11/21/2019
On Sunday morning, we continued in a series where we explore four different Old Testament persons who each had a 40 day experience which challenged and grew their faith. This last week we discussed Elijah.
During those 40 days, Elijah was instructed by God to stand in the mouth of a cave. A giant wind, a strong earthquake and a fire went by but God was not in those. Following those, there was silence and a still, calm voice of God that spoke to him. It was in a calm and silent moment that Elijah experienced the small voice of God speaking to him.
I shared a video clip of a moment in 2003 that reminded me of what that small voice speaking in his ear must have felt like. CLICK HERE to see that clip.
The small voice of the coach of the Mavericks, Maurice Cheeks, literally spoke into Natalie Gilbert’s ear giving her exactly what she needed at that moment to continue. I believe that was the experience that Elijah had in that moment at the mouth of the cave in the silence.
What I did not share on Sunday is what happened next to Natalie. She went on to have some significant air time sharing her experience and doors of opportunity were opened for her. The following year at play offs, she was invited back to sing the National Anthem which she did beautifully.
Following the time that Elijah heard God’s voice, he went on to serve according to God’s will with strength.
We desperately need to stop living our lives of our own accord and our own energy and to be still and listen for that still small voice of God. We are so blessed to have a God whom did not create and desert the world but instead who continues very present with each of us daily. Can you regularly practice this stillness in your life so you may hear God’s voice? I especially pose this challenge as we run into what tends to be a busy and distracting season...Christmas.
Archived Posts
Gandhi and the Sugar
I wasn’t preaching Sunday, Reverend Jackie Chandler was. And she talked about the power of influence you get when you practice what you preach. This famous illustration came to mind. It fits Jackie’s points quite well. Enjoy!
Not Just for Parents
Our current sermon series is about How To Talk Parent, but it doesn’t require any of us to be parents to appreciate the bits of wisdom OUR parents shared with us growing up.
If Not Higher
Here’s a story I wanted to use when talking about ‘what you do when no one is looking’ yesterday. It’s a wonderful illustration of what Jesus was saying in Matthew 6:1-6—do what you do because of who you want to be, not so that others will take notice and praise you.
The Perfect Church
There is an old joke about the perfect church. We talked just a little about the perfect pastor, but turnabout is fair play. It goes like this:
The Clothes You Wear
Sunday I talked about Joshua the High Priest having his filthy clothing replaced by a cleaned and beautiful garments. I also used the illustration of a boy becomes a dragon—who ‘wears’ dragon scales—and is stripped of those scales in order to be restored to a boy. In fact, I could have done the whole sermon around all the clothing imagery in scripture.
What just missed the cut for Sunday’s Sermon
Naaman’s servants may actually become one of the hidden gems of the sermon. They say, essentially: “If the prophet had told you to do something difficult, you would have done it.”
One of the Longest Benedictions I Ran Out of Time to Share
Maybe you know the story of how Joseph and Mary accidentally left Jesus at the gas station on their way home from Jerusalem. Well, not the gas station bathroom in Jesus’ case. Joe and Mary are far down the road before they realize Jesus isn’t with them...