Character Profile: Gehazi's Dishonesty, Part 1
Then he said to Gehazi his servant, 'Call this Shunammite woman.' When he had called her, she stood before him. - 2 Kings 4:12 (NKJV)
Gehazi is a tragic character. He epitomizes how dangerous and destructive dishonesty is. And because a lot can be learned from a bad example, we're going to look at what led to Gehazi's dishonesty.
First, we need to understand that Gehazi had the unparalleled privilege of being Elisha's servant. Imagine what he witnessed by being so close to a mighty man of God! On one occasion, he had the opportunity to watch the Lord fulfill an amazing promise by providing an elderly couple with a son:
Elisha said to Gehazi, 'Tell her that we appreciate the kind concern she has shown us. Now ask her what we can do for her. Does she want me to put in a good word for her to the king or to the commander of the army?' 'No,' she replied, 'my family takes good care of me.' Later Elisha asked Gehazi, 'What do you think we can do for her?' He suggested, 'She doesn't have a son, and her husband is an old man.' 'Call her back again,' Elisha told him. When the woman returned, Elisha said to her as she stood in the doorway, 'Next year at about this time you will be holding a son in your arms!' 'No, my lord!' she protested. 'Please don't lie to me like that, O man of God.' But sure enough, the woman soon became pregnant. And at that time the following year she had a son, just as Elisha had said. (2 Kings 4:13-17 NLT)
Gehazi was a man who saw God do a lot, but it didn't make him a godly man. Seeing God work doesn't mean He's doing His desired work in you. It's frightening, but many witness the mighty hand of God without allowing it to touch their hearts (Pharaoh is a prime example of this).
Each of us needs to answer this question: Is my connection to God based on what I see Him doing around me, or is it based on what He's doing in me? Don't be a spiritual spectator.
DIG - What warning should we take away from Gehazi?
DISCOVER - What is your connection to God based on?
DISPLAY - What would you say to those who base their spirituality on external things?
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At the age of 24, Bob Coy left a coveted position in the music industry to serve as an associate pastor with Calvary Chapel of Las Vegas. In 1985, Bob and his wife, Diane, moved to Fort Lauderdale and began Calvary Chapel of Fort Lauderdale. As senior pastor, he has become well known for his unique style in expounding the Scriptures, making them come alive and relate to those of us living in the 21st century. His teaching style emphasizes the believer's "life application" of the highest standards of God's truth while his delivery captures the loving heart of God's Spirit.
Pastor Bob has had the rare privilege of watching God's miraculous hand move in the individual lives of those in the fellowship as well as the corporate body as a whole. From the first meeting in a living room with four in attendance, Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale has now become home to over 17,000 men and women from the tri-county area, and ranks as the eighth largest church in the country. Though many have tried to attribute its rapid growth to numerous reasons, no one is more surprised by the phenomenon than Pastor Bob, who gives total credit and all the glory to God alone.
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