that again. So he who was the most 358 00:18:27,460 --> 00:18:30,660 courageous of all men fled from an angry woman. 359 00:18:33,540 --> 00:18:37,460 He should have stood his ground. He just stood his ground against 360 00:18:37,460 --> 00:18:40,340 a much. Tougher foe, a chapter before, 361 00:18:41,980 --> 00:18:45,580 but somewhere along the line, discouragements in him and when 362 00:18:45,580 --> 00:18:48,460 he saw that he arose, he saw the message, He arose, He went for 363 00:18:48,460 --> 00:18:52,220 his life, He came to Beersheba. Your Bible geography would tell 364 00:18:52,220 --> 00:18:55,260 you Beersheba is the most southernmost point. 365 00:18:55,700 --> 00:18:57,700 Of the Kingdom of Israel and Judah. 366 00:18:58,740 --> 00:19:01,900 And so he went as far as he could go in the land of Israel. 367 00:19:01,900 --> 00:19:04,420 Even in the divided Kingdom it would have been Judah. 368 00:19:04,420 --> 00:19:07,540 At that time he left his servant there. 369 00:19:07,700 --> 00:19:10,260 By the way, discourage people don't usually take a bunch of 370 00:19:10,260 --> 00:19:12,660 people with them. They usually separate themselves 371 00:19:12,660 --> 00:19:15,140 and go alone. And that's what he did. 372 00:19:15,180 --> 00:19:17,140 He he had a man that God had given him to be an 373 00:19:17,140 --> 00:19:19,300 encouragement, his servant. But he left his servant there. 374 00:19:19,500 --> 00:19:21,420 And what did he do? He went a day's journey into the 375 00:19:21,420 --> 00:19:23,450 wilderness. He came and he sat down under a 376 00:19:23,450 --> 00:19:26,330 juniper tree. He requested for himself that he 377 00:19:26,330 --> 00:19:28,050 might die. I've heard people try to spin 378 00:19:28,050 --> 00:19:30,090 that into something that's somewhat spiritual. 379 00:19:30,090 --> 00:19:33,810 The answer is right here, he says, God, Take Me Home, let's 380 00:19:33,810 --> 00:19:35,650 just look at it unvarnished for what it is, he says. 381 00:19:35,650 --> 00:19:39,770 God, Take Me Home. It's enough now. 382 00:19:39,770 --> 00:19:44,810 Lord, take away my life, for I'm not better than my father's. 383 00:19:45,650 --> 00:19:49,410 And if you were just to read chapter 19 isolated, without 384 00:19:49,410 --> 00:19:51,610 having any context of what happened before, you think. 385 00:19:52,010 --> 00:19:54,410 This is a sad, bitter man who probably hasn't had a whole lot 386 00:19:54,410 --> 00:20:01,290 of the Lord's power in his life. And the truth is that just a 387 00:20:01,290 --> 00:20:05,530 breath ago he was performing by the power of God some of the 388 00:20:05,530 --> 00:20:07,450 most courageous acts that ever took place in the Word of God. 389 00:20:10,210 --> 00:20:13,810 As we look at the man Elijah, who suffers a horrible moment 390 00:20:13,970 --> 00:20:18,330 here in chapter #19, if we're not careful, we can look at him 391 00:20:18,330 --> 00:20:20,730 and our estimation of him could be lessened. 392 00:20:22,050 --> 00:20:24,850 Meaning this? Well, why weren't you stronger, 393 00:20:25,010 --> 00:20:27,850 Elijah? Why couldn't you handle this 394 00:20:27,850 --> 00:20:29,610 woman? Why weren't you? 395 00:20:29,810 --> 00:20:31,570 Tough. Enough, Elijah. 396 00:20:31,970 --> 00:20:34,930 You're a servant of God who is the God of all creation. 397 00:20:34,930 --> 00:20:36,930 Why couldn't you just tough it out? 398 00:20:38,370 --> 00:20:41,930 But let's be honest this morning and let's talk less about Elijah 399 00:20:41,930 --> 00:20:43,770 and let's talk more about you today, if that's all right. 400 00:20:45,170 --> 00:20:46,850 And if it's not all right, I'm going to anyway. 401 00:20:49,450 --> 00:20:51,130 Sometimes God servants get weary. 402 00:20:53,340 --> 00:20:56,500 Sometimes God's servants get weary. 403 00:20:58,620 --> 00:21:01,180 Bible says that we can get weary and welldoing. 404 00:21:02,180 --> 00:21:04,380 That's a Bible phrase, a Bible term. 405 00:21:05,500 --> 00:21:08,140 What do you mean, pastor? Well, you could be a witness for 406 00:21:08,140 --> 00:21:12,140 the Lord and maybe nobody gets saved or just seems like people 407 00:21:12,140 --> 00:21:14,940 are given lip service when you do talk to them about the Lord. 408 00:21:15,830 --> 00:21:18,830 Oh, yeah, I know I'll come to church or Oh yeah, I know Jesus. 409 00:21:18,830 --> 00:21:21,310 And it's just they're they're saying what you want to hear, 410 00:21:21,310 --> 00:21:23,390 but it may not seem real. You can get discouraged about 411 00:21:23,390 --> 00:21:25,030 that. I keep, I keep giving the faith. 412 00:21:25,030 --> 00:21:26,750 I keep giving the gospel. I keep trying to do. 413 00:21:26,950 --> 00:21:30,190 But nothing seems to happen after a while you can get 414 00:21:30,190 --> 00:21:33,030 discouraged. Maybe you're helping and you're 415 00:21:33,030 --> 00:21:34,590 being a blessing. But it seems like nobody's 416 00:21:34,590 --> 00:21:36,710 thankful for the things that you have done. 417 00:21:36,710 --> 00:21:38,830 That's a possibility can discourage you. 418 00:21:40,590 --> 00:21:44,190 Maybe you're serving the Lord, but it seems like. 419 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:48,200 Nobody else is serving the Lord. Well, Lord, look at what I'm 420 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:49,680 doing. But I'm looking around and I'm 421 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:53,120 waiting for everyone else to serve, and it looks like no one 422 00:21:53,120 --> 00:21:55,040 else is serving. And here I am. 423 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:57,760 And that can, let's be honest, get discouraging. 424 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:03,600 Maybe you've served a long time. You've been serving the Lord for 425 00:22:03,600 --> 00:22:06,560 a while and you just don't feel like you're making a difference. 426 00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:10,520 I've given and I've given and I've given and I've done and 427 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:12,840 I've done and I've served and I've served and what do I have 428 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:15,980 to show for it? Can get you discouraged. 429 00:22:17,900 --> 00:22:21,860 Maybe just had a great victory and you thought this is where 430 00:22:21,860 --> 00:22:24,380 revival breaks out. This is where things are just 431 00:22:24,380 --> 00:22:26,460 going to get good. I mean this is this is 432 00:22:26,460 --> 00:22:28,980 incredible. And then you find out it's not 433 00:22:29,460 --> 00:22:31,260 exactly like you thought it would be. 434 00:22:32,740 --> 00:22:35,980 Could be discouraging. Do you? 435 00:22:35,980 --> 00:22:38,220 Realize every single one of those things that I mentioned, I 436 00:22:38,220 --> 00:22:40,460 believe, happened to Elijah in chapter #18. 437 00:22:41,900 --> 00:22:46,240 I mean, think about this. God did a great miracle. 438 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:49,200 In chapter #18 they said the Lord he is God, the Lord He is 439 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:51,240 God. But it doesn't seem like 440 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:56,880 anyone's following Elijah. They all just go back home and 441 00:22:56,880 --> 00:22:59,920 go back to their lives. It's a good thing you're inside 442 00:22:59,920 --> 00:23:01,120 right now. This is more time for me. 443 00:23:01,120 --> 00:23:02,560 This is great. You don't want to go out in 444 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:04,440 that. This is great. 445 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:06,080 Lord, no. I don't want to pregnant that 446 00:23:07,680 --> 00:23:09,200 helping. And no one seems thankful. 447 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:11,880 I don't see one person thanking Elijah or talking to him. 448 00:23:12,180 --> 00:23:15,620 Maybe they did, I don't know. You're serving and no one else 449 00:23:15,620 --> 00:23:17,060 is you. Did you catch what he said at 450 00:23:17,060 --> 00:23:20,980 the beginning of that I alone and the prophet of God. 451 00:23:21,540 --> 00:23:26,620 I alone am the servant of God. Maybe he feels like this. 452 00:23:27,780 --> 00:23:31,300 I've been serving Israel for all these years and I expected to 453 00:23:31,300 --> 00:23:35,380 see more come from this, and I just don't see a whole lot. 454 00:23:36,260 --> 00:23:38,500 And of course, it was on his greatest victory. 455 00:23:39,420 --> 00:23:44,500 That turned this great discouragement that came all of 456 00:23:44,500 --> 00:23:49,980 these things happened to Elijah. But here's what I want you to 457 00:23:49,980 --> 00:23:53,580 understand this morning, and this is the application. 458 00:23:53,580 --> 00:23:55,380 We're spending a little bit of time on the application for us 459 00:23:55,380 --> 00:23:57,780 here today, but this is what I want you to understand. 460 00:23:58,820 --> 00:24:03,580 Even a righteous man can get discouraged in service. 461 00:24:07,040 --> 00:24:09,480 Here's why I say that some of you might be kicking yourself 462 00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:11,120 today about being discouraged in service. 463 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:15,040 I wish I was doing more. Why don't I do more? 464 00:24:16,120 --> 00:24:18,600 I have this desire to do more and it just never seems to work 465 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:20,400 out. I seem to only please myself. 466 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:23,120 I'm not pleasing God and I'm not doing for others as I should. 467 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:25,360 And maybe you're getting discouraged in service. 468 00:24:25,360 --> 00:24:28,600 Maybe you know you want to serve and it's not happening like you 469 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:30,080 want. Or maybe you were serving God 470 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:32,880 before and you're not now. Or maybe you're having this 471 00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:34,760 difficulty in your life. Or you feel like you're doing 472 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:36,800 and you're doing and you're doing, and nobody cares. 473 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:38,600 And nobody's thankful. And there's no results. 474 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:40,880 And I don't know what it is. There's a lot of different 475 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:43,400 reasons it could be in our lives, just like I mentioned 476 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:45,640 just a few moments ago. But here's what I came to the 477 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:47,880 conclusion of just this week and doing some Bible reading and 478 00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:49,560 trying to connect some things together. 479 00:24:49,680 --> 00:24:52,320 Instead of looking Elijah and saying, wow, that guy should 480 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:54,560 have got tough, it looking at Elijah, say, wow, that guy 481 00:24:54,560 --> 00:24:56,400 wasn't strong enough. He wasn't made of the right 482 00:24:56,400 --> 00:24:57,960 stuff. Listen, he was made of more 483 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:02,040 stuff than I think you and I are because it was Chapter 18. 484 00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:04,040 I'm standing on Mount Carmel. Like, hey, are you guys OK? 485 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:07,040 Nobody's got pitchforks. Do they? 486 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:08,640 Torches. Are we Okay. 487 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:12,680 But he stood in front of bold as a lion, and he said the word of 488 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:17,160 the Lord. But even someone who is 489 00:25:17,160 --> 00:25:20,760 righteous can have a period of discouragement and doubt. 490 00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:24,120 And I say that not to discourage you. 491 00:25:24,120 --> 00:25:26,960 I say that to encourage you that because when we start to have 492 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:28,880 those periods of doubt and discouragement, what does Satan 493 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:30,480 try to say? You're no good. 494 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:35,600 Look at all God's done for you. And this is how you respond. 495 00:25:36,460 --> 00:25:40,940 This is how you react. Even the righteous can have 496 00:25:40,940 --> 00:25:43,620 times of discouragement in their life. 497 00:25:43,740 --> 00:25:49,020 Look, Elijah asked for his life to be taken away from him, you 498 00:25:49,020 --> 00:25:51,060 say. Why do you say all this? 499 00:25:52,460 --> 00:25:54,060 Well, it's not because it's my opinion. 500 00:25:55,140 --> 00:25:56,740 It's because it's what God's word says. 501 00:25:57,260 --> 00:26:00,260 But not here in First Kings. Believe it or not, we have to go 502 00:26:00,260 --> 00:26:02,260 to James Chapter #5. Will you turn there with me 503 00:26:02,260 --> 00:26:03,460 please? James Chapter #5. 504 00:26:04,060 --> 00:26:05,460 Has near the end of your New Testament. 505 00:26:05,460 --> 00:26:08,420 If you're not familiar with where that is, James and chapter 506 00:26:08,420 --> 00:26:16,020 #5, even a righteous man can get discouraged in service. 507 00:26:16,020 --> 00:26:19,500 I didn't say a quitter. I didn't say a carnal man. 508 00:26:19,500 --> 00:26:22,340 I said a righteous man. A righteous person can get 509 00:26:22,340 --> 00:26:27,140 discouraged in service. Look at James chapter 5 and 510 00:26:27,140 --> 00:26:30,620 begin in reading in verse #13, and we'll begin reading it when 511 00:26:30,620 --> 00:26:34,800 I get there. James, Chapter #5 Thank you 512 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:39,080 Peter. And first number first number 513 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:41,400 13. Still raining. 514 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:45,800 We're good. Is any among you afflicted? 515 00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:49,440 Let him pray. Let me let me wait, cuz I still 516 00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:50,760 hear some pages turn. That's okay. 517 00:26:50,760 --> 00:26:52,560 James. Chapter 5 will be in verse #13. 518 00:26:54,240 --> 00:26:56,600 Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. 519 00:26:57,040 --> 00:26:59,520 Is any merry? Let him sing psalms. 520 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:02,880 Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of 521 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:07,200 the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil 522 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:10,160 in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall 523 00:27:10,160 --> 00:27:12,360 save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up. 524 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:15,160 And if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 525 00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:17,960 Now what do we see here? Could I just put it this way? 526 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:21,600 Prayer works. I was hoping more of you to 527 00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:24,080 agree with me than that. But prayer works back. 528 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:26,840 The Bible talks about the anointing of those who are sick. 529 00:27:26,840 --> 00:27:29,040 That's something we've done here at Liberty Baptist Church before 530 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:31,220 we've. Taking oil and actually applied 531 00:27:31,220 --> 00:27:33,780 it to those who were sick. Praying and faith that the Lord 532 00:27:33,780 --> 00:27:36,780 would heal the sick. Because I believe we take God at 533 00:27:36,780 --> 00:27:38,620 His word and he says to do it and we do. 534 00:27:38,620 --> 00:27:40,900 You say, well, what does that accomplish if you do it as well? 535 00:27:40,900 --> 00:27:42,580 I don't know other than just obedience. 536 00:27:43,420 --> 00:27:45,540 He said to do it. So we do it and there are times 537 00:27:45,540 --> 00:27:49,060 and seasons where we do that is requested upon us by someone or 538 00:27:49,060 --> 00:27:50,220 that I've requested someone else. 539 00:27:50,220 --> 00:27:52,180 May we as a church do this on your behalf? 540 00:27:52,420 --> 00:27:55,460 And I've always seen the Lord work in a great way because 541 00:27:55,820 --> 00:27:59,480 prayer works. That's better. 542 00:27:59,480 --> 00:28:03,000 All right, good. Confess your fault one to 543 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:04,400 another and pray one for another. 544 00:28:04,400 --> 00:28:07,480 You may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of 545 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:10,720 a righteous man of aleth much. Now that's an important phrase. 546 00:28:10,720 --> 00:28:14,200 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man of Aleth much 547 00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:15,880 Elias. Who's Elias? 548 00:28:15,880 --> 00:28:19,000 Well, that's the New Testament way of saying the Old Testament 549 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:22,800 name of Elijah. Elias was a man subject to like 550 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:25,920 passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might 551 00:28:25,920 --> 00:28:29,040 not rain and it rained not on the earth by the space of. 552 00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:32,440 Three years and six months, and he prayed again, and the heaven 553 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:35,360 gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. 554 00:28:35,360 --> 00:28:38,760 So what do we see here? We see that Elijah prayed. 555 00:28:39,170 --> 00:28:41,570 And the rain stopped for 3 1/2 years. 556 00:28:41,690 --> 00:28:44,730 But then Elijah prayed again. Remember, we saw this in First 557 00:28:44,730 --> 00:28:46,410 Kings chapter #18. He prayed. 558 00:28:46,410 --> 00:28:48,890 I hear the noise of rain. There's no clouds. 559 00:28:49,010 --> 00:28:51,130 But he's praying. And he knows that the prayer of 560 00:28:51,130 --> 00:28:55,450 faith will allow those clouds to be able to form and for the rain 561 00:28:55,450 --> 00:28:57,210 to fall. And so he prays. 562 00:28:57,450 --> 00:29:00,770 And he asked the Lord to open the windows of heaven again, and 563 00:29:00,770 --> 00:29:02,810 the windows of heaven open. And we're reminded that the 564 00:29:02,810 --> 00:29:06,210 prayers of the Saints of God are important. 565 00:29:06,410 --> 00:29:08,530 But what does it say of Elijah Now Listen. 566 00:29:08,530 --> 00:29:09,810 This is important. And I have to make this 567 00:29:09,810 --> 00:29:11,810 connection here or this message doesn't work. 568 00:29:11,810 --> 00:29:13,450 And maybe you'd say pastor, it's already not working. 569 00:29:13,450 --> 00:29:15,690 And that's about, I don't know, but I want to make this 570 00:29:15,690 --> 00:29:17,530 connection here because this is important to be able to have 571 00:29:17,530 --> 00:29:19,570 this message fit the way that it should. 572 00:29:20,290 --> 00:29:27,170 Elijah prayed and the heavens opened and within hours or days 573 00:29:27,570 --> 00:29:30,610 he was discouraged. OK, that's the timeline, 574 00:29:30,610 --> 00:29:31,570 correct? That we see. 575 00:29:31,730 --> 00:29:35,650 He prayed the heavens open and within hours or days he was 576 00:29:35,650 --> 00:29:38,250 discouraged and asked the Lord to to take his life. 577 00:29:38,910 --> 00:29:43,630 But how does God address Elijah at this moment in time? 578 00:29:44,270 --> 00:29:47,750 In James chapter 5? Does God call him a weak man? 579 00:29:48,950 --> 00:29:52,950 Does God call him a man of of unsound faith? 580 00:29:54,070 --> 00:29:59,710 Does God call him a turncoat? The effectual, fervent prayer of 581 00:29:59,790 --> 00:30:05,510 a righteous man? James is talking about a 582 00:30:05,550 --> 00:30:09,760 righteous man's prayer. And then by the inspiration of 583 00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:14,600 God, when he's looking for an illustration of that, he uses 584 00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:18,040 Elijah as an example. So what do I see? 585 00:30:19,080 --> 00:30:24,440 I see a righteous man who got discouraged in service. 586 00:30:25,520 --> 00:30:29,010 Why is this important? Well, because Isaiah chapter 61 587 00:30:29,010 --> 00:30:32,130 tells us the righteousness we have is the righteousness of God 588 00:30:32,130 --> 00:30:34,690 that's been placed upon us. If you are saved, if you know 589 00:30:34,770 --> 00:30:37,610 Jesus Christ, your Savior today, by the way, you're not saved 590 00:30:37,610 --> 00:30:40,010 because of the things you do, because you join a church, 591 00:30:40,010 --> 00:30:42,130 because you do good works, because you gave stuff to a yard 592 00:30:42,130 --> 00:30:44,490 sale or something like that. By the way, thanks for that. 593 00:30:44,650 --> 00:30:47,570 But you're not saved by that. That's not what saves a person. 594 00:30:47,570 --> 00:30:50,570 No, what saves a person is confessing their sin and calling 595 00:30:50,570 --> 00:30:54,090 upon Jesus Christ to save them, because only His righteousness 596 00:30:54,570 --> 00:30:56,650 can be placed upon us for us to be saved. 597 00:30:56,970 --> 00:30:58,890 But. What I see here is this is here 598 00:30:58,890 --> 00:31:05,210 is a man who is seen as God, as righteous, and just hours later. 599 00:31:05,650 --> 00:31:07,530 Not my words, God's words. He's righteous. 600 00:31:07,530 --> 00:31:11,650 And just hours or a day or two later, he's in a bad way. 601 00:31:13,090 --> 00:31:16,410 Why is this important? Because when we are in seasons 602 00:31:16,410 --> 00:31:21,130 of discouragement, Satan tells us not that we're righteous. 603 00:31:23,210 --> 00:31:26,890 He tells you you're no good. You know what he says? 604 00:31:27,240 --> 00:31:29,640 Why even go back? No, I'm talking about going back 605 00:31:29,640 --> 00:31:31,400 to your walk with the Lord. Why even go back? 606 00:31:32,080 --> 00:31:34,720 Why even do those things? What point is there? 607 00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:37,000 You're a failure. You're no good. 608 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:38,280 You're a chump. You're a loser. 609 00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:41,120 I mean, do I need to go on? This is what Satan tells people 610 00:31:41,240 --> 00:31:42,760 on a regular basis. Well, because. 611 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:45,600 Because you got discouraged. Because because you got down, 612 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:48,320 because you're on this high. But then the pendulum swung the 613 00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:50,680 other way and now you're not. And now you're asking for your 614 00:31:50,680 --> 00:31:53,080 life. And no, no, you're no good. 615 00:31:53,080 --> 00:31:54,440 You're what? God doesn't even want you 616 00:31:54,440 --> 00:31:56,400 anymore. You know, what I see is that? 617 00:31:56,400 --> 00:31:59,040 This righteous. Man got discouraged and he says, 618 00:31:59,040 --> 00:32:03,440 God, I, I I want to die. And what God does is a long 619 00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:05,840 form, if you will, of therapy in his life. 620 00:32:05,840 --> 00:32:08,160 When he says, oh, you need some help, well then I'm going to 621 00:32:08,160 --> 00:32:09,360 help you. You know what he does? 622 00:32:09,520 --> 00:32:12,360 He, he, we. I don't have time. 623 00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:14,120 All right, you know what he does. 624 00:32:17,680 --> 00:32:19,640 Verse #5. He tells him to get some rest. 625 00:32:21,560 --> 00:32:22,640 You know what? You know what you. 626 00:32:22,640 --> 00:32:24,520 Know I'm not saying a good. Sleep will solve all your 627 00:32:24,520 --> 00:32:26,490 problems. But sometimes some of our 628 00:32:26,490 --> 00:32:30,050 problems are because we don't sleep or they're magnified 629 00:32:30,050 --> 00:32:31,770 because we haven't slept. Get some rest. 630 00:32:31,930 --> 00:32:33,210 God tells him. Get some rest. 631 00:32:33,410 --> 00:32:35,930 He fed him. He needs some food. 632 00:32:36,210 --> 00:32:38,410 No wonder us Baptists like potlucks. 633 00:32:39,210 --> 00:32:40,450 We're just trying to encourage you. 634 00:32:40,450 --> 00:32:44,170 That's all we're doing. That's all we're doing. 635 00:32:44,170 --> 00:32:46,090 You know, he fed him. He hydrated him. 636 00:32:46,730 --> 00:32:49,730 He told to drink. He told me, get moving, he said 637 00:32:49,730 --> 00:32:52,050 don't just lay around here after you get up and kind of stretch a 638 00:32:52,050 --> 00:32:53,970 little bit. Get up, get moving, get get 639 00:32:53,970 --> 00:32:57,330 about, work yourself around. And then verse #12, you know 640 00:32:57,330 --> 00:32:59,610 what he had to do. He had to listen to the voice of 641 00:32:59,610 --> 00:33:01,850 God. And you remember, God tried to 642 00:33:02,090 --> 00:33:05,050 manifest himself in all these large ways and Elijah didn't 643 00:33:05,050 --> 00:33:08,130 really respond. But was the still small voice 644 00:33:08,330 --> 00:33:11,730 that God used in verse #12 in the Bible says that he took his 645 00:33:11,730 --> 00:33:14,770 mantle, he took his outer cloak, and he wrapped himself because 646 00:33:15,010 --> 00:33:17,170 it penetrated, I believe deep into his soul. 647 00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:22,480 God spoke to him. What do we do when we are 648 00:33:22,480 --> 00:33:24,000 discouraged? Remember, you're not alone. 649 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:28,520 Verse #17 in First Kings chapter #19 tells us that God revealed 650 00:33:28,520 --> 00:33:31,600 to Him there's 7000 people who haven't even vowed to need to 651 00:33:31,600 --> 00:33:33,680 bail yet. You think you're alone. 652 00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:35,480 You're not alone. Can't tell you every time you 653 00:33:35,480 --> 00:33:37,160 think you're alone in service, you're not alone. 654 00:33:37,960 --> 00:33:40,040 Every time you think you're alone in struggling, you're not 655 00:33:40,040 --> 00:33:42,010 alone. You know what Satan does? 656 00:33:42,010 --> 00:33:44,330 Satan's the isolator. He tries to take you away from 657 00:33:44,330 --> 00:33:45,130 the herd. You know why? 658 00:33:45,290 --> 00:33:47,730 When animals are together in a herd, they're protected from the 659 00:33:47,730 --> 00:33:49,450 predator. What does the predator do? 660 00:33:49,450 --> 00:33:51,770 He preys on those who are away from the herd. 661 00:33:51,890 --> 00:33:54,330 The one that's hurt, the one that's weak, the one that's a 662 00:33:54,330 --> 00:33:56,690 little bit slower. Those are the one that he goes 663 00:33:56,690 --> 00:33:58,050 to. But but listen, you say, well, 664 00:33:58,050 --> 00:34:00,050 I'm so you're saying I'm weak, I'm slow. 665 00:34:00,050 --> 00:34:03,090 You know, I'm saying you are righteous in the eyes of God and 666 00:34:03,090 --> 00:34:06,210 that you can just go back to him, run into his loving arms 667 00:34:06,370 --> 00:34:08,330 and he will help. You know, don't listen to 668 00:34:08,330 --> 00:34:11,090 Satan's lies to you about why you shouldn't be a servant or. 669 00:34:11,170 --> 00:34:13,250 Why you shouldn't serve him or why you shouldn't walk to him. 670 00:34:13,250 --> 00:34:16,170 No, don't walk. Run to his arms today and be 671 00:34:16,170 --> 00:34:19,210 able to go and start a new and afresh with him again. 672 00:34:19,210 --> 00:34:21,810 Then you know what else you need to do. 673 00:34:23,130 --> 00:34:28,290 Do what God commands you to do. God gave him purpose that day 674 00:34:28,929 --> 00:34:31,090 when He was there in Mount Sinai. 675 00:34:32,250 --> 00:34:33,530 He said. I have some jobs for you to do. 676 00:34:33,530 --> 00:34:35,370 There's some people you need to anoint, including your 677 00:34:35,370 --> 00:34:39,889 successor, a man named Elijah. He gave him purpose again. 678 00:34:40,820 --> 00:34:43,179 He says I still have a job for you, and some of you may not 679 00:34:43,179 --> 00:34:44,460 have been serving God for a while. 680 00:34:44,460 --> 00:34:46,820 Can I tell you something? If you're righteous, if you have 681 00:34:46,820 --> 00:34:49,380 the righteousness of him upon you, he still has work for you 682 00:34:49,380 --> 00:34:51,780 to do. Well, I missed work that I was 683 00:34:51,780 --> 00:34:52,780 supposed to do. What will? 684 00:34:52,780 --> 00:34:54,940 That work is gone. Those days are done. 685 00:34:55,100 --> 00:34:57,500 God will take care of that. He already has taken care of 686 00:34:57,500 --> 00:34:58,940 that. Here's what you have to answer 687 00:34:58,940 --> 00:35:00,940 for today. He has jobs for you to do. 688 00:35:00,940 --> 00:35:02,700 He has plans for you. He has things for you. 689 00:35:02,940 --> 00:35:05,100 And don't let say to will you? You messed it up before. 690 00:35:05,100 --> 00:35:08,520 You're not going to do, no no. God looked at Elijah, this man 691 00:35:08,520 --> 00:35:10,360 who wanted his own life taken away. 692 00:35:10,520 --> 00:35:14,400 He looked at him as righteous. Now, I'm not saying what he did 693 00:35:14,400 --> 00:35:15,280 was righteous. It. 694 00:35:16,320 --> 00:35:19,280 Was not the right thing for him to do, but he saw the 695 00:35:19,280 --> 00:35:21,240 righteousness of God that was upon him. 696 00:35:21,400 --> 00:35:25,040 He saw him as we are saved, seated in heavenly places. 697 00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:29,550 He saw who we are in Christ. And so I say this to encourage 698 00:35:29,550 --> 00:35:31,590 you this morning, that when Satan tries to get you to the 699 00:35:31,590 --> 00:35:33,430 place where I don't even know what I'm going to do, I don't 700 00:35:33,430 --> 00:35:35,270 even know where I'm going to go. I don't know how I'm going to do 701 00:35:35,270 --> 00:35:37,270 this. But think if Elijah could go 702 00:35:37,270 --> 00:35:39,590 through this, you're going to go through it. 703 00:35:40,590 --> 00:35:42,470 And if. God looked at Elijah through the 704 00:35:42,470 --> 00:35:46,110 lens of love. Then he'll look at you through 705 00:35:46,110 --> 00:35:47,670 the lens of love and compassion as well. 706 00:35:48,430 --> 00:35:49,510 But you need to come back to him. 707 00:35:50,270 --> 00:35:53,070 But you need to come back to him and do what he's called you to 708 00:35:53,070 --> 00:35:55,350 do. You don't. 709 00:35:55,350 --> 00:35:57,870 I find the most ironic thing about this entire text. 710 00:35:59,610 --> 00:36:01,210 I don't know if I've ever thought of this before. 711 00:36:02,170 --> 00:36:05,290 What was his request? I want to die. 712 00:36:07,850 --> 00:36:11,650 Who was one of the few people in human history that never died? 713 00:36:14,810 --> 00:36:15,290 Elijah. He. 714 00:36:15,610 --> 00:36:18,930 He didn't die. Say, Pastor, are you? 715 00:36:20,690 --> 00:36:26,130 Everyone dies. Not Enoch in Genesis and not 716 00:36:26,130 --> 00:36:30,820 Elijah. Not Enoch and not Elijah, No. 717 00:36:30,820 --> 00:36:33,580 He was taken up in a whirlwind God. 718 00:36:33,580 --> 00:36:36,620 God took him away in a supernatural way to use it in 719 00:36:36,740 --> 00:36:40,660 Elijah's life. Do you realize this is one of 720 00:36:40,660 --> 00:36:43,340 the great ironies of God? And if I can put it this way, 721 00:36:43,460 --> 00:36:47,860 maybe his sense of humor that what you think you can't do or 722 00:36:47,860 --> 00:36:49,500 you think is right, He says. Oh yeah, let. 723 00:36:49,620 --> 00:36:54,460 Me show you this that he can take a quitter and make them 724 00:36:54,460 --> 00:37:00,350 into someone who's faithful. He can take a damaged person and 725 00:37:00,350 --> 00:37:04,750 a discouraged person and make them whole and an encourager 726 00:37:04,750 --> 00:37:07,350 again. He took a man who says I want to 727 00:37:07,350 --> 00:37:08,910 die. He says, well, when I'm done 728 00:37:08,910 --> 00:37:14,750 with you, he'll never die and he can take you from where you are. 729 00:37:14,910 --> 00:37:17,950 Well, I don't see it well. I imagine Elijah didn't see the 730 00:37:17,950 --> 00:37:20,070 rain clouds either, but he heard the sound of rain. 731 00:37:20,750 --> 00:37:22,070 You know why? Because he was a righteous man, 732 00:37:23,150 --> 00:37:25,470 and you may not be able to see how God can use you today. 733 00:37:26,230 --> 00:37:28,390 All you can hear is what Satan's telling you. 734 00:37:28,670 --> 00:37:34,870 Can I tell you, Say in faith. Get thee behind me, Satan. 735 00:37:35,670 --> 00:37:38,110 Those are lies. Straight from the pit and by the 736 00:37:38,110 --> 00:37:40,110 name of Jesus. Not by my own power, not by 737 00:37:40,110 --> 00:37:41,150 anything. No, no, no, you're not. 738 00:37:41,310 --> 00:37:42,830 You're not going toe to toe to the devil. 739 00:37:42,830 --> 00:37:44,910 You go toe to toe to the devil. He'll have you in another zip 740 00:37:44,910 --> 00:37:47,910 code in in in 5 minutes. No through. 741 00:37:47,910 --> 00:37:51,430 The power of God, through that, through the the the, the, the 742 00:37:51,430 --> 00:37:54,830 ceiling of the Holy Spirit. Who lives inside of you right 743 00:37:54,830 --> 00:37:57,830 now to say no, I'm not going to believe that which I realize 744 00:37:57,830 --> 00:37:59,470 that I have. This robe of righteousness is 745 00:37:59,470 --> 00:38:02,030 laid upon me once I know Jesus Christ is my Savior. 746 00:38:02,030 --> 00:38:04,990 And I might be discouraged, I might be down, But I see God. 747 00:38:05,230 --> 00:38:09,430 I see how God sees me. I see my position in Christ. 748 00:38:09,590 --> 00:38:12,310 And because of that, even though I wasn't going to be faithful, 749 00:38:12,310 --> 00:38:14,390 even though I was discouraged, even though I thought I couldn't 750 00:38:14,390 --> 00:38:18,430 do it, I realized I can't do it. But he can do it through me. 751 00:38:19,320 --> 00:38:20,760 And I'm going to get up and I'm going to do more. 752 00:38:20,880 --> 00:38:23,000 And I'll do greater than I ever have before. 753 00:38:23,000 --> 00:38:24,640 For the Lord will, but I'll fail again. 754 00:38:24,640 --> 00:38:26,720 Well, yeah, probably. You'll probably live for a few 755 00:38:26,720 --> 00:38:29,520 more years. But the righteous. 756 00:38:29,520 --> 00:38:32,760 Man falls seven times the proverb, say, but gets back up. 757 00:38:33,560 --> 00:38:35,040 Where are you today in your Christian life? 758 00:38:37,720 --> 00:38:41,480 We may have some discouraged people, I don't know. 759 00:38:41,480 --> 00:38:45,680 I mean, I know some of your testimonies, but we may have 760 00:38:45,680 --> 00:38:47,040 some discouraged people here today. 761 00:38:48,540 --> 00:38:50,860 And Satan's just telling you, you know, you go to church, but 762 00:38:50,860 --> 00:38:54,440 you're not going to be like those church people, quote, UN 763 00:38:54,440 --> 00:38:55,900 quote. You'll never be like those 764 00:38:55,900 --> 00:38:58,140 church people, Which I don't even know what that means 765 00:38:58,140 --> 00:38:59,340 really, because I know church people. 766 00:39:02,020 --> 00:39:05,220 I is a church people, so I don't know what that means. 767 00:39:07,340 --> 00:39:09,500 And you're discouraged from serving God if you know Jesus 768 00:39:09,500 --> 00:39:11,980 Christ, your Savior, you've been robed in his righteousness. 769 00:39:11,980 --> 00:39:14,980 Amen. No, being discouraged is not a 770 00:39:14,980 --> 00:39:17,140 righteous act. I'm not saying that. 771 00:39:17,700 --> 00:39:20,420 Because it's taking faith in God and putting it in ourselves. 772 00:39:21,140 --> 00:39:23,700 We understand. Let's be careful about this, but 773 00:39:23,700 --> 00:39:27,900 the same time, understand that he sees you in a way that 774 00:39:27,900 --> 00:39:29,620 Satan's not allowing you to see right now. 775 00:39:30,260 --> 00:39:33,020 And see yourself through the eyes of the one who saved you, 776 00:39:33,820 --> 00:39:35,380 not through the eyes of the deceiver. 777 00:39:36,140 --> 00:39:38,180 He's a liar. He has been from the beginning. 778 00:39:38,180 --> 00:39:41,260 You're going to listen to him about your life and your 779 00:39:41,260 --> 00:39:45,340 service. Satan never says, oh, you know 780 00:39:45,340 --> 00:39:46,940 what you'll you'll do best serving God. 781 00:39:48,370 --> 00:39:50,730 He never says that. Oh, yeah. 782 00:39:50,730 --> 00:39:52,210 You know what? You're a real winner. 783 00:39:52,330 --> 00:39:54,410 That you you're you're you're just what God needs. 784 00:39:54,410 --> 00:39:59,130 No, He never says that. No, He He puts those doubts, 785 00:39:59,130 --> 00:40:02,050 those seeds there. So today, if you were 786 00:40:02,050 --> 00:40:05,370 discouraged in your walk, you haven't lived up to what you 787 00:40:05,370 --> 00:40:07,770 think you could be for the Lord or what you have been in the 788 00:40:07,770 --> 00:40:09,570 past. May I remind you that it's God 789 00:40:09,570 --> 00:40:10,930 that can turn that all in a dime. 790 00:40:11,130 --> 00:40:13,330 And if he can take a man that said he wanted to die and make 791 00:40:13,330 --> 00:40:15,890 sure he never died, he can take someone that's discouraged and 792 00:40:15,890 --> 00:40:18,890 make him a great encourager. He can make a quitter and make 793 00:40:18,890 --> 00:40:21,250 them the one that keeps other people on the field and giving 794 00:40:21,250 --> 00:40:22,970 them encouragement. You know why? 795 00:40:22,970 --> 00:40:24,690 Because that's what. God does. 796 00:40:26,210 --> 00:40:30,330 That's what he does. But there's another group here 797 00:40:30,330 --> 00:40:33,010 this morning that may be this. You don't have that robe of 798 00:40:33,010 --> 00:40:35,130 righteousness on you because you don't know Jesus Christ, your 799 00:40:35,130 --> 00:40:37,410 Savior. And that means if you are not 800 00:40:37,450 --> 00:40:40,530 enrolled in His righteousness, when you stand at the great 801 00:40:40,530 --> 00:40:42,810 white throne of judgment, you will have to show your own 802 00:40:42,810 --> 00:40:45,050 righteousness. You know that word righteousness 803 00:40:45,050 --> 00:40:47,400 means your own rightness. Really. 804 00:40:47,840 --> 00:40:49,800 That you were right. That you were without sin. 805 00:40:49,800 --> 00:40:52,000 And the Bible tells us so clearly in the Book of 806 00:40:52,000 --> 00:40:54,240 Revelation that no one who stands the great right thrown in 807 00:40:54,240 --> 00:40:57,080 judgment will be able to show their own rightness before God, 808 00:40:57,320 --> 00:41:00,160 because books will be open and every swear word you've ever 809 00:41:00,160 --> 00:41:03,960 said will be there. Every smutty thought you've ever 810 00:41:03,960 --> 00:41:06,160 had will be there. You say, pastor. 811 00:41:06,160 --> 00:41:07,200 It doesn't say it in the word of God. 812 00:41:07,200 --> 00:41:09,560 No, no, I believe that because the evidence will be presented 813 00:41:09,560 --> 00:41:12,240 against you, and if you don't have the robe of righteousness 814 00:41:12,240 --> 00:41:14,760 upon yourself, you will have to be able to present your 815 00:41:14,760 --> 00:41:16,560 credentials, and they won't be good. 816 00:41:17,360 --> 00:41:20,160 Because the Bible says all have sinned and come short of the 817 00:41:20,160 --> 00:41:23,240 glory of God and everyone who is there at the great white throne 818 00:41:23,240 --> 00:41:25,800 of judgment that is not able to be able to show their own 819 00:41:25,800 --> 00:41:27,280 righteousness, which will be everyone. 820 00:41:27,480 --> 00:41:29,640 The Bible says we'll be cast in the lake of fire for all 821 00:41:29,640 --> 00:41:31,600 eternity. Not because God desired them to 822 00:41:31,600 --> 00:41:33,640 be there. In fact, John chapter 3 tells us 823 00:41:33,640 --> 00:41:38,080 quite the opposite, but because they have chosen when they had 824 00:41:38,080 --> 00:41:40,800 the truth of God's word to turn and go their own way. 825 00:41:43,440 --> 00:41:44,880 Do you have that robe of righteous today? 826 00:41:44,880 --> 00:41:46,440 It can only come for Jesus Christ. 827 00:41:46,940 --> 00:41:50,860 Don't leave here today without knowing for sure that heaven is 828 00:41:50,860 --> 00:41:55,060 your home, that the gospel truth has a lodging in your heart in 829 00:41:55,060 --> 00:41:57,660 your life today, and if you're discouraged is God servant, 830 00:41:58,220 --> 00:42:00,820 You're in good company. Who are we to think it won't 831 00:42:00,820 --> 00:42:04,220 come to our home, But when we do, let's remember who we are in 832 00:42:04,220 --> 00:42:08,300 Christ. Let's remember how God saw this 833 00:42:08,300 --> 00:42:13,500 same man in James chapter 5. And let's say I'm going to do 834 00:42:13,500 --> 00:42:16,220 for God. But I can't do it myself and 835 00:42:16,220 --> 00:42:18,340 allow him to do the work that only he can do. 836 00:42:19,220 --> 00:42:21,900 Thank you for listening to the sermon from the pulpit of 837 00:42:21,900 --> 00:42:24,820 Liberty Baptist Church. If this message was a blessing 838 00:42:24,820 --> 00:42:28,300 to you, or if there's any way we can serve you, please let us 839 00:42:28,300 --> 00:42:32,860 know by contacting us at info@mylibertybaptist.org. 840 00:42:33,180 --> 00:42:37,700 Or you can visit us this Sunday at 800 Washington St. in Easton, 841 00:42:37,700 --> 00:42:40,540 MA. May the Lord bless you as you 842 00:42:40,540 --> 00:42:41,700 grow in His Word.