lessons we can learn from Elisha.

I thought it was high time we had a bit of bible study.

The book of 2nd Kings sees a lot of rising and falling of different kingdoms.

There are a lot of women in this bible,  and this is important, because I believe in this part of the bible, nothing is over looked.

From what seems small beginnings,  God multiplied it.

These woman didn't just brush over things that Elijah, told them because they knew it was coming from God.

Moab rebelled and went back to their old ways, the Lord judgment comes to Ahaziah.
Ahaziah, fell through a window, and he asked his prophets to go and inquire of what happened.

However God knew what happened, and he came to Elijah, it's because there's no God in Israel.

I'm wondering if you saw the two ways, one person wanted to get mans advise and answers from evil.
God went straight to Elijah, and told him.

The thing that I find most interesting, is the king knew Elijah, and sent his men up.

Elijah, looked out and called down fire from heaven, to destroy them, because they wanted to capture him.
But God destroyed them,  sometimes it takes a little while to see what God was really doing.

Do I believe that fire comes down from Heaven, to destroy things?
Sometimes we forget the Awesome power of God, that he can do somethings that are amazing.
Sometimes we hear that God is Meek and mild, but he has authority to do more powerful things.
Elisha and Elijah, are walking along the way,  and Elijah, said to his friend, God has called me to Jericho. He said this 3 times, but Elisha was smart and said, "no, I'll go with you."
Elisha, doesn't settle for second best, he has a high standard, he doesn't walk away, and think ''Well that's that God.''  I tried that.

God doesn't look at our failings, he looks at our successes.


When Elijah went, he imparted 3 things onto Elisha.

1. Belief in God, with out taking God at his word and work, and with out Elisha, believing and going on what was beyond him, Elisha never gave up.

2. Learning not to give up or let go, until it was time to.
Sometimes our problem is that we give up just before we get our break through, sometimes we need to be careful how we hear God's voice and how we go about it.
Not shying away from what he's called us to do, but going to make the change in our lives.

3. Taking things on board and using them.

You might have a few, ''I should be doing that, but oh it can wait for another day.'' Elisha, looked around and used what Elisha prayed for him, and having that triple blessing implanted from Elisha, onto him, he didn't sulk or pull away, he used it to God advantage.

I've learnt a lot about how to take advice, and a lot of it isn't always from one person.
It's from several different people.

Look at surfers at a beach, look at where they are positioned.

The tides, where the waves break, they position themselves to catch the best wave possible.

Some move closer to the wind, some move closer to the shore, some just wait on their boards, and look at the waves coming, they might not catch every wave, the are in tune with the sea, and tides.

Sometimes we need to just wait on God, like a surfer waiting on their boards.
Sometimes we need to position ourselves to where God wants us to be, so that we can catch that wave.
And sometimes we need to go further out, so that we can catch the waves.
Elisha was like that, he was patient, he was learning from Elijah, and when Elijah, went Elisha was already trained up in everything that he was going to do.

Have a think  about what you're doing?
Are you effective in your work?
Do you have all these ''should be doing that'' moments but have no idea who to talk to.
Are you afraid of going out in the water, and ''surfiing '' God's given desire for your life?
Don't hide or put them away in the back of your mind, they will never be achieved.
Put them at the front of your mind, look out for different ways, on how to be a leader, you might not get a badge, but it starts with caring.
If you care about others, about that disappointment about that friend that didn't get the job, you're a born leader.
You already have the board, go out there and catch the waves of God, but don't just use it for your, own good, God made us to go out and share what ever your good at.
Chloe