Trusting God Through the Cherith Experience
Summary
In our journey through life, we often find ourselves at crossroads, where the path we desire seems to be blocked by unforeseen circumstances. This is what I call the "Cherith experience," a time when God closes the door on what we most want to do. Elijah, after a stellar start to his ministry, was told by God to hide by the Brook Cherith. This was not for his protection, as God could protect him anywhere, but rather a time of preparation and trust. Cherith is where God withholds what you want most, teaching you to rely on Him alone. It is a place where God hides you, leads you, and feeds you, preparing you for a greater purpose.
God's leading is often one step at a time, as we walk in obedience. Elijah did not know what would come after his bold proclamation to Ahab, but he trusted God’s guidance. Similarly, we must trust God to reveal the next step as we move forward in faith. Planning is good, but we must remember that it is the Lord who establishes our steps. Even when our plans fail, God’s purpose prevails.
At Cherith, God provided for Elijah through ravens, unclean birds according to the law. This teaches us that God can deliver life-sustaining truth through unexpected means. We may receive spiritual nourishment from those who later fall away, but it is the gospel that saves, not the integrity of the person who delivers it. This is a reminder that service is never a substitute for holiness. We must place our lives under the blood of Jesus Christ, for only through Him can we be made clean.
Cherith is where we learn to live on God, finding what we need in Him when there is nothing else. It is a place of deepening faith and reliance on God’s provision. As we walk with Him in faith and obedience, even in the hidden places, He will lead us and feed us, preparing us for what lies ahead.
Key Takeaways:
- The Cherith experience is a time when God closes the door on what we most want to do, teaching us to rely on Him alone. It is a place of preparation and trust, where God hides, leads, and feeds us, preparing us for a greater purpose. [05:30]
- God's leading is often one step at a time, as we walk in obedience. We must trust Him to reveal the next step as we move forward in faith, remembering that while we plan our ways, it is the Lord who establishes our steps. [18:29]
- God can deliver life-sustaining truth through unexpected means, even through those who later fall away. It is the gospel that saves, not the integrity of the person who delivers it. Service is never a substitute for holiness. [32:45]
- At Cherith, we learn to live on God, finding what we need in Him when there is nothing else. It is a place of deepening faith and reliance on God’s provision, where we are prepared for what lies ahead. [41:48]
- We must place our lives under the blood of Jesus Christ, for only through Him can we be made clean. Service and ministry are not substitutes for holiness, and we must seek to walk in faith and obedience, trusting in God’s provision and guidance. [39:19]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:14] - Leadership and Influence
- [00:43] - Elijah's Path of Faith
- [01:49] - Elijah's Ministry Launch
- [02:58] - God's Surprising Command
- [05:30] - The Cherith Experience
- [06:15] - God Hid, Led, and Fed Elijah
- [09:28] - Personal Story of Cherith
- [13:31] - Biblical Examples of Cherith
- [17:27] - Trusting God's Leading
- [21:47] - Planning and God's Sovereignty
- [25:30] - Discerning God's Guidance
- [28:28] - God Fed Elijah
- [32:45] - Life-Sustaining Truth from Unexpected Sources
- [39:19] - The Importance of Holiness
- [41:48] - Living on God at Cherith
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- 1 Kings 17:1-7
- Proverbs 16:9
- Matthew 6:33
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Observation Questions:
1. What was Elijah's initial reaction to God's command to hide by the Brook Cherith after his bold proclamation to Ahab? How might this have been surprising to him? [03:15]
2. How did God provide for Elijah during his time at Cherith, and what does this reveal about God's provision? [29:13]
3. What role did the ravens play in Elijah's time at Cherith, and why is their involvement significant? [32:45]
4. How does the sermon describe the "Cherith experience," and what are its key characteristics? [05:30]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. Why might God choose to lead His people one step at a time, as seen in Elijah's journey? How does this principle apply to the lives of believers today? [18:29]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that God can use unexpected means to deliver His truth, and what implications does this have for how we receive spiritual nourishment? [32:45]
3. How does the sermon illustrate the importance of relying on God alone during times when our plans are thwarted? What does this teach about the nature of faith and obedience? [05:30]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between service and holiness, and how should this influence a believer's approach to ministry? [39:19]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you experienced a "Cherith experience" in your life. How did it challenge your faith, and what did you learn about relying on God during that time? [05:30]
2. How can you practice trusting God to reveal the next step in your life, especially when your plans seem to fail? What practical steps can you take to walk in obedience? [18:29]
3. Have you ever received spiritual nourishment from someone who later fell away from faith? How did that affect your understanding of the gospel's power versus the integrity of its messenger? [32:45]
4. In what ways can you ensure that your service to God is rooted in holiness rather than just activity? How can you place your life under the blood of Jesus Christ daily? [39:19]
5. Consider a current situation where you feel hidden or sidelined. How might God be preparing you for a greater purpose during this time? What can you do to remain faithful and patient? [14:58]
6. How can you cultivate a deeper reliance on God for your needs, especially when other sources of support seem unavailable? What specific actions can you take to live on God, as Elijah did at Cherith? [41:48]
7. Identify one area of your life where you need to seek God's kingdom and righteousness first. What changes can you make this week to prioritize this pursuit? [30:34]
Devotional
Day 1: Trusting God in Closed Doors
In life, we often encounter situations where our desires are thwarted by circumstances beyond our control. This is akin to the "Cherith experience," where God intentionally closes doors to teach us reliance on Him. Elijah's time by the Brook Cherith was not for his safety, but a period of preparation and trust. God uses these moments to hide, lead, and feed us, preparing us for a greater purpose. When we find ourselves in such situations, it is an invitation to deepen our trust in God's plan and timing. [05:30]
1 Kings 17:2-4 (ESV): "And the word of the Lord came to him: 'Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.'"
Reflection: Can you identify a situation in your life where a door has been closed? How might God be inviting you to trust Him more deeply in this season?
Day 2: Walking in Obedience
God's guidance often comes one step at a time, requiring us to walk in obedience without knowing the full picture. Elijah trusted God to reveal the next step after his proclamation to Ahab. Similarly, we are called to trust God to establish our steps, even when our plans fail. This requires a willingness to move forward in faith, trusting that God's purpose will prevail over our own understanding. [18:29]
Proverbs 16:9 (ESV): "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to take a step of faith, trusting God to guide you? How can you begin to take that step today?
Day 3: Receiving Truth from Unexpected Sources
God can deliver life-sustaining truth through unexpected means, as seen when He used ravens to feed Elijah. This teaches us that the gospel's power is not dependent on the integrity of its messenger. We may receive spiritual nourishment from unlikely sources, but it is the message of the gospel that saves. This reminds us that service is not a substitute for holiness, and we must place our lives under the blood of Jesus Christ. [32:45]
1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (ESV): "But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God."
Reflection: Have you ever received spiritual insight or encouragement from an unexpected source? How can you remain open to God's truth, regardless of the messenger?
Day 4: Living on God's Provision
At Cherith, Elijah learned to live on God's provision, finding what he needed in God alone. This experience deepened his faith and reliance on God's provision, preparing him for future challenges. In our own lives, we are called to find our sustenance in God, especially when other sources seem to dry up. This is a time to deepen our faith and trust in God's ability to provide for our needs. [41:48]
Matthew 6:31-33 (ESV): "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
Reflection: In what ways can you seek to rely more on God's provision in your daily life? What steps can you take to prioritize seeking His kingdom first?
Day 5: The Call to Holiness
Service and ministry are not substitutes for holiness. We must place our lives under the blood of Jesus Christ, for only through Him can we be made clean. This calls us to walk in faith and obedience, trusting in God's provision and guidance. Holiness is about aligning our lives with God's will and seeking to live in a way that honors Him. [39:19]
1 Peter 1:15-16 (ESV): "But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'"
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to pursue greater holiness? How can you begin to align this area with God's will today?
Quotes
Cherith is where God closes the door on the thing that you most want to do. I'm going to try and describe the Cherith experience so that you can recognize it in your own life, and then I want to remind you today that God is at work in Cherith as much as he is at work on Mount Carmel. [00:05:48]
Cherith is the place where God withholds what you wanted most. Cherith is the place where God closes the door on the very thing that you wanted to do. For him, here's Elijah, think about it, get it into your mind. He's been preparing himself for ministry at huge personal cost, and now he finds that he does not have the opportunity to pursue it. [00:07:43]
God can take you to Cherith by removing you from a position. God can take you to Cherith through an illness that changes what you had hoped to do and puts you in a different place. Cherith is the place where God hides you. It is the place where God holds back what you most wanted to do. [00:09:23]
God will take you to Cherith before he ever takes you to Carmel. You'll find this principle all the way through the scriptures if you look at people who have been greatly used by God. God hid Joseph in a prison before he was brought into the household of Pharaoh. God hid Moses in the backside of the desert. [00:13:35]
When God chooses to hide you for a time, he is preparing you for a greater purpose. Last month, I was able to visit the church that I served with great joy in London. In the end, we served there for 16 years. They still never had the new building that was given that joy to my successor. [00:14:54]
God leads his people one step at a time as we walk with him in obedience. That's a very important principle. God does not normally lay out the long-term scenario. What he does is he leads his people one step at a time as we walk and take each step in obedience. [00:18:37]
The heart of man plans his ways, but it is the Lord who establishes his steps. Isn't that interesting? See, the heart of man plans his ways, and there's nothing wrong with that. That's a right thing to do, to look ahead, to take the long-term view, to try and fix your eye on some point that's further ahead. [00:21:41]
God can deliver life-sustaining truth at food through unclean birds. God can deliver life-sustaining food through unclean birds. Think about that because you may have had the experience in your life of being fed by an unclean bird. You say, what do you mean? I mean this. [00:32:45]
It is the gospel that saves, not the person who speaks the gospel. You are saved by the power of the Gospel, not by the integrity of the person who spoke it to you. You desperately need to know that if you've been let down by the person who spoke it to you and if you discovered that at their core they turned out to be an unclean bird. [00:36:05]
Service is never a substitute for holiness, and without holiness, the Bible says no one will see the Lord. No one enters Heaven because of service. So beware of being an unclean bird who flies high in the service of God. Being in ministry of whatever form or whatever shape can never make you clean. [00:38:59]
Place your life today under the blood of Jesus Christ. That alone can make you clean. Nobody is justified by service. Nobody is justified by going on a missions trip. Nobody is justified by serving the poor. There is only one way for you to be made clean before God, and that is through the blood of Jesus Christ. [00:39:19]
At Cherith, we learn to live on God. At Cherith, we learn to live on God. I take the phrase from John Bunyan. His Cherith came when the man was thrown in prison. Here he is, a pastor serving the Lord. He is a family there, a time of persecution for believers like us in England. [00:41:48]
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