2nd Chronicles Chapter 30. Are you willing to take the challenge?
This is an amazing chapter it has been very challenging to me. King Hezekiah has such a heart for the people of the Lord and seeing people repent and get right with God. He was bold to do something about it. He put out a proclamation to all the 12 tribes and for people to repent, get right with God, and celebrate together at the Lord's Temple. Many people humbly came and some ridiculed the king. Many repented, offering sacrifices. They rejoiced and praised God, for what started out to be 7 days, but lasted 14 days. The moving of God was so great and the gathering was so numerous it was said that nothing like this had ever been seen since the day of Solomon.
This great gathering was AMAZING and is what king Hezekiah did the second month of his reign. It was successful because of what he did in month number one of his reign. He got God's temple in order, he got the leadership back with God, and he got the Levites and priests back with God.
The second month, King Hezekiah, focused on all the people of the 12 tribes to get right with God and God moved mightily throughout the Nations: as the Scripture says, nothing like it had ever happened since the day of Solomon.
So here's the challenge I feel compelled by the Holy Spirit to do:
I feel compelled to pray 30 days for the moving of the Holy Spirit in
1. My marriage,
2. My family,
3. Edinboro camp and our executive board,
4. The 25 pastors and churches in our northern district.
I want to believe that as God's people come together and pray, that he will move and work in the hearts and lives of people and ministries.
I challenge you to join me in 30 days of focal prayer on specific needs in your family, your home church, surrounding churches, and Edinboro Camp, and see what God does as a testimony of his power! My goal is to start April 1 through April 30. If you have any requests, let me know and I will pray daily for you during these 30 days.
Yes! Let’s focus on praying throughout the month of April.
We read about some mockers in verse 10 of today’s chapter. There were mockers back then and there are still mockers in our world today. There always seems to be those out there who will mock whatever is true and right. I think that their mocking actually gives us a glimpse into the sad condition of their heart. May God soften the hearts of the mockers and turn them around from mocking into believing.
I was reminded today of this passage from Acts 17:29-32.
Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent, because He has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom He has appointed; and of this He has given assurance to all by raising Him from the dead.” Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.”
I am moved by Hezekiah’s heart toward all the people. He even sent messengers to what remained of the northern tribes to call them to the Passover festival. (The process of being taking captive by Assyria was happening as this revival was occurring in the south.) Some came and some did not. Those that came were ceremonially unclean. Perhaps they didn’t even know the need to be clean as their leaders hadn’t been God-fearing men since the time of the split from the southern tribes some 200 years before. But Hezekiah prayed for God to forgive them and He did.
It reminds me that we as a church are not so much a religious organization but a hospital to be used to gather the sick so they can hear His Word. If the Holy Spirit brings them in, are we prepared to welcome them with open arms no matter how they appear?