Elias, Elijah [Ĕlī'as,Ĕlī'jah]—god is jehovah or god himself.
1. Elias is the Greek form of Elijah (Matt. 11:14). Elijah the Tishbite is the grandest and most romantic character Israel ever produced (1 Kings 17; 18;19).
The Man Who Had No Fear of Man
No career in the Old Testament is more vividly portrayed, or has as much fascination as that of the unique character of Elijah.
The New Testament attests to his greatness and reveals what an indelible impression he made upon the mind of his nation. All we know of him before his dramatic appearance can be summed up in the words: “Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead” (1 Kings 17:1). Scripture is silent about his past history.
Some time ago I heard a story about Satan's garage sale. On display stood many large, shiny, complicated tools. Each was labeled with a tag such as: MURDER, ADULTERY, HATE, STRIFE, etc.
Yet in one corner sat a tiny, dull, simple tool with a very high price attached. When asked why that worn out tool was so expensive, Satan replied smugly, "That one is called DISCOURAGEMENT. I can use that one on everybody."
The Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:8-10, "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in dispair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;"
In other words discouragement may creep in occasionally but it need not be permanent nor overpowering. So long as we keep our focus on our Source Jesus Christ and continue to get up each and every time we are knocked down.
Have you ever been discouraged?
"The tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell." (James 3:5-6)
Words. Use them right and they'll move mountains. Use them wrong and they can cause your entire life to go up in smoke.
"Now, Brother Copeland," you may say, "I find it hard to believe that major catastrophes can be caused by a few simple words. I just can't see the connection."
Look again at the phrase James used. "How great a matter a little fire kindleth!" Have you ever lit a few little pieces of kindling wood and set them in the fireplace beneath a stack of logs?
What happened?
Today, I just want to share to you Pastor Bill Hybels' interesting experience after a baptism service in their church.
He writes: "I bumped into a woman in the stairwell who was crying. I thought this was a little odd, since the service was so joyful. I asked her if she was all right.
She said, 'No, I'm struggling.'
She said, 'My mom was baptized today. I prayed for her every day for almost 20 years. The reason I'm crying is because I came this close to giving up on her.
At the 5-year mark I said, "Who needs this? God isn't listening."
At the 10-year mark I said, "Why am I wasting my breath?"
At the 15-year mark I said, "This is absurd." At the 19-year mark
Elias, Elijah [Ĕlī'as,Ĕlī'jah]—god is jehovah or god himself.