Tag: godly mentor

Five Deaths and A Resurrection

2 Kings 12-13
2 Chronicles 24

A few months ago, our worship team was looking for new songs for Easter services. We began practicing a song called “Rattle” by Elevation Worship, but I realized the bridge had a peculiar phrase. Here is how the first part of the bridge goes:

“My God is able to save and deliver and heal

And restore anything that He wants to

Just ask the man who was thrown

On the bones of Elisha

If there’s anything that He can’t do…”

My mind was whirling trying to remember who was thrown onto those bones, why did it happen, and what was the outcome? To my surprise, only two verses are devoted to this miraculous event. 2 Kings 13:20-21 very casually mention that in haste, a dead man was put into Elisha’s grave and as soon as he touched Elisha’s bones he was “revived and stood up on his feet.” To be honest, I would love more information. How did the man die and who was he? Did he live a long time after he was brought back to life? Did he do anything amazing with the extra time he was given? Alas, scripture doesn’t give us more details.

However, it does tell us a bit about the lives of Joash and Jehoiada. Joash was only seven years old when he became king of Judah and had a long reign. During his reign, he commanded that repairs would be made to God’s house. King Joash was ready to roll with this project and even specified they needed to do the work quickly but the priests were like,“Meh, lets do repairs another day” and didn’t get to work like they had been commanded.

Enter Jehoiada. Jehoiada was the chief priest who had even played matchmaker for Joash. Joash asks Jehoiada what the hold up is and commands him to get this project moving. Jehoiada does as King Joash commands and the repairs are finally made. Sadly, Jehoiada passes away and Joash begins listening to ungodly advisors.

King Joash was so misled by these advisors that he even has Jehoiada’s son Zechariah stoned to death. Things went from bad to worse from there. King Joash became sick and was eventually murdered by his own servants. He wasn’t even buried in the tombs of the kings because he was so reviled for his evil acts.

So what does it matter? People lived, did good, did evil and all eventually died. So what? It matters as a reminder for us to examine how we live our lives. Elisha was so connected with God that even after he was dead and buried, his bones radiated God’s power. Jehoiada was respected because he followed God’s laws and he was even buried in the area where other kings were buried. On the other hand, King Joash, although he possessed power and wealth, allowed himself to be led astray from God and died in disgrace.

I hope that we can all be a little bit like each of the men from today’s passage. Let’s be ready to take action for good like King Joash was while he was young. Let’s grow in wisdom and share it like Jehoiada did. Let’s speak the truth with passion, no matter the cost, like Zechariah did. And when we feel spiritually weak or even dead, let’s rise up and become restored with the help of our brothers and sisters in Christ, like the man thrown into Elisha’s tomb did.

-Lacey Dunn

Reflection Questions:

• You might have noticed that I didn’t bring up Jehoahaz and Jehoash. What happened as a result of their disobedience to God?

• Do you have a Godly mentor like Jehoiada in your life? If so, who are they and how do they inspire you? If not, who is a Godly person you could take inspiration from?

• Imagine that you are the guy who died and suddenly came back to life after touching Elisha’s bones. What thoughts are going through your mind? Who do you go visit first? What change do you make in your life with this new chance?

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The Throne of Him who Lives Forever and Ever

Old Testament: Lamentations 3-5

Poetry: Proverbs 31

New Testament: Revelation 4


When I was a little girl, I thought God looked something like the pictures I had seen of Jesus but with short hair. So the first time I met Greg Demmitt, I might have stared at him a little longer than socially acceptable. Obviously, I was a bit silly, but Greg was definitely a godly man and a faithful representative of Christ. I was so blessed to have known him and shared a few waffles at Waffle House with him and my family. My heart hurts that he and my uncle, Dan Kizer, both
great, godly men, both died of pancreatic cancer within four months of each other. In my earthly perspective, it was way too soon. Not because it’s from our reading, but because I need it;


Revelation 21: 1-5
1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”


What a balm for the grieving soul! I can’t get through reading without tearing up with joy…every.single.time.


As far as today’s reading…I got a little emotional whiplash! Lamentations was hard and gruesome to read… One of the commentaries I read said it was a book of sorrow and hope..I must have missed the hope part…except that it does seem God’s people FINALLY realize that they were being punished for their disobedience. But we aren’t told about their deliverance quite
yet. That is a story for another book of the Bible.


After all that sorrow, I read Proverbs 31….which contains the story of so many women I have been blessed to know throughout my life. I alway feel convicted that I don’t quite live up to this description. I alway feel like I can only be good at about a verse or two at a time 😀If you are a girl or woman, look to the women around you to find someone who emulates Proverbs 31. If you’ve been to FUEL you know quite a few! As I have talked about before, we all need good mentors who love the Lord, no matter what our age.


And finally, Revelation 4, our first peak at the throne of God! There is no description of God here (though I’m sure my perception is close) but a splendid description of the throne room and all those worshiping there. I used to think all that singing would be so boring, but then I heard Carrie Underwood sing All Is Well and decided if God gave us that kind of emotion stirring song now, imagine what the Kingdom will be like! But as beautiful as the Kingdom will be, and I am looking forward to seeing it, I really can’t wait to see God’s face, Jesus’s arms and all of those who will be resurrected, my mom, my grandparents, Dan, and Greg.

-Maria Knowlton

Reflection Questions

  1. Who has been a godly mentor for you? What have you learned from them? If no one comes to mind – pray and find one. And even if you don’t know everything and do everything right – you can be a mentor to someone who could use a good example, encouragement and accountability. Pray for an opportunity. And seize it.
  2. How does Proverbs 31 challenge you?
  3. What do you like most about the description of God’s throne room in heaven in Revelation 4? What do you look forward to in God’s Coming Kingdom?
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