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Fire and Ice

  • Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, 'So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I don't make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time!' When he saw that, he arose, and ran for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree. Then he requested for himself that he might die, and said, 'It is enough. Now, O Yahweh, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.' 1 Kings 19:1 WEB

    Elijah just had a major breakthrough in his life on top of Mount Carmel. He had won a showdown with 850 false prophets. God backed him up by answering with fire from heaven. Then Elijah prayed and brought rain, ending a three and a half year drought (James 5:17). He outran a chariot in a sixteen mile race back to town (1 Kings 18:46). This was certainly a high point in Elijah's life. A season of major breakthrough.

    Right behind the victory, though, came sudden fear and discouragement. Elijah had to run for his life. He ran into the wilderness and then sat down and prayed that he might die, completely drained, tired, and burnt out. He lost his appetite and was consumed with self-pity. The man of God was now in a gloomy, dark, place in his life. He had gone from hot as fire, to cold as ice, from feeling like a hero, to feeling like a zero.

    The Lord asked him: 'What are you doing here Elijah?' After Elijah carefully explained his circumstance, and how it was only him against the nation, the Lord gave him a new task. Elijah now had a fresh vision, and a renewed hope.

    Anyone that has walked with the Lord a while has had something go differently than they planned. You don't always get what you want, the way you want, when you want it.

    Be assured that every time that you fall down, give up, and pray to die, God is going to say 'What are you doing here again? Get up. There is still work to do.' So today, if you are ready to give up, hide under a bush and sleep, have hope.

    Sometimes the greatest defeats follow amazing breakthroughs. When that happens, get somewhere quiet, pray and get a fresh vision from God for what is next. Your journey is not over until you will no longer get up.

    Prayer: Heavenly Father, please give me a fresh vision for my life. Renew my hope. Take away the doom and gloom and help me focus on knowing You. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray.

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30 comments
  • 1
Joseph Adams, Jr.
Joseph Adams, Jr.

amen

June 8, 2017
  • 2
David and Dianna Wyles
David and Dianna Wyles

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please give me a fresh vision for my life. Renew my hope. Take away the doom and gloom and help me focus on knowing You. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray.AMEN. I have been fighting doom and gloom for many a year... Mostly, I am kept in God's joy these days, and only visited by doom and gloom periodically, (praise God for that) I have new tools to redirect those negative thoughts. Mostly I have a knowing that God has good plans for me not to live in dispair ( Jeremiah 29:11). I know the negative feelings come from a liar and a destroyer. I know the good and peaceful feelings I have come from a loving Heavenly Father who wants to bless me with his peace and joy, and that the fear, doubt, and self-judgements come from Satan so I try to keep my focus fully on all God's good promises and remind myself that Satan is the liar. So far this mindset has blessed me with more peace than any other coping tool I have. Focus on the blessings, not on life's stressings <3 Thank you Pastor :) God bless

June 8, 2017
  • 1
Kay Collinsworth
Kay Collinsworth

Amen

June 8, 2017
  • 1
Yvette York
Yvette York

Amen 

June 8, 2017
  • 1
Necie Mc
Necie Mc

Amen

June 8, 2017
  • 1
David  Earlywine
David Earlywine

Amen,greater is he that is in me.

June 8, 2017
  • 1
Jim Jarrell
Jim Jarrelledited: June 8, 2017

Boy this is an on time word, I do so understand how Elijah was feeling. If it could go wrong here lately, it did. I have prayed and ask God if I have done something wrong, I do not understand or know what it might be. I get nothing, no understanding, no dirrection, nothing. I was even not able to use my new computer yesterday to follow the meeting, I had to use my wife's. They say it is the darkest just before a breakthrough, I hope it comes soon! Father, my life is in your hands! Amen!

June 8, 2017
  • 1
Dion Todd
Dion Todd

Anytime that you do something meaningful for God, there is opposition. We have the simplest things explode into unexplained mountains here. It is not uncommon for us to suddenly have no sound 5 minutes before the service begins, with no reason. Or a server freeze, or something that will make you want to cuss right before the praise and worship begins. Welcome to warfare. We will always overcome, but I will say that it is often a struggle to do so and sometimes it is like swimming in mud.  :)

June 8, 2017
  • 1
Mari Kaufmann
Mari Kaufmann

Please God take away the doom and gloom. Bring a true joy into our lives. Restore my daughter to her children. In Jesus name AMEN  

June 8, 2017
  • 1
Marisa Jackson
Marisa Jackson

Amen!  Thank you Lord for this Day and for the Blessings you give me!

June 8, 2017
  • 1
Jose Simo
Jose Simo

 Dear God, don't leave me alone. I need you,lead me.

June 8, 2017
  • 1
Carol Pady
Carol Pady

Amen. We must always lean not upon our own understanding, for His ways and thoughts are much higher than ours and He is always working in our lives to bring us good.

June 8, 2017
  • 1
Kathie Byram Lopez
Kathie Byram Lopez

Amen

June 8, 2017
  • 1
Marilyn DeJongh
Marilyn DeJongh

Thank you for the enouragement.  I really can use it these days.  Life is very unsettling and I feel unsure often.  I know God is there and watching over me, but I often feel alone.  I don't doubt Him, just myself. 

June 8, 2017
  • 1
Rose Sicilia
Rose Sicilia

Truth Amen 

June 8, 2017
  • 1
Jennifer Nielsen
Jennifer Nielsen

Dion thank you for posting these meaningful messages everyday .. some days like today you really hit it , they really speak to me .. and I just really needed to let you know that these devotions that you send out everyday are lifesaving .. and that I appreciate these everyday .. I read these everyday and it gets me through the day .. thank you ! I wish that I could hear your sermons on Sundays but I don't know what time they are at since I'm on the west side ( CA ) .. it would help if you could send me a reminder I would greatly appreciate it!

June 8, 2017
  • 1
Sylvia Todd
Sylvia Todd

Hi Jennifer! On the weekly services, we have recently moved them to Saturday afternoons at 4pm EST, which would be 1pm PST. We also have an email list for reminders, which you can sign up for on this page! https://refreshinghope.leadpages.co/rhm-live-announcements/. 

June 8, 2017
  • 1
Tyler Velau
Tyler Velau

I watched the mid-week service at Global Vision Bible Church which was broadcast live over facebook last night. It was a good service full of worship songs. When Pastor Greg Locke took the stage and the microphone, he talked about the "gift of desperation." He preached about Hannah and how her desperate plea to the Lord for a child ended up with her giving birth to Samuel. I thought it was a very nice, passionate, service and if anyone here would like to see it, I think the video may be up on the global vision bible church website. So, my question is, is the "gift of desperation" a real thing, do we need to face a breakdown before we can experience a breakthrough? 

Pastor Greg did make a point in noting that a common domominator of important mean in the bible was brokenness. I thought that was quite interesting. 

June 8, 2017
  • 1
Diane Symborski✝
Diane Symborski✝

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please give me a fresh vision for my life. Renew my hope. Take away the doom and gloom and help me focus on knowing You. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen. <3

 

Thank you pastor Dion for todays devotion. :-)

June 8, 2017
  • 2
Matthew  Martin
Matthew Martin

I've been battling on sharing my story from this devotion.  I actually sobbed after reading this. Because I experienced this first hand. Almost a year ago. On August 8th 2016 . My evening drinking had come to a head with my new beautiful wife of 2 1/2 years. Mind you I've been a Christian for 27 years. We got in a argument. I woke up the next morning to "please leave our home! I cannot live this way anymore"  I had no idea it had become this bad.  I could not imagine a life without my wife who I feel I had been blessed with. Coming from a Alcoholic life style. My best escape to me! Was "drink it away" long story short. I bought 5 bottles of vodka at 10:30 am . Drank 3 straight. Found myself​ on a park bench with my wrist slashed. (Self inflicted) as everything went dark. I heard the Lord. "Why are you here!?!?"  I said. "Cuz I just want it to stop" all sounds stopped all vision stopped. All feeling stopped! I came too. To 3 guns pointed at me asking me to "stand up?" Asking me. "Do you have a knife?"   I do.  

I was put in a police car and taken to a hospital for a 72 hr suicide watch. When I tried to walk out. They escorted me back to my room. I passed out again. I woke up to a security guard watching over me. 

He asked. " I see you have a wedding ring on? Married long?"  Immediately that turned into anger! I said " NO NOT VERY!" Then he asked me about my bracelet on my wrist. It was from my church! (The thin red line) keeping men accountable! "Walk the thin red line?" He said. "Is it a good church?" By this point I was feeling embarrassed and ashamed. I burst into tears. And I said yes that's a great church.

He said " that sounds perfect I've been looking for a good church! I just moved here! and my wife left me after 35 years!"  he looked at me and said "it's going to get better you're going to be okay" at this point I was balling. I said " I need to use the bathroom!" He said "ok" 

I came out. And there was a different security guard.? I've never seen him again. But he changed my life. 

I wanted to share. Because after 47 years. GOD can change everything. I mended things with my wife. Started a men's group. And now we are buying our first home to start a Christian daycare. I asked a pastor Friend to pray with me. That my wife would forgive me. Instead in his prayer. He said "Lord! I pray that you make Matthew. The man his wife has always desired .." powerful stuff! 

I love RHM And I hope this encouges people that you are not alone. If God's not done! Then your not done! Get up show up and be a example. Thank you for reading! :)

June 8, 2017
  • 1
Ticardo Williams
Ticardo Williams

Praise God!

June 9, 2017
  • 1
Dion Todd
Dion Todd

Thank you for sharing that Matthew. That is a powerful testimony. May the Lord strengthen you both and lead you in to all that He has for you, in Jesus name.

June 9, 2017
  • 1
Matthew  Martin
Matthew Martin

Thank you pastor Dion. For all your stories and life experience.

June 11, 2017
  • 1
Sylvia Todd
Sylvia Todd

Matthew, thank you so much for sharing that beautiful testimony! God can get us through anything <3! (((HUGS)))

June 9, 2017
  • 1
Matthew  Martin
Matthew Martin

Thank you for helping in bringing this great ministry to life.

June 11, 2017
  • 1
Tonia Walker
Tonia Walker

Hi Matthew...Thank you for sharing your powerful testimony.  This is a rich example of how God can lovingly restore our faith and hope in Him in the darkest of life's seasons.  Praying God's blessings on you, your family, and your ministry.

June 9, 2017
  • 1
Matthew  Martin
Matthew Martin

Thank you for your support.

June 11, 2017
  • 1
Ticardo Williams
Ticardo Williams

Praise God!  Thanks Pastor Todd!   Lord, help me to be what You want me to be.  Heavenly Father, please give me a fresh vision for my life. Renew my hope. Take away the doom and gloom and help me focus on knowing You. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray.  Amen.

June 9, 2017
  • 1
Debbie Bible
Debbie Bible

I needed this today as I wait to have another CT scan. I've lost count of how many, but I need to keep pushing.  "God's not done with me yet," according to my Dr. Thanks and prayers as always for this ministry. 

June 9, 2017
  • 1
Wesley Paulus
Wesley Paulus

Amen! Pastors prayer, Heavenly Father, please give me a fresh vision for my life. Renew my hope. Take away the Doom and Gloom and help me focus on knowing you. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray Amen!!

June 9, 2017