WEBVTT 00:00:01.280 --> 00:00:04.320 Welcome to the North Iron Church podcast. 00:00:04.480 --> 00:00:09.759 Our mission is to take the gospel from the upper peninsula to the ends of the earth. 00:00:09.919 --> 00:00:14.480 We pray this message will inspire and encourage you in your faith journey. 00:00:14.720 --> 00:00:22.000 Enjoy our Elijah series, where we learn truths from the story of Elijah in 1st and 2nd Kings. 00:00:22.399 --> 00:00:24.000 Good morning, North Iron. 00:00:24.160 --> 00:00:26.399 So happy that you're here with us this morning. 00:00:26.559 --> 00:00:30.879 Would you welcome everyone that's online with us this morning? 00:00:31.120 --> 00:00:36.799 All of our campuses that are watching, of households all over the UP. 00:00:36.880 --> 00:00:39.439 We're glad that you're a part of our family. 00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:43.119 We're diving into a new series this morning. 00:00:43.280 --> 00:00:44.000 I love new series. 00:00:44.159 --> 00:00:46.719 I love the smell of new series in the morning. 00:00:47.439 --> 00:00:51.439 And uh we're we're gonna dive into 1 Kings this morning. 00:00:51.600 --> 00:00:53.439 1 Kings chapter 17. 00:00:53.759 --> 00:00:58.799 Very interesting uh story and individual that we're gonna dive in. 00:00:58.880 --> 00:01:01.119 I think it's very relevant to us today. 00:01:01.280 --> 00:01:02.960 If you need a Bible, raise your hand. 00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:04.640 We have a free Bible for you. 00:01:04.799 --> 00:01:13.359 You're gonna find 1 Kings right in front of 2 Kings in the Old Testament on page in the 500s, if that helps you. 00:01:13.599 --> 00:01:16.719 Our Bibles are probably not the same, but maybe, maybe. 00:01:16.879 --> 00:01:19.359 Hey, this is what I think about God's Word. 00:01:19.519 --> 00:01:23.439 It's alive and active, it needs to be active in your life. 00:01:23.599 --> 00:01:30.079 I know there's a a beautiful, convenient um aspect of having a digital Bible. 00:01:30.159 --> 00:01:30.560 I get it. 00:01:30.640 --> 00:01:34.159 I all my notes, matter of fact, are on our church center app. 00:01:34.319 --> 00:01:42.000 You can always look that up and see all the scriptures I'm using there, maybe even the points that I'm I'm making uh for reference. 00:01:42.239 --> 00:01:49.840 But I I really think in the the way we're going in this world, that you need to have a physical Bible. 00:01:50.079 --> 00:02:02.799 You need to have a physical Bible, and the Bible should be revered in such a way as like I revere hammers. 00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:06.319 I love hammers. 00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:08.479 I probably have 50 hammers. 00:02:08.560 --> 00:02:16.000 Like, I love a good hammer, and when you use a good hammer, you almost fall in love with that hammer because it serves you well. 00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:20.960 Maybe I'm not speaking some of your language, but some of you, like five of you, you know what I'm talking about. 00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:27.520 Well, you don't leave a hammer out in your yard all year long, right? 00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:31.599 You need a hammer, you protect that hammer, you oil it, you you use it. 00:02:31.759 --> 00:02:33.759 It's a tool, I guess that's my point. 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:39.039 God's word is a tool for you, not just to love, but man to use. 00:02:39.199 --> 00:02:46.240 And so I'd encourage you as the Lord speaks to us corporately as a family of God, as a gathering of people, that's that's true. 00:02:46.319 --> 00:02:50.719 He's going to do that today, but he's also going to speak to you as an individual. 00:02:50.879 --> 00:03:00.639 And I just promise you, when you walk out of this church and the Lord has spoken to your heart and he says something to you, if your spirit is open, we believe that I've experienced it. 00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:02.080 I know you can experience it. 00:03:02.240 --> 00:03:03.599 We see it all the time. 00:03:03.840 --> 00:03:10.800 But listen, you're you're gonna forget that because someone's gonna tick you off in the parking lot and you're gonna forget everything that God told you. 00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:12.240 I'm just telling you. 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:13.599 Maybe it's just me. 00:03:13.840 --> 00:03:18.000 Anyway, I uh I would encourage you to use your Bible. 00:03:18.159 --> 00:03:27.039 First Kings, and fascinating story that uh a famous story, you'll you'll mostly all recognize, if not. 00:03:27.120 --> 00:03:35.759 Uh it's really relevant to what's going on in a godless society. 00:03:35.919 --> 00:04:06.960 I hear this word all the time, where people mostly Christians or believers are maybe complaining about the godlessness of their nation, where we're not not no longer monotheistic, meaning one true God, but we're pluralistic in that we serve many, many, many gods. 00:04:07.120 --> 00:04:18.160 And listen, I just need you to know that America is in a state of growth in the Christian world. 00:04:18.319 --> 00:04:22.480 There are more Christians in America than ever. 00:04:24.720 --> 00:04:36.959 Now, you need to understand that oftentimes there's a lot of nuance in that, as people oftentimes nationalistically even call them uh themselves Christians. 00:04:37.199 --> 00:05:01.519 And even though we have an incredible amount of people who serve other gods, the real question, I I what kind of led this, I even saw a statistic this week that said that there out of all the population in America, there's only 3.5 uh percent atheists in America, which is not a lot, everyone. 00:05:01.759 --> 00:05:03.600 So take that, Sam Harris. 00:05:03.839 --> 00:05:19.920 But um in that, the question that I think Americans are are are asking is not really any other question than it's not really, is there a God, but which God is the right God? 00:05:21.120 --> 00:05:41.519 Because our our landscape is changing in that it's just not Christian churches and steeples that I see being raised up in the American landscape, but Hindu temples and Buddhist temples and and uh Islam is on the growth. 00:05:41.600 --> 00:05:49.759 There are many, many, many different, as people would say, paths to a a God within our American culture. 00:05:49.920 --> 00:05:55.360 We are no longer monotheistic, we are plural pluralistic. 00:05:56.480 --> 00:06:00.319 As a missionary, I did some work in Sri Lanka. 00:06:00.639 --> 00:06:07.040 Sri Lanka is kind of tagged as where all of the world religions meet. 00:06:07.199 --> 00:06:12.160 It's an island on the on the southern tip of India. 00:06:12.560 --> 00:06:22.480 And uh whenever you first get there, you're inundated with all of the different religions that are in every single neighborhood. 00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:31.120 There's Hindu temples, there are Buddhist temples, the Islamics and the Christians are all there, really four of these religions coming together. 00:06:31.279 --> 00:06:46.879 They would even have segregated areas where the guy driving around in his trishaw would say, we're moving into the Muslim area, and then we would drive through the Muslim, and then we're we're we're moving into the Christian neighborhood. 00:06:47.040 --> 00:07:07.279 And and America is changing in its aspect, and I'm not here to argue if that's good or bad, but the question that we're oftentimes faced with is what do we do in that kind of society that does not honor the God that we serve? 00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:24.160 And we see this in the life of the prophet Elijah, and God introduces him into a much-like situation, no longer a Israel is no longer a monotheistic world. 00:07:24.399 --> 00:07:26.800 It is a pluralistic world. 00:07:26.959 --> 00:07:43.759 They're not serving God, foreign and pagan gods had come in, and so God had finally kind of had it, and so he sends the prophet, he raises up the prophet Elijah to do an incredible work within the people of Israel. 00:07:43.920 --> 00:07:52.079 So let me give you a little context for what's going on, because again, I believe it's gonna speak to our situation this series. 00:07:52.399 --> 00:07:59.279 You need to understand that the people of Israel, Moses brings them into, or Joshua brings them into the promised land. 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:03.040 There are years of issues and problems. 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:11.040 King David comes in and unites the people of Israel, his son, because of David's sin, because of Solomon's sin. 00:08:11.279 --> 00:08:42.720 There is a civil war after those two empires exist, and the civil war splits the people of Israel, the tribes, and we find that at this time there is a northern tribe of Israel in the Lebanon area, and there's a southern tribe of Israel, which is Judah, and um mostly in the Jerusalem area, and there's a lot of problems in the northern tribe of Israel. 00:08:42.879 --> 00:08:45.600 We find that they simply aren't serving God. 00:08:46.320 --> 00:09:00.720 19 different kings come in who lead poorly and introduce other gods into uh this monotheistic society to the point where they even don't really care after a while. 00:09:00.879 --> 00:09:11.679 They're just generations and generations and generations of other gods and other pagan gods where they're not even serving God, and God is tired of this. 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:14.799 The worst king of all is King Ahab. 00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:23.279 And King Ahab, when he comes into power, he he dates this cute little pagan girl called Jezebel. 00:09:23.600 --> 00:09:25.440 Maybe you've heard of her before. 00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:52.399 And Jezebel is from the northern portion of Israel in a pagan, her father was a pagan priest and king, and so she comes in to the northern tribe as the the queen of the moment, and with her she brings all of her worshipping, uh very interesting of uh of one of them as there were many, but the the main one was Baal. 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:55.200 I don't know if you've ever heard of this term or not. 00:09:55.440 --> 00:10:09.840 And what people usually get wrong with this this term is that they think that the the the term Baal or Baal, however you you say it, uh really is specific, the specific name, but that's not true. 00:10:09.919 --> 00:10:23.759 It's a general name for a multitude of gods who would bless whoever would serve them, the the whatever you were in need of, maybe the god of medicine or harvest or business or nature. 00:10:23.919 --> 00:10:28.000 There was even regional gods of Baal also. 00:10:28.320 --> 00:10:39.039 And whenever there were pagan kings that fought against each other, whoever would win that conflict, they would say, his Baal is is is stronger than my Baal. 00:10:40.720 --> 00:10:53.360 And this is what's going on in Elisha's timeline: that the northern tribe of Israel is no longer serving God, but all these pagan gods. 00:10:53.519 --> 00:11:04.799 It gets so bad that when Jezebel is finally established in power, she goes throughout the northern tribes of Israel and starts murdering the prophets and the priests. 00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:06.399 Things are not going well. 00:11:06.480 --> 00:11:25.679 And so we find that God sends the prophet Elijah into talk with the king, and he prophesies, and really there's a kind of a general theme that we find is going on uh throughout Elijah's life, which is who is the real God? 00:11:26.639 --> 00:11:28.080 Who's the real God? 00:11:29.039 --> 00:11:34.159 Matter of fact, Elisha's name actually means the Lord is God. 00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:38.799 Jezebel's name means where is God? 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:43.679 So there's this incredible conflict. 00:11:43.840 --> 00:12:05.200 I'll even use the word battle that is going on for the establishment of who is the real God, who is the true God, which is, I believe, the battle we have going on in the United States right now. 00:12:07.039 --> 00:12:11.519 And how do we how do we stand during that? 00:12:11.679 --> 00:12:14.559 What is the foundation we need to have with that? 00:12:15.360 --> 00:12:19.440 Same question that is being asked in this story. 00:12:21.039 --> 00:12:29.679 When we live in a society like we do, how do we show that the God we're serving is the true and only God? 00:12:30.799 --> 00:12:39.679 How am I to be effective in a pagan mindset, a neopagan mindset where I work? 00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:41.840 How do I do that, Pastor Mark? 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:58.879 Or even with what's on the horizon, maybe not even the horizon, like it's here, when pastors and missionaries who are preaching the gospel are confronted with violence. 00:13:02.159 --> 00:13:05.279 How do we deal with such a thing? 00:13:06.799 --> 00:13:13.039 Well, we find that in those kind of atmosphere, God never raises up an army. 00:13:13.840 --> 00:13:17.759 Like some of you are out there, let's crusade this baby up. 00:13:22.080 --> 00:13:25.200 We find that God always raises individuals. 00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:29.840 He raises up Elisha's Elijah's, excuse me. 00:13:31.519 --> 00:13:37.600 Business leaders who will stand up in corruption and speak the truth. 00:13:38.159 --> 00:13:47.360 Teachers who will preach and speak truth and love into those that are leading young young people. 00:13:47.519 --> 00:14:06.639 He's raising up Elijah's who will stand for purity in their peer groups, political leaders who will no longer go the way of the flow of even demonic ideas within our government, but will stand in the gap for the people of God. 00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:17.919 Mothers who will choose to raise up Elijah's and John the Baptist and Moses who will lead effectively to move the kingdom of God forward. 00:14:18.480 --> 00:14:22.080 This is how God always works. 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:42.879 And the overreaching idea of what's going on in this story is not only is God about to do something in this northern Israelite tribe or tribes, but he's also going to do something in Elijah. 00:14:42.960 --> 00:14:46.559 Also, there's a big picture and a small picture going on here. 00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:48.799 Two things simultaneously. 00:14:48.960 --> 00:15:00.720 And so he you'll find it in chapter 17, right at the beginning, he calls, God calls Elijah to go before the king and to proclaim something, something bold, you understand. 00:15:01.120 --> 00:15:06.080 So God says to Elijah, I want you to go in and see the king, and I want you to prophesy. 00:15:06.240 --> 00:15:10.879 And we find this in the first part of chapter 17, that Elijah shows up. 00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:14.399 Now Elisha, the Tishbite, which I always thought was funny as a kid. 00:15:14.480 --> 00:15:16.879 I'll let you let that rumble around. 00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:26.480 He went in to see the king, and he prophesies before the king, as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand. 00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:33.120 There shall be neither dew nor rain these years except by my word. 00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:36.399 In other words, God's not going to allow it to rain. 00:15:36.799 --> 00:15:39.279 There's not even going to be dew. 00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:44.960 Because of the way that you're living your life, I'm not going to allow prosperity. 00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:50.240 I'm not going to bless you anymore with these things unless you change your ways. 00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:55.759 You need to understand for Elijah to come in and say this, these are fighting words. 00:15:56.159 --> 00:16:03.200 He's setting up ultimately this incredible battle that we're going to see in chapter 18. 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:08.879 You need to understand that that chapter 18 in Elijah's life is the apex. 00:16:09.039 --> 00:16:20.879 Scholars say everything that Elijah does prior is kind of this build-up to this moment where God is going to uh establish who He is through Elisha. 00:16:21.360 --> 00:16:22.480 Elijah. 00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:39.200 And so God is doing something not only in the people of Israel, something devastating, it's going to cause starvation, but he he needs to prepare Elijah for this incredible work that he's about to walk in. 00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:47.759 And so instead of fighting, we find that he unexpectedly kind of changes directions. 00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:48.799 God does. 00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:53.840 And he says to Elijah, I want you to go and hide. 00:16:54.720 --> 00:16:55.679 Interesting. 00:16:56.879 --> 00:17:10.400 Scripture says that I want you to depart, speaking to Elijah, I want to depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook of Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. 00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:14.160 You shall drink from this brook, from this stream. 00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:22.079 Elijah is hiding out in the wilderness, and God has provided a stream for him to camp out at. 00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:33.279 And not only during this drought or famine and starvation is coming, not only will he have water, but he says, Listen, I'm going to send ravens to feed you there. 00:17:33.440 --> 00:17:34.640 Can you imagine? 00:17:35.279 --> 00:17:38.640 And the next portion of scripture lays that out for us. 00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:42.559 That Elijah sits at this brook and hides. 00:17:42.640 --> 00:17:47.920 And so he went and did according to the word of the Lord, and he went and lived by the brook in the east of the Jordan. 00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:55.279 And the ravens brought him bread in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. 00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:59.680 It's very evident that God loves carbs and meat. 00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:03.680 Take that however you want. 00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:13.920 There is, again, something going on that God needs to change in Elijah. 00:18:15.680 --> 00:18:20.480 And I just want to say that this is something that's true for us also. 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:30.079 There's something going on that is foundational here as a follower of Jesus that you understand. 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:40.559 And it really comes down to this just one thing that really that I think we all depend on, which is dependency. 00:18:41.920 --> 00:18:43.599 A dependence on God. 00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:46.799 A trust in God. 00:19:01.200 --> 00:19:07.119 Matter of fact, the brook of Jareth actually means I'm going to cut you down. 00:19:08.720 --> 00:19:10.960 I'm going to break you. 00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:23.200 It's interesting that before God can use you, he has to break you. 00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:29.279 And so he breaks Elijah of being able to rely on himself. 00:19:30.160 --> 00:19:35.039 There's a very famous quote by A.W. 00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:42.640 Tolzer, before God can use a man greatly, he must first hurt him deeply. 00:19:44.559 --> 00:19:50.400 This is contrary to the way that your parents probably speak to you. 00:19:50.880 --> 00:20:01.519 Maybe your school, maybe your course is upheld, and weakness is not. 00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:18.000 And yet we see God conducting himself in different ways where he'll allow things to be broken in you to break your dependency on yourself and rely on God. 00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:26.240 There's a goofy little story I tell. 00:20:26.319 --> 00:20:27.839 It's a pastoral story. 00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:29.759 So just buckle up. 00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:31.920 All pastors. 00:20:32.079 --> 00:20:33.920 Have you ever heard of all pastors tell the story? 00:20:34.079 --> 00:20:39.440 Have you ever heard of the little bluebird who just it was his first time flying south? 00:20:39.519 --> 00:20:42.079 And and uh he got a little bit of a late start. 00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:58.079 He should have listened to his mom and dad, but he was flirting with the girls and singing songs, and he didn't he didn't get out of the north quick enough, and so he decided to leave one day, and so he takes off and he's flying up and he gets really high and he and he flies into a snowstorm. 00:20:58.240 --> 00:21:05.680 And and he's like, Oh man, I don't know if I'm gonna make it through here, and ice starts forming on his wings, and he and he can't fly. 00:21:05.759 --> 00:21:07.200 His wings are are freezing. 00:21:07.359 --> 00:21:10.000 He's like, Oh, this is this is certain death for me. 00:21:10.160 --> 00:21:11.920 I'm I'm not gonna be able to make it. 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:20.400 I'm I I'm I'm I'm descending, I'm I'm gonna crash, and I'm just I'm just gonna I'm gonna hit hard and I'm just probably going to die. 00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:22.319 I'm not gonna be able to make it to the south. 00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:30.079 And so he comes down pretty hard and he hits the ground and and bumps along, and his wings are are he's like, this is I can't believe this. 00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:32.160 I didn't think I was gonna die this week. 00:21:32.240 --> 00:21:34.400 I can't, I can't, I can't do anything. 00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:36.160 I'm I'm I'm I'm helpless. 00:21:36.319 --> 00:21:39.759 I'm I'm this is certain death for me. 00:21:39.920 --> 00:21:42.160 I should have left sooner. 00:21:42.640 --> 00:21:52.319 And as he was complaining, a a large cow walked as he was grazing over top of the bluebird, and he relieved himself. 00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:58.720 He just dumped on himself big pile of manure, and the little bird's like, Oh, I was already dying. 00:21:58.960 --> 00:21:59.839 This even could be. 00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:05.839 I got this manure on me and I'm gonna freeze to death. 00:22:05.920 --> 00:22:30.640 And and and this the manure was so warm that it started to thaw his little wings and he got movement, and he's like, oh no, I think I'm gonna live, I'm gonna live, I'm living, I'm gonna live, and he starts fluttering and chirping loudly, so thankful that the manure was all over him, and just then a satanic cat came along and just ate him because of all the noise he was making. 00:22:37.200 --> 00:22:38.960 You know it's true. 00:22:40.640 --> 00:22:43.920 Let me give you three lessons from that foolish story. 00:22:44.160 --> 00:22:44.480 Okay? 00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:46.480 Here they are. 00:22:46.720 --> 00:22:50.240 Not everyone who drops manure on you is your enemy. 00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:55.279 Not everyone who digs you out is your friend. 00:22:57.440 --> 00:23:02.160 And when you're in manure, sometimes it's helpful just to keep your chirper shut. 00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:18.480 Sometimes, not all times, God creates situations in your life, and I'm not saying he's creating abuse in your life. 00:23:18.640 --> 00:23:21.279 There's a consequence of the sin of this world. 00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:24.079 We live in an environment of sin and it affects us. 00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:43.680 There's a consequence of our own personal sin, but the promise is that he'll always use it to create something beautiful in your life, and to have dependency on him is the greatest position you can posture yourself in. 00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:47.359 Lord, I I need you. 00:23:50.319 --> 00:23:52.480 I don't have what it takes. 00:23:54.480 --> 00:24:00.319 Dependency, if dependency is the objective, weakness is an advantage. 00:24:00.559 --> 00:24:04.240 Again, the world would say the opposite, wouldn't it not? 00:24:06.559 --> 00:24:15.440 And I'm not here to make the case that you shouldn't be strong and work hard. 00:24:15.680 --> 00:24:18.880 We know that scripture says that God blesses those things. 00:24:19.359 --> 00:24:24.640 But when he wants to use you, it's oftentimes in your weakness. 00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:30.319 Because he wants all the glory. 00:24:30.880 --> 00:24:34.559 People always ask, well, why did God even choose the people of Israel? 00:24:34.880 --> 00:24:36.240 Because they're weak. 00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:43.519 He didn't go out there and choose the strongest, he chose the weakest. 00:24:44.480 --> 00:24:46.720 Because he wants the glory. 00:24:47.359 --> 00:24:50.240 This is what Paul is saying in 2 Corinthians. 00:24:50.720 --> 00:24:56.240 It's almost hard to read, but Paul is boasting of his weakness. 00:24:56.319 --> 00:25:05.039 Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness so that Christ's power may rest on me. 00:25:11.680 --> 00:25:14.160 And God uses our weaknesses. 00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:24.079 God has always kept me at the brook of charit, by the way, mentally, and with my mouth. 00:25:28.400 --> 00:25:29.279 So what does he do? 00:25:29.440 --> 00:25:31.279 He puts me up on a stage. 00:25:34.640 --> 00:25:42.559 Every time I walk up here, I'm like, Jesus, if you don't pull this all together, I'm gonna look really stupid. 00:25:44.319 --> 00:25:56.480 And every time I come up here and speak, the Lord speaks because it's you don't understand, if you really knew who I was, you would be wowed by who God is. 00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:07.279 And he uses our weaknesses to accomplish what he wants to accomplish. 00:26:07.599 --> 00:26:13.119 Listen, it's even hard for me to say, but that's how God works. 00:26:15.599 --> 00:26:19.839 In 1998, Jennifer and I felt very called to missions. 00:26:20.079 --> 00:26:23.359 We're we are Assembly of God pastors. 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:29.200 It's a great organization, and most importantly, it's an incredible missions organization. 00:26:29.599 --> 00:26:41.839 We probably have close to 300, 3,500 missionaries around the world, somewhere around there, at least when I when I was a missionary and have done incredible work around the world. 00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:46.000 It is a missions, the Assemblies of God is a missions organization. 00:26:47.200 --> 00:26:51.200 And Jennifer and I felt very called to go to Russia. 00:26:51.519 --> 00:27:00.559 God had spoken in our lives, and you have to jump through a series, not a series, a long, it probably is about a year, year and a half process. 00:27:00.880 --> 00:27:05.599 Uh our executive pastor Mike Murray also uh went through this process. 00:27:05.839 --> 00:27:08.480 And Mike was a missionary in Turkey. 00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:23.440 And when you go through this process, it's very nerve-wracking the amount of tests and language exams, and they look at your psyche to make sure you're not crazy and that you actually have a brain and that you can work with people. 00:27:23.599 --> 00:27:27.839 You just every portion of your life is turned upside down. 00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:43.359 And and if you're if if you do well in all of those, eventually you'll stand before a board of 20 veteran missionaries, all brilliant people in upper leadership, and you're to be interviewed during this leadership process. 00:27:43.680 --> 00:27:51.680 I'm sorry, during the leadership, and they interview you to either say yes or no, you're gonna be our missionary, or you're not going to be our missionary. 00:27:51.839 --> 00:28:11.519 And so you Jennifer and I had worked very hard to get to this point, and it all comes down to 20 people, and they have the these you know huge stack of all these tests and everything to know who we are, every bit of Jennifer, our family history, everything is in it's like the FBI folder. 00:28:12.000 --> 00:28:16.799 Because they're about to invest all this money to get you overseas, and they don't want to waste their money. 00:28:17.279 --> 00:28:19.200 It's a good system. 00:28:19.680 --> 00:28:28.799 And so they started asking us questions, and there was a um a gentleman there who had been a missionary in Africa for years, years, years, years. 00:28:28.960 --> 00:28:30.400 Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. 00:28:30.480 --> 00:28:36.319 He probably has three doctorates and who knows what, but he was a smart guy. 00:28:36.559 --> 00:28:40.000 And he says, Mark, I have a question for you. 00:28:40.480 --> 00:28:51.519 He says, I understand you feel like God's called you, and you have this calling on your life to go to Russia, but I'm I'm looking at your transcripts from Bible school. 00:28:52.160 --> 00:28:58.079 And when he said the word transcript, my heart fell to the ground. 00:28:58.960 --> 00:29:13.440 And he said to me, he said, I see your passionate calling that God has placed on your life, but can you explain to me there's a a portion of your transcripts that I don't understand? 00:29:13.519 --> 00:29:17.440 It's it's a class called Intro to Missions. 00:29:20.079 --> 00:29:26.720 And I would like to know why you failed this class four times in a row. 00:29:31.200 --> 00:29:45.279 I didn't know what to say, and so I said, um, as I should not have, said the first thing that came to my head, and it was true. 00:29:46.880 --> 00:29:51.759 I said, I had a really good time at Bible school. 00:29:54.000 --> 00:29:55.119 Wrong answer. 00:29:55.359 --> 00:29:56.240 It was true. 00:29:56.400 --> 00:30:13.759 I had a blast, I had a lot of fun, my grades were not great, and um it wasn't good, and I thought, this is done, I'm done, Jen's done. 00:30:13.920 --> 00:30:16.480 This is deep, deep in Jen's heart, everyone. 00:30:16.559 --> 00:30:20.640 She felt called as a missionary from a very young age. 00:30:21.440 --> 00:30:28.880 And I remember Jen was crying, I probably was crying, because you know who I am. 00:30:29.839 --> 00:30:46.319 And I remember Jen speaking up and saying, She did this, she took her hand and she said, I I know you all think that Mark and I are losers, but in Jesus we're winners, she does say. 00:30:52.559 --> 00:30:56.400 That's from the Holy Spirit, baby, right there. 00:30:59.440 --> 00:31:09.200 And so we left the room, and they talked about us, and they invited us to sit back in and say, we would love for you to be missionaries in Russia. 00:31:10.000 --> 00:31:12.559 It doesn't matter what the world thinks about you. 00:31:13.759 --> 00:31:26.240 Obviously, there's consequences of things we do, but your failures do not negate God's calling in your life. 00:31:27.440 --> 00:31:34.480 I don't care what the world says or your parents say or teachers or even people in authority. 00:31:36.160 --> 00:31:38.960 It matters what God has placed upon you. 00:31:40.400 --> 00:31:44.880 Jesus says, Blessed are the poor in spirit. 00:31:46.319 --> 00:31:50.480 For those are the keepers of the kingdom of God. 00:31:51.839 --> 00:31:58.160 Those are the ones who are going to advance the kingdom of God. 00:31:58.319 --> 00:32:00.160 I never wanted to be poor in spirit. 00:32:00.240 --> 00:32:02.319 I always wanted to be middle class in spirit. 00:32:02.400 --> 00:32:10.960 I don't know if you know what I'm talking about, where I could just have enough to do what I want to do and control things around me. 00:32:12.480 --> 00:32:35.519 But what the Lord is seeking is those who would be poor in spirit and to use them to change the world, to raise up Elijah and John the Baptist and Joshua to advance the kingdom of God. 00:32:35.759 --> 00:32:42.240 God's treasures are not found in strengths, they're found in our weakness. 00:32:42.400 --> 00:32:45.119 And listen, this starts with salvation. 00:32:45.759 --> 00:32:55.920 You don't bring anything to the cross, you can't bring your good works, you can't bring your morality, you can't bring your kindness or niceness. 00:32:56.880 --> 00:33:02.240 It's all the work of God and what Jesus did on the cross. 00:33:03.279 --> 00:33:25.039 Again, this I'm hoping this rattles your foundation a little bit and then brings this incredible confidence into your life because you need to understand that there is the strength you need to have and the confidence you need to have is that I'm trusting the Lord with my life in whatever situation. 00:33:25.279 --> 00:33:27.039 Lord, I trust you. 00:33:28.079 --> 00:33:32.799 Lord, I'm not going to try to control this, I'm just going to surrender this to you. 00:33:36.880 --> 00:33:46.960 And after a while, Scripture says, as Elijah was at the brook and eating from the ravens, God allows the brook to dry up. 00:33:47.920 --> 00:33:48.559 What? 00:33:52.319 --> 00:34:03.599 And he brings Elijah into even a deeper situation, a more dangerous, dark situation. 00:34:03.759 --> 00:34:14.320 He says, Elijah, I want you to get up and I want you to travel to the north, and I want you to even go from the place that Jezebel is from. 00:34:15.360 --> 00:34:17.840 And I'm going to provide for you. 00:34:18.000 --> 00:34:21.760 I'm going to set up a widow that's going to provide for you. 00:34:22.400 --> 00:34:31.199 Because even in the Brooke situation, he was dependent on God, but God wanted to even do a bigger miracle. 00:34:31.360 --> 00:34:48.559 He wanted more dependency when it came from Elijah because eventually he's going to send him into this arena where for him to be successful, there would have to be complete dependency on God. 00:34:49.519 --> 00:34:54.480 So Elijah needed to be stripped and stripped and stripped. 00:34:54.639 --> 00:35:04.559 It would be the mundane obedience of Elijah to follow God into every one of these situations that would eventually lead him to an arena. 00:35:08.880 --> 00:35:14.639 And I tell you all the time that following Jesus is never really big decisions. 00:35:14.880 --> 00:35:20.159 They're always the small decisions that lead up to the big decisions. 00:35:25.679 --> 00:35:31.519 So he sends Elijah up to look for a widow during this famine. 00:35:31.920 --> 00:35:35.119 And he finds this widow, and God says, I want you to talk to her. 00:35:35.280 --> 00:35:39.679 And he says, Hey, I need you to make me some bread. 00:35:39.840 --> 00:35:44.079 And she says, Man, I only this don't you understand that there's a famine going on? 00:35:44.239 --> 00:35:52.239 I only have enough oil and bread for me and my son, and I'm gonna make that for me and my son, and then we're gonna die of starvation. 00:35:52.880 --> 00:35:55.280 And God says, No, no, no, listen. 00:35:56.159 --> 00:35:57.760 I want you to do this. 00:35:58.079 --> 00:36:06.239 I want you to trust God, and she follows his instructions, and the oil and the flour just keep on multiplying, and God provides. 00:36:06.320 --> 00:36:22.000 Now we're gonna dive into this next week in a more in-depth way, but yeah, I need you to understand what that whatever you're going through right now, the greater the need, the more the glory. 00:36:23.519 --> 00:36:27.679 Because some of you are looking at your life and I say, I just don't see a way out. 00:36:29.840 --> 00:36:37.440 I just don't I don't see a future, not only for myself, but my daughters or my sons. 00:36:39.440 --> 00:36:40.960 They're far from you. 00:36:44.159 --> 00:36:47.360 So, Lord, I just don't know how you're gonna pull this off. 00:36:48.320 --> 00:36:54.159 And you need to understand the greater the need, the more the glory for God. 00:36:55.039 --> 00:36:59.599 And he'll do incredible miracles in your life. 00:37:01.519 --> 00:37:08.800 Again, I love how the Apostle Paul, who is the epitome of strength, by the way, he was a tough dude. 00:37:09.760 --> 00:37:20.239 For him to say these kind of things, 1 Corinthians says, but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. 00:37:20.320 --> 00:37:21.519 I love that verse. 00:37:25.679 --> 00:37:34.079 I'm even amazed in what God is doing through North Iron. 00:37:38.239 --> 00:38:01.119 And the ability of our leadership to be able to take a step of faith and say, Lord, we know you want to do something powerful, you've been speaking to us, and so we're gonna take this faith, uh, faith step, and every single time God shows up and accomplishes what He wants to accomplish, everyone. 00:38:02.480 --> 00:38:08.880 Doesn't mean I don't have sleepless nights, or I don't worry, or I don't pray. 00:38:09.039 --> 00:38:10.320 That's not what I'm talking about. 00:38:10.480 --> 00:38:18.800 I'm talking about God has proven himself again and again and again to us as a group of believers. 00:38:18.960 --> 00:38:23.199 Not only will he do it corporately, but he'll do it individually. 00:38:25.360 --> 00:38:32.800 We come up to need and need and need and need, and we bring it to the Lord, and Lord, I just trust this is you, this is you. 00:38:33.519 --> 00:38:36.880 You're the provider, this is your vision. 00:38:37.360 --> 00:38:38.960 I need you to accomplish this. 00:38:39.039 --> 00:38:48.239 And I'm just telling you, I'm amazed again and again and again, the answer prayers, and look at all that God has accomplished. 00:38:49.920 --> 00:38:55.199 Look at all God has accomplished across the P, across the UP already. 00:38:55.360 --> 00:38:59.119 And man, let's get let's give God another 10, 20 years. 00:39:00.239 --> 00:39:06.639 This church has been praying for this kind of revival for a hundred years, everyone. 00:39:07.199 --> 00:39:10.800 And God is doing something powerful in our lives. 00:39:11.280 --> 00:39:25.280 And I think it's just important for us to sit back and recognize the miracle and the power of God and his great desire that everyone would experience the kingdom of God in their hearts. 00:39:27.440 --> 00:39:31.119 People say, Pastor Mark, I'm just praying for we're in revival. 00:39:32.960 --> 00:39:39.679 I had to get parking attendance because you're all stupid and don't know how to park. 00:39:46.159 --> 00:39:48.000 Did my pastor just call me stupid? 00:39:48.159 --> 00:39:49.199 Yeah, I did. 00:39:49.679 --> 00:39:51.360 It's your weakness. 00:39:58.719 --> 00:40:04.960 Whatever situation you're in, he's put you there so that you can trust him. 00:40:05.599 --> 00:40:08.000 Trust is such a big issue, everyone. 00:40:08.320 --> 00:40:20.800 But you need to understand that our strength leads to independence, and that's hard for Americans, especially, especially hard for northerners. 00:40:22.400 --> 00:40:25.920 We hack out survival in the north woods. 00:40:26.800 --> 00:40:36.639 But I'm here to tell you that surrender and faith is what the Lord is looking for. 00:40:38.079 --> 00:40:45.119 So I'm gonna close in just a moment, but I want you to hone in on that. 00:40:45.760 --> 00:40:49.440 Faith and surrender, everyone. 00:40:50.880 --> 00:40:57.920 Faith that God is going to do as he says he's going to do, and then surrender. 00:40:59.280 --> 00:41:03.199 Lord, I need you to deal with this, good or bad. 00:41:03.519 --> 00:41:05.920 I'm laying this at your feet. 00:41:06.480 --> 00:41:08.800 I believe you have the power. 00:41:09.440 --> 00:41:16.400 I know what your promise says about me and my identity and what you want to do in my life. 00:41:16.559 --> 00:41:23.519 And so, Lord, I just pray, this is my prayer, Lord, that you would strip me of these things. 00:41:28.159 --> 00:41:34.239 I would rather I surrender those things than I would have to need to surrender to those things. 00:41:34.320 --> 00:41:35.440 Do you understand that? 00:41:35.760 --> 00:41:41.840 Like people come in here with all kinds of crisis in their life, and eventually they'll have to surrender that crisis to the Lord. 00:41:42.000 --> 00:41:50.719 I would be of the position, Lord, I want to be, I want to be at the brook of Charis the rest of my life. 00:41:52.320 --> 00:41:56.320 I want to be in complete, because it's it's easy. 00:41:56.559 --> 00:41:58.559 I want to be in complete surrender. 00:41:58.639 --> 00:42:05.519 It's easy to live in our world in a world of strength and provision and prosperity. 00:42:06.719 --> 00:42:20.400 I just heard Elon Musk last week in an interview say that there's no reason for you to even save money for your retirement because of what's coming with AI. 00:42:21.039 --> 00:42:32.639 That you'll be, there'll be so much prosperity in America that you won't even need your retirement that you've sacked away from for years on end. 00:42:36.000 --> 00:42:47.280 This week the FDA is beginning tests with a new drug, a series of new drugs that will reverse your aging. 00:42:50.880 --> 00:42:59.039 Some of it, you it's too late, but come on, man. 00:42:59.199 --> 00:43:05.199 Our world, everyone, there is a new revolution of prosperity coming. 00:43:05.679 --> 00:43:07.599 And here's the problem with that. 00:43:08.000 --> 00:43:10.559 I'm not here to debate with you what's right or wrong. 00:43:10.719 --> 00:43:20.559 I'm here to tell you that comfort and prosperity and health and life keep you in independence away from God. 00:43:21.840 --> 00:43:24.079 And that's not how He's created you. 00:43:24.880 --> 00:43:36.960 And if you're up in Antonogden, Orlans, Marquette, Ishbami, Marinette, Republic, wherever you're watching, he wants surrender and faith from you. 00:43:41.039 --> 00:43:48.159 I said this statement yesterday to Pastor Mike, Pastor Aaron, who are at the Pinewood Derby. 00:43:48.800 --> 00:43:59.760 I said, there's I said I needed Jesus at 15, just like I need Jesus at 59. 00:44:01.920 --> 00:44:05.280 And at 15, I was pretty strong and healthy. 00:44:06.719 --> 00:44:13.440 But at 59, I need him just as much as I needed him when I was 15. 00:44:13.760 --> 00:44:20.079 It doesn't matter if I didn't have, you know, if I didn't feel confident. 00:44:22.719 --> 00:44:25.760 There's still a vacuum that sin creates. 00:44:26.000 --> 00:44:27.519 I need Jesus. 00:44:28.079 --> 00:44:30.400 Doesn't matter if I'm in health or not. 00:44:30.960 --> 00:44:33.679 It doesn't matter if I'm in prosperity or not. 00:44:34.800 --> 00:44:41.679 This is where we're going, everyone, and you need to understand that you have to surrender it all to him. 00:44:42.480 --> 00:44:50.320 He's the only one that can bring fulfillment and satisfaction and forgiveness and purpose in your life. 00:44:51.599 --> 00:44:58.880 There are people here in this room who will probably never have a job because of what's coming. 00:45:00.159 --> 00:45:02.320 But he created you with purpose. 00:45:04.239 --> 00:45:06.800 Faith and surrender. 00:45:07.280 --> 00:45:10.639 We're walking into a world of adversity. 00:45:12.000 --> 00:45:18.079 And he's going to raise up Elisha out of our church to move the kingdom of God forward. 00:45:18.400 --> 00:45:22.960 Would you stand with me with that in your heart this morning? 00:45:23.280 --> 00:45:25.440 Father, I'm available to you. 00:45:25.519 --> 00:45:26.960 I'm going to pray over you in just a moment. 00:45:27.039 --> 00:45:30.239 We're going to open up this altar area and worship a little bit. 00:45:30.559 --> 00:45:32.159 But Lord, I need your will. 00:45:32.320 --> 00:45:38.079 Father, maybe you're dealing with something in your life that you need to surrender to the Lord. 00:45:38.480 --> 00:45:44.880 But I'm just here to tell you, though it may be negative or positive, that surrendering still has to happen in your life. 00:45:45.039 --> 00:45:46.719 Lord, I surrender my whole life. 00:45:46.880 --> 00:45:48.960 Lord, I want to be your Elisha. 00:45:49.119 --> 00:45:50.719 I want you to be your Elijah. 00:45:50.880 --> 00:45:52.800 I want to be your John the Baptist. 00:45:52.960 --> 00:45:56.480 I want to usher in the kingdom of God and people around me, Father. 00:45:56.639 --> 00:45:58.559 And I need your will done in my life. 00:45:58.719 --> 00:45:59.920 Would you pray with me, Father? 00:46:00.000 --> 00:46:11.920 Right now, Lord, if as you're raising up a generation of prophets, fathers, and pastors and evangelists, Lord, who are going to move and usher in your kingdom into people's hearts. 00:46:12.159 --> 00:46:22.079 Lord, that your anointing and blessing and and tearing down will begin as they surrender, surrender their lives to you, Jesus. 00:46:22.639 --> 00:46:28.400 So Lord, we ask all of this as you're here orchestrating it, Lord. 00:46:28.559 --> 00:46:33.840 We ask all of this in your mighty name, Lord, across all of our campuses. 00:46:34.079 --> 00:46:39.199 In your mighty name, Lord, we ask it in Jesus' mighty name. 00:46:40.320 --> 00:46:42.480 Thank you for joining us for this message. 00:46:42.639 --> 00:46:50.639 For past sermons, a giving link, and more, check out the footnotes below or visit our website at northeiron.church. 00:46:50.800 --> 00:46:52.559 We hope to see you soon.