Josiah was eight years old when he became king, He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord

 2 Chronicles 33:21-34:7

Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done. Amon worshiped and offered sacrifices to all the idols Manasseh had made. But unlike his father Manasseh, he did not humble himself before the Lord; Amon increased his guilt.

Amon’s officials conspired against him and assassinated him in his palace. Then the people of the land killed all who had plotted against King Amon, and they made Josiah his son king in his place.

Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.

In the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins around them, he tore down the altars and the Asherah poles and crushed the idols to powder and cut to pieces all the incense altars throughout Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem.

Why?

The evil one is always killed by evil men, like Amon and his officials.

Joasia walked on the right way and followed the ways of his father David. He cut down the idols in Judah and throughout Israel.

Because of these a few good kings the Lord let Judah stand longer than Israel.

How?

Why a man or a king walked in the right way or evil way, depends on his heart. Everyone has to face the Lord one day.

ManassehManasseh was twelve years old when he became king, was twelve years old when he became king,

2 Chronicles 33:1-20

Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them.

But Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites.

God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart

2 Chronicles 32:24-33

In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. He prayed to the Lord, who answered him and gave him a miraculous sign. But Hezekiah’s heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the Lord’s wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. Then Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the Lord’s wrath did not come on them during the days of Hezekiah.

 It was Hezekiah who blocked the upper outlet of the Gihon spring and channeled the water down to the west side of the City of David. He succeeded in everything he undertook. But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart. 

Why?

People during peace and everything that goes well easily fall in pride, which may induce the wrath of the Lord.

Even during peace and great times under the Lord's blessings, God may have left us to test us and to know everything in our hearts. So some troubles and fails warn us that we depend on the Lord instead of on ourselves.

How?

Be humble at any time any period, even under difficulty my hope my heart, and my way rely on the Lord.

 

Don't be cheated by what we see; what we do not see is more important.

2 Chronicles 32:1-23

After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself. When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to wage war against Jerusalem, he consulted with his officials and military staff about blocking off the water from the springs outside the city, and they helped him.

He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.

How then can your god deliver you from my hand? Now do not let Hezekiah deceive you and mislead you like this. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my predecessors. How much less will your god deliver you from my hand.

King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to heaven about this. And the Lord sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the commanders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons, his own flesh and blood, cut him down with the sword.

So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all others. He took care of them on every side. Many brought offerings to Jerusalem for the Lord and valuable gifts for Hezekiah king of Judah. From then on he was highly regarded by all the nations.

Why?

Hezekiah had faith in the Lord, he knew the Lord is greater than any other enemies. And Hezekiah prepared some defending business and prayed to the Lord. So the Lord listened to their prayer and sent an angel who annihilated all the fighting men and the commanders of the Assyrian king.

Don't be cheated by what we see; what we do not see is more important.

How?

My God is greater than any other. Trust in the Lord. My Lord is full of love and righteousness. What we need is to obey God's word and honor God's Holy name.

He sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.

2 Chronicles 31:1-21

When all this had ended, the Israelites who were there went out to the towns of Judah, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. They destroyed the high places and the altars throughout Judah and Benjamin and in Ephraim and Manasseh. After they had destroyed all of them, the Israelites returned to their own towns and to their own property.

The king contributed from his own possessions for the morning and evening burnt offerings and for the burnt offerings on the Sabbaths, at the New Moons and at the appointed festivals as written in the Law of the Lord. He ordered the people living in Jerusalem to give the portion due the priests and Levites so they could devote themselves to the Law of the Lord. As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits of their grain, new wine, olive oil and honey and all that the fields produced. They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything. The people of Israel and Judah who lived in the towns of Judah also brought a tithe of their herds and flocks and a tithe of the holy things dedicated to the Lord their God, and they piled them in heaps. 

Hezekiah gave orders to prepare storerooms in the temple of the Lord, and this was done. Then they faithfully brought in the contributions, tithes and dedicated gifts. Konaniah, a Levite, was the overseer in charge of these things, and his brother Shimei was next in rank.  

In addition, they distributed to the males three years old or more whose names were in the genealogical records—all who would enter the temple of the Lord to perform the daily duties of their various tasks, according to their responsibilities and their divisions.

This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.

Why?

Not only attended the Passover but also took action to get rid of the high places and the altars.

Hezekiah 1)get rid of detectable idols and high places throughout Judah, in his territory 2) did what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. 3) obey the law and the commands of the Lor 4) The Sought is the Lord and worked wholeheartedly.

The above 4 actions are the principles for every Christian to prosper.

Share the duties in the Temple of the Lord in divisions. Sharing the responsibility may work joyfully. The same work in the church now needs many brothers and sisters to share the jobs.

Keep the tithe is a blessing principle for every Christian.

How?

Don't worry about what we eat or what we have, all of these are the gift from the Lord. For the Lord cares about those who care about the Lord and are faithful to the Lord. God's word never fails.

信心與講道

 老闆問以後會怎麼樣?不重要。應該問以後三年10年後不會變的? 上帝的話

吳勇長老的生命分享 Youtube 3

神創造人因為要人氣分享神的愛

與主一起面對風暴

長進與悔改同時進行

在(神)光中見(己)光：愈靠近神愈看清自己的光景

講道不是依靠自己的才能、口才、智慧，而是依靠神、依靠聖靈

耶穌寶血責備我： 神藉著試練教我們成為潔淨合用的器皿，靠主得勝：患難來臨時，我們會如施洗約翰一樣信心軟弱，懷疑信仰。

講道： 內容、大綱 全部都在聖經

例如保羅書信的問候文相同與不同的比較。信心、愛心和盼望

我們從耶穌有所得，耶穌是我們的救主

耶穌從我們身上有所得： 見證行為榮耀主

方法：聖經每個章節深入的看、清楚的看

Enjoy with the Lord *

2 Chronicles 30:1-27

Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, inviting them to come to the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel. The king and his officials and the whole assembly in Jerusalem decided to celebrate the Passover in the second month.

At the king’s command, couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the king and from his officials, which read: People of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that he may return to you who are left, who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria.

Do not be like your parents

Do not be stiff-necked, as your ancestors were

The couriers went from town to town in Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun, but people scorned and ridiculed them. Nevertheless, some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and went to Jerusalem. Also in Judah, the hand of God was on the people to give them unity of mind to carry out what the king and his officials had ordered, following the word of the Lord.

But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone who sets their heart on seeking God—the Lord, the God of their ancestors—even if they are not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.” And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.

The priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place.

It is sad that Hezekiah was the last king in Judah to obey the word of the Lord. He restored the celebration of Passover in Judah and remained Israelites.

Because the worship concept and ceremony were dismissed many years ago, many people have forgotten how to celebrate Passover.

Religion is not a ceremony but is our lifestyle and is part of our life in our daily lives.

How?

Don't keep our daily life as a regulation, but keep a close relationship with the Lord, like a friend, like our lover, like our master, and make our master joy, then we will enjoy with the Lord either.