Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 26-27, 2 Kings 15

After Amaziah died, his sixteen-year-old son was crowned as king. Uzziah was king for fifty-two years, and he was a good leader. He sought after God, allowing the prophet Zechariah to mentor him and teach him how to be a leader who fears God. And as long as the king sought guidance from the Lord, God gave him success (2 Chronicles 26:5b).

Declaring war on the Philistines, Uzziah broke down walls, restored towns, and built new towns. God helped him, which caused his name to become famous as far as Egypt. He grew more powerful as he successfully built the nation over which God had given him authority.

Uzziah built fortified towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate, and at the angle in the wall. He also constructed forts in the wilderness and dug many water cisterns, because he kept great herds of livestock in the foothills of Judah and on the plains. He was also a man who loved the soil. He had many workers who cared for his farms and vineyards, both on the hillsides and in the fertile valleys. — 2 Chronicles 25:9-10

Like his father, Uzziah built a strong army of well-trained warriors. 307,500 men were ready to assist the king against any of Judah’s enemies. With shields, spears, helmets, bows, and sling stones, Uzziah was equipped with a mighty army to protect the nation. With God’s help, they creatively came up with new methods for fighting off their enemies.

And he built structures on the walls of Jerusalem, designed by experts to protect those who shot arrows and hurled large stones from the towers and the corners of the wall. His fame spread far and wide, for the Lord gave him marvelous help, and he became very powerful. — 2 Chronicles 25:15

THE LORD GAVE HIM MARVELOUS HELP, BUT UZZIAH BEGAN TO SEE HIMSELF AS MARVELOUS.

As leaders become more and more successful, it is easy for them to lose track of the source of their success. Authority becomes addictive and pride begins to bring down the success of leadership.

But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the Lord his God by entering the sanctuary of the Lord’s Temple and personally burning incense on the incense altar. Azariah the high priest went in after him with eighty other priests of the Lord, all brave men. They confronted King Uzziah and said, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is the work of the priests alone, the descendants of Aaron who are set apart for this work. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have sinned. The Lord God will not honor you for this!” — 2 Chronicles 25:16-18

Uzziah was furious! He began to rage at the priests who stood before him. And as he threw his temper tantrum, leprosy began to break out across his forehead. The priests rushed out of the Temple, and King Uzziah also ran out of the Temple to get away from the Lord, for he knew it was God who had struck him down for his arrogance. He spent the rest of his life in isolation, and never entered the Temple of the Lord.

As we read through the history of Israel and Judah’s kings, it is important for us to study what these leaders did right, but also to learn from what they did wrong. The most successful of these Old Testament leaders were those who humbly led with a heart for God. They recognized the supremacy of God and followed His instructions and commands. In the same way, we must protect ourselves from the kind of pride that starts to take credit for all that is going right under our leadership. We must keep our eyes focused on the God who wants to lead us each step of the way.

Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. Better to live humbly with the poor than to share plunder with the proud. — Proverbs 16:18-19

Uzziah died alone and his son, Jotham, became the next king. He did what was pleasing to the Lord and he reigned in Jerusalem for sixteen years. King Jotham became powerful because he was careful to live in obedience to the Lord his God (2 Chronicles 27:6).

As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. — James 4:6-10

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 25, Psalm 31

After King Joash was assassinated, his son Amaziah was crowned king (2 Chronicles 24:25-27). He was twenty-five years old and reigned for twenty-nine years. And although Amaziah did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, he did not follow Him with his whole heart.

Amaziah organized the army of Judah in order to fight their enemies, the Edomites. He counted the army and found he had 300,000 trained soldiers, but he went ahead and spent 7,500 pounds of silver in order to hire an additional 100,000 fighting men from the nation of Israel.

But a man of God came to him and said, “Your Majesty, do not hire troops from Israel, for the Lord is not with Israel. He will not help those people of Ephraim! If you let them go with your troops into battle, you will be defeated by the enemy no matter how well you fight. God will overthrow you, for he has the power to help you or to trip you up.”

Amaziah asked the man of God, “But what about all that silver I paid to hire the army of Israel?”
The man of God replied, “The Lord is able to give you much more than this!” So Amaziah discharged the hired troops and sent them back to Ephraim. This made them very angry with Judah, and they returned home in a great rage. — 2 Chronicles 25:7-10

THE LORD IS ABLE TO GIVE YOU MUCH MORE THAN THIS!

When God asks us to let go of something that we are convinced will make us happy or successful, we can trust Him to know what is best for us. It is good to recognize that every good and perfect gift comes from above, and God is capable of making sure we either succeed or fail at what we are trying to accomplish. He has everything we need, so why don’t we trust Him?

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. — James 1:17

God is faithful. We can believe He will do what He promises to do, and we can be confident that He is who He says He is. In fact, He is more. God is beyond what we can comprehend, and He is able to bless us more than we can even imagine. If only we were as faithful to God as He is to us.

When King Amaziah returned home from winning the battle against the Edomite troops, he brought some souvenirs back with him. Even though God had given Amaziah victory over the Edomites, Amaziah collected the false idols that he had taken from the people of Seir. He decided they would be his own gods, and he bowed down and worshiped them. He offered sacrifices to the man-made gods, instead of remaining faithful to the God who made the universe.

This made the Lord very angry, and he sent a prophet to ask, “Why do you turn to gods who could not even save their own people from you?” — 2 Chronicles 25:15

How ridiculous to turn to what is incapable of protecting or providing true joy! If these false gods could not give the Edomites victory, then how could Amaziah think that they would do anything for him?

THE LORD IS ABLE TO GIVE YOU MUCH MORE THAN THIS!

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. — Ephesians 3:19-20

Father God, thank you for the reminder this morning that you are the Keeper of everything we need. You are able to answer our prayers and so much more! We choose today to put our hope in you alone, for you are good and you are great! Amen.

How great is the goodness
you have stored up for those who fear you.
You lavish it on those who come to you for protection,
blessing them before the watching world.
You hide them in the shelter of your presence,
safe from those who conspire against them.
You shelter them in your presence,
far from accusing tongues.
Praise the Lord,
for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love.
He kept me safe when my city was under attack.
In panic I cried out,
“I am cut off from the Lord!”
But you heard my cry for mercy
and answered my call for help.
Love the Lord, all you godly ones!
For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him,
but he harshly punishes the arrogant.
So be strong and courageous,
all you who put your hope in the Lord! — Psalm 31:19-24

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 13, Psalm 28

While King Joash was ruling over Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu was inaugurated king over Israel. He continued the evil practices that Jeroboam had begun, so the Lord allowed King Hazael of Aram and his son Ben-hadad to defeat the Israelites time and time again. Jehoahaz recognized his need for the Lord’s help and cried out for God to rescue Israel from the Arameans. God showed mercy on His people once again and they experienced a season of peace.

God was faithful, but this did not stop the Israelites from continuing in their sin. Jehoash succeeded his father as king, following his example of leading from a place of evil instead of following the commands of the Lord. Before Elisha died, King Jehoash visited him and their interaction is full of great application for us today:

When Elisha was in his last illness, King Jehoash of Israel visited him and wept over him. “My father! My father! I see the chariots and charioteers of Israel!” he cried. – 2 Kings 13:14

It was significant that Jehoash would leave the palace and enter the home of Elisha. Recognizing all that Elisha had done for the nation of Israel, the king grieved the loss that would soon be felt by all. In respect, he repeated the same words Elisha had said when Elijah was suddenly carried away to heaven in a chariot of fire (2 Kings 2:12). Just like Elisha had been distressed by Elijah’s departure, Jehoash was conveying his own concern that Elisha would soon be gone.

Elisha told him, “Get a bow and some arrows.” And the king did as he was told. Elisha told him, “Put your hand on the bow,” and Elisha laid his own hands on the king’s hands.

Then he commanded, “Open that eastern window,” and he opened it. Then he said, “Shoot!” So he shot an arrow. Elisha proclaimed, “This is the Lord’s arrow, an arrow of victory over Aram, for you will completely conquer the Arameans at Aphek.”

Then he said, “Now pick up the other arrows and strike them against the ground.” So the king picked them up and struck the ground three times. But the man of God was angry with him. “You should have struck the ground five or six times!” he exclaimed. “Then you would have beaten Aram until it was entirely destroyed. Now you will be victorious only three times.” – 2 Kings 13:15-19

This passage convicts me every time I read it. How often do I underestimate my God? I look back and see patterns in my prayer life of asking for help during a difficult situation without asking God to remove the trial altogether. I ask for Him to help me endure the pain without asking for complete healing. We serve a BIG God who invites us to pray for Him to move in BIG ways, but our small faith often limits our experience of His power.

Then Elisha died and was buried. Groups of Moabite raiders used to invade the land each spring. Once when some Israelites were burying a man, they spied a band of these raiders. So they hastily threw the corpse into the tomb of Elisha and fled. But as soon as the body touched Elisha’s bones, the dead man revived and jumped to his feet! – 2 Kings 13:20-21

This is how BIG our God is! We serve a God who is able to raise the dead, yet we struggle to believe that He can remove our infirmities. We know what the Lord is capable of but we lack the faith to ask Him to move on our behalf. God wants to heal our relationships, to restore our health, and to provide for all of our needs — can you feel Him moving?

In the spring of 2020, in the midst of a pandemic, Elevation Worship’s song Rattle reminded all of us that what we see as impossible has never stopped God. Thousands of people decided they were ready to live again — that God was not going to run out of miracles before He did something magnificent for them. We sang out this declaration in determination to let God do something BIG in our lives:

My God is able to save and deliver and heal / And restore anything that He wants to / Just ask the man who was thrown / On the bones of Elisha / If there’s anything that He can’t do / Just ask the stone that was rolled / At the tomb in the garden / What happens when God says to move / I feel him moving it now / I feel Him doing it now /I feel Him doing it now / Do it now, do it now [Songwriters: Brandon Lake / Chris Brown / Steven Furtick; RATTLE! (Morning & Evening) lyrics © Bethel Music Publishing, Essential Music Publishing]

This is a song about Elisha’s bones, which means Elisha was no longer alive. Elisha died and was buried, providing an opportunity for God to do something magnificent in the lives of those who were grieving the death of their loved one. In their attempt to hide to flee from their enemy, they saw their friend resurrected from the dead. In a story that included death, persecution, and fear, we find the power of God revealed.

What are you asking God to do for you today? I pray you have the faith to pray BIG during this season of your life. Step out of the grave and start believing that God has a miracle waiting for you. Shoot arrows into the ground that reflect what you believe God wants to do in your life. If the healing you ask God for ends up being an eternal healing, I pray He is able to use “your bones” to greatly impact the lives of others and increase their faith in Him.

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 24, 2 Kings 12, Psalm 26

Jehosheba and Jehoiada had stood in the balance to protect the life of Joash, giving him the opportunity to lead the people of Judah. What would Joash do with the sacrifices these two individuals had made on his behalf and on the behalf of the nation of Judah? He had been given an amazing opportunity to make a difference, but how he chose to use his authority would determine if his influence would draw the nation closer to God or farther away.

JOASH LED THE PEOPLE BACK TO GOD.

Joash gathered together the leaders of the church and asked them to begin collecting the annual offerings from the people again so that repairs could be made to the Temple. Athaliah had made a mess of the Temple during her time of leadership, and Joash desired to get the house of the Lord back to the place it was meant to be.

So now the king ordered a chest to be made and set outside the gate leading to the Temple of the Lord. Then a proclamation was sent throughout Judah and Jerusalem, telling the people to bring to the Lord the tax that Moses, the servant of God, had required of the Israelites in the wilderness. This pleased all the leaders and the people, and they gladly brought their money and filled the chest with it.

Whenever the chest became full, the Levites would carry it to the king’s officials. Then the court secretary and an officer of the high priest would come and empty the chest and take it back to the Temple again. This went on day after day, and a large amount of money was collected. The king and Jehoiada gave the money to the construction supervisors, who hired masons and carpenters to restore the Temple of the Lord. They also hired metalworkers, who made articles of iron and bronze for the Lord’s Temple.

The men in charge of the renovation worked hard and made steady progress. They restored the Temple of God according to its original design and strengthened it. When all the repairs were finished, they brought the remaining money to the king and Jehoiada. It was used to make various articles for the Temple of the Lord—articles for worship services and for burnt offerings, including ladles and other articles made of gold and silver. And the burnt offerings were sacrificed continually in the Temple of the Lord during the lifetime of Jehoiada the priest. — 2 Chronicles 24:8-14

Even though Jehoiada was a priest, he was buried among the kings when he died. The impact of his life on the people of Judah was great, and his influence on King Joash kept the young leader grounded spiritually. But without his mentor by his side, Joash wavered from all he had learned and allowed himself to be persuaded by the leaders of Judah to abandon the worship of God.

JOASH LED THE PEOPLE BACK TO IDOLATRY.

Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, “This is what God says: Why do you disobey the Lord’s commands and keep yourselves from prospering? You have abandoned the Lord, and now he has abandoned you!” Then the leaders plotted to kill Zechariah, and King Joash ordered that they stone him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s Temple. That was how King Joash repaid Jehoiada for his loyalty—by killing his son. Zechariah’s last words as he died were, “May the Lord see what they are doing and avenge my death!” — 2 Chronicles 24:20-22

As I was studying this passage, I asked God how this moment in history could be used to draw us closer to Him. I found myself asking what circumstances in my life could draw me away from God. Is there any person that I depend on so much for my spiritual growth that I would walk away from God if they were no longer in my life? Would I allow the absence or failure of another Christian to cause me to doubt my own faith? Are my eyes so focused on people that I have taken my eyes off of God? Do I base my relationship with God on my relationship with the church? May this psalm of David be my song:

Declare me innocent, O Lord,
for I have acted with integrity;
I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me.
Test my motives and my heart.
For I am always aware of your unfailing love,
and I have lived according to your truth.
I do not spend time with liars
or go along with hypocrites.
I hate the gatherings of those who do evil,
and I refuse to join in with the wicked.
I wash my hands to declare my innocence.
I come to your altar, O Lord,
singing a song of thanksgiving
and telling of all your wonders.
I love your sanctuary, Lord,
the place where your glorious presence dwells.
Don’t let me suffer the fate of sinners.
Don’t condemn me along with murderers.
Their hands are dirty with evil schemes,
and they constantly take bribes.
But I am not like that; I live with integrity.
So redeem me and show me mercy.
Now I stand on solid ground,
and I will publicly praise the Lord. — Psalm 26:1-12

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 22-23, 2 Kings 11

After King Ahaziah of Judah was killed by Jehu, his mother decided it was her turn to take the throne. But in order for her to successfully step into leadership, she had to kill those who were rightful heirs of the crown.

When Athaliah, the mother of King Ahaziah of Judah, learned that her son was dead, she began to destroy the rest of Judah’s royal family. But Ahaziah’s sister Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Ahaziah’s infant son, Joash, and stole him away from among the rest of the king’s children, who were about to be killed. She put Joash and his nurse in a bedroom. In this way, Jehosheba, wife of Jehoiada the priest and sister of Ahaziah, hid the child so that Athaliah could not murder him. Joash remained hidden in the Temple of God for six years while Athaliah ruled over the land. — 2 Chronicles 22:10-12

JEHOSHEBA FOUND COURAGE TO PROTECT THE CHILD

After seven years of this self-proclaimed authority, the priest Jehoiada decided to take action against Athaliah. He summoned all of his courage and gathered together five of the commanders over Judah’s army. They secretly traveled throughout Judah building support from the people to move Joash to his rightful place as king. He assigned the Levites to various roles, choosing a group of them to surround the young king.

“You Levites, form a bodyguard around the king and keep your weapons in hand. Kill anyone who tries to enter the Temple. Stay with the king wherever he goes.” — 2 Chronicles 23:7

What a sight it must have been as the Levites arrived and took their place in the Temple of God. The army commanders stood with spears and shields, weapons ready to protect the young king. The Levites formed a line from the south side of the Temple around to the north side and all around the altar (23:10b). Then Jehoiada brought out the king’s son and placed a crown on his head, anointing him as king. And the people celebrated shouting, “Love live the king!” When Athaliah arrived, she was seized and led away from the Temple to be put to death.

JEHOIADA FOUND COURAGE TO PROTECT THE CHILD

Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and the king and the people that they would be the Lord’s people. And all the people went over to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They demolished the altars and smashed the idols, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.

Jehoiada now put the priests and Levites in charge of the Temple of the Lord, following all the directions given by David. He also commanded them to present burnt offerings to the Lord, as prescribed by the Law of Moses, and to sing and rejoice as David had instructed. He also stationed gatekeepers at the gates of the Lord’s Temple to keep out those who for any reason were ceremonially unclean.

Then the commanders, nobles, rulers, and all the people of the land escorted the king from the Temple of the Lord. They went through the upper gate and into the palace, and they seated the king on the royal throne. So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was peaceful because Athaliah had been killed. — 2 Chronicles 23:16-21

The courage of both Jehosheba and Jehoiada made a difference for the whole nation. Joash was given the chance to live because Jehosheba was willing to put her own life at risk in order to save his. Joash was given the opportunity to lead because Jehoiada was willing to stand up and encourage others to join him for the sake of driving change. An entire nation experienced revival because so many leaders joined Jehoiada in his crusade to bring back the worship of God to the Temple of God.

God, we ask for you to give us the courage to do whatever you have called us to do. Give us wisdom to know what wrongs need righted, and give us the favor to build teams for the sake of bringing others back to you. May you be glorified through our efforts to proclaim your truth, and may our heart reflect both your mercy and your grace. Amen.

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 9-10,

Have you ever known someone you would quickly describe as fickle? Do you have a friend, coworker or family member who is quick to change their loyalty or affection? It is difficult to keep up with fickle friends. They speak and live one way today, but tomorrow they seem like a different person wanting different things out of life than they did yesterday.

The history of God’s people at this time displays their fickle hearts. They would worship God for a time and then go back to their selfish, evil ways. They would turn their hearts to God but not wholeheartedly. They would keep things in their life that would cause them to be distracted and disloyal. This pattern led to the eventual decline and exile of the people of Israel, as well as the destruction of Jerusalem.

Elisha sent a young prophet to anoint Jehu the next king of Israel. The call God had on Jehu’s life was to destroy the family of Ahab. But when he found King Joram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah together, he killed them both. Jehu accomplished what God had commanded him to do, also destroying every trace of Baal worship from Israel except the gold calves at Bethel and Dan. At first, Jehu was faithful to the call God had placed on his life, but it did not last. His heart proved to be as fickle as the rest of the Israelites.

Jehu did not obey the Law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with ALL his heart. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit. – 2 Kings 10:31

God had anointed Jehu for a special purpose, choosing him from among all of the Israelites. Jehu enjoyed the power but he never fully submitted his life to the One who had called him. Just like generation after generation of God’s people, Jehu’s loyalties were fickle.

Why is it that our hearts are so easily turned away from God after all that He has done for us? What a great opportunity this morning to do our own heart check — to allow the Spirit to reveal any inconsistencies in our lives. In what areas of my life am I struggling to fully trust God? Have I been testing the Lord’s patience?

For he divided the sea and led them through, making the water stand up like walls!
In the daytime he led them by a cloud, and all night by a pillar of fire.
He split open rocks in the wilderness to give them water, as from a gushing spring.
He made streams pour from the rock, making the waters flow down like a river.
Yet they kept sinning against him,…
Despite his wonders, they refused to trust him…
Then they remembered that God was their rock, that God Most High was their redeemer.
But all they gave him was lip service; they lied to him with their tongues.
Their hearts were not loyal to him.
They did not keep his covenant.
Yet he was merciful and forgave their sins and did not destroy them all…
Again and again they tested God’s patience… – Psalm 78:13-17a,32b-41a

Lord, help me to fully trust in you. May my life be marked with consistency as I walk with eyes focused on you. I want to be fully available for whatever you have for me today. Thank you for your mercy and patience as I daily learn from your scriptures. Amen.

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 8

Elisha had told the woman whose son he had brought back to life, “Take your family and move to some other place, for the Lord has called for a famine on Israel that will last for seven years.” So the woman did as the man of God instructed. She took her family and settled in the land of the Philistines for seven years.

After the famine ended she returned from the land of the Philistines, and she went to see the king about getting back her house and land. As she came in, the king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God. The king had just said, “Tell me some stories about the great things Elisha has done.” And Gehazi was telling the king about the time Elisha had brought a boy back to life. At that very moment, the mother of the boy walked in to make her appeal to the king about her house and land.

“Look, my lord the king!” Gehazi exclaimed. “Here is the woman now, and this is her son—the very one Elisha brought back to life!”

“Is this true?” the king asked her. And she told him the story. So he directed one of his officials to see that everything she had lost was restored to her, including the value of any crops that had been harvested during her absence. — 2 Kings 8:1-6

AND SHE TOLD HIM THE STORY

God had done something wonderful for this woman, and she was willing to use that story for God’s purposes. She was willing to retell her story of how her son had been dead, but now he was alive and standing beside her. The woman was grateful for the miracle she had witnessed firsthand, but it was not just her story to tell — she realized her story fit into God’s story.

What has God done for you? How does your story fit into His? Perhaps there is someone who needs to hear your story in order to trust God with their own.

EVERYTHING SHE HAD LOST WAS RESTORED TO HER

Sometimes our story is like this woman’s — a story of God performing a miracle of healing for ourselves or for someone we love. But sometimes our story holds memories of regret and pain. It can be difficult to share the difference God has made in your life when it reveals a moment that holds shame or embarrassment. Perhaps God wants to restore what you have lost by using your story to help others.

I am grateful this morning that we serve a God who is willing to redeem our story for His purposes. Father God, I give you permission to use me in the lives of others today. Give me eyes to see the opportunities you will place before me, trusting in you to restore what I have lost. Amen.

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 6:24 – 7:20

Some time later, however, King Ben-hadad of Aram mustered his entire army and besieged Samaria. As a result, there was a great famine in the city. The siege lasted so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty pieces of silver, and a cup of dove’s dung sold for five pieces of silver. — 2 Kings 6:24

Times were just about as hard as they get for those in the city. They were surrounded by their enemy, with no way to leave the fortified city to get more food. They cried out to the king of Israel for help, but there was nothing he could do. The people were in desperate situations — desperate enough to eat their own children (6:26-29).

When the king heard this, he tore his clothes in despair. And as the king walked along the wall, the people could see that he was wearing burlap under his robe next to his skin. — 2 Kings 6:30

The king’s grief turned to anger, as grief often does, and he directed all of his frustrations towards Elisha. He sent one of his men to Elisha’s house to cut off his head, but Elisha would not open the door. So the king went himself.

And the king said, “All this misery is from the Lord! Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?” – 2 Kings 6:30b

SOMETIMES LEADERSHIP IS HARD.

There are seasons of life when circumstances are almost unbearable and it takes its toll on our leaders. There are seasons of life when there is nothing anyone can do to relieve our pain or rescue us from our circumstances, and we find ourselves blaming God. We get impatient and tire of waiting on God to heal, save, or comfort us. But if we can just hang onto our faith a little longer, we will see God move on our behalf. No matter how difficult things get, we must keep asking God to strengthen our faith in Him.

Elisha replied, “Listen to this message from the Lord! This is what the Lord says: By this time tomorrow in the markets of Samaria, six quarts of choice flour will cost only one piece of silver, and twelve quarts of barley grain will cost only one piece of silver.”

The officer assisting the king said to the man of God, “That couldn’t happen even if the Lord opened the windows of heaven!”

But Elisha replied, “You will see it happen with your own eyes, but you won’t be able to eat any of it!” — 2 Kings 7:1-2

Four men with leprosy who had been sitting at the entrance of the city gates decided to take their chances and surrender to the Aramean army. At twilight they started walking towards the enemy camp, but when they got there it was empty. The enemy was nowhere to be found, for the Lord had caused the army to hear “the clatter of speeding chariots and the galloping of horses and the sounds of a great army approaching.” In their panic, they had left all of their supplies and animals, and they had run for their lives.

The four lepers feasted, loaded their arms with the treasures they had found, and traveled back uphill to the city of Samaria to share the good news. The gatekeepers shouted the news to the people in the palace, but the king was skeptical. The news seemed too good to be true. He proceeded with caution, sending scouts to verify what the four men had reported. When they came back with good news, the people of Samaria rushed down to the camp, escaping the city that had become a prison for them. They were finally FREE! The officer who had failed to believe that God could do something as big as what Elisha had foretold was trampled by the people in their desperate rush to find food.

SOMETIMES HOLDING ONTO OUR FAITH IS HARD.

When times get difficult, God wants us to look to Him for rescue; when our circumstances seem impossible to survive, God wants us to trust in Him to be our Savior. God has given us the ability to cling to him during good times and in bad, because faith is a gift from Him. It is not something we have to muster up on our own, it is generously and freely given to us.

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. — Ephesians 2:8-10

This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior.
May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. — 2 Peter 1:1b-2

And this is my prayer for you today. No matter what you are going through, I pray that God will give you more and more grace, that you will experience a supernatural peace, and that your faith in Him will grow as you continue to build on what you know of our God and Savior. May you fully experience FREEDOM in Christ today — freedom from your sinful nature, freedom from your fears and worries, and freedom from the kind of doubt that causes one to walk away from their faith. I pray that each morning you will allow God to create you anew.

Happy 4th of July, friends!

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 6:1-23, Psalm 46

One day the group of prophets came to Elisha and told him, “As you can see, this place where we meet with you is too small. Let’s go down to the Jordan River, where there are plenty of logs. There we can build a new place for us to meet.”

“All right,” he told them, “go ahead.”

“Please come with us,” someone suggested.

“I will,” he said. So he went with them.

When they arrived at the Jordan, they began cutting down trees. But as one of them was cutting a tree, his ax head fell into the river. “Oh, sir!” he cried. “It was a borrowed ax!”

“Where did it fall?” the man of God asked. When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it into the water at that spot. Then the ax head floated to the surface. “Grab it,” Elisha said. And the man reached out and grabbed it. — 2 Kings 6:1-7

Have you ever heard the saying — He was at the right place at the right time? This seems like that kind of moment. Elisha had no plans to go to the Jordan River, but ended up taking the trip due to a last minute invitation. The goal of the journey was to collect some logs for the new meeting place, but Elisha allowed himself to get sidetracked for the sake of a fellow worker in distress.

WILLING TO BE USED BY GOD WHEREVER, WHENEVER

While on this work trip, Elisha was able to retrieve a borrowed ax head that had fallen into the river. He simply broke a stick and threw it in where the ax head had landed, causing it to float to the surface. A small miracle to some, but huge for the man who would have been unable to replace the ax head (2 Kings 6:1-7).

While at home, Elisha received a visit from Naaman, the commander of the Aramean army. When he was struck with leprosy, Elisha instructed Naaman to dip himself in the Jordan River seven times and Naaman was healed. Through his healing, Naaman came to believe in the one true God (2 Kings 5:1-15).

When pursued by the enemy, Elisha was able to save the Israelite army from ambush time and time again by revealing where the Aramean army was waiting to attack them. When the king of Aram sent his troops to seize Elisha, he was able to speak the word and the entire Aramean army was blinded. At the same time, he was able to speak the word and allow his servant to see the heavenly troops and chariots of fire surrounding them to protect them from their enemy (2 Kings 6:8-18).

AT THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME

Just like Elisha allowed God to use him when strategically positioned for spiritual opportunities, God showed up for the Israelites time and time again. In the same way, He continues to show up for us over and over again. He is consistently at the right place at the right time.

As the Aramean army advanced toward him, Elisha prayed, “O Lord, please make them blind.” So the Lord struck them with blindness as Elisha had asked. — 2 Kings 6:18

Father God, thank you for the many ways in which you answer our prayers. Thank you for your faithful presence when we need you the most. We are grateful for this morning’s reminder that you are always ready to help us, and that you have a plan to strategically position us in the lives of others.. Lord, we want to be available to be used by you — wherever, whenever.

God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! — Psalm 46:1-3

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 21, Psalm 1

Jehoram’s brothers—the other sons of Jehoshaphat—were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. Their father had given each of them valuable gifts of silver, gold, and costly items, and also some of Judah’s fortified towns. However, he designated Jehoram as the next king because he was the oldest. But when Jehoram had become solidly established as king, he killed all his brothers and some of the other leaders of Judah. — 2 Chronicles 21:2-4

It was Jewish tradition that the oldest son would become the father’s successor, so Jehoram was naturally named as king. But having silver, gold, authority, and honor was not enough for Jehoram. He wanted to do what he wanted to do, so he killed his brothers. There was potential for Jehoram’s brothers to complicate his life and get in the way of his plans. Therefore, because it was within his rights as king to kill his brothers, that is what he did. He exercised his right to end another person’s life for his own convenience — so that they would not get in the way of what he wanted to do with his life.

Jehoram had the choice to follow in his father’s footsteps and lead the people of Judah in the worship of the one true God, or he could follow the ways of his father-in-law. You see, the alliance between Jehoshaphat and Ahab had led to Jehoram marrying one of Ahab’s daughters. The young king was influenced by his wife and did what was evil in the Lord’s sight (21:6). He built pagan shrines and led the people of Judah in the worship of pagan gods, influencing them to stray away from their God (21:11).

While Jehoram was exercising his rights as king, God was exercising His authority as the Supreme Almighty God. Jehoram could choose to live his life however he wanted to because he had free will, but there would be consequences to his sinful ways. He could stop the beating heart of another human being because it was his legal right to do so, but there would be judgment because it was not his spiritual right to do so. He knew what God required of His people, but he blatantly chose a different way. The outcome of the life he had chosen was painful and led to an excruciating death.

The Lord caused the Philistines and Arabs to attack Judah and its king. They looted the royal palace, carrying away everything that was valuable, including Jerhoram’s sons and his wives. The only son left behind was the youngest son, Ahaziah.

After all this, the Lord struck Jehoram with an incurable intestinal disease. The disease grew worse and worse, and at the end of two years it caused his bowels to come out, and he died in agony. His people did not build a great funeral fire to honor him as they had done for his ancestors. Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. No one was sorry when he died. They buried him in the City of David, but not in the royal cemetery. — 2 Chronicles 21:18-20

Jehoram had the opportunity to do great things for God, but he desired to do great things for himself. Jehoram had the choice to live for the glory of God, but instead he lived to bring glory to himself. Jehoram took the gift of freewill and made a mess out of his life, and he influenced the whole nation of Judah to abandon the One who had so faithfully provided for them generation after generation. And his whole life can be summed up in these words — No one was sorry when he died.

Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do.
But not the wicked!
They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.
They will be condemned at the time of judgment.
Sinners will have no place among the godly.
For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,
but the path of the wicked leads to destruction. — Psalm 1:1-6

Father God, help me to see beyond what I want to do today to see what you want to do with my life. Take this selfish heart and give me a heart that beats in unison with yours. Teach me the many ways you are calling me to respect life and submit to your ways, so that you can be glorified in all that I say or do. Watch over my path and help me to grow stronger in my faith so that I can bear fruit for you in every season. Amen.