Parkwood Gardens Community Church

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WELCOME
Declaring the Good News of Christ for over 150
years!
151st National Conference of the United Brethren
Church in Canada
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Sunday, November 5, 2006
Serving God When Im Feeling Alone
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Serving God When Im Feeling Alone
Thoughts on Discouragement
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Serving God When Im Feeling Alone
1. Elijah was totally exhausted.

• I Kings 18

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Serving God When Im Feeling Alone
2. Elijah was naïve about spiritual mountains
valleys.

• 1Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done
  and how he had killed all the prophets with the
  sword. 2So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to
  say, May the gods deal with me, be it ever so
  severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make
  your life like that of one of them.
  3Elijah was afraid and ran for his life.
  - I Kings 191-3

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Serving God When Im Feeling Alone
3. Discouragement leads to isolation.

• Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he
  came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant
  there, 4while he himself went a days journey
  into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat
  down under it and prayed that he might die. -
  I Kings 193,4

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Serving God When Im Feeling Alone
3. Discouragement leads to isolation.

• Loneliness Inner Emptiness
  a preoccupation with, Poor me, I am alone and so
  blue.
• Aloneness Inner Fulfillment Now
  that I am alone with Jesus, I can recover, repair
  and regroup. -Richard
  Foster, Celebration of Discipline

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Serving God When Im Feeling Alone
4. Discouragement hurts our self-image

• He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and
  prayed that he might die. I have had enough,
  LORD, he said. Take my life I am no
  better than my ancestors.
  - I Kings 194

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Serving God When Im Feeling Alone
4. Discouragement hurts our self-image

• We cannot consistently live
  in a manner that is inconsistent
  with the way we see ourselves.

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Serving God When Im Feeling Alone
5. Discouragement causes us to run from
responsibility.

• There he went into a cave and spent the night.
  And the word of the LORD came to him What are
  you doing here, Elijah? - I Kings 199

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Serving God When Im Feeling Alone
6. Discouragement causes us to blame others for
our problems.

• He replied, I have been very zealous for the
  LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected
  your covenant, broken down your altars, and put
  your prophets to death with the sword. I am the
  only one left... - I
  Kings 1910

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Serving God When Im Feeling Alone
7. Discouragement causes us to blur the facts.

• I am the only one left. - I Kings 1910
• I am the only one left. - I Kings 1914
• I reserve seven thousand in Israel all whose
  knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose
  mouths have not kissed him.
  - I Kings 1918

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Serving God When Im Feeling Alone
8. Discouragement makes our future look hopeless.

• I have had enough, LORD, he said. Take
  my life. - I Kings 194

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Serving God When Im Feeling Alone
How Did God Deal With Elijahs Discouragement?
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Serving God When Im Feeling Alone
1. God gave him rest and food.

• An angel touched him and said, Get up and
  eat. 6He looked around, and there by his head
  was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a
  jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down
  again. - I Kings 195,6

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Serving God When Im Feeling Alone
2. God encouraged him (to get in touch with
himself).

• the word of the LORD came to him What are
  you doing here, Elijah? He replied, I
  have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty.
  The Israelites have rejected your covenant,
  broken down your altars, and put your prophets to
  death with the sword. I am the only one left,
  and now they are trying to kill me too
  - I Kings 199,10

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Serving God When Im Feeling Alone
How Did I Become Discouraged?

• Known Factors
• Unknown Factors
• Changes Needed

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Serving God When Im Feeling Alone
Changes Needed

• Areas I Can Change
• Areas I Can Get Changed
• Areas That Will Change Themselves
• Areas That Will Not Change Themselves

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Serving God When Im Feeling Alone
3. God renewed a relationship with him.

• 11The LORD said, Go out and stand on the
  mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the
  LORD is about to pass by. 12After the fire came
  a gentle whisper. 13Then a voice said to him,
  What are you doing here, Elijah? - I
  Kings 1911,13

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Serving God When Im Feeling Alone
4. God told him to get back to work

• 15The LORD said to him, Go back the way you
  came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you
  get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16Also,
  anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and
  anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to
  succeed you as prophet. - I Kings
  1911,13

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Serving God When Im Feeling Alone
5. God had someone minister to him.

• 21Then Elisha set out to follow Elijah and
  became his attendant. - I Kings 1921

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