Newsletters
Powerful Word into Harmful Food
(The Forge Newsletter_March_2012)
Elisha returned to Gilgal and there was a famine in that region. While the company of the prophets was sitting before him, he said to his servant, "Put on the large pot and cook some stew for these prophets." / Elisha said, "Get some flour." He put it into the pot and said, "Serve it to the people to eat." And there was nothing harmful in the pot. (2 Kings 4:38, 41)
God's word is powerful but it can be harmful if I add something on to it and don't apply it simply and purely as it is.
1. Waiting for Food not Word
Famine makes us look to heaven rather than the earth because it is hard to grow plants in famine. When Elisha came to Gilgal, the company of prophets were sitting before him to get some food but he gave words instead. It is so hard for us to receive it and obey His word while we are waiting for food in the famine. We might be disappointed, discouraged or even angry with God and often disobey His word. Or if we are clever enough, we add our word or remove some of his words like king Saul. (1Samuel 15:21)
2. Word in Opposition to the Situation
In the famine, they had no food to cook in the large pot. It seemed Elisha didn't understand or didn't care about their situation. God's words always oppose our physical situations. So we have to decide whether to obey God's word by faith, or respond according to our circumstances naturally. Although there was famine, they tasted not only the soup but also the word of God through their obedience. God wants us to purchase both BCW sites in this time of economic famine and distress in order to redeem the inheritance of Rees Howells.
3. Mind in Turmoil while Water Boils
Perhaps their minds were in turmoil with questions and doubts while the water was boiling in the pot. Then they agreed, using their human ingenuity to get something to put into the pot. ONE (אחד = united one; like the trinity God) of the prophets went out into the fields to gather herbs. He found some wild plants and brought them and cut them up into the pot of stew. They probably didn't consult with Elisha. They probably thought it wasn't good enough to boil just water, so they agreed to send one of their group to get something to put into the pot. Our agreement on earth is so powerful. If we agree, we can bring the Kingdom of God onto the earth, or we can even build the Tower of Babel again.
4. Additional Good Items brought Death
They thought it was a good idea to add something to God's word. Good is the enemy of the best and the best might be the enemy of the right. Later, they found death in the pot when they were eating it. When Eve was communicating with the serpent, she was confused, and she added her own thought and changed God's word. Eventually she acted in the opposite way from God's word and Adam and Eve faced death as a result. (Genesis 2:17, 3:3) The prophet went out and worked in the field to get the food and brought the good to put into the pot, but it turned out to be death.
5. Being Ground and Broken to Redeem the Word
Elisha said, “Get some flour (קמח = to be ground).” It was hard for Gehazi to bring some flour and put into the pot because food was so rare and there was death in the pot. It looked like a foolish waste. Quite often, my human reason and His word are in conflict. So I need to be ground like flour and to be put into the pot of death that has been contaminated by human ingenuity and rationality. To be ground is losing my external identity but restoring my true identity in the Word of God. Also it was very difficult for him to serve the same soup again because there was death in the pot. Elisha's servant obeyed what Elisha had told him, which means his rationality was broken and ground like the flour. He threw his natural mindset as ground flour into the pot of the word.
6. Harmful Food to Powerful Word
All most every English Bible translation, and the Korean, have missed out “WORD (דבר)” from [2 Kings 4:41], including KJV.
“There was (היה) no(לא) harm(רע) in the pot(בסיר).” (KJV)
“There was(היה) nothing(לא) harmful(רע) in the pot(בסיר).” (NIV)
In the Hebrew Bible it says,
“There was no harmful WORD (דבר) in the pot.” or
“There was no harm WORD (דבר) in the pot.”
"ולא היה דבר רע בסיר׃ "
Sometimes our words, ideas and opinions turn the powerful word of God into the harmful food of man. Although it looks like a wasteful and risky business, we need to obey His Word continuously as Elisha's servant obeyed. Jesus himself is the WORD and he came down to earth. His body was broken and his blood was shed as bread and drink for us. This Word has never been contaminated or compromised by man because he always obeyed his Father's word although he is the Word. (John 6:38) Therefore He gives eternal life to whoever believes in him and obeys. (John 6:51)
Compromising is a very useful scheme in the political arena but not in our journey of faith to redeem the Word and to build the Forge for the Kingdom of God. We need to be tenacious and defiant in the faith of God and in the faithfulness of God.
“See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work.” (Isaiah 54:16)
| ||| Report from The FORGE gathering (25th February) Fifteen of us gathered in Parkland Church in Swansea. John P. shared about functions and ministry of the body of Christ. Bridget shared about her journey of faith regarding Yohan's pregnancy. Dick and Gladys led the worship time. His presence was so strong. We didn't discuss a lot of practical things but we just worshipped God and prayed. |
| ||| Word from Sally R. I believe Lord may be saying three things to me at this time : 1. He wants my lifestyle to be more devoted to the accomplishment of this vision He has set before us (He challenges me like this: I have already given you much revelation and encouragement to pursue this vision; are you willing to pay the price with your time, lifestyle and commitment?) 2. The role of us as intercessors standing in the gap for Israel is now and BCW sites' future will be born out of this obedience and commitment (our role does not happen when we are in possession of the land of BCW). It depends on us taking possession in the Spirit by our determination to a lifestyle that is required by the Lord because of the severity of the hour that Israel is facing now, already. 3. Moriah is a well and one that the Lord wants to see prized open again by the Singing of the Saints; Moriah is not to be an interesting place to visit because of Evan Roberts; Evan Roberts so influenced the life of Rees Howells that he was used by the Lord to develop the land in Swansea to become BCW. The same Spirit that stirred Evan Roberts is the same that stirred Rees and must also be the same to stir us to be those channels needed by the Holy Spirit now to bring Wales alive again. |
| ||| Next The Forge gathering Date: Saturday, 31st March 2012, 12pm-4pm (with packed lunch) Venue: Parklands Church, Maes Y Gollen, Sketty, Swansea, SA2 8HQ If you want to see the location on the web, click here. http://www.theforgewales.org.uk/cms/index.php/en/events/icalrepeat.detail/2012/01/14/9/-/the-forge-meetingjanuary-142012 - Fellowship with lunch - Update News on the journey of The FORGE - Worship & Prayer - Sharing Words - Worship & Prayer |
| ||| Paul Anthony's Radio Programme (CHRISTIAN HOTSPOT) Paul is one of our new friends who are standing with The Forge vision and he has been exploring into the world with the gospel message by faith. Please listen to him. http://www.oystermouthradio.com/listen.html |
| ||| Celebration for the Nations 2012 Celebration for the Nations is an International Festival of Worship A gathering of worshippers in Wales from the nations touched by the 1904 Welsh Revival, to reopen the wells dug by our forefathers, and find new ones for our time. "Gather the people together and I will give them water." Then Israel sang this song, 'Spring up, O well!'" (Numbers 21:17) 20th - 27th July : Wales 28th July - 6th August : London & Olympics Outreach www.celebrationforthenations.org |
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||| OBAMA AND ISRAEL - THE ASTONISHING TRUTH |
Shalom & love!
Qday LEE
on be half of The Forge team
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