Read: 2 Kings 6:1-7:20; Acts 15:36-16:15; Psalm 142:1-7; Proverbs 17:24-25
Elisha saved a drowning axe-head by throwing a stick into the water. It floated to the top so the prophet was able to give it back to its owner.
Aram was at constant war with Israel but Elisha kept feeding the king of Israel with secret intel of Aram’s strategy. When the king of Aram questioned his leaders to find the mole, he found that it was Elisha who was giving away their secrets to Israel. He sent his army to surround the city that Elisha was in.
The next morning Gehazi woke to see the army of Aram on all sides. He anxiously asked Elisha what they would do and Elisha prayed that Gehazi’s eyes would be opened so he could see what Elisha saw. When God opened Gehazi’s eyes he saw the army of God surrounding the army of Aram and they were much more powerful. As the army approached the city, Elisha prayed that God would blind their eyes and he did. Elisha went out and told the army that they were at the wrong city but he would lead them to the one they were seeking. He lead them to the middle of Samaria where the king was. Then he prayed that their eyes would be opened. Elisha told the king of Israel to feed them and send them home.
Aram’s army didn’t attack again for some time. When they did, they came for Samaria and laid siege to it. This caused a severe famine for Samaria and the king blamed it on what Elisha had done to the army the last time. He sent messengers to cut Elisha’s head off but instead Elisha gave them a word that by tomorrow, a seah of flour would sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria. The officer said that even if the Lord should make windows in heaven, it could not happened. (Little did he know that there are windows in heaven. Genesis 8:2, Malachi 3:10.) So Elisha told him that since he didn’t believe, he would not live to see it.
There were 4 lepers who came to Samaria and knew that if they were allowed to come through the gates, they would die of the famine so they decided to fall on the mercy of the Armenians and turn themselves over to them. When they went to their camp they found it fully supplied with provision but fully empty of soldiers. After getting their fair share, they decided to share their bounty with the king. They sent news to him and when his scouts found out the news was true, the whole city stormed the gates. The man who hadn’t believed Elisha was put in charge of the gates and was trampled to death. Everything that Elisha had said came true.
God can do the impossible when we need him to. He made the axe-head float, saved Elisha more than once and saved Samaria even though they were a wicked city. God’s goodness and loving kindness knows no end.
In Acts we see the struggles of the early church. Even they had splits and differences of opinions. Paul and Barnabas parted but God used both of them to carry on the spreading of the gospel. Paul and Silas went through Syria and Cilicia where Barnabas and Mark went to Cyprus.
In Lystra, Paul and Silas met Timothy who had a Jewish mother and a Greek father. So that Timothy could be more effective with the Jews, Paul circumcised Timothy and he traveled with hem through out the churches encouraging them in their faith.
An angel came to Paul in his dream one night beckoning him to come to Macedonia. They went there and on the Sabbath, they went to the temple to speak. A rich woman named Lydia heard their message was saved. She invited them to her house for lunch.
Lord, nothing is impossible with you - great or small. We trust you with your goodness in our lives that all is working for our good.
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