CATCHING UP IN II KINGS AND I CHRONICLES

I'm playing "catch up" today, trying to write for a few days that I've missed.  I got the reading in but not the typing.  It takes me almost an hour and fifteen or a half to get it all done.  No matter how early I start, it takes me a while to get it done.  Hope it is worth it for other people.  I enjoy it, but I hope it is a blessing to others as well.  Here goes... 1) UNLIKELY SOURCES- I Kings 17:9- "I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee."  Who would have imagined that God would have chosen a widow woman to meet the needs of the man of God.  Why, we easily would have imagined that some wealthy person would have been chosen, not some widow woman on her last handful of meal with only a little oil left in her home.  God uses unlikely sources!  Hey, has it ever occurred to you that you might be one of God's "unlikely sources"?  I hear it all of the time.  Well, if I had the money...; BUT... she didn't!!  She was like us at times; down and out.  Yet, God had a plan that involved her giving.... and receiving!!  If she kept the meal, she would die!  If she gave it, she would live.  Are we killing ourselves?  Or, are we paving the way to a bright future?  Our giving when it is hard to do so makes the difference!! 2) THE JUNIPER TREE- In I Kings 19, we see Elijah under the Juniper Tree having a pity party and hoping to die.  He asks God to take his life in verse 4.  We all have had some discouragements along the way, and here we see that even great men of God have the same trials and reach the same point of desperation as all of us experience.  It is not wrong to get down... it is wrong to stay down!!  We forget that it was under the Juniper Tree that an angel of the LORD touched him and said "Arise, and eat."  And "he arose, and did eat and drink,".  Now, here is what we have forgotten:  "and he went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb, the mount of God."  You see, it was under the Juniper Tree that he was given nourishment that lasted for forty days and nights!!  In the time of your lowest, low.... look for God to put strength in you that you would never find on the mountain top!  AND... notice this:  He went to Horeb... where God first meet with Moses!!  Sometimes God has to bring us back to where it all begins.... at "the mount of God".  Where we first met him in our hearts and minds, and opened our soul to Him. 3) TEACH THEM ABOUT GOD- Well, it wasn't the priest's idea, or the King of Judah's idea, but it was the King of Assyria.... He commanded the priest who were carried away into captivity to go back and teach the people "the manner of the God of the land."  It was the idea that God put into his heart.... teach the people of Judah about God!!  I wonder when other countries will send their missionaries to America to teach us about God.... like we do now to England and Canada! 4) JABEZ- We don't know much about him, but we see that he prayed in I Chron. 4:9,10 for God to bless him, and God granted him that which he requested.  We too should pray for God's blessings! 5) EXCEEDING MAGNIFICAL-  That is the phrase that David uses to describe the temple in I Chron. 22:5. David knew this should be very special and it was! 6) JACHIN AND BOAZ- We read of the two pillars in II Chron. 3:17.  They each are given names and those names have meanings:  Jachin "He shall establish"; and Boaz "In it is strength!".  They were reminders that as you entered the temple, God's plan was to establish you and strengthen you.  The same thing can be found as we go to church!! 7) GOD'S EYES ARE SEARCHING- Yes, the Bible tells us that God is looking and searching, and then tells us what God is looking for.  In II Chron. 16:9 it says: "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him."  God is looking.... let us be those with the perfect heart towards Him, and He will bless us!! So much for today... I've caught up on a few things I've been wanting to share.  Tomorrow is Sunday!!  Hope to see you in church... it will be a blessed day!!   Pastor Mike Mutchler