'man of God' Archives – Page 2 of 3

April 8, 2022April 8, 2022

Faithfulness is rewarded

2Kings 7-10 God devotes two chapters to the Shunammite woman as a lesson in obedience and faithfulness.

First, a Shunammite woman desires to honor the ‘man of God,” by providing a place for him to rest when he passes that way. He finds out she is barren and prophesies that she will have a child in a year. She has the child, but at some point, the child dies and she seeks to find Elisha for help. Although unaware he comes and restores the child to life. Sometime later he comes to her with what seems an illogical command to leave her home as there will be a famine. We might ask; why should she obey when there is no logical reason? Yet, she obeys because she has seen the evidence of his being a true prophet of God. Upon her return she finds her land confiscated and seeks to have it restored to her. In some miraculous way, Elisha’s servant tells the backdrop to the story to the king. Amazed at this story, he does what she requests!

God has placed this story to teach us about faithfulness whether we understand the logic or not. Sometimes, God asks us to do or go and there seems to be no logical reason why yet when we obey, God reveals His purpose and we are rewarded with increased faith and sometimes even material blessings!

April 7, 2022April 7, 2022

Using Your Spiritual Gift

2Kings 4-6 God heard the prayer of Elisha. He asked that he receive a double spiritual gift if he saw Elijah depart to heaven. When God responded to his humble request, he didn’t just take that gift and put it on the shelf. He used that gift to meet the needs of those who were hurting. Do we do the same? What spiritual gift has God placed in your hands that can be used to minister to the hurting? The Ephesians had the gift of ministry, but they had left their first love. (Rev 2:4) Have we been busy with sundry tasks but have left our first love? What does that look like? It looks like selfishness because we are keeping God’s gift to ourselves. Instead, God has given it to us to minister to others.

Remember this principle: “If your enemy is hungry, give him foot to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.” [Prov. 25:21-22] And when you are obedient to that you will hear: well done, thou good and faithful servant. [Luke 19:17]

What do I want to hear from the Savior’s lips today?

April 6, 2022April 6, 2022

What is on your wish list?

2Kings 1-3 The wicked king Ahab is killed in battle, and his son, just as corrupt, begins to reign. Like Ahab, Ahaziah does not consult God when a problem arises, so God sends the prophet Elijah to ask the simple question: Is there no God in Israel that you have to call upon Baal when you are injured? How often do we seek other avenues than God when we want an answer to our problems? Ahaziah learns a lesson that as God validated Elijah before his father Ahab, He will do it again for his son and because he did not inquire of the true God, he would die. Lesson to learn: God will not share His glory with another. [Is. 48:11]

God has used the prophet, Elijah, repeatedly for the kingdom of Israel, but his destiny date is soon upon him, and it will be a ride into the heavens via the heavenly chariots of fire! His replacement, Elisha, is asked what he would like, and he asks for a double portion of Elijah’s spiritual gift. Have we ever asked that question?

As Daniel eloquently wrote, God raises up and puts down leaders, but this is the only time when a man of God has been asked for his spiritual gift to be bestowed upon his protégé. I wonder what we might ask of one who is spiritually gifted?

If you could ask for one thing what would it be?

April 2, 2022April 2, 2022

God is not like us; He says and He does…

1Kings 13 Contradicting messages…

We often say we will obey, but something comes our way, and we question what God has said. As our loving Father, God often gives us warning signs to beware. Take the story of the prophet sent to King Jeroboam of the consequences of worshiping idols. God confirmed His message to the prophet by having Jeroboam’s hand wither, and the altar broke. He obediently spoke for God and declined a meal and went home a different way--just as God said to do. However, on his way, he met an old man who also claimed to be a “prophet” with a message that an angel said he should ignore that first set of instructions.

Warning Sign:

It was while he was obeying that God tested his obedience. He failed to return to ask God about what He has said. God is not a man who changes his mind. [Num. 23:19] The prophet rehearsed God’s message to the older man, but then he began to falter. Well, he said he is a prophet and he said he heard an angel speak. Beloved, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! And, like us, he did not check back in with God. So while dining, he heard this news:

You will die before reaching home–and he did.

Be forewarned; the adversary can use even what seems like righteous words.

March 10, 2022March 10, 2022

What does your faith meter register?

Judges 13-15 Do you trust God to answer your prayers? If God were to measure it on a meter stick, what would it say? In these chapters, we meet a couple who are childless. We wonder if they had prayed for a child for a short time or a long time. Time matters nothing in God’s eyes. What matters to God is the depth of our faith.

In these chapters, we meet a barren woman who has been praying for a child and as she works in the field she encounters the angel of God who announces that her prayer has been answered. In her excitement, she tells her husband about this news but her husband, Manoah, is a man who faces a crisis of belief. He prays that the man would return and confirm this news. And so God responds by returning and confirming the news. As Manoah listens, he wants to offer a meal to this unexpected guest. As the meal is poured out and received, the “guest,” a.k.a the Angel of the Lord, ascends to heaven and Manoah’s crisis of belief resurrects itself! “surely we will die for we have seen God.” [Judges 13:22]

Now we see what true faith is: Mrs. Manoah told her husband, look at the evidence! God answered our prayer! He accepted our offering! He wouldn’t have shown us these things or let us hear something like this if he wanted to kill us! [Judges 13:23] While Manoah was wallowing in his crisis of belief, Mrs. Manoah’s faith was strengthened and God opened her womb and gave her a son.

When God speaks, do we believe Him 100 %! What does our faith meter reveal?

February 26, 2022February 26, 2022

The Last…

Deut. 32-34 “Last…”

There are five sets of “lasts” in these chapters. Moses’ “last” song to Israel to remind them of God’s choosing them and blessing them. There are the “last” words of blessing on each tribe lest they forget that God had chosen them and placed upon them His task of leading the nation. Then Moses’ “last” view of the nation and the Promised Land. And so obediently Moses climbed Mt. Nebo and he and God had one “last” time together before he took his “last” breath. And so the book of Deut. comes to an end with great sadness because there will never be another Moses who spoke to God face to face and was given great mighty power as a “mover and shaker” of heaven’s power to lead the nation of Israel.

As we ponder all of these “lasts” what will ours be when God says it is time for us to die. Will we have a song to share, a blessing to bestow, and a view of loved ones’ faces? What will it be like? Are we even now preparing for that time?

September 15, 2021September 15, 2021

The Righteous Shall Prevail!

Daniel 4 to 6 Daniel served under several kings and knew the ways of God because he spent time with God three times a day. Nebuchadnezzar was a wise king, but foolishly, he ignored the advice to repent of his sin, and God called him to account. Daniel interpreted the visual lesson of the handwriting on the wall for Belshazzar. Daniel boldly told him that he had not learned the lesson of “he who is prideful will be humbled,” from the experience of his grandfather. And then was Darius, who is a prime example of one who is the fool extraordinaire. Signing a law then regretting it was his major blunder. Wicked men of his court sought to elevate themselves and demote Daniel with an extreme measure of death in the lion’s den. Yet, Daniel remained steadfast just as Paul told the Corinthians: “be ye steadfast, immovable always abounding in the work of the Lord.” [1Cor 15:58]

Daniel survived to live another day, but the wicked men and their families became breakfast for the hungry lions. This is a truth that will not change: sin has its consequences, and often our families pay the price along with us.

Stay faithful to God, stay humble, because it is the righteous that shall prevail.

July 3, 2021July 3, 2021

Faith or Doubt?

2Kings 6&7: What do you believe about God? Is He the God of the impossible? Can God work even when we are cynical and scoff?

True story: In a time of severe famine, the people of Samaria had lost all hope. They were like the “walking dead.” In addition, the Arameans surrounded their city. Inside the city, people were even willing to eat a donkey’s head and their children. 🙁 In the midst of this, a man of God had a word of encouragement for them; the famine would end the very next day. And how did the king respond? “May God judge me severely if Elisha [the prophet of God] still has his head by the end of the day!” [2Kings 6:31] Like many, the cynical king said that the prophecy was like pie in the sky. Not only can’t it happen, but it won’t happen.

Many, like the king and his right-hand man, doubted the work of God. How about you? Do NOT forget the counsel of James: “the one who doubts is like the wave of the sea; he will not receive anything from the Lord.” [James 1:6-7]

Where are you? Are you saying, “God can’t do anything about my situation?”

God has a word for you this day. Life may seem to be desperate. You may feel like you are at the end of your rope, and there is nowhere to turn. You have exhausted all options. It is now or never. God has a word for you this day:

Trust in Me! I am the God of the impossible. [Luke 1]

April 25, 2021April 25, 2021

“Genealogical Records.”

1Chron 3 to 5 We love reading about the positive, strong role models in scripture such as Joshua, but we are to remember that Christ died for all, the noble and the ignoble.

Don’t get bogged down in these genealogical records, but as you read, sort out the character qualities of the families. Make a list of those that are pleasing to the Lord and choose to emulate them. For instance, how about Jabez? His life began in the birth canal, where he struggled to come forth. It seems that his Mother recorded that fact or reminded him of it throughout his life. He boldly went to God and poured out his heart to Him, who knows all things in eternity past, today and tomorrow.

The Chronicler tells us that Jabez was more honorable than all of his brothers. Yet, it appears he did not Lord it over them; he was instead a humble man who earnestly desired God’s best for himself. While his brothers may have been out building altars and worshiping idols, Jabez was worshiping God.

Jabez began his prayer humbly: “if you…” Jabez left no stone unturned; I want the full scope of the blessing! He even noted what that blessing would entail and included, protect me. He wanted or sensed he needed a hedge of protection and that he might not endure pain. That closes the circle from Mother’s words; I brought you forth in pain.

God answered his prayer, all. four.parts.

How about your prayer?

March 28, 2021March 28, 2021

The Measure of Greatness

This is one characteristic God loves and honors

Joshua 19 “Humility”

What are the marks of a humble person? They are willing to wait on God’s plan and timing. Joshua is such a man; a picture of true humility. He had waited over 47+/- years to achieve a place of rest since leaving Egypt’s slavery. He had seen the wonders of God at work in Egypt; he had been a faithful spy at Kadesh Barnea and had been a faithful servant of the Lord under Moses. He then led the children of Israel over seven years as they conquered the land and until every one of the Lord’s faithful promises to the family of Israel was completed. He waited patiently for his inheritance. He didn’t ask for land but only a city. Humble people are satisfied with the least and are willing to wait until others have their share. Humble people are those who do not seek glory or honor but only that which pleases the Lord. Joshua only wanted what the Lord wanted. God has placed this man for us to study and to learn exactly what God requires and desires. God “has told you…to carry out justice, to love faithfulness, and to live obediently before your God.” [Mic 6:8]

Today may we take our lesson from this man and learn from him how to please God.