Susan Combs

The story of Elijah challenging the prophets of Baal in First Kings 18 is a well-known one. Elijah sets up a competition to see who is the true God, and after the prophets of Baal fail to bring fire to their altar, Elijah prays to the Lord and fire falls from heaven. This sets the scene for a national revival, but in the next chapter, when Jezebel threatens Elijah's life, he runs away in fear. He ends up in the wilderness, feeling broken and wanting to die. But God shows him tenderness, physically taking care of him and restoring his soul. When God asks him what he's doing there, Elijah responds by blaming everyone else for his situation. The lesson is that even great heroes of the faith can falter and run away, but God is always there to restore and care for us.

The story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19 teaches us not to blame others for our problems and to be open and honest with God. When Elijah was in the cave and God asked him what he was doing there, Elijah blamed others for his situation. But God responded to Elijah with tenderness and a gentle whisper, showing that He wants an intimate relationship with His people. If you have been blaming others for your problems, it's time to take responsibility for your actions and ask God for forgiveness. Additionally, if you are in a difficult situation, don't give up and run away. Instead, be courageous and trust that God has a purpose for you in that place.

The heart of the gospel is that God loves the world and gave His Son for it. However, up to 50% of the world's population has not heard of the Gospel. We are called to share the good news with others, as we are all sent out as messengers of the Gospel. Sometimes, people may reject the Word, but we are in good company as even Jesus experienced rejection. The two elements of sharing the Word are the Word itself and the way in which it is delivered with love, not imposition.

Sharing the Word of God involves two elements - the Word itself and the heart of the person receiving it. We are responsible for sharing the Word with love and not imposing it on others. However, we cannot control the state of the person's heart and whether they accept or reject the Word. There is a risk in sharing the Word, but we must overcome our fears and love others enough to share the Gospel with them. Perfect love casts out all fear. A soul is worth everything and we must have a change of focus to see the people before us and worry about their souls. We must do it with love and bring hope, not condemnation.

The sermon is about overcoming obstacles to faith, using the story of the paralyzed man who was brought to Jesus by his friends. The first obstacle is fear, which paralyzes faith and prevents action. The speaker shares a personal story of being afraid in a haunted house. She also mentions the story of the woman with the issue of blood, who overcame her fear to touch Jesus and be healed. The speaker encourages the congregation to not be afraid and to just believe in order to be saved.

In this sermon, the speaker discusses four obstacles that can prevent people from receiving blessings from God. The first obstacle is fear, which can paralyze people and prevent them from taking action. The second obstacle is the belief that God has favorites, which is not true according to scripture. The third obstacle is a lack of understanding of the heart of Father God, who is willing and eager to bless his children. The fourth obstacle is the wrong use of our mouth, as negative words can bind us and prevent blessings from coming into our lives. The speaker encourages people to speak positively and have faith in God's ability to provide for their needs and desires.

The speaker introduces himself as a gringo Christian and talks about the importance of love in the Christian life. He reads from 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, which states that even if someone has great spiritual gifts or does good deeds, if they do not have love, it is worth nothing. The speaker emphasizes that at the judgment seat of Christ, our works will be judged based on the motivation of our hearts. He identifies three groups that Christians are commanded to love: fellow believers, enemies, and the lost. He shares a personal story of struggling to forgive a fellow Christian who had slandered him, but eventually forgave her in a life-threatening situation. He also talks about the importance of being shaped by God through difficult experiences and relationships.

The speaker talks about the importance of loving others, including believers, non-believers, and even enemies. It is not easy to love, especially when we risk rejection or being taken advantage of, but we can love because we are loved by God. The speaker shares a story about forgiveness and love overcoming hatred and violence in Peru. The ultimate goal is to reflect Christ's love and fragrance wherever we go, and to be perfect in love as God is perfect.