Tag: good confession
“All is Well”
Scripture reading for July 29: 2 Kings 4:32-36 “When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the Lord. Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. Then he got up again and walked back and forth in the house and went again and stretched himself upon him. The child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. Then he summoned Gehazi and said , “Call the Shunammite.””
In today’s story, the Shunammite woman had put up Elisha and fed him. She even had her husband build a small room for him to stay when he came that way. In return, Elisha inquired how he might bless her. His servant Gehazi saw that she was old but had no children. So Elisha called the woman and spoke prophetically of a son being born. (2 Kings 4:14-17) The child was born and grew up.
One day the child became ill with a severe headache. He sat on his mother’s lap and died. She laid him on Elisha’s bed in her home and went quickly to find the man of God. She pleaded with Elisha for help. Elisha sent his servant with his staff and gave instructions to lay the staff on the boy without any delay. Upon arriving, nothing had changed. Elisha and Gehazi, his servant, went into the room and prayed. The next thing Elisha did was stretch his own body out on the boy’s body until he became warm. He paced and prayed again and again stretched his body on the boy’s body. This time the boy sneezed seven time and woke up from death! He was restored to his elderly mother and father!
From this story, we see the importance of seeking elders who know how to pray when there is a great need. (James 5:14-15) Also, we observe that the woman did not confess the child’s death except to the man of God. (2 Kings 4:26) She confessed “All is well” before the healing. The man of God sent the symbol of his authority in his staff with the servant. When he arrived, he and his servant got alone and prayed. From the prayer, the steps of healing came forth and he obeyed. The answer came! All was well as faith brought the victory!
“Give me that mountain!”
Scripture reading for March 6: Joshua 13-17
Some people are positive and exude strength and courage! God commanded Joshua and the nation of Israel to be strong and courageous! (Joshua 1:8) When we choose to believe God’s Word and act on it, our lives change from sight-driven to faith-driven. Caleb’s destiny changed from “dying in the desert” to “possessing the promised land”! In our reading today, we listen in on Caleb as he prepares to receive his portion of inheritance in the promised land.
Caleb and Joshua are the only two left out of 603,550 Israelite males that left Mt. Sinai for the promised land. (Numbers 1:46) They were two of the twelve spies and the only ones to bring back a good report! God rewarded them by sparing their lives and allowing them to have what they proclaimed in faith! (Numbers 14:24) Caleb’s inheritance included the fortress at Hebron where the Anakites lived. (Joshua 14:15) They were large people and renowned fighters. This made no difference to Caleb! He was still confident in God’s ability to give him the land! (Joshua 14:12) Joshua blessed Caleb and sent him off to his inheritance!
Caleb is one of my favorite people in the Bible. He exudes confidence! He maintains an attitude of faith and confidence even in his older years. At 85 we find him strong and vigorous and ready for battle! He isn’t in retirement or sitting out life in a rocking chair. He understands what belongs to him, and is ready to take it and possess it! He is praising God and making the good confession! That’s my kind of man!
What obstacle do you face today? What excuses have you been making for not attacking it? Learn from Caleb how to walk by faith and confess God’s ability to help you! “Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the desert. So here I am today, 85 years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day! You yourself heard that the Anakites were there and that their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as He said!” (Joshua 14:10-12)