2 Kings 13:1-13
Some passages of the books of Kings seem to be mere repetition of the same events with different names. Israel fell into terrible, predictable patterns. And they rarely got out of that rut because they never fully got rid of all their sin. A "little sin" was always allowed to linger. But just like a little cancer, sin never remains alone for long.
Friday, October 14, 2016
They Dealt Faithfully
2 Kings 12:15
"Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to be bestowed on workmen: for they dealt faithfully."
The Lord does not look for success, but faithfulness.
"Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to be bestowed on workmen: for they dealt faithfully."
The Lord does not look for success, but faithfulness.
Sunday, October 9, 2016
Hidden Roots
2 Kings 11:17-18
"And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD'S people; between the king also and the people. And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the LORD."
Generations of evil do not just go away. It takes a serious, dedicated cleansing. It takes a thorough breaking of the old before the new can be introduced. It will be painful, it will be hard, but it will be worth it.
Every person faces this same challenge on an individual level in their life. Sin puts down roots in our lives. These roots choke, kill and destroy everything they touch. And they will tenaciously hold on when extraction is attempted. It can be easy to just knock off the head and leave the roots, because getting the roots hurts, it's difficult, and requires getting your hands dirty. But it is the only way to get rid of that sin - we must thoroughly break it.
What sin in my life has hidden roots? What steps can I take to allow God to thoroughly cleaned me today?
"And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD'S people; between the king also and the people. And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the LORD."
Generations of evil do not just go away. It takes a serious, dedicated cleansing. It takes a thorough breaking of the old before the new can be introduced. It will be painful, it will be hard, but it will be worth it.
Every person faces this same challenge on an individual level in their life. Sin puts down roots in our lives. These roots choke, kill and destroy everything they touch. And they will tenaciously hold on when extraction is attempted. It can be easy to just knock off the head and leave the roots, because getting the roots hurts, it's difficult, and requires getting your hands dirty. But it is the only way to get rid of that sin - we must thoroughly break it.
What sin in my life has hidden roots? What steps can I take to allow God to thoroughly cleaned me today?
Replacing Evil
2 Kings 10:28 & 31
"Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel....But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin."
Jehu accomplished a work that no king before was able to do. It took dedication and tenacity. Yet despite his willingness to commit to getting rid of an evil, he had no commitment to replacing it with good.
Our lives are never stagnant, and while we may stumble and rise again, we are always in motion toward God or away from God. Jehu stopped Israel from heading away from God and toward Baal, yet he did not redirect them toward God. And as a result, they continued to drift away from their Savior.
Is there a sin in my life that needs removed? It may mean bloody war to root out that sin, but it's worth it. After that sin is removed though, I must ask myself, with what am I replacing that space in my life? Will it draw me toward God, or draw me away?
"Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel....But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin."
Jehu accomplished a work that no king before was able to do. It took dedication and tenacity. Yet despite his willingness to commit to getting rid of an evil, he had no commitment to replacing it with good.
Our lives are never stagnant, and while we may stumble and rise again, we are always in motion toward God or away from God. Jehu stopped Israel from heading away from God and toward Baal, yet he did not redirect them toward God. And as a result, they continued to drift away from their Savior.
Is there a sin in my life that needs removed? It may mean bloody war to root out that sin, but it's worth it. After that sin is removed though, I must ask myself, with what am I replacing that space in my life? Will it draw me toward God, or draw me away?
Not One Word Shall Fall
2 Kings 10:10
"Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah."
Trust in God should not be a radical thing. He has proved Himself more times than we can ever know, in more powerful ways than we can fathom. Therefore, explicit trust in the Creator should be a given.
What He speaks will come to pass. This should encourage and motivate us. We can trust the truth that one day we will all face eternity, either with Christ in paradise, or else in Hell because of a rejection of Christ.
This knowledge, spurs us on to be like Elijah, speaking God's word, being His faithful messenger. A servant obeys his master. How much more should we obey an infallible Master?
How can I let God's trustworthiness motivate me today?
"Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah."
Trust in God should not be a radical thing. He has proved Himself more times than we can ever know, in more powerful ways than we can fathom. Therefore, explicit trust in the Creator should be a given.
What He speaks will come to pass. This should encourage and motivate us. We can trust the truth that one day we will all face eternity, either with Christ in paradise, or else in Hell because of a rejection of Christ.
This knowledge, spurs us on to be like Elijah, speaking God's word, being His faithful messenger. A servant obeys his master. How much more should we obey an infallible Master?
How can I let God's trustworthiness motivate me today?
Way of the Kings
2 Kings 8:18-19
"And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the sight of the LORD. Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah for David his servant's sake, as he promised him to give him alway a light, and to his children."
Israel was warned exactly what having a king would mean for them. This was not God's perfect plan for them, though He still worked it out to His will. All the way back to Samuel, Israel was warned against establishing a monarchy, yet they ignored the warnings. And look what happened.
Kings like David were an exception to a rule. The rule was the "way of the kings of Israel" - idolatry, wickedness, iniquity. That was their way, David, the exception chose to walk in God's way instead.
David's choice resulted in God's mercy being poured out again and again on an undeserving nation. A nation of prostitutes who went after evil false gods, rejecting outright the love, mercy and grace of the One True God.
Sound familiar?
"And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the sight of the LORD. Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah for David his servant's sake, as he promised him to give him alway a light, and to his children."
Israel was warned exactly what having a king would mean for them. This was not God's perfect plan for them, though He still worked it out to His will. All the way back to Samuel, Israel was warned against establishing a monarchy, yet they ignored the warnings. And look what happened.
Kings like David were an exception to a rule. The rule was the "way of the kings of Israel" - idolatry, wickedness, iniquity. That was their way, David, the exception chose to walk in God's way instead.
David's choice resulted in God's mercy being poured out again and again on an undeserving nation. A nation of prostitutes who went after evil false gods, rejecting outright the love, mercy and grace of the One True God.
Sound familiar?
The Man of God Wept
2 Kings 8:11
"And he settled his countenance steadfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept."
It is hard to imagine Elisha crying. This great man of God, who was one of the most powerful prophets of all time, weeping tears of sorrow for what is to come. However here we see a side of Elisha that is both curious and instructive.
Elisha was not a selfish man. No man that is truly walking in the Spirit can be. Being prosperous and successful was not one of his considerations, as evidenced by his refusal of the riches Naaman tried to give him. Elisha cared not for himself, but for his God, and for others. That is why his entire life was a ministry, demonstrating God's love and power.
Elisha is one of the greatest examples of waking in the Spirit that the Bible gives us. And part of his example is selfless love and caring about others. Not easy, but something we all must strive to emulate.
How am I affected by the plight of others? Does the knowledge that everyone I see will have eternity someday move me?
"And he settled his countenance steadfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept."
It is hard to imagine Elisha crying. This great man of God, who was one of the most powerful prophets of all time, weeping tears of sorrow for what is to come. However here we see a side of Elisha that is both curious and instructive.
Elisha was not a selfish man. No man that is truly walking in the Spirit can be. Being prosperous and successful was not one of his considerations, as evidenced by his refusal of the riches Naaman tried to give him. Elisha cared not for himself, but for his God, and for others. That is why his entire life was a ministry, demonstrating God's love and power.
Elisha is one of the greatest examples of waking in the Spirit that the Bible gives us. And part of his example is selfless love and caring about others. Not easy, but something we all must strive to emulate.
How am I affected by the plight of others? Does the knowledge that everyone I see will have eternity someday move me?
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