1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:13,360 Welcome to Walk in the Truth podcast. 2 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:18,720 This season of messages takes us through some of the great comeback stories in the Bible. 3 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:23,820 Pastor John Metter of Cross City Church will show us how God can take any situation in 4 00:00:23,820 --> 00:00:27,800 any life and bring hope and victory out of hardship. 5 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:31,840 These messages will inspire you to trust God in your own challenging seasons. 6 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:35,600 Well it's so good to have you here this morning. 7 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:39,080 If you have your Bibles take them to 2 Kings if you would in the Old Testament. 8 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:46,760 2 Kings chapter 20, when God takes us to the brink is a chapter that deals with a man named 9 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:53,240 Hezekiah, a king in the Old Testament who was given a death sentence upon his life. 10 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:57,280 And it's quite an incredible story that has so many lessons for us today. 11 00:00:57,280 --> 00:01:02,640 And by the way this is the last message of the God's Not Done With You series and we've 12 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:03,920 enjoyed walking through that. 13 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:08,040 It's been a real blast to write the book in the first place and then be able to walk through 14 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:10,840 it in all of our campuses with these stories. 15 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:14,000 And I hope they blessed you, I hope they encourage you in the days ahead. 16 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:18,640 But this one will really encourage you because when God takes us to the brink we really need 17 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:22,520 to know what it means to depend on God. 18 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:28,240 Now a brink is a place where you take one more step and you move into a whole different 19 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:29,240 realm of life. 20 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:31,440 How many of you have ever been to the Grand Canyon? 21 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:33,880 Would you raise your hand if you've been to the Grand Canyon? 22 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:36,960 And I love the Grand Canyon, been a number of times. 23 00:01:36,960 --> 00:01:41,960 And I've always enjoyed going to the brink of one of those cliffs at the Grand Canyon 24 00:01:41,960 --> 00:01:47,560 where you're really looking off over the precipice down into hundreds and thousands of feet down 25 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:48,560 to the bottom. 26 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:52,800 It kind of gives you a queasy feeling to stand on the side of that because in many places 27 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:58,020 in the Grand Canyon there are no guard rails, there are no fences, there are no ways to 28 00:01:58,020 --> 00:02:01,720 keep you from falling if you go a step too far. 29 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:06,600 I can say this, I'm not afraid of heights but I'm afraid of falling from great heights, 30 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:07,600 right? 31 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:11,360 It's not how high up you are, it's what happens on the way down that I'm so worried about 32 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:14,800 and what happens is it stops you at the bottom. 33 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:18,200 But what happens when life is like that? 34 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:25,080 What happens when you're on the brink of something that is unchangeable, at least to your perspective, 35 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:29,160 which is final and catastrophic? 36 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:34,660 What happens when you are at the brink of death, for example, the way Hezekiah life will have 37 00:02:34,660 --> 00:02:36,400 shown us as we read it? 38 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:40,920 It wasn't so many months ago that my wife and I were sitting across the table from a 39 00:02:40,920 --> 00:02:48,000 group of ladies from our church that are affectionately known as the bosom buddies. 40 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:51,360 And they're known for that because they've all faced breast cancer. 41 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:55,520 They faced it during some of the same eras, some of the same seasons of life. 42 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:59,640 And I'd heard stories of their journey before but I'd never sat down with them and talked 43 00:02:59,640 --> 00:03:04,920 to them about that journey and what it meant and what it meant to be at the brink of life 44 00:03:04,920 --> 00:03:05,920 and death. 45 00:03:05,920 --> 00:03:13,220 They shared with me the stories of shock and surprise, the idea that this is really happening 46 00:03:13,220 --> 00:03:17,560 to me and they began to think thoughts like what happens to my family? 47 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:19,640 What happens to me? 48 00:03:19,640 --> 00:03:21,640 Where is God in all this? 49 00:03:21,640 --> 00:03:26,120 Each of them would say they had a crisis of faith where they had to believe God more than 50 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:29,960 they had ever believed Him before for anything. 51 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:35,040 Some of them had been 15 years beyond that original prognosis, some eight years beyond 52 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:39,840 that original prognosis, but each of them had grappled with that being on the brink 53 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:43,240 of death with a cancer prognosis in their lives. 54 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:46,440 And every one of their stories had some common threats. 55 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:50,880 For example, every one of them said it was terrifying and frightening and every one of 56 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:57,160 them also said, but God met me in the midst of that terrifying, frightening time. 57 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:01,840 Each one of them would say that God gave them direction, He gave them mixed steps, He helped 58 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:06,820 them know what to do in their walk through that season of life. 59 00:04:06,820 --> 00:04:12,540 And every one of them were given bonus years where they had a life after that prognosis 60 00:04:12,540 --> 00:04:18,400 and after that walk in the valley of the shadow of death kind of moment and they lived life 61 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:23,540 differently as a result of what they experienced in that dark valley. 62 00:04:23,540 --> 00:04:26,240 That was the story of Hezekiah. 63 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:31,160 Except Hezekiah didn't do well on the other side of the healing that God gave him. 64 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:36,120 I want you to stand with me today as we read 2 Kings chapter 20, the first 11 verses is 65 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:42,400 going to be what I read today to make up this story as it's told. 66 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:46,760 Chapter 20 verse 1 of 2 Kings. 67 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:52,120 In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amos came 68 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:56,040 to him and said, this is what the Lord says, set your house in order for you're going to 69 00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:57,720 die and not live. 70 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:01,160 Now Isaiah is not a doctor, Isaiah is a prophet. 71 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:04,560 And a prophet of the Lord, if he prophesies something it must come to pass. 72 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:09,660 I mean you can't live and still be a prophet of God if you're not 100% accurate with your 73 00:05:09,660 --> 00:05:15,480 prophecies than Isaiah was and so this is literally a death sentence to Hezekiah and 74 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:17,680 in his mind it's unchangeable. 75 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:18,680 Verse 2. 76 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:23,360 Then he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord saying, please Lord just remember 77 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:27,400 how I have walked before you wholeheartedly and in truth and have done what is good in 78 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:28,680 your sight. 79 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:32,080 And Hezekiah wept profusely. 80 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:36,800 And even before Isaiah had left the middle court the word of the Lord came to him saying, 81 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:41,680 son and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, this is what the Lord the God of your father 82 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:44,720 David says, I have heard your prayer. 83 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:46,840 I have seen your tears. 84 00:05:46,840 --> 00:05:49,120 Behold I'm going to heal you. 85 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:53,760 On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord and I will add 15 years to your 86 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:58,720 life and I will save you in this city from the hand of the king of Assyria and I will 87 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:03,120 protect this city for my own sake and for my servant David's sake. 88 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:07,680 And Isaiah said take a cake of figs and they took it and placed it on the inflamed spot 89 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:11,640 that would be on Hezekiah's body and he recovered. 90 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:15,640 Now Hezekiah said to Isaiah, what will be the sign that the Lord will heal me and that 91 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:19,120 I will go up to the house of the Lord on the third day? 92 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:23,400 Isaiah said this shall be a sign to you from the Lord that the Lord will perform the word 93 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:24,880 that he has spoken. 94 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:28,760 Shall the shadow go forward 10 steps or go back 10 steps? 95 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:34,240 So Hezekiah said it's easy for the shadow to decline 10 steps but have the shadow turn 96 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:36,140 backward 10 steps? 97 00:06:36,140 --> 00:06:40,260 Then Isaiah the prophet called out to the Lord and he brought the shadow on the stairway 98 00:06:40,260 --> 00:06:45,000 back 10 steps by which it had gone down the stairway of Ahaz. 99 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:50,920 I hope you understand that that means that God moved the son back 10 steps word in addition 100 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:54,160 to perform this amazing miracle in the life of Hezekiah. 101 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:55,480 We have a great God don't we? 102 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:58,080 He can do anything can't He? 103 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:06,400 Today let this passage, let this story aid us, help us, encourage us when we find ourselves 104 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:08,360 on the brink. 105 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:14,240 When we find ourselves looking down at a very very long drop and have no idea what's about 106 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:15,240 to happen. 107 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:18,640 Father help us as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death ourselves. 108 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:22,880 No matter what that may look like you're the same God that helped Hezekiah. 109 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:24,360 Thank you for that in Jesus name. 110 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:30,720 All God's people said amen please be seated if you would. 111 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:33,160 Well this is Isaiah's valley of the shadow of death. 112 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:36,680 By the way that's not his own phrase. 113 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:39,120 That's not his phrase that's David's phrase. 114 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:41,200 You know where the valley of the shadow of death is don't you? 115 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:45,840 You know it's in Psalm chapter 23 where David says yea though I walk through the valley 116 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:49,360 of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me. 117 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:50,360 So it's a great phrase. 118 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:53,840 It doesn't necessarily mean that you're at the point of death but it means death is so 119 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:56,280 close to you. 120 00:07:56,280 --> 00:08:01,800 Or death happens to someone around you so close that literally its shadow passes over 121 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:02,800 you. 122 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:03,800 You feel it. 123 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:04,800 You know it. 124 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:06,480 You experience it in some way. 125 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:11,640 This is Hezekiah's moment with that shadow of death. 126 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:16,760 Now for most of us we have no idea of a clear date as to when we're going to die. 127 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:20,720 If we knew when we were going to die we might live a little bit differently huh? 128 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:22,000 But we don't know when we'll die. 129 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:26,800 And yet Hezekiah did know that he was going to be at death's door from the moment that 130 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:30,280 pronouncement was made by the prophet Isaiah. 131 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:31,680 We know he already had inflammation. 132 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:33,040 He had a boil on his body. 133 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:38,240 We know that much by the reading of the text and other passages as well. 134 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:43,200 But he had no idea how long he was going to live until Isaiah said you're going to die. 135 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:44,720 Get your house in order. 136 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:49,400 Do everything you need to do to get ready because you are going to die. 137 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:55,240 Now most of us don't have that kind of date on our lives but we all know by human nature 138 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:59,320 we all are intuitively aware that we will all die someday. 139 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:01,520 How many of you are aware that we all die? 140 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:04,280 100% is that death rate right? 141 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:07,600 100% of all those that are ever born will die. 142 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:14,080 And it's important for us to know that death is there at some point in the future. 143 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:19,360 And if we are suddenly accosted by the possibility of death in our lives we need to know what 144 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:22,120 to do when we are in crisis mode. 145 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:25,960 We need to know what to do and help other people when they are in their crisis mode. 146 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:32,240 We need to look at Hezekiah's life to know what he did in crisis mode. 147 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:36,500 Now it's important for you to know that Hezekiah was a good king. 148 00:09:36,500 --> 00:09:41,960 This is not a king that God is disciplining by the sudden pronouncement of death. 149 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:42,960 He's a good king. 150 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:44,160 He's a bold leader. 151 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:45,160 He's courageous. 152 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:46,160 He follows the Lord. 153 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:52,200 In fact in 2 Kings 18 there's a description, a one verse description of Hezekiah's reign 154 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:57,760 and it says that he trusted in the Lord the God of Israel so that after him there was 155 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:03,080 none like him among all the kings of Judah nor among those he were before him. 156 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:05,520 So he was pretty strong. 157 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:06,800 Nobody like him afterwards. 158 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:08,600 Nobody like him before him. 159 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:12,120 He's an incredible king that was focused on God. 160 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:18,000 It's got an interesting timing to it this kind of season that he's in with God. 161 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:23,480 And the timing is that he's just finished an incredible victory over the Assyrians where 162 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:31,560 Sennacherib the wicked ruler of the Assyrians comes against Israel, against Judah and God 163 00:10:31,560 --> 00:10:37,480 intervenes on behalf of the Israelites through the prayers of Hezekiah and Isaiah. 164 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:42,520 It's a huge military victory that came about because an angel of the Lord was set and slew 165 00:10:42,520 --> 00:10:45,400 185,000 Assyrians in the night. 166 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:50,600 So he's coming off that great victory and seemingly everything is going well with his 167 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:51,600 kingdom. 168 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:56,280 Everything is going well with him as king itself and yet this pronouncement of death 169 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:59,400 is on his life. 170 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:05,720 Now before we get into the details about how he handles this issue of imminent death, I 171 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:08,080 want to talk to you about a theology of suffering. 172 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:13,280 A theology of suffering is a way to understand why bad things happen to us, why sometimes 173 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:18,440 we get sick and die, why is and what is behind all that. 174 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:23,120 Some people have a theology of suffering that says if something bad happens to my life physically 175 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:27,160 it's because I have done something wrong. 176 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:28,880 That somehow God is mad at me. 177 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:29,880 He's angry. 178 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:30,880 He wants to take me out. 179 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:35,240 Or I don't have enough faith in God or I haven't trusted him about one thing or another 180 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:40,400 and so I have this horrific affliction in my life because I haven't done good things 181 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:41,400 with God. 182 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:45,720 And my response to you is that's not what the Bible teaches. 183 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:48,000 It's not what was going on in Hezekiah's life. 184 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:49,000 He was a good king. 185 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:53,200 He was following God fully at this point of this pronouncement. 186 00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:56,520 He was one that prayed and God intervened in powerful ways. 187 00:11:56,520 --> 00:11:59,720 He's not suffering because of something that he did wrong. 188 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:02,440 God is not wanting to just take him out. 189 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:06,400 God has news for you, a news flash for everybody, if God wants to take you out, He would have 190 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:08,640 taken you out. 191 00:12:08,640 --> 00:12:10,600 He has no problem doing that. 192 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:17,440 He's got the ability to just wipe us off the face of the earth like that angel did to 185,000 193 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:18,800 Assyrians. 194 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:23,760 Your theology of suffering should have not anything at all to do with how well you've 195 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:25,880 lived life or how poorly you've lived life. 196 00:12:25,880 --> 00:12:30,120 The truth is sometimes we can afflict ourselves in how we live. 197 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:36,480 We can compromise our own health and obviously that's not a wise thing to do. 198 00:12:36,480 --> 00:12:40,080 But that's not what's happening here and that's not a good theology of suffering. 199 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:44,580 Sometimes horrible things happen to good people. 200 00:12:44,580 --> 00:12:50,000 We live in a sin-filled, sick world, don't we? 201 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:55,200 We live in a world filled with death and sickness and illness. 202 00:12:55,200 --> 00:13:00,600 Your theology should not be that you caused it, that you brought it upon yourself, nor 203 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:03,280 did Hezekiah feel that way. 204 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:06,400 But sickness sometimes comes upon us to test us. 205 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:11,080 Now sickness sometimes comes upon us to teach us lessons for a lifetime. 206 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:15,280 That's what those ladies who are called the bosom buddies would say to you today if they 207 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:18,680 were standing on this stage, God taught me so much through this. 208 00:13:18,680 --> 00:13:23,320 God tested me in so many ways through what I went through. 209 00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:24,760 And so it is with Hezekiah's life. 210 00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:26,760 He has some things to teach us. 211 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:28,080 He has some lessons for us to learn. 212 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:29,400 I want you to notice what they are. 213 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:35,400 First of all, notice that Hezekiah immediately upon hearing the pronouncement from the prophet 214 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:38,400 began to focus fully on God. 215 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:43,080 Whatever else he was doing leading up to that moment in terms of 100% focus, all that went 216 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:46,280 out the window and he began to be completely focused on God. 217 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:50,840 In fact, the very memorable phrase in verse two is this, that he turned his face to the 218 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:55,920 wall and prayed to the Lord. 219 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:56,920 Turned his face to the wall. 220 00:13:56,920 --> 00:13:58,480 I call this a face to the wall moment. 221 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:04,040 Have you ever had a face to the wall moment where you knew no one else could help you? 222 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:09,120 At the moment he had that face to the wall moment, Isaiah was still in the room. 223 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:11,360 The great prophet was still there. 224 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:14,880 It may have been that others of his counselors were in the room as well. 225 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:18,820 Those who would have helped him physically were in the room as well. 226 00:14:18,820 --> 00:14:23,360 But Hezekiah turned away from the prophet, he turned away from his counselors, he turned 227 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:27,480 away from any healers that could have been there and face the wall because he knew what 228 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:33,320 he was facing was something that he could only go to God for. 229 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:37,400 Face to wall moments are important moments in our life because we realize we can't do 230 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:41,800 anything about what's going on in our life and we need God and we need him desperately 231 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:44,880 and that's where Hezekiah was. 232 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:51,040 I suspect that we have more face to wall opportunities than we know about and sometimes we don't 233 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:55,840 really realize how face to wall those opportunities are and we need to learn what it means to 234 00:14:55,840 --> 00:14:59,560 face the wall and just focus fully on God. 235 00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:03,880 By facing the wall, basically he said the prophet can't help me, he's already made 236 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:05,120 the pronouncement. 237 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:08,400 The doctors can't help me, they've already done what they could do. 238 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:12,920 My counselors can't help me because they don't have the ability to do that. 239 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:16,080 I just need to do business with God. 240 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:22,320 Notice that Hezekiah is not ranting, he's not raving, he's not angry, he's not upset, 241 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:27,280 he's just weeping and praying because he knows only God has the answer. 242 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:31,440 He's not running away trying to escape his death, he's hanging on one thing and one thing 243 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:37,140 only and that is he has a God that he worships, he's able to do more than anyone else can 244 00:15:37,140 --> 00:15:40,160 do with his life. 245 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:44,200 That leads me to make a statement that you should remember when God is your only hope, 246 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:47,640 you become focused and personal with God. 247 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:51,800 I know there are times in our lives when we realize deep down God is our only hope but 248 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:55,660 we're trying to do a lot of other things on our own. 249 00:15:55,660 --> 00:15:58,280 Sometimes we just need to take the shortcut to God. 250 00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:03,000 We just need to say I don't need to be trying to do anything about this, I need to go directly 251 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:07,000 to God in my own face to wall moment. 252 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:10,320 Now Hezekiah is not the only man that knew how to do that. 253 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:16,300 Jehoshaphat, another king in the Old Testament, when faced with armies that were about to 254 00:16:16,300 --> 00:16:20,360 surround Jerusalem, he began to make the statement. 255 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:27,560 He said in his prayer, for we are powerless, nor do we know what to do but our eyes are 256 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:29,360 on you. 257 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:34,360 I love that prayer, we're powerless and we don't even know what to do but God our eyes 258 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:39,760 are on you and we're not looking for anyone or anything else to rescue us, face to wall 259 00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:41,440 moments. 260 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:45,040 Look at God and say we're powerless but you're not. 261 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:46,720 Those are important moments in your life aren't they? 262 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:50,560 I don't know how many of you have had moments like that but those are moments that you don't 263 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:56,880 tend to forget because often God makes himself very, very real to you. 264 00:16:56,880 --> 00:17:00,680 Now Jehoshaphat's prayer that I just shared with you reminds me of the gospel, did you 265 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:01,680 know that? 266 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:06,360 Now the reason it reminds me of the gospel is because when we come to faith in Jesus 267 00:17:06,360 --> 00:17:11,600 Christ we come after realizing that we are powerless to do anything about being right 268 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:13,480 with God. 269 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:17,480 There's no way that we can please him, there's no way that we can bridge the gap between 270 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:22,760 sinful mankind and holy God and so we say in essence in our prayer we're powerless, 271 00:17:22,760 --> 00:17:24,640 we can't fix that. 272 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:29,200 We're separated from you, we're sinful human beings, religion doesn't do it, being sincere 273 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:33,600 doesn't do it, trying to do good works doesn't do it, we're powerless, we don't even know 274 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:39,200 what to do so our eyes are on you, that's really what the gospel is. 275 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:44,200 And when you put your eyes on Jesus Christ who died on the cross for you you're doing 276 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:50,160 what you need to do to bridge the gap between sinful mankind and holy God. 277 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:56,440 Hezekiah is doing that with physical things, Jehoshaphat was doing that with the threat 278 00:17:56,440 --> 00:17:57,920 of the armies coming. 279 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:05,720 It shouldn't really surprise us when we encounter as believers tough times and tough circumstances 280 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:09,400 where we have the opportunity to put our eyes fully on God one more time. 281 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:13,480 You did that when you came to faith in Jesus and just as you have received the Lord Jesus 282 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:18,080 Christ so also walk in him is what Paul said and I'm just saying to you today when those 283 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:22,040 moments come in your life you know what to do because you've already trusted Christ as 284 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:24,100 Lord and Savior of your life. 285 00:18:24,100 --> 00:18:28,640 You don't know what to do about your life yourself but you do know that he can do something 286 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:32,520 about it, your eyes need to be on him. 287 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:35,480 Focus fully on God. 288 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:40,180 When I talked to the ladies in that really special group who had gone through the cancer 289 00:18:40,180 --> 00:18:46,100 about their face to wall moments they expressed a range of first responses. 290 00:18:46,100 --> 00:18:50,400 Some felt stunned and unbelieving they just thought how could this be happening? 291 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:55,840 I mean I've had a clean bill of health all my life until this moment how can everything 292 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:59,280 change in just a moment? 293 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:03,600 Others were experiencing a strange calm. 294 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:06,700 I ought to be more upset about this one said. 295 00:19:06,700 --> 00:19:13,160 I ought to be in more of a panic but I have this peace that has been moving over my life. 296 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:16,160 Another one felt like that the surrender was already there. 297 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:21,840 She said that my prayer to God was if this is it then thank you for the life I've had 298 00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:24,000 then this is it. 299 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:26,840 That unusual kind of surrender to God. 300 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:31,140 Practical thoughts also like what about my family and what about insurance and all the 301 00:19:31,140 --> 00:19:36,360 things that they needed to deal with physically speaking but every one of them said that it 302 00:19:36,360 --> 00:19:41,440 was common in their life and as they compared their stories they said God's grace was there 303 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:45,880 and it was there in abundance and it was enough to help us through every decision we had to 304 00:19:45,880 --> 00:19:46,880 make. 305 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:51,680 It was enough to face it and not face it alone but face it with God on our side. 306 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:56,560 That grace was present to help us in our time of need. 307 00:19:56,560 --> 00:20:01,080 You know I'm very grateful for that and I do believe that God gives you all the grace 308 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:05,080 you need for every challenge that you have in life but you don't really feel that grace 309 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:08,520 until the moment of that challenge is happening. 310 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:11,240 For these ladies that's what was going on. 311 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:15,280 One of them said and summed it up for all of them I knew I was not alone. 312 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:18,160 I knew God was with me. 313 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:22,160 And we know God is always with us as believers but God is especially there with us when we 314 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:24,320 go through dark times and difficult times. 315 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:29,080 That's why David said, ye that I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I'll fear 316 00:20:29,080 --> 00:20:30,080 no weaver. 317 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:31,080 Why? 318 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:33,280 Because you are with me. 319 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:35,520 So focus fully on God. 320 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:40,080 Secondly Hezekiah's life showed us that you can evaluate your life. 321 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:42,880 Hezekiah did that. 322 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:48,280 Verse three his prayer says this, remember now oh Lord I beseech you how I have walked 323 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:52,840 before you in truth and with a whole heart. 324 00:20:52,840 --> 00:20:56,240 And I would say desperation leads us to evaluate. 325 00:20:56,240 --> 00:21:02,080 I believe that every time I'm desperate about something in my life that I'm wondering how 326 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:03,400 that something got there. 327 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:04,520 I evaluate my life. 328 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:09,840 I think through what have I been doing and saying and how have I been living. 329 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:14,120 Now Isaiah's statement leads us to believe that he is naming reasons that he ought to 330 00:21:14,120 --> 00:21:16,000 be able to keep living. 331 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:18,840 In other words Lord I've been faithful before you. 332 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:22,920 I've done everything you've wanted me to do and I'm telling you that I'm willing to do 333 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:24,880 whatever you want me to do. 334 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:27,080 He's evaluating his life. 335 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:29,760 The Bible tells us he's also weeping bitterly. 336 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:35,360 He's examining his life for anything that he needs to find. 337 00:21:35,360 --> 00:21:40,240 He's probably also thinking about things that we would think about if we were faced with 338 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:42,240 this kind of death sentence. 339 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:46,680 Here's some thoughts that I had that Hezekiah may have had, may not have had, but should 340 00:21:46,680 --> 00:21:48,240 have had. 341 00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:51,520 Have I lived life without regrets? 342 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:56,080 Have I done and said what I needed to do and say to those around me? 343 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:57,560 Will I live honorably? 344 00:21:57,560 --> 00:22:01,240 Will I live life with such an honor that I will glorify God? 345 00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:03,980 Will I leave an example for other people to follow? 346 00:22:03,980 --> 00:22:05,400 Have I lived life well? 347 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:10,520 I mean we should not have to wait until those face the wall moments to ask those questions 348 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:15,760 but those questions become important to us when we're in those moments. 349 00:22:15,760 --> 00:22:21,560 But desperation also leads us to remember and Hezekiah was doing some remembering as 350 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:22,560 well. 351 00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:26,920 Now keep in mind Hezekiah and Isaiah had walked together as king and prophet long enough to 352 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:32,860 where they saw God come through time after time when they faced certain death from a 353 00:22:32,860 --> 00:22:36,280 military assault upon them. 354 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:42,440 For example in 2 Chronicles chapter 32 verse 20 and so and following you find this amazing 355 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:47,840 story unfolding about God's rescue of them when Sennacherib was trying to basically freeze 356 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:52,680 them out and keep them from having water and keep them from having food. 357 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:57,620 The Bible says King Hezekiah and Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz prayed about this 358 00:22:57,620 --> 00:22:59,920 and cried out to heaven and the Lord sent an angel. 359 00:22:59,920 --> 00:23:02,280 This is one of those face the wall moments. 360 00:23:02,280 --> 00:23:07,120 So God sent an angel and destroyed every mighty warrior commander and officer in the camp 361 00:23:07,120 --> 00:23:08,920 of the king of Assyria. 362 00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:11,120 So he returned in shame to his own land. 363 00:23:11,120 --> 00:23:13,540 That would be Sennacherib that did that. 364 00:23:13,540 --> 00:23:17,420 And when he had entered the temple of his God some of his own children killed him there 365 00:23:17,420 --> 00:23:18,460 with the sword. 366 00:23:18,460 --> 00:23:23,720 So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib 367 00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:29,960 the king of Assyria and from the hand of all others and guided them on every side. 368 00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:32,320 This is where you can let your imagination run wild. 369 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:37,720 What does it look like for an angel to kill one hundred and eighty five thousand soldiers? 370 00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:41,680 But what it ought to do is let you conclude that God's faithfulness and God's power 371 00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:47,040 is enough and if I'm facing certain death from the pronouncement of a prophet I'm going 372 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:52,880 to remember that this is the God that can do anything and change any circumstance. 373 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:56,080 And you and I need to remember that when we pray. 374 00:23:56,080 --> 00:24:03,080 Matter of fact every great prayer in the Bible is usually preceded by a pronouncement of 375 00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:04,080 God's power. 376 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:09,320 Oh Lord I know that you are able to do above and beyond what I can even imagine. 377 00:24:09,320 --> 00:24:11,480 So therefore I ask you to do this. 378 00:24:11,480 --> 00:24:13,160 That's the way we pray. 379 00:24:13,160 --> 00:24:16,560 We pray remembering what God can do. 380 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:19,600 And I think that's what Hezekiah is doing. 381 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:22,520 He's remembering God's great exploits. 382 00:24:22,520 --> 00:24:25,160 You're the God that parts the sea for the Israelites. 383 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:27,800 You're the God that makes the sun stand still. 384 00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:29,920 You're the God that makes manna fall from heaven. 385 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:31,800 You're the God that raises the dead. 386 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:34,680 The God that calms the waters in the storm. 387 00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:37,120 You're the God that can do anything. 388 00:24:37,120 --> 00:24:39,880 And He is the God that can do anything. 389 00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:43,240 We ought not struggle with whether God is able to do something. 390 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:48,280 Our focus ought to be on will God do something in my life. 391 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:51,040 God will you do something for me? 392 00:24:51,040 --> 00:24:53,480 Remember He can do that. 393 00:24:53,480 --> 00:24:57,160 Remember you're not prepared but remember that He is prepared for everything that you'll 394 00:24:57,160 --> 00:24:58,560 ever encounter in your life. 395 00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:01,280 He knows the end from the beginning. 396 00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:02,280 Number three. 397 00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:06,640 Hezekiah also learned that you should empty yourself completely. 398 00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:10,520 The Bible says in verse three that Hezekiah wept bitterly. 399 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:16,400 And the key to this prayer I think is embedded in these very very simple words. 400 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:19,680 It's a word in the Hebrew that says great welling and great weeping. 401 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:24,760 In other words Hezekiah is completely and desperately emptied. 402 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:29,800 I have nothing to offer and I have no way to change this. 403 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:32,800 I'm just empty. 404 00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:36,320 Being empty is not a bad thing to be. 405 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:39,280 Being empty is not a bad place to be. 406 00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:44,280 For those of us who follow Christ really we need to be better at emptying ourselves instead 407 00:25:44,280 --> 00:25:46,720 of being full of ourselves. 408 00:25:46,720 --> 00:25:50,480 We have a feeling like we have something to contribute to things that only God can do. 409 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:53,000 So here He is, He's weeping bitterly. 410 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:57,800 He's emptying Himself and any hope He has in His own life. 411 00:25:57,800 --> 00:26:02,200 Jim Sembola, great pastor out of New York City made this statement. 412 00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:07,560 He said he prayed 22 words and then he broke down and wept bitterly. 413 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:12,560 But sometimes weeping is the best kind of praying because God understands the language 414 00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:13,560 of tears. 415 00:26:13,560 --> 00:26:16,120 I love that line. 416 00:26:16,120 --> 00:26:21,080 Have you ever been in a place where you couldn't even pray, you just weep? 417 00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:24,560 That's what encourages you to know that God knows and understands the language of tears. 418 00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:28,960 He understands what it means to go through dark valleys of life. 419 00:26:28,960 --> 00:26:33,760 He understands that you don't even know what to say or what to pray or you don't know how 420 00:26:33,760 --> 00:26:36,280 to respond to the things happening in your life. 421 00:26:36,280 --> 00:26:40,040 He understands who you are, understands what you're going through. 422 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:45,120 Even though nobody else has any way of knowing it, God knows everything about your life and 423 00:26:45,120 --> 00:26:47,640 He understands it when you're going through there. 424 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:52,320 22 brief words and God answered that amazing prayer. 425 00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:56,960 I think the prayer is amazing not because of its length or its brevity but I think it's 426 00:26:56,960 --> 00:27:00,440 amazing because of the depth of surrender. 427 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:04,440 He's just saying, I've got nothing. 428 00:27:04,440 --> 00:27:07,240 Only you can get this God. 429 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:11,440 The greatest times of my life have been after I prayed that way. 430 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:15,280 I think some of those greatest times come because I realized I didn't have anything. 431 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:17,160 I didn't have anything to offer. 432 00:27:17,160 --> 00:27:18,320 I didn't have any more strength. 433 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:19,600 I didn't have any more wisdom. 434 00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:21,760 I didn't have anything I could do on my own. 435 00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:26,000 I had to have God intervene in my life. 436 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:29,640 I would say in comparison to surrender, praying is easy. 437 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:32,400 It's surrendering this heart. 438 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:37,800 It's difficult to say I'm giving up on my plans. 439 00:27:37,800 --> 00:27:41,120 The New Testament is very encouraging to us when we come to the place of not even knowing 440 00:27:41,120 --> 00:27:46,080 how to pray, that we should still try to pray but when you don't even know what words to 441 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:52,680 pray the Bible has the amazing encouragement out of Romans chapter eight verse 26 and 27. 442 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:54,760 It assures us of this. 443 00:27:54,760 --> 00:28:00,000 In the same way the spirit also helps our weaknesses for we do not know how to pray 444 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:01,800 as we should. 445 00:28:01,800 --> 00:28:08,200 But the spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 446 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:13,040 And he who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the spirit is because he intercedes 447 00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:15,840 for the saints according to the will of God. 448 00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:17,280 What an incredible assurance. 449 00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:21,920 The next time you don't know what to pray, the next time you have nothing to offer God, 450 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:26,040 keep in mind that the spirit of God inside of you will intercede on your behalf with 451 00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:28,440 groanings too deep for words. 452 00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:32,080 That means you're not saying anything because you have nothing to say. 453 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:36,400 But the Holy Spirit knows how to pray, how to represent you before the Father and he's 454 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:39,840 doing that every moment of your life. 455 00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:48,200 So here's Hezekiah, he's emptied himself, he's prayed, he's weeping bitterly and God 456 00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:50,600 answers his prayer. 457 00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:51,800 I think this is amazing. 458 00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:57,080 Go back to verse four of second Kings chapter 20, make sure you have this fastened down 459 00:28:57,080 --> 00:28:58,080 in your mind. 460 00:28:58,080 --> 00:29:03,480 It says, even before Isaiah left the middle courtyard, the word of the Lord came to him. 461 00:29:03,480 --> 00:29:07,080 So Isaiah knows that Hezekiah has turned his face to the wall. 462 00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:09,440 He says, I have nothing else to offer. 463 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:13,360 I've given him the truth that God gave me to give him and now I'm just heading out. 464 00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:19,120 So he's gotten out to the middle courtyard, presumably going outside the walls themselves 465 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:21,800 and the Lord speaks to him before he gets out of there. 466 00:29:21,800 --> 00:29:24,400 Now I don't know how long it takes to say 22 words. 467 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:28,360 I don't know how long it takes for Isaiah to walk from the inner court to the middle 468 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:30,480 court but I know it's not long. 469 00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:35,820 And I know that short prayer brought a really short quick answer from God, not the typical 470 00:29:35,820 --> 00:29:36,820 answer mind you. 471 00:29:36,820 --> 00:29:41,200 It's not always this quick, but quickly he said, Isaiah get back in there, I'm gonna 472 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:43,520 heal this guy. 473 00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:46,360 That's pretty powerful. 474 00:29:46,360 --> 00:29:52,280 I'm just thinking today about the brevity of that prayer and about the effectiveness 475 00:29:52,280 --> 00:29:56,960 of it and in verses four and five and six you see it written out. 476 00:29:56,960 --> 00:30:00,640 He says in verse five, return and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, this is what the 477 00:30:00,640 --> 00:30:04,480 Lord, the God of your father David says, I have heard your prayer. 478 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:05,720 I've seen your tears. 479 00:30:05,720 --> 00:30:07,680 Behold, I'm going to heal you. 480 00:30:07,680 --> 00:30:13,000 On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord and I will add 15 years to your 481 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:17,680 life and I will save you in this city from the hand of the king of Assyria and I will 482 00:30:17,680 --> 00:30:23,120 protect this city for my own sake and for my servant David's sake. 483 00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:26,600 What an answer to a prayer. 484 00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:30,560 An incredible story of intervention. 485 00:30:30,560 --> 00:30:33,760 But there's a big question associated with this thing. 486 00:30:33,760 --> 00:30:38,160 How is it and why does God declare one thing and then do another? 487 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:46,040 And how is God sovereign but seemingly changing course on this prayer? 488 00:30:46,040 --> 00:30:51,720 And what about God declaring judgment upon the Ninevites, but then once Jonah preaches 489 00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:56,000 and they repent, he relents and saves them. 490 00:30:56,000 --> 00:31:03,240 But why does the sovereign God say you have not because you ask not if he knows all things? 491 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:09,040 Could it be that desperation moments are divinely orchestrated to teach us to depend on God 492 00:31:09,040 --> 00:31:12,540 like we've never depended on him before? 493 00:31:12,540 --> 00:31:19,120 Could these moments be tests of faith that help us battle panic, set aside fear, and 494 00:31:19,120 --> 00:31:22,640 hold on to God like we've never held on to him before? 495 00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:26,240 Do you remember the life of Job? 496 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:31,400 Remember how desperate he was and how he cried out to God and how he leaned on everything 497 00:31:31,400 --> 00:31:37,240 he understood about God but remember how much God taught him through his sufferings that 498 00:31:37,240 --> 00:31:39,000 he wouldn't have learned otherwise? 499 00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:43,120 Do you remember any of those moments in your life when you've gone through tough times 500 00:31:43,120 --> 00:31:48,160 and God's taught you in ways that you wouldn't have learned otherwise? 501 00:31:48,160 --> 00:31:55,640 The bosom buddies told me that in their desperation they found new things happening in their lives. 502 00:31:55,640 --> 00:31:58,000 They learned things about God. 503 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:01,740 They learned to trust in ways they never had before. 504 00:32:01,740 --> 00:32:07,080 They said that their desperation gave way to joy and a calm assurance. 505 00:32:07,080 --> 00:32:12,780 They were aware that God was absolutely present and working in their lives even though their 506 00:32:12,780 --> 00:32:16,160 body at the moment said otherwise. 507 00:32:16,160 --> 00:32:22,640 One of them said, I determined to let this battle with cancer make me better, not bitter. 508 00:32:22,640 --> 00:32:26,320 Another one said, I was afraid but I was grateful for his presence. 509 00:32:26,320 --> 00:32:31,680 And still another one said, God told me I've got this and I believed him. 510 00:32:31,680 --> 00:32:37,040 And she had a coffee cup made with the I got this, God's got this on the coffee cup. 511 00:32:37,040 --> 00:32:40,280 She showed it to my wife and I at that dinner and my wife said, I'll take that cup from 512 00:32:40,280 --> 00:32:42,360 you if I can. 513 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:46,520 We all need to know that God's got this. 514 00:32:46,520 --> 00:32:51,440 And I love that phrase because I know I don't have this and I know you don't have this. 515 00:32:51,440 --> 00:32:56,720 We don't have it but God has got whatever needs to be got. 516 00:32:56,720 --> 00:32:59,680 God actually rescued Hezekiah. 517 00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:05,400 But from that moment on Hezekiah responded in the worst possible way to the healing of 518 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:08,360 God in his life and it's a lesson we need to learn today. 519 00:33:08,360 --> 00:33:11,360 And that's the fourth point, final point today. 520 00:33:11,360 --> 00:33:14,120 Find a place of humility. 521 00:33:14,120 --> 00:33:15,120 Find a place of humility. 522 00:33:15,120 --> 00:33:19,360 When God works in your life in a powerful way, don't get arrogant. 523 00:33:19,360 --> 00:33:23,480 When God works in your life in an interventional way, when God answers your prayer, when God 524 00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:27,280 does amazing things around you, don't become proud. 525 00:33:27,280 --> 00:33:30,280 It's not you, it's God. 526 00:33:30,280 --> 00:33:31,840 It's God that's done that in your life. 527 00:33:31,840 --> 00:33:33,680 It's God that healed Hezekiah. 528 00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:39,560 It's God that rescued him from the Assyrian armies. 529 00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:42,000 Find a place of humility. 530 00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:47,560 Second Chronicles chapter 33 verse 25 sums up the latter years of Hezekiah's life and 531 00:33:47,560 --> 00:33:53,600 it said this, it said, Hezekiah gave no return for the benefit he received because his heart 532 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:54,600 was proud. 533 00:33:54,600 --> 00:33:58,320 And to me it's the most stunning reversal of direction you can imagine. 534 00:33:58,320 --> 00:34:01,720 Humble, humble, humble because he's about to die. 535 00:34:01,720 --> 00:34:05,720 Turns his face to the wall, weeps bitterly, empties himself. 536 00:34:05,720 --> 00:34:11,680 But then when God answers so quickly, so powerfully, so supernaturally, he's puffed up with pride 537 00:34:11,680 --> 00:34:14,400 and arrogant. 538 00:34:14,400 --> 00:34:16,200 And later on dignitaries come to visit. 539 00:34:16,200 --> 00:34:21,800 They want to know the story of Hezekiah's healing and he shows them his riches and the 540 00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:28,120 beauty of his castle instead of showing what his God has done in his life. 541 00:34:28,120 --> 00:34:31,440 Maybe Hezekiah thought it was his good life that gave him favor with God, but his good 542 00:34:31,440 --> 00:34:37,000 life didn't keep him from that pronouncement, so it certainly didn't give him that good 543 00:34:37,000 --> 00:34:38,000 moment of healing. 544 00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:43,000 And his pride and his arrogance that he had after his healing was so bad that it undid 545 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:46,880 all the good he did during the years of his reign. 546 00:34:46,880 --> 00:34:48,360 Can you imagine that? 547 00:34:48,360 --> 00:34:55,200 Can you imagine to let everything God did in your life unravel because of your pride? 548 00:34:55,200 --> 00:34:59,720 But our friends that I've introduced you to, those ladies that battled cancer together, 549 00:34:59,720 --> 00:35:02,080 they lived in a far different way than Hezekiah did. 550 00:35:02,080 --> 00:35:07,080 In fact, they teach us how to live today based on what they learned while they were in the 551 00:35:07,080 --> 00:35:08,400 valley of the shadow of death. 552 00:35:08,400 --> 00:35:10,760 They chose the humble life. 553 00:35:10,760 --> 00:35:14,520 They chose the grateful life. 554 00:35:14,520 --> 00:35:19,120 They chose the meaningful and the fruitful life that we can all have. 555 00:35:19,120 --> 00:35:24,120 And when I visited with these ladies and have continued to visit with them in the days since, 556 00:35:24,120 --> 00:35:27,880 certain verses came to the surface that I'm going to share with you, three of them, that 557 00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:30,880 became so important to them during that time. 558 00:35:30,880 --> 00:35:34,720 The first one is Proverbs chapter three, verses five and six. 559 00:35:34,720 --> 00:35:39,200 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding. 560 00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:44,600 In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your pathways straight. 561 00:35:44,600 --> 00:35:50,720 Each of these ladies to an individual says it takes a lot to trust God with your health 562 00:35:50,720 --> 00:35:54,160 and with your future, but a crisis can help get you there. 563 00:35:54,160 --> 00:35:59,000 A crisis can help you realize that no matter what your plans are, no matter how wise you 564 00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:04,360 think you are, how hopeful you think you are, we have to trust in the Lord and not in our 565 00:36:04,360 --> 00:36:08,760 own understanding that our future is not in our control, but it's in His control and it's 566 00:36:08,760 --> 00:36:13,600 okay that the future is in His control. 567 00:36:13,600 --> 00:36:19,680 A second verse they reminded me of as they talk was Romans 8.28. 568 00:36:19,680 --> 00:36:24,720 I jokingly said to an earlier service that we might be at risk of overusing Romans 8.28 569 00:36:24,720 --> 00:36:28,280 until I realized you can't overuse scripture. 570 00:36:28,280 --> 00:36:30,280 You just need to memorize it and live it. 571 00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:31,720 And what does it say? 572 00:36:31,720 --> 00:36:32,720 Read it with me. 573 00:36:32,720 --> 00:36:35,120 You know what it is in Romans chapter eight, verse 28. 574 00:36:35,120 --> 00:36:36,120 Say it like you believe it. 575 00:36:36,120 --> 00:36:41,480 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good for those who love 576 00:36:41,480 --> 00:36:45,480 God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 577 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:49,160 I hope you know that verse really well and I hope you know even more importantly that 578 00:36:49,160 --> 00:36:54,080 God behind this verse who is able to cause all things to work together for good no matter 579 00:36:54,080 --> 00:36:56,120 what they are. 580 00:36:56,120 --> 00:37:01,520 And every one of these ladies referenced Romans 8.28 because the after look of their journey 581 00:37:01,520 --> 00:37:04,240 was very different from the look going in. 582 00:37:04,240 --> 00:37:07,600 They look back and saw all that God had done. 583 00:37:07,600 --> 00:37:13,600 And the life that these ladies live today is different from what it was before. 584 00:37:13,600 --> 00:37:16,840 All of them minister to others going through the same kind of thing. 585 00:37:16,840 --> 00:37:21,600 They're gifted teachers, they're loving leaders, they're precious family members. 586 00:37:21,600 --> 00:37:27,760 And among them they would all say that trivial things become even more trivial now. 587 00:37:27,760 --> 00:37:31,280 They don't waste time doing things that are not worth their time because they know what 588 00:37:31,280 --> 00:37:35,840 it means to have big rocks in their lives that they need to focus on. 589 00:37:35,840 --> 00:37:40,360 They know what it means to have a more limited timeline so you don't waste your time on doing 590 00:37:40,360 --> 00:37:43,080 things that are not worth it. 591 00:37:43,080 --> 00:37:44,280 One of them said this. 592 00:37:44,280 --> 00:37:47,640 She said I will never worship the same way again. 593 00:37:47,640 --> 00:37:54,240 Every moment I have to worship God is a gift from God and I'm grateful for that. 594 00:37:54,240 --> 00:37:58,360 So there's an appreciation, there's a gratitude for what they have after walking through the 595 00:37:58,360 --> 00:38:00,480 valley of the shadow of death. 596 00:38:00,480 --> 00:38:06,200 And then finally, each of them, almost each of them referenced the verse in Psalm chapter 597 00:38:06,200 --> 00:38:07,800 90 verse 12. 598 00:38:07,800 --> 00:38:14,480 So teach us to number our days so that we may present to you a heart of wisdom. 599 00:38:14,480 --> 00:38:15,480 What a verse. 600 00:38:15,480 --> 00:38:21,280 A verse that acknowledges the preciousness of life and the fact that we may not have 601 00:38:21,280 --> 00:38:25,720 months and years, we may only have days or hours. 602 00:38:25,720 --> 00:38:27,440 But teach us to number our days. 603 00:38:27,440 --> 00:38:32,600 Teach us to live as though we're on a lease on life from you God. 604 00:38:32,600 --> 00:38:36,560 That you give us every heartbeat that happens inside of our heart. 605 00:38:36,560 --> 00:38:38,920 That you give us every breath of air that we have. 606 00:38:38,920 --> 00:38:39,920 We belong to you. 607 00:38:39,920 --> 00:38:45,120 We need to number our days so that we can live in a wise way. 608 00:38:45,120 --> 00:38:48,640 What a great word of wisdom from those ladies. 609 00:38:48,640 --> 00:38:54,560 They would challenge you to believe God, to trust God with every moment of your life, 610 00:38:54,560 --> 00:38:57,200 but to never take your focus off of Him. 611 00:38:57,200 --> 00:39:02,500 That's what Hezekiah would say if he could come back and preach his message today. 612 00:39:02,500 --> 00:39:08,960 With all the grace he has for not living humbly, he would say live humbly before you God. 613 00:39:08,960 --> 00:39:11,440 You know today I don't know where you are, but I know this. 614 00:39:11,440 --> 00:39:16,480 I know that all of us walk through valleys and dark times in our lives and some of us 615 00:39:16,480 --> 00:39:19,160 have faced the valley of the shadow of death. 616 00:39:19,160 --> 00:39:22,580 Some of us have physical ailments that we worry about and sometimes we worry too much 617 00:39:22,580 --> 00:39:24,840 about some things in our lives. 618 00:39:24,840 --> 00:39:25,840 But here's what I want you to know. 619 00:39:25,840 --> 00:39:27,920 I want you to know that God's got this. 620 00:39:27,920 --> 00:39:32,720 God has the ability to cause all the things in their life to work together for good. 621 00:39:32,720 --> 00:39:37,520 And that God wants you to trust Him with all of your heart, with all of your life, beginning 622 00:39:37,520 --> 00:39:41,560 with trusting Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life. 623 00:39:41,560 --> 00:39:43,640 Three invitations I give you today. 624 00:39:43,640 --> 00:39:47,360 The first invitation is to stop at a decision station today. 625 00:39:47,360 --> 00:39:51,320 Talk to someone who will pray with you about what you're going through in life. 626 00:39:51,320 --> 00:39:54,880 And I would say to you if you've never put your trust and faith in Jesus as Lord and 627 00:39:54,880 --> 00:39:57,560 Savior, then pray Jehoshaphat's prayer. 628 00:39:57,560 --> 00:40:03,480 Lord we have no idea what to do and we are powerless so our eyes are on you. 629 00:40:03,480 --> 00:40:08,520 And I want to encourage you to look at Jesus Christ on that cross paying for sin on your 630 00:40:08,520 --> 00:40:12,080 behalf and make the decision to give your life to Christ. 631 00:40:12,080 --> 00:40:15,080 We will talk to you about that at the decision station. 632 00:40:15,080 --> 00:40:19,560 Secondly I invite you to come to guest reception just outside the center exit doors across 633 00:40:19,560 --> 00:40:20,560 the hallway. 634 00:40:20,560 --> 00:40:24,560 I would love to meet you and welcome you to our church, tell you more things about Cross 635 00:40:24,560 --> 00:40:25,560 City Church. 636 00:40:25,560 --> 00:40:28,960 Third invitation, bring someone with you as you come next week. 637 00:40:28,960 --> 00:40:34,040 Listen, people need hope and they need help and we have it here through the word of God 638 00:40:34,040 --> 00:40:35,760 and through the gospel of Jesus. 639 00:40:35,760 --> 00:40:37,040 I would encourage you to do that. 640 00:40:37,040 --> 00:40:42,680 Would you stand with me as we have a closing word of prayer. 641 00:40:42,680 --> 00:40:46,480 Father today I am so grateful for the life of Hezekiah and the story that you've given 642 00:40:46,480 --> 00:40:48,800 us here in his life. 643 00:40:48,800 --> 00:40:54,680 Thank you for those friends of ours that have walked through similar valleys of the shadow 644 00:40:54,680 --> 00:40:56,360 of death. 645 00:40:56,360 --> 00:41:01,240 Thank you Father for your goodness and your graciousness when you come through in our 646 00:41:01,240 --> 00:41:03,760 lives and preserve our lives. 647 00:41:03,760 --> 00:41:09,040 Thank you also for your graciousness in giving us eternal life when this life is over. 648 00:41:09,040 --> 00:41:13,400 We have something even greater on the other side because of you Lord. 649 00:41:13,400 --> 00:41:15,800 And I want to thank you for that. 650 00:41:15,800 --> 00:41:22,600 Lord today let those who need to focus fully on you be able to do that from this moment 651 00:41:22,600 --> 00:41:25,760 because of these words I ask this in Jesus name. 652 00:41:25,760 --> 00:41:52,760 Amen and God bless.