Written by TWFYT
Friday October 4
"Elisha...poured water on the hands of Elisha." 2 Kings 3:11
Elisha started out serving Elijah and, in some ways, ended up surpassing him. In Bible days, servants washed the hands and feet of their masters. Elisha did that. He began with the humble task of pouring water on Elijah's hands and ended up receiving Elijah's mantle and using it to supernaturally part the waters of the river Jordan. For years he cooked meals, washed clothes, and set up Elijah's tent. And when Elijah went to heaven, Elisha received a double portion of his spirit and ended up working twice as many miracles as Elijah. There is an important lesson here. If you enter the service of the Lord wanting to start at the top, you will fail. Why? Because the only promotion that matters comes from the Lord (See Ps 75:6-7). Knowing his time on earth was limited, Paul put in place a succession plan for his ministry. And if you're wise, you will do the same. Speaking to Timothy, his designated successor, Paul writes, "The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men" (2Ti 2:24). When you try to compete with others or exploit circumstances to your advantage in order to get to the top, don't be surprised if God blocks your way. When Peter started in ministry, he was like a racehorse that hadn't been broken: highly strung, impulsive, ambitious. Later he wrote: "Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.' Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you" (1Pe 5:5-6 ESV).
Friday October 4
"Elisha...poured water on the hands of Elisha." 2 Kings 3:11
Elisha started out serving Elijah and, in some ways, ended up surpassing him. In Bible days, servants washed the hands and feet of their masters. Elisha did that. He began with the humble task of pouring water on Elijah's hands and ended up receiving Elijah's mantle and using it to supernaturally part the waters of the river Jordan. For years he cooked meals, washed clothes, and set up Elijah's tent. And when Elijah went to heaven, Elisha received a double portion of his spirit and ended up working twice as many miracles as Elijah. There is an important lesson here. If you enter the service of the Lord wanting to start at the top, you will fail. Why? Because the only promotion that matters comes from the Lord (See Ps 75:6-7). Knowing his time on earth was limited, Paul put in place a succession plan for his ministry. And if you're wise, you will do the same. Speaking to Timothy, his designated successor, Paul writes, "The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men" (2Ti 2:24). When you try to compete with others or exploit circumstances to your advantage in order to get to the top, don't be surprised if God blocks your way. When Peter started in ministry, he was like a racehorse that hadn't been broken: highly strung, impulsive, ambitious. Later he wrote: "Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.' Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you" (1Pe 5:5-6 ESV).
Posted in Daily Devotions
Recent
Archive
2024
January
A NEW YEAR, A NEW STARTTHIS YEAR, DO FIRST THINGS FIRSTNEVER STOP LEARNING (1)NEVER STOP LEARNING (2)GET OUT OF DEBT AND STAY OUT OF DEBTDON'T BE SO CONTROLLINGTHE SEVEN-DAY CHALLENGEPARENT, KEEP PERSEVERINGTURNING TWO FAMILIES INTO ONEPUT YOUR HEART INTO YOUR PARTFOUR PRINCIPLES FOR VICTORIOUS LIVINGTAKE CONTROL OF THE SMALL THINGSDON’T GIVE UPLEARNING TO LISTEN TO GOD (1)LEARNING TO LISTEN TO GOD (2)LEARNING TO LISTEN TO GOD (3)LEARNING TO LISTEN TO GOD (4)SET OTHER THINGS ASIDE AND SERVEGOD AND WORKHOW TO ENRICH AND STRENGTHEN YOUR RELATIONSHIPSPROPHECY FULFILLEDDON'T SHOUT ABOUT ITYOU'RE GROWING IN GRACEWALKING WITH GODYOUR SECRET PLACEWORK ON GROWING CLOSERARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT RETIREMENT?GIDEON'S GOD IS YOUR GODTO GROW WE MUST KEEP ASKING QUESTIONSBE INTERESTED IN EVERYTHING GOD DOES
February
GOD WILL SPEAK TO YOU–IF YOU LISTENDO THE WORDPRAYING WITHOUT SAYING A WORDSHOW GRACE UNDER FIREHAVING JOB SECURITY (1)HAVING JOB SECURITY (2)HAVING JOB SECURITY (3)HAVING JOB SECURITY (4)THE HOLY SPIRIT PRAYS THROUGH YOUYOUR PERSONAL GUIDESTOP AND ASK FOR DIRECTIONSYOUR HARVEST IS ON THE WAYGIVE YOUR CHILDREN CONVICTIONS TO LIVE BYYOUR LIMITED WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITYPULL DOWN THOSE STRONGHOLDSUSE THE GIFT GO GAVE YOUFINDING SELF-WORTHMUZZLE YOUR MOUTHCHOOSING A LEADERGOD KNOW'S WHAT'S BEST FOR YOUARE YOU TIRED OF LIVING IN DEFEAT?MAKE AN IMPACTBE PATIENT, GOD IS AT WORKLIVE THE LIVING WORDTAKE TIME TO WONDER AND WORSHIPBE A DISCIPLE OF JESUSTO BE CONFORMED IS TO BE CREATIVELIVE IN THE “HERE AND NOW”YOU NEED GOD'S HELP
March
GOING FORWARD OR GOING BACKCOME OUT OF THAT CORNERTELL THE TRUTHBELIEVE GOD FOR GREATER THINGSHONOR GOD, AND HE WILL HONOR YOUMOVING FROM FAILURE TO SUCCESS (1)MOVING FROM FAILURE TO SUCCESS (2)THE RIGHT ATTITUDE (1)THE RIGHT ATTITUDE (2)STRONG, FIRM AND STEADFASTRAISING GREAT KIDS IN A TROUBLED WORLDRAISING GREAT KIDS IN A TROUBLED WORLD (2)RAISING GREAT KIDS IN A TROUBLED WORLD (3)RAISING GREAT KIDS IN A TROUBLED WORLD (4)RAISING GREAT KIDS IN A TROUBLED WORLD (5)ARE YOU HOOKED ON PORNOGRAPHY?YOU CAN RISE ABOVE WORRY (1)YOU CAN RISE ABOVE WORRY (2)YOUR BOAZ SEASONSTAND ON GOD'S WORD (1)STAND ON GOD'S WORD (3)STAND ON GOD'S WORD (4)STAND ON GOD'S WORD (5)GOD WILL FORGIVE AND RESTORE YOUDON'T STRIKE BACKARE YOU A TRUE FRIEND?
April
EVIDENCES OF CHRIST'S RESURRECTION (3)EVIDENCES OF CHRIST'S RESURRECTION (2)EVIDENCES OF CHRIST’S RESURRECTION (1)THE RIGHT BALANCEWHEN YOU GO THROUGH DIFFICULTIES (3)WHEN YOU GO THROUGH DIFFICULTIES (2)WHEN YOU GO THROUGH DIFFICULTIES (1)STORMPROOFED FOR LIFEARE YOU STRESSED OUT? (1)LEARN TO LISTEN TO YOUR MARRIAGE PARTNERREADY…GO!ARE YOU STRESSED OUT? (2)ARE YOU STRESSED? (3)DO WHAT GOD’S WORD SAYSSTOP COVERING IT UP