Too Hot Too Cold or Just Right This

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story “It is good to speak of God today. ” Thank You for coming and worshiping.

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story Halloween & the beautiful FULL MOON last night Passing of Sean Connery It will take Salvation in the Name of Jesus to make a difference. Two presidential candidates & their two parties PRAYERFULLY vote Tuesday Little Red Riding Hood Goldilocks

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story But I would like to talk about a facebook post Francis Phillips shared about her Pastor, Dr. Joseph Dagostino III Francis had asked for prayer a couple weeks or so ago. Her Pastor was very ill with COVID and was moved to Indy. He penned a letter this week to his church and I encourage you to read it. If you are not one of her friends, I can email or message it to you – just send a request. I will read a THREE excerpts…

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story Pray for those affected by Covid 19 Pray for our church that we might reach people for the Lord Pray for our church and its leaders and people

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story Elijah was truly special servant of the Lord (He may not have appeared so, but Elijah was HOT!!!) Willing to serve God on God’s terms, God’s timing, God’s touch and God’s truth Willing to serve as a simple man of God – 17: 1 -24 Willing to stand against sin – 1 Kings 17: 1 Willing to serve in simplicity – 17: 2 -7

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story Elijah was truly special servant of the Lord (He may not have appeared so, but Elijah was HOT!!!) Camped out by a brook (actually he hid by the brook Cherith Fed by a raven Sent to lodge at a “dirt poor” widow’s house where she would feed him – did he not have any pride? ? Willing to sustain those around him in need and who might be hurting – 17: 8 -16

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story He might have been in a kind of limbo, but he was heating up fast because he was WILLING TO SERVE GOD

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story Chapter 18 Willing to confront sin even to the highest authority in the land (King Ahab) Willing to risk death Willing to place blame on the king and his father for their troubles Willing to challenge the King’s evil prophets to a “duel” Willing to be out-gunned, outnumbered (850 - 1) Willing to challenge Israel to serve the Lord Willing to rebuild the torn down altar Willing to RISK ridding the land of the false prophets

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story Elijah made Bad Leroy Brown look like a clown – HE WAS TRULY HOT!!!! (Because he was close to God)

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story But then things changed and Elijah went into a tailspin

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story 1 Kings 19: 1 -4 ( NKJV ) 1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time. ” 3 And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. 4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story Elijah showed weakness along the way (He is cooling off) Worried about worldly threats - 2 -4 Remember he had seen God almighty… Withhold the rain Give the rain Supply ordinary needs Send extraordinary help Send down the fire from heaven False prophets’ falseness revealed False prophets removed

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story Elijah showed weakness along the way (He is cooling off) He panicked – 1 Kings 19: 3 -4 Fled (bolted, chickened out, or simply ran) – 3 Failed to trust God Failed to stand firm Failed to trust others (servant left behind)

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story Elijah showed weakness along the way (He is cooling off) Quit (essentially) - 4 Removed himself from the field of play Refused to play – sat down Requested death

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story 1 Kings 19: 5 -18 NKJV 5 Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat. ” 6 Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. 7 And the angel of the LORD came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you. ” 8 So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah? ”

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story 10 So he said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life. ” 11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD. ” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces 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.

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah? ” 14 And he said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life. ” 15 Then the LORD said to him: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. 16 Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. 13 So

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story shall be that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill. 18 Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him. ” 17 It

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story Elijah showed weakness along the way (He is cooling off) We can see God… Still loved or was still loving him Still speaking to him – 5 Still supplying needs (gave him strength and rest) Still ready to use him

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story Elijah showed weakness along the way (He is cooling off) Elijah the one of self pity (He is getting colder) Removed himself from the field of action and servitude Remembered his “exploits” – 10 Reveled in his (own) glory – 10 e Revealed his self-pity – 10 g-10 h

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story Hot -----Lukewarm -----Cold GET HOT!

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story Elijah was exposed to God’s real and right touch – 11 (There is hope in the Lord) God’s raw power was exposed – 11 c Wind Earthquakes Fire

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story Elijah was exposed to God’s real and right touch – 11 (There is hope in the Lord) The still small voice God speaks to us with subtlety God touch to help us is spot on God lifts us up and gives us strength (that we might be HOT)

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story Elijah was exposed to God’s real and right touch – 11 (There is hope in the Lord) He continues the work of God Anoint Hazael Anoint Jehu Anoint & get others ready (Elisha)

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story Elijah was exposed to God’s real and right touch – 11 (There is hope in the Lord) You are not alone – I have 7, 000 more that can do the job, so get over it! God has servants who (are HOT) will serve God’s servants will help each other serve God well God’s servants will have the ultimate victory

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story 1 Kings 19: 19 -21 NKJV 19 So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him. 20 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you. ”And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you? ” 21 So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen’s equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant.

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story What truths can we learn from today’s scripture? • Even in success, discouragement can cripple us, chill us, and cool our lives to a lukewarm or cooler state • When we are discouraged, our life cools and we get lukewarm and we fail to serve God • We may well need help overcoming our difficulties in life – a boost to get things right again • God will help us in life, He will heat us up if we will seek Him and call upon Him to help us and guide us through rocky times • Just like He did with Elijah, God may use others to help us help ourselves – let them help

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right? This Is Not Your Goldilocks Story I am not sure we can get too hot to serve God, but we can get too cold, and… JUST RIGHT means hot, hotter, and “more hot. ”