Thursday, January 24, 2019

You Are Not Alone

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room….Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.”

1 Kings 19:16, 18

After the great victory on Mount Carmel, where God answered his prayer and sent fire from Heaven to burn not only the sacrifice, but even the stones of the altar, Elijah could have rejoiced in God’s power and gone on to his next assignment. Instead, he fled alone into the desert, fearing Jezebel’s threat to take his life. When God confronted him, the depressed prophet complained that he alone had remained faithful to God. “And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away”(1 Kings 19:10). God’s response to him, in the verses above, was that he was, in reality, not alone. There were seven thousand people in Israel who had not turned from God to worship Baal.

In a society where believing what God says in the Bible and speaking it out loud can end a career, and where evil and wickedness is not just tolerated but aggressively promoted, it is tempting to think that we are alone. But in truth, there are many faithful Christians all around the world who have not abandoned what is right for what is convenient. We are not alone. Even if it were true that there was no one else doing right, we would still not be alone, for God never leaves or forsakes us. Even in Elijah’s moment of despair, far away from everything he knew, God was there.

Today’s Growth Principle: 

Our faith is not based on the actions of others, but the character of God.

CURRENT RADIO SERIES Eternity Now   CURRENT TV SERIES Songs of Courage

For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. --Romans 8:26 If I were to title this devotion, I would call it “The Problems with Prayer.” As believers, you and I know that we are commanded and called to prayer. Ephesians 6:18 tells us that we should pray “at all times in the Spirit.” But because of our flesh, there are several “problems” that stand in the way of effective and empowering prayer… problems that the Holy Spirit can help us overcome if we but ask. First, we lack concern. As humans, lethargy and even laziness battle our desire to pray. We don’t feel the need or urgency to pray. The flesh really doesn’t want to pray. But the Spirit gives us the concern and prompts us to pray. Second, we perceive distance between God and ourselves. Many people don’t pray because they feel like they’re either talking to themselves or to someone who is absent. They cannot sense the presence of God in prayer. That’s where the Holy Spirit comes in. We have access by the Holy Spirit to the Father. According to Galatians 4:6, “Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba! Father!” We have the Spirit of God living within us to make God real and to make God ever present. The Holy Spirit helps us connect with God the Father.                                                                                                                                                The Holy Spirit will help you overcome the “problems with prayer” if you will but ask.