After following the power-filled life of the ancient prophet Elijah, today’s chapter shows just how liberatingly different his successor is…
READ 2 Kings 4 Make notes, if you’d like, of what stands out for you. Feel free to use the “Leave a Comment” box below to also write some of your thoughts.
A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
For 28 of my adult years, I saw certain traits in myself that no one else seemed to have around me. Worse still, the “real me” seemed to be at odds with the culture of the organisation that I was working for. It wasn’t until I read the book Strengths Finder 2.0 that I discovered that those “weaknesses” were actually my strengths, and I’d wasted 28 years being dissatisfied with myself and wanting to be someone other than “me”!
Today’s chapter lays within a concentrated period of divine power displayed in the Creator God’s epic storyline. Over the past few days, I’ve seen that Elijah and Elisha are two very different people displaying the Creator God’s power is very different ways. On a human level, Elisha may have been tempted to want to be like (or even better than) his predecessor.[a] Certainly the scene with the two bears mauling 42 naughty boys, showed that the same divine power was at his disposal.[b]
But if the Creator God were a diamond, He’d have 7+ billion facets – each facet for the 7 billion reflections of Himself that are currently walking about the planet today. So one thing seems clear to me from the experiences of the 40+ writers on the Stage in the Creator’s epic play: Father God wants me to be myself. Only in doing this will I reflect, to an appropriate level, something of the multifaceted nature of the One whose image I bear. Instead of focusing on what everyone else is doing, I need to be liberated from dissatisfaction by fixing my eyes in HIM…
Read More? …CLICK on “18 June – Additional Notes”
But what about your thoughts – can you tell me what today’s “breadcrumb” is? Leave a note in the “Comments” box below to tell me what you think of today’s chapter.
Finding it hard to speak directly with your All-Powerful Maker? The rest of this webpage uses Jesus’ own prayer to help…[c]
THE LORD’S PRAYER:
1. Praise: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come! Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven …”
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy! For You, Lord, will judge the peoples with uprightness and guide the nations on the earth. Let the peoples praise You, O God! Let all the peoples praise You! [Psalm 67:4-5]
2. Ask: “…Give us today our daily bread…”
The World: Pray for the people of Iceland[d]
Your Country: Needs of work & school friends
Yourself: Opportunities to serve God
Your concerns for today
Compared to You, Father God, I worry about small things – like plants that come up overnight and perished overnight – things for which I didn’t work and which I didn’t cause to grow. But You have compassion on the masses who don’t know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as all the animals. [Jonah 4:10-11]
3. Admit: “…Forgive us our sin as we forgive those who sin against us…”
You O Lord, are slow to anger and great in power. Yet I also know that You, Lord, will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. In whirlwind and storm is Your way, and clouds are the dust beneath Your feet. [Nahum 1:3]
4. Protect: “…Lead us not into temptation but delivers us from evil.”
Thank-You Lord my Maker, that the Spirit You gave isn’t a spirit of timidity. On the contrary, it’s a Spirit of power, love and self-discipline. [2 Timothy 1:7]
“For Yours Lord is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory now and forever. Amen!”
When questioned, tested, tricked or in His hour of great need, Jesus spoke what was previously written in God’s Word.[e] So, the final section on this page is about memorizing the script through 10 topics. Following these will help you learn 52 portions from the bible in a year! THIS WEEK’S MEMORY VERSE: Using our Gifting
“God also testified to this salvation by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will.” [Hebrews 2:4]
[a] 2 Kings 2:9-10
[b] 2 Kings 2:23-25
[c] Matthew 6:5-15
[d] http://www.operationworld.org/country/icel/owtext.html
[e] Matthew 4:4,6,7,10; 11:10; 21:13; and 26:24,31