Yahweh, Day 70

 

Day 70, Yahweh … Calling on the Name

1Kings 18:24 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

"Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of Yahweh. The God who answers with fire, He is God." All the people answered, "That [sounds] good."

The prophets of Baal started to call on their god ... to no avail ... and Elijah starts to mock them openly...

"Shout loudly, for he's a god! Maybe he's thinking it over; maybe he has wandered away; or maybe he's on the road. Perhaps he's sleeping and will wake up!"

1Kings 18:27 (HCSB)

Of course ... Baal answers not with either word or deed.

The way that we mock the false gods of our day ... ignore them ... advance the Gospel.

Intercessory Prayer:  Father, You have given to us the greatest treasure known to mankind … the good news of salvation through Your Son!  Send us out!  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

Yahweh, Day 69

 

Day 69, Yahweh … Answering With Fire

1Kings 18:24 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

"Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of Yahweh. The God who answers with fire, He is God." All the people answered, "That [sounds] good."

"Answers with fire"... that was Yahweh's way of demonstrating acceptance ... consuming the sacrifice.

Man offers burnt sacrifices ... God will have nothing to do with our burnt offerings ... He is looking for our trust ... not our sacrifice.

Yahweh will answer trust with fire.

Intercessory Prayer:  Oh Father!  It is so easy to talk about trusting You … but then comes the test!  God, give us grace and understanding so that we might honor You and Your Name with our genuine trust.  People will see our quiet resolve and think highly of You, our Father.  This I ask for Your Name’s sake.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

Daily Nugget

  Tuesday, April 15th, 2014, Today's cherished Nugget from guest blogger Pastor Bill.

HOW MUCH TO GIVE?

“Go give to the needy sweet charity’s bread.

For giving is living,” the angel said.

“And must I be giving again and again?”

My peevish, petulant answer ran.

“Oh, no,” said the angel, piercing me through,

"just give till the Master stops giving to you.”

Can you imagine I would be thinking about giving on April 15th? Jesus even instructed us to “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21).

May we be as diligent in giving to God and our fellowman in the same manner in which He has blessed us, as we are in the payment to our government. After all, when we have done it unto the least of our brothers, Jesus says, "we have done it unto Him" (Matthew 25:40).

God, thank You for allowing us to invest willingly to make a difference where You have placed us. Amen.

Bro. Bill

In GOD We Trust!

Yahweh, Day 68

 

Day 68, Yahweh … Calling On The Name 

1Kings 18:24 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

"Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of Yahweh. The God who answers with fire, He is God." All the people answered, "That [sounds] good."

The favorite word for most people to hear spoken is their own name, and God actually enjoys hearing His Name spoken as well.  Yahweh likes His Name.

He likes to hear His Name spoken by His redeemed children ... speaking The Name is very much like making a confession to His superlative person-hood ... confessing His Eternal Essence ... above all and over all. 

Intercessory Prayer:  Oh Father, may we not be ashamed to proclaim Your Name with affection and submission … Yahweh.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

Yahweh, Day 67

 

Day 67, Yahweh … The Seduction of "Opinions"

1Kings 18:20-21 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

“So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and gathered the prophets at Mount Carmel. Then Elijah approached all the people and said, ‘How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If Yahweh is God, follow Him. But if Baal, follow him.’ But the people didn't answer him a word.”

"What's your opinion?"  We've been often trained to celebrate our "opinions" ... to "value" the "opinion" of others ... then to coalesce and somehow come to a consensus position.

The Hebrew word itself means, "ambivalence, division, divided opinion." (Brown, Driver, Briggs Hebrew dictionary)

Now ... just how comes one to a "consensus" decision concerning serving Yahweh ... from ambivalence, division, and divided opinion?

You see friends ... Yahweh cares not for our "opinions" ... Yahweh cares only for His opinion... for it is the right one.  Therefore we are either with Him or against Him.

Ambivalence will never win the day.

Intercessory Prayer:  Oh God!  Teach us to seek first Your opinion.  Period.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.