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.

Hosea...My Own Personal Love Story

Hosea is one of the minor prophets in the Bible. Most people have probably never heard of him or read the book that bears his name.

But in this book is one of the most beautiful passages of scripture in the Bible to me.

Hosea was a prophet of God, contemporaries with an old Amos and a young Isaiah and Micah. He may have even known Jonah.
God told Hosea to take "a wife of whoredoms"--to marry a prostitute, essentially.

Can you imagine the amount of gossip that this generated? Can you imagine what the headlines would say if Billy Graham married a prostitute? It would be perhaps the biggest church scandal ever!

But Hosea ignored the talk and married Gomer (Hows THAT for a name?) and proceeded to have three children:
1. Jezreel - Retribution
2. Loruhamah - No more mercy
3. Loammi - No longer my people

After at least two and a half years, Gomer returns to a life of prostitution. She leaves behind her children and this honorable man for a life of sin.

So did Hosea just say, "Oh, well, i guess she doesn't love me"?

NO

Even though-by Mosaic law-he had a right to divorce her and have her stoned, Hosea chose to pursue her. He found her in bondage, literally, as a slave and he bought her freedom.

Isn't that just...beautiful?

Hosea is portraying a type of Christ. This is Christ is His most beautiful form. He is the Lover, the Groom, always pursuing His bride, despite our sin and our constant abandonment of Him.

We are all Gomers. We leave behind the lives we've built and sweated and the One that has pursued us relentlessly.

But He pursued us still. Even when we were in bondage He bought us with the Highest Price.

Even when I had betrayed Him in every way, He loved me and wanted me.

And so remember, even though you may be in bondage to pornography or alchohol or drugs or any other sin: God still loves you and He will NEVER stop pursuing you.

So stop running and let Him find you. Let Him change you.

Surrender yourself to Him.