WHAT’S UP GOD!
Galatians 6:7-9 (NKJV) Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
Galatians 6:9 (Message) So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit.
As we go through life, we all seem to come to those WHAT’S UP GOD moments. Time’s where it seems like our prayers don't get answers. Time’s when it seem That God is nowhere to be found. Are you there God? Do you see what I’m going through and what’s happening here?
It seems like during those times that our faith is really tested.
Sometimes we even think, is there really a God. Does he listen to little old me. And we want to scream out WHAT’S UP GOD!
We seem to be living In a day and age where people everywhere are looking for answers. But it seems that now more than ever, there is global confusion and unrest concerning the future. People are asking, What does the future hold? Is this world going to explode? Are we going to enter into World War 3? How am I going to provide for my family, Etc.
So many, as we have already seen have given up hope. From their point of view, the answers they’ve been seeking so desperately are nowhere in sight.
But the answer to our question’s can be found in God’s word. The answer to why it seems at times that God is no where to be found is there also. Throughout the Bible, God show’s us over and over that storms will and have come, but He is always there to rescue us and get us through them.
LOOK, your here today!
Let’s look at a couple foundation scriptures:
John 16:33 (NKJV) These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
John 16:33 (AMP) I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]
Matthew 7:24-27 (NKJV) "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine,
I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."
So we see that everyone has storms at one time or another in life, but the one who took the time to build himself up on the things of God, will come out far better.
If we want to triumph over the storms and rough waters of life, we have to anchor our lives on the rock of God’s Word. We must hear God’s words and live by them. And we must remember that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, has made a way for us to come through our storms to victory!
Let’s look at one of the Kings of Judah. His name was Hezekiah.
Hezekiah was a good king. His name means Jehovah has strengthened.
Son and successor of Ahaz as king of Judah. Hezekiah began his reign when he was 25 years old. Hezekiah brought religious reform to Judah.
Look at some of the good he did. The temple in Jerusalem was reopened. The idols were removed from the temple. Temple vessels that had been desecrated during Ahaz’s reign were sanctified for use in the temple.
The sacrifices were initiated with singing and the sounds of musical instruments.
The tribes in the Northern Kingdom (Israel) had been subjected to Assyrian dominance. Hezekiah invited the Israelites to join in the celebration of the Passover in Jerusalem.
Places of idol worship were destroyed. Hezekiah even destroyed the bronze serpent Moses had erected in the wilderness (Num. 21:4- 9) so the people would not view the bronze serpent as an object of worship.
Hezekiah organized the priests and Levites for the conducting of religious services. The tithe was reinstituted. Plans were made to observe the religious feasts called for in the Law
Nine Things that Hezekiah Did Right
Imitated David: (2 Kings 18:3) And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done.
2. Removed the high place:.
3. Broke the images:
4. Cut down the groves:
Broke the brazen serpent Moses made:
(2 Kings 18:4) 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.
Trusted in the Lord God of Israel more than other kings did:
(2 Kings18:5) 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.
7. Clung to the Lord
8. Continued following Him
Kept His commandments
(2 Kings 18:6-8 NKJV) 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. 8 He subdued the Philistines, as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city
So this king who the Lord Blessed. This king that served God and did all that God commanded him to do, still had life come against him and have a WHAT’S UP GOD! moment.
Just like us. So many think that when bad comes into our lives, that we must have committed some sin or we must be out of God’s will, but that just not so. This life is cursed and we have a constant fight on our hands. Let’s see what happen to Hezekiah.
2 Kings 20:1-11 (NKJV) In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, "Thus says the LORD: 'Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live.' "
2 Then he turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the LORD, saying,
I want you to see what a heart this King had and what a difference with another King.
(2 Kings 1:1-4 NKJV) Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.
2 Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria, and was injured; so he sent messengers and said to them, “Go, inquire of Baal- Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this injury.” 3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, ‘ Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal- Zebub, the god of Ekron? ’ 4 Now therefore, thus says the Lord:‘You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die. ’” So Elijah departed.
(2 Kings 1:16-17 NKJV) Then he said to him, “Thus says the Lord:‘Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal- Zebub, the god of Ekron, is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of His word? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die. ’”
17 So Ahaziah died according to the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken. Because he had no son, Jehoram became king in his place, in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah
Let’s continue with Hezekiah
2 Kings 20:1-11 (NKJV) 3 "Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in Your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4 And it happened, before Isaiah had gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 5 "Return and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD. 6 And I will add to your days fifteen years. I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for My own sake, and for the sake of My servant David." ' " 7 Then Isaiah said, "Take a lump of figs." So they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered. 8 And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "What is the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the LORD the third day?" 9 Then Isaiah said, "This is the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing which He has spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees or go backward ten degrees?" 10 And Hezekiah answered, "It is an easy thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees; no, but let the shadow go backward ten degrees." 11 So Isaiah the prophet cried out to the LORD, and He brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down on the sundial of Ahaz.
So here he was, about to die, and he came to God and pleaded his case.
The bIble is a legal document and there are times we need to pill it out and proclaim what it says.
Isaiah 1:18 (NKJV) "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.
Isaiah 43:26 (NKJV) Put Me in remembrance; Let us contend together; State your case, that you may be acquitted.
He stood before God with a humble heart and told God what he had done.
Many times when the thief comes against us, we need to do the same thing. We need to know who God is, what He has, and what He can do and who the devil isn’t, what he doesn’t have and what he cannot do.
We need to proclaim boldly, that our God is a good God and that He loves us and wants to get us through any attack that the devil brings against us.
James 1:17 (NKJV) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
James 1:17 (NLT) Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
John 10:10 (NKJV) The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
John 10:10 (NLT) The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
When John the baptist got discourage, what did Jesus do? He show him God’s Goodness.
Luke 7:18-23 (NKJV) Then the disciples of John reported to him concerning all these things. 19 And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?" 20 When the men had come to Him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, 'Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?' " 21 And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight. 22 Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. 23 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."
So remember, there might be times in our lives when we say, Hey, what’s up God? But remember God is right there to help you and to bring you to a better place.
Week #2
Let’s look at a story about the disciples of Jesus getting hit with a storm.
Mark 4:35-41 (NKJV) On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."
First of all when God tells us to do something, then He will get us where we need to go. “Where God guides, He provides”
36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.
Mark 4:37 (AMP) And a furious storm of wind [of hurricane proportions] arose, and the waves kept beating into the boat, so that it was already becoming filled.
38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"
Who is Jesus? GOD. So I guess we can say, Hey God, What’s Up.
39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"
So even when they though that God wasn’t there or caring, He was right there all the time and it’s the same in our lives. We go through times and we say, What’s up God.
I though my healing would come by now.
I though that I would be married by now.
Hey God, my clock is ticking and I still don’t have any children.
I thought that I was going to get that promotion. ETC, ETC, ETC.
But just like this story He was there and He wanted to help.
And He has promised us that He is with us and He want’s to get involved in our lives.
Hebrews 13:5 (NKJV) Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
Hebrews 13:5 (AMP) Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]
Mark 16:19-20 (NKJV) So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
See, even when life throws a big storm at you and your yelling out, WHAT’S UP GOD!, He is there and He is always a presented help in time of need.
Psalm 46:1-3 (NKJV) God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah
Psalm 118:6 (NKJV) The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
Isaiah 43:1-3 (NKJV) But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. 3 For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
