The Salt of Gratitude

A little boy said, "Salt is what spoils potatoes when it is left out." Using the same kind of negative definition, we can say, "Gratitude is what spoils life when it is left out." A disposition of continual thankfulness comes from an unshakable confidence in GOD's wisdom, power and goodness no matter what our circumstances may be, people who posses the quality of gratitude may be poor in this world's goods, but they are truly rich Spiritually.

Some of the most grateful people I know have few material possessions and little money in their bank accounts. A character in one of 'Charles Dickens' stories remarks, "My not knowing at one meal where I shall get the next is a great help to thankfulness."

Riches, on the other hand can be a handicap. A wealthy woman told her doctor she was frustrated by a restless desire to accumulate more and more things. He replied, "These are the usual symptoms of too much ease in the home and too little gratitude in the heart."

No matter what your circumstances, count your blessings. Psalm 105 reminds us, "Give thanks to the LORD...remember HIS marvellous works" (v-1,5). The salt of gratitude helps to make all of life taste better.

Now thank we all our GOD
With hearts and hands and voices
Who wondrous things hath done,
In whom HIS world rejoices. - Rinkart

A GOOD ATTITUDE BEGINS WITH GRATITUDE TO GOD.

DO YOU LOVE ATTENTION?

I am poor and needy, Yet the LORD thinks about me. Psalm 40:17

Years ago I heard an amusing story. A young man stood up in the crowded room and loudly said, “Excuse me, everybody! Excuse me! Could I please have your attention?” The noisy chatter stopped and everyone’s eyes turned around him. At that point, the young man grinned and said, “Thank you! I just love attention” and then he sat down.

This story reminds that while some people love the spotlight, all of us have legitimate needs, and only GOD can be totally attentive to them. HE alone has complete knowledge of us. In Psalm 139:1, David linked GOD’s attentiveness with HIS knowledge, and he personalized them in these words, “O LORD, You have searched me and known me.” Then he rejoiced in the realization that GOD was intimately acquainted with him and gave attention to everything about him – his actions, thoughts, and words (v. 2-4). GOD had designed him, created him and determined how long he will live. (v. 13-16). David concluded with this burst of praise: “How precious are YOUR thoughts to me O GOD!” (v. 17). GOD’s attentiveness is constant. Whenever you feel that nobody cares about you, meditate on Psalm 139 and be satisfied with GOD’S attention.

Whatever we do, wherever we go,
There’s nothing we could mention
That GOD is unacquainted with,
HE always pays attention!

KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE LORD
HE NEVER TAKES HIS EYES OFF YOU.

ITS AN ADVENTURE!

Last year me and my family had gone to Goa for vacation. Driving down to the capital city through Hubli. We witnessed beautiful beaches spread throughout the coastline. Every sight was thrilling and every hairpin bend opened a site for rich wild life and plantation with charismatic beaches all over. Not knowing what to expect next, made the journey memorable.

One of the many exciting aspects of walking with CHRIST is that we don’t know what is going to happen next. At times we may be uncomfortable with the twists and turns, but GOD reserves the right to lead us wherever HE wants. Paul and his missionary companions were making their way to Asia minor when GOD changed their plans (Acts 16:6-7). Instead of going to Bithynia they went to Troas. That night Paul saw a vision of a man pleading, ”Come over to Macedonia and help us. ” (v-9). Paul’s plans were changed when GOD revealed HIS.

As we prayerfully consider what GOD wants us to do, we can be confident that HE will lead us day by day through HIS Word and by HIS Spirit within us. (Psalm 139:10). Because HE is good (25:8)., we can trust HIM with our lives in this great adventure called the CHRISTIAN life.

YOU DON’T NEED TO SEE THE WAY,
IF YOU FOLLOW THE ONE WHO IS THE WAY.

Without JESUS in your life . . .

One evening, after the miracle of the five thousand fed, Jesus went to the mountain to pray alone, and the disciples got into the ship to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Thought they toiled and rowed hard right from the evening, the ship was still in the midst of the sea in the fourth watch of the night, tossed about by the waves.

The absence of CHRIST is often the cause of our troubles, the disciples wanted to go to the other shore, but as JESUS was not in the ship, their labours were all in vain. Similarly, if we want to go to the heavenly shore, CHRIST should be in the ship of our lives as the Captain. If JESUS is not there in the centre of our lives, all our labours, however good they may be are fruitless.

As they were sailing, they faced a boisterous sea and a contrary wind. Without JESUS in our lives, we only face things that are contrary to our expectations and plans. In that hour, of great trial and despair, JESUS came to them walking on the boisterous sea, demonstrating that, “the LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea than the mighty waves of the sea” (Psalm 93:4)

Dear Reader, if you will hand over your life to JESUS, He is willing to come near and demonstrate HIS mighty power in your life. Without JESUS in your life, you will never reach the heavenly shore. I am the way, the truth and the life. Without me, ye can do nothing.

Make sure, HE is in the centre of your life.

“Without Him, I could do nothing
Without Him, I’d surely fall,
Without Him, I would be drifting
Like a ship, without a sail.”

Yeild not !

When we begin our Christian life we may find life peaceful and without troubles. But as we grow, we find ourselves facing trials and temptations,and we tend to resist them. If one loses a few battles, one may even think of giving up. Carnal sinful thoughts takes over one's mind and the devil takes the upper hand. Such people lead a miserable life and make others life also miserable.

The devil is a theif; his plan is to steal, to kill and to destroy (Jn. 10:10). He wants to steal man's peace and joy; he wants to kill his body and destroy his life, even his Spiritual life. He wants to deprive man of all that GOD has created for him.

The devil had a plan for St. Paul, it was to destroy him. According to that plan, he was going to Damascus to destroy the Christians. But thank GOD, GOD arrested him on the way and revealed HIS plans HE had concerning his life. It is no surprise therefore that GOD's glorious plan prevailed !

Dear Reader, when we consider great men like Samson, King Saul and some others who were chosen by GOD, we can see how the devil managed to destroy their life and ministry. So let us be careful not to yeild to the plan of the devil.

"Fight, fight with courage firm,
Fight, fight, you will not fail,
Sure the foe in fear will flee,
By His might you'll ever prevail."

Cold Old Believer !!

Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid (calf), that I might make merry with my friends" (Luke 15:29).

This elder son could be a type of the modern 'Cold Old Believer'. He has a seniority of many years to boast about - "Lo, these many years do I serve thee."

He is full of himself - wrapped up in himself. Although his loving father 'entreated him' to come in and join the joyful fellowship, he argues with him. "...neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment," he says. How can anyone believe this arrogant statement of this elder broher seeing he refused even the entreaties of his caring father! Often, those who speak highly of themselves are as empty as this 'Pharisee.' Look at the complaint he makes (Cold believers are complainers too!) to his father - "thou never gavest me a kid , that I might make merry with my friends."

Dear Reader, if you cannot enjoy the fellowship of the saints, it means you have friendship and merriment else where. If you long for 'a kid' (worldly pleasures), you will never enjoy the fatted calf, music and dancing (great Spiritual blessings) in the Father's house, the church.

May be the elder son finally did go inside - as the music and the dancing were about to end and where the feast of the fatted calf was almost over and had only leftovers. Could this be the picture of the 'Sunday Christian' , who finally (toward the end of the singing session) reaches for the backseat?

Is There A Jonah In Your Ship?

Jonah 1:10 –Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, “Why have you done this?” For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. (NKJV)

Jonah was a prophet of the LORD who lived in the land of Israel. He was sent by GOD to the Assyrian city of Nineveh.

The city of Nineveh was a great city in the once mighty kingdom of Assyria. Known for its mighty conquests and their riches, this city was a bustling hub of trade and commerce in the Middle East of the Ancient World. (See the map of the Ancient Assyrian Empire)

However, like all great cities famed for their wealth and splendour, this capital of the mighty Assyrian Empire was mired deep in sin, corruption, violence and every abomination, before the LORD. Our GOD being a Holy GOD had to destroy this city which had earned HIS wrath through their wicked practices.

To warn this city and to turn them away from their wickedness, the LORD GOD sent a prophet to them. He was Jonah. We read in verse 1 and 2 how the LORD tells Jonah to go and preach in Nineveh, warning them about their impending judgement. But Jonah ran away from the presence of the LORD (verse 3). He boarded a ship sailing to the city of Tarshish.

Tarshish was another bustling city of trade and commerce. In the Bible we read how the ships of Tarshish traded with the kingdom of Israel (II Chronicles 9:21; Isaiah 60:9). Jonah was going in a direction opposite to what GOD had asked him to go.

GOD needed Jonah to warn the city of Nineveh. But sadly, Jonah was running away from the LORD. Running farther and farther away from HIM…

Having boarded the ship bound for Tarshish, Jonah was now content and a happy man. He perhaps must have thought that GOD could perhaps reach him no more, and he would not be faced with the daunting task of preaching to that wicked city anymore. But, Jonah was soon going to be proved wrong. Read how …

Our GOD is an Almighty GOD. HE is the master of the wind and the seas (Mark 4:39). HE controls everything in this world, the Creator of all things (Colossians 1:16,17). And HE had a plan to turn around the rebellious prophet Jonah.

Jonah 1:4-5 (KJV)

4 - But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
5 - Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.

We read how the LORD sent a wild wind into the sea, and there was a mighty storm. GOD sent it in lieu to Jonah's disobedience. The weather was so hostile and furious that the sailors of the ship themselves thought that their ship would be broken, and they would all have a watery grave. A great fear gripped them all, and we see them now crying out, each man to his own gods.

And yet, neither did the wind cease nor did the storm abate…

In the middle of this frightful scenario, where was Jonah? How could he have possibly kept himself safe from this raging storm? Where was he?

Well, Jonah, the prophet of the LORD, running away from the presence of the LORD, was comfortably asleep in the ship’s hold. No wind, no storm, no tossing about of the ship could waken up Jonah from his blissful sleep. From the heights of heaven above, GOD saw Jonah asleep in the depths of the ship. And HE wanted to wake up Jonah. HE did…

The shipmaster finding out that Jonah was asleep and woke him up and asked him to call upon his GOD. Meanwhile, the sailors aboard now began to think that perhaps this situation has come upon them because of one man in their midst. And they decided to find him out.

The ancient civilizations had a practice of casting lots. They cast lots for arriving at many decisions. This practice was even followed in the Bible in various instances (read I Samuel 14:42; Acts 1:26i. Even in this situation, the sailors cast lots among themselves. They deemed that this calamity has happened because there was one fugitive among them. By discovering him and convicting him, they thought that perhaps the storm would cease.

Jonah 1:7, 8 (KJV)

7 – And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.
8 – Then they said unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? And whence comest thou? What is thy country? And of what people art thou?

Jonah is now forced for an explanation. The sailors had now found him out, and they had realised that he was the wrong-doer, the culprit because of whom they were all suffering. Jonah, now being repentant makes his confession.

Jonah 1:9, 10 (KJV)

9 – And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew: and I fear the LORD, the GOD of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.
10 – Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

Jonah now realised that he was responsible for this calamity. His disobedience against the voice of the LORD has now jeopardised the lives of all the men on board with him. He had to save the lives of all the sailors on the ship. The situation was on a knife-edge, and Jonah instantly knew what he had to do. Jonah now asked the sailors to throw him into the sea (Jonah 1:12 - And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.) Jonah told the panic-stricken men that he had to be thrown overboard, if they all had to be saved. After a lot of deliberations among them, they decided that they had to go by what Jonah had said. He had to be thrown into the sea, ere they all die.

Jonah 1:15 (NKJV)

So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.

What a powerful solution to all their troubles! The answer to the storm lay in this man, Jonah’s words. And when they obeyed, the storm ceased instantaneously!

To the common man, it may look that the sea seemed to bay for the fugitive prophet’s blood. But reading the last verse, and the next two chapters (read here), we see how GOD had a plan for bringing back Jonah to fulfil the mission he was assigned to.

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Dear friend, pause a moment to imagine this scene in your mind. A ship tossed by mighty waves, at the verge of being broken. The man because of whom this evil had befallen them is now found out. The sailors, after much deliberations decided to throw him into the sea. The moment he hit the waters, the storm ceases and the wind dies. Then a still weather and the sailors safely reach their destination.

Is there some failure in your life that has been nagging you for a long time? Despite your tears and your prayers in the presence of GOD, has there been no solution so far? Everybody around you keeps encouraging you that GOD will not let you down, but deep in your heart is there a doubt and a fear glued? Are you telling yourself, “This life is becoming harder and harder. I don’t understand the reason behind all these failures. I have prayed so hard. Yet, there seems to be no answer from anywhere. GOD is not telling me anything. What shall I do?”

This article is written just for you.

Spend a few minutes with a broken and a contrite heart, in the presence of the LORD. Examine your life and see if there has been any wrong that you committed. Something you did which you knew GOD would not approve. Maybe it is a secret sin, hidden deep within your heart and no man ever knew about it. You could have covered it up, and many days would have passed. But GOD is watching that Jonah asleep within you. HE wants to make you realise that, that Jonah must first be cast into the sea if your ship must be at peace. That particular sin, that particular tussle between you and your GOD must first be rectified, if your problem must have a solution.

Right now, get down on your knees and pray. Get right with GOD. Throw that Jonah out of your ship. With true repentance, go back to your LORD and HE will forgive you. Surrender yourself into HIS hands. And HE will never fail you.

There is hope, my friend. Right now, right away, get back with GOD. And you will be amazed by the solution that comes from HIM. Before your GOD, the mountains will melt like wax, and the hills will flee away. There is nothing too hard for HIM, that HE cannot do.

But first you need to get right with HIM, before HE can solve it for you. You do your part faithfully. HE is ever-faithful and loving to take care of your painful problem.

GOD bless you.

An Exemplary Youth

An Exemplary youth is one to be admired.. one from whom we could learn..

How does the inspired Holy Scriptures bring to light this exemplary youth?

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them” Eccl. 12:1

The first remarkable feature about these youths is that they had the assurance that the Almighty was with them. How many youths of today can say, I have the assurance the LORD is with me? Consider the following youths we read about in THE HOLY BIBLE.

i) David

David the shepherd boy had the assurance that the LORD was with him. What a wonderful youth! He killed the lion! He killed the bear! He vigilantly kept his father’s sheep and he killed the giant Goliath and saved Israel. He was but a youth when he was anointed king in the midst of his brethren. I Samuel 16:13. This shepherd boy says, the LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want…Yea though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil; for THOU art with me.” ……His Psalms has many such words of assurance Psa. 23

He was hunted as one would hunt a partridge on a mountain by King Saul but the LORD preserved him withersoever he went - I Chronicles 18:13. Saul was all the more afraid of David when he perceived that the LORD WAS WITH HIM I Samuel 18:28,29. He had opportunities to take revenge, but he did not for he awaited God’s time. Judah and all Israel crowned him king when he was but 30 years old. He reigned 40 years in Jerusalem. This great king was also called the sweet Psalmist of Israel.

ii) Joseph

Joseph was a handsome lad even as David was. Gen. 39:6; The father loved him because he was the son of his old age but his brethren envied him. He was 17 years old when he left his father’s house in search of his brethren who were feeding the sheep. He was stripped off his coat of many colours, put in a pit, mercilessly sold to the Ishmaelites; he went to the slave market to Potipher’s house; falsely accused and cast into prison, from prison went he straight to the palace of Pharaoh the king of Egypt. 13 years of sore travail and humiliations did not make him bitter but made him a better lad. He forgave his brethren freely. Gen. 50:17-21. The secret was that the LORD was with him. The Scriptures bear witness. Gen 39:2,3,21,23.

iii) Daniel

Daniel was of the king’s seed and not more than 16 years of age when he was carried away as captive to Babylon. Among those who were chosen to be trained to stand in the palace of the king, Daniel was one and so were his friends, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They were found ten times better than the other trainees. In the 12^th Chapter, Daniel’s name appears in the reigning Monarchs of that time. 70 years he lived a palace life. He was a wise councellor and was in high position in their realms. He purposed in his heart not to defile himself with the king’s meat. He kept himself pure. HE also kept himself amongst jealousy, envy and hatred. He fasted, he prayed and had many revelations, visions and dreams. He was preserved. A captive youth lived an exemplary life in a heathen kingdom. He bore the testimony, a man greatly beloved of the LORD.

Are we not strangers and pilgrims in this world? Should we not live an exemplary life like them?

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Young friend, consider the lives of these young men, they knew nothing better but were determined to be GOD's children in GOD's way. They knew the path of evil, and purposed in their hearts not to tread thereon. In this world where whichever side we turn there is nothing but corruption, abuse, malpractices, riots and uproar, we should preserve our life to be caught up at the coming of the LORD.
It is not by him that planteth, nor by him that watereth but by GOD who causeth to increase.1 Corinthians 3:6-7, Therefore every good gift and perfect blessing cometh from the Father of lights and HE sure will bless our lives and the work of our hands James 1:17 only if we choose to the way of life and depart from evil. Proverbs 16:17

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to THY Word. Psalm 119:9

Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My Father, Thou art the guide of my youth. Jeremiah 3:4

May the LORD help us.

Keeping power of the blood of JESUS.

"If we walk in the light, as HE is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of JESUS CHRIST HIS Son cleanseth us from all sin." (I Jn. 1:7).

The blood of JESUS CHRIST has such a tremendous power that it can keep us always cleansed and spotless and pure as we walk in the light of the truth of the Word of God.

The story is told of a white flower growing in a coal mining area. All the miners working there and all the plants growing there were virtually covered with the black coal powder; but there was a little flower which had pure, spotless, white flowers. One visitor to the mine was amazed to see this. He took a pinch of coal powder and threw it on the flower. Lo, and behold, the coal powder just rolled off the flower and the flower remained spotlessly pure! Then the visitor curious about the purity of the flower, touched the petals of the flower and found the secret. It had a certain enamel on the petals which made the petals slippery and made all the dust slip off them.

Dear Reader, if GOD can create such pure, white flowers and keep them intact in he dirtiest of places, can't HE do the same with us, the crown of HIS Creation? The precious blood of JESUS Christ like the enamel on the petals of the flower, can so cover us that we can be kept spotless and pure to meet the LORD when HE comes. Though many children of GOD sing about the power in the blood, unfortunately, very few realise that glorious and tremendous power it has.

How can we recieve JESUS joyfully ?

While Zacchaeus was clinging to the sycamore tree, Jesus came down the road thronged by a great multitude. The LORD came close to the place where Zacchaeus was. Then HE looked up and saw Zacchaeus and said to him: "Zacchaeus make haste and come down; for today I must abide at thy house" (Luke 19:5). What a loving gesture !

The beautiful thing that we can find here is that it was not Zacchaeus who drew near to JESUS, but it was JESUS who came near to him. It was not Zacchaeus who saw JESUS first, but it was JESUS Himself who saw JESUS first. It was not Zacchaeus who spoke to JESUS first, but it was JESUS Himself who spoke to Zacchaeus first. Dear child of GOD, is this not true with our Spiritual life too?

Before we went to JESUS, HE came near to us. Before we saw HIM, HE saw us and called us by our name, as Isaiah says: "I have even called thee by thy name." Zacchaeus' joy knew no bounds! He had only wanted to see JESUS, but JESUS saw him , called him by his name and conferred upon him the honour of having HIM as a guest in his house. Truly our GOD is able to do 'exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think' (Eph. 3:20)

The first thing JESUS told Zacchaeus was, "Make haste and come down!" Zacchaeus was a rich and important man, and also a chief among the publicans, which means he held a very high office. JESUS wanted him to come down from the pride of his position ans possessions. This is the first thing a sinner has to do when the LORD meets him. "He made haste and came down and received HIM joyfully" (Luke 19:6).

Dear child of GOD, if you have not received JESUS joyfully, it is because you have not yet come down from your pride. Will you make haste and come down today, and receive HIM joyfully?

SHOW YOUR COVENANT KEEPING GOD

“And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud” (Gen 9:14).

The sight of the dark, formidable clouds rising in the sky is compensated by the lovely entrancing beauty of the 7 – coloured rainbow. It is when dark clouds gather in the sky that we can view the beautiful rainbow. There is a great Spiritual truth in this. Only when we face clouds of trials & difficulties can our lives manifest beauty in this world.

It is your trials both you and others can see how true you are to the covenants you have made with GOD. It is in your trials that you prove your mettle, and show who your GOD is. It is then that you show to the world the covenant-keeping nature of GOD.

Look at Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego whom King Nebuchadnezzar put into the furnace. Till then Nebuchadnezzar could not understand or see their GOD. But when they were put into the fire, he could see the Son of GOD walking with them. Yes, only in the fiery trail could they manifest to the pagan king and to his kingdom that there was a living GOD walking with them. Everyone could see their covenant with their GOD. If they had relented, they would have failed their GOD miserably.

Dear child of GOD, are you showing your GOD to the world in your fiery trails? Are you showing others the covenant between you and your GOD? Are they able to see in your life GOD’s faithfulness in keeping HIS covenant?

By Any Means....save Some !

"If by any means I...might save some of them" (Rom. 11:14)

St. Paul's motivation to save some souls by any means , made him sacrifice much, and as a result innumerable people got saved. Even after 2000 thousand years his epistles continue to be awesome, and all over the world, souls are not only getting saved but are also being transformed. Any sacrifice we make to rescue even one soul from hell-fire is worth the while.

When a certain child of GOD was going around distributing tracts, he knocked at the door of a house. After a while, a man opened the door. The Christian offered him a tract. The man of the house angrily snatched the tract and banged the door shut on his face. Anxious to know why the man had been upset , the Christian went back to the house after a few days. This time the man had a smile on the face when he opened the door. He invited the Christian in and showed him the fan from which he had hung a rope to commit suicide. "I was been in the act of putting my head in the noose that day, when the doorbell rang," he said. I thought, 'Anyway, I'm going to hell. Why might I spend all the time wondering who might have rung the bell? Let me see who is standing outside and then proceed with my plan,' and answered the door.

The sight of a man with a tract annoyed me and I was going to chuck the paper into the waste paper basket when the words, 'YOU ARE SOMEONE SPECIAL' caught my eye. I paused to glance at the contents of the tract.

As I read, a light dawned in my heart. I gave my heart to the LORD, and abandoned all my foolish plans.

Dear child of GOD, do all you can, by all means and at any cost, by all means and at any cost, to save souls from eternal destruction. Don't go to heaven empty-handed. What a joy it will be to be welcomed at the pearly gates by the souls you led to CHRIST! What a thrill that will give to your spirit all eternity.

"Help us, LORD, to be a lifeline
To a dying world today
Bringing hope to hopeless people
And sharing salvation's way."

The Still Small Voice

I Kings 19:12 – And after the fire a still small voice. (KJV)

During the reign of King Rehoboam, the once mighty kingdom of Israel split into two kingdoms (read I Kings 12:16-20). The largest was the kingdom of Israel, comprising of ten tribes, with their capital in Samaria. The other kingdom was the kingdom of Judah, comprising of the remaining two tribes, with their capital in Jerusalem. Many kings ruled over both these kingdoms. Some were good, who followed the Lord with all their hearts, whereas others were evil, hardening their hearts against the LORD GOD and worshipping idols.

One such king who ruled the land of Israel was King Ahab. He was a very wicked king, insomuch that the BIBLE even says that he was wicked more than all the kings who ruled before him (I Kings 17:30 – And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him. KJV) In the following verse, we see how he committed further wickedness after he married Jezebel. She caused him to sin greatly in the sight of the LORD.

It is in such a terrible situation that GOD rose up a man to stand for Him; a man who would carry the words of warning and judgement to His people. Elijah was that man.

Elijah was sent by GOD to the backslidden people of Israel. He was a mighty prophet of the Lord. The LORD never allowed even one word that came out of Elijah’s mouth to fail. HE fulfilled all that Elijah warned about.

Even though Elijah was a prophet greatly feared in all of Israel, he still had to face untold sufferings and dangers which the wicked rulers and the people sought to do to him. He had a lot to complain about - there was a wicked king named Ahab who was ruling Israel; the LORD’s people had sold themselves to idolatry and witchcraft; and Ahab’s wife, Jezebel was persecuting the prophets of the LORD. To add to all his woes, Jezebel had even sworn that she would cut off Elijah’s head very soon.

Being so vexed about the various problems that beset him about, he begins to get discouraged. Though Elijah was a mighty man of God who walked in the ways of the LORD, we see that the sufferings he faced made him consider retreating from the challenges that his ministry brought. It is in the anguish of the moments that he prays to the LORD to take away his life.

I Kings 19:4 – And said, it is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

He had lost all his strength and all his courage to such an extent that he deemed that the sufferings he faced were no better than the prophets of God who lived before him. He had even lost all his mental strength. There seemed no purpose to life, other than hiding and running away from the sword of Jezebel which sought for his life, day and night. To meet with it and to lose his life, he did not desire; to flee from it, he no longer could. He was at a crucial junction…

And all he wanted to only desire and pray about was that the LORD would take away his life, and thereby end his hardships…

However, what God had in mind for him was something very different.

Elijah was part of a movement that GOD Himself was stirring up. And he had the lead role to play. He was the hero in the army of the LORD and GOD would never have thought about letting him die a loser’s death. He was a man for whom GOD had chalked out a mighty plan. And the LORD was determined to take him through it.

The weakest link in a mighty army is a man who has lost his mental strength and courage. Such a man can easily be overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the battle itself. He cannot be entrusted with a mission to accomplish. His fears and his discouragement could even become contagious for the whole army. This man then becomes a liability and not a warrior.

Elijah was, sadly, in the same predicament.

And GOD is forced to bring about a deviation in His plan…

This weakest link has to first be strengthened in his mind. He has to first rebuild his intimacy with GOD before he can be entrusted with the great challenge of playing the hero’s part to perfection. He needs to first be fired up.

And GOD set about doing just that…

Objective #1 – Strengthen Elijah

In I Kings chapter 19, from verses 5-8 we read how GOD accomplished this objective.

Reading these verses we find that Elijah was a broken man, now sleeping under a juniper tree. To this discouraged prophet, an angel was sent. He gave Elijah the food that he had to eat. Later, in verse 8 we read that Elijah journeyed in the strength of that meat for forty days and forty nights till he reached Horeb, the mount of God.

And there unfolds the next step in GOD’s plan …

Objective #2 – Reconnect with Elijah

For a weary man, who was so discouraged, Elijah has been strengthened physically with the meat that GOD had sent him. He journeyed a long way to reach the mount of GOD.

The LORD was now satisfied that His prophet was now strengthened physically. And now He can proceed to fulfil His second objective. Elijah had to reconnect with GOD. He had to reaffirm his commitment and his ministry, entrusted to him by GOD. Only the can he be fit to play the great role that GOD had in store for him.

Now that Elijah was alone with the LORD, the LORD begins to talk to Elijah.

Solitude is the best way a man can reconnect with his Creator. The LORD will reveal His purpose concerning a man’s life, only in the deepest hour of his intimacy with Him.

I Kings 19:9-10 (NKJV)

9 - And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 - So he said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”

We read the conversation that GOD had with Elijah. This was what GOD wanted Elijah to tell him. This was what He had in mind to hear from him, before He could reveal His next step. But unfortunately, Elijah had mourned and pleaded for his life to be taken away, instead of laying out his problems and grievances before the Almighty Himself.

We need to learn from this, that in our moments of pain and grief, what GOD wants us to do is, to spend quiet moments with Him, pouring out our problems, and not pleading with Him to take away our lives!

Now that Elijah has freed his mind from the pain that beat him about, the LORD begins His mighty work.

I Kings 19:11-12 (NKJV)

11 - Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces 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 a still small voice.

We now read how the LORD shows the power of His might to Elijah. And yet, the LORD Himself was not in them.

We may face diverse situations and circumstances in our lives. They may bring with them untold suffering and grief. They may rend our hearts. They may even rend our lives. Living thereafter, may have lost its meaning. But dear reader, cheer up! The hardest part in all this is, to spend your tears in the loving presence of your Father; that may even seem the unlikeliest thing to do in those moments of pain, but that is where you can renew your energy. It is only in the presence of your Father and in His presence alone, that you can receive the comfort, the peace, the solace and the guidance that you need; and not anywhere else.

The latter half of verse 12 is one of the most beautiful paths of Christian living. The true spring with living waters that can heal the broken heart. The source of true comfort is in hearing the voice of the Creator alone.

And Elijah was learning just that…

The Amplified Bible describes this very beautifully. It says -

And after the fire [a sound of gentle stillness and] a still, small voice.

It is now that Elijah truly begins to know the LORD who called him. His search for His Maker has now drawn to an end. Hearing that voice left no doubt in his mind, that this was whom had had come for! This was the voice of his GOD, his Lord and his Maker!

Once again the LORD begins to talk to Elijah (I Kings 19:13, 14). This time the LORD talks to Elijah, not to reconnect with him, but to reveal to him His plan.

Objective #3 – Mission: Redeeming Israel

The reconnected Elijah is now a mighty weapon in the hand of the LORD. Now that he had found and known his LORD for himself, he could now be used to play the role that GOD had desired him to play for a long time.

The battle is now at hand… And the heroic warrior is being briefed about his Captain’s Battle-Plan…

Reading on, you can see for yourself how that the LORD unfolds his plan. (Read it here!)

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Dear friend, you might be reading this, having faced a lot of hardships and pain in the circumstances that have come across lately in your life. Worse still, it might even seem to you that there could be no more purpose in your living. You might feel that you are being a liability, and not the person you had dreamt yourself to be.

But cheer up! There is hope! All is not lost!

Just like Elijah, the only step that you need to take now, was to spend quiet moments with GOD. It is in the outpouring of the heart’s grief that Elijah rose up from his ashes. It is in the tears of the heart that Hannah had her first son (read I Samuel 1:9-18 ). Many men and women of GOD have taken the same course to discover for themselves a stronger and a more intimate relationship with their Maker.

Just spend a few sincere and solitary moments walking with GOD, and you can see the difference that it will make thereafter!

For every problem; for every grief; for every sorrow; know that, the true answer lies in His Presence and with Him only. So go to Him who can comfort and guide thee, and He will never fail thee! Hath He not promised? He will never fail. What He has promised, He will do.