Our Fire-starter comes from 2 Kings 1. Our Fire-starter thought is: is
it because there is not a God in Israel!!!
Our Fire-starter verse is Verses 6, 16.
King Ahaziah has become sick and he decides to send messengers to
Baalzebub, a false god, to see if he would recover as we know according
to Verse 2. On their way to Baalzebub they meet Elijah and Elijah asked
a question that I want to draw out this morning and apply it to us. He
asked, is it because there is no God in Israel?
So many of us look to too many different things for answers. We look to
the bottle, drugs, we look to news outlets, some even listen to the
president for answers but can I ask you this morning while you are
trying to find answers? Is it because there is no God in Israel? Is that
the reason you are looking to other sources? Friend, that bottle, drugs,
news and friends cannot and will not be a match to the Savior and what
he can do.
This king sent messengers to Elijah and the first two got consumed
because they were not focused on who Elijah was they were just focused
on having him to come to the king. The last messenger realized who
Elijah was and who Elijah served and asked for mercy.

The problem has been found in America, we are not relying on God
anymore. We are looking for an easier way out. We are trying to get an
answer from the source that can’t give no answer.
I’m glad I have a God that can answer. There is a song by the name of
how great it is. It talks about a man that is crying out to his god of
wood and stone and it broke another  man’s heart to hear this man cry to
a god that can’t hear him and can’t do nothing for him. Then the chorus
starts with how great it is to serve the living God… friends, it truly
is great to serve the living God. Remember the lady with the issue of
blood? She tried many physicians but when she came to the master she was
healed. Can I ask you this morning, the way you are going this morning,
the things you are trusting in is it because there is not a God in
Israel? Is it because you are satisfied with a god that can’t help you?
Although he came to the Man of God didn’t change the outcome but I
believe it sure changed the outlook. Friend, I encourage you this
morning, start with God!!!! He is real and he is living today and wants
to help you!!!!
  Is it because there is no God in Israel?
May we think about this every time we look to other things for answers.
Remember this morning JESUS IS STILL THE ANSWER!!!!!!

2 Kings 1:1-18 KJV
Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. [2] 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,
enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this
disease. [3] 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 is not a God in Israel, that ye go to
enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? [4] 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. [5] And when the messengers
turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back? [6]
And 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 say unto him, Thus
saith the Lord, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that
thou sendest to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou
shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt
surely die. [7] And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which
came up to meet you, and told you these words? [8] And they answered
him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his
loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite. [9] Then the king sent
unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and,
behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of
God, the king hath said, Come down. [10] And Elijah answered and said to
the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from
heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from
heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. [11] Again also he sent unto him
another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto
him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly. [12] And
Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come
down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God
came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. [13] And he sent
again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain
of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and
besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life,
and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight. [14]
Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains
of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be
precious in thy sight. [15] And the angel of the Lord said unto Elijah,
Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with
him unto the king. [16] And he said unto him, Thus saith the Lord,
Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to enquire of Baal-zebub the god
of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to enquire of his
word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art
gone up, but shalt surely die. [17] So he died according to the word of
the Lord which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram reigned in his stead in
the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because
he had no son. [18] Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did,
are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?