Opportunity For Ministry

Opportunity For Ministry 

II Kings 4:31 NKJV

[31] Now Gehazi went on ahead of them, and laid the staff on the face of the child; but there was neither voice nor hearing. Therefore he went back to meet him, and told him, saying, “The child has not awakened.”

When you serve, watch out for the opportunities that God will provide for your ministry to grow. Here's the first opportunity for Gehazi. What an opportunity it was for him to experience the supernatural. Gehazi didn't read David Abioye's Spiritual Apprenticeship. He should have. Paul admonishes the the Phillipians, " Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put into practice." - Phil.4:9. Here was the opportunity to put into practice all the supernatural he had witnessed from the master.

   Here's an excerpt from David Abioye's observations on the matter. "We have a duty to present, protect and preserve the worth of ministry in our generation. How long we stand the challenges of our times is a function of how well we lay our foundation for ministry. It is my observation that every man designs and determines the measure of grace and anointing he receives for fulfilling his calling. Each man‟s results is traceable to his training". What happened to Gehazi raises questions about the grace he received from Elisha. I feel your mind.

In 2 Kings 5:20-27, this same Gehazi ran after Naaman to get a booty of ministry without the Master's consent. You may not be very surprised that he couldn't do what he was asked to do by the master.

    Here's a quote you may need to keep by. " Paul’s method was that of apprenticeship, that is always God’s method of training workers". —Oswald Chambers in Workmen of God. If you're experiencing being used as an apprentice, stay on. Opportunity will come someday. Good morning.

It Is Well

It Is Well.

II Kings 4:23-25 NKJV

[23] So he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither the New Moon nor the Sabbath.” And she said, “It is well.” [24] Then she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, “Drive, and go forward; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.” [25] And so she departed, and went to the man of God at Mount Carmel. So it was, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look, the Shunammite woman! 

The enemy watches to see how youll react when things happen around you. It enjoys the drama because it thinks it has scored a point. Most mature believers understand this, so they keep their feelings under check. You don't win spiritual warfare with too much demonstration of how painful the devil's attack has been. This Shunammite is a model. 

    She left the child on Elisha's bed and went to look for the prophet. Four times, she's confronted enough to have broken down and cry as a sister and a mother, but she insisted that it is well. First to the husband who raised reasons she shouldn't travel. Then to Gehazi's questions. All the answers were: It is well. Let me assure you, no matter what you're experiencing, it is well. 

    Someone says, " The enemy may want you to react in ways that are negative, such as: Frustrating you.

The enemy may try to frustrate you so that you curse them out, gossip about them, or treat them badly", or even cry and regret ever being a child of God. Don't give in. Its but a moment. Amy Blossom says, " To win battles you need to know your enemy, but more importantly, you need to know your enemy's tactics. This is especially true in a spiritual battle". 1Peter 5;8 says your enemy looks like a roaring lion. Dont fear. Dont react. Look for God. Don't forget that the devil is a liar and the father of it John 8:44.

  The only time the woman opened up was before the Prophet. Dont just open up for sympathies. It does nothing. And she wouldn't let him go until he came with her. Phew! Thank you Lord. I see your condition, and I say: It is well with you. Hold on. Good morning.

The Power Of Motherhood

The Power Of Motherhood 

II Kings 4:20-22 NKJV

[20] 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, shut the door upon him, and went out. [22] Then she called to her husband, and said, “Please send me one of the young men and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and come back.”

Our verses today raise the questions about the role of  mothers in children development. We agreed in our previous vignette that the father failed as most would do even today. These verses turns to the mother, the Shunamite. The child is now dead. But for the mother, that is a story for the gods. 

   You can literally feel her stoic attitude concerning the matter. She was either indifferent or unaccepting of the reality. The only thing that mattered was a living child. Her faith had gone through the rafters. This is a picture of the attitude of most mothers when confronted with problems concerning their kids. At such moments, mothers can fight to their death because of the child. She was set to win. 

   She did by the end of the day. The rest of the verses are the details of how she accomplished the feats. This miracle could only be achieved by a mother. Hannah Spencer explains the role of mothers to their children. " Mothers influence their children's attachment style, emotional regulation and empathy, social skills, cognitive development, their sense of self, and a variety of other traits. The bond between a mother and her child is not only profound but also significantly influential to the child's growth and development". A detailed explanation of these words are beyond the scope of this vignette.  Someone else says, " A mother plays many roles from the mother-child relationship to teaching about the world, language, sharpening their thinking skills, supporting, taking care and many more. Nobody in the world will love you as much as your mother does. Mothers offer unconditional and self-love, care and support". It may not be said better. That the child lived, we owe entirely to the mother. Are there other kinds of mothers than this? Share with us. What was God's original intentions for mothers? As a mother, do you fit into this? Good morning.

When The Child Got Sick

When The Child Got Sick

II Kings 4:18-19 NKJV

[18] And the child grew. Now it happened one day that he went out to his father, to the reapers. [19] And he said to his father, “My head, my head!” So he said to a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 

We don't know much about the husband of this Shunamite. We do know he behaved like a typical male in parenting. What's about a typical male? They are unable to take care of children. Here's a submission from a study done by Guardian on 5th July ,2013 by Gideon Burrows. " A little research into equal parenting reveals that the satisfying picture of men routinely sharing childcare is simply a myth. Those surveys are misleading at best. Men haven't taken on childcare in anything like the numbers we've been led to believe". The statistics get alarming as we study more from Burrows. " Figures from the National Office for Statistics reveal that at the end of 2012 there were just over 6,000 more full-time, stay-at-home dads looking after babies and toddlers than there were 10 years ago. Yet in the same period, around 44,000 women have stopped being stay-at-home mothers. The massive gap has been filled by childcare and grandparents, not fathers. Even on Aviva's figures, our children's grandmothers are twice as likely to look after them during the day than their own dads". 

   It may not be a proven fact, but many men feel it is effeminate to take care of children. But they believe it is manly to be the father. This is a family that had no child until the prophet gave a word. The child suddenly developed a headache. The father's reply was to carry him to the mother. Really? What he was doing was more important. It won't surprise you that the wife did not tell him when the child died. She had to find a solution to the problem. God help our mothers.

   It was her job to find the prophet and get the child back to life. What about the father? Rob Williams of Fatherhood Institute is quoted as saying, " Now maternity leave is so much longer than paternity leave," he says, "it has led to the woman becoming officially viewed as the child carer, which actually gives women less equality in the workplace".  How is that cultural expression in your environment? Would this be a pointer that women are more spiritual and more caring than men? Share your opinion with us in this matter. Good morning.

Releasing The Intangibles

Releasing The Intangibles 

II Kings 4:14-17 NKJV

[14] So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi answered, “Actually, she has no son, and her husband is old.” [15] So he said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the doorway. [16] Then he said, “About this time next year you shall embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord. Man of God, do not lie to your maidservant!” [17] But the woman conceived, and bore a son when the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her.

One's intangible assets may be described as an abstract quality or attribute. It can range from Leadership grace to kindness , or Spiritual insights. It is what spiritual leaders are endowed with so they can be a blessing in return. So when Gehazi told Elisha about the woman's condition, the anointing took over. Hear me, no one has everything. There's a story that one day a King needed a needle to fix a button on his beautiful Jacket. There was non in the entire King's household. So the King opened his window and asked an old school friend who lived by his wall. That's an intangible thing that helped the king to wear his beautiful coat. There's something you have that can bless others with. It may be an intangible from God.

   So Elisha released the intangibles from a prophetic storage. "About this time next year you shall embrace a son". Words released, the rest is Gods affairs. God honoured the word. Be abundant in releasing God's intangibles to your people.

    Delman Coates agrees with these observations. " The world tends to equate blessings with physical things, material items that can be measured, touched by the hands, and seen by the eyes. But the best blessings are not always based upon material, tangible realities we can see. The best blessings are spiritual; intangible things we cannot see. You can live in a big house and drive a nice car and be nervous because you can’t afford to play the note. You can have a big bed and be unable to sleep at night". Its time we get abundant in releasing intangible blessings upon our people and see the great turn around. Welcome to November, its going to be the month of going beyond the boundaries, and meeting long held expectations. The intangibles are speaking on your behalf. Good morning, and happy new month.

Releasing Kindness In Return

Releasing Kindness In Return 

II Kings 4:11-13 NKJV

[11] And it happened one day that he came there, and he turned in to the upper room and lay down there. [12] Then he said to Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite woman.” When he had called her, she stood before him. [13] And he said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Look, you have been concerned for us with all this care. What can I do for you? Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?’ ” She answered, “I dwell among my own people.”

Here is an attempt to answer a question on Quora about someone's kindness to another family. " Kindness isn’t about giving a certain thing to “pay” back for a certain thing. Its about helping out and getting involved and appreciating each other. So perhaps you can help them in a way that doesn’t involve money". The writer continues that some people may not " want anything in return". They  just want the people  they are helping to " be safe, have a roof over their heads and food in their bellies. Its a case of looking after people". These kind of gestures are being done by many non-governmental institutions today. The Shunamite was not involved in an NGO activity.  She was used as God's compensation for Elisha. So naturally, Elisha felt a compassion for her. These kind of gestures should generate kindness within us.

   Many "Ministers" unfortunately may arrogate a right to their callings. Elisha did not. His questionings revealed the woman had no child. There are things Ministers can do for others too. You cant always be at the receiving end and act as a leech. The Shunamite 's reply showed she had a good heart. Its Gehazi's reply that brought Elisha to prophesy about her having a baby within a year. This is called kindness. They may not be tangibles, but they are God's blessings as well. Stephen Witmer says, "  True kindness is Spirit-produced (Galatians 5:22). It’s a supernaturally generous orientation of our hearts toward other people, even when they don’t deserve it and don’t love us in return. God himself is kind in this way". That is powerful. Invoke heaven to visit those who bless you physically. Don't just say: thank you. Good morning.

The Notable Woman of Shunem

The Notable Woman Of Shunem

II Kings 4:8 NKJV

[8] Now it happened one day that Elisha went to Shunem, where there was a notable woman, and she persuaded him to eat some food. So it was, as often as he passed by, he would turn in there to eat some food. 

Through the years as young persons, we heard this story of the great woman of Shunem. We used to think Elisha was a very lucky person. It never occurred to us that God has things arranged for our destiny and help. In an exposition on this, Simeon Afolabi, my Pastor , gives attention to the woman's warmth as a character. " One of the many good things about this woman was her warmth. Though she was wealthy, she was not mean towards life and people. Proverbs 23:18 says the poor use a lot of entreaties, but the rich answer roughly. The Shunammite was an exception to this saying. It can be said that her riches did not get into her head; she was a receptive individual". Now the picture is clearer. When God combines a hard working Prophet and a receptive woman, the result is a recipe for a miracle.

    She did all she could for Elisha with the husband's permission. This brought her attention to the anointing. Every good gesture is worthy of a blessing. She could have kept her wealth and remain as she was, but she had a better idea, to be good to a man of God. The anointing you celebrate will be a blessing to you and your generations 

   She wasn't thinking about her lack, but she wanted an opportunity to serve. By service, she tapped into the open flow of the miraculous. Jael Naomie, in December, 2023 tells the story of how Jade met Eli while trying to serve people displaced by Hurricane Sandy in 2011. They ended up married while going to serve. She wasn't sitting down scanning faces of all brothers. She served. Rebecca had a husband while serving water to donkies. Your miracle may be awaiting your service . Good morning.