Loading summary
Transcript3 lines
- [00:01]
A
Welcome to the live big broadcast with Derek Greer. We believe this teaching from God's Word will empower you to live a full impactful life in Christ. Let's dig in.
- [00:11]
B
Today I want to talk to you about how to get through what I'm calling Broom tree moments. Broom tree moments. Broom tree moments are those moments that you feel so broken, so defeated, so disappointed, you feel so helpless that all you can do is sit down and try to breathe. Has anyone ever been there before? And Ahab told Jezebel in the Bible in First Kings chapter 16:30 actually, Scripture says that Ahab was the most wicked king in all of Israel's history up until that time. But what may surprise you is Ahab was the quintessential wimp. He was a world class coward, but he was a man that had and held tremendous power. If in the 1800s BC you googled the term wuss, Ahab's face would show up right next to the lion of the wizard of Oz. If you're old enough to remember Commodus of Gladiator, encipher of the Matrix for all you moviegoers. And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done. And you're reading through your Bible and many of you are familiar, you just read this portion of Scripture. Elijah had just called down fire from heaven. He defeated the prophets of BAAL on Mount Carmel. Then he prayed and ended a national drought that lasted a little over three years. And after the king saw God's power move through Elijah, he went home. He laid his head on the queen's lap and with thumb and mouth told her all that big bad Elijah had done. Single ladies look for a man who runs to God first when he has a problem. Not you. 1 Kings 21:1. Let's take another glimpse at Ahab's character, lest you think I'm taking too much license here this morning. Verse 1. And it came to pass after these things that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel next to the palace of Ahab, the King of Samaria. The palace here was the king's second home. But Ahab and Jezebel turned out to be neighbors from hell. How many have ever had neighbors like this? You don't ever want neighbors like this. So Ahab summoned his neighbor Naboth, and he said, give me your vineyard that I may have it for a vegetable garden because it is near next to my house. Now, King Ahab already had everything he could possibly need, but he had to have more you see, in this time in history, and you might not know this, but the pharaohs of Egypt were known and celebrated for their beautiful palace gardens. And it seemed here that Ahab couldn't resist running with the Joneses. And he had to have one, too. Can you? Yeah. A crayon says I'm not sharp enough. A pencil says I'm not colorful enough. But peace will never come until you stop comparing yourselves to others. The pencil is not designed to do what the crayon does. The crayon's not designed to do what the pencil does. You aren't gifted to do what I do, but I'm not gifted to do what you do. We are not in competition. We have different functions and purposes in our lives. And we got to embrace our particular function and purpose. And Ahab said, listen, Naboth, for it I will give you a vineyard better than the one you have. Or if it seems good to you, I'll give you it's worth in money. But there are some things in life that just are not for sale, particularly our personal integrity. But Naboth said to Ahab, the Lord forbid that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you. You see, in the law, Moses wrote that. And he actually forbid Jews from selling their land permanently. In fact, even if you sold your land, it was really more of a lease. You'd get it back in 70 years. But the king asked for permanent ownership of the land. And Naboth was not trying to disrespect the king here. He was just trying to comply with God's word. Here's the question. At what price would you forfeit your faithfulness to God for a higher paying job to be in with a certain crowd, for that girl in that tight dress or that guy in the gym? Whatever you compromise your relationship with God to get, you will eventually lose. Yes, I'm preaching. Good. So Ahab, watch this, went into the house sullen and displeased. He was pouting like a little child. I told the first service that his lip was poked out so far that you could have tripped over it. And he was upset because of the word, which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him. But the problem was Ahab wasn't taught the word no as a youngster. You see, I like to say yes as much as the next person. But I also know that most relationships won't stay healthy without a few well placed no's parents. Keep that in mind. Your child will not grow up healthy unless he first experiences some well Placed. No, not no to everything. But every now and then you got to give him a no so he can deal or she could deal with disappointment that he or she can understand. The world don't revolve around their whims. Pay attention to what I'm saying. So the first time they hear no on the job or in the real world, they don't fall apart and start kicking and banging and crashing things, shooting people and all the rest. You see, no matter how much you give to certain people, they'll always ended up wanting more than you have. So I've learned in my life to set up boundaries that protect both me and them. So watch the king here. He lay down on his bed and then turned away his face so his wife couldn't see it. Pitiful. And he would eat no food. Really. He refused to eat because Naboth's commitment to scripture gave him a tummy ache. But Jezebel, his wife, came to him and said to him, why is your spirit so sullen that you eat no food? She's like, my baby, my baby, baby, baby. Then he responded, breathing all hard through his nose, because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, give me your vineyard for money or else if it pleases you, I will give you another vineyard for it. And he answered me, queen, I will not give you my vineyard. Somebody actually told Ahab no. You know, a good part of my troubles as a young pastor was me saying yes too quickly and not saying no soon enough. You can still be a good person with a kind heart and still say no. Sometimes no can be one of the healthiest words in our vocabulary if used correctly. Every yes we give to something is actually a no to something else. And many times a no sets you up to be able to say yes. So then Jezebel, his wife, said to him, you know, you exercise authority over Israel, and nobody's going to hurt my little baby's feelings. Aren't you the king? Arise, eat food, and let your heart be cheerful, because Mama's going to fix this for you, baby. I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. And when you read the Bible, Jezebel immediately had Naboth stoned. Mama don't play. But there are few things in nature that are sadder than a weak man controlled by an evil woman. Now, let's go back to 1 Kings 19:1. So you know that I'm not just making stuff up about Ahab. You see that the Bible clearly portrays what type of man Ahab is. And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done. Also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah. Now watch this. Ahab did nothing. Wifey fought all the battles. Matter of fact, if Jezebel wasn't so wicked, I'd admire her because she knew how to get it done. I want you to listen to her determination and her character. In this next clause, she said she starts swearing, actually. So let the gods do to me. And more also if I don't make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time. So many good qualities in this woman. Jezebel gone wrong. Jezebel was decisive. Jezebel was passionate. Jezebel was a go getter. And if Jezebel just would have came home to a little bit of strength at night, she might have been a different queen. Yeah, I know. But no woman can love a man hard enough to make him strong. And when Elijah saw what the queen was about to do, he arose and ran for his life. He knew this Jezebel didn't play. She was a very capable and strong woman. A weak king is a danger to any strong queen because he doesn't know what to do with her. A weak man. I tried to change this in my preparation, but it just kept coming up, coming up. And a weak man can't change until he stops blaming his failures on the strengths of others. And Elijah went to Bathsheba, which belongs to Judah, and he left his servants there. He needed some time alone. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness. And Jezebel scared Elijah so much, he ran until he couldn't run anymore. And finally, when he came to the end of himself, completely exhausted, he came and sat down under a broom tree. And all of us, at some point in our journey, if we really walk in with God, we will find ourselves under a broom tree. Until this point in First Kings, every major move that Elijah made was prefaced by the words the the word of the Lord came to him. But you'll find in the next six verses that those phrases are completely absent. Elijah was a prophet called of God, appointed by God, moved in great powers, signs, wonders, miracles. But like you and me, at times, he got caught up in his feelings and he stopped listening to God. Now, I'm not sure about you, but I know in my life, every major mistake I have made in my life started with me saying, God, I'm tired. As if my weariness justified the decision I was about to make you see, emotions are very, very important. Companions. Pay attention to them, make sure they're healthy. But they are terrible leaders. And Elijah came at the end of himself, exhausted, under, sitting and sat down under a broom tree. You know, years ago, God spoke to me through these scriptures when in a very short period of time, a dear friend of over 20 years at that time and our church administrator died, my pastor of many years. We traveled different continents together, spent several times a year together. He'd even come here to preach. He died young, surprisingly, and much of the world mourned. Then in the same period, people that I had traveled with for years just upped and walked away and then took with them as many as they could. Heads of departments were gone, people I trusted, people my children love, people who sat in our home, we visited their home, gone. And the church started to decline for the first time in about a decade. And I found myself sitting under my broom tree. And as Elijah was sitting in his broom tree, he was doing the same thing I was doing. And the same thing most of us do when we get under a broom tree. He began to blame himself for his problems. And he prayed that he might what, die? He started asking himself while he was sitting under that tree, is my living in vain, God? Has my giving been in vain? Is my praying in vain? Is my prayer preaching? Has my loving? Has it all been, Lord, in vain? But don't let the rejecting of just a few make you forget all that God has brought you through. You know, the details of each of our broom tree experience will be different from person to person. But at one point or another, if you walk long enough with God, we're all going to find ourselves in the predicament of this prophet. And he prayed that he might die. And he said, it's enough, Lord, I'm tired, Lord, I can't take it anymore. Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my father, Lord, despite all I do, despite all I've preached, all I've said, how long I prayed, how often I fast, the world remains just as fallen. I got the same family problems, I got the same friend problems, I got the same church problems, I've got the same business job problems, Lord, no matter what I do, it seems to just turn out the same. But this is where we learn to pray this famous prayer. God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can change. And Lord, give me the wisdom to know the difference, when to let go and when to Push forward. Then as he lay and slept. This man was not dealing with theological or imaginary problems. These were real world problems. Somebody was trying to kill him. And if you know anything about Elijah, Elijah was a tough guy, he was harsh, but he wasn't a bad guy. He just let himself get tired and he needed some rest. Constant, pay attention to me. I don't care who you are. Constant emotional output without life giving input will cause even the best of us to eventually crash. And the prophet of God who had done miracles of God, who, who had heard from heaven accurately, was left there just, just, just, just, probably in a fetal position. He slept under a broom tree. Now, you would expect the answer to a situation to be more supernatural than this, but the first thing God did was let the prophet get some rest. But then watch what happened next. Then after he began to rest, suddenly an angel touched him. So God sent an angel that carried the presence of God. And when you're tired, you need the presence of God more than anything else in your life. So he starts to get some rest. But the second thing God does is send him some good company. And then he said to him, the angel speaking for God, arise and eat. The last thing that God asked Elijah to do was eat some good food. So all Elijah needed to get back on his feet. All you need to get back on your feet is get some rest, a little bit of good company and some good food before you throw in the towel, before you go to the doctor and ask for stronger medication. Try a little rest, a little company, and some healthy food. If you're listening to me with your spiritual ears, I just gave you some important answers. Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals. God will bring you the food you need and, and the food that no one else knows of. That's what Jesus taught us in a jar of water. Elijah did not need psychotherapy, just some rest, a little company, and some better food. So he ate and drank and lay down again. This might be the most important point. I say today may not even sound interesting, but do not miss your seasons of rest. They will not come every day. But when the Lord offers you that moment to breathe in and exhale, do not be too busy. Don't keep running. Sit down and take it. This guy was so tired, the angel had to come back a second time and do the same thing all over again. And the angel of the Lord came back the second time and touched him and said, and there are moments that God wants to give us a fresh touch, a Special touch. But you got to be sitting down, calm and quiet under the broom tree. Arise and eat. Watch this. Because the journey is too great for you. I said this before. If your vision for your life is easy enough for you to do without God's help, it's not from God. God puts us in water above our heads so we can learn to stand on his shoulders. Everything God asks you to do, whether it's in a relationship, whether it's Job, whether it's whatever, God always gives you something so challenging that you gotta tap into him to get it done. And a lot of times when we try to do it in our own strength, we say, well, Lord, it must not be you, because I can't do it. It's like, it is me because you can't do it. I'd get no glory if you could do it. I get glory when you let me help you do it. I'm almost there. So Elijah arose, and he had a part to play in getting better. And you have a part to play in getting better. And he ate and drank. God gave him some rest. God gave him some fresh and new company, fresh fellowship, the presence of God in that fellowship. But watch what he also did. He also. He also ate through his battle with fatigue. If you want to make it, I'm telling you what I know. Through periods of exhaustion, whether it be physical, emotional, intellectual, or otherwise, learn to rest in God's word, make better choices about the company you keep, and maintain a steady diet of God's word. It took Pastor and I a few months now. He seemed to do this in days. He was much more anointed and more powerful than I'll ever be. But eventually our strength came back, and yours will too. But you gotta get some rest. You gotta sometimes get better company. And you gotta eat nutritious and good food. And he went, in the strength of that 40 days and 40 nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God. For me, these verses came alive maybe, you know, 10, eight, I don't know, years ago. But I know in my life, those tough times were just preparation for harder times. And God was like, listen, dude, if you can't run with the footmen, how you gonna run with the horses? If you can't deal this little bit of cry, how you gonna deal with the real stuff I've called you to? And he ran in the strength of that food. You gotta learn to eat differently when you're exhausted. You gotta dig deeply. And I began to see the word differently. I need to hear even different Stronger teaching, little light, soft teaching will get you through light and soft times. But it takes some, it takes some collard greens, you hear what I'm saying? It takes some strong, sometimes bitter stuff to get you through the tough times in life. And I'm grateful for those years because those years prepared me for this year and last year and the year to come. And he went in the strength of that food he received under the broom tree. But you only experience that type of provision and refreshing when you sit down under your particular broom tree. So in perhaps my shortest message of the year, when things get bad, number one, rest. Rest in his promises. Yes, it's physical, but it's also spiritual. And a lot of times my dis ease was because I didn't really believe. I didn't really trust that he got it and that he work all things together for good and that his thoughts about me more than the number of the sands of the sea. I might have preached it, I might have said it, but I didn't really believe it yet in my heart. Rest is not always just a good night's sleep. It's trust, it's Lord, you got it. It's bigger than me and I'm okay with that, Lord, and not my will. Lord, thine be done. Lord, I'm going to cast this care on you for you care for me. I can't fix it, but God, you can. And God, I'm going to rest in your promises. I'm preaching good even if you're quiet this morning I'm saying some things. Number one, rest in his promises. I do not go to the scriptures to sound smart. I go to the scriptures to get peace, rest and ease for a troubled mind when things get bad. Number one, rest in his promises. Number two, get in environments where you can experience the presence of God through his people. I had to avoid strife like the plague. I. I didn't want to be around arguing people, mad people, bitter people. I couldn't handle it. I had to get in the environment where I can experience the presence. And in this case it was an angel for him. For me it was angelic like people. And number three, feed yourself through the battle with super doses of God's word. So I've learned when I wake up at night, two o' clock in the morning, because some pressure is on me and I can't sleep. Instead of just rolling over, I'll get up, I'll get in the word until peace comes and go back to sleep. I'm like, Listen Mr. Devil, you gonna regret you woke me up tonight. Listen Mr. Worry, you gonna regret that you woke me up. Listen anxiety, you gonna regret that you got me up tonight because I'm going to feed myself through it. And the Bible says through the fatness of the neck the yoke is destroyed. And what I learned to do is get fat in God's word in times of crisis. Feed myself, feed myself over and over and over till it comes alive, muscles begin to grow and a strength arises and I can't explain it and I can go in a new strength that I didn't have before that.
- [31:20]
A
Broomtree, thank you for joining us. Until next time, remember you have what it takes in Christ to live big. We also invite you to partner with Derek Greer Ministries in bringing the life changing and impactful teachings of God's Word to the world. Get started by visiting Derekreer.com by clicking the link in the description.