Sound of Rain
Kings 1 18:41-46 I: “The Prayers of a Righteous Man:” 1. Elijahs prayers were proceeded by work, (clearing and plowing). 2. Prayer was no lazy substiture for service. 3. It always puts fire in our prayer to be expecting something. 4. He knew which God he prayed to, (Abraham). II: “There is a sound of abundance of rain.” 1. The brazen sky didn’t stop him. 2. The dry desert of 3 yrs. failed to weaken his prayer. 3. It was as easy to pray for water as fire. 4. A small cloud was enough. III: Before the Chariots of Ahab: 1. A 17 mile run of pride. 2. Nothing wears out the Man of God more than to run before the Chariots of Ahab. 3. The hand of God was upon him, but we are not told of God commanding the race. 4. Elijah was out of company at...
Proof of Faith
A converted cowboy once gave this very sensible idea of what “being faithful” consisted in: “Lots of folks think that being faithful to the Lord means shouting themselves hoarse praising His name.” “I’ll tell you how I look at it. I’m working here for Jim. Now, if I’d sit around the house, talking what a good fellow Jim is, and singing songs to him, and getting up in the night to serenade him, I’d get my discharge. But when I buckle on my straps and hustle among the hills and see that Jim’s herds are all right, and not suffering for water and feed, or being branded by cattle thieves, than I’m serving Jim as he wants to be served. That’s what I call being faithful to Jim.” No, the Lord...
Power to Become
Cor. 1 12:, Ephesians 4:11-14, and John 1:1-13 Conversion is just the beginning of the Christian life. The journey to an eternal Heaven begins here. The new birth puts us on the Royal road to Heaven. I: Just the Beginning. 1. A new birth, a baby Christian. 2. The possibilities of becoming Christ-like (A baby transfered to a new home). 3. Aims in life are revolutionized. 4. Our motives, hopes, desires are whole life moves in a different channel. 5. The new life must be worked out in daily living. 6. Man can’t work out this new life alone. No more than a family can be a real family without corporation. 7. A whole family must work at making a wholesome family atmosphere. 8. A Christian must have a plan by which his life can grow. 9. God’s plan was and...
The Call of Elisha
Kings 2 2:9-15 The nation was at a low moral stand. God needed some servant to take up the work where Elijah left off. There were widows in need, hunger and famine was in the land, lepers to heal and armies to defeat. I: God had a young man in mind. 1. Servants may die, but Gods work must continue. 2. The faithful pass from the scene. 3. In every generation, God has some to lift up their voices for Him. II: Not chosen after the Ways of Men. 1. God isn’t bound to mens ways. 2. Elisha wasn’t found among the famous. 3. He wasn’t among the rich and learned. 4. God can use a little maid, a shepherd boy, the betrothed of a carpenter, and lowly fishermen. III: God chooses busy people. 1. “I’m too busy.” 2. “I don’t have...
The Best Binding for the Gospel
Mark 1:14-22, Romans 2:17-24 J.W. Price “The best binding for the Gospel is not Morrocco, but human skin.” (in Jesus the Teacher). I: How much does a binding mean? 1. Some books are bound to appeal to the eye. 2. Some appeal to the intellect. 3. Some appeal to the lust of man. 4. Some appeal to the artist or the lover of nature. 5. Bibles come in red, white, blue, and blond. (We are accustomed to black morrocco). II: Jesus condemned false binding. 1. “Ye are ike unto whited sepulchres.” .Matthew 23:27. 2. Bring forth fruit meat for repentance. 3. Jesus knew what was in men. 4. Why reason ye in your hearts? III: Paul condemned the imatition binding. Romans 2:1 1. “You who are constantly teaching another are you not teaching...
Jesus is Coming Again
Acts 1:11, Thessalonias 1 4:16-18 The present age is Easter Time. It begins with the Resurrection of the Redeemer and ends with the Resurrection of the Redeemed. No one can read and believe the Bible and not believe in the 2nd coming of Christ. Just as sure as he came the 1st time as a baby in the Manger, he will come again in the clouds as King and Lord. I: “At an hour when ye think not.” 1. Years of Prophecy proceeded the birth at Bethlehem. 2. The Religious leaders knew the Scriptures as to lineage, place of birth, and that he would be the Messiah. 3. But a hand full of Shepherds and wise men really were looking for him. 4. The world is not looking for him now. 5. The Church teaches and preaches about his coming, but few really expect him....
Horses of Fire
Kings 2 2:1-15 A warrior is about to go home. I: The End of the Line: 1. Elijah knew this was his last day. 2. He could look back on a life filled with victories and a few defeats. 3. He had traveled the path of lonliness. 4. He had cared to stand alone. 5. He had trusted God for the material needs of life, (crows and widows). 6. He had trained a young man to continue the work. II: God’s horses of fire would come today. 1. What a request! 2. What a compliment! 3. What a joy! 4. A life so dedicated that young men would want to be like us. 5. Most men leave everlasting impressions upon their sons and other young men. 6. The only Earthly thing he had to leave was an old leather coat! 7. But: it crossed the Jordan, got the respect of God’s people, and led...
In the Cave of Horeb
Kings 1 19:9-18 I: “What doest thou here, Elijah?” vs. 9 1. He was hiding from Jezebel and himself. 2. He informed God of conditions. 3. “I, even I only, am left.” 4. “And they seek my life.” When courage is gone, we count numbers and justify our failures. On Mt. Carmel, he had a plan. On Mt. Horeb he had none. II: “Stand upon the Mount before the Lord.” 1. “Strong wind rent the mountain, but the Lord …” 2. “An earthquake,” but the Lord. 3. “A fire,” but God. 4. “A still small voice,” and God. 5. “He wrapped his face in his mantel.” III: New Start. 1. God gave him a new start. 2. Kings to be anointed. 3. Prophets to be anointed and trained. 4. 7,000...
No Room for Jesus
“The world that thought him out or a spear received him in a manger.” Luke 2:1-7 One of the things we all feel that we could and would have done that night long ago in Bethlehem is to have found room for the Christ child to be born. I: “No room in the Inn.” Roman Empire, Greeks wisdom. 1. Men and their families had traveled far & were too tired to care enough to make room for Jesus. 2. Those that had homes in Bethlehem had company and there was no room for Jesus. 3. They were more concerned about Taxes than they were about the Christ child. 4. There were guests that were more important than the expectant mother of Jesus. 5. Besides a party was planned and the birth of a baby would intefere. 6. While healthy men and women slept in warm...
I would Make Him Lord of My Life
James 4:13-17, John 12:23-36 No man can truthfully say my life is my own, nor this year is mine to do as I please. I: Man Belongs to God. 1. God made man. 2. God redeemed man from the fall. 3. God sustains our lives, (Every breath, every drop of blood). 4. God made man for eternity but man binds himself to time. II: We are not Free to do as we please. 1. Others are involved and effected. 2. We are but tenants in God’s building. 3. Jesus called the man a Fool that planned bigger barns but made no room for God. III: Our Lives are Molded by what or whom we belong to. 1. The thing that makes men great is the worthy causes that possess them. 2. Too often, what we claim to own, owns us. 3. Some people act as tho they own God and can use him at their will. IV:...
God Introduces A Man
God Introduces A Man Kings 1 17:1 I: Elijah the Tish-bite: 1. Simple introduction to a great man. 2. His greatness doesn’t depend on dress parade. 3. He was simply placed on the stage of action. 4. “The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground…” a. “Lamech lived and begat a son and he called his name Noah.” (120 yrs.) b. “The Lord God said unto Abram…” 5. Not many words to introduce, but chapters to tell what he does. Genesis contains 50 Chapters, covers 23 Centuries, and yet 1/3 to Abraham, 1/5 to Joseph. More about Daniel than creation. A whole book about Job…! More about a blind beggar than all the gold mines. II: God’s Man for the Hour: 1. The Tishbite were from and who was he. 2. A name...
For Your Sakes He became Poor.
Corinthians 2 8:1-15, Isaiah 9:6 I: Gifts of Men: 1. Some will be small and inexpensive. 2. Some will cost a small fortune. 3. Some will be bought on time or with the last dollar. II: “He was rich.” 1. “The cattle on a thousand hills.” Psalms 50:1. 2. “The Earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” Psalms 24:1. 3. He controlled the Universe and it was His by creation. 4. Angels worshipped Him. 5. He was clothed with the glory of God. III: He became Poor. The Price he Paid! 1. By choice with full understanding. 2. Born of the poorest. 3. Never owned a place to lay his head. 4. The curse of suspicion of men. The glory of angels. 5. A crown of glory for a crown of thorns. 6. A throne of...
