Sermon Nuggets Mon March 8
Theme Facing Depression
Verses- 1 Kings 19:1-4 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 desert. He came to a broom tree, 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."
Last week we noticed Elijah was the victor in a conflict between the powers of God and he antics of the prophets of Baal and Asherah. He called upon the Lord to send fire from heaven which consumed the sacrifice as well as he altar and sopped up the water around it. Then Elijah prayed that there would be rain in the land and he waited and prayed 7 times until the clouds started forming. Elijah runs into Jezebel and she gets news of the death of her prophets of the false god and is filled with anger and hatred toward Elijah. She sent him a message that she will kill him in the next day. What does he do?
You would expect that he would run up to her and proclaim the knowledge of the Living God or cause the fire to come and consume her. That’s what I think. I admired Elijah’s forthright courage and boldness. But the passage tells us that Elijah feared and wished he could die he was so discouraged. He ran so far south that he completely left the kingdom if Israel and was in the Land of Judah under the protection of King Jehoshaphat.
Discouragement, depression, despondency, and despair are all related to low feelings that hamper our outlook and keep us from activity. Personally I’m glad that Elijah was depressed. It shows how someone who is a saint and within the will of God can still fight discouragement. I’m glad these chapters are in the Bible. It seems everyone has problems of one sort or another. Yet God can still use them.
This story helps me feel more understanding of the verse in James that says Elijah had passions just like we do. Up to this point I hadn’t found much of a point of personal connection with Elijah yet. But at the point of discouragement and depression I can relate to him.
Jay Kesler president of Taylor University, and formerly of Youth for Christ, talked of being a college student and going on a summer missions experience to Venezuela. He had read the biographies of great evangelists and missionaries, and their lives seemed to be without spiritual flaws. He wanted to pattern himself after David Brainerd or John Knox, whose impact had been so great. They lives reflect the way we are suppose to be, but Kesler admitred that his mediocrity could never allows God to use him effectively.
He remembered being so defeated that his sincere desire to do something dramatic and special for the Lord was met with seemingly failure and discouragement.
When he visited with a friend about his discouragement his friend said, "Just because the books did not record their flaws doesn't mean the men you admire did not have them. You can be sure each of those Christian greats struggled too. Did you ever realize what would happen if the Lord insisted on perfect men and women to carry out His work? Nothing would ever get done, because none of us would ever measure up. We are all flawed instruments. Isn't it wonderful that Jesus Christ can use us in spite of our imperfections? If we wait to be good enough to serve Him, we will never serve Him."
Early in the pastorate I made a rule for myself. “never quit on a Monday or during the month of February.” Many times I felt like it but followed that rule and Tuesdays and March seemed a bit more encouraging.
I've read the biography of Charles Spurgeon. I admired the way God used him at 25 years old he as preaching over a 100 years ago to a weekly congregation of over 5,000 people. Even then without a microphone. Spurgeon was plagued with discouragement, doubt, and depression. Once he felt so unworthy that he was going to quit and ran away up in Scotland. When he walked into a small Methodist Church and a tiny group of people came and listened to the pastor, the Lord spoke to his heart. He introduced himself afterwards to he minster and said that the sermon was just the thing he needed. The preacher turned beet red and said, "I'm so sorry, I preached one of your own sermons. "
Spurgeon answered," I know and it is just God's way of confirming through you that he is using me to speak to hearts even after my sermon is preached. He wants me back in the pulpit."
There are practical lessons about depression that I think we can learn this week from Elijah’s experience. Don’t be sidelined by your feelings.
Pastor Dale
Sermon nuggets Tues March 9, 2010
Verses- 1 Kings 19: 1-4 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
2 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."
3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there,
4 while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, 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."
Contributing Factors-
I want to look at five contributing factors I think are exemplified with Elijah then some sensible solutions. This morning let’s look at three things.
The first is unfulfilled expectations. When someone has this sense that there is a real or imagined threat on their safety or life one can have a variety of feelings, most certainly anxiety, nervousness, and worry. But the depression came to Elijah because this outcome was not what he expected. After having this great experience up on Carmel and rains come and some people come to the Lord Elijah not only expected a revival but this change of heart would come to the whole land and the people and the king would turn back to God. Ahab went back to his house and told queen Jezebel what God had done. Instead of turning to God her reaction was anger and public threat on the life of Elijah. How could someone be so blind as to the power of God and the consequences of opposing Him and His servants? Yet that is what happened.
Now how would you respond if you discovered someone was threatening your life? Wouldn’t that be a little bit discouraging? But in addition to personal threat the heaviness of his heart was what he hoped for didn’t come about in terms of long lasting and wide spread revival.
I experience depression when I expected a large number of people to come to a special event at the church and the attendance is very small. I experience down feelings when I pray for salvation and not many come to Christ. I question, not the power of God, but my own limitations and inabilities. I get down when my hopes for the church are not realized and there isn’t much more I can do about it. I can’t make other people change, only myself.
The rejection Elijah experienced by those in leadership was not personal rejection, it was rejection of the Lord. Jesus told us in Matt 5:11-12 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Things did not turn out according to Elijah’s plan. The Lord wanted us to see it is an attack against Him.
A second factor is the emotional drain and stress. He felt so low he wanted to die. He felt sorry for himself. Of course he really didn’t want to go through with death or he could have stayed there and Jezebel would have done the job for him. The problem was with all the confrontation and experiences of the last few years it is easy to see the stress which instead of coming to an end was not stopping. He was still being sought after for his life.
I learned in counseling one of the contributing causes of depression is anger that is turned inward and can result in self pity. Anger it is hard to admit for many Christians. When things do not turn out how we want it is easy to be angry, but at whom? Ourselves, others, God, circumstances? IT is easy to think, “This just isn’t fair.” When it is stifled it can go inward. It begins to eat away and when we begin to strip away the layers we see that is not unlike Elijah’s situation. Self pity.
Jump ahead to verse 14 for Elijah’s further explanation and insight. “I am the only one serving you.” It isn’t fair lord. Here after I did this tremendous thing. All the people were suppose to turn to you and they didn’t do it. Poor me. Isn’t it a shame I might as well die. He had experienced a lot of psychological and emotional stress. Depression followed.
The third factor to be mentioned today is physical exhaustion. We are told the when Elijah ran for his life he came to Beersheba in Judah. Now Beersheba is about 120 miles away. Remember the passage last week Elijah ran ahead or before Ahab. That is 17 miles. You talk about a jogger. He is a super jock. I can imagine the physical drain that must have been. He was just plain exhausted!
He didn’t eat properly either. Doctors have noticed that when various women are on diet they are more susceptible to depression. Not because of weight loss but because of chemical changes in their bodies. And the lack of food to their cells that provide energy supply and affect one’s general outlook. I was attended a seminar taught by Clyde Narramore and the couple of years ago and one of the things he stressed as a Christian psychologist was the importance of how much one’s physical health affects their spiritual and psychological health and vice versa.
Burnout hit Elijah hard. He was tired, lack of sleep, over stressing his body and mind, and not refueling what the body needs. No wonder these things coming together add to depression.
How would you evaluate your life and circumstances right now? Where is God in it?
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Weds March 10-
Verses- 1 Kings 19 : 14 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
10 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
Contributing Factors- Continued
Yesterday we looked at three contributing factors to Elijah’s depression- unfulfilled expectations, emotional Strain, Physical exhaustion. Today I want to address two more thoughts.
I believe social isolation contributes to depression. Elijah was basically a loner. Except for the time at the widow’s house he had been in hiding for 3 ½ years by himself next to a brook and even when he returned to the King’s land Obadiah was a fellow believer but he used him only to get this task done.
Of course not everything that happens in someone’s life is recorded in the Bible, but we know enough about Elijah being on the go there was no place for friendships. Notice Elijah admitted to feeling all alone.
One of the most important psychological needs we have is to love and be loved. Eliah did not feel anyone loved him. He did not have anyone else to love or care for. Sometimes there are people who have no one they can relate to. There are many people that nobody loves or cares about. There is no companionship to share their joys and sorrows. I am not talking about those who are single instead of married but friendships that are healthy with whom one can visit and laugh and be accountable. In order to have a friend one must be a friend.
I have campaigned in the ministry for pastors to have a group with whom they can pray, share, dream, and be accountable. Most solo pastors feel as if they have no one they can truly share with. Sometimes folks do not want to be vulnerable because it is risky. It also seems easier for women to share with one another than men. We need others with whom to carry a burden. The best friend is one who accept and listens to us. Not necessarily having an answer, but just listens and be there for us. And it is important for us to feel that way toward another.
But when you are depressed you think that no one understand what you are going through. That heightens the sad feelings.
A fifth contributing factor to Elijah’s despair is a spiritual one. That seems surprising since Elijah was on a spiritual high. It must have been an unbelievable experience to have the spiritual awareness and alertness that was exemplified by Elijah’s faith. But remember God uses people and people are not always strong. Remember that of others and remember that of ourselves. When Elijah’s fears got bigger than his God, he ran. Victory makes us vulnerable and takes one off their guard against Satan’s attacks. There are too many incidents of Christians who experience success in great ways only to fall into temptations of various sorts.
How common it is to focus on the problems instead of the Lord. It can wear us down. I know that my head and my heart are in conflict with each other. I know the passages about Peter walking on water and having fear when the winds and waves get rough. I believe them. But practicing that is hard and when I am overwhelmed with circumstance I feel defeated and guilty and more depressed. How common for the negative part of life to take over one’s thoughts and fail to put life in balance and get the picture from a heavenly view.
Each day we start right over in our need to focus on the Lord and His strength and promises. Yesterdays victories are gone. Today is another battle against Satan.
Elijah was not where the Lord wanted him to be. He took off on his own out of his own feelings instead of seeking the Lord’s direction for his new day. He was not only running from Jezebel, he was running from the Lord. If God seems far away who moved?
Many discouraged Christians get caught up in the ideal of what a Christian should be and honesty reveals our shortcomings. As much as we try not to sin we do. As much as we want to focus on the Lord we don’t. Our works haunt is in ways one can feel hypocritical. Instead of living by faith and in the freedom of grace we fall into the performance of what others expect of us and we ourselves with little patience toward ourselves for failures.
Sin will always bring us down. So where do we go but to the Lord? As Paul writes in Romans 7 the very things I want to do I do not, and the very things I do not want to do those are the things I do. Rom 7:24-8:2 “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God-- through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.”
Refocusing on the Lord and doing daily battle with truth to stand against the lies we tell ourselves by the Word of God is the call for victory. Or at least if we do not feel victorious becomes those small steps that leads us on the right path.
How is your relationship with others? Is it pure and holy and important to you? How is your relationship with the Lord? Are there things that get in the way of maturing in your spiritual growth and love for Him above all else?
Pastor Dale
Sermon nuggets Thurs March 11, 2010
Verses- 1 Kings 19: 5-13 Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat."
6 He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
7 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."
8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
10 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
Practical Solutions
We looked at come contributing factors to depression and now God meets with Elijah an provide some practical solutions. There are some complex issue that are met with wise and godly counselors when segments of a person’s past might best be evaluated. There are situations where someone’s body is chemically out of whack and they profit from a medical examination, but in many cases depression on the short term can be dealt with in a few ways.
The first thing we see God doing for Elijah is giving him physical refreshment and rest.
Elijah is burned out and must take care of the physical need. He sleeps.
Sleeping is not a sin. God invented it. Resting is so important he said set a whole day aside for me and rest. Do not work. The concept of the Sabbath was not only setting time aside for God but stop working and rest. It is good for the body and the soul. Relaxing can be a spiritual experience. Vacations are needed some times are important to get away from the routine and reevaluate and re store ones joy
Further the angel of the Lord comes to tell him to eat. There is an idea. Get the right kind of food and nourishment that helps you function better and go back to bed.
One person said his mother begins on a diet again and as usual family and friends suffered silently through those first few days of grouchiness that always seemed to accompany her efforts. She was telling the friend about the merits of her diet when she was asked how much she was expected to lose. Her son quickly replied, “I’d say about 2 friends a week.”
The second important issue to address is his spirit. Elijah needed spiritual renewal again and refocusing. Elijah had journeyed ending up at Mt. Horeb traveled 40 days and nights. That is way down over 350 miles where Moses was when he met God.
Mt Horeb and Mt Sinai are the same mountain. It was there that God met with Moses and now it will be their God is going to meet with Elijah. Sometimes we need to get away to quiet places not only to rest but have a meeting with God without the interruptions and busyness of our lives.
God asks Elijah “what are you doing here?” God didn’t send him there. You can’t hide from God. Maybe we are in situations that we know are not God’s will for our lives and that same question can be asked of us. What in the world are you doing there in that mess? You haven’t consulted me have you?”
Spiritual refocusing is realizing what we are trying to do on our own wisdom and power and come to the conclusion that is God’s responsibility for believers. Consult Him. Pray. Read the Word. He knows far better than we on rest as well as responsibility.
What we see on the Mountain a tremendous display of power. A great and powerful wind tore the Mountains apart. But the Lord was not in the wind. It was in a whirlwind that Job heard the voice of the Lord telling about the wonders of creation and how puny and little mankind is in understanding and in power. It was in the tremendous wind that parted the sea in the wilderness and allowed the people to cross over after being under attack by the Egyptian soldiers. But now Elijah watches but there was no voice from God.
Next there was an earthquake. Our world has watched repeated earthquakes killing 100,000s of people in this year. When the whole ground begins to shake and move and nothing to hold onto is a scary situation to be in. The earth quaked and the people feared when Moses received the 10 commandments, but Elijah listens and looks but the Lord was not in the earthquake.
Again there is a claps of thunder and there came fire. Sometimes fire signifies judgment as it ultimate will for those who are outside of Christ. It was fire that God spoke to Moses and called him into the ministry in the burning bush. The Lord was not in the fire and all is silent
There came a gentle whisper. A still small voice and Elijah heard and pulled his mantle over his face and went out and stood at the cave. There is the voice of God in the quietness not in the mighty exhibitions we expect.
Let us not forget how God does use miracles and power but it is equally significant that He speaks quietly when we listen even without those exciting experiences. Many times along the route and we look for the grand and glorious, but God calls us to the mundane and sometimes slow plodding and we see victory is small ways. But it is the presence of God and renewal of listening to His voice that begins inner renewal.
Are you listening to that still small voice of the Lord? What is He saying? Often it comes when we are quiet, expectant, and listening.
Pastor Dale.
Sermon nuggets Fri March 12
Verses- 1 Kings 19: 15 The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram.
16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.
17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu.
18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel-- all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."
Practical Solutions continued
When God met with Elijah it was apparent Elijah needed rest and needed to refocus on the Lord for physical and spiritual renewal. In addition there are some other things that help with depression.
God asks Elijah straight forward questions and Elijah is talking about his feelings, his anger, and his frustration. Feelings are real although not always based on truth perceptions. He is not the only one who is serving the Lord. There are at least 7,000 who have not bowed down to Baal. Depression allows us to focus on an imbalanced view of life. Face the facts while expressing the feelings. Tell yourself the truth. There is more to life and more than God wants Elijah to do. God allows him to see what HE Is doing in lives around and He is not done yet.
The sensible solutions include getting back into the tasks at hand. God is not done with him yet either. Often when I feel down I am faced with the fact it cannot last too long because there are other things that need to accomplished. Praying for strength for the day is realizing that God will give the resources to do what he expects and not necessarily with my agenda but His agenda.
Elijah was not to have any more mountain top experiences that we know of, except to meet with Jesus on the Mountain of Transfiguration. But God called him to do great things down in the valley. He gave him jobs to do.
“Go and anoint a king, over Aram and over Israel anoint Elisha to succeed you as a prophet.” Elijah was to go on with God’s business.
Why is it we like the dramatic? We center on the miraculous and ignore the tasks at hand. We desire the extra ordinary without realizing God is also in the ordinary which is as much as his plan as the other. He made us to work. He made us to take care of the earth the animal to feed our families, to worship, to study, to rest and so forth. We wants us to be lights in our everyday world. Jesus calls us to occupy until he comes.
When I would feel down as a chaplain in Nursing Homes at times I still had a job to do. So I went out of my office and was diligent to the tasks at hand. I visited with residents even if I didn’t feel like it. Soon the cloud of heaviness would lift as I would center on others and their needs instead of mine. I would pray with them and seek to encourage them in the Word. It is as Jesus said. In giving I received. My attitude changed.
Another practical resource was a to develop a friend and fellow minister to disciple. Elisha is the one person that becomes his special trainee. There are others you need and others who need you in God’s plan of discipleship. I have heard it said and agree that there are three important relationships in your life next to your family. You do well to have a mentor, a peer, and someone to disciple. We still have things to learn from others, to share with others, and to teach others. Pray for such people and seek them out.
Elijah obeys the Lord and is faithful once again to the tasks and responsibilities. It is right to grow from our experiences. Confess whatever sins need to be confessed and if it is self pity then see it as the enemy of God’s will. If it is spiritual attack realize that discouragement is not from God. He gives encouragement. Develop a thankful heart by looking every day at the graces and mercies of God in your life. God is at work in your life right now. Recognize it and thank Him for it.
And be confident of the future. PBPGIFWMY. Please be patient. God isn’t finished with me yet. That’s good news.
Pastor Dale
