Receiving hard conversations is essential for our growth.
“Sometimes the best question to ask is ‘how’s that working for you?’” – Pastor Bil Cornelius
Dear Jesus, thank you for showing us the importance of hard conversations. Give us the humility and courage to receive them for our own good. In your name we pray, Amen.
Scriptures
Ahab… began to rule over Israel… [for]… twenty-two years. But… [he]… did what was evil in the LORD’s sight, even more than any of the kings before him. And as though it were not enough to follow the sinful example of Jeroboam, he married Jezebel, the daughter of King… of the Sidonians, and he began to bow down in worship of Baal. First Ahab built a temple and an altar for Baal in Samaria. 33 Then he set up an Asherah pole. He did more to provoke the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, than any of the other kings of Israel before him. 1 Kings 16:29-33 NLT
And then this happened: Elijah… confronted Ahab: “As surely as GOD lives, the God of Israel before whom I stand in obedient service, the next years are going to see a total drought—not a drop of dew or rain unless I say otherwise.” 1 Kings 17:1 MSG
[Elijah said to Obadiah]: “...go and tell your master, ‘Elijah is here.’ ” “Oh, sir,” Obadiah protested, “what harm have I done to you that you are sending me to my death at the hands of Ahab? For I swear by the LORD your God that the king has searched [everywhere]..to find you…And now you say, ‘Go and tell your master, “Elijah is here.” ’ But as soon as I leave you, the Spirit of the LORD will carry you away to who knows where. When Ahab comes and cannot find you, he will kill me. 1 Kings 18:7b-12 NLT
So Obadiah went to tell Ahab that Elijah had come… When Ahab saw him, he exclaimed, “So, is it really you, you troublemaker of Israel?” “I have made no trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “You and your family are the troublemakers, for you have refused to obey the commands of the LORD and have worshiped the images of Baal instead. 1 Kings 18:16-18 NLT
So Ahab summoned all the people of Israel and the prophets to Mount Carmel. 21 Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” But the people were completely silent. 1 Kings 18:20-21 NLT
They raved all afternoon until the time of the evening sacrifice, but still there was no sound, no reply, no response [from their Baal god]. 1 Kings 18:29 NLT
...Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, “O LORD..prove today that you are God…Answer me so these people will know that you… are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.” Immediately the fire of the LORD flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! ...when all the people saw it, they… cried out, “The LORD—he is God!” …Then Elijah commanded, “Seize all the prophets of Baal. Don’t let a single one escape!” So the people seized them..and killed them… 1 Kings 18:36-40 NLT
But the LORD said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” ...the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain…but the LORD was not in the wind… After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper… And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 1 Kings 19:9b-14 NLT
Then the LORD told him, “Go back the same way you came..anoint Hazael to be king of Aram… anoint Jehu… to be king of Israel, and anoint Elisha… to replace you as my prophet. 1 Kings 19:15-16 NLT
