 Welcome to the BCV channel. I am your host pass the sickle woods Please do the following. Please like subscribe share hit the notification bell at the bottom of this video That way whenever I go live or post any content you'd be one of the first to view it also if you'd like to support this ministry Financially you can do so first and foremost. Thank you for those of you who have been consistently and faithfully supporting this ministry the BCV channel and also love life and marriage with the woods With your tangible gifts and expressions of love. We do appreciate that. Thank you so much But if you'd like to continue to support this ministry, you can do so by clicking the donation links below the bottom of this video You have three options to choose from there and we do appreciate that Those of you who like to be a body lifer body lifers are those Who have uh, who would like to make this ministry and love life and marriage with the woods a part of their regular Contributions and giving and so we thank you for that. We do not ask that you do that Before taking care of your local fellowship where you are fed the word of god We are a supplement. We do not want to be used as a substitute But we want to come alongside the local fellowship the local church to be a blessing and an aid To your to your local body of believers But if you like to do so and like to support this ministry outside of your regular faith forgiving To your local church, you can do that by just clicking the donation links below the bottom of the video There is no obligation you can do that at any time you can stop at any time You like to support the ministry through the bcv merchandise. We have our bcv store It is up and ready For those of you who would like to support it in another tangible way by purchasing the merchandise. We have hats hoodies swim gear Well sweat gear rather That's one gear not yet, but we will And other other items as well to choose from we're we will be growing and also expanding our catalog in a near future, but thank you those of you who have Who have decided to partner with us and and and support this ministry with you appreciate that as well moderators Thank you so much for for being in the chat Definitely appreciate your your support and your labor of love Taking time out of your busy schedule to support and and to come alongside and help make this channel To be the best that it can be they'll definitely appreciate that Facebook family. Thank you so much for watching. Thank you for joining. Get that like button over there facebook family youtube Thank you all so as well. Share the videos. Put the word out. We do appreciate that. Thank you Oh so much pray for my brother david collins. He is coming down with bronchitis. He has bronchitis and so Asked for our brother to have a speedy recovery He preaches the word of god and so of course, you know, you can't do that without a without a clear and Strong voice and so pray that he will be able to recover Very soon. So but brother, thank you for for joining us here with your presence You do appreciate that but be praying for him and the collins family him and his wife and And family as well. So But before we get started, I want to read an email and I meant to read it yesterday, but I forgot But I wanted to read this very encouraging Email that I received all the way from tanzania from tanzania This brother writes is very short. This brother writes and says good day, sir It is evening where I am. I am from tanzania and I've been following ex ministries for a while now I came across a video you posted on youtube about pastor g craig of ex ministries and its infidelity It was a short video And there are longer ones that are that are posted But because of constraints and time and money, I can't afford to watch them all to watch them all now But that being said, I was asking to see if you couldn't enlighten me on the matter And so what I did was I just sent him a shorter video because Words were trying to really fail me to explain the damage and the danger that g craig lewis is Yes, he may speak some truth, but he is a false teacher He is a wolf He is an unrepentant Unrepentant abuser unrepentant Adulter unrepentant pastor who needs to step down. He's no different than john mcgroth. He's just on a different scale Just on a different scale And so he had spent 20 years basically of spiritual terror intimidation and bullying and Gaslighting and he still does it to this day Of course, he has new followers that have flocked his congregation And he has now amassed, you know New supporters and things of that nature, but nonetheless God was able to draw the people that wanted to be out of that place out And it's a blessing to know that there are still people who correspond To the videos and reach out to me via email And so I just want to say thank you those of you who email me those of you who Comment in our video chats, whether it be the bcv channel or love life and marriage of the woods We definitely appreciate that we thank you We're ready to thank you so much For that and I thank all 20 of you people as well who have joined the broadcast Yes, all 20 of you who have taken time out of your schedule and out of your busy day all 20 to to join the The broadcast now we only have about 60 watching and in the chat Uh and 23 likes isn't it interesting? Isn't it interesting when you talk about people? The chat room is full. I mean Who says that controversy doesn't sell? I mean, I don't do what I do for controversy though Of course when it's when it's necessary and then so be it but here we are about to engage in a bible study And you would think That it'll be the same amount of people that will come in to hear what I have to say since I'm a false teacher, right? Yeah, the few the few the proud the 20. Yeah I could even get 300, huh? I could even get 300 geez That brother said The few your 20 people all 20 of them. I'm like, okay, damn Cory. All right, brother geez You said I would rather be part of the 20 Then the 101,000 girl. Let me get us to you right now. Let me go ahead. Just get us to you right now, sister Oops Appreciate it girl. Appreciate it. Thank you for the love. Thank you for the support. Thank you. Thank you um But yes, so, you know Just do what I'm I'm called to do and lead the results with the law, right? Uh Yeah, yeah, it was it was proud. But hey, you know, that's what happens. It is what it is. But anyway, listen Let's get into the study. Let's get into the study. I want to I want to ask you all a question and and and Let me just ask this question And I'm pretty sure I'm in good company because I know I'm not the only one Uh, who experienced this kind of thing if if you've been walking with the lord If you have been serving the lord if you've been Say for any length of time I'm pretty sure that you and I have had our share of being worn out Being weary Almost to the point of uh being burnt out I know I'm not the only one So I'll just I'll just ask you have you been there? Have you been in a place in your life where you're like lord, what what is going on? I mean, I I'm I'm just ready to I'm just ready to tap out I'm so tired of these people. I'm so sick of these people. Lord. I Are you sure this is what you call me to do? Because this this ain't this listen this this calling ain't calling It just ain't I mean, you know, I'm in this relationship or I'm I'm doing what you call me to do and I'm just getting tired lord I mean enough already Jesus Help me please I mean, have you been there? Have you been ready just like, you know what just to tap out? Call it quits Like it up lord. I'm done. I am so done with this I am so done Well, if you if that is you and if you have been there or if you have not been there like the old folks say Keep on living Because you're going to have those moments. You're going to have those times and notice what I said moments You're gonna have those moments and times in your life where you just go. You're like, you know what lord? I'm out I can't do this anymore. I can't I want to but I can't I really want to continue to press on the lord. I'm tired lord. I'm tired I am just I'm so done with this right now If we were honest We have thought some thoughts I mean, let's just be let's just be real. We have thought some thoughts We have contemplated some things that we know in our flesh and our weak moments and our weak moments If not for the grace of god, we would not be here If not for the grace of god, we would not be here But it doesn't negate. It doesn't diminish it doesn't even Distill the feelings that we feel I mean, we're human, right? We're human So in our humanness, we still struggle. We still question. We still doubt. We still want to sometimes call it quits But we know that we can't but it doesn't it doesn't mean that we don't have those moments And you know what? We're in good company We are in good company because there have been others who have gone before us who have had those moments of weariness those moments of Burnout those moments of almost having a nervous breakdown. We we we're not alone. We're we're we're in good company and so This message this bible study this lesson It's for those and are for those who need to hear a word For the weary If you are weary if you are worn out if you have if you ever have been Then I pray by god's grace that this lesson will encourage you Will stimulate you Will put some spurs under your under your seat For you to press on to keep on And to keep it moving If your bible is open like mine is I am in first kings chapter 19 first kings chapter 19 And we're gonna we're gonna look at this this chapter Versus 1 to 21 familiar story for some But I believe the word of god is so living and so active as the bible says that it was still it should still take some sense on some type of resonance with us That although it may be familiar I pray that the spirit of god will allow it to illuminate Our minds and our eyes and give us some principles by which we can apply to our situation As paul says the things that were written in earlier times are for our learning So We can glean from this amen So let's get into it starting at verse one want to read the entire chai chapter and then we'll Will uh, we'll pull out what I believe the lord Has called of us to to learn from this from this text It says now ahab told jezebel All that elijah had done And now he had killed all the prophets with the sword Then jezebel sent a messenger to elijah saying So may the gods do to me and even more if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time And he was afraid and arose and ran for his life And came to bir shiba which belongs to juda 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 And he requested for himself that he might die and said it is enough now lord Oh lord take my life For i'm not better than my fathers He lay down and slept under a juniper tree and behold there was an angel touching him and he said to him arise eat Then he looked and behold there was at his head A bread cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water so he ate and drank and lay down again The angel the lord came again a second time and touched him and said Arise eat because the journey is too great for you So he arose and ate and drank and went in the strength of that food 40 days and 40 nights to harap the mountain of god Then he came there to a cave in lodge there and behold the word of the lord came to him and he said to him What are you doing here elijah? He said i've been very zealous for the lord god the lord god of hosts for the sons of idr Have forsaken your covenant tore down your altars and killed your prophets with the sword And i alone am left and they seek my life to take it away So he said go forth and stand on the mountain before the lord and behold the lord was passing by And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the lord But the lord was not in the wind And after a wind after the wind An earthquake But the lord was not in the earthquake After the earthquake or fire But the lord was not in the fire and after the fire A sound of a gentle blowing When elijah heard it he wrapped his face in his mantle And went out and stood in the entrance of the cave and behold a voice came to him and said What are you doing here elijah? Then he said i have been very zealous for the lord the god of hosts For the sons of idr have forsaken your covenant tore down your altars and killed your prophets with the sword And i alone am left and they seek my life to take it away The lord said to him Go return on your way to the wilderness of demascus and when you have arrived you shall anoint hazzael king over aram And jehu the son of nimshi You shall anoint king over israel And elijah the son of sheffat abel moholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place And it shall come about the one who escapes from the sword of hazzael jehu shall put the death And the one who escapes from the sword of jehu elijah shall put the death Yet i will leave seven thousand in israel all the knees that have not bowed to ba'al In every mouth that has not kissed him So he departed from there and found elijah the son of sheffat While he was plowing with 12 pairs of oxen Before him and he with the 12th In elijah and elijah passed over to him and threw his mantle on him He left the oxen and ran out the elijah and said please let me kiss my father and my mother then i will follow you And he said to him go back again for whatever i've done to you So he returned from following him and took the pair of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the Implements of the oxen and gave it to the people and they ate Then he arose and followed elijah and ministered to him I wanted to read that text in innocent time to give you the full scope and context of this We know that elijah being in the prophet of god He is the mouthpiece for god. He is speaking to a rebellious people the nation of israel And he is calling them to repent And of course it is not it is not being well received We know this is the same elijah That called for a drought by the word of the lord for three years and there was no water There was no rain for three years until elijah spoke And by the power of god rain came but now he is dealing with israel again And this is just off after the after the conquest or the contest at mark komel Where 850 Prophets of Baal and of the ashura all together 400 and 450 There was a contest to show which one is the true god And as you remember and one of the studies that we had uh had recently Discussed and I cited in first kings 18 Versus 20 to 21 Elijah tells them to decide who you're going to follow who you're going to choose who you're going to serve You think you're going to serve the gods of the baals or you're going to serve the true and living god the god of israel And we see that the text said that no one answered elijah a word not one And so the contest begins and and it ensues The the false prophets of baal and the ashura They're calling upon their god and going through all of the rituals even to the point of cutting themselves and bleeding out almost And in all of this turmoil and confusion You would think elijah being the compassionate man of god manned with a d Being the compassionate man of god Would be telling these men not to cut and gash themselves to death, but he says mockingly Oh, maybe maybe you need to yell a little bit louder Maybe your your god is it's asleep Maybe he's using the bathroom The word gone aside is euphemism to to use the bathroom Maybe he's pee pee in a boo booing whatever elijah is using insensitive harsh mocking jeering language to the false prophets And the lord didn't call it sin He's mocking them Even while they are doing religious rituals He mocks them Makes fun of them makes sport of them if you want to use that term And of course, you know the end of the of that story elijah calls upon the name of the true and living god and the text says that Fire came from heaven and the text says lick up the water the sacrifice the the stones and even the water that was in the trench to show and prove that the true god of israel Reigns and there was no one like him and so as a result of that 850 prophets false prophets rather were were killed by the mouth and by the word of elijah at his command And it is on the heels of that ahab goes home as he always does runs to his wife tells his wife what elijah did and now elijah Gets a report now you would think In the on the heels of this victory that elijah Would be confident That god protects his own But just like we all we all have our moments of victory all have our moments when we put the enemies of our god to flight Where we where we now are used as instruments To do great things for god And in those moments of victory we we sometimes can experience moments of defeat Which is really fear Because we know what the bible says that god is not giving us the spirit of fear But a power loving of a sound mind, but yet and still we're still human We still live on this terra firma and we still are wrapped in house in this flesh And so i'm encouraged to know that even people mighty men of god like elijah had this moment of mental breakdown and wanting to just quit But thank god that we have recorded In this text and as we what we read That's not that's not the end of the story But there are several things i want us to unpack In this chapter and in other verses surrounding this that in relation to what i want to talk about tonight It's about seven things i want to share with you And hopefully by god's grace it will it will resonate with you if not tonight maybe in In the future because we will always remember and call on those things that we have been taught The bible says his word does not return void But it will accomplish that thing and what she was sent to do and so That's my encouragement. So let's jump right in In verses one to three i want to i want to highlight a key point In verses one to three Here's what i see in this text again in verse one And i'll share with you again Now a have told jezzabel all that elijah had done and how he had killed the all the How he had killed all the prophets with the sword Then jezzabel sent a messenger to elijah saying so made the gods due to me and even more if i do not make your life As the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time And he was afraid verse three He was afraid and arose and ran for his life And came to be a sheba Which belongs to judah and left his servants There First thing i want you to see is number one Sometimes the smallest threats Sometimes the smallest threats Create the greatest fears Sometimes the smallest threats create the greatest fears. What are you talking about brother? well This man just defeated 850 false prophets 850 it was it was 850 to 1 You talk about some overwhelming odds And god used this man To defeat the false prophets And to destroy them Thus testifying That god is god Now this is the same elijah that just told The people of israel to decide who are they're going to serve who are they going to follow? Who are they going to submit under the lordship? and authority and rule of yahweh And the text said they didn't say a word But it didn't stop elijah from doing what god called him to do So he have 850 people against one man And he stands there flat-footed 10 toes down Bold as a man is supposed to be And he challenges these men these false prophets All 850 of them To a contest But yet one woman Issues a threat And he runs for his very life. You would think it would have been the reverse wouldn't you You would think it would have been something that elijah would not have back down and would have Tucked tail and ran, but That's what all of us we have those moments We have those moments as elijah did and He hears this message From a woman Rebez woman at that of course Here's the message runs for his life And leaves his own servant But before we clock our tongues and before we you know mock Uh before we mock elijah. Let's let's not let's not be too quick and doing that. Shall we? Because if we'll if we'll be honest If we were honest That's us too That's us too How many times have god done things in our lives? And we have withstood overwhelming odds and overwhelming circumstances and and hurdles and hinderances and obstacles And we knew we knew that that was the spirit of god We knew that that was god in us doing what he had called us to do But if this takes one thing one person One negative comment in the chat Uh one negative report one negative rumor whatever and and and then we our spiritual balloon Has deflated And now we become we want to get in isolation. We don't want to be bothered with anybody We we don't want to associate with anybody because of one person When god has done all these things for us prior to that one thing That one small thing and now we find ourselves running We find ourselves Withdrawing we find ourselves backing up retreating Walking in fear Not wanting to be bold anymore Because of one Report one jezebel. Let me let me ask you all this question Let me ask you this question. Who's your jezebel? Hmm Who's your jezebel? Who's the one that puts you on the run whenever they show up or whenever it comes around Who's your jezebel tonight? I mean Do you find yourself Not being bold when certain people Come in your circle and come into your square or when when certain people pull up In your on your feet and on your life When it's time to speak when god has called you to do something and now you finding yourself running and retreating Yeah, let's not let's not trip on Elijah too much. Let's let's bring the cookies down from the top shelf and let us all Let us all get a bite of this cookie This cookie ain't gonna be sweet. This one's gonna be kind of bitter Because it hits us where it really hurts and our own spiritual snot locker right in the nose I'm pretty sure we have all been there. I'm pretty sure we've had those moments But yes, it is sometimes the the smallest threats the smallest things That create the greatest fears in our lives the greatest fears I mean to where we experience anxiety. We experience, you know, uh, uh, you know weakness We we we have our moments of wanting to break down because of one Jezebel One negative report one negative situation One negative circumstance one negative reminder, whatever the case might be And we run And we flee instead of fight Yeah That's what we see here in the text Elijah runs and now nobody listen now. Only did he run This brother ran for his life Have you ever been there? I mean I don't know if you've ever ever experienced a panic attack before if you have experienced anxiety attack I know some of y'all to say that you have never experienced it before but I read my bible david experienced it before He had those moments. Yeah He had those moments Yeah, christians can get can have panic attacks christians can have anxiety attacks christians. We can experience those things When we allow our minds to go in places and sometimes we don't have to allow our minds to go in It just sometimes it just happens It just happens. They feel like you about to die And you can't run anyway because you're the one that's experiencing where you're gonna run to but you but you want to so again It's the little things that cause us To experience sometimes the greatest fear The greatest fear I mean that that's a weird inversion. Don't you think For god to use us to do great things and then The little things that what caused us to to ball up To get in our corner To becoming in a fetal position out of fear So whatever your jezebel is whatever your situation is Be encouraged. You're not alone Be encouraged You're not by yourself It happens to the greatest And the best Of us in god's kingdom But that's the first thing I wanted to see That's the first thing Sometimes the smallest threats Create the greatest fears the greatest fears Let's look at the second thing The second point is is this We need to be honest That's the second thing I want us to to to pull from this for this entire This entire text we need to be honest. We need to be honest with ourselves And most importantly, we need to be honest With god look at verse four First kings 19 verse four But he himself the text says But he himself Went a day's journey into the wilderness. Oh by the way ladies and gentlemen elijah is not in the car He's not in the chariot. He is on foot. This man has ran for his life A day's journey the text says but he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness not into the city The wilderness is a place of desolation Well wild stuff happens Wilderness But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a juniper tree And notice and he requested for himself that he might die He requested for himself that he might die And said notice he didn't just think it he said it It is enough. He says it is enough. It is enough now. Oh lord, take my life For i'm not better than my father's Yes, he he's he's being honest with god He's being honest with god Can I ask you all a question? When was the last time you and I had been honest with our lord? You know the one who made us The one that knows that we're nothing but dirt When was the last time you you were honest with god and say, you know what lord i'm i'm done lord I can't i can't do this no more Just just take me up out of here lord. Look and notice. Let me say this. Let me say this. Thank you, holy spirit Knows what the text says. Let's go back to the text Look what it says verse four knows what he said And he requested for himself that he might die And said it is enough now. Oh lord Take my life Notice what he did not say he didn't say it is enough. I'm going to take my own life Do y'all hear me? Do you hear me and i'm talking to myself right now And let let us look at each other in the eyeballs and say this you and I don't have the right to take our life You know why because we didn't have the right to give it to us We have no authority To take our life It doesn't matter how hard it gets We go to the one Who can bear our burdens and make our low light? I'm not just talking to myself. I'm talking to all of us All of us There have been times in my life that I wanted to end it What yes yes yes Yes I have had some dark moments elijah is having a dark moment But notice what elijah is not saying. He's not saying i'm going to take my life He said lord, I want you to take you want to give it to me lord. Just just just kill me He didn't say i'm going to kill myself Why because he knows that his life does not belong to him He wasn't the one that breathed the breath of life into his nostril there technically adam did but you get the point I'm making god is the gift of life not man everything we have Has been given to us by god. We didn't create anything All we are are stewards and so god wants us to make good of the life that he has given to us Is it going to be hard? Yes. Is it going to be rough? Yes. Is it going to be difficult? Yes Are there times where you don't want to do it anymore? Yes Yes. Yes. Yes and yes and in those moments When we find ourselves Contemplating asking ourselves is it worth it? Why why should I be here anymore? Let me just lay down one last time and it be done. I want to encourage you Before this live is over God has more for you and I to do Well, how do you know that because you're here? And i'm here And we're all here God allowed you to come on this live to watch this stream because he knew you and I Needed to hear this rama word This right now word Because some of us are going through hell as we speak And let me just say this this is why we don't compare Our trials against another person's trial Your trial your wilderness your moments Are tailor made for you and tailor made for me Now we may be able to relate to certain things, but god is the master He is the master tailor and he knows What's just for you What's going to fit your situation And only your situation But here's the thing when you come out and yes, I said when you come out of this When you come out of this You're going to be able to minister and to serve and come along somebody else and say baby brother sister I've been what you've been I know how that feels And you're able to walk with them through that Why because my bible says first Corinthians 10 13. There is no temptation. There's no trial That's overtaking you But such as this common to man But god is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you're able but will with the temptation Also make a way of escape that you may be able to bear. Let me ask y'all a question Do you know where your escape routes are? Hmm Do you know where your escape routes are see when you're on a plane Before they before they back away or take off They want you to know where the escape routes are in case of an emergency Life has its emergencies ladies and gentlemen Where is your escape route? Who do you go to in time of emergency? I hope you go to christ I hope you go to the people that god has given to you in your life Because he always has escape routes for you and I always He has escape routes. He has exit plans. He has he has a way for you and I when it gets too hard Yeah When the when the thermostat And the thermometer Is getting hot or too long He knows how to bring it down Because he's never going to give us no more than what we can bear. It may feel unbearable But we don't go by feelings We go by faith we don't walk by We don't walk by sight we walk by faith And so by faith we know that god is never going to put more on us than what we can bear It may feel like it is But brothers and sisters ladies and gentlemen it is not Everything he allows to happen in our life is not to destroy us But to develop us to become more and more like his beloved son But there are times ladies and gentlemen There are times when we just have to be honest with our god and say god I can't I don't know how long I can keep doing this I I did not know it was going to be this difficult. No, of course you of course We didn't know it's going to be this difficult because we're not god Of course, we didn't know You think Elijah knew this Of course, he didn't know this Sometimes the things we know is when we get involved in it. It was when we're right in the thick of it But trust me anything that we are involved in he has already equipped us or is equipping us Through it, but we have to be honest with ourselves ladies and gentlemen That's the second thing That's the second point be honest It's a system lying to him. He already knows about he already knows our frame. He already knows our hearts and our minds He knows our motivations. He knows what we think before we even say it So we might as well be honest with him Elijah was honest with god. He said lord, just take my life. I am done verse four It is enough enough already Take my life for I am not better than my fathers And we know he's not by himself I'm encouraged tonight to know that people like Job and and jesus and paul had those moments those Seemingly unbearable despairing moments Let's look at some shall we Job chapter three Job three We're gonna look at verses one through seventeen This is right after he loses everything except his wife his wife is is is still there She tells him to curse god and die. He says Woman you sound like a fool He said you sound like a fool you sound like one of the foolish women Shall we shall we receive good and not and not adversity? And the bible says and job did not curse god With his lips That was the test That was the test Job didn't know there was a test. Job didn't know that nobody was talking about him in in the in the heavenlies He didn't know his name was dropped in the conversation Do you know how many times god has dropped your name and my name in conversation? We know nothing about And if he hasn't That's another lesson for another time verse one verse one After with job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth notice He didn't curse god. He cursed the day he was born and notice verse two verse two And job said let the day perish on which I was to be born And the night which said a boy is conceived Made that day be darkness letting out god above care for it Nor light shine on it Let darkness and black gloom claim it let a cloud settle on it. Let the blackness of the day terrify it As for that night, let darkness seize it. Let it not rejoice among the days of the year Let it not come into the number of the months Don't let it be on the calendar lord Behold let that night be barren. Let no joyful shout enter it Let those curse it who curse the day who are prepared to rouse leviathan Let it start let it let the stars of his twilight be darken Let it wait for light but have none and let it not see the breaking dawn Because it did not shut the opening of my mother's womb or hide trouble from my eyes verse 11 verse 11 Why did I not die at birth? Come forth from the womb and expire. Why was I not stillborn? I'd have been better off being a stillborn baby. They're going through this job saying Why did the knees receive me and why the breasts that I should suck? For now If I had been stillborn If I had been born dead For now I would have laying down and been quiet I would have slept then I would have had I would have been in rest With kings and with counselors of the earth Who were built ruins for themselves or with princes who had gold who were filling their houses with silver or like a miscarriage? Which is discarded I would not be As infants that never saw light there There in the grave and in in that place where they don't exist anymore there the wicked seeps from raging And there the weary are at rest. I'm going to just say this real quick And I may talk about this at a late at a later time This is one of the reasons why I believe that any baby that dies whether it's through miscarriage or whether it's through them being dismembered through abortions by evil demonic wicked people They will be in the presence of god. Why do I say that? I'm glad you asked ladies and gentlemen because if if jope is saying he would be better off dead Being better off stillborn and being better off being a miscarried baby Versus going through what he's going through here He's saying these little ones They have peace they are at rest The bible says there's no rest for the wicked But these little ones these little image bearers He's telling them. Hey, I would be better off being a stillborn or a miscarried baby That's why I believe that's one of the reasons why I believe that every baby every child that dies Everyone every one of them That dies They will be and are in the presence of their creator god And here's another reason why I believe that this is just this is all free This is all free When you read romans chapter 1 verse 18 the bible says for the wrath of god Has been revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness and all ungodliness against men who suppress the truth and unrighteousness Question how does a baby? Suppress the truth and unrighteousness. How how is the wrath of god upon those who have not done anything? their babies The bible says that they're going to be the man is going to be judged according to their deeds Baby haven't done anything They haven't even had the opportunity to live because somebody snuffed their life out But that's all free. There may be another lesson for another time. What happens to babies when they die? I just gave you some free some free cheat codes but This is joe He's he's cursing the day that he he was born. This is how much he's going through Yeah, who cares what votive believes Who cares? Matthew chapter 26 verse 38 Matthew 26 verse 38 Then he said to them. This is jesus talking to his disciples. Then he said to them My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death What? Jesus. Yeah, son of man the god man Fully god, but you know what else he's fully of he's fully man The god man jesus before going to the cross Knowing what he was going to have to suffer and go through He says my soul is deeply grieved to the point of death to the point of death Paul He had moments like this 2nd Corinthians chapter 1 verse 8 For we do not want you to be unaware brethren of our affliction which came to us in asia That we were burdened excessively beyond our strength so that we despaired even of life They didn't know they was going to make it or not The trials and difficulties were so hard Paul was saying we don't I don't even know we're going to make it to see that I don't know we're going to see another day. I don't even know That's how they felt. That's what they experienced. That's what they went through But here's the third thing Here's the third thing Not only are sometimes the some things the smallest the smallest threats bring us the greatest fear But also should we be honest when we are having these moments that we are mentally Being mentally drained and we are being wearied And we feel like tapping out and giving up But here's the third thing and we find this in verses 5 through uh through 8 of that same chapter When we are going through When we are experiencing these moments of mental breakdown these moments of weariness depression And the like In those times and in those moments that we go through this ladies and gentlemen We need to remember this and it is in the text. I'm not making that up It is in the scripture. You can see it for yourself verses 5 through 8. We must We must utilize And received the gifts that god has given to us When we experience these moments of weariness and mental breakdown Let's look at verses 5 through 8. It's in the text verse 5 He asks for the lord to take his life. It's too much for him. So he so he feels right But notice what happens verse 5 What are the what are the gifts that god has given to us answer? sleep And food rest And food Yeah Sometimes we need to remind ourselves We just need to go to bed We we need to just go ahead and shut everything down shut everything off and lay down and get some rest This man is worn out y'all Elijah is worn out when we go through and listen to me because it's going to be the wind And it's not even an if when we go through these moments Sometimes the best thing we can do is receive the gifts that god has provided to us When we experience moments of weariness mental anguish And breakdown what else he can he do? look verse 5 He laid down and slept He laid down He went to sleep He went to sleep and notice He slept under a juniper tree And behold There was an angel touching him and he said to him arise eat verse 6 verse 6 Then he looked and behold there was at his head a bread cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water So he ate and drank and laid down again verse 7 The angel of the lord came again a second time and touched him and said arise eat Because the journey is too great for you So he arose and ate and drank And went in the strength of that food 40 days and 40 nights to horror the mountain of god the one of the one of the Two of the greatest gifts or two of the gifts that god has given to us we sometimes Don't even take advantage of it and i'm not talking about taking advantage of meaning to abuse it I'm saying we don't even utilize the gift of sleep and food Because both Help us do you know that there are a lot of issues that we go through because we have not gotten the right the right amount of rest We make bad decisions because we haven't slept yet. We haven't slept much Or are we are so weary that we haven't even eaten and it has affected us physiologically Do y'all do y'all understand this this is this is one of god's graces that he has given to us This is one of his gifts that he has given to his children He's giving this to us Let's look at some scriptures that just to unpack it a little bit Let's look at psalm 121 Hope y'all are getting this. Hope you're being blessed by it I am Psalm 121 I'm sorry verse one. I wasn't gonna hang out at verse three But i'm gonna look at verse started verse one It says I will lift up my eyes to the mountains or to the hills from which my help comes verse two My help comes from the lord Who made heaven and earth He would not allow your foot to slip He who keeps you will not slumber. So god says go to sleep. I don't I don't need to sleep. I'm eternal. He says god is eternal He says he who keeps you Will not slumber behold he who keeps israel will never slumber nor sleep The lord is your keeper verse five the lord is your shade on your right hand The sun will not smite you by day nor the moon by night the lord will protect you from all evil. He will keep your soul The lord will guard you're going out and you're going or coming in from this time forth and forever Now we know that this is this is talking to israel, but we can glean from this because we've experienced this as well God protects his children He guards his children He cares for his children Psalm 127 Psalm 127 verse 2 He says it is vain for you to rise up early to retire late To eat the bread of painful labors why for he gives to his beloved sleep Yes, you and I we're his beloved If you have been adopted into the family of god We're his beloved we he gives He gives us sleep the question is The question is Are we taking advantage? Are we utilizing these gifts? Are we being good stewards of the gifts that god has given to us? rest and food rest and food So we see the the resting part, right? Let's look at the food. Let's look at how god blesses and how he Helps us and sustains us through the gift and through the means of food a good meal Psalm 104 verse 5 excuse me verse 15 verse 15 Psalm 104 15 Let me scroll up a little bit you did a little bit of the context here verse 14 He causes the grass to grow this is god. He causes the grass to grow for the cattle notice cattle eat grass And vegetation for the labor of man Why so that he may bring forth food from the earth And wine which makes man's heart glad so that he may make his face glisten with oil and food verse 15 to be cause and food which sustains man's heart Psalm 145 verse 14 and 15 The Lord sustains all who fall And raises up all who are bowed down the eyes of all look to you and you give them their food in due time Let's go to a new testament passage to go to acts 27 acts chapter 27 And we're gonna look at verses 33 34 for right now acts 27 I'm sorry, let's look at verse 21 first and then we go to verse 33 and 34 acts 27 21 When they had had gone a long time notice without food they're being they're being shipwrecked now, okay When they're going a long time without food Then Paul stood up in their midst And said men you have ought to have followed my advice and not have set sail from creed and incurred this damage and loss In other words pause that I told y'all to listen to me, but you don't want to listen to me Y'all think y'all knew everything And can I say this you know When we do things it don't it don't just affect us it affect others But that's another bible said for another time verse 33 and 34 Until the day was about to dawn paul was encouraging them All to take some food saying today is the 14th day that you have been constantly watching and going without eating Haven't taken nothing these men have gone two weeks without eating anything And paul is encouraging them exhorting them pleading with these people to eat To eat Because you're not helping yourself when you and I don't eat and don't get the proper rest Especially when our bodies are talking to us And we ignore it verse 33 34 verse 34 says therefore I encourage you to take some food For this is for your preservation You can't live without food You're gone for two weeks y'all haven't eaten anything you need to eat brothers and sisters When we're going through We need to put something in our stomach And we need to put our heads to the to the pillow And get rest Us doing without it is not going to change the situation at all if anything may make it worse Because it makes us more ineffective verse 36 And I know it's hard But but we have to we got to press in verse 36 all of them were encouraged And they themselves also took food Isn't it a blessing to have people in your life that that will encourage you that will help you To do What you know what you need to do sometimes you just don't you just don't feel like doing it, but again we have to we have to Do what's best not just for ourselves, but for others Because it's not it's not about us more is accomplished and more is done when we get the proper rest in the In the right diet so we see again we Sometimes the smallest threats come or create the greatest trials that's the first point second point is we need to be honest with ourselves and with God Thirdly we must we must utilize we must receive we must accept the gifts that God has given to us That is rest and food when experiencing moments of weariness and mental breakdown We need that We need that But here's the fourth thing ladies and gentlemen. Are you ready? Here's here's the fourth thing Here's the fourth thing We just saw in the text How Elijah has how Elijah is feeling these are real feelings now mind you He's not he's not, you know He's not manufacturing how he feels this. This is how Elijah is feeling. He feels this now. He's experiencing this He's being honest with God. He's telling God. I don't want to be anymore. Just just kill me. Take me out Andrew has to give him some some food to eat twice He says because the journey notice the journey is too great for you. In other words God's not done with you Elijah You may want to tap out. You may want me to take your life and take you up out of here God says I still have work for you to do bro So eat this food get you some sleep And in two days we get in the body here. You got work to do bro You got work to do We have work to do He says yeah You and I have work to do for God's kingdom. Listen to me every day the Lord allows us to wake up It is a day that he has called us to be on mission every day The day we stop breathing. That's when our work is done But if he allows us to open our eyes and get up out of our beds That is a day that he has created for us on purpose for a purpose So although although Yeah, Elijah he has he has real feelings. He he He feels like hey look I don't want to do this no more and all of that He says there's still work for you to be done Elijah They still work for you and I to do So here's the fourth point And I want to make sure everybody's listening to me. Here's the fourth point In light of how we feel Though we may feel alone Yeah, you're not alone We're not alone And yeah, I put that in there on purpose So to wake us up Yeah, MJ is saying that but let's let's let's be real Although we feel this way We must rely on the promises we got he would never leave us nor forsake us He would never leave us no forsake us. He he he may feel this way, but at the end of the day. No, we're not alone We're not alone everywhere we go. We bring God with us Every day all day Every moment of the day God is with us. Let's look at verse 10 Verse 10 he actually lied to the question Verse nine excuse me verse nine and ten He asked Elijah the question. He came there to a cave and lodged there And behold the word of the Lord came to him and he said to him What are you doing here Elijah? And he said verse 10 Elijah says I have been very zealous for the Lord the god of hosts For the sons of israel have forsaken your covenant Torn down your altars and killed your prophets with the sword And I alone am left and they seek my life to take it away ain't the first time he says it He says it again in verse 14. Look at it Then he said I have been very zealous for the Lord the god of hosts for the sons of israel Have forsaken your covenant torn down your altars killed your prophets with the sword and I alone am left And they seek my life to take it away Yeah, you're not alone Elijah though, but I know you that's how you feel I know that's why you've run But but but no you can't we can't go by how we feel here We can't go by how we feel Although the feelings are real God is more real than our feelings He's more real than our feelings So that's the fourth thing Although we may feel alone Although we may feel alone. We're not alone And here's the fifth thing Number five Number five When we are and I said when when we experience these moments of mental of mental burnout Those moments where we don't feel like going on And we're weary You know, sometimes we have those moments like that. We can't really hear from God Or we have a hard time hearing from God and hearing his voice and I'm not talking about no audible voice I'm saying in our hearts. We know when God is dealing with us. We know it. We know it But when we are when we are so focused now on The situation and it causes us to lose focus and lose sight on what God is doing around us We can't hear him Or we assume That that's God and it's not So when we have these moments Of mental breakdown or these moments where we want to just tap out and quit We must train ourselves And we must always discern the voice of God speaking to our hearts Let's look at the text Verses 11 to 13 is right here in the text When we are mentally drained or weary, we must remember this. We must we must discern the voice of our God Verse 11, let's go back up So he said go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord and behold the Lord was passing by No, there's a Lord passing by he's moving And a greatest strong wind was rending the mountains And breaking in pieces the rocks 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 After the earthquake verse 12 of fire But the Lord was not in the fire And after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing When Elijah heard heard what the sound of a gentle blowing or the king james says a still small voice A still small voice All that that was going on the bible says that that wasn't God. God wasn't in that Although he's he's in control of all things. He says I wasn't in the the earthquake. I wasn't in the fire. I wasn't in that I was I was in this voice and I'm talking to you right now Elijah and notice Elijah discerned it verse 13 when Elijah heard it when Elijah heard He wrapped his face in his mantle And went out and stood in the entrance of the cave And behold a voice came to him and said What are you doing here Elijah? And then he tells him verse 14 again I was very zealous for you lord and and look what has happened Your your prophets have been killed with the sword Israel is is still in idolatry They've forsaken your covenant and now they've covenant themselves to false gods And i'm the only one left He says i'm the only one left Which reminds us of this of this sixth point Reminds us of this sixth point and here it is God always has a remnant And he has your replacement in mine God always has a remnant And he always has a replacement for you and for me look again at the text verse 15 through 19 Are y'all getting this? The Lord said to him go return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus and when you have arrived you shall anoint Haseel king of Aram And Jehu the son of Nimshi You shall anoint king over Israel Notice here are the people that God has Already on deck One monkey don't stop no show in God's kingdom He says Jehu The son of Nimshi you shall anoint king over Israel and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Mahola You shall anoint as prophet in your place Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah Yeah When you're gone somebody else will do And pick up where you and I left off The earth ain't gonna stop The sun ain't gonna stop shining It ain't gonna be it ain't gonna be dark for three hours when you die Because you and I didn't create anything So when we're going off the scene God has someone else He always does He always does God has a remnant and your replacement and mine verse 17 He says It shall come about the one who escapes from the sword of Haseel Jehu shall put the death and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu Elisha shall be shall put the death Yeah, no one gets away. God says I'm gonna deal with them through the means that I've already established If one don't get them somebody else will know that one don't get them. This one definitely will verse Verse 18 look at it right here yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel all the needs that have not bowed to Baal and kissed Or excuse me have not bowed to Baal in every mouth that has not kissed him Yeah Mm-hmm. He says it right there God God never is without a remnant He always has people ready To do his will always always Amen proverbs on site on site facts on site always Which brings us to our last point To our last point number seven number seven And God is so gracious. He's so good as we already know But even when Elijah is going through what he's going through and he has a remnant And he knows he has somebody to replace him Because he knows he can't be here forever, right? The blessing through all of this that I've seen as well is in this last these last two verses that we that we're going to unpack And that is this God will bring the right people in your life and in mine To minister to us as we minister to others Yep Yeah, I believe that God will bring the right people in your life in mind to minister to us As we minister to others. Let's look at the text verse 20 in 21 He departed from there and found Elijah the son of Shaphat While he was plowing with 12 pairs of oxen before him and he with the 12th And Elijah passed over him and threw his mantle on him. So there's a there's a transfer There's a transfer right there there's a transfer Of what God has now going to be giving and commissioning him to do notice verse 20 He left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, please let me kiss my father and my mother Then I will follow you and he said to him go back again for what have I done to you? This is another words remember Remember what what I've done now Do she need to do and notice verse 21 So he returned from following him And took the pair of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen And gave it to the people and they ate Then he arose and followed Elijah and ministered to him Oh man Lord knows what we need. I'll listen. I'm gonna tell you all right now. I'm I'm I'm speaking for myself. Okay There's nothing like There is nothing like Doing what God has called you to do And then when you have those moments of doubt or when you feel like lord, there's nothing else for me to do. I mean There's What am I here for? God brings people in your life to encourage you Brings people in your life to to come alongside you and to serve you and to minister to you Because listen pastors need to be ministered to as well. We human beings We're human beings Life gets hard for those who preach the word although. I'm not actively pastoring in a local fellowship anymore And although the calling has still been given to me I have a pastor's heart and I have feelings I have moments When I don't want to do this anymore Especially dealing with people on social media I mean need I need I elucidate that? Life for what? But it ain't about me It's about the individuals who come on this channel all 20 of you to hear the word of God And also to know how to respond to issues in our lives That that and the word of God can now be applied to those situations. And so this is why my channel Always focuses on What does the word of God have to say about this? Whether it's through a bible study Or whether i'm dealing with a current event issue or i'm dealing with an issue as a whole What does the word of God say? What does it say? Because if we believe that the word of God is sufficient and enough Then why will we go to anyone else or anything else? Why would we go to Egypt? Why would we go to the world? When the word of God And the people of God that he has given to us are to help us to navigate through these mazes of our life together together God knew that he was going to have to have a hazeel and a jayhu and an elisha He knew he needed to have people That's going to come alongside and people that he knows that i'm not by myself in this And it just does something to the soul to know that God has a remnant And it also does something to your soul to know That God has your replacement because that means now you have another ministry mentorship Elijah had to mentor To elisha Before he was taken off the scene before he was taken up to that fiery chariot Elijah had work to do for elisha And so brothers and sisters there's work for us to do There is work for us to do again Although life gets hard Understand that God is with us He promises to never leave us nor forsake us never We're never alone. We may feel alone But we're never alone And sometimes you may feel Yeah, you might feel by yourself, but you're not You're never alone and you're not by yourself The spirit of God is with us wherever we go So take courage take comfort in that I want to say this too as well um Those of you who are and who have contemplated Self-deletion, I don't want to say the word because you know how youtube is But you know what I mean I will put a hotline in the comments and also resources for people who are battling With self-deletion Because although you and our christians Again understand that your life in my life belongs to the one who gave it to us It does not belong to us to do what we want to do with it And that is one of the selfish things anyone can do I I still to this very day to this very day think about my stepbrother Who committed one of the selfish one of these selfish acts an individual could ever commit being involved in someone else's life self-deletion Self-deletion And murder self-deletion of himself After he murdered his girlfriend Still think about that to this very day To this very day Don't know if I'll see him again Because I'm not sure whether he places faith and trust in christ but nonetheless That's one of the selfish things we could ever do and trust me. I understand how it feels I understand where life can be Hard where you can be going through hell Some people are going through child support and going through custody issues and going to alimony and they're going through so much And you just like man, what's what's the use? And what happens what happens is In those moments, we lose focus and we lose hope And so I encourage you brothers and sisters We must fight the good fight of faith We must fight to get fight of faith This is not a picnic. This is more like a battle royal Because we're fighting the world the flesh our flesh and the devil And sometimes they can come at they can come simultaneously And that is why we need each other We can't we can't do it by ourselves never god never intended for you and I to do it by ourselves Never and this is why I try to avail myself as much as I can to to the people of god But I can't do this by myself and this is why I always defer other people and other ministries brothers and sisters We need each other This is why my wife and I talk about body life all the time. We we don't listen. We're not playing when we talk about that y'all Because we know how awesome and how effective The concept and the culture of body life is When we do it according to god's word and according to his way He didn't save you and I To be in isolation. He didn't give you what you have for you to be a hoarder And not share it with someone else whatever that is Whatever that is He's giving it to you And to me to be a blessing to other people. What are we doing with it? What are we doing with what god has given to us? What are we doing with what god has? entrusted to our care and our stewardship are we just Are we just basically taking care of ourselves focusing on us and not others When we have the resources when we have the gifts and the skills To be a blessing to other people god help us god help us to focus on kingdom on kingdom issues Instead of our own kingdom Because our kingdom is going to pass away god kingdom never passes away So that's all I wanted to say I really hope you all been blessed by this. Um Lord willing next next bible study. I'm going to unless some things change I'm going to do a word for the discouraged a word for the discouraged and Show you as well What the word of god has to say about that so Let me go through some of the comments and see if there's any questions before I Let you all go Um Yeah, amen puny This is also why it is even the more hurtful when there's betrayal in the body avoid that at all cost brother. Amen Yeah, it betrayal is one of the most painful things people can experience in the body christ Thank you, my brother. Thank you praise god um See I'm just going through the comment y'all didn't want to make sure I didn't miss anything about any questions or anything like that So thank you my brother Praise god um Okay, so I think we are I think we're good sunny family said god bless you. You talk bible plus real stuff. Which is praise god That's that's what this ministry is is about here. I mean, we you know, we we keep it straight. We keep it real We keep it raw We we keeping it godly, but um, yeah the this this channel. We're devoted and dedicated to Making the word of god come alive As best as we as we know how Um, I just believe that the word of god is enough So, uh, let's see More messages are needed like this because we wouldn't believe how many people are suffering. Yeah, bro. I know I know I know I know more like you said more than we realize more than we realize. Thank you sis. Thank you um He said honestly all of my fiance didn't take his life But in the manner that he passed away, you made me think they slowly committed that Wow Guys guys grace on you my sister Hey guys grace be on you um But I think that's it ladies and gentlemen, I didn't want to take too much and more y'all's time I just wanted to share what was on my heart tonight And again, thank all 20 of you Thank thank all 20 of you Would you say for our sake I would rather be stabbed in the thigh to be man. Come on, bro Come on Come on And I did I did uh A video lesson on on betrayal too. I believe I did it's in my uh It's in my um Channel He says am I good? Yeah by guys grace. I'm good By guys grace. I'm good. I have my moments, but I'm good. I'm good I'm good. I mean, I think this is why we need each other. You know what I'm saying? Um, this is why Coming alongside each other ministering to each other being open and honest with each other See the what I shared with you all I'm applying it to myself I'm applying it to myself as well too Absolutely absolutely Uh, let's see. I think that is it, right? All right. Well, listen if y'all have been blessed by this, I really appreciate that you all will share this video Oh praise report. Okay. He says, uh, thank you to all who prayed for my daughter while she was traveling She's home y'all. So thank amen. I'm telling you ain't nothing like when you listen I'm telling you we tell our kids all the time when y'all get off work. Come on home because it helps us relax When our kids are out, you know, man, look When my kids are home or my boys, I know they're good. They're at home. They're family. They're good My girls because I'm a I'm their dad when they home I'm good I am good And so is their mama Shireen you said this message was powerful. Thank you sis Even if you are feeling weary God's strength was made perfect in you to the main amen amen Praise God Steal away my brother. Hey, listen, we go we're gonna have that we're gonna have these sermons and everything Moved over to our website very soon. So just bear with us ladies and gentlemen. We are in the process of getting some things together Because you know just in case youtube whoever starts shutting things down We have our own website and we can stream and and put videos there and sermons there For you all to be able to uh, still still listen to so again, I do appreciate that But still are y'all y'all go over to sermon audio under his word his way. You can check it out as well, too Yeah, rumble. I got I got you David. I got you. I got you man I'm gonna have to get a team Maybe a little bit bless us to have a team of people that we can uh start, you know Moving some stuff around because it is a lot. It's a lot of work y'all. It's a lot of work trying to maintain Channels and and and then create video content and all that kind of stuff. So but hey It's a blessing nonetheless and I do appreciate people's interest in what we do. So thank you so much My wife was it's supposed to be Doing her I guess menopause series. She'll be she'll be recording and uh, hopefully we'll have that for you ladies On thursday, I believe we'll do that have that for you thursday letting my wife be able to Do her thing and move in her element and so I'll be Be helping encouraging her to uh to have her stuff together as well to her videos and things like that I just love when my wife is able to you know, getting her in her element and being her lane and and encourage and Teach the women as well too. So So be praying for her as well We do appreciate that And yes, that is the link the sermon link for sermon audio. You can see it right there And I'll try to put it in the description As well. But anyway Please like subscribe share this video. Please. We're really really really do appreciate it. Thank you so much for that Um, also, uh, please if you don't mind if you're able to Someone support the ministry finance you can do that by clicking the donation links below the bottom of the video That's tick it across the screen. Uh, those of you who are able to do so we do appreciate that and uh, thank you Uh for your support in advance Also bcv merchandise bcv merchandise, you know where to go the bcv store is up and running up in adam Go there click the merchandise support our content support our Channel do those means as well too. So Brothers and sisters ladies and gentlemen people and peepettes. That is my time I do thank you all so much for yours. Y'all know the drill Whatever you do do all to learn out of god. God bless I only