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For by grace you have been saved through"); document.writeln("faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of"); document.writeln("works, so that no one may boast.¹

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Have you ever met someone with an"); document.writeln("unteachable spirit? Someone that just couldn\'��t be told what to do? Someone who"); document.writeln("wouldn\'��t take advice no matter how sound? Usually these people are in a"); document.writeln("position of authority; who feel as if the only way to have respect is to act as"); document.writeln("if you already know it all!

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Naaman could have been that person. He"); document.writeln("had all the fame and authority required, for he was the commander of the Syrian"); document.writeln("king\'��s army! He was a great man of valor in the eyes of the king, BUT... he was"); document.writeln("a leper. (2 Kings 5:1-19) Infected persons were banished and forced to live in"); document.writeln("isolation apart from society. So you can imagine Naaman\'��s desperation upon"); document.writeln("finding the leprous spots on his skin. His wife had a young Israelite servant"); document.writeln("girl who suggested that Naaman go and find the prophet Elisha who could surely"); document.writeln("help him. Such was Naaman\'��s anguish that, against his pride, he took the advice"); document.writeln("of the servant girl. Naaman packed bags of silver and gold and gifts for he was"); document.writeln("willing to pay whatever it took to be healed.

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Upon arriving at Elisha\'��s house with his"); document.writeln("fanfare of horses and chariots, Naaman was surprised to be greeted by a servant"); document.writeln("and not Elisha himself, who simply told him: \'��Go and wash in the Jordan seven"); document.writeln("times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.\'�� (v.10)"); document.writeln("Knowing that the water in the Jordan river was filthy and muddy, Naaman"); document.writeln("immediately felt disrespected and became very angry! By this time, Naaman was"); document.writeln("done being told what to do and turned to leave in a rage. But his servants ran"); document.writeln("after him and convinced him to give it a try. Once again, God used a servant to"); document.writeln("make Naaman teachable.

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I can imagine Naaman stepping into the"); document.writeln("dirty waters of the Jordan river, feeling humiliated and degraded after the"); document.writeln("first few dips and nothing was happening. I can hear his servants cheering him"); document.writeln("on: \'��Come on, Sir Naaman, Just a few more times!\'�� The Bible says that when he"); document.writeln("came up from the water after the seventh time his skin was restored like the"); document.writeln("skin of a baby and he was clean! (v.14) At once, Naaman ran to Elisha,"); document.writeln("forgetting about his disease, proclaiming God as the one true God!

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Many of us are battling spiritual"); document.writeln("leprosy. Our \'��spots\'�� are in the form of marriage or family problems,"); document.writeln("addictions, guilt, or unhappiness. And just like Naaman, God has something"); document.writeln("greater for us than just the cure for our sins, but we must be willing to have"); document.writeln("a teachable spirit to receive the ultimate gift that God has in store for us."); document.writeln("Do you have the humility to come to Jesus today?

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Suggested prayer: Dear God, I don\'��t want"); document.writeln("to be banished from your presence. Please forgive my prideful and unteachable"); document.writeln("spirit and make me clean for your glory. In Jesus\'�� name, Amen.

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1. "); document.writeln("Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)."); document.writeln("

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Today\'��s Encounter was written by:"); document.writeln("Veronica B.

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