II Kings 5:20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.

Gehazi saw the wealth of Naaman and he desired it for himself. Gehazi was probably tired of living as the servant of the prophet. Gehazi knew he was doing the Lord’s work, but the riches of the world clouded his vision and kept him from fully pursuing the things of God.

Most of us are currently in a position or have recently been in a position where just a little something extra would go a long ways. It is very easy to become frustrated living paycheck by paycheck. One big bonus would go a long ways to helping make ends meet.

How far would you go to make a little extra money? Would you spend some of your money on lottery tickets or gambling so as to win the extra money that you need? Would you be willing to cheat on your time card so as to receive extra income that you did not earn? Too many of us would be willing to play in the “gray” area to get a head in this world.

Gehazi was no different. Gehazi was willing to tell a lie to Naaman in order to obtain some of Naaman’s wealth that Elisha had rejected. Not only did Gehazi suffer as a result of his sin, but also his entire family. Gehazi thought he could get away with playing in the gray area. However, God was watching what Gehazi was doing and God punished Gehazi for his sin.

There is no such thing as the gray area. There is no such thing as a little white lie. There is no such thing as a victimless crime. When you try to get ahead in life by cutting corners, you are the one who loses. You may be able to fool some of the people around you, but you will never fool God. Remember, whatsoever a man sows, so shall he also reap.

Do you desire to be blessed by God? There are going to be times where you are not blessed financially. Things may be tight financially, but God desires that you learn to trust in HIM and lean on HIS everlasting arms. When things get tough, God does not want you to be pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps, instead HE desires you to fall on your knees and cry out to HIM for deliverance.

God had shown time after time that HE was capable of meeting the needs of Elisha. Gehazi did not need extra money or outfits. By stockpiling the things of this world, Gehazi could have damaged the testimony of what God had done in the life of Naaman. If God desired Gehazi to have extra money or outfits, God would have provided them in such a way that God received the glory, not so Gehazi felt proud of his own abilities.

It is important that we learn that it is God who gives us the things that we need. It is important that we understand that prosperity is not a given when you become a Christian. God has not promised to make you wealthy, HE has only promised to take care of your needs.

We must learn to be content with whatever God has promised unto us. If we are patient and allow God to bring about HIS perfect will in HIS perfect timing, we will experience the power of the Lord as we never imagined. Keep focused upon the things of God and the power of the Lord will reflect through our lives so that all those around us know that HE is the great I AM. It is not about us and what we can do, it is about HIM and what HE can do.

II Kings 5:14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

Naaman came to Elisha to be healed of his leprosy. Naaman was told he needed to dip in the Jordan River seven times and he would have been healed. What would have happened if Naaman had only dipped six times? Naaman would have gone home discouraged because his leprosy would not have been healed.

Six times Naaman obeyed God by dipping in the Jordan River and he saw no results. There is no indication that Naaman received a partial healing each time he dipped. Instead, it took the seventh dip, the seventh act of faith before God healed Naaman.

When Elijah was praying for rain after God brought fire down from heaven, Elijah sent his servant to look for that rain seven times. What would have happened if after one time, Elijah decided to stop praying and to simply go home? We do not know what God would have done.

In this particular example, Naaman was told that he had to dip seven times. Many times in scripture, a person is told to simply do something and they do not know how many times they should do it. Towards the end of Elisha’s life, one king is told to beat his bow against the ground. He only did it three times and thus he only received three victories against his enemies.

The important lesson that we all need to learn and implement in our life is that God desires that we be persistent. Do not expect God to answer your prayer the first time. God sometimes does answer our prayers the first time and when HE does, rejoice and be glad. However, when God does not give you the desires of your heart right away, use this as an opportunity to continue to seek the will of God for your life. When things do not go according to your plans, spend the time to ensure that your plans and God’s plans are the same.

Naaman had to dip seven times. The first six times he dipped he was not going to see a result and it was a complete act of faith. Naaman could have become discouraged and quit at any time during his first six dips but he did not. Naaman understood that God wanted him to dip seven times and so he dipped seven times.

When Abraham was first promised a son, he did not know he was going to be waiting 25 years. Abraham tried to force the issue of having the promised son earlier than God desired and Abraham’s efforts were harmful. It is not easy to be patient when God determines that you must persevere. It is not easy to continue to follow a path that seems to lead to certain failure. You would say someone is stupid for continuing to beat their head against a brick wall. The wall is not going to give in and to continue beating your head against a brick wall will be destructive. Nonetheless, it was the seventh dip that resulted in Naaman receiving the miracle of good health.

Look at your life, are you being persistent in your prayers. When God has revealed that HE wants you to do something, are you continuing to obey HIM until you see the fulfillment of HIS promise? Are you patient with God seeing the fulfillment of what HE desires for your life? No one can make you dip that seventh time. No one can make you look for rain the seventh time. No one can make you beat the bow that fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh time. It is your faith and it is your willingness to be patient with God and follow HIM every step of the way.

II Kings 5:13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee to do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?

Naaman came to Elisha to be healed of his leprosy. Elisha sent him to the Jordan River to wash seven times so that he would be healed. Naaman was upset because Elisha had not come out and healed him like he anticipated. Naaman was upset because there were other rivers that were cleaner than the Jordan River.

If Elisha had said, Pay a great sum of money and you will be healed, Naaman would have had no problem with that. If Elisha had said, Dig the Suez cannel and you will be healed, Naaman would have had no problem with that. If Elisha had said, Crawl one thousand miles on your knees and you will be healed, Naaman would have had no problem with that.

Naaman was so close to his problem that he lost sight of why he came to see Elisha to begin with. Naaman desired to be healed, he was told what to do, and his focus no longer was on what he needed to do but instead it was upon the message. It took the servants of Naaman to remind Naaman that the reason he was in front of the prophet was to receive healing. It did not matter what the prophet asked him to do, Naaman should be willing to give it a try.

What is so interesting about Naaman’s response is that this is typical of most people today. When it comes to our salvation, we are willing to do great works in order to earn salvation, but we are not willing to do the simple things that God has commanded us to do. We do not want to receive salvation the way God intended for us to receive it, and instead, we expect to receive God’ saving grace on our own terms.

When you think about it, the gift of salvation is very simple. When you think about it, there is not much you must do in order to be called a child of God. However, it does not matter how simple it is to spend eternity in heaven, there are many who will spend eternity in hell because they were unwilling to humble themselves and simply follow the commands of God.

Naaman had a happy ending because he saw the errors in his way of thinking. Naaman was healed of his leprosy because he was shown just how close to his problem he had allowed himself to get. Naaman had servants who loved him enough to advise him on the mistake he was making by not following Elisha’s instructions.

Just as salvation is a simple step of obedience, there may be other times in our life when God requests that we do something. If we try to logically think through what God is telling us to do, we can very easily rationalize a decision where we do not obey. Our logic does not always correspond with God’s perfect plan for our life. Our logic cannot always follow the miracle power of God.

Our worldly thinking will never be able to understand those thing that are holy. Rather than try to out think God, we need to be patient and allow God to be God and us to simply be HIS faithful and obedient servants. Every day we have choices we must make, we can either choose to obey HIM, or we choose to question HIS authority. Naaman never would have been healed had he gone and washed in the rivers of his home country. Naaman was only healed when he humbled himself and obeyed Elisha’s instruction.

II Kings 5:11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.

Naaman had an issue with pride. Naaman thought more highly of himself then he ought. Naaman had power, he had money, and he had prestige. When Naaman came to the house of Elisha, he was expecting this great prophet Elisha to come and heal him. However, God’s ways were not the same as Naaman’s ways.

Naaman desired to be healed as is evidence by the long journey that he took. However, Naaman wanted to be healed on his own terms. Naaman was not used to people telling him what to do. It was a great insult to have a messenger come out and tell him to go wash in the dirty river Jordan.

God knew where the heart of Naaman was. God knew what was going on in the life of Naaman. God knew that Naaman needed to be more humble. As such, God had Elisha do things a little bit different so that not only would Naaman receive a changed body but so that he would also receive a changed heart.

How often are we like Naaman and we insist that God does things our way? We have certain plans for our life and we are extremely disappointed if God does not do things our way. Maybe we expect to be rich, or have a nice job. Maybe we expect great health, or long life.

The problem is, we are not God, we are HIS creation. God has a perfect plan for our life that may or may not be our plan for our life. Satan often understands what God is trying to do in our life and as such, he will try to put our heart in a direction that is not a part of God’s will. Satan knows that the longer our vision is on that which is not a part of God’s plan for us, the harder it will be for us to accept what God is trying to do.

When God tells us to do something that was not what we were planning on doing, we need to learn to instantly obey. There is no room to sit back and try to guess what God is trying to do. God knows what is best for our lives. God knows what HE needs to do in order to change our heart and our bodies.

The ways of God are usually not our ways. This means that we need to be willing to lay aside our own ambitions in order to do God’s perfect will for our life. We need to be patient and learn to listen to the still small voice of God. As we follow HIS direction, we will soon discover that God’s ways are always best.

Just because you think that something is the best way for God to do something, it does not mean that it is God’s best for your life. Naaman thought that Elisha should come out and heal him and so because things did not happen his way, he was willing to go home without being healed. Looking at Naaman’s life from our perspective, Naaman really looks silly. However, how many times have we done the exact same thing to God?

It is our duty to focus upon what God is requesting us to do and go do it. We cannot afford to be proud when it comes to the will of God for our life. Remember that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. If we insist on living our life according to our own plan, we will be discouraged. Be patient, and watch how God works all things together for good.

II Kings 5:3 And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.

A young Israelite girl was a slave to Naaman’s wife. Even though this young girl was apparently taken from her father and mother and even though she was living in a strange land, this young girl was used by God to demonstrate to the Syrians that there was a God in the land of Israel.

This young girl had every right to hold her tongue. No one would blame her if she never mentioned that there was a prophet of God who could heal Naaman. Why would she want to help the person who was her master? Why should she go a second mile and actually help someone who did not have her best interests at heart?

There is a lot about this young girl that we do not know. However, we know that she had at least heard about the great prophet Elisha. This girl believed that God was alive and that through Elisha, Naaman could be healed. There had been many terrible things that had happened to her, but she was willing to look past those things so that God might be glorified through her life.

How far are we willing to go to love our enemies, bless those that curse us, do good to those that hate us, and pray for those who despitefully use us? The answer is, most of us are not willing to obey the commands of Christ. Most of us would rather hold a grudge then do the right thing. Most of us would rather see our enemies suffer then help them out of a difficult situation.

We can pretend all day to love our enemies. We can say until we are blue in the face that we want to do good to those who hate us. However, the proof is in our actions. God and others should be able to look at our lives and see that we are different. The world knows that terrible things happen to everyone. However, how you respond to it will reveal to them if you are any different. This young girl was different, she went above and beyond her duty and she helped Naaman.

We have all experienced a time when someone did something to us that hurt us. How did we respond to that person? Most likely we did not respond favorably. Most likely we did not return good for evil. Most likely we were not out blessing them or praying for them. We might not have gone so far and sought revenge, but just because we leave revenge in the hands of God, it does not mean that have the right to not go the extra mile for those who have done us wrong.

Our human response is always to seek revenge for those who do something that hurts us or our family. However, God desires that we do not seek revenge but that we go that extra mile. It takes great spiritual strength to do the right thing. You must by the strength of God put a stop to the desires that are of this world. By filling your heart with the things of God, you should start focusing upon the needs of others and how you can help fill those needs rather than looking for how you can receive from others those things that you feel you are owed.

It takes great patience to put aside your natural desires in order to put others first. This young girl did just that and as a result, the power of God was not only seen in the land of Israel, but also in the land of Syria. This miracle would not have happened but for one young girl putting the needs of others before her own needs. This testimony of the power of God never would have been share but for this young girl allowing God to use her to touch the life of someone who had done something that caused her great pain.

Job 25:4 How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?

In this passage, Bildad asks two questions of Job that we all need to ask ourselves. It is easy to quote the passage that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. However, it is another matter all together to fully comprehend that you are not justified by works but that it is the blood of Jesus Christ that entitles you to have a close relationship with the father.

Have you ever met a rich kid who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth? This rich kid is nominated to many boards and makes a good income based upon the name of his father. This rich kid did not earn many of the positions that he is given or the great wealth that he has acquired. Nonetheless, many people give him an audience not because of what he has done but because of who he is.

The same concept is true in our spiritual life. By accepting Jesus Christ as our personal savior, we are opening the door to an entirely new relationship with God. When God looks at us, HE sees that the blood of HIS Only Son has washed us whiter than snow. We have a new position in the kingdom of heaven not because of anything we have done but because of who Jesus Christ is and HIS relation to the Father.

We could give a hundred dollar bill to every poor person in the world and that act of kindness will not earn us any bonus points with God if we have not first done what HE commanded us and accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. Some people think that this principle is wrong and that their works should account for something.

This principle is illustrated in the life of Elisha when he healed Naaman. Naaman was a leper and he came to Elisha for healing. Elisha sent his servant out to speak with Naaman and commanded Naaman to go and wash in the Jordan River. Naaman was expecting Elisha to do something powerful and he was offended that he was told to wash in the Jordan River. However, until Naaman obeyed Elisha, he never was going to be healed. When Naaman humbled himself and did as he was commanded, Naaman saw the results that he desired.

We all understand that if the boss asks us to write a report and put it on his desk by the next morning, that the boss will not be happy if we stayed at work late and finished ten other projects that the boss did not want done until next week and failed to finish the project the boss needed. The boss sets the rules and what he requires of us we do if we want the paycheck and the bonuses.

It is not rocket science to understand what we need to do in order to be justified and spend eternity in heaven. It is not by works but it is by the acceptance of the blood of Jesus Christ that gives entitles us to be called the sons of God. It is so easy to become focused upon all the things that we have done for HIM like teaching Sunday School, giving to those in need, and being a faithful witnesses of HIM. However, it is not our works but HIS righteousness.

The next time you become conceited and find your ego growing because of some great work that you have done for HIM, stop and pray and thank God for the gift of HIS Son. Your pride will try to get the best of you and cause you to desire to point out the good things you have done to God. Remember, God is patient with us, and we need to keep our focus upon HIM.

Matthew 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

Temperance requires that you say no to the things of this world so that you can focus your time, talents, and treasures upon the things of God. In this passage, we see Christ commanding us that we are not to lay up treasures for ourselves here on this earth. If we are focused upon the things of the world, then our attention will be distracted from listening to God and doing what HE desires us to do.

If your focus is upon money, you will probably miss the opportunity that God has for you in giving to some special needs. If your focus is upon receiving the praises of men because of some special talent that you have, then you will miss the opportunity that God has for you to use your talents to draw others closer to HIM. If your focus is upon your time and how you can use it to enjoy life, then you will miss the opportunity that God has for you to serve HIM today.

Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. If your treasure is upon the things of this world, then your heart will never be able to be given fully to God. It is one thing to claim to be a Christian, it is another thing all together to live as a Christian. If you desire to live a life pleasing to the Lord, then you must follow the example of Christ. Christ did not live on this earth to see what earthly treasures HE could amass. Instead, Christ was here to do the will of God. Christ focused upon living HIS life so that HIS Father would receive the glory.

The things of the world will try to grab your attention so that you do not live your life in a manner that is pleasing to God. Scripture tells us the story of Naaman who had leprosy. Naaman ended up going to Elijah and God used Elijah to heal Naaman. Naaman had great wealth and he attempted to use it to give to Elijah but Elijah refused. Elijah’s servant Gehazi saw the great wealth that could have been theirs so he ran after Naaman and made up a story about how a couple prophets had just showed up and that Elijah requested some clothes and money for them. Upon his return, Elijah condemned Gehazi and the leprosy of Naaman was transferred to Gehazi.

Gehazi saw the treasures of this earth and he desired to accumulate them for himself. Elijah understood that God desired Naaman to not think that one could purchase the favor of God. The greed of Gehazi ended up damaging the testimony of the power of God.

It is so easy to allow ourselves to become so focused upon the things of this world that we lose sight of the things of God. Zacchaeus was a man who was entangled by the things of this world. Once Zacchaeus saw and realized who God was, he had no problem giving up his earthly treasures to ensure that his relationship with God was right.

As long as we allow the treasures of this world to consume us, then we will never be able to live for God as we ought. The things of this world will drain us of our time, talent, and treasures and our focus will not be where God desires it. We need to yield up our right to keep up with the Jones. We need to stop worrying about the world thinks of us and start worrying about what God thinks of us.

It is time that you change your focus. Take your focus off of yourself and what you can obtain for yourself here on this earth. Focus upon God and say no to the temptations that this world has to offer. You will find new rewards for your life by the help of God.

Proverbs 23:17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.

Think for a second about that wealthy individual who lives in a nice house, drives a nice car, and is always rubbing shoulders with the most important people in the country. Maybe you have dreamed to be in their position in the past. Maybe you tried to convince yourself that it was permissible for you to envy this individual because you are thinking about all the good you could do if you were in their position.

However, God is very clear; you are not to envy the sinners. God needs you to be content in whatever state you are at. If you are wealthy, learn to be content. If you are living paycheck by paycheck, learn to be content. If you are in the middle class, learn to be content. It is not your position as a Christian to be concerned about the Jones. God does not want you measuring your life by the life of those around you.

If you attempt to compare yourself with others, your focus is off. Instead, when you focus your life upon the perfect standard of God, you soon realize just how inadequate your life is. You do not know everything there is to know about that other person whom you are comparing yourself with. While they may appear to be rich, those same riches could be absolutely destroying them and their family.

You need to learn to have your focus upon the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. It is because of the fear of the Lord that you will depart from evil. When you realize just who God is, then it should change your life. By serving a Living God who knows your words, actions, and thoughts, and understanding that HE will judge you for them should be enough to stop you from doing that which is right in your own eyes.

Your relationship with God should be the most important thing to you. If you desire wealth more than you desire God, it will destroy you. If you desire respect more than you desire God, it will destroy you. If you desire health more than you desire God, it will destroy you.

Gehazi envied the wealth of Naaman. Rather than focusing upon the ministry God had given him by serving Elisha, Gehazi was focused upon the riches he could have received. Gehazi allowed himself to pursue after Naaman and obtain some of his wealth. However, Naaman never had the opportunity to enjoy that wealth because he soon lost his health as a result of his greed.

Achan is another individual who envied the riches of others. Achan thought he could hide from God the wealth that he took from the city of Jericho. Achan did not fear God and as a result of his theft, God judged the nation and this eventually led to the death of Achan and his family. Had Achan simply learned to obey God and allow God to bless him with riches, he would have enjoyed the Promise Land.

You need to focus your attention upon God and not upon the things of the world. The world will always try to entice you with many wonderful things. However, all the things can offer you are as filthy rags. You need the knowledge of the ways of God. The more you try to understand who HE is, the more you try to draw closer to HIM, the more time you spend adding knowledge of the ways of God, then you will be in a position where you can find true contentment. Remember that Godliness with contentment is great gain.

Proverbs 22:1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.

What is the most valuable thing to you? Is it the amount of money in your pocket book or is it your reputation? It is one thing what you think of yourself, but it is quite another thing to see how others perceive you. Your life is to reflect the light of God, but if you are acting just like the world, why should the world change from their wicked ways in order to draw closer to God?

Gehazi was a servant of Elisha. Naaman was a leper who came to Elisha for healing. Elisha sent Naaman to the river Jordan to dip seven times in order to be healed. When Naaman obeyed, he saw God deliver him from the disease. Naaman was a grateful man and he immediately returned to Elisha to give him gifts. Elisha understood that if he accepted the gifts, then when Naaman went home and told everybody what happened, then Naaman would give credit to Elisha when instead credit needed to be given to God.

Elisha understood that he could not receive the credit for what God had done through him so he refused to accept any of the gifts of Naaman. However, once Naaman had left, Gehazi took off after Naaman and made up a story in which he obtained for himself gifts that Elisha had refused. Gehazi received the gifts by using the name of Elisha and as a result, Gehazi destroyed the testimony that Elisha was trying to build. Gehazi may have obtained riches, but he lost his reputation.

Gehazi is not the only person in the Bible who pursued riches rather than a good name and was punished for it. In fact, any time we sin and fall short of the glory of God, we are saying that our own way is more important to us then what God or others think of us. When Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of the tree of good and evil, the only thing they were thinking about was themselves. Adam and Eve had great wealth but we see that they wanted something more. Because they allowed something rather than their relationship with God to come first, they sinned.

Cain was a man who was not pleased that he did not receive the approval of God. However, rather than change himself so that God was pleased with him, Cain chose to kill his brother Abel. By getting rid of Abel, Cain did not gain a good name; instead, Cain was afraid that someone would take his life.

Joseph was a man who would rather have a clear conscience and serve God then to have great wealth. Joseph was simply a slave and the wife of his master was trying to sleep with him. In her eyes, Joseph was not just another slave. However, Joseph refused to soil his reputation by sleeping with the wife of his master. Joseph chose a good name and as a result, he ended up going to prison.

Just because you chose a good name, it is not a promise that God is going to bless you beyond your wildest imagination. You never know who God is putting into your life to see your testimony. When you chose to do the right thing, God will use you for HIS glory.

Who do you serve: Is it God or gold? If you spend time pursuing the riches of this world, then you will quickly find that that the riches of this world will not satisfy. Instead, you must spend your time drawing closer to God. As you spend time adding knowledge of the ways of God, you will obtain a wealth that far exceeds your wildest expectation.

2 Kings 5:27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

Gehazi the servant of Elisha committed a great sin when he ran after Naaman and obtained silver and garments for his personal use for the healing that God had completed in Naaman. God did not want Naaman to think that he could purchase the power of God and as a result of the greed of Gehazi, we find that leprosy cleaved unto him.

The first time the word “cleave” is used in the bible is in Genesis 2:24 where we are told that a man shall “leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” No better picture of what God meant when he said that a husband and wife should cleave together than in given in this story where the leprosy of Naaman cleaved unto Gehazi.

Leprosy is a disease that affects the body but is manifested by the outward appearance of the skin. One who had leprosy often would violently scratch his body but no matter how hard one scratched, the individual would not feel any better and the disease would be just as strong. The picture of leprosy on a man is the same picture that one should have towards marriage. When a man and a woman cleave to one another, they are one and the same; there is nothing that they can do to separate what God has joined together.

Many people think that they can divorce and thus be rid of their spouse. However, this temporary fix is just like a leper trying to scratch all the skin off of their arm because they have leprosy. The disease is more than skin deep. Yes, you may see the outward manifestation of the disease just as you can see a man and a woman who are married, but just as there is more to the disease then you can see, so there is more to the union between a man and a woman then is seen with the eye.

You must be careful in selecting your spouse. Solomon was not very wise and he loved many strange women. Solomon became one flesh with these women who did not share his faith in God and because he “clave unto these in love” (1 Kings 11:2) we see that his heart was turned away from God.

In the same manner that a husband and wife are to cleave to one another, so too are you to cleave unto God. We are told in Deuteronomy 10:20 that “Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.” In fact, many times throughout scriptures we are told that we are to cleave unto God. Our relationship with God should be like that of a leper with leprosy. We must become one with God to the point that we could not imagine our life without HIM.

Proverbs 19:27 Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. What is your personal pet sin? What is the area in your life that has caused you to stumble more times then you care to count? Whatever comes between you and God should be eliminated from your life.

It might not be anything really wrong, but if it is something that causes you to not be diligent in spending time adding knowledge of the ways of God, whatever it is, it is draining the spiritual life-blood right out of your life. Whatever this activity is, it probably does not stop you from eating food each day. You would not allow it to cut into your daily nourishment. However, you do not seem to have any trouble allowing it to cut into your spiritual nourishment.

Christ commanded in the Sermon on the Mount that if our eye offends us, we should pluck it out and if our hand off offend us, that we should cut it off. Christ said that it is better to live life maimed then that we should live eternity in hell. If there is something in your life that is hindering your ability to walk with God, then you need to take responsibility and do something about it.

Gehazi was the servant of Elisha. After God healed Naaman, Naaman tried to give gifts to Elisha. Elisha refused the gifts but shortly thereafter, Gehazi ran after Naaman and lied to Naaman saying that after Naaman had left, two sons of the prophets showed up and Elisha requested that Naaman give them some silver and a change of garment. The greed of Gehazi resulted in the leprosy of Naaman cleaving unto Gehazi.

Gehazi had an important position. He was daily in the presence of one of the greatest prophets the nation of Israel ever had. However, Gehazi allowed his greed for money to tarnish his ability to serve God. Because leprosy would make him an outcast, no longer would Gehazi be able to serve God as he had in the past. The greed of Gehazi destroyed the ministry of Gehazi. According to Christ, it would have been better for Gehazi to cut off his legs so that he could not have pursued after Naaman then that he sin and cause damage to the kingdom of God. The choice was Gehazi, he did not need to pursue after Naaman, he should have ceased from anything that harmed his ministry to God.

Elisha was a man who apparently came from a family of great wealth. One day as he was plowing in the field, Elijah came up and threw his mantle upon the shoulders of Elisha. Elisha did not allow his family, his position, or his wealth to prevent him from doing what God desired him to do. Elisha said good-bye to his family, he killed his team of oxen, destroyed the instruments that the oxen used and he gave to his servants one last meal. Elisha made sure that there was nothing hindering him from being faithful to the calling of God. If Elisha had simply retired the team of oxen, they might have been a temptation to him to come back and return to the family farm.

You need to be faithful in adding knowledge of the ways of God. You need to spend the time that it takes in order to understand what God desires you to do. If you fail to spend time with God, then your relationship with HIM will suffer. You must be proactive to remove anything that hinders your ability to draw closer to God. You must take responsibility for your spiritual life.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understand.

In the next verse, we see a promise for those who trust in God and lean not on their own understanding. The promise is that God will direct their paths. In order for one to receive direction from God, they must be willing to lay aside their own personal ambitions and allow God to guide them in the way that they should go.

If you do not want God to direct your paths because you think you can do a good enough job on your own, then go ahead and make your decisions based upon your own understanding. The religious leaders during the time of Jesus were not willing to accept Jesus as the Son of God because they relied upon their own understanding. Because they were expecting a mighty warrior who would lead them into battle to free them from the Romans, they ended up killing the ONE whom they were looking for. It is a very dangerous game to be relying upon your own understanding.

You need to be more like Naaman who desired to wash in the cleaner waters of Syria, but eventually obeyed God and the direction of Elisha and washed in the Jordan River. Naaman could logically argue why the rivers of Syria were cleaner than the Jordan River, however, God had not asked him to wash in whatever river he chose to wash in, Naaman had to trust God and he had to lean not on his own understanding in order to be healed.

Noah is another man who simply trusted in God and leaned not on his own understanding. Noah did not know what rain was, nor was the concept of a flood one which would have made any sense. Nonetheless, Noah trusted in God; he did not rely upon his own understanding and God saved him and his family.

Do you desire to receive direction from God? If so, then you need to stop relying upon your own understanding. This means that you are going to have to start taking the time to add to your knowledge of the ways of God so that you can hear God and know what HE desires you to do.

In Psalm 119:105 we learn that Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Knowledge of the ways of God comes by spending time in the word; you will be adding knowledge of the ways of God when you start daily meditating upon HIS words. The more HIS words become a part of your life, the more you will understand the direction of God. However, if you refuse to draw near unto God and you insist on doing everything your own way, God will let you do your own thing, but do not be surprised when your life is not as smooth as it needs to be.

When you chose to do things your own way, God may uses a lack of finances, an attack on your health, or an attack on your family to direct you back to HIM. However, just because you have financial problems, health problems, or family problems, it does not mean that you have sinned. Just look at the life of Job as an example of a righteous individual who did the right thing yet still suffered many trials.

Stop relying upon your own understanding; instead, learn to draw closer to God and hear HIS still small voice. Start spending your time talking with God so that you understand the way that God would have you to go. As you trust in the Lord with all your heart, as you obey the direction that HE is leading you, and as you resist the urge to do your own thing, then you will be in a position that God can lead you and direct you in the way you are to go.

Acts 13:12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

Paul and Barnabas were on the isle Paphos where they met Sergius Paulus. Sergius Paulus was a man in authority and he called for Paul and Barnabas to come to him. However, there was a sorcerer whose name was Bar-jesus (which is also interpreted Elymas) who sought to turn the deputy away from the faith. Paul who was filled with the Holy Ghost ordered that sorcerer be blind for a season. When Sergius Paulus saw the miracle, he believed. He believed the preaching of Paul and Barnabas.

Sergius Paulus was considered a prudent man and he sought to hear the words of truth. However, while he was a prudent man, he had placed an ungodly man as his advisor. As long as this ungodly man was in a position to advise him, his ears never would be able to hear the entire truth. When Paul was able to perform a miracle that released him from the power of his bad advisors, all of a sudden, the words that Paul and Barnabas had been preaching became clear and he was able to believe.

In our lives, people and things can easily come between us and God. We have the truth of the Bible sitting right in front of us, but we fail to grasp its full meaning because we allow our mind to be filled with all sorts of worldly perversions. We read the scriptures, but the scriptures do not seem real to us, because someone or something is distracting us from hearing the truth that God has for us. It is only when we allow ourselves to be free from the entanglements of this world that we are free to hear the direction of God.

Satan is a cleaver opponent; he knows our weaknesses and what he can do to distract us from the truth of God. It is the truth of God that will set us free from the bondages of this world. When we allow God to be King in our lives; then HE will be able to free us from those things that so easily tear us down. God does not free us from bondage so that we sit there and admire the miracle of being free; God frees us from bondage so that we are free to understand the truth of scripture. Do not allow the miracle of being free to become the new thing that prevents you from hearing the truth of God.

Are you like Sergius Paulus who desired to hear the truth of God? Are you willing to do whatever it takes to rid yourself of those things that prevent you from hearing God? Are you able to focus your attention upon the words of God so that you can obey HIS direction?

Naaman was a great man, was honorable, and a mighty man in valor. We are told that the Lord gave victories to Syria because of Naaman. Because of the character of Naaman, the Lord allowed the nation of Syria to attack HIS chosen people and have victories over them. However, Naaman was a leper. God allowed Naaman to hear that there was a prophet in Israel who could heal him and Naaman quickly went to be healed. However, before Naaman could be healed, he first needed to overcome his pride so that he could follow the instructions of the prophet.

What is hindering you from fully serving God? Is it your pride like Naaman or is it your friends like Sergius Paulus? Whatever it is, you need to allow God to purge that which is hindering you from fully serving HIM. In order to add to your knowledge of the ways of God, you must allow HIM to first clear the influences of this world from your life.

Acts 1:24 And they prayed, and said, Thou Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, show whether of these two thou hast chosen,

Jesus has ascended to heaven and the disciples have returned to Jerusalem to wait for the filling of the Holy Spirit as Jesus had promised them. While the disciples were waiting, they “all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication” (Acts 1:14). It was during this time that Peter spoke up and suggested that they replace Judas. The disciples appointed two men, Barsabas Justus and Matthias.

At this time, there were more than just 11 disciples that have been following Jesus. There were 120 men and women who were waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit so that they might obey the commands of Christ and go out and preach the gospel. However, even with 120 individuals, they still sought the Lord as to who was the one whom God desired to replace Judas.

The disciples understood that God had a perfect plan and that HE would reveal it to them if they would but seek HIM. The disciples understood that God saw the hearts of men and that if it were left just to them, they could make a mistake because they could not see the heart. A hasty decision on their part could do great damage to the kingdom of heaven and that is why they turned to the One who could direct their paths.

The disciples could see the man, and they could see the fruit, but what they could not see was what mattered the most, the heart and thoughts of the man. The disciples lacked the knowledge necessary to select the replacement for Judas and thus they sought God and allowed HIM to direct their paths. The lot was then cast and Matthias was chosen by God to be numbered with the other eleven apostles.

The disciples understood that they did not have the wisdom necessary to make the proper decision. How often do you fail to follow the example of the disciples? When you are faced with a difficult decision, do you turn to God and allow the All-knowing God to direct your paths? Too often, we turn to God for the big decisions but we rely upon our own strength for the small decisions.

God is willing to direct our path and sometimes the smallest decisions can lead to a major change. Naaman chose to dip himself in the Jordan River and he was healed of his leprosy. Rebekah agreed to give water to Abraham’s servant and to his camels and she ended up being married to Isaac. Andrew heard John the Baptist speak about Jesus and decided that he wanted to see where Jesus lived. That small decision ended up in both him and his brother Simon Peter becoming disciples of Jesus.

You do not know it all. You cannot read the minds of men let alone the mind of God. You need knowledge that only God can give if you desire to do the perfect will of God. The closer your relationship with God becomes, the more you should understand the more you need God in every aspect of your life. Satan is going to try to tempt you to do it your own way; to rely upon your own strength. However, if you will only trust God and to seek HIM to help you in doing that which is right in HIS eyes, you will find a new joy as HE directs your path. If you seek HIS knowledge about what HE desires you to do, HE is faithful and just to answer your prayers and to show you the way you are to go.

I Corinthians 8:2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.

How many people can you think of who meet the description in this passage? They have so much learning and so many degrees but they have no practical wisdom. In this passage we learn that knowledge in and of itself is not the answer. Just because one has knowledge, it does not mean that they know those things that are truly important.

As Christians, the most important knowledge that you can possess is the knowledge of the ways of God. The more you study the ways of God, the better you understand just who God is and what the desire of HIS heart is. As you study scripture, you will learn how you are to interact with God and how you are to interact with others.

The world has a distorted view of God. How can you expect to reveal to the world just who God is if you have not first known who HE is. You have been commanded to be the salt and the light. How can you be salt if you have not first been seasoned by ways of God? How can you be the light if you have not first gone through the purifying process of removing all influences of the world from your life? It is only by the study of ways of God that you will learn how to be an influence upon the world rather than letting the world influence you.

Naaman was a great man. He had great wealth and great authority, but he was a leper. Naaman had a servant girl who did not have her freedom, lived in a foreign country, but she had knowledge of the power of God. It did not matter what Naaman knew, it was worthless because it could not cure his disease. Naaman’s servant girl may not have many things that we consider important, but she knew the ways of God, and that is the most important thing. Because she had knowledge of the ways of God and whom God was working through, she was able to help Naaman during his time of need.

Worldly wisdom puts a lot of emphasis upon whom you know and what you know. However, Godly wisdom requires that you know the Lord and the ways of the Lord. If you understand the ways of God, God will be able to open doors for you to do great things for HIM. Solomon had great wisdom. He was able to solve difficult problems because he asked God for wisdom to govern the people. Had Solomon not received knowledge of the ways of God, the world would not have flocked to Solomon and Solomon would not have had the influence upon the nation of Israel and the world.

The Bible is full of information on the ways of God. The more you study the Bible, the more you will discover about how God desires you to live. God is not telling you that you cannot obtain knowledge from the world, you just must understand that worldly wisdom will not get you any closer to heaven and will have no eternal impact. It is your knowledge of God that will enable God to do great things through you.

You need to spend more time studying the scriptures. You need to make an effort to draw closer to God. As you study the scriptures, God will be able to open doors for you that will enable you to be used of HIM. Do not worry about finding people to minister to, concentrate your attention upon God, and HE will bring to you those whom you can help.

Matthew 12:35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

It all begins at the heart. A good man has a good heart and the result is good things. An evil man has an evil heart and the result of his life is evil. As your heart goes, so goes your life. You can have an evil heart and attempt to fool people for some time, but the wickedness of your heart will eventually reveal who you really are.

Christ teaches a lot about the heart during HIS ministry. You know that out of the abundance of the heart does your mouth speak. You know that you are to love the Lord your God with all your heart. You know that if you look at a woman and lust after her you commit adultery in your heart.

When Jesus was brought a man sick of the palsy, Jesus did not start by healing the outward deformity, instead, Jesus started with the heart. Jesus started by forgiving the man of his sins. Jesus knew that this man needed to be cleansed on the inside before he would be ready to change his life to live in conformity with a new body.

Gehazi served Elisha faithfully for many years. If one were to look at him from the outside, you would probably guess that he was a very good man. However, inside Gehazi’s heart was greed. This greed was revealed one day when after the healing of Naaman, Gehazi pursued after Naaman and accepted from his hands gifts of riches. Eventually, the evil in Gehazi’s heart caused him to do evil in the sight of God.

David was a man after God’s own heart. Yet, inside David’s heart was pride. One day David determined that he wanted to know how large his kingdom was so he had Joab number the people. Numbering the people in and of itself is not wrong, there were many times when God had the nation numbered. However, David was numbering the people for his own purposes and because his heart was not right before God, God judged the entire nation with three days pestilence upon the land.

You can hide and disguise the evil in your heart for only so long. Eventually the evil treasures of your heart will bring forth evil things. It does not matter who you are; evil begets evil. You need to take the time to ensure that your heart is right before God. You need to come before God and allow God to examine your life to weed out those evil things that will hurt your ministry here on this earth. Until you are able to get your heart right before God, why should you expect God to use you since you at anytime can sin and commit great wickedness that will cause great damage to the kingdom of heaven.

You must add virtue to your life so that you learn to put the things of God first in your life. As you learn to fill your heart with good things, your heart will no longer have room for evil thoughts and feelings. Gehazi may have been a very good man who diligently served God for many years. Yet his one wicked deed totally destroyed any good he did. His reputation is tarnished to this day for one act of wickedness. You can never stop adding virtue to your life. You must constantly fill your mind and heart with the things of God. If you stop filling your life with God, then the enemy will fill the void in your heart with wickedness that will result in you committing evil acts.

II Kings 6:12 And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.

The king of Syria desired to go to war against Israel. The king set up a plan regarding where he would camp. However, Elisha told the king of Israel these plans and the king of Israel avoided the area. This occurred a couple times before the king of Syria began to be upset and began to accuse his servants of spying for the king of Israel. It was at this time that it was revealed to him that Elisha who was not with the king of Syria was telling the king of Judah the king’s secret war plans.

How the servant of the king of Syria knew that Elisha was telling the king’s secret war plans we do not know. However, the power of Elisha was well known among the armies of Syria since Naaman was the captain of the army and he had recently been healed of leprosy. Whoever it was who figured out that Elisha was the culprit is not important, what is important is that the faith of Elisha was so well known that even the enemies of Israel understood that God was with Elisha.

Elisha heard from God what the enemy’s plans were and Elisha simply revealed these plans to the king of Israel. God was protecting Israel from having to go to war and HE simply used HIS servant Elisha by speaking to him. Elisha heard from God because he had a close relationship with HIM. Elisha knew the voice of God, and when HE heard God’s voice, he responded accordingly and Israel was spared a bloody war.

When people look at you, do they understand that you are different? Have they seen the power of God demonstrated in your life so that when something unusual occurs, they attribute it to you and God being in your life? The servant of the King of Israel lived in another country, yet the power of God in the life of Elisha was so evident, that this man recognized and was willing to proclaim to the king of Syria with confidence exactly what Elisha was doing, even though he had no proof.

Your life should be like a properly cut diamond that reflects the light. This life is not about you; the purpose of your life is to glorify your Creator and Maker. Yes, a diamond is valuable in and of itself, but the diamond is worth more when it is properly cut so that it reflects the most light. You are valuable to God, but your value increases the more your life demonstrates to the world the power of God.

God does not speak to you because HE loves to hear HIMSELF speak. God opens your eyes to certain truths so that you can do something about it. Elisha heard from God the plans of the enemy and Elisha spread the word so that war did not occur. God is willing to speak to you, but you need to listen. When you hear HIS voice, you need to respond with the information so that HIS will is done.

What is your reputation? Do people understand that you have a personal relationship with God and that HE speaks with you? If not, maybe you need to start spending more time with God and less time being entertained. God should be number one in your life, and others should see the results. Your life should reflect the power of God.

II Kings 5:27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

Elisha had just exercised his faith in healing the leprosy of Naaman. When Naaman attempted to pay Elisha for Elisha’s faith, Elisha refused. However, Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, ran after Naaman and told a lie and received some treasures from Naaman. God had told Elisha what Gehazi had done and now, by faith, Elisha pronounces a punishment upon Gehazi because of Gehazi’s wickedness. Elisha understood that the same God who could heal Naaman could also make Gehazi diseased as a punishment for his sin.

Elisha probably preferred using his faith to do good in the world. However, Elisha understood that sometimes God has one to do something that is not pleasant. Elisha had to obey God in pronouncing judgment upon Gehazi so that you would understand that God is not pleased when one procures payment out of greed for God’s demonstration of power through ones life. Peter also had to deal with a man who attempted to purchase the power of the Holy Spirit.

The power of God as demonstrated through your life is not given to you for your personal wealth; it is given to you so that God might be glorified through you. When you lose focus of using God’s power for HIS glory and start to use it for your personal benefit, you actually bring discredit to God and these actions are an abomination unto the Lord.

All the good that Gehazi may had done for Elisha did not matter when Elisha pronounced a curse upon Gehazi and his family. Gehazi had sinned, and had at least created the image that Elisha could be bought and that all one had to do is bring payment and their problems would be taken care of. Elisha understood that his power was from God and that God would take care of his needs. Elisha thus by faith pronounced the curse and it came to pass. Gehazi left Elisha’s presence that very day a leper.

The world today has been feed a lot of prosperity preaching. Sermons like Jonathan Edwards “Sinners in the hands of an angry God” are not the predominant message. The world needs to understand that God is love and because of HIS love, HE will punish those who do not accept HIS free gift of salvation. The world does not understand how God could punish someone if HE really loves them. By faith you will proclaim the message of God’s love and HIS judgment.

Faith is used to bring glory to God. By pronouncing judgment upon Gehazi, Elisha caused all to realize that the power of God is not for sale. The power of God can be used in your life not only to do good things but also to allow bad things to happen. Elijah’s faith caused a famine for three and a half years so that God would be glorified.

The purpose of your life is to draw attention to God. God uses both good and evil to cause others to understand that HE is the only God. You need to be prepared to allow God to work through you. Yes, you would love to see God use you to do great good throughout the world, but God can also use you to be the bearer of bad news so that HE can remind the world that they need to repent from their evil ways. The important thing for you is to understand the will of God and obey. Do not attempt to second-guess God.

II Kings 5:10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.

Naaman was the captain of the armies of Syria. While Naaman was a great man, he had a problem in that he had leprosy. Naaman had attacked Israel in the past and had taken an Israelite maid as a servant for his wife. One day, this Israelite maid mentioned that there was a man of God in Israel that could heal Naaman. Naaman did not know who Elisha was so he went to the king and Elisha sent a message to the king to send Naaman to him. However, when Naaman arrived, Elisha did not come and see him but instead, sent a messenger to tell Naaman what he must do to be healed. Naaman was angry with the man of God because he knew there were superior rivers to the Jordan River. However, after Naaman’s servant spoke with him, Naaman obeyed and he was healed.

This little story has four different individuals who demonstrated faith and one individual who demonstrated a lack of faith. The first person who demonstrated faith was the little maid. She had heard of the power of God through Elisha and while there is no evidence that Elisha had healed a person of leprosy before, this maid believed that Elisha was capable of healing her master. This girl did not consider the fact that Naaman was an enemy to Israel or that Naaman had ripped her away from her home, she did not form prejudices but understood that God could heal anyone.

The second individual who demonstrated faith was Naaman. Based upon the words of his servant girl took a long trip to seek healing. Naaman did show a lack of faith when he hesitated at dipping in the Jordan, but in the end, he obeyed, and he was healed.

The individual who did not demonstrate faith was the king of Israel who when presented with Naaman immediately thought of how Syria was seeking a fight rather then thinking back on the power of God being demonstrated through Elisha and sending Naaman to Elisha. The king of Israel tried to limit God to just the God of the Israelites.

The third individual who demonstrated faith was the Naaman’s servant who understood Elisha’s words and believed that his master would be healed if he obeyed. Finally, Elisha demonstrated faith when he gave Naaman a task that if he obeyed, God would heal him. Elisha healed an individual who had attacked Israel. Elisha understood that this was an opportunity for God to be magnified beyond the borders of Israel.

God is not limited in your life. God is not limited by nation, by race, by age, by sex, or by any other limitation that you can create in your mind. God desires to show HIMSELF strong throughout the world and HE is looking for opportunities to do so. You need to have the faith of the little maid who simply understood the problem and understood that Elisha was the man who could solve the problem.

While Elisha may not live today, the same God of Elisha should dwell in your heart. Nothing is too difficult for God. Your faith in God will be evident to those around you. Do others look at you and understand that you have the answer to their problem? Do others know that you serve a living God? Your life should be such a testament to God that people have faith that you have faith. The world should see your faith and believe.

I Timothy 4:12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Paul is instructing Timothy that his age should not be a limitation on his ability to lead the church. While some people may look down on Timothy because of his age, Paul told Timothy to simply be an example of how one should live. Even though Timothy was young, he could demonstrate the way a Christian should behave.

Samuel was a child, while Eli’s sons were committing abominations in the sight of the Lord; Samuel was living his life according to God’s rules and was an example in word.

Prior to killing Goliath, David served Saul with music. Saul loved David and David found favor in the sight of Saul because David was an example of good conduct in both his private and public life.

When Jesus feed the 5,000, he was able to do so because one young boy was willing to give up his lunch in order for others to eat. This lad was an example in love.

Daniel and his three friends refused to compromise their standards and it was evident to all that these young men had a different spirit about them.

Naaman the leper had a young maid who was an example in faith when she told her master that there was a man of God in Israel who could heal her masters.

Joseph was fairly young when Potiphar’s wife tried to have a martial relationship with him. Joseph was an example in purity to all today.

Paul understood that God uses youth to do great things for HIM. When Jesus was on the earth, he rebuked those who prohibited the little children from coming to HIM. Jesus taught his disciples that they needed to have the faith of a little child. While there is wisdom that comes from age, youth can still be an example and remind others of God’s perfect will. Just because Timothy was young it does not mean that he could not minister.

Regardless of your age, others are watching you and you are also to be an example to others on how to live for God. God is looking for those who will be willing to live for HIM and be an example to others. If you are not an example, why should the Lord expand your ministry? If you desire to be used of God, then you need to live what you preach even if it is in the privacy of your own home. As you live Godly behavior, it will become a part of you and God will be able to use you in ways you never imagined.

It is so important that you not only teach others how to live by faith but that you also are an example of how to live by faith. People hear words and they see actions, but of the two, the actions are going to have a greater impact upon their life. That is why testimonies are so powerful. You can preach all day that God will take care of your every need, but an example of how the Lord took care of you will be much more powerful. Is your life an example to others of how to live your life for the Lord? It does not matter your age, you are to be an example so that no one will stumble and fall short of the glory of God. Are you an example in word, conversation, charity, spirit, faith and purity.

Acts 14:27 And when they were come, and they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.

After completing their first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch to give a report. The report was that God had opened the door for Gentiles to believe.

Paul and Barnabas had the blessing of seeing many Gentiles come to God during this missionary trip. However, it was not because of Paul and Barnabas’ ministry that permitted Gentiles to have faith. God never prohibited Gentiles from having faith in HIM. Christ commended two Gentiles for having great faith. God healed Naaman through Elisha because of Naaman’s faith. God put Rahab in the chapter of faith.

There are many Gentiles throughout the Bible who believed God and had faith in HIM. God has always been open to the Gentiles. HE is the same yesterday, today, and forever. However, there had not been an outpouring of the spirit like Paul and Barnabas were experiencing as they faithfully obeyed God and preached the gospel to the Gentiles.

God is open to whosoever will come unto HIM. Paul and Barnabas were willing to go unto those who had never heard. Because the Gentiles believed, there was a good report in Antioch. For a Jew to believe the Gospel, all they had to do was believe that Christ was God’s Son. However, for a Gentile to believe, they had to forsake their false gods and believe that the God of the Jews was the only God.

Ruth is an excellent example of a Gentile who totally rejected her false gods in order to pursue the God of Israel. She turned her back on all her security in order to pursue that which was right. However, Rachel on the other hand when she left her home country she took with her the gods of her father. Rachel was not ready to forsake all.

Paul and Barnabas had seen how the Gentiles totally rejected their false gods in order to serve the one true God. They were able to give a report on how the Gentiles now had the same faith as the believing Jewish Christians had. This report never would have been given had Paul and Barnabas not been willing to obey God.

God is creating a message in you. There may be many things that are occurring in your life that cause you to wonder what God is doing. However, God has a purpose, and that purpose will be revealed as you are patient and you allow HIM to direct your paths. The message God develops in you may be one that you never anticipated. However, no matter what message God creates in you, it will be God who receives the glory.

You must be available to God. This means that you must allow HIM to use you to reach those individuals that HE needs reached. God desires to use you to further spread the Gospel. HE has someone that HE desires that you reach. Will you be available to God to go when HE calls you? Will you be a Philip who was willing to make an unexpected trip into the desert? Will you be a Peter who was willing to obey a vision? If you desire to give a good report to those who believe, then prepare yourself to be used of God to reach someone who everyone believes is unreachable. God can change the heart of a king; HE is not limited by our earthly thinking; HE can change the heart of anyone. The real question is whether you will be the one that God will use.