common knowledge , Gehazi would have known that Elisha received a double portion of his master ’ s anointing . How powerfully God would be able to use Gehazi if he was to get a double portion of Elisha ’ s anointing . Would the power of God continue to double from servant to servant ? No it wouldn ’ t , because Gehazi ’ s desire was not for spiritual things . After Elisha healed Naaman of leprosy Naaman offered to give him gifts of gold , silver and clothing but Elisha refused them . No doubt Elisha did this because he knew it wouldn ’ t please God to accept gifts in payment for healing ; but Gehazi was not pleased . After Naaman left Gehazi went after him and falsely collected gifts in the name of Elisha . For his greed Gehazi and all his descendants received the curse of leprosy .
Elisha was a great man of God and one would have thought that Gehazi would begin to value spiritual things a lot more , especially after witnessing such wonderful , mighty miracles . Greed is a crippling disease that numbs the heart and distorts our thinking so not even the truth of Jesus who was God in flesh could get through .
What Judas Wanted Elisha received what he desired , asked for and was assured he would get if he saw his master taken up to heaven , and in a similar way our master ’ s promise assures us that we will do greater works than He did if a single condition is met . “ Most assuredly , I say to you , he who believes in Me , the works that I do he will do also ; and greater works than these he will do , because I go to My Father .” John 14:12
This will happen for those who believe after He is physically taken and ascended up to His Father . Accounts in the Acts of the Apostles are proof that it happened just as He promised . We see God working greater miracles through the apostles than anything Jesus did . In Acts 5:12-15 it seems that the apostles miracles included people being healed and delivered by the very shadow of Peter . In Acts 19:12 people were delivered and healed when handkerchiefs or aprons that Paul touched was taken to them .
Wow , how greatly blessed Jesus ’ apostles must have been ? Well , except for Judas ; the promise of greater works , though also given to Judas , could not be realised because he had other things in his heart and on his mind . He loved this world ’ s goods and coveted the purchasing power of money . Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver but soon after hung himself . It seems his partially decomposed body later fell from where it hung and burst open .
There are many more promises for those who love and believe God , none of which will be realised by the greedy .
Oh , what a glorious future we abort when we cannot be content with what we have . When our hearts are filled with the things of this cursed and condemned world instead of the heavenly things promised to us through Christ . Depression and suicide are increasing at an alarming rate all because we continue to neglect the only gift that can satisfy the soul . p
Further Reading
Quoted from clinical-depression . co . uk
Major depression is the No . 1 psychological disorder in the western world . [ 2 ] It is growing in all age groups , in virtually every community , and the growth is seen most in the young , especially teens . At the rate of increase , it will be the 2nd most disabling condition in the world by 2020 , behind heart disease .
Facts on major depression First and foremost , clinical or major depression is growing at an incredible rate .
• People of all ages , backgrounds , lifestyles , and nationalities suffer from major depression , with a few exceptions .
• Up to 20 % of people experience symptoms of depression .
• 10 times more people suffer from major depression now than in 1945 [ 3 ]
• The average age of first onset of major depression is 25-29
It is a fact that we all have basic emotional needs that must be met for us to thrive and enjoy life . After the primary human needs for food , water and shelter come commonly shared emotional and physical needs . Without exception we find depressed people are not getting these needs met .
Traditional communities naturally meet many ‘ basic needs ’ for emotional support . In the traditional Amish society in the US major depression is almost unknown , as it is in the equally traditional Kaluli tribe of New Guinea . In these societies individual concerns are group concerns and vise-versa . You know that if you have a problem other people will help you and you are expected to help out when others need support . We know we are meant to do these things but it ’ s not a ‘ built in feature ’ of modern society in the same way .
www . clinical-depression . co . uk / dlp / depression-information / major-depressionfacts /
By Homer Slack author , preacher , Bible teacher , IT tutor , programmer & graphic designer
[ 1 ] Bibliographic Reference is Uncertain : Charles Swindoll , Living Above the Level of Mediocrity , p . 150ff . [ 2 ] Seligman , M . E . P . ( 1990 ) Learned Optimism .[ 3 ] Seligman , M . E . P . In J . Buie ( 1988 ) ‘ Me ’ decades generate depression : individualism erodes commitment to others . APA Monitor , 19 , 18 . “ People born after 1945 were ten times more likely to suffer from depression than people born 50 years earlier .”
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