This was the question that God asked Elijah in 1 Kings 19:13.” Why are you here?”

Let’s backtrack a bit- Elijah had just witnessed God’s fire fall upon 500 prophets of Baal. Elijah had run away from Ahab and Jezabel. Ahab blamed Elijah for the death of his 500 prophets. His wife Jezabel sent a message to Elijah saying “You killed my prophets. Now I’m going to kill you! I pray that the Gods will punish me even more severely if I don’t do it by this time tomorrow.” (1 Kings 19:1-18)

Elijah was afraid when he got her message, and he ran to the town of Beersheba in Judah. He left his servant there, then walked another whole day into the desert. Finally, he came to a large bush and sat down under its shade. He begged the Lord, “I’ve had enough. Just let me die! I’m no better off than my ancestors.” Then he lay down in the shade and fell asleep. Then an angel woke him up and said, “Get up and eat.” Elijah looked around, and by his head was a jar of water and some baked bread. He sat up, ate and drank, the lay down and went back to sleep. Soon the Lord’s angel woke him again and said, “Get up and eat, or else you’ll be too tired to travel.” So, Elijah sat up and ate and drank. The food and water made him strong enough to walk 40 more days. At last, he reached Mount Sinai, the mountain of God, he spent the night there in a cave. While Elijah was on Mount Sinai, the Lord asked, “Elijah, why are you here?” verse 9

He answered Lord God All-Powerful, I’ve always done my best to obey You. But your people have broken their solemn promise to you. They have torn down your altars and killed all your prophets, except me. And now they are even trying to kill me!”

“Go out and stand on the mountain, ” the Lord replied. ” I want you to be there when I pass by.” verse 11

All at once, a strong wind shook the mountain and shattered the rocks. But the Lord was not in the wind. Next, there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. Then there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. Finally, there was a gentle breeze, and when Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his coat. He went out and stood at the entrance to the cave.

A voice asked, “Elijah, why are you here?” In verse 14, Elijah simply repeated everything that he had told the Lord the first time God had asked. That people were disobedient to the Lord and he feared for his life. The Lord said: “Elijah, you can go back to the desert near Damascus. And when you get there, appoint Hazael to be king of Syria. (Verse 16) Then appoint Jehu, son of Nimshi to be king of Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat to take your place as my prophet. Hazreal will start killing the people who worship Baal. Jehu will kill those who escape from Hazreal, Elisha will kill those who escape from Jehu. But 7000 Israelites have refused to worship Baal, and they will live. (verse 18)

So, Elijah went and did what the Lord had told him to do. God was telling him to do this and Elijah, without fear went out and obeyed God. He had originally hid in the cave because he feared for his life. God had even called him out of the cave, (God knew why he was there), into tumultuous winds, earthquake and fire, despite all of those scary things he witnessed, Elijah still walked to the mouth of the cave where all those things were happening –why? Because he had heard God’s still small voice, he heard his voice and fear left him.

God speaks to us everyday here are some ways he speaks to us:

-When He speaks, as He did for Elijah

-He speaks through His word

-His messengers, as with Elijah God sent an angel to give him food and water and encourage him on his way.

-His prophets, as He did through Elijah and will continue to do through Elisha

-He speaks through His miracles

Why was God passing by? Because He was making His presence known to Eljah. God has quiet, personal, and often unexpected ways of guiding, directing and comforting His servants. We must listen and believe He is there with us, and His presence is always with us. Why was Elijah there? I believe because God knew where Elijah had gone and the state of mind He was in, and God met Him there. There is no place that we can go where God does not know “Why you are there, His presence is always with us, sometimes our emotions get in the way of listening to His voice and sensing, or believing that His presence is always with us.

There are so many more things we could discuss here, but if you reading this, have never asked Jesus to be Lord of your life, don’t wait another minute. Just pray, Lord I ask you to forgive me of all my sins, I believe that you died for me, and rose again, so that I may have eternal life. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit, have your Spirit lead and guide my life, and I will rise again one day just as you have done for all of us!

Why am I here? To give you all the glory!

Have you ever felt stuck? Asking yourself where do I go from here? What is my purpose? There are many reasons that we develop a state like this. Sometimes exhaustion, overcoming losses, disappointments, chronic discouragement, or failure to receive something that you have prayed for a long time.

Noah waited and preached to the people around him for 120 years before the flood came. God gave a set time for people to repent, as God would not contend with humanity forever waiting for repentance. Noah spent that time building a huge ark as God had instructed Him to do, despite the opposition Noah received with those watching and negatively reacting to his obedience to God. He obeyed exactly as God had told him as he was a righteous man. I am sure Noah was weary and tired of wondering what all this meant for his own existence, his family’s livelihood. What would become of them all? You can read the whole story in Genesis 5:32; 7:6

Lamentations 5:19-21 states: “You rule forever, Lord! You are King for all time. Why have You forgotten us for so long? bring us back to You, give us a fresh start.” This was a different story that expresses Israel’s plea for God’s remembrance, restoration and renewal after the exile. That is all of our hope for the ability to find God, to be restored. God’s desire is always for His people to obey him and repent, and be saved and refreshed. Zephaniah 3:17 says:” The Lord your God wins victory after victory and is always with you. He celebrates and sings because of you, and he will refresh your life with His love.” Psalms 23:3 says: He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake.” He grants us guidance and restoration to our inner spirit.

Jeremiah 31:25 says: “For I refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.” He promises to restore those who are discouraged and ready to give up.

Isaiah 40:31reads:” But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.” Through our faith in Him, our trust in Jesus , we are refreshed, renewed, and restored. He said in His word that we are to come to Him, those who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

Whatever has made you stuck, weary, feeling like giving up, Jesus said come unto Me and I will give you rest. If you haven’t already asked Jesus to forgive you of all sin, every burden, and believe that He died so that your life may be saved. Ask Him today to be Lord of your life and to make all things refreshed for you, today. He rose again from the dead, so that you may never die. Ask Him also to fill you with the Holy Spirit, His Spirit leads and guides you though everything you go through, and teaches you the truth about His Living Word.

Be refreshed, today!

What is evil?

Today things that are evil are being called good, and good things are called evil. This confuses everyone doesn’t it? When I am confused, I search the scriptures- I am thankful that I believe God gave us clear guidelines when Moses heard the ten commandments from the voice and hand of God.

1Peter 5:8 states:” Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about , seeking whom he may devour.”

Who is he seeking? John 10:10 says ” The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” The thief in this verse refers to anyone or anything that misleads, harms, or robs people of Spiritual truth and life. The imagery of stealing, killing, and destroying are the consequences of following deceptive paths: loss of Spiritual insight, moral corruption, ultimately, separation from God. When we fall away from doing what God clearly tells us can lead us to death, those things are evil, granting you premature death as you design your own consequence through disobedience to God’s word, His commandments.

What does God’s word say about robbery?

Exodus 20:15 “Do Not Steal” Leviticus 19:13 says: “Do not steal anything or cheat anyone and don’t fail to pay your coworkers at the end of each day.” Proverbs 21:7: “You destroy yourself by being cruel and violent and refusing to live right.” Proverbs 10:2 says: “What you gain by doing evil won’t help you at all. Obeying God is the only way to be saved from death.” After Zacchaeus found the Lord, he repented and said:” Later that day Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ” I will give half of my property to the poor. And I will pay back 4 times as much to everyone I ever cheated.” Luke 19:8. Ezekiel 33:15 is clear: “For example, they need to return anything they have taken as security for a loan and anything they have stolen, then if they stop doing evil, and start obeying my law, then they will live.” Proverbs 23:5 says” God’s justice will prevail and the wicked who refuse to do what is right will face consequences.” Ephesians 4:28 says: “If you are a thief, quit stealing. Be honest and work hard so you will have something to give people in need.”

I have found through life and counseling many people, the biggest problem people have is forgiving those who have violated their boundaries, threatened their safety, their livelihood, their person, or family. At times when this violation happens, is when people become afraid, bitter, impulsive they may even become angry, and hold onto that anger. What does God’s word say about this?

Proverbs 16:22 says:” Controlling your temper is better than being a hero who captures a city.”

Proverbs 14:29 says: ” It’s smart to be patient, but it’s stupid to lose your temper.”

Ephesians 4:31,32 says:” Stop being bitter and angry and mad at others. Don’t yell at one another or curse each other or even be rude. Instead, be kind and merciful and forgive others just as God forgave you because of Christ.” I have many more scriptures to instruct the right thing to do, what God tells us to do over and over again, is to trust Him. 1 Peter 5:7,8,9 “God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to Him. Be on your guard and stay awake. Your enemy the devil. is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack. But You must resist the devil and stay strong in your faith. You know that all over the world the Lord’s followers are suffering just as you are.”

These are trying times that we are living in we need to take heed to listen and obey what God’s word tells us we should do so we live a long and abundant life. Psalm 91:1 tells us: “Live under the protection of God Most High and stay in the shadow of God All-Powerful.”

Stop worrying what man can do to you when God has your life in His hands. Ask Him today to forgive you of all evil, all sins that hold you back, Jesus died for your sins and rose again from death so that you may have eternal life also. He left us His comforter, the Holy Spirit, ask Him to come to be your guide and comfort through all things in this life.

Jesus will forgive you of all evil.

You will never be the same!

Our culture is so motivated by people comparing themselves to other people. Marketing always seeks to compare the product that they are promoting, to be much better than all others. People get deceived every day.

When, instead our focus needs to be to seek where our value and worth comes from, which is Christ; not from how we may measure up to others.

Galatians 6:4 ” Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else.”

2 Corinthians10:12-14 ” We won’t dare compare ourselves with those who think so much of themselves. But they are foolish to compare themselves with themselves. We won’t brag about something we don’t have a right to brag about. We will only brag about the work that God has sent us to do, and you are a part of that work. We are not bragging more than we should. After all, we did bring the message about Christ to you.”

It is so silly when workers for Christ doing His Kingdom purposes -may compare themselves to each other and have envy develop for what their brother is working to do for the Kingdom. As the scripture says, all that we do here is for God’s Glory, (not man’s glory).

James 3:16 says: ” For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”

1 Corinthians 4:7 says: “What is so special about you? What do you have that you were not given? And if it was given to you, how can we brag?” Point well taken, without the Lord, we would not have anything, God loves us enough to give us many good things, the purpose to receive all that God has given, is for God to use you to share your gifts, and all He has given to you with others.

My mentor for 40 years, Joanne used to say, “He wants you to have many gifts, because He trusts you with those gifts. If there is a gift you have not yet received- ask Him for that gift, of course, only God knows when you should receive those gifts, so trust Him, do not compare yourself to anyone else or envy anyone else.”

We are all here to do God’s will and His purposes.

God loves you and He sent His only Son Jesus to die for all of your sins, then He overcame death, and rose again so that we all have the same chance to live eternally because of His great sacrifice. Ask Him into your heart today, ask Him to cleanse you of all sin, and believe in Him and what He has done for you! Ask His Holy Spirit to fill you, to lead and guide you through life and to give you revelation about God’s word. Freely receive all that God has for you, No more envy for His abundance is promised to all who have faith in Jesus!

Because of the steadfast love of our God, each day is a chance to start over again. Maybe yesterday was filled with a sense of defeat and sadness, but as people of God- we need to always let go of each day and look forward to the promises of God’s word.

Isaiah 55:11 reads: “That’s how it is with my words. They don’t return to Me without doing everything I send them to do.”

Lamentations 3:22-23 reads: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”

These are amazing declarations of God’s unwavering love and mercy for us! These verses bring hope and comfort to believers, just as they did for the people of Israel and their laments of the destruction of Jerusalem. The prophet Jeremiah is thought to be the writer of Lamentations, his words would serve as a “beacon of hope”(William David LS Journal) amid suffering in those times.

We all have days that we suffer greatly as we reflect on our pain and losses. Lamentations reminds us of God’s unwavering love for us and His mercies that He promises us-will always be with us. He also reminds us of His unfailing provision of His support, even when we may give up on ourselves. Be assured, God will never give up on us!

Come to Jesus, receive His steadfast love for you. He sacrificed His own life, forgave us of all our sin, all we need to do is ask for His forgiveness, believe that He is Lord, that He died for you, rose again from the grave -so that you who believe in Him may have a chance to have a new life. Pray now, also ask the Holy Spirit to fill you afresh, be your comfort and your guide through God’s word- and your life everyday! Jesus is our only hope!