Into Glory

God is working in our lives.

God has done it countless times over throughout history. In fact, he has done it too many times to count.He is doing it right now in your life, in my life, in this church, and in people throughout his world. He is changing your life. He is honing your character and fortifying your faith. You cannot fathom the purpose and plan that God has for your life. Were he to show all his cards at once, you would be overwhelmed by his goodness and greatness.

Just because you may not recognize the manner in which God has chosen to work doesn’t mean he isn’t at work! Here are a couple of verses that should encourage us all.

Romans 8:28 (NIV) says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Philippians 1:3-6 (NIV) tells us, "I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joybecause of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

This morning I want to propose that the manner in which God works is easily recognizable if you know what to look for. You will see yourself somewhere in this message, and I hope it will encourage your soul to discover what God is doing.

The greatest miracles in our lives happen over a lifetime and not in an instant.

I’ve always believed that the greatest miracles that God does in our lives happen over a lifetime and not in an instant. God certainly can do great things in an instant, but that doesn’t seem to be the case most of the time for most people. Instead, God leads us through a series of stages in our life. You can think of them as stages of development. We’ve seen these stages in Elijah’s life and in the life of anyone ever used mightily of God.

Stagenumber one:Into obscurity.

Before God used Elijah mightily, he sent him off to be fed by ravens and to livealongside an isolated stream in the middle of nowhere. God put Elijah in a place where he would have to trust God for food and water, for physical safety, for health, and for his daily provisions. In the place God sent Elijah, faith wasn’t optional. It was the only way.

When I first went to Bible College I went to make my faith in Christ my own. But as I started learning and growing, the college reallyincreased my appetite for God’s work. Every week I was hearing first-hand reports about what God was doing all around the world. They had missionaries, pastors, teachers, and people from all walks of life giving testimonies of God’s power. I was getting stir crazy. I wanted to get into the action. I mean thatI claimed 1 Corinthians 4:20 (NIV) which says,"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power." Let’s take the world for Christ.

But I wasn’t ready. My first opportunity to really teach was in a senior living facility. The first time I taught, therewerefifteen to twenty ladies who showed up, but within a few weeks only three to four would show up. I was so depressed. And one of the ladies had schizophrenia. She was constantly chattering under her breath, seeing things that no one else could see. She would shout out in middle of my lesson. I don’t know that those ladies learned much from me, but I learned a lot from them about life and trusting Christ.

Then an opportunity opened up for me to preach! Each Sunday I would drive a few hours to a tiny country church west of Havana. They were so small that sometimes they would just call off church. "So-n-so is sick. No sense in you driving over." The church was in the middle of the cornfield and as I waited for anyone to come to Sunday school I’d pray, "Lord, I think it’s just you andme today."

God first takes us into obscurity. In obscurity we wrestle with our doubts— our doubts about God, about our identity, and about our sense of calling. In obscurity we wrestle with anxiety, fear, isolation, loneliness, trouble, temptation, insignificance, despair, hopelessness, and discouragement. It’s tempting to want to give up, and many do.

But it’s in obscurity that God works his greatest miracles. James 1:2-4 (NIV) tells us, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Stage number two:Into the shadows.

But then, according to God’s timing and never according to our own timing, God moves us out of obscurity into what I like to call the shadows of the living God. In the shadows we're aware of God’s presence, but we're just beginning to grasp the goodness and greatness of God. In the shadows God is enlarging our vision and enlarging our faith.

Elijah had spent years in a ravine, virtually destitute, depending upon God for daily sustenance. But then God sent Elijah to a starving widow who had a dying son. When the widow’s son dies Elijah’s faith is once again tested. He had just learned to trust God for bread and water. But could he trust in God to raise this widow’s son from death?

Many of you know how it is. In obscurity you have learned to trust God in the little things. Lord, give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts. Lead us not into temptation. Deliver us from the evil one. You pray. You tithe. God blesses. But then inevitably God calls us to step out on faith in a big way. Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. Go sell everything you have and give it to the poor. If you have the faith of a mustard seed, you can move a mountain.

In my first full time ministry, I remember how I had come to the end of myself. I was defeated emotionally and spiritually. I had nothing left to give. I, I, I… The church I was serving was filled with conflict, anger, and sin. For months, for years, I felt as if I were in a spiritual desert. But I trusted that God wanted to do something.

One night I went outside late at night. I was just angry. There was a full moon and the sky was clear. I would look up at the stars and say, "Lord of the universe." And then I would look at the church building and I would think of all the problems and then I would say, "Lord of the Church… Lord of the universe… Lord of the Church… Lord you can do it here if you so will."

There is some situation in your life that consumes you. A sin, a situation, a circumstance, or a spiritual reality. It’s not too big for God. You’ve learned to trust him in other things, why not trust him in that big thing you cannot let out of your mind?

Stagenumber three:Into battle.

Elijah didn’t stay with the widow very long. Once Elijah had tasted God’s power, he was back in Northern Israel, back in the presence of King Ahab. God had prepared Elijah throughout his whole life for the spiritual battle that was about to unfold on Mount Carmel. 1 Kings 18:15-46 (NIV) tells the story.

"Elijah said, 'As the LORD Almighty lives, whom I serve, I will surely present myself to Ahab today.' So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. When he saw Elijah, he said to him, 'Is that you, you troubler of Israel?' 'I have not made trouble for Israel,' Elijah replied. 'But you and your father's family have. You have abandoned the LORD's commands and have followed the Baals. Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table.' "

"So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. Elijah went before the people and said, 'How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.'But the people said nothing."

"Then Elijah said to them, 'I am the only one of the LORD's prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets.Get two bulls for us. Let them choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire—he is God.'Then all the people said, 'What you say is good.'"

"Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, 'Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.' So they took the bull given them and prepared it.Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. 'O Baal, answer us!' they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made. At noon Elijah began to taunt them. 'Shout louder!'he said. 'Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.' So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention."

"Then Elijah said to all the people, 'Come here to me.' They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD, which was in ruins.Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, 'Your name shall be Israel.' With the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahsof seed. He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, 'Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.' 'Do it again,' he said, and they did it again.'Do it a third time,' he ordered, and they did it the third time.The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench."

"At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: 'O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.' "

"Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, 'The LORD - he is God! The LORD -he is God!' "

"Then Elijah commanded them, 'Seize the prophets of Baal. Don't let anyone get away!' They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there. And Elijah said to Ahab, 'Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.'So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees."

" 'Go and look toward the sea,' he told his servant. And he went up and looked.'There is nothing there,' he said.Seven times Elijah said, 'Go back.' The seventh time the servant reported, 'A cloud as small as a man's hand is rising from the sea.'So Elijah said, 'Go and tell Ahab, Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.' Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain came on and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. The power of the LORD came upon Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel."

I wonder how many of you have experienced what it means to stand for God in a godless world? Have you experienced what it means to stand with God when everyone else has turned their back to God? Have you learned to speak the truth in love to a morally depraved world?

Stage number four:Into glory.

I am in no way giving justice to the life of Elijah. Let me just say that Elijah’s courage emboldened the faith of many. Elijah was an inspiration to Obadiah the prophet in 1 Kings 18. He was an inspiration to Elisha the prophet, who received a double measure of Elijah’s spirit. His courage emboldened Micah the prophet to speak against Ahab. God used Elijah to call an entire nation to faith and repentance.

And at the end of Elijah’s life, God kept his promise. 2 Kings 2:1-12 (NIV) tells us the story of Elijah's ascension into heaven. "When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, 'Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel.'But Elisha said, 'As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.' So they went down to Bethel.The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, 'Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?''Yes, I know,' Elisha replied, 'but do not speak of it.'"

"Then Elijah said to him, 'Stay here, Elisha; the LORD has sent me to Jericho.'And he replied, 'As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.' So they went to Jericho. The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, 'Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?''Yes, I know,' he replied, 'but do not speak of it.' Then Elijah said to him, 'Stay here; the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.'And he replied, 'As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.' So the two of them walked on."

"Fifty men of the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan.Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground. When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, 'Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?''Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,' Elisha replied. 'You have asked a difficult thing,' Elijah said, 'yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise not.' "

"As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, 'My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!' And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them apart."

I wonder in which of these stagesdo you see yourself? Into obscurity? Into the shadows? Into battle? Moving into glory?