A Special People

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Obadiah 1-10

TO CHEW ON: "Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame; you will be destroyed forever." Obadiah 1:10

Do you have brothers and/or sisters with whom you quarrel? Arguments and quarrels between siblings are common. Bible brothers and sisters had their differences too.

Take Jacob and Esau. Though they were twins, they were always competing against each other. Jacob tricked Esau into giving him the birthright (the inheritance that belonged to Esau as the oldest). Then he tricked Isaac, their father, into blessing him instead of Esau. This made Esau so angry, he threatened to kill Jacob. So Jacob left home.

"Isaac and Esau" Fresco painting by Raphael (1518-1519)

Over the years the descendants of Esau became the nation of Edom. Jacob’s descendants became Israel. But there was no more love between the nations of Edom and Israel than there had been between their great-great-great-... grandfathers.

"Obadiah" painted by
James Tissot


When Nebuchaednezzar destroyed and looted Judah, he was joined by soldiers from Edom. They took stuff from Judah for themselves and turned the Israelite people who tried to escape over to Nebuchadnezzar.

It was at this time that the prophet Obadiah lived. The book he wrote is short (one chapter). It was a message condemning Edom for their treatment of the Jews. Obadiah scolded them for their pride. He told Edom that though they thought their strong cities couldn’t be conquered, because they had mistreated the Jews, they would be defeated and disappear as a nation. And this happened. After 70 A.D. there is no more mention of Edom anywhere in history.

Still today the Jews have a special place in God’s heart (Deuteronomy 26:18,19). They are the people through whom God chose to bring His Son Jesus to earth. God has promised to raise them up as a strong nation again (Deuteronomy 30:3). God promises to bless those that bless and help the Jews (Genesis 12:3).

Though we may not understand or agree with everything that modern Israel does, God’s feelings about Israel haven’t changed. This nation is still His treasured possession. It is a nation Christians everywhere love and pray for.


PRAYER: Dear God, please bless the nation of Israel and the Jewish people. Amen.

MORE: Jews in the News
1. Since Israel became a nation again in 1946, there has been a lot of conflict in the Middle East between the Jewish people and their neighbors.

- Using newspapers and/or the internet, find out what is presently happening in Israel.

2. Pray for Israel’s peace (Psalm 122:6).

***************
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Copying the Wrong Cat

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Kings 17:15-20

TO CHEW ON: "But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their ancestors, who did not trust in the Lord their God. They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the Lord had ordered them, 'Do not do as they do.' " 2 Kings 17:14,15

Israel was in big trouble. It was about thirty years and five kings after Jeroboam II. Shalmaneser king of Assyria had discovered that Israel’s present king Hoshea had secretly made a pact with Egypt. When Hoshea stopped paying the tax that Shalmaneser demanded, he arrested King Hoshea and took him to an Assyrian prison.

Then his army went through the countryside, rounding up the people. When they came to Samaria, the gates were locked. But Shalmaneser had all the time in the world. His army camped outside the city and waited for the people inside to surrender.


The Samaritans hung on for three years. But finally, desperate for food and water, they surrendered. In no time Shalmaneser had rounded up all those people too. He marched all his captives to Assyria. And that was the end of Israel.


Israel had had many chances to return to God. Many prophets had preached, warned and begged her kings and people to destroy their idols and worship God again. Again and again they chose to ignore those warnings. Finally God had had enough. The reason for Israel’s fall is spelled out in today’s reading.

What was the main thing to blame? (2 Kings 17:15):
1. bad crops and famine.
2. a weak army.
3. imitating the idol-worshiping nations around them.
4. a plague of sickness.


We aren’t that different today. Like the Israelites we love to imitate those we admire. It’s not imitation that’s bad, but whom we choose as our models. Let’s be careful to choose models of whom God would approve.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to choose my models wisely. Amen.


MORE: Pick Someone to Copy
You have been introduced to many Bible characters: Job, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, Joseph, Esau, Moses, Joshua, Rachel, Ruth and others. If you were to choose one of them to imitate, who would it be? Why?

ANSWERS


Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

God Wants Us Back

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Hosea 14:1-9

TO CHEW ON: "Return, O Israel, to the Lord you God. Your sins have been your downfall! Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to him: 'Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously that we may offer the fruit of our lips.'” Hosea 14:1,2

Hosea was another prophet to Israel at this time. God asked him to do more than just talk to the people. Even his life was an object lesson of what God was like.

“Go marry a woman who won’t be true to you,” God told him.

So Hosea married Gomer, a prostitute. They lived together and had children. But Gomer left Hosea and had affairs with other men.

This made Hosea sad. God told him, “Your wife is just like the Israelites. She left you just like they left me to worship idols.

The Israelites going to worship idols

I don’t want you to divorce her. Instead, you are to take her back.”

Hosea paid money and took his wife back into their home. Then God said to him, “Tell the Israelites that what you did is a picture of what I will do for them. Just like you took your wife back even though she had left you, I’ll take the Israelites back if they’ll come back to Me.”

That is still God’s message to us today. Even if we once loved Him but have turned away and are now doing our own thing, God will always take us back.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for loving us even when we go away from You. Thank You for always accepting us back Amen.

MORE: Coming Back to God
If you or someone you know has gone away from God, this verse from Hosea tells how to come back to Him. You might want to memorize it.

Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to him: “Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously that we may offer the fruit of our lips.” Hosea 14:2

************
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Champion of the Poor

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Amos 8:1-12

TO CHEW ON: "Hear this, you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land .... I will never forget anything they have done." Amos 8:4,7

In Israel King Jehu was followed by his son and grandson. They were all evil. Now a new king, Jeroboam II, was ruling Israel. Outwardly everything was going well. Crops had been good. Many people were getting rich. They loved their beautiful homes and their lovely things. Some people were poor. But they didn’t matter, did they?

With that attitude, the rich were secretly cheating the poor. When they sold grain to them, they didn’t put the full amount in the bags, but raised the price. Sometimes they put the sweepings or the garbage from the bottom of the wheat bin into the bag and charged for that too.

God saw this unfairness. He called a shepherd named Amos. He sent Amos to be a prophet to Israel.


Amos boldly spoke about what was going on. He told the people in Israel to get back to obeying God’s Word. In the law, God had listed many ways for the Israelites to look after poor people. They were to measure fairly, charge fair prices and even leave some grain unharvested in their fields so poor people could gather it for themselves.

Amos warned them that if they didn’t again obey God’s words and turn back to Him, God would send a famine. This famine wouldn’t be a lack of food, but a famine of God’s words. When they needed God, He would be silent.

Do we have poor people in our land? Maybe there are homeless people who live on the streets of your city. Other people may have homes but don’t have money for food, clothes and medical care. God wants us to care for the poor just like in Amos’s time. We make Him glad when we do whatever we can to help them.

PRAYER: Dear God, Please give me your love for the poor. Help me to do all I can to help them. Amen.


MORE: Helping the Poor
1. Find out what’s happening in your community to help the poor. Can you add more things to the list?
- Is there a Foodbank?
- Are there thrift stores?
- Are there soup kitchens?
- Are there homeless shelters?

2. What can you do to help the poor? Here are some ideas. Can you think of more?
- Volunteer to help at a soup kitchen with your family.
- Help serve Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner at a mission,
- Donate food to the food bank.
- Donate blankets to a homeless shelter.
- Donate clothes and toys to a thrift store.

************
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

I'll Do it My Way!

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Chronicles 16:1-13

TO CHEW ON: "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." 2 Chronicles 16:9

When Asa had been king for a long time, Baasha the King of Israel blocked the border between Israel and Judah.

1. The last time King Asa was faced with a problem (2 Chronicles 14:11) he had: (choose the correct answer):
a] asked for help from Egypt.
b] asked for help from God.

2. This time he (2 Chronicles 16:2):
a] asked for help from Ben Hadad of Aram
b] asked for help from God.

Shortly after that, the prophet Hanani came to him and asked, “Why did you make your own plan instead of asking for God’s help? Didn’t God help you in your fight against Cush? God is always looking out to help anyone who depends on Him. What you did was foolish. From now on you’ll always be at war.”

What Hanani said made Asa so angry, he put Hanani in prison.

After that Asa stubbornly refused to ask for God’s help with anything. A few years later when he got a disease in his feet, he only went to doctors. He ignored God completely.

Why did Asa, who started out so well, end like this? Perhaps he thought that with all his experience he no longer needed God’s help. Or maybe he just wanted to do his own thing instead of listen to God.

Let’s not become like the old Asa, who stopped trusting God. Instead, let’s ask for His help with everything all our lives long.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to depend on You now and through all my life. Amen.

MORE: I Couldn’t Bother God with That!


Which times could you ask for God’s help?
- When someone is bullying you.

- When you are sick

- When you don’t understand something in school

- When you want to make the team.


- When your parents aren’t getting along.

Did you pick them all? God can help in all these times and with all these things and much more.

Nothing is too small for God. He is interested in everything about you from the biggest thing to the tiniest detail. What will you ask him to help you with today?

**********
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Answers

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Jehu's Unfinished Job

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Kings 10:18-29

TO CHEW ON: “So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel. However, he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit – the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.” 2 Kings 10:28,29

Jehu lost no time getting to work on job the prophet had given him. When Ahab’s son King Joram was recovering from a war injury in Jezreel, Jehu rode there in his chariot and did away with Joram. Next he had Queen Jezebel killed. Finally, he destroyed the worship of the idol Baal.


He did this by tricking all the Baal prophets. He told the people to call them together for a big, big sacrifice. “Ahab served Baal a little,” Jehu said. “I will serve him much. Any Baal prophet who doesn’t show up will be killed.”

When all the prophets had gathered in Baal’s temple, Jehu posted guards outside. “Don’t let anyone escape,” he said. Then he made the sacrifice. And right after that he gave the signal to the guards to destroy every Baal prophet in the temple.

After that was done, Jehu tore down the Baal altar and the temple. In this way he stopped Baal worship in Israel.

But he didn’t go far enough. What did he still allow that was not pleasing to God? (2 Kings 10:28,29) __________


Has God showed you something that needs to change in your life? Maybe, for example, you’ve stolen something in the past. You know that God hates stealing. You decide never to steal anything again. Still you haven't make it right with the person you stole from or returned or paid for the thing you stole. So you haven't finished the clean-up. Don’t be like Jehu and go only partway in obeying God. Instead, finish the job.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to finish doing what You ask. Amen.


MORE: Unfinished Projects
Do you have unfinished projects sitting around your room or house?

What are they?

Why didn’t you finish them?

Pick out one unfinished project and determine to finish it. Work on it today.

*********
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Payback

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Kings 9:1-13

TO CHEW ON: "You are to destroy the house of Ahab your master, and I will avenge the blood of my servants the prophets and the blood of all the Lord’s servants shed by Jezebel." 2 Kings 9:7


One day after Ahab had died and his son Joram was king, Elisha sent one of the prophets on a special errand. “Take a bottle of oil and go to Ramoth Gilead,” he said. “Find Captain Jehu and secretly anoint him king.”

When the prophet found Jehu at the army barracks he said, “I have a message for you.” They went into the house so they could talk privately. There the prophet poured oil on Jehu’s head and said, “I anoint you king over Israel. You are to destroy all the family of Ahab. This is because Ahab and Jezebel destroyed God’s servants the prophets.” When he was done, the prophet opened the door and ran.

Illustration by Annie Vallotton from the Good News Bible
© American Bible Society 1976, 1992, used with permission.

“What was that about?” Jehu’s fellow soldiers asked when he came out.

Jehu told them what the prophet had said. Then they took off their cloaks and spread them on the floor under Jehu’s feet just like they would for a king. Someone sounded a trumpet and everyone shouted, “Jehu is king!”

At the time of Ahab and Jezebel, it probably seemed to the prophets and other people who followed God that He had forgotten them. But God never forgets. At the right time, He called Jehu to punish Ahab’s family for the bad things they had done.

Has someone hurt you? Are you tempted to get even? Instead, why don’t you ask God to work things out in His way, like He did for the prophets in Israel.

PRAYER: Dear God, I trust You to be fair with me and those who have hurt me. Amen.

SUPERSIZE IT: Revenge - Not Ours to Take
It’s natural to want to get even with those who have hurt us. But if we belong to God, He has promised to take care of revenge for us:

"Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord." - Romans 12:19

Instead of taking revenge on enemies how should we treat them (Romans 12:20-21)?
1. If our enemy is hungry we should _________
2. If our enemy is thirsty we should __________
3. We should overcome evil with __________

Answers

**********
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Good News!

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Kings 7:1-9

TO CHEW ON: "Then they said to each other, 'What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until daylight, punishment will overtake us. Let’s go at once and report this to the royal palace.' ” 2 Kings 7:9

What do you do when you have good news?
- Make very sure no one finds out.
- Write about it only in your journal.
- Email, phone, text-message and tell all your friends.

Chances are, you do the last. We all love good news – and love even more to share it with others so they can be happy with us.

Four lepers living outside Samaria didn’t have good news very often. Lately life was even worse than usual because they were starving. Their family members who usually brought them food were locked inside the gates of the city.

Standing guard outside the gates and surrounding the city walls was the army of Aram and King Ben Hadad. He wanted Samaria as his own. He was determined to stay as long as it took to capture the city. He was sure that when the Israeli people and their king got hungry enough, they’d be happy to surrender to him – just to keep from starving.


This day the lepers decided to do more than wait around to die of hunger. Since the only place there was food was in the enemy camp, they would go there. If the enemy killed them, they were as good as dead anyway. But if they soldiers had mercy on them and fed them, they’d have saved their own lives.

When they got to the enemy camp, what a surprise. The place was deserted. There were no people, only tents. Inside the tents were silver, gold, beautiful clothes and FOOD!



The lepers ate till they were full. Then they took some beautiful things and hid them. Suddenly they remembered the people in the city. They were still starving.

“This isn’t right,” they said to each other. “We have to tell the people in Samaria.” So they did. And by that night, no one in the city was hungry any more. Their lives were saved because the lepers remembered to share the good news.

We too have good news. It’s not news about food that gives us physical life. It’s news about how we can have eternal life and live forever in heaven with Jesus. Have you told someone else this good news? Don’t keep the good news to yourself. Tell your family and friends so they can accept Jesus and have eternal life too.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for Jesus and the good news of how we can live forever with You. Amen.


MORE: Siege
Samaria was a city surrounded by walls. It was also built on a hilltop. The walls and the view of approaching soldiers made it a hard city to capture.

Ben Hadad, the Syrian king, tried to capture it by putting it under siege. This means his army surrounded the city walls. They blocked the city gates. No traders or farmers could enter with food. He was hoping that when all the food in the city was gone, the starving king and people would give up. Then Samaria would belong to him.

Draw a picture of a city under siege.

(And if you’re puzzling over the mystery of the deserted camp? Read the rest of the story in 2 Kings 7:10-20)

************
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Invisible Army

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Kings 6:8-23

TO CHEW ON: “’Don’t be afraid,’” the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’” 2 Kings 6:16

During the time of Elisha, the kings of Aram and Israel were at war. But because God told Elisha where the Aramaens were, and Elisha told the king of Israel, the Israeli king was always getting away.

“Who of you is telling Israel our plans?” the King of Aram demanded of his soldiers.

“No one,” they replied. “It’s Elisha, the prophet. He knows everything – even what you say in your bedroom.”

“Capture him,” The king commanded. He sent a large force of soldiers on horses to arrest Elisha. They came at night and surrounded Dothan, the city where Elisha was staying.

The next morning when Elisha’s servant got up, he saw the army around the city. “My lord, what shall we do?” he asked Elisha.

“Don’t be afraid,” Elisha replied. Then he prayed, “God, open his eyes.”

In the next instant the servant saw that the hills surrounding the city were full of horses – and these weren’t the enemy’s horses. They were surrounded by chariots of fire. God’s army of angels was all around, protecting Elisha and the servant.


Help tell the end of the story by choosing the right answer to each question.
1. What happened as the Aram army came toward Elisha ? (2 Kings 6:18)
a] soldiers threw spears at Elisha.
b] the servant screamed for help.
c] Elisha prayed and the soldiers became blind.

2. Where did Elisha lead the army? (2 Kings 6:19)
a] Jerusalem.
b] Bethlehem.
c] Samaria.


3. What did Elisha tell the king of Israel to do with the army? (2 Kings 6:22)
a] feed them.
b] kill them.
c] put them in prison.

4. Then what happened? (2 Kings 6:23)
a] the Aramaeans captured Elisha.
b] Aram stopped their raids on Israel.
c] Elisha and his servant sneaked out of the city.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for stories of Your protection. Please protect me today. Amen.

Illustration by Annie Vallotton from the Good News Bible
© American Bible Society 1976, 1992, used with permission.

MORE: Angel Protection
Many verses in the Bible talk about angels.
Three of them are:
Psalm 34:7, Matthew 18:10, Hebrews 1:14

Which is your favorite?
Draw a picture of what you think an angel might look like. Write your favorite angel verse under the picture. Then thank God for the protection of angels today.

Answers

**********
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Greedy Lying Gehazi

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Kings 5:15-27


TO CHEW ON: “When he went in and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, 'Where have you been, Gehazi?'
'Your servant didn’t go anywhere,' Gehazi answered" - 2 Kings 5:25

Naaman offers gifts to Elisha

After he had left, Elisha’s servant Gehazi couldn’t get the thought of Naaman’s gifts out of his mind. My master was too easy on Naaman, he thought. But I’d sure like some of those things.

He ran after Naaman’s carriage, caught up to it and said, “My master has changed his mind. He has visitors and could use some of your gifts.”

“No problem,” Naaman said. He loaded two servants with many pounds of silver and two new sets of clothes.

When they came near to Elisha and Gehazi’s house, Gehazi took the things from Naaman’s servants and sent them back. Then he hid the clothes and money in his room before he went to wait on Elisha.

“Where have you been?” Elisha asked him.
1. What did Gehazi answer? (2 Kings 5:25 ) ____________

He should have been smarter than to try and hide anything from God’s prophet. For God had told Elisha exactly what had happened. “Didn’t I see you when you approached Naaman’s carriage?” Elisha asked. “This isn’t the time to collect stuff.”

2. Then Elisha told Gehazi what his punishment would be. What? (2 Kings 15:27) _______
Gehazi learned the hard way that it never pays to tell a lie.

PRAYER: Dear God, I can never fool you with a lie. Help me to learn that. Amen.

MORE: Old Lies
Have you ever told a lie and got away with it? Are you sure there is no one who knows about the lie you told?

Though you may never get found out the way Gehazi did, there is Someone who knows. God. And His opinion about lying is clear. He doesn’t approve of it and tells us in Proverbs that our unconfessed lies will eventually be punished (Proverbs 19:5,9).

Here are some things you can do to take care of old lies.
1. Admit they are sin and confess them to God.
2. Confess those lies to the people you lied to.
3. Ask God to help you recognize and overcome the habit of lying – in both words and actions.

Answers


***********
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

A Little Girl's Big Love

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Kings 5:1-14

TO CHEW ON: “Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, 'If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.' ” 2 Kings 5:2,3

Suppose you were a little girl who, one day, was captured by enemy soldiers. They took you far away from home. Alone in a new country, you had to work for the people who captured you. This was what happened to the little Israeli girl who worked for Captain Naaman’s wife.

One day she noticed her mistress was very sad. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

“My husband has leprosy,” Naaman’s wife answered.

Now the little girl could have been selfish. She could have thought, this man’s soldiers took me away from my parents. He deserves to be sick. But that wasn’t her attitude. Instead she thought about how she could help Captain Naaman. And she thought of prophet Elisha. He did amazing things. He had even raised a little boy from the dead.

“If only my master could see the prophet who is in Samaria,” she said. “He would cure him of his leprosy.”


Naaman’s wife told this to Naaman. Soon he was on his way to find the prophet.

When he came to Elisha’s house, Elisha sent his servant with a message telling Naaman what to do: “Go wash yourself seven times in the Jordan.”


This instruction made Naaman furious. He thought the least Elisha would do was come out, pray and wave his hands over his leprosy. He wanted to turn around and go home. But his servants convinced him to do as the prophet had said.

Sure enough. After seven-dips in the Jordan, Naaman was healed! Because a little girl loved others – even her enemies – more than herself, God healed an army captain of leprosy.


PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to love others more than myself. Amen.

MORE: Leprosy
Leprosy was one of the most dreaded diseases in Bible times. There was no cure for it. It was also very contagious (spread easily from person to person). For that reason, a person who had leprosy had to move away from family and friends so their loved ones wouldn’t get sick too. They had to live alone or in colonies with other lepers.

Find out more about leprosy (now usually called Hansen’s disease) from books or the internet.
1. Do people still get leprosy?
2. Are there medicines to cure it?
3. How can you tell if a person has leprosy?
4. Find out about Father Damien, a missionary to lepers in Hawaii.

************
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Death In Shunem

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Kings 4:27-37

TO CHEW ON: "He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the Lord." 2 Kings 4:33

Elisha and his servant Gehazi did a lot of traveling. One day they went to Shunem. A rich woman there invited them for a meal in her house. Then, knowing Elisha often traveled to Shunem, she and her husband fixed up a room for Elisha and his servant. Now every time they came to town, they had a place to stay.

One day Elisha asked the woman, “After all you’ve done for us, what can we do for you?”

“I have everything I need,” she said.

“She doesn’t have any children,” Gehazi said to Elisha after she had left.

“Right,” said Elisha. “Call her back.”

When the woman came, Elisha said to her, “By this time next year, God will give you a son.”

Sure enough, a year later, she had a baby boy. She had never been happier! But one day, when the little boy was with his dad, he got sick. “My head! My head!” he cried. Servants carried him home. But a little while later he died.


Immediately his mother saddled a donkey and went to find Elisha. If anyone would know what to do, he would. When she found him, she persuaded him to go back with her.

When Elisha got to the house in Shunem he went into the room where the little boy lay.

He was still and cold. Elisha closed the door and prayed to God. After a while, he lay on top of the little boy. Slowly Elisha felt him grow warm. Finally he sneezed, seven times, and then opened his eyes.

Elisha called the Shunamite woman in. He gave her little boy back to her, alive again. She couldn’t thank Elisha or God enough for the miracle of her dead little boy – come back to life.


PRAYER: Dear God, thank you for Your power over death. Amen

MORE: A Promise
Has someone close to you died – a grandparent, uncle, friend, brother, sister or parent? Perhaps you prayed before they died that God would keep them alive. Maybe you prayed after they died that God would make them live again.

Though God has the power to raise people from death, He often doesn’t. And so we experience death. It is a sad, sad time.

But Jesus has won the final war over death. And we know that someday, because of Jesus, we will again see our loved ones who have died. It’s a Bible promise you might want to memorize.

"For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable,* and we will be changed." - 1 Corinthians 15:52.

* ‘imperishable’ means a body or form that won’t decay or die. It will last forever.

*************
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

What Do You Have?

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Kings 4:1-7

TO CHEW ON: "Elisha replied, 'How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?'
'Your servant has nothing there at all,' she said, 'except a small jar of olive oil.'” 2 Kings 4:2

Elisha became a leader among the prophets like Elijah was before him. One day the wife of a prophet who had died came to Elisha with a big problem. “My husband owed a man some money,” she said. “Now that man says if I don’t pay back the debt, he’ll make my sons his slaves.”

“What do you have in your house?” Elisha asked.

“Only a little oil,” the woman replied.

“Here’s what to do,” Elisha said. “Send your boys out to gather oil containers. Collect as many as you can. Then close the door of your house and fill all those containers with the oil you have.”

How would she ever fill even one container with the little bit of oil she had, the woman wondered. Yet she did as Elisha said. After her sons had collected bottles, jugs and jars of all shapes and sizes from the neighborhood, they began to fill them. And an amazing thing happened. The oil never ran out – at least not till the very last container was full.


Excited, she went back to Elisha and told him what had happened.

“Now go sell that oil,” he said to her. “Use the money you get to pay your debt. Keep what’s left over to live on.”

Because the widow did what Elisha told her with the only thing she had, God gave her what she needed, and more.

What do you have? Give it to God and watch him multiply it too!

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to give myself and the things I have to You. Amen.


MORE: A What’s-in-your-house Collage
Make a collage of things you have in your house (no going out and buying supplies allowed).

- What you need:
Collage backing: cardboard cut from cereal boxes, packaging, cardboard boxes etc.
Collage materials: colorful magazine pictures, dried beans, seeds, rice, macaroni, buttons, sequins or glitter, shells etc.
Paste or glue: If you don’t have any in your house, make a paste with flour and water.
Scissors for cutting paper, or use your fingers to tear the paper into the shapes you want.

- What you do:
Arrange and glue materials onto the cardboard backing.
Display your collage in a place where you’ll see it often. Let it remind you that God can use the things you already have.

***********
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Double Strength

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Kings 2:1-15

TO CHEW ON: "When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, 'Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken from you?'
'Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,' Elisha replied." 2 Kings 2:9

One day as Elijah and Elisha were walking down the road, Elijah said, “God has told me to go to Bethel. But you stay here.”

Elisha had a strange feeling about this day. Somehow he knew that Elijah wouldn’t be with him much longer. He wanted to spend every minute he could with this incredible man. “No,” he replied. “I want to go with you.”

After spending some time in Bethel Elijah said “Now God is sending me to Jericho. You stay behind.”

But Elisha wouldn’t. He walked with Elijah to Jericho.

After they had visited the prophets in Jericho, Elijah said, “Now God is telling me to go to the Jordan, but you stay here.”

“I will not leave you,” Elisha replied.

When they got to the Jordan River, Elijah took off his robe, rolled it up and struck the water. Instantly it parted and the two men walked to the other side on dry ground.

“What can I do for you before God takes me away?” Elijah asked Elisha.

What should he ask for, Elisha wondered. He knew he didn’t want money or fame or nice things. What he wanted more than anything else was to be just like Elijah. “I want a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha answered.

“That’s a hard thing,” Elijah replied “You’ll get that only if you see God take me away.”

Then, as they were walking along, out of no where a chariot of fire and fiery horses appeared. In the next instant Elijah was swept away on the chariot and out of Elisha’s sight.



“My Father! My Father!” he called out. But Elijah was gone. All that was left was his robe. Elisha picked it up and walked back the way they came. When he got to the Jordan, he did just as Elijah had done. The water parted just like before.

Prophets watching on the other side of the Jordan saw what happened. “Elijah’s spirit is on Elisha,” they said. When they met him they promised to serve him like they had served Elijah.

Elijah wanted God’s best in his life. Because he had the determination and courage to go after it, God blessed him by answering his request.

PRAYER: Dear God, please put in my heart and mind to go after Your best for me. Amen

MORE: Mentors and Models
When Elisha got to know Elijah, he wanted to be like him. When Elijah asked Elisha what he wanted as a parting gift, more than money, nice things or popularity he wanted God’s power in his life just like he had seen it in Elijah.

Is there a Bible character, or a person that you’ve read about in a book, or someone you know of whom you would say, ‘I’d like to be just like that person?
Who is it?
Why do you want to be like that person?

You can pray that God will give you the godly qualities you see in their lives.

***********
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Quick to Follow

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Kings 19:19-21

TO CHEW ON: "Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah." 1 Kings 19:20

One of the jobs God gave Elijah was to find and call the person who would be the next prophet. We don’t know how Elijah knew which person to choose. God probably told him. Neither do we know much about the person he picked – Elisha – except that he was a farmer.

Elijah found Elisha in a field. He was plowing with oxen.

Elijah called him by going up to him and throwing his prophet cloak over Elisha’s shoulders. Our Bible doesn’t tell us if Elijah explained to Elisha what he meant by this. But Elisha knew exactly what Elijah was asking.

1. What did Elisha do? ( 1 Kings 19:20) ________

2. Did Elijah force Elisha to come with him? ________

"And Elisha left the oxen and ran after Elijah" 1 Kings 19:20
Artist's name – Diana Shimon
© Copyright – HaGefen Publishing / CWI Israel (used with permission).

For some reason Elisha was ready to follow Elijah. Maybe in the days just before Elijah came, he had been feeling restless about being a farmer. Maybe he had been asking God to show him what he should do instead. Maybe he had heard of Elijah, and wanted to get to know him. Whatever the reason, Elisha was ready for Elijah’s invitation and was quick to respond.

3. His answer was so definite, he made it impossible to change his mind and go back to farming. How? (1 Kings 19:21) ____

From that day on, Elisha’s life changed. He began traveling with Elijah as his helper

4. What lesson can we learn from Elisha:
a] that farming isn’t an important job?
b] that when God calls us, we should be quick to answer ‘yes’?

PRAYER: Dear God, please show me what You want me to do, and help me be answer “Yes.” Amen.


MORE: More “Yes” people
All through the Bible God used and blessed people who answered His call with “Yes.” Below are five Bible characters who did just that. Find their names in the Word Search puzzle.

1. James and John left their jobs as fishermen and follow Jesus. (Mark 1:16-18)
2. Gideon led Israel in their fight against the Midianites (Judges 6:13,14)
3. Moses left his desert home and lead the Israelites out of Egypt. (Exodus 3:10-12)
4. Abraham moved away from his home and family to a land God showed him. (Genesis 12:1)

"Created with Puzzlemaker on DiscoveryEducation.com".

(To print the word search puzzle alone, click on it, then print it from the window that opens.)


Answers

*************
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Back to Work

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Kings 19:9-18


TO CHEW ON: "Then the Lord said to him, 'Go back the way you came. . . .'” 1 Kings 19:15

When Elijah came to Mount Horeb, he found a cave in which to sleep. That night God spoke to him. “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

“I’ve done my best for You,” Elijah replied. “But the Israelites have turned their backs on You. They’ve broken your altars and killed your prophets. I’m the only one left. Now they’re trying to kill me too.”

“Come outside,” God told him. “I want to show you something.”

As Elijah stood outside the cave, a powerful wind came up, shaking the trees and loosening rocks so they came tumbling down. But Elijah didn’t hear God in the wind. Suddenly the earth underneath him began shaking. But Elijah didn’t hear God in the earthquake. Then he saw fires burning around him. But God wasn’t in the fires either.


Finally Elijah heard a quiet voice. He recognized it. It was God. Again God asked him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Again Elijah explained how hard he’d worked for God, but how it hadn’t done any good.



Then God answered him. What did He say? Which one thing, below, did God NOT tell Elijah (1 Kings 19:15-18):
1. God told him to go back the way he came.
2. God gave Elijah some new jobs to do.
3. God explained why things had turned out the way they had.
4. God gave Elijah some facts about how many of God’s people were really left in Israel.

Though Elijah felt like a failure, God, Who saw the whole picture, knew that he wasn’t. After showing Elijah his power in the wind, earthquake and fire, God showed Elijah He still trusted him and had more things for him to do. He gave Elijah some new jobs and sent him back to work.

PRAYER: Dear God, Thank You for using people to accomplish what You want to do. Please use me. Amen.

MORE: Hearing God
Though God showed His power in the wind, earthquake and fire, Elijah heard God speak in a quiet voice.

1. Has God ever spoken to you?

2. Where did you hear Him?
____ through Bible words?
____ through the words of a song?
____ through the words of a friend?
____ through the words of a pastor or teacher?
____ through a book?
____ through nature?
____ through a parent?
_________________ other ways?

3. What did He say?

Make a habit of listening to God. He may tell you that He loves you. He may tell you that He understands you. He may give you ideas on how to handle your problems. He may remind you to pray for a friend in trouble.

If God tells you to do something, be as quick as Elijah to obey His words.


Answers

************
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Discouraged

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Kings 19:1-9a

TO CHEW ON: "Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. ... he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. 'I have had enough, Lord,'  he said. 'Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.' ” 1 Kings 19:3,4

No sooner did Ahab get home and tell Queen Jezebel that Elijah had killed her Baal prophets than Jezebel threatened Elijah’s life. “By this time tomorrow, you’ll be dead like them,” she told him by messenger.

If Elijah expected Jezebel to believe in God after the contest on the mountain, he saw now that wasn’t going to happen. Her message terrified him. He and his servant took off, running as fast and as far as they could. When they got to Beersheba, Elijah let his servant rest while he traveled another day, far into the desert.

As he ran and walked and ran some more, he probably thought of what had just happened. It seemed that Ahab hadn’t learned anything from the three years of no rain and the contest on the mountain. Even though he, Elijah, had done his best, nothing had worked out the way he hoped. He was just a big failure.

Finally too tired and discouraged to go on any further, he sat down in the shade of a broom tree and prayed, “God, I want to die.” Then he fell asleep.

He woke up when something touched him. Someone – an angel – was beside him!

“Get up and eat,” the angel said. In front of him was fresh-baked bread and water.


Elijah ate, then fell back asleep. Some hours later he awoke to the angel’s touch again. Again there was food and water waiting for him.

After that Elijah had the strength and will to go on. He traveled forty more days till he came to Mount Horeb, far away from Jezebel’s threat. The God who could send fire to burn an offering also knew how to encourage His tired and hungry prophet.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for encouraging us when we feel like giving up. Amen.

MORE: Prescription for Discouragement
When you think about what had happened to Elijah, you'll agree it's no wonder he was discouraged.
1. He’d just been through a very exciting time of seeing God defeat Baal and sending rain.
2. He had just spent days running and was super tired.
3. He hadn’t had much to eat.

Next time you’re discouraged, ask yourself if some of the things that discouraged Elijah may also be affecting you. Then take the prescription for discouragement.



1. Has something very exciting happened to you lately? Sometimes a return to normal living makes us feel blah after the excitement we’ve just experienced.

Give yourself time to get used to everyday life again.


2. Are you tired? When you don’t get enough sleep, discouragement easily takes hold.

Take a nap. Go to bed early, get up late. Catch up on sleep and get rested.


3. Are you hungry? Not eating properly helps feed discouragement.

Have a good meal. Eat healthy foods (including fruits and vegetables) and drink lots of water.

**********
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Keep On Praying

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Kings 18:41-46

TO CHEW ON: "Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees. 'Go and look toward the sea,' he told his servant. And he went up and looked. 'There is nothing there," he said. Seven times Elijah said, 'Go back.'" 1 Kings 18: 42,43

God sent the fire to burn Elijah’s sacrifice. Elijah killed all the Baal prophets. But there was more to come. For God told Elijah He would send rain on dry, dusty Israel. Even though the sun was still blazing from the cloudless sky, Elijah was sure that God would keep His promise. “Rain is coming,” he told Ahab.

Then Elijah went to the top of Carmel, got on his knees and began praying for rain. After he had prayed for a while, he sent his servant to check the distant horizon.


“Nothing,” the servant told Elijah when he got back.

Elijah prayed some more. Then he sent the servant to look again.

Again the servant saw nothing – no clouds, no sign of rain.

Five more times Elijah prayed and sent his servant to check the horizon.

- How do you think Elijah felt as he prayed and prayed but still there was no sign of rain?
- What do you think kept him praying even though his prayer wasn’t answered right away?

Finally, the seventh time, the servant came back shouting, “There’s a small cloud, rising from the sea.”


Elijah got up from his knees. “Go tell Ahab to get off this mountain before he gets caught in the rain,” he commanded.




In no time the wind had picked up, the sky was black and big drops of rain were pounding the dust. People rushed off the mountain toward home, but not fast enough to avoid getting drenched in the welcome rain.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to keep praying even when You don’t answer right away. Amen.


MORE: Prayer and Answer Journal
We don’t know why God answers some prayers immediately, others after a short while and still others only after a long time. But we do know that when God has put a desire in us to pray for something, and a promise that He will answer, we need to keep praying until that answer comes.

To help you look for and recognize the times God answers your prayers, start a “Prayer and Answer Journal.”


What you need:
- a lined school notebook, a ruler, black or blue pen or pencil and a red pen or pencil.

What to do:
1. Draw a line down the middle of each page to divide it into two columns.

2. Label the left columns “Prayers” (using black or blue pen/pencil) and the right columns “Answers” (using red pen/pencil)

3. Write (and date) the things you are praying for (in black or blue) under “Prayers” on the left.

4. When God answers your prayers, enter the answers in the right column (in red). Date them too.

When you are watching for answers to your prayers, you won’t miss them as easily. All the answers you write down will encourage your faith and help you to keep praying.

***********
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Fire Power

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Kings 18:25-39


TO CHEW ON: “Answer me, O Lord, answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” 1 Kings 18:37

“You go first,” Elijah told the Baal prophets. “Prepare your sacrifice. Put it on the wood. But don’t light a fire under it. Instead, pray to Baal to send the fire.”

The four hundred prophets of Baal did as Elijah said. It was morning when they began to pray. “Oh Baal, answer us!” they shouted, over and over, louder and louder. When nothing happened, they shouted even louder and began dancing around.

When it was noon and still nothing had happened, Elijah began to tease then. “Maybe your god is meditating. He is a god, after all. Or maybe he’s busy, or traveling or sleeping.”

So the prophets yelled at the top of their voices and danced around and even cut themselves. Soon there was chaos, screaming and blood everywhere – but still no fire.

Finally Elijah said to the people watching, “Come here.”


They crowded around as he repaired the ruined altar of God that was on the mountain. Then he dug a deep trench around it. He put wood on top of the altar and the sacrifice on top of the wood. “Now bring water,” he told the people. So they brought four large jars of precious water. Elijah had them pour the water over the sacrifice. Two more times he told them to get more water. Finally the sacrifice and wood were drenched and even the trench around the altar was full.

Then Elijah prayed: “Answer me, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, so the people will know that You are God.”

1. What happened? (I Kings 18:38) ____________

2. Then what did the people do? (1 Kings 18:39) _____________



PRAYER: Dear God, I worship You, the only God Who has the power to answer. Amen.

MORE: Power Signs
The Bible has many stories of God proving His existence with supernatural happenings. Can you name two?

What do you think – does God still use such signs in our times to prove to people that He is real? Explain why you think as you do.


Answers

***********
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's.