Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

May 27
Tuesday

Rapture*
CAN WE REALLY
HEAR FROM
GOD?

READ:
1 Kings 19:9-12
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Be still, and know that
I am God.
__Psalm 46:10
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A friend of mine who leads spiritual retreats once told me that not one person who has followed his regimen of a silent retreat has failed to hear from God. Intrigued and a bit skeptical, I signed up for a 6-day retreat. We had much free time and just a few riquirements, such as the assignment to spend 2 hours praying each day.

I doubt I had devoted more than 30 minutes to prayer at any one session in my life. The first day I wandered to a meadow and sat against a tree. How Long will I stay awake? I wondered. To my great fortune, a herd of 147 elk wandered into the very field where I was sitting. To watch 147 elk in their natural habitat is enthralling and, eventually, boring. Yet after a while the very placidity of the scene began to affect me. Over the next few days I said many words to God. I was turning 50, and I asked for guidance on how I should prepare my soul for the rest of my life. Many things came to mind while sitting in a field for hours at a time. I had to agree that I had indeed heard from God.

When Elijah stood before the Lord on Mount Horeb, he didn't meet Him in the wind, earthquake, or fire. Rather, God spoke in a "still small voice" (1 Kings 19:11-12).

I'm more convinced than ever that God finds ways to communicate to those who truly seek him--especially when we lower the volume of the surrounding static. __Philip Yancey
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Speak, Lord, in the stillness, while I wait on Thee;
Hushed my heart to listen, in expectancy. __Grimes

***********Today's Bible Reading __ 1 Kings 19:9-12***************

9 And there he went into a
cave, and spent the nght in
that place; and behold, the
word of the LORD came to
him, and He said to him,
"What are you doing here,
Elijah?"

10 So he siad, "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.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Elijah's perception that he was "the only one left" (1 Kings 19:10,14)
was not correct. he had discounted the widow of Zarephath
(17:7-24) and ignored the 100 prophets that Obadiah had hidden
(18:4). God later revealed that there were 7,000 faithful (19:18).
Paul commented on Elijah's experience in Romans 11:2-4--as it
was in Elijah's days, there is a faithful remnant in the midst of mass
apostasy. __Sim Kay Tee