DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- The Debt Is Paid

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – The Debt Is Paid
II Kings 4:7
 
"Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, 'Go, sell the oil, and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.' "
 
This poor woman was deep in debt, and did not have the resources on her own to pay them. Only God's miraculous provision of the oil could pay the debts and keep her sons from being sold into slavery (vs. 1). Because of God's blessings, she and her sons could live in freedom. Romans 7:14 says that I was "sold under sin." The glorious truth of the Gospel is that Jesus paid the debt for my sin so that I could live in freedom. As the song says: "He paid a debt He did not owe; I owed a debt I could not pay. I needed someone to wash my sins away." I'm so glad the debt is paid. Hallelujah for God's abundant provision of redemption.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Only Jesus could pay the debt of sin so we can live in freedom.
 
Have a "paid" day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- Filled Completely

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – Filled Completely
II Kings 4:6
 
"Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, 'Bring me another vessel.' And he said to her, 'There is not another vessel.' So the oil ceased."
 
The oil continued to flow to the extent that they presented empty vessels. I think if they had more vessels, they would have had more oil. I believe God will fill me with His Oil – The Holy Spirit – to the extent that I offer myself to Him. If I only offer a part of my life, that's all He can fill. Here I am, Lord. Fill me completely.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE:  God will fill with His oil any vessel that is offered to Him.
 
Have a full day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- Poured Out

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – Poured Out
II Kings 4:3-5
 
"Then [Elisha] said, 'Go borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors – empty vessels; do not gather just a few. And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all the vessels, and set aside the full ones.' So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out."
 
All this poor widow woman had was a small jar of oil. But she experienced a miracle because she was obedient to the prophet, and that small amount of oil was multiplied as she poured it into other vessels. It is a truth of Scripture: Give and it shall be given unto you (Luke 6:38). I may think that I don't have much oil to pour out -- that I don't have much to give. But if I keep what I do have bottled up to myself, it will get used up or become rancid. In either case, I will be empty. If I pour it out into other vessels, it will multiply. I need to keep "pouring out" of my own meager supply to get fresh oil in my own spirit. How many blessings have I and other people missed because I kept my oil bottled up inside of me?
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: The only way to get fresh oil in my own spirit is to pour out into other vessels what I have.
 
Have a "poured out" day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- Little Is Much

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – Little Is Much
II Kings 4:1-2
 
"A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, 'Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.' So Elisha said to her, 'What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?' And she said, 'Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.' "
 
God does not require anything to work a miracle, but he often uses what we have, as little as it may seem. When I search my "house," I don't see a lot to offer the Lord, but the little I do have is all He asks. He will take it and use it as I give it to Him. As the old saying goes, "Little is much when God is in it."
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: God only asks for what we have – not for what we don't have.
 
Have a big little day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- Sing!!!

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – Sing!
II Kings 3:15
 
" 'But now bring me a musician.' Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him."
 
Once again, we see the power of music to bring the presence of the Lord. Music is such an important part of worship. Properly done, it can usher us into the very throne-room of God, where the angels sing. So we "come into His presence with singing" and "enter into His courts with praise" (Psalm 100:2-4) because God is enthroned in the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). So, everybody, SING!!!!
 
Today's Thought: Music can bring the worshiper into God's presence.
 
Have a singing day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- Respect For Authority

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – Respect For Authority
II Kings 3:14
 
"And Elisha said, 'As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you, nor see you.' "
 
Elisha served the LORD of hosts and answered to Him. He was not intimidated nor awed by the earthly position of authority, but did have regard for Jehoshaphat because Jehoshaphat "walked in the way of his father Asa" (I Kings 22:41), who "did what was right in the eyes of the LORD" (I Kings 15:11). We are called to submit to those in authority (Romans 13:1), but that does not mean we have to respect them nor be intimidated just because of their position. On the other hand, there is respect for those leaders who live godly.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Respect for authority is based on whether the leader lives a godly life.
 
Have a respectful day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- People Of Faith

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – People of Faith
II Kings 3:13
 
"Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, 'What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother.' But the king of Israel said to him, 'No, for the LORD has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.' "
 
Jehoram, king of Israel, had followed the ways of his parents to serve the god Baal, and did evil in the sight of the LORD (3:2). He had no faith in the God of Elisha, and considered that this venture would only end in being conquered by Moab (see also vs. 10). That kind of unbelief was a drag on Elisha's faith, and he told him to go away. Unbelief is like that – it hinders the work of God. Even Jesus could do no mighty works in Nazareth because of their unbelief (Matthew 13:58). God ended up delivering Moab into the hands of these three kings, but I think it was because of Jehoshaphat's faith. That's why it so important to surround ourselves with people of faith.   In a culture of unbelief in the power of God, may I be a person of faith to see God's deliverance.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Unbelief hinders the work of God, but He still does miracles where there are people of faith.
 
Have a "faith" day. Love you.