173. It is not light thing

2 Kings 3:4  Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he had to deliver to the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. But when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. So King Jehoram marched out of Samaria at that time and mustered all Israel. And he went and sent word to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to battle against Moab?” And he said, “I will go. I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” Then he said, “By which way shall we march?” Jehoram answered, “By the way of the wilderness of Edom.”

So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. And when they had made a circuitous march of seven days, there was no water for the army or for the animals that followed them. Then the king of Israel said, “Alas! The Lord has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here, through whom we may inquire of the Lord?” Then one of the king of Israel’s servants answered, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.” 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 to the king of Israel, “What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother.” But the king of Israel said to him, “No; it is the Lord who has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.” And Elisha said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not that I have regard for Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would neither look at you nor see you. But now bring me a musician.” And when the musician played, the hand of the Lord came upon him. And he said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘I will make this dry streambed full of pools.’ For thus says the Lord, ‘You shall not see wind or rain, but that streambed shall be filled with water, so that you shall drink, you, your livestock, and your animals.’ This is a light thing in the sight of the Lord. He will also give the Moabites into your hand, and you shall attack every fortified city and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree and stop up all springs of water and ruin every good piece of land with stones.” The next morning, about the time of offering the sacrifice, behold, water came from the direction of Edom, till the country was filled with water.

Isaiah 49:6     he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Isaiah 42:6     “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations,

Isaiah 60:3   And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

Luke 2:32   a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

John 1:4-9    In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.  He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.  The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

Acts 26:18    to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

The miracles of God which seem hard are not for God.  They are a light thing.  Think about it. God created all there was from the voice of His mouth.  Universes, galaxies, light, every living thing, and mankind.  God creator, our Heavenly Father, our Redeemer Jesus Christ, and our helper the Holy Spirit, are all of God.  It is a light thing for Him to do what we think impossible.  It is not something we should think a light thing for us to honor Him, worship Him, glorify Him, follow Him, obey Him, rely on Him, and trust in Him.  This is our purpose in life.  What is not light for God should not be thought of light by us.  Forgiveness, repentance, and humble service to Jesus Christ require us to see this as a BIG THING from God to us.  Pray that God will open your heart and mind to the depth and width of His love demonstrated in and through Jesus Christ.

165. Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal

1 Kings 19:9  There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” And the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

Isaiah 24:17-18    Terror and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth!  He who flees at the sound of the terror shall fall into the pit, and he who climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble.

Deuteronomy 32:23-26    “‘And I will heap disasters upon them; I will spend my arrows on them;  they shall be wasted with hunger, and devoured by plague and poisonous pestilence; I will send the teeth of beasts against them, with the venom of things that crawl in the dust.

Doesn’t seem as though some days or periods in our life we just go from bad to worse?  We just seem to climb out of a trial only to fall into the next one. There are times when these are of our own doing and then there are times of God’s refining.  It is always going to be better when it is God’s refining rather than our own undoing.  When God is refining us, He leads us through trials that will grow our faith, strength, hope, reliance, and trust in Him.  When our undoing is because of our own consequences, then the trials we face defeat, weaken, and harden, our heart, stiffen our neck, and make us deaf and blind to things of God.

Walking each day with God will keep us from our own undoing.  Walking with God will renew you, encourage you, give you wings like eagles, and give you satisfying purpose in all you do.

5 – The mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around

Psalms 91:11  For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

Psalms 34:7     The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

Psalms 71:3     Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

2 Kings 6:16-17     So he sent there horses and chariots and a great army, and they came by night and surrounded the city. When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”  Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Hebrews 1:14     Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation

Proverbs 3:6     In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Isaiah 31:1     Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the LORD!

It takes time to learn that but when we are our weakest or in our lowest is when God is our all in all.  Likewise when we are our strongest and highest is when God is but a second thought.  What would our lives be like if He was all in all at all times?  What does it take to keep God all in all at all times?  Think about a weak or low time – how much of your day was occupied seeking, relying on, and clinging to God?  Now compare this to a time when you not low or weak – how much of your day was occupied seeking, relying on and clinging to God?  Our heart, mind and soul are in a battle with our sinful nature and humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying God.  Praise God for His steadfast love that does not cast us aside like we do to Him.  Make commitment to desire and seek Him.

We are not alone

If God is for us, who can be against us

Oh God, open our eyes that we may see the wondrous work of Your hand.  Open our mind that we may understand Your awesome power and might over everything there is.  Open our heart to receive and know Your grace, mercy, and love.  Open our ears that we may hear Your leading and guidance.  Open our mouth with Your words that we may speak of your love, show grace, mercy, kindness, hope and faith.

Matthew 26:53
Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels

2 Kings 6:15
When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha

2 Chronicles 32:7
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, for there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people took confidence from the words of Hezekiah king of Judah