Have you ever had days where you are just not motivated? Maybe you feel like you are stuck in life. Feel like you’re in a rut? You have hit a major bump in the road. Your desires and dreams seem to be on hold. You want things to be different. Like most of us, we can’t see our way out. We look at change as something painful, dramatic, and difficult. You may be in a hard place right now. Sometimes you think, how did I get to this place in my life? How many times have we seen people that we know and say, ” If they would only change things would be much better for them.” Why is it so hard to change?
In this story today we find God’s people amid a famine due to war. 2 Kings 6-7:The Syrians under Ben-Hadad ordered a full-scale invasion of Samaria. The siege caused famine in the city, and the king of Israel blamed the prophet Elisha for their misery. The famine was so bad they were eating scraps, and even cannibalism (2 Kings 6:24-29). And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it until an ass’s head was sold for four-score pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver [2Kings 6:24-25]. Anything that could be eaten was sold at a high price-(inflation). It is easy to blame others or situations for the challenges we are facing. Do you know God’s grace is bigger than your failures and mistakes?
Now the story of four lepers. They were outside the city gate and were having a very serious conversation. It was a life and death situation. 2 Kings 7:3-4 (NKJV)-3 Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to one another, “Why are we sitting here until we die?4 If we say, ‘We will enter the city,’ the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. Now, therefore, come, let us surrender to the army of the Syrians. If they keep us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall only die.” Life can be like that where we have to make tough decisions. Regardless of the outcome they made a decision. Time to put on the grace pants and move forward. Change is about taking risks sometimes. Getting out of our comfort zone. Here is a great quote, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.“
If we want change in our lives we have to do something different.
As it turned out God caused the Syrians to fight against themselves and flee leaving all their tents, food, and livestock. 2 Kings 7:6-8 (NKJV)-6 For the LORD had caused the army of the Syrians to hear the noise of chariots and the noise of horses–the noise of a great army; so they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to attack us!”7 Therefore they arose and fled at twilight, and left the camp intact–their tents, their horses, and their donkeys–and they fled for their lives. 8 And when these lepers came to the outskirts of the camp, they went into one tent and ate and drank, and carried from it silver and gold and clothing, and went and hid them; then they came back and entered another tent, and carried some from there also, and went and hid it. The lepers overwhelmed by such a good fortune realized that they needed to let God’s people know what happened. They didn’t keep the good news to themselves. 2 Kings 7:16 (NKJV)16 Then the people went out and plundered the tents of the Syrians. So a seah of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.
I guess the famine was over! Food was abundant. It turned out that these men made the right choice. In facing certain death they refused to just sit around. There are times in life when we just can’t be passive. In Matthew Gospel, it reads Matthew 11:12 (NKJV)-12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. The Passion Translation: Matthew 11:12 (PassionNTPsa)-12 From the moment John stepped onto the scene until now, the realm of heaven’s kingdom is bursting forth, and passionate people have taken hold of its power. When facing barriers, and blockades we just can’t throw up our arms and surrender. We need to ask God how to move forward. We can’t allow self-pity to render us inactive.
Exodus 14:13-16 (NKJV)-13 And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.14 The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”15 And the LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward.16 But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. We have an enemy that pursues us, tries to discourage us, and makes us afraid. To keep us from our destiny. We cry,” Oh God get us out of this situation.” God’s response,” OK, here is what you got to do, Move Forward!” The enemy was behind them the Red Sea in front of them. It seemed like no way out. Well God made a way where there seems to be no way.
The Lord told Moses to use what was in his hand. “Lift your rod and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it.” We know the end of the story. A huge miracle took place, defying all natural reasoning. Sometimes we need to use what is in our hand. The Rod represented the authority of God. For us, the Word of God is our rod. Lifting God’s Word over the obstacles we are facing. The Word of God spoken with authority is a game changer. It can clear a path for us to walk in. The Israelites walked through on the dry ground. It took faith and trust to do that, not fearing the water coming back over them. God took care of what was in front of them and behind them. God wants us to reach our promised land.
I like what Apostle Paul says in Philippians. Philippians 3:12-14 (NKJV)-12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Apostle Paul had a lot to overcome (2 Cor 11:25-28). It was by the grace of God and his love for Christ and pursuing Him. I like the Passion Translation. Philippians 3:12 PassionNTPsa)- 12I admit that I haven’t yet acquired the absolute fullness that I’m pursuing, but I run with passion into his abundance so that I may reach the purpose that Jesus Christ has called me to fulfill and wants me to discover. I don’t depend on my own strength to accomplish this; however, I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead. I run straight for the divine invitation of reaching the heavenly goal and gaining the victory-prize through the anointing of Jesus.
Author and speaker Edwin Cole had a great quote: “Your best friend and worst enemy are both in this room right now. It’s not your neighbor right or left – and it’s not God or the devil – it’s you.” No matter what you’re facing you have a choice to make the changes you need to accomplish God’s purpose in your life. “You don’t drown by falling in the water; you drown by staying there.”–Edwin Cole. So how does this all happen? What steps do I take? In Galatians, we read, Galatians 1:15-18 (NKJV)-15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace,16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood,17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.
After being saved on the road to Damascus, Paul hid himself for three years. What was he doing? Christ was being revealed in him. God was building the man before the message and ministry.
If we want to see change it must happen on the inside before we see it on the outside.
Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV)-10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Spending time with God in prayer is essential. Planting God’s Word in your heart is a key that will bring change in our lives. It takes time and effort. You can’t microwave it. Look at Psalm 139:16 (MSG)-16 Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day. God’s will is not automatic, you have something to do about it. You have to agree with God. You have to walk it out by faith and obey His leading. God by His grace can only get you from where you are to where you need to be.
“God never ends anything on a negative; “God always ends on a positive.”-Edwin Cole.
Apostle Paul’s instruction to his son in the faith.2 Timothy 4:5-8 (NKJV)-5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. God wants us to fulfill His plan for our lives. To finish our course, to keep the faith. There are times we get discouraged, that we want to quit. Yet there is something deep within our hearts that says no. We get up, shake the dust off, and move forward. I refuse to sit here any longer. The goal is Christ. I know that when we pray, when we seek the Lord, hide his word in our hearts, and whatever is in our hands to do, let us start there. Touching one life at a time.
God authors desires in your heart, then fulfills His Will by enabling you to realize those desires. Edwin Cole
Psalm 37:23-24 (NKJV)-23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way.24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand.
I almost forgot -you don’t have to figure it all out to move forward! (Prov 3:5-6).
In Christ’s Love;
Brent and Linda Bushen
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