11.27.16 - Eliezer The Good And Faithful Servant

1.     Eliezer - The Servant

a.     Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision,  saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. 2 And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? 3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. 4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. KJV

                              i.         Eliezer - OT:461 'Eliy`ezer (el-ee-eh'-zer); from OT:410 and OT:5828; God of help; Eliezer, the name of a Damascene and of ten Israelites: KJV - Eliezer.

1.     OT:410 'el (ale); shortened from OT:352; strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity): KJV - God (god), goodly, great, idol, might (-y one), power, strong. Compare names in "-el.

2.     OT:5828 `ezer (ay'-zer); from OT:5826; aid: KJV - help.

a.     OT:5826 `azar (aw-zar'); a primitive root; to surround, i.e. protect or aid: KJV - help, succour.

3.     ELIEZER "the steward of Abram's house, E. of Damascus," literally, "the son of the business," or possession (i.e. heir) of my house. (from Fausset's Bible Dictionary, Electronic Database Copyright (c)1998, 2003 by Biblesoft)

                             ii.         This man was Abrahams right hand man, the one who stood to gain everything in the event of Abrahams death having at this time legitimate offspring.

2.     Eliezer - The Trusted

a.     Genesis 24:1 And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: 3 And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: KJV

                              i.         Not only did Abraham trust Eliezer with all that he owned, but he trusted him to go and find a wife for his son!! The implications of this task and trust were enormous.  God had promised that Abraham would be the father of many nations and that his seed would be as the sand - so the woman who wed his son Isaac would obviously have a very significant role in that promise!

3.     Eliezer - The Faithful

a.     Genesis 24:12 And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham. KJV

b.     Matthew 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. KJV

11.15.16 - The Roller Coaster Life

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

7:21 PM

1.     At The Top

a.     1 Kings 18:38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the  God; the LORD, he is the God.

40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took

them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. KJV

a.     On top of the world.  Being used of God in a mighty way, people turning back to God, enemies vanquished, all is well.

b.     This was Elijah at the top of his game, but just like any other minister he was just a man, subject to the same issues all other men (ministers), or at least most of us, are faced with.   One moment the power of God us just a consuming fire all around and you feel like you are accomplishing His will by every step, then it seems just moments later the rug is jerked out and flat on your bottom you go.  I can relate.

2.     On The Bottom

a.     1 Kings 19:9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? 10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: 12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. 13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? KJV

                              i.         Led by the Lord, fed by ravens.  Supernaturally sustained.  Steps governed. Elijah was fed by ravens and told by The Lord to eat more that he would need the strength . . .to arrive here at this place, at this cave?

1.     1  Kings 19:7 And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. 8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto  Horeb the mount of God. KJV

3.     The Middle - The Place By Me

a.     1 Kings 19:9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? KJV

b.     Exodus 33:21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: 22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: 23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen. KJV

                              i.         1 Kings 19:11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by . . . KJV

c.     Both the place where Moses saw God's glory and Elijah had the conversation with God were the same place!  The "Clift" of the Rock and the "Cave" were both Christ!

d.     I have often felt that God was chastising Elijah, but I think now that He was encouraging him! He came to a place of brokenness and the end of self and God sustained, encouraged and commissioned him, again!

e.     Where high or low God always leads us to and by Jesus Christ! 

11.06.16 - Good Or Great - Isaac Or Ishmael

      I.         Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. 2 And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? 3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. 4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. 5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. 6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. 7 And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it. 8 And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? 9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. 10 And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not. 11 And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away. 12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. 13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; 14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. 15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. KJV

a.     Abraham – Man of Faith

                                               i.     Verse 6 - . 6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness

                                             ii.     Verse 8 - And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it

1.     In verse 6 Abraham is so full of faith, knowing and  believing that God is going to do all that He said He would, but jump down to verse 8 and it seems that humanity is setting in.

a.     How often we go from faith to faith and then doubt to doubt in just a breath or two.

b.    We must remain focused on God – He is the Author and Finisher, He will keep that which we have committed to Him!

    II.         Genesis 16:1 Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.  And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. 3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. 4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. KJV

a.     Sometimes it may not be that we are out of faith – but we are just out of patience.  Abraham, the Father of Faith – was ready to have a kid, and so was his wife.

b.     How often do we listen to the voices of others when God has spoken His plan over our lives, and instead of waiting on Him we take matters into our own hands and try to help God out?  Does this EVER end well?

c.     Sometimes the goal is the wait.  God is working something  in our lives as we wait.  He is working on our “faith muscle” to increase our faith and making sure that once we walk  in the blessing that He alone will gain glory from the situation.

11.06.16 - Northpointe PHC Anchorage, Alaska