2 Kings 2:1-14

As Elijah's ministry comes to an end and Elisha assumes his place, the question that is before Elisha is "how will I fill Elijah's shoes?". As we see God empower Elisha by his Spirit, we also see how all God's people can receive the empowerment they need for the life God calls them to.

2 Kings 2:1-14

Perseverance is a concept that has been fading from our culture but more importantly from the church; in the world it was said that our attention span was three seconds shorter than a goldfish, that is 7 seconds in average, I’m sure with the new tick-tock, and the short clips in YouTube and social networks, that attention span has decreased significantly. Of course, that is transposed to every area of life: Who wants to spend hours carving out of a block of wood a beautiful horse and then sanding it in all the different grids when you can just buy it online today and have it delivered by tomorrow morning? So, whenever there’s what we could think of as pointless effort, or a long wait, or potential suffering or struggles, we tend to drop the ball and choose a more comfortable direction.

In the church the problem has been the same; if the pastor is too much of this or too less of that let’s go to another church!... If everybody is on your face or nobody is greeting you, let’s go to another church… If the sermons are not in line with what people expect, then they get upset because a sermon should be this way, or that way… and they drop the ball.

But this is only the problem on the surface, because what lies beneath is a bigger problem: are we really committed to our God and His Word? Or will we compromise at the first glimpse of challenges in our own lives?

Scripture: 2 Kings 2:1-14

At the end of Elijah’s life he handed over his ministry to his younger protégé Elisha and was carried away into heaven by a Chariot of Fire and a Whirlwind. Elijah’s example of mentoring other young prophets and Elisha’s desire to follow in his mentor’s footsteps remind us of the importance of imitation, succession, transitions in our walk with Jesus as we await his coming to take us home.

2 Kings 1:1-18

Most of us occasionally find ourselves in stressful times.  Where do we turn for hope? Our source of hope may indicate who or what is our god.  As followers of Christ the characteristics we display should live up to our title of Christian.  Fortunately when we come up short, the mercy of Jesus Christ restores our relationship with God.

2 Kings 1:1-18

Is God the same in the Old Testament and the New Testament?  Sometimes we get the idea that in the Old Testament God is all about judgment and in the New Testament God is all about mercy.  But as we see in our passage, God is always showing us both the seriousness of sin and lavishness of his mercy. 

Scripture: 2 Kings 1:1-18

As Elijah confronts yet another corrupt king we are reminded of a God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Through Elijah God reveals his perfect justice and displays a surprising Mercy all contingent on his unwavering word.

Scripture: 1 Kings 22

1 Kings 22 gives us great insight in to how God is sovereign and is in control, even when there is chaos around us. Whether it’s something on a grand scale, or the smallest detail, we can trust in his Word and know that His purposeful will is perfect. In the midst of the chaos, God draws us to himself through his son Jesus Christ, who is the Good Shepherd, and the bringer of grace and peace.

Scripture: 1 Kings 22:1-40

Whenever we’re presented with competing voices, it can be tempting to follow the opinions that most line up with our desires instead of listening to the Lord’s leading. 1 Kings 22 describes in vivid fashion what happened when King Ahab disregarded the LORD’s leading and how he faced the consequences of  his disobedience in fulfillment to the word of the LORD.

Scripture: 1 Kings 22:1-40

The Bible constantly reminds us that while things seem out of control, they are not out of God’s control.  From the biggest world events, to the smallest details, God is in control and that means we can trust his Word, and the promises we have in Jesus.

In a world where relativism is popular, what can we learn from King Ahab and Jezebel, regarding the destructive consequence of coveting?

Elijah communicated truth to Ahab and was regarded as the enemy. Do we regard the conviction of the Holy Spirit in our lives as an enemy?