Search Results

Everyone longs for affection. We should greet each other warmly and make others feel welcomed and valued. However, God desires us to be sexually pure.

We must focus on the inner beauty God has given us and not our outward physical appearance.

A little chatterbox learns that listening is more important than talking. God created us to love and serve others unselfishly.

Little children may not seem to be listening in "big church," but God often uses those moments to speak to them personally and transform their lives.

Board games that children play can often bring out the true sinful nature within the heart of a child: selfishness, greed and unforgiveness.

II Kings 4:38-44 WHAT PERSPECTIVE OR ATTITUDE DO YOU FIND YOURSELF TAKING DURING DIFFICULT TIMES? 38When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a famine in the land. As the sons of the prophets were sitting in front of him, he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.” 39Then one went out into the field to gather mallow, and found a wild vine and gathered from it his lap full of wild gourds; and he came and sliced them into the pot of stew, because they did not know what they were. 40So they poured it out for the men to eat. But as they were eating the stew, they cried out and said, “You man of God, there is death in the pot!” And they were unable to eat. 41Then he said, “Bring flour.” And he threw it into the pot, and said, “Pour it out for the people that they may eat.” Then there was nothing harmful in the pot. 42Now a man came from Baal-shalishah, and brought the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh grain in his sack. And Elisha said, “Give them to the people that they may eat.” 43But his attendant said, “How am I to serve this to a hundred men?” Nevertheless, he said, “Give them to the people that they may eat, for this is what the LORD says: ‘They shall eat and have some left over.’” 44So he served it to them, and they ate and had some left over, in accordance with the word of the LORD. WHAT IS A SPIRITUAL FAMINE AND HOW DO YOU OVERCOME IT? BACKGROUND Our passage today deals with miracles of food. Food is not merely for sustenance. In scripture, it is filled with spiritual meaning and representations, as we will see in today’s passage. So, it’s appropriate to spend some time looking at food in scripture and what it often represents. Food in scripture operates on multiple levels—as physical sustenance, spiritual metaphor, and social bond—revealing how deeply eating connects human life to God’s purposes. The principle that “man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 8:3) establishes food’s fundamental limitation. The absence of God’s life-giving word may cause a famine as severe as any lack of food. [1] This reframing appears throughout scripture: Jesus says that his food is to do the will of God [1], and spiritual teaching is sometimes likened to food—basic teaching is like milk for newborn infants, while deeper teaching is like solid food for mature disciples. [1] Jesus identifies himself as “the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” (John 6:35) He describes himself as “the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.” (John 6:48–51) This imagery transforms the ancient manna narrative into a christological claim about eternal sustenance. Food creates and expresses community. An agreement or reconciliation reached between parties was frequently sealed and celebrated with eating and drinking together, and sharing a meal was in antiquity often an expression of mutual fellowship and trust. [2] The bread broken in communion is a sharing in the body of Christ, and since there is one bread, those who partake become one body. (1 Corinthians 10:16–17) Jesus’ meals with “sinners and tax collectors” and meal scenes both subvert social convention and act out an inclusive vision of the kingdom of God. [3] Jesus frequently uses banquets as a favorite image for the kingdom of God [1], pointing toward a great feast which the Lord will prepare on Mt. Zion, with the best of foods and wines, and with all the nations of the world sharing in it—symbolically expressing the prophetic hope of the golden age to come, when suffering and mourning, sin and death, will be banished forever. [2] God’s command to Adam regarding the tree of knowledge—“From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat” (Genesis 2:16–17)—establishes obedience through food restriction. The actual fall from grace occurs in connection with Adam and Eve’s eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, representing humanity’s sinful determination to set for itself the standard of right and wrong. [2] EXAMINATION (V.38) When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a famine in the land. As the sons of the prophets were sitting in front of him, he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.” We begin by noting that the stories told of Elisha’s ministry aren’t necessarily in chronological order, but are arranged thematically to drive home certain points. In this case, the points may be about Baalism and false idol worship, which we will get to in a moment. In II Kings 8:1, God called for a famine in the land. “Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, ‘Arise and go with your household, and sojourn wherever you can sojourn; for the Lord has called for a famine, and it will even come on the land for seven years.’” Famine was part of the curse if Israel abandoned Yahweh worship. In fact, in scripture, famine is sometimes representative of spiritual famine, a lack of spiritual truth or the word of God. The sons of the prophets were probably the prophetic school that was gathered before Elisha, whom he had come to see. They also would have been living under the famine. Though food was scarce, Elisha ordered some stew to be made. The large pot, here, may represent Israel. We’ll get to that in a moment. (V.39) Then one went out into the field to gather mallow, and found a wild vine and gathered from it his lap full of wild gourds; and he came and sliced them into the pot of stew, because they did not know what they were. It’s interesting that the prophet would gather and chop into the stew something that he did not know what it was. Would you do that? Many times, when living in Mongolia, we would see a fruit or a vegetable in the store that we did not recognize. It never occurred to us to buy it and eat it until someone told us what they were and, in some cases, how to prepare them. But here, this prophet takes a plant he’s unfamiliar with and chops it into the stew. This is just like Israel and the worship of Baalism and the golden calves. They knew of Baalism from the surrounding nations, but didn’t know just how damaging it would be to their society. What are some “harmful ingredients” people unintentionally allow into their lives today, and how can spiritual discernment help protect us? (V.40) So they poured it out for the men to eat. But as they were eating the stew, they cried out and said, “You man of God, there is death in the pot!” And they were unable to eat. Scholars have come to the conclusion that the gourd that was chopped into the stew was probably colocynth, “which is a gourd-like plant that creeps along the ground, and has a round yellow fruit the size of a large orange. This fruit is exceedingly bitter, produces colic, and affects the nerves.” [4] Eating the fruit has been known to cause death. Upon eating, colocynth produces abdominal pain and can be fatal. They probably tasted the bitterness and felt the first stomach pains and then proclaimed that there was death in the pot. Baalism was a spiritual death in the pot of Israel. Israel was dying spiritually because of Baal and golden calf worship. (V.41) Then he said, “Bring flour.” And he threw it into the pot, and said, “Pour it out for the people that they may eat.” Then there was nothing harmful in the pot. What does this brief story represent? It may represent the condition of Israel at this time. The pot, as mentioned before, may represent Israel. The northern kingdom of Israel was living in rebellion against God. Just like the poisonous gourds, the people engaged in the spiritual poison of Baalism and worshipping the golden calves. “There is death in the pot,” they said. So too, there was spiritual death in the idol worship they engaged in. The true religion of Yahweh, the word of God, represented by the flour, would cure their spiritual condition. (V.42) Now a man came from Baal-shalishah, and brought the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh grain in his sack. And Elisha said, “Give them to the people that they may eat.” The man from Baal-Shalishah would normally have brought the first fruits of his offering to the Levitical priests, but he bypassed this rule. Deuteronomy 18:4-5 says, “You shall give him the first fruits of your grain, your new wine, and your oil, and the first shearing of your sheep. For the Lord your God has chosen him and his sons from all your tribes, to stand and serve in the name of the Lord forever.” The problem was that there were no Levitical priests in the northern kingdom because King Jeroboam had years earlier expelled the Levites from serving as priests in the northern kingdom when he set up his own religion of the golden calves. So this man brought his offering to the prophet instead. Here is a man, living in apostate Israel, who seeks to obey God’s law by bringing his first fruits. He finds in the prophet Elisha a fitting substitute. Verse 38 says there was a famine in the land, so his offering may not have been much. Not enough to feed but a few people, certainly not 100. The word loaves in this passage does not mean loaves like we are familiar with from a grocery store. This refers to small rolls, enough for one person each, maybe less. Though this man’s offering was given from the heart in obedience to the law, because of the famine, he did not have much to give. (V.43-44) But his attendant said, “How am I to serve this to a hundred men?” Nevertheless, he said, “Give them to the people that they may eat, for this is what the LORD says: ‘They shall eat and have some left over.’”So he served it to them, and they ate and had some left over, in accordance with the word of the LORD. Both miracles took place during a famine. How can seasons of hardship, limitation, or uncertainty deepen a person’s faith and dependence upon God? Does this miracle sound familiar? It is very much like Jesus feeding the 5,000 and the 4,000. The difference being that while Elisha’s miracle fed 100, Jesus’ miracles fed thousands. Jesus’ miracle of the loaves and fish ties him to Elisha in that Elisha’s ministry was a type and precursor to Jesus’ ministry. In both cases, they had some left over. Here is another slap in the face to Baalism in Israel. Baal was the fertility god who was supposed to multiply crops. The famine was a sign that Baal was false and had no real power. Yet, God is able to multiply food even after it has been harvested and offered. God was again showing his power over Baal. The two passages we’ve looked at today are connected as a contrast. One represents the spiritual harm and death of Baalism, and the other shows God’s blessing of life for those who follow him, as the man from Baal-Shalishah did. One multiplies death, one multiplies life. WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED? The famine in Israel was representative of a famine of spiritual truth. Israel, trapped in spiritual deception, was dying, like those who ate the stew. God still requires faithfulness, like in the man from Baal-Shalishah. God multiplies faithfulness as he did the food for the community. INTERPRETATION What is the author’s big idea? False religion kills; true faith in God imparts life. Commentator John Courson makes an interesting observation about our passage. “Like Elisha’s students, we live in a time of drought—not geologically, but spiritually—due to the fact that so few churches teach the Word of God. In addition to the drought, however, there are all kinds of poisonous winds of doctrine being put in the pot, new fads, and Christian trends. Our job is not to try to pick out the poison in the pot. Our job is to pour in the meal. Stay in the scriptures. Study the word faithfully, consistently, and daily. And as you study the word of God, the poison dissipates.” [5] Notice the contrasts in our passage. Poisoned food and a food offering. Bitterness and death compared to obedience and life. A miracle to restore and a miracle to multiply blessings. The first story represents a disobedient Israel taking in spiritual poison. The second story represents an obedient few who achieve the blessings of life. It is a contrast of spiritual death next to spiritual life. APPLICATION God Can Turn Death Into Life In the first miracle, poisonous stew brought danger and fear to the prophets, but God used Elisha to make the food safe. This reminds believers that God can redeem situations that seem ruined or dangerous. He is able to bring healing, restoration, and hope where there is spiritual, emotional, or physical “death.” God Often Works Through Ordinary Things Elisha used simple flour to purify the stew and ordinary loaves of bread to feed many people. God frequently uses common, everyday resources to accomplish extraordinary purposes. Christians should not underestimate what God can do through simple acts of obedience, small gifts, or ordinary people. Faith Obeys Before Seeing the Outcome When Elisha instructed his servant to feed one hundred men with only twenty loaves, the servant doubted because the resources seemed insufficient. Yet Elisha trusted God’s promise. Believers today are called to obey God even when the numbers, circumstances, or resources do not appear adequate. God Is Able to Multiply Limited Resources The feeding miracle points to God’s abundant provision. Just as God multiplied the bread through Elisha, Jesus later fed the multitudes in the Gospels. God is not limited by human scarcity. He can provide financially, spiritually, emotionally, and materially in ways beyond human expectation. God Cares for His People During Difficult Times The chapter begins by mentioning a famine, a season of hardship and lack. Yet God still provided nourishment for His servants. This teaches that God remains faithful during seasons of crisis, uncertainty, and scarcity. Even in difficult times, He sees the needs of His people and is able to sustain them. [1] Werner E. Lemke, “Food,” in The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (Revised and Updated), ed. Mark Allan Powell (New York: HarperCollins, 2011), 294. [2] S. Woudstra, “Eat,” in The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised, ed. Geoffrey W. Bromiley (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1979–1988), 2:7. [3] Raymond Pickett et al., “Jesus and the Christian Gospels,” in The New Testament, ed. Margaret Aymer, Cynthia Briggs Kittredge, and David A. Sánchez, Fortress Commentary on the Bible (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2014), 97. [4]. Spence-Jones, H. D. M., ed. 1909. 2 Kings. The Pulpit Commentary. London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company. [5] Courson, Jon. 2005. Jon Courson’s Application Commentary: Volume One: Genesis–Job. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

Plagues and suffering have often produced the greatest hymns of hope, help and joy! Read the lyrics of songwriters who rose above darkness, depression and disease by singing praise. See what you can learn from these men and women of faith who praised and thanked God during disease. Perhaps you will be inspired to write your own song of praise! Miriam, sister of Moses, witnessed the ten terrible plagues of Egypt. God spared His people from disease and death. After the Jews’ divine rescue, Miriam sang: “I will sing unto the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously, the horse and rider thrown into the sea! The Lord my God, my strength and song, has now become my victory.” Exodus 15:20-21 KJV Satan cannot steal our song! In Job 2, he begs God to inflict a deadly disease upon Job to make God’s righteous servant curse God. Job sang, “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job 1:20 LB (By the way, one of my favorite praise choruses “Blessed be the name of the Lord” by Matt Redman, is taken directly from Job’s words). King David, in his arrogance, defied God by counting his soldiers. He commanded over 1.5 million troops. God demanded punishment. (1 Chronicles 21-22). Because of the king’s disobedience, 70,000 Jews died of the plague in three days. Even in his deep remorse, David knew to sing to God. “I will praise you, Lord, for you have saved me from my enemies. You refuse to let them triumph over me. O Lord my God, I pleaded with you, and you gave me my health again. You brought me back from the brink of the grave, from death itself, and here I am alive! Oh, sing to him you saints of his; give thanks to his holy name. His anger lasts a moment; his favor lasts for life! Weeping may go on all night, but in the morning there is joy.” Psalm 30:1-5 LB We are not alone in our distress. Godly men and women throughout the ages praised God in the midst of disease and disaster. I was deeply moved when I learned of so many great hymns of praise that had been written by Christians during plagues throughout church history. My favorite is “Now Thank We All Our God,” composed in 1636 by Lutheran pastor Martin Rinckart. Eilenberg, Germany, his tiny hometown, was ravaged by the Thirty Years War. The Swedish army set siege around the city wall. War refugees seeking safety overran the crowded town. Soon after, the Bubonic plague erupted there and almost 5,000 people perished within a year. Rinckart was the only pastor left alive to bury the dead. He often performed 40-50 funerals per day, including the burial of his own wife. In the midst of such pestilence and heartbreak, Rinckart wrote: “Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices, Who wondrous things has done, in Whom this world rejoices. Who from our mother’s arms has blessed us on our way with countless gifts of love and still is ours today!” “Come to Your Temple Here on Earth,” composed by pastor Paul Gerhardt, was written around the same time as Rinckart. Europe was besieged with war and plague, yet these words of assurance came to this beloved pastor’s heart: “Arise and make an end of all our heartache and our pain; Your wandering flock at last recall and grant them joy again. To peace and wealth the land restore, wasted with fire or plague or sword; Come to Your ruined churches, Lord, and bid them bloom once more.” Isaac Watts wrote “When We Are Raised from Deep Distress” during the London cholera outbreak in 1666. Cholera outbreaks were prevalent in various parts of the British Empire, including parts of Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America. In 1854, 23,000 people died from cholera in Great Britain. Read Watt’s inspiring lyrics inspired by Psalms 89 and 90: “Pains of the flesh seek to abuse our minds with slavish fears; Our days are past and we shall lose the remnant of our years. Jehovah speaks the healing word and no disease withstands; fevers and plagues obey the Lord and fly at His command!” This great Congregational minister wrote 750 hymns! Watts always found a reason to praise God. James Montgomery, born in 1771, Scottish-born hymn writer and poet wrote 400 hymns in the midst of controversial quarantines for yellow fever, cholera and bubonic plague. “Sing Hallelujah; Sing” is one of his most famous: “Sing Hallelujah, Glory to God alone…Bring your thank-offerings to the throne. The Lord put forth His hand, He touched us and we died. Vengeance went through the land, but mercy walked beside. He heard our prayers; He saw our tears and stayed the plague and quelled our fears.” What a statement of faith! Dr. John Ryland was an English Baptist pastor and a close friend of John Newton, composer of “Amazing Grace.” The deadly Cattle Plague, or Rinderpest, (similar to smallpox, but even more deadly) ravaged Britain and many other parts of Europe. Ryland paraphrased Psalms 139 and 34 into lyrics for his hymn, “Sovereign Ruler of the Skies:” “He that formed me in the womb shall guide me to the tomb. All my times shall ever be ordered by His wise decree….Plagues and deaths around me fly ‘til He bids I cannot die. Not a single shaft can hit ‘til the God of love thinks fit.” Swiss pastor Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531) was one of the most influential voices in the Protestant Reformation. Black plague broke out in Zurich and he raced to minister to the sick. Zwingli caught the dreaded disease and almost died. But the hymn he wrote gives us an inspiring glimpse of his faith. The first four verses of his hymn were penned when the disease struck. Verses five through eight were written as his health deteriorated. Verses nine through twelve were written after God healed him. What a great model for us as we fight sickness: “Help me Lord, my strength and rock, Lo at the door I hear death’s knock. Lift up your arm once pierced for me, that conquered death and rescued me. Yet if your voice in life’s midday recalls my soul, then I obey.” During his illness: “My pains increase, haste to console; for fear and woe seize body and soul. Death is at hand, my senses fail, my tongue is dumb, now Christ prevail. He (Satan) harms me not-I fear no loss. For here I lie beneath the cross.” After his recovery: “My God! My Lord! Healed by your Hand, upon the earth once more I stand. Let sin no more rule over me-my mouth shall sing alone to Thee. Though now delay, my hour will come-involved perchance in deeper gloom. BUT LET IT COME, MY JOY WILL RISE. And bear my yoke straight to the skies.” What a great picture of how to handle suffering! Do you have a song? You need one! My dear friend has debilitating condition caused by chronic disease. She suffers with crippling anxiety and fear. The doctors have tried behavioral therapy, psychiatric meds and homeopathic remedies. Nothing has helped. Until one day I remembered that singing occupies both sides of the brain. When my friend suffers most, we sing hymns and praise songs. Relief comes. Jesus’ peace washes over her. “You did it! You turned my deepest pains into joyful dancing; You stripped off my dark clothing and covered me with joyful light. You have restored my honor. My heart is ready to explode, erupt in new songs! It’s impossible to keep quiet! Eternal One, my God, my Life-Giver, I will thank You forever! Psalm 30:11-12 https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-4/black-death-inspires-zwinglis-plague-hymn.html https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/job-reverent-in-suffering https://worship.calvin.edu/resources/resource-library/hymns-for-a-pandemic-a-brief-historical-introduction http://connectwithskip.com/

Dear Tom: My ex-husband verbally abuses my kids and me, and it is causing us terrible heartache. I’ve had Christians tell me that I must forgive him even though he keeps doing it and won’t stop. It’s been going on for years, and I don’t know what to do. Do I have to forgive him even though he won’t stop? Sherrie Sherrie: Thank you for writing to me. I’m so sorry about the difficulties you and your kids have been going through. Abuse is a terrible thing, no matter what form it takes. My father was sometimes verbally abusive, so I know a little of what your kids are going through. Your question about forgiving your ex-husband is a difficult one. As Christians, we always want to be on the side of forgiving the guilty and extending a hand of mercy and compassion. But, to be honest, some people, like your ex-husband, make it hard. Abuse is a horrible cycle to get out of, and it often requires a dramatic event in people’s lives to get out from under it. But we should always try to retain hope that God sees our difficulties and knows what we are going through. So, let me address your question with a direct answer, then I will explain it to you. First, you do not always have to forgive your ex for his abuse. The article I wrote on feeling forgiveness from the heart assumes that the other person has repented and wants to be forgiven. There are times in the scripture when forgiveness is not attained because the offending party did not repent of their sins. Now, this doesn’t mean that we can go around treating that person shamefully or return the abuse. It simply means that we must act wisely in relation to that person, always being ready to forgive when real repentance comes, but sometimes withholding it until that repentance comes. Especially when the abuse and manipulation continue. Let me throw out a few things from scripture for you to consider. Not everyone will be forgiven for their sin. This is apparent when we consider that those who do not repent of their sin and come to faith in Christ will suffer an eternity in hell. Jesus said that those who speak against the Holy Spirit never have forgiveness. Denying the truth of Christ is the same as calling the Spirit a liar when he is convicting us of who Jesus is. Dying in that condition is final, and for such a person, there is no hope. Remember the rich young ruler who came to Jesus. He wanted forgiveness, but wasn’t willing to follow Jesus’ instructions for his life. The scripture says Jesus loved him, but because he didn’t follow Jesus’ instruction, he went away unforgiven. In the book of John, Jesus told the Pharisees, “You will die in your sin.” He said that because they opposed him and didn’t believe in him. Clearly, they were not forgiven. In I Corinthians 5, Paul talks about the man who was committing adultery with his step-mother. The man was unrepentant, so Paul said he was turning the man over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh so that his spirit would be saved later. Doesn’t that seem harsh? Yet, Paul saw the evil for what it was. Then man would not have experienced forgiveness from Paul or the church had he not repented (in II Corinthians it is implied that he later repented). Lastly, at his resurrection, Jesus told his disciples, if you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you withhold forgiveness, then it is withheld. Forgiveness is not something that we give away willy-nilly. We are not required to forgive if there is no repentance and the other person continues in abuse and manipulation. Now, if you choose to forgive anyway, I believe God will honor your heart of obedience. But that doesn’t mean the situation will change or go away. Sometimes we forgive in advance, hoping that our forgiveness will draw that person to Christ and repentance. Sometimes that happens, sometimes it doesn’t. Just know this: you are not absolutely required to forgive where there is no repentance. But if you do forgive, God will honor your heart in this. I pray that your situation will change and that you will experience the freedom from this that you desire. Please continue in patience, humility, and love as much as you can. Protect your children. Guard your heart. God be with you in this difficult time. Tom Terry

II Kings 4:8-37 WHY IS EXPRESSING OUR FAITH IN GOD SO IMPORTANT? 8Now a day came when Elisha went over to Shunem, where there was a prominent woman, and she urged him to eat food. And so it was, as often as he passed by, that he turned in there to eat food. 9And she said to her husband, “Behold now, I am aware that this is a holy man of God passing by us repeatedly. 10Please, let’s make a little walled upper room, and let’s set up a bed for him there, and a table, a chair, and a lampstand; then it shall be, when he comes to us, that he can turn in there.” 11Now one day he came there, and turned in to the upper room and rested. 12Then he said to his servant Gehazi, “Call this Shunammite.” And when he had called her, she stood before him. 13And he said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Behold, you have taken trouble for us with all this care; what can I do for you? Would you like me to speak for you to the king or to the commander of the army?’” But she answered, “I live among my own people.” 14So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi answered, “It is a fact that she has no son, and her husband is old.” 15He then said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the doorway. 16Then he said, “At this season next year, you are going to embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord, you man of God, do not lie to your servant.” 17Now the woman conceived and gave birth to a son at that season the next year, as Elisha had told her. 18When the child was grown, the day came that he went out to his father, to the reapers. 19And he said to his father, “My head, my head!” And his father said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20When he had carried him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her lap until noon, and then he died. 21And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door behind him and left. 22Then she called to her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, so that I may run to the man of God and return.” 23But he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath.” So she just said, “It will be fine.” 24Then she saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Drive the donkey and go on; do not slow down the pace for me unless I tell you.” 25So she went on and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel. When the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Behold, that person there is the Shunammite. 26Please run now to meet her and say to her, ‘Is it going well for you? Is it going well for your husband? Is it going well for the child?’” Then she answered, “It is going well.” 27But she came to the man of God at the hill and took hold of his feet. And Gehazi came up to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone, for her soul is troubled within her; and the LORD has concealed it from me and has not informed me.” 28Then she said, “Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say, ‘Do not give me false hope’?” 29Then he said to Gehazi, “Get ready and take my staff in your hand, and go; if you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not reply to him. And lay my staff on the boy’s face.” 30The mother of the boy said, “As surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her. 31Then Gehazi went on ahead of them and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or response. So he returned to meet him and informed him, saying, “The boy has not awakened.” 32When Elisha entered the house, behold the boy was dead, laid on his bed. 33So he entered and shut the door behind them both, and he prayed to the LORD. 34Then he got up on the bed and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, his hands on his hands, and he bent down on him; and the flesh of the child became warm. 35Then he returned and walked in the house back and forth once, and went up and bent down on him; and the boy sneezed seven times, then the boy opened his eyes. 36And he called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. And when she came to him, he said, “Pick up your son.” 37Then she came in and fell at his feet and bowed down to the ground, and she picked up her son and left. NAME SOME WAYS THAT YOU CAN EXPRESS YOUR FAITH IN CHRIST. BACKGROUND While this lengthy story features miracles of birth and resurrection, and the role of Elisha as prophet, its real hero is the shunammite woman and her faith. Consider her expressions of faith: She believed Elisha was a holy man of God She changed her living arrangements to serve the prophet She provided for the prophet’s needs when he was in town She sought nothing from the prophet but to bless him When her son died, she sought Elisha’s help She believed Elisha could save her son She worshipped when Elisha raised her son from the dead The Shunammite woman was a woman of faith. EXAMINATION (V.8) Now a day came when Elisha went over to Shunem, where there was a prominent woman, and she urged him to eat food. And so it was, as often as he passed by, that he turned in there to eat food. Shunem was in Israel near Jezreel, the capital of the northern kingdom. The author notes that the Shunammite woman was prominent. She and her husband were likely well-to-do and people of some importance. She prevailed upon Elisha, whenever he was in town, to eat with them. (V.9-10) And she said to her husband, “Behold now, I am aware that this is a holy man of God passing by us repeatedly. Please, let’s make a little walled upper room, and let’s set up a bed for him there, and a table, a chair, and a lampstand; then it shall be, when he comes to us, that he can turn in there.” She and her husband are well enough off that they make an addition to their home to accommodate Elisha. Would you add a room to your house for a visitor? This was probably a balcony area that was enclosed and furnished. WHEN YOU MEET SOMEONE WHO SEEMS VERY SPIRITUAL, WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE? HOW DO YOU TREAT THAT PERSON? Notice what the woman tells her husband. “This is a holy man of God.” The Shunammite woman is demonstrating a great respect for spiritual things. She wants to bless the holy man, and as we will see, she expects nothing in return. This happens even today. People often regard pastors, evangelists, and missionaries with a special status of honor. As missionaries, we experience this all the time when visiting supporters. We are often provided with meals, hosted for special events, or offered places to stay, because our hosts want nothing more than to bless us in light of our ministry work. That is likely what is going on here with the Shunammite woman. (V.13) And he said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Behold, you have taken trouble for us with all this care; what can I do for you? Would you like me to speak for you to the king or to the commander of the army?’” But she answered, “I live among my own people.” Notice her response to Elisha. “I live among my own people.” In other words, she was content. She sought nothing in return for the kindness she had shown him. (V.14) So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi answered, “It is a fact that she has no son, and her husband is old.” In ancient times, to be childless was considered a curse or a tragedy. She may have been content, but she likely longed for a child as any woman in her culture would. Why would Gehazi note that her husband was old? Likely, she never expected to have a child because of her husband’s age. We can probably assume that she was younger; it was not that she was barren. (V.16-17) Then he said, “At this season next year, you are going to embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord, you man of God, do not lie to your servant.” Now the woman conceived and gave birth to a son at that season the next year, as Elisha had told her. Her response means, please don’t deceive me. Don’t make me promises. She expected nothing. This is reminiscent of Sarah, who laughed at the thought of having a son in her old age. The Shunammite woman did not believe it would happen. Yet, a year later, she had a son. (V.18-20) When the child was grown, the day came that he went out to his father, to the reapers. And he said to his father, “My head, my head!” And his father said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.” When he had carried him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her lap until noon, and then he died. WHAT STICKS OUT TO YOU AS WRONG IN THIS PASSAGE? This passage has always struck me as a little cold on the father’s part. If faced with a sudden onset of a serious illness, why would you not attend to your child right away? When I got the call at midnight that my daughter had had a stroke, I immediately went to the hospital and didn’t leave her side until she began to recover. Actually, the text would seem to indicate that the shunammite’s spouse was an inattentive husband. He doesn’t seem to take any interest that a prophet stayed regularly at his house. He seems to have no relationship with him. And when his son is struck ill, he has a servant carry him to the house instead of doing it himself and leaving the servants to attend to the field. The woman’s response was completely different. She attended to her son until the very end. (V.22-23) Then she called to her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, so that I may run to the man of God and return.” But he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath.” So she just said, “It will be fine.” Notice that the husband doesn’t ask about the welfare of his son. In fact, he doesn’t even put two and two together. My son got struck ill, and now my wife is seeking the prophet. I wonder if these things are related. When the child died, why do you think the woman went directly to Elisha instead of accepting the situation as hopeless? But get this, the Shunammite does not tell her husband that their son is dead. Isn’t that odd? If something happened to your child, your spouse would be the first person you would reach out to. But not the shunammite. Perhaps their relationship was not close. Or perhaps she had a plan all along. Perhaps she believed that if she reached Elisha in time, he would rectify the situation. When her husband protests, notice what she says, “It will be fine.” She is hiding what happened from her husband. But though she has terrible grief, she also has great faith; it will be fine. (V.25) So she went on and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel. Mount Carmel was about 25 miles from Shunem, roughly a 5-7 hour journey by donkey. Seeing that she didn’t leave until well after noon, she may have returned late at night or early the next morning. What do we remember Mount Carmel from? It was where Elijah called fire from heaven and slaughtered the prophets of Baal. It was where an altar resided for sacrifice. It was a spiritually significant place. Notice the text does not say she came to Elisha. It says she came to the man of God. This is a shift in the narrative to note the importance of what she was doing. Elisha was special. He could do what no other man could do. He could give her back her son. (V.25-26) When the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Behold, that person there is the Shunammite. Please run now to meet her and say to her, ‘Is it going well for you? Is it going well for your husband? Is it going well for the child?’” Then she answered, “It is going well.” The shunammite is not willing to deal with anyone but Elisha. Notice her response to Gehazi. “It is well.” It’s like a distraught person saying, “I’m fine,” when asked what’s wrong. (V.27-28) But she came to the man of God at the hill and took hold of his feet. And Gehazi came up to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone, for her soul is troubled within her; and the LORD has concealed it from me and has not informed me.” Then she said, “Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say, ‘Do not give me false hope’?” Taking hold of his feet shows how distraught she is. She is humbling herself greatly. “Did I ask for a son?” This was her way of saying her son was dead and her heart was broken. I didn’t ask for this, now look at what has happened. Help me. (V.32-34) When Elisha entered the house, behold the boy was dead, laid on his bed. So he entered and shut the door behind them both, and he prayed to the LORD. Then he got up on the bed and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, his hands on his hands, and he bent down on him; and the flesh of the child became warm. This is similar to what Elijah did when raising the widow’s son; he lay on top of the boy. But notice how Elisha began. “He prayed to the Lord.” Elijah did the same thing. Addressing the Lord was Elisha’s first act. There would be no miracle without God’s intervention, so Elisha prays for that. (V.36-37) And he called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. And when she came to him, he said, “Pick up your son.” Then she came in and fell at his feet and bowed down to the ground, and she picked up her son and left. The Shunammite’s response to receiving her son back alive was to honor the prophet and worship the Lord. Her faith has won the day. WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED? The Shunammite woman was a person of great faith The Shunammite woman honored God by honoring his prophet When faced with great tragedy, the Shunammite responded with great faith God responded positively to the Shunammite’s expression of faith INTERPRETATION What is the author’s big idea? God rewards the faith of those who trust him. The Shunammite woman expressed her faith over the course of many years. It was for years that Elisha kept turning to her home. Then there was time to build the addition to her home. Then Elisha continued to visit. She waited a year for a child, then it was several years until her child grew before he died and was raised. In all of that time, she kept faith, even when faced with an inattentive husband and the death of her son. God first rewarded her with a child, and then honored her faith by raising him from the dead. Another aspect of her faith was her contentment. When asked what Elisha could do for her, her answer was simply, nothing. She was content with the life God had given her, even though she was childless. Her faith in God was enough for her. What are you content with? Or what are you waiting on God for? Trusting God in faith in our every situation will work itself out to reveal God’s will for our lives. APPLICATION True faith in God does not seek personal benefit but seeks to honor and bless. What is your motivation for following Christ? Many people seek God transactionally rather than relationally. They follow their faith for what they can get out of it. This is especially true in the modern world. We look for and expect blessings. Why would we follow a god who allows pain or need or suffering? Yet, the Bible is clear that God sometimes brings these things on people to grow them spiritually and grow their faith. A person who only follows Christ transactionally, for what he can get out of it, easily falls away when things get rough. Determine to pursue God for the relationship rather than for benefits. Benefits will come, but they should not be our focus. When faced with a great trial, our first response should be to trust God in faith. Remember when the son of the widow at Zarephath died in I Kings 17. She blamed Elijah for what took place. She said, “You have come to me to bring my wrongdoing to remembrance, and to put my son to death!” But the Shunammite’s response stands in contrast to the widow’s. Her first response was to seek out Elisha for a solution. Hers was an expression of faith. Faith is a practical expression of trust in God. When trouble comes, our first response should be to seek God for what he plans to do with our situation. Before every trial or major decision, we should express our faith by seeking God’s will or plan. And we should trust him no matter what. Remember Job’s words when faced with great suffering. “Though he slay me, yet I will hope in him” (Job 13:15). Maintain your faith in Christ, no matter what. When God answers our faith, our response should be to worship and honor God. Thankfulness is expressed in worship. Do you want to rejoice in faith, no matter what befalls you? Then respond to God in worship, thanking him for what he has done. Remember, your attitude of gratitude determines your altitude. Sometimes, an attitude of worship is all we need to reset our hearts toward trust and faith.

II Kings 4:1-7 WHAT PLACE DOES MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE LESS FORTUNATE HAVE IN YOUR LIFE? Now a woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD; and the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” 2So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” 3Then he said, “Go, borrow containers elsewhere for yourself, empty containers from all your neighbors—do not get too few. 4Then you shall come in and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour into all these containers; and you shall set aside what is full.” 5So she left him and shut the door behind her and her sons; they began bringing the containers to her, and she poured the oil. 6When the containers were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another container.” But he said to her, “There are no more containers.” Then the oil stopped. 7So she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt, and you and your sons can live on the rest.” BACKGROUND There are three things we should touch on in the way of background in this passage: slavery, widows, and oil. The kind of slavery being referred to in our passage today is not general slavery like we have seen throughout history. Slavery in Old Testament times in Israel was usually a matter of paying off a debt. At that time, people would guarantee a loan based upon their own persons, not upon their personal property. In other words, you yourself were the collateral. A person could sell themselves into slavery to pay off a debt. This might seem cruel to us, but slavery in the Old Testament was a temporary condition. That is, a person could be sold into slavery to pay off the debt until the year of Jubilee, which took place once every seven years, then they would have to be set free. “If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years; but on the seventh he shall go out as a free man without payment” (Exodus 21:2). The rules regarding slavery and the year of jubilee were very clear. “Now if a countryman of yours becomes so poor with regard to you that he sells himself to you, you shall not subject him to a slave’s service. He shall be with you as a hired worker, as if he were a foreign resident; he shall serve with you up to the year of jubilee. He shall then leave you, he and his sons with him, and shall go back to his family, so that he may return to the property of his forefathers” (Leviticus 25:39-41). Therefore, it was within the creditor‘s rights to demand the slavery of the widow’s sons to pay off the debt of her dead husband. It may seem cruel, and in one sense it is cruel, but it was how the legal system was set up to deal with debt and slavery. God never intended slavery to be a permanent institution. Slavery was set up to be a system of financial relief. We should also mention that this text deals with a widow. God keeps widows in a special place in his heart in the Old Testament law. People were to care for widows and orphans, and it was a sign that they were truly righteous if they did so. “You shall not afflict any widow or orphan. If you afflict him at all, and if he does cry out to Me, I will surely hear his cry” (Exodus 22:22-23). In the New Testament, James repeats this status. “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress” (James 1:27). How we treat others less fortunate than ourselves is important to God. When we were helpless, at the right time, Jesus died for us. How much more should we care for those less fortunate than ourselves? Most oil in ancient times was olive oil, used for cooking, anointing, or washing. It was also used as fuel for lamps. Oil, therefore, was a basic commodity needed by all households. Without it, you could not cook, wash, light your home, or perform some religious rituals. Everyone needed oil. So, this miracle was virtually guaranteed to provide what the widow needed, as there was always a market for oil. THESE THREE THINGS, SLAVERY, ORPHANS, AND OIL, REPRESENT MONEY, RELATIONSHIPS, AND BASIC COMMODITIES. HOW CAN WE PROVIDE THESE BASIC THINGS FOR THE LESS FORTUNATE? EXAMINATION (V.1) Now a woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD; and the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” We have something to learn here about the community or school of the prophets that existed during that time. Usually, when we think of institutions like this, we think of something like people living as monks in solitude somewhere. But this was not the case with the community of prophets in Israel. They led fairly normal lives, had families, as well as performing their ministry. And that is what we see here. They were also subject to the same problems that we have; in this case, it was massive debt. The debt was so bad that this woman was going to have to sell her sons into slavery to pay her debt. So these prophets faced the same common problems as anyone else, on top of their regular ministries. Even people who work in ministry are subject to the same types of problems that everyone else faces. But ministry doesn’t often pay well. Or pay enough to take care of all issues. That happens sometimes. As it happened with this man and his family and his ministry. In fact, in this situation, the prophet in question probably did not have much of an income because there was not a large believing community to support the prophets. Remember that Israel was in rebellion against God during this time. So the prophets probably subsisted on very little. But God is about to give this woman a solution. (V.2) So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” ELISHA ASKED, “WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN THE HOUSE?” WHAT DO YOU HAVE THAT CAN BE USED BY GOD TO TURN INTO A RESOURCE TO MEET YOUR NEEDS, OR OTHER’S NEEDS? Ministry is not something to get rich off of, though some people do. It certainly was not the case with this family. Though this man was a prophet, he was poor and had little to care for his family. Signified by the fact that the woman had literally nothing left, except for a single jar of oil. Elisha asked her what she had because he was probably thinking she could sell some of what she had to make some money to care for her sons. But that would only be a temporary solution. Instead, she told him what she had, which was a single jar of oil. (V.3-4) Then he said, “Go, borrow containers elsewhere for yourself, empty containers from all your neighbors—do not get too few. Then you shall come in and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour into all these containers; and you shall set aside what is full.” One thing this passage shows us is God‘s care for the individual, especially the less fortunate. This was not a prayer for wealth or convenience. When I worked for a small Christian radio station in Tucson, Arizona, we hired an engineer to install a satellite dish for our news programming. The engineer was not a believer, and I thought this might be a good witness. As he tuned in the audio frequency, he scanned the video channels as well. That’s when something happened that ruined our witness. The audio was tuned into a Christian talk show called Darin’s Coffee Shop. A woman was on the phone complaining that she needed God to give her a dishwasher because she had kids, and was busy, and couldn’t take time to wash the dishes, and please God give me a dishwasher. However, the video channel was tuned to news programming with scenes of war, destruction, suffering, and emaciated children. As we watched the video and heard Darin believing God for a dishwasher, the look on the engineer’s face said, “Really? Is this your Christianity?” All chance for a positive witness was lost. God was supplying the widow’s basic needs to keep her from starving or losing her children. This is what God cares about. WHY DON’T WE LIKE DEPENDING UPON OTHERS FOR OUR NEEDS? Part of Elisha‘s solution for this woman’s problems was to depend upon the generosity of others. She was to borrow containers from other families temporarily. Sometimes we need the help of others. Sometimes we are too prideful to ask for help because we, especially in America, like to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. We like to be self-sufficient. But sometimes God‘s plan for us is to depend upon others to care for our needs. As we will see here, God was going to use what was borrowed to provide for this woman’s needs in a great way. (V.5-6) So she left him and shut the door behind her and her sons; they began bringing the containers to her, and she poured the oil. When the containers were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another container.” But he said to her, “There are no more containers.” Then the oil stopped. This miracle was to benefit the widow and her sons. This is often the case with Elisha’s miracles; they benefited individuals or families. They were not miracles for an entire nation. This is very much like Christ, who did miracles to benefit individuals: healing blindness, deafness, the lame, and so on. These were miracles that benefited individuals that showed God‘s love for individuals. The same was true with most of Elisha’s miracles as well. (V.7) So she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt, and you and your sons can live on the rest.” Sometimes God’s provision means that we must take part in the solution. God didn’t just provide money for the widow to pay off her debts. He provided her with a resource that she had to take responsibility for, to go and sell. She had a role to fulfill in paying off her own debts. This is the first time that Elisha is referred to as a man of God. The last time we see this phrase used was of Elijah when the widow with whom he was living referred to him as a man of God regarding her son, whom he raised from the dead. In fact, there are other similarities between this miracle and the woman and Elijah. In Elijah’s case, he had provided the miracle of the perpetual oil and flour to meet their family’s needs. In comparison with this miracle, both were miracles in which oil was involved. Both were needed to take care of extreme poverty. Both miracles provided for their benefactors for a long period of time. We should mention here that in the Scriptures, oil is a picture or type for the Holy Spirit. Just as this widow was provided enough oil to live on, so too, the Holy Spirit is provided for you and I, enough to live on. That is, to live the Christian life with all of the power and resources that we need to live for Christ. This widow provided her oil to others that she might live, so too we are to provide blessings that we might live for Christ as well. God never fills us with the Holy Spirit just to have a religious experience or to bless us. But the filling of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit are always to be used to serve the body of Christ and those around us. WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED? God cares deeply about the less fortunate. God desires to meet the needs of the less fortunate and destitute through his people. We are the conduit through which God blesses, as Elisha was. God’s provision is more than enough for our needs, so we may meet the needs of others. INTERPRETATION What is the author’s big idea? God cares about the less fortunate and desires to use us to meet their needs. The scripture is filled with this theme. How we meet the needs of the less fortunate is something God will judge us by. There are always needs around us. Jesus said, “You will always have the poor” (Matthew 26:11). Paul tells us that the less fortunate have been prepared by God so that we might do good to them. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). Caring for the less fortunate was a key theme in Paul’s ministry. He discussed this in Galatians 2:10. “They only asked us to remember the poor—the very thing I also was eager to do.” The Old Testament Law featured caring for the poor as central to its requirements. The edges of fields were not to be gleaned, but left for the poor (Deuteronomy 24:19). Consider these passages about the less fortunate: “You shall not oppress any widow or orphan” (Exodus 22:22). “Let your widows trust in me” (Jeremiah 49:11). “Then I will come near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against…those who oppress the wage earner in his wages or the widow or the orphan, and those who turn away the stranger from justice” (Malachi 3:5). “He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the stranger by giving him food and clothing” (Deuteronomy 10:18). “Learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor, obtain justice for the orphan, plead for the widow’s case” (Isaiah 1:17). APPLICATION This short account, involving the prophet Elisha, carries several tightly connected truths: 1. God sees and cares about personal need. A widow is facing the loss of her sons due to debt. This is not a national crisis—it’s a private, painful situation. Yet God intervenes. God’s concern is not limited to big, public events. He cares about individual struggles. 2. God often starts with what you already have. Elisha asks, “What do you have in your house?” Her answer: just a small jar of oil. God frequently uses what seems insignificant as the starting point for His provision. 3. Obedience unlocks provision. The widow is told to gather empty jars and pour. There’s no visible miracle at first—just a command that requires faith. The miracle happens as she obeys, not before. 4. God’s provision is as large as the capacity of faith. The oil only stops when there are no more jars. The limitation wasn’t God’s supply—it was the number of vessels brought. The more you bring to God of needs to be met, the more we can trust him with. 5. God’s provision is sufficient and complete. She sells the oil, pays her debts, and lives on the rest. God doesn’t just barely meet needs—He provides fully and sustainably. 6. Make the less fortunate part of your life and plans. How do you budget your time, finances, or resources for the less fortunate? Intentionally look for opportunities to help those with great needs. 7. Pray for opportunities to be compassionate. This is a prayer God will always say yes to. Having compassion means extending mercy to the guilty or less fortunate, forgiving those who sin against you, and sharing your resources with those in need.

Are great leaders unusual creatures that are born different from the rest of us? Maybe. Maybe not. It doesn’t really matter. What’s important is that great leaders have different approaches to the world that we can all learn from. People that have different results do things differently. And they do things differently because they think differently. You might not be cut out to be a world leader, but you can be much more successful in your leadership than you’ve been demonstrating so far. Maybe all you need to do is to start thinking like a great leader! See how great leaders think differently than most of us: 1. Great leaders have a long-term perspective. Most leaders, especially Pastors and church leaders are focused on surviving another week or planning their weekend. It’s a short-term perspective that never results in anything in the long term. ● A great leader is making decisions and taking action for objectives that are often 10 years or more into the future. At the very least, great leaders are looking ahead 3 to 5 years. ● You may be in a position where you need to scramble to survive in the short term, but there’s no reason why you can’t spend some of your time working toward something that will make your church and leadership better five years from now. However, very few do. Choose to be different! 2. Great Leaders value time over money. For a great leader, money isn’t where they start when considering mission and vision. Money and resources flow to a great clear mission and vision. Great Leaders value time. Not just their own time but the time of others, especially their team. That’s why they say “no” to everything, even the good things, that is not going to move the mission and vision forward. ● Conversely, many leaders are willing to sacrifice too much time to save money. Sometimes this is necessary, we are to be good stewards, but too many churches and church leaders take it too far. As much as possible, use your time and the time of your people for a higher purpose. 3. Great leaders delegate. You can’t lead a great church all on your own. Many Pastors and church leaders struggle to grow beyond a certain level. It’s often because they won’t utilize other people to do the work. ● It’s better to see the results in ministry of 10% from the efforts of 100 people than to make 100% from just your own effort. ● Delegate as much as you can. If someone else can do the things you are doing, delegate. Always be looking for more valuable ways to spend your time. 4. Great leaders focus on growth, rather than maintaining. The typical leader puts a lot of energy into maintaining the status quo rather than risking growth. That’s fine if you are just wanting to keep the doors open for another year or so. ● However, it’s difficult to reach enough people to be around for the next generation unless you reach a lot of people today. ● Great Leaders primarily focus on reaching more people each year. ● Care for and serve your people well. Help them and your team to pay close attention to reaching more people. 5. Great leaders have big goals. Great leaders aren’t aiming for keeping the doors open another month or year. Their goals are more along the lines of expanding by adding services or locations. Developing more ministries and helping other ministry leaders. They understand that God is passionate about expanding His kingdom. You can’t achieve the big things of God without big God-given goals. 6. Most great leaders like to work more than anything else. After all, our work is our calling, not just a job. Our calling is fulfilling and satisfying. Living out your leadership calling brings great joy and refreshment. Some people look at great leaders and wonder what’s wrong with them. ● “Don’t they already have enough people to minister to?” ● “Why don’t they talk about something besides growing God’s Kingdom?” ● “I could find something better to do if my church had that many people.” ● What most people fail to realize is that really great leaders love to work. That’s part of the reason they are great leaders. We live in a culture that values not working and yet God told us to work 6 days a week and rest 1. We think we are better off resting 6 and working 1. Yet, God has called us and prepared us to find joy and fulfillment in the work He has given us to do. ● A great leader isn’t always obsessed with the idea of just getting more and more people - they enjoy seeing more and more lives transformed and people living out their God-given potential. They thrive on seeing others thrive in their relationship with God. They find great joy in helping others be all that God created them to be. How does your way of thinking compare to that of a great leader? Which of the ideas above can you incorporate into your own thinking? You don’t have to be worth a world influencer as a leader to think like a great leader. And thinking like one can prove to help you and your church live out your potential right where God has planted you!

The church has been losing the battle of making disciples of young people. The statistics are startling and unacceptable. According to Barna's research, 70% of kids who grow up in the church will walk away from their faith once they are old enough to be on their own. What's the problem? Why is this happening? While kids are learning Bible stories and Bible history, they are not learning to live out their faith. They are growing up in the church but not learning how to be the church. A Dysfunctional Partnership As a pastor, I would say that we as a church were partnering with the parents for their kid's spiritual success. But rather than truly partnering with Parents to help them disciple their kids, we often unwittingly did the opposite. Parents were disconnected from what their kids were learning, and it brought back the age-old discussion at the dinner table: “what did you learn today” “I don’t know.” And when the kids or students did remember what they had learned, it was often something that the parents themselves were clueless about. For example, I would be doing a series on "How To Have Healthy Biblical Relationships", a worthy and much-needed topic. In the kid's area, they may have been teaching the story of Jonah and the whale, a topic that points to Jesus and we should teach and understand. At the same time in the youth department, the Youth Pastor is walking the students through biblical principles for dealing with peer pressure and temptation. All are very worthy Biblical teachings, in fact, necessary and applicable and will point to Jesus. But creates no unity in the church or the family. Rather than working with parents, we were simply asking them to trust us to turn their children or students into a disciple. This may be appropriate except that the ones who are chosen to disciple kids, the ones God has given this duty to are first and foremost the parents. But we as a church were choosing to assume this role for them and in so doing, we undermined the vital and critical requirement and responsibility and calling of parents. Time For A Change It was time for a change in our church! We thought we should be teaching in unity with what the Bible says, but at different levels. So we teach with One Voice, which is the same thing as all ages but age-appropriate. This allows our people to continue their spiritual journey together for the other 167 hours of the week. Our children are now learning the same Biblical teachings that our teenagers and parents do, which ensures there is cohesion in what is being taught both at church and at home. So now if we're discussing "How to Have Healthy Biblical Relationships," we're all learning it but at an age-appropriate level of comprehension. We're all drawing on the same biblical narrative to back up, strengthen, unpack, and apply Jesus' teaching. Now when the question is posed at the dinner table or during a car ride home, "what did you learn today," parents are prepared and equipped to assist their children in remembering and discussing how to apply what they've learned to their daily lives. Not just for their kids' sake, but also to allow them to see how biblical truth is put into action. Results The result has been extremely encouraging! Kids are growing up with a Christian worldview, understanding their own spiritual life journey and how to live out their faith rather than walk away from it later when they get older. Parents truly feel that we are partnering with them in their journey of making disciples of their kids and are equipped and empowered to answer questions and take their kids further. Families are truly on a spiritual journey together. Our Church family is truly on a spiritual journey together and experiencing unity like never before.