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Speaker 1: Let us pray. Then he returned and walked in the

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Speaker 1: house to and fro, and went up and stretched himself

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Speaker 1: upon him, and the child sneezed seven times, and the

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Speaker 1: child opened his eyes. Second Kings four thirty five. There

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Speaker 1: are many things that I can call you, Lord, but

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Speaker 1: to day I want to acknowledge that you are the

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Speaker 1: God that brings life into seemingly dead things. Through Second

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Speaker 1: King's foe, I now realize that the same power that

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Speaker 1: ran through Elisha runs through me. Then, like him, I

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Speaker 1: choose to be a blessing wherever I go through my obedience,

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Speaker 1: create safe places for rest and rejuvenation. Give me uncommon

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Speaker 1: favor with others so that all my needs will be met.

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Speaker 1: As I walk in my purpose, when opportunities arise for

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Speaker 1: me to serve others, help me to be a dream

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Speaker 1: conduit for others so that they will be able to

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Speaker 1: experience your goodness in their lives. I choose to accept

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Speaker 1: the anointing that is needed to be a resource to

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Speaker 1: others and to be able to throw myself onto their

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Speaker 1: situation and watch you bring them to life. Thank you, Lord,

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Speaker 1: that I am a change agent through Christ Jesus. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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Speaker 1: Thank you for praying with us today. Continue your time

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Speaker 1: with God by listening to today's Bible story brought to

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Speaker 1: you by Bible in a Year dot com.

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Speaker 2: God promises a child. Last story, we witnessed the everyday

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Speaker 2: miracles of Elisha. He tended to the flock of God

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Speaker 2: with care and love. Elishah's reputation as a loving and

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Speaker 2: gentle prophet gave the common people of Israel whope. Now

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Speaker 2: we see yet another example of God's faithfulness through Elisha.

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Speaker 2: A rich woman is given a promise, all to see

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Speaker 2: it taken away from her. In the grief and sorrow,

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Speaker 2: God meets her and restores her to a place of gratitude.

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Speaker 2: Inspired by the Book of Second Kings.

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Speaker 3: Hello, I'm pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of the

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Speaker 3: Bible in a Year podcast. In the last episode, we

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Speaker 3: heard about four miracles God performed through the prophet Elisha.

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Speaker 3: Through these amazing signs, God was showing the people of

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Speaker 3: Israel that He could provide for their needs, cleanse what

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Speaker 3: was corrupted, and restore what is lost. And as he

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Speaker 3: traveled throughout the nation, Elisha was a prophet and a

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Speaker 3: pastor demonstrating God's caring heart for his people. Today will

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Speaker 3: witness how a wealthy woman extended kindness and care to Elisha.

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Speaker 3: And we'll see another example of God's power and promises

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Speaker 3: as the woman is given the sons she so desired.

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Speaker 3: But her happiness will be short lived and grief will

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Speaker 3: be visited upon her. But God will come through even

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Speaker 3: in the sadness and sorrow, with kindness and care and

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Speaker 3: healing for the woman. Let's listen to this important story today.

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Speaker 2: Elijah's reputation as a man of God preceded him wherever

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Speaker 2: he went. In each and every city, there were more

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Speaker 2: needs to be met and people to be cared for.

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Speaker 2: Elishah's young and vibrant energy was beginning to become slightly

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Speaker 2: more dim with age, yet his desire to serve and

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Speaker 2: protect the people of God was as strong as ever.

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Speaker 2: One day, Elishah was walking into the town of Shunham.

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Speaker 2: Whispers and mumbles of his arrival filled the town's streets,

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Speaker 2: and people came to him with many needs and many requests.

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Speaker 2: Elisha worked all day tending to the people. He loved

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Speaker 2: them dearly, but they tended to take more than they gave.

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Speaker 2: God strengthened Elisha's heart yet his body was weary. A

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Speaker 2: wealthy woman lived in the town and heard of Elisha's arrival.

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Speaker 2: She sent word for him to join her and her

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Speaker 2: family for a meal. They laughed, cried, and enjoyed one

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Speaker 2: another's company. Elisha felt welcomed and loved by the whole family.

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Speaker 2: They were a sweet comfort to his weary spirit. Elisha

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Speaker 2: continued to work in the town of Shuanham. Day by

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Speaker 2: day he would minister to the needy and broken. From

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Speaker 2: time to time, Elisha would stop by the woman's home

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Speaker 2: again and have a meal with her family. Soon he

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Speaker 2: became very precious to her, her husband, and the servants

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Speaker 2: in her household. Soon the woman came to her husband

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Speaker 2: and said, Elisha is truly a man of God. Let

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Speaker 2: us build a small room for him on the roof.

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Speaker 2: We can put in a bed, a chair, a table,

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Speaker 2: and a lamp for him to feel at home. This

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Speaker 2: way he has a place to remain when he comes

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Speaker 2: into town. So her and her husband built the man

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Speaker 2: of God a room. They fed him, laughed with him,

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Speaker 2: and gave him a roof for his head. One day,

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Speaker 2: Elishah returned to Shannam. He spent the days sacrificing of

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Speaker 2: his time, energy, and wisdom in order to restore the

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Speaker 2: people to God. He was truly satisfied and truly tired.

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Speaker 2: He was thankful that he had a place to stay

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Speaker 2: and wanted to bless the family who had been so

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Speaker 2: hospitable to him. His servant, Gahazi, was beside him. What

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Speaker 2: shall we do in order to bless her? He asked,

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Speaker 2: Go and ask her what it is she desires. He said, so,

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Speaker 2: Gahazi went to the woman and inquired of what she

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Speaker 2: had need of. The woman smiled at the question. However,

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Speaker 2: her husband had been very good to her over the years,

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Speaker 2: and her family was very wealthy. She had need of nothing. However,

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Speaker 2: Gahazi had noticed the woman had no children. Her husband

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Speaker 2: was advanced in years and was most likely not long

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Speaker 2: for this world. Perhaps she desired children but could not

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Speaker 2: have any. Gahaze returned to Elisha and said, she said

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Speaker 2: she has need of nothing. But Gahazi paused, wondering if

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Speaker 2: he should continue. But what, Elisha asked, what does she need? Well,

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Speaker 2: she does not have a son, and her husband is old.

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Speaker 2: Perhaps a son would give her a sense of security

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Speaker 2: and fulfillment, he said. Elisha smiled and sent for the

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Speaker 2: woman to come to him. The woman came to the

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Speaker 2: room and stood at the doorway. Elisha sat up in

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Speaker 2: his chair and stared at the woman for a while.

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Speaker 2: She was a kind soul, and the Lord desired to

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Speaker 2: bless her. Elisha gave a large grin. At this time

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Speaker 2: next year, you will have a son in your arms,

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Speaker 2: he said, with a nod. The woman paused for a moment,

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Speaker 2: trying to process the words Elishah had just spoken. She

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Speaker 2: had given up on having children long ago. Instead of

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Speaker 2: a face of gladness, she looked as though she was angry.

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Speaker 2: Tears began to stream down the woman's face. Do not

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Speaker 2: deceive me, Man of God, she cried, Do not get

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Speaker 2: my hopes up. I cannot bear it. The distress in

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Speaker 2: her voice was palpable. Elisha could sense that there had

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Speaker 2: been years of heartache behind this subject. He reassured her

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Speaker 2: of the promise and then left the next day back home.

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Speaker 2: Sure enough, a year had passed and the woman had

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Speaker 2: a child. The boy grew to be strong and independent.

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Speaker 2: He filled her mother and father with much joy. The

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Speaker 2: woman had completely given up on the hope of a child,

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Speaker 2: but here he was her miracle, her blessing from God.

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Speaker 2: She watched as he skipped in the field with his father.

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Speaker 2: He loved to help him work with the harvesters. She

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Speaker 2: watched as the young boy danced with the innocent joy

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Speaker 2: only a child possesses. Her heart swelled at the sight

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Speaker 2: of him. She watched as his joyous run turned into

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Speaker 2: a jar. Then he slowed down to a halt. His

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Speaker 2: hand placed firmly on his head. The boy fell to

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Speaker 2: his knees, clasping his head as though someone had just

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Speaker 2: struck him. His father turned and ran to him. My

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Speaker 2: head hurts, the boy screamed, my head hurts. He cried

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Speaker 2: even louder. One of the servants picked him up and

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Speaker 2: ran him to his mother. Her heart sank as she

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Speaker 2: listened to her boy's screams of pain. The sharp and

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Speaker 2: piercing screams eventually turned into a low and quiet sobbing.

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Speaker 2: The woman held her boy in her arms. She could

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Speaker 2: feel his breathing begin to shorten. His eyes closed as

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Speaker 2: she stroked his hair. His mumbling became faint and his

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Speaker 2: body grew limp. Then, around noontime, in his mother's arms,

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Speaker 2: the child died. She carried his lifeless body into the

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Speaker 2: upper room, where Elisha once stayed. She laid him on

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Speaker 2: the bed and shut the door. She did not cry,

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Speaker 2: she did not lay down in defeat. Instead, there was

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Speaker 2: an intensity welling up inside her. She was angry yet hopeful.

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Speaker 2: She was filled with sorrow yet determination to have answers.

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Speaker 2: She went to her husband and said, have one of

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Speaker 2: the servants saddle me a donkey. Her husband tried to protest,

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Speaker 2: but she would hear none of it. Hurry, it will

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Speaker 2: be all right. So a servant saddled up a donkey

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Speaker 2: for her and prepared himself to travel with her. We

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Speaker 2: must hurry, she said, do not slow down unless I

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Speaker 2: tell you. All day and into the night, she rode.

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Speaker 2: A somber determination fueled her as she endured the cold

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Speaker 2: and hunger. Soon she was at Mount Carmel, where Elisha was.

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Speaker 2: She saw him at a distance. Slowly she approached him.

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Speaker 2: A servant interrupted her assent and said, is everything okay?

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Speaker 2: I'm fine, she replied. She looked ahead, determined to reach Elisha. Tired,

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Speaker 2: hungry and thirsty, she came to him. She fell to

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Speaker 2: the ground before him and caught hold of his feet. Frantic,

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Speaker 2: she wailed. Elisha's servant tried to pull her away, but

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Speaker 2: Elishah stopped him leave her alone. He said, her heart

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Speaker 2: is in great pain. However, the Lord has not shown

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Speaker 2: me why. As he said this, the woman's eyes darted

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Speaker 2: up at him. Her brows were furrowed, and her lips

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Speaker 2: clenched together. Trembling. She pointed at him and yelled, didn't

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Speaker 2: I tell you not to deceive me and get my

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Speaker 2: hopes up? Her pain overflowed out of her voice. Elishah

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Speaker 2: could feel it deeply. Did I not tell you I

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Speaker 2: was fine? I did not ask for a son. Elisha

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Speaker 2: crouched down to her. She held her for a moment

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Speaker 2: and whispered, get prepared to travel. So the two of

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Speaker 2: them returned to her home and Shunnem Elishah opened up

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Speaker 2: the door to see the child lying on the bed

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Speaker 2: he once used as his own. He closed the door

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Speaker 2: so he and the child could be alone. The room

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Speaker 2: was silent. Elisha could feel the sorrow in the room.

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Speaker 2: The boy's lifeless body broke his heart. He fell to

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Speaker 2: his knees and prayed to God. He spoke to God earnestly,

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Speaker 2: as one does to a long time friend. Then he

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Speaker 2: laid on top of the child's body. His eyes were

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Speaker 2: aligned with the boys, and he placed his hands on

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Speaker 2: his hands. As Elishah placed his body on the boys,

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Speaker 2: he could feel warmth being restored to him. Elishah shot

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Speaker 2: up and began to pace herround the room. He was

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Speaker 2: not quite sure what the Lord was doing, but he

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Speaker 2: knew a miracle was about to unfold. He laid on

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Speaker 2: top of the boy again, praying to God to restore

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Speaker 2: his life. Then the silence was broken by a loud sneeze.

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Speaker 2: The boy sneezed again, then again, and again. Seven times

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Speaker 2: the boy sneezed, and the last time he opened up

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Speaker 2: his eyes. Elishah greeted the boy gently and summoned the

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Speaker 2: mother to come back in. She approached the door as

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Speaker 2: she once did when Elishah was staying with her, only

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Speaker 2: this time, instead of being given a promise of a child,

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Speaker 2: she was given her child back again. Gratitude filled her

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Speaker 2: heart to overflow him. God had restored that which was lost.

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Speaker 3: As we opened this passage, elisha is continuing to go

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Speaker 3: about the Kingdom of Israel, caring for and ministering to

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Speaker 3: the people of God. He is a prophet and he

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Speaker 3: is also a pastor. A life of full time ministry

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Speaker 3: can be a tremendous blessing, but it can often be draining,

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Speaker 3: and having people who minister to you and care for

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Speaker 3: you is essential. This is what Elishah experienced in the

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Speaker 3: town of Shunam. Each time he would visit there, he

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Speaker 3: was welcomed in and fed by a wealthy woman. She

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Speaker 3: wanted to do as much as she could for the

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Speaker 3: man of God, so she and her husband built a

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Speaker 3: small room on the roof of their home just for Elisha.

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Speaker 3: Anytime he came, he had a private space with a bed,

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Speaker 3: a chair, and a table. This woman went above and

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Speaker 3: beyond in her generosity and her hospitality. What an incredible

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Speaker 3: blessing she was to Elisha. Elisha was very appreciative, of course,

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Speaker 3: and he wanted to repay the kindness of this woman

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Speaker 3: and her husband, so he inquired what she would ask

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Speaker 3: of him. She was a wealthy woman, though, so she

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Speaker 3: had no need of anything. Her generosity toward Elisha was

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Speaker 3: truly selfless and devoid of any ulterior motives. Still, Elisha

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Speaker 3: wanted to bless her, and upon finding out that she

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Speaker 3: had no children and her husband was older, he called

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Speaker 3: her to his room. As she stood in the doorway,

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Speaker 3: Elisha told her that within a year she would hold

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Speaker 3: her baby boy in her arms. It was more than

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Speaker 3: she could possibly imagine or understand. She was incredulous, but

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Speaker 3: just as Elisha had promised, God gave the woman a child.

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Speaker 3: The boy grew up to be strong, But one day

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Speaker 3: the child ran to his father in the fields with

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Speaker 3: a terrible pain in his head. He collapsed there in

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Speaker 3: the field and was rushed to his mother, who held

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Speaker 3: her precious child in her arms as he died. This

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Speaker 3: gift from God had been taken away, just like that.

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Speaker 3: At once, she knew exactly what to do and told

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Speaker 3: her husband to have a donkey's saddle for her. He

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Speaker 3: was doubtful, but she answered that she must go see

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Speaker 3: the man of God, Elisha. For this woman, going to

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Speaker 3: Elisha was her way of going to God himself, of

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Speaker 3: showing her trust in the faithfulness of God, the miracle

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Speaker 3: power of God. This prophet had healed and spoken in

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Speaker 3: God's name, so she knew that there was hope if

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Speaker 3: she turned to him. When loss, grief, tragedy, inexplicable, unexplainable

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Speaker 3: things come our way, we could choose to be bitter

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Speaker 3: and angry, or we can turn to God for comfort

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Speaker 3: and healing and strength. So this woman journeyed several hours

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Speaker 3: to find Elisha. So when he saw her coming, he

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Speaker 3: knew something must be wrong. When she reached Elisha, she

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Speaker 3: he fell at his feet and poured out her heart.

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Speaker 3: There was so much pain, confusion, anguish, tears. This all

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Speaker 3: streamed from this woman as she told Elisha that the

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Speaker 3: son that she had not even asked for, but who

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Speaker 3: had been brought to her with such joy, was now dead.

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Speaker 3: Elishah listened as she poured out her heart. Then, after

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Speaker 3: the woman said she would not leave his side, Elisha

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Speaker 3: went with her to her home. When they arrived, he

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Speaker 3: went up to the room where the boy lay, the

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Speaker 3: very room the woman had built for Elisha. He prayed

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Speaker 3: to the Lord and then lay over the boy's lifeless body.

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Speaker 3: Warmth returned to the child's dead body, and Elishah stood

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Speaker 3: and paced the room, then lay down again. Soon the

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Speaker 3: boy sneezed as the breath of life returned to his

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Speaker 3: lungs Our God is the God of the resurrection. The

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Speaker 3: Shinnemite woman received her child back into her arms and

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Speaker 3: was comforted by the God of healing, who never leaves

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Speaker 3: us or forsakes us, even in our deepest Songe. Today

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Speaker 3: we are comforted by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He said,

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Speaker 3: I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me,

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Speaker 3: though he be dead, yet shall he live. There is

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Speaker 3: life now and forever in Jesus Christ. Trust in the

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Speaker 3: miracle of the resurrection and receive the miracle of God.

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Speaker 3: Dear God, how we thank you for this powerful story.

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Speaker 3: We know only you can bring life out of death.

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Speaker 3: Only you can revive our physical bodies, and only you

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Speaker 3: can breathe abundant life into our souls. Thank you for

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Speaker 3: your love for us, that you never leave us or

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Speaker 3: forsake us, and that you sent Jesus to come to

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Speaker 3: this earth to live a perfect life, to die on

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Speaker 3: the cross for our sins to rise again physically literally

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Speaker 3: from the grave, that we might have eternal life. And

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Speaker 3: we pray in His strong and mighty name. Amen. Thank

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Speaker 3: you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. Yes,

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Speaker 3: I'm pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Let me encourage

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Speaker 3: you to download the Prey dot com app and always

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Speaker 3: make Bible reading and Bible study a priority in your life,

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Speaker 3: along with prayer. If you enjoyed this podcast, share it

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Speaker 3: with someone you love. Let someone know because by sharing

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Speaker 3: this podcast, you can truly make a difference in someone's life.

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Speaker 3: And if you want more resources from me, Jack Graham

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Speaker 3: as to how you can grow in your Christian life,

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Speaker 3: then go to Jack Graham dot org. That's Jack Graham

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Speaker 3: dot org. God Bless you. This episode is sponsored by

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Speaker 3: Meta Share, an innovative healthcare solution for Christians to save

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Speaker 3: money without sacrificing quality.

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Speaker 4: Welcome to the previous podcast where Hope is our Only bias.

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Speaker 4: Each day, we'll unpack the most prominent stories happening in

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Speaker 4: the news and offer a Christian perspective. We won't shy

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Speaker 4: away from the hard topics, and we won't dilute the

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Speaker 4: hopeful message of Christ. This is more than a daily

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Speaker 4: brief on the news. It's a way to be informed

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Speaker 4: and transformed. Listen to Pray News on the iHeartRadio app,

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Speaker 4: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.