Tag: family

2 Kings 6 Part 3–It Must Be God’s Fault

One of the great acts of selfish pride that humans employ, is the choice we make to blame God when the world around us falls apart.  Israel’s enemies set up a seige on the city.  No one in and no one out.  The food supply dwindled and the people began to starve.  The king was  greiving the state of affairs, when a lady told him a particularly horrendous story of cannibalism.  It sent the king over the edge.  He immediately demanded the head of God’s prophet–Elisha.  So, one of the king’s men set out to kill and take the head of Elisha.  
 
Not only did Elisha have nothing to do with the seige, He also was the kingdom’s only hope for salvation from the seige.  Still, the king blamed God and wanted to hit God where it hurt.  Fortunately, God was neither surprized nor unprepared.  He warned Elisha, and Elisha was able to hold off the would be assassin.  
 
The reality was that Israel had decided that they could do things just fine without God.  So, God allowed them to have their way.  Sadly, that independence put Israel into a mess, and people’s lives were lost and ruined.  Had the nation followed the Lord, and humbly allowed Him to lead, they would have enjoyed peace, protection and provision.  Instead, they were out of provision, without protection and in no way prepared to face the world in front of them.
 
We are faced with the similar choice.  Our world is in a mess, and our nation is under seige by a virus.  It is turning the world upside down.  We can either try to solve our issues on our own and blame God; or, we can humble ourselves, seek Him and pray for His protection and provision.  Let’s not act as the foolish king and seek to teach God a lesson.  Instead, let’s simply trust and follow the Lord through the crisis.  Solomon said it best, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. Acknowedge Him in all your ways and He will make your path straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6
 
God Bless You
And the king asked her, “What is your trouble?” She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’ 29 So we boiled my son and ate him. And on the next day I said to her, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him.’ But she has hidden her son.” 30 When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes—now he was passing by on the wall—and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth beneath on his body— 31 and he said, “May God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today.”

32 Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Now the king had dispatched a man from his presence, but before the messenger arrived Elisha said to the elders, “Do you see how this murderer has sent to take off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold the door fast against him. Is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?” 33 And while he was still speaking with them, the messenger came down to him and said, “This trouble is from the Lord! Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?”

2 Kings 6 Part 2–Seeing Things From God’s Perspective

In life,there is often the easy way and then there is the right way.  Elisha was being given the commands of the king of Aram.  The king was trying to find ways to sneak up and raid Israel.  God was not having any of it. So God would tell Elisha, the kings very words and Elisha would in turn warn the king of Israel.  After a time or two, The king of Aram was furious and ordered His troops to surround and capture the pragmatic prophet…Not a good idea!  
 
So the troops surrounded Elisha, Elisha’s servant became terrifiied and cried out to his master.  Elisha calmed the servant down, and asked God to let his servant see things from God’s view.  Immediately,the servant saw the enemy surroiunded by charriots of fire manned with angels ready to wipe them out…Elisha was kind, however,and simp[ly asked God to blind them, Elisha then led them into captivity.  Elisha pray,  then God opened there eyes and nthey saw they were done for…Isreal fed them, gave them back their weapons and sent them home.  No more Armenean problems, and no one had to die.
 
Clearly, for the pragmatic prophet, this was not the easy way.  But, it was the best way.  His people were free, his king saw the power of the one true God, and his servant got a glimpse of the spiritual world–and we got to share it.  There is never a time when we honor God and His plan; that God does not ultimately bring out the best. If we, like Elisha, simply continue to trust the Lord and follow His lead; then we will see our enemy foiled, trapped, captured and shamed.  We do win in the end.  We simply must continue to see the world from the Father’s perspective.  Do not be afraid; our army has charriots of Fire and mighty servants at its command.  Thank You, Lord, for your preparation, provision and protection from all our enemies.
 
God Bless You

Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in such and such a place.”

9 The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.” 10 So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places.

11 This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, “Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”

12 “None of us, my lord the king,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”

13 “Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.” 14 Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.

15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.

16 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

18 As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.

19 Elisha told them, “This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.” And he led them to Samaria.

20 After they entered the city, Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men so they can see.” Then the Lord opened their eyes and they looked, and there they were, inside Samaria.

21 When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?”

22 “Do not kill them,” he answered. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.” 23 So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.

2 Kings 6 Part 1–Let God Make the Call

Elisha had a very practical relationship with God.  Elisha simply trusted God and did not question His plan or his authority. So, as he traveled on his spiritual journey, Elisha did not try to classify what was a spiritual need and what was not.  In the story today, Elisha’s friends and their kids decided Elisha needed more space to support those he trained and mentored.  So they all got together to clear land and make a larger space.  One of the helpers was chopping down a tree when the axe he was using slipped out of his hand and fell into the deep water.  The helper was heart broken.  He had borrowed the axe and had no way of replacing it.  In many circles, that would not be a spiritual issue and no one would expect a miracle. In Elisha’s world, that was exactly the kind of need that God wanted to help with.  So the pragmatic prophet cut a stick and threw it in the water by where the axe went in; and instantly the iron started floating.  The helper was relieved and  Elisha went on with his life.  Elisha did not make a big deal of the miracle–because he knew God could do it, and that it would be true ministry.
 
It simply is not our job to determine what is an event that requires God’s intervention. We need to remember that as God’s chosen, He cares about all aspects of our lives.  We must seek God and never be afraid to bring a matter before Him.  The Lord can handle our needs any way He deems appropriate.  Elisha understood that aspect of God’s nature.  If God determined this was not a matter for His intervention, then God simply would not intervene.  We should still seek the Lord and allow Him the opportunity to make the decision.  Failing to ask God for his help is a different way of “Helping God Out “.  He is too busy to consider this need–would be the logic. Simply put, STOP IT!!!  You seek and ask God, as Elisha did, and allow God to make the decision whether or not to intervene. 
 
God Bless You
Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See, the place where we dwell under your charge is too small for us. 2 Let us go to the Jordan and each of us get there a log, and let us make a place for us to dwell there.” And he answered, “Go.” 3 Then one of them said, “Be pleased to go with your servants.” And he answered, “I will go.” 4 So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. 5 But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water, and he cried out, “Alas, my master! It was borrowed.” 6 Then the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there and made the iron float. 7 And he said, “Take it up.” So he reached out his hand and took it.

2 Kings 5 Part 1–Just Trust God and Do What He Asks

Elisha the pragmatic prophet…The king’s mighty warrior Naaman was a leper, So Elisha told the leperous warrior to go and dip 7 times in the Jordan. He had no agenda, he wanted nothing in return and gave a straight forward direction for a complete cure.  Namaan was so mad. He wanted pomp and ceremony.  He wanted a fuss. So when Elisha gave a direct cure–Namaan griped until he completed the task and was cleaned.  He was then very pleased and grateful,  But, again, for Elisha it was all in a days work.
 
The great lesson of Elksha was that he did not do God’s work for any reason other than to please God.  He did not need stuff, he did not seek fame.  His reward was to honor God.  He had Elijah’s power and then some. He had already raised the dead, feed the hungry and now healed a leper–it always was simply to honor God.
 
If we could follow the Lord, selflessly as Elisha did–then we would see God do amazing things; and we could take joy in seeing God being honored.  We can be sure that God will be honored, and He will bless his chosen.  We must only walk humbly and seek Him. The Lord will make sure we are exalted in His time and in his way.  We can never outgive God or out honor Him. The more we try, the more He  will blesses us. Elisha’s servant failed to see that, He became greedy and paid a huge price.  It is critical for us to simply trust and follow the Lord. If we will, we can rest assured that God will bless us mightily.
 
God Bless You
Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper.[a] 2 Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” 4 So Naaman went in and told his lord, “Thus and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel.” 5 And the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.”

So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels[b] of gold, and ten changes of clothing. 6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” 7 And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me.”

8 But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.” 11 But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. 12 Are not Abana[c] and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. 13 But his servants came near and said to him, “My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

I Kings 4 Part 1–Elisha Highlights God’s Provision

I love Elisha’s style. A widow approaches Elisha.  She is completely distraught. Her husband died and left her poor and in debt.  Her creditor was in route to take her sons in payment for the debt as slaves.  She was heartbroken, hopeless and completely without options…well, except one. She came to God’s man and told Elisha her trouble and need.  Elisha, the pragmatic prophet, went right to work–“Go get all the jars you can put your hands on. Do not be shy and do not be lazy. Ask everyone.”  She does as he told her.  She gathers jars and jars.  He then tells her to take the little olive oil she has, and start filling the jars.  She does.  In that moment, God provides an ulimited supply of oil.  She continues to pour until the last jar is copmpletely full.  Then the oil stops flowing.  Elisha then tells her to sell the oil and pay the debts. Then use the rest to live from then on.
 
Once again God shows His miraculous ways in very simple fashion.  There was no pomp or ceremony. Elisha did not demand a special recognition or sacrifice.  He simply led the woman back to the provider and her faith caused an amazing thing to occur.  In that, she was saved and her family was kept in tact.  We need to have that same faith that looks around, assesses a situation, and allows God to do what he does best–protect, prepare and provide.  There need not be any drama, ceramony or special recognition–only the faith to ask God for our needs and then the faith to trust Him to provide.  Elisha never had a doubt and the widow would never doubt again that God does provide.  We need to have that saame faith and confidence–God will provide, that is simply who He is! Jehovah Jirah.
 
God Bless You

The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.”

2 Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”

“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”

3 Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. 4 Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”

5 She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 6 When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.”

But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing.

7 She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”

2 Kings 2 Part 2–Elisha the Humble Prophet

Elisha was literally heartbroken at the leaving of Elijah.   He saw Elijah go and  was none too pleased to pick up Elijah’s cloak and begin again. But, when he did, The spirit came over Elisha as it had been over Elijah.  He had the power and the spirit to represent God before the people.  Elisha picked up the mantle and immediately started to work.  The city was having problems with their water.  people were dying and miscarriages were happening as a result of the water supply.  Elisha saw the problem and healed the water supply. Once healed, no more death and saddness was caused by the water.  God used His newly appointed prophet to bring joy out of saddness.
 
When we are called by God, the call is rarely in the way or for the purpose that we expect.  If we will pick up the charge and follow God’s lead, there is no telling what can be done.  Our faithfulness and trust in the Lord can do amazing things and change lives.  We simply need to be available to the Lord and folow his lead.  Elisha was a practical prophet.  He was simply going where God led him and doing what God told him to do.  In the wake of that, God was able to do great things.  We never know what God’s call on our lives may mean, we simply need to follow Him and do all  He leads us to do.
 
God Bless You

And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more.

Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 16 And they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men. Please let them go and seek your master. It may be that the Spirit of the Lord has caught him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.” 17 But when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men. And for three days they sought him but did not find him. 18 And they came back to him while he was staying at Jericho, and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”

19 Now the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees, but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful.” 20 He said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, “Thus says the Lord, I have healed this water; from now on neither death nor miscarriage shall come from it.” 22 So the water has been healed to this day, according to the word that Elisha spoke.

2 Kings 2–I want to Go Out Like Elijah

Elijah completed all that the Lord had for him to do.  He trained Elisha, he annointed the proper leaders. He killed  prophesied the ends of some stupid kings and now the Lord was ready to take him home. The awesome thing was that Elijah was going to be the second person that God took straight to Heaven without death touching them. Enoc, Noah’s Great Grandpa, left earth with God at age 350. He did not die, so by all records he is the oldest living man.  Now, Elijah would be the second.  God loved Elijah and used him to carry Israel through a time of Godlessness.  So as a result, God took Elijah home–literally.  No death, no suffering. Elijah just went off in a chariot of fire. He left Elisha. Elisha would carry on with the work.  Elisha would be armed with a double portion of God’s spirit to guide and empower him.
 
God always works His Plan.  He is never late and never wrong.  Elijah asked God to take him earier, and God revealed to Elijah that He had things well in hand.  If we could walk in the faith God provides, and if we trust God to complete His plan–then we will see God do greta things in our lives and in the lives of others.  It will never happen fast enough to suit us, but it will always be the right thing at the right time.  As a nation, we have been  thrown into dissarray  by  a virus. Our economy has shut down. Schools and churches stopped dead in their tracks. The military and the leaders of our nation are scrambling to lessen the effect of what lies ahead.  As a people, we must trust that, as with Elijah, God has this well in hand.  We must use this time to draw closer to God and our families.  We all want it to end.  We, like Elijah, just want it to be over.  God says, “Trust me”–in that still small voice. Let’s trust God and simply follow His lead as we draw closer in the journey!!!
 
God Bless You

When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel.”

But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

3 The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.”

4 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the Lord has sent me to Jericho.”

And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.

5 The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.”

6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.”

And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.

7 Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”

“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.

10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”

11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.