Posted under Sermons
De 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!”
2 Chron 34:1-14
“1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. 3 In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David. In his twelfth year
he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles, carved idols and cast images. 4 Under his direction the altars of the Baals were torn down; he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them, and smashed the Asherah poles, the idols and the images. These he broke to pieces and scattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 5 He burned the bones of the priests on their altars, and so he purged Judah and Jerusalem. 6 In the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins around them, 7 he tore down the altars and the Asherah poles and crushed the idols to powder and cut to pieces all the incense altars throughout Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem. 8 In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, to purify the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the ruler of the city, with Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the temple of the LORD his God.
9 They went to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought into the temple of God, which the Levites who were the doorkeepers had collected from the people of Manasseh, Ephraim and the entire remnant of Israel and from all the people of Judah and Benjamin and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 Then they entrusted it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the LORD’s temple. These men paid the workers who repaired and restored the temple. 11 They also gave money to the carpenters and builders to purchase dressed stone, and timber for joists and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into ruin. 12 The men did the work faithfully. Over them to direct them were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites descended from Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, descended from Kohath. The Levites-all who were skilled in playing musical instruments- 13 had charge of the laborers and supervised all the workers from job to job. Some of the Levites were secretaries, scribes and doorkeepers.”
NIV
It says that Josiah was eight years old when he became king, that he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He walked in the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. When Josiah turned 16 years old, he started seeking the God of his fathers. In the beginning of his reign, one must conclude that Josiah must have received some form of training and teaching about his God. Those that surrounded him, gave him council and advice. They knew God and they brought him up in the ways of Him. It is a funny thing when one starts looking for God one usually finds Him. They must of trained him in how to be a King too. At the age of 20 Josiah started to tear down the shrines, the alters of the false gods that his forefathers allowed to be put up and practiced and worship. He tore them down and took the ash and scattered the ash over the graves of those who sacrificed to them. He went even as far as burning the bones of the priest on their altars to purge the sins of the people and the sins of the priest from the land. He tore down the altars of Baal. He crushed the idols to powder and cut to pieces all the incense altars throughout Israel. Josiah took personal responsibility for the cleansing of the land and the temple. Josiah didn’t send somebody else to do it, but he saw that the job was done. When he turned 26 years old he sent people and money to see about the repair of the temple of the Lord his God.
Do you know that God is not a respecter of person and He doesn’t care how old you are to reveal Himself to you. Look at Josiah, he was only eight years old when God started revealing Himself to him. All I know is that God wants to talk to you and I. I want to take the time to challenge you about your faith, your Christian walk, and your relationship with God. How many of us can say that we have a personal relationship with God? That we can call the Lord of Heaven and Earth our own personal God. He is not your mama’s God. He is not your daddy’s God. You can not depend on their personal relationship to get you to heaven. He needs to be your personal God. To have a personal relationship with God takes a little work, a little time, and a little sacrifice. To find God may take a little more time in prayer, a little more time studying His Word, and a commitment to a life altering life style change. To start out with one must know Jesus Christ as his or her Savior. Lets say that you don’t know Jesus or you don’t know if you are even saved. Please lets take the time to solve this situation. Just repeat this prayer and repent of your sins. To repent means to turn away from or make a 180 degree change in your life style. Let us pray. Dear Jesus, “I know that I am a sinner and I ask that you forgive me of my sins. I repent for my wrong doings and I ask you to come into my life and into my heart. I make you Lord of my life. I thank you that you are my Lord and Savior. I thank you for dieing for me.” If you prayed this prayer you now need to tell someone that you have accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior. If you live in a third world country and this may cause you harm tell it to another Christian whom you can trust and rejoice with you.
Now that we have that base covered let’s move on. I want you and I in the year 2008 make a conscience decision to read our Bible more. Let’s make an effort to pray more and allow God have His time in the conversation. Let us take time to hear that small still voice. Let the Holy Spirit lead and direct us. The reason I want to encourage you to do this is because I am afraid that from some of the pulpits we are getting a watered down theology. The word of God is not allowed to take it’s place in the house of God. Therefore we need to have a stronger or deeper knowledge of the word of God. We need to examine the Bible to know what does God say about this and that. You and I need to look in our heart and in our life to see where we may have allowed some idols to come in. We need to examine and see if we have built any alters for false gods. If we have built any alters or have allowed any idols to creep in, then we need to be like Josiah and we need to tear them down, crush them up into powder and scatter the ashes over the ground. Then we need to repent and ask Jesus to let His blood cover us and to cleans us to make us whole. We are accountable for our action and for our Christian walk. We need to judge ourself so that God doesn’t have to. The reason I am trying to encourage you to do all of this is because the people that I have been talking to believe that we are in the last days before the second coming of Christ. I believe this too. It’s not just believe but we know that we are getting closer for that great event to happen. I know that no man knows the hour or the day but one can know and discern the seasons. Matt 16:2-3 2 “He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ 3 and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.” Mark 13:3-8 13 “As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?” 5 Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. Mark 13:23-37 23 ”So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time. 24 “But in those days, following that distress, “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25 the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ 26 “At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. 28 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 29 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. 30 I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 32 “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. 35 “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back-whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’” “ NIV
Just as Josiah took personal responsibility in cleansing the land and the temple, we too must take personal responsibility for cleansing ourselves, for cleansing our land, and for cleansing our church. I want to you to have a strong relationship with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I want you to be able to say with confidence my God and know that He is your God. I know this may sound stupid or even a little crazy but I would like for to say “My God”, “ My God.” The reason I want you to do this is because you need to take ownership, and to personify and make this a personal relationship with Him. For in Jer 24:6-7 “says I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.” NIV I want you and I to be walking in boldness, confidence, and humility because I want God to heal our land and our hearts also. 2 Chron 7:13-1413 “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 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 will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” NIV Just as Josiah brought healing to the land and he purified the temple. I want God the Father to do the same for us.
When Josiah sent money for the restoration and the repair of the temple, he found the workers and laborers to be faithful in their work. He also found the doorkeepers, ones skilled in playing musical instruments, secretaries, and scribes going about their business. The point I am trying to make is that you and I need to be going about our Fathers’ business in the Churches that we attend. You and I need to be taking an active role in serving in the House of God. We need to pray and ask God to show us where we can serve Him in His house. For example you could be a greeter, host or hostess, intercessor, Sunday School teacher, janitor, or you can go around and make strangers feel welcomed and loved. You could sing in the choir and if you are real bold sing a solo. The possibilities are endless. Just make yourself available and let God lead you and use you. Because I want to hear the Lord God say well done my good and faithful servant and I want you to be able to hear the same. Please now receive the benediction.
Num 6:24-26 24 “‘”The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ‘
Amen and Amen
Dennis
Comments Off