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2 Kings 6 (Part 1) Bible Study (The Axe Head Recovered) | Pastor Daniel Batarseh · Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

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Turn with me to 2nd Kings Chapter 6.
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We are beginning a new chapter tonight in the study of this
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precious book. And as you're turning to the
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second Kings 6, I want to ask you a question that you don't
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have to answer. You can answer in your heart.
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Which of Elijah's miracles has impacted you the most up to this
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point? I want to ask you that
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personally. What would your answer be?
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Would it be the miraculous provision of that oil for that
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widow and her two sons? Would it be the marvellous
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resurrection miracle of the Shunamite sun?
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Would it be the undeserved guidance that Elijah provided to
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the Three Kings when they were preparing to go to war with
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Moab? There is no right or wrong
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answer. Each miracle is powerful in its
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own way. But if you were to ask me what
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supernatural story up to this point has moved you, I would
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tell you that the one that resonates with me the most is
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what we're about to read in the first few verses.
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The Second Kings chapter 6. We're going to study 7 verses.
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That's how brief this miracle is within the span of seven verses.
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And in it you're going to find an interesting insert in this
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collection of supernatural interventions from God through
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the ministry of this man, Elijah.
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So I trust that you're there. Let's begin in verse one down to
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verse 7. And if the sound team can help
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me with the buzzing, I think there's bees or Wasps behind me.
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There it is, verse one. Now the sons of the prophets
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said to Elijah, see, the place where we dwell under your charge
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is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan and each
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of us get there a log and let us make a place for us to dwell
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there. Any answered, go.
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Then one of them said, Be pleased to go with your
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servants. And he answered, I will go.
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So he went with them, and when they came to the Jordan they cut
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down trees. But as one was felling a log,
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his axe had fell into the water. And he cried out, Alas, my
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master, it was borrowed. And the man of God said, where
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did it fall? When he showed him the place, he
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cut off a stick and threw it in there and made the iron float,
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and he said, Take it up. So he reached out his hand and
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took it. Pray with me, Lord, we want to
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pray what we sang. Oh Father, use my rants of life
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in any way you choose. We surrender ourselves to your
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fresh tonight. And Lord, we know that we cannot
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ultimately be used unless we know Your word.
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And so we pray that you bathe us in the revelations that you
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desire to convey through these verses.
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Help us hear your voice. See your wisdom, Lord, we just
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pray that there would be a great protection from any distraction,
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anything that would rob us from the fullness of this Bible
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study. Please, Lord, guide us step by
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step, verse by verse. We depend on You and we thank
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you in advance that we are people who could come freely
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with open Bibles, not having to fear to look over our shoulders.
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And we can relish and enjoy all that you have for us with any
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risk of being persecuted, arrested, harmed, harassed, so
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that we thank you for this time may not be wasted because we
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know things can change very quickly in the culture with
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government. So Lord, help us, help us be
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used by you and for your glory. While it is day for night is
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coming, when no man can work. We ask these things, trusting
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you with a zeal in our hearts, believing that you're going to
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fuel that passion more through your word.
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In Jesus name we pray, Amen. There are so many things that I
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can say from verse one alone, so many observations.
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I want us to look at it again Now, the sons of the prophets
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said to Elijah, see, the place where we dwell under your charge
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is too small for us. So I'm reading this and the
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initial thought that comes to my mind, and This is why.
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Listen, it's always important to keep in mind the wider context
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of whatever book in the Bible you're reading.
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We have this tendency of isolating parts of God's Word
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when it was designed to be understood and viewed with a
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collection of other truths surrounding it.
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So let me ask you this to read that the place where the sons of
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the prophets dwell, these students, these seminary
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enrolled young prophets to see that where they were going to
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school, where they were living for the time being was too
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small. What does that indicate?
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It's very simple. It's not a true question.
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Growth now, OK, we say, OK, growth is good.
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But it's even better when you understand and you remind
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yourself of the spiritual climate of this time.
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Was Israel loving the true Lord? No.
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There was rampant idolatry, growing apostasy, and all the
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while the culture Israel society was increasing in moral
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darkness, God was still recruiting servants of God.
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He's calling men. He's training men, He's
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selecting men more than ever. And right there, I'm encouraged
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as I take a peek outside and look at our nation and realize
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that it's not the same nation as it once was just a few decades
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ago. And instead of being overcome by
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a culture that is growing in their indifference towards the
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things of God, I realize that God is still recruiting.
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He's still doing things in people's lives.
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He's still drawing people. He's still gifting them.
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He's still anointing them. He's still empowering them.
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It's no different than this day. We should trust that He's always
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been doing that throughout church history, and he will
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continue to do that until the end of the age.
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And so we should be encouraged by this, right?
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That despite all the craziness, the gates of hell will not
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prevail against the church. And God is building His church
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and strengthen His church. Yes, governments are collapsing.
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Yes, society is is derailing, But the church, the true church,
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is developing and growing stronger and stronger.
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With that I see something else. The passionate dedication and
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interest of the sons of the prophets is wonderful, not just
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despite the issues going around them culturally, but because of
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a certain scandal that happened among the sons of the prophets.
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Again, always keep in mind what happened before, what's
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happening next, what's going on in the larger context of the
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book. Where did we conclude when it
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came to Elijah's ministry last last Friday?
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What what did we study concerning him and his ministry?
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Something happened not with Elijah, but with his assistant.
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What was his name? Gehazi.
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Yes. And what happened?
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He was cursed by God because of his embezzlement.
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He lied, he deceived, and he used the ministry for personal
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gain and he became a leper. Now, Gehazi was not just
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Elijah's personal assistant. We have reason to believe that
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he was actually being trained to succeed Elijah, just like Elijah
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succeeded Elijah. So he was just any ordinary
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servant. He was somebody who was selected
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potentially to take this man of God's place one day.
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And if that's the case, and you can imagine how his downfall
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would have sent a shockwave of discouragement among the sons of
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the prophets. But what do we read instead?
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We find these students laser focused, committed more than
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ever. They didn't lose any steam, They
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didn't recant in their convictions or their callings.
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They kept their eyes on the Lord and they marched on.
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So let these students in verse one inspire you and me.
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Because failures that are committed by other people who
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claim to serve God, even spiritual leaders, is not a rare
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occurrence. And if you haven't experienced
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it in your context yet, God forbid, you never have to.
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But at the same time, I have to be honest, brace yourself.
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Brace yourself. You will be let down by somebody
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who bears the name of Christ. You might even be let down by a
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major leader or influence. When that does happen, or if it
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does happen, what are you going to do?
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What are you going to do? Determine today and let this
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study inspire you that you will serve the Lord wholeheartedly,
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even if others choose not to. I'm going to keep my eyes on
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Christ and I'm going to serve Him in whatever way I can, even
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if others fall along the wayside.
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So Ghazi is removed, right? I mean, we got to remember
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there's only a remnant in Israel.
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There's only a few thousand among millions, and that the guy
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next in line to take the top position among the prophets
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blows it. What do you find the sons of the
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prophets doing lining up for months and years to counseling
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sessions? I'm not against counseling
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sessions, but you don't see them doing that.
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I know. OK, what do we need to do?
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Let's get to work. Man falls, God doesn't fall, God
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doesn't fail. So let's see what God wants us
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to do. And they are going to do
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something. And I want you to be inspired
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with that too. I want to bring a different
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vantage point though, with with Ghazi's failure brought to our
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attention. I mean, that's the last verse of
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chapter 5, right? The leprosy of Naben shall cling
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to you into your descendants forever.
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So he went out from his presence, a leper like snow.
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And then the next verse, in chapter 6, verse one, now the
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sons of the prophets said to Elijah, and they're talking
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about how they outgrew the space.
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Is it possible that there's some connection between Gehazi's
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disqualification, dismissal and the growth of the sons of the
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prophets? It's not explicitly stated, but
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it's biblically warranted. We saw some dark streaks in
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Ghazi's character early on, did we not?
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One of them was when the Shudamite woman came to Elijah
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because her son died. She clung to him.
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And what did Ghazi do? He shoot.
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He tried to shoo her away, and he was rebuked for that red
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flag. What was another red flag in
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that story? When Elijah told him to go on
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ahead, take his staff at the place it on the boy, Did the boy
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show any sign of life? Another red flag.
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So there were warning signs and then ultimately just manifest in
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chapter 5. And I'm thinking, I wonder if
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this man carry that kind of an energy, if he unintentionally,
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just because of who he was, made a negative impact among the sons
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of the prophets. And I wonder if Ghazi was that
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kind of guy, like when he was in the meeting and when he was,
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when he was sharing his thoughts and something just people kind
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of cringed a bit. We can't say for certain.
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I also wonder if there was a sense of relief in some way
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because Gehazi was removed from the scene.
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Again, we can't say for sure. But one thing is for certain, as
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a biblical principle, sometimes before a spiritual house can
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increase, God has to clean that house.
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Hey, there's so many examples of that.
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Funny enough, this morning I'm in my Bible.
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I told you earlier I was reading the book of Matthew.
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I still am reading Matthew and I came to a familiar passage.
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I want you to see it with your own eyes.
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But this time maybe because I was reading Second Kings the
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other day, preparing for tonight.
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This was highlighted to me in Matthew 21, verse 12.
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This is when Jesus entered into the temple and drove out all who
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sold and bought in the temple. I want you to read it, but I
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want you to see a sequence of thought perhaps that you haven't
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noticed. Matthew 2112 And Jesus entered
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the temple of drove out all who sold and bought in the temple,
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and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats
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of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, It is written,
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My house shall be called the House of prayer, but you make it
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a den of robbers. Most of us know this by heart.
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So he comes in to clean house because they're operating in a
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mirror in which it was not designed.
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And he reminds the people there, the audience, this house is
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called a House of prayer. It's not meant to be a business.
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But Matthew gives us something interesting in the following
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verse. After he cleans house.
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Notice what happens in verse 14. And the blind and the lame came
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to him in the temple and he healed them.
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An interesting thought to include there.
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So here's here's how things flow.
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Jesus comes in, he cleans house, God's house.
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And after he cleans house, the power of God in the temple
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manifested. And people were receiving
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healing. People came in after something
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was done. After things were removed,
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people were able to come in and experience something heavenly.
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This is one of many examples that reveal the instances of the
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Lord's purging work. And sometimes when the Lord
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purges us, what's included in that procedure is that He will
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remove certain influences or relationships that will hinder
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personal or even collective growth.
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That's why you and I have to train ourselves to not be so
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overwhelmed if the Lord in His Providence removes people from
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our lives or ministry that bring no spiritual benefit to you.
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Because in His sovereignty, one of the things that He assures
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those who are truly abiding in Him, you know it very well in
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John 15 verse 2, any branch in me that does not bear fruit He
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removes. But the branch who does bear
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fruit, He prunes that it may bear more fruit.
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Pruning is cutting. Cutting is uncomfortable.
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It hurts, but it is necessary for growth.
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And maybe in a corporate setting, in an individual
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setting, for sure the Lord will prune.
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He will remove sometimes that looks like distractions in your
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life, misplaced priorities. Sometimes it's people that
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should not be connected to you or people who should not be in
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leadership positions before a house, whether it's a corporate
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house or the individual temple. The Holy Spirit can increase God
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sometimes has to clean Gehazi's remove that find an interesting
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following that that the seminary there in Israel is growing.
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It's booming. Let's go to verse two of second
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kings. The inspiration of these
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students only grows more. Let us go to the Jordan and each
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of us get there a log and let us make a place for us to dwell
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there. OK, so it's one thing to
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recognize a need. It's a whole other thing for you
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to offer a solution and to volunteer to be an answer.
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So you have these sons of the prophets who say, why don't we
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move? Go closer to the Jordan and
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build a bigger place. We have real estate there.
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Let's take advantage of it. May I suggest to you tonight,
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precious people of God, that we must adopt A similar mentality.
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It is helpful to highlight problems and bring that
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attention to your leaders, but it's much more helpful to not
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just come with issues, but to also present prayed up solutions
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and even to be willing to be part of an answer.
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Voicing problems can help, but doing more than that and coming
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alongside to be a part of the answer is how we will thrive.
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And there are three important words in this verse that we
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can't afford to miss. Read it again.
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Let us go to the Jordan and hear the three words.
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Each of us, Each of us, not some of us, each of us, we're all
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signing up for this. Get there a log and let us make
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a place for us to dwell there. The only way that we can see
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significant growth, if you're passionate about God's Kingdom
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advancing in the city, in the state, the only way that we can
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see that progression is with this each of us mentality.
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Some of us will not take us very far, but like these sons of the
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prophets, when you and I are willing to cut a piece of the
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work and carry that load, miracles can happen.
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Amazing things can take place, and we've seen that here.
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I praise God that Maranatha Bible Church is filled with
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people like, I mean, I, I shared it in the announcements last
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Friday. I made an announcement.
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Can we, can we have people help us downstairs to set up, you
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know how long that took us 15 minutes.
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You know what would have taken us if we just had people who
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were designated for that probably a couple hours.
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And then the same thing happened Sunday night when we tore down
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so many people stayed back and we were able to get things done
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in such a short amount of time. And so now I want you to take
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that very recent and simple example, magnified on a larger
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scale and on a consistent basis. What can we do as a church if
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each of us can identify a load that we're carrying?
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I'll tell you what, we can see great leaps and bounds.
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We can see massive increase development and effectiveness
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and fruitfulness and people being impacted and touched.
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I'm not talking about numerical growth necessarily.
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I'm talking about impact and it's going to have to take that
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kind of dedication. Each of us.
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Selfishness will stop the growth of any ministry, even this one,
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and we will not see true growth if it's only some of us.
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You know, this language of each of us is found all over the New
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Testament. Can I show you one place?
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Look at Ephesians chapter 4. In that chapter Paul talks about
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the body briefly, and notice what he says about the body, the
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mystical, the spiritual body of Christ in Ephesians 4 and verse
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15. Rather speaking the truth and
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love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head
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into Christ, from whom the whole body joined and held together by
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every joint with which is it is equipped.
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When each part is working properly makes the body grow so
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that it builds itself up in life.
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Do you see? It's there, right?
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When each part is working, not just working, working properly.
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It's possible to be working aimlessly.
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It's possible to be working and wasting your time.
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He's saying when each part is working properly, it makes the
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body grow. Can I ask you a simple question
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at this Bible study? Whatever church you're a part
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of, can you identify a load? That you are carrying or do you
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just listen to messages about carrying loads?
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I'm not talking about everybody's going to carry the
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same load, but if everybody carries a load, then it's going
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to be a lot lighter and things can get accomplished much
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quicker. So what's the load you're
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carrying? What is it that you do?
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Not where you go? What do you do in that place
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where you go? It could be anything from I pray
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for this church. I wish I was physically capable
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to do more things, but I can pray.
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I have a voice. I I lift up the members of the
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district. You're carrying a load.
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I greet people here. I'm part of that ministry.
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I play an instrument wonderful. I teach the kids.
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I clean up. I'm willing to clean up.
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Sign me up. Call me whatever you want to
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call me. Put any label on me.
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I'm willing to clean up if that's carrying load, I'm
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carrying load when each part, the sons of the provinces, each
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of us, not just some of us, when each of us.
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And in this case, they want to build a new campus, they want to
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find a new facility. And so they come up to Elijah
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and they say let's go build it, which I find absolutely
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fascinating concerning how God works.
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So what's fascinating about this?
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Let me tell you what's so fascinating about it.
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Apart from the Lord Jesus Christ in the Bible, there is no one
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else who has more recorded miracles attached to their name
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than Elijah. This man performed a lot of
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miracles. So with that in mind, here's
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what I would think if I was one of the sons of the prophets.
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If I was clever, I would have grabbed a couple of other
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students like, hey, we've seen Elijah do some amazing things.
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We need a new building. Doctor Elijah, we've seen you do
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incredible things. It's kind of tight in here.
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Can you just, you know, say something, do something, wave
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your hand? You know they didn't do that,
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nor did Elijah look at them after they suggested this plan
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and say, Oh, you of little faith, do you not remember how
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God made the manna appear on the dew of the ground?
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Do you not believe that He can also provide a dwelling place
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for us out of thin air? None of those things were
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suggested. You know what this shows me?
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Even God's prophets are practical.
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You know why I say that to you? Because you have a lot of
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Christians who think being spiritual means being as
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impractical as possible. You have some good hearted
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Christians who want everything to be a miracle.
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So they're looking for a spouse and instead of, you know, like
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talking to people and getting to know them, they want it to
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happen by way of a miracle. You need a new house to live in
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and you're expecting it through divine intervention instead of
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saving up money and getting an agent and looking at places you
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want to be healthier, but you just want to pray about it
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instead of going to the doctor and changing your diet.
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Are you more spiritual than the sons of the prophets and Elijah?
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I'm not saying that God can't work in miraculous ways in these
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areas. I've seen it in these areas.
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But to be immobile unless he does is plain foolish and it's
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actually not spiritual. It's silly.
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You know what the spiritual thing is according to the Bible
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that you are practical. And as you engage in these hands
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on feet on the ground, realistic approaches, you do the next
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thing that the sons of the prophets do in verse 3.
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So they suggest let's get some tools, we have some land, let's
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build a place. But notice again what they do in
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verse 3. Let's read it.
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Then one of them said, be pleased to go with your
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servants. And he answered, I will go.
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So why do they want Elijah to come along with them?
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It's very simple because they recognize that he had a special
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connection with the Lord and they realize at the same time
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that they could benefit from his ongoing counsel and guidance,
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guidance in the process. So here's what I see from this
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that we're going to build a place.
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But Elijah, we would love for you to be our source of guidance
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every step of the way. Can I tell you what they're
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doing? They're including God's man,
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ultimately God, in their pursuits.
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That's what a truly spiritual person does.
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No matter how practical your task or your proposal may be,
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you don't fail to invite God in it.
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And this miracle is going to show that we should do that
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because He cares. Who do I mean by heat?
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God cares. God cares about even these
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things because He cares about us.
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So can I ask you, whatever you do, make it a habit to ask the
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Lord to protect you from foolish investments, blind spots in your
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decisions to go ahead of you so that you would not waste your
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time or deplete yourself of resources.
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I pray this all the time. I'm talking about when, when we
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have to purchase things for the house or we have to do something
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very hands on and, and we have to engage with other people for
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that work. I always ask the Lord, Lord,
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please, I don't want to make a mistake here.
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I want to be a good steward of my resources.
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I, I want this to be in any way possible a, a gracious
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transition, a gracious process. Lord, just please go before me
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in this. Please open my eyes, right?
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Please use this for your glory. Somehow.
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Invite the Lord in those things, not just for crises, not just
26:17
for problems, not just for evangelism and everything.
26:20
Even when you're building an extension to your school, invite
26:24
them. And this is what's so wonderful.
26:27
These were Bible college students, and I wonder if these
26:30
students of God's Word had a particular verse in mind before
26:34
they invited Elijah. Psalm 27, verse one.
26:37
Unless the Lord builds the house, those who labor build it
26:41
in vain. I just like to have my
26:44
sanctified imagination think that that was one of the verses
26:47
that came to their minds. And they said we can't look, we
26:49
have every, we have our, we have our land, we have the wood, we
26:53
have the exact location. We have some tools.
26:55
We got enough men, but we need God's blessing.
26:58
We need God's blessing on this Elijah, please come with us.
27:01
And we're we're going to find out by the end of the story that
27:03
it was a good thing that they did bring Elijah with them.
27:08
So far this body of believers are doing everything just right.
27:15
But something happens. Verse 4.
27:19
So he went with them. And when they came to the
27:21
Jordan, they cut down the trees. But as one was felling a log,
27:26
his axe had fell into the water. And he cried out.
27:29
Alas, my master, it was borrowed.
27:35
There's one detail about this incident that you and I have to
27:39
meditate on. It's a very simple thing.
27:42
This axe head was borrowed. He didn't buy it.
27:48
It was lended to him. And that really just reinforces
27:54
the point that I just made earlier, that God didn't make a
27:56
building magically appear, nor did He provide the tools to
27:59
build it in a supernatural way. You have to understand that
28:05
servants of God are not exempt from the natural courses of
28:08
life's challenges and actions. So the son of one of the
28:11
prophets had to go to a relative or one of his neighbors, knock
28:15
on the door and convince that person we're building a new
28:18
school. Can I borrow one of your axes?
28:22
Right. The Christian life is very
28:23
practical. So he does this, and I think
28:29
this is also a reflection of the the destitute condition of the
28:32
sons of the prophets. They didn't even have enough
28:33
tools. They didn't even have enough of
28:38
the necessary instruments to make this thing happen.
28:40
They have to go around and ask. And this is actually more of an
28:46
encouraging thought than anything else.
28:47
Why? Because this was a season of
28:49
need. They weren't getting a lot of
28:50
funding from fellow Israelites for their school.
28:54
They barely had a meal to eat just a few chapters ago or
28:59
verses ago. And here we see that they also
29:02
didn't have enough resources. And yet in this season of need,
29:09
they still had God with them. Why?
29:12
Because yes, this is a borrowed axe and he got a little bit too
29:15
excited. The axe had flies through the
29:18
air, plunges into the water, and God is right there.
29:22
And for some strange reason, it's then where he performs the
29:25
miracle for this Acts had to be restored.
29:29
So some might say, where was God for this body of students to get
29:36
the resources? I'm saying don't look at it that
29:39
way. Look at it in this way that God
29:41
in his wisdom knows what to give us, what not to give us.
29:43
But He's there every step of the way.
29:48
He's there when you have plenty. He's there when you're
29:50
borrowing, he's there when you're working a wonderful job.
29:53
He's there when you have no job. He's there when you're healthy,
29:57
he's there when you're sick. He's always there.
30:01
And that's what this story shows us.
30:04
But what's so interesting here is that this happened after
30:10
everything that you can imagine can go right, went right, every
30:13
kind of attitude, act of faith, practical humility.
30:20
Why did this happen? Why did this inconvenience take
30:23
place? Why couldn't it have just been a
30:25
smooth process? You stayed in the will of God
30:30
despite the scandal, despite the growing coldness spiritually in
30:33
the land. Instead of being lazy, you're
30:37
active. And you said each one of us are
30:39
going to participate. You invited the man of God who
30:43
represented God into your like you did.
30:45
You checked off every box. And here's one of them who's
30:49
going to work and he loses something that he borrowed.
30:55
And he's saying, I get it. Like, I get that losing
30:59
something can be an inconvenience and can be
31:00
annoying, but what's the big deal about a piece of a tool
31:04
breaking? Well, it's a big deal to him.
31:08
Notice the language again at verse 5.
31:10
But as one was filling a log, his axe had fell into the water
31:13
and he cried out. He didn't just drag his feet to
31:17
Elijah to say like something happened, we got to find out the
31:20
solution. He was desperate, he cried out.
31:24
What's the reason for the fear? Well, I think there's different
31:29
things that we can consider. One thing to consider is that
31:33
this man now was no longer able to participate in the building
31:38
process. So that made an impact on this
31:41
whole project to begin with and it annoyed him that he could not
31:46
serve in this capacity. I wonder if we've come to the
31:49
place in our service to the Lord that if we're ever hindered from
31:52
doing it, it would bother us. It bother this man.
31:58
My wife and I were talking on our way here about the COVID
32:00
years. I can't believe that even
32:01
happened. It's like a dream.
32:04
Like how did that happen? Cuz we're driving and things
32:06
were busy and we're talking about the meeting tonight.
32:08
In past meetings, and I did not enjoy talking into a camera with
32:15
no other faces in the place. I really didn't thank God that
32:19
we didn't take too long to open back up again.
32:23
But I was reflecting on that and I remember we were talking about
32:26
the days when people were again coming back together and we were
32:29
able to sing in each other's presence and hear a word from
32:32
the pulpit and fellowship again. And I made the comment, I hope
32:36
nobody takes what we have for granted ever, because we learned
32:40
how quickly that can be taken from us.
32:43
This man was bothered that he could not help out, I'm sure.
32:49
But more than that, it was borrowed, meaning that he went
32:51
to somebody, we're not told who he went to to ask for it.
32:54
But the sons of the province, we're not popular to begin with.
32:59
They were maligned. It wasn't too long before this
33:02
where they were actually being chased and they had to hide in
33:04
caves because a certain queen was in charge and she persecuted
33:09
them heavily. So now you have this man who is
33:13
walking on thin ice as a student of one of Elijah's schools, and
33:19
he asks for an accent. He says, I, I'll give it back.
33:22
You have my word. And it's gone in the murky
33:27
waters. And he doesn't know how he's
33:28
going to retrieve it. Great.
33:30
Now this guy who I gave my word to is going to think maybe this
33:34
is going to now be another stain on the reputation of the sons of
33:37
the prophets might say that's speculation.
33:42
This is definitely not speculation.
33:44
Do you know that there is a law in the Old Testament that
33:46
actually tells you what you have to do if you borrow something
33:50
and something goes wrong with it?
33:54
Go to Exodus. Look at chapter 22, Exodus 22,
34:01
verse 14. If a man borrows anything of his
34:13
neighbor and it is injured or dies, the owner not being with
34:18
it, he shall make full restitution.
34:21
So the context here is actually speaking about if you're
34:23
borrowing an animal, an ox or any kind of beast for
34:26
agricultural work, if you rent anything.
34:30
But here it's expanded. If you borrow anything and it's
34:33
injured or dies, and you can include if it's lost, it's a
34:36
simple law. You got to pay back full
34:38
restitution. Now, did the sons of the
34:43
prophets have a helpful financial situation going on?
34:48
No. The very fact that he had to
34:50
borrow the tool indicates that. So he had to borrow it because
34:54
he didn't want to pay for anything and now he has to pay
34:56
for it, right? That might not be an issue for
34:59
you because you have some cushion in your bank account.
35:02
It would be if you have barely anything in that bank account.
35:08
So the student who's already trying, just living by faith day
35:12
by day, now adds more debt to his student.
35:14
Debt, so to speak. This bothers him, may not bother
35:20
you, but in his situation, it is.
35:21
It's annoying, it's frustrating. And here's the thing that I want
35:25
to bring to your attention. Problems can still ensue even
35:29
though you do everything right. So you might be thinking, then
35:35
what's the point of doing it right?
35:38
And I'm here to tell you that the primary goal of that is to
35:41
please your Lord. It's not for certain outcomes,
35:45
it's ultimately to please the Master.
35:48
But more than that, we can be confident that any obstacle or
35:51
challenge that pops up in our pursuit of righteousness is not
35:55
in vain. There are countless holy reasons
36:00
why the Lord would allow detours as you walk the path of obeying
36:05
Him wholeheartedly in every way possible.
36:07
Being a man or woman of integrity holy.
36:11
There are many reasons and you should never forget the
36:14
possibilities of what I like to call sanctifying pit stops.
36:21
Surprising sanctifying pit stops where there's some kind of a
36:25
delay or some kind of roadblock and you have to stay somewhere.
36:29
Why why I'm I'm I'm examining myself.
36:32
I can't consciously recognize any sin I'm I'm living right.
36:36
And so why this why why this issue?
36:40
Why now why this much why would these people again, there are
36:44
many reasons. One of them is potentially just
36:46
to purify you further and it requires that.
36:50
So you're asking God to be more like Christ and that includes
36:52
patience. So here's a situation that
36:54
requires more patience. It's like that joke of that
36:58
person who says, and praise Lord, give me more patience and
37:01
give it to me. Now, not everything is sprinkled
37:06
on you supernaturally. Sometimes it takes real
37:08
situations where one you're exposed to the lack of fruit in
37:11
a certain area and then you now turn to God and ask him to to
37:15
deal with it. And sometimes there are times
37:22
where the Lord allows these things so that he can position
37:25
you in a way where you will witness something of his glory
37:30
and splendor. And it requires that kind of
37:33
place or problem to behold it, as we're about to see here.
37:40
So this young son. Comes to the master.
37:49
I, I borrowed this. This is not the best time to I
37:54
don't know what to do here. And the Lord is ready to
37:57
position this man in a way to see something of God's character
38:01
and kindness in his own life. But before we look at that, let
38:04
me offer a helpful observation. Do you know it was not uncommon
38:09
for axe heads to fly in this culture?
38:12
Oh, look at all the heads that went up.
38:14
You see that it wasn't uncommon saying what are you talking
38:19
about? I want to point you to another
38:23
law. And in this law it it deals with
38:28
what one is to do if they commit involuntary manslaughter.
38:33
So let me turn you there to Deuteronomy 19.
38:37
Look at verse four with me. Deuteronomy 19 verse 4.
38:42
This is a law that describes the regulations of what we know to
38:46
be the cities of refuge. You remember that?
38:48
I hope you remember the cities of refuge.
38:50
Wonderful picture of Christ. But let's look at one law. 1
38:54
instruction pertaining it. Deuteronomy 19, verse 4.
39:00
This is the provision of them for the manslayer, who by
39:03
fleeing there may save his life. If anyone kills his neighbor
39:06
unintentionally without having hated him in the past.
39:09
As when someone goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut
39:12
wood and his hand swings the axe to cut down a tree, and the head
39:15
slips from the handle and strikes his neighbor so that he
39:18
dies, he may flee to one of these cities and live.
39:21
Why don't you find that interesting, that out of all the
39:25
hypothetical situations that you can give of somebody dying
39:28
accidentally, you give the axe head flying off of a stick and
39:34
it's smashing somebody's skull. Evidently it was common.
39:41
Whereas why would you give this kind of an insight, an
39:43
instruction? Just like it's common in our day
39:45
to see cars crashing into each other.
39:48
So to us, it's like, that's weird.
39:49
To them, it's like, yeah, it's like what you see in
39:51
intersections or what you see on the news sometimes on highways.
39:55
But that's not the reason why I bring this to your attention.
39:57
The reason why I want to bring it to your mind is because of
40:00
the provision that was made for this accident.
40:03
What was the provision that if this happened, you're in a force
40:06
with a friend or a Co worker and the axe that flies off you can
40:09
run. God has provided a place for you
40:11
to flee where you can be protected, where you can know a
40:14
level of deliverance and safety. Now, this young man in Second
40:21
King 6, he could have been thankful that the axe had didn't
40:26
hit somebody in the face, right? It just fell into water.
40:30
But I bring this to make this parallel that in the same way
40:33
that in Deuteronomy 19 we're told that there is a provision
40:36
for the one who did something accidental, but it was tragic,
40:39
life altering, there is also provision for that young man.
40:43
In his case, he didn't have a place to run to.
40:47
He had a person that was accessible, namely Elijah, who
40:50
represented, represented God in the same way those cities of
40:55
refuge represented something of God's heart.
41:00
And so making this parallel, here's the principle that in any
41:04
moments where something stuns us, surprise us and
41:07
inconvenience, it could be as severe as what we read in
41:10
Deuteronomy 19, where the trajectory of your life will
41:14
never be the same. Or it can be a moment of
41:19
inconvenience that is burdensome to you, keeps you up at night.
41:23
You know, it can be solved in different ways, but it's just,
41:26
it's just pricking your heart. God is accessible and the Lord
41:32
actually bids you to come to Him.
41:36
He bids you to come to Him when the accent hits somebody and
41:38
kills them. He bids you to come to Him.
41:40
When you borrowed something and you don't know how you're going
41:44
to pay it back. Are you beginning to see why
41:48
this miracle resonates with me so much?
41:51
Hope it warms your heart as well.
41:53
It's only going to get warmer, I'm sure.
41:56
And here's what's so interesting.
41:58
Let's come back to 2nd King 6. Where did this axe head fall
42:05
water? Is there any clues in our story
42:09
that tells us which body of water it plunged into?
42:13
Very good. You're reading carefully.
42:15
We read there in verse four that as they came to the Jordan, they
42:17
cut down trees. So it's very likely, most likely
42:21
that this fell into the Jordan River.
42:27
Is there any miracle that we recently studied that dealt with
42:31
the Jordan River? Very good name in the leper.
42:36
In his case, it wasn't an accent that was recovered.
42:39
It was his skin, it was his health, it was his body.
42:45
Now we we understand that kind of miracle being included in
42:49
Holy Scripture. A man, a gentile, a general of
42:52
the army healed of leprosy. That's got to go somewhere in
42:56
axe head coming back to the service for a student.
43:03
Is that is that worth putting in the Bible or is that a little
43:06
trivial. Don't say it's trivial, because
43:10
when you consider again the wider authorship going on here,
43:15
then you realize something wonderful.
43:19
God cares about the big and the small.
43:24
He cares about your unintended debt as much as he does about
43:27
disease. He is compassionate toward a
43:32
general of an entire nation's army, and he is just as
43:37
compassionate towards a student who's studying the Bible and is
43:41
struggling to know how he's going to be able to have a
43:44
future. That's what this miracle is
43:47
showing that at the Jordan River, 2 miraculous things took
43:51
place. Same message, but different
43:55
messes. God's heart is for all, for the
44:01
major issues, for the minor inconveniences.
44:05
Why is that important? Because the New Testament
44:07
instructs you and I first Peter 57 cast all your anxieties, not
44:13
some of them all your anxieties. Whatever makes you anxious, you
44:19
know to name in I'm sure the story of the axe head while he
44:22
was suffering leprosy didn't really connect with I I have a
44:27
bigger problem here going on and it could even be that this
44:31
student with the axe head being loosened and launched into the
44:34
water. He couldn't think about anything
44:37
else except how am I going to solve this?
44:40
Whatever makes you anxious. You're commanded by loving God
44:45
to come to him at the cast at his feet.
44:47
Cast all your anxieties on him. Why?
44:51
Because he cares for you for all the anxieties and you know it
44:55
hit me today even meditating on that verse.
44:59
This is not just something that should make you feel a little
45:03
giddy. It's a command, so it's a
45:07
comforting command, but it's a command nonetheless.
45:09
Cast all your anxieties on him. Do you know what What's told
45:12
right after that? Do you know the next thought in
45:13
Peter's writing? He says cast all your anxieties
45:16
because he cares for you and notice what he says in first.
45:18
Peter 5/8 Be sober minded, be watchful.
45:23
Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring
45:26
lion seeking someone to devour. Some would say that Peter's
45:31
starting a new thought here. I'm saying it's somewhat
45:34
connected to the previous point. There's something connected
45:37
between our obedience to casting all our anxieties on Him.
45:42
And if we fail to do that, Satan is right there ready to do
45:46
something to your faith. Anxiety makes you vulnerable.
45:51
Anxiety makes you weak. Anxiety makes you dizzy.
45:58
And Satan can smell it. He loves to mess with those who
46:05
struggle with it. It's amazing how anxiety doesn't
46:10
take much for it to create a recipe of of greater disasters
46:14
in our thinking, in our faith and our commitments and our
46:16
relationships. I know for certain this is not
46:20
accidental, that there is a charge to release that before
46:23
Satan takes advantage of it. So learn to take all your no
46:27
matter what it is, train yourself and accordance to God's
46:30
Word to come to Him. And if that observation doesn't
46:37
move you, perhaps the next one will.
46:41
Because here's what I thought looked at looking at this as a
46:43
final meditation. If the Lord showed concern for a
46:50
lost axe head in order to relieve one of His servants,
46:55
what does he feel about those who are lost in their sins?
47:02
God's willing to look down from heaven if I can use that imagery
47:07
and send forth the necessary power to raise this axe head to
47:11
the surface and make it reachable for this man so he can
47:14
attach it again, not have to worry about his neighbor.
47:19
What's God's heart for those who are suffering a greater loss,
47:23
one that will lead to an eternal separation?
47:27
It's very, very dangerous to read too much into things.
47:30
But sometimes there are vignettes of the gospel in the
47:33
Old Testament that we must acknowledge.
47:34
And I think we have one here saying how the reason why I
47:39
believe that there is some gospel theme that we can pluck
47:42
from these verses is because of the way that the miracle was
47:45
performed. Look back again here at verse 6.
47:48
Then the man of God said, where did it fall in second Kings 6
47:53
When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick.
47:58
Why? He cut off a stick and threw it
48:01
in there and made the iron float and he said take it up.
48:05
So he reached out his hand and took it without any explanation
48:09
given. Elisha goes to some kind of a
48:12
tree or some kind of a plant of some sort, and he takes a piece
48:16
of that stick, cuts it off, throws it into the water, and
48:21
that was the causation for this iron to float.
48:25
He could have performed that miracle a million different
48:29
ways, but it was in this way. So here's the procedure.
48:35
Something was given so that something can be retrieved, and
48:42
not just anything was given. For something to be cut off, for
48:45
a branch to be cut off from a living tree or a living plant
48:48
means that it's cut off from life and it's thrown in there.
48:53
So this thing that was caught from life was thrown into this
48:56
body of water and it rescued something else.
49:00
This language sound familiar to you?
49:03
Much more significant in the gospel where Christ our Lord is
49:09
cut off from life so that you can live.
49:14
Christ dives into what buried us so that we can be raised from it
49:20
and rise above it. Christ rescues us by separating
49:26
himself and reaching to us when we were beyond human help.
49:32
If it was reachable, they could have reached for it.
49:35
They could have fished for it. Evidently it was deep enough and
49:38
it was murky enough where it required some kind of divine
49:41
intervention. And with your salvation, no
49:45
human hands, no human effort, no human rescue endeavour can make
49:50
your rescue possible. But it's even more than that.
49:56
What I love about this is yes, this stick that's cut off and
49:58
thrown in, surrendered, given so that something else can be
50:02
retrieved and rescued. Iron doesn't float.
50:08
Not a deep Bible study, it doesn't.
50:13
But because of this miracle, through this transaction, this
50:17
object was able to perform contrary to its nature.
50:24
And through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus
50:27
Christ, not only are we miraculously justified, but we
50:29
are supernaturally being sanctified.
50:32
And now because of that, cutting off, surrendering, we're not
50:36
just rescued in that also we are living in the Spirit.
50:42
And now we're able to overcome what once overcame us, and now
50:46
we're able to go from glory to glory and to be conformed to the
50:50
image of the One who rescued us. And we're being sanctified and
50:54
changed and transformed, and our desires are altered and our
50:56
thinking is changed, and our behaviors are being melted into
51:00
the image of Him who loved us. So even in this, you get a
51:04
little snapshot of the underlying themes of the gospel.
51:10
Something was cut off to rescue something else.
51:12
And more than just rescuing it, it was able to perform in a way
51:15
that didn't make sense, Such as the Christian life that when a
51:19
person is truly born again, the way they walk after that can
51:24
only be explained because of a miracle.
51:27
And that's what Christ does for you and me.
51:29
I'm ending the Bible study right there.
51:30
I can't add anything more than that.
51:32
Let's thank God for the study of how even in this miracle of an
51:35
acts that being restored, we can reflect on our own restoration.
51:40
If the praise team can actually join me so we can go straight
51:44
into worship. I, I want you to take the time,
51:46
which is a habit of ours at this Bible study to think about what
51:50
you heard in these 7 verses and whatever touched you, whatever
51:54
point, maybe more than one that ministered to you, bring it to
51:58
the Lord. Now talk to him about it.
52:03
I don't want to rush this time. I'm going to join you as well
52:06
before we sing. Lord, your word is amazing.
52:40
We're moved by it. Oh, the force behind these
52:44
truths. We feel it in our souls.
52:46
And Lord, if anybody here is indifferent or they, they didn't
52:50
sense your power behind these things, we just pray that in
52:54
these final moments, you wouldn't let us leave unchanged.
53:00
Lord, deep in these truths in our hearts, embed them.
53:04
Mark us for life to never forget these wonderful promises and
53:08
principles. I thank you for allowing us to
53:13
see Christ in it. Though we we want to worship you
53:16
because this book is supernatural.
53:17
You're the author of it. We confess that gladly,
53:20
unashamedly, and we pray, Lord, that you would work in our lives
53:24
so that this word would be reflected in our lives.
53:27
We want to be transformed by you, Lord.
53:29
That's our ultimate goal of these studies, to be transformed
53:32
by it. And we thank you that you're
53:34
doing it and you'll continue to do it.
53:36
We give you all the honor and all the praise in Jesus name,
53:40
Amen. Let's stand, let's give him
53:42
thanks as we close this time together.