October 24, 2010

2 Kings 5
Leprosy is a nasty disease, which up until the last decade or two, there was no cure. Naaman became an object of horror to everyone when he contracted the disease. An enemy of Israel, the Lord healed Naaman. What was his testimony? “Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel.” The Lord wants His glory to be spread to every ethnic group on earth in just this way. However, Naaman thought that only in the geographic land of Israel could the Lord be found. In this he was wrong. How could we rephrase this to avoid this error? “Indeed, Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in those who trust solely in Jesus.” Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

1 Timothy 4
We trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially to those who believe. The work of Jesus at Calvary, the resurrection and the ascension is potentially available to all men, not just the elect. It is applied only to those who believe. His work is available to Saddam Heusein. It was available to Adolf Hitler until the day he died. You may think of whomever you think is the worst person on the face of this earth. The Savior is available to them until the day they die. Is that not amazing? That is why Ashley Smith could speak the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ to her murderous captor. She could offer him hope in a hopeless situation. Why? Because she had learned the hard way that there was only one source of Hope. That source was the Lord Jesus Christ. She had found the water of life offered by Him.
Strange thing that water, it seems to expand when we consume it. Anyway, it expanded in Ashley. It expanded and bubbled up in her until she shared it with the Atlanta Courthouse killer who had captured her. The killer drank. When the killer drank, he saw the glory. The glory of the Lord is irresistible. The killer surrendered to the law because he had already surrendered to the One who fulfills the law, the Lord Jesus. Wow! Now that is glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John