Christianity Rediscovered: January 2019

2019-01-13

Getting Your Needs Met God's Way - 2 King 4:1-7

Ask God first. God will start with what you have, instruct you to do with what you can, and bless you with more than what you need (solve the immediate needs and provide for future needs). We just need to trust and obey His given instructions. Our blessings depend on the faith reflected in our action. Ref: 2King 4:1-7

Bible Study the Mind-map Way:

How do I get to the above summary about how we can get our needs met God's way by reading the passage 2King 4:1-7? I will like to show you the mind-map way as shown below:

The steps are as follows:

Copy and Paste the passage text from your favorite translation of the Bible.
Break each verse into meaningful sub-branches.
Put in your comments, shown in brown text.
Find related bible verses, shown in blue text, if needed to emphasize the point.
From your comments, consolidate them, and write a summary, shown in red text.

The mind-map software used is Freeplane. You can create an HTML page directly from the software and it is shown below:

Elisha and the Widow's Oil

The Needs

2Ki 4:1  Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets

wife of the son of the a prophet
- one generation away!

God's blessing will pass down many generations

I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on 
your descendants. (Is 44:3)

I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children
I will save. (Is 49:25)

All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their
peace. (Is 54:13)

My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you, and my words 
that I have put in your mouth will always be on your lips, on the 
lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—from 
this time on and forever, says the Lord. (Is 59:21)

The children of Your servants will live in Your presence; their 
descendants will be established before You. (Ps 102:28)

cried to Elisha,

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go to the man of God
```

She did not waste time seeking help from her relatives or friends.

Now we can go to God, our Heavenly Father, directly through Jesus

“Your servant

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why Elisha should help her
```

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my husband is dead,
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and you know that

your servant feared the LORD,

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Her basis for asking for help.
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Psalm 37:25 ► I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not 
seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

but

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She know it should not happen this way
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the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.”

The Answer

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2Ki 4:2  And Elisha said to her,
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“What shall I do for you?

Our Father will ask us as we go to Him to ask.

Luke 18:41 "What do you want me to do for you?" "Lord, I want to
 see," he replied.

He could ask for money instead of healing as in this widow's case.

Tell me; what have you in the house?”

God uses what we have to bless us.
No need to go or do to get other thing first.

And she said,

“Your servant has nothing in the house except

a jar of oil.”

Whatever you have, no matter how little is enough for God

2Ki 4:3  Then he said,

“Go outside,

from all your neighbors,

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out of yourself, go to others for help
```

```
borrow vessels
```

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empty vessels
```

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and not too few.
```
- ```
expect big blessings
```

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2Ki 4:4  Then go in and
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shut the door behind yourself and your sons &

Keep to yourself;
Do it secretly
Not time for testimony yet

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pour into all these vessels.
```

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And when one is full,
```

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set it aside.”
```

- ```
specific, details
```

- ```
Very clear instructions from God
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The Follow-up Actions

```
2Ki 4:5  So she went from him and
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shut the door behind herself and her sons.

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did as instructed
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And as she poured they brought the vessels to her.

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fast team work
```

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2Ki 4:6  When the vessels were full,
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she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.”

And he said to her, “There is not another.”

- ```
flow stopped when there
was no more vessel
```
  She could get more if she has borrowed more vessels. The blessings depend on our faith that is put in action. She probably followed Elisha's instructions well, borrowing from ALL her neighbor that was why she had enough to pay the debts and had enough for future needs.

Then the oil stopped flowing.

```
according to the capacity you have.
```

- ```
Follow instructions exactly
```

Report Back & Ask for Further Instruction

2Ki 4:7  She came and told the man of God, and

She did not know what to do with the oil. So she went back to ask. 
When we don't know, go back and ask

Further Guidance

he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts,

```
solve the immediate needs
```

and you and your sons can live on the rest.”

```
provide for future needs
```

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Summary
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Have a need?

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Ask God first.
```

God will

```
start with what you have,
```

instruct you to do with what you can, and

bless you with more than what you need.

```
solve the immediate needs
```

```
provide for future needs
```

We just need to trust and obey His given instructions

Our blessings depend on the faith reflected in our action

Lim Liat (c) 12-1-19