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Christian Devotional – July 7, 2020
Double Portion – #4 Why did I name this series double portion? Because when we start studying the life of Elisha, we must first start by studying the life of Elijah. As Elijah was teaching and training and leading Elisha, he came to the point where it was time for Elijah’s ministry on Earth to be over. What Elisha asked for during that time changed the course of the rest of his ministry. Read it 2 Kings 2:7-12. Now fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. Elijah took his mantle and folded…
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Christian Devotional – July 6, 2020
Double Portion – #3 We skip ahead a bit until the next time we see Elisha. Now, rest assured, he has been with Elijah throughout all the various miracles and messages that Elijah has shared. But now we see him mentioned again in 2 Kings 2:1-6. And it came about when the Lord was about to take up Elijah by a whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here please, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to…
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Christian Devotional – July 4, 2020
Double Portion – #2 As we continue looking at the life of Elisha, we see the character of who he is and how completely he devoted himself to following the Lord and Elijah. Read 1 Kings 19:19-21. So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. And Elijah passed over to him and threw his mantle on him. He left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for…
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Christian Devotional – July 3, 2020
Double Portion – #1 Elisha, an amazing prophet of God. God used him in mighty ways and allowed him to gave a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. We’re going to spend time looking at his life. We see him first in 1 Kings 19:15-18. The Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you have arrived, you shall anoint Hazael king over Aram; and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. It shall come about, the one who escapes from the sword…
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Christian Devotional – July 2, 2020
Before the Gap – #11 The final chapter of the book of Malachi. God gives his final words that he is going to share before going silent for 400 years. What does he feel the people need to know and understand most to get them through what’s coming? Read Malachi 4:1-6. “For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says the Lord of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.” “But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with…
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Christian Devotional – July 1, 2020
Before the Gap – #10 There is a difference. As Malachi is finishing this chapter, he calls out the fact that there is a difference between the righteous and the unrighteous. There is a difference between those who are seeking to follow God and who are not. Read Malachi 3:16-18. Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who esteem His name. “They will be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare…
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Christian Devotional – June 30, 2020
Before the Gap – #9 It is possible to steal from God. There are several things that belong to God and any time we take those, it would be considered robbing God. Read Malachi 3:8-15. “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you! Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of…
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Christian Devotional – June 29, 2020
Before the Gap – #8 If we turn to God, he will turn to us. Read this description in Malachi 3:5-7. “Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien and do not fear Me,” says the Lord of hosts. “For I, the Lord , do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed. “From the days of your fathers you have turned aside…
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Christian Devotional – June 28, 2020
Before the Gap – #7 God must purify. As we continue looking at the last things God said to the people before a 100 year gap, we see God telling the people that he must be the one to purify them. God had already established through the first two chapters of Malachi that the people have a problem and are not pure. Now, he shares with them that the way to become pure is to allow God to purify them. Read Malachi 3:1-4. “Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His…
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Christian Devotional – June 27, 2020
Before the Gap – #6 Do we recognize when God is not pleased with our offering and sacrifice to him? Read Malachi chapter 2 verses 13 through 17. “This is another thing you do: you cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and with groaning, because He no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. Yet you say, ‘For what reason?’ Because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. But not one has done so who has a remnant…