Dear friends,
When I learned that one of my favourite authors, Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe, died recently, my first reaction was one of sadness. He had written so many excellent books and now his pen (or keyboard) was stilled. Instead of feeling sad, though, I realize that I should be thankful for his life and how the Lord used him to help believers understand of His Word. To many Christians, Dr. Wiersbe is best remembered for his BE series of books, one of which is a study of the Book of Hebrews entitled “Be Confident.” In recent years it seems that the expression “a person of faith” has replaced the term “religious person.” This might lead some to believe that the person is living an exemplary life, but the question that must be asked is: “What does a person of faith believe?” A follow-up question is: “In what or whom does a person place his or her faith?”
The confrontation between Elijah and the prophets of Baal, as recorded in 1 Kings 18, serves as an illustration of the difference between true faith and false hope. In his study Bible, Dr. David Jeremiah writes: “When Ahab married Jezebel, he violated every principle God had ever given him. Jezebel was a pagan, and she brought all of her wicked religion with her into Israel. She persuaded Ahab to build a temple and altar to Baal in Samaria, where Ahab was. She supported 850 prophets of her immoral cult, and she systematically went through Israel, trying to kill all the prophets of Yahweh that she could find. Ahab did not have the spiritual courage or conviction to stop Jezebel, and so he followed her example and committed great evil (1 Kings 21:25).”
When Ahab met Elijah, he called him the “troubler of Israel.” Instead of recognizing him as the prophet of the Lord God, Ahab reviled Elijah, who refuted his greeting with a proper response: “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals” (1 Kings 18:18). Elijah then invites Ahab to summon the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah to Mount Carmel for a showdown. No matter how many times the prophets of Baal cried out or cut themselves, their false god did not help them. In dramatic fashion, after drenching wood with water, Elijah called on the Lord to consume his sacrifice and when He did, the people fell on their faces and declared that the Lord is God (v. 39).
Who we listen to is crucial to our well-being and eventual destiny. Dr. Warren Wiersbe tells the following story in “Be Confident”: “A man from Leeds, England, visited his doctor to have his hearing aid checked. The doctor removed the man’s hearing aid, and the patient’s hearing immediately improved! He had been wearing the device in the wrong ear for over 20 years!” Let’s be sure to follow the One whom the apostle John described as having “eyes like a flame of fire” (Revelation 1:14).
Scripture for the weekend: “Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:10-11 (NKJV)
Thought for the weekend: “True Bible faith is confident obedience to God’s Word in spite of circumstances and consequences.” – Warren W. Wiersbe (from his book “Be Confident”)
By His grace,
Steve
