Living Deliberately

INTRO: 1. Spiritually times had never been darker for Judah, their sins where unspeakable.

a. Priests of Levi were now serving idols

b. Sexual perversions were conducted in the temple in name of worship.

c. Alters and idols sat on their roofs to offer sacrifices to the stars

d. Infants where placed into the red hot bronze hands of the idol Molech.

2. But a young man at the age of 16 would turn the tide of an entire nation because he determined that he’d live deliberately.

a. The Word of God doesn’t encourage us to be casual in our walk, but to live in a thoughtful and purposeful manner.

b. Like Josiah’s time, our society glorifies a shallow passive life where people merely respond to the circumstances that come their way.

c. But we’ve been designed to live a life that makes a difference, a deliberate life.

3. What does it mean to live deliberately?

a. Live in a premeditated manner –

1) American’s don’t want to think.

2) If we consider our lives, we’d live differently. (consider our walk)

3) No difference between man that can’ read and those who choose not to do so.

4) The enemy is winning by simply dumbing down the church.

b. Live in a purposeful manner – reason for what we do.

1) Life is accidental for far too many.

ILL. Billboard sign says “I like living, because it gives me something to do.”

2) Many live life without a clue.

c. Live in a proactive manner – not waiting for things to happen, making them happen.

1) Three types of people in the world.

a) Those who make things happen

b) Those who watch things happen.

c) Those who wonder what happened.

d. Live in a public manner – Our faith is not a private matter.

1) Enemy has put a gag order on the church, convincing us the philosophy of the world.

4. People who are not deliberate, assume too much

1) Assume that there’s nothing I can do about this old world.

2) Assume that what life has dealt them is all there is.

3) Assume that things will always be the way it is right now.

5. Deliberate Living creates an appetite for more of God.

a. See that as Josiah began to deliberately pursue God, his anointing and desire multiplied.

b. Just get deliberate about God in one area of your life and it will quickly spread throughout the entirety of your life and spill over onto others.

6. Time to stop saying “I know I need to do such and such” and start doing it!!

a. Josiah knew what needed to be done and he did it.

I. HE DELIBERATELY DEALT WITH HIS LEGACY

a. Dealt with the legacy he’d received from his forefathers and he dealt with the legacy he’d leave his children.

b. Judgement and righteousness must begin at home. It’s time to get deliberate about our families and their future.

c. People who are not deliberate, commit the sin of omission – things we neglect to do.

ILL. Promise keepers is probably the most successful men’s movement in the history of this country. It’s founder, Bill McCartney for many years was a successful football coach, it ruled his life. He thought his legacy would be being a great coach. One day at home he realized that while everything was fine on the field it wasn’t fine at home. He was neglecting his wife & children. It hit him that he was leaving a ‘legacy of neglect.’

A. JOSIAH OUTRIGHT REJECTED AN UNGODLY LEGACY

1. His grandfather was Manasseh, reigned for 52 years and was called the most wicked of all of Judah’s kings.

2. His father Amon reigned for just two years and carried out his father’s ways until he was murdered.

3. He wouldn’t let his family history be an excuse.

4. He wouldn’t let family tragedy be an excuse – murder of his father.

5. He wouldn’t waste his time looking for someone or something to blame.

6. Many struggle all their lives with the baggage of their childhood or the scars of an unrighteous family life, but by the liberating power of God it can stop here.

7. Josiah chose a better example to live by… David.

B. JOSIAH EMBRACED HIS GOD-GIVEN IDENTITY

1. He determined that he wasn’t who his circumstances made him, but who God made him.

2. For 300 years God had been waiting for Josiah

3. A prophet had predicted a Godly King even called him by name.

1 Kin. 13:1,2 And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.

And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee.