235: Tim Badger - Exhortation: Pray for Sight

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:13

   Welcome to good for selfie and talks. I’m Levi and I’m Chris and I’m Brian, thank you for joining us this week. On this podcast, we select one taco week to help us get the Bible in our daily news feed. We post a new episode of the start of each week with a short intro. Hand to kind of set the stage for the talk. You’re about to listen to and now let’s talk more about this week’s talk.

2. 0:50

   This we stalk is an excitation by brother, Tim Badger that he gave in December of last year. The title is pray for site. This was a really great education. Tim does a study on 2nd Kings 6, and essentially kind of some of the background and then application for us on the phrase of, there’s more of them or there’s more with us than there are of them. Remember, Elijah praying for the his To have the Angel armies revealed to him.

3. 1:23

   Tim does a great job of presenting this excitation in. This was a this was one that that was sent in to us. So thank you for the suggestion. Please do send us those we very much appreciate them. So here is Tim Badger. Pray for site. Thanks brother. Phil and good morning. Brothers and sisters.

4. 1:43

   In Christ. This morning, we have a short section of Old Testament history. I’m that we’re going to use from 2nd Kings chapter 6, as the basis of encouragement and excitation and self-examination this morning. I am going to try and stick to this passage as much as we can. However, we are going to see how it links to the teaching of Jesus towards the end.

5. 2:14

   I feel at least on one occasion, in his teaching, he must have been thinking about these events. Way back in second Kings chapter 6. Why would I share this with you this morning brothers and sisters is because it’s been a passage that’s been really helpful to me over the past little while. I’ve never really thought about it other than possibly in Sunday school or the occasional reference to verse 17.

6. 2:42

   When we have that amazing imagery and seen set with Elijah and his servant and what his servant knows. And we’re going to, we’re going to come and look at that. But it was only about a I don’t know, eight or nine or 10 months ago when I was catching up with a friend for breakfast and it was a time when I needed help and they pointed me to this passage and I have not let go of this passage since.

7. 3:07

   So my intention this morning is to share with you some of the inspiration that I have gained from this passage and I really hope that you can strongly catch its living fire. Second Kings, chapter 6 is an extraordinary chapter by any account. Some of the most perplexing and unusual displays of God’s power. Right here in the thick of Israel’s growing history of departure from God.

8. 3:39

   There’s a lack of recognition in Kings and Israel at this time of the presence of, there’s a real lack of recognition of God in the nation and of his presence in their lives and they continue as for a second Kings, chapter one opens up. They are continually seeking for other sources of help.

9. 3:57

   That’s really clear. And second Kings, 1 verse 3. So the ministry of Elijah’s incredible from start to finish by any by anyone’s description. And but it’s just who sits for thinking about the prophets of Israel. This morning, we just do well before we jump into the story. To remember why Elijah is here. Why did God send prophets like him to his people at these different stages of Israel’s declining history? We’re told explicitly at the end of second chronicles. That God Did It purely because he had compassion on his people. That’s why eyelashes here in second Kings chapter six. That’s why he’s here for his ministry, because God loves his people, he will not let them go, and he’s desperate for them to see his presence in there.

10. 4:48

    That is why Elijah’s here, you know, it’s interesting to when you look at Elijah in these chapters are full of extraordinary things, the lessons are not just for Israel. There’s this constant interaction with other nations around them in particular, Syria. So we know the Sunday School Story of of second Kings chapter 5 with Naman. Well, what’s he doing in here?

11. 5:10

    Why is he learning a lesson that Israel needed to learn, but there’s this interaction between others around And Israel they’re watching. They know what their profits are like, they know their names of the prophets. And there’s lessons that God is teaching not just Israel but extending that further into parts of Syria. And as we’ll see this morning into their army, it’s amazing.

12. 5:31

    Well, the thing that we’ve chosen as a summary for this little section, is to pray for site and, you know, brothers and sisters. You might see how that comes up in this little section. There’s three times that Elijah prays for God to affect the site of in this chapter, One he does it for Elijah Elisha servant so I should praise for his servant for God to open his eyes and then the next thing you find is that Elijah’s praying that God will blind the Syrian Army.

13. 6:02

    And the next thing he does next verse is pray for God to Open the Eyes of the Syrian Army. It’s weird but it’s amazing, you know, we need site brothers and sisters and we often lose it. And this morning what I want you to think about and to be strengthened around as we all need.

14. 6:20

    Is not cite in the sense of understanding, what God’s doing? Or insight into what God’s kind of sovereign Province. Providence is up to, in our lives. I want to wind that back this morning because I think that’s what’s happening in this chapter. What I want us to get out of this idea of sight and praying for site is just seeing that he is present in your life.

15. 6:43

    Not trying to figure out what’s going on. Not to try and understand what God is doing in his Sovereign Province, but just to pray that your faith will be strengthened to see him encamped around you. And in the lives of other people. So, other brothers and sisters and young people can have that site in that richness of Faith, just to believe that God is here.

16. 7:05

    Not to understand what he’s doing, because we don’t always But to be strengthening our faith, that he is definitely here. You know, this idea of things, encamped around you is in Psalm 34. We know the passage the pastor says the angel of Yahweh encamps around those who fear Him Now Psalm 34 is a Messianic.

17. 7:28

    Psalm there’s no doubt a better present sisters, but that does not mean it only applies to the Messiah. He encamps around everyone, who fears him. So it’s not just a like shin. It’s not going to be just a like chasseur. Servant on some special occasion. Every one of us can have open eyes to see the reality of the sovereignty of God’s Providence in our lives. Not that we know what will unfold but we know he’s there. That’s the story of second Kings, chapter 8 and Israel needed to learn that in.

18. 7:59

    So, do you? And I so let’s dive into 2nd Kings chapter 8. Sorry, second Kings chapter 6, there’s four main characters. One of the characters that we come across, is the king of Syria and his army, we’re not told his name in this record. In fact, nobody has a name in this record except for Elijah. Everyone’s Anonymous.

19. 8:23

    Even the king of Israel we have to sort of not out his name. We’re going to do that because it’s not important. The second character is Elijah. He’s referred to as the man of God. The prophet, he’s referred to as my master by a servant and he’s called my father by the king of Israel verse 21. The third character is the king of Israel. He has a lot to learn But don’t forget he’s learning because God has compassion on his people.

20. 8:52

    We’re in the fourth is Elisha’s servant also nameless. So there’s our four characters. Let’s jump in and see what God teaches through these four characters. What we’re really going to do is just go through the story because it’s it’s, it’s incredible. From the very first opening line of this circumstance, verse a, let’s read it. So, here we are the king of Syria was making war against Israel.

21. 9:19

    This kept on it was all the time. They were sending little raids in, sometimes it get a few more raids. There is all this kind of back and forth between various stations. So, verse 8, the king of Syria was making war against Israel and he consulted his servants saying, my Camp will be in such and such a place. Now, the picture that you’ve got is the king of Syria and he’s got his private.

22. 9:45

    Military Council so we sitting around maybe has a big round table, I don’t know and I don’t know how many there were maybe there’s 12 or 24 but he’s got his his private military Council. These are the Elite. These are the guys with the maps and Depends of the plans to carry out, the plans of the Syrian Army which was enormous and they had high tech equipment, they had horses and chariots it was formidable. So he meets with his private group of consultants and War advisors and he says, my Camp will be in such and such a place.

23. 10:15

    It’s now clear that he didn’t say that but that’s what the record says to us. Because it’s keeping us in the dark about where that place was. He obviously told when he met with them he told them where it was, but we read it as such and such a place, we have no idea where kept in the dark, we can’t see what’s going on. In such and such a place.

24. 10:37

    So we have no idea where it is the readers of this story, and the way it’s crafted or kept in the dark. And apparently Israel’s not to meant to know where that is either. So really no one knows what’s going on in this story. Except we find out in verse 9. Elijah does look at verse 9 in the man of God, this is Elijah sent to the king of Israel. Now, this is the median brother, sister, I want you the way this record is written, is fantastic.

25. 11:08

    One moment in the story were in the council room, the private Council room of the king and he’s telling his advisers where the campus. The very next verse is Elijah. Sending a message of where the such and such a place was and is still not named verse verse 9. The man of God sent to the king of Israel saying, beware that you do not pass this place, whatever that was let’s just do such and such a place.

26. 11:32

    For the syrians are coming down there to such and such a place so instantly in this story. Elijah knows where such and such a place is and he tells the king of Israel. So verse 10, the king of Israel sent someone to the place of which the man of God had told him and thus, he warned him so, well, I should warn the king and he was watchful.

27. 11:56

    They’re not just once or twice. The, any T says this happened on several occasions. So over and over again, you have this cute, the Syrian King meeting with his army, and in the private room, closed doors, everything, and he’s like, we’re going to meet in such and such a place, maybe change location.

28. 12:12

    And so he immediately sends out someone to go there and and lo and behold, there’s already the Israelites there or they’ve moved in a different direction. So the kid couldn’t be intercepted and happened over and over and over again. It’s crazy. And the king of Syria is getting more and more and more frustrated.

29. 12:32

    Nobody knows what’s going on. Except Elijah and the King. Whatever the king is told, it’s an extraordinary set up to the story. So You have rage in verse 11. The way it’s written in the King. James new King. James might just soften it, but I think the Hebrew. When you sort of trying to suss out what’s going on in the Hebrew, this is what goes on verse 11. Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled. Maybe that’s a mix of frustration, and angst and just he’s just cheesed like this is really irritating, it’s foiling, my plans every single time, right? Troubled by this thing.

30. 13:14

    And he called his servants, this private counsel and said to them and the new King James says, will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel. Now in the Hebrew people say that this has got a note of sarcasm to it and he’s angry, right? So you can imagine what happened on the on the the meeting room as he slams his fist on the table bang and he says who isn’t on Israel’s side?

31. 13:38

    He’s so annoyed and he feels there must be a mole in his private counsel, right? He just says, well, who have you aren’t on the Israel side? He’s so irritated. He cannot see what is going on Brothers & Sisters, but his counsel can. What verse 12 is extraordinary. There’s like deathly silence in the room. and then one of the servants just pipes up and says no one my Lord But Elijah, the prophet whose in Israel can tell the king of Israel, everything you say, even when you’re muttering to yourself and your bedroom like what? So, we’ve got this extraordinary situation where the king of Syria has just been told that every word he speaks, whether he’s in his bedroom or his bedchamber, or he’s cruising down between the Royal residences. Whatever.

32. 14:32

    Anything he says to, anybody go straight to Elijah and that goes straight to the king. It just made me think of a situation recently when we are traveling over to Queens and driving and we drove through Parks New South Wales. Some of you might know where that is and there’s a massive satellite there. That’s another science thing which I’m interested in but they have this little Center that shows how satellite dishes work in all that.

33. 14:57

    So it’s kind of like the Whispering Wall near Hebron but you can whisper into the Satellite Dish and like way over there is another little satellite dish and IT projects your voice like you whisper into it. Oops, and the person like people way over there, like where James Taylor sitting, they can hear you as loud as I just made me think of that like any little whisper bang, it’s coming right into the years of Elijah like it’s a there’s nothing preventing it. He can hear everything that’s going on. Because God allows him to do so.

34. 15:26

    So you’d think if you were the king of Syria and you realize that this is probably what’s going on and time and time again, things have been sort of foiled because Elijah knows you would think that well, what’s the use? But he doesn’t, he says, right. I’m going to get them. Let’s get them. Look at verse where we verse 12.

35. 15:47

    No, no. We just read that verse 13, look. He said go instantly once he learns as he says, go and see where he is that. I’m I send and get him because he has no idea can’t see where he is doesn’t know. And he also can’t see anything that’s going on in terms of his private counsel.

36. 16:06

    So he says go get him, then I met and it was told him saying, surely he is in Dothan, so you’d think if you would king of Syria and also the council you be like, well, I should just heard that too, right? Like you just said I’m getting Elijah, but Elijah always. See, just got that message.

37. 16:22

    Obviously not a text message, but it came straight to him. So then he goes ahead with this crazy plan in verse 14 and it’s extraordinarily over the top. I’m just wondering, I’m getting a little bit warm as anyone really warm Can you do wonder if we can turn some AC on? He’s all right.

38. 16:39

    Oh, they are, oh wait, maybe it’s just up here. That’s right. Okay, so let’s just think about verse 14. Therefore he the king of Syria, send horses, and chariots, and a great Army, and they came by night and surrounded the city. Now, why did they do that? Well, they came by night, so, no one could see them, right?

39. 16:58

    They didn’t want anyone to notice this great Army and it’s a great Army. Now, what are they doing? What’s the purpose of the Syrian King? He’s here to capture one man and his sidekick. Because he probably knew that you had a servant with him. So the king of Syria gets a great Army, he sends out his chariots and his horses to capture Elijah.

40. 17:20

    There’s 22 people and there’s the, the Israelite Army is no around here. They’re probably down to the Southwest in Samaria. If there’s any around, which is about 15 or 17 kilometers away. So the the Israelite Army is in Dothan, nor is the king and Dothan. It’s literally just Elijah and his servant, and the king of Syria. Since his majesty, Massive retinue of of horses and chariots to surround him at night time thinking, he could catch him.

41. 17:48

    And then enters the character Elisha’s servant, look what happens, verse 15. And when the servant of the man of God, arose, early and went out. Now, what do you think he was doing early when he got up?

42. 18:04

    Well, if he’s Elisha’s servant, I’m almost certain. He would have been getting up at the crack of dawn to pray or something like he’s a man of God and he’s with the man of God support Elijah. So no doubt they’ve slept that night. And he gets up, the servant gets up in there just as the sun’s coming up in verse 15.

43. 18:27

    And I’m just imagining this little bit embellishing the record, but this is probably what happened. He’d go out and find a nice place to pray and he’s prayed, he just opens. His eyes looks up. He’s what? What on Earth is going? There’s as the sun comes up and all the Shadows lift. You can see an intense Army of horses and chariots all around.

44. 18:46

    They’re kind of in like a little bit of a hilly area. So however, the Syrian Army did it, they’ve stationed all around to look really intimidating. And Elisha’s servant is maybe just been praying. He looks up and he sees all of this crazy Army all around him and you can imagine in the instant, there’s only him and Elijah nearby.

45. 19:05

    And Elijah might have been just over there. And the first thing he does is panics. Absolutely panics. The Hebrew doesn’t get captured in the English. The the panicky nature of it, a little bit alas, my master. What shall we do? This is like a what like what is going on? What are these people doing here?

46. 19:24

    And he knows like you can tell he knows that they’re coming against him. Like why else? There’s no one else around. And he panics. He would have been a God-fearing person. I think that’s safe to conclude by the sisters. He himself is only recently as Elisha’s servant witnessed some pretty extraordinary things like early under chapter.

47. 19:47

    He just witnessed a floating accent. It’s not every day. You see that floating in the Murray River. So, he goes out in the morning, totally unaware, couldn’t see anything because it had been night. And he’s scared skinny to see the full force of the Syrian Army.

48. 20:05

    He has nothing all he sees, but in sisters, like we, of course, would is the problem and you can sense the fear in the tone of his exclamation to Elijah. And here’s where the story takes an extraordinary turn. Verse 16.

49. 20:22

    As he’s sweatin and asking Elijah what to be done. Elijah just simply responds like this, with a note of encouragement to his brother. So he answered do not fear. For those who are with us, are more than those who are with them. Why she’s really combines and sisters. Why, why is Elijah so calm?

50. 20:51

    Why is he panicking? Why isn’t he running around? And sending a messenger of the king of Israel? To send a retinue of Chariots and horses up this way to help them out? He doesn’t do anything like that. Nothing, he takes nothing into his own hands here in that sense.

51. 21:07

    And plus, how can you even say there’s more with us to this young servant than there is with them? There’s only two of them against a great Army. The math doesn’t stack up at all, But behind this present sisters is a prophet of God, who’s already seen visions of God’s Providence. Who knows firsthand in his own life, experience that God is there and will not go away.

52. 21:36

    He could see something Elisha could see something that his servant could not. You know, that happens. Sometimes I reckon sometimes. We might not be able to see certain things in our life or circumstances or the Brotherhood or family, but other people might be able to and they can help us out. That doesn’t mean that they understand what’s going on or that we can pinpoint exactly what’s God’s doing but there’s people at certain times and sometimes it’s you and sometimes it’s person next to you.

53. 22:07

    That can see more clearly because of circumstances in their life or what they’ve learned. And we need to impart that vision and encouragement to each other. See from our perspective, present sisters, like this, the servant who was caught out, he was a faithful man God-fearing man. He was caught out with fear in the moment and he needed someone a brother like Elijah to stand next to him and say, no, don’t worry. There is heaps more right here with us. Encamped, all around us than anything that you need to worry about from the other side of the army. There’s heaps here.

54. 22:41

    God is with us. It’s something his servant couldn’t think of or believe at that moment he went through a period of challenging anxiety and fear. And who wouldn’t our Instinct would be to do that but he needed Elijah to calm him down. Not only does Elisha encourage him with the facts. He also praised for him and I believe with him, but his sister’s look at verse 17.

55. 23:12

    Of all the things that Elisha could have done at this moment after saying, don’t worry, God is going. There’s more with us than the extension arm of all the things he could have done, like, send a message to Israel. King of Israel. Nope, Elisha prayed and said, Yahweh, I pray open his eyes so he can see in a sense like so he can see what I know and see. right then Yahweh opened the eyes of the young man and he saw And behold the mountain was full of horses and Chariots of Fire all around.

56. 23:53

    Elijah the two of them together in that place. Now, the Hebrew is extraordinary here by the sisters because it draws you into the record. It doesn’t say that and you know, Open the Eyes of the young man and he saw the Chariots, the record is written like this to get us to get into that situation. The Hebrew says, and he saw and look, the mountain is full of Chariots and horses.

57. 24:15

    It’s getting off. Us. What the way this is written is for us to see it too. Not just Elisha’s servant. And he saw and look behold there. They were, we need to see that in faith, two brothers and sisters as Elisha’s servant could see as God gave him, that ability to see the reality of the situation. And what’s amazing here.

58. 24:36

    Brothers sisters is God gives him a vision of something that’s relevant to his time. He’s surrounded by chariots and horses. So what does he see chariots and horses? But these ones are on fire because this is the Providence of God. That’s what God encourages him with. Do you ever think you’re alone? Elisha’s servant.

59. 24:54

    Nope. There’s more here than you could ever need to help you through your circumstances. A prayer for his servant. You know, Elijah has seen this type of thing before. Back in Chapter 2, he was well aware of the Providence of God. And as one writer put this servant, now also had a clear glimpse of the sovereignty of Providence In this context, God shows this young man.

60. 25:25

    Something that was relevant to the time and place and context of the world and the circumstance that he was in, right? Then, But you know what’s really amazing about this record button. Sisters that staggers me, every time I read it, Is this?

61. 25:43

    Not one place in this story. No further. Verse in this record uses the Chariots and Horses of fire they appear and they’re gone. Not gone in the sense of like they’ve all written away and God has left these two people you would expect and maybe I would too. Well I do expect maybe you would do.

62. 26:04

    That’s what I meant to say is this that the next verse of the story is Verse 18. So just pretend verse 18 isn’t quite there yet. You would expect in this story The ones God shows all of these chariots and Horses of fire that. The next scene is that the Syrian Army is just obliterated but burning chariots, inflaming like it would just been the most epic battle ever of like of unreal and surreal proportions. That’s what you would think.

63. 26:30

    Would happen. God shows them the Army has says right, this is what I’m going to use. That is not how this story ends, even remotely, there is no epic battle between the Syrian horses and chariots and the horses and chariots on fire by Yahweh. He never saves Elisha’s servant by using that Army. Not even close, they’re not even used in the rest of the record but he wants Elisha’s servant to know that they are there. But he’s not telling Elisha’s servant how he’s going to work it out and save them, he will deliver him but it will not be something necessary that I should serve. And even understands in fact the the crazy thing about this story brothers and sisters that pinches us to reality of how God works and we don’t always understand but we need to trust. is that that very day little did Elijah servant know, but he would be setting the table for that Army and giving them a feast and instead of a bloodbath there would be a banquet That’s how God was going to work out this story and the servant had no idea.

64. 27:31

    Little did he know that that’s how this story would end that he would be feeding this army. They would not be watching them, destroyed with chariots and Horses of fire burned up to a crisp or however, light that have happened. Amazing. God did not do that. There was more going on here, but the sisters than, just this servants circumstances, there’s a nation, there’s lessons.

65. 27:53

    There’s a king of Israel. It’s yet to learn something powerful that he still can’t see. So will I should servants perspective, is common to us. He saw what was around him? The enemy, the largeness of it. The might the terrible circumstances. The challenges that he was facing us as an individual. He was a spiritual man, but he was experiencing a period of fear in his life. That just came upon Him.

66. 28:19

    Suddenly in that morning, when he woke out, And the prayer that his brother offered was that God would open his eyes so he could see why she’s prayer wasn’t for the means of how God would deliver them for that situation. It was so that those who were in The Situation could just richly trust that God was there, whatever he would do. Does this really apply to us?

67. 28:48

    I mean, this is an obscure story in the record of Kings. God, working through prophets and doing Miracles, does it? Yes, it does Psalm 34 verse 7. We’ve quoted it, but now we’re going to read it. Come back to some 34.

68. 29:06

    Verse 7. This song was written before this incident took place. Well before This is from the time of David. And in fact, brothers and sisters, it could very well be that the Elijah, the servant of Elijah knew this song But when you’re stuck in that situation and you need to try and believe it and rely on it, well, it’s the challenge, isn’t it? When God puts us through circumstances, that tests our faith, Look at Psalm 34.

69. 29:42

    Verse 6, this poor man, cried out and Yahweh, heard him and saved him. Out of all his troubles doesn’t say how It’s not even necessarily in the way we expected. But here is the encouragement in verse 7, the angel of Yahweh and camps all around those who fear Him and delivers them somehow. Someway.

70. 30:06

    But nevertheless, the point is that, the angel of the Lord is all around. All around. It’s Not Unusual, president sisters and it’s not wrong for Godly brothers and sisters to experience fear. It can happen. It can happen when various circumstances in life, come along or Family Matters or a collegial matters. If that’s not a sign of ungodliness President sisters, but it’s a sign that God is working in us to open our eyes to help us trust in him through that fear. Psalm 34 makes that clear to says, he delivered me out of all my fears godly people do go through fearful times. In the message of the psalm is to say that when you are in those times, you can trust that God is encamped everywhere around you.

71. 30:58

    That’s not just a nice feeling. It is actually the reality that we either do or do not see brothers and sisters. That’s the message. You may not be in danger and saying here of our life when we wake up some morning like Elisha’s servant, God doesn’t put all of us in that situation but he certainly Works in all of our lives and all of us at times face challenging circumstances, you know, at the simplest level, this incident in second Kings chapter 6, which the lycian is servant is a situation in the Brotherhood where one person is conveying their dismay fear or anxiety about the circumstances in their life and another person encourages them and prays for them, This is common to our experience.

72. 31:47

    Whichever position. We may find ourselves in Or is it brothers and sisters? Sharing problems and concerns and anxieties is common common enough. A lot of those conversations happen but how often is praying for each other? When does that happen? It does it. you know, we rarely wake up in the morning to circumstances, it’s as dramatic as this But it can happen.

73. 32:18

    However more common to our experience is possibly less dramatic issues, perhaps less life-threatening or altering however we need site all the same. To see that God’s ministers to those, who will inherit salvation, which is easy to just kind of say off the tongue, but that’s what the angels are. are not merely commissioned for drastic times, but to our daily choices and challenges, our daily, fears and failures, We have many challenges that face our members in the bodybuilding sisters.

74. 32:53

    Not everyone’s going through challenging circumstances. But it seems common enough circumstances that need absolute Clarity of vision in one particular area. God’s Sovereign Providence. His tight encampment around us. He wants us to see that he really does. We have members here with us and online, that feel the acute and sharpening challenges of a whole range of issues.

75. 33:22

    Maybe it’s old age, wreaking havoc. Maybe it’s our teenagers, some of our teenagers in early 20s, maybe there’s different issues for them and an old age is not something that they could relate to in the challenges and the personal circumstances that that impinges upon, but they have their own issues, possibly maybe social ones or of a sexual nature that can war in their members at times.

76. 33:48

    Synthesized to rein in their mortal bodies. In all of ours, possibly feeling surrounded at Toms and every Side by our own weaknesses and brothers and sisters. It sure can feel like a great Army at times. The still others in our body, may feel the sharp pain of being unmarried when they wish God would provide, this is not uncommon. And I felt that before too.

77. 34:14

    It brings other unspoken and misunderstood personal challenges at times and again possible feelings of anxiety and other feelings for others. Its physical sickness an uncertain medical outcomes that weighs anxiously in those quiet lonely moments on the Mind, thinking about the future and family for others. There are deeply personal matters that feel Goliath like, and how they impose themselves in different areas of life, including relationships, and marriage, bonds, and just simply inability to mix and feel part of this body. Others may feel the pain of loss of employment. These perhaps are just some of the ones that we know or hear about in our experience.

78. 34:57

    But there are many more There’s lots of varied ways in which a Believer faces, deep troubles in life. many of these issues and trials don’t even go away overnight, some of them last for a long time maybe months sometimes years sometimes it feels like they’re not going to end but this record is challenging you and I To ask ourselves.

79. 35:18

    What we really see. When we look around with and sisters, maybe if you’re older you might look around. And what you see is that your life is aging your troubles with health light being creates what you see around you maybe you see other issues in your life maybe it’s personal it. What you see is your mistakes, the challenges of getting along with others or feeling part of this body feeling accepted maybe. All those are various challenges Maybe we feel challenged by the Monumental shifts in our society that are going on around us. Where the world’s headed?

80. 35:57

    What second Kings, chapter 6 is doing is telling us to see it how God sees it, not necessarily brother and sisters. My pains to feel this not necessarily seeing how God will actually bring you through it. But to believe he will. And that he’s actually encamped around you as much as we don’t understand. As much as it might feel unfair or fearful or, or trying, but to believe that he is, they’re just seeing God, We need to pray for God to open our eyes to see things like this. That’s the reality of the situation. That’s the permanent reality, rather than sisters, our current circumstances will change.

81. 36:39

    And in the end, they will no longer be. In the end. Give us eyes to see God. To see you, encamped around us. Our human nature. And human thinking things like Pride. Tends to keep us in the dark. But if we open, our eyes will see that God is right there. You know, brothers sisters.

82. 37:07

    I feel like maybe this is a good challenge for us. Maybe a bit of homework, if you will a challenge you this week to pray for, someone be the Elijah for someone. That’s my challenge for you to pray for someone. Not for understanding how God will solve the problems of the circumstances, but for open eyes.

83. 37:31

    Sit down and pray with someone that you’ve never prayed with before and pray. That God will open your eyes, or their eyes, or whatever that need might be. Now, we can think of a million excuses, why not to do this because it’s not your personality. It’s not something you’re comfortable with but it’s deeply, spiritual brothers and sisters and it’s deeply part of this story of Elijah and his servant and the brotherly bond in belief in God that they shared together.

84. 37:56

    Maybe you can only do that over the phone, just call someone up and pray over the phone. That’s possible. I was with a brother earlier this week also just walking around before school and we talked about a lot of things in the Brotherhood, but the most powerful thing was to sit down in a park bench and pray prayer hearts out that God would open her eyes to trust in him. Not take things at our own hands. I challenge you to pray with someone and for someone this week.

85. 38:29

    So God can open our eyes and help us to trust in him. Do you know there’s another part to this story but the sisters? The and it starts in verse 18 and we’re just going to highlight what’s in this section because I’d love you to mull it over this week. You know, the strange thing is this story of this event doesn’t end, like we would possibly expect it with the obliteration of the syrians.

86. 38:52

    The strange things that unfold now are this in part two. So part one was just the message. Her one of the story up to verse 17 is for God to see the importance of seeing him. In our life, part two is, the impact that seeing him in our life can have, as you deal with other people, you know, in summary, this is what happens.

87. 39:15

    Elijah prays that God will strike the Syrian Army, not with a plague or obliterate them, but with blindness. So, the syrians become blind and they’re in Dothan walk around and there. Don’t forget, they’re looking for Elijah, right? And Elijah walk. Ox up to them and they can’t see in the blindness here, seems to be from some blight, bright light, the Hebrew are a, they can’t see. So the Army’s all around and they can’t see it. Elijah comes up to them.

88. 39:38

    And he says, oh, let me take you to the city, where that man is now, he’s right there, he’s right with them. And they begin this 15 kilometer Trek down to the Southwest to Samaria, where the Royal residences were for the Kings of Israel, and imagine that. It’s a ridiculous story. It’s a ridiculous picture in your mind.

89. 39:58

    There’s a lie. Russia and his servant walking along and behind them are the horses and chariots. And he takes the whole group of them because they can’t even find their way. And they arrived in the Royal residences of Israel’s King and then he says, Lord open their eyes and it’s kind of like this the being and it opened their eyes and the crazy thing at Elijah is right there.

90. 40:19

    That’s who they were trying to find and they’re right inside the heart of the enemy territory. And you know what the king of Israel says? Because he can’t see what’s going on. He says, I’d kill him. Let’s kill him. He’s going for a bloodbath, they’re the enemy, right? Let’s obliterate them. And Elisha says, how dare you?

91. 40:41

    Let’s put on a meal. That’s how I should treat. See enemies. And I believe this sends a message to me. Buzzin sisters personally, If you can’t see God. At work and you don’t believe he’s at work in your life visibly. Indirectly. You’re probably more likely to have the response like the king of Israel, right?

92. 41:07

    I think that’s true. If you can’t see God, your first reaction is going to take him to your own hand, let’s kill him. This is an opportunity to kill him and Elijah who can see everything that’s going on, says not. Let’s put on a banquet, that’s how we’re going to treat the enemy. And I think there’s something extraordinary here, brothers and sisters.

93. 41:27

    The people who can see God in this story. Treat people kindly Jesus picks up on this and says you’ve got enemies. Feed them. Matthew chapter 5. Have them over. I might not be possible in every case, but that’s how you treat people that maybe your off side with whatever degree that enemy might be, who knows? But if you if you want to take the spirit of Jesus out of this Old Testament passage, it’s how do you treat your enemies? And if you, if you actually believe that Christ is with you, it will change how you treat people. That’s what’s going on here.

94. 42:10

    Total contrast between Elijah and the king of Israel total. Contrast. How did Jesus teach so strongly that you can pray for those who spitefully use you and your enemies. How did he do that? Brothers and sisters. That’s the most extraordinary teaching. The planet has ever. Seen come out of the mouth of the Son of God.

95. 42:31

    It goes against every fiber of our being in Human Nature. How can Jesus do that? Because he knew that God was with him every step of the way. And if you do believe that, it’s got to change how you treat people, you’ll be less likely to take into your, you’ll be less likely to disparage them and do something nasty to them. And I believe that is a massively powerful. Excitation to me.

96. 42:56

    How does Romans chapter 12? Say, if your enemy is hungry, put a meal on for that’s Romans chapter. 12 is all over. This story live peaceably, don’t take Vengeance, that’s mine. Peaceably with all men, do good to the. This is all the same sort of thing, that’s happening right here. Once God lifts the veil off of Elisha’s servant size. Now he can treat his enemies differently because he’s not depending on himself.

97. 43:21

    He’s leaving it to God and he will just show the kindness of God and the compassion of God to those enemies. And leave the rest to God, who knows how God will deliver.

98. 43:33

    That’s the power. Of the teaching of the son of God. And how we treat our enemies. Maybe it’s true brothers and sisters. Maybe it’s true for you. It’s probably true for me.

99. 43:53

    That the degree to, which I believe God is involved. And around me. Has a direct correlation. To how I handle other people in the Ecclesia, and how I treat people, how I talk about them. And what I do. so, the message from this week, or for this week, going ahead from this passage Taking full inspiration from the spirit and example of Christ. Who is drawing out the lessons of second Kings. Chapter 6 is for you to fully trust God to help others do the same to pray for your sight and for the sight of others and to let that impact how you treat other people. Thank you for listening to the good christadelphians talks podcast.

100. 44:59

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101. 45:17

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102. 45:40

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