Thurs.’s Devo - God’s Ways are Higher

Read: 1 Kings 19:1-21; Act 12:1-23; Psalm 136:1-26; Provers 17:14-15
Elijah came back to Jerusalem expecting to see reform but that is not what happened. When Ahab told Jezebel everything that happened, she was not impressed - she was ticked! She sent a message to Elijah that he would be dead in a day. He fled to Beersheba, the same place that Hagar fled when she was kicked out of Abraham’s house by Sarah. She went and sat waiting to die. She didn’t die there and neither did Elijah though he prayed he would. He was tired and ready to leave. God did give him his request but he had to finish his destiny first. He was to eat the food and water that the angel gave him because he was going on a 40 day fast all the way to Mt. Sinai. Sinai was where the people had made a covenant with God to follow his laws and serve him.
When he got there God came and listened to his report. The people had broken his covenant, torn down his altars and killed his prophets. Now they were trying to kill him also.
God told him to go back and anoint Hazael as the king of Aram, Jehu to be the king of Israel and Elisha to replace him as God’s prophet. These three people would be the ones that would bring judgment to the people for breaking his covenant.
The first person that Elijah came to was Elisha who was plowing his father’s field with a team of oxen. Elijah threw his mantle on his back and walked off. Elisha wanted to say good-bye to his parents first. He used the wood from the plow and sacrificed his team of oxen on it. He gave the meat to the townspeople and went with Elijah as his assistant.
In Acts, King Herod Agrippa started persecuting the believers and had James killed and Peter put in prison. He had planned to bring him out after Passover and try him for treason. The night before his trial, God sent angels to release Peter from jail and set him free. He passed 16 soldiers who were in charge of him and was led out the gate of the city. He came back to tell Mary and the church that had been praying for him. Then he left the city.
The next day, when they came to get Peter, he was no where to be found so the guards were killed. Herod died soon after that when he allowed to the people to worship him as God. He was immediately struck with illness and died full of worms.
When the power of God falls, the fear of the Lord also falls and judgement comes. The power of God causes people to make a decision.
Lord, help us to see that our ways are not your ways but your ways are bigger and better. May your power fall on our land and cause people to make a decision.