Matching Gift of $1,000,000

Help us match $1,000,000 to bring relief to Japan following the Tsunami:

Asian Access received a $1,000,000 matching gift pledge to help meet the spiritual and physical needs of those who have been impacted by the devastating earthquakes and tsunami last week. This gift and the funds given to match the pledge will help us achieve our mission for Asian Access/Japan "to unite the church" and "extend the transforming power of the gospel."

Asian Access is working with our vast network of churches across the country (400 pastors and 1800 churches - nearly 25% of the congregations in Japan) and with CRASH--a ministry of Grace Church which has grown into the largest Christian coordinating agency--to help meet the spiritual and physical needs of several communities across the nation.

We know of nearly 300 churches in the Sendai area and Asian Access has already launched a disaster response team for CRASH to set up a relief base in the affected areas.

For more information, go to http://asianaccess.org/A2-Japan-Tsunami-Matching-Gift.html

Thank you! We pray that God will bring many, many more Japanese into His kingdom as a result of the ministries of mercy and hope.

God Is Our Refuge and Strength Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. 5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. 6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; He lifts His voice, the earth melts.

 7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. 8 Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations He has brought on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear, He burns the shields (chariots) with fire. 10 “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

11 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Every time I watch the reports coming out of the TOHOKU area, it leaves me sad.  The hardships of so many up there are hard on my mind: How do they survive?  One hardship after another and they keep pressing on.  Some say it is all over.  Some may have wanted to die in the tidal wave or in the earthquake.  Some have lost hope in life.  They have nothing left of their home, family is gone, home is gone, heirlooms are gone.  

Yet, there are some who hold on well.  Some need to see that there is … yes, a hope for tomorrow.  Not the trivial or petty “I hope all will be fine” kind of feeling but a real Hope that passes understanding.

Last week, David shared about three men’s choices in ruling Israel.  Two of them made bad choices that caused the People of God to fail and be judged.  One king, the youngest one of all, choice to honor God and made every effort to bring God back into the picture of being the God of Israel once again.

If I may, I want to be that kind of man.  I want to be the kind of man who looks at the glass that is ½ empty and says, with confidence, that it is almost full…not just ½ full.  I believe it is not wishful thinking.  There is evidence of such truth in the Word of God.  (Again, over the past weeks here at ICCS, we have spoken of the Authority of Jesus.  His authority reaches into every facet of life. Such is the case here as well.)

Look back into the Old Testament and you will find a great deal of evidence of hard times.  Evidence of hard times as well as times of grandness.  Even when things looked dark for Israel, someone was there to point to the Lord and give them a HOPE for the tomorrows of life.

Let’s do the same this morning.  We will hold off on the leadership issue of the Church as this topic has something that can hold us up during the shaking of the earth, the issues we face now. We want to talk about the God of Ps 46 and how can He and will hold us up with the Hope of the Lord.

Think back with me to the time in Israel’s history when they were heading out of Egypt.  They had just been set free from over 400 years of slavery.  There were a number of Acts of God that forced them to look at the God of Abraham. They were to fall into line with His plans for them: to give them a real homeland that was promised to their ancestors many years before. 

So here they are: heading to freedom and word came to them that the entire Egyptian army is chasing them with the desire of killing them.  They looked at their leader, Moses, and he was walking in front of them—heading for a dead end.  The Sea was in front of them.  Mountains were on both sides of them AND the army was closing in from the rear.  They were trapped!  No-where to hide! No way to fight. No way to live. Moses looked to the Lord and found his answer: Stretch out your arm and your walking stick over the waters and see the answer of the Lord.

The next day, they were on the other side of the Sea—safe and sound and the armies that were out to kill them, floating in the Sea—all  dead. God showed Himself to be Great in Battle and He had given them some real hope. 

This past week, had you felt the pressure of the battle we are in?  The earth gave way.  Tremors shifted the mountains.  The seas roared and foamed.  And many lost hope.  But our God is here as well.  God is a safe place to hide.  He is ready to help when we need Him & we do need Him now!

The writer of this Psalm encourages us to see the marvels of God!  The Message puts it this way: "Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at Me, your High God, above politics, above everything."

We have a chance this morning to step out of the traffic of news and noise and listen to Him. To listen to the Voice of God through His Word and to be still and to know that He is God.

Still later in Israel’s history, we find the story of the Hebrew armies facing the city of Jericho.  Jericho was the strong fort at the opening of a valley into the Promise Land.  This was in their way. Once this city was beaten, the way for conquest was open for them.  But the city had thick walls.  The city had an army that could crush them.  So many things looked to be impossible.  (One thing we know from scripture is the with God ALL things are possible, so in their case, the same is true—or not?)

What did God have them do?  March around the city and blow their horns!  That was all.  It was their reasonable act of service. And the people within the city were already scared of them but after six days of this display of singing and marching, must have worn them thin.  “Here they come again!”  Same song, same verse, same thing for the whole week.  The Hebrews were to sing praises to their God. They were worshipping! Sing and march.  Not really a military tactic but they were to do it for one week.  They were to pray and seek their God. And then, God acted.  The walls fell down, the city was taken and there was complete victory.

Did they have hope?  Not seen yet but there was a hope.  Hope that this God who brought us there would hold them up.  What was the result?  Victory in God.  And because of that, many tribes and nations were in dread fear of the Hebrew people.  The battles HAD to be fought.  The victory was promised but the battles had to be fought.

Vs 7, 11 Jacob-wrestling God fights for us, God-of-Angel-Armies protects us. 

The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Many years later, Israel was in need once again.  So many times since the crossing of the Sea, since the battle of Jericho, the People of God were asked to face their God and say: Only You can deliver us!  

Jacob-wrestling God fights for us, the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Some of you might not understand this line about Jacob-wrestling God. Let me take you there.  Jacob had been away from his brother for a number of years.  There had been a family fight and Jacob-to save his own life-left for his relatives area and grew a family.  Now it was time to return.  He was very uneasy about returning as his brother had sworn to kill him.  Before he and his large family met his brother, Jacob wrestled with an Angel (The Lord Himself) during the night.  As daylight came, God touched his hip and put it out of joint.  It was to be a sign that he had indeed wrestled with God and lived. He also walked away with a new name: ISRAEL.  Jacob became Israel because he wrestled with God.  This Same God—the God of Israel/Jacob, will do the fighting for us, He will protect us.  You may—and you most likely will—go through hard times and times of pain.  Your hip (or your life) will be knocked out of joint. He will touch your life AND that is OK.  He will give you strength to carry on.  Friends, we can trust Him—with everything.  Even when the seas roll, even when the mountains fall, He is the One we can depend on.  We can trust Him to guide us and hold us.  Like The Shepherd holding His lamb.

Isaiah 40:11  He tends His flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart; He gently leads those that have young. Close to His Heart. Holding us—even close. 

Please look at verse 10.  Here is the key.  Here are the instructions the Lord gives us.  Are you ready? 

10 “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Can you be still?  Have you wrestled with God?  Do you walk differently? Are you guarding your steps? Are you watching your mouth? Are you keeping your promises?  Are you standing in AWE of your God?  Ecclesiastes 5:1-7.

Come and Worship the God who IS THE LORD!

Come this Sunday to worship the living God.  Service starts at 10:30 but you can enter and pray at 10:00AM.  Plan to stay after the service for a Covered Dish (bring food to share) that will end around 1:30.

To get ready for the service: Read Psalm 46.

Words of Choices by David May

                                                       2 Chronicles 33-34

God said to Adam, "I am going to make you a helper, a companion. What would you like your companion to be like?" Adam replied, "Well I want someone that is humorous, witty, intelligent, compassionate, caring, loving, trusting, polite, generous and beautiful." God paused a moment after Adam's wish list and told Adam that a companion like that 'would cost him an arm and a leg.' Adam seemed a little dejected and then brightly replied: "What can I get for a Rib?"

After a very long and boring sermon the parishioners filed out of the church saying nothing to the preacher. Towards the end of the line was a thoughtful person who always commented on the sermons. "Pastor, today your sermon reminded me of the peace and love of God!" The pastor was thrilled. "No-one has ever said anything like that about my preaching before. Tell me why." "Well - it reminded me of the Peace of God because it passed all understanding and the Love of God because it endured forever!" 

       Who is following you? Are you making good choices that will be a good guide and example for those who are following you, whether at home, at work, or in the church?

  I was asked the other day.  “Why does God allow human suffering such as tsunamis, flood, earthquakes, wars, murder, etc.?”  I don’t know. Take Job as a classic example. Here was a righteous man, yet he was not shielded from all these catastrophes that happened to him. Job was a very wealthy man. But he lost everything he owned. He lost all his children. However, in the end God returned everything and more back to him. Yet during job’s time of suffering, the question of “why” was never answered.  One most remember that God is sovereign. God has the right to do whatever He wants because He is supreme over the entire universe. 

 “Whatever God plans is going to happen.” Is. 49:9-11.

No one can stop God from doing what He pleases. Psalm 135:6.

So why does God allow human suffering? To this question I simply answer I don’t know. I am not here this morning to talk about that question. But I am here this morning to talk about the choices that we can make.

 Why does God allow evil in the world?

    Here we must remember that God did not create evil.  

James 1:13-15.

    13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

So where does evil come from? Matthew describes the source of evil: the human heart.

Matthew 15:19. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander….

 And the evil or good in the heart of a person, colors the choices that person will make.

 God did not create us like a robot so that He could control our every move. Example of a radio toy.  And a windup toy.  No, He gave us a mind, a will, and the ability to use them to make choices. But it is sad to say that man has not always used the mind God gave him to make good choices.  If we go back in history to Adam and Eve in the garden, we find the first bad choice man made. 

 God told them that the garden and everything in it was theirs, except for one condition."Do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil."

But they chose to disobey God. Here then is the first bad choice made by man.

And that one bad choice has had lasting consequences-- the start of evil. And it carried on to their children Cain and Able. Cain was jealous of his brother and killed him- bad choice. From here the bad choices create by the evil in man’s hearts such as greed, jealousy, murder, stealing, lying, hatred, etc. have escalated down through history. 

   This statement is often heard, ”IT is my life and I will do what I want.” It is your life all right, that part of the statement is right. But what choices you do make have an affect on everyone around you.  

  So with this in mind let us look at how the choices of three kings who ruled God’s people affect not only their lives but also the lives of those they ruled—the Israelites.

1. Manasseh.   2Chronicles 33:1-17

              2 Chronicles 33:1-9.  1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. 2 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, following the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. 3 He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Bails and made Asherah poles. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. 4 He built altars in the temple of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “My Name will remain in Jerusalem forever.” 5 In both courts of the temple of the LORD, he built altars to all the starry hosts. 6 He sacrificed his children in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination and witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the LORD, arousing his anger.

 7 He took the image he had made and put it in God’s temple, of which God had said to David and to his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name forever. 8 I will not again make the feet of the Israelites leave the land I assigned to your ancestors, if only they will be careful to do everything I commanded them concerning all the laws, decrees and regulations given through Moses.” 9 But Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites.

 

 Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites. He even sacrificed his sons to false gods.

  What do you think God did? First He warned Manasseh to stop. But did he stop? No!!! Manasseh and his people would not listen to God. Let me repeat that, Manasseh and the people would not listen. So God sent the King of Assyria to attack Israel. The King captured Manasseh, put a hook in his nose, and chained his hands and led him like an animal back to Assyria as a war trophy. 

But the story doesn’t stop here. “In his distress, he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before God.” And when he prayed to God,  God was moved by Manasseh’s entreaty and listened to his plea. So God forgave Manasseh and brought him back to Jerusalem and he ruled the country again. 

 Here is an important story about God’s forgiveness. As we have read about all the evil things Manasseh did, yet when he humbled himself before God, God forgave him.

  Friend if you are thinking that you have done to many things in the past, such that God will not forgive. If the bad things in your past are keeping you from God, this lesson is for you, because God will forgive you no matter what you have done in the past. Do you ever feel that you are so bad that God couldn’t possibly hear your prayers?  Look at the evil Manasseh did. God still heard his prayers and restored both his life and his kingdom-- God let him be king for 55 years. He wasn’t a perfect king, but because he humbled himself before God, he and his nation was blessed.  When you humble yourself before God and repent of your sins, God says “As far as the East is from the West, He will remember them no more.”   

   But Friend, don’t be like Manasseh. God had to put a hook in his nose and lead him captive to another country in order to get his attention. Are you waiting for a hook from God before you are serious about following Him?  God is patient, but don’t push Him.  

   I remember a student I met at bible school. He had been in Vietnam. One day on patrol, the soldier in front of him stepped on a mine. Of course, that soldier was killed instantly. And my friend behind him had both legs blown off just below the knees.  He told me the he loved to ski. That skiing was his god. He also told me that as he lay in the hospital bed, he realized the God use this to get his attention. 

     I thank God every day that He didn’t have to use such a drastic measure on me to get my attention.. But by His Spirit, He gentle pulled me back to Him. Friend, if you are feeling The Spirit tugging on your heart, don’t resist Him. Make today the day you come to God. 

2. Amon  2 Chronicles 33:21-25

 21 Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years. 22 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done. Amon worshiped and offered sacrifices to all the idols Manasseh had made. 23 But unlike his father Manasseh, he did not humble himself before the LORD; Amon increased his guilt.

    The  story of the next king is a very short and sad one. It is a shame that the lessons learned by the father are often lost on the son. After Manasseh died, his son Amon  succeeded him.  Even though he had seen his father’s life and what had happened to him, Amon chose  not to worship God. Another one of those bad choices I talked about earlier. He found some of the old alters and idols that had not been destroyed and brought them out, worshipped them and became more wick than his father had been.. Within two years of his rule, his officials assassinated him.  So his son, Josiah at the age of 8, took over Amon’s rule.

3. Josiah  2 Chronicles 34:1-8

Josiah’s Reforms

 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 followed 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 and idols. 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 and the idols. 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.

I don’t know how an 8 year old can rule a nation, but by the time he turned 16, he decided to follow the Lord. When he was 18, he began to destroy all the places of false worship around Jerusalem. He completely destroyed anything that could be used to worship other gods.

    When he was 26, he began to have the temple of the Lord repaired. It was at this time the workers found the books of Moses in the temple and brought them to Josiah. And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. And what was the kings’ reaction? When the king heard the words of the law he tore his robes……

2 Chronicles 34:29-33

29 Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 He went up to the temple of the LORD with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the Levites—all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the LORD. 31 The king stood by his pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the LORD—to follow the LORD and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book.

 32 Then he had everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin pledge themselves to it; the people of Jerusalem did this in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors.

 33 Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the territory belonging to the Israelites, and he had all who were present in Israel serve the LORD their God. As long as he lived, they did not fail to follow the LORD, the God of their ancestors.

What is your reaction when you hear the scriptures read or when you read them to yourself. Do you say as David wrote in Ps. 119:97, “Oh ,how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long”?  Or in another place David wrote,” Your word is a light to my feet and a light to my path.” Ps 119:105

2Timothy 3:16-17 tells us….                                                                                                     

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

 Do you  put it to use in your own life? This is always a good choice. Read it, study it, and put what you learn into practice. What happens if you don’t eat proper meals ? Your physical body will suffer. And if you don’t eat for a long period of time, you probably will die.   It is the same with our Spiritual life. The Bible is our Spiritual food. One most read it daily in order to grow a healthy Spiritual life.  

So, in conclusion my questions to you are, which man do you want to be like? Manasseh, who waste the first part of his life, until God put a hook in his nose to get his attention? Or like Amon, who ignored all that he knew was right, chose to be wicked and ended being killed by his officials. Or like Josiah. He knew what God hated and destroyed anything in his life that might offend God. When he found the Scriptures, he didn’t assume he was a good man, but read them and let them tell him how to become a better man. And because of this he was able to lead his nation back to God.

  What are you actually doing? Take a look at your own life, this year. The last three years. What do you see? When Manasseh looked in the mirror, he could see the scars where God had put a hook in his nose to get his attention. Are you waiting for your own hook from God before you get serious about following Him? I hope not.

  Those of you who are following God, have you destroyed all the things in your life that could lead you away from God? Have you left anything in your life that will lead others away from God? Manasseh didn’t destroy all the idols and his children found them and worshipped them.

  Who is following you?  Are you making good choices that will be a good guide and example for those who are following you whether at home, at work, or in the church?  Please use the mind and ability that God has given you to make good choices. 

Words about Choises-by David May

                                                        2 Chronicles 33-34

God said to Adam, "I am going to make you a helper, a companion. What would you like your companion to be like?" Adam replied, "Well I want someone that is humorous, witty, intelligent, compassionate, caring, loving, trusting, polite, generous and beautiful." God paused a moment after Adam's wish list and told Adam that a companion like that 'would cost him an arm and a leg.' Adam seemed a little dejected and then brightly replied: "What can I get for a Rib?"

       Who is following you? Are you making good choices that will be a good guide and example for those who are following you, whether at home, at work, or in the church?

  I was asked the other day.  “Why does God allow human suffering such as tsunamis, flood, earthquakes, wars, murder, etc.?”  I don’t know. Take Job as a classic example. Here was a righteous man, yet he was not shielded from all these catastrophes that happened to him. Job was a very wealthy man. But he lost everything he owned. He lost all his children. However, in the end God returned everything and more back to him. Yet during job’s time of suffering, the question of “why” was never answered.  One most remember that God is sovereign. God has the right to do whatever He wants because He is supreme over the entire universe.

 “Whatever God plans is going to happen.” Is. 49:9-11.

No one can stop God from doing what He pleases. Psalm 135:6.

So why does God allow human suffering? To this question I simply answer I don’t know. I am not here this morning to talk about that question. But I am here this morning to talk about the choices that we can make.

 Why does God allow evil in the world?

    Here we must remember that God did not create evil. 

James 1:13-15.

    13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

                                                1

So where does evil come from? Matthew describes the source of evil: the human heart.

Matthew 15:19. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander….

 And the evil or good in the heart of a person, colors the choices that person will make.

 God did not create us like a robot so that He could control our every move. Example of a radio toy.  And a windup toy.  No, He gave us a mind, a will, and the ability to use them to make choices. But it is sad to say that man has not always used the mind God gave him to make good choices.  If we go back in history to Adam and Eve in the garden, we find the first bad choice man made.

 God told them that the garden and everything in it was theirs, except for one condition.” Do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”

But they chose to disobey God. Here then is the first bad choice made by man.

And that one bad choice has had lasting consequences-- the start of evil. And it carried on to their children Cain and Able. Cain was jealous of his brother and killed him- bad choice. From here the bad choices create by the evil in man’s hearts such as greed, jealousy, murder, stealing, lying, hatred, etc. have escalated down through history.

   This statement is often heard, ”IT is my life and I will do what I want.” It is your life all right, that part of the statement is right. But what choices you do make have an affect on everyone around you. 

  So with this in mind let us look at how the choices of three kings who ruled God’s people affect not only their lives but also the lives of those they ruled—the Israelites.

                                                                   2

1. Manasseh.   2Chronicles 33:1-17

              2 Chronicles 33:1-9.  1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. 2 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, following the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. 3 He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Bails and made Asherah poles. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. 4 He built altars in the temple of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “My Name will remain in Jerusalem forever.” 5 In both courts of the temple of the LORD, he built altars to all the starry hosts. 6 He sacrificed his children in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination and witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the LORD, arousing his anger.

 7 He took the image he had made and put it in God’s temple, of which God had said to David and to his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name forever. 8 I will not again make the feet of the Israelites leave the land I assigned to your ancestors, if only they will be careful to do everything I commanded them concerning all the laws, decrees and regulations given through Moses.” 9 But Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites.

 Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites. He even sacrificed his sons to false gods.

  What do you think God did? First He warned Manasseh to stop. But did he stop? No!!! Manasseh and his people would not listen to God. Let me repeat that, Manasseh and the people would not listen. So God sent the King of Assyria to attack Israel. The King captured Manasseh, put a hook in his nose, and chained his hands and led him like an animal back to Assyria as a war trophy.

But the story doesn’t stop here. “In his distress, he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before God”. And when he prayed to God,  God was moved by Manasseh’s entreaty and listened to his plea. So God forgave Manasseh and brought him back to Jerusalem and he ruled the country again.

 Here is an important story about God’s forgiveness. As we have read about all the evil things Manasseh did, yet when he humbled himself before God, God forgave him.

  Friend if you are thinking that you have done to many things in the past, such that God will not forgive. If the bad things in your past are keeping you from God, this lesson is for you, because God will forgive you no matter what you have done in the past. Do you ever feel that you are so bad that God couldn’t possibly hear your prayers?  Look at the evil Manasseh did. God still heard his prayers and restored both his life and his kingdom-- God let him be king for 55 years. He wasn’t a perfect king, but because he humbled himself before God, he and his nation was blessed.  When you humble yourself before God and repent of your sins, God says “As far as the East is from the West, He will remember them no more.”  

   But Friend, don’t be like Manasseh. God had to put a hook in his nose and lead him captive to another country in order to get his attention. Are you waiting for a hook from God before you are serious about following Him?  God is patient, but don’t push Him. 

   II remember a student I met at bible school. He had been in Vietnam. One day on patrol, the soldier in front of him stepped on a mine. Of course that soldier was killed instantly. And my friend behind him had both legs blown off just below the knees.  He told me the he loved to ski. That skiing was his god. He also told me that as he lay in the hospital bed, he realized the God use this to get his attention.

     I thank God every day that He didn’t have to use such a drastic measure on me to get my attention.. But by His Spirit, He gentle pulled me back to Him. Friend, if you are feeling The Spirit tugging on your heart, don’t resist Him. Make today the day you come to God.

2. Amon  2 Chronicles 33:21-25

 21 Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years. 22 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done. Amon worshiped and offered sacrifices to all the idols Manasseh had made. 23 But unlike his father Manasseh, he did not humble himself before the LORD; Amon increased his guilt.

    The  story of the next king is a very short and sad one. It is a shame that the lessons learned by the father are often lost on the son. After Manasseh died, his son Amon  succeeded him.  Even though he had seen his father’s life and what had happened to him, Amon chose  not to worship God. Another one of those bad choices I talked about earlier. He found some of the old alters and idols that had not been destroyed and brought them out, worshipped them and became more wick than his father had been.. Within two years of his rule, his officials assassinated him.  So his son, Josiah at the age of 8, took over Amon’s rule.

3. Josiah  2 Chronicles 34:1-8

Josiah’s Reforms

 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 followed 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 and idols. 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 and the idols. 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.

I don’t know how an 8 year old can rule a nation, but by the time he turned 16, he decided to follow the Lord. When he was 18, he began to destroy all the places of false worship around Jerusalem. He completely destroyed anything that could be used to worship other gods.

    When he was 26, he began to have the temple of the Lord repaired. It was at this time the workers found the books of Moses in the temple and brought them to Josiah. And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. And what was the kings’ reaction? When the king heard the words of the law he tore his robes……

2 Chronicles 34:29-33

29 Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 He went up to the temple of the LORD with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the Levites—all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the LORD. 31 The king stood by his pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the LORD—to follow the LORD and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book.

 32 Then he had everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin pledge themselves to it; the people of Jerusalem did this in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors.

 33 Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the territory belonging to the Israelites, and he had all who were present in Israel serve the LORD their God. As long as he lived, they did not fail to follow the LORD, the God of their ancestors.

What is your reaction when you hear the scriptures read or when you read them to yourself. Do you say as David wrote in Ps. 119:97, “Oh ,how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long”?  Or in another place David wrote,” Your word is a light to my feet and a light to my path.” Ps 119:105

2Timothy 3:16-17 tells us….                                                                                                     

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

 Do you  put it to use in your own life? This is always a good choice. Read it, study it, and put what you learn into practice. What happens if you don’t eat proper meals ? Your physical body will suffer. And if you don’t eat for a long period of time, you probably will die.   It is the same with our Spiritual life. The Bible is our Spiritual food. One most read it daily in order to grow a healthy Spiritual life. 

So, in conclusion my questions to you are, which man do you want to be like? Manasseh, who waste the first part of his life, until God put a hook in his nose to get his attention? Or like Amon, who ignored all that he knew was right, chose to be wicked and ended being killed by his officials. Or like Josiah. He knew what God hated and destroyed anything in his life that might offend God. When he found the Scriptures, he didn’t assume he was a good man, but read them and let them tell him how to become a better man. And because of this he was able to lead his nation back to God.

  What are you actually doing? Take a look at your own life, this year. The last three years. What do you see? When Manasseh looked in the mirror, he could see the scars where God had put a hook in his nose to get his attention. Are you waiting for your own hook from God before you get serious about following Him? I hope not.

  Those of you who are following God, have you destroyed all the things in your life that could lead you away from God? Have you left anything in your life that will lead others away from God? Manasseh didn’t destroy all the idols and his children found them and worshipped them.

  Who is following you?  Are you making good choices that will be a good guide and example for those who are following you whether at home, at work, or in the church?  Please use the mind and ability that God has given you to make good choices. 

Pray for Japan!

With all that is going on in Japan right now, the one thing that is really needed is for all our hearts to be drawn to Jesus.  I know that there are so many without homes and so many are still lost.  So much death.  Destruction every where.  But the heart needs to be still and know that He is God.

Do that right now.  Take some time today to sit down and get some rest.  We are all beat up.  Take care of your heart and your heart will be refreshed in the Lord.

Leadership: Who's in Charge? 1 Tmothy 3:1-7

As we saw last week, the leadership question might bring some concern for some in the church.  Some passages are not 100% clear as to the final meaning but most scriptures do give us a complete picture of the roles and functions of leaders.  Rather than look at the ones that are in question, we shall look at the verses that give us a very clear understanding of the roles of leadership in the Church. At the outset, I am learning with you.

Understand, first of all, that the Church is not a democracy.  It really isn’t.  Not every voice is equal.  Not every decision is made by the ALL.  The Church does not work that way.  It does not work in the Society; it does not work in the Church.  Both social networks and the Christian community works better than that.  Both has structure.  It is not our concern this morning to look at what the world has to offer man as far as leadership. We will look to the scriptures for our understanding and for our answers.

Time is the factor to look at here.  As I look at the Scriptures, it seems apparent that it was necessary for the congregation to exist for some time in order for the fellowship to mature.  There is a warning that a new believer not become a leader as he might fall into temptation.  What Paul was concerned with was that leadership would be tested and that testing be done over time.

Even Paul warned his own elders in Acts 20:27-30 that things could fall apart.

 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own Blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.”

31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. 

 36 When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. 38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship. 

I find it outrageous that the leaders were really more concerned that they would not see Paul again and apparently not concerned for the well-being of the flock NOR how fast some of them were going to turn away from Christ and become enemies of the Gospel.  From among them! distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. No longer Christ-centered but man-centered.

The exact role of the elders are not detailed for us in the New Testament.  The character traits are.  What you are is what you do. They would show Spiritual maturity.  Maybe of some age.  They would be concerned with spiritual matters that affected the Christians under their care. 

The role of the elders do, however, requires some very distinctive spiritual gifts as well as a developed Christian character.  All believers are called to be mature in Christ but not all believers are called to be elders in the Church. This is indeed, a high calling.

There is one critical ministry of elders found in 1 Timothy 5:17 “The elders who direct the affairs of the church.”  The ones who ‘oversee’ the ministry are called to direct the affairs of the fellowship—spiritual well-being—as a good shepherd.

Let us look at 1 Peter 2:25 For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.  The role or task of Jesus here is both administrative as well as judicial. To oversee-authority. He is the One who looks out for us. 

Certain spiritual gifts of overseeing are necessary to understand and guard the Fellowship as they work out their Faith in life and practice.  The elder calls for insight into the nature of the Church and needs an understanding of how the Body of Christ functions and perhaps, also, has understanding of the way the gift of administration operates.

Titus 1:5-9: blameless, Husband of one wife, having believing children [not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient], blameless, not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not addicted to drunkenness, not violent [belligerent or aggressive], not a money-lover, hospitable, lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, disciplined, holding fast the Word, able to encourage [teach] sound doctrine, able to refute objections.

1 Tim 3:1-7: above reproach, temperate, respectable, not quarrelsome, manage his own family, not a resent convert, have a good reputation with outsiders.

1 Peter 5:1-4: willing to serve, not under compulsion or obligation, eager to serve, not lording it over the flock, as an example.

We can see six words that some out as a summery of these verses:  

 1. Integrity-the Overseer’s word is true.  His life is one of high quality.  He is a man of integrity.  

 2. High Morality-he is a man of one wife (or a one-woman-man). 

 3. Hospitable-he reaches out.  Same root word for hospital.  He is a hospital. Gives care and healing.

 4. Humility-not a resent convert.  Time to grow up in his Faith. 

 5. Honest-dealing with ¥, $.  And 

 6. Harmony-he is a peace-maker.  No rough edges. His walk is one of harmony and at ease even in hard times.

Here is the framework. Understand this very open truth: everyone in the Body of Christ should have these character traits.  Not just the leaders.  We are called to One Body. We are called to be Holy as the Lord God is Holy.  We are part of Christ's Body.  Therefore, we are all called to live a life for Him with that is without blemish.  We are forgiven.  We are set apart to Him, therefore, we are to live a life that reflect His Oneness and Holiness.

Next time: the second half of this talk on being an "Overseer".  Stay on the course.  Keep your eyes on Jesus!