Good morning all!
Father, we know that You are our biggest cheerleader, You always see in us what we have yet to discover. Help us Lord to listen to Your voice Lord, help us to see You in a new way this year that we would seek You first in all things and not leave You on standby. Thank You Lord for 2021 and it’s lessons, for the good and for the difficult for we know You are present in it all and all things work together for Your good and Your kingdom, Amen. Well a new year and perhaps a new start, maybe some things you forgot about or maybe even gave up on without actually speaking it but perhaps we can go again.
1 Kings 18
41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for [there is] a sound of abundance of rain.
So Elijah told Ahab you might want to get ready for this journey because I hear the ABUNDANCE of rain coming.
42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,
So he did so and Elijah went up to Carmel and humbled himself before God and prayed to God once again,
43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, [There is] nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.
Then he told his servant to go up the mountain and look for the rain, so he went up and looked but said I see nothing. So Elijah told him, Go again…seven times
44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare [thy chariot], and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.
And on the 7th trip up that mountain he got his answer in the form of a little cloud rising out of the sea like a man’s hand. So he told Ahab you better get going because there’s gonna be a lot of rain.
Bottom line
So this is a pretty familiar passage of scripture where the prophet Elijah has just defeated the 450 prophets of Baal and now looks for the Lord to end the drought in the land. Ever feel like you’re in a drought? Like things in life seemed to have dry up and you’re looking for new life? Perhaps, a new year? Well Elijah tells Ahab to get ready because he can hear the sound of rain even though there still is NO rain, how?
[Num 23:19 KJV] God [is] not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do [it]? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Real simple, God doesn’t lie…when He makes a promise He always delivers. God told Elijah He would bring the rain so he didn’t have to see it, so what did he hear? The voice of God…tell me that wouldn’t quench you’re dry land. Really that’s the picture, the land was dry because they chose Baal over God, who is Baal? It’s SELF!!! Remember if you listen to it, you worship it. How many times do we listen to that voice inside our head instead of God? Why do you think there were 450 prophets? There was more than one voice…greed…worry…jealousy…bitterness…pride…fear, the unfortunate truth is we’ll listen to all those thoughts and emotions and when we do, we create a drought. But what if we really trust God and meditate on His word day and night instead of our unscrupulous thoughts? Doesn’t scripture tell us there’s benefit?
[Psa 1:3 NIV] That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither–whatever they do prospers. Tada…NO drought, you have your own personal stream that produces life and your leaves will NOT wither so why NOT God? God really is a loving Father that only wants what’s best for His children and we like children think we know better, this is why we must GO again. Elijah had his servant go up that mountain to find a sign from God 7 times, can you imagine climbing up and down a physical mountain 7 times? Might be difficult…might take time…might come with some uncertainty…BUT…we might actually find God…we might actually hear His voice…and we might actually start to listen. And I don’t know call me crazy but as we climb this mountain maybe our relationship with God might grow stronger and maybe our faith increase and maybe just maybe the reason we began that climb up that mountain changes and maybe now we just look to be on that mountain as often as we can…maybe. And not only do we find God but He is faithful and answers, we begin to see His hand in our life and His promise fulfilled again…that’s why He’s faithful, He does what His word declares…we just have to believe. Maybe you have some uncertainty with God today or perhaps a circumstance in your life or perhaps a relationship, here’s what God would say today with the start of a new year…GO AGAIN…God will never give up on us so don’t give up, go again and if it takes 7 times or more than that I believe the pursuit will be equal to the blessing, our Father will not disappoint.
Point to Ponder
Do you want to live in victory? Pro 24:16 NPT – For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked give up when calamity strikes. Victory isn’t a problem free life it’s not giving up in the face of those problems, that’s how righteous children of God live…victory isn’t a finish line it’s the ability to GO AGAIN!
Pick something and go again and watch God get bigger, In Him Phil
Faith – Family – Friends
