The Cave

July 4/5, 2015 1 Kings 19:1-18

FOLLOWING THE MESSAGE 1) 19:1 Queen Jezebel’s personality was so forceful that even King Ahab walked in fear of her. 2) 19:3 Just when God could have used him the most, Elijah—the man chosen by God to lead—failed to step up. 3) 19:3 Self-pity is a mark of having fallen into an attitude of self-trust. 4) 19:3 Main cause for Elijah’s failure: he failed to see God in the midst of his circumstances. He listened to Jezebel and did not bother to wait for God’s intervention. 5) 19:6 Before God dealt with Elijah’s spiritual problem, He took care of his physical needs. 6) 19:10 Elijah’s answer revealed the depth of his discouragement: he believed he was the only one still faithful; he dismissed the people of his nation as utterly beyond hope; he completely devalued what God had done at Mount Carmel. 7) 19:12 Lasting spiritual work is accomplished not by gigantic displays of power, but by the truth of God’s Word working quietly in the hearts of people. 8) 19:11-12 While God is a God of judgment, He is also the God of mercy and grace. 9) 19:14 Much of what Elijah said was true, but his perspective was poor. 10) 19:15 God commanded Elijah to get back in the game. 11) 19:15 It’s okay to go to the cave; sometimes God even sends us there. But it’s not okay to stay there. 12) This is a moment where the exercise of your ‘Faith’ comes in; in these moments, we must have confidence that “God is working all things together for good” – even when we don’t understand it.

13) 19:18 Elijah thought his best was in his past. God showed him otherwise. HEBREW WORDS Shāʾar (shaw-ar’)—primitive root; properly to swell up :- (be) left, let, remain, remnant, reserve