Bible Study: God's Love For All 05.01.10

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Today is Saturday May 01, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of II Kings, chapters 1-3. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-may-1

Title: Bible Study: God's Love For All
It is amazing the love that God has for His children, if one of His children has fallen away from Him He will stop at nothing to get them to see that He still loves them, but just wants them to turn from their wicked ways and return to Him. God will use any method possible to get His children to see that they need Him in their lives, sadly, they continue to reject Him, suffer from one trial after another, yet fail to realize that God is telling them to return to Me. God does not just stop at His children, after all He created all people, He wants all to know that He is true and that He loves them too. He gives every person ample amount of time before he/she leaves this earth to turn from the world and turn to Him. God will not be mocked, even by the world, especially if they mock one of His children. No matter how much one ignores or tries to hide from God, no matter how many false gods one tries to make up, and no matter how much one tries to improve their ways, they can not escape the fact that God does exist, He knows what is going on, and He is going to get all to see that He is in control and always will be.

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 Israelites. 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 rise and fall and are all under God's control.

After Ahab died, his son Ahaziah reigned, he was just as wicked as his parents and since the land was weak and without the strength of God, Moab, whom with David made peace with them, rebelled against Israel and once again they were at war. “Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease. But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? Now therefore thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.” - II Kings 1:1-4. While in his home, Ahaziah fell and landed on some lattice that had broken, leaving him deathly hurt. Fearing the answer from God, he sought to inquire of a false god, Baalzebub, was literally a god of flies. Elijah is telling him through God, you know there is only one God that can help and He is still in Israel, because you seek help from a false god you will surely die. Sin weakens us and if we get too far into it we will fear God in a way that causes us to hide from Him rather than just confess and accept the consequences of our actions. “If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” - I Peter 4:14-17. We will all face judgment from time to time, but those who reject the God and turn to false gods will surely face far worse judgment than any Christian will suffer. God knows our hearts and knows whether or not we truly have accepted Christ into our lives or seek false gods for help.

Now, the ministry of this great prophet was finished and a new successor was about to take his place. Ten years before Elijah's departure in a chariot of fire, God told him that he would anoint a new prophet named Elisha and now this was taking place. At the time Elijah called Elisha to join him, Elisha was a prosperous young farmer, to accept Elijah's calling to be the one who would take over for him would mean that Elisha would have to forsake his family and friends as well as his financial securities. Elisha knew that obeying God's Word provided the true values of life and would lead him to spiritual trust, commitment to God, and his true desires, so he eagerly followed Elijah. Three times Elijah told Elisha to stay where he was, but he never backed down. “And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground. 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. And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.” - II Kings 2:8-11. Elijah was testing Elisha's faithfulness to follow God regardless of any obstacles that got in the way. Many will try to stop us from doing what God calls us to do, but we must not let anyone keep us from following God's Will. Elisha pledged his faithfulness with a vow and was determined to continue with Elijah on his journey, before Elijah was pulled up into the whirlwind, Elisha asked for one thing, a double portion of God's spirit upon him. It is only the Spirit of God inside us that allows us to do the work that He calls us to do and without fear of what the world may do to us. We are to daily as God for the power to withstand the day and seek His will upon our lives.

As Christians, we truly are blessed to know the love of God as He sent His only Son to die for us so that we can live. His resurrection proves that God is alive and in control of all things and all who seek to follow His will, just like Jesus will overcome all obstacles we face, even physical death. Jesus Saves! Praise God! Remember, even those whom have accepted Christ and have fallen are still saved, but until they return to God they will face judgment. We will all face judgment, but Praise God for His mercy and grace and love for even a sinner like I. God loves all and will save all who turn to Him, through Jesus Christ. Praise God!

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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