Kingdom Connections

I am so thankful that I know people to call when I need help or just need something. I know that if I had an electrical issue, that I can talk with David or Austin and figure out what is going on. If I need sheetrock done, then I talk to Darrel. Yes, we still need to get the breezeway done, but it is on the list. I have friendships with auto mechanics, construction people and computer people. I like to think that I sometimes can be helpful to others as well.

For instance, I got a phone call the other day, from someone that couldn’t get their car started and they asked if I could come help. I am no mechanic so on the way over there, so I started praying. When I got to where the person was, they got out of their car and handed me their keys. I hopped in to see what I could figure out. Turned the key over and the car started on the first try. I got out and I said, “Well that was easy. Have a good day at work, Heidi.”

Well, to her defense. Never mind! Actually, there is something going on with her fuel system and that is way above my abilities. But boy oh boy, the look on her face when her car started right up was priceless.

It is good to have connections. Before we read from our main text, just before what we are about to read, there is a story about how a group of prophets were going to cut down some trees to make a meeting place and the borrowed axe head fell into the Jordan river. The prophet panicked and went to Elisha and told him what happened. Elisha went to the spot and throw a stick in the water and by the power of God the axe head floated. It is all about having the right connections. Let’s read. II Kings 6:8-23.

This is a great story for us to learn from when we think that there is no hope. So lets break it down just a little and see a couple of places that we can really know that we have Kingdom Connections. The first one, should be obvious but we fail to remember who is with us… in point 1.

1. In your battles…

II Kings 6:16-18, Psalm 18:32, 34, 35, 37, 39-41, 43

As many of you know, I am taking some college classes. Right now I am taking an 8 week online History class. One of the things that we just recently learned about was America and the Barbary Pirates.

After America won its freedom. America needed to be able to trade with Europe, but many times when American ships traveled through the Mediterranean Sea, the Pirates would attack and rob the cargo ships and imprison the crews that America was sending to trade in Europe.

America tried to bribe the pirates to give the ships safe passage, but the enemy would still attack the ships from time to time. America had enough and President Jefferson sent warships to battle and one ship the USS Philadelphia was captured by the pirates. The was crew taken as prisoners and slaves. On this day in 1804, America did a night raid on the USS Philadelphia and set it on fire.

America made allies with other nations that had their own issues with the country of Tripoli, home of the pirates. Americans soon did a land attack and forced the Pirates to sign a treaty and American cargo ships were free to trade again. Sometimes it seems like the battle that we are in, is hopeless. We are all alone.

A couple of things that we need to remember in our walk; one thing is that we are not battling flesh and blood. Our battle is not against, Donald Trump or Joe Biden. Our battle is not against the Republicans or the Democrats. Our battle is not against the Baptists or the Methodists. Our battle is against Satan and his plans. Even though some of us think that the politicians are the evil we need to fight, that is Satan getting you focused on the wrong battle. 2nd thing that we need to remember is that we are not alone. God is with us, like with Elisha. Other Christians are with us also.

Let me throw in a 3rd thing. We can’t wait until the enemy is attacking to start a battle plan. We need to prepare before the enemy attacks. How do we do that? Build good Christian relationships, have your battle buddies, read your bible so that you know when Satan is lying to you and you have a great relationship with Jesus, so that you know that He is right by your side also.

Some times some of the things that I say can be so obvious, such as we need to know that God is with us and that is our Kingdom Connection in our battles, but do you use your Kingdom Connection Point 2

2. In your witness during victory…

II Kings 6:21-23, Matthew 5:43-45

Last weekend was a tough weekend for many of you. Many people are fans of Chiefs and the game did not end the way they had hoped. Many of us are not Chief fans and the game ended up almost as good as it possibly could have.

The Holy Spirit really convicted me of not acting like I normally would after the Chiefs took a beating like they did. So, I won’t say anything like, the margin of victory was too big to rig by the refs. I won’t tell you that they have changed the phrase “took a beatin'” to “Got Chief’d”. I am just kidding. My team got whopped 2 times by the Eagles and with worse scores than 40-22. (Just wasn’t in a Super Bowl) Just kidding.

I tell you what, if you are on social media or if you ever watch the news, you will hear politicians make the comment, “Elections have consequences” and “Time to spike the football”. I have friends on both sides of politics that act just like the other side in victory, bad sports. No wander we live in a time when people can’t even watch a game without a fight.

I had the joy of helping Andrew coach Wyatt’s 4th grade basketball team. The season did not go as well as we had hoped and going into the last game of the season, we still had not won a game. Andrew and I continued to encourage our team and we were playing a very good team in our last game. They were very talented, but our boys came out and played their hearts out. They battled hard and ended up winning the game by one point.

After the game, one of the really good players for the other team was not dealing with the loss very well. He even refused to shake hands after the game. A few minutes later I saw him in the hallway outside of the gym and he was still not dealing with it very well. I could have just walked on by, but I felt like I needed to go talk with the player. I put my hands on his shoulders and I told him to not let this one game define who he was and that I had watched him play and he was very talented.

I am guessing it was his mom that said thank you. I could have “spiked the football” or just ignored him, but the Lord was convicting me to be more Christlike.

The king wanted to kill the enemy and Elisha wouldn’t let him. Instead, the king prepared a great feast for those that had been attacking Israel and let them return back home, because of this they didn’t attack Israel anymore.

Love your enemies! Pray for the Chief fans. Just kidding. Well do pray for them like you should pray for anyone else. We are called to be Christ like. Jesus died on the cross for Judas, who betrayed Him. For the religious leaders that wanted Him dead and for the soldiers that nailed Him to the cross.

So, as the praise team comes up. Let me ask you, “How strong is your Kingdom Connection? Do you know who the real enemy is and are you prepared for his attacks? How do you treat those people that fight against what you think to be right?