"JUST DO IT!"

REMEMBER THAT FAMOUS NIKE SLOGAN?

I have spent time over the past few weeks enjoying dvds that I just randomly chose from our church library. They were movies about men that I knew little about, so I decided to watch them and learn. As I began to watch these movies one by one, God began to show me that the movies that I had chosen were not just random choices at all. Every movie that I had chosen gave thorough detail of men who had devoted their life to making a difference in the world. Not just part time or on holidays, but literally full time commitment to reaching a lost and hurting world with the truth and hope for a better life.

In the past week as I was talking with my most confident friend, I shared my inner most feelings about the things I had seen in the dvds and how it made me feel. I have to say openly that I felt as though I had done so little for others in comparison. My life has been mostly devoted to the building of my own security and gain up to about two years ago. God got a hold of my heart and allowed me to see how uncaring the world and the church in general could be to those in desperate need. God showed me this by allowing me to experience what life felt like on the other side of the fence where the grass doesn't even grow and the rivers are dried up. Through the valley of disappointing experiences where I shared my need with others and received only a pat on the back or a promise to pray, I began to see what God wanted to reveal to me. Every one of the people who didn't respond to help with my or my families need for food, shelter, medicine, comfort and compassion reminded me of myself! That's right!  That is exactly how I acted for many years when anybody else shared their needs with me. When it finally sunk in that what I was experiencing was the same way I had treated others for so long, I got down on my knees and cried out to God for forgiveness.

From that moment forward, whenever I saw other people turn and walk away from a person in need of help or encouragement, my God would emphatically remind me, "DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT!", "DON'T LET THAT PERSON CRY OUT TO ME WHEN I HAVE MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO GIVE, ENCOURAGE OR PRAY WITH THEM!".

Since then, I have had the blessing of helping and encouraging others who are going through a crisis or spiritual battle in their personal life, but my actions haven't even scratched the surface of what God can do when I, like those men who surrendered themselves totally to His service in this world, do just that!

God wants me to give all I have to His service on this earth and for His glory on earth as it is in heaven. Our reward is promised in heaven if we don't make our treasure on earth.

 God has his own way of showing us the way we should go and the things we should do, but we all have a commission by Jesus to spread the word and care for the hurting. Some will be able to buy the seed, some will plant it, others will water it and a few will go out and harvest it. Jesus knew that the word was already out there when he told his disciples that the fields were ready for harvest. That's why he also said that the world will know his disciples by their love for each other.

What can I say today that would cause my brothers in Christ to show love, except to check your hearts and see if there really is love enough to make a difference. I would exhort you to really seek God to be used to make a difference and God will reveal His will to you. When He does, as Nike urged the world for years, "JUST DO IT!" Here is a short video of a man who has done just that. His movie is available at Redbox called "Machine Gun Preacher". You may not totally agree with all of his ways , but God said, "your ways are not my ways". What will You do?

"GOD PLANS TO PROSPER YOU"

Battles that are being fought over religion and theology will cease to exist when caring children of God follow Jerusalem's example in our passage. Stop focusing on theology and start practicing kneeology!

In our previous chapter, we were thinking about the attitude that we get when we know we can conquer the enemies or the problems in our life.
It's our human nature that causes us to jump up and start shouting victory and giving everyone high fives when we feel like we are out of danger. But we found that the nation of Jerusalem had not reacted in this way. Instead they followed the example of their king and fell down to their knees and fasted and prayed, thanking God and singing praises to the LORD for His protection and promise to get them through this impossible situation.

Are you in the middle of one of those situations or maybe someone you know is heartbroke and depressed over a situation in their life that seems almost hopeless or doomed? Do you or someone you know need a miracle right now?

That's what the nation of Judah and Jerusalem needed and God spoke to them as they were down on their knees praying and fasting. Sometimes we might even feel as though we can't get away from our situation long enough to be able to bow down and pray in silence for even just a few minutes. I have found myself escaping to the closet sometimes and kneeling down in the darkness with the smell of shoes in my face so I can find some time all alone with my LORD! Maybe you haven't been that desperate before, but it works when your getting anxious and fearful of the things in your life that can start to overwhelm you!

Is it possible that you aren't being attacked at all in life, but rather you are the one always on the offence? You are always in control in your life and no one ever gets the best of you because you are one step ahead of them! Maybe you are one who is always thinking of ways to get what others may have or to fudge the rules a little to make sure you get something for yourself when you walk away from a situation. Could it be that you have left a trail of bodies where ever you have been, only taking what you wanted to gain and feeling no compassion on anyone else that trusted you and cared about you. Would you fit the part of the approaching army in this passage that we are studying? Taking over and running off those who can't defend themselves against your forceful and demanding spirit! If so, there is still hope for you too! Believe it or not, what I am about to tell you isn't just for someone who is being attacked and has found themselves cornered and helpless.

Jehoshaphat and the entire nation had fell to their knees to fast and pray when they found themselves in this hopeless situation and the Spirit of God spoke to them all and told them it wasn't going to be their battle , but the LORD's. That's when the Levites began to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high in 2Chronicles 20:19. Their response was exactly what the LORD had expected and not only that, but it was what He wanted to hear!

The LORD wants to hear our voices today when we are going through the worst storm ever or when we face an impossible mountain to climb! We have the same promises today as the children of Israel had so many years ago because there is no time with God and He is the same today, yesterday and tomorrow.

The next morning they rose early and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa. If you have ever fasted when praying for something big in your life, you know that it isn't easy to sleep late. Those hunger pains wake you up real early as your body cries out for something to eat! I would imagine that they didn't just roll out of bed and head out to the wilderness that morning. They had been fasting for at least 24 hours by this time and they could feel that pain in their gut reminding them to drop to their knees as they rolled out of bed that morning and praying for their families protection and survival as they approached the mighty armies that longed to take their lives and all their possessions!

Maybe it was winter time and the floor was cold as they knelt down to pray; reminding them of the coldness of their enemy's heart as they prayed with compassion for the souls of those who would die that day.

If we are kneeling daily my friend, we will be raising up our enemies before God as well as our own need for a miracle! It is the love and grace of God that freed Jerusalem that day and that same love is offered to every man alive today! Even to those who wish to persecute you and take from those who are helpless! Same God! Same Grace! Same Gift of Protection!

Let's look at what Jehoshaphat said after they went out to the wilderness;

2Chronicles 20:20....and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

Believe! The word "believe" in the Hebrew is "aman" which means literally "to build up or support". Knowing that this is what this word means, look at both places where "believe" is used in this passage. The first time is "Believe in the LORD your GOD" and the second time is "believe his prophet" and "prophet" in the Hebrew literally means "inspired man".

So, who is God that we are to believe in today? God is the same always! Right? Now ask yourself," Who is the prophet or inspired man of God today?". God has been inspiring men down through the ages to proclaim God's message, but the real men of God are those men who are getting down on their knees in compassion for the lost people in our world.

One more thing in this particular passage to take note of is the literal Hebrew translation of the word "established". In verse 20 we read, "....Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established;".

Judah is told by Jehoshaphat to, "believe(build up or support) in the LORD your God, so ye shall be established(built up or supported).

Pay close attention to what I am about to show you in this passage! The same word "aman" that is the Hebrew for the word "believe" in this verse is also exactly the same Hebrew word for the word "established" at the end of this passage! Jehoshaphat was telling the nation of Judah and Jerusalem, "Aman Yhovah Elohiym, aman; aman nabiy, tsalach." Wait! I'll translate the literal Hebrew for you!

"Believe and Support Jehovah Elohim and He will support YOU; believe and support the inspired man of God and you'll experience prosperity."

Jehoshaphat was telling his nation to believe in God and to believe the words of a man who stood up in the midst of them that had been inspired by the Holy Spirit.

That inspired man wasn't the king! He wasn't the Priest! He was a man that God had chosen! A man who had been willing to fast and pray and believe in the true God! Does that describe any of the children of God today?

Jehoshaphat the king had cried out to God! Have you cried out in desperation to God when you didn't know what to do?

2Chronicles 20:12 .....neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.

ALL of Judah had stood before the LORD! Have you taken your whole family before the LORD in time of trouble?

2Chronicles 20:13 And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

The Spirit of the LORD came into the middle of Judah and spoke to a man! Could God speak to you today if His purpose was to use you to proclaim His message to others?

15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.
17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you. (prospering you!)

Jehoshaphat, the king bowed with his face to the ground and thanked God! The nation of Israel also bowed to the ground and prayed for deliverance!

God heard their cry and saw their fasting and overcame those who wished to do them harm!

Jehoshaphat and the whole nation of Jerusalem spent the next three days carrying home the beautiful armor and riches from the battlefield following the battle that God fought for them!

BUT REMEMBER!

Judah prospered exceedingly from a fight that the LORD their GOD fought for them!

Could we be missing the prosperity of God by our unbelief?

We often let our own vast knowledge, education and theology keep us from experiencing the prosperity of simple kneeology! Kneeology is what God teaches us when on our knees in prayer before the LORD our GOD. IT WORKS!