He took the cloak that had fallen from him and struck the water with it.
“Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked.
When he struck the water, it divided to the right and the left, and he crossed over.
2 Kings 2:14 NIV
I am the God of History—Lord of past, present, and future. Do you wonder where I am now? Do you feel I am long-ago-and-far-away dramatic headlines on old pages of yesterday’s news? Do you think of Me as merely an obsolete used to be, or the awesome I Am?
I am discoverable in your present situation. I have not changed from what I was to Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, Daniel, John the Baptist, and Paul the apostle. I still challenge you to move in faith, revere My holy law, bravely confront evil, listen for whispers from heaven, surrender to My purpose, pray relentlessly, pave the way for Christ’s entry into human hearts, envision My Kingdom, and preach My Word from the pulpit of your personality.
I am the One Who Will Always Be Who I Have Always Been—Lord of Love. I am the same yesterday, today, and forever. I have not changed—have you? Take the cloak of history and strike the “uncrossable” river flowing before you, and you can go across to My magnificent future.
I am the God of Help—Lord of your strength. The fire of My power is still available to earnest seekers. Miracles are not just a thing of the past, never-to-be-repeated events of ages gone forever. If you cry out to Me with all your heart, you can expect supernatural assistance in your impossible situations. If you pray humbly and sincerely, I will listen and march to your rescue.
You are unable to resist temptation or serve Me on your own. In fact, without Me you can accomplish absolutely nothing. The wisest course of action is to stay near My throne—pleading for power to say no to sin and say yes to Me. Child of weakness, watch and pray—make Me your Center of Gravity and find in Me the strength you need to carry out My assignments and be ready for anything tomorrow brings.
I am the God of Holiness—Lord of transformed hearts. People wonder where the God of Elijah is; I wonder where the Elijahs of God are—unreservedly surrendered to Me, enthusiastically serving Me, boldly challenging others to radical decisions, wearing a prophet’s mantle, preaching a message that softens hearts and enriches relationships.
I promise you will find Me when you really mean business. Put your heart into the ultimate search—searching for God.
“Go out and stand before me on the mountain” the Lord told him.
Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain.
It was such a terrible blast, rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind.
After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.
And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.
And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.
1 Kings 19:11-12 NLT
When fierce windstorms of chaos crumble mountains of your life, I may be trying to teach you a critical lesson. Your typical response is to attempt to put everything back together as best you can. In the process, you may or may not be aware of My Presence.
When emotional earthquakes shake familiar ground beneath your feet and everything nailed down comes loose, you may run to Me in search of stability—or you may simply run away.
When judgment fires sweep through your life’s landscape, you may recognize My purifying purpose—or you may do your best to extinguish the holy blaze.
When I gently whisper, I capture your attention.
Sometimes you feel like Elijah—afraid, lonely, burned out, exhausted, and discouraged. At those times, thank Me for My Holy Spirit. Better than a worrisome wind, egocentric earthquake, or fearful fire—the quiet whisper of My voice encourages you to get up and keep going by consoling, comforting, supporting, and helping you like no earthly voice.
In the midst of the world’s cacophony, My Spirit’s symphony is a welcome break for your troubled soul. Force is touted as the answer to the problems of the world; human strength impresses the masses—but My Holy Spirit is the Ultimate Solution.
My still, small voice counteracts tumult with tranquility—calming the noisy wind to a light whisper and hushing loud waves of the sea to sleep.
In the gentleness of My heart, find rest for your soul. Be silent and get still—you will know deep in your heart that I am God.
I never crush the bruised reed of your music-making ability—I restore your joy and teach you to sing of heaven’s forgiveness. I do not quench the smoldering wick of your good influence—I rekindle hope and encourage you to shine on for My honor. I calm your troubled heart, speak peace to your restless mind, and soothe your jangled nerves—when you listen prayerfully to gentle whispers from eternity.
But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on buying it, for I cannot present burnt offerings to the Lord my God that have cost me nothing.”
2 Samuel 24:24
Grace is free, but not cheap. Grace cost Me the Love of My life. My Son Jesus paid sin’s awful price with His innocent blood. Near the location of Araunah’s threshing floor, Abraham would have sacrificed his son Isaac, had an angel not interrupted his brave plan; but I did not spare My Son His excruciating death on Skull Hill.
Grace is yours for the asking, but there is a high cost to pay if you are to be My disciple. David had a chance to make an easy sacrifice, by accepting Araunah’s offer of a gift. But his conscience moved him to purchase the threshing floor and oxen. I ask you to surrender to your Creator at a cost the finest you have to offer, not just what requires no sacrifice. Anything less than your best is no real sacrifice.
Half-hearted discipleship will not do. I demand undivided allegiance. Only the highest quality, fully devoted service pleases Me. To follow Me, deny cheap attractions. To love Me wholeheartedly, quit lesser loyalties. To worship Me authentically, ignore inferior idols.
Let challenging teachings of My Son reverberate in your heart—If you want to be My follower, you must give up your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and walk in My footsteps. If you try to make everything revolve around yourself, you will miss life. If you make Me the center of your life, you will find life’s true meaning.
I am not opposed to your having a good time. I am not advocating that you go looking for pain. I am saying it will take heroic effort on your part to stay close to Me. Kingdom work will often be difficult. Walking in Jesus’ steps is never a cakewalk.
Near the site of David’s burnt offering was a place called Calvary—no easy place to die. You can be sure it will not be easy for you to shoulder your cross and unselfishly serve Me. Splinters from the cross will hurt—crucifixion of your ego will be painful.
Because your King paid a high price for you, respond in kind. Giving Me your life as a pure and holy sacrifice is reasonable worship. Solomon built the expensive, magnificent Temple on the former site of Araunah’s threshing floor—build your life on Christ, whatever the cost. Consecration of your body as a temple of My Holy Spirit will transform your inner being to be like Jerusalem, city of peace. The eternal value of closeness to the King of hearts will be worth any price you have to pay.
During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the LORD.
2 Samuel 21:1 NIV
When life knocks you to your knees, that is a good prayer posture. You can talk to Me about whatever troubles you. I am always available—ask Me, and I will swiftly help.
When there is a famine of joy, seek My face. When your soul tells you to talk things over with Me, enjoy heart-to-heart conversation with your Greatest Friend.
When you are crying the blues, seek My consolation. Deposit your anxiety at My throne, trusting that I care about what is going on. In My Presence, calm down and cheer up.
When you are nervous, seek My assurance. Follow heaven’s blueprint for peace of mind—pray about everything, tell Me what you need, thank Me for blessings, and enjoy peace more marvelous than you can imagine. You will be unable to explain this
celestial tranquility, but you can experience it even when there is terrestrial trouble all around you.
At the end of your rope, seek My power. Naturally, you are weak. Supernaturally, you are strong.
When there is no rain for your desolate spirit, seek My showers of blessing. Sincerely seek My face and walk away from your evil ways—then I will pay attention, forgive your sin, and transform arid sluggishness into productive living.
In the face of sadness, the best course is to seek My face. Faith triumphs over depressing circumstances by joyful inner-stances. Even in drought, you can experience greater joy than happiness caused by bumper crops of grain and wine. When skeptics and
cynics question the possibility of better times, let the smile of My face warm your heart. Believe My promise of a bright future—march forward in confident step with My Spirit song of hope.
Seek My face today—let My love shine on your countenance. Reflect My glory by becoming more and more like Christ day by day. By degrees, almost imperceptibly, you will grow up spiritually as you trust and obey Me.
I am your Face Healer—I heal frowns of discouragement with courageous expressions, tears of sadness with joyful songs, and wrinkles of despair with hopeful sparkling eyes. Though hard times may go on, never give up. Before you know it, you will have My smile on your face.
I am the Victor over sin, death, Satan, hell, and the grave—trust Me, there is absolutely nothing for you to worry about. Relax.
The men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba.
But the men of Judah stayed with their king and escorted him from the Jordan River to Jerusalem.
2 Samuel 20:2 NLT
I am the King of hearts—including yours. Others may forsake the True God to follow the world’s ersatz god, but by grace stay with Me all the way. Make your resolve like Peter’s—never join ranks with the deserters of Jesus; unflinchingly refuse to disown your King! Then go one better than Peter—do not ruin your worthy resolution by rebellion. At sunrise, when the cock crows, you will not cry your eyes out because you have denied Me during your night of trial. Continue to passionately adore Me as your First Love, Ruler of the kingdom of your emotions. Stay with Me—and stay serene.
I am the King of hope—the Solid Rock of certainty in shifting sands of circumstances. Through life’s picnics and problems, I stay by your side as your Dependable Friend. Change surrounds you, but I stay the same, beside you through it all. Others may leave Me to search for stability elsewhere, but stay faithful to Me, and I will pour My blessings on your life day by day. Focus on getting to know Me—then everything else in the universe will make more sense. Instead of imitating society’s behavior, let My Holy Spirit transform you from inside out by changing how you think. Let My thoughts become yours—permit My Holy Spirit to course through your intellect. Loyally yield to My reign over your mind, humbly making Me your Best Thought day and night. Stay with Me—and stay sane.
I am the King of heaven—your permanent home. I am preparing paradise for you, where we will stay together forever. Certain of your eternal destiny, you are free to sing as you make the trip. You may feel faint in the Faith Marathon, but struggle on until you hear finish-line applause. I will reign over your future—surrender to My reign over your present. Fight until the battle is won. Run until the race is completed. Stay faithful until you meet the Author of faith. When I ascend David’s throne to rule over the universe, you will receive an eternal reward for remaining loyal to the King. Stay with Me—and stay satisfied.
No matter how many turn from Me to follow that loser Satan, stay loyal to your King all the way across the Jordan of challenge to the new Jerusalem of celebration—you will always be glad you did!
I am the King of hearts and Lord of every dimension of your life. When you seriously seek Me, I tranquilize your worry. When you sincerely pray, you experience unparalleled peace of mind.
When you humble yourself in My Presence, you are safe and sound. Falling on your face to honor Me, I gladly and freely help you. Focusing your thoughts on Me and trusting Me, you enjoy perfect peace.
I will not ignore or reject you when you seek My face. My heart goes out to you. Whatever skeptics think and philosophers theorize, I personally care for you.
My heart is a sanctuary of peace and quiet. The shadow of My wings is divine shelter from the storms of temptation and chaos. Nestling near My loving heart brings invulnerable joy.
Turn your anxiety into prayers—tell Me what you need, and thank Me for everything I have done. I will command battalions of angels to encircle you and guard your mind from despair. My royal word brings you rest.
When you are tired and worn out, look to the King of life for renewed vitality. When you are frazzled, seek My blessing. When your burden is impossible to bear, trade it for My servant cross. When you are frustrated by life’s challenges, learn from Me how to live gracefully.
Humble yourself in the presence of the King of kings, and find supernatural help. My invisible clock keeps perfect time—I will have the last word. Submit your will to your Sovereign, and in My good time I will honor you. My smile counts more than any human recognition.
Bring your aggravations to the King of peace, and recover balance. Give all your worries to Me, because I care about what happens to you. If you try to handle stresses and struggles by yourself, you are saying you do not trust Me, and you will fall apart. Listen to My hopeful melody—calm down; cheer up; pray as you go; come to rest.
Rely on the King of love, and find all the grace you need. I promise to write a beautiful ending to your earthly life and a glorious opening line to your life with Me in eternity. Trying times are a parenthesis in life’s grand sentence; someday the parenthesis will close—leave the rest to Me.
The letter instructed Joab, “Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed.”
2 Samuel 11:15 NLT
It is the height of foolishness to reason that the only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it. It is easier to get off sin’s slippery slope at the top than midway down. Better yet, stay off the slope!
King David did not go off to war, yet he fought another war—an internal civil war between passion and purity. Unhappily, he lost his battle with temptation. In hand-to-hand combat on the front line, Uriah died—a casualty of an arrow shot by an enemy archer. And David died spiritually when he sinned with Bathsheba—a casualty of an arrow shot by the enemy of his soul.
Seduced by his own evil desire, he let himself be dragged away and destroyed. Desire conceived and gave birth to sin, leading to death. Moral fighting was savage; but instead of combating evil impulses, he flirted and lost the struggle.
When David saw Bathsheba bathing, he should have turned around and gone inside his palace; instead, he gazed on her with lust. David should have occupied his mind with the battle against the enemies of Israel; instead, he occupied his mind with Bathsheba’s beauty, asking for trouble.
Retiring prematurely, he lazily stayed in Jerusalem while his valiant warriors deployed. With much to eat and drink and no noble task, he committed moral suicide.
David should have canceled his sexual plans when he learned Bathsheba was married; instead, he sent for her with a losing proposition. David should have stopped when he saw Bathsheba; instead, he slept with her. Adultery and murder were crimes
against people; and they were sins against Me. What the king should have done—and what he did—were two vastly different matters.
Uriah was not the only man on the front lines of intense fighting. Though Uriah died physically, his death was more honorable than David’s spiritual defeat. David had done as he pleased, but I was very displeased. Iniquity with impunity is an impossible combination. Forgiveness does not cancel consequences.
Avoid mental adultery. The act is wrong—so is the fantasy. Be loyal to your spouse with your mind, as well as your body. When you meet temptation, turn to the right and see My exit sign. When Satan aims fiery arrows of temptation at you, use the faith shield to extinguish them.
With My help, you can win even the fiercest battles. I am on the front line fighting right alongside you.
The king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul to whom I may show the unfailing, unsought, unlimited mercy and kindness of God?”
2 SAMUEL 9:3 THE AMPLIFIED BIBLE
I am King of kings—nevertheless I am infinitely kind to you. David’s graciousness to Mephibosheth, a no-kin cripple who had done nothing to merit such benevolence, pictures My divine hospitality to you. Israel’s monarch invited Saul’s grandson to live in Jerusalem in his palace and eat at his table. I invite you to reside in the realm of peace and dine regularly at the table I set for you. I fill your soul with a spiritual banquet fit for a king. Though you are sometimes emotionally crippled, I carry you near My heart. Realizing you are a spiritual beggar, I treat you royally. Feasting in My palace, you never go hungry.
I am King of heaven—I extend heavenly citizenship to all who give Me heartfelt allegiance. Allowing sin to rule would place you on death row; permitting Christ to reign puts you at ease. Living as a child of the King, you enjoy life at its best. Cultivating an appetite for lasting meaning, you avoid hell’s unhealthy fast food and enjoy real nourishment.
I am King of love—I have always loved you and I always will. Unlimited mercy charmed you to My side. Unfailing kindness holds you near My heart forever. Loving-kindness makes us inseparable.
I am King of joy—Heaven’s benediction is in giving, not getting.
I am King of kindness—I set the prime example of real love. I have been kind to you, a spiritual cripple, so be kind to the handicapped. Express faith in Me via deeds of kindness mirroring My servant lifestyle. In a cold, cruel world, I am the heartwarming God. Be like Me by building a fire of hospitality to cheer the hearts of discouraged people around you. Reflect My heart of love by being sympathetic to everyone you meet—they are all having a hard time in one way or another. Behind the scenes there is silent struggle, unknown agony, unresolved dilemma, unvoiced pain. For heaven’s sake, show godly kindness every way you can.
My Son gave His life to forgive your sins and remove your guilt. His love was totally unselfish. Walk in His steps by having a heart for others. Let your concern go beyond affection—live sacrificially, like the King who kindly died for you.
An unrung bell is of little value. An unsung song cheers no one. I did not place love in your heart merely for your benefit—not until you give it away does it fulfill its purpose.
I am kind to you—see that you are kind to other people. You have received freely of heaven’s kindness—give freely in kind.
