My Epic Journey » first http://myepicjourney.com The Life of a Relevant Follower Sat, 19 May 2012 19:57:14 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Just a Reminder http://myepicjourney.com/2009/01/28/just-a-reminder/ http://myepicjourney.com/2009/01/28/just-a-reminder/#comments Thu, 29 Jan 2009 02:04:54 +0000 Ryan http://myepicjourney.com/2009/01/28/just-a-reminder/ Thought we could use a reminder:

The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.  –1 Samuel 16.7

heart eye

]]> http://myepicjourney.com/2009/01/28/just-a-reminder/feed/ 1 Fire and Water http://myepicjourney.com/2009/01/02/fire-and-water/ http://myepicjourney.com/2009/01/02/fire-and-water/#comments Fri, 02 Jan 2009 14:33:55 +0000 Ryan http://myepicjourney.com/2009/01/02/fire-and-water/ fire and water Have you ever wanted to prove a point so much that it just ate you up inside?  More than anything, you have this driving conviction to shut up the critics and will go to any lengths to accomplish that goal?

Elijah was there!!  He was frustrated with the continual disregard of God by King Ahab and for that matter, the Israelites as well.  He had heard enough slander against the name of God that he knew it was time to act and he wanted to make a point.  A BIG point!

We read of the account in 1Kings 18.16-40.  It is a story of conflict, testing, retribution, trash-talking, and even of blood and guts in the end.  Here are the highlights:

1. Eljiah calls out Ahab and his prophets and calls them to a “spiritual” duel.

2.  TASK:  Call down fire from your god and consume the wood on your altar.

3.  Prophets of Baal couldn’t do it.  Elijah told them to “scream louder, perhaps he is asleep.”

4.  After a day of chanting and slashing of wrists, Elijah stops the Baal madness and turns the audiences attention to God.

5.  He calls for the altar of God to be restored and filled with and unbelievable amount of water (a prized possession in that time of drought and famine).

6.  Elijah prayed a simple, yet powerful prayer.  RESULT:  God sent down fire from Heaven that consumed both the wood and the water.  That’s one HOT fire!!!

7.  The people fell on their faces and praised God.

8.  Elijah ordered that the prophets of Baal be captured and then he slaughtered them all.

Lesson to the story:

1.  God is and always will be, the most powerful God!  More powerful than money, self, pleasure, power, etc.

2.  God will always, eventually, make Himself known.  It might not be immediate, but when our attention moves FROM Him to something else, He WILL get it back!

Questions:

–Who are you serving today?

–From what/whom do you draw your power (money, success, family, job, etc)?

–What will it take for God to get your attention?

–What can you do to turn the hearts of others BACK to God?

]]> http://myepicjourney.com/2009/01/02/fire-and-water/feed/ 0 The Bottom of the Bottle http://myepicjourney.com/2008/12/31/the-bottom-of-the-bottle/ http://myepicjourney.com/2008/12/31/the-bottom-of-the-bottle/#comments Wed, 31 Dec 2008 12:30:18 +0000 Ryan http://myepicjourney.com/2008/12/31/the-bottom-of-the-bottle/ I was reading 1 Kings 17 this morning as was struck by the story of Elijah and his interaction with a widowed woman and her son.  Perhaps if you grew up in going to church you would be familiar with this story as it surely taught in your Sunday School class, but for those that are unfamiliar with it, here are some bullet point highlights to give you some background:

  • God told Elijah it would rain or dew until He (God) said it would.
  • God sent Elijah to the home of widow and her son to be fed and taken care
  • The woman had a little flour and some oil in a jar.
  • Her plan–make one last meal for her and her son and then die.
  • Elijah told her to take care of his needs first.
  • The widow and her son never saw the bottom of the jar.

Olive-oil-bottle-sm

 

Here is what struck me about this story:

1.  God RADICAL provision.  The use of a widow to provide for Elijah would be tough in good times and yet God chose to use this woman during incredibly HARD times.  TRUTH:  God’s plans are not always OUR plans.  When times are tough (and they are) God will often stretch us to bless us!!!

2.  The AUDACITY of Elijah.  What?????????  How could someone tell a woman who has nothing and is planning on dying to take care of HIS needs first???  ANSWER:  Someone who knew the plan of God and had FAITH that God was going to carry it out!  TRUTH:  Sometimes we must be bold when not only stretching our faith but the faith of others.  We must also be careful though to make sure it is the WORD of God that is telling us so and not our own thoughts and wants!

3.  The PROMISE of God.  God kept His Word by not allowing the bottle to go empty which kept their stomachs from going empty as well.  TRUTH:  When we are FAITHFUL to follow the plan of God, He will be FAITHFUL to follow it through!!!!

As you celebrate the New Year with fanfare AND fear of what lies ahead, rest in the promises of God.

“11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”  –Jeremiah 29.11-13.

]]> http://myepicjourney.com/2008/12/31/the-bottom-of-the-bottle/feed/ 0 First day of school http://myepicjourney.com/2008/09/01/first-day-of-school/ http://myepicjourney.com/2008/09/01/first-day-of-school/#comments Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:28:25 +0000 Ryan http://myepicjourney.com/2008/09/01/first-day-of-school/ Here are pics from the kids’ first day of school.

DSC00732

Emma started a week after the boys.

DSC00746 DSC00747

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