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SCRIPTURE: 2 Kings 4
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
“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.’ ” Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD. [2 Kings 4:43-44]
The Lord endorses Elisha’s prophetic mission with signs and wonders:
Oil and bread multiplied, a miracle birth and resurrection, and bad stew made good.
The purpose of these signs was to confirm his message, to assure everyone that he was speaking for the Lord [see Acts 2:22]
The author wants the readers to know that it was very clear to the kings and people of Israel that the Lord was speaking against them through Elisha. Continue reading signs and wonders
SCRIPTURE: 2 Kings 3
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
For this is what the LORD says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. [2 Kings 3:17]
Water in the wilderness; this brings back memories of Israel’s journey through the wilderness to Egypt.
God providing water for His stubborn, rebellious people.
Neither wind nor rain – in other words, this is an act of God.
And an act of mercy, not because Joram is a good king but for the king of Judah’s sake.
God is still committed to His kingdom mission, and His covenant arrangement with Israel.
Though He is not happy with how they are acting, He mercifully provides for them in the wilderness, as an attempt to draw them back to Himself. Continue reading water in my wilderness
SCRIPTURE: 2 Kings 2
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
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. “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours – otherwise not.” [2 Kings 2:9-10]
Under Elijah’s watch, there were some significant miracles: rain held back, fire from heaven (2x), food multiplied, the dead raised; and the grand finale, his fiery departure.
Elijah is the greatest old testament prophet, or the second greatest; John the Baptist is the greatest, and he is like Elijah [Matthew 11:10-14].
Elisha follows Elijah – with a double portion of the Spirit.
The miracle of parting the Jordan, and purifying the bad water, and the judgment of those who mocked him – all point to his receiving the Spirit. Continue reading a double portion!
SCRIPTURE: 2 Kings 1
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. This third captain went up and fell on his knees before Elijah. “Man of God,” he begged, “please have respect for my life and the lives of these fifty men, your servants! See, fire has fallen from heaven and consumed the first two captains and all their men. But now have respect for my life!” [2 Kings 1:13-14]
Wow, fire from heaven, and 100 innocent men…
Why did the king not come to his senses – first when Elijah warns him, and then after he loses his soldiers, twice?
One thing is for sure, God seems to work very differently today.
He does not send fire by my word – and I am glad that He doesn’t.
This would be a scary power. Continue reading repent
SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 15
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good. [Proverbs 15:3] Death and Destruction lie open before the LORD– how much more the hearts of men! [Proverbs 15:11] Some of these proverbs highlight God’s perspective, what He sees, what He knows, and what He detests [see Proverbs 15: 8,9,26]. The all-knowing, all seeing, always present reality of God will either comfort or disturb you.
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. [Matthew 6:6-8] To think that the Father sees, the Father knows, can be a great comfort. He is watching out for us, He is concerned about our real needs, He is eager and willing to help. Continue reading He sees, He knows
SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 14
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honours God. [Proverbs 14:31] Jesus sees a direct relational link between God and people. How we treat people is how we treat God. Jesus, Who is God with us, makes it clear that whatever we do (or don’t do) for others, is what we do (or don’t do) for Him, and for God. Richard Wurmbrand, who spent many years in prison under communism, asked the question – if the cold prisoner next to you was Jesus, would you give Him your only blanket? Do we realize that the person next to us is – by extension – Jesus? Does the tyrant who oppresses his people realize he is oppressing Jesus? The person who slanders their neighbour, is slandering Jesus? The parent who abuses their child is abusing Jesus? I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. [Matthew 25:40]
James reminds us that our bad words about others (even if we worship God), are a slur against their Maker: With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. [James 3:9] John reminds us that the people around us are also God’s children, therefore they ought to love them too: Everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. [1 John 5:1] Continue reading giving Jesus my blanket
SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 13
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. [Proverbs 13:20] Today I want to think about what it means to “walk” with Jesus. Obviously, He is not here with us on earth in a body, so we cannot see, hear or be with Him in this way. But we can still “walk” with the Lord, if we relate with Him through every part of our day, wherever we go, whatever we do. Right now, as I write this, I am with Him, He is with me. I also believe that He is speaking to me through the bible, and energizing me through His Spirit. I want to learn from His wisdom, I want to grow wise!
From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. [John 6:66-68] Accepting what Jesus has to say has never been easy. Even for those who were with Him, what He said was challenging, difficult, demanding. On this occasion, His words were so tough that many of those who were following Him turned back. It was too hard, they gave up. They went back to their former “masters”. They rejected His wisdom, and looked elsewhere. Sadly, they likely became companions to fools… Continue reading walking with the wise
SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 12
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
A man cannot be established through wickedness, but the righteous cannot be uprooted. [Proverbs 12:3] I am just focusing on one proverb today, one that summarizes the wisdom of all of them. The basic message here is that if I want to live a stable, secure, rooted life, I need to choose integrity, honesty, humility, morality, etc., the kinds of qualities that Jesus lived and taught. All of these proverbs stress the doing the right thing, i.e. putting wisdom into practice.
Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash. [Matthew 7:24-27] Notice here too, puts them into practice! This in contrast to the person who hears, and does not put them into practice. This is a message especially for people who belong to ‘church’ or say they are ‘christians’. Its not enough to hear, or to claim, we need to practice what Jesus lived and taught. Those who DO the right thing cannot be uprooted. Continue reading to live the righteous life
SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 11
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Today’s proverbs contrast wisdom and folly in its many forms.
- honesty vs. dishonesty
- humility vs. pride
- integrity vs. duplicity
- righteousness vs. riches/trust in riches
- righteousness vs. wickedness/unfaithfulness/godlessness
- upright vs. wicked
- understanding vs. lack of judgment
- trustworthiness vs. gossip
- advice vs. lack of guidance
- indebtedness vs. being in debt
- kindness vs. ruthlessness
- kindness vs. cruelty
- righteousness vs. those who pursue evil
- blameless vs. perverse
- generosity vs. stinginess/hoarding
- seeking good vs. seeking evil
- righteousness vs. troublemaking
- the blessing of righteousness vs. the judgment of sin
Remember the little demon and the little angel, each one enticing us in one or the other direction. These proverbs give many examples of the choices we face. Each one is worthy of extended reflection. I am only highlighting the many contrasts, and their results, either blessing or woe. Continue reading blessing or woe
SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 10
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
The next chapters are collections of sayings, covering a variety of topics. Sometimes there are repeated themes, like today. The theme I picked up on was the emphasis on the mouth (chattering lips, tongue):
- Blessings crown the head of the righteous, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. [Proverbs 10:6]
- The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin. [Proverbs 10:8]
- He who winks maliciously causes grief, and a chattering fool comes to ruin. [Proverbs 10:10]
- The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. [Proverbs 10:11]
- Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment. [Proverbs 10:13]
- Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin. [Proverbs 10:14]
- He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool. [Proverbs 10:18]
- When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise. [Proverbs 10:19]
- The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value. [Proverbs 10:20]
- The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgment. [Proverbs 10:21]
- The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be cut out. [Proverbs 10:31]
- The lips of the righteous know what is fitting, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse. [Proverbs 10:32] Continue reading me and my big mouth
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