First off, I would like to say a big THANK YOU to all who turned out for the Night of Prayer for Israel on Sunday. What a great group, and what an amazing time of prayer and worship. I believe God honors the prayers of his people, and that He answers specific prayers specifically. Let’s keep praying for Israel!
Think of someone you consider to be a true Christ follower. What unique attributes of their character would you like to see in your own life? Why?
Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.”
1 Kings 17:1
God had more to do in Elijah before He could do more through Elijah. God is preparing each of us so that He can work through us. How have you seen God prepare you for His specific purposes throughout your life?
Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan.
1 Kings 17:2-3
God led Elijah to a period of hiding in the Kerith Ravine. Kerith means “cut off or cut down.” Take a minute to describe a painful experience that God used to shape you into who you are today.
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 morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.
1 Kings 17:4-6
God taught Elijah to depend on Him daily for food and water. What are you daily trusting God for right now?
Describe a time in your life when things felt very desperate but you saw God meet your needs. What did you learn from the experience?
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.
1 Kings 17:7-9A
Describe a time when you decided to step out on faith and obey God even though that decision didn’t seem to make sense to you at the time. Did that experience strengthen your relationship with God? If so, how?
After the brook dried up, Elijah trusted God and moved on to Zarephath. Is there a “dry brook” in your life God is using to “motivate” you to move on to what He has next for you?
Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.”
1 Kings 17:24
Final thought: Just like Elijah, pain in our lives, can lead us to a total dependence on God and more intimate relationship with Him. Together, pray and ask God to help you see Him and depend totally on Him during the good times and the bad..
