Prayer isn't powerful because of the person praying, but because of the God who hears!

Through Elijah's example, we discover four principles for effective prayer: believe God's promises, recognize our dependence on Him, persist when answers don't come, and give Him the glory when they do.

God's delays are not always His denials. Keep praying, keep trusting, and remember that God is working even when you can't see it.

If you’re ready to respond to the Savior who came for you, visit https://whatasavior.com/journey to learn what it means to follow Jesus and take your next step in faith.

Hopewell Baptist Church – Monroe, NC

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What do you do when you're trusting God, praying faithfully, and still waiting for an answer?

In this episode of The Sunday Rewind, Pastor Brandon Ware and Pastor Joel revisit Elijah's encounter with the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18. They discuss what it means to walk by faith when God seems silent, why genuine worship is more than an emotional experience, and how salvation rests entirely on God's grace rather than our own efforts.

They also explore the difference between a moment of spiritual excitement and lasting transformation, and why growing closer to Christ changes our desires.

Faith isn't about following a formula. It's about trusting the God who is faithful.

If you’re ready to respond to the Savior who came for you, visit https://whatasavior.com/journey to learn what it means to follow Jesus and take your next step in faith.

Hopewell Baptist Church – Monroe, NC

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When Elijah stood on Mount Carmel, the odds seemed impossible. But that's exactly where God's power was revealed!

Through Elijah's faith and a simple prayer, God demonstrated that He alone is Lord. And that same God is still at work today—exposing our need, drawing us to His grace, and calling us to trust Him completely.

The greatest miracle isn't fire falling from heaven—it's Jesus rising from the grave!

Don't settle for simply deciding to follow Jesus. Live a life that proves you're following Him!

If you’re ready to respond to the Savior who came for you, visit https://whatasavior.com/journey to learn what it means to follow Jesus and take your next step in faith.

Hopewell Baptist Church – Monroe, NC
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Following Jesus doesn't mean life will be easy. Sometimes God calls us out of our comfort zones and into difficult places where we must rely completely on Him.

In this powerful message from 2 Corinthians 1:3–9, David Melber (CEO, Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina) reminds us that God is the source of all comfort, our struggles can become opportunities to encourage others, and a life of faith requires a willingness to say YES to His calling.

Don't choose comfort over calling. Choose faith over ease.

If you’re ready to respond to the Savior who came for you, visit https://whatasavior.com/journey to learn what it means to follow Jesus and take your next step in faith.

Hopewell Baptist Church – Monroe, NC

Visit https://whatasavior.com for more information

Support our mission: https://abundant.co/whatasavior/give

Everyone worships something. The question isn't whether we worship, but who or what has captured our hearts.

In this episode of The Sunday Rewind, Pastor Brandon and Joel revisit Elijah's confrontation with the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18 and explore what idolatry looks like in our world today.

From chasing success and financial security to blending biblical truth with cultural beliefs, it's easy to give something else the place that belongs to God alone. They discuss the danger of divided loyalties, the importance of standing for truth without compromise, and why following Jesus doesn't always mean winning every battle in this life.

The conversation also reveals a powerful contrast: False religion demands that we sacrifice ourselves to earn approval, but the gospel declares that Jesus has already sacrificed Himself for us.

We may face opposition, hardship, and uncertainty, but we can stand firm knowing that Jesus has already won the ultimate victory.

If you’re ready to respond to the Savior who came for you, visit https://whatasavior.com/journey to learn what it means to follow Jesus and take your next step in faith.

Hopewell Baptist Church – Monroe, NC

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Who or what has first place in your life?

On Mount Carmel, Elijah stood against 450 prophets of Baal and confronted a nation divided in its devotion. His challenge was simple: “If the Lord is God, follow Him.”

Thousands of years later, that same challenge confronts us today. We may not bow before carved idols, but anything we look to for the security, identity, happiness, or fulfillment that only God can provide can become an idol in our hearts. Even good things become dangerous when we give them the place that belongs to God alone.

In this message from our Ups & Downs series, we discover the danger of divided loyalties, the emptiness of false gods, and the importance of choosing whom we will serve. The prophets of Baal cried out desperately, but their god remained silent. Their efforts remind us that idols will bleed us dry, but Jesus shed His blood to save us.

The world offers countless substitutes for God, but none can satisfy our deepest need. Only Jesus Christ, through His death and resurrection, can rescue us from sin and give us eternal life.

The question isn't whether you worship something. It's whether you're worshiping the One who is truly worthy.

Don't spend your life straddling the fence. If Jesus Christ is Lord, follow Him with all your heart.

If you’re ready to respond to the Savior who came for you, visit https://whatasavior.com/journey to learn what it means to follow Jesus and take your next step in faith.

Hopewell Baptist Church – Monroe, NC

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What does it look like to faithfully follow Christ when you feel like you're in the minority?

In 1 Kings 18, we meet three men with three very different allegiances: Elijah is following the Lord, Obadiah is fearing the Lord, and Ahab is forsaking the Lord. Elijah boldly steps into a hostile environment, while Obadiah faithfully serves God from within Ahab's household. Their callings look different, but both demonstrate what it means to remain faithful when surrounded by compromise.

Like Obadiah, you may find yourself working, studying, or living among people who don't share your faith or convictions. God may have placed you there for a reason. Faithfulness doesn't always look the same for everyone, but wherever God has placed us, we're called to serve with courage, integrity, and obedience.

There's a sense in which every follower of Jesus lives “behind enemy lines.” But the people around us are not the enemy—they're our mission field. The church has been sent into the world on a rescue mission with the good news of Jesus Christ.

And we don't carry out that mission in our own strength. Jesus was perfectly faithful in a world that rejected Him, went to the cross for sinners, rose again, and now gives us the security and strength to serve others selflessly, speak truth graciously and boldly, and obey God even when obedience is costly.

Wherever God has placed you—that's your mission field.

If you’re ready to respond to the Savior who came for you, visit https://whatasavior.com/journey to learn what it means to follow Jesus and take your next step in faith.

Hopewell Baptist Church – Monroe, NC

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Support our mission: https://abundant.co/whatasavior/give

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What do you do when life throws something at you that you never saw coming?

Elijah had already watched God provide at the brook of Kerith and miraculously sustain the widow at Zarephath. But then tragedy came out of nowhere: the widow’s son died. Sometimes the greatest tests of our faith are the ones we never anticipated—the moments that leave us asking questions and struggling to understand what God is doing.

In this passage, we see a situation that seems hopeless, a servant who feels helpless, and a Savior whose power is limitless. Elijah didn’t have an explanation for the widow’s pain. Instead, he took what he could not understand and could not fix to the One who could—and he prayed.

Prayer isn't powerful because of the greatness of the person praying. Prayer is powerful because of the greatness of the God who hears it. When Elijah had reached the limits of what he could do, he trusted the limitless power of God.

The unforeseen will come. We won't always understand why. But what is unforeseen to us is never unforeseen to God. We don't live on the basis of explanations; we live on the basis of His promises. And the ultimate proof of His faithfulness is the empty tomb of Jesus Christ.

Whatever unexpected circumstance you're facing, remember: when the situation seems hopeless and you feel helpless, trust the Savior whose power is limitless.

If you’re ready to respond to the Savior who came for you, visit https://whatasavior.com/journey to learn what it means to follow Jesus and take your next step in faith.

Hopewell Baptist Church – Monroe, NC

Visit https://whatasavior.com for more information

Support our mission: https://abundant.co/whatasavior/give

#HopewellBaptist #UpsAndDowns #Elijah #Prayer #TrustGod