March 18, 2021

TOPIC: Prayer and Praise 

Happy Thursday

When God give us a different answer than what we expect or requested.

1KI 19: 1-9

Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.  Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom's bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. I have had enough, Lord, he said, Take my life,  I am no better than my ancestors. Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, Get up and eat. He looked around and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. The Angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, Get up and eat for the journey is too much for you. So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthen by the food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night. 

I can only image that if someone threatened my life or plotted to take my life my expectation in prayer is God will deal with my enemy immediately and most people would think in this situation the answer from God would have been to remove the threat quickly. However does not think like flesh. The things that frighten or put terror in us does not bother him. I know people like to focus on the gender of Jezebel but I want to focus on the spirit in Jezebel. She was filled with Evil. It could be male or female. For example a person with that type of spirit dislikes the spirit of God so she hated Elijah. She didn't need a good reason to want him dead. She hated God and she dislike the work he did for God. People like to say or equate her gender with that of a woman as if that spirit cant use a Male so she is a controlling woman or a woman who is unsubmissive. But yes there can be men with same or similar evil spirit and it doesn't matter the gender of the person because that person is filled with a killing, murderous, hateful spirit and evil will use any gender. There are males who are very controlling and abusive. A bad spirit like that does not submit to God or order or what is lawful. This woman was a evil woman and it could have well enough be a male too. She happily killed prophets and promised Elijah he was next but God has a totally different answer for Elijah. He provided him with safety. 

2 CO 12: 7-9

Or  because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. 

When you ask God to take away something evil in your life; and he just gives you the grace to go through it.

We say....

Lord take it away?

I plead with you Lord?

The Lord says, My grace is sufficient for you. It won't kill you. It will bother you. It will torment you a little but I have given you the grace to make it through. 

 National/Jewish Religious Holidays

Easter Sunday

For those who did not know or for those who say What is Easter Sunday? Or Resurrection Sunday?

Easter Sunday or Resurrection Sunday is a holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It occurred on the third day after his burial following his crucifixion by the Romans. The date this year is April 05, 2021. It is celebrated through church services, meals, gift giving, prayer, and sometimes night vigils. This is a national holiday for all believers and non believers. The celebration may vary based upon the persons beliefs and ideas of God but this holiday is recognized all over the world. For God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son. 

Passover March 27, 2021- April 04, 2021

The holiday of Passover celebrates the emancipation of the Jewish people from slavery (in ancient Egypt). In Hebrew they say Pesach which means to Passover and that is exactly what God did as the children of Israel experienced deliverance. The plague that killed the firstborns of Egypt Passed over the Israelites homes (their children were spared). 

Rosh Hashanah Sept 6-8

It is simply the Jewish New Year.  It is a celebration of creation. In Hebrew it simply means the head of the year or the beginning of the year. For us we celebrate the beginning January 01, 2020. So for most of us we have already begun our new Year for 2021. We eat, we celebrate and we ring in the New year. Well the Jewish people will be celebrating their New Year. 

Yom Kippur Sept 15-16

Yom Kippur happens specifically so many days after Passover and it is known as the time of repentance. It is a time for atonement for sins. It was time when the Jews sought to achieve to seek God. Today you can repent of your sins any day of the week in the name of Jesus Christ and because of Jesus Christ. How ever Jesus observed these significant holidays and their meaning and what they represent. 

Have a great day!