And after the fire came a gentle whisper(NIV) the sound of a low whisper(ESV) or after the fire a still small voice(NKJ);

God is great and powerful! This morning we woke to deep mighty thunder roll, after thunder roll - it was a powerful experience to lie tucked in bed and to listen quietly. It made me feel small as I prayed to my big God. 

I thought of a recent statement I had heard - if one flash of lightening's electricity could be captured it could light a whole city for a whole year (I don't know if this is fact or guess work but the concept fascinated me.) It really struck me this morning that although this thunder is for us a demonstration of God's mighty power in our eyes - it is only a tiny pin prick of power for God in his whole universe. The lightening that He strikes here on earth is like a tiny flick of his fingers compared to the work He does and sustains in His universe.

A dear friend phoned to encourage me and read a Spurgeon devotion on 1 King 19:12. God can demonstrate to us His might with great ease and yet he comes to us with the most personal, tender and gentle whisper in our greatest time of need. 

Do you remember how Elijah had had so many experiences of God's power before - how weary he was with his good work, how fearful of threats from evil ones...threats he had withstood before; how physically exhausted he felt...

but look at how God in His grace took care of Him so carefully in so many ways in his time of despair and great need. Isn't verse 12 so full of contrast and beauty as it shows us the best of God's tenderness that is so much part of His mighty powerful character!

(You can find some good Elijah sermons if you scroll down to 2011 family conference.See http://bbcq.org/sermons.php)

 1 Kings 19(ESV)

Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” 3 Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” 5 And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6 And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. 7 And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” 8 And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.

The Lord Speaks to Elijah

9 There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 11 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” 

And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire

the sound of a low whisper. 13 And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.  

And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 15 And the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. 17 And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. 18 Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

The Call of Elisha

19 So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him. 20 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” 21 And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him.

You are My friends!

Another Grace Gem: 

You are My friends!

(J.R. Miller "The Book of Comfort")

"I have called you friends!" John 15:15

If Jesus is our Friend--then . . .
  no need can be unsupplied;
  no sorrow can be uncomforted;
  no evil can overmaster us;
  we are safe for time and eternity!

"You are My friends--if you do what I command." John 15:14

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Should Christians always be happy? (With some more George Muller quotes)

 

 

 

 

I have been reading George Muller's exegesis of Deuteronomy 33: 26 - 29 this afternoon. ( from the book called, 'Can God be Trusted?' Published by Christian Focus Publications. )

Here is an excellent quote, " If we are unhappy the fault lies with ourselves. There is no reason why  we should not be happy children. Our Father loves us, and He will lead us safely through. Having such a Father it may well be said of us, 'happy art though oh Israel; who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency? (verse 29 below)  

These Israelites were happy because they had such a God. Look how He delivered them and saved them. It was He who delivered them from the Egyptians, who led them through the Red Sea, destroying the host of Pharaoh. It was He who led them through the wilderness, provided them with heavenly food and water from the rock, and finally led them into the land of promise. 

And remember that it is by Him that you and I are delivered from a worse power than Egypt: are delivered from greater enemies than the host of Egyptians and by Him we are led through the difficulties of this life. He is leading us until at length He will land us safely above. Ought we not to be happy, truly happy in the Lord? I ask you affectionately, is it so with you? Are you all happy Christians? You ought to be, if you will only look to Him. Trust Him with child like simplicity, and you will see how ready He is to help you and give blessing."  (unquote)

Perhaps this post would be better titled...How should Christians always find happiness? There are very real times of grief, testing and troubles, and yet if we are willing to patiently wait on our Lord in faith and trust, we will find happiness in looking to His face, in knowing His character....for it is only in knowing God that we can find true happiness! As Muller points our earlier in this book, God is our salvation by grace, He is our portion, our strength, our deliverer! Muller points out too that this passage was written at the time before the Israelites were safely in the promised land. Muller says, (quote) " Remember how God fought for them (Israel) time after time. How the sun stood still at the request of Joshua. How again, the elements from heaven fought for them; how stones were hailed from heaven upon the enemy. The hornets  were also by Jehovah used for the destruction of the enemies. In various ways Jehovah fought on their behalf, and showed His mighty power in leading His people to posses the land." (unquote) God is also the eternal God who stays the same forever. The God who saves Israel, saves us, cares for us and looks after us too.

Deuteronomy 33:

26 “There is none like God, O Jeshurun, 

who rides through the heavens to your help,

through the skies in his majesty.

27 The eternal God is your dwelling place,

and underneath are the everlasting arms.

And he thrust out the enemy before you

and said, ‘Destroy.’

28 So Israel lived in safety,

Jacob lived alone,

in a land of grain and wine,

whose heavens drop down dew.

29 Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you,

a people saved by the Lord,

the shield of your help,

and the sword of your triumph!

Your enemies shall come fawning to you,

and you shall tread upon their backs.”

Some of my Olive Shoots...

Psalm 127

Unless the Lord builds the house,

those who build it labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city,

the watchman stays awake in vain.

2 It is in vain that you rise up early

and go late to rest,

eating the bread of anxious toil;

for he gives to his beloved sleep.

3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,

the fruit of the womb a reward.

4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior

are the children of one's youth.

5 Blessed is the man

who fills his quiver with them!

He shall not be put to shame

when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Psalm 128  

Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,

who walks in his ways!

2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;

you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.

3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine

within your house;

your children will be like olive shoots

around your table.

4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed

who fears the Lord.

5 The Lord bless you from Zion!

May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem

all the days of your life!

6 May you see your children's children!

Peace be upon Israel!

 

Psalm 18:2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,

my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,

my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Deteronomy6: 4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

We should learn a lesson from the old heathen artist!

From Grace gems again....

(J.R. Miller, "Daily Bible Readings in the Life of Christ" 1890)

"In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah . . . and his wife Elizabeth . . . Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly." Luke 1:5-6

This is a beautiful thing which God said of them. Yet, after all, that is the test which every life must endure. It is not enough to have human commendation. The question is--How do we stand before God? How does our life appear to Him? It does not matter how men praise and commend us--if God sees that we are living wrong. The Pharisees were righteous before men; but if you would see how they stood in God's eye--read the twenty-third chapter of Matthew: "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to Hell!" (verse 33)

We are in reality--just what we are before God--nothing less, nothing more! The question we should always ask ourselves is, "What does God think of me?" If we would meet His approval, we must first have our hearts right--and then we must be blameless and uptight in every part of our life.

One of the old heathen artists was chiseling the back part of his marble statue with great pains. "Why do you carve the tresses on back of the head of your statue so carefully?" asked one; "it will stand high in its niche against the wall--and no one will ever see its back." "The gods will see it," was the reply.

We should learn a lesson from the old heathen artist! We should do our work just as honestly, where it will be covered up and never seen by human eyes--as where it is to be open to the scrutiny of the world. For God will see it! We should live just as purely and beautifully in secret--as in the glare of the world's gaze!

There really is no such thing as secrecy in this world. We imagine that no eye is looking--when we are not in the presence of men. But really, we always have a spectator--we are living all our life in the presence God Himself! We should train ourselves, therefore, to live for the Divine eye in all that we do--that our life may stand the Divine inspection, and that we may have the approval and commendation of God Himself!

"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account!" Hebrews 4:13




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Seek my face

In the following verses I am reminded of the most tender of lovers gazing at each other....how much more does our Lord love us? Vastly more, for His love is eternal, never ending, bottomless and perfect in every way!

Psalm 27:8-9
8You have said, “Seek my face.”

My heart says to you,

“Your face, Lord, do I seek.”

9 Hide not your face from me...

The most beautiful words in the world are the words of God... for they are true and they abide forever, what joy!

Psalm 90: 12 

So teach us to number our days

that we may get a heart of wisdom.

13 Return, O Lord! How long?

Have pity on your servants!

14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,

that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,

and for as many years as we have seen evil.

16 Let your work be shown to your servants,

and your glorious power to their children.

17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,

and establish the work of our hands upon us;

yes, establish the work of our hands!

Isaiah 54:
5 For your Maker is your husband,

the Lord of hosts is his name;

and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,

the God of the whole earth he is called.

13 All your children shall be taught by the Lord,

and great shall be the peace of your children.

verses 10 -12 are also a great encouragement too .

Isaiah 61:3

to grant to those who mourn in Zion—

to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;

that they may be called oaks of righteousness,

the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.