A LOST CUTTING EDGE

II Kings 6:1-7 NIV

 I. BEING UNCOMFORTABLE CAN LEAD TO GROWTH AND INCREASE.

Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See, the place where we dwell under your charge is too small for us. Vs 1

 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3: 12-14 NIV

 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Genesis 1:28 NIV

 And may the Lord, the God of your ancestors, multiply you a thousand times more and bless you as he promised! (Deuteronomy 1:11 NLT)

 Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request. I Chronicles 4:10 NIV

 “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out;
do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. Isaiah 54:2 ESV

 He told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Matthew 13:3-8 NIV

 II. THEY MADE A DECISION TO MOVE AND WORK TOGETHER IN UNITY.

Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet.” And he said, “Go.” Then one of them said, “Won’t you please come with your servants?” “I will,” Elisha replied.

Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! Psalm 133:1
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Ephesians 5:21 NIV

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. Philippians 2:3 NIV
And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." I Peter 5:5 NIV

 III. THEY WERE EAGER TO DO THE LORD’S WORK.

They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees. Vs 4

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. II Timothy 2:15 KJV

I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Ephesians 4:1  NIV

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. II Peter 1:3-4 NIV

 IV. GOD IS IN THE BUSINESS OF RESTORING THE LOST.

As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water. “Oh no, my lord!” he cried out. “It was borrowed Vs 5

Four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. 12They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom. 13A man who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew.

14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people. Genesis 14:11-16 NIV

 David lost everything at Ziklag. II Samuel  30:1-6 NIV

 David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, 2and had taken captive the women and everyone else in it, both young and old. They killed none of them but carried them off as they went on their way. 3When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. 5David’s two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 6David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God. II Samuel  30:1-6 NIV

David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives.Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought everything backII Samuel 30:18-19 NIV

As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water. “Oh no, my lord!” he cried out. “It was borrowed Vs 5

If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed. Ecclesiastes 10:10

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John, 15:5 NIV

When Samson awoke from his sleep, he thought, “I will escape as I did before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him. Judges 16:20 BSB

…he does not ignore the cries of the afflicted. Psalm 9:12 NIV

Lord, see how my enemies persecute me! Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death, 14that I may declare your praises. Psalm 9:13 NIV

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Galatians 6:1

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Psalm 51:12 NLT

the joy of the LORD is your strength!” Nehemiah 8:10 NIV

When they came to the oasis of Marah, the water was too bitter to drink. So they called the place Marah (which means “bitter”). 24 Then the people complained and turned against Moses. “What are we going to drink?” they demanded. 25 So Moses cried out to the Lord for help, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. Moses threw it into the water, and this made the water good to drink. Exodus 15:22–25, NLT.

Romans 15: 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.