Today’s reading II Kings 1-4

II Kings 4:9 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.

When Elisha passed by the lady perceived that he was a man of God. She then made plans on how to go about how to be a blessing to him. It is here that we learn about the prophet’s chamber for the man of God.

My question for me today is what do they perceive when I am nearby. Do they know that I am a man of God? What do my actions say to them? What testimony do my words give about me? What do my habits communicate to others. When people hear and see my attitude what do they think?

Will they believe me to be a man of God? Will they realize that I serve God? Do I live my Christian life under the radar or am I open about being a Christian?

I think we all ought to want desperately to communicate to everyone that we love Jesus?

Today’s reading I Kings 22

I Kings 22:52 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin:

Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel and he did evil in the sight of the Lord.

Evil is determined not by the people, the culture, society, scientist, but by how God views it! So just because something is acceptable in our society does not mean it is not evil in the sight of the Lord.

Notice that Ahaziah does evil but he does so following his parent’s example. He also follows Jeroboam’s example set generations before.

I hope that the story they write about our children takes a different slant. I hope that they have seen a different example in us! I hope that they have seen that we love God, are faithful to Him, seek to serve and please Him. I hope that they will see that we have tried to do what was right in God’s sight.

Just remember every day that you live that you are leaving a legacy that will be followed. They will be more like you than you are comfortable with. We will see our failures and mistakes often magnified in the lives of our children.

Good reason to seek God and please Him with all that is within us!

Today’s reading I Kings 19-21

I Kings 21:25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.

Ahab was a horribly wicked man but I call your attention to the phrase, “his wife stirred up!” Jezebel stirred up her husband to be even more wicked. Her name goes down in history as a horrible name because of how wicked she was and how she motivated others to be wicked.

I want you to think about a day and time when women did not have the rights or privileges that ladies now have. She was still able to be super influential. She stirred up her husband to do horrible, wicked things.

You have immense influence over many people and especially over your spouse. How are you using your influence? Is your husband, wife, friend, child, or who ever motivated to do good or bad? Do you cause people to want to live a life that brings glory to God or shame?

Consider how much this wife influenced her husband then think of how much of a difference you can make for the cause of Christ!

Today’s reading I Kings 17-18

I Kings 18:3-4 And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly: 4 For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

God’s men are in hiding. Their lives are in danger. Ahab is a cruel and wicked king. But then God has Obadiad who was the governor of Ahab’s house talking care of the men of God.

I love it that God is at work in ways that we would never understand nor expect. Ahab wants to kill the men of God yet the governor of his house is taking care of them. I would never have expected that!

Now you must realize that God is at work in your life and ministry! He has people in all sorts of places with all sorts of abilities to take care of you! Trust God. Look to Him. Believe Him.

He is not limited. He is winning. And even when it looks like all the world is falling apart God is still at work

Today’s reading I Kings 14-16

I Kings 16:19 For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the LORD, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin.

Sin is like a sickness. When you have it it affects others. The first thing I notice in the verse is sin is defined by what God says is sin and not what you think! It is evil in the sight of the Lord not the society, the culture, the church, your family, or yourself but what God thinks.

I notice that Zimri is sinning the way he saw Jeroboam sin. He watched and he learned. I need to realize that what I do is affecting others. They are learning from me. They are following my example.

I also see that it was his own sin. Though he learned it from someone else it was still his sin. He was not allowed to shift the blame to someone else. He was personally responsible.

Then notice that he not only sinned but he made others sin as well! Isn’t that the story. Sin affects others. Someone else’s sin had infected and influenced him and now his sin was affecting others.

Be careful who you follow and allow to affect your thinking and acting. Be careful also to remember that others are following you, listening and watching!