Choose You This Day

Brother Jimmy Taylor brought the message.

I Kings 18: ²¹And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. ²²Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

I love this story. Let’s look at this simply.  How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.  There had been a dry spell for 3 ½ years.  God had dealt with the people of Israel, but they didn’t listen.  Elijah told Ahab to gather the people together and come to Mount Carmel.

Many worshiped Baal when they were around Jezebel.  When they were around others, they worshiped God.  They halted between the two.  We have choices to make every day.  Elijah wanted the people to make a choice.  If Baal was god, follow him.  If God was God, follow him. They were not forced to serve God.  Joshua told the people and if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.  Why did he tell them this?  He had chosen God.  Sometimes we just have to put our foot down and decide we will serve God.  God told Joshua he’d be with him just as he was with Moses.  His promises come true.  Elijah thought he was the only one standing for God.  When others didn’t, he still stood for the right.  When we choose God, we have to walk away from the crowd.  We have to be a peculiar people separate from the world.

They were told to take two bullocks, one for Baal and one for God.  He told the prophets to call on their gods and he would call on his God.  The one who answered by fire would be God.  Sometimes people won’t believe God without something spectacular happening.  He told them to call on their gods—plural.  He intended to call on the one true God.  They called on their gods from morning to noon hollering like a bunch of kids, jumping up and down. They broke the altar down.  Elijah mocked them.  Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.  I’m so thankful that in my distress the Lord hears me.  Our God never sleeps or slumbers.  In the midnight hour, he is near.  I don’t know how he does it, but he does.

The people cut themselves.  They worked themselves to death trying to get in touch with their gods.  At evening Elijah had the altar repaired and called the people together.  Does your altar need repair?  We must have altars in our lives.

Elijah wanted to show God to the people.  For three years they hadn’t listened.  He put 12 stones up for the altar.  He put the wood in order.  That’s what we need to do.  Put our lives in order on the altar of God.  Choose God or Baal.  That choice is before you.

Then Elijah had water poured on the sacrifice and the wood three times, once for the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Water filled the trench around the altar.  Elijah prayed.  LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

The Lord’s ears are open to our prayers.  His eyes are upon us.  Week after week we stand for the Lord when we preach, teach, or sing.  We do it for the Lord.  Be obedient.  God will get his word across.  At Elijah’s words, fire fell.  The Bible says the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.  The people responded. They fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.

God will work on our behalf if we acknowledge him.  Put him first.  Serve him to the best of your ability.  God is pleased when we choose right.  Have you chosen the right God?  Is the God you serve the true God?  Can your God help you through?  When was the last time you prayed at the altar for the lost?  When is the last time you shed tears?

I know he’s God.  I’ve seen him work time after time.  Choose you this day whom you will serve.