Session 2 Sermon 4

Thanks to all who made it out in the rain and in the middle of a three-day weekend.

Message

"And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly:" (1 Kings 18:3).

Review

The major points to date:

1. Sermon 1—Elijah enters his work of reformation (restoration)
   
   1. The transition found in 1 Kings 17:1 and 1 Kings 18:15—"As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand" to "As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand"
      
2. Sermon 2—Command and promise
   
   1. The "I am" and the "I will"
      
3. Sermon 3—Sore famine in Samaria
   
   1. By definition: Great hunger in the watch-station
      
   2. There are times when the Lord's visitation results in famine versus plenty
      
      1. By the way, most people think God visited Israel at Mount Carmel when Elijah prayed over the waterlogged sacrifice and fire fell from heaven, consuming the sacrifice and the altar. But God's visitation had actually happened three and a half years earlier when Elijah appeared before Ahab. God's visitation was the famine. The fire of God consuming Elijah's sacrifice was but the imminent outflow of God's visitation. Sometimes we pray for a visitation from God, expecting for fire to fall.
         
      2. When a famine hits our life, we don't realize God has just answered our prayer. Circumstances suggest that God has forsaken us, but in actuality He has just visited us. Let's not be like the Jews of Jesus' day who came into judgment because they did not know the time of their visitation (Luke 19:44). God's visitation does not always come packaged the way we would have expected. Sometimes His visitation is a famine. The famine is His way of bringing us to desperate dependence and great spiritual thirst. So if you're in an especially dry time spiritually, perhaps it's because God has visited you! Here's a word of encouragement: If God has visited you with famine, get ready, fire's a-comin'! (Bob Sorge, The Fire of Delayed Answers, Oasis House)
         

Introduction

In my preparation time I simply could not embrace the continual commentary that labeled Obadiah as either a weak follower of Yahweh or a type of a backslidden believer. Such remarks unsettled my spirit based on what was written of him in the inspired Word.

Obadiah was:

1. The governor of the king's house (like Joseph was over Potipher's)
   
   1. Trust to be sent out looking for water and pasture
      
2. Obadiah by definition, serving the Lord
   
3. He feared the Lord greatly (v. 3)
   
4. Respected and reverenced the prophet Elijah (v.7)
   
5. A concern for personal sin (v.9)
   
6. A personal testimony of a fear of the Lord (v. 12)
   
7. Hid 100 prophets (v.13)
   
   1. 50 per cave; fed bread and water
      

Working out our salvation

I believe the downbeat definitions of Obadiah are attributed to a wrongful comparison with Elijah. Paul plainly states it is not wise to compare ourselves among ourselves (2 Corinthians 10:12) and that we are to exercise our gifts according to the grace given us in proportion of our faith (Romans 12:6).

1. For the Romans hearing Paul's letter it meant they were not to usurp apostolic authority or to personally attempt to exercise their special function;
   
2. for Obadiah it was to function as a trustworthy governor and hider of prophets, not to usurp the authority of Elijah the prophet;
   
3. for us it means we are to confine ourselves to our functions according to the measure of faith; that is, according to the extraordinary endowment of confidence in God that has been given each of us.
   

In these first three verses of First Kings eighteen we see in Elijah, Obadiah, and Ahab the three offices created by God to meet the spiritual and material needs of his chosen people: the prophet, priest, and the king.

1. The prophet was one who represented God before man
   
   1. Hindsight, insight, and foresight
      
2. the priest was one who represented man before God
   
   1. compassion for other men
      
3. the king was one who ruled for God
   
   1. a follower of God's laws who enabled men to do so as well
      

Thus, to define Obadiah through the definition of a different office (gifting) cannot accurately portray his life. As we continue to study the spirit of Elijah this session and make the appropriate applications that does not mean each of us will individually operate as Elijah did. Just as both Obadiah and Elijah had specific roles in God's plan for that day, so too each of us have specific plans and general practices (humility and love/service and their techniques) as outlined by the Word—Romans 12:6-21.

1. How to deal with one's friends (12:9–13, 15–16)
   
   1. Love and honor them (12:9–10)
      
   2. Show them your zeal and joy (12:11–12)
      
   3. Share with them (12:13) 
      
   4. Mourn and weep with them (12:15)
      
   5. Live in harmony with them (12:16)
      
2. How to deal with one's foes (12:14, 17–21)
   
   1. Bless them when they persecute you (12:14)
      
   2. Let God repay them for the evil done to you (12:17–19) 
      
   3. Give them food when they are hungry and water when they are thirsty (12:20–21).
      
      

Wuest Translation of Romans 12:9-21

"Love, let it be without hypocrisy. Look with loathing and horror upon that which is pernicious. Stick fast to that which is good. In the sphere of brotherly love have a family affection for one another, vying with one another in showing honor; with respect to zeal, not lazy; fervent in the sphere of the Spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in the sphere of hope; patient in tribulation; with respect to prayer, persevering in it continually; with respect to the needs of the saints, being a sharer with them, eager for opportunities to show hospitality. Be constantly blessing those who are constantly persecuting you; be blessing and stop cursing. Be rejoicing with those who are rejoicing, and be weeping with those who are weeping; having the same mind towards one another, not setting your mind upon lofty things, but associating yourselves with lowly things and lowly people. Stop being those who are wise in their own opinion, requiting to no one evil in exchange for evil, taking thought in advance with regard to things that are seemly in the sight of all men. If it is possible so far as it depends upon you, with all men be living at peace. Do not be avenging yourselves, beloved ones, but give place at once to the wrath, for it stands written, To me belongs punishment, I will repay, says the Lord. But, if your enemy is hungry, be feeding him. If he thirsts, be giving him to drink, for doing this, you will heap burning coals of fire upon his head. Stop being overcome by the evil, but be overcoming the evil by means of the good."

Close

Remember that none of these services and techniques, none of these gifts given by the Lord can be accomplished outside of Jesus Christ. Just as He fulfilled all three of the Old Testament offices of prophet, priest, and king so too does He enable us to fulfill all He has given us: "I can do all things through him who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).

 

 

Session 2 Sermon 2

What a powerful night in the Spirit! Words fail to describe the exhilaration in our spirits as His liberty and freedom reigned throughout the service. Thank you Lord for the ministry You preformed last night!!

Message

1 Kings 18:1

Command and Promise

I am and I will

1. Elijah enters upon his work of reformation
   
   1. Three and one-half years symbolic of "want and suffering"
      
   2. Real drama was about to begin
      
      1. Ravens and brook not real drama
         
      2. Widow's oil and barrel not real drama
         
      3. Raising son from the dead not real drama
         
   3. The answer to the original prayer was about to begin
      
      1. Our prayers may not be answered in just the "order" that we think they should be…but they will be answered when prayed according to His will—command and promise.
         
2. For the answer to take place Elijah had to grasp the principle of Command and Promise or the Lord's I am and I will
   
   1. Moses
      
      1. Exodus 6
         
         1. I am (2, 6, 8, 29)
            
         2. I will
            
            1. Bring you out from under burdens of the Egyptians
               
            2. Rid you of their bondage
               
            3. Redeem you with an outstretched arm (v. 6)
               
            4. Take you to me for a people
               
            5. Be your God (v. 7)
               
            6. Bring you into a land
               
            7. I will give it you for an heritage (v. 8)
               
   2. Joshua
      
      1. Joshua 1:7-9
         
   3. Gideon
      
      1. Judges 6:14-16
         
   4. Elijah
      
      1. 1 Kings 18:1
         
3. When there is a command and no promise it becomes necessary to try and see whether our own strength can fulfill the command which is contrary to His will and Word.
   
4. Golden Nuggets "Promise"
   
   1. The first one is, "He hath said, 'I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee' " (Heb. 13:5). The translation says, "He hath said." But it is intensive in the Greek. "He Himself hath said." That is, the Lord Jesus Himself personally made this promise. The word "leave" is not from the usual Greek word which means "to leave," but from a word which means "to uphold" or "sustain." In the Greek there are two negatives before the word "leave," presenting a very strong negation. The promise is, "I will not, I will not cease to uphold or sustain thee."
      
   2. The second promise is, "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37). Here again we have two negatives before the verb: "I will not, I will not cast out." The words "cast out" are from one word made up of two words, the word "to throw" and a preposition meaning "out from within." That is, our Lord is speaking of those who are in salvation, in the Father's house. He gives us a double-strength promise that He will not throw us out of that house. But there is another word in the Greek which does not appear in the English, the word "outside." Literally, the promise reads, "The one who comes to Me, I will not, I will not throw out into the outside." Imagine a heavenly Father throwing His own child out. That is exactly what the Greek word means. This word "outside" is found in Revelation 22:15, where it is translated "without." The New Jerusalem is spoken of in the previous verse, but "without," that is, "outside, are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie." We have the solemn promise of our Lord that the Christian will never be ejected from the Father's house and thrown into the outside where those are who have rejected His grace.
      
   3. The third is, "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you" (John 15:7). The words, "ye shall ask," are in the you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto imperative mood, which makes them a command, and are to be taken in the sense of "I command you to ask." "Abiding" implies fellowship with the Lord, "nothing between myself and my Saviour," and dependence upon Him. To those who thus abide, God issues the gracious command, "ask whatever ye desire." It is more than a command. It is a challenge. It is as if God said, "You meet the conditions, and I challenge you to ask, and then see how faithful and able I am to answer your prayer." The word "desire" implies a desire that proceeds, not from deliberate forethought, but from inclination. This is a perfectly safe command and promise, because when we live in close fellowship with Jesus, our desires and our inclinations are His desires and His inclinations.
      

 

Session 2 Sermon 1

Our return to the sanctuary was blessed by His presence through vibrant worship and the unction in seeing the "Lord of hosts." It was a great night to be in church.

Message

Returning to The Spirit of Elijah

In preparing for the new session and thus tonight the first study book I opened began with "Elijah enters upon his work of reformation"

Last session we looked at Chapter 17, highlights

1. Hatred of corporate sin
   
2. Lessons learned by Elijah
   
   1. Content in obscurity (patient)
      
      1. Move when God says move and stand when He says, "stand"
         
   2. Stand before God, then stand before man
      
   3. Dependence on God
      
   4. Fellowship with man in suffering
      
   5. God's plan bigger than originally thought
      
3. Which takes us to tonight's focus—another lesson in Elijah's training—an even greater revelation of God!
   
   1. "As the Lord of God of Israel lives, before whom I stand…" (1 Kings 17:1).
      
   2. "As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand…(1 Kings 18:15)
      
      1. Recognizing the Lord of the battle
         
         1. Psalms 24:8-10 (8) Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. (9) Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. (10) Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory.
            
      2. Letting God arise
         

Worship continues

 

1. Hatred of corporate sin
   
   1. Cannot be coddled—by mercy and truth is iniquity purged
      
   2. Judgment must first begin in the house of God
      
2. Greater revelation of God
   
   1. Job 25:3 Is there any number of his armies? and upon whom doth not his light arise? (Bildad, the Shuhite)
      
   2. His provision
      
   3. His encouragement
      

Close

Sunday Night, April 26

Spontaneous Fellowship

One of the benefits of smaller congregations is the ease in which things can change on the spur of the moment with everyone having a voice. Such was the case last night as we opted to have our "service" at a local eatery. It was a wonderful time of fellowship, encouragement, and inspiration as we spoke to our building needs and new session assignments, all with a great expectation of what the Lord is going to do in the coming days.

Last night's message was to be an encouragement to continue our personal prayer times. Here is the outline.

Finding God

(Matthew 6:6)

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

1. In the following verse, Jesus would teach us how to pray, but first he teaches us where to pray
   
   1. your father is already in the secret place
      
   2. once you shut your door you are in the presence of your father
      
   3. "I answered you in the secret place of thunder" (Psalm 81:7)
      

 

Hearing God

(Psalms 95:7)

For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,

1. Hearing the voice of God is largely a matter of the will
   
2. God speaks only to those who are quiet enough to hear His voice. It takes quietness of soul and heart to allow the Lord to speak to us through His Word.
   
3. Intimacy proceeds insight; passion proceeds purpose
   

 

Being before Doing

(Exodus 24:12)

And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

 

(John 15:5)

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

1. Focus on being before doing: you teach what you know but reproduce what you are. Remember it is the Lord who "does" we are to "be."
   
2. Exodus 3:5, 6: Moses: unshod feet and hidden face.
   
   1. Shoes denote the "go and do" in us,
      
   2. but the Lord is looking for us to first "stop', hide our face, and hear Him.
      
3. "Always has the Holy One of Israel estimated men by their inner nature, and not by their outward professions; to Him the inward is as visible as the outward, and he rightly judges that the essential character of an action lies in the motive of him who works it."
   
   1. (Psalms 51:6) Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
      

 

Lectio Divina

An overview of our time with the Lord:

1. Read (10 minutes)
   
2. Meditate (5 minutes)
   
3. Pray (10 minutes)
   
4. Contemplate (5 minutes)
   

 

Scripture Readings

Deuteronomy 32:1-4

Isaiah 33:20-24

 

Definitions: To Meditate, Contemplate, Intend. We meditate a design when we are looking out or waiting for the means of its accomplishment; we contemplate it when the means are at hand, and our decision is nearly or quite made. To intend is stronger, implying that we have decided to act when an opportunity may offer. A general meditates an attack upon the enemy; he contemplates or intends undertaking it at the earliest convenient season.

 

 

Sunday, March 29

It was our last "Winter Worship" service in the fellowship hall and the Spirit's richness continued in a very mighty way. It was as if He wrapped us in His arms and brought both comfort and encouragement to all, regulars and guests alike.

The Vision Continued

"Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?" (Isaiah 58:6).

Introduction

I wanted to draw attention to that part of our vision which spoke to fasting on Fridays. I shared with you that I had planned on being in the prayer room for those 12 hours and that the last three would consist of our regular prayer meeting. This past Friday, in my second 12 hour stint, I understood one reason why the Lord has laid that particular practice on my heart at this time.

Bob Sorge writes in the Secrets of the Secret Place, "his presence is the place of change" and says "distancing ourselves from God always produces spiritual regression; proximity to God always produces spiritual progression." He continues by saying, "sin is like a cancer; God's presence is like radiation on that cancer." Thus, I came to the conclusion that my time spent in his presence on these particular Fridays work to purge me of those things that are unpleasant to the Lord.

I understand that not everyone has the luxury to spend 12 straight hours in his presence, but as I said on our blog, do what you can and God will bless you for it. Regardless if its 12 hours or two we must always remember that, many times, the effects of that presence (like radiation) are always delayed.

Similarly when we fast many people want deliverance quickly, but that too is not always the case. Many people think, or rather they hope, a short fast and prayer would strip away addictions or sinful habits that may have been ingrained for decades in their lives. And while the Lord can and does deliver people instantly, other times He delivers over a period of time. Remember the words of Wisdom, "An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end" (Proverbs 20:21). And our desired is to have a blessed finish!

As chosen by the Lord

Under the Old Covenant there was, initially, only one command to fast and that was on the Day of Atonement (cf. Lev. 16:29, 31). It was only after the fall of Jerusalem that more fast days were instituted. But to the Jews these fast days were known as "the fasting of the heart" and the same must be true for us. It cannot be merely an external show; rather, it must be an internal unction based in our hearts and propels us to pray, as prayer puts us in the presence of God.

God's purpose in commanding men to fast

1. To lead us to prayer (ver. 4), prayer so real that our voices are "heard on high," that God will hear and answer;
   
   
2. To aid us in realizing communion with Him (ver. 9); that His voice be heard by us as truly as ours by Him;
   
3. To aid in repressing self in all its forms.
   

The nature of true abstinence

1. Personally
   
   1. To loose bands of wickedness;
      
      1. address those things that are very wrong in our lives
         
      2. sin versus iniquity (blatant versus subtle)—habitual lying, stealing, cursing, and hatred; whereas, the iniquities are the hidden faults that we don't see, the wicked residue of our fallen nature, subtle areas such as pride, rebellion, unbelief, selfishness, ambition, and covetousness.
         
   2. To undo straps of yokes;
      
      1. To ease the burden (Gal. 6:2) of your challenge (calling)
         
   3. To send out the oppressed ones free;
      
      1. Be free in your spirit during the heavy times
         
   4. To pull off every yoke
      
      1. "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with a joke of bondage" (5:1). Paul was specifically addressing false doctrines that put heavyweights on people to keep various aspects of the law of Moses that Jesus had the field by his death and resurrection. To us it means to live not legalistically but in liberty, not in cheap grace but costly grace.
         
2. For Others
   
   1. To loose their bands of wickedness;
      
      1. Pray sick of sin
         
      2. Desire to serve the Lord
         
      3. Against the god of this world who has blinded their eyes
         
   2. To unto their burdens;
      
      1. That they would realize there is One who can ease their burden of sin
         
   3. To send out the oppressed ones free
      
      1. Deliverance and/or its starting spot would be realized in our services
         
   4. To break their yokes—their habits that enslaves
      
      1. To set them free from the sin that enslaves
         

The result

1. "Light," i.e., blessing, would break forth;
   
2. Recovery from all national ailments would speedily spring forth;
   
3. Righteousness would be their vanguard, and God himself their rear guard. This means that they would have protection in their walk;
   
4. God would listen to any cry from them (58:8–9a);
   
5. God would guide them; provide for them; give them strength;
   
6. They would be able to rebuild on the ancient foundations the building which had fallen to ruins;
   
7. Because their efforts would bring such blessing, those who led in this spiritual renewal would gain fame among their brethren. They would be known as the "repairer of the breach" (58:10b–12)

12 Hours of Presence

It begins today: Twelve hours of a focused prayer and fasting time that will continue every Friday for awhile. We fast from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm concluding with our scheduled prayer meeting at 7:00 pm. The prayer room will be open throughout the fast, but prayers are certainly not limited to any one location. Here is a brief outline for the prayer time taken from Matthew 6:9-13, Deuteronomy 20, and Isaiah 56:8. I would also suggest creating a personal journal during this time in an effort to preserve all that the Lord is going to speak to you/us.

Outline
Begin with the Lord's prayer using the following themes.

1. Recognition of relationship with God and other believers--Our Father
   
2. Faith--Which art in heaven
   
3. Worship--Hallowed be thy Name
   
4. Expectation--Thy kingdom come
   
5. Submission--Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven
   
6. Petition--Give us this day our daily bread
   
7. Confession--And forgive us our debts
   
8. Compassion--As we forgive our debtors
   
9. Dependence--Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil
   
10. Acknowledgment--For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.

Deuteronomy 20 offers warfare strategy

1. Be not afraid (vv. 1, 3-5)
2. Consecrate yourself (vv. 2, 6-9)
3. Peace at home (v. 5)
4. Peace in provision (v. 6)
5. Peace with spouse (v. 7)
6. Devote to destruction every aspect of the enemy (v. 13, 17, 18, 20)
7. "Eat" of the trees (v. 19)
   

Isaiah 58:6 brings focus to the fast

1. Loose the bands of wickedness
2. To undo heavy burdens
3. To let the oppressed go free
4. That ye break every yoke

Do your best
Without doubt the Lord knows that all of our schedules, commitments, and responsibilities vary today, but we all can do something. Find what you can do and do it with all your might!

Has it been a month?

I am shocked and somewhat embarrassed it has been a month since the last post. The Morning Room is designed to be a regular meeting place for the Crimson House congregation. It is a place where we meet to share more about what the Lord is doing among us; to encourage and edify one another as we see the day of His return approaching. Yes, the circumstances of this interlude reflected one-time events and I so appreciated your grace and understanding during that time. Personally shutting down last week following dad's death was a very necessary part in my grieving process, and I am thankful to all who assisted in allowing me to do so. Through God's mercy and love, and your support, things are returning to my general discipline: early morning devotional time with my special (and mostly secret) hot chocolate creation--and yes, I just enjoyed a nice sip; hearing from the Lord through His Word; praying and writing in my journal and adding to the blog. It is a most enjoyable two to three hours each morning and one that I really look forward to. It is nice to be back.

Sunday Night
Nick and the worship team were totally responsible for the service and we certainly enjoyed the warmth and comfort of the Spirit. The prophetic worship ministered mightily as did the personal encouragement and open word given me. You can read that word here. Additionally we are working on new pages/links from both here and the web site that will have the audio versions of our services, both in their entirety and by content, i.e. worship, sermon, spontaneous messages, etc.

Kindly add to Sunday's service by sharing any other inspiration you have received either from that night or in the last few days following the service. I know the Lord has really be speaking to me regarding our next step, as was spoken of Sunday, and I look forward to sharing it with you this Sunday night.