I’m beyond excited about the direction of my ministry. Thanks to a generous act on my sister Shelia’s part and the grace of Almighty God, I will soon be a 501c3 ministry which will open the doors for me to do more and create a team of ministry people, not just solo me. Who is sometimes (oftentimes) so tired. So what does that have to do with the message today?
It has to do with the great commission in Matthew 28:19-20 ~ 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
As children of God that should be our primary focus. So today is a Recharge Monday. I needed it. Not that I’ve forgotten that it’s my responsibility as a disciple of the Lord Jesus, but that my battery sometimes runs low.
So How’s your Battery Doing?
Who doesn’t need a recharge? I need one multiple times a day. Burdens get on me like cat and dog hair on a black sweater. That should sum it up pretty good if you’ve been around critters. So how does my ministry, your battery and all this tie together?
By me doing what I’ve been called to do, which on Monday is to recharge your battery after I first recharge mine.
I did that today as I read 2 Chronicles 15, verses 1-15.
Asa is returning from battle and he’s met by a prophet who encourages him to go on with the work of the reformation of Israel by promising him that the presence and help of God will go with him.
Well, I’m not a prophet, but I can make that promise to you today because I have it too. It is freely given to anyone who seeks God. He is a very present help available to us without even speaking a word. He just knows.
Whether or not you’ve been in a battle, Monday’s always seem to bring on the feeling of too much work for one week. At least that’s how mine is starting.
So… back to the story. Asa is returning from battle. And the word reads.
1And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:
2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.
3 Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.
One sure fire way to get into trouble is to not have the teaching of God. As a teacher, I need taught. I don’t profess to know everything. But I know where to find it. And if I can’t find it, I have a Pastor who can help me find it. He may not have the answer off the top of his head either, because he’s not done learning. So point one for today is
Seek Him While You Can
Finding time in a day to get alone with God may not be easy, but it should be a priority. Israel had gotten themselves into trouble, into a battle because they’d been without three things. The Power of God, The Prophecy of God and the Practices of God.
If you’re a child of God, saved by the blood of Jesus, you can’t lose God, but you can lose His power by not renewing your relationship with Him on a daily basis. Not just on Sunday, but every day.
The Word of God is forever, because it’s settled in Heaven. It hasn’t been the most read book in the world without reason. God made it that way. But our failure to read it, the very prophecy of God will suck the life out of you like leaving the lights on in your car. The juice, the water of the word eventually drains out like the juice in a battery if we’re not renewing ourselves by reading His word.
And while we’re not under the law as the Israelites were, being away from God for very long will cause you to forget the practices of Christianity. The behaviors. It’s so easy to get drawn away from the things of God and into the things of the world without warning when we’re not in a good relationship with God Almighty.
So every day we need to be seeking the power of God, Reading the Prophecy of God and living in the practice of God.
Serve Him While You Can
4 But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.
5 And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries.
6 And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity.
7 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.
It’s a privilege to go, teach and observe everything that God shows us in His word. I know that not everyone is a teacher, but you are an example. When the children of Israel got into trouble they sought God. That’s good advice! And it’s always the example we want to set for others.
Everyone messes up in life. We all fall. We haven’t come very far, if any, since the days of the Israelites battle. We still need God to clean up our messes. But after the fall, after the struggle, pick yourself up and start serving again. Don’t let Satan convince you to delay it, because it can cause you to stay out way too long.
Always remember that Satan is a liar. And the last thing he wants is for you to receive rewards of God. So, he can stop them, by stopping you.
Succeed While You Can
There will be days of defeat. We all have them. But start every week with an attitude of successful living. Encourage yourself in the Lord because great is that reward and it is the Matthew 28:19-20 Commission.
Listen to what happened when Asa got recharged:
8 And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the Lord, that was before the porch of the Lord.
9 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.
10 So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.
11 And they offered unto the Lord the same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.
12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;
13 That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.
14 And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.
15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the Lord gave them rest round about.
They won mighty battles, they celebrated their victories and they had rest. Who wouldn’t want their week to end like that!?