God's NOT Dead

1 Kings 18:27 KJV

(27) And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

The more I read about Elijah, the more I just...I mean, you gotta love him, right?

He's challenged the 450 prophets of Baal to a contest: Whose God can rain down fire from Heaven to consume the sacrifice on the altar. They dance around, cutting themselves and pouring their blood on the altar, and they do this from morning until noon--roughly six hours. Can you imagine that?

Finally, at noon, Elijah starts laughing. "Maybe you should shout louder. Baal might be talking or pursuing or traveling. He might and even be sleeping and so shout louder; he needs to be woken up."

I wish I could have been there to see that.

But did you know that there are some that believe that maybe God Himself is sleeping, or away?

I remember going to church and my Sunday School teacher--a big burly man everyone called "Coach McGuire"--teaching us the chorus "God's not dead, He is alive". I remember how it completely just blew my mind that some people actually used to think (and still do) that God is dead.

It still does.

Okay, I can understand thinking sometimes that He's not listening, or just doesn't care, (even though He IS there and He DOES care--usually during these times, the distance has been caused by sin on our part, not because God doesn't care about us), but thinking that He's dead? I mean, if He were dead, then He wouldn't really be God then, would He?

But it's amazing how people who profess to be Christian's--people that go to church all the time--can sometimes forget that God is real and really alive!

Just remember that God is alive.

1 Peter 5:7 KJV
(7) Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

I am so thankful for a God who is ALIVE, who listens to me, who CARES what happens to me.

Who LOVED me enough to come down from Heaven, to spend His life ridiculed and rejected by everyone that He had come to rescue, knowing the whole while that He would sacrifice His life for me and was glad to do so.

What a God! I don't know much about a whole lot of other religions, but I'm pretty sure that ours is the only one in which there is an ALL-POWERFUL God who cares about someone as insignificant as you and me.

Luke 12:6-7 KJV

(6) Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
(7) But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

A farthing is about a quarter of a penny and FIVE sparrows could be bought for two. Basically, dirt cheap.

But God cares about every single sparrow. And we are worth SO much more in God's eyes, and so He takes care of us and loves us.

Let's look at how Elijah's story ends.

1 Kings 18:31-38 KJV And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: (32) And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. (33) And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. (34) And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. (35) And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. (36) And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. (37) Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. (38) Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.


Elijah drenches the altar and sacrifice in water--in the middle of a drought, no less. They must have thought he was CRAZY!-- and prays. God comes down and consumes the ENTIRE ALTAR: STONES, WATER, WOOD, AND DUST!!!
 
When we pray to God, He hears us. It may not feel like it--we may have sin in our lives. If so, get that straight first--but He hears us.
 
And when God hears His people...Amazing things happen.