TITLE: "Turning Completely to God"
SCRIPTURE: 2 Kings 23:24-25
Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the LORD as he did — with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.
OBSERVATION: King Josiah was an unusual king during this period of Judah’s history. Most of the kings before him and after him, including his own sons were corrupt and sinful. But Josiah stood out like a diamond in the rough. During his short reign, Josiah removed all of the shrines and idols from the high places and burned them into powder. The bible said of Josiah that he turned to the LORD with all his heart, soul, and strength.
APPLICATION: The culture we live in today is similar in many respects to the promiscuous life-style of Judah during the days of King Josiah. In Central Oregon, where eight out of ten people are unchurched, those who turn to the LORD with all their heart, soul, and strength are rare and don’t ‘fit in.’ Periodically, we need a self-examination, to see what our idols are, those things that take us away from loving and worshiping the only true God. It might be your career, sport, hobby, or other obsession. Is there anything in your life that is keeping you from turning completely to God? What do you need to do to correct it?
PRAYER: Almighty Father, help me to clearly see the distractions and obsessions in my life that get in the way between you and I. Help me to shape my life in a way to bring you into the center of my day, every day. Grace my life with the fortitude to turn to you completely, with all my heart, soul, and strength.
Monday, August 4th, 2008 by Randy
TITLE:
“A Responsive Heart”
SCRIPTURE:
Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the LORD. 2 Chronicles 34:27 (NIV)
OBSERVATION:
At the age of 16, Josiah, the king of Judah, “began to seek God” (2 Chron 34:3). Even though he was just a teenager, he showed more godly leadership than most of his predecessors. His example reminds me that we should never let “age” hinder what God wants to do.
Yet the real turning point came when Hilkiah found the Book of the Law and gave it to Josiah. Josiah had been seeking God, but not with clear understanding. Many scholars believe this book they found may have been the book of Deuteronomy. In the past, God’s law had been discarded and ignored by the evil kings, but now God’s commands were made clear. How did Josiah respond? The Bible says that he his “heart was responsive” and he humbled himself before God. His heart change led to life change! He obeyed God’s word and tore down the false idols and reestablished God’s law.
APPLICATION:
Our hearts can “respond” to many things around us. God wants us to respond to Him! Just like Josiah, I need to have a responsive heart to the things of God. I need to be more committed to learning from God’s word and doing his will then every before. My notes make this important application…“reading God's Word is not enough; we must be willing to do what it says.” The Bible may not be “lost” in our day and age, but it might as well be, if I fail to read it and do what it says.
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, I want to know and do your will. May my heart to be responsive to you! AMEN.
“A Responsive Heart”
SCRIPTURE:
Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the LORD. 2 Chronicles 34:27 (NIV)
OBSERVATION:
At the age of 16, Josiah, the king of Judah, “began to seek God” (2 Chron 34:3). Even though he was just a teenager, he showed more godly leadership than most of his predecessors. His example reminds me that we should never let “age” hinder what God wants to do.
Yet the real turning point came when Hilkiah found the Book of the Law and gave it to Josiah. Josiah had been seeking God, but not with clear understanding. Many scholars believe this book they found may have been the book of Deuteronomy. In the past, God’s law had been discarded and ignored by the evil kings, but now God’s commands were made clear. How did Josiah respond? The Bible says that he his “heart was responsive” and he humbled himself before God. His heart change led to life change! He obeyed God’s word and tore down the false idols and reestablished God’s law.
APPLICATION:
Our hearts can “respond” to many things around us. God wants us to respond to Him! Just like Josiah, I need to have a responsive heart to the things of God. I need to be more committed to learning from God’s word and doing his will then every before. My notes make this important application…“reading God's Word is not enough; we must be willing to do what it says.” The Bible may not be “lost” in our day and age, but it might as well be, if I fail to read it and do what it says.
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, I want to know and do your will. May my heart to be responsive to you! AMEN.
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