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Pick it up!!

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So, I have been pondering the life of Elijah and Elisha as I have been studying I and II Kings.  God told Elijah to find Elisha and anoint him as prophet.  Elijah finds Elisha plowing in a field and places his mantle upon Elisha.  The mantle was worn by different people in the bible.  The prophets were known to wear them and it was a sign of their calling by God and the authority that came along with it.  Elisha was very quick to realize what just happened as Elijah threw his mantle upon him.  He quickly said goodbye to family and butchered his oxen and fed the people around him and left with Elijah.  He CHOSE to accept the calling to be mentored by Elijah and be the succeeding prophet.

 

Elisha followed Elijah and learned from him gaining wisdom and knowledge.  Elijah was a very powerful man of God who spoke the uncompromised truth to those God led him to.  Elisha had big shoes to one day fill.  No doubt he gleaned everything he could from Elijah.  Being a mentor and being mentored both take patience.  

 

It came time for Elijah to to be taken away from this world.  He was one of two individuals who did not die in the bible.  Elijah was trying to get Elisha to leave him alone so he could do his last minute tasks.  Elisha refused.  He was not about to miss anything.  When Elijah knew it was time, he asked Elisha what he could do for him.  Wow, imagine that.  He could have asked for anything.  He asked for a double portion of his spirit or anointing!  Whew!  That is something.  You see, a double portion in that day was what the oldest son got in his father’s inheritance.  Elisha had been like a son to Elijah and he asked for what was rightfully his!  That gives me goose bumps!  Elijah told him that this was a hard thing but if he saw him taken away, it would happen for him.  

 

Elijah and Elisha were separated by chariots and horses of fire and Elijah was taken up into heaven in a whirlwind and Elisha saw it all.  Elijah’s mantle fell off him to the ground.  Elisha could have went on his merry way but NO!  He went over and picked that mantle up and placed it upon himself and moved forward in what God was calling him to do.  

 

Our callings are no different.  Each of us has one.  A purpose, a destiny thought out and planned by God.  We all come to that place where we have a decision to make.  Will we pick up the mantle, the calling, the authority given by God and be obedient??  We can choose not to and live an unfulfilled life or we can pick it up and step into our destiny and impact the world for His kingdom.  What will you do?

 

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Dirty!

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Ever been covered in dirt? How did being dirty make you feel?  Personally, I always enjoyed getting a little dirty but after a while I was ready to wash up.  The dirt gets in every crack and crevice and has to be scrubbed.  Being clean makes you feel so good, so refreshed.  

The sin in our lives is like the dirt.  We are all born into sin.  We are sinners from the get go.   Did you ever tell your child how dirty they were and they looked at you in disbelief and then looked at themselves to see if it was so?  We are like that spiritually sometimes.  We are so blinded that we can not see the truth.  The truth about our sin, the truth about GOD and the truth about life in general.  

Did you know that there is only one thing that can cleanse us from our sins?  There is only one thing that can wipe away our past!  That one thing is the BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST!  I John 1:9 says that if we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to CLEANSE us from ALL righteousness.  Ephesians 1:7 says that in HIM we have redemption through HIS BLOOD, the forgiveness of our trespasses (sin), according to the riches of HIS grace.  Psalm 103:12 says that as far as the east is from the west, so far has HE removed our trespasses.  Far away to infinity, GONE.  Nothing else, no one else, can do this.  It only comes through HIM.  

So, how do we get cleansed from our sin?  It is simple….BELIEVE in who He is, the one and ONLY SON of the MOST HIGH GOD, who came to live, to die, shedding HIS BLOOD to redeem you from your sin and put you back into a right relationship with God.  Acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of forgiveness.  REPENT (confess) your sin and RECEIVE the forgiveness and grace.  His gift to you is grace, forgiveness, mercy, peace, freedom, to name a few by HIS BLOOD.  Your gift to Him is giving your life back to Him.  He loves you! He. He is calling out your name.  Won’t you answer that call?