Tuesday 3/4/14 Pastor Michael sermon Access To The Kingdom II Kings 6:17, Matt 16:19, Jer. 32:19
In II Kings 6, the Old Testament records the following events: The king of Syria wanted to conquer Israel, but every time he set up an ambush, the king of Israel eluded him with the uncanny finesse of the Road Runner. Of course the Syrian king reacted with the fury of Wile E. Coyote. He even accused his officers of treason. Actually God was revealing the kings’ plans to the prophet Elisha (vs 12). Once the king realized that something supernatural was occurring, he should have packed his armor and gone home. But he was stubborn and angry, so he sent his army to surround the city of Dothan, where Elisha was staying. In Dothan, Elisha’s servant woke us and saw hundreds of Syrian soldiers outside the city walls. Terrified, he cried, “What shall we do”? (vs. 15)
Elisha, on the other the other hand, was perfectly calm. He asked God to open the servant’s eyes. And immediately the servant saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (vs. 17) His terror turned to joy! How glorious it would be to physically see the angels God sends to protect me and my family! I know they are there. Psalm 91:11 and Hebrews 1:14 both remind me that God’s angels watch over His people.
In Matt 16:19, Jesus gives Peter the keys to the kingdom and access to greater things. We all have access to the kingdom with the keys. The kingdom is every thing God has rule over and all God’s resources like silver, gold and cattle. Whatever God has in our future we can call it into existence because we have access to the kingdom with the keys. We need to see what God sees! We need to ask God to open our eyes! Many times our eyes are so focused on the problems right outside our city walls that we don’t remember God’s troops stand battle-ready to defend us.
In Jeremiah 32:19, he says “O powerful God, who name is LORD Almighty…….your eyes are open to all the ways of men”. He is reminding us that our Commander-in-chief is always watching over us—protecting, nurturing and sometimes disciplining. We will never do better if we just go by what we see in the natural. We need FAITH in God, who will fix it ALL! Each day, as enemies surround us, may our prayer be: Open my eyes so I can see the LORD Almighty protecting me.
AMEN
In II Kings 6, the Old Testament records the following events: The king of Syria wanted to conquer Israel, but every time he set up an ambush, the king of Israel eluded him with the uncanny finesse of the Road Runner. Of course the Syrian king reacted with the fury of Wile E. Coyote. He even accused his officers of treason. Actually God was revealing the kings’ plans to the prophet Elisha (vs 12). Once the king realized that something supernatural was occurring, he should have packed his armor and gone home. But he was stubborn and angry, so he sent his army to surround the city of Dothan, where Elisha was staying. In Dothan, Elisha’s servant woke us and saw hundreds of Syrian soldiers outside the city walls. Terrified, he cried, “What shall we do”? (vs. 15)
Elisha, on the other the other hand, was perfectly calm. He asked God to open the servant’s eyes. And immediately the servant saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (vs. 17) His terror turned to joy! How glorious it would be to physically see the angels God sends to protect me and my family! I know they are there. Psalm 91:11 and Hebrews 1:14 both remind me that God’s angels watch over His people.
In Matt 16:19, Jesus gives Peter the keys to the kingdom and access to greater things. We all have access to the kingdom with the keys. The kingdom is every thing God has rule over and all God’s resources like silver, gold and cattle. Whatever God has in our future we can call it into existence because we have access to the kingdom with the keys. We need to see what God sees! We need to ask God to open our eyes! Many times our eyes are so focused on the problems right outside our city walls that we don’t remember God’s troops stand battle-ready to defend us.
In Jeremiah 32:19, he says “O powerful God, who name is LORD Almighty…….your eyes are open to all the ways of men”. He is reminding us that our Commander-in-chief is always watching over us—protecting, nurturing and sometimes disciplining. We will never do better if we just go by what we see in the natural. We need FAITH in God, who will fix it ALL! Each day, as enemies surround us, may our prayer be: Open my eyes so I can see the LORD Almighty protecting me.
AMEN