Elisha:: Man of Faith

Beginning, I mean at the end but this I kind of think it's like every kind of think of showing Christ to others and what I have here is a I'm going to start with one of those Bible project video and there's a series usually we show the ones that are like each book of the Bible and kind of gives a little explanation. He has that they've got they finished doing all the books in the Bible at the Bible project. So then now they're doing like themes and topics and one of the themes was how to understand the Bible and how to understand the Bible in in stories and that the Bible as literature cuz the Bible is parts of it are stories parts of it or poetry parts of it or more just like directed instructions on living and so they're kind of different ways of looking at that the part where on today Is is a story we're going to be talking about the story of Elisha and Naaman and it's a great story and I'm looking forward to it. But I think one of the things they do here is kind of bring up some of the themes and ways to see stories and themes throughout the whole Bible and I think this helps and I think you'll see some of the things they bring up that are typical throughout many stories in the Bible. You'll see some of those in today story. So I thought it might be good just to start with that. So we're going to show you that we've been exploring how biblical narratives work and it turns out stories in the Bible or like any other story. You got to pay attention to the characters the setting and plot elements together how to detect design patterns in biblical narrative. What do you mean by Design patterns will the element characters setting and plot? Series of repeated patterns that we've through story after Story and tie them all together. When you notice these patterns, you'll see how different stories across the whole Bible have been coordinated to emphasize the sounds interesting but how do you know how to find a bib pattern the best way to catch on is to watch them in bed key words and images that link stories together take for example, one of the main themes of the Bible that complex and tragic Human Condition. So let's start at the beginning where God is making a really good World write 7. * it says God saw that it was good important words and fly and they're told that everything is good for them to eat except for the tree of knowing good and evil, so then the humans doubt they see that it's good to take this knowledge for themselves. To become wise and then finally they take what they want and everything falls apart. This story is about The Human Condition a really powerful story, but the biblical authors don't leave it there. They turn it into a pattern. It happens again with Abraham and Sarah God brings them into the promised land promises them a child, but they don't trust God they get impatient and we read the same words. They see their Egyptian slave they take her and do what is good in their eyes to get it. Yeah the stories match then you get to Aaron at Mount Sinai and wearied how Pete's teased and then takes the gold of the Israelites to make the golden calf or there's a story about Aiken who sees the gold of the Canaanites. He desires it and takes it for himself this pattern highlights how one person's Temptation can create suffering for men people. Exactly. It's just like the story of saw where we read that the Israelite see him. They desire him and take him as their King so they can be like all the other nations and sauce train leaves them. Destruction were there is the story of David which says that he sees Bathsheba desires her and then takes her and then killed her husband and then David's family starts destroying each other. So you see if just one basic seem repeated over and over the stores are all designed to show the Temptation pattern which is kind of a downer but the repetition build up anticipation and break the pattern. This is why the stories of Jesus have been designed to carry the patterns forward to their climax really like what does Jesus say when he's faced with his greatest temptation to avoid dying on the cross not my desire, but your desire be done. So the pattern flips and you have one person resisting temptation and his suffering provide life for many very cool. Can we do one more thing? How about a big one? How God brings Humanity through chaotic Waters into a new world. It starts on page one where God separates the dark chaotic Waters. Images of the home for humans to flourish in the pattern reappears with the chaotic Waters of the flood Noah and his family so that they can step onto dry land to become Humanity 2.0 basic storyline remind you of anything else. I'll write the famous Exodus story through the waters onto dry land while pharaoh and his army destroyed the pattern repeats later with Joshua and Israelite they pass through the waters of the Jordan into the Promised Land by later biblical authors will project this pattern into the future like Isaiah up for a new Exodus with a new king leading God's people forward into a new creation. And in this repetition the Nations become the chaotic Waters, so you can see how combining all these patterns brings us to Jesus that story of Jesus going to the Jordan River. Waters and back out again is baptism. That's when God announces that Jesus is his son who will rescue the world from the chaos of our evil and violence by going into death and out the other side. This is why baptism became such a big deal for Jesus's followers. It's about participating in this ancient pattern going through the waters of death following Jesus into the new creation. These design-patterns seem really important. Actually the main way biblical authors have unified these hundreds of stories together and every pattern developed The Core theme throughout the whole biblical story that leads to Jesus great. That's biblical narrative, which makes up over 40% of the Bible.

He's going to go on explain some more but that's the end of that. But I think that you'll see some of these same pattern over there were two patterns they show and they're both happen to be at today story. So that's why I thought it was appropriate but I do think that this whole concept of as you read through the Bible to kind of get a feel for the flow of it what's happening. There are things that are very repetitive that but my somebody wants told me and I think it's really true that if God keeps repeating the same thing over and over from different ways. Maybe it's important. Okay, maybe if I take it from there, so let's just go back on Tor story 2nd Kings 5 naming the commander of the Syrian Army. I'm sorry commander of the army of the king of Syria. So just to kind of get map. Where are we serious? So serious the part up in the upper right hand corner there outside of Israel. And so that's where he's the king. He's a commander of the Army in Syria. He was a great man. With his master and high favor because by him the Lord had given Victory Syria. He was a mighty man of Valor. So this name and was the one of the top Commander. He was the commander of the army and he been very successful victorious in his things but he was a leper so we had leprosy when we talk about leprosy. I did some studying leprosy what's called leprosy today may or may not be what was called leprosy in the Bible in the bible really any skin type of problem would be called leprosy and then in Leviticus. They had a whole process where you go the priest looks at it and part of what you would do is quarantine and sometimes people get well then make its okay its clean you come back in or sometimes it didn't so even what they called leprosy today is called Hansen's Disease and it's very extremely once you get it. There's not relate nowadays. They give us some Missing stuff that for years and years your hands and fall off your fingers and fall off you your skin would just be generate completely and that was what people called leprosy. It could be part of that or it could be something different not hundred percent sure the the medical literature from the $0.01 1000 years before Christ is a little sketchy. We just going to have these stories so but they said he's got some kind of skin. Probably some kind of thing that seems to be a major problem and they look at it as a problem. So he was a leper now the Syrian on one of their rated carry off a little girl from the land of Israel and she work in the service of namans wife. So they had gotten she had a Israelite girl. She's a slave girl and she said you were mistress. What would that my Lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria? He would cure him of his leprosy. Like wow if he was there where Elijah is that's the problem. She's referring to wow, you know what he could heal him of his leprosy. So named and went in told his Lord the sand so it spoke the and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel and the king of king of Syria said go now and I will send the letter to the king of Israel. So okay. I'm going to send you over there with the letter to the king. So you went Taking with him ten talents of silver 6000 shekels of gold and 10 changes of clothing. So whenever I see these numbers and personally, I just don't really do much in talents. Like it's not a unit that I'm very familiar with so I was trying to figure out like how much is that and it's quite a bit. So if you notice I have a bag here this bag. Is my son Michael when he was a probably about 10 years old. He had a penny collection. And he start collecting pennies and then my in-laws married and fit family. They had a I got old 5 gallon water bottle the glass ones and they would put their pennies into it. And so then he any other eventually we were moving. We had all these pennies in there and we bump the thing and broke it and we had glass and pennies everywhere. So we put them in this bag. So this bag I waited this morning because I start thinking about this and how much was a talent etcetera and so Hey, how's it go here? Although I have the value of a silver. It's a so he has one pallet is about 75 pounds. So he had 75 lb and I looked up the spot price of silver on Friday was a little over $200. So 75 lb each pallet is worth about $15,000 and then so that he had about $150,000 in silver with him this bag weighs about 45 lb, so it's about you know, just did a little quick math on my calculator comes out to about .6 talents. So this is about little over half of a talent. So if you want to pick it up you get the idea that it was Teddy 75 lb of coin and then the gold the value is gold. 1 shekel, because he had a 1 shekels about a quarter of an I mean about 2.4 Oz and that he had six thousand of those. So that's why I was trying to figure out that and I was looking at the weight of coins in online. How much does a coin weigh? So the point 4 oz is almost exactly the same as a half dollar but a gold coin that says that weight is about the size of a quarter but it weighs about like a half dollars are about twice as heavy. So so anyhow, and that the spot price of silver or gold other day when I checked was at $1,222 per ounce so that comes out to about almost 3 million dollars in gold if you had with him and and then he had some clothes and stuff to the I don't know how I don't really have a good way of valuing clothing from back then. Danny brought the letter so he has all this stuff. So number one. He's thinking that this is a big deal. I mean to me it seems like a big deal that I'm where I'm taking money with me to pay for this and I'm taking you know over all over almost 3 million dollars in gold and another hundred fifty thousand and silver and some other stuff. It seems like I'm thinking this is a pretty big deal and I'm willing to give quite a bit to help or to pay somebody to take care of it. It sounds like he's just going to go to a hospital and not have insurance. So he bought the letter he brought the letter to the king of Israel which red when this letter reaches, you know that I have sent to you name and my servant that you make sure him of his leprosy will this was something that they didn't have any treatment and it was no cure and she's the girl said. Hey, maybe the prophet could heal him. So the kitten gets his letter like what you're sending your talk General here was to see his reaction and the king of Israel read the letter he Close and said am I God to kill to make a life that this man send me a send word to me to cure a man of his leprosy. Like what I can't do that. Nobody could cure leprosy can't do it. Then there was no cure you if they would separate that would quarantine and sometimes it would heal up. Sometimes it wouldn't depending on what it was and it could be our skin cancer. It could be but they called leprosy today which there's no cure for that. It could be all kinds of different skin diseases but it was something that you could definitely have any topical ointments. You didn't have cortisone. You didn't you didn't have any of this kind of stuff. So it's like what? Why is he sending somebody here is he says? Only consider and see how he is seeking a coral with me. Look. He just wants to pick a fight. I sent this guy over for you to heal him and you didn't hear him. That's what he's thinking somebody pointed out here. It's a little ironic that the that the little girl and the King thought that he could be healed the king of Israel. He he has some severe doubt. But when Elijah the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes he sent to the Kings saying why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel. And so Elijah pretty much just takes this up as a challenge like okay send him over here. We'll make it but we'll see. There is God and he's here and he's got a profit and yeah bring him here and he's compared to obviously the kids his clothes and say no this can't be done Elijah's like yeah, I can do that. He could do it. So name and came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elijah's house. So he's outside license house. Here's the guy shows up and then he's got quite you know, he's got his money. He's got his three million in gold is 150000 silver. He's got a lot of stuff here and he's you know, and and Elijah sent a messenger to him saying go and wash in the Jordan 7 times and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean. So so first of all, Why should doesn't come out of the house? He send somebody out there and tells the guy hey look go down to the Jordan River and wash 7 times and you're going to be here and okay, and he doesn't even come out to see well name and was angry and went away saying behold. I guess he he's mad. I thought that he would surely come out to me and Stan and call upon the name of the Lord is God and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. in the sink me that's really interesting about this is how we think God has to do something a certain way. And God know we think look here's how he's going to do it and it's funny when you go you start having your idea that God is going to show me this and he is going to show it to me this way. God is going to do this. He's going to do it this way. And and Elijah and Elisha number when he doesn't come out he doesn't pray over Amy doesn't lay hands on him. He doesn't he just says look go wash in the Jordan River. And the guys like what I'm here and he's like I thought he was going to do this and then he goes are not the ad abana and far apart are the rivers of Damascus better than all the waters at Israel. Like look, we've got Rivers there in Damascus. I can just go on to to the river. I didn't need to go to this River like couldn't I just washing them and be clean so you turn away and in a rage and he went he's like mad well, who is this guy think he is and he's really upset about it. Well any mentions Rivers was just going to look at the river. So there's Siri again. Let's pull it up here here Syria and then you can kind of see there's a well. Here's the Jordan River and then here's a bomb goes right through Damascus and then another River are par and and those are the rivers up there. He's like look I can just go by my house. I need to come down here. Like what's up with that? This is ridiculous. And he's really upset about the whole thing since you went away, you know, just really upset and But his service came here and said to him my father it is a great word. The prophet has spoken to you. Will you not do it and ate I know some of the older translations why I learned this King James it was kind of sentence with phrase a little bit differently. It was more like hey if he told you to do some really hard thing or some great thing would you do that? If you would have said like go, you know climb to the top of this mountain and jump off and do this and do that. Then you'll be healed when you do that if he says, it's really a great thing. He said to you. Look he said he's actually said you

You don't have to do that much. I think this sometimes is really a hindrance to God work in our lives is we have it in our mind that God has to do this this this and this and God just said no just believe just do what I said. Just you know, it's kind of like when I put anything together after I keep get to a point where I can't do it. Then I start working some directions around here somewhere, you know like that. Sometimes it's just like be simple enough to just do what God says just do what he says. You know it and I think sometimes it is really true when we're in the middle of something and we have our mind made up that this is the way it's supposed to be and then it doesn't turn out that way and it's like we're upset about it. This is where is kind of another set of eyes looks really you'll be healed like why not? What do you have to lose just do it?

So you went down dip himself 7 times in the Jordan according to the word of the man of God and especially the store that you know, sometimes I've heard people talking about the story. He went down give himself seven times in the river and you know, I don't know how this happened, but he doesn't really say but I tend to agree with the theory that he went there in the end. Okay, I'm going to go hair go down to the river kind of dip down and it looks at it didn't change. No he didn't say dip yourself one time. You said yourself 7 times. Well go down if again GIF again dip again, he's look I've done five. It looks exactly the same as it did. Well, he was getting better and better as it went. Like look at some miracle. This isn't like a treatment for skin disease. They didn't later say hey now, what you do is if you have leprosy just go dip in the Jordan and each time. It'll get a little cleaner a little cleaner a little cleaner to be good. No, it's like this is a miraculous treatment. So he goes 1-2-3 gets down 7th time and he comes up and his flesh was restored like the flash of a little child. He was clean. And it's just like amazing thing that happened. He's like healed and he he thought it was going to be impossible. He brought you don't millions of dollars with him to help pay for whatever treatment he was going to have to have or whatever he needed to pay to make sure this happen and now he's healed and he hasn't done anything other than dipped in the water 7 times in a river that he doesn't think it's as nice as the rivers back home. Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company and he came and stood before him and he said behold. I know that there is no God in all the button Israel. So except now A present from your servant. So he's like healed. He's like, look, let's go back up to where Elijah was were going to go back to his house and he's like look, I believe there's no place that this happened and I think that God Sometimes is so gracious in that, you know, we don't believe its name and wasn't really believing. He he got mad when he told him what to do, but then he was like no he says he said you could be here. All you have to do is just do what he said. And and he's in any way he is and he's healing to miraculous thing in his life is completely changed and he goes from Yo condemned to being an outcast. Nobody wants to be around you so afraid to get sick from you at least or Worse the thing just continuing on to you die too. He's healed and he recognizes look the whole point of this was remember Elijah said send him over here. So he knows that there's a prophet in Israel and he comes back and he's like look, I know that there is no God in all the Earth but in Israel, so except now I present please hear I want to give you something. Can I give you this present and he's got things to give as presents right? He's got all the shekels of gold. He's got the talents of silver. He's got the the clothes. He's got all this stuff. But he said as the Lord lives. This is Elijah speaking. He but he said as the Lord lives before whom I I stand I received none any urge him to take it, but he refused. So he's like look take this. No here. I really wanted to give you this. I want to give you this and he's like no, I'm not going to take it. I think what's going on here?

is

Elijah wants to make it really clear that this is about what God does and what God can do and this isn't he wasn't he wasn't trying. He's not like a Healer that's going to get rich off this guy for healing him know this is god dad and and it's not it's too much it. We don't want to turn it into a quid pro quo. We don't want to turn into look you are healed you so now you pay me this we're not going to do that. I healed you will God healed you but through what I told you to God did that and it's free you couldn't heal yourself. You couldn't there's nothing you could do for yourself. It's only what God to do in your life in this process and you can't pay for it. No, I'm not going to take anything you need sitting. Well, please please please no, no, no, he heard me but he refused forget it. I'm not doing it. the name and said If not, please let there be given to your servant to mule loads of Earth for from now on your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any God, but the Lord like okay, can I well then could I just take a couple mule loads of dirt back with me cuz I want to put that on the ground and I'm going to worship in Israel. But over in Syria. I have to go back. But if I take some dirt from Israel, I can put that down and I'll bow to God on Israeli soil. Okay gives me mad in this matter and then he has this petition. He says in this matter may the Lord part in your servant when my master goes into the house of rim on this is really one of the only place that uses the word Ramon probably most places close at Vail it just another form of Baal into the house of room on to worship their leaning on my arm and I found myself in the house of Ramon when I die myself in the house of room on the Lord. Pardon your servant in this matter. So he's he immediately recognizes that there's a problem with what he's that that if he's bowing down to this Bale or rim on then is in some ways not acknowledging the Lord and he's name and is noticing and he's feeling this and he seems to be feeling some sort of a conviction that I don't know but on the other hand, he he can't go to his boss and say look I'm not going to do this or at least he doesn't feel like he can and he's he's he's look if I go into the house of Rimmon to worship there. the meaning of on my arm and I found myself in the house of Rimmon when I found myself at the house of Ramon the Lord pardon your servant in this matter and he's like look, Like I'm I'm going to go but I don't have to bow down but you know, I don't really want to but could you get can I get forgiveness for this? I think sometimes this is whole element of we get we come in and it is basically Elijah says to him go in. Peace. So I've had somebody say well, well, what does this mean? Does this mean? It's okay to bow down to bail. I don't think so. But I do think it means that sometimes a lie shirt was not going to bow down to bail. He's not he was the disciple of Elijah who had the whole show down with the prophets of Baal in that whole thing. There's no way he's going to be out on the bail on the other hand. Sometimes you're at a point in your walk with the Lord where you're not going to do something or you're going to do something whatever God shown you or not showing you maybe God showing you something. You should do something you shouldn't do or something. You should quit doing or something. You should start doing whatever it is. And it's somebody else. He's just realized that there's a God but I don't see how I can get out of this. I'm going to go in there. And what I do is we go in there and he vows down to this Idol.

And then licenses go in peace. I think one of the things that's going on here is Elijah. Is knowing that you know, what got to work in name is life. He already feels bad about it. What you going to eat? Like he could say look. No, you just can't do it. No, you just you just keep following God. gold piece go in peace, and you know what? There is a place for the Holy Spirit Works in people's life. There's put it you know in the story of Daniel. And it has a 3-1 of somebody said this years ago and I heard at night. It's made an impression on me ever since his Shadrach Meshach and Abednego and they were tossed in the fiery furnace cuz they wouldn't bow down to the idol that King Nebuchadnezzar had built and and tell me is it well what if they would have bowed down? With Dave could have been forgiven afterwards. Yeah. I believe so. I believe there were other Israelis other Jews in the in that group that bow down. It was those three. Some people said Daniel, we don't really know what happened to Daniel. He wasn't in the three that doesn't mean about down doesn't mean he doesn't doesn't say when where the other other Jews that were there. You know, there was a Remnant probably more than 3 but those three that thing that happened with them is that they could somebody have theoretically bow down to look up I got to do it. He's going to kill us if we don't okay, I'm going to bow down. I don't really believe it but I have to do what I have to do. Yeah, of course, they don't get the story about them in the Bible like oh look you're in the Bible because you kind of thought got afraid you did what you had to do and I didn't get it. But that Daniel's three friends are just got here, but here goes this is work going. Peace. We don't know what happened, but go in. Peace. But when naming had gone it from a short distance to haysi. He was shown up before in the story of Elijah. The servant of the man of God said See, my master has spared this name in the Syria in not accepting from his hand what he brought. He's like look, he could have heat he didn't take anything from him. So as the Lord lives I will run after him and get something from him. Soga. Hey, so I followed Damon and when name and saw someone running after him. He got down from The Chariot to meet him and he said is all well and he said all is well. My master sent me to say there have just now come to me from the Hill Country of Ephraim to young man of the sons of prophets. Please give them a pallet of silver and two changes of clothes. Well, it was a pretty good chunk of change their you don't split basically it's about this much silver. So, you know $15,000 with a silver cup. Can I have that to give to him and not you notice? He didn't say. Hey look we we decided we want the money. No, he says look some friends K. They need some money. I've got a friend that needs some money. So maybe could you give him a talent and and then name and he's yes, please but he brought 10 to give away, please any urge them to any tied up two talents of silver in two bags. With two changes of clothes and lay them on two of his servants like I'm sober so it's a pretty good Hefty to say. Hey, look here's a hundred fifty pounds of silver head on back home. Well, it's a little heavy and he's come walking to you since two people to carry it for him and They carried in before to haysi. And so here we go. I have another value chart here was about $15,000 per bag and there were two bags so $30,000 with silver and name and said be pleased to accept the Two Towns. Okay, here we go. This is gone and when he came to the hill, he took them from their hand and put them in his house and he sent them in a way and they departed so you got they carry them to the hill where he lives he gets there. He takes the thing puts it in his house. Okay guys. Thanks a lot for caring that will see you later preciate it so they went then he went in and stood before his master and Elijah said to him. Where Have You Been Jay-Z

and he said your server went nowhere.

Yeah, he's he's name and his I'm sorry Elijah's like okay. Something's going to remember it was interesting because last week in the story was about the story about the shunammite woman and shoot her son died and she gets on her donkey and rides all the way over there and he sees are coming and the Lord hasn't told me anything about this what's going on here? Well this case seems as though the Lord spoken to him. Like Hey, where were you? Where'd you go? Oh.

We are going anywhere.

But he said to him did not my heart go when the man turn from his Chariot to meet you. Didn't did my heart just go out of me then. Was it a time to accept money and garments Olive Orchards and Vineyards sheep and oxen male servants and female servant by the way, the two two talents of silver up when they bought the mountains of Samaria. They paid in 1st Kings 16, it talks about they bought this not in the snow and it was two talents of silver. So it maybe it was something you could buy something with it was a lie. I did a little survey around few people. I know like Mary Lynn and Maria yesterday and and he gave him the silver how much how much money was it? Normally. What do you think $300 or $500?

Until part of this to me is like it wasn't just that. Oh, here's a tip. It was like significant money that he won that he wanted from him that he got from him. Even the first he pieces. What look could you give me 15 grand? Will how about well here just take 30. Okay. Nice. Thank you. And here's some guys to carry it cuz it's heavy and so he gets there and then and then and then he goes on to this Olive Orchards Vineyard sheep send mail service female service. That's all the stuff that I was dreaming about buying with the money. Okay. That's what I think that if that's what he's going to hear is oh, you got some money and some garments and you're thinking with all that money and I'm going to get myself a nice little Orchard. I don't have a nice little Vineyard. I can buy some animals I can get some slaves and I'm going to be set up.

There for the leprosy of name and chuckling to you and your descendants forever. So we went out from his presence a leper like snow so that the leprosy ends up going on to get a stye his servant in the telling of the stories that they were talking about the patterns the biblical patterns that the patterns in the story was a couple things one. This guy is definitely the temptation of I see this I want it I really take it but I go ahead and do and then there's a judgment that comes on and it's just that same story Adam and Eve, you know, Aaron and the golden calf and all that. There's story after story that follow the same pattern that looking at something that has no real right to but he's tempted and he falls into temptation. That's typical story. Then the other one is it's interesting to me. You also have this salvation through Water steam in Naman where he's like, well, I thought he's going to come out here and put his hand on me and wave his arm around and pray and do you know what ever called by God to do whatever he's going to do and he says no go over to the river and get that water themed there too. And it's just all of this points out that first of all God is is in charge God is in control. He doesn't we don't tell God look you have to do this. You have to do that. I'll only accept this. If you do it my way will all the sudden we just switched it to where now what am I God? Who's telling who what to do here? And am I going to just believe what you say or am I not going to believe what you say? And part of this I haven't got the my conclusions. I put it from the point of view of being like in the positions not so much in the position of Naman but more if you think of it and the position of of Elijah and Daisy And how we going to help other people. So that's kind of what I was thinking it the way I kind of wanted to go with this for a conclusion is when we're helping others.

Number one we kind of need to see things God's way. I think here's where you see a lie. She looking at it from God's point of view and the haze. I not looking at it from God's point of view Elijah is is Elijah's look here. It is go dip in the river. He he is really making a big point of not making about him with my second Point kind of goes along with his hug. He's focusing on others. It's like it's not about it's not about Elijah Elijah is like clearly, it's not about me you came over here. I'll show you the prophet that what we're going to do is I'm not coming out. It's not like I'm going to come out and part of the reason. I think he didn't come out and put his hand off name and wave around and pray and call on God to heal him right there is because then for her name and it's going to be in his mind that Elijah is the one who healing And he's like no, it's God is going to heal you and what do you want you to just go dip in the river 7 time you do it God's way do this. Way and sometimes in our lives. We have a we know what we have we have something we're struggling with something. We need to let go of something we went we we thank God I have to do this this and this and he's like no Gods already taken care of all the punishment God's given all the Forgiveness. All you have to do is accept it. That's where we are today at you if we have the idea of a look, here's a check. I'm writing a check while I have to earn it. No, you don't here's a gift. It's a gift you take it you accept that you receive it and and well, I don't want to do it that way. Well, sorry, that's the way God doesn't if it if God if you can pay God for it. It's not a gift if you can earn it. It's not a gift. If you can, well what if I can trade for the if I said, hey look here. I want to give you this gift. And now all you have to do is wash my car every week for the next 2 years.

I'm not sure that that's much of a gift. I mean like that's cool depends. I guess the value of the gift and all that but you know, what a gift isn't that a gift is here you go. I love you here take this and when God is offering us forgiveness offering his salvation offering us, whatever it would he's offering it. He's not saying well you have to do this step that step the step don't know he said here. It's here just take it. It's yours just accept it. Believe receive look at Jesus Paid the price on the cross. I was you know in the all these Temptations and failures and that is such a big part of the reason that story is repeated throughout the Bible it because that's where is repeated in our lives. And we going we said something to temps us we fall for it. We end up having punishments or you know bad consequences at least that we have to deal with as a result of our bad decision and we're like, well, I dug this hole myself and I have to dig myself out of it. I don't know if you ever noticed, but if you had if you keep digging you just go down farther. You don't dig yourself out you dig yourself down and you dig yourself in but you don't dig yourself out and you know what God wants to work in our life. Look when we see things God's way that looked at the way to be forgiven is just give up and give it to God. The way we can help others is them to Christ the way we show the love of God to others is look at other people. What do they eat? Sometimes it's like well, I want to help this person, but they just really frustrate me. Oh, well, maybe you have an opportunity to help them and work through your frustrations and learn how to deal with frustration that maybe God is working in your life like that.

And then let God work, you know when the when name and came back and he's all excited. Like look I'm taking mule loads of dirt back. I'm going to put it on the ground. I'm in a bow down on Israeli soil and I'm going to worship the god of Israel. I'm going to Worship the Lord, but you know what when I go there I guess my job is I have to go in with the King and he worships rim on and I'm going to have to bow down. I don't know what to do. You know what and Elijah goes go in peace. Why because Elijah will just let God do the work. She didn't hear this guy in the first place. I didn't heal him. Elijah sending down to the river and when he went the river the river didn't healing he went in and God healing. And if God could take him from from angry that he tells him to go down into the river and wash and you'll be clean and he's mad that he didn't do this and do that. I don't like anything about the way he said before me to do this and I'm mad I'm not going to let you then his friends like what he said go down to the river.

And and I think Elijah is still at the point of an and what's going on. Hit your life and trust God. He's like look, he's going to go. Look go in peace, because the same God that wouldn't let you just ignore what I said he'll deal with you about going in there and doing what you have to do with your king whether it comes to a point of no, I'm not going to go or he opens the door for you to get out or whatever. God God Is Bigger Elijah doesn't know what God's plan is for 99. Or he's just let God work. Let God see what's going to happen. Let God let God let the situation play out and just see what God does. And it's amazing what God will do you keep trusting God keep walking with God and let God work sometimes when we're deal with other people we get really frustrated or we think if I can just tell you to do this if you'll just do what I say. Okay. Well, just just keep in mind. If you're feeling that way, nobody made you God. And God works and everybody a little differently. So we need to say look, here's what the Bible says. Here's what gods did. Do you know what God will work in your life? Here's the instructions. Look it like it didn't tell him what look didn't force him to go into the river his friend. So I can't you know, you kind of need to think about this.

Now he has to figure out what he's going to do it. Go back. Go in peace your trust in God. Keep trusting it. Keep worshipping God. I think it's worth helping people and encouraging people and pointing people in the right direction. Those are kind of a couple key principles. Look look at it. How is God seeing the situation? That's a great question to ask Focus not on how I feel about it. But what about somebody else is this helping them? Am I what am I doing? That's right to help. And then let God work let God work and sometimes that mean you keep helping and sometimes that means you don't. This is what I could do. If you don't want me to help you there that school will let God work let God work. Look, I really encourage you today. You're the chance to help somebody else. See, how you see how how are you viewing the situation is this? What is God really want you to do in this situation?