God is telling a redemptive story through the people of Israel.  He initiates this call to Abram (later to become Abraham).  He continues through the family tree of Isaac and Jacob.  Jacob has twelve sons which forms the twelve tribes of Israel.  Later in the story, the nation of Israel want a King to be like all the other countries.  God grants their request with King Saul.  Saul is eventually replaced by King David (you know the kid with slingshot).  David has a son, Solomon who becomes the next king.  But after his reign, the kingdom of Israel divides. 

The Northern Kingdom (10 Tribes) rebels and heads north to form Samaria under the rule of Jeroboam.  Next is Nadab, then Bashaa, Elah, Zimri, Omri, and Ahab.  The Northern gets more distant from God every king.  Ahab is worst one to this point.

“In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became King of Israel, and reigned in Samaria over Israel for twenty two years.  Ahab did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him.  He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam but he also married Jezebel and began to serve Baal and worship him.” 1Kings 16:29-31

The Southern Kingdom (Judah & Benjamin) stay put in Jerusalem, and have several years of healthier reigns under Rehoboam, Abijam, Asa, and Jehoshaphat.

What is idolatry?  Anything that blocks the glory of God in your life

• This word may stir up images of primitive people bowing down to statues.
• It is also the pursuit of beauty, power, relationships, money, love, and popularity.
• Idols can be a bad thing or good thing that we have made a God thing.
• Examples: sports, friends, school, college, jobs, achievement, approval, acceptance, church, ministry.
• Are you looking to something other than God to give you significance, security, and fulfillment?

Now Elijah the Tishbite from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.” 1Kings 17:1

Drought = means judgment

This will affect the economy (crops and live stock)

Droughts can financial, relational, marital, or spiritual

Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan.  You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there.”  So he did what the Lord had told him.  He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there.  The ravens brought him bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.” 1Kings 17:2-6

Two questions to ask in dry times?

1. Will I trust God to lead me?

2. Will I trust God to sustain me?

Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land.  Then the word of the Lord came to him.  “Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there.  I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food.” So he went to Zarephath.  When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks.  He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?  As she was going to get it he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.” 

“As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread — only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug.  I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.”

Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid.  Go home and do as you have said.  But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for you and your son.  For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord gives rain on the land.’”

She went away and did as Elijah had told her.  So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family.  For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil was did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.  1Kings 17:7-16

Navigating dry times

• Stay in the Word (read it, study it, memorize it, share it, and obey it)
• Receive God’s help (he may ask you to do something that risks everything like giving)
• Stay close to godly people

God uses Elijah to lead and sustain the widow and her son.

Are you in a dry time?

Are you stuck?

What is this dry time revealing about you?

Dry times reveal we are all sinners in need of a savior.  The gospel reveals we can have love instead of judgment.  The gospel reveals resurrection.  Do you need Jesus?  Are you like Ahab or like Elijah?

Do you believe God can make it rain with a cloud as small as man’s hand?

Is God and His Kingdom worth more than a cell phone?

Asking people to give above and beyond their tithe (10% of their income) is not an easy conversation during this challenging economy.  It almost seems I can talk about anything else no matter how invasive the subject with no blush as long as I don’t broach the subject of money.  This topic has the potential to stir people up to anger. 

Giving a gift to God should be a joyous action.  For He gave us breath to enter this world, and then He gave us life in Jesus through salvation.  Why would we not want to give back to Him?  Why would we not want to invest in His kingdom so that the Word and the church can reach more people with the Gospel.  It seems like that would be a no brainer for believers yet it stirs up stress everytime.

Let’s pull the conversation out of spiritual mode, and let’s place it in value mode.  What do you value?  If we were to look at what you spend your money on we could determine part of the story. 

Last year 1,600 people gave a financial gift to Mount Ararat.  This could be some people giving regular tithes because of their commitment to God and the church.  This could also be a person or even a child that gave a one time gift.  I started thinking about a possible “What if?”

What if 1,000 people of the 1,600 decided to give $200 a month for the next three years (36 months) to our Be Generous movement.  Remember Be Generous is committed to giving 10% to missions (local & global projects), 10% to multisite strategy, 80% to debt to enable us to build again.  For some $200 per month would be too much to give, while for others it would a small commitment to the Kingdom.  If 1,000 people gave $200 per month it would equal $200,000 per month and $7,200,000 after three years!

I hate to admit this but at the Gaston home, we have four cell phones on a family plan where we pay $200 per month.  For me the question is more humbling.  Is God not worth more than a cell phone?

As the great Pastor Lon Solomon would say, “Not a sermon, just a thought!”