God May Be Silent But He is Not Absent from Our Lives

1 Kings 19:11-14  Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantel and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 And he said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, & killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.

In reading 1 Kings 18-19 we see a perspective of faith in a man who thought he stood alone against the false prophets of Jezebel. In truth a lesson seen from 1 Kings 19:1-2: "The spirit of Elijah brings restoration where evil has temporarily spread division and great strife." Elijah met with the false prophets and revealed his confidence in God by demonstrating the rebuilding of the altar to God in 1 Kings  18:23-40!  Each of us must have an altar before God.

 

There was going to be a showdown between Israel’s god Baal under Jezebel and the God of Elijah . Taking place on Mount Carmel, sanctuaries had been built to pagan weather deities. They faltered between two opinions: either follow Baal or follow God Who is LORD. And the people remained silent; It was the prophets of Baal that spent 6 hours crying out to their god with no response. That false Baal must have had a tug on some of their hearts. I wonder why they were hesitant to see the real God of Israel!

 We find in 1 Kings 18:26-29 that Elijah stepped out in faith and obedience to the Lord. In spite of the extreme circumstances, God never failed to provide what was needed to Elijah in the unusual and the most miraculous ways! And it was Elijah who prayed for the rain to return and it did! It proved Baal impotent to provide anything. Elijah challenged and defeated 450 prophets of Baal and confronted king Ahab, but it was one threat from Jezebel that sent Elijah on a run to the southernmost point of the city in the southern kingdom of Judah. Elijah became despondent. The king Ahab had no good ties to his own wife. It was she who ruled the kingdom with her wicked ways and thoughts in Baal worship.

Where is our heart? What opinion do we hold there? Is it of God or is it of another false god who leads us?

 

When first saved we have a love for our Lord! But we can be in danger of losing our first love when we delight more in someone else than we do Jesus. Does our soul long for fellowship with Him and Him alone? Are our thoughts during leisure moments have no sound or look like Him? Do those leisure things have the look of the world and human destruction? How about how we view the commands of God as restrictions on our life and our fun time? Do we inwardly strive for the acclaim of man rather than God?

 

 

Inheritance is that Place in Jesus….it is a kingdom: Matthew 26:62-64 NKJV and the high priest arose and said to Him, “do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” 63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answer and said to Him, “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!” 64 Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.

Jesus answered nothing to those who testified against Him; but He did tell them of His place seated at the right hand of the Power and He would be coming on the clouds of heaven. Again He was asked the same question about those who testify against Him: Matthew 27:11-14 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked Him, saying, “Are You the king of the Jews?” Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.” 12 And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing. 13 Then Pilate said to him, “do  You not hear how many things they testify against You?” 14 But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.

Mark 15:3 And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing. 4 Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, “Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!” 5 But Jesus answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled.

Luke 23:8-9 NKJV 8 Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, & he hoped to see some miracle done by Him. 9 then he questioned Him with many words, but he answered him nothing.

It was Silence that filled Jesus’ mouth when words came to question Him by many words to accuse Him. But He answered readily to those who asked Him of His heritage and that which was in and with the Father!

 

The Lord was silent before His accusers. But He spoke from the Cross:  Luke 23:39-43 Then one of the criminals who was hanged blasphemed Him, saying “If you are the Christ, save Yourself and us. 40 But the other, answering rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation.” 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds, but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said to Jesus, “ Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” 43 And Jesus said to him, “assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.

Answers reveal where we reside. Jesus spoke of His home and of His Father with whom He would be with soon. Silence fell at the Cross, the Savior revealed. Silence for the sin took His life, and the ground shook and darkness filled the afternoon sky. Truth He was and is the Son of God. But of that day of His crucifixion it was those with the chief priests and others that had now asked:“Where now is your God?”

 The Father’s will for our sake when Jesus was crucified: Colossians 2:15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

We are not alone. Our prayer time, that devotion set aside should be a conversation of God and our place by His side. It is a time of love, and that opportunity to ask those personal things He seems to already know about us!

It was extravagant Devotion when Mary used her hair , her covering to bless the Lord. She expressed love, a shared oneness of who He was, Her master & teacher  and where He was headed. He had called her brother Lazarus out of the Tomb in John 11:1-44, and He was going back to the Father!

Judas poured out his own oil of greed and hostility---in Judas was a heart greed for money and not for the one next to him. But Mary poured the anointed oil over Jesus’ feet, the fragrance of life and beauty..    Mary communicated her love for the Lord that would always be spoken about when the Gospel is given.

Between Judas and Mary, where are we found? I will let you be the judge of your own heart?

 

                                          New teaching at: Voice of Prayer 

No Negative Thoughts or Feelings

https://youtu.be/FYM08oXlgaI

Visit my You Tube channel Voice of Prayer for more teaching 

http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV

New teaching at: Life Giving Wells

The Inheritance of the Saints in the Light

https://youtu.be/0Y2fufbRGOg

Visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching

http://bit.ly/2wgu1kw

Now Posting to Rumble 

Voice of Prayer

https://rumble.com/c/c-1425534

And

Life Giving Wells

https://rumble.com/c/c-1428234

The Content of the Fool or The Capable Freind

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." quote: Martin Luther King Jr.

I remember the day this gentleman spoke those words. Being a young teen, I could not understand why people could not get along with one another. I knew this man to be a 'pastor' and one who spoke a lot differently than any pastors I had ever known. Yes, this man spoke about life and he spoke about a nation of people living in unity with one another.

The major thing I took from his speech was the above and I thought about it this morning. There have been many church channels carrying it. And in giving it to the "viewer" the importance is stated we must live in unity.
We had church last night and what a time with the Lord and having the opportunity to stop the teaching and pray for a lady officer and the young man with her. And they came in after our "service" had started. Yes, would you stop your "service" to minister to those who walked in off the street? We surely must pray for the Police Officers who police our communities and in that serving, we as the residents can sleep at night!

Yes, there was all ages and a beauty of color and how God worked it all together for those who love God............to those who are the called according to His purpose. (not the plans of man, intentions of those around you or me, not according to circumstances of your vehicle, job, kids or other family, not according to man, but ...according to God's purpose!)

Romans 8:28
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. NKJV

Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke "out of his heart" that his children would not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. 

And that is the way our Father in heaven expects. And that judgment takes place according to the character of your heart and my heart!

What do we hold there in that place we think is hidden from the world?

I see 'protests' today and many speaking loudly of this great man of the 20th century. A man who spoke with the wisdom of God and..........spoke always from his heart. It was his heartfelt words of love, peace and unity that carries to this day. Yet, it was something that cost him his life, just like that of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

It is all about the content of our "character".

Oh yes, what we harbor in our hearts is seen and heard throughout the year. What we desire, those hurts and even tragedies can be seen and heard decades after the occurrence. Yet we can all bring it to God...........casting it upon Him.

1 Peter 5:6-9
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.   NKJV

Casting something out, away from us can be hard to do. And the main thing from the above scripture is the humbling of ourselves under His mighty Hand. We are to be discreet. That is: to be soft and gentle, to be restrained in walking circumspectly in our speech and in our actions! We remain in His power when we remain in Him and speak as Jesus would speak.


Our pleasing God is making the right choice to do right and receive His praise. The knowledge of God, which is instilled as a gift, compels or constrains one to depart from evil. In other words, it leads one to keep the commandments of God.
Martin Luther King, Jr saw this for his children and for his entire family. He spoke out of the abundance of his heart that was of God and of God alone. His course was set in truth and died because of it. Yet, people still remember of what he spoke of and believed. When God rules our hearts, it shows!

When our hearts are set to obey Him, it will show on the outside of us. That is: what is in your heart will be seen by others see on the outside. It is seen in our conduct.

Departing from evil is paramount for our lives to remain in the peace of God. Being humble before. God is taken into account as we live our life for God in every circumstance, in every aspect, and in every situation, and by choosing His way, we learn to hate evil and to love to do what is right, good, and pleasing to God! Godly living is the fear of the Lord!

If the fear of God is to hate evil, then the fear of God is also to love a godly way of life. The fear of the Lord is filled with moral content. It is a good life where people live in unity and not by playing the "blame game".

Those who abide in God will be the faithful. They are the honest, the happy, the loving, patient, kind, persistent, and satisfied. They seek to honor another. They seek that for others no matter their color or creed. And of course the other side looks like this: they are the selfish, the rude, the grumpy, the dishonest, the wicked, the mean, the unforgiving. And in children one can see if they are the rowdy, the rude, the playful, the fidgety, the funny, the adventurous, the stubborn or the non submissive.

Our belief is to be in God and humbled before Him. When we stay in His kingdom of rule, we abide in His truth, see His justice prevail in our lives, and seek it for others. When we know how much we are loved by Him, we cannot help but please Him.

I believe we pleased Him greatly on Thursday night. We stopped our service to do His bidding for this police officer. Our duty is toward God and His plan, not only for our lives but for those around us who may be: the broken, the abandoned, the weary and the fearful. Can we move into that place to put God first and let Him have His way in everything we do, even in a church setting?

I also believe that people we did not know were touched by God. And His touch means everything. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke a truth and it still rings out today. 

In closing:

Life's most persistent and urgent question, is "What are you doing for others"?

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. 

We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.

Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.

quotes by Martin Luther King, Jr.

Notice:
The Voice of Prayer  has a new teaching published: Rebuilding The Temple of Praise-Prayer

You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV

The Silent Voice

What is the silent voice? Is there a time to hear that silent voice when all hell is breaking loose against us? When we have seen some great things done by God, do we faint when a wicked man or woman speaks?  How will we know "our place"?

1 Kings 19:5-12.........5 Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, "Arise and eat." 6 Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. 7 And the angel of the LORD came back the second time, and touched him, and said, "Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you." 8 So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God.

9 And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 10 So he said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life."

11 Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. NKJV

What a life of Elijah, a prophet that seen things come to pass so quickly when he prayed, believed and participated with God to see the end results. Spend some time in 1 Kings and become acquainted with Elijah, the man of prayer.
From history of the beginning, we know that Abraham was to come out..........to come out from among them and go the new land!.If we know that we are offspring of Abraham, we know that we can as heirs of the promise experience the coming out, to go the "new land", the place prepared for us. In coming out, we have to know what Elijah faced too, it was a struggle against idolatry as Abraham had encountered. Through the passage above, we see that God would not allow Elijah to be defeated!
Defeat was nowhere in the plan of God for Elijah!

For this elderly man, power was the foremost thing he saw from God. It was power of the fire falling from heaven found in 1 Kings 18:38-40...........38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!" 40 And Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let one of them escape!" So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the Brook Kishon and executed them there. NKJV

Elijah came against idolatry on Mount Carmel and defeated the false prophets and had them executed there. It was just Elijah and God. He did not put God in a box but kept his focus that God would answer prayer.   In 1 Kings 18:36-38...........36 And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, "LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. 37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again." 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. NKJV

The fire fell and consumed the sacrifice, the wood and the stone, with dust, and licked up the water in the trench as well.

He executed the false ones and this made Queen Jezebel mad that she sent out a big threat against God's anointed one. And Elijah ran.............to the the cave in the mountain.

There are times for each of us in standing with God, in our walking with God and even in our running with God. I believe you can see these in the life of Elijah. There are the those times in trusting for something specific, the stand and the wait!  We saw it in prayer for the return of rain. There are those times of the walk in each moment of our day and then of course the running, is that which the anointing comes on to that which God commands us to do.

BUT THERE ARE THE TIMES OF THE SILENT STILL VOICE!

When I had first entered into ministry outside of the four walls of the church, the Lord spoke to me about being able to hear Him above all the noise. For He said there would be chatter everywhere and many, many people wanting to be heard. I remember going to the Seattle airport to pick up our daughter and son-in-law back from a trip to one of the Hawaiian islands. I remember leaving early and getting to airport in plenty of time of the arrival of the plane. I got me a coffee, you know, one of those fancy ones and sat down. I noticed where I sat they had three T.V. monitors all within close proximity of where I seated myself to enjoy that black and white mocha! Then I noticed the amount of people passing by and how their voices were growing loudly as they passed by it seemed to drown out the voices of those speaking on the T.V. monitors.

I talked with the Lord about those speaking all at the same time, and He told me that He had placed His Holy Spirit in all of us to hear those who had a heart for Him, and that I would be able to see and know those who would be refreshed by His words when ministering to the multitudes.
And it happened as He said. The more I prayed in my language and allowed the Holy Spirit to have His way, then I would see those who really had the desire to come out, to see those who had such a broken and hurting hearts readily receive that one word of God to bring change to their lives.

Elijah knew those who had a heart for God and those who were just playing their games to get their way. Elijah had seen how powerful Jezebel ruled. The idolatrous queen had her husband Ahab to erect a city that worshiped Baal. When Elijah came to Mount Carmel and executed her false prophets there, she swore revenge on Elijah. (1 Kings 18:19)
Now you must understand that Queen Jezebel had all kinds of sexual activity going on throughout her palace even while she had visitors in from the outside. She was deeply entrenched into sexual immorality. 

As we return now to Elijah in the cave. All the noise and confusion reigned in those who had other gods, but Elijah wanted to remain faithful to the One who sent him out. And to Elijah,  he felt he was the only one "who" remained the prophet of God, but God came and told him otherwise.
The mountain broke into pieces, the wind blew fiercely and fire came down, but God was not in those things...........all the loud sounds came and went and Elijah was left in silence, in a dark cave! In that quiet the silent voice spoke. Not to harm Elijah, not to accuse him, but to ask him a simple question.

1 Kings 19:13-21.......13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 14 And he said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life." 15 Then the LORD said to him: "Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. 16 Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. 17 It shall be that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill. 18 Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him."

19 So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him. 20 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, "Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you." And he said to him, "Go back again, for what have I done to you?" 21 So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen's equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant. NKJV

"What are you doing here, Elijah?"
God came and had a quiet conversation. He gave Elijah the next thing for him to do for God's plan for not only Elijah, but for Israel!
Now in this same wilderness, where Moses fled from Pharaoh, Elijah fled from Ahab and Jezebel. Elijah pleaded his stand for the "Lord", and even though his zeal had left, his heart was still connected to the truth of God's plan for the now impatient Elijah. The miraculous is awesome, and is a tool no doubt to give a view to the unbeliever that God is real and is powerful. But at looking at Elijah in this deserted place, we see that it is knowing God in the quiet! It is like when the drummer no longer drums, when the singer no longer sings, the prayer is done, and people leave the "sanctuary", there is another place that God will speak in "the silent voice".
There is no pomp and circumstance......there is just the quiet!
No praise and worship singers, no blazing guitars and bass needed here. Our true relationship in this relationship with God, is finding God when all has quieted down, and the musicians leave, and even people may exit our lives, yet, God reaches out to us in His loving and giving manner of the Father for the child.
Elijah was given a list of things still to do and that included in finding Elisha and train him.
What amount of time? Not certain, but things had to be in place for God to take him to heaven in glory!

It is not over till God says it is over..................God has as much for you and I to do, just like He had for Elijah. He is not through with us. If you find yourself in the "cave" today, listen in the quiet. Find solitude that God is with you today to give you His plan for "you" for tomorrow. He is on the scene to speak and we should be willing to abide in the "quiet".....and hear Him give us the details of the plan ahead of us.
Whatever may be plaguing your life today, whatever circumstance, God is still on the scene.
I asked my niece if I might share a portion of poem she wrote with help of the Holy Spirit on April 24, 2012. It is titled: My God, My Rock.
I believe it is the Holy Spirit who reminded me today of those words penciled by my niece and the guidance of the Holy Spirit Himself!  I quote only a couple of verses, but it moved my heart and wanted to share today this from Psalm 23 and Psalm 103.... that she took and wrote ........."Your love and blessings ever increasing

I stop and remember You are my God, My Rock

You are my Shepherd and I am part of Your Flock

By Your gentle Rod, You guide me, I find my place"

Today, may we find "our place".

Father, I pray, in Jesus’ name for those who have been on the forefront of ministry, not only in the ministry in church but outreach as well and those in the workplace. I pray that each will find "our place". Today, Father I pray that each would have faith in YOU to redeem their souls from negative emotions. You have said in YOUR Word that You redeem our souls when we put our trust in You according to Psalm 34:22. May we never be controlled by depression, anger, anxiety, jealousy, hopelessness, fear, or suicide. Specifically, I pray about anger, fear, depression and sickness caused by an unforgiving heart. Deliver Your people today from this and all other controlling emotions. (Psalm 40:17). Free Your children to share the deepest of feelings with those who are committed to reconciliation, and those qualified to help. Please give each of us the ability to not be so serious all the time. Give us the gift of laughter and ability to find humor even in those serious situations. Teach us Your children to take our eyes off  of circumstances and trust in You, regardless of how we might be feeling. Father, I pray that You would give  Your children patience to possess their soul and the ability to take charge of it (Luke 21:19) . anoint us with the “oil of joy” (Isaiah 61:3), refresh us with Your Spirit, and set us free from negative emotions this day.

Father, we come to the place of quiet and seek to wait as long as necessary to see what You will say (Hab. 2:1-2) to us and what we will answer when we are corrected. Truly You are for us and will lead us in a smooth path to bring glory to Your name. Thank You Lord for meeting us today in the quiet and solitude of this place where Your tender mercies are demonstrated.
Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve us for You can see the evil that has surrounded so many today Lord.(Ps. 40:11-12).

In the Name of Jesus I plead the Blood of Jesus over the portals of the minds, will and emotions and body of those who read and pray this today.  I believe that we are protected by the blood of the Lamb that gives us access to the Holy of Holies. Satan I declare to you that you will not bring in strife, anxiety, or anger to those of the children of God. 

Lord, You have said that the life of the flesh is in the Blood. Thank You for this blood that has cleansed us from sin and sealed the New Covenant of which we are partakers. Today we are more than conquerors in Jesus Christ.  We find our place in YOU. Amen.

You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV