WEBVTT

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 Well, as I mentioned tonight, we continue in our preaching through the book of 1 Kings.

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! And tonight we'll be in 1 Kings chapter 19.

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!

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 This challenge is to see who is the true God.

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 And so the prophets of Baal, they summon up their call to their God to see if He will rain down fire on their altar.

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 And we see it's this vain pursuit.

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 They call, they scream, they cut themselves and nothing happens.

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 In fact, Elijah kind of mocks them that their God does not answer.

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 And so then it's Elijah's turn and he has the prophets pour water again and again and again on the altar

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 before he calls to the one true God who does send down fire, who consumes this burnt offering

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 and the wood and the stone and the dust and the water.

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 And so we see this mountaintop experience for Elijah.

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 This highest hour perhaps of his where God's sovereignty and His power shines through.

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 And then we very quickly transition to this new chapter, chapter 19.

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 And we see what seems to be the spiritual giant having his greatest hour now experiencing perhaps his darkest hour.

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 And so that's going to be a focus of what we think about tonight, this pain of discouragement, this pain of despair that happens.

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 That can happen often in ministry.

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 It can happen in life in general.

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 And how do we deal with this despair?

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 What happens when we're depressed and we're disappointed by how life is going?

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 Where do we turn to for comfort?

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 And I think it can be a temptation.

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 It was for me, in fact, when I read this passage for the first time earlier this week,

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 when we see this transition from what Elijah was to what he becomes in this chapter,

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 and we can easily judge him to say, how did you lose your faith so quickly?

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 But I hope what we see actually is Elijah's status of despair can serve as a comfort for us.

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 Because we see this man of God struggling under hardship and we recognize he's just like us.

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 And we are just like him.

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 And in our frailty and in our fear, we have a God who still loves us.

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 And a God who protects us.

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 And a God who gives us hope even in our darkest hour.

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 And so let's turn to the reading of God's word.

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 1 Kings chapter 19, starting in verse 1.

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 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.

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 And so Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say,

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 May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.

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 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life.

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 And when he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there,

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 while he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness.

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 And he came to a broom bush and sat down under it and prayed that he might die.

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 I have had enough, Lord, he said.

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 Take my life.

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 I am no better than my ancestors.

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 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.

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 All at once an angel touched him and said,

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 Get up and eat.

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 He looked around and there at his head was some bread,

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 baked over hot coals and a jar of water.

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 And he ate and he drank and then lay down again.

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 The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said,

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 Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.

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 And so he got up and ate and drank.

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 Strengthened by the food, he traveled 40 days and 40 nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

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 And there he went to a cave and spent the night.

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 And the word of the Lord came to him,

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 What are you doing, Elijah?

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 And he replied,

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 I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty.

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 The Israelites have rejected your covenant,

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 tore down your altars and put your prophets to death with the sword.

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 I am the only one left.

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 And now they are trying to kill me too.

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 The Lord said,

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 Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord,

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 for the Lord is about to pass by.

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 Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart

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 and shattered the rocks before the Lord.

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 But the Lord was not in the wind.

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 And after the wind there was an earthquake.

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 But the Lord was not in the earthquake.

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 After the earthquake came a fire,

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 but the Lord was not in the fire.

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 And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

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 When Elijah heard it,

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 he pulled his cloak over his face

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 and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

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 Then the voice said to him,

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 What are you doing here, Elijah?

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 And he replied,

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 I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty.

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 The Israelites have rejected your covenant,

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 tore down your altars,

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 and put your prophets to death with the sword.

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 I am the only one left,

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 and now they are trying to kill me too.

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 The Lord said to him,

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 Go back the way you came,

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 and go to the desert of Damascus.

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 And when you get there,

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 anoint Hazael, king over Aram.

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 Also anoint Jehu, the son of Nimshi, king over Israel.

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 And anoint Elisha, the son of Shaphat,

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 from Abel-Meholah,

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 to succeed you as a prophet.

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 And Jehu will put to death

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 any who escape the sword of Hazael.

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 And Elijah will put to death

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 any who escape the sword of Jehu.

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 Yet I reserve 7,000 in Israel,

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 all who knees have not bowed to Baal,

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 whose mouths have not kissed him.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Pray with me again.

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 Gracious God, we do not live by bread alone,

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 but by every word that comes from your mouth.

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 And so we ask, Lord,

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 that you send your Holy Spirit

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 that in the preaching of your word

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 our eyes may be opened,

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 our hearts may be softened,

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 and that our wills may be renewed.

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 Lord, we ask that we may receive your truth

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 and be comforted by your provinces this evening.

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 We pray this in Jesus' name.

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 Amen.

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 Now, I'm sure many of you know

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 the book Pilgrim's Progress.

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 Actually, James referenced it this morning

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 in his sermon.

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 And if you know,

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 it's written by a man named John Bunyan.

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 This was a preacher and a writer

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 back from the 1600s.

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 And this book, Pilgrim's Progress,

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 it's an allegory of the Christian life.

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 And so there's this main character, Christian,

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 who's moving from the city of destruction

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 on his way to the celestial city.

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 And so it tracks his journey

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 through different trials and temptations

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 and struggles.

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 He encounters different people along his path,

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 some who carry on with him.

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 And there's at one point in this story

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 where he meets a friend,

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 a man named Hopeful,

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 and they begin to travel together.

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 And as they begin to walk, though,

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 the path gets a little stony and difficult.

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 And off in the distance,

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 though, they see this other path.

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 It's green pasture.

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 This green meadow.

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 And they decide, you know what?

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 If we were to turn off there

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 and take this slight detour,

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 we can avoid this rocky patch.

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 And so they decide together to do so.

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 And as they walk through this meadow,

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 night begins to fall.

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 And a storm comes up.

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 And we realize the rains come and the winds.

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 And they realize they've made a horrible mistake.

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 But as the floodwaters rise,

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 they realize they can't turn around.

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 And now that it's too dark to see where they're going,

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 and so they decide to find shelter for the night,

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 thinking that at daybreak,

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 they'll return to the path.

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 But when day comes,

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 they see that we realize

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 this land is the land of a giant,

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 a giant named Despair.

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 And he captures them.

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 And he takes them to his castle,

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 Doubting Castle.

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 And he throws them in prison there

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 and says, you've been trespassing.

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 Now you will pay the penalty in this dungeon.

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 And so they survive in this dungeon

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 without food or water for days and days.

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 And each day this giant Despair comes

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 and he beats them and he beats them.

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 And he encourages them to take their own life

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 because they'll never escape.

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 And so after many days of this happening,

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 Christian, he's ready to take this advice

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 and end his own life.

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 And at this point in the story,

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 we see Christian in his journey.

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 It mirrors very much the journey of Elijah here,

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 this prophet in a very similar state of hopelessness.

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 He's been portrayed as this faithful man

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 and now he seems to be without hope at all.

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 And so that's what I want us to focus on tonight.

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 As we think about discouragement

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 and we think about being depressed,

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 when we feel like we're at the end of the rope,

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 what are we to do?

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 And so I think from our passage in 1 Kings here,

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 there's really three things I want us to focus on

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 in regards to discouragement.

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 First, the cause of discouragement.

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 Second, the characteristics of discouragement.

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 And third, the cure for discouragement.

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 The cause, the characteristics,

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 and the cure for discouragement.

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 And so let's first consider the cause of discouragement.

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 Now I think we can think about cause in two ways here.

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 We can think about it circumstantially

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 and we can also think about it spiritually.

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 Again, if we think to the very end of chapter 18,

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 what's just happened here?

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 There's been this great victory.

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 The prophets of Baal have been defeated.

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 The rain comes.

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 The drought has been lifted.

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 And it says that Ahab,

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 he's hurrying home to tell Jezebel what's happened.

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 And it's interesting here

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 because Elijah could have stayed on that mountain,

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 but instead he chooses to go see Jezebel as well.

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 Ahab, it actually says he's on a chariot.

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 But somehow Elijah on foot beats the chariot to Jezebel.

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 And we see, obviously,

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 he's probably anticipating some sort of fantastic result here.

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 That finally Jezebel's heart of stone will crumble.

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 That she'll finally submit herself to the one true God.

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 That she'll turn from her wickedness

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 when she hears what the true God has done.

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 But in fact, she does the exact opposite, right?

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 She threatens to kill him.

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 And so we see circumstances like this

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 that can reasonably think will lead us to despair.

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 But the thing is,

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 it's not simply circumstances that guarantee us

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 to go into despair

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 because Elijah's faced hardship before, right?

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 We see this in the passages previous.

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 He was no stranger to hardship.

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 He had, in fact, told Ahab to his face,

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 you're a troubler of Israel,

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 risking death at the very least.

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 He's endured drought.

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 He's raised the dead.

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 He's defeated these prophets.

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 And so it's not simply circumstances for Elijah

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 that caused him to fall into despair.

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 I think oftentimes we like to blame our circumstances

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 for our condition of despair or for discouragement.

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 But the reality is that oftentimes our discouragement,

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 it reveals more about our spiritual condition

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 than our circumstances.

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 You know, all that I mentioned before

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 that happened to Elijah,

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 he does so in reliance on God.

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 But here we see a change in his attitude,

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 a change in his outlook

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 because instead of focusing on God and what he has done,

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 he begins to focus on self.

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 And so we see this play out

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 when he's at Mount Horeb.

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 He's asked twice,

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 why are you here?

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 And he gives the same answer twice.

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 He says, I've been very zealous for the Lord.

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 Everyone else has rejected you.

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 I alone have left.

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 Everyone's trying to kill me.

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 And so he's not really trying to speak at all

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 about what God has done.

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 He's speaking about what he's done.

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 He's a concern for his own life.

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 It seems as though he's relying on his own work,

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 his own merit,

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 as being the foundation for why he should be saved.

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 And we see some discouragement here too, right?

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 He's seen success in his ministry up to this point.

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 And now that success doesn't come,

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 he begins to question the Lord.

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 As if success in and of itself has been his God,

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 and that's almost been more important

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 than serving the one true God.

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 And so instead of trusting in God

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 and relying on his promises,

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 he begins to listen to the threats of man

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 and rely on his own strength.

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 And so I wonder, do we do the same thing?

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 I mean, there's certainly many in this room

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 who face hardships of various kinds, right?

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 Many who have lost loved ones.

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 Many who have maybe not been as successful

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 in your career as you might have hoped.

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 You face financial uncertainty.

00:12:17.620 --> 00:12:19.379
 You have troubles in your family.

00:12:19.379 --> 00:12:21.200
 You're battling illness.

00:12:21.879 --> 00:12:22.720
 Battling depression.

00:12:24.460 --> 00:12:26.779
 You seem to, as though you can't find stability

00:12:26.779 --> 00:12:27.659
 in your life.

00:12:29.480 --> 00:12:31.139
 And I think we can experience this too,

00:12:31.220 --> 00:12:32.600
 not only in the individual sense,

00:12:32.679 --> 00:12:34.019
 but also in the corporate sense.

00:12:35.000 --> 00:12:36.480
 As we think about this church.

00:12:37.919 --> 00:12:40.399
 Maybe you've been at this church for a long time.

00:12:41.679 --> 00:12:43.559
 And you think maybe we're in a hard spot.

00:12:43.639 --> 00:12:46.480
 Maybe the church isn't as well off as it used to be.

00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:47.559
 Maybe membership is low.

00:12:47.639 --> 00:12:48.480
 Maybe families are few.

00:12:48.480 --> 00:12:51.039
 Maybe our impact has begun to be limited.

00:12:51.340 --> 00:12:53.060
 And how do we respond spiritually

00:12:53.060 --> 00:12:55.420
 when we face that kind of discouragement?

00:12:57.180 --> 00:12:59.019
 I think oftentimes we do what Elijah does

00:12:59.019 --> 00:13:00.840
 and we turn our eyes off from God

00:13:00.840 --> 00:13:02.420
 and we begin to think about ourselves

00:13:02.420 --> 00:13:04.100
 and our own need for success

00:13:04.100 --> 00:13:06.279
 to turn to our own path

00:13:06.279 --> 00:13:08.899
 as we seek our own solution to our problems.

00:13:10.019 --> 00:13:11.840
 Because this is what Christian does here

00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:14.539
 in our book, right?

00:13:14.620 --> 00:13:15.800
 He turns off.

00:13:15.799 --> 00:13:17.799
 The reason he gets captured by this giant despair

00:13:17.799 --> 00:13:19.699
 is because he's turned off the king's path.

00:13:19.759 --> 00:13:21.659
 He's turned off the king's road to his own way.

00:13:22.659 --> 00:13:24.159
 When difficulty comes,

00:13:24.699 --> 00:13:27.799
 he chooses his own path to solve his own problems.

00:13:29.240 --> 00:13:30.879
 I think that often happens when

00:13:30.879 --> 00:13:34.579
 we probably think incorrectly

00:13:34.579 --> 00:13:36.039
 about the Christian life at times.

00:13:36.039 --> 00:13:39.019
 We expect it to be easy perhaps.

00:13:39.959 --> 00:13:41.399
 We fail to recognize

00:13:41.399 --> 00:13:44.120
 the hardship that we should expect.

00:13:44.360 --> 00:13:45.360
 We fail to recognize

00:13:45.360 --> 00:13:47.860
 that the cross of Christ is a sign to us

00:13:47.860 --> 00:13:50.000
 that we share in the sufferings of Jesus,

00:13:50.139 --> 00:13:51.019
 not that it's a guarantee

00:13:51.019 --> 00:13:52.360
 to remove us from all hardship.

00:13:55.019 --> 00:13:56.240
 And so the disappointment,

00:13:56.480 --> 00:13:58.860
 it may be sparked by our circumstances at times.

00:13:59.299 --> 00:14:00.039
 Oftentimes it's perpetuated

00:14:00.699 --> 00:14:02.059
 by the spiritual state

00:14:02.059 --> 00:14:03.199
 that we're in

00:14:03.199 --> 00:14:04.679
 when we choose to turn from God

00:14:04.679 --> 00:14:07.079
 and rely on self.

00:14:09.179 --> 00:14:10.459
 And so that's the reason

00:14:10.459 --> 00:14:13.199
 that we see for Elijah's discouragement here.

00:14:13.279 --> 00:14:13.759
 I want to look,

00:14:14.079 --> 00:14:15.379
 take a little bit deeper look

00:14:15.379 --> 00:14:16.059
 at the characteristics

00:14:16.699 --> 00:14:18.079
 of his discouragement now.

00:14:18.539 --> 00:14:20.319
 Because I think what Elijah's experienced,

00:14:20.419 --> 00:14:22.279
 I think we all can experience this at times.

00:14:22.339 --> 00:14:22.959
 So practically,

00:14:23.099 --> 00:14:24.059
 what does it look like

00:14:24.059 --> 00:14:26.079
 when we experience disappointment and despair?

00:14:26.219 --> 00:14:27.199
 Well, I think first of all,

00:14:27.399 --> 00:14:28.619
 we often experience fear.

00:14:28.620 --> 00:14:32.440
 This is exactly what Elijah experiences

00:14:32.440 --> 00:14:33.259
 from the very beginning.

00:14:33.419 --> 00:14:34.539
 He had been portrayed

00:14:34.539 --> 00:14:35.639
 as this figure of bravery

00:14:35.639 --> 00:14:36.980
 and now he's running for his life.

00:14:38.600 --> 00:14:40.419
 And I think the same thing can happen to us.

00:14:40.539 --> 00:14:41.899
 When hardship comes,

00:14:43.200 --> 00:14:46.500
 we feel as though we need to question God

00:14:46.500 --> 00:14:48.100
 or question our future.

00:14:48.220 --> 00:14:49.419
 What's going to happen?

00:14:49.500 --> 00:14:50.620
 What does my future hold?

00:14:50.700 --> 00:14:51.720
 And I think we see this

00:14:51.720 --> 00:14:52.860
 in the people of Israel too.

00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:55.259
 When finally they make it

00:14:55.259 --> 00:14:56.240
 through the promised land

00:14:56.240 --> 00:14:57.680
 and through the wilderness,

00:14:57.679 --> 00:14:58.859
 they're making their way

00:14:58.859 --> 00:14:59.620
 into the promised land.

00:14:59.739 --> 00:15:00.719
 Joshua is now their leader.

00:15:00.839 --> 00:15:01.099
 What is,

00:15:01.419 --> 00:15:02.199
 what's the command

00:15:02.199 --> 00:15:02.839
 and the instruction

00:15:02.839 --> 00:15:04.359
 that God gives Joshua

00:15:04.359 --> 00:15:05.299
 over and over again?

00:15:06.239 --> 00:15:07.159
 This encouragement

00:15:07.159 --> 00:15:08.479
 of don't be afraid.

00:15:09.639 --> 00:15:10.559
 Be strong.

00:15:10.739 --> 00:15:11.339
 Be courageous.

00:15:11.579 --> 00:15:12.179
 Do not fear.

00:15:13.919 --> 00:15:15.079
 And he gives reason

00:15:15.079 --> 00:15:17.359
 for why we're not to be afraid

00:15:17.359 --> 00:15:18.959
 because the Lord your God

00:15:18.959 --> 00:15:19.599
 will be with you

00:15:19.599 --> 00:15:20.299
 wherever you go.

00:15:22.019 --> 00:15:22.959
 And so I think we see here

00:15:22.959 --> 00:15:23.679
 that fear comes

00:15:23.679 --> 00:15:25.359
 when we choose

00:15:25.359 --> 00:15:26.719
 to forget God's power

00:15:26.720 --> 00:15:27.860
 and forget his presence.

00:15:29.000 --> 00:15:29.960
 I think we can often

00:15:29.960 --> 00:15:31.000
 kind of slide

00:15:31.000 --> 00:15:32.360
 into spiritual amnesia

00:15:32.360 --> 00:15:33.000
 at times.

00:15:34.080 --> 00:15:34.940
 When trials come,

00:15:35.019 --> 00:15:35.860
 we forget how God

00:15:35.860 --> 00:15:36.740
 has provided for us

00:15:36.740 --> 00:15:37.360
 in the past.

00:15:38.740 --> 00:15:39.460
 And just like the people

00:15:39.460 --> 00:15:39.740
 of Israel,

00:15:39.879 --> 00:15:41.019
 it's easy to trust God

00:15:41.019 --> 00:15:42.000
 when things are going well.

00:15:43.460 --> 00:15:45.500
 But when hardship comes,

00:15:45.879 --> 00:15:46.860
 we begin to question,

00:15:47.000 --> 00:15:48.180
 is God really there?

00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:49.180
 We begin to question

00:15:49.180 --> 00:15:50.019
 his track record

00:15:50.019 --> 00:15:51.500
 and we become crippled

00:15:51.500 --> 00:15:52.019
 with fear.

00:15:53.460 --> 00:15:54.360
 Will this hardship

00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:55.039
 ever end?

00:15:56.039 --> 00:15:56.580
 And so we need

00:15:56.580 --> 00:15:57.180
 to be reminded

00:15:57.180 --> 00:15:58.200
 as the people of Israel

00:15:58.200 --> 00:15:59.720
 were over and over again,

00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:01.000
 when God gives new command

00:16:01.000 --> 00:16:01.340
 to them,

00:16:01.419 --> 00:16:02.259
 he reminds them

00:16:02.259 --> 00:16:03.139
 of how he's been faithful

00:16:03.139 --> 00:16:03.519
 to them.

00:16:03.879 --> 00:16:05.060
 I am the Lord your God

00:16:05.060 --> 00:16:05.740
 who has brought you

00:16:05.740 --> 00:16:06.759
 out of the land of Egypt.

00:16:08.940 --> 00:16:09.720
 He's telling us,

00:16:09.820 --> 00:16:11.399
 I know you become fearful

00:16:11.399 --> 00:16:12.320
 when you forget.

00:16:12.639 --> 00:16:13.620
 So don't forget

00:16:13.620 --> 00:16:15.180
 that I am your sovereign,

00:16:15.379 --> 00:16:16.180
 all-powerful,

00:16:16.279 --> 00:16:16.860
 loving Savior.

00:16:19.200 --> 00:16:20.039
 Another characteristic

00:16:20.039 --> 00:16:21.120
 that I think also follows

00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:22.100
 very closely to fear

00:16:22.100 --> 00:16:23.180
 is this feeling

00:16:23.180 --> 00:16:23.779
 of loneliness

00:16:23.779 --> 00:16:24.720
 and isolation.

00:16:26.540 --> 00:16:27.820
 Think about verse 10 again.

00:16:28.740 --> 00:16:30.320
 How does Elijah answer God?

00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:30.740
 He says,

00:16:31.040 --> 00:16:31.159
 look,

00:16:31.399 --> 00:16:32.920
 all of Israel's rejected you.

00:16:33.000 --> 00:16:34.180
 I alone have left.

00:16:34.659 --> 00:16:35.259
 Everyone's trying

00:16:35.259 --> 00:16:36.159
 to kill me now.

00:16:37.980 --> 00:16:38.960
 And when we face hardship,

00:16:39.040 --> 00:16:39.680
 I think we can feel

00:16:39.680 --> 00:16:40.620
 very, very alone.

00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:43.019
 We can often experience,

00:16:43.159 --> 00:16:43.180
 well,

00:16:43.240 --> 00:16:44.399
 I'm the only one

00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:45.560
 who has ever experienced this.

00:16:45.639 --> 00:16:46.340
 No one knows

00:16:46.340 --> 00:16:47.279
 what I'm going through

00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:49.240
 because it's a unique situation.

00:16:49.240 --> 00:16:53.200
 This is what we sang about

00:16:53.200 --> 00:16:54.019
 in Psalm 88.

00:16:54.360 --> 00:16:55.399
 This is what the psalmist is saying.

00:16:55.519 --> 00:16:56.960
 He feels that he's set apart

00:16:56.960 --> 00:16:57.639
 with the dead.

00:16:58.879 --> 00:17:00.580
 That God remembers him no more.

00:17:00.659 --> 00:17:01.799
 That he's been cut off.

00:17:01.899 --> 00:17:04.000
 That he alone is left.

00:17:06.839 --> 00:17:07.539
 And is it true

00:17:07.539 --> 00:17:08.220
 that when we feel

00:17:08.220 --> 00:17:10.000
 this loneliness and despair,

00:17:10.160 --> 00:17:11.039
 oftentimes we make it

00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:11.660
 all the worse

00:17:11.660 --> 00:17:13.400
 because we choose

00:17:13.400 --> 00:17:14.440
 to deprive ourselves

00:17:14.440 --> 00:17:15.039
 from company?

00:17:16.319 --> 00:17:17.839
 This is what Elijah does here.

00:17:17.839 --> 00:17:19.039
 He flees to Beersheba,

00:17:19.139 --> 00:17:20.299
 but he leaves his servant

00:17:20.299 --> 00:17:21.539
 and then he keeps traveling on.

00:17:21.599 --> 00:17:21.980
 No doubt,

00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:23.959
 the servant was a companion of his,

00:17:24.519 --> 00:17:25.079
 a friend,

00:17:25.220 --> 00:17:26.159
 someone who knew him,

00:17:26.220 --> 00:17:27.019
 and yet he decides

00:17:27.019 --> 00:17:28.039
 to leave him behind

00:17:28.039 --> 00:17:28.859
 in his despair.

00:17:30.579 --> 00:17:32.359
 And so why do we do this sometimes?

00:17:34.159 --> 00:17:35.579
 When we experience hardship

00:17:35.579 --> 00:17:36.419
 or difficulty,

00:17:37.799 --> 00:17:40.199
 why do we isolate ourselves?

00:17:41.939 --> 00:17:42.659
 It may be because

00:17:42.659 --> 00:17:43.720
 we like to wallow

00:17:43.720 --> 00:17:45.139
 in our sorrow.

00:17:45.140 --> 00:17:47.700
 It may be because

00:17:47.700 --> 00:17:48.720
 we want to be justified

00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:50.060
 in the way that we feel.

00:17:51.259 --> 00:17:52.520
 We don't want to share

00:17:52.520 --> 00:17:53.480
 our burdens with others.

00:17:53.600 --> 00:17:54.360
 We don't trust

00:17:54.360 --> 00:17:56.259
 that they maybe have

00:17:56.259 --> 00:17:57.280
 our best intentions,

00:17:57.420 --> 00:17:58.220
 that they can provide

00:17:58.220 --> 00:17:58.900
 help for us.

00:17:59.120 --> 00:18:00.140
 We don't want to be

00:18:00.140 --> 00:18:01.060
 encouraged sometimes.

00:18:02.660 --> 00:18:03.660
 And I think we can see

00:18:03.660 --> 00:18:04.180
 this play out

00:18:04.180 --> 00:18:04.840
 in the church even.

00:18:05.640 --> 00:18:06.320
 I had the opportunity

00:18:06.320 --> 00:18:07.160
 to share a little bit

00:18:07.160 --> 00:18:07.580
 this morning

00:18:07.580 --> 00:18:08.560
 about community groups

00:18:08.560 --> 00:18:09.680
 and the value

00:18:09.680 --> 00:18:10.340
 of community groups

00:18:10.340 --> 00:18:10.900
 and how we're looking

00:18:10.900 --> 00:18:11.820
 to build community

00:18:11.820 --> 00:18:12.840
 and unity

00:18:12.839 --> 00:18:14.439
 as we come together

00:18:14.439 --> 00:18:14.959
 midweek.

00:18:16.019 --> 00:18:16.679
 But no doubt

00:18:16.679 --> 00:18:17.179
 there are some

00:18:17.179 --> 00:18:17.659
 in the church

00:18:17.659 --> 00:18:18.539
 who have always

00:18:18.539 --> 00:18:19.659
 avoided community groups

00:18:19.659 --> 00:18:22.699
 because you just,

00:18:23.399 --> 00:18:24.279
 maybe you don't trust

00:18:24.279 --> 00:18:25.259
 those in the church.

00:18:26.319 --> 00:18:27.399
 Maybe you have issue

00:18:27.399 --> 00:18:28.539
 with something

00:18:28.539 --> 00:18:29.220
 about the church

00:18:29.220 --> 00:18:29.740
 or in your life

00:18:29.740 --> 00:18:30.139
 that you just

00:18:30.139 --> 00:18:30.779
 don't want to share.

00:18:31.500 --> 00:18:32.000
 And you certainly

00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:32.679
 don't want to be bothered

00:18:32.679 --> 00:18:33.699
 by other people's problems.

00:18:35.259 --> 00:18:36.879
 And so you isolate yourself.

00:18:37.480 --> 00:18:38.359
 And in your isolation

00:18:38.359 --> 00:18:39.079
 we can begin

00:18:39.079 --> 00:18:39.959
 to perpetuate

00:18:39.959 --> 00:18:40.559
 these feelings

00:18:40.559 --> 00:18:41.139
 of despair

00:18:41.140 --> 00:18:42.720
 rather than seek others

00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:43.500
 to bear our burdens.

00:18:46.540 --> 00:18:47.460
 Another characteristic

00:18:47.460 --> 00:18:48.259
 I think we see

00:18:48.259 --> 00:18:49.060
 in Elijah

00:18:49.060 --> 00:18:50.840
 in regards to his despair

00:18:50.840 --> 00:18:51.700
 is one of exhaustion.

00:18:52.780 --> 00:18:52.980
 Right?

00:18:53.020 --> 00:18:53.500
 He's had this

00:18:53.500 --> 00:18:54.700
 mountaintop experience

00:18:54.700 --> 00:18:56.160
 and now is fleeing

00:18:56.160 --> 00:18:56.880
 for his life.

00:18:56.980 --> 00:18:58.100
 He runs into the wilderness.

00:18:59.140 --> 00:19:00.440
 He asks God to die

00:19:00.440 --> 00:19:01.320
 and he falls asleep.

00:19:03.280 --> 00:19:04.200
 And even when he's

00:19:04.200 --> 00:19:05.140
 awoken by an angel

00:19:05.140 --> 00:19:05.460
 you think,

00:19:05.580 --> 00:19:05.680
 okay,

00:19:05.720 --> 00:19:06.120
 that's something

00:19:06.120 --> 00:19:06.500
 that's going to

00:19:06.500 --> 00:19:07.280
 wake him up,

00:19:07.320 --> 00:19:07.520
 right?

00:19:08.360 --> 00:19:08.980
 He wakes up enough

00:19:08.980 --> 00:19:09.660
 to eat a little food

00:19:09.660 --> 00:19:10.100
 and then go back

00:19:10.100 --> 00:19:10.620
 to bed again.

00:19:11.140 --> 00:19:13.480
 Many of you know

00:19:13.480 --> 00:19:14.400
 Charles Spurgeon

00:19:14.400 --> 00:19:16.180
 who was a minister

00:19:16.180 --> 00:19:16.820
 down in London

00:19:16.820 --> 00:19:17.900
 in the 1800s

00:19:17.900 --> 00:19:18.400
 known as the

00:19:18.400 --> 00:19:19.340
 Prince of Preachers.

00:19:19.420 --> 00:19:20.480
 Someone who preached

00:19:20.480 --> 00:19:21.620
 for almost 40 years.

00:19:22.660 --> 00:19:23.500
 Prolific preacher.

00:19:24.120 --> 00:19:25.240
 Often preached

00:19:25.240 --> 00:19:26.320
 10 sermons a week

00:19:26.320 --> 00:19:27.480
 to thousands of people.

00:19:27.560 --> 00:19:28.460
 His own sanctuary

00:19:28.460 --> 00:19:30.180
 holding 5,000 to 6,000 people.

00:19:31.900 --> 00:19:32.759
 But yet he had

00:19:32.759 --> 00:19:33.640
 a very public

00:19:33.640 --> 00:19:35.520
 battle with depression.

00:19:36.920 --> 00:19:37.980
 At age 22

00:19:37.980 --> 00:19:38.580
 when he was preaching

00:19:38.580 --> 00:19:39.100
 to thousands

00:19:39.100 --> 00:19:40.400
 in this big music hall,

00:19:41.400 --> 00:19:42.000
 someone yelled out

00:19:42.000 --> 00:19:42.380
 fire.

00:19:43.320 --> 00:19:43.660
 And though there

00:19:43.660 --> 00:19:44.480
 wasn't any fire

00:19:44.480 --> 00:19:45.100
 in the building

00:19:45.100 --> 00:19:46.140
 it caused a panic

00:19:46.140 --> 00:19:47.259
 and people got up

00:19:47.259 --> 00:19:48.200
 and started running out

00:19:48.200 --> 00:19:48.940
 and in the chaos

00:19:48.940 --> 00:19:49.540
 seven people

00:19:49.540 --> 00:19:50.440
 were trampled to death.

00:19:51.900 --> 00:19:52.940
 And this was an episode

00:19:52.940 --> 00:19:53.900
 that never left him.

00:19:57.160 --> 00:19:58.280
 He was devastated

00:19:58.280 --> 00:19:59.019
 by the screams

00:19:59.019 --> 00:19:59.500
 of the crowd,

00:19:59.580 --> 00:19:59.960
 by the weight

00:19:59.960 --> 00:20:00.920
 of his own responsibility

00:20:00.920 --> 00:20:02.160
 and that tragedy

00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:03.860
 scarred him for life.

00:20:03.859 --> 00:20:05.659
 But on top of that

00:20:05.659 --> 00:20:06.379
 he battled

00:20:06.379 --> 00:20:07.659
 multiple chronic illnesses.

00:20:08.059 --> 00:20:09.359
 He was often overworked

00:20:09.359 --> 00:20:10.219
 by his preaching,

00:20:10.619 --> 00:20:11.500
 by his counseling,

00:20:11.659 --> 00:20:12.699
 by his caring for the poor,

00:20:12.779 --> 00:20:13.439
 by his writing

00:20:13.439 --> 00:20:14.719
 and he was often left

00:20:14.719 --> 00:20:15.919
 utterly exhausted.

00:20:17.179 --> 00:20:18.199
 And he would describe

00:20:18.199 --> 00:20:19.199
 these bouts

00:20:19.199 --> 00:20:20.099
 of darkness

00:20:20.099 --> 00:20:20.719
 and depression

00:20:20.719 --> 00:20:21.939
 as the dark night

00:20:21.939 --> 00:20:22.599
 of the soul.

00:20:25.259 --> 00:20:25.939
 And I wonder

00:20:25.939 --> 00:20:26.939
 if we ever feel that way.

00:20:26.940 --> 00:20:29.860
 as if we're trying

00:20:29.860 --> 00:20:30.680
 to keep all these

00:20:30.680 --> 00:20:31.299
 plates spinning

00:20:31.299 --> 00:20:32.940
 and we have family

00:20:32.940 --> 00:20:33.820
 and we have friends

00:20:33.820 --> 00:20:34.580
 and we have church

00:20:34.580 --> 00:20:35.220
 and we have other

00:20:35.220 --> 00:20:35.860
 responsibilities,

00:20:36.259 --> 00:20:36.980
 we have activities,

00:20:37.180 --> 00:20:38.100
 we have our own health

00:20:38.100 --> 00:20:40.100
 and we feel like

00:20:40.100 --> 00:20:40.680
 we're trying the best

00:20:40.680 --> 00:20:41.440
 we can but

00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:43.779
 maybe we're failing

00:20:43.779 --> 00:20:44.299
 at everything.

00:20:45.620 --> 00:20:46.580
 And so maybe like Elijah

00:20:46.580 --> 00:20:47.539
 we just want to cry out

00:20:47.539 --> 00:20:48.259
 and call enough,

00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:49.380
 enough God,

00:20:49.480 --> 00:20:51.000
 I'm ready to call it quits.

00:20:51.080 --> 00:20:51.580
 I'm at the end

00:20:51.580 --> 00:20:52.039
 of the rope,

00:20:52.140 --> 00:20:53.000
 I'm sick of trying,

00:20:53.120 --> 00:20:53.820
 take my life.

00:20:55.539 --> 00:20:56.759
 And we can actually reach

00:20:56.759 --> 00:20:58.039
 a point of being irrational.

00:20:58.160 --> 00:20:59.019
 I think that's the point

00:20:59.019 --> 00:21:00.859
 that Elijah ends up here

00:21:00.859 --> 00:21:01.799
 because he's praying

00:21:01.799 --> 00:21:02.700
 out to God

00:21:02.700 --> 00:21:04.680
 that God may take his life

00:21:04.680 --> 00:21:05.379
 while he's actually

00:21:05.379 --> 00:21:06.500
 running for his life.

00:21:07.500 --> 00:21:08.539
 If he truly wanted

00:21:08.539 --> 00:21:09.259
 to lose his life,

00:21:09.379 --> 00:21:09.839
 stop running.

00:21:11.000 --> 00:21:11.799
 Jezebel will certainly

00:21:11.799 --> 00:21:12.279
 kill you.

00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:14.519
 But we see he's in

00:21:14.519 --> 00:21:15.920
 this downward spiral

00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:17.640
 of fear

00:21:17.640 --> 00:21:18.740
 and loneliness

00:21:18.740 --> 00:21:20.000
 and isolation

00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:21.240
 and exhaustion.

00:21:23.400 --> 00:21:24.700
 And perhaps we felt

00:21:24.700 --> 00:21:25.579
 that same way

00:21:25.579 --> 00:21:26.980
 and so we ask

00:21:26.980 --> 00:21:27.740
 what are we to do?

00:21:30.279 --> 00:21:30.939
 Well that brings us

00:21:30.939 --> 00:21:31.359
 to our third

00:21:31.359 --> 00:21:32.000
 and final point

00:21:32.000 --> 00:21:32.980
 because we see here

00:21:32.980 --> 00:21:33.399
 a cure.

00:21:35.500 --> 00:21:36.839
 A cure for our despair

00:21:36.839 --> 00:21:38.079
 it's revealed

00:21:38.079 --> 00:21:39.119
 in the tenderness

00:21:39.119 --> 00:21:39.859
 of God.

00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:42.240
 And we see this

00:21:42.240 --> 00:21:43.079
 both in word

00:21:43.079 --> 00:21:43.879
 and in deed here.

00:21:43.960 --> 00:21:44.699
 When Elijah runs

00:21:44.699 --> 00:21:45.240
 into the wilderness

00:21:45.240 --> 00:21:45.980
 what does God do?

00:21:47.319 --> 00:21:48.379
 Does he yell at him?

00:21:48.980 --> 00:21:50.419
 Does he chastise him?

00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:51.480
 Does he reprimand him

00:21:51.480 --> 00:21:52.099
 or punish him?

00:21:52.819 --> 00:21:53.159
 No.

00:21:54.539 --> 00:21:55.319
 He offers him

00:21:55.319 --> 00:21:56.259
 nourishment and rest.

00:21:58.059 --> 00:21:58.879
 If you're a parent

00:21:58.879 --> 00:21:59.259
 in the room

00:21:59.259 --> 00:21:59.719
 certainly you've

00:21:59.719 --> 00:22:00.659
 experienced this before

00:22:00.659 --> 00:22:01.099
 when you've had

00:22:01.099 --> 00:22:01.839
 a young child

00:22:01.839 --> 00:22:02.379
 an infant

00:22:02.379 --> 00:22:02.899
 a toddler

00:22:02.899 --> 00:22:03.799
 who is just

00:22:03.799 --> 00:22:05.279
 they're starting

00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:05.719
 to crumble

00:22:05.719 --> 00:22:07.259
 and they're crying

00:22:07.259 --> 00:22:08.559
 and they're screaming

00:22:08.559 --> 00:22:09.939
 and they're inconsolable

00:22:09.939 --> 00:22:10.819
 and they don't want

00:22:10.819 --> 00:22:11.279
 to be held

00:22:11.279 --> 00:22:11.879
 and they don't want

00:22:11.879 --> 00:22:12.559
 to be put down

00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:13.079
 and you realize

00:22:13.079 --> 00:22:13.779
 what they need

00:22:13.779 --> 00:22:14.159
 is what?

00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:15.399
 They need sleep.

00:22:16.939 --> 00:22:17.839
 And it's amazing

00:22:17.839 --> 00:22:18.480
 the transformation

00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:19.319
 that occurs

00:22:19.319 --> 00:22:20.799
 when they wake up.

00:22:20.859 --> 00:22:21.439
 You put them down

00:22:21.439 --> 00:22:22.099
 a little devil

00:22:22.099 --> 00:22:22.679
 and they wake up

00:22:22.679 --> 00:22:23.279
 a little angel.

00:22:25.639 --> 00:22:26.379
 My own boy

00:22:26.379 --> 00:22:26.960
 Crawford

00:22:26.960 --> 00:22:27.740
 our youngest

00:22:27.740 --> 00:22:28.480
 he was at nursery

00:22:28.480 --> 00:22:28.939
 this week

00:22:28.939 --> 00:22:29.599
 and took a fall

00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:31.059
 and bumped his head

00:22:31.059 --> 00:22:31.439
 and the nursery

00:22:31.439 --> 00:22:31.980
 called Rachel

00:22:31.980 --> 00:22:32.859
 to come pick him up

00:22:32.859 --> 00:22:34.319
 and he had this

00:22:34.319 --> 00:22:35.599
 cut on his head

00:22:35.599 --> 00:22:36.220
 that wasn't stopping

00:22:36.220 --> 00:22:36.539
 bleeding

00:22:36.539 --> 00:22:37.259
 as Rachel was

00:22:37.259 --> 00:22:37.960
 consoling him

00:22:37.960 --> 00:22:38.519
 and asking him

00:22:38.519 --> 00:22:39.299
 how he was doing

00:22:39.299 --> 00:22:41.279
 he answered

00:22:41.279 --> 00:22:41.659
 and said

00:22:41.659 --> 00:22:42.200
 I could really

00:22:42.200 --> 00:22:43.039
 use a cup of tea.

00:22:45.659 --> 00:22:46.559
 Now if anyone's

00:22:46.559 --> 00:22:47.159
 doubting that I'm

00:22:47.159 --> 00:22:48.179
 raising a Scottish child

00:22:48.179 --> 00:22:48.779
 there's your answer

00:22:48.779 --> 00:22:49.299
 right there

00:22:49.299 --> 00:22:50.879
 and he got his

00:22:50.879 --> 00:22:51.259
 cup of tea

00:22:51.259 --> 00:22:51.940
 when he got home

00:22:51.940 --> 00:22:52.480
 and he was feeling

00:22:52.480 --> 00:22:53.000
 a lot better.

00:22:54.480 --> 00:22:55.339
 And so I don't mean

00:22:55.339 --> 00:22:56.460
 to trivialize this point

00:22:56.460 --> 00:22:57.379
 but honestly

00:22:57.379 --> 00:22:58.639
 sometimes

00:22:58.639 --> 00:22:59.460
 when we are

00:22:59.460 --> 00:23:00.079
 at our lowest

00:23:00.079 --> 00:23:01.639
 even as adults

00:23:01.639 --> 00:23:03.680
 what we really need

00:23:03.680 --> 00:23:04.839
 is a snack

00:23:04.839 --> 00:23:06.180
 and a nap.

00:23:07.500 --> 00:23:08.259
 That seems

00:23:08.259 --> 00:23:09.019
 very simple

00:23:09.019 --> 00:23:10.460
 but this is

00:23:10.460 --> 00:23:11.200
 what we see

00:23:11.200 --> 00:23:12.279
 in God's kindness

00:23:12.279 --> 00:23:13.440
 to Elijah here

00:23:13.440 --> 00:23:14.480
 because what we see

00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:15.460
 is we are human

00:23:15.460 --> 00:23:17.119
 our strength

00:23:17.119 --> 00:23:17.899
 and our energy

00:23:17.899 --> 00:23:18.500
 is finite

00:23:18.500 --> 00:23:19.720
 and our God

00:23:19.720 --> 00:23:20.859
 is not a slave

00:23:20.859 --> 00:23:21.220
 master

00:23:21.220 --> 00:23:21.980
 he is a good

00:23:21.980 --> 00:23:22.440
 father

00:23:22.440 --> 00:23:23.400
 who gives

00:23:23.400 --> 00:23:23.980
 good gifts.

00:23:26.039 --> 00:23:26.339
 And I think

00:23:26.339 --> 00:23:26.980
 often times

00:23:26.980 --> 00:23:27.519
 in our despair

00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:28.279
 we often

00:23:28.279 --> 00:23:29.500
 neglect to see

00:23:29.500 --> 00:23:30.940
 the love

00:23:30.940 --> 00:23:31.519
 and the goodness

00:23:31.519 --> 00:23:32.059
 of God

00:23:32.059 --> 00:23:34.000
 and it can come

00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:34.839
 in many forms

00:23:34.839 --> 00:23:35.559
 and we can receive

00:23:35.559 --> 00:23:35.940
 it in many

00:23:35.940 --> 00:23:36.619
 different ways.

00:23:37.920 --> 00:23:38.960
 It may be time

00:23:38.960 --> 00:23:39.799
 with a good friend

00:23:39.799 --> 00:23:40.700
 who makes you laugh.

00:23:41.980 --> 00:23:43.220
 It may be the flowers

00:23:43.220 --> 00:23:44.019
 in your garden.

00:23:44.019 --> 00:23:46.240
 It may be a beautiful

00:23:46.240 --> 00:23:47.539
 sunrise or sunset.

00:23:48.539 --> 00:23:50.279
 It may be the cool breeze

00:23:50.279 --> 00:23:50.879
 when you're walking

00:23:50.879 --> 00:23:51.839
 to church this evening.

00:23:53.139 --> 00:23:54.519
 It may be a cup of tea

00:23:54.519 --> 00:23:55.119
 by the fire.

00:23:57.960 --> 00:23:59.099
 See God gives us

00:23:59.099 --> 00:23:59.680
 our senses

00:23:59.680 --> 00:24:00.779
 so that we can see

00:24:00.779 --> 00:24:01.639
 and smell

00:24:01.639 --> 00:24:02.599
 and hear

00:24:02.599 --> 00:24:03.240
 and taste

00:24:03.240 --> 00:24:03.720
 and touch

00:24:03.720 --> 00:24:04.519
 that he is good

00:24:04.519 --> 00:24:06.440
 and that he cares.

00:24:08.740 --> 00:24:09.240
 Secondly

00:24:09.240 --> 00:24:09.779
 we see here

00:24:09.779 --> 00:24:10.259
 that God

00:24:10.259 --> 00:24:11.240
 not only provides

00:24:11.240 --> 00:24:11.700
 nourishment

00:24:11.700 --> 00:24:12.559
 but he listens

00:24:12.559 --> 00:24:13.440
 to Elijah here.

00:24:15.340 --> 00:24:15.660
 Elijah

00:24:15.660 --> 00:24:16.559
 is asked twice

00:24:16.559 --> 00:24:16.920
 by God

00:24:16.920 --> 00:24:17.860
 what are you doing here?

00:24:18.680 --> 00:24:19.080
 Now I think

00:24:19.080 --> 00:24:19.920
 you could say

00:24:19.920 --> 00:24:20.480
 well is God

00:24:20.480 --> 00:24:21.240
 being harsh here?

00:24:21.259 --> 00:24:21.840
 I don't really think

00:24:21.840 --> 00:24:22.200
 he is.

00:24:22.279 --> 00:24:23.100
 I think he's not

00:24:23.100 --> 00:24:23.740
 speaking in a

00:24:23.740 --> 00:24:24.500
 condescending way

00:24:24.500 --> 00:24:25.559
 but he's really

00:24:25.559 --> 00:24:26.960
 permitting Elijah

00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:29.299
 to vocalize

00:24:29.299 --> 00:24:30.200
 his grief.

00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:32.220
 Because we see here

00:24:32.220 --> 00:24:32.500
 Elijah

00:24:32.500 --> 00:24:33.279
 he really doesn't

00:24:33.279 --> 00:24:34.059
 give a good answer.

00:24:34.840 --> 00:24:35.360
 He's perhaps

00:24:35.360 --> 00:24:36.120
 expressing a bit

00:24:36.120 --> 00:24:36.799
 of frustration

00:24:36.799 --> 00:24:37.480
 or pride

00:24:37.480 --> 00:24:38.019
 but we still

00:24:38.019 --> 00:24:39.640
 see God

00:24:39.640 --> 00:24:40.420
 listens to him.

00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:41.180
 He allows him

00:24:41.180 --> 00:24:41.680
 to pour out

00:24:41.680 --> 00:24:42.060
 his heart

00:24:42.060 --> 00:24:42.980
 and to be

00:24:42.980 --> 00:24:43.460
 honest with

00:24:43.460 --> 00:24:44.000
 his feelings.

00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:45.320
 And I think

00:24:45.320 --> 00:24:45.900
 this is something

00:24:45.900 --> 00:24:46.580
 that we often

00:24:46.580 --> 00:24:47.340
 fear to do

00:24:47.340 --> 00:24:47.779
 ourselves

00:24:47.779 --> 00:24:48.380
 when we pray

00:24:48.380 --> 00:24:48.759
 because we

00:24:48.759 --> 00:24:49.360
 want to

00:24:49.360 --> 00:24:50.080
 keep up

00:24:50.080 --> 00:24:50.539
 appearances.

00:24:50.740 --> 00:24:51.060
 We want

00:24:51.060 --> 00:24:51.600
 to appear

00:24:51.600 --> 00:24:51.900
 as though

00:24:51.900 --> 00:24:52.460
 we're spiritual

00:24:52.460 --> 00:24:52.880
 and say

00:24:52.880 --> 00:24:53.200
 the right

00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:53.580
 thing.

00:24:55.039 --> 00:24:55.880
 But in fact

00:24:55.880 --> 00:24:56.200
 I think

00:24:56.200 --> 00:24:56.660
 what we see

00:24:56.660 --> 00:24:57.140
 here is that

00:24:57.140 --> 00:24:57.840
 venting our

00:24:57.840 --> 00:24:58.380
 frustration

00:24:58.380 --> 00:24:59.000
 through prayer

00:24:59.000 --> 00:24:59.480
 can be

00:24:59.480 --> 00:25:00.440
 a wonderful

00:25:00.440 --> 00:25:01.320
 starting point

00:25:01.320 --> 00:25:02.759
 for the God

00:25:02.759 --> 00:25:03.560
 to start working

00:25:03.560 --> 00:25:04.320
 at our hearts

00:25:04.320 --> 00:25:05.100
 and to align

00:25:05.100 --> 00:25:05.680
 our wills

00:25:05.680 --> 00:25:06.080
 with his.

00:25:07.840 --> 00:25:08.420
 And so we

00:25:08.420 --> 00:25:09.140
 can say to

00:25:09.140 --> 00:25:09.500
 God

00:25:09.500 --> 00:25:09.539
 God

00:25:09.539 --> 00:25:10.539
 I hate

00:25:10.539 --> 00:25:11.039
 my job.

00:25:12.400 --> 00:25:13.039
 We can

00:25:13.039 --> 00:25:13.400
 say to

00:25:13.400 --> 00:25:13.619
 God

00:25:13.619 --> 00:25:14.259
 I'm sick

00:25:14.259 --> 00:25:14.640
 of my

00:25:14.640 --> 00:25:15.000
 family.

00:25:15.519 --> 00:25:15.940
 We can

00:25:15.940 --> 00:25:16.259
 say to

00:25:16.259 --> 00:25:16.500
 God

00:25:16.500 --> 00:25:17.019
 I'm sick

00:25:17.019 --> 00:25:17.359
 of not

00:25:17.359 --> 00:25:17.839
 having a

00:25:17.839 --> 00:25:18.099
 family.

00:25:19.279 --> 00:25:19.759
 You can

00:25:19.759 --> 00:25:20.099
 say to

00:25:20.099 --> 00:25:20.319
 God

00:25:20.319 --> 00:25:20.940
 I'm sick

00:25:20.940 --> 00:25:21.279
 of the

00:25:21.279 --> 00:25:21.680
 people in

00:25:21.680 --> 00:25:22.220
 this church.

00:25:23.680 --> 00:25:24.319
 You can

00:25:24.319 --> 00:25:24.720
 say to

00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:24.960
 God

00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:25.779
 I'm sick

00:25:25.779 --> 00:25:26.259
 of my

00:25:26.259 --> 00:25:26.619
 illness.

00:25:26.799 --> 00:25:27.359
 I'm sick

00:25:27.359 --> 00:25:27.839
 of being

00:25:27.839 --> 00:25:28.400
 sick and

00:25:28.400 --> 00:25:28.680
 tired.

00:25:29.960 --> 00:25:30.559
 And he

00:25:30.559 --> 00:25:31.059
 welcomes

00:25:31.059 --> 00:25:31.339
 that.

00:25:31.420 --> 00:25:31.619
 You know

00:25:31.619 --> 00:25:31.819
 why?

00:25:31.920 --> 00:25:32.460
 Because he's

00:25:32.460 --> 00:25:32.980
 willing and

00:25:32.980 --> 00:25:33.339
 ready to

00:25:33.339 --> 00:25:33.680
 answer.

00:25:33.680 --> 00:25:35.799
 And that's

00:25:35.799 --> 00:25:36.060
 what he

00:25:36.060 --> 00:25:36.680
 does here

00:25:36.680 --> 00:25:37.799
 to Elijah.

00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:39.160
 We read

00:25:39.160 --> 00:25:39.640
 that Elijah

00:25:39.640 --> 00:25:40.180
 comes to

00:25:40.180 --> 00:25:40.759
 Mount Horeb

00:25:40.759 --> 00:25:40.960
 here.

00:25:41.060 --> 00:25:41.360
 This is

00:25:41.360 --> 00:25:42.920
 Mount Sinai

00:25:42.920 --> 00:25:43.340
 by a

00:25:43.340 --> 00:25:43.779
 different name.

00:25:44.320 --> 00:25:44.539
 And so

00:25:44.539 --> 00:25:44.960
 this is the

00:25:44.960 --> 00:25:45.420
 same mountain

00:25:45.420 --> 00:25:45.640
 that the

00:25:45.640 --> 00:25:45.980
 people of

00:25:45.980 --> 00:25:46.539
 Israel came

00:25:46.539 --> 00:25:47.120
 and received

00:25:47.120 --> 00:25:47.480
 the Ten

00:25:47.480 --> 00:25:47.920
 Commandments

00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:49.120
 from God.

00:25:49.799 --> 00:25:50.480
 The same

00:25:50.480 --> 00:25:51.880
 mountain

00:25:51.880 --> 00:25:53.080
 where God

00:25:53.080 --> 00:25:55.900
 revealed himself

00:25:55.900 --> 00:25:56.400
 to Moses.

00:25:56.600 --> 00:25:56.880
 And so we

00:25:56.880 --> 00:25:57.220
 see here

00:25:57.220 --> 00:25:58.440
 almost Elijah

00:25:58.440 --> 00:25:59.039
 is mirroring

00:25:59.039 --> 00:25:59.519
 a lot of

00:25:59.519 --> 00:25:59.980
 his activities.

00:26:00.140 --> 00:26:00.600
 He travels

00:26:00.600 --> 00:26:01.360
 for 40 days

00:26:01.360 --> 00:26:01.900
 and 40 nights

00:26:01.900 --> 00:26:02.340
 to come to

00:26:02.340 --> 00:26:02.799
 Mount Horeb.

00:26:02.799 --> 00:26:03.519
 It kind

00:26:03.519 --> 00:26:03.799
 of mirrors

00:26:03.799 --> 00:26:04.139
 the people

00:26:04.139 --> 00:26:04.419
 of Israel

00:26:04.419 --> 00:26:05.039
 spending 40

00:26:05.039 --> 00:26:05.899
 years in

00:26:05.899 --> 00:26:06.279
 the wilderness

00:26:06.279 --> 00:26:06.940
 before coming

00:26:06.940 --> 00:26:07.200
 to the

00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:07.819
 promised land.

00:26:07.899 --> 00:26:08.200
 And here

00:26:08.200 --> 00:26:08.859
 he too

00:26:08.859 --> 00:26:09.899
 meets with

00:26:09.899 --> 00:26:10.259
 God in

00:26:10.259 --> 00:26:10.519
 the same

00:26:10.519 --> 00:26:10.819
 way that

00:26:10.819 --> 00:26:11.519
 Moses does.

00:26:13.619 --> 00:26:14.240
 We see

00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:14.700
 here that it

00:26:14.700 --> 00:26:15.180
 says that

00:26:15.180 --> 00:26:15.599
 when God

00:26:15.599 --> 00:26:16.139
 appeared to

00:26:16.139 --> 00:26:16.659
 Elijah it

00:26:16.659 --> 00:26:17.079
 says there

00:26:17.079 --> 00:26:17.339
 was a

00:26:17.339 --> 00:26:17.879
 strong wind

00:26:17.879 --> 00:26:18.399
 that came

00:26:18.399 --> 00:26:18.680
 and an

00:26:18.680 --> 00:26:18.980
 earthquake

00:26:18.980 --> 00:26:19.759
 and fire

00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:21.000
 but God

00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:21.379
 wasn't in

00:26:21.379 --> 00:26:21.899
 those elements.

00:26:22.099 --> 00:26:22.319
 We had

00:26:22.319 --> 00:26:22.919
 seen his

00:26:22.919 --> 00:26:23.919
 power and

00:26:23.919 --> 00:26:24.359
 his might

00:26:24.359 --> 00:26:24.619
 up on

00:26:24.619 --> 00:26:25.159
 Mount Carmel

00:26:25.159 --> 00:26:25.839
 to the

00:26:25.839 --> 00:26:26.299
 prophets

00:26:26.299 --> 00:26:26.680
 of Baal.

00:26:28.059 --> 00:26:28.599
 But right

00:26:28.599 --> 00:26:29.200
 here to

00:26:29.200 --> 00:26:29.720
 Elijah he

00:26:29.720 --> 00:26:30.059
 comes in

00:26:30.059 --> 00:26:30.519
 a still

00:26:30.519 --> 00:26:31.359
 small voice.

00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:33.119
 He comes

00:26:33.119 --> 00:26:33.379
 with a

00:26:33.379 --> 00:26:33.839
 message of

00:26:33.839 --> 00:26:35.500
 hope and

00:26:35.500 --> 00:26:35.940
 a plan of

00:26:35.940 --> 00:26:36.279
 victory.

00:26:38.119 --> 00:26:38.740
 Again God

00:26:38.740 --> 00:26:39.119
 could have

00:26:39.119 --> 00:26:40.059
 been angry

00:26:40.059 --> 00:26:42.059
 Elijah for

00:26:42.059 --> 00:26:42.740
 his actions

00:26:42.740 --> 00:26:43.779
 for his

00:26:43.779 --> 00:26:45.759
 attitudes but

00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:46.399
 instead he

00:26:46.399 --> 00:26:47.079
 calls him

00:26:47.079 --> 00:26:47.579
 back to

00:26:47.579 --> 00:26:48.359
 action like a

00:26:48.359 --> 00:26:49.559
 general summoning a

00:26:49.559 --> 00:26:49.899
 soldier.

00:26:50.740 --> 00:26:51.159
 Don't be a

00:26:51.159 --> 00:26:51.539
 deserter.

00:26:52.099 --> 00:26:52.680
 Come back to

00:26:52.680 --> 00:26:53.379
 the front lines.

00:26:53.539 --> 00:26:54.039
 You are needed

00:26:54.039 --> 00:26:54.259
 here.

00:26:54.359 --> 00:26:54.599
 You have

00:26:54.599 --> 00:26:55.159
 duties to

00:26:55.159 --> 00:26:55.519
 fulfill.

00:26:57.639 --> 00:26:57.859
 And of

00:26:57.859 --> 00:26:58.379
 course God

00:26:58.379 --> 00:26:59.480
 doesn't need

00:26:59.480 --> 00:26:59.980
 Elijah to

00:26:59.980 --> 00:27:00.440
 complete his

00:27:00.440 --> 00:27:01.000
 task here but

00:27:01.000 --> 00:27:01.519
 we see that.

00:27:01.599 --> 00:27:01.859
 And when he

00:27:01.859 --> 00:27:02.440
 is welcoming

00:27:02.440 --> 00:27:03.279
 Elijah back

00:27:03.279 --> 00:27:03.779
 into his

00:27:03.779 --> 00:27:04.579
 mission he's

00:27:04.579 --> 00:27:05.259
 actually pulling

00:27:05.259 --> 00:27:05.880
 him from that

00:27:05.880 --> 00:27:06.279
 well of

00:27:06.279 --> 00:27:06.619
 despair.

00:27:08.200 --> 00:27:08.660
 And I think

00:27:08.660 --> 00:27:09.160
 he does the

00:27:09.160 --> 00:27:09.980
 same for us.

00:27:10.019 --> 00:27:10.400
 And he does

00:27:10.400 --> 00:27:11.079
 so by announcing

00:27:11.079 --> 00:27:11.640
 good news.

00:27:11.720 --> 00:27:12.000
 You're not

00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:12.339
 alone.

00:27:13.880 --> 00:27:14.460
 I'm raising

00:27:14.460 --> 00:27:15.140
 up another

00:27:15.140 --> 00:27:15.480
 king.

00:27:15.579 --> 00:27:16.000
 I'm raising

00:27:16.000 --> 00:27:16.519
 up another

00:27:16.519 --> 00:27:16.819
 prophet.

00:27:16.940 --> 00:27:17.180
 There are

00:27:17.180 --> 00:27:18.339
 7,000 other

00:27:18.339 --> 00:27:19.400
 faithful Israelites

00:27:19.400 --> 00:27:20.140
 when you think

00:27:20.140 --> 00:27:20.460
 you're all

00:27:20.460 --> 00:27:20.720
 alone.

00:27:22.420 --> 00:27:23.039
 He's saying

00:27:23.039 --> 00:27:23.859
 my plan will

00:27:23.859 --> 00:27:24.420
 not fail.

00:27:24.640 --> 00:27:25.380
 My timing may

00:27:25.380 --> 00:27:26.119
 not be what

00:27:26.119 --> 00:27:26.539
 you think it

00:27:26.539 --> 00:27:26.960
 should be.

00:27:27.960 --> 00:27:28.440
 It may not

00:27:28.440 --> 00:27:28.940
 occur in a

00:27:28.940 --> 00:27:29.720
 dramatic fashion

00:27:29.720 --> 00:27:30.099
 that you were

00:27:30.099 --> 00:27:30.579
 expecting.

00:27:31.000 --> 00:27:32.819
 But I am in

00:27:32.819 --> 00:27:33.619
 sovereign control

00:27:33.619 --> 00:27:33.980
 of this

00:27:33.980 --> 00:27:35.240
 situation and

00:27:35.240 --> 00:27:35.720
 I have a

00:27:35.720 --> 00:27:36.839
 wonderful rescue

00:27:36.839 --> 00:27:37.619
 plan to save

00:27:37.619 --> 00:27:38.119
 my people.

00:27:40.019 --> 00:27:40.660
 And he

00:27:40.660 --> 00:27:41.339
 says I will

00:27:41.339 --> 00:27:42.160
 send another

00:27:42.160 --> 00:27:42.599
 who will

00:27:42.599 --> 00:27:43.059
 suffer in

00:27:43.059 --> 00:27:43.599
 your place.

00:27:45.039 --> 00:27:45.660
 My son

00:27:45.660 --> 00:27:46.319
 Jesus will

00:27:46.319 --> 00:27:47.400
 conquer death

00:27:47.400 --> 00:27:48.160
 and fully and

00:27:48.160 --> 00:27:48.880
 finally defeat

00:27:48.880 --> 00:27:49.380
 the enemy

00:27:49.380 --> 00:27:50.200
 forever.

00:27:51.779 --> 00:27:52.579
 So God is

00:27:52.579 --> 00:27:53.500
 reminding Elijah

00:27:53.500 --> 00:27:54.400
 to take heart

00:27:54.400 --> 00:27:56.380
 that this is

00:27:56.380 --> 00:27:57.019
 his promise.

00:27:57.019 --> 00:27:59.240
 God is

00:27:59.240 --> 00:27:59.400
 so if we

00:27:59.400 --> 00:27:59.839
 think back

00:27:59.839 --> 00:28:00.400
 to Pilgrim's

00:28:00.400 --> 00:28:01.220
 progress again

00:28:01.220 --> 00:28:02.740
 as Christian

00:28:02.740 --> 00:28:03.379
 is kept

00:28:03.379 --> 00:28:05.639
 in this

00:28:05.639 --> 00:28:06.480
 castle of

00:28:06.480 --> 00:28:06.920
 doubt

00:28:06.920 --> 00:28:08.099
 by this

00:28:08.099 --> 00:28:09.680
 giant despair

00:28:09.680 --> 00:28:11.119
 and he's

00:28:11.119 --> 00:28:11.680
 being beaten

00:28:11.680 --> 00:28:12.220
 daily.

00:28:13.180 --> 00:28:13.599
 There comes

00:28:13.599 --> 00:28:14.220
 one last

00:28:14.220 --> 00:28:14.639
 night where

00:28:14.639 --> 00:28:15.000
 the giant

00:28:15.000 --> 00:28:15.480
 comes to

00:28:15.480 --> 00:28:15.740
 him and

00:28:15.740 --> 00:28:16.319
 beats him

00:28:16.319 --> 00:28:17.579
 and advises

00:28:17.579 --> 00:28:18.099
 him again

00:28:18.099 --> 00:28:18.559
 once again

00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:18.960
 to kill

00:28:18.960 --> 00:28:19.660
 himself and

00:28:19.660 --> 00:28:19.920
 if he

00:28:19.920 --> 00:28:20.440
 doesn't he

00:28:20.440 --> 00:28:21.059
 promises that

00:28:21.059 --> 00:28:21.440
 he will come

00:28:21.440 --> 00:28:21.900
 in the morning

00:28:21.900 --> 00:28:23.139
 to kill him

00:28:23.139 --> 00:28:23.559
 personally.

00:28:23.559 --> 00:28:25.319
 And I'll

00:28:25.319 --> 00:28:25.839
 read to you

00:28:25.839 --> 00:28:26.339
 what happens

00:28:26.339 --> 00:28:26.679
 at that

00:28:26.679 --> 00:28:27.059
 point.

00:28:28.480 --> 00:28:28.960
 Because

00:28:28.960 --> 00:28:29.679
 Christian

00:28:29.679 --> 00:28:30.819
 and hopeful

00:28:30.819 --> 00:28:31.259
 they begin

00:28:31.259 --> 00:28:31.779
 to pray.

00:28:32.799 --> 00:28:33.200
 It says

00:28:33.200 --> 00:28:33.639
 well on

00:28:33.639 --> 00:28:34.000
 Saturday

00:28:34.000 --> 00:28:34.700
 about midnight

00:28:34.700 --> 00:28:35.200
 they began

00:28:35.200 --> 00:28:35.599
 to pray

00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:36.099
 and continued

00:28:36.099 --> 00:28:36.659
 in prayer

00:28:36.659 --> 00:28:37.279
 till almost

00:28:37.279 --> 00:28:37.839
 daybreak.

00:28:38.799 --> 00:28:39.220
 And now

00:28:39.220 --> 00:28:39.500
 a little

00:28:39.500 --> 00:28:40.139
 before it

00:28:40.139 --> 00:28:40.579
 was day

00:28:40.579 --> 00:28:41.379
 good Christian

00:28:41.379 --> 00:28:41.859
 as one

00:28:41.859 --> 00:28:42.700
 half amazed

00:28:42.700 --> 00:28:43.399
 break out

00:28:43.399 --> 00:28:43.740
 into a

00:28:43.740 --> 00:28:44.039
 passionate

00:28:44.039 --> 00:28:44.460
 speech

00:28:44.460 --> 00:28:44.960
 what a

00:28:44.960 --> 00:28:45.619
 fool am

00:28:45.619 --> 00:28:45.980
 I

00:28:45.980 --> 00:28:47.240
 thus to

00:28:47.240 --> 00:28:47.759
 lie in

00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:48.240
 a stinking

00:28:48.240 --> 00:28:48.679
 dungeon

00:28:48.679 --> 00:28:49.179
 when I

00:28:49.179 --> 00:28:49.759
 have well

00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:50.519
 to walk

00:28:50.519 --> 00:28:50.980
 at liberty

00:28:50.980 --> 00:28:52.399
 I have a

00:28:52.399 --> 00:28:53.039
 key in my

00:28:53.039 --> 00:28:53.319
 bosom

00:28:53.319 --> 00:28:53.619
 called

00:28:53.619 --> 00:28:54.220
 promise

00:28:54.220 --> 00:28:55.980
 that will

00:28:55.980 --> 00:28:56.359
 I am

00:28:56.359 --> 00:28:56.859
 persuaded

00:28:56.859 --> 00:28:57.319
 open

00:28:57.319 --> 00:28:58.019
 any

00:28:58.019 --> 00:28:58.539
 lock

00:28:58.539 --> 00:28:59.200
 in

00:28:59.200 --> 00:28:59.500
 doubting

00:28:59.500 --> 00:28:59.960
 castle

00:28:59.960 --> 00:29:01.299
 then

00:29:01.299 --> 00:29:01.539
 said

00:29:01.539 --> 00:29:01.859
 hopeful

00:29:01.859 --> 00:29:02.240
 that's

00:29:02.240 --> 00:29:02.419
 good

00:29:02.419 --> 00:29:02.720
 news

00:29:02.720 --> 00:29:02.919
 good

00:29:02.919 --> 00:29:03.159
 brother

00:29:03.159 --> 00:29:03.439
 pluck

00:29:03.439 --> 00:29:03.559
 it

00:29:03.559 --> 00:29:03.720
 from

00:29:03.720 --> 00:29:03.839
 your

00:29:03.839 --> 00:29:04.099
 bosom

00:29:04.099 --> 00:29:04.519
 and try

00:29:04.519 --> 00:29:04.859
 and then

00:29:04.859 --> 00:29:05.240
 Christian

00:29:05.240 --> 00:29:06.000
 pulled it

00:29:06.000 --> 00:29:06.299
 out of

00:29:06.299 --> 00:29:06.700
 his bosom

00:29:06.700 --> 00:29:07.099
 and began

00:29:07.099 --> 00:29:07.599
 to try

00:29:07.599 --> 00:29:08.099
 the dungeon

00:29:08.099 --> 00:29:08.439
 door

00:29:08.439 --> 00:29:09.079
 whose bolt

00:29:09.079 --> 00:29:10.119
 as he

00:29:10.119 --> 00:29:10.359
 turned

00:29:10.359 --> 00:29:10.740
 the key

00:29:10.740 --> 00:29:11.519
 gave back

00:29:11.519 --> 00:29:11.779
 and the

00:29:11.779 --> 00:29:12.000
 door

00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:12.539
 flew open

00:29:12.539 --> 00:29:13.079
 with ease

00:29:13.079 --> 00:29:14.339
 and Christian

00:29:14.339 --> 00:29:14.799
 and hopeful

00:29:14.799 --> 00:29:15.359
 both came

00:29:15.359 --> 00:29:15.679
 out

00:29:15.679 --> 00:29:16.879
 and then

00:29:16.879 --> 00:29:17.159
 he went

00:29:17.159 --> 00:29:17.539
 out to

00:29:17.539 --> 00:29:18.200
 the outward

00:29:18.200 --> 00:29:18.579
 door

00:29:18.579 --> 00:29:19.059
 that led

00:29:19.059 --> 00:29:19.359
 to the

00:29:19.359 --> 00:29:19.639
 castle

00:29:19.639 --> 00:29:20.079
 yard

00:29:20.079 --> 00:29:20.899
 and with

00:29:20.899 --> 00:29:21.439
 his key

00:29:21.439 --> 00:29:21.859
 opened

00:29:21.859 --> 00:29:22.279
 that door

00:29:22.279 --> 00:29:22.720
 also

00:29:22.720 --> 00:29:23.240
 and after

00:29:23.240 --> 00:29:23.620
 that went

00:29:23.620 --> 00:29:23.860
 to the

00:29:23.860 --> 00:29:24.360
 iron gate

00:29:24.360 --> 00:29:24.680
 for that

00:29:24.680 --> 00:29:25.039
 must be

00:29:25.039 --> 00:29:25.279
 open

00:29:25.279 --> 00:29:25.600
 too

00:29:25.600 --> 00:29:26.240
 but the

00:29:26.240 --> 00:29:26.480
 lock

00:29:26.480 --> 00:29:26.700
 went

00:29:26.700 --> 00:29:27.140
 desperately

00:29:27.140 --> 00:29:27.559
 hard

00:29:27.559 --> 00:29:27.880
 yet the

00:29:27.880 --> 00:29:28.160
 key

00:29:28.160 --> 00:29:28.400
 did

00:29:28.400 --> 00:29:30.180
 open it

00:29:30.180 --> 00:29:31.320
 and then

00:29:31.320 --> 00:29:31.519
 they

00:29:31.519 --> 00:29:31.840
 thrust

00:29:31.840 --> 00:29:32.120
 open

00:29:32.120 --> 00:29:32.600
 the gate

00:29:32.600 --> 00:29:33.420
 to make

00:29:33.420 --> 00:29:33.580
 their

00:29:33.580 --> 00:29:33.940
 escape

00:29:33.940 --> 00:29:34.140
 with

00:29:34.140 --> 00:29:34.519
 speed

00:29:34.519 --> 00:29:36.039
 but that

00:29:36.039 --> 00:29:36.299
 gate

00:29:36.299 --> 00:29:36.640
 as it

00:29:36.640 --> 00:29:36.860
 opened

00:29:36.860 --> 00:29:37.100
 made

00:29:37.100 --> 00:29:37.400
 much

00:29:37.400 --> 00:29:37.700
 of a

00:29:37.700 --> 00:29:38.060
 cracking

00:29:38.060 --> 00:29:39.580
 that it

00:29:39.580 --> 00:29:39.820
 waked

00:29:39.820 --> 00:29:40.259
 the giant

00:29:40.259 --> 00:29:40.640
 despair

00:29:40.640 --> 00:29:41.320
 who hastily

00:29:41.320 --> 00:29:41.759
 rising

00:29:41.759 --> 00:29:42.299
 to pursue

00:29:42.299 --> 00:29:42.960
 his prisoners

00:29:42.960 --> 00:29:44.060
 felt his

00:29:44.060 --> 00:29:44.680
 limbs too

00:29:44.680 --> 00:29:45.039
 frail

00:29:45.039 --> 00:29:45.480
 for his

00:29:45.480 --> 00:29:45.820
 fits

00:29:45.820 --> 00:29:46.259
 took him

00:29:46.259 --> 00:29:46.620
 again

00:29:46.620 --> 00:29:47.560
 and so

00:29:47.560 --> 00:29:48.500
 he could

00:29:48.500 --> 00:29:48.900
 by no

00:29:48.900 --> 00:29:49.140
 means

00:29:49.140 --> 00:29:49.600
 go after

00:29:49.600 --> 00:29:49.900
 them

00:29:49.900 --> 00:29:51.100
 and then

00:29:51.100 --> 00:29:51.440
 they went

00:29:51.440 --> 00:29:51.820
 on

00:29:51.820 --> 00:29:52.900
 and came

00:29:52.900 --> 00:29:53.220
 to the

00:29:53.220 --> 00:29:53.519
 king's

00:29:53.519 --> 00:29:53.840
 highway

00:29:53.840 --> 00:29:55.060
 and so

00:29:55.060 --> 00:29:55.680
 were safe

00:29:55.680 --> 00:29:56.980
 because they

00:29:56.980 --> 00:29:57.480
 were out

00:29:57.480 --> 00:29:58.259
 of the

00:29:58.259 --> 00:29:58.740
 giant's

00:29:58.740 --> 00:29:59.560
 jurisdiction

00:29:59.560 --> 00:30:02.840
 we see

00:30:02.840 --> 00:30:03.259
 here that

00:30:03.259 --> 00:30:03.960
 Christian and

00:30:03.960 --> 00:30:04.519
 hopeful are

00:30:04.519 --> 00:30:05.240
 saved by the

00:30:05.240 --> 00:30:05.759
 promise

00:30:05.759 --> 00:30:06.759
 of the

00:30:06.759 --> 00:30:07.019
 savior

00:30:07.019 --> 00:30:08.779
 and this

00:30:08.779 --> 00:30:09.080
 is the

00:30:09.080 --> 00:30:09.380
 same

00:30:09.380 --> 00:30:09.820
 promise

00:30:09.820 --> 00:30:10.200
 that was

00:30:10.200 --> 00:30:10.640
 given to

00:30:10.640 --> 00:30:11.019
 Elijah

00:30:11.019 --> 00:30:12.940
 it's funny

00:30:12.940 --> 00:30:13.200
 when you

00:30:13.200 --> 00:30:13.600
 think that

00:30:13.600 --> 00:30:14.400
 Elijah here

00:30:14.400 --> 00:30:14.900
 is pleading

00:30:14.900 --> 00:30:15.279
 with God

00:30:15.279 --> 00:30:15.680
 to take

00:30:15.680 --> 00:30:16.100
 his life

00:30:16.100 --> 00:30:16.440
 but in

00:30:16.440 --> 00:30:16.759
 fact

00:30:16.759 --> 00:30:17.759
 we read

00:30:17.759 --> 00:30:18.240
 that Elijah

00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:19.960
 never

00:30:19.960 --> 00:30:20.340
 actually

00:30:20.340 --> 00:30:20.799
 experiences

00:30:20.799 --> 00:30:21.220
 physical

00:30:21.220 --> 00:30:21.600
 death

00:30:21.600 --> 00:30:22.779
 he is

00:30:22.779 --> 00:30:23.299
 taken up

00:30:23.299 --> 00:30:23.519
 in a

00:30:23.519 --> 00:30:23.840
 chariot

00:30:23.840 --> 00:30:24.200
 with

00:30:24.200 --> 00:30:25.000
 God

00:30:25.000 --> 00:30:25.299
 and we

00:30:25.299 --> 00:30:25.660
 wonder

00:30:25.660 --> 00:30:26.800
 we can

00:30:26.800 --> 00:30:27.019
 wonder

00:30:27.019 --> 00:30:27.540
 if this

00:30:27.540 --> 00:30:28.100
 episode

00:30:28.100 --> 00:30:28.860
 of fear

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 and disappointment

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 and despair

00:30:30.400 --> 00:30:32.240
 if Elijah

00:30:32.240 --> 00:30:32.820
 looked back

00:30:32.820 --> 00:30:33.140
 and thought

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 just how

00:30:33.540 --> 00:30:33.840
 foolish

00:30:33.840 --> 00:30:34.340
 he was

00:30:34.340 --> 00:30:34.960
 to forsake

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 the promises

00:30:35.480 --> 00:30:36.000
 of God

00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:38.240
 and the

00:30:38.240 --> 00:30:38.779
 reality is

00:30:38.779 --> 00:30:39.259
 that we

00:30:39.259 --> 00:30:39.820
 experience

00:30:39.820 --> 00:30:40.440
 those promises

00:30:40.440 --> 00:30:40.779
 too

00:30:40.779 --> 00:30:42.360
 and it's

00:30:42.360 --> 00:30:42.960
 not promises

00:30:42.960 --> 00:30:43.360
 that we

00:30:43.360 --> 00:30:43.720
 will not

00:30:43.720 --> 00:30:44.100
 face

00:30:44.100 --> 00:30:44.519
 hardship

00:30:44.519 --> 00:30:44.960
 but when

00:30:44.960 --> 00:30:45.440
 we do

00:30:45.440 --> 00:30:46.180
 we have

00:30:46.180 --> 00:30:46.580
 an ever

00:30:46.580 --> 00:30:47.080
 present

00:30:47.080 --> 00:30:47.600
 loving

00:30:47.600 --> 00:30:48.100
 sovereign

00:30:48.100 --> 00:30:48.460
 God

00:30:48.460 --> 00:30:48.660
 whose

00:30:48.660 --> 00:30:48.960
 plan

00:30:48.960 --> 00:30:49.120
 is

00:30:49.120 --> 00:30:49.540
 perfect

00:30:49.540 --> 00:30:50.900
 and whose

00:30:50.900 --> 00:30:51.240
 victory

00:30:51.240 --> 00:30:51.640
 is sure

00:30:51.640 --> 00:30:53.480
 and so

00:30:53.480 --> 00:30:53.759
 we can

00:30:53.759 --> 00:30:54.200
 be assured

00:30:54.200 --> 00:30:54.500
 of this

00:30:54.500 --> 00:30:54.980
 that when

00:30:54.980 --> 00:30:55.599
 we fall

00:30:55.599 --> 00:30:56.279
 into despair

00:30:56.279 --> 00:30:57.500
 we fall

00:30:57.500 --> 00:30:57.920
 into the

00:30:57.920 --> 00:30:58.380
 arms

00:30:58.380 --> 00:30:59.460
 of loving

00:30:59.460 --> 00:31:00.279
 and gracious

00:31:00.279 --> 00:31:00.740
 God

00:31:00.740 --> 00:31:01.900
 who is

00:31:01.900 --> 00:31:02.279
 willing

00:31:02.279 --> 00:31:03.160
 and able

00:31:03.160 --> 00:31:04.240
 to raise

00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:04.519
 us up

00:31:04.519 --> 00:31:04.819
 again

00:31:04.819 --> 00:31:06.620
 let's pray

00:31:06.619 --> 00:31:08.279
 and

00:31:08.279 --> 00:31:08.279


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