Remember Uzziah

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"Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem."

This is the story of a man named Uzziah, king of Israel. The story of King Uzziah is told in Second Chronicles chapter 26. Notice the first thing the Bible says about Uzziah...

"He did what was right in the sight of the Lord." (verse 4)

The very first thing that is said about the character of Uzziah is that he did what was right in the sight of the Lord. It doesn't say that he "tried" to do what was right... but that he "did" what was right. And not just in the eyes of just anybody, but in the eyes of the Lord.

I want the Lord to be able to say the same thing about me... that I did what was "right," not just in the sight of my leaders, my church, my family, my peers, etc., but in the sight of the LORD! You see, we do not live our life based on the perspectives of our society. We may assume that if we do what is "right" in the eyes of our culture... particularly in the eyes of the majority, that we must be doing what is "right" in the eyes of the Lord. But that assumption may prove to be a major error. More than anything else... or anyone else, I want to do what is right in the sight of my Lord.

"He did what was right in the sight of the Lord... he SOUGHT GOD..." (verses 4-5)

He sought God. This is something we all need to do. If I want to do what is right in the sight of the Lord, then I need to seek Him.... seek Him in prayer, in the Word, in worship, in guidance through the Holy Spirit... I need to "seek" Him! Uzziah sought the Lord.

"He did what was right in the sight of the Lord... he sought God... and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper." (verses 4-5)

This is the part that really stands out to me in the life of Uzziah. The Bible says that he did what was "right" in the sight of the Lord... and that he sought God. But it goes on to say that as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper. Uzziah sought the Lord and God gave him success. But notice that the Bible says "as long as." In other words, the Lord gave him success AS LONG AS he sought God. It implies that HE (Uzziah) was the "initiator," or the "determining factor," of God making him prosper.

Most people have their thinking backwards. We may not realize it, but deep down, so much of our thinking is off base. We tend to live life based on the thinking: As long as God gives me success, I will seek the Lord. Think about it! As long as I can see that God is doing things in my life, then I will serve Him. But that is SO backwards!!! Its when we serve the Lord that God comes through in our life. "As long as" implies that Uzziah was the determining factor of God coming through in his life... and that "determining factor" was whether or not he was seeking the Lord. And it also implies that if Uzziah were to STOP seeking the Lord, then God would NOT come through for him.

"As long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper."

But the story does not end there. The Bible goes on to say, "God helped him... his fame spread... for he became exceedingly strong." Notice the word "exceedingly" strong. You see, God is not a God of smallness. God is not a mediocre God. When God helps us, he does a great job at it... and we see God doing exactly what he said he would do. Which means that Uzziah is continuing to seek the Lord. But notice what the Bible says next...

"Uzziah was marvelously helped TILL he became strong."

The Bible is stating that his "help" ran out. Why do you think that is? Well... remember what was stated earlier... "as long as Uzziah sought the Lord, God made him prosper." The Bible very clearly points out that as long as he sought the Lord, the Lord helped him. So if the Lord stopped helping him, that must mean that Uzziah stopped seeking Him. And he stopped seeking Him when he became strong. Notice what it goes on to say...

"As long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper... [and] God helped him... TILL he became strong. But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction."

When Uzziah became strong, pride came in... and pride led to his downfall. This is the story of King Uzziah.

What a sad story. Here is a man who started out on the right foot. He started out by doing what was "right" in the eyes of the Lord. Here is a man who, in the early years of his leadership, sought the Lord for wisdom and guidance... and therefore the Lord came through for him and helped him "marvelously" to the point that he became "exceedingly" stong. But once Uzziah experienced the blessing and the favor of the Lord... and when he became strong and confident, he forgot where his help came from. He forgot the source of his success. He forgot to continue seeking the Lord... and it cost him dearly.

God warns his children of this very thing in Deuteronomy chapter 8. He tells His children that He is leading them into a land of blessing... a land of prosperity... the land of Promise, but He gives a warning that accompanies the blessing.

"When you [are blessed]... beware that you do not forget the Lord your God... lest... when your heart is lifted up... you forget the Lord your God... Then you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gained me this [blessing].' You shall remember the Lord your God.... If you by any means forget the Lord... you shall surely perish." Deut 8:10-19

We are all vulnerable of doing the same thing. We are all vulnerable to forget that the blessing of the Lord came from HIM! We are all vulnerable to view the success and the blessing of life as something that WE have done in our own strength and might. We may seek God to get us where we want to be, but then once we're there, we think we did it on our own.

The story of King Uzziah is not an isolated story. God is so concerned about this very thing that he specifically warns us NOT to forget about the Lord when we're living a blessed life. God does, in fact, want us to live a blessed life, but He does not want us to forget about Him as a result. I don't want to forget about the Lord my God who promises me blessing and prosperity when I seek Him and serve Him with all my heart.

"[Uzziah] did what was right in the sight of the Lord... he sought God."

"As long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper... God helped him... [and] he became exceedingly strong... for he was marvelously helped till he became strong. But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up, to his destruction." 2 Chronicles 26:4-5, 7-8, 15-16

Remember Uzziah!

Pastor Jack on Integrity

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Integrity will preserve you. And I'm concerned about you because I know that the Bible says there is going to come a day when I not only need to give an accounting of my own life before the Lord Jesus, but the Scripture says I will have to give an accounting for the souls of all of those that are under my shepherd care. Someday I'll stand beside the Lord Jesus not as a Judge, but as a responsible shepherd--an under-shepherd under the Great Shepherd--and I will answer to him for the things to which he's called me to account. I'll stand there and, as you come, I'll have to answer to Jesus as to whether I was responsible for not telling you or not feeding you or not showing you or not demonstrating to you.
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And so I'm talking to you about your integrity, and telling you that you have heard and that you have no security outside of integrity of heart. Being part of an alive congregation, being baptized in the Holy Spirit, being a serious student of the Bible, being an intercessor, speaking with tongues, functioning in gifts, knowing how to teach and exercise faith does not answer to it. For Jesus said, "On that day many will stand before me and say, 'Lord, Lord, have I not in you name done...?'" And they'll begin to recite marvelous works. But Jesus will say: I never knew you. Leave.
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God knows us at the heart, not in our works (even though he does know our works). He knows us at the heart, not in our prayers (even though he does hear our prayers). He knows us at the heart, not in our studies (but he does call us to study). He knows us at the heart: "For man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." I'm calling you to be sure that you're protected by living your life in front of Jesus.
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And the Bible says, "If we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we have fellowship one with another." And here's a beautiful thing that happens when integrity is present: communion happens between brothers and sisters--real communion, not the superficial slosh of people that are in the same charismatic club. I will not give you one plug nickel of that kind of junk.
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As your pastor, I'm required one thing--to answer for people's lives before God. And the way to ensure that you're maintained in the Lord's way is to walk in integrity of heart, with the peace of God ruling in your heart. Not because you're sinless or perfect, not because you've overcome every weakness, but because you answer in your heart to the summons of the Savior and say: "Yes, Lord. I'll say yes, Lord."

\\ Jack Hayford

For the rest of this article click here.

Prayer and The Ministry of The Word

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We all know that there was a powerful move of God which happened in the Book of Acts. Most of us agree that we have not quite seen anything happen like that since... with all the powerful signs and wonders. I have often considered, "why not?"
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Acts 6:2-4 The disciples said to the multitude, "It is not desirable that we should leave the Word of God serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and the the ministry of the Word."

There are two things that the bible points out were the primary focus points of the Apostles: 1) Prayer and 2) The Ministry of the Word. These two things were the top priority of the very first Apostles. From the very beginning of the church, the "top dogs," the great Apostles (Peter, James, John, and the others) recognized that they needed to give themselves continually to two things... prayer and the ministry of the Word. All the other things, even ministry things, even good ministry things, including certain tasks must not (or ought not) take away from these two things.*

But I, personally, don't find it strange that the Apostles would focus their attention on prayer and the ministry of the Word, but I guess I could say that this may have been nothing more than a Christian cliché to me…"yeah, yeah, I know, I know... prayer and the bible, prayer and the bible... we all know we need that, duh!!" But I don’t think I ever stopped to consider if this could be the very thing which invited God to move as powerfully as He did in the book of Acts.

Prayer and The Ministry of The Word!

It was very important to the Apostles to devote themselves to the Word of God. From the very beginning there was such an emphasis on The Word. The “ministry of the Word” is not a new ministry. This is not something that the “faith movement” came up with. This is not something that American bible scholars came up with. The Word of God has been a focal point in our faith since the very beginning. God said to Joshua immediately following the very first written Scriptures, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous and then you will have good success.” God was telling Joshua to focus and meditate on the Word. In Acts, we see the Apostles doing exactly that. They gave themselves continually to the Word of God.

Consider this: The Holy Spirit was just poured out for the very first time. The church was experiencing and operating in the power of the Holy Spirit. But notice that the ministry of the Holy Spirit did not remove the importance of the ministry of the Word... to the studying, preaching, and teaching of the Word.

Acts 8:4 …those who were scattered (Christians) went everywhere preaching the Word.

Acts 8:5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

We can see in these two verses that the Word was being preached. But we also see something else happening! The multitudes saw miracles! But notice that miracles accompanied the Word of God being preached. This is exactly what Mark 16:20 says, “And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the Word through the accompanying signs.”

But it gets even better…

Acts 8:14-15, 17 Now when the Apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit…then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

We can see a powerful result happen out of this… the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Samaritans. I’m not sure you can get better results than that!!! The powerful Holy Spirit was being poured out on people and activated in their life. This is the promise of the Father! Yet notice what the two ingredients were which led up to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit: The ministry of the Word and prayer. And guess what the two priority focus points of the Apostles were? The ministry of the Word and prayer.

Here’s another example…

Acts 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words (he was preaching), the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the Word.

What was preached? The Word was preached. And the result was that the Holy Spirit fell upon the Gentiles when the ministry of the Word went forth. Don’t underestimate the power of the Word. Don’t underestimate the power of God that comes out of the ministry of the Word! Even the Holy Spirit flows out of the ministry of the Word!

It seems to me that the Apostles knew what they needed to spend their time and focus on. And we obviously see that they were effective in the ministry and saw the power of God move. They obviously understood some things.
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God says the following about Himself in Malachi 3:6, “I Am the Lord, I do not change.”

James 1:17 confirms it, “The Father, with whom there is no variation not even a shadow of turning.”

Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.”

Since God truly does not change, and since we all know that people do change, I have a feeling that the buck stops with us.

We talk about wanting a powerful move of God like what happened in Acts, but are we sowing the same seeds that the Apostles sowed? The bible says in Hebrews 6:12, “Imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Well… we see that the Apostles inherited a mighty move of God. Let’s imitate them! What did they do? Well for starters, they devoted themselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word.

And this is what we see, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and devoted themselves CONTINUALLY (non-stop) to prayer and to the ministry of the Word. They put their effort in those things FIRST and then they were able to reap a harvest of a move of God.

Think of this: Even with all the signs and wonders that were constantly flowing out of their ministry, the apostles never lost sight on focusing on prayer and on the Word. The bible says that signs and wonders will accompany the Word of God being preached…and when the apostles began to see the signs and wonders happen in their ministry, they did not start viewing "the signs and wonders" as their ministry focus points. Rather, they kept their focus on prayer and the Word... and to the preaching and teaching of the Word. They did not lose focus, and we see throughout the book of Acts that they remained preaching and teaching the Word.** They did not change their approach and their focus to start focusing on the results of their ministry!

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Prayer and The Ministry of the Word!
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Father, Your Word says to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises… and I see that the Apostles inherited the promise of the Spirit along with the accompanying signs and wonders. The bible points out what they did… they gave themselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the Word and they saw amazing results in the ministry. They did not lose sight on the preaching and teaching of the Word of God. I won’t either. Amen.

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Footnotes

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*(However, this does not at all negate the importance of ministry tasks. Notice that the Apostles did in fact recognize that the tasks needed to be done. But rather than having the "tasks" consume their focus and energy, they appointed "support staff" to take care of those things. But that is not the focus of this journal entry. We are focusing on what the early church leaders, the great Apostles, focused their energy and time toward).

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**(2:14-39; 6:4; 7:1-50; 8:4, 5-6, 12, 14-15; 9:20; 10:44-48; 12:5; 13:5, 12, 44, 49; 15:35; 16:10; 17:1-2; 19:8; and I’m sure there are others)