- Jason & Ashley--Praise! its a girl and she is healthy.
- Brenda-for Jim's platelets to be up so he can take his treatment Tuesday
Announcements:
- Sunday Social--March 6, Sunday--9:15am in our classroom. We will have a good time of fellowship and Mike & Brenda will give a devotional. You can sign up to bring something with Ashley. This is a great way for us to visit with each other and childcare is taken care of.
Lesson Recap: 2 Kings 18-19
"When the outlook is bleak, try the uplook."
Hope=confident trust in God
These chapters give us a look at the account of Hezekiah's reign as king. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord unlike so many kings before him. The foe is King Sennacharib (Mike really enjoyed saying his name.) Sennacharib trys to set Hezekiah up as the one deceiving the people. But God is on Hezekiah's side and shows them all who is boss. (my paraphrase...lol) In a time where Hezekiah's very reputation and belief system are coming into question he doesn't lose hope, he turns to God in prayer. This is the only adequate response. He didn't try to take things into his own hands, he put them in the hands of the One that could truly provide. His prayer shows that he knows God as the one true God, that he believes God is able and that He has the power to provide the salvation they need for the moment. The beauty of the close of the prayer is that he prays all of this to give God the glory so that all kingdoms may know Him.
God does answer Hezekiah's prayer and shows up on the battle field as the angel of the Lord and slays 185,000 men. Hezekiah's men never even had to strike a sword. Sennacharib was taken care of as well, as he fled back to Ninevah and then was killed by 2 of his own sons.
Mike reminded us that It's one thing when a king speaks or a president, etc.....its another when the Lord speaks. We can always have hope, no matter how bleak things are because we know the ending is in God's hands.
Questions of application-
- What is your biggest battle in your life?
- Where is your hope? confidence? trust?
- Do you even have hope?
- Do you expect God to show up?
God knows our battle. We need to turn to Him in prayer. We can claim a promise in Scripture and not be afraid. Fear says I do not trust God.
If you are having trouble in turning to God for something going on in your life right now, do not try to go it alone. We want to help. Turn to someone in our class, or to Mike and Brenda. God is able to carry you through whatever you are facing.
