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5/31/2009 Heavenly Father,
There are times when people want us to commit to something and we do it, even though it isn’t in your will, it may even be that we have been tricked into it. In God’s eyes though had we asked Him before we committed He would have directed or opened our eyes to the truth; however, once we have made the commitment, we need to follow through on it as our word has to be true. Lord, I pray for wisdom when I am going to make a commitment or promise that I will only take on the things that are a part of your plans so that I don’t end up in a situation where the judgment is required for your righteousness to be upheld like in the days of David when there was a famine because Saul broke the commitment made way back when Israel first entered the promise land. Lord, also grant me wisdom to turn to You when I don’t feel your blessing over my life to turn to You so that I can see if there might have been something I or in my generational history has done that is holding back Your blessings. Today is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it. Lord, I also pray for Your hand to be upon my calendar so that Your Will can be done and no issues around scheduling conflicts would come and prevent me from blessing those who You have sent into my life in the way(s) and time(s) You have chosen and Lord I will give You the praise and the glory and the honor, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Daily Devotional: The Cost of Broken Covenants
During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the Lord. - 2 Samuel 21:1a Daily Reading: Isaiah 24:1-25:9; Psalm 66:5-7; Proverbs 14:12
Universal Judgment and Blessing
5/29/2009 WOW - The Big Picture 5/29 
May 29 The Glory of Messiah's Kingdom Isaiah 11-12; Psalm 65:2-4; Proverbs 14:10 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse,And a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him,
The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The Spirit of counsel and might,
The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.
His delight is in the fear of the LORD,
And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes,
Nor decide by the hearing of His ears;
But with righteousness He shall judge the poor,
And decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,
And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins,
And faithfulness the belt of His waist.
"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
The leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
The calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze;
Their young ones shall lie down together;
And the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play by the cobra's hole,
And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD
As the waters cover the sea.
"And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse,
Who shall stand as a banner to the people;
For the Gentiles shall seek Him,
And His resting place shall be glorious."
It shall come to pass in that day
That the Lord shall set His hand again the second time
To recover the remnant of His people who are left,
From Assyria and Egypt,
From Pathros and Cush,
From Elam and Shinar,
From Hamath and the islands of the sea.
He will set up a banner for the nations,
And will assemble the outcasts of Israel,
And gather together the dispersed of Judah
From the four corners of the earth.
Also the envy of Ephraim shall depart,
And the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off;
Ephraim shall not envy Judah,
And Judah shall not harass Ephraim.
But they shall fly down upon the shoulder of the Philistines toward the west; Together they shall plunder the people of the East; They shall lay their hand on Edom and Moab;
And the people of Ammon shall obey them.
The LORD will utterly destroy the tongue of the Sea of Egypt; With His mighty wind He will shake His fist over the River, And strike it in the seven streams, And make men cross over dryshod.
There will be a highway for the remnant of His people
Who will be left from Assyria,
As it was for Israel
In the day that he came up from the land of Egypt.
And in that day you will say:
"O LORD, I will praise You;
Though You were angry with me,
Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me.
Behold, God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid;
'For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and song;
He also has become my salvation.'"
Therefore with joy you will draw water
From the wells of salvation.
And in that day you will say:
"Praise the LORD, call upon His name;
Declare His deeds among the peoples,
Make mention that His name is exalted.
Sing to the LORD,
For He has done excellent things;
This is known in all the earth.
Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion,
For great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst!"
Isaiah 11-12 WORSHIP O You who hear prayer,
To You all flesh will come.
Iniquities prevail against me;
As for our transgressions,
You will provide atonement for them.
Blessed is the man You choose,
And cause to approach You,
That he may dwell in Your courts.
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,
Of Your holy temple.
Psalm 65:2-4 WISDOM The heart knows its own bitterness,
And a stranger does not share its joy.
Proverbs 14:10  Would you like your own copy of this devotional?
5/27/2009 The Sign of Immanuel's Coming Isaiah 7:1-8:10; Psalm 64:1-3; Proverbs 14:7 Moreover the LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying, "Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above." But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!" Then he said, "Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings. The LORD will bring the king of Assyria upon you and your people and your father's house-days that have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah."
WORSHIP Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation;
Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,
From the rebellion of the workers of iniquity,
Who sharpen their tongue like a sword,
And bend their bows to shoot their arrows-bitter words.
Psalm 64:1-3 WISDOM Go from the presence of a foolish man,
When you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge.
Proverbs 14:7 
The Greatest Test By Os Hillman, May 27, 2009 Powered By Marketplace Leaders I know, my God, that You test the heart and are pleased with integrity. - 1 Chronicles 29:17a
God tests His children to know what is in their hearts. God's desire for each of His children is to walk in relationship with Him, to uphold His righteousness and integrity. It is a high calling that we will fail to achieve without complete dependence on Him.
The greatest tests come not in great adversities, but in great prosperity. For it is in prosperity that we begin to lose the sensitivity to sin in our lives. Adversity motivates us to righteousness out of a desire to see our adversity changed. Prosperity fails to provide this motivation for obedience. We fall into a satisfaction and confidence in life that is based on our prosperity rather than on God.
Hezekiah was a great godly king. He was a faithful, God-honoring king most of his life, but toward the end he became proud. God wanted to find out if he would still honor Him and recognize His blessings in his life. He failed the test when God sent an envoy to his palace to inquire about a miracle that God performed on behalf of Hezekiah. The test was designed to find out if Hezekiah would publicly acknowledge the miracle performed on his behalf.
But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart (2 Chronicle 32:31).
Hezekiah's failure resulted in his children failing to carry on as rulers of Israel, and the nation would eventually be taken over by Babylon.
The lesson of Hezekiah is clear. If we are to remain faithful to our Lord, we must remain steadfast in our obedience to Him. Prosperity can be our greatest test. Ask the Lord to give you the grace to be a faithful follower during times of prosperity. You can receive the TGIF Daily Devotional FREE by email each day - start today!
Copyright 2000. Used by permission from Os Hillman and MarketplaceLeaders.org | Bookstore TGIF Reprint Policy | TGIF Archives | TGIF Monthly NewsletterTGIF Bookmarks | Os Hillman Speaking Inquiries 
Signup for Free Email 5/26/2009 Today's Reading: The Call of a Prophet
Isaiah 6; Psalm 63:6-8; Proverbs 14:6 Today's Devotional: Hearing the Father Speak
My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.
- John 10:27
Heavenly Father,
I thank You for this new day and all that is within it. I look to You for a word, a word that I can speak a word that I can share with those around me who are feeling down are feeling despair, that a word would be spoke to fill their sails and help them rise up. Lord, I know You speak to us, to this very day. I know that if we will listen, You will speak. If we ask, You will answer. Lord, Your Word says that You will never leave us nor forsake us. Lord, Your Word says to seek the Lord with all our hearts, all our minds, and all our strength. Your Word says, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and that You will take care of the rest. For You know what we need, You are able to exceedingly, abundantly more than we could ever ask or imagine. Lord, help us today to open the door when You knock. Help us today to ask and then to stop and listen to hear what You will say, for I know our busy lives sometimes cause us to ask and then off to the next thing, kind of like our children who are always onto the next thing before ever fully hearing and realizing what was just done or said. Thank You Lord for the promises and the power, the hope that is within me and I give You all the praise and all the glory and all the honor, in Jesus' name. Amen. 5/22/2009 God's Preparation for Moving Out May 22, 2009 • By Os Hillman In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and maidservants and menservants, and camels and donkeys. - Genesis 30:43
Jacob left his homeland after suffering a broken relationship with Esau for stealing the family blessing. He went to work for his uncle Laban where he stayed for 20 years. It came time for him to leave, but he had no physical assets to show for those years under Laban. Laban had taken advantage of his nephew in every way. (In some ways, Jacob was reaping the seed he had sown his entire life as a manipulator and controller.) Nevertheless, God's hand was on Jacob, and He had plans to prosper him. However, Jacob had one problem - he had no resources of his own. For Jacob to launch out on his own, he would need resources. In those days, resources often meant large flocks of animals. God gave Jacob a dream that resulted in a strategy for creating wealth by multiplying his sheep. Even though Laban sought to thwart Jacob's efforts, God overcame the evil in Laban to allow Jacob to prosper.
There are many important lessons for us in this story. First, when God decides it is time to move you into a larger place of His calling, He has the ability to provide the resources you need to support the call. God gave Jacob a dream that resulted in a strategy never used before to build wealth. It was totally from God's hand. It was creative and new. God called Jacob to move out after he had demonstrated his faithfulness in 20 years of serving Laban. He learned to live under authority and served Laban faithfully, even though he knew he was being taken advantage of.
God will do the same for you and me. However, a word of caution: Be sure the strategy is born from above, and not from self-effort. The difficulty for most of us workplace believers is to learn the difference between the strategies born of God versus the strategy of self-effort. Copyright 2000. Used by permission from Os Hillman and MarketplaceLeaders.org | Bookstore TGIF Reprint Policy | TGIF Archives | TGIF Monthly NewsletterTGIF Bookmarks | Os Hillman Speaking Inquiries 5/21/2009 ..."Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it." - Genesis 28:16
Heavenly Father,
I wouldn’t give up the encounter I have had with you back in 2000. Lord, I would trade what I have now for what I had lost prior to coming to the place I was in at the end of 2000. Lord, when I look at some of the finances that were lost, when I look at moving far away from family and friends, when I look at changing jobs, these all took place in order that I could have an encounter with You. I may have had head knowledge of You when I went through the confirmation class at my old Anglican church, but it wasn’t till I was moved to a new place in a new country without the distractions of life, that not only my life, but the life of my family was transformed by a divine appointment and training path with God. And to have been able to see how Your hand was on me before even when I wasn’t aware and to see it now as You help me so many times in so many ways since then. God I lift up this day in praise to give You glory and honor, in Jesus’ name. Amen. 5/20/2009 The Plumbline of God Heavenly Father,
I thank You for this new day and for speaking to my heart about the mighty men and how they became mighty men and how David had to invest in them. Lord, how if we take the time to invest in others, that You can take that work and raise up and call others to be mighty men and women for You. Lord, today as I walk into all that You have before me, I pray that You will guide my steps, my thoughts, and my words, that people will be drawn to You because of the way I act, because of the things I say, and because of the way I respond. Help me Lord to not only be an ambassador for You, but also to be a mighty man of God for You. That Lord, You would receive such praise and honor and glory, in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Plumb line:
a line to which a weight is attached to find the depth or to verify a true vertical alignment - How deep do you go with God?
- How deep will you allow God to go with you?
- Are you in alignment with God? True alignment?
- Are you willing to come into alignment with God?
Would you want to live in a world where the voice of God is no longer heard? - Do you take time to read from the Word of God and hear what He has to say to you and about you?
- Do you take time to talk with God in prayer?
- Do you take time to stop and listen?
- Prayer is a two way communication – it’s a conversation.
- If not, will you start before it is too late?
- Are you called by God’s name?
- Do you belong to Him?
5/17/2009
Being a Person Under Authority
By Os Hillman, May 17, 2009
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..."I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith." - Matthew 8:10
The centurion came to Jesus and told Him of his servant who was paralyzed and in terrible suffering. He came to Jesus because he believed He could heal him. He told Jesus of the matter, and Jesus was willing to come with the centurion. But the centurion would not have it. He knew that Jesus, being under the authority of Heaven itself, did not have to see the servant to help him. The centurion understood authority. He understood that he himself had certain rights that his position granted him to have power over situations and people. He also was a man under authority. The centurion understood Jesus' position and what power that position held in Heaven - the power to heal his servant if He chose to exercise that authority.
When Jesus saw that the centurion understood this principle of authority and that He did not have to visit the servant to heal him, He acknowledged the centurion's faith. Jesus knew it took great faith to understand authority and whether He had the authority to do what was being asked.
God has placed a system of authority in our world that requires faith to operate under its boundaries: fathers over sons and daughters, employers over employees, government leaders over the people, church leaders over church members. These are authority structures God has placed in our lives to protect and guide us to His will. Some confuse position with worthiness or qualifications of that position. It is the position that God works through. The fact that an authority may not be a Christian may have no bearing on whether God can work through him as your authority. It is only when that authority counsels against a biblical mandate that we should not follow that person's guidance. The hand of the king is in the hand of God.
Today, we find few who understand this system of authority God has ordained. It requires great faith to operate in this realm. Yet Jesus said that when we understand this, we demonstrate the kind of faith that He rarely sees. Be a person of rare faith. See the authorities placed in your life as those God is using to protect you.
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5/15/2009 Overcoming Our Past By Os Hillman, May 15, 2009 Powered By Marketplace Leaders Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah. - Judges 11:29a We've all heard stories of individuals who have overcome extreme hardship during their childhood years. Children of alcoholics, orphans who never have parents, loss of parents to a fatal crash, childhood disease – these are all difficult circumstances to overcome. Jephthah was a man who overcame his obstacles and refused to allow his circumstances to prevent him from becoming great in God's sight. He was born to Gilead, a result of his father's adulterous encounter with a prostitute. Gilead's wife, who had bore more sons, decided to reject Jephthah, and drove him away from their home saying, "You are not going to get any inheritance in our family because you are the son of another woman." Imagine the rejection this young man felt as he was cast away from his own family. This experience taught Jephthah to become a hardened warrior. Today he probably would have been part of a street gang. As he got older, his reputation as a warrior became known to those in his country, so much so that when the Ammonites made war on Israel, the elders of Gilead went to Jephthah and asked him to be their commander. Jephthah had to fight off those feelings of rejection from previous years. "Didn't you hate me and drive me from my father's house?" he responded. He overcame his hurt and pain, and responded to the call God had on his life.
It is said that if we were to help the butterfly remove itself from the cocoon, the butterfly would not be strong enough to survive. It is the struggle that prepares the butterfly to become strong enough to fly. Without the struggle in the cocoon, it could not survive as a butterfly. The Lord prepares each of us in similar ways. Some of our childhoods seem to have been harsh and born from a seemingly unloving God. However, the Lord knows our struggle and will make our life an instrument in His hand if we will follow Him with an upright heart. He does make all things beautiful in His time if we are willing to be patient. You can receive the TGIF Daily Devotional FREE by email each day - start today!
Copyright 2000. Used by permission from Os Hillman and MarketplaceLeaders.org | Bookstore TGIF Reprint Policy | TGIF Archives | TGIF Monthly NewsletterTGIF Bookmarks | Os Hillman Speaking Inquiries Signup for Free Email 5/14/2009 Heavenly Father,
I thank You for this new day. My goals and my purposes are in You and from You. I thank You for Your Word that helps to teach, to direct, and to correct my daily path. My hope and trust are in You as I look at many of the signs taking place in this world and pray that You will give people the courage to do what is right. I pray that people will feel the courage and conviction to speak truth to those around them to help save them from possible problems they could avoid. I know Lord that Your Word says that in this world we will have trouble, not might, not could, but will. Help us to respond appropriately. Help us to do what is right in Your sight. And Lord, I lift up this day to You giving You all the praise all the glory all the honor in Jesus' name. Lord, I also lift up those who have lost their jobs and are looking for new jobs. Help provide for their needs and reveal Yourself to them clearly in a very powerful way. As in days of old when You provided manna and clothe that never wore out, help Your people through these challenging times to hold on to all You are and do. Thank You Lord - I Love You.
A Two-way Relationship By Os Hillman, May 14, 2009 Powered By Marketplace Leaders He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught. - Isaiah 50:4b
The prophet Isaiah describes his relationship to God as a relationship that has two-way communication. Have you ever felt that your communication with God was only one way - you to Him only? Isaiah tells us, "The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary.... The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears, and I have not been rebellious; I have not drawn back" (Is. 50:4-5).
The key to Isaiah's relationship with God lies in four important principles:
1. He had an instructed tongue. Isaiah had given over rule of his life completely to God's purposes.
2. He knew the word of the Lord, which allowed him to sustain and encourage others.
3. He took time to listen.
4. He did not flee from the tough assignments. He didn't shrink back.
If we are to be able to listen to God, we must follow the same principles. Knowing and spending time studying God's Word allows the Holy Spirit to bring to mind His instructions for what He wants for us. Recently, I became very busy in my work and other activities. It wasn't long before I felt distance between God and me. I had to make a conscious decision to carve out more time alone to listen, study, and meditate on His Word. This is the lifeline for the follower of Jesus. When we begin to lose the relationship, we are susceptible to becoming rebellious, going our own way. Invest your life in this relationship so that you may continue to hear His voice and sustain the weary ones around you. You can receive the TGIF Daily Devotional FREE by email each day - start today!
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May 14 Bad News for Edom -Obadiah; Psalm 57:9-11; Proverbs 13:18 The vision of Obadiah.
Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom
(We have heard a report from the LORD,
And a messenger has been sent among the nations, saying,
"Arise, and let us rise up against her for battle"):
"Behold, I will make you small among the nations;
You shall be greatly despised.
The pride of your heart has deceived you,
You who dwell in the clefts of the rock,
Whose habitation is high;
You who say in your heart, 'Who will bring me down to the ground?' Though you ascend as high as the eagle, And though you set your nest among the stars,
From there I will bring you down," says the LORD.
"If thieves had come to you,
If robbers by night-
Oh, how you will be cut off!-
Would they not have stolen till they had enough?
If grape-gatherers had come to you,
Would they not have left some gleanings?
"Oh, how Esau shall be searched out!
How his hidden treasures shall be sought after!
All the men in your confederacy
Shall force you to the border;
The men at peace with you
Shall deceive you and prevail against you.
Those who eat your bread shall lay a trap for you.
No one is aware of it.
"Will I not in that day," says the LORD,
"Even destroy the wise men from Edom,
And understanding from the mountains of Esau?
Then your mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed,
To the end that everyone from the mountains of Esau
May be cut off by slaughter.
"For violence against your brother Jacob,
Shame shall cover you,
And you shall be cut off forever.
In the day that you stood on the other side-
In the day that strangers carried captive his forces,
When foreigners entered his gates
And cast lots for Jerusalem-
Even you were as one of them.
But you should not have gazed on the day of your brother
In the day of his captivity;
Nor should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah
In the day of their destruction;
Nor should you have spoken proudly
In the day of distress.
You should not have entered the gate of My people
In the day of their calamity.
Indeed, you should not have gazed on their affliction
In the day of their calamity,
Nor laid hands on their substance
In the day of their calamity.
You should not have stood at the crossroads
To cut off those among them who escaped;
Nor should you have delivered up those among them who remained In the day of distress. "For the day of the LORD upon all the nations is near;
As you have done, it shall be done to you;
Your reprisal shall return upon your own head.
For as you drank on My holy mountain,
So shall all the nations drink continually;
Yes, they shall drink, and swallow,
And they shall be as though they had never been.
"But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance,
And there shall be holiness;
The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.
The house of Jacob shall be a fire,
And the house of Joseph a flame;
But the house of Esau shall be stubble;
They shall kindle them and devour them,
And no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau,"
For the LORD has spoken.
The South shall possess the mountains of Esau,
And the Lowland shall possess Philistia.
They shall possess the fields of Ephraim
And the fields of Samaria.
Benjamin shall possess Gilead.
And the captives of this host of the children of Israel
Shall possess the land of the Canaanites
As far as Zarephath.
The captives of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad
Shall possess the cities of the South.
Then saviors shall come to Mount Zion
To judge the mountains of Esau,
And the kingdom shall be the LORD's.
Obadiah WORSHIP I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing to You among the nations.
For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens,
And Your truth unto the clouds.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.
Psalm 57:9-11 WISDOM Poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction, But he who regards a rebuke will be honored. Proverbs 13:18 Would you like your own copy of this devotional? 5/11/2009 An Encounter With God By Os Hillman, May 11, 2009 Powered By Marketplace Leaders So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision, I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless. - Daniel 10:8
Daniel received a vision that troubled him greatly. He wanted understanding of this vision. He set himself out to understand the vision by fasting for three weeks. Three days after his three weeks of fasting, a messenger of God appeared to Daniel. The messenger explained that Heaven had heard his prayer from the first day, but the angel was temporarily prevented from coming by the prince of Persia, a demon angel, who sought to thwart God's messenger from coming to Daniel.
There are times in our lives when we must set ourselves to seeking God with all our hearts. It is in these times that we hear from Heaven in ways we may never have experienced before. Daniel's perseverance in prayer was rewarded with a personal encounter with Heaven. However, in order to receive from God, Daniel had to be left alone, have his strength removed, and be placed in a helpless condition. When we have no ability in our own strength to move Heaven or the events around us, we are in position to hear from Heaven. It is the acknowledgment of our humanity and our frailness that places us in a position to have a personal encounter with the living God.
Do you need a personal encounter with God today? Do you need God to intervene on your behalf? Seek Him with all your heart. Demonstrate to Him you are serious. Get alone and acknowledge your helpless condition before Him. He will reward you with His presence. You can receive the TGIF Daily Devotional FREE by email each day - start today! Copyright 2000. Used by permission from Os Hillman and MarketplaceLeaders.org | Bookstore TGIF Reprint Policy | TGIF Archives | TGIF Monthly NewsletterTGIF Bookmarks | Os Hillman Speaking Inquiries Signup for Free Email
WOW - The Big Picture 5/11 May 11 Assyria Attacks Jerusalem 2Kings 18:1-8,13-18,26-37; 19:1-7,32-37; Psalm 56:2-4; Proverbs 13:15 Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea the son of Elah, king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to reign. He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father David had done. He removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it, and called it Nehushtan. He trusted in the LORD God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him. For he held fast to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses. The LORD was with him; he prospered wherever he went. And he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. He subdued the Philistines, as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city. And in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them. Then Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, "I have done wrong; turn away from me; whatever you impose on me I will pay." And the king of Assyria assessed Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. So Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king's house. At that time Hezekiah stripped the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria. Then the king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh from Lachish, with a great army against Jerusalem, to King Hezekiah. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. When they had come up, they went and stood by the aqueduct from the upper pool, which was on the highway to the Fuller's Field. And when they had called to the king, Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came out to them. Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, "Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it; and do not speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people who are on the wall." But the Rabshakeh said to them, "Has my master sent me to your master and to you to speak these words, and not to the men who sit on the wall, who will eat and drink their own waste with you?" Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out with a loud voice in Hebrew, and spoke, saying, "Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! Thus says the king: 'Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he shall not be able to deliver you from his hand; nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, "The LORD will surely deliver us; this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria."' Do not listen to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria: 'Make peace with me by a present and come out to me; and every one of you eat from his own vine and every one from his own fig tree, and every one of you drink the waters of his own cistern; until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive groves and honey, that you may live and not die. But do not listen to Hezekiah, lest he persuade you, saying, "The LORD will deliver us." Has any of the gods of the nations at all delivered its land from the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim and Hena and Ivah? Indeed, have they delivered Samaria from my hand? Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their countries from my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?'" But the people held their peace and answered him not a word; for the king's commandment was, "Do not answer him." Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him the words of the Rabshakeh. And so it was, when King Hezekiah heard it, that he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD. Then he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz. And they said to him, "Thus says Hezekiah: 'This day is a day of trouble, and rebuke, and blasphemy; for the children have come to birth, but there is no strength to bring them forth. It may be that the LORD your God will hear all the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to reproach the living God, and will rebuke the words which the LORD your God has heard. Therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.'" So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah. And Isaiah said to them, "Thus you shall say to your master, 'Thus says the LORD: "Do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. Surely I will send a spirit upon him, and he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land."'" "Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria: 'He shall not come into this city, Nor shoot an arrow there,
Nor come before it with shield,
Nor build a siege mound against it.
By the way that he came,
By the same shall he return;
And he shall not come into this city,'
Says the LORD.
'For I will defend this city, to save it
For My own sake and for My servant David's sake.'"
And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the LORD went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses-all dead. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went away, returned home, and remained at Nineveh. Now it came to pass, as he was worshiping in the temple of Nisroch his god, that his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. Then Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place. 2 Kings 18:1-8, 13-18, 26-37; 19:1-7, 32-37 WORSHIP My enemies would hound me all day,
For there are many who fight against me, O Most High.
Whenever I am afraid,
I will trust in You.
In God (I will praise His word),
In God I have put my trust;
I will not fear.
What can flesh do to me?
Psalm 56:2-4 WISDOM Good understanding gains favor,
But the way of the unfaithful is hard.
Proverbs 13:15 5/5/2009 Heavenly Father,
I know that sometime we are expecting such big things that we assume that if we are to accomplish what You are asking, we need to do something huge. Your Word Lord shows us that we don’t need to expect that we have to do incredible things that seem beyond comprehension to see great and incredible miracles, but that we need to be obedient to Your Word and Your directions. Help me today I pray to listen to Your promptings, that the whisper of the Holy Spirit will be sufficient for me to act and be obedient. Lord, allow me to response and be obedient. Lord, I thank You for this day, Your Word, and the devotions that You have provide me. May You receive all the praise and all the glory and all the honor today, in Jesus’ name. Amen
Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha's house. And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean." But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, "Indeed, I said to myself, 'He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.' Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage. And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, 'Wash, and be clean'?" So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 2 Kings 2:1-25; 5:1-14
Today’s Devotional: When God Seems Far Away Why, O Lord, do You stand far off? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble? - Psalm 10:1 Today’s Reading: WOW - The Big Picture 5/5 WORSHIP The fool has said in his heart,
"There is no God."
They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity;
There is none who does good.
God looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
Every one of them has turned aside;
They have together become corrupt;
There is none who does good,
No, not one.
Psalm 53:1-3 WISDOM The light of the righteous rejoices,
But the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
Proverbs 13:9 5/4/2009 by Pastor Steve Jamison I. Let us draw near to God Hebrews 10:19-25 · We draw near through the Word of God. · We draw near through authentic worship. · We draw near through a spirit of humility and surrender before God. · We draw near by placing Christ ahead of everything else in our lives. · Our church is committed to preaching the uncompromised Word of God. · We believe in the power of an encounter with the Lord and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. · We are on a quest to be a Spirit-filled, Spirit-led people. II. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess. Hebrews 10:23 · God has called us to stay on course—to be people who will not give up or quit. · The one who promised is faithful! · We are pregnant with ministry and vision. · Pregnancy is both glorious and at times very uncomfortable. · The vision God has called us to requires deep commitment and a spirit of sacrifice. · John Maxwell—“You cannot be part of the crowd and achieve your dreams at the same time”. · Strong Biblical leadership is vital to a healthy and vibrant church body. · We have a great team of leaders and they need your support and prayers. III. Let us consider how we may spur each other oon toward love and good deeds. Hebrews 10:24 · Ministry is most effective in authentic community. · Get invested in ministry—pull the rip cord and get in. · Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2). · Love the Lord and your neighbor—this is the “law of Christ” (Galatians 5:14, Mark 12:29-32) IV. Let us not give up meeting together. Hebrews 10:25, Matthew 18:20 · The meeting of the people of God should be your number one agenda item weekly. · Your ministry in the world will be compromised if you are not growing in fellowship and the Word. · The church should be the center of our lives and we should pull others their through love and service. · Where two or three are gathered in his name he is there! V. Let us encourage one another. Hebrews 10:25 · People need encouragement—we all are empowered when someone stands with us. · Be a person who emboldens someone else instead of the critic that tears people down. · Ask God to use you to be an encourager in the body of Christ!
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