Answer Me, O Lord, Answer Me

C D. L. Moody said, "I believe firmly that the moment our hearts are emptied of pride and selfishness and ambition and everything that is contrary to God’s law, the Holy Spirit will fill every corner of our hearts. But if we are full of pride and conceit and ambition and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God. We must be emptied before we can be filled."

a Bible teacher F.B. Meyer once had a firewood factory that employed prisoners.

Meyer would give them a job to do, good wages, a place to live, and, when possible, spiritual

encouragement. In exchange, he expected them to render good employment. They didn’t, and he lost money. Finally he fired them all and purchased a circular saw powered by a gas engine.

In one hour, it turned out more work than the combined efforts of all the men covered in the course of a whole day. One day, Meyer had a little conversation with his saw.

"How can you turn out so much work?" he asked. "Are you sharper than the saws my men were using? No? Is your blade shinier? No? What then? Better oil or lubrication against the wood?"

The saw’s answer, could it speak, would have been, "I think there is a stronger driving power behind me. Something is working through me with a new force. It is not I, it is the power behind."

Meyer later observed that many Christians and many ministers are working in the power of the flesh, in the power of their intellect, their energy, their enthusiastic zeal, but with poor effect.

They need to become linked to the power of God through the Holy Ghost.

T.S.: Elijah lived under the command of God, but his prayers were for the nation of Israel to fall in love with God.

II The second variable that was present in Elijah’s Firefall prayer was Elijah requested for repentance. (v. 37)

A Elijah’s prayer was specific to a wayward generation’s return to the God of their fathers.

a "That this people may that thou, O Lord, art God . . ." v.37a

Let them confess you as Lord God of Israel.

Let them acknowledge you the way I do.

b "and that Thou has turned their heart back again."

Elijah wasn’t praying for Israel simply to come to a cognitive/intellectual realization of who God was, but rather he wanted them to have a life-changing relationship with God!

Turning=Repentance!!! (IL. U-turn sign on PowerPoint)

B Let’s pray that this generation in Chester would come to know the Lord as God.

a If they confess them as Lord, their admitting they’re not!

By the way, if you want to know what the will of God is for this generation in Chester look in 2 Peter 3.9

"9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." --2 Peter 3:9 (NASB)

b I’ve got go back in story to really get this application about "turning hearts back" across.

v.30, The alter that unified the people (belief/trust/faith) was destroyed.

Elijah rebuilds the alter and the people once again are a God fearing people. God has turned their hearts back again.

In America the cry from the White House to City hall is "Let’s get together." Nation divided, torn, split