Then Jehoshaphat, Asa’s son, became the next king. He strengthened Judah to stand against any attack from Israel. He stationed troops in all the fortified towns of Judah, and he assigned additional garrisons to the land of Judah and to the towns of Ephraim that his father, Asa, had captured.
The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the example of his father’s early years and did not worship the images of Baal. He sought his father’s God and obeyed his commands instead of following the evil practices of the kingdom of Israel. So the Lord established Jehoshaphat’s control over the kingdom of Judah. All the people of Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so he became very wealthy and highly esteemed. He was deeply committed to the ways of the Lord. He removed the pagan shrines and Asherah poles from Judah.
In the third year of his reign Jehoshaphat sent his officials to teach in all the towns of Judah. These officials included Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah. He sent Levites along with them, including Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah. He also sent out the priests Elishama and Jehoram. They took copies of the Book of the Law of the Lord and traveled around through all the towns of Judah, teaching the people. 2 Chronicles 17:1-9 (NLT)
After this, the armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites declared war on Jehoshaphat. Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army from Edom is marching against you from beyond the Dead Sea. They are already at Hazazon-tamar.” (This was another name for En-gedi.)
Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting. So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the Lord’s help. 2 Chronicles 20:1-4 (NLT)
- King Jehoshaphat was facing a new battle in a new era in Israel.
Jehoshaphat stood before the community of Judah and Jerusalem in front of the new courtyard at the Temple of the Lord. He prayed, “O Lord, God of our ancestors, you alone are the God who is in heaven. You are ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth. You are powerful and mighty; no one can stand against you! O our God, did you not drive out those who lived in this land when your people Israel arrived? And did you not give this land forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham? Your people settled here and built this Temple to honor your name. They said, ‘Whenever we are faced with any calamity such as war, plague, or famine, we can come to stand in your presence before this Temple where your name is honored. We can cry out to you to save us, and you will hear us and rescue us.’
And now see what the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir are doing. You would not let our ancestors invade those nations when Israel left Egypt, so they went around them and did not destroy them. Now see how they reward us! For they have come to throw us out of your land, which you gave us as an inheritance. O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.” 2 Chronicles 20:5-12 (NLT)
- King Jehoshaphat sought the Lord for the proper response.
He said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow, march out against them. You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel. But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!”
Then King Jehoshaphat bowed low with his face to the ground. And all the people of Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping the Lord. Then the Levites from the clans of Kohath and Korah stood to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud shout.
Early the next morning, the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way, Jehoshaphat stopped and said, “Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.”
After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor.
This is what they sang: “Give thanks to the Lord; his faithful love endures forever!”
At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves. The armies of Moab and Ammon turned against their allies from Mount Seir and killed every one of them. After they had destroyed the army of Seir, they began attacking each other. So when the army of Judah arrived at the lookout point in the wilderness, all they saw were dead bodies lying on the ground as far as they could see. Not a single one of the enemy had escaped. 2 Chronicles 20:15-24 (NLT)
- King Jehoshaphat won his battle through spiritual means.
WORSHIP!
God is calling our church to more prayer and more worship!
- King Jehoshaphat continued to battle using supernatural methods.
King Jehoshaphat and his men went out to gather the plunder. They found vast amounts of equipment, clothing, and other valuables—more than they could carry. There was so much plunder that it took them three days just to collect it all! On the fourth day they gathered in the Valley of Blessing, which got its name that day because the people praised and thanked the Lord there. It is still called the Valley of Blessing today.
Then all the men returned to Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat leading them, overjoyed that the Lord had given them victory over their enemies. They marched into Jerusalem to the music of harps, lyres, and trumpets, and they proceeded to the Temple of the Lord.
When all the surrounding kingdoms heard that the Lord himself had fought against the enemies of Israel, the fear of God came over them. So Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side. 2 Chronicles 20:25-30 (NLT)
Prayer: Seek the Lord in all we do.
Praise: Promote His goodness to everyone, everywhere.
Worship: Honor God above all, and through every possible means.
The Lord wants to bring us to the Valley of Beracah!
- New service times: 9 and 11:30 am (for a season)
- Prayer during, after, and between services (indefinitely)
- Simultaneous community prayer and worship (strategic locations)
- Prayer outreach
- 14 Day Fast ends this week!
24 hours in this day: 14 hours of daylight today (if you only functioned from sunup to sunset)
10% of this time 1 hour and 14 minutes or 84 minutes…out of 840 minutes of daylight are spent on average in a church service per Sunday…or 84 minutes out of 10,080 minutes per week…or if you attend church services every week for 52 weeks a year 4,368 minutes out of roughly 524,160 minutes per year~ or 72.8 hours per year of 8,736 hours my friends that is less than 1% of your year spent in church!
You have all the time in the world!
the Idyll Idol
idyll
- A short poem or prose piece depicting a picturesque scene or incident of idealized life.
- A simple, happy, and peaceful scene or period of life.
We focus so much on recreation and leisure, we’ve forgotten how to rest!
SABBATH!
Sabbath = to cease from ordinary activity in order to enter God’s rest.
Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. Exodus 20:8-11 (NLT)
Historical Biblical Observance:
- No labor
- No business
- Less Food Preparation
- No Firewood gathering nor kindling
- No carrying heavy loads
- Rest during harvest season, including the animals
- A day set apart to God and He alone
What is Sabbath? A time set aside to allow God to restore your soul by doing nothing!
Busyness migrates to a life of hurry when we let it squeeze God out of our lives!
“Fatigue makes cowards of us all!” -Anonymous
A busy schedule does not produce a hurried soul and soul fatigue; a soul without Sabbath does!
“If you don’t come apart for a while, you will come apart in a while.” -Vance Havner
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT)
“Come away with Me!” -Jesus
Carve out space and time where we find rest and healing for our souls in solitude.
Delight yourself in the Lord:
Delight yourself in what He has done!
Delight yourself in what He has made!
Delight yourself in what He has given!
Delight yourself in who you are in Him!
Delight yourself in celebration!
S L O W D O W N Sundays!
Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither. Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. Psalm 37:1-6 (NLT)
How much of what we are pursuing daily has eternal significance?
IDEAL (Mirriam Webster)
As an adjective:
- “Exactly right for a particular purpose, person, or situation.”
- “Of, relating to, or embodying an ideal.”
- “Conforming exactly to an ideal, law, or standard: perfect.”
- “Existing as a mental image or in fancy or imagination only.”
As a noun:
- “A standard of perfection, beauty, or excellence.”
- “One regarded as exemplifying an ideal and often taken as a model for imitation.”
- “An ultimate object or aim of endeavor: goal.”
- Stuff over substance
- Pleasure over purpose
- Status over character
The first answer to our struggle is JOY!
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
The second answer to our struggle is PRAYER!
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
The third answer to our struggle is FOCUS!
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
The fourth answer to our struggle is CONTENTMENT!
How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty. Philippians 4:4-14 (NLT)
Christ, gives me the strength to live abundantly as I walk in the wisdom of His word!
IDLE
Diligence Beats Talent!
We can do without being, but we cannot BE without doing!
Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.
The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.
After a long time, their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, “Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.” The master was full of praise. “Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!”
The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, “Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.” The master said, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!”
Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, “Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.” But the master replied, “You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.”
Then he ordered, “Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
The word “talent” in this parable has two meanings. It is a monetary unit: it was the largest denomination of the time. Biblical scholar John R. Donovan, S.J., tells us a single talent was equivalent to the wage of an ordinary worker for fifteen years. So we know the amount given to each servant was considerable. -Robert Sirico
The talents represent the secrets of the kingdom of heaven.
If one has been entrusted with the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven – and anyone who has read Matthew’s gospel will have been given that very knowledge – then one is expected to put that knowledge to good use. – Ben Chenoweth
Thrive in your field!
Rabbi Yitzchak famously advises in the Gemara that one should divide their wealth into three equal parts: one-third invested in business, one-third kept liquid, and one-third buried in the ground.
doing only what the law requires…
Luke 7:36-50
obey His command to be fruitful!
Our Challenge:
- Generously Share Jesus
- Generously Share our Lives
- Generously Share our Blessings
If we keep the truth with us, it will bear fruit!
WHAT WILL HE SAY TO YOU?
Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. 2 He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight and followed the example of his ancestor David. He did not turn away from doing what was right. 2 Chronicles 34:1-2 (NLT)
Let nothing stop us!
Idolatry: The worship of a physical object as a god. Immoderate attachment or devotion to something. (Merriam-Webster)
Baal Hadad: the god of creation, weather, thunder and lightning, brought rain and harvest, who fought against the great leviathan/serpent, He fought MOT, the god of death…and he died and rose again to bring life to the land.
Appeasement: a sacrifice had to be made to merit forgiveness and blessing
Jeremiah 19:5 They have built pagan shrines to Baal, and there they burn their sons as sacrifices to Baal. I have never commanded such a horrible deed; it never even crossed my mind to command such a thing! (NLT)
We will sacrifice our children on the altar of selfish ambition, comfort and simplicity.
Our nation leads the world in child pornography and sexual slavery/exploitation.
Asherah: the goddess of fertility and sacred trees
The people of old believed Asherah was God’s wife. The wife of El (AKA the wetnurse of the gods) she produced the “seventy sons” or gods of the heavens
During the reign of Josiah, women were found in the temple hanging fabrics upon Asherahs IN THE TEMPLE!
Bāmōt (Hebrew: בָּמוֹת, singular bāmāh בָּמָה) were “high places”—elevated sites where people worshiped, offered sacrifices, and performed religious rituals in the ancient Near East.
For Israel has forsaken me and turned this valley into a place of wickedness. The people burn incense to foreign gods—idols never before acknowledged by this generation, by their ancestors, or by the kings of Judah. And they have filled this place with the blood of innocent children. Jeremiah 19:4 (NLT)
Asherah had many names over the centuries: Elat, Astarte, Ishtar, Ashdod, Ashratu, Hattusha, Aphrodite…A STAR!
Chaucer, Dean Swinford points out in his book Through the Daemon’s Gate, was recalling Ovid’s notion of metamorphosis—the idea that humans could be transformed, in this case, into the shiny stuff of constellations. Chaucer’s words also carried architectural implications that would likely have been apparent to his audiences: “Fixing with stars,” Swinford points out, “implies the creation of a mosaic-like decoration of the interior of a cathedral.” The building was an intentional mimicry of the sky, and an unintentional anticipation of Hollywood’s own kind of firmament: It presented stars as a constellation of gleaming lights, always above.
We find ourselves worshipping idols: education, success, shopping, status, politics, fame, fortune…anything and everything along with God
The idolatrous lifestyle promotes everything, and anything as equal to or more important than my faith: Sexuality, TV, Phone, Gaming, Friends, Family, Money…Demonstrated by inconsistent lives of faith and devotion to God
During the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, Josiah began to seek the God of his ancestor David. Then in the twelfth year he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem, destroying all the pagan shrines, the Asherah poles, and the carved idols and cast images. He ordered that the altars of Baal be demolished and that the incense altars which stood above them be broken down. He also made sure that the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images were smashed and scattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. He burned the bones of the pagan priests on their own altars, and so he purified Judah and Jerusalem.
He did the same thing in the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, even as far as Naphtali, and in the regions all around them. He destroyed the pagan altars and the Asherah poles, and he crushed the idols into dust. He cut down all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Finally, he returned to Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 34:3-7 (NLT)
- Seek God Above/Before Everything
- Remove Your Distractions and Sinful Temptations
In the eighteenth year of his reign, after he had purified the land and the Temple, Josiah appointed Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the governor of Jerusalem, and Joah son of Joahaz, the royal historian, to repair the Temple of the Lord his God. They gave Hilkiah the high priest the money that had been collected by the Levites who served as gatekeepers at the Temple of God. The gifts were brought by people from Manasseh, Ephraim, and from all the remnant of Israel, as well as from all Judah, Benjamin, and the people of Jerusalem.
He entrusted the money to the men assigned to supervise the restoration of the Lord’s Temple. Then they paid the workers who did the repairs and renovation of the Temple. They hired carpenters and builders, who purchased finished stone for the walls and timber for the rafters and beams. They restored what earlier kings of Judah had allowed to fall into ruin.
The workers served faithfully under the leadership of Jahath and Obadiah, Levites of the Merarite clan, and Zechariah and Meshullam, Levites of the Kohathite clan. Other Levites, all of whom were skilled musicians, were put in charge of the laborers of the various trades. Still others assisted as secretaries, officials, and gatekeepers. 2 Chronicles 34:8-13 (NLT)
- Commit Yourself to the House of God
While they were bringing out the money collected at the Lord’s Temple, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that was written by Moses. Hilkiah said to Shaphan the court secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the Lord’s Temple!” Then Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan.
Shaphan took the scroll to the king and reported, “Your officials are doing everything they were assigned to do. The money that was collected at the Temple of the Lord has been turned over to the supervisors and workmen.” Shaphan also told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a scroll.” So Shaphan read it to the king.
When the king heard what was written in the Law, he tore his clothes in despair. 2 Chronicles 34:14-19 (NLT)
- Commit Yourself to the Word of God
Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. And the king went up to the Temple of the Lord with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, along with the priests and the Levites—all the people from the greatest to the least. There the king read to them the entire Book of the Covenant that had been found in the Lord’s Temple. The king took his place of authority beside the pillar and renewed the covenant in the Lord’s presence. He pledged to obey the Lord by keeping all his commands, laws, and decrees with all his heart and soul. He promised to obey all the terms of the covenant that were written in the scroll. And he required everyone in Jerusalem and the people of Benjamin to make a similar pledge. The people of Jerusalem did so, renewing their covenant with God, the God of their ancestors.
So Josiah removed all detestable idols from the entire land of Israel and required everyone to worship the Lord their God. And throughout the rest of his lifetime, they did not turn away from the Lord, the God of their ancestors. 2 Chronicles 34:29-33 (NLT)
- I will have no other gods beside the One True God.
- I will not make idols of anything or anyone.
- I will not take the name of the Lord God in vain.
- I will observe the Sabbath and keep it holy.
- I will honor my father and my mother.
- I will not commit murder in my heart, mind, or actions.
- I will not commit adultery.
- I will not steal.
- I will not lie about or against my neighbor.
- I will not covet (sinfully desire) things.
Meanwhile, Jacob left Beersheba and traveled toward Haran. At sundown, he arrived at a good place to set up camp and stopped there for the night. Jacob found a stone to rest his head against and lay down to sleep. As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway.
At the top of the stairway stood the Lord, and he said, “I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants. Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! They will spread out in all directions—to the west and the east, to the north and the south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.”
Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it!” But he was also afraid and said, “What an awesome place this is! It is none other than the house of God, the very gateway to heaven!”
The next morning, Jacob got up very early. He took the stone he had rested his head against, and he set it upright as a memorial pillar. Then he poured olive oil over it. He named that place Bethel (which means “house of God”), although it was previously called Luz.
Then Jacob made this vow: “If God will indeed be with me and protect me on this journey, and if he will provide me with food and clothing, and if I return safely to my father’s home, then the Lord will certainly be my God. And this memorial pillar I have set up will become a place for worshiping God, and I will present to God a tenth of everything he gives me.” Genesis 28:10-22 (NLT)
God is EVERYWHERE!
We Need to Make Ourselves More Aware of HIS Presence!
How do we become more aware of God?
- Rest from Labor
- Rest from Worry
- Rest from Recreation
- Respond to His Gifts with Your Own
COME AND GO
TEXT: EXODUS 3:1-10
Exodus 3:1-10 NKJV “Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.”
4 So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” 6 Moreover He said, “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.
7 And the LORD said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 8 So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. 9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”
- GOD REACHES OUT TO THE ORDINARY.
“Moses was tending the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian.” vs 1a (NKJV)
- GOD REACHES OUT TO THE ORDINARY IN THE ORDINARY.
“Moses led the flock to the back of the desert and came to Horeb the mountain of God.” vs 1b (NKJV)
- GOD WILL FIND A WAY TO REACH YOU.
“the angel of Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed.” (vs 2)
- TURN OR BURN.
“Then Moses said, I’ll TURN ASIDE and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn. So when the Lord saw that he turned aside the look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, Moses, Moses.” vv 3-4 (NKJV)
While God reaches us in the ordinary, He calls us OUT of the ordinary so WE TURN ASIDE, TURN AWAY FROM OUR ORDINARY, INTO HIS EXTRAORDINARY.
“So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses, and he said, here I am. Then he said, do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” vs 5 (NKJV)
This is not just any moment. We turn aside into a holy moment. The moment may feel ordinary, but there’s nothing ordinary about the one who’s calling out to us. That is why we must turn.
We acknowledge that God is in the room, that he owns the room, that he wants to speak, we must LISTEN. God calls and we must answer. It’s a holy moment, and we must say yes.
- COME AND GO.
“Come now, therefore, I’ll send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” vs 10 (NKJV)
GOD WILL DRAW US CLOSE TO CALL US TO GO.
WE CANNOT ENCOUNTER THE HOLINESS OF GOD AND REMAIN THE SAME.
Isaiah 6:8 NKJV “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”
Joshua Chapter 4: 1-6, 4:20-24 (NIV)
4 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, 3 and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”
4 So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, 5 and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, 6 to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 7 tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”
20 And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. 21 He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea[b] when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. 24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”
- Remember his presence and miracles in the past.
- 12 stones to remember what He did in the past.
- Reminders fuel faith.
- What are you telling your children?
- What are your 12 stones?
- Don’t forget.
Sometimes we forget his goodness, his mercy, his presence and his provision
John in Prison: Matthew 11 Are you the one?
Matthew 11: 2-5
2 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy[b] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.
- Invest your past miracles and provisions into His future with more miracles and provisions.
Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” “Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.” So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!” Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.
“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My Rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!” And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly, the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road. Mark 10:46-52 (NLT)
Threw Down
Jumped Up
Came to Jesus
BARTIMAEUS FOLLOWED JESUS!!!
GO WITH HIM!
“That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven
miles from Jerusalem. As they walked along they were talking about everything that
had happened. As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came
and began walking with them. But God kept them from recognizing him. He asked
them, ‘What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?’ They stopped short,
sadness written across their faces. Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, ‘You must be
the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened
there the last few days.’ ‘What things?’ Jesus asked. ‘The things that happened to
Jesus, the man from Nazareth,’ they said. ‘He was a prophet who did powerful miracles,
and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. But our leading
priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and
they crucified him. We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel.
This all happened three days ago. Then some women from our group of his followers
were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. They
said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive!
Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the
women had said.’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘You foolish people! You find it so hard to
believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the
Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?’ Then Jesus
took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the
Scriptures the things concerning himself. By this time they were nearing Emmaus and
the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, but they begged him, ‘Stay
the night with us, since it is getting late.’ So he went home with them. As they sat
down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them.
Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he
disappeared! They said to each other, ‘Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked
with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?’ And within the hour they were
on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others
who had gathered with them, who said, ‘The Lord has really risen! He appeared to
Peter.’ Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them
as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was
breaking the bread.” LUKE 24:13–35 (NLT)
JESUS IS PRESENT, EVEN WHEN WE DON’T
RECOGNIZE HIM.
Luke 24:13–14
JESUS COMES TO US BEFORE WE COME TO HIM.
Luke 24:15–18
JESUS PATIENTLY REVEALS HIMSELF THROUGH
HIS WORD.
Luke 24:25–32
JESUS HAS BEEN WITH US IN MORE MOMENTS
THAN WE REALIZE.
Luke 24:32–35