In this episode of the International Gospel Hour, we delve into the transformative story of Naaman, a respected captain afflicted by leprosy. Explore how a simple act of obedience, washing in the Jordan River as instructed by the prophet Elisha, changed his life forever. This narrative offers timeless lessons on the power of faith and the importance of following God’s commands, highlighting the contrast between human pride and divine wisdom.
Just ahead from International Gospel Hour, let’s see a leper’s life change with one simple adjustment. It’s less his way and all God’s way. Well, you know, friends, that will work today. So let’s work with this lesson, if you will. We’ll do that in just a moment at the International Gospel Hour. Thanks for joining us.
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I am bound for the promised land.
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Well, thank you to our J-Web, and greetings to all of you. Hello, everyone. Great having you with us today for our broadcast here from International Gospel Hour. We truly appreciate our listeners, for without you, well, there would be no International Gospel Hour. But for well over 90 years, thousands, millions, when you think about it, have tuned in to our broadcast here to study the Word of God. We appreciate your desire to pursue truth and to know said truth as Jesus taught us such from John 8, 31 and 32 of the truth that will make man free. Such truth is sought with an honest heart and a diligent search, so let’s search today. Let’s talk about a leper’s life that made a difference. Well, I’m going to be reading about Naaman in the Old Testament. Our study today concerns Naaman the leper from 2 Kings chapter 5. Let’s focus on verses 9 through 14. Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house. And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean. But Naaman became furious and went away and said, Indeed, I said to myself, He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God and wave his hand over the place and heal the leprosy. Are not the Abana and the Phaepar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. And his servants came near and spoke to him and said, My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then when he says to you, Wash and be clean? So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. You know, Naaman was a captain of the host for the king of Syria. He was a man held in high esteem, well respected, but you know all of his abilities and accolades could not address his leprosy. To get rid of the plague of leprosy, all Naaman had to do was something simple. The bottom line. Do what God said do. Now with leprosy, his flesh profited him nothing, but the words from the Almighty God through his servant Elisha could do that very thing. So let’s see the lessons taught then and lessons today. What Naaman did what God commanded, or rather when Naaman did what God commanded, then was the difference made. Before we look closer at our study, from the very outset, friends, it really does matter that we live for God and not ourselves. So might I pause here and share with you another online study. Here is our J-Web with the details.
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Does It Matter? is a free online video study. The most important question in all the world is, where will you go when you die? God has provided from the Bible all that one must know. Any questions about salvation, sin, and the church? They will be addressed from God’s Word. May we send you the link and give it a try? Just call toll-free at 855-444-6988 and leave your name, email, and just say, Does It Matter? Again, call toll-free at 855-444-6988, and please leave your name, email, and just say, Does it matter? You may also go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com, click on the Contact tab, and leave us the same information, name, email, and type Does it matter in the message blank. We will send the link right out to you.
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Lesson then, lesson today. We try to find a person to please us. You know, when I go back to 2 Kings 5, I want to back up to verses 5-7 where Naaman went to the king instead of the prophet of God. And today men are looking for salvation for their souls in all their own places. The whims and desires of man, creeds, man-made doctrines, not in the word of God. We’re looking to kind of create our own situation And rather than be pleasing to God, we try to be pleasing to man or to ourselves. Paul said in Galatians 1 in verse 10, For do I now persuade men, or God, or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. In listening to man, well, we want to find those who are honest and who are striving to do God’s will, obviously. those who would speak as God would speak, through book, chapter, and verse. The servants were able to reason with Naaman, and he listened to them. So there must be that confidence in others, but we must make certain that their reasoning is good and truthful. The person that cares for our soul is the one of whom we should be pleased. James 5, 19 and 20 says, Brethren, if any among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. Are we not thankful for family and friends who are truly guided by the right example and the right lives in searching for Christ? Friends, are we looking to please man instead of God? So the lesson then and the lesson today. We need to change or we will still suffer from spiritual leprosy known as sin. Here’s a second lesson then, lesson today. We try to settle things ourselves. It’s not the way it works. Notice Naaman said, Behold, I thought. In other words, here’s the way that I think this should go. You know, the prophet didn’t come out to see Naaman. The prophet Elisha didn’t need to. He stated his messenger, or sent his messenger, who would state exactly what the prophet Elisha would have said on behalf of God. And today there are individuals who think God needs to speak directly to them. But friends, we have his holy word, the Bible, and there is nothing else needed. Now, someone says, oh, but I believe in God. Well… There were those in John 12, 42 and 43 who those chief rulers believed on him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him lest they should be put out of the synagogue, for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. Now, I know a lot of individuals that say, I believe in God, but they keep doing things their way and they are no better off than these chief rulers of which we just mentioned. Naaman became angry and it didn’t do him a bit of good because he still had leprosy. So we may think or want things our way or try to settle things ourselves, but until we do things God’s way, we’re still going to have the spiritual leprosy called sin. Lesson then, lesson today. Here’s the third one. Lesson then, lesson today. We start reasoning about God’s commands like we saw in verse 12. I mean, Naaman asked if the rivers of Damascus were not better than all the waters in Israel. Now, keeping that thought in mind on his preconceived idea of how his healing would occur, it’s like Naaman, in essence, would express, well, isn’t one river as good as another? Have you ever heard anything familiar along that line? Isn’t one church as good as another? Isn’t one faith as good as another? Well, the answer to that is no. Someone says, oh, I don’t believe that. I know what the Bible says, but I don’t believe that. That’s dangerous. And somebody says, well, you know, river is river. Well, somebody says, well, church is church. But that wasn’t the case with Naaman. It’s not the case with us. This we do know. Friends, you know there was water in God’s plan to heal Naaman’s leprosy? And there is water in God’s plan to heal man’s soul today through the obedient measure of baptism through one’s faith. Mark 16, 16, Acts 2, verse 38, and Acts 22, 16. We are to be buried and raised to walk in a newness of life. Romans 6, 3 and 4. We bury a dead person dead in sin and raised to walk in newness of life, putting away that old spiritual leprosy, if you will. And somebody will express, well, now you’re saying there’s something in the water. That’s a work of man. Friends, the denominational world says baptism is a work of man, but I submit to you from a passage such as Colossians 2 and verse 12, baptism is a work of God through the operation of God who raised His Son from the dead. What about faith? Well, friends, if the water could have healed, every leper in that area would have taken off to the River Jordan. Water is water, but it is the obedience through one’s faith that heals. And as water was important then because God commanded it, it is important now because God has commanded it. So the lesson then, lesson today, until he dipped seven times, his leprosy would remain, and until one dips one time in obedience in baptism through faith, one will continue to have spiritual leprosy called sin. Friends, don’t reason, just respond. You see, when we summarize this, Naaman realized by doing what God’s prophet said, he would be healed. And today one must put aside his way like Naaman did, and obey God’s way to be saved eternally in heaven. And why call ye me Lord, Lord, and you do not the things which I say? Luke 6, 46 Friends, have we prompted you to think about some things? Would you like to study further? I want to share with you a new Bible study that’s available by mail from International Gospel Hour titled, God and Man, How to Be Saved from Sin. A number of you have requested this study. This study booklet addresses a number of questions about the salvation from God to man. And friends, like all of our materials, it’s free. Now here’s what you can do. Just call us toll free at 855-444-6988. Leave your name and address and just say God and man. That’s all you have to do. You can go to our website and do the same. Click on the contact tab at internationalgospelhour.com. Leave us the same information, name, address, and type God and man in the message box. That’s another new Bible study that is available, that is free from us here at International Gospel Hour. Again, that’s the study book, God to Man, or God and Man, How to Be Saved from Sin. You can call us at 855-444-6988. Leave your name, address, and just say God and Man, and we’ll send it to you as soon as possible. From the Naaman, or from Naaman the leper, lessons then to lessons today, we listen to God over man, and you can’t go wrong. Thank you for joining me today here on our broadcast from International Gospel Hour. I’m Jeff Archie, and friends, keep listening.
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Thank you for listening to our broadcast today. To God goes all the glory, and we hope that our study today will draw you closer to His Word to walk in His way. To listen to it again or our other broadcasts, please visit our website at internationalgospelhour.com.
