1 Kings 19, Acts 12:1-23, Psalms 136:1-26, Proverbs 17:14-15

What God said to me – Have you ever seen a child run to their parent and the parent asks what is going on and they yell and scream that they were following the rules, but their siblings were not, and the parent wisely tells them to stop with the drama and calm down?  Then, when things are quiet, the parent again asks them what’s going on, and they tearfully tell them the same thing – same words – different attitude.  When Elijah was running from Jezebel, he was frightened and worn out.  He came to Horeb, My mountain, and when I asked him why he came he told Me about his faithfulness but how the rest of Israel had forsaken My covenant and torn down My altars and killed My prophets and he alone was left, and they were trying to kill him too.  He came to Me, but he wasn’t ready to hear from Me.  So, I showed him a great wind strong enough to break rocks, but I wasn’t in the wind.  I showed him an earthquake, but I wasn’t in the earthquake.  I showed him a fire, but I wasn’t in the fire.  After all the drama, there was a gentle blowing, and he heard Me.  So, I asked him again why he came, and his answer was exactly the same.  But his heart was different this time.  He was ready to listen and to hear what I had to say.  Hearing from me is not just a matter of My speaking, it is also you being willing to hear and to obey.

1 Kings 17-18, Acts 11, Psalms 135:1-21, Proverbs 17:12-23

What God said to me – There is a saying “make sure you are on the right side of history” – meaning that when it is all said and done and history is written, make sure you stood for what was right.  That is really a difficult thing to do when the world is upside down and calling evil good and good evil.  When Elijah showed himself to Ahab, Ahab’s response to him was, “Is this you, you troubler of Israel?”  Elijah was able to rightly say, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have because you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and you have followed the Baals.”  No matter what the world may say, you can never go wrong when you stand for Me.  However, you need to understand that as the world turns more and more away from Me, there may be a price for your faithfulness.  You may be attacked verbally or physically or shunned by those who are family or friends.  Choose you this day whom you will serve and stand firm.

1 Kings 15:25-16:34, Acts 10:24-48, Psalms 134:1-3, Proverbs 17:9-11

What God said to me – Have you ever noticed that within some families there are generations of preachers or teachers or doctors and within others there are generations of alcoholics or criminals or abusers?  Although the decision to follow Me is on an individual basis, family influence and lifestyle are important.  It is rare for someone to seek Me and follow Me when no one else in their family does.  When Ahab became King of Israel he treated his walking in idolatry as a trivial thing, not realizing it was actually life or death.  He came from a line of kings who did evil in My sight by worshipping idols and then married Jezebel, who was even more idolatrous.  He not only brought condemnation on himself, but also on his family and nation.  There are many of My own children who would never bow down to an idol, but who mistakenly put their family or their career or their success ahead of their relationship with Me.  If you want to leave your children and grandchildren a legacy of faith, then make your relationship with Me the priority of your life.