|
|
|
March 1-2, 2003 STAYING
ON FIRE! 1 Kings 18 & 19 FIGHTING WITH FIRE! o
*** 1 Kings 18:21 “Elijah stood in front of them and
said, "How much longer will you try to have things both ways? If the Lord
is God, worship him! But if Baal is God, worship him!" The people did not say a word.” [Contemporary English Version] *** 1 Kings 18:36-39
“At the customary time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the
prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, "O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant.
Prove that I have done all this at your command. O Lord, answer me! Answer me
so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought
them back to yourself."
Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up
the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the
water in the ditch! And when the people saw it, they fell on their faces and
cried out, "The Lord is God! The Lord is God!" [New Living Translation] HOW CAN WE STAY ON FIRE FOR GOD? 1. BY MAKING THE CHOICE! *** Deut. 30:19-20 “Today I have
given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. I
call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life…Choose to
love the Lord your God and to obey him and commit yourself to him, for he is
your life." [NLT] *** Joshua 24:14-15 “So honor the
Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols…serve the Lord
alone. But if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you
will serve…. But as for me and my
family, we will serve the Lord."
[NLT] *** Luke 9:23 “Anyone who wants
to follow me must put aside his own desires and conveniences and carry his
cross with him every day and keep close to me!” [Living] 7. ILL – Hokey Pokey…left foot in…left foot out…that’s what it’s all
about! WRONG! 8. I CHOOSE ______________________________! *** WE CAN STAY ON FIRE FOR GOD: BY MAKING THE CHOICE; AND: 2. BY ACCEPTING THE CHALLENGE! 1. 1 Kings 18:21 “Elijah went
before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord
is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." But the people said
nothing.” [NIV] 2. The word “opinion” in Hebrew is saar-ah-paw = twig or bough…moves
with the wind…this way and that…! 3. This is the way of the world… “whatever
opinion…conviction…belief…is okay as long as you are sincere…it must be true if
it is true for you!” 4. This world says there is no absolute truth…therefore, truth
becomes relative! If you believe it –
it is truth to you! 5. ELIJAH IS SAYING YOU CAN’T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS! 6. If you want to be on fire for God you have to accept the
challenge of a conviction that is different than the world…culture…that there
is absolute truth…GOD! 7. ILL – preacher on an
airplane…truth… I said, "See this book right here, If I let go, what's
going to happen? The law of gravity will take over and gravity will pull this
book to the carpet of the 737." He said, "Yeah, I know that." I
said, "Whether I believe in the law of gravity, whether I trust the law of
gravity, or whether I am convicted about the law of gravity, doesn't mean the
law of gravity isn't going to take over." So I said, "Bob, it doesn't
really matter if you believe in Jesus, if you believe in the Bible, or if you
don't believe in Jesus, or don't believe in the Bible, it's still true. It's
still absolute." There is a truth source out there. 8. 48 times in the Gospel of John, Jesus uses the word “truth”… 9. John 14:6 “I am the way and
the truth
and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” [New International Version] 10. Ephes. 4:14-15 “Then we will
no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe
because someone has told us something different or has cleverly lied to us and
made the lie sound like the truth. Instead, we will lovingly follow the truth
at all times--speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly --and so become more
and more in every way like Christ….”
[Living] *** WE CAN STAY ON FIRE FOR GOD: BY MAKING THE CHOICE; BY ACCEPTING THE
CHALLENGE; AND: 3. BY EXERTING THE EFFORT! 1. 1 Kings 18:30-35 “Then Elijah
said to all the people, "Come here to me." They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the
Lord, which was in ruins. Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of
the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying,
"Your name shall be Israel." With the stones he built an altar in the
name of the Lord, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs
of seed. He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the
wood. Then he said to them, "Fill four large jars with water and pour it
on the offering and on the wood." "Do it again," he said, and they did it
again. "Do it a third time,"
he ordered, and they did it the third time. The water ran down around the altar
and even filled the trench.” [NIV] 2. If you want to stay on fire for God…keep working on
it…rebuilt…effort…! 3. CONVICTIONS SHAPE CONDUCT! 4. If you want to stay on fire…live on purpose…do the things
that…continually rebuild the altar…! o DAILY QUIET
TIME! o FAITHFUL
ATTENDANCE! o QUALITY FELLOWSHIP! o ACTIVE SERVICE! 5. ILL – Old illustration…coal
removed from the fire….! 6. Luke 24:32 “They said to each
other, "It felt like a fire burning in us when Jesus talked to us…and
explained the Scriptures to us."
[New Century Version] *** WE CAN STAY ON FIRE FOR GOD: BY MAKING THE CHOICE; BY ACCEPTING THE
CHALLENGE; BY EXERTING THE EFFORT; AND: 4. BY CALLING ON THE POWER SOURCE! 1. 1 Kings 18:36-38 “At the
customary time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up
to the altar and prayed, "O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove
today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have
done all this at your command. O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people
will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to
yourself." Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and
burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up
all the water in the ditch!” [NLT] 2. COOL! I wish I could do
stuff like that! But I’m not Elijah…! 3. James 5:17 “Elijah was a human
being just like us!” [NCV] 4. He didn’t have the power…ability…strength…but he know Who did…! 5. If you want to stay on fire for God… “LORD LIGHT ME UP
AND LET ME BURN FOR YOU! 6. Why did Elijah have them poor water all over the sacrifice…make
no mistake… it was all God! 5. BY DEALING WITH DRYNESS! 1. Story…contest won…people turn to God and on the false
prophets…rains come… Jezebel says, “Elijah, I’m going to kill you!” 2. 1 Kings 19:3 “When Elijah
heard this, he was afraid and ran for his life….” [NCV] 3. WHY? HE FORGOT WHAT SET
HIM ON FIRE! 4. It doesn’t take much to get us off target…critical
comment…problem or trial…sin …laziness…! 5. God came to visit Elijah…wind…earthquake…gentle whisper…! 6. 1 Kings 19:15 “The Lord said
to him, "Go back the way you came….”
[NIV] 7. When you feel the fire begin to dwindle down…flickering
flame…return the way you came…go back up on the mountain…remember the power of
God…fire…flame again! 8. Some of you need that right now…go up on the mountain! *** SPECIAL SONG: UP ON THE MOUNTAIN! A. What does it take to stay on fire for God? B. 2 Tim. 1:6 “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you….” [NIV] |