Sun.’s Devo - Water to the Thirsty

Read: 2 Kings 3:1-4:17; Acts 14:8-28; Psalm 140:1-13; Proverbs 17:22 Joram ruled over Israel and he tore down the pillar of Baal but still worshiped the golden calves that Jeroboam had erected. Meanwhile, Jehoshaphat was in his 18th year of ruling Judah. *** King Mesha of Moab rebelled against sending tribute to Israel. They usually gave Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. King Joram gathered his troops to go to war against Moab. He invited Jehoshaphat and his army to join them. *** On their way, they picked up the king of Edom and his army. After traveling through the wilderness for 7 days, they ran out of water and were afraid that they would all die. Jehoshaphat asked if there was a prophet of God among the troops. Elisha was with Israel’s men so they called him out. *** When King Joram asked him if they were going to die, Elisha told him the only reason he would help them was because of Jehoshaphat who feared God. He asked for a person who could play a harp to play while he waited on the Lord. *** God responded and said that this dry valley would be filled with pools of water. There would be no rain because if would be a miracle from Him. God would give them victory over Moab and they would conquer the best of their towns. They would cut down their good trees, stop up all their springs and ruin the good land with stones. *** The next day at the time of the morning sacrifice, water started pooling and was everywhere. *** The armies of Moab were camped nearby and when they saw the sun shining across the pools of water, it looked red. They thought it was blood and that the armies had killed themselves so they went in for the plunder, but met live armies instead. It was like Ezekiel’s valley of dry bones became a flesh and blood army. They did everything Elisha had said they would do. *** When the king of Edom saw he was losing, he sacrificed his heir to the throne on the wall. The Israelites then returned home. *** One of the prophet’s widow came to Elisha and told him how her husband served him and now that he was dead, she was in debt and the creditors were coming to take what she had - even her two sons. Elisha asked what she did have. She had one flask of olive oil. Elisha told her to borrow all the empty jars she could find from her friends and neighbors. When she had done that, he told her to start pouring the oil from the flask into them. It filled everyone of the vessels she had, then stopped. He told her to sell her oil and pay her debts and live off the excess. *** Elisha went to Shunem which means “double rest”. Elisha was invited to eat at the home of a wealthy woman and her husband. Her house became a regular stop for Elisha. The woman convinced her husband to build Elisha a room on their roof where he could stay when he came. *** Elisha enjoyed resting in her house and wanted to repay her with a gift. He asked his servant, Gehazi to ask the woman what she would like. She wanted nothing in return, but Gehazi noticed she had no son. Elisha called her to come to him and told her that this time next year she would be holding a son. She begged him not to get her hopes up for nothing. Next year she had a son. *** God brought water out of nowhere when his people called out to him. He caused oil to multiply when the lady was willing to obey. He caused the barren womb to bear fruit in the woman who gave out of her abundance. God can do anything and will do it for the poorest widow to the richest king. *** In Acts, Paul and Barnabas were preaching in Lystra. Paul recognized faith in a man who was crippled from birth. He called him out and told him to stand up. The man leaped to his feet and walked. Some in the crowd yelled that Paul and Barnabas were gods like Zeus and Hermes. They brought bulls and wreaths of flowers to offer a sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas. *** Paul and Barnabas tore their clothes to show that they were just humans like them. They told them they had come to bring them the Good News so they should turn from worshiping idols and worship the true God. *** Some of the Jews from the towns Paul and Barnabas had fled from came and tried to win the people over to their side. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead. The believers gathered around him praying and Paul got up and walked back into town. He and Barnabas left for Derby the next day. *** Many believed in Derbe and they returned to the places they had preached at to encourage the new believers there. They appointed elders for the churches and then preached their way back to Antioch. Back home they reported to the church all the things God had done and how the door had been opened to the Gentiles to receive the gospel. *** Lord, bring water to the dry valleys in our nation. Melt the hearts of stone and make them soft to receive your message of salvation.