Making Room for the Greater Things, Part 2

JD Greer religion teaches you approach God based on formula. If you do this God will do this gospel lesson, gospel, faith is not faith in a formula, gospel, faith is faith a person Almighty, all-knowing, infinitely caring person. Gift comes from God is a difference between common grace, even nonbelievers. Enjoy and got actively moving in a miraculous way in our lives as believers today on Summit life pastor JD Greer explained how we can experience God's miraculous mountain moving power in our own lives. It might not be how you expect. We are in a series called something greater.

And if you missed any of the previous messages can find them all. JD Greer.com JD titled this message making room for greater things and we are in second Kings chapter 4 verses 8 to 37 about your hearts must be true. If you receive the blessing of God. Verse eight.

One day Elisha went to shoot him were a wealthy woman lived wealthy and he will have a great translation boarding was wealthy. To be honest is not a great revelation. It's the humor word good old and what it really means is powerful, great in every way mighty. She is great in every possible way. She urged him to eat some food and she said were husband bold. Now I know that this is a holy man of God was continually bashing our way.

Let us make a small room on the roof and walls and put there for him a better table and a chair in a lab, so whenever he comes, she can go in there to take a no choose number one hope you are number one we can't make God move in our lives but we can make room for him to move this decision to make a little room for Elisha is going to be instrumental in what happens in the rest of the story. Verse 11. She does that one, why she was staying there.

He says to Ghazi, his assistant, he's like you know this woman is been so kind to us what you think we do for so I suggest some things to her. But generally have any needs because she was good old Benghazi comes Elisha says yes she does have one. She's never brought it up. This woman has no son. Interestingly, she didn't complain about that. She seems content Elisha on his own without the word says this time next year. God is going to give you a son, verse 16. She says don't tease me. This is sensitive because having a child was a dream that she had given up on Elisha says I'm not sure enough in the year. She has a baby by her octogenarian husband. Mercifully the Bible leaves out the details. We got back up.

In verse 18 when the child had grown she went out when he went out one day to his father among the reapers and he said to his father over my head. My head father said he was serving Terry into his mother and when you look to them and brought them to his mother. The child sat on her lap until noon and then he died verse 25 so she set out and came to the man of God amount Carmel when a man of God saw her coming. He said to Ghazi, his servant look there is a shooter might shoot my woman wants to meet her and say to her is all well with you so well with your husband is all well with your child and she answered all is well. Verse 27 when she came to the mountain to the man of God. She caught hold of his feet and Ghazi came to push her away. But the man of God said leave her alone for she is in bitter distress in the Lord is hidden from me and he is not told me she said that I asked my Lord for a son. Did I not say do not deceive me. This woman got some spunk verse 29. He said the Ghazi Tiger garment take my seven and go if you meet anyone to not greet him. And if anyone reads you do not reply and lay myself on the face of the child the mother. The child said no as the Lord lives and as you yourself lives. I'm not leaving you.

You not sitting your assistant so he arose and followed her. Ghazi went on ahead and lay the staff in the face of the child, but it didn't work. Therefore, he returned to meet him and said the child has not awakened verse 32 when Elisha came to the house he saw the child lying dead on his bed, so we went in and shut the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the Lord. Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes and his hands on his hands as he stretched himself upon him the flesh of the child became warm but he got up again walk once back and forth in the house one up and stretch himself upon the child sleep seven times in the child open his eyes, he summoned Ghazi and said call bit shooter might woman so we called her when she came to him, he said, pick up your son. She came and fell at his feet, bowing to the ground that she picked up her son and she went home number two the blessing of God is only found in the place of our weakness pointed out to you.

This woman had everything she's good go. If this miracle will miss this occurs in one place in which she's not your goal place in which she is actually poor and desperate and so sometimes like this woman, God puts things into our lives that we just can't conquer the death of a child were unable to prevent a divorce that we can avoid a health scare, an addiction that you can overcome these things are not the judgment of God. These things are the mercy of God, because maybe for the first time in your life. He is giving you.

Just a taste of what he gave this woman that about the most important things in life you were totally powerless, and these things are God's mercy to you so Blessed are you when you are poor in spirit because there you now have access to the kingdom of God number three. We cannot manipulate God, but we can trust him. We can manipulate God we trust him this story as I point out you is not presented in terms of a formula to get your miracle woman she's not demanding things of God.

See religion. Listen teaches you approach God based on formula. If you do this God will do this religion is mechanical. You do a God's obligated to be so you come to God and you say some like this God. I kept them apart is barred got I was a good girl to college.

It's not your husband got you all be blessed my business because I've always been fair. I tried to employ the right people. I've got to get Barbara profit you you only God.

The gospel listen to gospel faith is not faith in a formula, gospel, faith is faith in the person and almighty, all-knowing, infinitely caring person.

We know him as someone of father we trust not a vending machine or a genie in a bottle that if you rub in the right way you put in the correct change outcomes. Your blessing your thought about how bad it would be of God was a vending machine. Think about your own life. I have about nine this week how many girls did. I ask God in college to make fall in love with me. I would've been a disaster right for the last one that he said yes on always owes how my thank you God were sinners and were foolish and have the time will know more after forever, God is not good. You want to get a journal sometime. Seriously, I am told you yoga Journal and opened it to a clean page and just write out God's blessings in my unanswered prayers and lowest amount in the very end right sometimes. I thank God for unanswered prayers remember when you're talking to the man upstairs is because you don't answer that many don't care some of God's greatest gift for unanswered prayers and yes that is the first time I've ever quoted a Garth Brooks song in a sermon and I'm downright proud of it. Nine were sinners because were sinners, we need a loving father not a genie in a bottle, a loving father who sometimes overrules us like I do my children. Not in spite of the fact that I love them but because that I love them.

Sometimes a no answer to prayer is not no answer to prayer.

Sometimes God answers our prayers by giving us what we would ask for if we knew what he knew this woman trust God, which is why she keeps repeating the blasters every thing okay all is well. Trust. She also believes that is good to at least number four gospel, faith is a mixture of contentment and holy discontentment in this woman a curious mixture of contentment and discontentment after son dies vassals collages like all is well. Your son just died, all is well, but the same time she's like a bulldog. She didn't know from anybody. She was up to Elisha's house. She not know about. Ghazi comes out. I cemented God while on the assistance of a man of God want you to move you need. I said I need to see the man of God.

I'm trying to get her me.

I'm the executive assistant to the man of God. What's your problem. Your my problem because I need to see the man of God, gospel, faith earth transforming faith is like that is a curious mixture of contentment and holy discontentment. There is a sense of deep in your soul that all was well. But there's another sense that all is not well and you're not leaving God alone until he moves. As of this woman is to grab a hold of Elisha's Gorman his feet and she's going to say, not Ghazi, not anybody, not even you on the letting go all is well with my soul. But all is not well with my world. I see people suffering and I see people we need to know Jesus. And that's not okay. So I will go to God.

Not because I'm discontented my soul, but because I'm discontented for see the power of God come into my world. All is well.

But all is not well. Interestingly, there's a link between those two because it is only when you are content in Christ.

See but you can never be discontent from compassion is only when you know that in Christ you can give away all that you have because in Christ you have all that you need. It is only when your soul has been satisfied in Christ whether the sun gets razor, not all is well that you can then be a place to plead with God's compassion to give yourself away so that you can see God move through you see this is link between those two. For most of us is reverse tenant.

Most of us are discontent in our soul but were content with the needs of the world because were complacent you got it backwards rather than being satisfied in Christ and feel compassion for the world were discontent in Christ, and were complacent with the world. All is well.

But all is not well contentment and holy discontentment know this or not but on the hymns we sing was inspired by that verse second Kings 423 all is well may name Horatio Spafford 1871 with a large real estate owner in the city of Chicago great Chicago fire 1871 destroyed his entire days before insurance is entire possessions left with nothing of his family. So, DL Moody, who he was connected to told him that there was submission opportunity in England, having nothing lefties that well I'll serve God in England was a rich man now poor man you want to take care of some final business things there in Chicago so he sent his wife and his four daughters under the age of 10 on ahead as 1873 as they were crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

The ship they were on strike another ship and the ship sank in all four of Horatio Spafford's daughters died. Brown, his wife survived one the few survivors. Spafford got the news immediately left took the journey across the Atlantic to join his grieving wife, and when they got to the spot in the Atlantic Ocean, where that boat with his daughters for they drowned. The captain comes from said this is the place. This is a place for the accident occurred and this is the place for your your daughters were reground Spafford went down into the his cabin by the ship and he wrote the words that you probably are familiar with.

When peace like a river attends my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll whatever my lot doll has taught me to say as well is well with my soul what people know is the rest of the story where he went join his wife started in England. There, but eventually heard about people in the Middle East that were suffering from war being ravaged by war and destitute. Spafford went on there to found the mission. What you see is a man who would say when his daughters had died. It's well with my soul, but it would look at his world. Insight is not well with my world and it is because he was content in Christ, but he could be discontent with his world in Christ.

I give up all that I have because in Christ already have all that I need. Which leads me to number five.

The blessings of the gospel are appropriated only through persistence.

This woman grabs a hold of Elisha and she won't let go.

Cleaning it says to his garment always remind you an New Testament story is a better Jesus is pressing to a crown.

This woman is a disease for 12 years at the flow of blood which means knowing she disease she's unclean. Jim enabled on the temple, nobody would touch her again such an unclean person.

This woman thinks that I bet Jesus has the power to heal me and I bet he's willing to heal me.

So she takes an extreme risk. She pushes through the crowd and is Jesus passing by. She reaches out on her belly and grabs a hold of his garment and his ankle. Here's the reason it was risky. This is a holy man of God. Jesus had been a typical Pharisee and religious leader would've turned to her and said, you filthy woman you have defiled me goal testimony girl Jesus stops and says those odd thing. I think maybe he ever said the power of what does me the power well for me is not all-knowing is a busy dog does me know the info you know what just happened accidentally healed somebody it is that really what he's trying to say it's right of course he knew it's written like that to show you that when somebody comes to God about how to resolve and that, trust in his grace. The power goes out for him like a reflex.

Jesus looks at her and the crowd parts and he looks at her. He called her name.

She has not been called in years daughter which means one that I love tender when it's likely little girl little girl that nobody touched her love for 12 years. You're my daughter, your sins are forgiven you have been healed. Is that kind of resolve and persistence you say it's not well and got a landholder this and I let Ozzie ability to push me away.

I'm staying here Jesus told a parable in which you describe prayer like this should be a minute as above; before his prayers like a woman whose old and poor gets wrong and she goes to this judge to try to get justice for the judge is corrupt so willing to rise machine on a money using an underwriting with and so he's like I'm out of anything to you is this, she goes next day ended. After that, whatever that may have read that have been there for that until she always this guided she settable tent outside his house with a judgment that thing that you do not you is is finally Jesus said, not because he's a good judge not because figure them out because he cares about this woman, because she had noise in the data for what you ask. And then she says I'm believably is what prayers like Jesus could get away with a parable like our mission is like comparing God a cranky old unjust judge and us to a bunch of annoying widows images Jesus pointless and was not too compare God to an unjust judge it was to contrast him with an unjust judge to save even an unjust judge would relent through persistence, don't you think your heavenly father who cares about you enough that he gave his life for you and out on you for cross. Don't you think that he will listen to you, don't you think he will answer deflector, to somebody whose death keep asking now as a theologian.

My question is what does God's will.

Let me know the first time we asked. I don't know. I wish I did not tell you millions of dollars. Also, I don't know I just know that in the Bible. Certain things only come through persistence and you gotta keep asking and you say God. Here is what we need this money for my family got here's what I need. Here's what I need for my world. I got I will be back tomorrow about the day after that. The day after that and I'm not good to let you go until you give the blessing. It is not something I need for my soul was all is well with my soul is something they need because they're broken and they need you and I know that's what you're about Jesus that I haven't seen faith like that in Israel you will get your miracle. I don't know why God and with the first time if it is will the mystery of sovereignty but under that certain things only come through persistence, number six, God gave the ultimate blessing deliverance from death by taking our death into himself sure you notice… And I did tell the story of Elisha cover the boy with himself. I size nose to nose mouth-to-mouth complete identification if I could hear looking down from heaven thing about this, we would never have and you could no longer see the little boy he could to see Elisha. That's all Jesus would save us he would unite himself to us completely eyes to our eyes, nose to our nose heart to our hard flesh to our flesh, he would take upon himself the form of a servant, and unite himself the simple flash and God would make him sin who knew no sin so that we could become the righteousness of God in him.

He would completely cover so that when God looks down from heaven longer sees the dead child what he sees the Lord Jesus stretched out on top of him and he would take his righteousness as ours and he would let his death absorbed in the RW sorbent is an here's a thought that comes out of that if God did that for you if you loved you that much. Don't you think you can trust that he cares about you and the other situations you deal with. Don't you think he's capable enough of handling what is outside the scope of God's care in your life while we were still weak, Christ died for the ungodly one will scarcely die for a righteous man. To some, even for good men might dare to die. But God demonstrates his love for us while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. You did not spare his own son, will he not also now freely give us all things. If God is for us who can be against us. Yes, we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. There's not doubt there like a principal hydropower and gradual thing about what they bought, nothing can separate us in all the world for the love of Jesus Christ.

If God conquered death.

When you were his enemy. Don't you know that he will give himself to you when you are his friend.

There is no addiction to strong allies to broken nursing to wicked no regrets to severe.

The writer of Hebrews says that God is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through him know she realize that his conquered death really is nothing that can happen to us down here that will devastate us is already blessed you with the ultimate blessing is given you every spiritual blessing in Christ already is delivered death you think of the sting out of death so your help broken God will raise you and redeem body to lose a loved one to live with them in eternity is your reputation your marriage or career been destroyed well.

I consider the sufferings of this world to not even be worthy to be compared to the weight of glory that shall be revealed in us. When you see that God cannot be defeated, you will become more confident than ever. What you believe God is called you to do and you press on, and you'll say all is well and you will be content which will be a holy discontent and never let go and you will get the rest of your life. Try to bring the peace and the salvation of God to people that you care about and people across the world, but you will you know one we can make God move in our lives but we can make room for him to move to the blessing of God is only found in the place of our weakness. Number three. We cannot manipulate God, but we can trust him. Number four gospel, faith is a mixture of contentment and discontentment. Number five the blessings of the gospel are appropriated only persistence and number six God gave the ultimate blessing deliverance from death by digging our death into himself from that will calm all the other blessings because he will freely give you a gift for you. You think that you can trust that he cares about everything in your life and can handle it all.

Here listening to Pastor JD Greer message titled making room for greater things on Summit life. It's part of our study of the prophet Elisha called something greater if you join us late today or if you'd like to catch up on previous messages, you can listen free of charge@jdgreer.com, something greater is the second part of the two-part teaching series during the first half called something better. We studied Elisha.

I don't know about you but I often get Elijah and Elisha confused himself actually really thankful for this study. JD allies yeah that Elisha confronted a religious environment theory much like our own right, exactly. It was an environment characterized by the attitude you got your God. I have bought Dragon you have your preference works for you. My God works for me. Elijah shows is that knowing the one true God is better than any other arrival and that your cot is not a bill to bear God or Burger King gallery to have it your way itself. There's one true God.

He reveals himself and if you want to experience his power and his salvation. You gotta do it in the way that he lays out himself and explore that a little bit more.

I'll take you deeper into why that correlation exists.

And really, how how the Bible's been preaching one message from the very beginning and that is God has revealed himself and if we want to know when we get to do it his way will explore that concept more in a in a brand-new study book that were were giving out the tracks with the teaching right here in Summit life this month. It's called something better something greater. It's an eight part study that's not just about Elijah but also about Elisha. If Elijah was about the truth of God. Elisha was a demonstration of his power. It would be great to get this book and not only listen to it alongside the messages you're hearing right now in Summit life, but you can bring somebody else along the journey with us one that that one of our favorite things are some of life's stories of how you use one of these messages to reach out to somebody studied this together in you soul.

So God's power really impact somebody and we just want to give you that when you support the ministry Summit life. So if you reach out to us today.

JD Greer.com so you get connected. You get a copy of this resource and hopefully enrich your own your own walk with Jesus, but also that of his things stating your copy of the parent today.

Thanks when you donate to support ministry for your copy something better something greater study of Elisha donate $25 or more probably time I forgive online JD Greer.com hi Molly benefits inviting you to join us again Thursday. Elisha line JD Greer