II Kings 4:38-41

Watch What You Eat

Introduction

1. America is divided. The roots go much deeper than Democrat/Republican. We are (as was

Israel) in the midst of a famine. Morally we are drying up. We are dying.

2. What are you eating? What is coming into your eye gate and ear gate? Watch what you eat,

because it may kill you.

3. In II Kings 4:38-41 The fields around are full of wild gourds. What was taking place in the

physical world was taking place in the spiritual world. There was death in the pot. Christian,

watch what you eat. It may kill you.

What are you eating? It may kill you!

I. THE CAUSE FOR WILD GOURDS 4:38

A. Famine

1. Dearth (KJV) is famine.

*This is not ‘normal’. God is showing displeasure against His people. They never

associated what was happening physically with what was happening spiritually.

*Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will send a famine in the land, not a

famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of the hearing the words of the Lord.

Amos 8:11

* (II Timothy 3:1-5, 7) That is the church in the last days!

*We in America never associate Abortion…LGBTQ…Lawlessness, etc. with spiritual

darkness. We never associate these with a spiritual warfare. We have a spiritual

problem!

B. Feast

The sons of the prophets were sitting before him.

1. Only these will be able to discern the truth from error. Only these will be able to discern the flesh from the Spirit. Only these will be able to discern the things from God from the things of Satan.

2.This Book is my compass, guide and road map.

3.Filled with the things of God nothing else would satisfy. There is a God-shaped emptiness that only God can fill. You will fill that emptiness with something!

4.This work is internal, not external. God does His work from the inside out.

C. Famished

They were hungry. Set on the great pot. Boil stew for the sons of the prophets.

1. We live in a spiritually hungry world.

2.The Christian and the Church because of its lack of the Word is starved for ‘something.’ “There must be more.”

3.Many, if not most, are missing a living, vital relationship with Jesus Christ. Religion takes the place of reality. O, many are religious. The Word is a Sunday morning thing.

4.If so, you are ripe for wild gourds (a substitute for the real thing).

What are you eating? It may kill you!

II. THE COLLECTION OF WILD GOURDS 4:39

A. The Action of the Collection

1. One of the sons of the prophets took upon himself to go and gather. We see no direction from the man of God or the word of God.

2.He is operating in the flesh. It sounds reasonable. It sounds logical. We are trying to find satisfaction in the best way we know how.

B. The Availability of the Collection

1. There was no good food in the fields, but this son of the prophet found a lap full. This was as much as his lap garment would carry.

2.The Devil is always making his substitutes available. The substitutes that will kill your love, joy, peace, patience, purpose is never in short supply.

C. The Appearance of the Collection

1. These poison cucumbers look like the real thing…good cucumbers.

2.Satan puts his poison in pretty, beautiful bottles.

3.It may look harmless. “It won’t hurt me.” It may even come from a good looking vine, but that doesn’t mean it won’t harm you spiritually.

D. The Absorption of the Collection

Shredded it into stew

1. You mix it with your Christianity…your walk with Christ.

2.The IPhone is good… “I can’t live without it.” Many are addicted to their phones.

*Fox News…Conservative talk radio… You are upset all the time. It can ruin your

walk with Christ.

*Video games…my secretary told me of a fellow that comes home and is on the computer for hours playing video games with those from all over the USA. It is destroying his family.

*Debt…spend…spend…throw that into the stew.

*Bitterness…Unforgiving spirit…You don’t know what he or she did to me.

*Your job…you spend less and less time with your wife and family.

*Busy…Busy…Busy takes the place of God’s best. You no longer communicate. Your love is gone. Satan puts his poison in pretty bottles.

What are you eating? It may kill you!

III. THE CONTAMINATION BY THE WILD GOURDS 4:40

A. Distribution

They poured out for all the men to eat.

1. There is much being poured out in our lives.

2.For all the men Your flesh, self affects more than just you. It especially affects those nearest to you. You are not an island.

B. Detection

1. It was detected by those who sat at Elisha’s feet.

2.As they were eating… “Something isn’t right.”

3.Wake up! Something isn’t right!

C. Death

There is death in the pot.

1. Most are either unaware or unconcerned. Most are not willing to adjust their lives to do what God wants them to do. It will require change!

2.Christian, be careful what you eat. It may kill you!

What are you eating? It may kill you!

IV. THE CURE FOR THE WILD GOURD 4:41

Bring the meal…Meal: in many places in the Bible ‘meal is the Word.’

Living Word: Jesus Christ is the living word. I am the bread of life.

Written Word: The Bible…we are admonished to feed on the Word.

The Meal Offering of Lev. 2 was a picture of Jesus Christ being our life and sufficiency.

A. The Appropriation of the Meal

Then bring the meal.

1. Measure what you say and do by the Word of God. Before you proceed ask: What would Jesus do?

2.Let the Word of God be your standard. Let God be true and every man a liar. (Rom 3:4)

3.Develop a living relationship with Jesus Christ. Surrender absolutely to Him. Christ is my life. Christ is my sufficiency…I need nothing else.

B. The Application of the Meal

We cast it into the pot.

1. Use the Word of God. Apply the Word of God. Obey the Word of God.

2.Get rid of the substitute.

3.As you breathe in the good air the bad air will go. Most have stopped breathing in the good air.

C.The Appreciation of the Meal

Pour out for the people so they may eat.

1. This isn’t just for you. Everyone will benefit.

2.You will be a different dad or mom…a different employee…a different person.

D. The Answer of the Meal

There is no harm in the pot.

1. You are no longer toxic!

2.The Word of God will cleanse, purify and keep you clean.

3.There is nothing but good when our sufficiency and satisfaction is in Jesus Christ.

That which you are looking for will be found in the Word as you develop a living walk with Christ. In doing so, you will find your sufficiency and satisfaction in Him!