Beware of Qucik Wealth 05.03.08

Hello My Friend/Guest,

It is Saturday May 3, 2008 and today we are continuing our study on the book of II Kings. Please read Chapter 4-5 in your Bible ot Click Here to read. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=II%20Kings%204-5&version=9

Today we will read and learn about the widow's oil; Elisha and the Shunammite woman; Elisha's miracles; Elisha feeding 100 men; Naaman curing of his leprosy; and Gehazi's cursed with leprosy. Today's message focuses on the importance of realizing that God will provide us with all of our needs, but we must seek Him first. Quick money can not replace the love of God.

God reminds us of a certain widow woman who came to Elisha in hopes that he would help her and her sons. "Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen." (II Kings 4:1). The two sons would be slaves until the year of jubile (See Leviticus 25:8-10).

The prophet directed her to go and borrow empty vessels, "And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil. Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few." (II Kings 4:2-3). We may ask: "Why not borrow vessels with something in them?" But that would have taken her further into debt. And that should remind us of the dangers of going in debt. There is a danger of using money which really is not ours, of living beyond what the Lord has provided and incurring liabilities which we have no assurance of repaying.

This widow's situation assures us that our loving Father in heaven is concerned about our personal needs, struggles, and sorrows. The Bible is partly a history of nations, but it is much more a history of individuals for whom the Lord desires to save and provide and to sustain. These biblical historical facts are written for our encouragement so that we may pray to the same Lord and know He cares and hears our prayers. The only possession the prophet's widow had in her house seemed worthless because it was only a small vessel of oil, but God can take the little we have and make it into something priceless and precious to the Almighty Creator as we give ourselves to Him.

In God's economy, the individual is never lost in the crowd. It could be one widow who touches the hem of His garment when He is surrounded by multitudes (Matthew 9:20) but she is not ignored by the Lord; or a sorrowing widow whose only son was in a coffin, ready to be buried (Luke 7:12) but Jesus interrupted to raise him up. There also was a helpless cripple lying near the pool of Bethesda who had no one who cared for him (John 5:7) but Jesus had compassion on him and healed him.

Desperate to be healed of his leprosy, Naaman, Syria's military leader, appeared before King Jehoram in Israel, "Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper. And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife. And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy. And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel. And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment. And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy." (II Kings 5:1-6).

Jehoram had no faith in God and thought that King Ben-hadad was seeking an excuse to declare war, "And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me. And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel." (5:7-8). When Naaman obeyed the words of the prophet, he was miraculously healed. "Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean." (5:14).

Naaman was so grateful of Elisha that he sent a reward to him to thank him, but Elisha refused. "And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant. But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused." (5:15-16). However, his greedy servant Gehazi persuaded himself that God had blessed him with the opportunity to be wealthy and went back to Naaman. "But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him. So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well? And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments. And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him." (5:20-22).

The schemer thought he could rush back before Elisha discovered he was missing and get Naaman to give him the gifts. However, after Gehazi's return elisha confronted him, "But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither. And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants? The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow." (5:25-27). Gehazi forfeited any opportunity he may have had to be the next honored prophet of God. Instead, he became a leper! When Gehazi was tested, he exposed his true character as a covetous hypocrite. He probably did not think it was much of a sin to gain wealth that he didn't deserve from someone who was a Gentile and didn't need it. However he soon realized that greed was a deadly disease.

When faced with quick opportunities we need to ask ourselves, the question Elisha asked Gehazi, Is it a time to receive money? We need to be aware of quick fixes, it is so easy to fall into sin when we are desperate, but God blesses all who are faithful and put their trust in Him to overcome our circumstances. He wants to give us what we need and desire, but He wants us to put Him first. Are you willing to give up the chance at wealth for God? How would you respond to Christ who said, "

How do you respond to Christ, who said: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33). Since God is the Creator of all things, it is not hard to believe that there is no personal need that He cannot meet. God will provide us with all our needs and desires as long as we put our faith and trust in Him.

In today's message Jesus Christ is revealed through the meal that took the poison out of the pot (II Kings 4:40-41). The meal, made of crushed corn, speaks of Christ, who was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised (crushed) for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:5) thereby removing the poison of sin from the lives of those who are His followers. Also, in the multiplying of the bread and corn to feed 100 men with an abundance left over (II Kings 4:42-44). This foreshadowed Jesus multiplying food to feed the 5000, and then the 4000, hungry people with an abundance left over (Matthew 14:15-21; 15:32-38).

Today's Psalm: 7:1
"O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me"

Today's Prayer: From Psalm 25
Dear Lord,
1Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul.

2O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.

3Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.

4Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.

5Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

Have a safe and wonderful Saturday and enjoy your weekend.
God Bless You,
Christina

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