It is likely when this ax head fell into the water, it could not be seen. They say the Jordan usually ran high and with rapids. This act of borrowing something that belongs to someone else comes into play in truth when it is lost. For the sheer force of wielding an ax head at the base of a tree takes some muscle and great force. This ax head must have been at the point of being loose that with one great blow to the tree, the actual coming back to over the man's shoulder presented a new force to see it fly in the direction of the flowing river.
We know that iron will not float, at least not in the gravity we live in accord with. Anything weighty surely has a force that pushes it further into that which it has fallen.
I remember my father having an ax and it was sharpened always and he told me never to "play" with it. I was out one day tending to the trash that needed to be burned. Yes this was before "recycling". He had brought his ax out to cut off some low hanging branches off a couple of trees. Well, I thought I would just pick it up. And the weight of it caught me off guard and the blade part of the ax came down on my shoe very close to the largest toe. Yes, I had a cut on the canvas shoe that was worn for summer, but praise the Lord, my foot was intact!
In thinking of this project these prophets were doing, I wondered how many knew how to wield an ax. I wonder how many, if any knew the care that it needed to keep its edge!
Any thing worth doing, is worth the effort to use the right tools for the project and have some training with the tools being used.
That Word KEEPING THE EDGE RESONATES, DOES IT NOT?
This project was one that caused many of the students of the school to walk to the area of trees and then work hours to bring down the number of trees needed to build a room to accommodate all those who would be using the place. Elisha consents to their going and is close to the site where the ax head falls into the river. Interesting he asks, "Where did it fall?"
"Where did this problem begin?"
"Where did this problem begin?"
When the prophet shows Elisha the place, he says looks like a miracle to me! Does it not resemble that which no normal person would see on a daily basis, yet here, all these men in this place would see that which was lost and then was found!
Contrary to the nature of a piece of iron, we can see God move to cause a piece of metal to float?
One thought here is that God saw the man's heart and losing something borrowed presented a problem to the borrower. What if the owner of ax had lost the head off the ax? I do not think it would have happened. The heart of this whole ordeal was to build accommodations for the entire group of students to fit in the place or building , so as a group they could be taught.
"Where did it fall?"
Where was the problem? What occurred to stop this man his work? What needed to be done to keep the work going? Why could they not use the "old handle" from the ax? Why did Elisha pick out a new one to place in the water, for the metal ax head came to the surface?
My thought is, those who do for the Lord, and perform the work without complaint, but do willingly and invites the man of God, as they did, were open to instruction, even away from the classroom!
No matter what the answers could possibly be, for when there is a man of God around who operates in the power of the Holy Spirit, then the miraculous occurs. That is how God wants us to live our lives. He desires us to not be caught up in the natural of everything. Everything in the natural can wear out, lose it's edge, and come to nothing. But God, when He has His way, makes a way where there seems to be no way! He desires us to stay in the "spirit realm". He desires us to live in the "super natural". God is not limited to the natural. He created it all!
One thought here is that God saw the man's heart and losing something borrowed presented a problem to the borrower. What if the owner of ax had lost the head off the ax? I do not think it would have happened. The heart of this whole ordeal was to build accommodations for the entire group of students to fit in the place or building , so as a group they could be taught.
"Where did it fall?"
Where was the problem? What occurred to stop this man his work? What needed to be done to keep the work going? Why could they not use the "old handle" from the ax? Why did Elisha pick out a new one to place in the water, for the metal ax head came to the surface?
My thought is, those who do for the Lord, and perform the work without complaint, but do willingly and invites the man of God, as they did, were open to instruction, even away from the classroom!
No matter what the answers could possibly be, for when there is a man of God around who operates in the power of the Holy Spirit, then the miraculous occurs. That is how God wants us to live our lives. He desires us to not be caught up in the natural of everything. Everything in the natural can wear out, lose it's edge, and come to nothing. But God, when He has His way, makes a way where there seems to be no way! He desires us to stay in the "spirit realm". He desires us to live in the "super natural". God is not limited to the natural. He created it all!
Jesus showed us this time and again. Like the water into wine, the drachma coin in the mouth of the fish. Again, we see here a powerful man who was the Son of God, having the power and authority to speak and to do.
Matthew 17:24-27............24 After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, "Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax?"
25 "Yes, he does," he replied.
When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. "What do you think, Simon?" he asked. "From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes-from their own sons or from others?"
26 "From others," Peter answered. "Then the sons are exempt," Jesus said to him. 27 "But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours." NIV
Even in this example, the disciples went fishing. They threw out their line and the first fish they found a four-drachma coin. And the interesting thing of this was that the coin was a four-drachma coin which was more than enough to pay the temple tax!
Jesus gave the directive for the disciples to use their ability of fishing for fish. He did not tell them to go get a degree in something before paying the tax that was needed then at that moment. Although God can give someone a directive to get a degree in something, it will be for the future and long term. This certainly was something for right now, on the spot, this very moment!
Jesus gave the directive for the disciples to use their ability of fishing for fish. He did not tell them to go get a degree in something before paying the tax that was needed then at that moment. Although God can give someone a directive to get a degree in something, it will be for the future and long term. This certainly was something for right now, on the spot, this very moment!
John 2:6-12..........6 Now there were set there six water pots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. 7 Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast." And they took it. 9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 10 And he said to him, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!" 11 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him. 12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.
NKJV
I believe these are the days now when all that has been sunk in the mud is going to rise in glory to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Today, I believe the greatest days are those when we see the washing away of the mud, the cleaning away of the world and the greatest experiences in a new, fresh wind of the Holy Spirit. Our trust is to be in Him who can do the impossible in our lives.
Today, we have the leading of the Holy Spirit to move and to act according to the directions given us.
Today, we have the leading of the Holy Spirit to move and to act according to the directions given us.
The point is to be free to move and do as He gives the direction to do it! People will see finances come from a different place. Buying bread to eat and food to prepare will come from another place. A way of doing things will be made simple and far more useful than we could ever imagine.
We will be told to gather over in that field, that county, that country, and bring back the harvest to give out to those as the Lord directs.
Simple fishermen went and threw out a fishing line and got a fish with a 4-drachma coin in its mouth. We, who serve the Lord, are set for the supernatural. WE ARE SET FOR NEW APPOINTMENTS THAT GOD HAS LINED UP FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SAID YES. HE HAS SET US TO MEET THOSE WHO WILL BE TOUCHED BY GOD IN A WAY THAT HAS NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE. THIS IS THE CUSP OF THE GREATEST MOVE, AND IT IS A FIRE THAT WILL GROW AND NO MAN CAN PUT IT OUT! TODAY IS THAT DAY THAT DREAMS ARE COMING TO LIFE! TODAY THE WIND OF GOD IS BLOWING..........GOD'S WILL IS COMING ON THE EARTH!
It is not how much you experience, but how far you will be willing to continue to step out for God's glory.
It is not how much you experience, but how far you will be willing to continue to step out for God's glory.
Paul had admonished those he wrote to, to be filled with the Holy Spirit rather than with wine.
Ephesians 5:18........18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, NKJV
WE ARE to be filled with the Holy Spirit to accomplish God's plan on the earth.
That ax head represents the natural of this world. It is hard, unyielding, and when not used, can and will rust, lose it's edge, and not good for what was intended for it. It is as the "heart".
Whatever the directive from God it is in His wisdom and power!
TODAY WE ARE BEING INSTRUCTED ..............to move forward.......out of the past and to move into a future with no hindrances. Yes, there will always be an enemy, and will be in all generations, but God gives us His power. Like Joshua leading those over into the new land, those muddied waters had to part. Whatever the troubles and even death itself cannot overwhelm us. Isaiah 43:2)
Isaiah 43:2...........2. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. NIV
People spend their lives much like the Israelites in trying to make buildings out of nothing but straw.
They can be the slaves to man and the things of man. But trusting God, the water of the Word is made into WINE! The Holy Spirit comes and things change.
These who inherited the Promised Land had to rid it of those giants, those which might have tried to stand against them in the beginning of taking the "new thing" and moving over to "take over" the land. But we saw the "supernatural" when the priests carried the ark of the covenant over the Jordan in flooding waters, and the waters parted when the priests had gotten to the center of the river Jordan.
Nothing can stand against God! All that tries to stand against, will come down, COME TO NOTHING, when His Word is given.
There are things we have to do and trust as we move in the power of God............His hand is not shortened that He cannot save........Isaiah 59:1...................1 Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: KJV
The man of God is any man who follows closely the teaching of Jesus. He follows closely and hears when God speaks! 2 Timothy 3:16-17...................16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. .NIV
God has placed us as His temple. We are His vessels that will stand in His power and His truth. Our hearts are that which are softened, not the hard, unyielding, but the soft and pliable.
Jesus came to show a new way of doing........and He showed us how.........by the Word and by prayer. He kept His vigil in prayer by night and with God's Word throughout His days!
Whatever the directive from God it is in His wisdom and power!
TODAY WE ARE BEING INSTRUCTED ..............to move forward.......out of the past and to move into a future with no hindrances. Yes, there will always be an enemy, and will be in all generations, but God gives us His power. Like Joshua leading those over into the new land, those muddied waters had to part. Whatever the troubles and even death itself cannot overwhelm us. Isaiah 43:2)
Isaiah 43:2...........2. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. NIV
People spend their lives much like the Israelites in trying to make buildings out of nothing but straw.
They can be the slaves to man and the things of man. But trusting God, the water of the Word is made into WINE! The Holy Spirit comes and things change.
These who inherited the Promised Land had to rid it of those giants, those which might have tried to stand against them in the beginning of taking the "new thing" and moving over to "take over" the land. But we saw the "supernatural" when the priests carried the ark of the covenant over the Jordan in flooding waters, and the waters parted when the priests had gotten to the center of the river Jordan.
Nothing can stand against God! All that tries to stand against, will come down, COME TO NOTHING, when His Word is given.
There are things we have to do and trust as we move in the power of God............His hand is not shortened that He cannot save........Isaiah 59:1...................1 Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: KJV
The man of God is any man who follows closely the teaching of Jesus. He follows closely and hears when God speaks! 2 Timothy 3:16-17...................16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. .NIV
Jesus came to show a new way of doing........and He showed us how.........by the Word and by prayer. He kept His vigil in prayer by night and with God's Word throughout His days!
Today is the day of "takeover"........today is the day we rise in His power and see the miraculous daily. Those who adhere to His word and expect will have the greatest time with the Lord. I am expectant that we are many, and we are those who will say "yes" to His every command. Let's be open to the instruction from the MASTER, whether in a service, or throughout out our day.........He is welcome here..........!
It comes now in Jesus' name. Amen.
You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV
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