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/

Transcript 00:00:00 Speaker 1 The memories of my father, he taught me a lot. 00:00:04 Speaker 1 He had sayings that he would say continually, they were just bits of wisdom that became part of my life. 00:00:10 Speaker 1 Some are familiar, for example, he would say oftentimes, Remember, Roger, don't ever forget, life by the yard is hard, by the inch it's a cinch. 00:00:19 Speaker 1 And you've probably seen that on a ruler, haven't you? 00:00:22 Speaker 1 On a yardstick, three foot yardstick, that's oftentimes written. 00:00:25 Speaker 1 He'd say things to me like this, Remember, 00:00:28 Speaker 1 The squeaking wheel gets the grease. 00:00:30 Speaker 1 Now that's pretty good sometimes when you need to be your own advocate, need to get something done, that works. 00:00:35 Speaker 1 Here's one he would say to me often, Don't sell your peanuts at the end of the parade. 00:00:41 Speaker 1 There's a lot of wisdom in some of these statements. 00:00:46 Speaker 1 One time he said, Remember, the bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price has been forgotten. 00:00:56 Speaker 1 I remember when he said that the first time we were going out to the lake and he bought these really inexpensive little life preserver deals and they all sank and that's when he said this it was a good lesson I remember here's one that's good in any business he who whispers down the well about the goods he has to sell doesn't have as many dollars as he who climbs a tree and hollers isn't that true well that's a great statement 00:01:27 Speaker 1 Taught me a lot about life, of course, as hopefully your parents did. 00:01:30 Speaker 1 I remember one time we were playing golf together and he said, Now, when you get out there and you're pastoring, I guess I was a little out of high school, maybe in college. 00:01:38 Speaker 1 He said, If you'll just remember, you know how to work hard and love people, you'll do well. 00:01:49 Speaker 1 That's good advice. 00:01:52 Speaker 1 Well, he also had some Bible verses that were very much his favorites. 00:01:56 Speaker 1 And I know he had many, but he had one that was as often on his lips as any of these mottos. 00:02:02 Speaker 1 And if I heard him say it one time, I heard him say it 25 or 30,000 times. 00:02:08 Speaker 1 He'd quote Philippians chapter 4 verse 13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 00:02:16 Speaker 1 And how many times when I was going through things in my growing up years, going through things in my adult years, he'd say, Don't ever forget, Roger. 00:02:21 Speaker 1 Always remember, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 00:02:28 Speaker 1 Now, the text for this morning, centered around that verse, comes from what is oftentimes called the happiest book in the Bible. 00:02:39 Speaker 1 If you look here in chapter one, you will see 00:02:42 Speaker 1 For example, right near the beginning, chapter 1, verse 4, he talks about joy, all right? 00:02:48 Speaker 1 Chapter 1, verse number 18, he says, Because of this I rejoice. 00:02:53 Speaker 1 And yes, he says, I will continue to rejoice. 00:02:57 Speaker 1 Look over in chapter 3, for example, verse 1, Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. 00:03:03 Speaker 1 Chapter 4, verse 4, Rejoice in the Lord always. 00:03:06 Speaker 1 Again, I say rejoice. 00:03:08 Speaker 1 Chapter 4, verse 10, 00:03:10 Speaker 1 I rejoice greatly in the Lord Now, you know You know where this book was written? 00:03:18 Speaker 1 It's the happiest book in the Bible You'd have to assume that he was in a pretty happy place when he wrote it because you know you read all this talk about joy And so you soon mean I could easily see Paul. 00:03:28 Speaker 1 He's sitting on the beach He's got this beautiful beach umbrella the warm Mediterranean Sun somewhere got this tall cool drink in his head Read the book 00:03:38 Speaker 1 Watching the waves. 00:03:39 Speaker 1 Kick back, relax. 00:03:40 Speaker 1 And he's writing, I think I'll write the book of Philippians. 00:03:43 Speaker 1 Rejoice in the Lord. 00:03:44 Speaker 1 Be full of joy. 00:03:45 Speaker 1 Now I can see that real easily. 00:03:48 Speaker 1 But I know that's not where he wrote the happiest book in the Bible. 00:03:52 Speaker 1 He wrote the happiest book in the Bible in Rome in the Mamertine Prison. 00:03:57 Speaker 1 If you've been to Rome, you may have found it. 00:03:59 Speaker 1 I have been in it twice. 00:04:02 Speaker 1 It was an old cistern that they tiled over and there was a little hole in the roof about a yard 00:04:08 Speaker 1 in diameter and they throw the prisoners down the hole and there was no light down in there and Paul was 65 years old and you'd think after serving Jesus Christ all those years God could put him in a better place than near his death in the dank, damp, rat-infested hole in the ground about 15-20 yards in diameter ceiling is about 7 feet tall 00:04:38 Speaker 1 And in that setting, he pulls out his pen and he writes to the Philippian folks the happiest letter ever written in the Bible. 00:04:51 Speaker 1 Well, look it here. 00:04:54 Speaker 1 Chapter four, verse 10. 00:04:56 Speaker 1 I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you've renewed your concern for me. 00:05:00 Speaker 1 Now, it's really interesting about this little church in Philippi. 00:05:03 Speaker 1 Paul was preaching in Turkey when he was about 50 years old, maybe 49, and he had a vision to go over to Greece. 00:05:10 Speaker 1 Well, he goes over to Greece, and he lands at Philippi, and there's no church in town, of course. 00:05:14 Speaker 1 There's no synagogue even in town, not 10 Jewish men to make one. 00:05:18 Speaker 1 So on the Sabbath, he hears about this little lady's prayer meeting down by the river, and so he goes down by the river, and there he meets a little group of Jewish women having a prayer meeting, and out of that prayer meeting comes the First Baptist Church in Philippi. 00:05:32 Speaker 1 And these folks loved Paul. 00:05:34 Speaker 1 They supported him. 00:05:36 Speaker 1 They sent him gifts. 00:05:37 Speaker 1 In fact, they were the only church in all of Greece that supported him when he went around preaching the gospel. 00:05:44 Speaker 1 And he hadn't heard from them in a long time. 00:05:46 Speaker 1 And so he says here in verse 10, I rejoice greatly in the Lord, that at last you've renewed your concern for me. 00:05:52 Speaker 1 Now that's sweet. 00:05:53 Speaker 1 What happened? 00:05:54 Speaker 1 He hadn't heard from them in ten years. 00:05:56 Speaker 1 And now they sent him a gift. 00:05:58 Speaker 1 Somebody found out Paul was in prison in Rome. 00:05:59 Speaker 1 They sent him a gift, and he was totally destitute down there, of course, and he's really appreciative for the gift. 00:06:04 Speaker 1 And notice how he says this next phrase, Indeed, I know you were concerned. 00:06:09 Speaker 1 You just didn't have the opportunity to show it. 00:06:11 Speaker 1 Isn't that diplomatic? 00:06:14 Speaker 1 I know you would have sent me many more gifts, but somehow you just didn't have the chance, but now you've sent me another one. 00:06:21 Speaker 1 I really do appreciate it. 00:06:24 Speaker 1 And then he comes to one of the most oft-quoted 00:06:26 Speaker 1 most, I think, often claimed favorite passage among many Christians when he writes these words in verse 11. 00:06:36 Speaker 1 Now, I'm not saying this because I'm in need, for I've learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 00:06:45 Speaker 1 Have you learned that yet? 00:06:49 Speaker 1 I've learned to be content in any situation. 00:06:53 Speaker 1 One of the best definitions of contentment 00:06:56 Speaker 1 I ever heard was this, contentment. 00:07:01 Speaker 1 That's a small kitten following a leaky cow. 00:07:08 Speaker 1 Is that a nice picture in your mind or what? 00:07:13 Speaker 1 I see for a lot of us problems come, difficulties arise, and we don't like it. 00:07:16 Speaker 1 We have troubles that come to our lives and we get upset. 00:07:21 Speaker 1 difficulties come and we start comparing ourselves how come his kids are doing fine and mine aren't right because I'm the Christian he's not and we don't like that how come he's got a better job than I does how come he's got a new house I'm still living in the old house we start comparing ourselves Paul says listen I don't do that because I've learned the secret of being content wouldn't you like to know his secret verse 12 I know what it is to be in need 00:07:50 Speaker 1 I know what it is to have plenty. 00:07:53 Speaker 1 I've learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or living in want. 00:08:05 Speaker 1 I know what it's like to have a lot. 00:08:06 Speaker 1 I know what it's like to have a little. 00:08:08 Speaker 1 I've learned to be content. 00:08:10 Speaker 1 And you know, I was reflecting on this one day, it dawned on me. 00:08:15 Speaker 1 You know, Paul had learned to do without, he's now 65 years old, he's learned to do without his youth. 00:08:21 Speaker 1 He's learned to do without his health. 00:08:23 Speaker 1 He had a thorn, remember, in his flesh that was hurting a lot. 00:08:25 Speaker 1 He learned to live with that. 00:08:28 Speaker 1 He learned to do without his freedom because he's in prison when he writes this thing. 00:08:34 Speaker 1 Do you know how to do without? 00:08:37 Speaker 1 Have you learned how to do without and be content? 00:08:41 Speaker 1 You know, I was really fortunate when I was a boy. 00:08:42 Speaker 1 My dad was an airline executive and we had free airplane tickets all over the world. 00:08:47 Speaker 1 I've been on every continent except Antarctica. 00:08:50 Speaker 1 And as an adult, Julian, I've had a lot of chances to minister to pastors around the world. 00:08:55 Speaker 1 And it's just flat fun. 00:08:57 Speaker 1 But I remember even growing up, half of my dad would say, OK, now watch this. 00:09:00 Speaker 1 We're going to take you to-- and he'd take us to some parts of the city. 00:09:04 Speaker 1 I just want you to see how the other side of the world lives. 00:09:07 Speaker 1 And he took us to a lot of places just to show us. 00:09:10 Speaker 1 And broaden your perspective, he'd say. 00:09:15 Speaker 1 I remember a few years ago, Julie and I had gone to the Ukraine right after the Berlin Wall had come crashing down. 00:09:20 Speaker 1 And about 200 pastors had come from all over the Ukraine to a little communist city, ex communist city now, Elia Sarka. 00:09:28 Speaker 1 And we were going to teach them principles of spiritual growth. 00:09:32 Speaker 1 And I'm going to tell you something. 00:09:34 Speaker 1 I met some of the happiest, most contented people I've ever met in my life, bar none, in the Ukraine. 00:09:40 Speaker 1 I remember we'd arrived and 00:09:43 Speaker 1 Got there on a Saturday night, and of course, 12 hours, almost 11 hour time change, total, total flip-flop. 00:09:48 Speaker 1 And I mean, we're up the next morning and I'm preaching, it's like 2 o'clock in the morning body time. 00:09:52 Speaker 1 Oh my, I was so tired. 00:09:54 Speaker 1 But you got a lot to do when you get over there. 00:09:56 Speaker 1 And so at first night, we end up in this ex-communist hotel where it cost all the pastors 1/4 a night and it cost the Americans $42 a night. 00:10:03 Speaker 1 But they were gouging, but you know, it's still all right. 00:10:06 Speaker 1 But here we were, and I was tired. 00:10:08 Speaker 1 Julie and I got to the hotel, we hit the bed. 00:10:10 Speaker 1 We were exhausted. 00:10:11 Speaker 1 Total time change. 00:10:13 Speaker 1 there's all this commotion and laughing and joking down the hallway. 00:10:16 Speaker 1 There's a knock at our door. 00:10:18 Speaker 1 Some of the Ukrainian pastors have arrived and they're having a party. 00:10:21 Speaker 1 Come join the party. 00:10:24 Speaker 1 No, we're tired. 00:10:26 Speaker 1 We need to get, oh, come on, don't be sticking the mud, said the translator, you know, loose. 00:10:29 Speaker 1 Come on, I get my pants on. 00:10:32 Speaker 1 Julie gets, you know, dressed there. 00:10:34 Speaker 1 And we go down to a little communist hotel room there. 00:10:39 Speaker 1 inside the hall. 00:10:40 Speaker 1 And they turned the beds on their side and they put this table, this piece of wood, and they made a table. 00:10:45 Speaker 1 And I mean, this room was packed with these Ukrainian pastors and wives just having a party, no alcohol, just having fun in the Lord. 00:10:56 Speaker 1 They got on the table their food, because there are no restaurants there. 00:11:00 Speaker 1 You don't go over there and go to a restaurant. 00:11:02 Speaker 1 There's not many grocery stores either. 00:11:03 Speaker 1 You kind of bring your food. 00:11:04 Speaker 1 ride the train for 100 miles and spend a week, you pretty much bring some of your food. 00:11:08 Speaker 1 And on the table is this two-gallon glass jug of this putrid-looking yellow liquid. 00:11:15 Speaker 1 And then it is all this stuff floating around inside there. 00:11:19 Speaker 1 And they're eating it with some bread. 00:11:22 Speaker 1 Well, I come in there, and we've been teaching the Bible a little bit, and they say to me, Here, have some, have some. 00:11:28 Speaker 1 Have some dog. 00:11:31 Speaker 1 And I looked in this putrid yellow liquid. 00:11:34 Speaker 1 You can imagine what I thought that might have been. 00:11:35 Speaker 1 I mean, it was just, oh, you can't imagine. 00:11:38 Speaker 1 Well, there's pieces of stuff floating around in there. 00:11:40 Speaker 1 Here, have some dog. 00:11:43 Speaker 1 Dog. 00:11:44 Speaker 1 Well, I've eaten a lot of stuff in my life. 00:11:46 Speaker 1 I guess the worst I've chewed on is ripped off octopus tentacle raw. 00:11:51 Speaker 1 That was pretty tough. 00:11:54 Speaker 1 But dog? 00:11:55 Speaker 1 And I realized all of a sudden this is a test of my manhood, all right? 00:12:00 Speaker 1 with these Ukrainians. 00:12:03 Speaker 1 'Cause I'm the American who's come over to teach them the Bible and they wanna know what kind of man I am. 00:12:06 Speaker 1 And I'm thinking, oh God, if I eat that, I'm gonna get sick as a dog. 00:12:11 Speaker 1 It's gonna be bad. 00:12:14 Speaker 1 Eat it, eat it! They were saying, dog, dog. 00:12:16 Speaker 1 Well, all right. 00:12:17 Speaker 1 I reached my hand in this yellow putrid looking liquid and pulled out a hunk of dog and I started eating it and I ate the whole piece. 00:12:25 Speaker 1 And they were just grinning, just grinning. 00:12:26 Speaker 1 When I got it all down, one of them said, 00:12:29 Speaker 1 Chicken, chicken, chicken. 00:12:32 Speaker 1 It was just chicken. 00:12:34 Speaker 1 Well, you know what? 00:12:37 Speaker 1 It didn't help a bit. 00:12:38 Speaker 1 It was still on that yellow liquid. 00:12:39 Speaker 1 I tell you, it just didn't help. 00:12:42 Speaker 1 And I'm going to tell you something. 00:12:44 Speaker 1 You and I were there with these folks for almost two weeks teaching. 00:12:47 Speaker 1 Happiest people I ever met. 00:12:49 Speaker 1 They don't have anything. 00:12:51 Speaker 1 We stayed for almost 10 days with a family named Colia, and they didn't have anything. 00:12:56 Speaker 1 This is true. 00:12:57 Speaker 1 Julie and I opened up suitcases. 00:12:59 Speaker 1 We have more stuff in our suitcase for this trip than they've got in their whole closet. 00:13:05 Speaker 1 They lived with their family in a little apartment that was less than your garage, I promise you. 00:13:09 Speaker 1 It had five rooms in it, but it was less square foot than your garage. 00:13:13 Speaker 1 And they were the happiest folks. 00:13:17 Speaker 1 But the light of the day was in the morning when they had tea. 00:13:20 Speaker 1 And that was the big deal. 00:13:20 Speaker 1 They'd have tea with sugar and cream. 00:13:24 Speaker 1 And you know, before it was over, I was looking forward to getting them having tea. 00:13:29 Speaker 1 That was the highlight of the day. 00:13:32 Speaker 1 I saw one of the children had a University of Texas at El Paso, you know, college miners jacket, a sports jacket. 00:13:40 Speaker 1 And I'm thinking, can you believe how small the world is that this kid is a fan of the UTEP miners? 00:13:47 Speaker 1 And I was getting ready to comment on that when it hit me, oh, I know what happened. 00:13:51 Speaker 1 some American churches bundled up some clothes and shipped them over here and that just happened to be the jacket this kid got that's all he had I'm gonna tell you something I'm the happiest people I ever met in my life in the Ukraine where they have nothing let me ask you a question is it easier to be content when you have nothing or when you have a lot because see what Paul says here is I've learned to be content 00:14:18 Speaker 1 with nothing and I've learned to be content with lots. 00:14:21 Speaker 1 I've learned to be content when I'm needy. 00:14:22 Speaker 1 I've learned to be content when I have everything. 00:14:24 Speaker 1 I know what it's like to be in the hospital bed. 00:14:26 Speaker 1 I know it's like to be out of the hospital bed. 00:14:28 Speaker 1 I can be content in any situation. 00:14:31 Speaker 1 Is it easier to be content when you have nothing when you have a lot? 00:14:34 Speaker 1 I know the answer to that question. 00:14:36 Speaker 1 I've seen it many times. 00:14:40 Speaker 1 I see the children of America with video games and books and toys and teenagers with cars and coats and 00:14:48 Speaker 1 Closets fill with clothes. 00:14:51 Speaker 1 And I've been in the slums of Rio, where their houses are built out of sticks, little wood, where the walls are composed of torn cardboard box material, oftentimes not enough to cover the wall, and the sewage is flowing down the middle of the open streets there. 00:15:16 Speaker 1 and I've seen children playing soccer in the street with tin cans more happy and content than a lot of the children I see here in these United States because the fact is we have raised one of the most discontented nations in the world and we've got everything see it's easier to be content when you have nothing it's really tough to be content when you have a lot have you learned to be content 00:15:48 Speaker 1 Look what he says here. 00:15:50 Speaker 1 Verse 12. 00:15:51 Speaker 1 I know what it is to be in need. 00:15:52 Speaker 1 I know what it is to have plenty. 00:15:54 Speaker 1 I've learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or living in want. 00:16:02 Speaker 1 Now, lest you think Paul didn't understand what it was like to learn to be content in all situations, I want you to leave your fingers here in Philippians 3 and turn back just a little bit to the front of your Bible, not many pages. 00:16:12 Speaker 1 You'll come to 2 Corinthians, four or five pages. 00:16:14 Speaker 1 You'll be there. 00:16:15 Speaker 1 second Corinthians chapter 11 one day Paul wrote a letter to Corinth and and he described in there his sufferings and there's a reason that he did it I won't go into I just want you to see what he went through he knew what this was like he says second Corinthians chapter 11 verse 23 here's what he writes I've worked much harder been in prison more frequently been flogged more severely been exposed to death again and again five times I received from the Jews 40 lashes minus one 00:16:44 Speaker 1 Now Jesus got that when he was at the cross. 00:16:47 Speaker 1 Paul says, I got it five times. 00:16:48 Speaker 1 They take a man, they tie his hands to a pole, at the top of this pole, and then they take his robe off, his pants off, and they take these, well the pirates used to call them cat o' nine tails, 10 or 15 leather strips with pieces of bone or metal tied in the end. 00:17:04 Speaker 1 And then they had two men, one each had one, and they'd stand behind this guy's back, and they'd do it, and the goal was you wanted to wrap it kind of around their neck, so you got a little bit of the front, then you dragged it all the way down his back. 00:17:14 Speaker 1 And of course, as it did, it just ripped flesh wide open. 00:17:16 Speaker 1 And this guy hit it from this side, and the other guy hit it from the other side. 00:17:20 Speaker 1 And most of the folks who experienced this punishment died. 00:17:25 Speaker 1 The reason it was 40 lashes minus 1, well, that was grace. 00:17:28 Speaker 1 They only gave him 39 instead of 40. 00:17:30 Speaker 1 That was their grace. 00:17:32 Speaker 1 Five times, Paul says, I took that whipping. 00:17:37 Speaker 1 Three times I was beaten with rods. 00:17:39 Speaker 1 Now, what was that? 00:17:39 Speaker 1 That was a Roman punishment. 00:17:41 Speaker 1 A tie man between the two sawhorses, and then, again, two soldiers did this, each had a metal rod, and one would hit the back on this side, the other hit the back on the other side, and your body would just blow down, it'd pop back up and hit it again, and go down and pop my back, hit it again. 00:17:56 Speaker 1 And the goal of that was to break somebody's back. 00:17:57 Speaker 1 It's heard a lot of folks who think maybe Paul's thorn was back trouble. 00:18:01 Speaker 1 And he probably walked stooped over, maybe even broke some bones back there from the three times he was beaten with the rods. 00:18:09 Speaker 1 Once I was stoned, and that wasn't with marijuana. 00:18:15 Speaker 1 That was at Lystra. 00:18:17 Speaker 1 When they persecuted him, they picked up stones, and the mob threw so many stones they beat him until they left him for dead in a rock pile. 00:18:25 Speaker 1 Three times I was shipwrecked. 00:18:26 Speaker 1 I spent a day and a night in the open sea. 00:18:29 Speaker 1 I've been constantly on the move. 00:18:31 Speaker 1 I've been in danger from rivers, in dangers from bandits, in danger from my countrymen, in danger from the Gentiles, in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea, in danger from false brothers. 00:18:43 Speaker 1 There's stories behind each one of these phrases. 00:18:46 Speaker 1 I've labored and toiled, I've often gone without sleep, I've known hunger and thirst, I've often gone without food, I've been cold and naked. 00:18:55 Speaker 1 Besides everything else, I daily face the pressure of my concern for all these churches. 00:19:01 Speaker 1 Hey, listen, I know what it's like. 00:19:05 Speaker 1 I've run the gauntlet. 00:19:07 Speaker 1 Well fed to hungry, warm to cold, in jail, out of jail. 00:19:12 Speaker 1 I've been in the hospital bed, now in the hospital bed. 00:19:16 Speaker 1 But I've learned, no matter what the circumstance, to be content through Jesus Christ who just keeps pouring in the power. 00:19:27 Speaker 1 look back there in Philippians 4 verse 13 he writes I can do all things everything through Christ through him who gives me the strength now you know that verse used to bug me because I see I used to really struggle here because my daddy quoted that a lot but I I wondered how that could be true because he says I can do all things through Christ but I know this I know he had this thorn in his flesh 00:19:54 Speaker 1 Remember? 00:19:55 Speaker 1 Was it eye trouble? 00:19:56 Speaker 1 Could have been. 00:19:57 Speaker 1 Might have been malaria. 00:19:57 Speaker 1 Could have been the broken back problems. 00:20:00 Speaker 1 God knows something else. 00:20:01 Speaker 1 And three times he says, God, take it away, take it away, take it away. 00:20:04 Speaker 1 And each time God said, no, no, no. 00:20:06 Speaker 1 And I'm thinking, wait a minute, is there a contradiction here? 00:20:08 Speaker 1 I can do all things through Christ, but he couldn't get rid of that thorn. 00:20:13 Speaker 1 I know that Paul in Romans 9, 10, and 11 pours his heart out for three chapters over the Jewish people who aren't Christians and who aren't coming to Christ and don't see the Messiah. 00:20:22 Speaker 1 talks about some reasons why, and then you want to read a passionate section of the Bible, he says, God, if it's possible, I would die. 00:20:31 Speaker 1 And he was in the process of doing that. 00:20:34 Speaker 1 I would die if somehow my Jewish brothers and sisters could have their eyes open to see the glory of Christ. 00:20:40 Speaker 1 But that didn't happen. 00:20:44 Speaker 1 But he said, I could do all things through Christ, but that didn't happen. 00:20:48 Speaker 1 I know he was in prison. 00:20:49 Speaker 1 He was in prison when he wrote the happiest letter in the Bible. 00:20:52 Speaker 1 He's in prison. 00:20:53 Speaker 1 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 00:20:55 Speaker 1 But he couldn't get out of jail. 00:20:58 Speaker 1 And this used to really bother me because there's a lot of us Christians who feel like that just being a Christian guarantees us a safe and happy passage through life, and they use this verse to prove it. 00:21:14 Speaker 1 think that Paul says I can move anything, I can do anything, I can always get my way because I'm a Christian and through Christ I can count on victory after victory after victory because I can do all things through Christ. 00:21:25 Speaker 1 But I'm struggling because there's a lot of things I realize he couldn't do. 00:21:30 Speaker 1 When I was in seminary, I had this disease in my colon. 00:21:33 Speaker 1 And of course, when you're young, you're testing your faith. 00:21:36 Speaker 1 If you were a Christian when you were young, and if you were serious about it, you'd ask questions like this, you'd want to test your faith, and I remember thinking, 00:21:43 Speaker 1 Because my dad said it so many times, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 00:21:46 Speaker 1 And I began to think, if I just had enough faith, God will heal my colon. 00:21:51 Speaker 1 But see, I was taking all these powerful drugs. 00:21:53 Speaker 1 It wasn't healing it, but it was sure trying to keep it under control. 00:21:56 Speaker 1 And I'm thinking, it sure must not be much faith if I'm still taking the pills. 00:22:02 Speaker 1 If I had real faith, I'd stop taking the pills. 00:22:05 Speaker 1 Because that's real faith. 00:22:06 Speaker 1 And maybe God's waiting for me to really launch out in real faith and do anything through Christ. 00:22:12 Speaker 1 So I remember praying one evening, Okay, God, I'm stepping out on faith. 00:22:16 Speaker 1 I will no longer take these pills, and I'm going to trust. 00:22:19 Speaker 1 You're going to do all things. 00:22:20 Speaker 1 You're going to heal my colon, and it's going to be a great healing, and I'm going to testify about it, and it's going to be great. 00:22:25 Speaker 1 So I stopped my pills, prayed earnestly for healing, and ten days later, I'm in the hospital, and two weeks later, they're taking out my whole colon. 00:22:41 Speaker 1 and I don't go to work or school for six months but I can do all things through Christ and all of a sudden it began to dawn on me maybe Paul had something else in mind when he wrote these words I remember I remember still in the hospital recovering and thinking hmm maybe there's something else going on here you see 00:23:15 Speaker 1 I have the power through Jesus Christ to be victorious in any situation. 00:23:23 Speaker 1 See, a lot of us are still crying out for God to change the circumstances. 00:23:26 Speaker 1 And we'll quote verses like this to prove it. 00:23:28 Speaker 1 But maybe that's not what Paul's getting at at all. 00:23:30 Speaker 1 Maybe he's saying is, it's time to stop praying all the time for God to change the circumstances and realize that God's goal sometimes is to allow us to be victorious right in the middle of the circumstances. 00:23:41 Speaker 1 And when Jesus Christ pours in the power, I can do anything because He's pouring in the power. 00:23:48 Speaker 1 Now, I know what a lot of us would do if we were in jail. 00:23:51 Speaker 1 We'd cry out for God to change the circumstances. 00:23:54 Speaker 1 Hey, I'm a Christian. 00:23:56 Speaker 1 How come I'm in jail for preaching the gospel? 00:23:59 Speaker 1 Is this how you treat your preachers? 00:24:01 Speaker 1 we might say. 00:24:02 Speaker 1 But that's not what Paul did. 00:24:05 Speaker 1 I love the opening verses of this book. 00:24:07 Speaker 1 He says there, Hey, I rejoice that I'm in prison in Rome. 00:24:12 Speaker 1 What? 00:24:13 Speaker 1 He says, Yeah. 00:24:13 Speaker 1 He says, See, these guards come in and they chain me to the guards, and what they think's happening is that I'm chained to the guard for three hours till the next shift. 00:24:22 Speaker 1 The truth is that guard's chained to me, and every three hours I get a new lost person to share the gospel with. 00:24:28 Speaker 1 I rejoice. 00:24:29 Speaker 1 He says this, listen, you read this in the book, I rejoice. 00:24:33 Speaker 1 that everyone in Caesar's household, think of that, has heard the gospel of Jesus Christ because of me being here in chains in this prison. 00:24:46 Speaker 1 And I began to realize, maybe God never promised to change my circumstances and always get me out of jail. 00:24:52 Speaker 1 Maybe what He promised was, Listen, Roger, no matter what jail you're in, no matter what change you're bound to, I promise you this, I've got the power 00:25:01 Speaker 1 Through Jesus Christ, I'll pour in the power. 00:25:04 Speaker 1 And you can be victorious right there in the middle of those circumstances. 00:25:10 Speaker 1 Remember the first car you ever had? 00:25:13 Speaker 1 You never forget your first car. 00:25:14 Speaker 1 I don't know how women are, maybe you do or don't, but I know men, you know, your first car is pretty precious to you. 00:25:19 Speaker 1 First car I had was this ugly green, it was called Chartreuse, but it wasn't a very pretty green. 00:25:25 Speaker 1 1960 Rambler American, six cylinder, acted like it had two, just wasn't much power in that thing. 00:25:32 Speaker 1 It wasn't even a cool stick shift. 00:25:34 Speaker 1 It didn't even have an automatic shifter. 00:25:36 Speaker 1 It was so primitive it had push buttons over here on the dashboard when I changed from drive to reverse. 00:25:40 Speaker 1 That's all it had. 00:25:41 Speaker 1 And I had to be real careful with that car because it didn't have much power. 00:25:45 Speaker 1 And I remember trying to get on the freeway. 00:25:46 Speaker 1 I'd be looking back on that access road and I'm thinking, okay, I need about a mile, mile and a half worth of hole here to slide this thing in there. 00:25:55 Speaker 1 And I'd get on the access road and I'd, you know, be looking for my hole and I'm slamming on the accelerator and off we go, you know, 30, 31, 32, you know. 00:26:09 Speaker 1 I'm telling you, I needed a mile, I needed a mile to get in that thing, to get on the freeway. 00:26:14 Speaker 1 And then one day, I got a 1967 old Cutlass Supreme, two-door, hard-top coupe, 00:26:26 Speaker 1 350 horsepower, eight cylinders, and I didn't even bother to look back when I got on the accelerating lane. 00:26:33 Speaker 1 I could slide her into any place because I'd step on the gas and it just soared. 00:26:40 Speaker 1 And one day it dawned on me. 00:26:42 Speaker 1 You know, a lot of us Christians live the Christian life like we're driving a 1960 Rambler American. 00:26:47 Speaker 1 And a lot of us in our Christian lives like we step on the gas and nothing happens. 00:26:51 Speaker 1 And what Paul's saying here is, listen, I've learned 00:26:54 Speaker 1 In Jesus Christ, I'm not driving a Rambler American. 00:26:58 Speaker 1 I'm driving some kind of souped up sports car here, so to speak. 00:27:02 Speaker 1 And no matter what circumstances I'm going through, when I'm in the middle of it, Jesus Christ just pours on the power and I just slide right through. 00:27:11 Speaker 1 Now here's where a lot of us fail so miserably. 00:27:15 Speaker 1 Troubles come to us and we whine and pine and complain like all the other people in the world. 00:27:23 Speaker 1 Like we don't have any power. 00:27:25 Speaker 1 And we're crying, Oh God, change my circumstances. 00:27:28 Speaker 1 God, if you really love me, you'd fix this, you'd fix that. 00:27:31 Speaker 1 We sound just like everybody else out there, as if we had no power. 00:27:39 Speaker 1 See, a lot of us are still praying for God to change our circumstances. 00:27:44 Speaker 1 Well, if I could just have a new house, I'd be happy. 00:27:46 Speaker 1 God, if I just get this new house, never ask for any more, if I just get the new house. 00:27:49 Speaker 1 And I've seen it, I see it all the time. 00:27:51 Speaker 1 People get the new house and they're just as miserable in the new house as they were in the old house. 00:27:55 Speaker 1 Why? 00:27:56 Speaker 1 Because it's the same old people living in a new house used to live in the old house. 00:27:59 Speaker 1 Nothing's changed. 00:28:02 Speaker 1 If we could just get that new TV set, I'd be happy. 00:28:05 Speaker 1 Let me get the 35 incher, I'd be happy. 00:28:08 Speaker 1 They'd give me a joke. 00:28:09 Speaker 1 I'd be happy. 00:28:10 Speaker 1 And they'd get the new 35-inch TV set, and I see it all the time. 00:28:13 Speaker 1 They're no more happy in the day with the big TV set than with the smaller TV set. 00:28:16 Speaker 1 Why? 00:28:17 Speaker 1 Because the same old guys watching the new TV used to watch the old one. 00:28:20 Speaker 1 Nothing's changed. 00:28:25 Speaker 1 Have you learned the secret of being content in any situation? 00:28:32 Speaker 1 You know, I think that's something that comes a little bit with age and experience and maturity. 00:28:38 Speaker 1 You got to start when you're young. 00:28:39 Speaker 1 I think the sooner you start working on it, the sooner it'll come to you. 00:28:43 Speaker 1 I haven't mastered it yet. 00:28:44 Speaker 1 I'm still working on it. 00:28:45 Speaker 1 Remember when I was in college, I pastored a little church in Penelope, Texas. 00:28:50 Speaker 1 It was a part-time church. 00:28:52 Speaker 1 Average attendance on Sunday morning was 18 to 20. 00:28:54 Speaker 1 The biggest crowd we ever had in the two years I was there was 34. 00:28:58 Speaker 1 That was a big Sunday. 00:28:59 Speaker 1 I've preached to as few as three, Mr. 00:29:02 Speaker 1 and Mrs. 00:29:03 Speaker 1 Beard and Julie. 00:29:04 Speaker 1 That was the smallest crowd I ever preached to. 00:29:06 Speaker 1 There was a man who never came to our church, but he was one of the founders of it. 00:29:09 Speaker 1 His name was Mr. 00:29:10 Speaker 1 Green. 00:29:11 Speaker 1 His wife was always there. 00:29:13 Speaker 1 And oftentimes after church, Julie and I would go visit Mr. 00:29:16 Speaker 1 Green. 00:29:16 Speaker 1 The reason he didn't come to church was because he was so bedridden with arthritis. 00:29:20 Speaker 1 His hands were kind of gnarled and twisted like this. 00:29:22 Speaker 1 I mean, his toes were so twisted and turned under he couldn't get shoes on. 00:29:27 Speaker 1 And he lived in this little bedroom in a little frame house around that Texas prairie in a hospital bed. 00:29:35 Speaker 1 So twisted with arthritis, he just couldn't move around. 00:29:38 Speaker 1 We'd go over sometimes to their house for lunch or dinner on Sundays and we'd watch him. 00:29:41 Speaker 1 He'd slowly get a spoon or a fork and he'd get his fingers right and he could just hold that fork and then he'd eat, you know, kind of like this, just so deformed with arthritis. 00:29:50 Speaker 1 Remember one cold January night, Julie and I had finished church that evening and gone over to visit with Mr. 00:29:54 Speaker 1 and Miss Green. 00:29:55 Speaker 1 We were sitting in the back bedroom of his house. 00:29:57 Speaker 1 It was on the north side of the house, and it was a cold norther coming through. 00:30:00 Speaker 1 I remember sitting there in that room thinking, My, it's cold in here. 00:30:03 Speaker 1 Well, the reason it was cold was the drafts were coming in through the boards of the house in his bedroom there as he's sitting on his hospital bed, all gnarled up there. 00:30:12 Speaker 1 Well, we visited for a while, as we often did with him, and then we left, and we were outside kind of bundling up, get out in our car. 00:30:17 Speaker 1 We got in the car, and Zuli looks over at me and says, Have you noticed 00:30:23 Speaker 1 that every time we go visit Mr. 00:30:25 Speaker 1 Green it seems like we're the ones who leave cheered up and we go there cheer him up but he's the one that cheers us up you know I got to thinking I never once heard Mr. 00:30:43 Speaker 1 Green pray for God to spare the pain I never heard him pray that and I heard him pray a lot I never once heard Mr. 00:30:50 Speaker 1 Green pray for God to change his circumstances 00:30:54 Speaker 1 But I'll tell you what I heard often prayed, Dear God, would you please give me the strength to be victorious right here in this bed? 00:31:03 Speaker 1 And God did it. 00:31:08 Speaker 1 In the light of that, I don't think God ever promised to remove all of our pains and troubles and sorrows. 00:31:17 Speaker 1 But I do believe God promised 00:31:20 Speaker 1 to pour in the power whenever you and I need it the most so that you and I can be victorious in any circumstance. 00:31:32 Speaker 1 Well, I'll show you another picture of my dad. 00:31:34 Speaker 1 He's now 85 years old. 00:31:36 Speaker 1 I had that picture, but I didn't want to put that up here on the screen. 00:31:41 Speaker 1 I'll probably remember him always in a shot like this. 00:31:45 Speaker 1 He's 85 and he's dying. 00:31:48 Speaker 1 went home last Christmas, a year ago, and watched him walk around a bit. 00:31:52 Speaker 1 I said to my mom, He's in heart failure. 00:31:54 Speaker 1 Well, she'd been so close to him, she didn't notice deterioration going on there. 00:31:57 Speaker 1 I said, He's in heart failure. 00:31:58 Speaker 1 She said, No, he's in heart failure. 00:32:00 Speaker 1 We got him to the doc, and he was failing. 00:32:03 Speaker 1 So they worked on him for the last year or so with medicines to take care of that. 00:32:07 Speaker 1 He was getting really, really weak about October and November, and they ran some blood tests, and he's got cancer. 00:32:13 Speaker 1 He's got lymphoma. 00:32:16 Speaker 1 So I flew over in the middle of December for his first round of chemotherapy because that was going to be a hard time and he was going to be in the hospital for this first set. 00:32:24 Speaker 1 Craig Brew, one of my friends, just before I left to leave, knew I was going. 00:32:28 Speaker 1 He said, let me tell you something, Roger. 00:32:29 Speaker 1 He says, I was hunting with my father in Minnesota. 00:32:32 Speaker 1 My dad was 50 and he had a heart attack on the hunting trip and he died right there in my arms, never regained conscious. 00:32:38 Speaker 1 And you know, Roger, how many things I'd like to have said to my dad, but I just didn't have a chance? 00:32:43 Speaker 1 And I said, thanks, Craig. 00:32:46 Speaker 1 So when I went back in November, excuse me, December, I decided every time I was in that room with my father, I'd sit there by the bed and I'd tell him all the stuff while he was still here that I knew later on I'd want to tell him. 00:32:59 Speaker 1 So for four or five days I did. 00:33:02 Speaker 1 He talked about a lot of things. 00:33:04 Speaker 1 Well, I've been back several times since, of course. 00:33:07 Speaker 1 It's getting near. 00:33:09 Speaker 1 I was over there a week or so ago for his next set of chemo. 00:33:14 Speaker 1 went to the hospital, a doctor came in and says to my dad, says, well, Roger, my dad's name is Roger, uh... 00:33:21 Speaker 1 your blood work shows this is not working. 00:33:24 Speaker 1 It's just not working. 00:33:27 Speaker 1 Um... 00:33:27 Speaker 1 I can give you another dose, but it's not going to do any good, and I don't want to continue this because this is hard on you, but I'll give you another dose if you'd like one more. 00:33:36 Speaker 1 I remember my dad looked at him and kind of grinned a little bit, and of course, he's, you know, 00:33:43 Speaker 1 85, probably weighs 90 pounds now or 100, not much. 00:33:46 Speaker 1 Touch his back, you can feel all the bones in his vertebra, his face is pretty thin. 00:33:51 Speaker 1 He says, kind of gleamed at him, said, Oh, let's give her, okay, let's give her the full treatment. 00:33:56 Speaker 1 I'll take it. 00:33:58 Speaker 1 That's like my dad. 00:34:00 Speaker 1 And then my father says, But what are you going to do after that? 00:34:07 Speaker 1 And the doctor looks at him and very compassionately says, Well, we're not going to do anything. 00:34:13 Speaker 1 There is nothing more we can do for you. 00:34:17 Speaker 1 Well, my mom and I are kind of watching this scene. 00:34:21 Speaker 1 My dad thanks him. 00:34:24 Speaker 1 Doctor leaves, we roll the wheelchair down to the nursing station and my mom's kind of talking to the nurse there making some arrangements for some other tests and things. 00:34:33 Speaker 1 And I'm standing there looking at my father in that wheelchair and thinking, my, my, what's it like to just hear the doctor say, 00:34:41 Speaker 1 There's nothing more we can do for you. 00:34:43 Speaker 1 We're finished. 00:34:47 Speaker 1 So I looked at him, he was sitting there very quietly. 00:34:50 Speaker 1 So I got down on my knees and I said, I looked up at him and I said, I can't imagine how much that must have hurt, Dad. 00:34:57 Speaker 1 I'm so sorry. 00:34:59 Speaker 1 He said, Yeah, that hurt. 00:35:00 Speaker 1 I said, Yeah, you know, I just, I saw how he handled when he told you there was nothing more to be done. 00:35:06 Speaker 1 I know that's a really hard, hard thing to hear. 00:35:09 Speaker 1 I'm so sorry. 00:35:12 Speaker 1 He said, Yeah, Rods, that really was hard. 00:35:14 Speaker 1 And he sat there for a moment and he looked over at me and he said, But that's okay, because I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 00:35:30 Speaker 1 Have you learned a secret yet of the reserve power of Jesus Christ that just comes flowing in? 00:35:39 Speaker 1 Are you still crying out for God to change all your circumstances? 00:35:46 Speaker 1 I know what it's like to be up. 00:35:47 Speaker 1 I know what it's like to be down. 00:35:48 Speaker 1 I know what it's like to be in the jail or out of jail. 00:35:50 Speaker 1 I know what it's like to be in that hospital bed. 00:35:53 Speaker 1 I know what it's like to be healthy and well. 00:35:54 Speaker 1 I know what it's like to be hungry. 00:35:56 Speaker 1 I know what it's like to have lots to eat. 00:36:00 Speaker 1 I know what it's like to have lots of clothes. 00:36:01 Speaker 1 I know what it's like to have nothing. 00:36:06 Speaker 1 But I've learned the secret of contentment. 00:36:10 Speaker 1 Because I know that when I need it, the Lord Jesus Christ just pours in the power. 00:36:18 Speaker 1 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 00:36:23 Speaker 1 Will you bow your heads with me and pray? 00:36:31 Speaker 1 Thank you for your support of the Shepherd's Heart Ministry. 00:36:34 Speaker 1 If you would like a catalog on other topics or any other information,

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

TRANSCRIPT: Americans have spoken. We don’t trust pastors. A recent Gallup survey found that only 27% of Americans ranked pastors as “high” or “very high” regarding their honesty and ethical standards. We are outpaced by accountants, bankers, and mechanics with those in the military or medical professions more than doubling our score. Twenty years ago pastors were ranked among the very highest. Why the shift? Over the past two decades, there has been a steady flow of news that has exposed leaders and institutions for sexual scandals and power abuses. Thus, this shift as disheartening as it is, is not very surprising. I don’t blame Americans for not trusting pastors. We pastors have given the public plenty of reason not to trust us. This distrust isn’t contained to pastors, it casts a wide net over Christians in general. Because of the poor witness of select pastors who have been publicly exposed for their sin, we as believers have a credibility problem. Christ told the church that we were to be salt and light: a “city set on a hill” (Matthew 5:13-14). We are supposed to be known by our good fruit (Matthew 12:33) and by our love for one another (John 17:21-23). Many would say that this seems a far cry from what we are known for. How can we win back trust and credibility? How can we be those who are known as salt and light? Be honest. We undermine our witness when we try to cover up our sin and weakness. We will regain credibility as we seek transparency about our own sins and the sins of the church. Let us remember and walk in step with John’s words, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:8-10). Work out your salvation. Paul encourages the church at Philippi to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you” (Philippians 2:12-13). He continues, urging them to “Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:13-16). By confessing, you give God an open pathway to bless, transform, and sanctify. Seek the Lord in prayer, confess daily, repent accordingly, and read his Word. Be intentional about speaking words of gratitude and healing, not “grumbling or disputing.” Who isn’t drawn to someone who is humble, authentic, and joy-filled? Don’t run from the church. If we take Jesus’s admonition to the church seriously in John 17, we recognize that disconnecting ourselves from the body isn’t the way to regain our credibility. The church is Christ’s intended vessel to demonstrate his glory so that “the world may believe” (John 17:22-23). When we detach ourselves from the church, we selfishly protect our own reputation by hiding. If Jesus humbly staked his reputation to his wobbly-kneed followers, ought we not do the same? Make a difference. James reminds us that “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (James 1:27). So many churches do a wonderful job of caring for orphans and widows. Moreover, Christians are twice as likely to adopt. And those who regularly read the Bible are 55% more likely to donate to charity than those who do not. Don’t sit on the sidelines: get involved. Our Savior is full of generosity and mercy and invites us to demonstrate both to a hurting world. Be peaceful. Tucked in Paul’s letter to Timothy, Paul prays an interesting prayer for the followers of Christ, “that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1 Timothy 2:2). Timothy ministers to the church at Ephesus, a pagan and secular city. Paul knows that one of the most powerful ways that the church can be a witness in their chaotic and divided world is to be a beacon of peacefulness. In fact, one chapter later, Paul says that as the church selects overseers, they “must be well thought of by outsiders” (1 Timothy 3:7). In a divided and combative world, may we be known as peacemakers. Don’t seek validation. And yet, we can’t expect the world to validate us. We are strangers in a foreign land. Jesus reminded his disciples that “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18). Part of the reason that we have lost credibility in this world is because the North on our moral compass points in a different direction than the world’s. Because we trust the authority of God’s Word, we cannot capitulate to cultural winds that blow us off course. Sometimes losing credibility is necessary and a sign that we are not of this world. Build bridges. Jesus sought out the Samaritan, the Syro-Phoenician, the Roman Centurion. We are to love our neighbor as ourself. We are to go into all the world with the best news. It’s unlikely the credibility of the church will be rebuilt in our lifetime, but we can build gospel bridges based on our own credibility as we love our neighbors tangibly and demonstrate God’s compassion to them. The world doesn’t trust me. It doesn’t trust you either. But don’t lose heart. Christ has overcome the world. And he calls us into the world with the assurance of his presence and his power. May we live in a manner that reflects his light to this dark world. Daniel promises that, “And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” May we shine for his glory, entrusting our reputation to God and God alone.

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.

As parents, we want our children to have happy and healthy lives. But many children need to learn how important it is to be generous. This is a trait that we all need to understand and follow. We see this as one of God's character traits: "For God so loved the world that He gave..." (John 3:16). If we don't teach our kids how to be generous, they will not learn how to give to others. And if they know this when they are young, it will be easier for them to change their behavior later. This biblical truth can help shape our kids’ hearts so that they don't just think of themselves but also reach out and make a difference in other people's lives by giving generously of their time and resources. We must emphasize this truth because it can transform attitudes, actions, and even whole communities when our kids understand how much they can bless others through their gifts. Again, we can use the example of Jesus as an example of what generosity looks like - selfless love in action! Another benefit to teaching your child to be more like Jesus in generosity and to give to others is that it makes them feel good about themselves and helps them be kind to people who have less than them. It also teaches them that the world doesn't revolve around them, something all children can learn. Teaching kids about the biblical truth of giving is very important and can be done in various ways. So, what can you do to teach your children to live a life of generosity? Try these strategies: 1. Talk about Jesus and His teachings. One way to help kids understand why they should give is to talk about Jesus and His teachings. Jesus gave His life for us, so teaching your child this powerful example will go a long way in establishing the importance and value of selfless giving. Additionally, having conversations with them regularly and emphasizing how God wants us to treat each other with kindness by being generous will help kids internalize these lessons. 2. Lead by example Your children will learn from watching you. They will learn to do the same if you give without thinking about it. Talk about giving openly with your family. Talk about why it matters and what the Bible says about it and challenge everyone in the family to think of ways to give. Teaching your children to give is one way to show them how they can be like Jesus. This biblical truth must be taught to our kids for them to live it out fully. It’s about giving money and our time and resources; by being generous with all three of these things, we will set an example for our children to follow. 3. Have them, volunteer Another way to teach kids the value of generosity is to have them volunteer their time or money to those in need. Having them actively participate in events such as food drives or other community efforts. Teaching kids to volunteer encourages saying no to selfishness. No parent wants to raise selfish kids. We want to raise children who share, give, and care. Teaching kids to give is teaching them to be like Jesus. He gave His all for us, and we should seek to do the same for others in need. Teaching your children to give their time and energy to help others is an integral part of generosity. Unfortunately, some people think that getting paid a lot of money or having exciting adventures are more valuable than giving their time and energy to help someone else. But as we train our kids to follow Jesus, we want them to learn that there is so much more to life than this. That is, helping others is a valuable Christlike thing to do. 4. Share how you feel when you give. Tell your child how you feel when you donate, volunteer in a charity event, or spend time helping out. Tell them why you made that decision and why it's essential. When they know the feelings you experience -- and they are good feelings -- they'll begin to understand why giving is necessary. From a Christian standpoint, we must consider God as the ultimate giver. He gave us His only Son, Jesus, to die for our sins and restore our relationship with Him. As followers of Jesus, we must strive to be like Him and give our all in every situation. We should teach our kids this biblical truth so they can learn to be generous and show kindness to others. When people feel loved and accepted, their lives will change for the better. And when it becomes part of your child’s character, you can be sure you have done your job as a parent in raising them right according to God's standards. 5. Consider donor-advised funds. A donor-advised fund is an account at a bank that allows people to accumulate donations and recommend recipients for contributions. You can get a tax deduction when you make contributions to the account. Setting up a donor-advised fund doesn't just teach your children to give. They also learn investing skills because you can invest the tax deductions from your contributions. In addition, donor-advised funds provide a way for kids to save and invest money while helping others. Remind them of the biblical truth. As followers of Jesus, we should be like Him – He gave His all so mankind could benefit from it. We must teach our children to live in this truth and to give generously with love and kindness. Showing your child how they can use their resources to help those around them will create an understanding of the gospel message and its power in giving. God values this character trait highly and one you’ll want to instill in your children. Encourage them by celebrating their efforts. 6. Be clear with your expectations. Teach your kids that giving is an expression of our love for God. Discuss with them what constitutes a gift - money, time, or items. It can help to provide examples of how others have given in their own lives. It's also important to let them know that it doesn't have to be a large sum of money; even the smallest gifts can make a difference. As followers of Jesus, we are called to give generously from the resources He has entrusted us with. Lead your children in the way you should and let them see the joy of giving through your example. Set aside a certain percentage for tithes and offerings each month, then show them how you're using that money When children learn the habit of giving, they gain valuable lessons that last a lifetime. Studies have shown that when people give, they naturally experience positive emotions such as joy and satisfaction. In addition, giving may lead to greater feelings of purpose and self-fulfillment because it allows us to develop meaningful relationships with those we help. It can also help children learn empathy, compassion, and understanding as they practice seeing from another person’s perspective and responding appropriately. 7. Start small and build from there. Starting small and becoming regular givers is a great way to teach kids the biblical truth of generosity. The Bible teaches us that God gives us so much and wants us to give back in return. But, it also teaches us that giving should be done out of love, not an obligation or just for show. That’s why starting small and building from there is an important part of teaching kids how to give. One of the best ways to start small with giving is through pocket money. This doesn’t have to be a large sum of money either; even a few coins will do. Start by showing your child how to use their pocket money to help others in need, like donating to a charity or sponsoring someone in need. Then, as they get older and their pocket money increases, you can encourage them to divide their coins into different categories – some for spending, some for saving, and some for giving away. Once your child has started giving little bits here and there, you can begin encouraging them to become regular givers. Maybe set aside one day each month where your family focuses on giving back – whether it’s packing bags at a food bank, helping out at a charity shop, or simply writing kind letters to those who could use a boost in spirit. Being consistent with giving helps children learn that this is part of life; it’s integral to being compassionate human beings who care about others as much as ourselves. Generosity can also act as a form of self-care for children because it allows them to use their resources to bring light into someone else’s life. It can encourage them to step outside their comfort zone and reach out in love without the expectation of reward or recognition. This act alone is deeply rewarding on its own merits, as well as having positive long-term effects on emotional intelligence and personal growth. Important benefits for their lives Teaching kids about giving provides them with valuable financial education lessons which will serve them well later in life. Kids learn skills such as budgeting, living within their means, and making wise decisions when donating money or volunteering time – all invaluable components of completing successful financial transactions in adulthood. Teaching kids about giving and living a life of generosity offers numerous benefits both now and later in life. Not only do they receive the opportunity to practice generosity at an early age while learning valuable skills along the way, but they can also reap significant rewards from experiencing true joy from helping others without expectation or requirement for reciprocation.

If you’re an aspiring ministry leader, you’ve probably read countless articles on what it takes to succeed. While there’s no one-size-fits-all plan for success, there are certain habits that many successful ministry leaders share. Here are seven of the most important: 1. They have a clear vision for their ministry. When leading a thriving ministry, having a clear vision is essential. Ministry leaders who know what they want their ministries to achieve are more likely to make informed decisions that lead to success. Without a vision, it's challenging to set goals or develop strategies for growth. A clear vision can help to inspire and motivate staff and volunteers, who are more likely to be productive when they understand the ministry’s overarching goals. 2. They’re passionate about what they do. A deep interest in running a successful ministry drives an inspirational ministry leader. They’re not just in it for the money or attention– they genuinely enjoy what they do and are always looking for ways to improve the ministry and expand God’s kingdom. Their passion often leads to innovative ideas and a willingness to take risks. Passionate ministry leaders commit to their ministries. They’re not afraid to put in the long hours required to make their God-given vision a reality. So, if you’re thinking about starting a church or ministry, ask yourself: how passionate am I about this? If the answer is “very,” you might have what it takes to be a successful ministry leader. 3. They’re great at networking. Ministry leaders are a special breed of people. They are, at some level, risk-takers, dreamers, and doers. They are not afraid to fail but are driven by obedience to God. They view failure as a learning opportunity to grow and improve their obedience. A critical skill that ministry leaders must master is networking. Building relationships is essential for any ministry leader, and great ones know how to network effectively. They can quickly build rapport and create long-lasting relationships. They know how to listen attentively and ask great questions. As a result, they can make a strong network of people, be it volunteers, potential staff, or others ministry leaders, to help them achieve their vision. 4. They’re always learning. The most successful Pastors and ministry leaders never stop learning. They are constantly reading, researching, and experimenting to find new ways to improve their ministry. They understand that there is always room for improvement and are constantly looking for keys to taking their ministries to the next level. In addition, successful ministry leaders are continually learning from their failures. They use their mistakes as opportunities to grow and become better leaders. As a result, they can create thriving ministries that make a lasting impact on the world. 5. They’re willing to take risks. Many believe that being a great ministry leader is about taking risks. While successful ministry leaders are often willing to take risks, there is more to it. Taking risks is only part of the equation. It is also essential to assess those risks and make informed decisions. A ministry leader who is afraid to take risks will achieve nothing significant. A ministry leader who takes too many risks may find themselves over their head and quickly fail. The key is to find the right balance between taking risks and being cautious. By being willing to take calculated risks, ministry leaders can put themselves in a position to achieve great things. 6. They’re good at time management. We know successful ministry leaders for their creativity, risk-taking, and determination. However, one of the essential skills that successful ministry leaders possess is good time management. In a fast-paced and ever-changing leadership landscape, juggling multiple tasks and priorities is essential. Effective time management means setting goals, making plans, and sticking to them. It also involves being able to delegate tasks and hold others accountable. Those who are good at time management can create a balanced ministry-life schedule and avoid burnout. 7. They know how to delegate and build a strong team. Successful ministry leaders can often delegate and develop a strong team. It allows them to focus on the most critical aspects of their ministry while still getting the most out of their staff and volunteers. Delegation can be a difficult skill to master, but it is essential for anyone who wants to succeed in ministry. By delegating tasks and responsibilities to others, ministry leaders can free up their time to focus on more important matters. Similarly, building a solid team is crucial for any ministry leader. A good team will be composed of individuals with unique skills and strengths that can complement each other. This way, a leader can ensure that their ministries run smoothly and effectively by having a solid team. How to build a strong team: A few key things to remember when building a solid team. First, hiring individuals or enlisting volunteers with the right skills and experience is essential. Second, creating a positive and supportive ministry-work environment is essential. When your team feels appreciated and valued, they will be more likely to perform at their best. Finally, giving your team the resources and tools to succeed is essential. By investing in your team, you are investing in the future of your ministry. These are just a few essential habits for any ministry leader who wants to succeed. While there is no guarantee of success, those who possess these qualities will find it easier to achieve their goals. So, if you’re an aspiring ministry leader, keep these habits in mind as you work to build your ministry.