The Battle is the LORD's

II Chronicles 20:15 He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.'"

The Moabites and the Ammonites were on the other side of the Jordan River about a days journey from Jerusalem on foot. It is about 45 minutes by bus today from Jerusalem to En Gedi but you go around the mountains. They would have come over them. 

Two nations and then some coming against Judah.

I love what Jehoshaphat did. When he got the news he proclaimed a fast. 

What a wise thing to do. Let's humble ourselves before the LORD, seeking His face, seeking His help.

We need to be doing that as a nation.

We need to do that in this fellowship now!

There was a resolve on the part of the king to inquire of the LORD.

There was a coming together of the people to seek help from the LORD.

Are you with me so far?

In verses 5-12 we have the king leading the nation in prayer.

I love what verse 13 tells us. Whole families were there together, even the little children. They stood together before the LORD.

Growing up Family Altar, watched my dad kneel and pray. My Nana QT

Going to church together, sitting next to my Dad, listening to him worship God. 

Praying together before school.

It breaks my heart so many kids have no idea what this about today.

God spoke through the prophet: v.15-17

v.18-19 There was worship, further humbling by the king and praising God on the part of the spiritual leaders.

1. This is a Word for our Church today.

A tale of two churches

Ours

Bellevue Haiti Evangelical Church of God

If we humble ourselves and learn from these brothers and sister of ours there is no telling what God might do.

Brother Andrew "We need to go to the suffering church in third world countries 

so we can learn from our brothers and sisters there."

They can teach us about prayer and suffering and faith that goes through the fire.

Pastor Joes Dream

Elderly lady's dream

We came

Sunday, The hand of my God upon me.

January Pastor Joes: This is an answer to prayer.

What is going to happen if this well goes in! What will happen in September 4-18th 

What will happen if we get desperate with God, if we cry over our church's condition, not just financially but spiritually. We need to see people saved, come into the kingdom, come to know Jesus, rescued from sin and its damaging effects and its damning effects.

Our church's finances come under this category. Are we looking at the battle as the LORDs or ours? Think about Him!

If God closes a door do not attempt to humanly open it. It could be we are headed for the history books, that the final chapter on this church is now but I do not think so.

This is a good fellowship.  C.S. Lewis said You cannot be a good egg very long, either you will hatch or go rotten. God obviously wants us to pray to Him for workers in the harvest field.  Luke 10:2 Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. 

He cares about those broken people, broken hearted people all around us. He wants us to join Him in reaching them and bringing them into the kingdom.

If we seek His Kingdom in this way the finances will take care of themselves.

We have been praying forJanet Hernandez. Let's cry out to God for her and the doors to open to bring her here for medical treatment. Her family needs her. Her husband and their daughters. Her church needs her. She is so young. Join me in prayer now. I dream of bringing her home with us when we come back from Haiti in September. We are moving towards that! Spoke to my son-in-law about her situation yesterday. Anca, Theresa... Watch God work!

Lisa and Gio this week our back.

2. This is a Word for Our Nation this morning.

We have more kids in sports activities on Sunday Morning than in Sunday School and we wonder why we are losing the hearts of the children.

How we need this: Malachi 4:6 And he will turnThe hearts of the fathers to the children,And the hearts of the children to their fathers...

We have killed 55 million babies since 1974 in the US and we wonder why there is no respect for life.

We have attempted to change the Biblical definition of marriage this past month and God is not mocked. We will reap what we sow. Destruction. 

The enemy is spiritually destroying families by nonsense today and many who know better have drank the  Kool Aid.

Psalm 44:3 It was not by their sword that they won the land,nor did their arm bring them victory;it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them. 

3. This is a Word for all of us individually.

We are in a spiritual battle.

Much of what we face is attempts of the enemy to take us out or render us useless.

Discouragement is a tool.

Disillusionment is as well.

Depression can paralyze us.

We are in a spiritual battle. Satan would like us to not think so. He is like a roaring loin seeking whom he can devour. How does a lion catch its prey? By being as quiet as possible just before trouncing on it.

We do not see our troubles as we should.

We want our lives to be trouble free- they never will!

Here is the Good News today-

John 4:35 Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! 

We need to be over our heads in grace these days. Swimming in it, immersed in it. Then we can say to people who need Jesus, Come on in the water is great!

Our God Reigns!

Audio of Rejecting the Advice of Our Elders

https://www.facebook.com/groups/167379759957148/permalink/1067086513319797/

Rejecting The Advice Of The Elders

II Chronicles 10:13-14 The king answered them harshly. Rejecting the advice of the elders, he followed the advice of the young men and said, “My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.” 

Rejecting the advice of the elders, he followed the advice of the young men

King Rehoboam was making a very unwise decision. He was forsaking great wealth of wisdom. These men had been Solomon's advisors. They were the ones of whom the Queen of Sheba said, 2 Chronicles 9:7 "Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!" These men also had experience of advising his father, Solomon, some for 40 years! Now, here is Rehoboam.  He rejects the good and wise counsel of the elders. 

Not only that he consults some hot headed men who grew up with him who did not understand godly leadership.

How could a son of Solomon act so foolishly? Pride.

We are living in a day when the advice of the elders is being rejected.

This shows up...

1. In Child Rearing.

I know our parents made mistakes. 

They disciplined as they thought best.

Hebrews 12:9-11 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. 

It seems that many in the current generation are rejecting the advice of their elders in raising their children.

There is no reason to throw everything out!

Children need boundaries.

It provides security.

It trains them.

It prepares them for life.

It brings harmony in the home.

It establishes respect for authority.

Things that have impacted children;

* The breakdown of the family

* Blended families

* Technology

* Psychology - influence the way we feel as extremely important

Martin Luther on feelings.

* Mobility, moving far away from parents, grandparents due to economic reasons, affluence is not a substitute for the extended family, even less the weather of a region. 

The family needs prayer now more than ever. Pray for the parents to have wisdom. Pray for children of fractured broken homes. Pray for children to be kept safe from this world.

Rejecting the advice of our elders shows up 

2. In Managing Money

Sad because it will catch up to us as a nation.

Kids have had the concept of savings diminished while spending has gone viral.

Listen to this wonderful wisdom in the Proverbs:

Proverbs 13:11 Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow. 

Proverbs 22:7b the borrower is slave to the lender. 

Proverbs 28:20 A faithful person will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished. 

1 Timothy 6:9-10, 17-19 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 

Common sense about credit is out the window these days save a few people.

We need a big picture. The world has squeezed so many into its own mold about money.

1. Live for the moment.

2. Plastic has taken away the concept of paying for it.

3.We no longer look for what is functional. Impulse buying.

4. We forget about tomorrow.

Rejecting the advice of our elders is seen

3. In Attending Church

Stats

In 2050, the percentage of the U.S. population attending church will be almost half of what it was in 1990.

Be wise.

Keep the things you were taught before you, keep doing what is right and seek to pass them on.

Pray.

Pray.

Pray.

Humble yourself... God sees that.

When Rehoboam humbled himself the LORD heard his prayer and answered it.

That was the Word last week. That is the key to our current situation.

We resist it to our demise.

Adly wanted to speak last week but did not in response to the message. This morning I want him to share.

Rejecting the Advice of the Elders was prideful. Accepting it is humiliating. We need to humble ourselves. It is a long way down  for the American Church to get on the level of the Church in third world countries. We think we have something to give to them until we get there and realize we have much to learn from them.

Faith of our Fathers

Who are our elders today? Many of mine have gone to heaven! I have become an elder to many- pastors now the same age as my kids! 

I Peter 5.1 The Apostles are elders, the prophets... the Word of God is the Word of our elders.

II Chronicles 13.12a

Let's humble ourselves... Pray!

A Message to America

II Chronicles 7.1-14

2 Chronicles 7:14 if My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 

This passage is God's answer to Solomon's prayer. (verse 12).

The prayer was offered at the dedication of the temple.

The desire of King David has been fulfilled.

After seven years of labor by over 30,000 workers, and the expenditure of billions of dollars, the house now stands in all its glory.

 The day of dedication has been set.

The nation gathered to celebrate.

The priests were praising God with their singing and 120 trumpets.

As their praise and thanksgiving went up to God the glory of the LORD came down and filled the house.

In the center of the court, Solomon had built a small platform of brass about 5 feet high.

Here he stood and addressed the people.

He reminded them of the faithfulness of God.

He then kneeled and with arms out-stretched he addressed God.

He thanked God for His faithfulness.

Declared the purpose of this house.

Not a dwelling place for God but rather a place where people can come and meet God, offer prayer.

It is noteworthy that in the middle of this grand celebration which went on for days a message from the LORD is given. It was a message for Israel. It is a message for America.  It is a message to us this morning.

1. It was God's Word for Israel in Solomon's time.

He spoke it to Solomon.

Oft times right after great success there comes a decline or a complacency.

Proverbs 30:7-9 “Two things I ask of You,  O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown youand say, ‘Who is the LORD?'’Or I may become poor and steal,and so dishonor the name of my God. 

They would need it.

With the silver as common as stone the felt need to God was not strong. 

Difficult times are good. They make us call upon the LORD.

Psalm 119:71 It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. 

The problem with Solomon was the problem with the nation. Those under 30 years of age never knew hard times. They did not know what it meant to go without. Those who were 40 years old by the time Solomon died, those born in his reign knew only affluence, extreme affluence, excessive affluence. This can be intoxicating and misleading.

Interestingly enough he wrote

Proverbs 27:23-24 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations. 

The affluence was part of the nation drifting away from the LORD. In their increase in wealth came this independent spirit. They began to worship as they wanted, not as God had directed. Solomon was key in this: Nehemiah 13:26 Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women. 

1 Kings 11:4-6, 9 As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done. The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. 

Our nation continues to make laws and engage in practices against God's Word. This week the Oklahoma Supreme court ruled that the Ten Commandments be removed from the Court House. We will continue to see the erosion of the Judeo Christian Influence in the United States unless there is a crying out to the LORD on behalf of believers according to this morning's

 text. Even now the consequences of the sins which have committed are astronomical. 

2. It is God's Word for our nation on this 4th of July Weekend.

The moral decline of America is so evident.

The world in Noah's time

The condition of Sodom and Gomorrah in Abraham's time.

It is evening in Sodom.

The conditions before Jesus comes back.

The economic situation and the ability of a nation that claims the LORD as its God to defend itself will depend on its obedience to the law of God.

Proverbs 14.34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. 

Following God's laws create harmony within and without. They provide security. Let's just take the commandment, "Honor your father and your mother..." I can remember the harmony in the home when I obeyed. Peaceful conversations, accomplishing tasks assigned. When I was disobedient all that was forfeited.  As goes the family so goes the nation. These commandments are the building blocks to social order. When they are taken away we become a house of cards. Took a couple of my grandsons out to dinner the other night... Well behaved. Complimented my kids.

Psalm 11:3 When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”  II Chronicles 7.14  gives the answer

"How much more of this shenanigans needs to happen before Americans wake up and smell the coffee?

Otherwise, if we continue to be apathetic, when we finally do wake up and go to take action it’ll be too late. America will have long ceased to exist."- Not a religious zealot but rather a secular newspaper.

Ravi Zacharias

America may not be a Christian nation per se, but only the Judeo-Christian worldview could have framed such a nation's ideas and values: "All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights." No other religion or secular assumption can affirm such a statement except the Judeo-Christian worldview. But today that very worldview, on which our systems of government and law are based, is expelled from the marketplace.

Democracies that are unhinged from all sacred moorings ultimately sink under the brute weight of conflicting egos. Freedom is destroyed not only by its retraction; it is also devastated by its abuse.

Pray for America today... Jonathan Kahn, church Facebook page

3. It is God's Word for our church at this time.

Finances are in a crisis condition. I am not asking you to give more. I would never do that.  I don't know who gives what. Haiti giving has been an eye opener however. 

I am asking you to pray.

Humble yourselves.

Seek God's Face

Turn from wicked your wicked ways. "displeasing" 

Proverbs 3.5-6 When we try to figure it out we end up doing the right thing for the wrong reason. (The Greatest Treason)

The LORD''s Supper

1 Corinthians 11:28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 

Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart;Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me,And lead me in the way everlasting. 

For reasons unbeknown to me God has chosen to test us as a body of believers. This is going on in other churches as well regardless of size. Our expenses power, insurance) have increased while our giving has remained the same. We cannot go on much longer like this. We have already cut back in areas we should be paying now. We are going through a time of sifting. let's follow God's Word for us this morning. Let's learn from Israel, pray for our nation and apply this immediately to our church. 

The rainbow, July 4, 2000- My folks' home

July 4, 2015 The finish line at the Bellmore Striders Race

Let's pray and take the LORD's Supper together.