From "Man Down" to "Man Up"

- I Kings 19:7 And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.   (kjv)

God knows what I have need of and how to supply that need.  Elijah had just requested that God take his life. He had a great moment of victory, rather experienced a great victory that God let him participate in.  This victory was three years in the making.  Three years of living by absolute faith.  Food was brought to him daily for part of it.  For the remaining time food was constantly supplied from an almost empty barrel of meal and cruz of oil.  

It takes some strength to live by faith.  It takes strength to experience victory over doubt.  It is a person who is strong in faith to resist the desire to find a way to stock the fridge for an extended period of time so as not to wonder where the next meal is coming from.  I've seen people quit over these faith developing times.  I've seen kids abandon parents and God because they did not want to live from God's hand to their mouths on a daily basis.

It had been a long three years and on mount Carmel Elijah no doubt thought that it was over.  Maybe he was thinking it was time for a vacation.  Time to relax a little, enjoy a little rest from this spiritual warfare he had battled for the last three years.  Then that witch, Jezebel had to come after him.  Why can't I get a break?  Why must I now run for my life?   Why must I remain on gaurd?   God, just take my life.  It is enough.  I have fought long enough.  I am tired.  Just end it now.  It is more than I can handle."

Elijah needed some strength.  Elijah needed some encouragement.  Elijah needed an understanding ear.  Elijah's job was far from over, but even that news was more than he was going to be able to bear at the moment.  Elijah fell asleep with the depressed heart.  Then, an angel came.

I think the angels name must have been Mom.  Moms have a unique ability to understand when their kids need a loving response.  Dads tend to say, "Man up, boy," but Moms are a litter softer, a little gentler.  While there are times when we need to be left to find the strength within ourselves to continue on the path, there are other times that we need to be given the strength from outside ourselves.  Using the wrong technique at either time can ruin the person in need.  God gave children moms and dads for many reasons, this is one of them.  It would do children well for parents to listen to each other and decide how to respond to their children.  If both are focused on the child's godly victory over a struggle (as opposed to allowing them to quit) the methods must be closely considered. 

So Mom comes along, bakes a cake and pours some refreshing water.  After all is lovingly prepared, Mom gently wakes Elijah.  Notice there is no calling his name, but rather a gentle loving touch.  I imagine that Elijah initially responds with a barely perceptible, sleepy moan.  As the touch continues, more like the loving caress of a parent with their child, Elijah sighs as he loses much of his burden.  Still longer and he begins to wake up and hears the loving voice of Mom say, "You've had a long day, Elijah.  I have baked a cake for you and here is some cool, fresh water for you to drink.  You'll feel better after eating."

Mom knows there is more work for Elijah to do, but now is not the time to tell Elijah.  Now is the time to give him the strength to recover.   There is no reasoning with Elijah about how he shouldn't be so depressed.  There is no attempt to remind him of how faithful God has been in the past, and how Elijah needs to trust him now.  There is absolutely no mention of the future, or Elijah's current emotional condition.  There is only the acknowledgement of that condition, understanding that he needs to receive strength rather than find it, and the provision of that strength.   Yeah, I'm pretty sure that angel's name was Mom.

The very method Elijah was awakened gave him the strength to rise and eat.  It was encouraging, loving, caring, and strengthening.  What an Awesome God we serve.
For all of that, Elijah needed more.  Now there is a second cake and more water.  Now Elijah is awakened with a touch and a voice.  There is a little more discipline in the voice.  It's not as soft as the touch was earlier in the night, but Elijah has more strength now and he needs to draw on it.  It's now morning, time for Elijah to get up, and back on the road.  Time to engage in the spiritual battle.  But, he's not quite ready yet.  He needs strengthening yet.  The voice is not rough, it is understanding.  "Elijah, honey.  It's time to wake up.  I've prepared your favorite breakfast for you this morning.  Get dressed and come into the kitchen.  You'll need the strength your breakfast will give you.  There's a lot to do."  I can almost hear Elijah's response, "Awe Mom, do I have to?"  If you've got teens, you know what I'm saying. 

He didn't have strength for the journey he was about to embark on, and I believe God was addressing another journey; the journey of the rest of his life.  Elijah's original plea was that God take his life and let him enter into that eternal rest.  It was not time for rest.  It was time to train a replacement, start a college or two, and equip a new generation for the battles they were going to be called on to fight.  There was much work to do.  God strengthened Elijah first.  Afterwards he met him at a cave and told him to man up. 

Pressing on,

Mark Hebert
Psalm 16:11 - R U in His presence?

Who Did It?

- I Kings 8:20 And the LORD hath performed his word that he spoke, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built a house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.   (kjv)

Solomon is about to dedicate the temple that has just been completed.  Before he does, he gives a very brief history of how the building project came to be, stating that David originally intended to build it, but God appointed Solomon. 

Now he states that God did exactly what He said He would do, and Solomon has built the house.  Solomon did not say that because God had proclaimed he build the temple, he was obedient and did so.  He said, "And the Lord hath performed His word that He spake," giving God the glory for the work from start to finish. 

God used Solomon to perform the work, but it is God who performed it.  We must learn to see beyond what appears to be man's accomplishments and understand that it is God who performs it.  Even the great Christians we often put on a pedestal and aspire to be like are nothing, we're nothing and accomplished nothing that God did not perform.  None since the apostle Paul have achieved so much as he did, yet even he stated that it was simply by the grace of God that he was what he was, and did what he did.   It was Paul who said, "I can do all things *through Christ*,  which strengtheneth me."

Is there some great task on the horizon of my life?  Is there some great thing in the past of my life?  Is there something in me people admire, respect, desire?  It is God.

Give God the glory in your life, and in the lives of others.  In all thy ways (as Solomon does here) acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.

Pressing on,

Mark Hebert
Psalm 16:11 - R U in His presence?

Peculiarly Zealous

- Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.   (kjv)

People are zealous for many things. Money, power, popularity, ease, comfort, security, peace, sex, health, food and good looks are just a few of the more common things.  What am I zealous for?  Many people are zealous for something. In fact, I know several people who are zealous for more than one thing. A person can be zealous for both money and power. As their money increases, they may become increasingly zealous for security. As they age, health may be added to the list. It is not yet uncommon, or peculiar to be zealous. Part of what makes God's people peculiar is what they are zealous for, and what they are not zealous for.

It is God's design that His people have ZEAL, that we be zealous in our lives. It is becoming increasingly common for people to be lazy.  The "Nanny State" in which we live has produced a nation of laziness. I see it everywhere I go. Yesterday I was speaking with a man who supervised the operation of several stores. He is currently looking to add employees to his staff and was telling me that even in this season of high unemployment, he was having difficulty finding people to fill his open positions. "A man came in to be interviewed who was unemployed."  He said.  "I asked him what he had been doing recently and he said he had been collecting unemployment. I asked him how long he had been on unemployment and he said, 'The full 99 weeks. I wanted to get everything out of it I had put in.'  The interview ended abruptly at that point."  It is more and more common that people lack zeal.

Not only are we to be zealous, but we are to be zealous for Good works. Aahh, here is the separation between man's zeal and the zeal of God's people. Good works are those that are done with no hope of personal benefit. Jesus did many good works while on earth. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, raised the dead, cleansed the leper, gave sight to the blind, caused the lame to walk, gave hearing to the deaf, and speech to the dumb. He did all this with no hope of personal benefit. Then He gave Himself for our sins, took up His life again, and is still offering eternal life to all. It's there for the asking. You want it?  You got it.  Just ask for it.  There are no strings attached.  Soul winning is a good work. Feeding the poor out of your own pocket is a good work.  Giving to missions is a good work. Caring for widows is a good work. Caring for the fatherless is a good work.  Visiting those in prison is a good work.  Clothing the naked is a good work. Intercessory prayer is a good work.  What is it that I am zealous for?

Here's a strange thing. We will be zealous for good WORKS.  Oh my, but don't we really like good things?  Good food, good friends, good feelings, and good fellowship are all desired. Good clothes, good cars, and good careers are often things people are zealous for. Good houses, good health, and good hours are our frequent requests.  None of these things hit the mark.  It is good WORKS that God designed us for, saved us for, and has us here for.  Ephesians 2:10 tells us plainly that we are His WORKMANSHIP, created in Christ Jesus unto good WORKS, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.  Yes, we have a job to do. We have sweat to produce, labor to bestow, and effort to put forth.  We are to do all these things for the good of others without thought for ourselves.

CHECK UP:  Am I ZEALOUS in my life or luke warm about everything?  If I am zealous, is it GOOD works in am zealous for, or do I spend my time, effort, and money on muself?  Am I zealous for good WORKS, or am I little more than a slothful man who desires food, but will not so much as roast that which he took in hunting?

Oh, Lord God, my Father in heaven, I pray that You would complete your will in me. Make me a peculiar person, zealous of good works. Make your church a peculiar people that we may be an epistle to the whole world, known and read of all men.  Thank You.  Amen.

Pressing on,

Mark Hebert
Psalm 16:11 - R U in His presence?