Hi folks

Here is the last study in this series by Chuck Swindoll that we are studying with Zwingly.  Is there something in particular you would like to study in this coming season. Please bring your suggestions on Sunday.

Every Blessing

Steve

We're near the end of our study of very significant "nobodies." My desire in this book is the same as in my life: to finish well. So, I've chosen to end with Uzziah, a remarkable man for a lot of reasons. My purpose will become more evident as his story unfolds.

Uzziah was born during a tumultuous period in the history of the Hebrew people. One hundred years prior to Uzziah's reign, the foolishness of Rehoboam (remember him?) had torn the kingdom into two bitter enemies: Israel in the north and Judah in the south. In the century that followed, the nations routinely warred against one another, as progressively evil kings occupied their thrones and dominated their people. Israel's kings were all reprobate, violent pagans, while many of the kings in Judah were at least somewhat godly. But eventually the violence of the north became commonplace in Judah.

Bear with me through a quick 'n' dirty bit of history; it's important. Uzziah's father, Amaziah, was assassinated. Amaziah's father, Joash, fell victim to a conspiracy by his officers. Joash's father, Ahaziah, sat on the throne for only one year before he was murdered. Ahaziah's mother, Athaliah, reigned in his place until she was executed. So the last four monarchs to sit on the throne of Judah had all been killed prior to Uzziah's coronation. Welcome to an ugly, violent world, young man.

This was a bloody, wicked era for Judah. Her bad kings were thoroughly godless. The nation would have despaired were it not for the presence of faithful prophets and priests. Her good kings brought periods of relative stability and peace, though they never worshiped and obeyed God with the kind of passionate devotion that David and Solomon had displayed. After nine kings, Uzziah promised to be different. A close look at his history tells us that he may have reigned toward the final years of his father. A curious statement appears in the text that prompts us to think that probably occurred:

And all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah. . . . Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Jechiliah of Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 26:1, 3; emphasis added

Based on a careful chronology of Judah's kings, it appears that Amaziah was king for only six years when the people installed his sixteen-year-old son as coregent. Why? Scripture says of the older man's leadership, "He did right in the sight of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart" (2 Chronicles 25:2). Another translation puts it this way: "Amaziah did what the LORD said was right, but he did not really want to obey him" (NCV). In other words, Amaziah was a fence rider, an unstable man who could not be counted upon to remain consistent.

Amaziah started out well, relying upon the Lord's strength to defeat Judah's enemy, Edom. Then he made a compromising decision to set up their idols and begin worshiping them instead of the one and only true God of Judah, who gave him victory. He paid a huge sum of money to buy mercenaries, only to send them home with the money without using their services. He picked a pointless fight with the king of Israel, only to lead Judah into a humiliating loss. Fed up, the people crowned his sixteen-year-old son to rule as vice regent. Eventually, though, the people could tolerate Amaziah no longer and killed him, leaving the much younger Uzziah to lead the nation.

Unfortunately, young men from such sordid roots ultimately become old men who look a lot like their fathers. He began well, and the good he did was reminiscent of his father's early start:

He did right in the sight of the LORD according to all that his father Amaziah had done.

2 Chronicles 26:4

Before we continue, allow me to make this personal by asking you a probing question. If your children follow in your steps, will they do what is right in the sight of the Lord? If your children emulate you—and they will—will you be able to say that their adult years were God-honoring?

Imagine walking over snow-covered ground a few paces ahead of your child. Each step you take leaves an imprint he or she can clearly see. Now imagine that little person following you stretching those short legs to place his or her feet in the footprints you left behind. That's exactly what your children will do in life. In fact, that's what we see Uzziah doing. He made good tracks early on, just like his father, but he made them with a reluctant heart, also like his father:

He continued to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding through the vision of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God prospered him.

2 Chronicles 26:5

Don't rush too quickly past those last ten words. They point to a principle: seek the Lord and He will prosper you. That doesn't mean you'll necessarily enjoy great financial gain or material wealth or widespread fame or anything that the world considers a sign of prosperity and success. It means the Lord, in His own inimitable way, will use you and honor your efforts and, in that sense, prosper you. You may have to rethink your definition of prosperity to grasp the true spiritual meaning of the concept. It's worth the effort to do so.

THE WORK OF A GOOD KING

Because of grace, God prospered Uzziah in many of the ways we would expect a king to enjoy success.

Military Conquest

Now he went out and warred against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath and the wall of Jabneh and the wall of Ashdod; and he built cities in the area of Ashdod and among the Philistines. God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who lived in Gurbaal, and the Meunites.

2 Chronicles 26:6–7

Uzziah was not only a capable general, but he was a wise and compassionate statesman. He didn't merely pillage his enemy after conquering them. He subdued these potentially dangerous nations and then turned them into peaceful neighbors by treating them with compassion. More importantly, however, are the words in verse 7: "God helped him."

Notoriety and Respect

The Ammonites also gave tribute to Uzziah, and his fame extended to the border of Egypt, for he became very strong.

2 Chronicles 26:8

In the ancient world, tribute was appeasement money. It said, "We respect your power over us. Please accept this gift as a token of our loyalty to you . . . and our gratitude for not wiping us out."

Prosperity

Moreover, Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate and at the Valley Gate and at the corner buttress and fortified them. He built towers in the wilderness and hewed many cisterns, for he had much livestock, both in the lowland and in the plain. He also had plowmen and vinedressers in the hill country and the fertile fields, for he loved the soil.

2 Chronicles 26:9–10

Uzziah made wise plans, carried them out, and in keeping with the principle of grace pointed out earlier, the Lord gave him favorable results. As the psalm goes, "Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it" (Psalm 127:1). Kings not only ran nations, but they also built personal estates.

This particular king was a farmer at heart. He loved to work the soil. If you and I were to have visited Uzziah's Jerusalem, we would have seen a bountiful landscape covering the slopes of Judea. The land known as wilderness became known as a fertile field. Uzziah had a talent for making anything he touched bloom and bear fruit. (Unlike me. I love the soil, but it doesn't like me at all. Honestly, I could kill a dead plant deader!)

Power

Moreover, Uzziah had an army ready for battle, which entered combat by divisions according to the number of their muster, prepared by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the official, under the direction of Hananiah, one of the king's officers. The total number of the heads of the households, of valiant warriors, was 2,600. Under their direction was an elite army of 307,500, who could wage war with great power, to help the king against the enemy.

2 Chronicles 26:11–13

Uzziah was a very capable warrior—a creative, strategic thinker. We have already seen how he was ready to take the offensive when strategy called for it, but unlike his father, he wasn't looking for a fight. Virtually everything he did was to ensure the prosperity and safety of the kingdom.

Security

Moreover, Uzziah prepared for all the army shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows and sling stones. In Jerusalem he made engines of war invented by skillful men to be on the towers and on the corners for the purpose of shooting arrows and great stones. Hence his fame spread afar, for he was marvelously helped until he was strong.

2 Chronicles 26:14–15

I'm impressed by the inventiveness and ingenuity of this man. He didn't rely entirely upon brute force—weapons, helmets, and shields—for defense. Uzziah put together an ingenious array of machines to augment his towers and strengthen the walls. Along with the impressive army he had assembled were all these cutting-edge inventions that put Judah far ahead of other nations. Before long, the country Uzziah led bristled with defense-ready cities, surrounded by a vast, lush, produce-rich countryside. Anyone even thinking of attacking Judah would be smart to change his mind.

THE PRIDE

Uzziah's impressive reputation as a creative, prosperous, strong king spread rapidly. His neighbors both feared and admired him. His subjects praised him and pledged their loyalty. And with all of this success surrounding the man Uzziah, everyone quite naturally supposed that the credit belonged to him.

This is to be expected in human nature. When people admire a public figure, they think, My, isn't that person great? There's really nothing wrong with that. The danger isn't in what the public thinks, but in what the admired person thinks. And in case you're wondering about Uzziah, check out the last four words of verse 15: "He was marvelously helped until he was strong."

For many years, Uzziah acted wisely, and the Lord multiplied his efforts. It could have just as easily gone the other way. Uzziah acted wisely and the Lord let it come to nothing. Farmers seem to have an instinctive understanding of this. They can prepare the ground, plant, water, fertilize, and protect the crop from bugs, but it's always the Lord who is responsible for the increase.

As soon as a public figure begins to believe the press about him or her, everyone's in for trouble. While pondering that truth, another name comes to mind. We studied him earlier. His name is Saul.

Remember him? He was another "nobody." He originally thought so little of himself that when God put His hand on him and said, "You will be the king of My kingdom," he hid among the baggage. He doubted his ability to do the job and had no desire to be in the public eye. But what a change once the Lord prospered him! After a few victories on the battlefield, he saw himself as a big shot, so he began to strut around the kingdom as though he had built it. People snapped to attention when he barked orders, and he began throwing his weight around as his fame spread. Before long, he believed the great press he received.

Remember what happened next? He gave himself a promotion. No longer satisfied with the position as merely supreme commander of Israel, he decided to become high priest. He slipped a priestly robe over his battle armor and prepared for sacrifices. That's when Samuel, the man of God, confronted him, saying, in effect, "Saul, when you were little in your own eyes, God could use you, but now that you are great in your own eyes, you are useless to Him."

These thoughts give us reason to pause and ponder. Take a few moments to put yourself in Uzziah's sandals. You may or may not be a public figure, so let's look at this more in terms of blessing and success. Perhaps you're on the way up right now. You're implementing plans that are paying off. You're creative and competent. You're reaping the harvest of hard work. Things are going well for you. You can justifiably say that the success you're enjoying is the direct result of applying good strategy or wise leadership or creative thinking or uncommon perseverance or, perhaps, a combination of those things. If that's you, I say, "Good for you!" I mean that sincerely. No hint of sarcasm in that at all. Why should there be? The Lord has chosen to bless and prosper you. How gracious of Him to do so!

Uzziah was a remarkable man in many ways. The Hebrew in verse 15 reads, literally, "and his name went out to a distant place, for he did extraordinarily to be helped until he was strong."¹ He deserved a great deal of credit for his accomplishments, and kept in the right perspective, so do you. Giving all the glory to God doesn't mean that you should deny your role. (Read that again, please.) The danger lies in diminishing the Lord's role.

THE FALL

Linger over the first word in verse 16. "But . . ." Amazing what that one word does to your spirit, isn't it? How eloquent a role it plays in many a life! We've seen that repeatedly in this book.

But when he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly.

2 Chronicles 26:16

This can happen to anyone, not just kings and public figures. You can be a minister of the gospel or a business professional or an artist, a teacher, a salesperson, a homemaker, a waiter, a construction worker, a musician, a mathematician . . . any role. When you recognize the necessity of God's power and the futility of your efforts apart from Him, He wants to "marvelously help you until you are strong."

But . . . there's that awful word again. But, when you become strong in your own eyes, things change. Uzziah didn't read history, so he was doomed to repeat it. Driven by self-importance, nothing remained sacred. If you're like me, you see Saul in the next verse:

But when he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.

2 Chronicles 26:16

As Christians—those of us who know the Lord Jesus as Savior—our first area of faithfulness is not the workplace and not even the home. Our primary realm of faithfulness to the Lord is our hearts. We won't struggle to remain humble publicly if we keep a proper perspective inwardly. After all, we merely behave the way we think.

Uzziah began to think, My, I'm really something. Those Egyptians are right. There's never been a king like me. Why, look at those inventions. There's never been anyone that's come up with something like that. Look at the prosperity I have brought the kingdom. These citizens haven't had it this good since Solomon. Am I great, or what? Eventually, his conceit convinced him that his sovereign rule included the Lord's temple. He probably thought, I don't need priests to worship the Lord. I'm in charge here! Who are they to say that I can't do something if I want to? So he grabbed the censer, and he stepped into a place where he had no right to enter. Blinded by pride, he lost all restraint. In doing so, he stepped far beyond the bounds of safety:

Then Azariah the priest entered after him and with him eighty priests of the LORD, valiant men. They opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, "It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful and will have no honor from the LORD God."

2 Chronicles 26:17–18

Some people would call this "a moment of clarity." Moments like this have a remarkable way of crystallizing the truth. In this explosive collision of wills, everyone could see Uzziah's conceit, his pride, his disrespect for the Lord, what he thought of his role and the role of the priests. Everything is exposed. If anyone had missed it before, the truth about Uzziah's attitude was unmistakable. And what happened next helped to clarify reality for the king as well:

But Uzziah, with a censer in his hand for burning incense, was enraged; and while he was enraged with the priests, the leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, beside the altar of incense. Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and behold, he was leprous on his forehead; and they hurried him out of there, and he himself also hastened to get out because the LORD had smitten him.

2 Chronicles 26:19–20

Can you picture it? Uzziah, clad in his royal finery along with the flowing priestly robe, censer in his hand, eyes blazing with furious indignation, commands the priests to move aside. Just as he begins to remind them of his "divine authority" as the king of Judah, a small, leprous sore forms above his eyes. Then the flesh of his face, neck, and arms begins to decay far too quickly to be natural. Within a few minutes his body is covered with the most dreaded disease of his day. Nothing reduces a person to ground zero like leprosy.

In 1958, I had just enough exposure to see why leprosy caused such fear in the ancient world. While I was a marine stationed on Okinawa, I had the privilege of playing in the Third Marine Division band. On one occasion, we were invited to play a concert for a leper colony in the northern part of the island. We played a number of selections, using various ensembles, giving our very best performance for these dear, wonderful, albeit forgotten people. While we felt sure they enjoyed the music, we heard only muted applause. When we finished the concert, the victims of this awful disease did their best to clap for us, but they did so with disfigured hands and arms—many having only stubs because of the necessary amputations.

After we packed our instruments, we did our best to mingle with them and say a few kind words before leaving. But that proved awkward. They hid their disfigured faces with their mutilated hands and arms, moving away from us because they felt ashamed of the "unclean" disease that made them so undesirable. I noticed the absence of one quality more than any other. Pride. There wasn't an ounce of it anywhere in that colony of broken souls.

THE IMPORTANCE OF FINISHING WELL

Considering Uzziah's long, impressive career—fifty-two years in all—this was a tragic end. A just end, but tragic nonetheless. The Lord helped him. The Lord prospered him. But when this remarkable and greatly gifted leader presumed to extend his authority to the temple, God's holy place, the Lord struck him down. Enough was enough. And Uzziah the leader became Uzziah the loser.

Read his epitaph with a sigh:

King Uzziah was a leper to the day of his death; and he lived in a separate house, being a leper, for he was cut off from the house of the LORD. And Jotham his son was over the king's house judging the people of the land.

2 Chronicles 26:21

I mentioned before that I played in the Third Marine Division band. Something I learned as a musician is that the most important notes you play are often those in the last few bars of the piece. You can recover from a rough beginning. You still have time to settle down and find yourself in the middle. But there's nothing to follow those last notes except silence. The quality of those final notes on the final page of the finale will usually be the ones that shape the audience's memory of your performance.

Without question, Uzziah started well. The majority of his career provided a godly, safe, prosperous environment for God's people. But the final notes of his performance spoiled the whole concert. Observe what his audience remembered:

So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the grave which belonged to the kings, for they said, "He is a leper." And Jotham his son became king in his place.

2 Chronicles 26:23

Because he was a leper, he lived out the rest of his days all alone. Think of it! When he died, they buried him in a field adjacent to the royal cemetery—not within it—because he was still considered unclean. They didn't mark his gravestone with "He was a king." They didn't even say, "He was a king who became a leper." By the end, his greatness was forgotten. They wrote what they remembered: "He was a leper."

UZZIAH'S IMPACT ON US

Here are three powerful principles we can glean from this fascinating story:

First, there is no genuine success apart from the Lord God. The psalmist got it right: "Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it" (Psalm 127:1). Uzziah started strong, but it was the Lord who gave his efforts success. If you're enjoying prosperity, give God all the credit and all your thanks. Even though it came as a result of careful planning and strong commitment and honest labor, the harvest was only possible because the Lord gave your labor success. Never forget that, please!

Second, few tests reveal the character of a person like success. I said in an earlier chapter that success doesn't ruin a person; success reveals a person. Curiously, most people can handle adversity with grace, but very few can handle life at the top. If you're enjoying great success, don't fool yourself into thinking that it's your reward for being God's favored child. Better to consider it a trial. Do with success what you do during any other difficult time. Pray. Hold it loosely. Seek wise counsel. Don't be afraid of it . . . but regularly ask the Lord to keep you safe and aware. Look for the lessons. This trial, just like any other, is an opportunity to grow. Furthermore, it's temporary. It may have taken you years to get here, but it can vanish in a flash. As Solomon wrote, "Riches make themselves wings; they fly away" (Proverbs 23:5 KJV).

Third, the God who blesses is also the God who can break. Remember the old adage: don't bite the hand that feeds you. Uzziah's father defeated the Edomites by the power of the Lord God, then he brought the impotent gods of his defeated enemy home and began worshiping them. So the Lord disciplined him. Like his father, Uzziah became strong because the Lord prospered him, but when he tried to use his power to flout God's law in God's temple, the Lord disciplined him. That cause-and-effect principle still occurs.

God is a God of grace, so we must not come away with the idea that we have to be good to enjoy God's blessing. He will always give us better than we deserve. However, God is far more concerned with our holiness than our happiness, so He will send us whatever will make us holy. If blessing won't get the job done, then He has little choice but to send chastisement.

Let's face it: the Lord wants to bless us beyond all we can imagine. The Lord that helped and prospered Uzziah is the same Lord who said, "Let him have leprosy." Does that sound harsh? Consider this: because God is perfectly right, infinitely loving, absolutely holy, inexhaustibly patient, and inexplicably merciful, we can be sure that leprosy was the very least He could do to get the attention of the king He loved. It worked.

A FINAL THOUGHT

Uzziah was a someboy who ended up as a "nobody." As we have seen all the way through this book, God loves "nobodies." When God walked the earth as a man, He said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners" (Mark 2:17). The exquisite irony of this story is that the proud king merely discovered what he really was from the very beginning. The uncleanness of his sores and his status as an unclean outcast alerted him to the uncleanness that had been in his soul all along.

When he finally accepted his status as a "nobody," he took his place alongside the rest of humanity. Then, and only then, was he prepared to meet the only real Somebody. My hope is that Uzziah, quarantined from society at large and permanently barred from public service, allowed the Lord to make him somebody worth emulating. It's quite possible. After a long string of outright evil kings and good kings gone bad, Uzziah's son, Jotham, became the only king of Judah in 130 years to be listed as exclusively good. I would like to think that it was the seven years Jotham spent in coregency with his father, perhaps learning from his mistakes.

If so, that's the kind of impact every "nobody" should have, including you . . . and me.

Questions For Growth Group

King Uzziah started well by depending on God, but his success ultimately revealed his true heart. Sadly he learned just how destructive pride can be. The sin of pride tempts all of us to rob God of the glory He deserves.

Can you think of a God made success story and how does it compare to a man made success story?

What are the every day attitudes and actions and words of a person marked by pride?

Read 2 Chronicles 26:1-15.  What were the successes that marked Uzziah's life?

Read 2 Chronicles 26:16-19.  What does this teach us about our pride?

Read 2Chronicles 26:20-26.  What were the consequences of Uzziah's pride?

Read James 4:4-10

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.⁵ Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"?⁶ But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."⁷ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.⁸ Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.⁹ Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

1Peter 5:5-11. 

⁵ Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

⁶                Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,⁷ casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.⁸ Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.⁹ Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.¹⁰ And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.¹¹ To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Why is God opposed to the proud?

How can you show humility in your relationships in the family?

How can you show humility in the work of the church?

Giving all the glory to God doesn't mean that you should deny your role. The danger lies in diminishing the Lord's role.  Please explain.

What are the warning signs of pride?

Jesus said John 15:⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Try to memorise this verse this week.

Definitely converted or deceptively close. Mather family of New England Puritans Congregationalists, persecuted 2^nd gen, unconverted Congs. state religion.. dom by nonregen,  identity.. refugees, chn  Aussies..sins of peoples   No wonder people fell away!!

Jude 1:3   Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.⁴ For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. 2Tim 4:10  Demas  For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me...    Judas

One sort of seed.   The Gospel, the Word of Grace.  No root, No shoot no fruit.

Four sorts of Soil,  Four sorts of Heart.    Calloused  -closed                          Casual  -cloudy                             Crowded   cluttered                                              Converted committed

Hebrews 10: ²⁹ How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?³⁰ For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people."³¹ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

They Fall Away Because They Are Deceived   (not born again)

1Tim 4:1   Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,² through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared,³ who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

RC ritualism replacing relationship.

They Fall Away Because They Are Disillusioned

2 Tim 3:1  But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.² For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,³ heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,⁴ treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,⁵ having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.⁶ For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions,⁷ always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.⁸ Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith.⁹ But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.

They Fall Away Because They Are Discouraged

Strangled by Worries wealth and wants Our English Word "worry" comes from the German Word "wurgen" which means "to choke." Worry is when the devil puts a mental and emotional choke hold on you

On August 16, 1977, Elvis died from complications of drug usage. Some said he "had it all." Each year over 250,000 people still tour Graceland. You can see his motorcycles, his Cadillacs, his toys and his gold records. You can see his jets, one named Hound Dog II and one named the Lisa Marie. Elvis, loved to fly around the country late at night just to get things like ice cream or a special kind of peanut butter sold only in Denver. Elvis' younger stepbrother, Rick Stanley died a few years ago. Rick was a southern Baptist evangelist and youth pastor. He said he thought Elvis really loved Jesus at one time and his favorite style of music was always gospel music. But Elvis' biggest mistake, according to Rick, was he allowed all the fame, all the money, and all the success to choke the word of God out of his life. He died sad and lonely, surrounded by wealth. What a sad testimony of a person who allowed the Word to be choked out. You don't have to be as rich and famous as Elvis for that to happen. If you love gold more than God, the Word will get choked out. For some of you, Jesus has become just one of several good interests in your life. Listen, friend, if Jesus is not Lord of all–His is not your Lord at all.

'Worldliness is departing from God. It is a man-centred way of thinking; it proposes objectives which demand no radical breach with man's fallen nature; it judges the importance of things by the present and material results; it weighs success by numbers; it covets human esteem and wants no unpopularity; it knows no truth for which it is worth suffering; it declines to be a 'fool for Christ's sake'. Worldliness is the mind-set of the unregenerate. It adopts idols and is at war with God.' ~ Iain H. Murray

The True Church is not just marked by Sacraments. The true church is truly born again.

Luke 9:18-26    Discipleship

23 And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

Run, John., and work, the law commands, Yet finds me neither feet nor hands;

But, sweeter news the gospel brings, It bids me fly, and lends me wings.

Decision plentiful profound choices.

Direction   reflects decisions, desires,devotion

Denial of pride, priorities Matt6:33, possessions 6:24

Death  Gal 2:20 Verse 23 is one of the most important verses in the New Testament because it contains the  essence of what it costs to be a disciple. Jesus said you can never be a disciple unless you "deny yourself." That doesn't mean you have to deny yourself something like sweets, sleep or food. It means you deny your Self. Think of your "self" as your "ego" or the "Big I." Because we are

sinners, our human nature makes us self-centered. We put the "Big I" at the center of our own little universe and everything revolves around our "ego." We are like the little nursery rhyme:

I had a little party this afternoon at three   'Twas very small, three guests in all;

Just I, myself, and me.       Myself ate up the candy;    And I drank up the tea;

'Twas also I that ate the pie and passed the cake to me.

By nature, the only people we really care about are I, myself and me.

Death. It was always a one-way trip. For you to take up your cross doesn't mean you carry a cross in your pocket or wear one around your neck. It doesn't mean you carry around a large wooden cross as some have done. Other people think their "cross to bear" is some kind of physical ailment.

My sons in law often call me the "Big G!" They know I can't answer that one. Bit Jesus is talking about the Big I (in my case it is still a big G!)

Jesus is talking about dying. It isn't physical death but death to self. After you have denied self, you must constantly subject your "Big I" to death. Actually, since all our sins were nailed to Jesus on the cross and since our ego is the essence of our sin problem, our "Big I" was already crucified with Jesus; we just have to acknowledge it.

One of my all-time favorite verses which I recite almost daily is found in Galatians 2:20. Every time the word "I" appears, you could substitute "self" or "ego." "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me."

In other words, my Self was put to death when I identified with the death of Jesus but there is a real problem: Our self has more lives than a lucky cat. Crucified self keeps wanting to jump down from the cross and step up on the throne of your life. That's why Jesus said taking up your cross was a daily discipline. Actually, I have to quote and claim Galatians 2:20 several times a day and even several times an hour! Because Christ is living in you, Jesus wants to express His personality in your life. He wants to fill you with His love, His patience, His forgiveness, His peace, His wisdom etc. That can only happen when Self is off the throne and dead. When you make this discovery, the Christian life becomes an exciting experience of surrendering to the life of Jesus within you rather than trying to imitate the life of Jesus.

Devotion   head and heart.. prayer

Florence Nightingale, although raised in great wealth and privilege in England,  experienced the call of God to help suffering people at age 17. She became known as the founder of modern nursing. While serving during the bloody Crimean War, she treated the wounded even after she contracted a deadly illness herself. She was the first female to be awarded the British Order of Merit. What made her life so exceptional? She was a serious disciple of Jesus Christ. She wrote in her diary, "I am 30 years of age, the age at which Christ began His mission. Now no more childish things, no more vain things." Late in her life she was asked to explain how she had accomplished so much, she said, "I can give only one explanation and that is this: I have kept nothing back from God." Are you holding back anything from God?

Hi folks

Here is the bible study for our Growth Group this Sunday.

Every Blessing

Zwingly and Steve

Greed is a disease that will consume a minister from the inside out if it's not detected early and treated aggressively. And greedy people will do the same to a thriving ministry. That's because greed is everything that ministry is not.

Ministry serves others; greed serves self. Ministry calls a woman or a man to set aside selfish gain in order to assist another. Greed is an excessive or reprehensible desire to acquire something for the benefit of self. A minister must live by the highest ethical standard, especially in regard to wealth and material possessions. A greedy person will sacrifice his or her ethical standard when it blocks the path to an object of desire. Whereas ministry uses things to serve people, greed uses people to obtain things.

Greed is never acceptable. Some work hard to rationalize it, sanctify it, even attempt to build a theology around it. Still, greed is a deadly enemy of genuine service to others.

Early on in my own ministry, I learned that greed often begins as covetousness. Fortunately, a wise mentor pointed out the danger before it could become an issue. When I first began serving in ministry, I enjoyed the privilege of working closely with a very gifted man of God. He was all the things I was not: scholarly, extremely knowledgeable of the Scriptures, seasoned as a preacher, and profound as a teacher. Naturally, his number of speaking engagements grew with his reputation. He attracted both Christians and non-Christians, and, though great crowds gathered to hear him, I never saw him attempt to draw attention to himself. Mine was an enviable position as his assistant, his ministerial helper, on staff at the church where he served as pastor. I had complete access to him, and he shared much of his life with me, especially when we traveled together. I counted it an incredible privilege to be near him and serve him.

I might add that this was a very heady opportunity. For example, when I preached in his absence, I enjoyed the crowds that his reputation had earned. Because I worked with him at the hub of this large ministry, I had influence that his position warranted. Mine was a borrowed popularity that his prolific writing and profound thinking had gained. I enjoyed immense blessings as a result of serving this man as a ministry partner, and, to this very day, I have sustained a deep sense of gratitude.

One day, a good friend who was not in ministry gave me a tough yet tender word of warning. He had seen me work in tandem with this great man and how my senior colleague loved and trusted me. He saw a healthy, wholesome mentor-protégé relationship that easily could have become tainted if I failed to guard it. "Watch out for the enemy," he said. "From my vantage point in the congregation, as an officer in the church, and as a friend of both of you, I see your position as the more precarious of the two. Avoid the temptation to drop his name or use any other means to gain attention because of your association. You enjoy many benefits that you have not earned over the years. He has earned them, and his is the role of significance. Yours is a role of assistance." He was absolutely correct. To this day I vividly remember the man's timely warning.

Another of my early mentors heard that I had taken on the role of personal assistant to this very prominent man. He, too, gave me wise advice: "Your purpose is to help make that man you serve far more successful than he ever would be without you."

Both of these men approached me with a genuine desire to see me become successful in ministry, not to knock me down a peg or two. They gave me strong, necessary, valuable words of counsel. They reminded me that ministry is all about service, and they steered me clear of what could have become covetousness, leading to greed.

THE MANY FACES OF GREED

That experience taught me to keep a close check on my motives. It also taught me that greed isn't always associated with money. One can become greedy in at least four very common ways.

Money

We're most familiar with this realm of greed. This is a hunger for more money, even at the expense of relationships and personal integrity. The insatiable drive for more leads easily to outright greed.

Possessions

This is closely related to money-greed, but it differs slightly. Misers die with money hidden in mattresses and buried coffee cans, but they possess nothing. However, thanks to little plastic cards, we don't need a huge income to become greedy for possessions. We can feed our greed for more possessions on credit. Watch out, though. When the lust for toys surpasses one's ability to afford them, that's greed.

Fame

This is an inordinate desire for attention—to be known, to be quoted, to be seen, to be popular, to be recognized in public, to be influential, to be sought after for photographs and autographs.

I knew a young man who couldn't rest until he hit it big on the political stage. At first, he begged the Lord to give him the right opportunities and the best contacts. He saw each political office as a means to the one above it. By and by, relationships became mere stepping stones. His longing for notoriety overshadowed any genuine desire for personal friendship or public service. He was greedy for fame.

Pleasure

A natural by-product of an affluent society is hedonism. At its extreme, this is the playboy's lifestyle, an existence that seeks to satisfy one's sensual desires above all else. Those who are greedy for pleasure try to distract themselves from the growing emptiness with even more pleasure. Before long, they find themselves tortured by what should be deeply satisfying.

I need to caution all of us at this point to beware the temptation to feel smug. You might think, Well, that's not me. I don't have a lot of money, or possessions, or fame, and my lifestyle is not only simple, it's barely even comfortable. I'm in no danger. I caution you, don't look for signs of raw greed. If you're greedy, you will have already rationalized them. Instead, be on the lookout for the early stages: envy and covetousness. Greed hides itself behind excessive and inordinate desires for the good things of life, often because of another's achievement.

This book began with a discussion about the behind-the-scenes people we sadly regard as "nobodies"—those people who impact the world by means of their assistance to others. In that chapter, I sang their praise, hopefully encouraging those who serve without recognition and admonishing all of us to appreciate their work and affirm them as significant in God's estimation.

If you are someone whose primary role is to assist another, this chapter is for you. Just like my friend helped me see a danger, I want to do the same for you who work alongside a more visible figure. I write this for the benefit of you who serve as helpers, as vice presidents, as associates in a ministry, as assistant managers in business, as administrative assistants, interns in any specific career, or any other (if I may use the word in a dignified sense) servant role. I write this to remind you and encourage you. Don't underestimate the power of your impact as a servant. Your actions either support or undermine the work of the person you serve. The future implications of your motives and choices can be staggering at times. I'll use the story of Gehazi, the servant who got greedy, to expose both the dangers and the opportunities you have, as well as illustrate the potential impact of your faithfulness.

THE STORY OF THE GREEDY SERVANT

This story is a continuation of the tale of Naaman, the officer whose leprosy was cleansed. As you will recall, the proud general of the Syrian army thought he needed money to purchase his healing but found that the Lord's ways are higher than ours. He discovered God's grace, which is free for the asking. The prophet Elisha refused the bribe, sending him on his own to dip himself seven times in the Jordan River. When Naaman emerged from the river, he found his skin completely healed of leprosy. But his cleansing was not merely external. His heart, like his skin, was transformed.

When [Naaman] returned to the man of God [Elisha] with all his company, and came and stood before him, he said, "Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel; so please take a present from your servant now."  2 Kings 5:15

This and the verses that follow reveal a man whose heart and direction had been changed by the free grace of God, but he was still ignorant. While he accepted the one true God and vowed to sacrifice to the Lord alone, he was still guided by superstition. I love Elisha's response. He didn't rebuke Naaman or make his thinking thoroughly orthodox before he sent him home. The wise prophet dismissed him in peace, trusting that this was merely the beginning of the general's long journey to becoming a devout, mature worshiper of the one true God.

When someone becomes a brand-new believer, the next few days are crucial. The information he or she receives during that brief period may either confirm grace or steal it. "OK, you have received the free gift of salvation in Christ and your place in heaven is secure. Now you must be baptized. Now you must start tithing. Now you must clean up your life. Now you must give up cigarettes, and alcohol, and your foul language, and . . . Now you must . . . now you must . . . now you must . . ." The poor, new Christian is left to wonder, "But you said I was free! What happened?"

When Naaman found he had been cleansed, he wanted to give the prophet a gift—not a bribe, like before, but a gift of thanksgiving. Observe Elisha's noble and unselfish reaction:

But [Elisha] said, "As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will take nothing." And [Naaman] urged him to take it, but he refused.  2 Kings 5:16

What Elisha refused was no small sum. We don't trade in talents and shekels, so let me convert the gift into today's currency. Naaman offered this humble servant of God 750 pounds of silver and 150 pounds of gold. That comes to roughly $1.1 million dollars. (The clothes were by no means cheap, but they were probably included as a gesture of friendship with the original payback.)

Imagine the ministry potential of a sum like that in the hands of an honest prophet of God. And, let's face it, if you were the one living on a prophet's salary, that would be enough money to make your eyes tear up. You'd be fixed for life. So why did Elisha refuse the gifts? The Bible doesn't tell us, but we can put enough clues together from the story to conclude that it was to reinforce the lesson that Naaman had learned. The Lord cannot be charmed. His salvation is freely given by grace, through faith. Taking Naaman's money would compromise that message.

Perhaps the man on his way back would think, Interesting, that Elisha took a couple of the very best suits and some of the silver and gold. I wonder if he didn't want that all along. A compromised message leads to cloudy thoughts like that. But Elisha kept his ministry clearly in focus and would not allow even the slightest hint of greed to taint it.

"But Gehazi, the servant."

With those few words, the story turns. Standing alongside Elisha through this whole series of events is a servant, the prophet's assistant. Gehazi was a man who had been working alongside Elisha much like Elisha had served Elijah. We know from 2 Kings 4 that he had been with his master for a number of years, working very closely with him, even going on his behalf to perform miracles. He had been serving in the limelight created by Elisha's amazing, awe-inspiring ministry. His was a borrowed popularity. He enjoyed influence because Elisha's anointing was so powerful, so spiritually significant. Gehazi lives in the shadow of greatness.

THE SUBTLE, TRANSFORMING POWER OF RATIONALIZATION

Somewhere along the journey at Elisha's side, something twisted Gehazi's thinking. The next verse reveals a remarkable feat in ethical gymnastics—the kind of rationalization that becomes this easy only after lots of practice.

But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, "Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Aramean, by not receiving from his hands what he brought. As the LORD lives, I will run after him and take something from him."  2 Kings 5:20

A couple of phrases jump out at me. First, "my master has spared this Naaman." The Hebrew word for "spared" is better translated "denied" or "restrained." In other places in Scripture, the word carries the idea of holding something back. Gehazi said, in essence, "My master held this general back from expressing his gratitude. He merely wanted to say thank you. Isn't saying thank you the right thing to do? Besides, refusing his gift could seem discourteous. The grateful general even urged us. Why, Elisha kept him from doing what was right !"

Another phrase: "as the LORD lives." These same words appear several times throughout the books of Samuel and Kings. The phrase forms a solemn vow that invokes the sacred name of Yahweh in a very serious and specific way. This is tantamount to saying, "I guarantee that this deed will be accomplished because it's the Lord's will, and I cannot fail because He's enabling me." Take note of the words Elisha spoke just a few moments earlier:

But he said, "As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will take nothing."  2 Kings 5:16

Gehazi's rationalization transformed his greed into God's will for his life! He had just heard his master say, in effect, "In accordance with the Lord's will and by His power, I will not receive your money." Once Naaman's caravan disappeared over the horizon, however, the greedy servant's mind began the very creative process of turning wrong into right. With a little imagination, we can guess what else Gehazi might have been thinking:

The man has millions. Now, if he didn't have plenty, he wouldn't offer such lavish gifts. It's only right that we accept something of what he brought. Elisha shouldn't have held him back from doing what his heart led him to do. The Lord has led this general to make us this offer!

It's amazing how God leads. Who would have thought that such an abundant and much-needed provision would come through the hands of a converted Syrian? Praise the Lord for His miraculous gift to us!

It got even worse . . .

My master has plenty, but I have virtually nothing. And Elisha hasn't given me a raise for years. I've served him faithfully and diligently. Maybe he doesn't have a need for these God-given provisions, but I have a family to provide for.

See how rationalization accompanies greed? Understand, these thoughts are not always evil. In some circumstances, they might be absolutely correct. But that's the power of a rationalization. It takes truth out of context and forces it into perfectly valid conclusions at the wrong time, the wrong place, with the wrong motive, and in the wrong situation. A good rationalization scrubs away the guilt in order to provide the necessary permission to act inappropriately. In the end, the greedy person gets to pocket his or her cash with no sin to acknowledge.

Amazingly, greedy people become such masters of self-deceit, so blinded to their own evil that they are genuinely surprised, often offended, when someone dares to call them dishonest.

So what's wrong with Gehazi's rationalization? First, his role as Elisha's assistant was to make the prophet more successful in his ministry. He was to follow Elisha's lead and model the choices (as it related to the ministry) after those of his master. Elisha had said essentially, "The Lord's will is that I not receive any money for your cleansing." If Gehazi could no longer support the ministry of his mentor, his responsibility was to say so, separate himself, establish his own ministry, or attach himself to one whom he could support.

Another flaw in Gehazi's thinking: he, personally, was never offered anything. Naaman offered the gifts to Elisha. The provisions were not Gehazi's to receive.

Furthermore, Gehazi obviously knew that his actions were dishonest because he deliberately chose to conceal his plan from his superior. It's clear that he didn't pull Elisha aside to say, "Master, I have a different opinion than you regarding this offer. I understand that you are convinced the Lord would not have you receive anything, but I feel the Lord is leading me otherwise. Would it be permissible for me to receive a small portion of his offer? What is your response to that? May I do so with your blessing?"

GREED IN FULL BLOOM

Gehazi's greed had grown imperceptibly and been kept a secret. It started with covetousness until, like a disease of the soul, it rotted his loyalty and twisted his perspective. I repeat, greed is the enemy of ministry. Unlike his mentor, the protégé had self-interest in first place, not the best interest of his master, or even the good of Naaman. The fruit of his secret greed can be seen in no fewer than five self-serving acts in the rest of the story:

So Gehazi pursued Naaman [he pursued]. When Naaman saw one running after him, he came down from the chariot to meet him and said, "Is all well?" He said, "All is well. My master has sent me [he lied], saying, 'Behold, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothes.'" Naaman said, "Be pleased to take two talents." And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags with two changes of clothes and gave them to two of his servants; and they carried them before him [he stole]. When he came to the hill, he took them from their hand and deposited them in the house [he concealed], and he sent the men away, and they departed. But he went in and stood before his master. And Elisha said to him, "Where have you been, Gehazi?" And he said, "Your servant went nowhere [he lied]."

2 Kings 5:21–25; comments added

First, Gehazi pursued the goods without a single word of prayer, with no thought given to how it might harm the Syrian's spiritual growth, and with no concern for how it would compromise the ministry or reputation of his master. Start to finish, it was selfishness in action.

Second, he crafted an elaborate lie to swindle Naaman out of his money and even leave him feeling more spiritual for it. (Sounds like the work of today's religious hucksters.) In fact, all was not well. His master had not sent him. There were no needy sons of prophets. The gifts were not intended for anyone other than Gehazi. He used his office, his spiritual role, his association with a great, godly man to manipulate this secular mind to do a very unspiritual thing: pay for the Lord's free healing.

Third, he received from Naaman what did not belong to him. Any gift received would have rightfully belonged to Elisha, to whom it was offered. Furthermore, Naaman intended the gifts for two starving seminary students. That would be like someone asking you to support oversees orphanages that didn't exist, only to pocket the money you gave in good faith. Any way you look at it, Gehazi shamelessly stole.

Fourth, he concealed his actions from Elisha. He had Naaman's servants carry the loot as far as the ridge in front of the village where Gehazi and Elisha lived. In case his master happened to look out his window, the greedy servant said to the delivery crew, "I'll take it from here. Go in peace." He took the cash out of their hands, pronounced a pious-sounding blessing, sent the men off, and deposited the stolen property in his house where no one would be the wiser. His sins were deliberately hidden from his master.

Fifth, when asked by his mentor where he had been, he lied without hesitation. Don't miss the spiritual gloss he added to the outright fabrication in verse 25: "Your servant went nowhere." How sickening.

Serving another man or woman as an assistant, especially someone whose influence is widespread, demands absolute loyalty. Yes, the word is absolute. Even when he or she is absent, there should be no reason to suspect you of deception or taking unfair advantage of your position. Because trust is essential, your integrity must remain steadfast. If you discover reasons you cannot be loyal, leave. Otherwise, stay on the team giving full support! Maintain a high level of accountability—more than expected. Nurture your relationship with the one you serve so that you not only know his or her desires, but you care about them and can defend them. Constantly examine your motives to be sure your actions carry out the interests of the one you serve and not your own.

THE DISFIGURING EFFECTS OF GREED AND
THE HOPE OF REPENTANCE

Not surprisingly, Elisha was not fooled, and the consequences were tragic:

Then he said to him, "Did not my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money and to receive clothes and olive groves and vineyards and sheep and oxen and male and female servants? Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever." So he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.  2 Kings 5:26–27

Try to imagine how Gehazi must have felt. Imagine how foolish; Elisha was a powerful seer. Imagine how exposed and embarrassed; the sin he had worked so hard to conceal was like an open book to the man he admired most. Imagine how disappointed; he was to Elisha what Elisha had been to his master, Elijah. Gehazi forfeited his future ministry. Imagine how frightened; he now had the very disease that another man was willing to pay millions to have cleansed. Imagine how shamed; Elisha's rebuke reflected an innocent quality that Gehazi had lost a long time ago. The greedy servant had forgotten that ministry serves others, never self.

FOUR COMPELLING CHALLENGES

After studying this passage and pondering the humanity of this tragic story, I find at least four compelling challenges that apply to everyone . . . but especially those who serve in an assisting role. My hope is that you who serve in a ministry capacity will take special heed.

First, guard your imagination. An active imagination is fertile ground for covetousness to sprout into greed and for greed to produce its poisonous fruit. Webster's defines imagination this way: "The act or power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses or never before wholly perceived in reality."  More intriguing is the last definition: "A creation of the mind; especially: an idealized or poetic creation . . . fanciful or empty assumption."

Creative people have remarkable imaginations. But that fact has a dark side. The same creativity that helps us dream wonderful dreams can also fantasize destructive fantasies. That's what Gehazi did. On the surface, he served Elisha and even referred to himself as his servant. But in the secret world of his lurid imagination, he forgot his role. He allowed greed to displace ministry.

Second, rationalization makes all sin less objectionable, especially greed. Rationalization is providing plausible, right-sounding motives for poor conduct, which encourages us to act upon our fantasies. Like most things, practice makes perfect. In my years in ministry, I've heard the most inventive rationalizations for living a licentious lifestyle, even rationalizations that appeal to the Bible for support in walking away from one's longstanding marital commitment to pursue an illicit affair. These people had become experts in the art of self-delusion as a result of constant practice so that outright sin could be seen as something good, even beneficial. Money is a morally neutral issue, which gives rationalization an even greater opportunity.

The antidote to this poisonous thinking is the discipline of accountability. I call it a discipline because your emotions will work against you. It takes mental toughness to do what is right when you much prefer to do wrong. Develop the habit of running your ideas past a trusted, mature, Christian friend. Trust me on this: it will make a major difference. Whereas rationalization will blur the lines between right and wrong, accountability has a remarkable way of keeping them sharp. Chances are good, the more you don't want to discuss your plans with this friend, the more you need to.

Third, determine to keep all of your business dealings out in the open. Leave no room for deception by remaining completely transparent in all of your transactions. This will discourage self-deception and the resulting temptation to deceive others. Those things only stimulate greed to keep our motives secret.

A practical example of this is how Insight for Living conducts its business. Our radio ministry voluntarily participates as a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. This independent organization has established specific standards of conduct considered to be ethical, and it conducts routine audits of our accounting and business practices to be certain that we remain in complete compliance. Knowing that we are being watched helps keep everyone who occupies a decision-making, leadership position from self-delusion and even a hint of dishonesty.

Fourth, examine your motives, call it greed when you see it, and confess it. Confession usually brings sin to a necessary and abrupt end. Never doubt, it can also be the most difficult thing you do. Realizing that you are guilty of something as ugly as avarice, sometimes having to acknowledge that you covered it with a spiritual veneer, takes remarkable self-awareness and gut-wrenching strength. Nevertheless, I can think of no other way to deal with the sin of greed than to name it, openly confess it, find forgiveness based on the free grace of Jesus Christ, and then claim God's power to choose a different path.

Apparently Gehazi repented, though he was never cleansed of the consequence, his leprosy. According to Hebrew law, he was able to continue serving as Elisha's assistant because his skin had turned completely white (Leviticus 13:12–13). Later, he would stand before King Jehoram as the servant of Elisha. He had been restored to ministry, but his white, flaking skin would forever remind him of three mental images: the face of the Syrian, whose faith he compromised; the disappointed look of his master, whom he had undermined; and the awful day when he gave in to greed.

A final word is to all my colleagues serving in ministry. Let's forever remember what Gehazi forgot: greed is the enemy of ministry.

Growth Group Questions.

1. Please read the message above by Chuck Swindoll. As each of his messages touches our hearts, I (Steve) too find this message personally challenging. Greed is not limited to $'s, money.  Fame Fortune power and pleasure can be as attractive and heart turning as avarice.  What is the sin that you are most susceptible to?

2. How did Gehazi operate his scam?  Could Christians be involved in scams? Consider the sad story found in Acts 5:1-11  But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property,² and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet.³ But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?⁴ While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God."⁵ When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it.⁶ The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. ⁷ After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.⁸ And Peter said to her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much." And she said, "Yes, for so much."⁹ But Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out."¹⁰ Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.¹¹ And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

3. "Amazingly greedy persons become such masters of self-deceit, so blinded to their own evil that they are genuinely surprised, often offended, when someone dares to call them dishonest."     Please comment on Chuck Swindoll's conclusion.

4. "Be sure your sin will find you out."  What practical means can you put into place to protect yourself from the subtle temptations of covetousness?