OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: WEDNESDAY 7TH OCTOBER 2020.
THEME: SEEDS AND HARVEST.
MEMORISE:
Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.
2 Kings 4:10
READ: 2 Kings 2:1-15
1And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
2 And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.
3 And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
4 And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.
5 And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
6 And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.
7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.
8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.
9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;
14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.
15 And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
MESSAGE:
I have avoided sharing this for a long time so as not to be misunderstood: when you provide for a man/ woman of God (in substance or service), you will never lack anything. By God’s grace, all my needs are supplied so there is no need to teach anything for selfish reasons.
In 2 Kings 4, once the Shunamite woman knew Elisha was a true man of God, she started to supply him with all he needed.
While you may have many teachers, you should have a particular Father-in-the-Lord you overwhelm with gifts or service. Doing this will ensure that the man of God takes up your case persistently with God.
It was Elisha who asked the Shunamite woman what she wanted. Although she claimed not to want anything, he pressed further. On discovering her childlessness, he prophesied that she would have a son and she did. Much later, when that son died, Elisha brought him back to life.
Elisha insisted on serving Elijah until the end, and his persistence eventually paid off as he got the double portion he asked for. If you serve that man of God diligently, he would ensure you get whatever you want.
I like to say there are a certain people in RCCG who are not permitted to die yet. I remember one woman- very effective in missionary assignment who had been in an accident some years ago. It was so bad that the foreign doctors kept saying she might not survive but I was so sure she was going nowhere. Today, she is still perfectly well and doing even more for God.
Another who has been instrumental in financing the work of God had a nightmare about death and wanted me to pray for him before he passed. I laughed and told him to relax. He said it was God who told him to put his house in order and I replied “Leave it between God and I; you are not going yet.” That was more than ten years ago and he is still bouncing in the Lord.
ACTION POINT:
Find that one man/woman of God who you will consistently provide for in substance and/or services.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: John 5
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 17: MUST I GO AND EMPTY HANDED.
1. “Must I go, and empty-handed,”
Thus my dear Redeemer meet?
Not one day of service give Him,
Lay no trophy at His feet?
Refrain:
“Must I go, and empty-handed?”
Must I meet my Savior so?
Not one soul with which to greet Him,
Must I empty-handed go?
2. Not at death I shrink or falter,
For my Savior saves me now;
But to meet Him empty-handed,
Thought of that now clouds my brow.
3. Oh, the years in sinning wasted,
Could I but recall them now,
I would give them to my Savior,
To His will I’d gladly bow.
4. Oh, ye saints, arouse, be earnest,
Up and work while yet ’tis day;
Ere the night of death o’ertake thee,
Strive for souls while still you may.
Amen and Amen
ReplyDelete