Discouragement and Restoration

The point: Face suicidal thoughts for what they are, recognizing that self-murder is not an exception to God's command against murder.

Bunyan's pilgrim facing suicidal thoughts is used as an example of how to confront such thoughts biblically, emphasizing that self-murder is not exempt from God's command against murder.

who are given to suicidal thoughts, you must face them for what they are. Face them as Bunyan has his famous pilgrim face such thoughts. The scriptures that say, Thou shalt do no murder, that murderers shall have their part in the lake of fire, are the scriptures which do not make an exception for self-murder. And there's no thought of suicide here. There

7:17 - 7:46 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: This section explores four contributing factors to Elijah's despondency: the draining of his physical and emotional faculties, the crippling influence of sustained isolation and…

Martin recounts his experience in Pakistan, hearing the unearthly wail of false religious prayers, to illustrate the spiritual agitation Elijah must have felt on Mount Carmel.

he saw the whole city given to idolatry. A year ago in the spring when I was privileged to spend some two weeks in the country of Pakistan, I remember how I remember how morning after morning when I would awake and seek to meet God in the secret place for one hour to an hour and a half every morning, anywhere from four thirty or a quarter ten to five, until six or 6.30. I heard the local Tamil through the rigmarole and the prayer system of that false religion. And there were some

12:01 - 12:46 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: This section explores four contributing factors to Elijah's despondency: the draining of his physical and emotional faculties, the crippling influence of sustained isolation and…

Spurgeon sleeping from Wednesday night to Friday morning is mentioned to illustrate the profound physical exhaustion that can lead to deep, coma-like sleep, similar to Christ's sleep in the storm.

He sleeps soundly in the midst of a raging storm upon the Sea of Galilee. And the buffeting of the waves and the breaking of the waves over the bow and splashing upon His holy face were not enough to disturb the depth of that sleep. It must have been something like the sleep that Spurgeon knew when he slept from Wednesday night till Friday morning.

16:12 - 16:35 Read in full sermon

Driving home: On the other hand, when after long continued tension the strain is slackened and the body is run down, the body imparts its weariness to the spirit.

Martin quotes Taylor's commentary on Elijah to explain the mysterious sympathy between body and spirit, where the mind can invigorate the body, and a run-down body can impart weariness to the spirit.

And rather than try to give you a reflection of what he has said, I want to give you a reflection of what he has said. And I want to read it as it comes to us in the commentary. In our complex humanity there is a mysterious sympathy between the body and the spirit. When the mind is earnestly engaged, it gives for the time its vigor and energy to the body.

17:10 - 17:30 Read in full sermon

Driving home: On the other hand, when after long continued tension the strain is slackened and the body is run down, the body imparts its weariness to the spirit.

The story of John Knox, so weak he needed help into the pulpit but became vigorous in preaching, illustrates how the spirit can impart vigor to the body.

So that we are not surprised to hear of John Knox that in his last days he had to be supported into the pulpit by a servant on each side of him. Think of it now. So weak that one servant on one. And one and the other must help the dear old man of God into the pulpit.

17:31 - 17:47 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not afford the luxury of self-imposed and self-sustained isolation; cultivate intimate, long-term friendships, understanding they are costly but necessary.

Paul's comfort by the coming of Titus (2 Corinthians 7:6) is used to illustrate that God often answers prayers for comfort through human companionship, cutting across 'hyper-spirituality'.

2 Corinthians 7 and 6, Nevertheless, he that comforteth the lowly, even God, it is God who comforts the lowly and the downcast, comforted us, how? By the coming of Titus. Isn't that precious? One morning, Paul is beginning to get under.

26:18 - 26:37 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The first two aspects of God's restorative work are detailed: assuring Elijah of His love and concern even in his fallen state, and meeting his immediate physical and emotional…

A contrast is drawn between a 'professional cleric with a soft belly' who is discouraged due to idleness, and Elijah, who is discouraged from being 'poured out' in zealous service, to highlight the nature of Elijah's exhaustion.

who has expended himself in the interest of his kingdom, he's not in a state of dejection because of a guilty conscience for having played games instead of labored in the Word and in doctrine. This is not a professional cleric with a soft belly for spending too much time on the golf links and not even walking but riding his golf cart. Wicked American abomination. Only affluent America could invent such a parody of all the ridiculous things.

38:33 - 39:09 Read in full sermon

The point: Be sensitive to the need for rest in your pastor and spiritual leaders; sometimes their greatest need is a forced period of rest.

The analogy of 'hot wires' in an emotional system cooling down during rest is used to explain how sleep refreshes psychological and emotional strength, preventing 'fuses' from blowing.

The thing that unhinges us at 11 o'clock on Monday evening. We can take in stride without a hitch. 8 o'clock Tuesday morning. And what's happened?

45:38 - 45:50 Read in full sermon

The point: Be sensitive to the need for rest in your pastor and spiritual leaders; sometimes their greatest need is a forced period of rest.

The story of a church member burning himself out in diaconate service, requiring intervention to force rest, illustrates the importance of recognizing and addressing the need for rest in spiritual leaders and diligent servants.

We have someone in our assembly who was literally burning himself out in a diaconate service until we threatened to take the keys away from the room where he worked at the church. And we said, if that's what we're going to have to do, we're going to do it. Or you're going to have a nervous breakdown.

46:56 - 47:09 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize that the wearisome tasks of a mother in the home, like a dairy farmer's, can be God's way of sparing you from greater evil by keeping you engaged in duty.

The constant, inescapable responsibility of a dairy farmer to milk cows is used to illustrate the ceaseless nature of a mother's tasks in the home, highlighting how such duty can prevent self-pity.

It's like a farmer. It's like a dairy farmer. I've said to me that. I mean you just can't tell the cows.

58:25 - 58:35 Read in full sermon

The point: Be a 'running stream' filtering as it flows, actively engaged in duty to avoid spiritual pollution and stagnation.

The story of a preacher who found no consolation until he returned to the pulpit, where his despondency lifted, illustrates how active duty can be a powerful antidote to spiritual melancholy.

And that one. And the other one. The story is told of a certain preacher. Who lost his wife.

59:55 - 60:01 Read in full sermon

The point: Be a 'running stream' filtering as it flows, actively engaged in duty to avoid spiritual pollution and stagnation.

The metaphor of a 'standing pool' that pollutes and breeds stagnation versus a 'running stream' that filters as it flows is used to encourage believers to be active in duty to avoid spiritual stagnation.

And of the Holy Ghost. A standing pool pollutes. Becomes polluted. Breeds frogs and weeds.

60:23 - 60:34 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Elijah receives threefold prophetic encouragement: the work of judgment will be complete, the prophetic ministry will continue, and a believing remnant of seven thousand will be…

Examples of beautiful plants in remote deserts and exquisite life in deep oceans, seen only by God, illustrate that God's work and His 'plants' of grace flourish in unseen places, known only to Him.

And who knows where God has some of his most beautiful plants. Seen only by his own eye. I've been told by people who visited deserts. Where perhaps no one traverses for months.

69:29 - 69:42 Read in full sermon