Faith versus Fear

1 Kings 17:1-16
P. G. Mathew | Sunday, September 09, 2001
Copyright © 2001, P. G. Mathew

Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.”

Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah: “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there.”

So he did what the LORD had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.

Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the LORD came to him: “Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food.” So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”

“As surely as the LORD your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread–only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it– and die.”

Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: `The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.'”

She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah.

1 Kings 17:1-16

All people live either a life of faith or a life of fear. In this study we want to learn from the example of Elijah (1 Kings 17-19 and 2 Kings 1-2) how to live our lives by faith.

What is the difference between a life of faith and a life of fear for a believer? Faith trusts in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel; the God of creation; the God of the covenant. The one who believes in the true God does not depend on himself or his circumstances but trusts totally on God and his unfailing promises. The one who trusts in God is always confident because he sees by faith the invisible God. But a fearful person sees not God but only himself and his miserable circumstances. Such a person is always anxious. A man of faith says, “God made a promise and he cannot lie. I believe his promises and he will do them.” Such a person says, “I can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me.” Faith looks to God and his infallible word, and asks the question, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” But a fearful person looks to himself and his weakness. Thus, faith accomplishes great things for God but fear paralyzes us.

What about you? When you face troubles, do you believe God’s promises and move forward triumphantly in the way of God? Or do you tremble in fear, retreating and licking your wounds in self-pity? I pray that as we study the life of Elijah, you will be inspired to put your trust in Christ and begin to live by faith.

Background

In 1 Kings 17-19 we read about Elijah and his continuing struggle with the Baal worshipers of Israel. The name Elijah means “my God is Jehovah.” Elijah was God’s flaming witness-the light of Israel-during a time of great spiritual darkness. Growing up in the rugged region of Gilead, he was a man of faith and prayer. Always unafraid, he was not doubleminded. Elijah loved God and his word wholeheartedly, which was especially unusual during this time when the vast majority of Israel, including the king, had abandoned the true God and were worshiping Baal.

The king of Israel during Elijah’s time was Ahab, who was married to Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal of Tyre and Sidon. Jezebel was the forerunner of feminism. A domineering woman, Jezebel’s goal was to reverse God’s order in every aspect of life, including family structure. Jezebel’s father Ethbaal was the head priest of the Baal worshipers as well as the king of his country, so he exercised absolute authority in Sidon. When Jezebel came to Israel as the wife of King Ahab, she not only dominated Ahab, but she began to exercise absolute authority within the kingdom in both governmental and religious affairs. As a committed believer in Baalism, Jezebel introduced Baal worship into Israel and vigorously promoted it. At the same time, she worked to destroy the worship of Jehovah by destroying the altars of Jehovah and killing the prophets of the true God.

Elijah was alarmed as he saw Baalism being introduced into Israel by Jezebel. As a true prophet of God, Elijah knew that God would be angry and would punish the sin of Israel by shutting the heavens and preventing both the former and the latter rain from coming to Israel. That is exactly what happened, as we read in 1 Kings 17:1, “Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, ‘As the Lord, the God of Israel lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.'”

Man sins and God punishes. Blessed is the person who makes that connection and does something about it! We live in God’s moral universe in which no sin will go unpunished. That is why it is imperative that we make the connection between our sin and judgment and our obedience and blessing.

Elijah at the Kerith Ravine

To learn what it means to live by faith in the word of God, we want to look at the life of Elijah. First, we want to see how God provided for Elijah in the Kerith Ravine.

In 1 Kings 17:2 we read, “Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: ‘Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there.'” As a sign of judgment upon Israel, God was removing his prophet to the Kerith Ravine, a narrow gorge of the Jordan fifteen miles east of Jezreel, to hide him from the hand of Ahab and Jezebel.

What was the reason for the removal of God’s prophet and his word from God’s people? Divine judgment. When we disobey God, sometimes he punishes his people by removing the prophet who is faithfully declaring God’s word. So the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Leave here, turn eastward, and hide in the Kerith Ravine. There you can drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you.”

Obedience and Provision

Although the Kerith Ravine was desolate, Elijah lacked nothing while he was there. God always provides for those who are in his service. The Bible says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matt. 6:33, KJV).

If you were serving in the United States Army, the government of the United States would take care of you, would it not? Even so, God takes care of those who worship and serve him only.

God demands such total obedience and implicit faith from those who serve in his kingdom also. We find such faith demonstrated by Abraham, the father of all believers. The word of the Lord came to Abraham, saying, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about” (Gen. 22:2). In Genesis 22:3 we read that Abraham immediately obeyed this extremely difficult command, and later we read that God indeed provided for Abraham (Gen. 22:8, 13-14) by providing a ram to take the place of Isaac in sacrifice. In the same way, when the people of God were in the wilderness, walking in the way of God, God himself provided for their every need every day.

If God is commanding your life, then he will provide for your life. He does not promise us luxury, but he does guarantee to meet our needs. But we must learn one thing: The Bible says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6). To receive God’s provision, whether in the wilderness or at the Brook Kerith, or wherever God places us, we must serve him and walk in his ways.

We find another illustration of this principle of obedience and provision in the twenty-fourth chapter of Genesis. Abraham commanded his servant to go and find a wife for his son Isaac. After meeting Rebekah, the servant began to praise and thank God for his provision. In verse 27 he declared, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.” In the Berkeley version the latter part of the verse reads, “I being on the way, the Lord guided me to the house of my master’s kinsfolk.” In other words, when we are going in the way of God and are obedient to his commands, God will guide us, bless us, provide for us, and prosper us.

In 1 Kings 17:5 we read, “So [Elijah] did what the Lord had told him.” Elijah left the place where he was, turned eastward-not westward-and hid in a specific place in the Kerith Ravine east of the Jordan. This is how we should obey God also-implicitly, totally, completely, instantly, and with gladness. God had also told him, “You will drink from the brook,” and “I have ordered the ravens to feed you there.” Elijah knew that as he obeyed God, God would care of him.

Why do the people of God experience lack of blessing and guidance? Why do we ourselves sometimes live in fear, anxiety, worry, confusion, and self-pity? It is time that we looked at ourselves and admitted, “Our lack of blessing is because we have not been going in the way of God. Instead of believing him and obeying him, we have argued and delayed or put off entirely our obedience to him.”

Elijah was a man of faith. Faith works and obeys. In Romans 1:5 the apostle Paul says he was given a commission to call the Gentiles “to the obedience that comes from faith.” Obedience is crucial to receiving the provision of God.

Proving the Promises of God

Elijah traveled to the exact location within the Kerith Ravine where God had directed him to go, and there God provided for him. Our God is Jehovah Jireh, which means “The Lord will provide.” Remember how Isaac asked Abraham, “Where is the animal for sacrifice? We have everything else.” Abraham told him, “Jehovah Jireh-the Lord will provide.” In Psalm 34:10 we read, “The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.” In Philippians 4:19 Paul tells us, “My God will supply all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

If God commands us to serve him, he will provide for us. Paul proved it in his life, Elijah proved it in his life, Abraham proved it in his life, and we can prove it also. This promise is not for those who are rebellious, for those who worship Baal and Asherah or any other false god, or for the disobedient. But for those who walk in the ways of God, God will provide.

What type of housing did Elijah receive from God? He probably stayed in a cave near the brook. How did he get food? The Bible tells us that God provided food in his own way. Although they are unclean birds, God commanded some ravens to feed him. He did not choose angels or doves or one of the seven thousand prophets who did not worship Baal to provide for Elijah. No, it was God’s sovereign decision to feed Elijah through ravens, and faith means we accept and submit to the divine order, whatever it is. God sovereignly chooses whatever instruments he wants to accomplish his purposes; our job is to submit to his will and learn to live by faith.

What type of food did God provide for Elijah? Bread and meat. The Bible tells us the ravens brought the food each morning and evening. Elijah was not given even one day’s food at a time, but received it little by little, one meal at a time. What was the reason for this parceling out of Elijah’s food? I believe God wanted Elijah to seek him in prayer. If we are given in abundance, we as sinful people have a tendency to trust in our supply rather than in the Supplier. We begin to think that we don’t need to pray or listen to God. We put our trust in our abundance, not in our God. This is one reason the church does not pray. We have so much that we don’t even know what to do with all the things that God has given us. Elijah would receive his food one meal at a time. Then he would get down on his knees, pray, and watch expectantly for the ravens to come again.

Was this a luxurious menu? No. We find no mention of Elijah receiving vegetables or sweets along with the bread and meat. Notice, there was no variety to the food. There was no wine or other special foods. But God provided for all Elijah’s needs.

One day the brook dried up. We are people who depend on our circumstances, but God has a way of changing them whenever he sovereignly wants so that we will look to him and the Holy Spirit to guide us in the way he wants us to go. No doubt Elijah had been watching the level of water go down every day, anxiously wondering what was going to happen to him when it dried up. But he said, “No, God commanded me to be here, and I am going to be here until he tells me to leave.”

When the brook dried up, Elijah was not anxious. In verse 7 we read, “Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land.” What did Elijah do? He may have speculated whether or not he should move elsewhere to a place with water, such as the Jordan River. But Elijah stayed where he was and waited for further direction from God. He knew he must not lean on his own understanding but be led by the Holy Spirit of Jehovah God.

As Elijah waited on the Lord, God’s word came to him. In verse 8 we read, “Then the word of the Lord came to him.” Elijah was governed by God and his word. Walking in God’s way, Elijah refused to turn to his own way. Elijah was not like a stubborn, rebellious mule; as a prophet of God, he was led by God.

What was God’s word to Elijah? In verse 9 we read, “Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food.” If God sends us, he will supply us with food and whatever we need.

Elijah Leaves Kerith

Elijah traveled seventy-five miles northwest of Kerith to the town of Zarephath. Today this town is known as Ras Sarafand.

Zarephath means refining or crucible. God has his own way of refining our faith through testing and trials. He puts us in certain circumstances and under certain ministers who will work with us to rid us of our dross. We must consider ourselves blessed when we find ourselves under such ministers who declare to us the very word of God and are not be fooled by pretensions of piety. In God’s desire to teach us faith by trial and remove dross from us, he sends us first to brook Kerith and then to Zarephath.

Perhaps Elijah wondered why God would send him to Zarephath. After all, it was part of Sidon, the country ruled by the father of Jezebel, a country given over to Baal worship. But Elijah knew that God is sovereign and does what he pleases. As Christians, we say, “Jesus Christ is Lord,” and agree that God can tell us to do whatever he pleases; who are we to tell him how he should do his business? God sent the man of God right into the center of idolatry.

Not only did God send Elijah to Zarephath, but he told him what the arrangements would be for his food and other needs. This time it was a person, not animal, who would be used to provide for the prophet. Was this person a rich merchant? Absolutely not! God chooses in accordance with the pleasure of his own will. He saves whomever he wants to save and chooses whom he chooses to do his will. So God told Elijah, “I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food.” After being sent to a brook and being cared for by ravens, Elijah was now being sent to an idolatrous Gentile country and a poor Gentile widow woman to be taken care of there. How strange are the ways of God! Once more Elijah had to decide whether or not to believe God and go to Zarephath.

What was Elijah’s response to God’s direction? In verse 10 we read, “So he went to Zarephath.” That is what a Christian does. God speaks, we believe, and we prove our faith by doing what he tells us. And as we go in the way of obedience, we discover goodness, mercy, and blessing from God’s throne coming to us. As we said before, if you are not experiencing such blessing, it may be because you are living in stubborn unbelief and not obeying God.

So Elijah set off to go to Sidon, seventy-five miles northwest of the Brook Kerith, walking all the way. God could have sent Elijah to any other place or person, but he did not. He could have sent him to Obadiah, who, as the minister of Ahab, used his connections and influence to keep alive about one hundred prophets in two caves, feeding them with bread and water. God could have commanded an angel to take care of Elijah in some town of Israel. But it was God’s decision to send Elijah to Zarephath to a poor Gentile widow, and Elijah went.

This is faith. Again, we see no questioning or arguing on the part of Elijah. Parents, let me ask you: When you tell your children to do something, do they obey you right away, or do they begin to argue, jump up and down, hesitate, murmur, and complain? If they do the latter, you must ask where they learned such behavior. They learned from us. That is why we must learn from Elijah how to live lives of implicit trust in our God who cannot lie, who alone is the Savior.

Elijah at Zarephath

Elijah believed God’s word and arrived at the gate of Zarephath. Seeing a woman, he asked her for some water to drink and a little bread. But this woman had a problem. Having no bread in the house and living in a time of famine, the woman told Elijah she was gathering a couple of twigs to make a final meal-two little cakes-for her and her son. PGM After eating, the woman said, “Then we must die” (Berkeley version).

The word of God comes through a prophet to people who must die. But notice the love, sovereignty, and election of God. It came all the way to a miserable place called Zarephath, in the very heart of Baal worship, to a poor person-this miserable widowed Gentile woman-whose only future was death. This woman symbolized all people. The nature of a sinner is that he must die, as we read in Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

This poor Gentile widow had to die, as we all do. But then the prophet brought the good news of God’s word to her. In 1 Kings 17:13 we read, “Elijah said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid.'” Every sinner outside of Christ lives in the fear of death and of the coming judgment. No matter how he may try to cover it up, the truth is that every unbeliever fears death.

“Don’t be afraid,” Elijah told the widow of Zarephath. Then he continued, “Go home and do as you have said. But first, make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son.” And in verse 14 he declared, “For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord gives rain on the land.'” God was telling the poor, dying Gentile widow, “There is good news for you, but first you must do something.”

God demands that we believe his gospel. No one is going to be saved without repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. The woman had to make up her mind whether to obey God or not. So Elijah invoked the name of the Lord, telling her, “For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says. . . .” In other words, he wanted the woman to know that it was not just Elijah talking to her, but the One who cannot lie, the One who is truth, the One who is the only Savior, and his word is true.

This One speaks to us as well. Whenever we read the word of God or hear the gospel preached, we must realize that the Word himself, the God of Israel, is speaking to us personally.

What did God tell the widow? Oh, it was a wonderful message: “The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord gives rain on the land.” This was like the promise God makes whenever the gospel is preached: “Repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.”

The Widow Was Saved

This widow believed Elijah’s message and was saved. How do we know ? In verse 15 we read, “She went away and did as Elijah had told her.” In obedience to God’s word, this widow made the cakes and brought the first one to Elijah. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God,” Jesus told his followers. In that one act we see the faith of the widow of Zarephath. What was the result of her faith? “So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family.”

I beseech you to believe in the word of God; it alone is good news! Just as the word of God came to this widow, so it comes to us miserable, wretched, poor sinners who must die. God sent his Son to die for our sins and be raised from the dead. It is he who tells us, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.”

Because this woman believed and obeyed God, throughout the famine she had a constant supply of flour and oil. In John 1:16 we read, “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.” From our God we receive, and it is to him we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.”

In Proverbs 30:8-9 we find this prayer: “Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I might have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.” How terrible it is when we trust in the provision and forget about the Provider! God in his mercy may give us little by little instead of all at once-yet how often do we get upset because we don’t see abundance? Oh, we should praise God for giving us little by little so that we will have to continue to look to him in prayer.

In Psalm 37:25 David writes, “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.” This is absolutely true. When we are in God’s service, God will supply our every need.

Elijah at Carmel

In 1 Kings 18:1 we see that Elijah was again led by the Spirit. As long as you are led by the Spirit and the word of God, you need not fear. The Lord of the covenant himself will help you.

So we read, “After a long time, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah: ‘Go present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.'” This was a serious word from God because either Ahab or Jezebel could have Elijah killed, if they knew where he was. No doubt Elijah knew that Jezebel had already killed many prophets of God. Yet when the man of faith heard the word of God, he at once obeyed. If God commands us to go, we must go in the confidence that everything will be all right. In verse 2 we read, “So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab.”

What was the result of Elijah’s obedience? There was a great challenge on Mount Carmel between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. Elijah wanted once and for all to settle the question whether Jehovah or Baal was God. So a great contest commenced. The god who answered by fire would be recognized as the true and only God.

All four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal prayed first, but nothing happened. Let me tell you, Baals are nothing. There is only one God and Savior and no other. Everything else is falsehood, lies, and worthless idols.

Although the priests of Baal prayed quite earnestly, nothing happened. Then Elijah came, repaired the altar and placed the sacrifice on it. Immediately after Elijah prayed, fire came down and consumed everything. The people began to shout, “The Lord-he is God! The Lord-he is God!” Elijah directed, “Seize the prophets of Baal. Don’t let anyone get away!” He had them brought to the River Kishon, where they were killed. Through Elijah God’s judgment was brought upon these false prophets.

Following these events, Elijah prayed again for rain and it rained. In the third year of the drought, when there were no clouds in the sky, Elijah told Ahab he heard the sound of abundant rain and there was a heavy rain.

If we believe in God and are led by the Spirit, if we act in obedience to the divine word, we should fear nothing.

Elijah Falls into Fear

In 1 Kings 19, however, we see a different side of Elijah. Elijah was a sinner like us and even though he had just experienced the great triumph over false religion on Mount Carmel, when Elijah faced another serious situation, he reacted in unbelief and fear.

In 1 Kings 19:2 we read that Jezebel issued a threat to Elijah: “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.” Do you think Jezebel could have carried out her threat to kill Elijah within twenty-four hours? No, it was an absolute impossibility, because it was not God’s will. In fact, in 2 Kings 1 we read that Elijah called down fire which consumed two captains and two groups of fifty men each when they came to arrest him.

Yet Elijah panicked when he heard Jezebel’s threat. In 1 Kings 19:3 we read, “Elijah was afraid and ran for his life.” The great prophet Elijah, whose name means “My God is Jehovah,” ran away out of fear of a wicked woman named Jezebel.

How often do we fear and run away when there is no reason to do so? Did God tell Elijah to run away? No. It is true that there was a threat, but we must note that Elijah was not praying, which resulted in his acting out of unbelief. God did not tell him to run, but he was running. That is what happens when we don’t pray.

As we said at the beginning, our response to trouble will be either fear or faith. Because Elijah did not pray, he did not receive any word from God about what to do in this situation. When he heard Jezebel’s threat, fear gripped him and he fled in unbelief.

Why was Elijah so anxious and worried? He was looking at circumstances and his own resources instead of looking to God. Giving in to self-pity, he grew fearful and ran. Elijah was acting in the same way the apostle Peter would later act in Matthew 14. Peter asked Jesus to command him to come to him on the water. The Lord Jesus told Peter to come and he began to walk on the water. But when Peter looked at the waves, fear gripped him, and he began to sink. Finally, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” and Jesus reached out and saved him. In the same way, Elijah gave in to fear and began to flee.

Fear Not!

We are also subject to such fearful behavior. Sometimes we may feel like we are having a pretty good day. We feel triumphant and full of faith in God. Knowing that we are growing in God and experiencing great victories, we go about singing divine praises all day long. But the next day we can be gripped with fear and we find ourselves running away from our enemies.

Let me assure you of one thing: If you are a Christian, there is never a need to run. Your God will not abandon you. Didn’t the Lord Jesus promise his disciples, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age”? For a Christian, fear is totally unnecessary. In fact, to fall into fear, anxiety, and worry is an affront to God our Savior.

Throughout the Scriptures God tells his people not to fear. For instance, in Isaiah 41:10 we read, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

In Isaiah 43:1-3 we read,

But now, this is what the Lord says-he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. . . .”

Let me say it again: It is absolutely unnecessary for a Christian to fear. Believe and obey God. Look to his word and pray to him. If we walk in the way of God, we need not fear.

Elijah ran away to the desert out of fear of Jezebel. Yet, amazingly, God did not abandon his fear-filled prophet. God commanded an angel to come to Elijah in the desert with freshly baked bread and cool water. Though Elijah was disobedient and unbelieving, God in his mercy came to him as he slept, touched him, woke him, and said to him, “Eat and drink.” Elijah woke up, ate, drank, and fell asleep again. The angel showed up a second time, woke Elijah up and said, “Eat and drink.” Elijah ate and drank again, and thus received strength for the rest of his journey.

This shows the wonderful constancy of God’s love for us. Though we forsake him, he will not forsake us because he cannot deny himself. No wonder the psalmist says, “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities” (Psalm 103:10). Yes, God will rebuke us, correct us, and bring us back onto the right way, but he will never leave us nor forsake us. His love never fails and his rich mercy shall not come to an end.

How to Live a Life of Faith

God calls his people to the obedience of faith. That is the one thing we must keep in mind. As we love, obey, and believe God, he will do all things for us. The life of faith is the life of peace and joy. As we believe God, he will provide for us.

The hymnwriter wrote, “Jesus never fails, Jesus never fails; heav’n and earth may pass away, but Jesus never fails.” Therefore, I tell you: Follow Jesus, and you shall not be afraid. Follow Jesus, and you shall have peace. Follow Jesus, and you shall rejoice always, even when you go through the waters, the rivers, and the flames. Follow Jesus in obedience and you shall lack nothing. Don’t run away out of fear, but wait for God to speak to you and do what his word tells you. Then all shall be well.

Faith or Fear?

The eternal Word came down from heaven, became flesh and dwelt among us. If you are not a Christian, that Word is coming to you, telling you to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. This is what Elijah and the widow of Zarephath and countless thousands of people throughout the ages have done.

Let me ask you: Have you repented of your sins and trusted in Jesus Christ alone for your eternal salvation? There is no other God. Baal is a lie. Asherah is a lie. Jezebel is a lie. Ahab is a lie.

Maybe you are trusting in yourself, but you are gripped by fear, knowing that not only will you die in your sins, but that you must also face him who is the Judge of all, the Lord Jesus Christ. Maybe you do acknowledge that all idols are lies. If so, I beseech you, as Joshua and later Elijah did, to choose this day whom you will serve. How long will you halt between two opinions? If Baal is god, serve him! If Jehovah is God, serve him with all your heart, mind, soul, and spirit. But do not continue in this unsettled condition.

There is no other Savior but Jesus Christ, who died for sinners on the cross. There is no other Savior but Jesus who rose from the dead. There is no other Savior but Jesus, who is the Lord of all. There is no other Savior but Jesus who is the sovereign Judge of all peoples of the world.

I urge you to repent today and trust in him. Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. When you trust in Jesus Christ alone, you have no more fear, no more worry, no more anxiety, and no more misery because God the Savior has promised to be with you always, even unto the end of the ages.

May God have mercy on us and forgive our sin of unbelief. May we hear God’s word, believe God’s word, and do God’s word, that we may be blessed by God. May we have great confidence that when we walk in the way of God, he will provide our every need. May we experience God’s faithfulness throughout our lives and through eternity. Amen.