mples in earlier biblical encounters with God, that if God were to pass by, you would clearly know it. But, here we find that not to be the case.

Here, while Elijah stood on the mountain, a strong wind came and tore into the mountain and broke rocks apart. The account doesn't say, but at first Elijah may have thought it was God. Then an earthquake and fire appeared— both times Elijah may have thought, again, that it could have been God. Finally, we're told God showed up, but not in a dramatic way, it was

Today we are going to focus on 1 Kings 19:11-12, which reads, “Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.”

I spoke last time on how important it is to focus on God. Today I want to elaborate on why it is so important. To set up today’s Scriptural account, let me give you a brief background of Elijah and his situation.

Elijah was a prophet of God during the reigns of King Ahab and King Ahaziah of Israel. This particular account took place during King Ahab’s reign when Elijah was forced to flee from Queen Jezebel, Kings Ahab’s wife. Jezebel who worshipped the Canaanite god of Baal and protected 450 prophets of Baal. She also tried to exterminate all the prophets of God.

In the verse above, we read the account of Elijah after fleeing to Beersheba. He encountered God while hiding in a cave fearing for his life. An important point here is found in the conclusion of verse 10. Elijah, while hiding himself in this cave, begins to complain to God that he has been zealous for the Lord in the face of death, because of Jezebel’s fierce hatred for the prophet’s of God. He then complains that he has been left alone to fend for himself.

When God finally talks to Elijah, God told him to go out and stand on a mountain before Him. As we read in verse 11, we are told that while Elijah stood on the mountain, God passed by. A great strong wind passed by and tore into the mountain and broke apart rocks. But, we are told the Lord was not in the wind.

After the wind came an earthquake, then came fire, but the Lord was not in either one of those, as well. But, then came a still small voice. What is all this talking about? Well, one would expect, based on examples in earlier biblical encounters with God, that if God were to pass by, you would clearly know it. But, here we find that not to be the case.

Here, while Elijah stood on the mountain, a strong wind came and tore into the mountain and broke rocks apart. The account doesn't say, but at first Elijah may have thought it was God. Then an earthquake and fire appeared— both times Elijah may have thought, again, that it could have been God. Finally, we're told God showed up, but not in a dramatic way, it was

portant it is to focus on God. Today I want to elaborate on why it is so important. To set up today’s Scriptural account, let me give you a brief background of Elijah and his situation.

Elijah was a prophet of God during the reigns of King Ahab and King Ahaziah of Israel. This particular account took place during King Ahab’s reign when Elijah was forced to flee from Queen Jezebel, Kings Ahab’s wife. Jezebel who worshipped the Canaanite god of Baal and protected 450 prophets of Baal. She also tried to exterminate all the prophets of God.

In the verse above, we read the account of Elijah after fleeing to Beersheba. He encountered God while hiding in a cave fearing for his life. An important point here is found in the conclusion of verse 10. Elijah, while hiding himself in this cave, begins to complain to God that he has been zealous for the Lord in the face of death, because of Jezebel’s fierce hatred for the prophet’s of God. He then complains that he has been left alone to fend for himself.

When God finally talks to Elijah, God told him to go out and stand on a mountain before Him. As we read in verse 11, we are told that while Elijah stood on the mountain, God passed by. A great strong wind passed by and tore into the mountain and broke apart rocks. But, we are told the Lord was not in the wind.

After the wind came an earthquake, then came fire, but the Lord was not in either one of those, as well. But, then came a still small voice. What is all this talking about? Well, one would expect, based on examples in earlier biblical encounters with God, that if God were to pass by, you would clearly know it. But, here we find that not to be the case.

Here, while Elijah stood on the mountain, a strong wind came and tore into the mountain and broke rocks apart. The account doesn't say, but at first Elijah may have thought it was God. Then an earthquake and fire appeared— both times Elijah may have thought, again, that it could have been God. Finally, we're told God showed up, but not in a dramatic way, it was

minate all the prophets of God.

In the verse above, we read the account of Elijah after fleeing to Beersheba. He encountered God while hiding in a cave fearing for his life. An important point here is found in the conclusion of verse 10. Elijah, while hiding himself in this cave, begins to complain to God that he has been zealous for the Lord in the face of death, because of Jezebel’s fierce hatred for the prophet’s of God. He then complains that he has been left alone to fend for himself.

When God finally talks to Elijah, God told him to go out and stand on a mountain before Him. As we read in verse 11, we are told that while Elijah stood on the mountain, God passed by. A great strong wind passed by and tore into the mountain and broke apart rocks. But, we are told the Lord was not in the wind.

After the wind came an earthquake, then came fire, but the Lord was not in either one of those, as well. But, then came a still small voice. What is all this talking about? Well, one would expect, based on examples in earlier biblical encounters with God, that if God were to pass by, you would clearly know it. But, here we find that not to be the case.

Here, while Elijah stood on the mountain, a strong wind came and tore into the mountain and broke rocks apart. The account doesn't say, but at first Elijah may have thought it was God. Then an earthquake and fire appeared— both times Elijah may have thought, again, that it could have been God. Finally, we're told God showed up, but not in a dramatic way, it was

inally talks to Elijah, God told him to go out and stand on a mountain before Him. As we read in verse 11, we are told that while Elijah stood on the mountain, God passed by. A great strong wind passed by and tore into the mountain and broke apart rocks. But, we are told the Lord was not in the wind.

After the wind came an earthquake, then came fire, but the Lord was not in either one of those, as well. But, then came a still small voice. What is all this talking about? Well, one would expect, based on examples in earlier biblical encounters with God, that if God were to pass by, you would clearly know it. But, here we find that not to be the case.

Here, while Elijah stood on the mountain, a strong wind came and tore into the mountain and broke rocks apart. The account doesn't say, but at first Elijah may have thought it was God. Then an earthquake and fire appeared— both times Elijah may have thought, again, that it could have been God. Finally, we're told God showed up, but not in a dramatic way, it was

mples in earlier biblical encounters with God, that if God were to pass by, you would clearly know it. But, here we find that not to be the case.

Here, while Elijah stood on the mountain, a strong wind came and tore into the mountain and broke rocks apart. The account doesn't say, but at first Elijah may have thought it was God. Then an earthquake and fire appeared— both times Elijah may have thought, again, that it could have been God. Finally, we're told God showed up, but not in a dramatic way, it was just a still small voice that Elijah heard.

Now, the point of all this is, if we are constantly allowing the noise of this world, that is the cares of our daily lives, to take precedent over God, we can very easily miss God's still small voice, and live in mediocrity and not receive God's best for our lives. It's the primary reason for failure in a Christians life. Too often God's still small voice gets drowned out by the cares of the day.

As with the point I brought out about Elijah complaining in verse 10, this complaining could have easily been in the way of Elijah hearing from God earlier. Hebrews 13:8, tells us that God is still the “same yesterday, and today, and forever.“ Even today, we can easily drown out the still small voice of God in our lives, and not hear what God may be trying to tell us.

We’ve been trained according to this world’s ways, which of course we must know, but more importantly, we need to focus our attention toward God and know Him. We need to be sure to listen for his still small voice. Granted; it’s not easy to do with all the distractions around us, but it is imperative if we are to live truly successful lives here and now and in eternity.

Next time we will discuss how God communicates to us today and how at times God's still small voice is barely audible within us. It is all to get us to focus on Him and away from the meaningless cares of the world, which Satan would love to have us focus on. Satan knows when we are focused on our daily concerns in the world, we will not be focusing on God.