Keeping the Fire Lit

Mountain Tops and Valleys

Growing up there are things we did that I remember being like the most fun things. Vacations we went on, family get-togethers, or other events that are core memories for me.

I can remember going to Pigeon Forge almost every year and staying at the Ramada Inn on the strip.

They had a kiddie pool that was separated from the big pool by a wall and we would climb on the wall and jump to my dad who would push us back so we could do it again.

We started going to Florida for a few years and then decided to go back to the Ramada when I was several year older.

We went down to the pool, expecting the same experience, but being older and bigger made the Ramada pool lame and not nearly as cool as I remember.

These things are true in all of life, even in our Christian lives.

Last week at camp was for most of us a mountain top moment, a moment where we felt closer to God than maybe we have ever felt, or at least had felt in a long time.

Now we have been home for a week, back with our friend, our parents, our jobs, and responsibilities and the struggle is keeping the same excitement in our faith and pursuit of God.

The question I want to tackle the next few weeks is: How do we keep the firing going after camp? (or whatever mountain top moment we have experienced).

Elijah’s Mountain and Valley Moments

We are going to look at 1 Kings 18 & 19, mostly focusing on 19 when the prophet Elijah (one of the greatest OT prophets) has his lowest valley moments after perhaps his highest mountain top moments in His life.

Summarize Chapter 18

Elijah was a prophet in Israel (the Northern Kingdom) and Ahab was the king.

Ahab was a bad dude and had an even worse wife, Jezabel (my mom’s cat).

Ahab had turned his back on the Lord and was worshipping and leading the people to worship false gods and Elijah was called by God to confront Ahaz and tell him to repent.

In chapter 17, Elijah announces a famine on Israel and no rain for 3 years.

The 3 years pass and in chapter 18 Elijah comes back to Ahab and confronts him again, to see if he was ready to turn back to God.

In verse 17, Ahab makes it clear that he has no intention of turning from the false gods, so Elijah calls for a meeting on mount Carmel, between him and the 450 prophets of Baal, who Ahab worships.

You might know the story, but Elijah sets up a showdown between God and the prophets of Baal.

Each group gets a bull to sacrifice, place on a wooden alter, and then they are to call out to their god to light a fire to burn up the bull.

Baal’s prophets go first, but after a long time and a lot of different strategies, they fail.

Then Elijah places his bull on the wooden alter, has water poured over it 3 times, and then calls on God to show them who He is.

Immediately the Lord’s fire fell and consumed the bull, the wood, and every drop of water.

Elijah has the prophets of Baal seized and put to death.

Elijah had won a great victory and had seen the Lord do something absolutely incredible.

Imagine how he felt when everything was over.

But that feeling didn’t last long.

At the end of 18 Elijah runs (literally) to Ahab’s home, expecting Ahab to give up and turn away from false gods, but instead Elijah is met by Jezebel, who threatens to kill him.

Elijah’s mountain top moment comes crashing down.

Elijah flees from Jezebel and the rest of chapter 19 tells how God cares for Elijah in his valley moment.

Learning from Elijah

This is where I want to turn things over to you guys.

I have given each group a set of passages to read and study together for the next few minutes.

Answer these Questions:

What do Elijah’s words and actions reveal about follow God in Mountain top moments and valley moments?

How can you relate with Elijah?

What does God do for Elijah and what do His actions and word reveal about His attitude toward us?

What can we learn about keeping the fire of our faith lit even when we aren’t on a mountain top?

What is one practical step we can all take from this passage this week to not lose our passion for Jesus after camp?