E-pistle for July 20, 2007
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E-pistle
Dr. Curt Scarborough, Pesident FreeWay Foundation July 20, 2007
A Preacher Who Lost His "Cutting Edge"
(II Kings 6:1-33)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Elisha accompanied the sons of the prophets to the banks of the Jordan
River where they were building a "seminary"; one of the men lost his
borrowed axhead in the river while chopping trees; Elisha made the
iron axhead float so it could be recovered, vv. 1-7.
2. The King of Syria, Ben-Hadad, was disturbed because Jehoram, the king
of Israel, seemed to have inside intelligence about Syria's battle plans;
a servant told Ben-Hadab that there was not a spy in the camp, but that
Elisha the prophet was revealing Syrian secrets to Jehoram; Ben-Hadad
became terrified; Elisha prayed that God would open the servant's eyes,
and the servant saw the mountain full of God's horses and chariots of fire,
vv. 8-17.
3. Elisha prayed and God struck the Syrian army with blindness; Elisha led
the army troops into the city of Samaria, where their sight was restored;
Elisha told Jehoram not to kill the Syrians, but to give them food and
water; the Syrian troops then were released, vv. 18-23.
4. Later, Ben-Hadad besieged Samaria, causing a famine so severe that the
inhabitants resorted to cannibalism; King Jehoram blamed Elisha, and
came to his house to arrest him, vv. 24-33.
II. Meditation: on the servant's "spiritual perception"
1. Fear and doubt are at the root of spiritual blindness.
2. God reveals secrets to His faithful servants; Elisha knew the
Syrian's plans, and he saw God's guardian angels around him.
3. Hear these true words of encouragement: "Do not fear, for those
who are with us are more than those who are with them," v. 16
4. Faith in God can open "blind" eyes and give spiritual discernment.
III. Revelation: on lost axheads (vv. 5-7)
1. LOST AXHEADS cause grief to the borrower and the owner alike.
2. LOST AXHEADS serve no useful purpose; they miss their divine destiny,
and because "LOST AXHEADS" are out of service, an assigned task
remains undone.
3. LOST AXHEADS are in danger of being permanently damages by rust
and corrosion caused by inactivity and/or being trapped in a harmful
element, such as water.
4. LOST AXHEADS require immediate, miraculous attention or the loss
may be permanent: the current may carry the LOST AXHEAD away;
it may become buried in the mud; or the place where it was lost may
be forgotten.
IV. Applications: as a Christian leader, have I lost my "CUTTING EDGE"? If so . . .
1. I need to realize that the "axhead" does not belong to me; it is borrowed,
v. 5. Spiritual power (a cutting edge) belongs to God.
2. I need to immediately (with Godly sorrow leading to repentance) call upon
the Master for help when I lose my "CUTTING EDGE," v. 5.
3. I need to truthfully tell the Lord exactly where the "axhead" was lost, v. 6.
I must confess that particular acts of sin or carelessness.
4. I need to hear and obey God's word telling me what I must do to recover
the "lost axhead" v. 7. Spiritual recovery and restoration always
involves an act of human obedience combined with a divine miracle.
"Son, You Are My Stick!"
It was noon, August 8, 1991, and I was stretched out on my bed in a room at
Windermere Baptist Assembly on Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks. I was meditating
on my devotional reading for the day, while wrestling with the possibility of moving
to New England to pastor a church adjoining the campus of one of the world's
premier universities. I really desired to return to a local church ministry . . . to
serve as senior pastor of that great church with so much potential for impacting
the lives of America's future "movers and shakers."
The verse which the Holy Spirit quickened to me that day was II Kings 6:6,
"Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron axhead float."
As I pondered God's will for my life, I began to sense in my spirit that He
was speaking to me personally. I had received "words" and "impressions" from
the Holy Spirit before, but this was different: longer and more detailed. I moved
to the kitchen table and wrote down these words, which were vividly clear to me:
"Son, you are My stick. I did not make you to be a beam or a pillar;
I did not make you to be a part of the floor, wall, or roof; I did not
even make you to be an ax handle.
My purpose for you is to bring axheads to the surface; to focus eyes
upon the place where My miraculous power is about to operate; to be
a catalyst to enable some of My other servants to regain their cutting
edge so that they, through My power, may harvest timber, shape beams
and planks, and build My kingdom house.
Son, your shape and function in My kingdom is unique; be content with
the role I have given you to play. Your destiny is not to be the builder,
nor a part of the main building. Yet without you, the kingdom construction
work could be delayed for a time or stopped altogether.
So, be My stick, son, and I will use you to bring glory to My name. There
is no more important task; there is no role in life more significant than this
one I have assigned to you and assigned you for. BE CONTENT!"
As a "stick" in God's hand, I already have seen a portion of God's divine purpose
fulfilled in my life. The Pillsbury Institute of Applied Christianity, founded in 1992, (name
changed to Pillsbury College & Seminary) is a result of my personal encounter with God
at Windermere in 1991.
Jonah Prays for God's Help
(Jonah 2:1-10)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on the elements of Jonah's prayer
1. Jonah acknowledged that his predicament (being in the belly of the
great fish) was caused by his own sin, which had brought God's
judgment upon him, vv. 1-3.
2. Jonah, even though he had been "cast out of God's sight," looked
toward God's holy temple . . . turned toward the only possible source
of help, vv. 4, 7.
3. Jonah recognized his hopeless and desperate situation of certain death,
Doom, and destruction without divine help, vv. 5-6.
4. Jonah renounced "worthless idols" and vowed to serve God ("sacrifice
to You") in obedience, realizing that he had only one hope: "Salvation
is of the Lord," vv. 8-9.
II. Meditation: on the theological truths of this chapter
1. God always hears when His people cry out to Him, and He always
answers their prayers . . . yes, no, wait, vv. 2.
2. There is life after death . . . Sheol (the grave or the place where the soul
abides after death away from the presence of God) is mentioned by
Jesus as the tomb where He was buried for three days before His
resurrection, vv. 2, 6; Matthew 12:40.
3. God brings His people through times of trouble and danger; He keeps
and preserves them so that they may accomplish His purposed destiny
in their lives, v. 10.
4. The Lord is a God of mercy, Who deserves our thanksgiving, praise,
obedience, and service, v. 9.
III. Revelation: on the spiritual implications seen here
1. God's people should pray; often "we do not have because we do not
ask," James 4:2.
2. Every individual lives eternally . . . either in heaven or in hell; each
person makes that personal choice by either accepting or rejecting
God's offer of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ.
3. God may not remove the obstacles or troubles from our lives, but He
always gives us grace and strength to sustain us through those difficulties.
4. God is worthy of our worship and sacrificial service.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Pray without ceasing, I Thessalonians 5:17.
2. Live daily in the light of eternity, Ecclesiastes 3:11.
3. Trust in the Lord with all my heart, Proverbs 3:5.
4. Worship the Lord and serve Him only, Matthew 4:10.
John Glenn said "We have an infinite amount to learn both
from nature and from each other."
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