The Church of God of Carmichael

Naaman was a good man who commanded an army in the country of Aram. But Naaman had a problem. He had a bad disease called leprosy.

"Naaman should go see the great prophet Elisha," said a Hebrew girl who worked for Naaman's wife. "Elisha could heal Naaman" So Naaman gathered gifts of silver, gold, and fine clothes, and set off for Israel. When he finally reached Elisha's house, Elisha didn't even come out. Instead he sent his servant to Naaman.

"Go and bathe in the Jordan River seven times, " said the servant. "And then you will be healed." But Naaman didn't like this message.

" I could have stayed home and bathed in my own river!" said Naaman. "I expected more from this prophet."

But Naaman's servants convinced him to give it a try. So he did. He dipped one, two, three, four, five, six, seven times. When he obeyed what had been told him, his leprosy was gone. He was so happy! He said, "Your God is the only true God. Please accept these gifts as my thanks."

"As the Lord lives, I will not," said Elisha. For Elisha did not want to be paid for what God had done.

Naaman was not healed until he obeyed God. When God tells you to do something, just obey. Don't question the words of the prophet. (The "prophet" for us today would be our pastor and the scriptures, the written word of God.)

Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant. 2 Kings 5:14-15