"AS HE WAS TELLING THE KING"

MEMORY VERSE: And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life. Second Kings 8:5

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Acts 18-20

It happened one day that the king was talking with Gehazi, ex servant of Elisha, he told him, "tell me, i pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done" (Second Kings 8:4). Gehazi began to narrate all the great things the Lord had done through the hands of Elisha. He told the king how the Lord healed the waters of Jericho through Elisha (Second Kings 2:19-22). He talked about how Elisha pronounced a curse on some children who mocked him and two she bears came out and tare forty two of them ( Second Kings 2:23-24). He spoke and spoke for a long time. As he was telling the king about the Shunamite woman whom Elisha raised her son from deathbed, the Shunamite woman walked in. Second kings 8:5 says "And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life."

I believe Gehazi must have boasted to the king about how he used to be Elisha’s personal assistant. While he was telling the king about the Shunamite woman, he must have boasted about how he used to carry Elisha’s staff and all that. Friend, what story are you telling? Is it a story of how you used to dream dreams? Is it a story of how you used to go to villages to preach when you were in the university? Is it a story of how you used to see angels when you were young? Is it a story of how the Lord used to touch people when you preach? Sister in Christ, what story are you telling? Is it one of how you used to sing and the spirit of the Lord will come down mightily? Brother in Christ, what story are you telling. Is it how used to pray all through the night?

Friend, what story are you telling? Many a time, when people tell me how they used to be this and that for the Lord, i wonder how about now? When i hear stories of how some brothers used to be fervent before they got married, i become sad. When i hear stories of how some sisters never used to miss choir practice when they were single, i become sad. Gehazi used to be Elisha’s PA, but today, he is a leper. Sir, what you used to be does not matter. You used to write powerful messages and post it on Facebook, good, but today, what do you do? You used to have time for church activities, thank you very much for that information, how about now. You used to lay hands on the sick and they recover, to God be the glory, but sir, how about now. They used to call you a brother, bravo, today what do they call you? You used to be innocent, to tell a small lie used to be a big problem, very good, how about today. Your conscience used to be very alive, the moment you think of anything bad, it will start to condemn you, nice, how about now. In the body of Christ, the story most of us are telling is what we used to do. Is your own story, how you used to fast every Wednesday or how you used to share tracts?　

PONDER: Peter said of Judas Iscariot, "For he was numbered with us" (Acts 1:17). Heaven used to recognise Judas as a disciple but later that changed. Does heaven still recognise you as a child of God?

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.