Evil On Every Hand

Lessons From Elijah – part 4

 

INTRO: A few weeks ago I started a series that looked at Elijah’s life. Elijah was an interesting character. He was a special character in God’s word. He was capable of great feats and miracles. He was capable of failure as well. Last week we saw him on the run, miserable in his failure, human just as are you and I. Today our message is, “Evil On Every Hand.” It is really more about the evil that went on around him than about Ellijah.

 

 

Evil can run, but it cannot hide & we can run, but we cannot hide

 

1 Kings 21:20 KJV
20And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.

There is no one to blame but our selves

 

Evil…

Shows up in lives, deeds, and actions

 

Ourselves, our family, our neighbors and our nation

 

Ungodliness has a way of showing up in our lives

 

It is reflected in our family

 

It is to be expected everywhere

 

I know it is political season, let me say , they are virtually all crooks

(We can only hope that we can see those elected who will most likely stand for our ideals and principles)

 

Our plans, our hobbies, and our attitudes – 25-29

 

 

1 Kings 21:25-29 KJV
25But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
26And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
27And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.
28And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
29Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.

 

This is why we see crime rates high, people plan to do evil

 

Abortion on demand - a cry for Roe v. Wade heralded as the law of the land – EVIL!!!!

 

Let the games begin – we are so into our recreational pursuits

(Aren’t the Colts great? what about the Reds? Wasn’t the Olympics neat? Michael Phelps? The Pacers? I could go on)

Okay, is all that wrong? Maybe not in itself, but where is our pleasure in God and His ways?

Where is our joy in serving God?

Where is our zeal for Him?

Where is our dedication to the things of God?

 

“I don’t have time for God!” tends to be our attitude.

We plan for everything but Him.

God is not in our lives because we will not allow Him

Evil is present in our lives because we embrace it

Evil continues in our lives because we like it

God is pushed form our life because we push it

God is cancelled from our life because of lack of interest

 

Let us also understand…

Appearance of “smooth sailing” does not mean sin is forgotten or overlooked – 22:1

 

1 Kings 22:1 KJV And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.

 

Sin can be painted a different color in our own minds (then it’s reality)

 

Sin is not as exciting as Satan wants us to belive

Sin is deadly to us

Sin wrecks our lives

Sin separates us from God

 

I ask you…

Are we looking for the truth?

 
It is…
Not always in the majority
Not always in men
Not always like our expectation
Not always for our enjoyment - 24
 

1 Kings 22:24 KJV But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?

 
Not always given except for great costs – 26-28 -

 

1 Kings 22:26-28 KJV
26And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son;
27And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.
28And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.

 

We can try all we want, but we cannot hide from or miss judgment

 

Hebrews 9:27 KJV And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

 

Great works or deeds will not prevent it - 39

 

1 Kings 22:39 KJV Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

 

We may be gone, but our life continues on

 

In the hereafter – 51-53

 

1 Kings 22:51-53 KJV
51Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.
52And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin:
53For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.

 

In the here and now (family)

 

Question remains:

Will we listen to God’s voice?

 

Choice is our

 

Price will be paid

 

Gary Marcum – New Beginnings Church – 083108am