What Are You Trusting in?
King
James Daily Bible Study Devotional
Message
Title:
What
Are You Trusting in?
Date:
Tuesday April 17, 2012
Today's
Chapters:
2
Kings 1-3
Hello My Friend,
What is is that you are
trusting in to know God and see Him in heaven one day? Is it your
race, your religion, your kindness, obedience, or good? Is it your
faithfulness to church, tithing, volunteering, supporting a cause? Is
it your constant confession of sin, getting baptized, fasting, and
prayer? If you are depending on any of these things to get you to God
and heaven it is time for a reality check. There is only one way to
the only living God and heaven and that through Jesus Christ.
“For
I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren,
my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who
are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and
the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and
the promises; Whose
are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who
is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. Not
as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not
all Israel, which are of Israel:..That
is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the
children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the
seed. Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of
the Gentiles?..And
it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them,
Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the
living God.”
- Romans 9:3-6,8,24,26.
The Book of II Kings is the twelfth
book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains twenty-five chapters.
The author of the book is Jeremiah and it was written to the Israel.
The
timeline for these events took place approximately from 896 BC to 588
BC. The
purpose of the book was to record how God dealt with the Israelites
before the coming of Christ. What we are to learn from the book is
that the kingdoms of this world are only temporal, they will rise and
fall, but are all under God's control. “But
the LORD your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the
hand of all your enemies.”
- 2 Kings 17:39.
After the death of Ahab his son Ahaziah
became king, Ahaziah fell and was seriously ill, frantically
searching for answers Ahaziah looked to the false god he only knew
for answers. God sent Elijah to answer questions that only a living
God can answer. “And
the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not
afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.
And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast
sent messengers to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not
because there is no God in Israel to enquire of his word? therefore
thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but
shalt surely die.”
- 2 Kings 1:15,16.
By the time Ahaziah realized that God was
the only living God who could save him it was too late, he died that
day. Many people are going to be in for a real shock when they have
to stand before Jesus upon their physical death to be cast down to
hell because they never sought the living God. “Not
every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the
kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is
in heaven.
Many
will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy
name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many
wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:
depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
- Matthew 7:21-23.
There is a question that every person will
hear at one point in their lives, “If you died today are you 100%
sure that you will be in heaven?” Not everyone knows that answer to
that question. While we cannot know the hour in which God decides to
separate a soul from it's flesh we can know that our soul will be in
heaven. Amazingly, we do learn of one instance, other than Jesus
ascending up to heaven in the flesh, where Elijah knew when God was
taking him up to heaven. Upon learning this he went to the different
schools of the prophets to give them his last exhortations and
blessing before that miraculous event. While passing through, Elisha
follows him seeking to know God as he did.
“And
it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a
whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal...And Elijah said
unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to
Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I
will not leave thee. And they two went on...And it came to pass, when
they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall
do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I
pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. And he
said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when
I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall
not be so.”
- 2 Kings 2:1,6,9,10.
Three times Elijah told Elisha to stay
where he was, but Elisha refused, saying “As the Lord liveth, and
as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee.” Elisha saw the amazing
blessings that God brought upon Elijah as he served Him, he not only
wanted what Elijah had, he wanted a double portion of it. Jesus tells
all who believe in Him that they will not only do the work He did,
but even more and they will be blessed for it. “Verily,
verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do
shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I
go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will
I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask
any thing in my name, I will do it.”
- John 14:12-14.
Elisha did receive a double portion of the
spirit that Elijah had, but just as fast as he received it God put
him to the test. God wants to make sure we follow through with our
commitment to serve Him, so, He will put us through several tests to
remind us of that commitment. Elisha was put to the test when three
kings approached him. “And
Jehoshaphat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the king of
Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. And
Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get
thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy
mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath
called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of
Moab. And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I
stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat
the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.”
- 2 Kings 3:12-14.
Elisha was not very comfortable about
these three kings coming to him, the only reason he even listened to
them was because of Jehoshaphat, who sought counsel from a man of
God. It is good being with those who have God's favor, and the love
of His people. Wicked men often seem to have the better things in
life, God allows them property for a time in an attempt to give them
a chance to repent. “Brethren,
if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let
him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his
way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of
sins.”
- James 5:19,20.
There is only one living God, who is in the
form of three persons, God, the Father, Jesus, the Son (also known as
the Word in the flesh), and God, the Holy Spirit. “For
there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and
the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”
- 1 John 5:7. These three in one make One Almighty God, who will save
all who come to Him through the Son. Trusting in any other way will
not get you to God or heaven. “He
that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath
not life. These
things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of
God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may
believe on the name of the Son of God.”
- 1 John 5:12,13.
Today's
Psalm:
55:16 - “As
for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.”
Today's Proverb: 11:30 - “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.”
Today's
Prayer:
God, Thank You for loving us so much that You were willing to come
here Yourself in the flesh of man to become a sinless sacrifice in
order us to be able to reach You and heaven. Not by our righteousness
do we know You, but by our faith in what You did in the form of the
Son, Jesus Christ do I receive Your favor as one of Your people. Lead
me and guide me, help me to be a witness and a testimony to those who
do not know You, open my ears to hear when You tell me to speak to
someone about Jesus, and give me Your power and the boldness to speak
the truth and not be offended or intimated by those who refuse to
listen. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Enjoy
the rest of your day/night.
God
Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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