2 Kings chapter number one. I wanna draw out a few thoughts tonight. On this thought here, is it because there's no God in Israel? Is it because there's no God in Israel? Notice with me verse number one, the Bible says this. 2 Kings chapter one verse number one. Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria and was sick. And he sent messengers and said unto them, go and inquire of Beelzebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover of this disease. But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, is it not because there's a God in Israel that ye go to inquire of Beelzebub, the God of Ekron? Now therefore, thus saith the Lord, thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die and Elijah departed. When the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, why are you now turned back, turned back? They said unto him, there came a man up to meet us and said unto us, go turn again unto the king that sent you and said unto him, I said, Lord, is it not because there's a God, not a God in Israel? that thou sendest to inquire of Beelzebub, the God of Ekron. Therefore, thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. Verse number 16. And he said unto him, thus saith the Lord, forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Beelzebub, the God of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word, therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. Is it not because there's no God in Israel? I wanna ask you a question tonight and this is just something that I think about often and I hope you would think about this. Why are we doing certain things? What is our reason, if you will, for doing certain things? You know, there are drug addicts out here. There are those that are on alcohol out here. There are those that are on dope out here. There are those that are living in major sins, as we would call them. They're living in major things tonight, and they're going, and they're going to a certain person, or they're going to a certain place to get help. Now, I'm not minimizing and I don't want you to take this the wrong way tonight, but I'm not minimizing a therapy or a place to get clean or a place to get sober or a place to do that, but can I ask you tonight, have you tried Jesus? Have you tried Christ? Have you seen what he could do? Have you seen how he can help a life? Have you seen how he can change your life? I talked to a man just the other day. He told me about how God had miraculously changed his life. Even overnight changed his life. You say, what are you trying to say? The Bible says here in 2 Corinthians chapter five, verse number 17 says, therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new man. Creature all things are passed away behold all things are become new you say brother Justin. What are you trying to say? listen you try to go over here to this church or or you try to go over to this program and you try to get in and you try to Get help and you try to go here and you try to get help you try to go over there and try to get help all you're wanting is to get everybody else's opinion or when there's a God in heaven that can help you tonight, when there's a God that calmed the raging seas, when there's a God that touched a leper, when there was a God that touched a deaf man, when there was a God that looked at the blind man and spit in his eyes. Hey, listen, I tell you something right now, that's not something COVID related, that was because it was come from the King of kings and the Lord of lords, amen. If Jesus were living in this day and time, I'm sure the officials would probably look at him and say, you're absolutely crazy. I'm sure the officials would probably look at him and think, oh, you don't understand. You're out of your mind. Jesus, even, come over here and take this or take that and all of a sudden decide that you're gonna heal a man by spitting in his eyes. I don't think so. That's a little bit nasty. but that's how the king of kings and the Lord of Lord works. That's how he works. Hey, listen, he works in unusual days, unusual ways even. He shows us where we need. He shows us what we need. He shows us how we need it. And I'm telling you, Southerner Knight, you can try everything. You can try the AA meeting. You can try the RA meeting. You can try the RU meeting. You can try anything and everything. But my friends tonight, you'll never get the change that you need unless you go to Jesus Christ. You never will be able to do that. You'll never be able to get the change that you need. Why do we go to certain things to get help? Is it because there's not a Christ? Is it because there's not a Savior? Is it because there's not a God? You say, Brother Justin, there's so many people out here that when they're depressed and when they're down, they look to medicine, they look to this, they look to that. Hey listen, you know why? They haven't thought about Jesus. They haven't thought about Him. Amen. They hadn't thought about the Lord. They hadn't thought about what he's done. Is it not because there's not a God in Israel? Is it not because of that? Is it not because that there's a God that you could have went to King Ahaziah? Ahaziah could have went to Christ. but instead he went to a false God that couldn't even hear him, that couldn't even listen to him. My question is tonight, why are we so concerned about things that can't hear us? Why are we so concerned tonight about things that can't do anything for us? When there's a God in heaven that can help us, when there's a God in heaven that can work in hearts. When there's a God in heaven that can give what we need. But no, we gotta go to the world. We gotta get a person that we can talk to physically. Because we ain't gonna get no help, we're not gonna get any help right away with a savior, you don't know that. You don't know that, I don't know that. I do know this, God does answer prayer. Amen. I do believe in the power of prayer. So many of us look to many different things. We look to the bottles. Some people look to the bottles. Some people look to the drugs. Some people even look to the news outlets to see what people are talking about, see what they're talking about. And by the way, can I just say today that what's on the news today is not much news anymore. Amen. They might give you a little bit of news, but guess what? They're talking about food, and they're talking about this, and they're talking about the latest program. They're talking about the latest thing. Hey, listen, tell me the news and get on. That's why I don't watch the news. That's why I could care less about the news. You say, do you not watch the weather? No, I don't even watch that because it's on the news. Somebody say amen right there. Listen, I stay away from the news. I stay away from those things. You say, well, what if you got up the next morning and it's snowing? Guess what? I won't be going nowhere. That's easy decision to make. Listen, if it's raining outside, I'll just take an umbrella and go fight the rain. Amen. If it's snowing outside, like I said, I'm not going to go anywhere. If it's sunshine and outside, praise God. If it's like this morning, overcast and then pouring down rain this afternoon, hey, listen, I'm fine with that. Why? Because the creator has given that to us. The creator is the one that put it in the plan for the day. I can't change what God does. I can't change the sky. I can't change the clouds. I can't tell him, hey, listen, I want it to stop raining right now. Hey, listen, I can tell you, I can talk to him all day long, but if it's in his plan, if it's in his plan tonight, he is gonna do what he says he's gonna do. I can't look to news outlets. You know why? Because they're liars anyway, half of them, if not most of them. Amen. They twist the story. They twist things to say what they want it to say. Amen. That's how some people use the new translations of the Bible, if you will. They twist it in the way that they want it to be said. I'm thankful today that I have the King James Bible. Somebody say amen right there. I'm thankful today that I preach from the King James Bible. I use the King James Bible. Hey, I'm gonna tell you something, I'll stand for the King James Bible. Hey, listen, none of these other things, hey, there's just a little bit wrong, but can I ask you something tonight? Do you want a whole lot of pure water, or do you want a little bit of dirty water? It depends on what you want, amen. You say, what are you trying to say? I'm trying to say I can't trust the news outlets. I can't trust the new things out here in this world. but I can sure trust the old paths. I can sure trust the Savior. I can sure run to Him. I can sure say, hey, He is the God. Amen. I can say that He is Lord above all. I can say, hey, I know, I know, I know without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus Christ works. He does work. Now why do we go to other people? Why do we go to other things? Why do we go to other objects, if you will, for an answer that we could have? Is it because there are no? Is it because there's no God in Israel? Is it because there's no God tonight that you can look to? Is it because there's no God that you can talk to tonight? Listen, you say, well brother Justin, I can't talk to a God tonight. Well then probably, if I have to take a good wild guess, you're probably lost and God ain't hearing you. Amen, I'm just being honest. We live this life and we live day in and day out and you cry and you don't get any answers. Maybe you're just like him. Maybe you don't have a God to run to. But there was Elijah, Elijah, the man of God. God told him to go to Ahaziah and tell him, thus saith the Lord, why do you go to all these other places? when you can go directly to God. Here's something else I want you to think about tonight. That bottle, the drugs, the news, and let me even say this, your friends. Can I say that again? Your friends. Your friends. Your friends, amen. Trying to get that message across right there. You know why? Because we rely on our friends too much. Amen. I'm just being honest tonight. I'm just getting right back to truth. The problem is we've gone away from truth. We've gone away from living right, and living pure, and living holy, and living separated. We've gone away from all that, and you know what we're doing? We're listening to what man has to say, we're listening to what the bottle has to say, we're listening to what drugs has to say, we'll even get on that news and listen to what the news has to say, and then we'll believe it, and then we'll believe the lie, and then we'll go on with our life. That is not how God planned for us to live our life. He didn't say wake up in the morning and find out what the news has to say, and then if the news tells you to do this, that, and the other, then you go do it. Now, I don't, listen, if there's some recommendations out there, and there is some good news out there, don't get me wrong. There's some good sources out there. But I got the best source that I need. I already know what's going to happen tomorrow. Because this book right here is more up to date than any newspaper. It's called the Bible. It's called the Word of God. Is it because there's no God in Israel? Is it because you can't go to nobody else? Is it because, church, that you're looking to somebody else or something else to give you answers tonight? The problem is tonight, they were gonna go to a god, a false god, sitting before him or stand before him and bow before him and say, Beelzebub, can you heal my king here? And we're gonna pray to you and we're gonna talk to you. And while they're on their way to that, God tells Elijah to go meet him. They were fixing to go mess up. Aren't you glad that God, God knows what he's doing. Hey man, I'm telling you tonight, we're living in a day and hour. We're living in a day and hour where people are looking to drugs, they're looking to friends, they're looking to the bottle. I knew a man, He'd start on Friday night. He'd drink his way Friday night, all day Saturday. Saturday night, all day Sunday. And then about six o'clock on Sunday night, he'd get sober enough so that way he'd go to work on Monday morning. And work Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Friday, and then get off on Friday. And then from the time he got off on Friday, he'd start drinking. all the way back up to Sunday. Is that the answer tonight? Why do we look to so many people for the answer? I believe I talked about this last week in the message last week. When people say pray for us, It means we don't have to pray, they're praying for us. There's a difference between for and with. There's a huge difference between that. Think about it. Praying for somebody and praying with somebody, is it because we're relying on them to get their answers, prayers heard, so that way we can get our answer? Oh, well, Brother Justin, if that preacher would start revival up here in North Carolina, and if that preacher would come down here and preach the gospel, and if that preacher would set up his tent, and if this preacher would do that, and if that preacher would do that, and if that preacher would get right with God, and if this preacher would come together and do what God's called him to do, we would have revival. Can I ask you a question tonight? Have you thought about starting with God? Have you thought about getting in the prayer closet with just you and him? Not the pastor of the church, not the deacon, not the Sunday school teacher, you and God alone. Have you thought about that? Our main resort is going to everybody else for revival. Listen to me, you'll never bring revival that way. You say, why is that? God may bring them revival, but he definitely won't bring it to you. Because you're relying on everybody else to bring you revival. Can I tell you something tonight? Only God can bring revival to your heart and to my heart. Oh my, we rely on so many things. We rely on so many objects. We rely on so many people. We rely on them. So many people. Drugs, the bottle, news, friends, cannot and will not be a match to the Savior and what he can do. Think about this. The king sent messengers to Elijah. The first two got consumed because they were not focused on who Elijah was, they were focused on having him to come to the king. The last messenger realized who Elijah was and who Elijah served and asked for mercy. Think about that. I think some of these were looking at Elijah, maybe as the man of God, But maybe thinking that maybe this man here is here for judgment. This man's trying to bring judgment on my king. He's just simply talking what the Lord said. Think about this, the first two were consumed. The last one said, listen, he said, listen, let my life and the life of these 50, thy servants, be precious in thy sight. Listen, I know who you are. You're the man of God. You serve the king of kings and lord of lords. Think about this. Think about this. The problem has been in America that we are not relying on God anymore. You hear me and you hear me well. There are too many people relying on the government in this day and hour. Amen right there brother Justin. Too many people are relying on the government right now. You know why they're relying on the government? Because they see the government as a God. Amen. They'll go to the government for anything and everything, and the government will hand it to them. And they have forgotten who the King of Glory is. Well, why are you going over there? Why are you going to the government? Why are you going to this person? Is there not a God in Israel? Is it because there's not a God in Israel? Is it because you don't trust in the Lord? Is it because that you don't realize who God is? Oh, we'd have revival tonight. We are trying to get an answer for the source that can't give no answer. I'm glad I have a God that can answer, amen. It was a song I thought about this the other day in preparation for today's message. About a song that's entitled How Great It Is. And I encourage you maybe to go online on YouTube and listen to it. It's a great song. It starts out, I listened as a man cried out to his God of wood and stone. And it broke my heart to see. the tears he shed alone. For I knew that it was hopeless, that he would not receive an answer from the God he serves, that could not hear nor see. Then the second verse says, then I went and kneeled in prayer and cried out to God, basically. Then the chorus says, how great it is to serve the living God. Wow. Why do you do certain things tonight? Why do you go here? Why do you go there? Why in the world are we looking to things instead of looking to the God of heaven? Your problem and my problem tonight is we're more concerned about what the president of the United States has to say online or on the internet to help you and your family instead of going to God and saying, God, I want you to help me and my family. Amen. Just tell them like it is tonight. I thought about this. Remember the lady with the issue of blood? You know, the Bible says she tried many physicians. She went to this one, she went to that one, she went to this person, she went to that person. She went over here and she tried to talk to this physician and she tried to talk to that physician. Nobody could help her. But then she went to Jesus. And when she went to Jesus, you know what? Jesus healed her. When she touched the hem of his garment. Now, how many of us are going for many different answers? Some of us, if it be known, we don't have the faith of a mustard seed tonight, the grain of a mustard seed. Some of us, we pray one time and we say, God, heal me, God, touch me. And then other times, God answers our prayer by taking the loved one home or us home. But you know what, here's the thing. Here's the thing. She tried many physicians. Why did she try many physicians? Is it because there's not a God in Israel? Is it because there's not a God in Israel? Oh my, why are we trying these things? The things that you are trusting in, is it because there's no God in Israel? Is it because you're satisfied with a God that can't help you? Although he came to the man of God, he didn't change, didn't change the outcome. But I believe it sure changed the outlook. It sure changed the outlook. Think about this. Start with God. There is no God like our God. Amen. There is no God like our God. I want you to think about this tonight. I'll close with this, 1 Chronicles 15. I just want to draw this out very quickly. 1 Chronicles 15, I ain't worried about that. Verse number 13. For because she did it not at the first, the Lord The Lord, our God, made a breach upon us for that we sought him not after the due order. He said because we didn't start with God, because we didn't ask God about moving the ark of God, because we didn't do that, God made a breach upon us, Uzzah was killed because he put forth his hand to the ark of God. They were all excited, but you know what? They did it without God involved. And all they were doing, they were doing the right things. They were doing it the wrong way. I want to ask you tonight, is it because there's no God in Israel? Is it because there's no God in Israel tonight? Is it because there's no king tonight? Are you looking to things? Are you looking to material things? Are you looking to other things because there's not a God in heaven? Because I've got news for you. There is a God in heaven and you will stand before Him one day. And you'll have to give an answer to Him. Is it not because there's not a God in Israel? Let's pray. Lord, I pray God that you'll send revival to our land. Lord, I pray God that you'll send revival to my heart. Lord, as we seek your face, Lord, we need to turn from our wicked ways. We need to humble ourselves, God. Lord, we don't trust you like we ought to. Lord, we don't consider you in everything that we do. Lord, we're more concerned about a material thing, or we're concerned about satisfying us. God, when you can satisfy us and give us more than we need, oh God, would you help us? I pray God you'll bless your people tonight. In Jesus' name, amen.