God's Plan Is In Constant Motion

2 Kings 4

We know of course of the miracles of Jesus, but less so of those in the Old Testament, and in particular those of Elisha.  Yet here, with Elisha, we see signs of things to come with the Son of God.

For example, Elisha feeds many with little.

⁴² A man came from Baal Shalishah, bringing the man of God twenty loaves of barley bread baked from the first ripe grain, along with some heads of new grain. “Give it to the people to eat,” Elisha said. 

 ⁴³ “How can I set this before a hundred men?” his servant asked.

   But Elisha answered, “Give it to the people to eat. For this is what the LORD says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.’” ⁴⁴ Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD. (verses 42-44)

Is this not eerily like the feeding of the five thousand Jesus performs with the fish and bread from the small boy (Matthew 14:13-21)?

What I see here is a God that is in constant motion - God continues to orchestrate his plan for his glory.  We know ultimately that his plan is to bring his Son Jesus to the world for us.


My Prayer: Lord, your work is glorious as I have experienced it in my own life.  Forgive me when I doubt you or don't trust you.  Help me seek you out more, love you more, desire you more, trust in you more, obey in you more, and serve you more.  Please Lord I so desperately need you.

Elisha: He Asks Only To Be An Instrument of God

2 Kings 2

It is an ongoing prayer that I have for myself (when I am not spending too much time thinking of myself)....to be an instrument of God...to be used up by Him for His Glory.

This is what I see of Elisha.  For when Elijah his father is about to be called up to Heaven, Elijah asks Elisha what he can do for his son before he is taken from him:

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.(verse 9)

I need to be focused on you Lord and your will...too often I am focused on myself.

My Prayer: Lord, you are great and I am not...forgive me because I am weak and I don't seek you out enough for your strength.  You are getting me through difficult work circumstances even when I don't seek you our for your help - thank you Lord!  Help me seek you out more often, because I desperately need you, now more than ever!  Help me be an instrument for your glory!  Help me be strong through your strength!

Do Not Only Seek Out "Yes" Men

Today's Reading
1 Kings Chp 22

As the Jewish kingdom remains divided, the kings over the factions continue to sin and anger the Lord.   Here we see that Ahab seeks to attack Aram and to validate his plan Ahab seeks counsel from the prophets who tell him that yes you should go:

⁶ So the king of Israel brought together the prophets—about four hundred men—and asked them, “Shall I go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?”

   

“Go,” they answered, “for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.” (verses 6-7)

Yet, there is one prophet - Micaiah- who is not a "yes" man...and Ahab despises Micaiah because of this.

⁸ The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”(verse 8)

Micaiah is called before the kings regarding the word of the Lord on this plan to attack Aram and Micaiah indicates that:

¹⁷ Then Micaiah answered, “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and the LORD said, ‘These people have no master. Let each one go home in peace.’” (verse 17)

He goes on to say:

¹⁹ Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with all the multitudes of heaven standing around him on his right and on his left. ²⁰ And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?’

  

 “One suggested this, and another that. ²¹ Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD and said, ‘I will entice him.’ 

 ²² “‘By what means?’ the LORD asked.

   “‘I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,’ he said.

   “‘You will succeed in enticing him,’ said the LORD. ‘Go and do it.’

 ²³ “So now the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours. The LORD has decreed disaster for you.” (verse 19-23)

Of course, Ahab completely ignores the words of Micaiah and of course he is killed in battle.

The questions for me of course are:

- do I only seek counsel from "yes" men

- if I do seek counsel from those who speak truth, do I obey or do I willingly disobey

I know for myself that from time to time  I answer yes to the first question and I often willingly disobey truth.  Lord help me.

My Prayer: Lord, your truth has set me free...in so many ways.  Yet I continue to sin, and I am so deeply sorry for this.  I don't want to sin but I do.  Please forgive me that I am harsh with my wife and my children.  Help me love and encourage as you do.  Please please please help me with this.

God's Compassion Knows No Bounds

Today's Reading
1 Kings Chp 21

Here is the story of King Ahab who desires the vineyard of Naboth, yet after asking for it does not get it.  So his wife Jezebel conspires to have Naboth killed so that the vineyard can be Ahab's.

What struck me first was the arrogance of Jezebel:

⁶ He answered her, “Because I said to Naboth the Jezreelite, ‘Sell me your vineyard; or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’”

⁷ Jezebel his wife said, “Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I’ll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.” (verses 6-7)

The arrogance is that based on your position of leadership you can do anything, even murder - despite the word of God.    It is written here that Ahab is truly the "vilest":

²⁵ (There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife. ²⁶ He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the LORD drove out before Israel.)(verses 25-26)

Yet, even with such vile acts and the evil nature of Ahab, God finds it within himself to show compassion for Ahab.   Elijah confronts Ahab and after the admonishment:

²⁷ When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly. 

 ²⁸ Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite: ²⁹ “Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.”

God's compassion is great and it is available for all of us and because of this we should show compassion to all others.


My Prayer: Lord, you compassion is great!  I have seen your love, mercy and compassion in my life in the face of my own sin.  How you have forgiven me and blessed me despite my sin.  Forgive me Lord when I don't show compassion and mercy and help me show compassion and mercy to others as you have shown me.

God Reveals His Glory When You Truly Rely On Him

Today's Reading
1 Kings Chp 19

Here, Elijah hits rock bottom.  He fears for his life.

³ Elijah was afraid^[a] and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, ⁴ while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” ⁵ Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. (verses 3-5)

Just when Elijah appears most desperate, most dependent on the Lord...the Lord appears to Elijah:

5All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” ⁶ He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.

 ⁷ The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” ⁸ So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. ⁹ There he went into a cave and spent the night.

    And the word of the LORD came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

 ¹⁰ He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

 ¹¹ The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.”

   Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. ¹² After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. ¹³ When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

   Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

 ¹⁴ He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

 ¹⁵ The LORD said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. ¹⁶ Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. ¹⁷ Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. ¹⁸ Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.” (verses 5-18)

My Prayer: Lord, your love and your compassion knows no bounds.  I have experienced your love as experienced by Elijah.  Forgive me when I take this for granted and neglect to seek you out on a more regular consistent basis.  Help me love you more, trust you more, seek you more, and obey you more.

How Many Signs Of the Lord Do I Need Before I Believe

Today's Reading
1 Kings Chp 18

This chapter, an often told Old Testament story, is one where I see God making a point to me that I don't need extravagant signs of God to know that He exists and He reigns.

My Prayer: Lord, you exist everywhere and your blessings do as well.  Your work is great and it is awesome - both in my life and everywhere else on earth and in the heavens!  Forgive me when I deny your existence, don't trust you, or neglect you (worshipping other things or myself).  Help me remind myself moment to moment of your greatness and your love for me and all humanity.  Use me for your glory!

Blind Faith...God Really Does Provide

Today's Reading
1 Kings Chp 17

This is a well known story, yet once again I am reminded that God does love me and his love, protection, guidance, and provision is always there for me, even in my darkest hours.  It has been very difficult for me at work and I have been neglecting my study and quiet time with the Lord...yet here the Lord is - in this story - showing me faith in him truly does produce results.

Here, such faith is blind faith.  A woman and her son at wit's end find themselves with only enough food for one more meal - truly a desperate situation.  Yet, on request and without any resistance, she willingly gives up this food based on Elijah's promise that God will provide.

¹³ Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. ¹⁴ For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD sends rain on the land.’”  (verses 13-14)

...

¹⁵ She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. ¹⁶ For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah.  (verses 15-16)

Her faith in Elijah's God is tested once more with the illness of her son, yet once again, God comes through and finally, the woman sees and accepts Truth:

²⁴ Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is the truth.”  (verse 24)

My Prayer: Lord, your provision is great and it manifests itself in so many ways - all of this despite my sin and my neglect of you.  Forgive me for my sin and my neglect. Help me deepen my faith.  Help me seek you out more.  Help me trust you more.  Help me love you more.  Help me follow you and obey you more. 

Beware of False Prophets...and Stay Close to God

Today's Reading
1 Kings Chp 13

Here we find a man of God who is instructed in specific ways to deal with Jeroboam and then the man of God is told:

But the man of God answered the king, “Even if you were to give me half your possessions, I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water here. ⁹ For I was commanded by the word of the LORD: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.’” (verses 8-10)

Yet the man of God is met by an old prophet who claims to have seen an angel of the Lord who tells him that he must eat and drink with the man of God:

¹⁸ The old prophet answered, “I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the LORD: ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” (But he was lying to him.) ¹⁹ So the man of God returned with him and ate and drank in his house. (verses 18-19)

So the man of God goes and ultimately is struck down by God because he defied God's specific instructions.

How does this happen?  We are not on guard and we veer from God.  The book of Jude in verses 20-22 give us specific guidance about how we can be on guard.

²⁰ But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹ keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

  

²² Be merciful to those who doubt; ²³ save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. (1 Jude 20-22)

My Prayer:Lord, you are holy and perfect and your example, your love, and your guidance for me is perfect.  Forgive me when I fall prey to false prophets.  Help build me up and help me seek you out in prayer.  Help me love you more, trust you more, pray to you and with you more, and help me be more like you through obedience to you.  I love you Lord.