by George | May 28, 2021 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
What A Difference A Year Makes
“So an officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, “Look, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?” And he said, “In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it.”
II Kings 7:2
My wife told me that she found cans of disinfectant marked down to $2 at a store yesterday. One year ago, it was hard to find ANY disinfectant spray. If you did, it was probably at least $5! I don’t think any of us would’ve believed that one year later, the price would be so low.
The famine was really severe in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet.
Prices were inflated on what little was left.
“There was a great famine in Samaria; and behold, they besieged it, until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a fourth of a kab of dove’s dung for five shekels of silver.”
2 Kings 6:25
The meaning of “dove’s dung” is unclear, but you get the picture. There was very little food available. People were also resorting to cannibalism.
The outlook was bleak.
Yet, God inspired Elisha to prophesy:
“Then Elisha said, “Listen to the word of the LORD; thus says the LORD, ‘Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.’ ”
2 Kings 7:1
Hearing this, an officer of the king, his “right hand man” sneered and said it was impossible. No way this could happen.
Elisha answered him and said that the officer would see it, but wouldn’t get to eat any of it.
Read the rest of the chapter. It’s a really cool story about how God ended the famine, in a very unconventional way.
Remember what Jesus said: “And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Matthew 19:26
Keep praying in faith, believing that God will answer, even when man says it’s impossible.
Oh, and don’t forget to go buy some disinfectant while it’s cheap!
by George | May 25, 2021 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
Did You Forget To Drink Water?
“And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.”
Mark 6:31
I was using the flashlight app on my phone this morning. An add popped up for another app. This one sends you reminders to drink water.
Seriously? A reminder to drink water? Are we THAT busy?
Jesus and the disciples were very busy. He had sent them out 2 by 2 to the surrounding areas. He gave them power over the demons and to heal the sick. The disciples were very successful!
“So they went out and preached that people should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.”
Mark 6:12-13
They came back to Jesus to give Him a report.
Oh, and right around this time, John the Baptist was beheaded.
In addition to the busyness of ministering to others, Jesus was dealing with the loss of John the Baptist.
Jesus is the Son of God, but came in human form.
He got tired. He slept on occasion.
He instructs the disciples to come apart.
We use this verse to instruct folks to take care of themselves.
But, it doesn’t seem it happened right away.
“But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him. And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.”
Mark 6:33-34
Then, He feeds the 5,000.
I would like to think at some point they did get to stop and rest.
I think that the lesson in all this is that we do need to take time to rest.
Vance Havner said:
“Come ye yourselves apart…, and rest a while” (Mark 6:31) is a must for every Christian. If you don’t come apart, you will come apart!”
by George | May 20, 2021 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
What To Do When You Get Stoned
“But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. But while the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe.”
Acts 14:19-20
Paul and Barnabas were in a city called Lystra. According to Wikipedia, it “was a city in central Anatolia, now part of present-day Turkey.“
They were having success in that lives were being changed through salvation and healing.
In fact, they were so successful that the locals thought that Paul and Barnabas were gods, and began to worship them. Paul and Barnabas tore their clothes and vehemently tried to tell the people that they were human, just like them.
To make matters worse, the Jews came and influenced the crowd to turn against Paul and Barnabas.
It got so ugly that they stoned Paul and left him for dead.
The other disciples gathered around Paul and wondered if Paul was dead. He wasn’t.
The Bible says that he got up and went into the city.
If this had happened to you or me, I think we would be tempted to quit. What’s the use? We might say: “I tried to preach the gospel and help people, and what do they do, stone me? Forget it!”
But Paul didn’t quit. Scripture says that the next day, he and Barnabas went to Derbe.
So what do you do when you get stoned?
- Get up. Don’t stay down.
- Get some rest. Paul and Barnabas didn’t leave until the next morning.
- Get going. Ask God to direct you. What’s the next city to go to?
- Keep moving.
Life may knock us down, but with God’s help we can get back up.
Meditate on these verses:
“For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, But the wicked stumble in time of calamity.”
Proverbs 24:16
“we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;”
2 Corinthians 4:8-9
“but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 15:57
