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Hezekiah was not like his father Ahaz. He did it right. We always encourage our children, friends, and/or colleagues to "do it right" and "make the right choices." It seems Ahaz rarely did and made a real mess of the kingdom. Yet Hezekiah was determined to restore righteousness to God's people. I think he did an awesome job. He made the right choices:
1. The Choice of Authentic Worship (vs. 4)
2. The Choice of Audacious Trust (vs. 5)
3. The Choice of Attached Loyalty (6)
Yeh, my students would nail me and say it looks kind of like a preacher's outline. But remember what I always teach, "take the rough outline idea and direct it to the people (the masses)." So, if you use it, do just that. (Hey, I can't do it all for ya, can I?)
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
The Moments Before
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I have been asked many times by students and church members alike this question, "Tony, what do you the moments before you come into the Worship Center (aka "sanctuary") to preach?" I tell these wonderful folks that, for me, it is much more than the moments before that I start to get spirtually psyched up for the preaching moment. For at least 15 years now I have risen from bed around 4 a.m. on Sunday mornings. I get my coffee, my Bible, and my printed manuscript (yes I use one but rarely can anyone really tell). I pray. I pray for additional illumination regarding the selected biblical text and I pray that God reminds me that this will be HIS moment and not mine. I then read and re-read the manuscript. I picture the delivery event in my mind. I rehearse at least three times. I edit. This is all for the purpose of being as prepared and ready as I can before my church family. Rest comes later. Around 6 a.m. I finish getting ready and I then just relax and reflect. The last hour in the study at the church before I preach, I pray again and once more read through the selected passage. As I walk out of the pastor's study, I grab the door knob and pray that God would receive glory and that I share HIS message for the listeners.
I have been asked many times by students and church members alike this question, "Tony, what do you the moments before you come into the Worship Center (aka "sanctuary") to preach?" I tell these wonderful folks that, for me, it is much more than the moments before that I start to get spirtually psyched up for the preaching moment. For at least 15 years now I have risen from bed around 4 a.m. on Sunday mornings. I get my coffee, my Bible, and my printed manuscript (yes I use one but rarely can anyone really tell). I pray. I pray for additional illumination regarding the selected biblical text and I pray that God reminds me that this will be HIS moment and not mine. I then read and re-read the manuscript. I picture the delivery event in my mind. I rehearse at least three times. I edit. This is all for the purpose of being as prepared and ready as I can before my church family. Rest comes later. Around 6 a.m. I finish getting ready and I then just relax and reflect. The last hour in the study at the church before I preach, I pray again and once more read through the selected passage. As I walk out of the pastor's study, I grab the door knob and pray that God would receive glory and that I share HIS message for the listeners.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Man Wastes his effort
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Its early Monday morning in Ottowara Japan. Preached in the two churches yesterday and it was a joyous experience. The people of these churches were more of a blessing to me than I was to them. We could learn much from such a spirit of unity and cooperation. Visted the Shinto Temples and Shrines of Nikko. Such elaborate detail in these places of "worship." I was moved by the one thought that mankind for centuries has attemped to get to god and/or impress their idea of god in order to receive a blessing and have assurance of eternity. Person after person prayed before the tomb of a dead emperor god. In front of them was his closed, sealed tomb. He is dead and has been for centuries. I wanted to cry out to them, "The true God of heaven is alive and well. His tomb is empty, we dont come to God. He has come to us in His Son, Jesus!"
Its early Monday morning in Ottowara Japan. Preached in the two churches yesterday and it was a joyous experience. The people of these churches were more of a blessing to me than I was to them. We could learn much from such a spirit of unity and cooperation. Visted the Shinto Temples and Shrines of Nikko. Such elaborate detail in these places of "worship." I was moved by the one thought that mankind for centuries has attemped to get to god and/or impress their idea of god in order to receive a blessing and have assurance of eternity. Person after person prayed before the tomb of a dead emperor god. In front of them was his closed, sealed tomb. He is dead and has been for centuries. I wanted to cry out to them, "The true God of heaven is alive and well. His tomb is empty, we dont come to God. He has come to us in His Son, Jesus!"
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