No rain in the land...

(1Kings 17:1-8) “And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.”

To seek, ask and knock must be mingled together with faith; and yet many times we do not receive because we ask amiss. To know the mind of Christ in any given situation is what is required. How then does one arrive at the mind of Christ? How I need your help Father God in this area of my life. My world is being rock at present! However I do know this for a fact, whoever trusts in the Lord shall be saved! Nevertheless it is a very trying time in my life, so many mistakes made; how then will I be sure that I’m not engaging in another? This then is the question!

I must start with what I know to be certain; Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came to take away sin from the world; there is no other God who is able to save a sinner from sin. We will all stand before the judgment seat of God. Our hope must fuel our faith; if God ordains something, who can stop Him? His Word is final! Regardless of what circumstance would like to dictate! Let us look at some examples…

“Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word." And the word of the LORD came to him: "Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there." So he went and did according to the word of the LORD. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land. Then the word of the LORD came to him…” (1Kings 17:1-8) – We all need to search out God’s Word for our lives, and this must be done on a daily basis. BUT we must know of a certainty that it is the Word of the Lord that we respond too! Not some babbling wannabe that brings a word to us. When we respond to Gods Word, we will be in such a wonderful place that even the ravens will bring us bread if need be. This type of reasoning is so far from self-sufficiency that it almost seems like a madmen’s thought. If we look at Elijah’s experience in this passage we see that the brook had dried up before the word of the Lord came to Him. He was in a desperate state; this seems to be the way God likes to deal with those who belong to Him. Why? So that their trust will be in His provision and not their own abilities! We see Elijah’s dependency on His God very clearly from this account, why should it be any different for us? I am well aware that we are not Elijah, not even close in our application to faith, but does that mean we shouldn’t strive for his faith? I believe it pleases our Heavenly Father when he sees us placing our trust in Him and I am persuaded that He will reward such faith, the Word, His Word has so declared it!

Let us look at the account of the “prodigal son” or rather the “good Father”: -“And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. "But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants."' And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to celebrate.” (Luke 15:14-24)

Sadly we need to somehow be in want, we need to be desperate before we learn to trust or obey. It is the nature of our fallen selves! BUT GOD is able to somehow bring His children around and he uses our circumstance to do it. We serve a wonderful God, a God with a patient nature, thank you for who your are Father, thank you Lord Jesus for making a way for a dull of hearing man like me. I will forever be indebted to you. I am well aware that I can never repay you for what you have done, but help me lay aside my wants and be about our Fathers business. Teach me I pray, to know the difference between my wants and His will! Thank you for gentleness in my life; to the only true God in times past, now and forever more may His name be exalted, for He alone is worthy of my adoration and praise!

Signing off

Tyrone

PS Help all your children learn this valuable lesson and help us escape from the snare of the devil.