11(1Kings 17,02-24) A Stand Up Guy

Elijah stands up for the word of God, despite the risk involved.

17:3-6. God tells Elijah to get away from Ahab and hide at the brook Cherith. There he would drink from the brook and be fed by ravens.

It is amazing not to overlook what God does not do. God does not remove Elijah from the drought. In our way of thinking, when someone stands up they get rewarded. But Elijah remains in the land of drought.

How often do we think that once we invoke the name of God and stand up for His principles we will be whisked away to safety, or our problems will come to an end? More often God leaves us in the situation. We don’t escape from the trouble that comes.

But God will sustain his people through difficult times. The scenery does not change, but we live.

17:7. What would it mean that the brook dried up. Wasn’t this where God had sent Elijah? He had likely been there about a year. Why would God allow this blessing to stop?

Blessings which continue in our lives will cease to be blessings, and are taken for granted.

If God has changed your circumstances, He may desire once again to receive honor instead of taking blessings for granted.

But look where God is sending Elijah. This is not how we would have planned it either. In our prayers for God to deliver us, we have in mind that things will improve around us. When asking for help, we expect a strong deliver in the form of someone or thing strong enough to protect.

But God sends Elijah to Sidon, the home turf of Jezebel. Her father is king there. And God sends Elijah to a widow. Not a prince or wealthy land owner, but poor woman. She is a Phoenician, and perhaps a pagan worshipping the very idols Elijah is grieved to see in Israel.

When we ask God for financial help, we think it means a better paying job. When we pray for our kids to be protected, we may have in mind a better group of peers to come around.

God always directs us to ministry. In fact we are to minister to one another. The very person who is sent to help you may be the person you are called upon to minister to.

I.       How can we know we are following the word, that we are being a stand up guy?

A.     The widow saw Elijah perform the works of God.

B.     We can perform the works of God, the world watches.

C.     Gal 5 22

D.