Written by Mark Driskill:
Thursday, December 30, 2010.
Read 1 Kings 18:20-39
” And he repaired the altar of the Lord….”
As Elijah prepared to confront the prophets of Baal he gathered them all together and called them to decide who would be their god, Baal or Yahweh. For years they had ridden the fence between the two. We are in such a day, when God is calling his people to make a decision between the gods of this age and the true God and father of our Lord Jesus. God led Elijah into spiritutal warfare against the powers of darkness.
Here on the battlefield Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to a fire test. Whichever god sent fire from heaven would be the true god. The prophets of Baal went first. They spent the whole day dancing and praying and cutting themselves, but they failed to get fire from the sky. We are in a day like that as well. The prophets of this world have tried to bring hope through their gods of materialism, pleasure, and self-determination. They have failed. After decades of sexual revolution, drug culture, and the mindless pursuit of money and power, all promising to bring a brave new world full of unity, love and prosperity, we are left with shattered families, a bipolar economy, disease and dysfunction at every turn. Even the church languishes in hopelessness. They prophets of Baal have failed. Satan didn’t deliver. Now it’s Elijah’sa turn! The people of god now have the opportunity to show who the real god is. Who can bring hope to a world worn out on trying to create it’s own destiny? Jesus can. remember him? He’s the one we left on the side of the road while we tried to rebuild the tower of Babel.
Now Elijah generation it’s your turn. God is calling his people to step up and call down the real fire from heaven. We are in no less a war than Elijah was in his day. We must stand up and seek the Lord for true revival, not only in Breathitt County but all over. But we have one thing to take care of first. One step must be taken before we can expect God to pour out his spirit once again and heal our land. The step is found in verse 30 of todays passage.
Before Elijah called on God he first repaired the altar that had literally fallen apart from neglect. The fire had to have a place to fall. Because the God of the universe would not send his holy fire onto a neglected altar. If we are to see revival, the kind that transofrms a culture, we must begin by rebuilding the altars. The altar was a place of repentace, worship, and sacrifice.
God is looking for a place to send his fire. It is a place of worship, repentance and sacrifice. The cross has become for us the new altar. Nothing in all the history of the world more beautifully serves as the place of worship, repentance, and sacrifice. The cross is our place to meet God and find all the hope love and peace we could ever need. But too often the cross has fallen apart, in our lives due to neglect. We have traded in worship for busyness. We have foolishly exchanged repentance for rationalizing. And we have put away sacrifice for comfort and convenience. Our hearts have become so overgrown with the kudzu of personal fulfillment that the cross cannot be found. We call out to God to send his fire, but we if we listen long enough we may hear God say…
“Where can I send it? Is there a place for me in your schedule? Is there rtoom for me on your list of things to take care of? Have you penciled me into the margin of your calendar? Where shall I send the fire? I need a heart that is hungry for my word and a spirit that is obedient to my call. I need a home where the cross is at the center and a church where my teachings are not pushed aside. I need a life that hungers for the fire I want to send.”
Friends if we want God to send his fire we must restore our altars. What kind of shape is your altar in today? God wants to pour out his power on you and make you a flashpoint for revival. Will you repair your altar today? Will you put away compromise and make him the master? Will you seek him with all your heart? If you do he will surely come in power and love. You will become the Elijah your are called to be. Oh God help us restore our altars and then pour out the holy fire of revival on us and through us in Jesus name.
Mark Driskill and his wife Mary are homeschooling community ministers in Breathitt County Kentucky. They have four children. They co pastor Emmanuel fellowship Church, serve as Camp Pastors at Bethel Mennonite Camp, and Mark Teaches at Oakdale Christian Academy.
Mark is web minister for Begotten by theWord , a ministry of Helping Hands Christian Resources.
Once a month he preaches on the local radio station through the “Lion of Judah” program. Mark also preaches in youth rallies and revivals upon request at no charge. Their vision is to see true spiritual awakening come to the mountains of Eastern Kentucky and to the nation.
Contact information:
Email: driskill@hilbillymail.com
Facebook: Mark Driskill
Address: PO Box 1159 Jackson KY.
