Tree Of Life Ministries Association
2 Kings 5
http://www.treeoflifeinc.org
Gehazi International Ministries
GIM
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Eric Aschendorf
pastor@treeoflifeinc.org
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2 Kings 5:1-27
1) Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.
2) And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife.
3) And she said unto her mistress, Would GOD my LORD were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.
4) And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.
5) And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
6) And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.
7) And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I GOD, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? Wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.
8) And it was so, when Elisha the man of GOD had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? Let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.
9) So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
10) And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
11) But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his GOD, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.
12) Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
13) And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? How much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?
14) Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of GOD: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a child, and he was clean.
15) And he returned to the man of GOD, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no GOD in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.
16) But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
17) And Naaman said, shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules’ burden of earth? For thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD.
18) In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy servant in this thing.
19) And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.
20) But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of GOD, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
21) So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?
22) And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garment.
23) And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.
24) And when he came to the tower he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.
25) But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no wither.
26) And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?
27) The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
The story relayed to us in 2 Kings 5 is that of Naaman, the captain of the host of the king of Syria, Elisha the prophet of GOD in Israel and Gehazi the servant of Elisha. Gehazi was being groomed to be the successor to the ministry mantle of Elisha. He is the only servant to Elisha that is mentioned by name.
In chapter 5 we see where Naaman is afflicted by leprosy. “A little maid,” a servant girl that “waited on Naaman’s wife,”(vs2) tells Naaman’s wife that through the prophet of Israel (Elisha), GOD could heal him! The king of Syria hears of it and he tells Naaman to go and seek of the GOD of Israel. He sends with Naaman riches to give in appreciation and a letter of introduction, inquiry and appreciation. The king of Israel thought that the Syrian king was expecting him to cure Naaman and he was worried that if he didn’t cure him there would be war between the two countries.
Elisha, as well as probably everyone in both countries hears of this and Elisha tells him to come to him. When he does Elisha doesn’t even see Naaman but has a messenger give him instructions to dip in the Jordan River seven times in order to be cleaned. Naaman is upset about how he was treated with so little respect and starts to leave. Then one of his servants shows great wisdom and asks if Elisha had asked you to do some great thing would you have done it? Since he asks of you such a simple thing you get angry! Naaman succumbs to the logic and does as he is instructed and receives his healing.
15) And he returned to the man of GOD, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no GOD in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.
16) But he (Elisha) said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he (Naaman) urged him to take it; but he refused.
GOD had just used Elisha to perform a great miracle, shouldn’t Naaman show his gratitude via giving Elisha some great payment? Naaman had just benefited greatly; namely his life had been spared. Shouldn’t Elisha receive an offering? Is that not what many preachers tell you today? Give to receive and if you’ve already received then you should give in appreciation for what has been done!
18) In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy servant in this thing
19) And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.
In verse 18 we see a glimpse into Naaman’s job as captain of the host of Syria. Rimmon was believed to be the Damascan god of rain and thunder. As part of his job Naaman was responsible to assist Ben-Hadah in the idolatry of Syria
Ben-Hadah, the king of Syria had sent Naaman to Israel with a letter of introduction, $20,000 in Silver, $60,000 in gold and 10 suits of clothing. Naaman made three errors! 1) He expected that the letter from Ben-Hadah would bring him special favor in Israel and open doors. 2) He thought he could do things his way. 3) He estimated the wrong cost and thought he could buy from GOD what he needed and received.
By refusing payment Elisha sent a message into the heart of Naaman and through him into all of eternity, that even we might hear of it. That GOD cannot be bought!
Naaman tried to “even” a debt with GOD when he offered Elisha a “Blessing” in verse 15. He was in essence saying, “I have been blessed so I will be a blessing in return so that I will not be indebted to the GOD of Israel. GOD will never accept this! We can never out-give GOD! Nor can we ever be even with HIS gift! We cannot give to receive, even if it is after we have received! That anything we give must be given simply in adoration of HIM even if it is to meet a specific need of others. That GOD is in charge! That HIS ways and thoughts are higher than are those of man! That what HE asks of us we are to do even if it would be or is disrespectful to us. That in the economy of GOD, “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in CHRIST JESUS.” (Gal 3:28)
In Galatians 5:19-26 we find a list of the “works of the flesh”, followed by a list of the “fruit of the SPIRIT”. Then in chapter 6:7-8 we have the Law of sowing and reaping. The first thing Paul warns us is to not be deceived! We have been! Look at these two verses!
7) Be not deceived; GOD is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8) For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the SPIRIT reap life everlasting.
WOW! That is vastly different than the way I have ever heard it taught! I always heard that whatsoever you sow, that shall you reap. If I gave or planted into a ministry money then GOD would bless me back with money!
That is not what the WORD said! Look again into verse 8! “For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption.” That means that if you give money (which is not a spiritual gift) hoping and praying with the expectations that you will reap a benefit from that giving, that what you should expect to receive from that giving is corruption!
Then how can you give to the works of the LORD? When you give to the works of the LORD you must remember that you are giving to a physical, corruptible entity (an entity that over time will cease to exist), a physical, corruptible item. Thus it is possible that if you give money you will receive money but money is a corruptible item so if you receive money you receive corruption!
Still the question begs to be answered as to how can you give unto the LORD and not reap corruption unto yourself?
In his writings to the church at Colossae, a church which was probably started by Epaphras, Paul gives us a clue when he writes in Colossians 3:1-2, 17, 23-24
1) If ye then be risen with CHRIST, seek those things which are above, where CHRIST siteth on the right hand of GOD.
2) Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Skip down with me then to verse 17, where we read;
17) And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the LORD JESUS giving thanks to GOD and the FATHER by HIM.
Then in verses 23 & 24,
23) And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the LORD, and not unto men;
24) Knowing that of the LORD ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the LORD CHRIST.
In 2 Kings 5:20 we see Gehazi take things into his own hands! He starts, Gehazi International Ministries or GIM, which is short for GIMMY, GIMMY, GIMMY! He will take his extensive knowledge of GOD to “all” the world, starting with the Syrian that just left and he’ll let him finance it! I mean it’s only right that since he was blessed by GOD that he should now help finance the work of GOD! That since he received he should give in return!
That’s the message we often get from “preachers” today! Elisha trusted GOD. He knew that GOD didn’t need his help to finance the ministry. He knew that JEHOVAH RAPHA was also JEHOVAH JIREH. That GOD your healer was also GOD his provider. Today’s “preacher” would rationalize that GOD must have sent Naaman to be healed so that he could be used as a blessing to provide for the ministry just as Gehazi thought. Elisha didn’t need to guess! He had a relationship with GOD! A relationship where there existed “Open Communication” between GOD and Elisha! If GOD had wanted Naaman to finanace a worldwide ministry for Elisha then GOD would have told Elisha. But GOD is in the miracle business! No one will steal from HIS name! No one will rob HIM of the glory and praise!
Gehazi seized the opportunity! Surely GOD had sent Naaman as a resource to forward the name of GOD to “all” the world! Naaman thought the same way as Gehazi. He recognized that he had been blessed! That he had received a notable miracle! As such he wanted to reciprocate and be a blessing to Elisha.
The problem was that GOD wanted Gehazi to learn that he could depend on HIM to be JEHOVAH JIREH, his provider! HE also wanted Naaman to remember that he would always be indebted to GOD as JEHOVAH RAPHA, the LORD his healer. Through this simple act of receiving retribution Gehazi destroyed all of that.
All too often today it seems like there may be too many Gehazi International Ministries (Gimmy’s) out there! Gimmy’s are ministries that always have their hands out, reaching into your pockets. They see you as the source of funding even though they will tell you that it is GOD providing for them through you!
Opulence is one of the giveaways to Gimmy’s! When a Chevy Trailblazer or Caprice would suffice, they opt for the Lexus or the Mercedes M-Class. When the simplistically designed building is all that is required they choose the imported Italian marble and mahogany office. When a simple brick home for two is provision they have the six-bedroom mansion with gold fixtures in the bathroom. Gimmy’s focus on your ability to meet their needs to answer GOD’s calling to take the Gospel to the world overlooking the fact that your own Pastor’s lights are about to be turned off because of a lack of provision in his church! Gimmy’s believe they are the ones called to bring in the end time harvest by proclaiming the Gospel to “all” the world! You can almost hear them echoing the words of Elijha when Jezabel was chasing him and GOD found him hiding in a cave on Mt. Horeb;
1 Kings 19:13-14
13) … What doest thou here Elijha?
14) … I even I only, am left…
Like Gimmy’s, Elijha didn’t see or know the full scope of GOD’s work, he simply assumed! Unlike the Gimmy’s, Elijha was honestly uninformed! The Gimmy’s arrogantly presume!
Admittedly there is a good side to the Gimmy’s! They have done a lot to spread the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth even though your neighbors in Jerusalem, Samaria and Judaea are dying and going to hell.
Before you jump to too many conclusions, just because your least favorite TV preacher does some, many or all of these things don’t run into the next room and say, “See Maude, I told I was right about that preacher!” It’s actually possible for someone to appear to be doing all of these things and be perfectly in GOD’s will, just as much as it’s possible they are totally off! It is not your job or mine to judge, only to be led by the HOLY SPIRIT.
Let me try to illustrate how it is possible for them to appear to be a Gimmy and yet be perfectly in GOD’s will! Let’s look into the finances of Evangelist, Bro. X. His salary is only 1% of the ministry income. Over the years, through the times when he was in tent revivals in towns with names like Eaton, Lapel or Fairmount, he barely brought in enough money to move the tent to the next town. There were probably times when he didn’t! There were probably times when he did but some woman approached him and told him of her need in order to keep her heat on in the dead of winter or the need of the town’s only Pastor to feed his kids and Bro. X would take that which he had received and meets the need. Then he would slip out of town without anyone knowing what had really happened. There were years when the gross income of the ministry was $10,000 and at 1% his annual income was $100. Today, however things are different! Now the ministry brings in 100 million dollars a year and all through the years his salary has never changed! He still receives 1%. Now his income is 1 million dollars a year. You probably live to the maximum extent of your income! Most people do! He however does not. He is probably just as tight today with his money as he was when he received $100 a year. He probably still helps the woman or Pastor in need but today it just doesn’t impact his finances the way it used to. Through the years Bro. X has stayed so focused on his calling that he has barely noticed the rewards. He barely enjoys the opulence that his family lives in and considers normal. He barely notices that the trappings of his ministry make most others pale in comparison. He rarely hears of that Pastor, who if he were to receive a one-time gift of $100,000 would be able to be 100% debt free yet there he is operating the church just 1-mile down the road from Bro. X’s ministry headquarters. Bro. X is driven past that Pastor’s church every morning on his way to the office, while that Pastor is taking time to pray that his car will complete it’s job for one more day!
Is Bro. X operating a Gimmy? A Gehazi International Ministry? Or is he simply reaping the benefits of years of loyal service to the LORD? Is the other Pastor being punished for sins of his past or possibly because his doctrine is flawed? Or is it that he is like Joshua and Caleb in the wilderness having to go around that same mountain for forty years while they wait, while the Pastor waits for the congregation to become prepared to enter “their” promised land? Only GOD knows what is afoot. Only HE knows where in their journey this Pastor and his congregation are! Just as only HE knows really where Bro. X is! Only HE knows the beginning from the end! Only HE knows what the future may hold.
In 1 Corinthians 13:12 we read,
“ For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”
“… we see through a glass darkly;” Have you ever looked into a steamy mirror or through a partially fogged window or maybe had ice on your car windows and you were only able to scrape open a peep hole? Could you see all that was available to see through those? Of course not! That is like seeing through a glass darkly! The WORD of GOD is a living WORD! There is more to be revealed all the time. In the modern church we have put so many expectations upon the time of the Pastor that few of them ever get time to really “study” the WORD and receive meaningful revelation from it. This is, in part, why so many denominations have weekly commentaries for the Pastor to preach from. This is also why so many Pastors see only their denominational doctrine as being “right”!
Step back and forget what you know to consider this and remember even these dynamics change within every church. Pretend you are in the US or Canada as a Pastor. You have a small church and you must work to provide part or all of your income, thus you spend 40-50 hours per week at this secular vocation. You must also add to it the travel time to and from the job. If you have a family with young kids you must include time to be with them as their parent. If your spouse works you will have to share household duties of cleaning, laundry, dishes, cooking, homework, transportation to and from school and social events, doctors appointments and then there is added the time lost to lawn and home maintenance as well as vehicle maintenance, etc, etc, etc!
Your congregation then expects you to visit them in the hospital or in their homes. You are to conduct weddings and funerals. In many smaller churches you are the greeting committee before and after church. That also means that when you have a visitor to your church it is expected that you will visit them and welcome them to come back. You may have to do maintenance at the church as well as that which you perform at home. You may be expected to be part of the community’s functions even when none of your family members are involved. Again don’t forget to add into this travel time to and from, as well as maintenance time that is more needed on your vehicle or equipment!
Depending on the size of the congregation you may need to head up any committees and thus attend all meetings. Then there are the church functions and social events. If you have any guest ministries you may have responsibilities that range from hosting them in your house to picking them up at the airport and entertaining (so to speak) them. In denominational churches you also may have district, state and national events that you are “supposed” to attend. Then there is counseling time and sermon preparation time. This sermon preparation time may be, for as many as three services per week, each of which requires your time as well.
If you average 8 hours of sleep a night there is a maximum of 112 hours available to be awake per week. Subtract the 40-50 hours at work, leaving you with a maximum of 72-62 hours to travel, for maintenance, up keep, socializing, counseling and whatever! Now before you even consider the sermon preparation and prayer and Bible study time, stop and ask, “Where is quality time for the family and the spouse?” This is why the Apostle Paul felt that it might be a good idea for the Pastor to be single! More importantly this is why the Pastor’s family is the most abused family in the church! This is part of why the divorce rate is so high in the pulpit! This is also part of the reason why the “Church” is so anemic and unable to cast out Jezebel spirits or homosexual spirits or why so few Pastors or congregation members are able to lay hands on the sick and see them recover! This is why the “glass” we see through is still so dark!
In the Book of Acts we see how the Apostles felt about all the encroachments upon their time. In Acts 6:1-7 we read,
1) And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
2) Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of GOD, and serve tables.
3) Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the HOLY GHOST and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
4) But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
5) And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the HOLY GHOST, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
6) Whom they set before the Apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
7) And the word of GOD increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priest were obedient to the faith.
Let’s take a moment and look carefully at just a few of things that happened! In verse 5 we read, “And the saying pleased the whole multitude:…” Why? They recognized that some of the things in the early church that bothered them were about to be addressed. This freed them from these worries.
Look at the results as recorded in verse 7! “And the WORD of GOD increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly;” The Apostles were freed to learn and teach the WORD with more authority and knowledge and because of this the church grew! Moreover, “and a great company of the priest were obedient to the faith.” This converted even the priests of the other faiths! Thus to see church growth, give your Pastor help and free time!
The Apostle Paul gave us some further elaboration upon this when he said in Ephesians 4:11-12
11) And HE (GOD) gave some Apostles; and some, Prophets; and some, Evangelist; and some, Pastors and Teachers;
12) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of CHRIST:
GOD assigned or gave some to fulfill these offices of the church!
Before I pass this, I want to take time to point out that there exist a group that denies that GOD “gave some” to fulfill these offices! Is it just me or do you understand my inability to call any group “true Christianity” or true CHRIST-likeness when they refuse to accept the WORD of GOD? If you point this scripture out to them they say “you have taken this out of context! The only reason this verse is there is to point out the next verse. That they were given to edify and raise the body to do the work of the ministry.” I agree that the whole body is to grow into the call of ministering or serving the body of CHRIST, but it still requires those who are willing to answer the “call”! Those willing to fulfill the offices and thus wear the titles of verse 11. Those willing to lead! Those willing to feed the sheep and raise them up!
Verse 12 does not say that GOD gave all to be Apostles, Prophets, Evangelist or Pastors and Teachers. It does not say that GOD called all to lead or to fulfill these offices. The Greek word used for “ministry” in verse 12 is “diakonia” and is derived from “diakonas”. Diakonas is one who runs errands or serves as an attendant. In some ways that is “a” definition for a Pastor but the word for Pastor used in verse 11 is “poimen” or a shepherd.
The diakonas is like many “preachers” today! They are professional orators or salesmen, but they are not poimen or shepherds! They can “feed” the sheep but they can’t raise them!
When JESUS has been resurrected and dines with HIS disciples HE places a charge before Peter in John 21:15-17. In verses 15-16 JESUS tells Peter to “feed” HIS lambs and sheep. The word for feed is “bosko”, which means to have them pasture or graze. In verse 17 however, when JESUS tells him to, “feed my sheep” JESUS uses the “poimaino” which is derived from “poimen” and “poimaino” means to tend or shepherd, supervise, feed or rule!
My point is this! In the modern day church you have people trying NOT to be known as something they have been called to be! On the other extreme you have the professional orators, the salesmen, trying to be known as something they have not been called to be! Both are better known as Gehazi International Ministries! Both are Gimmy’s! Gimmy the money; Gimmy the prestige; Gimmy the power; Gimmy the recognition! Gimmy, Gimmy, Gimmy!
When you finally see through the glass clearly, how will you be known? Will GOD direct you or will your flesh and traditions direct you? Are you going to be led by the SPIRIT, regardless of the cost or are you going to do things the way they have always been done in order to cover the cost? Will you be an Elisha or will you be a Gehazi?
