Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” 2 Kings 4:2.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
In this Life Lesson I want to continue considering the opportunity to do My Will, that is, My plan of shalom for your life.
Beloved, I desire that in all respects you prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth. 3 John 1:2-3.
Why do I have no greater joy than you walking in the truth? For the same reason that My heart’s desire is that all be saved and come to know the truth. For the same reason that I am seeking those who worship in spirit and truth. And it is so important that I send the Holy Spirit to guide you to ALL truth. And Jesus even prayed to Me for this: I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify [consecrate, set apart as holy, cleanse] them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. John 17:15-19.
And to be saved and come to know and walk in the truth is My basic and primary Will for every person since the rebirth of Adam from life to death ushering in the curse until the present day. And why is salvation so tremendously important? So you can have a blessed, healthy, fruitful, and prosperous life here, taking your dominion authority back as more than a conqueror, and be with Me in the Kingdom forever knowing blessings, beauty, peace, and joy beyond measure.
But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-7.
How do you walk in truth? By living according to My Word. By continuing, abiding, standing upon, remaining in, and doing My Word for My Word is the only absolute, unchanging, and life-giving truth.
You have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls off, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word which was preached to you. 1 Peter 1:23-25.
And what does the truth do for you at this very moment and beyond?
It sets you free of all that would oppress you and bind you into a less than extraordinary life.
Jesus explained this to you who believe.
So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:31-32.
Jesus loves you and releases you from all your sins by His blood and has made you to be a kingdom, priests unto Me. And that is the beginning of an extraordinary life. For I was the portion of the priests and I gave them lovely cities, amazing assignments, and clothed them in garments for beauty and majesty. They touched the Holy and the Holy touched them. They were consecrated and set apart for My work, which is a glorious work.
For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.’ Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told. But we must run aground on a certain island.” Acts 27:23-26.
Notice, he declared he belonged to Me and served Me, a royal priesthood, and I on My part protected him, encouraged him, and gave him opportunities for miracles. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but I deliver them out of them all, as well as anyone that is so fortunate as to have them in their boat.
But returning to the question many ask, “How do I know God’s Will for my life?” Let us consider another facet of that.
Let Me ask you a question that I have asked many, “What have you got in your house?”
And you can take this as within you, for you are My house and a temple of the Holy Spirit, or you may think of it physically in what you own or I have given you from your labors, inventions, businesses, and or inheritance.
Do you recall when a prophet that was with Elisha died and the widow of that prophet came to Elisha in great distress because her deceased husband had left her with outstanding debts she could not pay and she did not want her sons taken away from her as servants to the creditors to pay the debt owed? Elisha asked her a question, “What have you got in your house?” She, thinking of the amount of the debt, replied she had nothing—nothing that could pay the amount owed. But then she recalled she had a little bit of oil in a jar. And Elisha knew that was enough to put into the kingdom for it to multiply. So he told her to borrow as many containers as she could, and not a few, from her neighbors. And so she did by faith. And he told her to shut the door and she and her sons were to pour that oil into the containers. And as she poured in obedience to My Word delivered by Elisha, My prophet, a miracle of multiplication and replication occurred and every container got filled, and it could have gone on, but she ran out of containers so the oil stopped. And it was fine oil like when Jesus turned the water into the finest wine. She then asked what to do with it and Elisha told her to go sell it. And she did, creating her own business selling oil. And she took in so much money that she not only paid the debts off but had enough for her and her sons to live on for years to come. 2 Kings 4:1-7.
And think about Jesus teaching on the hillside in Galilee and there was a large crowd of people there who were hungry after being with him for three days. Jesus had compassion to feed them so they did not faint on the way home. He asked a question of His disciples, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven.” Well, to the disciples that looked like nothing next to the crowd but Jesus directed the people to sit down on the ground; and taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks and broke them, and started giving them to His disciples to serve to them, and they served them to the people. Do you see? Jesus thanked Me for what He had at hand and that put it out of the world system into the Kingdom system and it increased. The promise to Abraham—I will greatly bless you and greatly increase you. They also had a few small fish; and after He had blessed them, He ordered these to be served as well. And they too were transferred to the Kingdom system. And they ate and were satisfied; and they picked up seven large baskets full of what was left over of the broken pieces. About four thousand were there. Mark 8:5-9.
And when I called Moses to set My people free from slavery, I asked him what he had in his hand. All he had was a shepherd’s staff but that was enough. With his staff in hand and My power he devastated the Egyptian empire and parted the Red Sea.
Then Moses said, “What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say? For they may say, ‘The LORD has not appeared to you.’” The LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” And he said, “A staff.” Exodus 4:1-2.
But I saw more than a staff, I saw within Moses a great leader, a shepherd for My people Israel, to lead them out of slavery to the promised land. And I saw a friend who would love and honor Me in humility and awe. We became a team of two to move a nation and to create a great nation all by My Word.
But doing My Will all started by what he had in his hand. But he was willing to put it into My Kingdom.
And think of Gideon, overwhelmed by his enemies and hiding in the wine press. I came and called him by what he had in his house, that is, deep within him, that he longed for but did not know how to release. I called him a hero with the strength of an army. And he found that was in him all the time.
And what did Isaiah have that made him such a great and mighty prophet who saw the glory of Jesus and wrote about it? He had a mouth to say My Words:
Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.” Then I heard the voice of the LORD, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” He said, “Go, and tell this people . . .” Isaiah 6:6-9.
I sanctified his gift.
And think about Bezalel. I had put artistic gifts of craftsmanship in him but as a slave making bricks that lay dormant. But when I released them from slavery and gave them all the riches of Egypt in silver, gold, precious gems, fabric and garments, I then gave Moses the plans to construct My dwelling place among them, and it was then, well supplied with the materials he needed and the plans from Me, I asked him what he had in his house? And he responded to the call and gave his talents to build My magnificent dwelling place of majesty and beauty.
But let us consider that a little deeper. I teach you to profit and the way you should go. I give you the power to make wealth that I may confirm My covenant which I swore to your fathers, as it is this day. Deuteronomy 8:18. My blessing makes rich but adds no sorrow or toil with it.
Let Me show you what I am teaching you here. When I redeemed My covenant people out of slavery and bondage, I did not take them out empty handed, I took them out, by My favor on them, laden with silver, gold, jewels, garments, and fine fabrics, and not a feeble one among them. But though I had made them rich, they had nowhere to spend it in the wilderness where there was no food or water. No money could buy what they needed. So how did I prosper them? I gave them manna from Heaven and water out of the flinty rocks. I fed them with the finest bread for no one was sick or feeble among them and their feet did not even swell in walking all day through that desert. And in the forty years they wandered there none of their clothes or shoes wore out, they remained like new.
You shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD. Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. Deuteronomy 8:2-4.
Do you see? They had plenty of gold and silver, great riches and treasure, but it was not that which purchased their livelihood and supplies. It was what I supplied to them with no cost except to have followed Me out of Egypt and then continuing to walk with Me across the wilderness. I give you the opportunity to prosper and gain wealth but I showed them when they gave to the building of My dwelling place among them and saw to what was in My house, then what was in their house was more than enough to multiply and increase.
And that is what the tithe is all about. That is the way to wealth and health. When you give Me one-tenth it puts all into My Kingdom that you have and it will increase. Put in the first fruits and the whole orchard is blessed. Put in your tithe and all you own will increase and be protected from the destroyer.
What have you got in your house? Look at what I have put in your heart that you enjoy to do. What is in your hand? Is it songs of the Kingdom to sing to the world to draw them to Me? It is books about how to walk in the Spirit? Is it the mouth of a prophet to the nations like Jeremiah or a mighty hero like Gideon filled with amazing battle strategies? Is it a leader to shepherd My people? Or is it a sheep to follow and help the ministry of one I have chosen to line you up with for My Kingdom, each with your unique talents make a whole. Is it a teacher? Is it a lawyer, doctor, salesperson, encourager, friend, caregiver? What do you have in your house. I have divine appointments all lined up in your day planner—a life of good deeds prepared in advance that you may walk in them.
I love you. Learn from the manna. I give you the power to gain wealth, but it is not working three jobs and forgetting about Me to amass things of the world. It is from the gift this is in you that you put into the Kingdom so it can increase and bless every person in the world.
Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them, and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. He led you through the great and terrible wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water; He brought water for you out of the rock of flint. In the wilderness He fed you manna which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do good for you in the end. Otherwise, you may say in your heart, ‘My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.’ But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. It shall come about if you ever forget the LORD your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I testify against you today that you will surely perish. Like the nations that the LORD makes to perish before you, so you shall perish; because you would not listen to the voice of the LORD your God. Deuteronomy 8:11-20.