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June 29,2006
Naaman needed God, Good was not enough

Honorable people need God

I was reading in I kings chapter 5 today in my morning devotion that name the Captain of Syria's army and was listed as a good man. We know that he had all the characteristics of the disciplined soldier because he was after all the leader of the army of Syria. The bible also says in I kings that he was a great man, great warrior, mighty man of valor. Wow! these are accolades we would all love. But then the bible goes on to say he was a Leper. Oops! If the list would have stopped before this final word leper Naaman would have been okay.

I think that in our own lives if they would just stop at man you are so anointed, or man can you sing, or wow what a great preacher you are we would be so happy but there is always that final word. I believe it was Muggeridge who told ot the time that he was in India and decided that he was going to finally throw himself totally to a sinful life and at the lake side he spotted a naked woman bathing int the lake and he swam to her to give himself to unbridled passion and when he got to her she turned around and he saw a grotesque figure of leprosy on her face, and he repelled in horror.
This is sometimes our life. Naaman had this long list of beautiful things said about him but, he was a leper. Naaman was offended when the man of God said dip seven times in muddy Jordan and you will be healed. But before this the king of Syria had wrote the letter to the king of Israel requesting Naaman's healing. And the king of Israel thought he was picking a fight because his response was am I God that can heal. Naaman did not need a king he needed a prophet. Our countries are concerned about politics and who is in power when they really need to say we need a man of God. When will our nations cry out for a prophet of God , or pastor , or evangelist.
When Naaman humbled himself and gets into the Jordan River and is healed he finally said in vs. 17 I will never worship any other god for there is no other God than the God of Israel, and I say amen to that.

Ultimately we all have to die. I love to pray for people and see them healed but ultimately we all have to die and so healing just delays it but finally healing is only to point people to the power of Jesus. This is the most important thing that happened to Naaman is that he found the true and living God.
We need the true men and women of God to stand up in this last day and point our lepers in the spirit, our alcoholics, drug addict, adulterers, liars, and Good Honorable people to Jesus.
Nicodemus in John Chapter 3 was no doubt a good man with credentials a mile long and yet Jesus said. YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN. it does not matter how good you are you must be born again. You won't get to heaven by accident. We need to humble ourselves like Naaman and Know who God is.

Blessings to You
Sonny Cathey