August 29, 2020 CAC Living Water Devotional :- THE INEVITABLE
Read previous CAC Living Water Devotionals here
CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH
THE LIVING WATER {July ~ Dec., 2020}
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Saturday, August 29, 2020
– International Day against Nuclear Tests
TOPIC: THE INEVITABLE
Read 2 Kings 4:8-27
[8]And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.[9]And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.
[10]Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.[11]And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there.[12]And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him.[13]And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.[14]And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.[15]And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.[16]And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.[17]And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.[18]And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.[19]And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother.[20]And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.[21]And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.[22]And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again.[23]And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.[24]Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.[25]So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite:[26]Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well.[27]And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.
MEMORISE: Now when she came to the man of God at the hill, she caught him by the feet, but Gehazi came near to push her away. But the man of God said, “Let her alone; for her soul is in deep distress, and the Lord has hidden it from me, and has not told me” (2 Kings 4:27)
EXPOSITION
A song says, “Temptations, hidden snares often take us unawares… And our hearts are made to bleed for some thoughtless words or deeds… And we wonder why the test, when we try to do our best: we will understand it better by and by… By, and by, when the morning comes; When the saints of God are gathered home; we will tell the story how we overcome: We will understand it better by and by”
Elisha was the inheritor of double portion of anointing from his master, Elijah. ‘Elisha’ means ‘God is Salvation.’ Elisha was credited with almost double the mighty works of his departed-to-glory master. Yet, the Lord hid the plight of this gracious woman and friendly family from him. This is part of the inevitable that awaits every minister of God. You may be confronted with what you do not expect. God doesn’t reveal Everything. These are the challenges that we must encounter as individuals, or people, spiritually and otherwise. They are supposed to be stepping-stones to glory, just as they were for: Moses who confronted Pharaoh but was in turn confronted by Zipporah, his wife by calling him “a bloody man…!” etc.; Hannah who confronted barrenness but was in turn confronted by Peninnah, her rival who mocked her; Elijah who confronted the prophets of Baal but was in turn confronted by Jezebel the Queen; and Joseph Ayo Babalola who confronted idolatry and the evil of his days but was confronted by Satan and his cohorts.
FAITH, ABSOLUTE FAITH is non-negotiable with challenges from darkness, men, circumstances etc. Yet, Moses delivered Israel and took them to the Promised Land. Hannah became a woman of many children. Elijah completed his divine assignment and ascended to glory. Prepare for the inevitable. Check CAC GHB 626 by Mary Peters (1812-1856).
PRAYER POINTS
1. Thank you, Lord, for the challenge(s) I am facing, presently.
2. I receive divine enablement to face those inevitable challenges that I must experience for the glory that is set before me.
3. We receive abundant grace for the Church globally to face and overcome her inevitable, in the name of Jesus.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Psalms 85 – 88
Author: C.A.C WORLDWIDE
Remain blessed!