2 Kings 5:7-8 And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, "Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me." 8 But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, "Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel." 

HAS someone ever asked an "impossible" of you? Perhaps it is a deadline you can't meet. Maybe it is providing some funds you have no access to offer. Possibly it is to enter into some long term agreement that will cause you great worry and fear. Your reaction to the "impossible" is often anger and dismay, isn't it? You feel the other person is attacking you or forcing you into a conflict. You wonder, "Why is he doing this to me?"

           That's the response of Israel's king as Naaman handed to him the message from Syria's king regarding Naaman's leprosy. We don't precisely know what the king wrote, but certainly it referred to the hope of Naaman's healing. The king of Israel responded with anger. He felt threatened. He apparently believed the King of Syria would hold him responsible for Naaman's health. Certainly Israel's king knew he could not heal Naaman. As a consequence he felt a great threat.        

           Then Elisha steps in to call the king to faith. In essence Elisha says, "So you have an 'impossible' before you. What is the purpose of being afraid or in distress? Don't you know there is a God in Heaven who can do the 'impossibles'? Do not fear and be dismayed. Send the man to me. I will show to him God's magnificent mercy."

           Focusing our own view on the "impossibles" of life will cause us to know fear, worry and distress. Giving our "impossibles" to God, though, will give us peace. The Bible clearly tells us our God is One who gives us a way out of our deep distress and into his high peace.

Prayer: Father in Heaven, I give the "impossibles" of my life to you. Grant me faith to "Let the peace of Christ rule in (my) heart, to which indeed you were called me." (Colossians 3:15)

 

October 27

Little Girl, Big Compassion

 

2 Kings 5:2-3 Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman's wife. 3 She said to her mistress, "Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy."

CONSIDER this: you are living a normal life, going through your daily activities when suddenly an army invades your town. You watch horrified as the army destroys your town and kills many around you. Then the soldiers take you captive. You become a prisoner, forced to be a slave in the land of your conquerors. How would you respond emotionally?

    I doubt many of us would live with the heart of the "little girl from the land of Israel" in this passage. Do you see that amid the turmoil in her life she exhibits great compassion toward her enemy? She has heard that Naaman, the general of the army that has brought her to this new land, has leprosy. Our response might be, "Good. He deserves it." But her response is, "Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy." The little girl is hopeful and even prayerful that this man would be healed! This is grace. This is mercy. This is how to "love your neighbor as yourself." (Leviticus 19:18)

    In that statement, too, the little girl makes a great confession of faith. She knows Elisha is anointed in God's power. She believes Elisha would have compassion on Naaman as well. Most of all, she is faithful to believe God could and would heal Naaman.  

    Is this not a picture of our Savior, who has demonstrated great mercy toward us, who were born his enemies? Paul informs us of God's great compassion and love for us in Romans 5:7-9 "For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life."

    When someone asks you, "What does it mean to be compassionate?" You can point to 2 Kings 5 and dwell on the little girl's compassion for her enemy. You can then turn to Romans 5 to show them we the love of our eternal, compassionate God.

Prayer: Father in Heaven, may we live in gratitude for your mercy to heal us of our sin. Point us to where we must offer your loving compassion today. In Jesus' name, amen.

Dear Friends,

As Barb and I prepare to go to Eldoret, Kenya on October 11, I'd like to offer this testimony of God's provision. We have been studying God's hand to care for Elijah and Elisha and those to whom they ministered. We have seen God act through these men to protect and resurrect lives. He continues to do so.

     First of all, you may recall I asked for prayer about a month ago regarding a longstanding issue I've had with heart arrhythmia. I had prayed last winter before I came to Tennessee that God would resolve this issue. I'm happy to report that he has done exactly that! Through a series of tests and procedures I am now taking a prescription that brings my heart into a normal rhythm. This is a great feeling of comfort to my daily living and my emotional peace. I am deeply grateful to our Lord for guiding my pathway to this resolution.

     A second provision comes through you and many others. It was also about a month ago that I asked you to pray for and consider helping raise $2,000.00 for the transportation of pastors, mainly from Uganda to come to the conference where I will be teaching. These occasions are critical for pastors as an opportunity to first know Scripture and second to teach the Bible to their villages, neighborhoods and churches.

     Joyfully, I can tell you that God did more as he often does. To this day we have received $4,000.00 for this help! Yes, a double portion has Elisha prayed. This will double the opportunity for pastors to attend. This will help them also to be fed and housed while at the conference. This will multiply in ways we will never know this side of Heaven the work God has planned for his people's salvation. How does it feel to be part of God's eternal plans?

     In addition, we have received another $1,000.00 designated for orphan care.

     As God led me to form the non-profit One With God in May, someone asked how much money I expected to raise this year. In my own estimation, I expected somewhere around $15,000. We are now just over $23,000, and there are pledges for additional donations yet this year. I'm now praying for $30,000.00 - a double portion.

     This has come through prayer. I made a decision earlier this summer I would not engage in fundraising activities - other than the very occasional email - but would pray about this. God has said a big, "Yes." to my prayers and those of you who have joined me in these petitions.

     We praise and thank God for what he has done to prepare us for these next two weeks. If you would please cover us in prayer during this time for these provisions:1) The Holy Spirit to give Barb and me the strength and wisdom to truly teach His Word during 5 very intensive days. 2) For many to come and hear the teaching. 3) For this teaching to be put into use in the pastors' ministry. 4) For safe and connected traveling.  5) For good health.

     In the celebration of Psalm 136 and in His service,

Bob and Barb James

2 Kings 5:1 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. 

I thought of summarizing Elisha's Miracle Number 10 with a short summary and lesson from this chapter on faith - listen to the Lord! But I'm feeling compelled to take this miracle and this chapter is small steps. I'm hoping we all can learn together of the several ways this account of Naaman's healing can impact our lives. I encourage you to read through this chapter several times to see how it speaks to you. There will be ample time to do so as my next teaching to you will be around October 26.

           There are two things I'd like you to see in this verse. First, God once again will use his healing, life-giving power on Gentiles - non-Israelites. It is a common theme in the ministries of Elijah and Elisha. God moves men and women into his story to demonstrate he is life. God wants more than the Jews to know about him. He wants the world to know who he is. After all, the whole world, all of mankind is God's creation, isn't it? Jesus offered his saving healings to the Gentiles as well. Truly this is a picture of the gospel's eternal healing pouring forth into the nations.

           Second, Naaman "was a mighty man of valor." But something was dreadfully wrong with him. He was a leper. He was an untouchable. He had an incurable disease. Sickness was upon him. In this we see this clear truth: Naaman needed help.

           How are you as Naaman? You can answer that question by discerning where you need help. I know you do in some aspect of your life. All of us have positive things in our lives. All of us have negative things. Some of us have incurable disabilities or diseases. Some of us have such issues as unforgiveness, pride, impatience and doubt holding us down.

           As we study this chapter, we will see it will be difficult for Naaman to respond to the help he is offered. He had everything going for him, but he was a leper. What is the "but" in your life? What will you do to encounter it, to deal with it and to give it to God?

Prayer: Lord, open my eyes to see the "but" in my life. Help me to trust your words to receive the healing that will bring me closer to you.

2 Kings 4:42-44 A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha said, "Give to the men, that they may eat." 43 But his servant said, "How can I set this before a hundred men?" So he repeated, "Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the Lord, 'They shall eat and have some left.'" 44 So he set it before them. And they ate and had some left, according to the word of the Lord.

DOES the Lord's Miracle Number 9 through Elisha sound familiar? Matthew 14 and 15 record that Jesus did something like this two times. Even more abundantly, our Lord, fed 4,000 and 5,000 men - and many more women and children - with a bit of bread and a few fish.

   God is the Living God, isn't he? He has shown through Elijah and Elisha remarkable life-giving and life-sustaining miracles. The Lord God has supplied abundant food, money and his resurrection power to demonstrate he is Creator, Sustainer, Resurrection and Father.

   I use "Father" at the end of this list because it is a word and image that encompasses who God is. I know we earthly fathers could do much, much more to demonstrate godly character. Too often we fail miserably. But we all must look to our Father in Heaven as the perfect example of fatherhood.

   The Father is forgiving and life-giving. He opens the doors of Heaven to pour forth his blessings. He consistently welcomes people into his love, joy, peace and kindness. With Fatherly wisdom, our Lord corrects what is wrong and praises what is right. He is the Father who stands at the door of his home to say, "Come on in!" as we walk by, searching to be filled while unaware the abundant life is in our Father's house.

   Yes, this food miracle shows us God's provision. He never gives "just enough". Abundantly our Lord gives plenty. He always wants us to have more at the next meal. God's love never runs out. God's love fills you up. God's love sends you home satisfied when you eagerly eat what he sets before you.  

   Receive the Father's love. Savor it. Enjoy it. Know and trust the truth of Jesus' words in John 10:10 "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."

    

Prayer: My Father in Heaven, give to me this day my daily bread at my physical table and at your spiritual table that I will abundantly live with you. In Jesus' name, amen.

October 2

True Food

2 Kings 4:38-41 And Elisha came again to Gilgal when there was a famine in the land. And as the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, he said to his servant, "Set on the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets." 39 One of them went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine and gathered from it his lap full of wild gourds, and came and cut them up into the pot of stew, not knowing what they were. 40 And they poured out some for the men to eat. But while they were eating of the stew, they cried out, "O man of God, there is death in the pot!" And they could not eat it. 41 He said, "Then bring flour." And he threw it into the pot and said, "Pour some out for the men, that they may eat." And there was no harm in the pot.

IN Miracle Number Eight God does through Elisha, we can see an illustration of God's grace to save us from our harmful, even deadly imperfections.

     Hungry men have caused the stew to be poisonous because they carelessly gathered wild gourds "not knowing what they were". We're like that, aren't we? We are hungry for certain things, perhaps material wealth, maybe relationships, possibly quiet in our house and many more things. In such emotional hunger we can be careless with what we gather. We are willing to feed our loneliness, for example, with harmful relationships or habits. We cure our hunger for rest by skipping Sunday worship. Or are you hungry for affirmation? Then be careful who feeds you affirming words. Whose interests do they have in mind?

     Feeding our emotional needs outside of God's true words may seem tasty for a time. It could be an easy gathering of what looks tasty. You might have fun. And you may even feel full for a time. But when it is not right with God, a bad taste will come to your soul. You will know it is wrong for you. Invariably, another deep hunger will form in you. It is the hunger for a lasting and true peace with God.

     What do you do then? Jesus has the answer. He said in Matthew 5:6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." He is urging us on to eat from his "stew" of truth that it will nourish your heart, mind and soul to live right with God.

     As the good flour in the stew, fill your soul with the "flour" of God's righteousness. Knowing what tastes right, you will know what tastes wrong. Gather and store up the good. Throw away the bad.

Prayer: Father in Heaven, fill me with your righteousness, that I will be satisfied in you and you alone. In Jesus' name, amen.