VERSE:
1 Kings 18:17-18
Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, "Is that you, O Troubler of Israel?" And he answered, "I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house have. In that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals."
REFLECTION:
Have you ever been blamed for something you didn't do? Unfortunately, this is what happens to Christians all over the world. We are made to look like the troublemakers and the ones who are unloving or uncaring. There are those out there claiming to be Christians who make claims that the true Christians are real fanatics and that the Bible really isn't God's Word.
What do you believe? Do you believe that Jesus is truly God's Son? Do you believe that the Bible is the inherent word of God? Do you believe that the only way to get to heaven is by repenting of your sins and putting your faith and trust in Jesus Christ? There are so many different Christian denominations that believe different things but they may be Christian in name only. What about other religions? The Muslims worship a god and read the koran both of which advocate killing the "infidels" (non-Muslims) all the while claiming to be a religion of peace. The Hindus worship thousands of different gods, putting their faith and trust in man-made statues. All Christians claim to do is to worship the God who was willing to sacrifice His only Son so that we might live. All we have to do is recognize that we are sinners and in need of a Savior. Have you done that?
Today's media even tries to shed a negative light on Christianity, especially if it is not the soft and unobtrusive Christianity that many denominations have begun to adopt for the sake of political correctness. In our verse today, Ahab was trying to make Elijah out to be the bad guy. Elijah quickly called him on it and explained why Ahab was truly the troublemaker. As Christians, we need to stand up for the truth, stand up for what we believe. If someone says something bad about Christianity or Jesus, explain the errors of their ways by backing it up with God's Word. We cannot let the Ahabs of this world dictate to others what is and isn't truth. We know that Jesus Christ is the way the truth and the life. Let others hear that and follow God, not the Baals of this world.
PRAYER:
Pray for a boldness to speak out. Pray for those who are lost. Pray for the salvation of those in religions that speak against Christ.
