I Kings 16 (29) In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. (30) And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who were before him. (31) And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him. (32) He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. (33) And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.

I Kings 16 (29) In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. (30) And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who were before him. (31) And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him. (32) He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. (33) And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.

What were the sins of Jeroboam? I Kings 12

What were the sins of Jeroboam? I Kings 12 V28: Set up golden calves as objects of worship

What were the sins of Jeroboam? I Kings 12 V28: Set up golden calves as objects of worship V29: He changed the place of worship from Jerusalem to Bethel and Dan

What were the sins of Jeroboam? I Kings 12 V28: Set up golden calves as objects of worship V29: He changed the place of worship from Jerusalem to Bethel and Dan V31: He appointed priests who were not Levites

What were the sins of Jeroboam? I Kings 12 V28: Set up golden calves as objects of worship V29: He changed the place of worship from Jerusalem to Bethel and Dan V31: He appointed priests who were not Levites V32: He altered the time of the feast of tabernacles by one month

I Kings 16 (29) In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. (30) And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who were before him. (31) And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him. (32) He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. (33) And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.

The marriage of King Ahab to Jezebel was a sign of the northern Kingdom’s power and prestige. The marriage also formed a strong alliance between Ahab and Ethbaal.

I Kings 16 (29) In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. (30) And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who were before him. (31) And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him. (32) He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. (33) And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.

According to Canaanite mythology, Baal was the son of El, the chief god, and Asherah, the goddess of the sea, and was considered the most powerful of all their gods. Baal’s sister Ashtoreth was worshiped as a fertility goddess associated with the stars.

The Canaanites worshiped Baal as the sun god and as the storm god who defeated enemies and produced crops. They also worshiped him as a fertility god who provided children.

According to Canaanite mythology, Baal was the son of El, the chief god, and Asherah, the goddess of the sea, and was considered the most powerful of all their gods. Baal’s sister Ashtoreth was worshiped as a fertility goddess associated with the stars. The Canaanites worshiped Baal as the sun god and as the storm god who defeated enemies and produced crops. They also worshiped him as a fertility god who provided children. Baal worship was rooted in sensuality and involved ritualistic prostitution in the temples. At times, appeasing Baal required human sacrifice, usually the firstborn of the one making the sacrifice. The priests of Baal appealed to their god in rites of wild abandon which included loud, ecstatic cries and self-inflicted injury.

I Kings 17 (1) Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word."

I Kings 17 (1) Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word."

I Kings 17 (2) And the word of the LORD came to him: (3) "Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. (4) You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there." (5) So he went and did according to the word of the LORD. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. (6) And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.

Life as a Prophet

1:7 Fed by ravens

1:9 Sustained by a widow who was preparing her last meal

1:18 Blamed for the death of the widow’s son

I Kings 17 (20) And he cried to the LORD, "O LORD my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?" (21) Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the LORD, "O LORD my God, let this child's life come into him again." (22) And the LORD listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. (23) And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, "See, your son lives." (24) And the woman said to Elijah, "Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth."

I Kings 18 (1) After many days the word of the LORD came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, "Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth.“ (17) When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, "Is it you, you troubler of Israel?" (18) And he answered, "I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father's house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the LORD and followed the Baals. (19) Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table."

I Kings 18 (20) So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. (21) And Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." And the people did not answer him a word.

I Kings 18 (22) Then Elijah said to the people, "I, even I only, am left a prophet of the LORD, but Baal's prophets are men. (23) Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. (24) And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the LORD, and the God who answers by fire, he is God." And all the people answered, "It is well spoken."

(27) And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, "Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened."

(36) And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. (37) Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back." (38) Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

(39) And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, "The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God." (40) And Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape." And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.

PEOPLE FOR

Just What Is A Sunday Christian?

A Sunday Christian is a metaphor used to define someone who only goes to church on Sundays, but then does whatever they want the rest of the week

Just What Is A Sunday Christian? A Sunday Christian is a metaphor used to define someone who only goes to church on Sundays, but then does whatever they want the rest of the week Translation: People who call themselves Christians but give little regard for how God would want them to live, usually thinking they can just ask forgiveness for whatever they do

I Peter 2:16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.

The saddest part about being a Sunday Christian, is that they have no idea they aren’t walking a life of peace and unity with God, they worship and pray to a God they don’t know and one who doesn’t know them as friends, just posers

Romans 10:2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge

Matthew 7:21-29 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Matthew 15:8-9 These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men

Stop leading your life by the principle of: “I can do what I want because God will forgive me”

Listen when your conscience says not to do something

Stop leading your life by the principle of: “I can do what I want because God will forgive me” Listen when your conscience says not to do something Remember that God loves and adores you more than anything, and wants to be intimate friends, not just a doormat who clears your conscience when you choose to do something wrong

Stop leading your life by the principle of: “I can do what I want because God will forgive me” Listen when your conscience says not to do something Remember that God loves and adores you more than anything, and wants to be intimate friends, not just a doormat who clears your conscience when you choose to do something wrong Give meaningfully with both your time and money by personally helping others, don’t just drop your excess into the collection plate

Stop leading your life by the principle of: “I can do what I want because God will forgive me” Listen when your conscience says not to do something Remember that God loves and adores you more than anything, and wants to be intimate friends, not just a doormat who clears your conscience when you choose to do something wrong Give meaningfully with both your time and money by personally helping others, don’t just drop your excess into the collection plate Stay close to good Christian friends who hold you accountable and don’t let you permanently wear a Sunday Christian mask

Stop leading your life by the principle of: “I can do what I want because God will forgive me” Listen when your conscience says not to do something Remember that God loves and adores you more than anything, and wants to be intimate friends, not just a doormat who clears your conscience when you choose to do something wrong Give meaningfully with both your time and money by personally helping others, don’t just drop your excess into the collection plate Stay close to good Christian friends who hold you accountable and don’t let you permanently wear a Sunday Christian mask Pray out of a desire to thank God and ask for his help, not just out of habit

James 1:5-8 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

I Kings 18:21 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him."

Who do you follow?

Romans 6 (1)What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? (2) By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? (3) Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

Romans 6 (1)What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? (2) By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? (3) Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? (6) We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. (7) For one who has died has been set free from sin.

Romans 6 (1)What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? (2) By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? (3) Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? (6) We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. (7) For one who has died has been set free from sin. (11) So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. (13) Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

Romans 12 (1) I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (2) Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.