And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him:
but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
SUBJECT – THE GLOVES ARE COMING OFF!! [PT 9]
When I ended
part 8, I was talking about how God responded to what Nimrod, and all the people of the earth, were attempting to do. He broke it all up, and they scattered to all different parts of the earth.
You want to know why we can't get things done, today, in this nation?? God, is breaking up the plans of mankind, because we are attempting to challenge His plans for our lives. Have you ever heard the old saying,
'The best laid plans of mice and men, so often go astray??' They go astray, because God isn't having it!! He will break up anything we try to do, that shows our defiance of Him, and His plans.
How long has the black community tried to get, what is called a 'level playing field', meaning that we are on a level of prosperity, and opportunity, with everyone else in this nation. For as long as I can remember, black preachers, and leaders have trumpeted this goal to every generation, that we need to continue to battle the forces of racism, greed, and intolerance until all of us, has reached the 'promised land.' Yet, as time goes on, for every step forward we take, we get knocked back two.
Why is this??
Well, let's do the math.
In this nation, we have two major political parties to choose our leaders and representatives from. One is the Democratic party, and the other, is the Republican party.
The Democratic party, has a platform that all totaled, represents opposition to nearly every thing that God says. The Republican party, on the other hand, though not perfect, attempts to abide by those things that God says.
The black community, throws just about all of its support
[over 92%], behind the Democratic party. It is the only community in this nation, to do so. That makes it the number one supporter of this party, bar none!! Black leaders have bragged,
'if it wasn't for the black community, the Democratic party wouldn't be as powerful as it is.' So, what they are doing is, taking credit for keeping the
Democratic party, in the position to continue defying God, and His Word.
Well, since the black community, clearly, is the number one supporter of a party, that defies God, on every hand, and brags about it, then, who do you think is going to be the primary target of most of His wrath?? The black community. And, who are the primary leaders of the black community?? Black preachers, or as I call them,
[prophets of Baal.]
In some blaxploitation movies, back in the 70's, these preachers are known as poverty pimps. They make a living off of the poverty, and misery, in the black community.
Just like the prophets of Baal, back then, they led the people to turn against God, then used their suffering, and misery, as a means to gain control over them. Thus, we see why we have arrived at this point.
Anyway, Elijah, has put them on 'front street', to prove just who is a servant of the 'True God', and who isn't. And the evidence showed, that the god[s], of these prophets, failed to produce.
Now, it is Elijah's turn.
Elijah, takes the remaining sacrificial offering, and prepares it, according to what the 'Law' requires.
He lined up 12 stones, which are representative of the 12 tribes of Israel. This means, he was interceding for them. Mind you, the people weren't repenting, because they were confused. So, Elijah stood in the gap, for them.
He did everything, that was required, to, in effect, show repentance to God, for the people.
Then, he did something, that was not necessary, but would insure that there would be no question as to what was about to occur.
A trench was dug around the altar. Then he ordered some men to fill four barrels of water, and pour it over the sacrifice. Then he had them to do it again, two more times.
By now, the sacrifice, and the altar was completely soaked.
Why did he do this??
Well, remember, there is a drought in the land, and the wood is extremely dry. What Elijah was doing, was removing any possibility of the wood catching on fire by itself, because of spontaneous combustion. Not only that, but, he wanted to show, just how powerful God, really is.
You know, that is one of the biggest failures of the Church, in this nation today. We will put our faith in Him, to give us things, or help us to endure hardship, which is good, but, when you look at the entirety of what God can do, versus what we ask Him to do, we are only asking Him to do little more than 1 percent of what He can do.
1Cor 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
A look at these scriptures, which are only a couple, of many, shows us, what is available to us, but, we are hung up on putting our faith in man, more than we are in God.
When you have a headache, you go and get aspirin, or some other medication, to fix the problem. How about asking God to heal you?? Never thought about that, did you?? Why?? Because the prophets of Baal, don't want you to find some other means of overcoming your problems, than the way they prescribe. They don't want you to put your faith in God, to do anything more than provide you with food, and clothing. They definitely don't want you putting your faith in His Word, when it reveals what they really are.
Mind you now, this only works, if, you are in right standing with Him. As I mentioned earlier, most of your problems stem from the fact that you are not, in a position for Him to bless you, and that is when an intercessor comes in.
An intercessor, is one, who is in right standing with Him, praying to Him, on your behalf.
Just how important are these people?? They are so important, that without them, the great majority of us, would have long ago, been dead.
Eze 22:30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
Eze 22:31 Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD.
Here we see that God, sought for someone to intercede for a nation, that was in danger of judgment, and because He didn't find anyone,
He destroyed them.
Instead of most of you cursing Christians, you need to thank God, that many of them, are standing in the gap for you, because you know you should be dead and in hell, today, because of what you have been doing.
Anyway, Elijah stands in the gap, as an intercessor for the people, as he calls on the name of the Lord, and asks Him to prove Himself to them.
What happens next, is, as some church folk say,
'God, showed up, and showed out!!'
Fire came down from Heaven, devoured the sacrifice, along with the altar, and stones, and lapped up all the water. And the people saw it.
They immediately fell on their faces before God, and started repenting, for allowing themselves to be led astray.
You know, while I was writing this, I was looking at this situation with the water, on the sacrifice, and the fire coming down from Heaven, and it sort of reminds me of what happens when a person goes through the process of water baptism. Their body is the sacrifice, the water is the cleansing medium, and the fire, is the Holy Ghost, coming down, to burn up that sinful nature, and purify them, to make them acceptable in the sight of God.
Anyway, God proved Himself to the people, once again, and they responded by repenting.
Now, here is the thing.
We have this sort of mindset, that I mentioned earlier of, 'what have you done for me lately??' What most of us seem to take totally for granted, is that you woke up this morning, thanks to Him. You are breathing, thanks to Him. If you have anything, it is thanks to Him. If you are having problems, you are able to be here to experience them, thanks to Him.
Most of us, treat Him as a spare tire. As long as we are motoring down the road of life, on our good tires, we don't give the spare, a second thought. But, let one of those tires go flat, and guess where our focus is then?? The spare tire.
God, is not a spare tire. And, by the way, He is not a co-pilot either. A co-pilot, is one who takes over command of a plane, when the pilot gets tired. Until then, he just sits there and assists the pilot, in whatever he, the pilot says. The pilot makes the decisions, and the co-pilot follows orders.
Don't you ever, in life, think that God is going to take orders from you. As the old gospel song goes,
'If He is not Lord over everything[in your life], then He is not Lord, at all!!”
It's been a long time coming, but I may be able to finish this series,
next month.
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