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!
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