But have you noticed how many people, prophets, and scriptures describe the Spirit as a “still small voice”?

Elijah noted the Lord wasn’t in the wind, earthquake, or fire, but in “a still small voice”. (1 Kings 19:12)

I’ve found that be true in my life, too.

He often speaks to me in a still, small voice.

Giving guidance, correction, love, comfort, peace, strength.

But I’ve also noticed something about how I hear Him.

I’ve also got to be still and small.

I need to be humble. My ego needs to be small. My pride needs to be gone.

And I’ve got to be still, even if it’s for just a moment smack dab in the middle of a crazy day.

I need to be still and small to hear the still, small voice.

It’s that little invitation.

That little sign that I’m ready to listen.

That unfairly small effort that allows the Spirit to enter my heart and give me what I need.

I’ve got a million excuses for not taking still, small moments.

But whenever I get out of “busy victim” mentality and get to work to have a moment of quiet, I’m always surprised at how easy the direction comes.

Still, small moments for a still, small voice.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Still, small moments first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Picture birds, hopping from bough to bough on a tree, unsure of which one they will land on.

Spending a little time here, and then a little time there, then back and forth again over and over.

When will the birds just pick a branch and stay there, confident in their choice?

Outward spiritual confidence has been quite a journey for me.

My belief, my faith, and my knowledge of the gospel have all been pretty personal journeys.

I’ve developed them step by step on my own.

But I’m often surprised at how difficult it is sometimes to hold that spiritual confidence when interacting with people who don’t have my same belief system.

That fear of other people judging me, making assumptions about my intentions, thinking I’m naive, and a plethora of other not-so-fun experiences.

These Israelites knew who the real God was. They likely had testimonies of the great God of Israel.

But… they also had a king and a queen who worshipped different gods.

They felt societal pressure to do as their leaders requested.

Adam Clarke, a popular theologian, mused about this issue the Israelites faced in that moment:

“And at this juncture their minds seemed in equipoise, and they were waiting for a favourable opportunity to make their decision.

“Such an opportunity now, through the mercy of God, presented itself.”

I love that idea.

It was a huge MERCY that Elijah asked the Israelites to finally stop trying to hop on each branch.

And to stand still on one.

Choose.

And then find peace and stand still.

It’s God extending His merciful hand when He asks us to choose a side.

He’s not demanding. He’s not selfish.

He wants us to have the peace to stop hopping back and forth depending on who we are with, which commandment we are dealing with, or which day of the week it is.

Pick and have peace.

“How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.” (1 Kings 18:21)

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Hopping back and forth first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

To me, it’s pretty clear what Ahab was thinking the whole time when he finally met up with the prophet Elijah.

Because the first words he says to Elijah are found in 1 Kings 18:17:

“Are thou he that troubleth Israel?”

In other words, aren’t you the guy who has been making life miserable for everyone in Israel, including myself, for years?

Ahab was putting all the blame on Elijah.

Elijah’s response was so confident and faith-filled.

In the next verse 18, he responds:

“I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast follows Baalim.”

Elijah makes it clear that the natural consequences of Ahab and all of his royal family turning away from the Lord were NOT Elijah’s fault.

They were their own faults!

Sometimes, we make poor choices, and we have to deal with the consequences.

Sometimes we gossip about someone, and then they don’t want to hang around us anymore.

Sometimes we make it really difficult to access personal revelation because we fill our lives with so many things that pull the Spirit away from us.

Sometimes we lose out on cool service or bonding opportunities because we tell ourselves we are “too busy”.

And it’s so easy to put the blame somewhere else!

To blame the other person, or to blame our busy schedule, or to even blame the Lord.

It’s not the most fun lesson to learn, but it is important to make sure we know who is responsible for our own actions.

Ahab wanted to put all that blame on Elijah.

But when we take ownership for what we should be doing, and when we are honest with ourselves on where we fall short, we are able to repent and move forward with hope instead of falling into the blame game, just like king Ahab. 

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The blame game first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I’ve had to make plenty of sacrifices in my life, but none come even close to what this widow was prepared to do.

And yet, here comes a man: Elijah.

He was fully aware that she was making food using the last of her provisions, and yet he still asked to be fed first.

Elijah also promised that her barrel of food and her oil would never run out as long as she needed them.

This all sounds pretty impossible.

And then add on that the land was in the middle of a dramatic drought.

Completely impossible.

But this widow must have felt something in her heart.

She must have felt the spirit whisper that this traveler was not just any random man asking for a seemingly selfish favor.

She decided to trust in the prophet and in the Lord.

Not just in word, but in deed, too!

“And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.” (1 Kings 17:15)

Feeding Elijah could have led to her immediate death, but instead this faithful widow trusted in the Lord, and wasn’t afraid to take a big risk to prove Him right.

Do we have that kind of trust in the Lord that we would be willing to risk it all, knowing that He will fulfill His promises?

When it seems improbable, illogical, or even impossible?

For with God, nothing is impossible.

But we’ve still got to do our part.

Ask the question. Act on that prompting. Say the prayer. Ponder and problem-solve.

And then trust in God.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post  Act and trust first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.