A Study Of The Miraculous - Part XIV

A Study Of The Miraculous – Part XIV

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Scripture: 2 Kings 4:1-7

1 ¶ Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.

2 And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.

3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.

4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.

5 So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.

6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel.

* And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more.

* they have a problem and they might not even recognize it as a problem.

* reasons for running out of vessels

> there are no more vessels

> the workers just got tired of gathering them

> low expectation

> true deception (maybe they truly believe there are no more)

* at any rate, the fact that they ran out of vessels will affect their future at some point. (even though they did not know it at the time)

* problem solving 101

> first: identify the problem (don’t fall into the trap of misidentifying a favored or obvious solution as the problem)

Exercise: 3 Nuns living in the same home sharing one car. It’s Monday evening around 6 pm and one nun has to go to a 7 pm benefit dinner for abused children way across town. Another nun has an appointment at 7:15 pm with a family crisis situation several miles in the other direction while this evening is the set aside evening for buying supplies for the home by the third nun. Each feel that their need of the vehicle is of primary importance. They can’t seem to agree on who should use the one car. Identify the problem. (Not a solution … identify the problem. The problem has already been stated above. Identifying the problem in solution terms tends to misdirect the energies, limit creative potential and stall problem resolution)

> Once the problem is correctly and objectively identified:

> next: brainstorm solutions (don’t be afraid to think outside the box and don’t throw cold water on solutions, often the most creative and innovative solutions come from an unfettered process of possibility thinking) --- (let imaginations run … Genesis 11:6 - ‘nothing could be restrained them which they imagined to do’ … Ephesians 3:20 ‘ God is able … exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think’)

> then: act on the best solution

* And the oil stayed.

* there comes a time when the miracle is over

* Acts 19:21 and when these things had ended.

* The test of finished

* It was good while it lasted but what do we do now

* Learning to live in the shadow of a miracle

> missionary blues

> an unwillingness to be spent again

> depression

A Study Of The Miraculous - Part XIII

A Study Of The Miraculous – Part XIII

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Reasoning in and of it self is not wrong, but a tool used to achieve desired results … but:

Reasons weigh very little on the scale of life when their only a benefit to you.

Naturally most people think what is best for them is best … however:

Life is teamwork

When dealing with other people

Sometimes you get your way and sometimes you don’t

Just because you occasionally get your way does not necessarily mean that you are selfish, and just because you do not get your way does not mean that everyone is against you and that your world is crumbling down around your neck.

We have to be bigger than our moment if we are going to be a valued team player in this game of life.

Although reasoning in and of it self is not wrong, it can become a deceptive strategy of the devil when dealing with the word, will or principles of God …

> an appeal to reason in an effort to outweigh, out maneuver or discount the Word of God is one of the first signs of deception. The devil at work. The serpent used this in the garden of Eden.

Some things do matter to God and matter greatly.

However, many things people argue over & wrestle with just do not matter to God.

* Romans 14 Read through …

1 ¶ Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.

2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.

8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.

9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.

14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

* do not destroy the body of Christ over a little meat or drink

* Matthew 23:24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

> God is merciful and God is kind, His goodness is unmatched. However, if anyone thinks that God crucified His only begotten Son on the cruel cross of Calvary so that they would not have to be accountable, responsible or obedient to authority, they got the wrong message.

2 Kings 4:1-7

1 ¶ Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.

2 And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.

3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.

4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.

5 So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.

6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel.

* And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more.

* Never be afraid to be honest.

> responsible honesty

> irresponsible honesty

* reality -or- limited reality? … perhaps he could have gone for more vessels.

* there is great value in training oneself to think outside of the box

Happy Mother's Day

I may get Brenda to read a passage this morning: It will be 1 Kings 3:16-28. I believe that she will be reading the NKJV.

Happy Mother’s Day

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Scripture: Psalms 113:9 He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD

Read Judges 5:6-9

6 ¶ In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.

7 The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.

8 They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?

9 My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.

10 Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.

I. Judges 5:6

A. In the days: (Even though there were mighty men and women)

1. Shamgar: Judges 3:31 Killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad ...

2. Jael: Judges 4:21 went softly ... drove the peg into his temple ...

B. The highways (right ways) were deserted (straight ways abandoned)

1. travelers: Heb: walkers of paths (natural look at)

2. byways: Heb: walked crooked paths (a spiritual truth)

II. Judges 5:7

A. Village Life ceased

1. no community

2. no family or society values or commitments

3. it ceased in Israel ...

B. Until Deborah Arose a MOTHER in Israel

III. Judges 5:8 A Picture Of A Motherless Society

A. On top of what we have already read:

1. v.6: people abandon straight paths for crooked ones

2. v.7: family, community & eventually society ceases

Note: I am the product of a mother’s choice to have a home & build a family. She had no real help and little support, but she did it. The sins of the father’s may visit their children to the 3^rd or 4^th generation, but the blessings of righteousness endures to a 1000 generations.

B. When there are no mothers making their voice & demands heard:

3. v.8: people will choose new gods and stray from Jehovah God

4. v.8: war & fighting comes to the very doors of cities

5. v.8: people grow defenseless (value life less) without a Mother’s protection, or perhaps without a mother to protect.

a. Quote: James Stephens: (women are creatures who) are wiser than men because they know less but understand more.

b. Perhaps God gave every man a mother to raise their estimation of women. It’s time that we realized that all mothers are women first.

IV. Mothers Arise (take your place)

A. Teach us the straight ways of life

1. not to lie, cheat, steal, loose our tempers, be dishonest

2. to respect our elders and honor our parents

3. to keep our commitments and pay our just and honest debts

B. Build family and community relationships

1. you have the grace for interaction

2. you have the pattern for family imprinted in your lives

C. Introduce us to and keep us close to God

D. Keep war from our doors

1. we need you to give us perspective on the cost of war

2. we need a reason to negotiate with & live with each other

E. Give us a cause to be prepared for war should it arise

The Kingdom Of The All Consuming Fire

The Kingdom Of The All Consuming Fire

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Introduction: Beginning in Exodus 19, in the 3^rd month after the children of Israel came out of Egypt, they camped beside the mountain of God. It was there that Moses ascended and received commandments from God. God instructed Moses to keep the people and animals from touching any part of the mountain or they would die. The mountain seemed to be on fire and shook and smoked with the presence of God. The people could hear the sound of the heavenly trumpet and were invited to hear the voice of God but not to see His image. At one point the presence of God was so fierce that the people ask not to even hear the voice of God any longer, but only let Moses represent them before God and relay His will to them. From that time and continuing throughout the book of Exodus, Moses receives commandments, instructions and laws from God and relates them to the congregation. The people listen to Moses but are a stiff-necked people at heart and refuse to abide by God’s commands. God would later reveal that He designed His law as a schoolmaster which was meant to guide His people until He would send His Son, in the likeness of sinful man, to redeem them from their sins and grant them pardon and grace. Today we do not serve under the penalty of the law, but under the pardon of grace. However, our God is still that ‘All Consuming Fire’ Whose voice then shook the earth, but now promises to yet once more shake not only the earth, but also the heavens for His continuing purpose … to have an unshakable, inescapable and immoveable kingdom of saints both in heaven and in earth.

Scripture Reference: Hebrews 12

18 ¶ For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,

19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:

20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:

21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)

22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

29 For our God is a consuming fire.

Not only is the Kingdom of this All Consuming Fire immoveable, but it is also unshakable and inescapable.

What makes a Kingdom unshakable, inescapable and immoveable?

Note: What makes this kingdom Unshakable, Inescapable, Immoveable?

I. 4 Facets of The Unshakable, Inescapable, Immoveable Kingdom of the All Consuming Fire

A. The Voice of God (His Word)

Whose voice then shook the heavens

B. The Vision of God (His Firstborn and Only Begotten Son)

John 3:16 … that none should perish

C. The Vehicle of God (His Family In Heaven & Earth)

The Church,

A community of believers

Matthew 16:18 Upon this rock I will build My church …

Acts 2:42-47 … and they had all things in common … added …

D. The Provision of God (His Spirit)

The Power of the Holy Spirit in every believer’s life

Power to be a witness

Acts 1:8 Power to be …

Acts 2:16ff this is that …

Acts 2:39 For the promise is unto you …

II. God is ‘Once Again’ Shaking Heaven and Earth (just look around)

A. to remove those things which can be shaken

B. so that only those things which cannot be shaken will remain

C. He is using people full of the Holy Spirit to do the shaking

III. Where Are We In This Shaking

A. We have come to:

1. Mount Zion

2. The city of the Living God

3. The heavenly Jerusalem

4. An innumerable company of angels

5. To the general assembly and church of the Firstborn

6. To God the Judge of all

7. To the spirits of just men made perfect

8. To Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant

9. To the blood of sprinkling

10. We Have Come To the Kingdom Which Cannot Be Escaped, Shaken or Moved

B. What can we do to be the shakers God wants?

1. Do not refuse Him who speaks from heaven

2. Serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear

III. 3 Suggestions From A Pastor

A. Take Your Opportunity & Christianity Seriously (Your chance)

B. Get & Stay Right With God (refuse to be moved or shaken)

C. Go To Work For Jesus (let none escape the shaking)

A Study Of The Miraculous - Part XII

A Study Of The Miraculous – Part XII

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Scripture Reference: 2 Kings 4:1-7

2 Kings 4:1-7

1 ¶ Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.

2 And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.

3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.

4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.

5 So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.

6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.

7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.

We ended last week on the thought that sometimes we are told to do something that we cannot or at times should not do. The question was asked: “What is the proper response when you cannot do what you have been told to do by someone who has the authority over some aspect of your life or work?”

We looked at two scenarios: One in which the person told to act just does not want to or it goes against some personal objections which are minor when looked at in the light of God’s word. We talked about not trying to reason away why you will not submit or obey.

The weight of the objection has to be weighted against the Word of God.

In the other scenario, we discussed what to do when God’s evident word, way or will stands firmly and strongly against the request and makes His Word concerning submission and obedience the lesser word.

Submission is not always an act, but always an attitude that most often demands we act.

* followership 101

> Obedience (the lowest level of following)

> Submission (does not begin until you are do not want to obey)

> Loyalty (what you say and how you act once made to submit)

Remember: No one can be your Holy Ghost … and you cannot be theirs either!

Teach me, Love me, Pray for me but …

Please do not ask me to violate the Holy Spirit

Ultimately, you will have to answer to God.

It is not enough to just disagree or have a different set of desires or wants that you champion.