CHANGING MY CIRCUMSTANCE
2 KING 20:1-7
INTRODUCTION;
HOW DO WE HANDLE OUR CIRCUMSTANCES?
HOW DO WE HANDLE THE STRESSFUL TIMES, THE TIMES OF BAD NEWS?
HOW DO WE HANDLE THE CHANGING SCENES OF LIFE?
WHAT EVER OUR CIRCUMSTANCES MAY BE WE CAN GET SOME GUIDANCE, HELP, OR COMFORT FROM GOD’S WORD.
HEZEKIAH KING OF JUDAH, BECAME ILL, SICK UNTO DEATH, WAS GIVEN A WARNING TO SET HIS HOUSE IN ORDER, BECAUSE THOU SHALT DIE, AND NOT LIVE.
(1)CAN YOU SAY THAT YOU ARE PREPARED TO MEET YOUR GOD?
(2)IS YOUR HEART RIGHT WITH GOD?
(3)HAVE YOU SET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER?
THE BIBLE SAYS THAT WHEN HEZEKIAH RECEIVED THE NEWS HE WEPT HE CRIED IN ANGUISH. HE WAS NOT SORROWFUL BECAUSE OFA GUILTY CONSCIENCE. HE KNEW HE HAD SERVED GOD FAITHFULLY. HE HAD MADE MISTAKES, BUT HIS HEART WAS RIGHT WITH GOD. HE WAS SORROWFUL ONLY BECAUSE OF THE SHORTING OF HIS LIFE. HE WANTED HIS CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGED.
HEZEKIAH WAS IN DISTRESS-- HEZEKIAH WAS CUT OFF FROM EARTHLY HELP, HE WAS IN GREAT NEED.
HE TOOK HIS CIRCUMSTANCES TO GOD, HE PRAYED.
HE NEEDED HELP HE KNEW HIS CONSCIENCE WAS CLEANNO GUILT, HE HAD BEEN A GOOD SERVANT, NOT PERFECT BUT HE LOVED GOD.
HE TURNED ON HIS BED AND FACED THE WALL, REMOVING HIMSELF FROM THE PRESENCE OF OTHERS. HE PRAYED.
REMEMBER NOW, O LORD! HOW I HAVE WALKED BEFORE THEE IN TRUTH. SPARE ME TO LIVE THAT I MAY CONTINUE THIS WALK OR IF MY WORK BE DONE RECEIVE ME TO THAT GLORY WHICH THOU HAST PREPARED FOR THOSE HAVE WALKED BEFORE YOU IN TRUTH.
LORD, REMEMBER IT NOW! THIS WAS NO PLEA BECAUSE GOD DIDN’T KNOW NOR WAS IT A PLEA AS IF GOD OWED HIM SOMETHING. AND HE WAS DEMANDING IT TO BE PAID. HE JUST KNEW HE WAS RIGHT WITH GOD BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN SINCERE IN HIS WALK WITH GOD. (JOB)
HE WAS CLAIMING GOD’S OWN PROMISE AND BLESSING TO THOSE WHO ACTED AS HE HAD. HE NEEDED AND DESIRED THAT HIS CIRCUMSTANCES BE CHANGED.
HE PRAYED: PRAYER CAN AND WILL CHANGE CIRCUMSTANCES.
HIS PRAYER HAD THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS: A TRUTHFUL AND FAITHFUL LIFE, A FAITH THAT WAS STRONG