The time for renewal is now!

Based on 2 Chronicles 29-32


Hezekiah became king at 25 years old. To place that age in perspective, according to "the law", you had to be at least 30 in order to be a priest in the temple. Yet, here was this "young man" who wasn't old enough for the priesthood, being tapped to become the king over God's people. 


Wow! What a responsibility! He wasn't just required to see to their spiritual well being, but also their economic, legal, and physical well being. 


Hezekiah was raised as a prince over Israel. He had all the luxuries that come with that title. He wore the choicest clothes, ate the best foods, was attended to by manifold servants. 


But Hezekiah wasn't always raised as royalty. He was 9 years old when his father, Ahaz, became king. He watched as his father did "not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father:" For 16 years, he watched his father, the king, destroy the work of God in Israel and raise up the works of Baal. 


Yet, in his mind, he remembered his Grandpa, King Jotham, who did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He had 16 years to watch and compare the reigns of his Grandpa, Jotham and his father, Ahaz. 


So where does a young king start? Did he start with the economy? No. Did he start with the legal system? No. Did he start with the military protection of his people? No. Does he start with the land laws of the people and any disputes there may be? No. 


Of all the things he looked and saw in his new kingdom, the thing that he felt needed to be addressed before anything else, was the work of the Lord in his kingdom! 


So he calls a massive overhaul of the temple. Did he make up a "new way"? No. I'm sure that, to those who had grown accustomed to Ahaz's rules, Hezekiah's ways did seem new. But, in the eyes of God, it was a return to God's ways. 


He calls the priests and levites to consecrate themselves. He calls for a cleansing of the temple. He calls for a cleansing of the altar. He calls for a cleansing of the people. He calls for the tearing down the altars and groves of Baal and Ashteroth. 


A massive "revival" is the result. The house of God is set in order. The people's homes are put in order. In the process, even the poor were taken care of. They sent invitations to the surrounding areas and some folks from Israel and other "Israeli" areas were brought back to God's fold. 


What were the results as far as their relations to other countries? They were attacked by Sennicharab and the Assyrians come calling to attack. They blasphemed God almighty and threatened and intimidated the people of God. 


Hezekiah calls a solemn assembly and asks for the Lord's help. He made ready for a strong defense, but he didn't send out the chariots to battle. He simply seeks the Lord. What happens, the Lord rewarded all of their faithfulness by fighting the battle FOR them and destroying the Assyrians- sending them fleeing without Israel having to lift a finger to fight. 


The results of that were that Israel became well known and honored by the other nations- even fearing them to the point of not attacking or threatening them. Israel, over all, enjoyed relative peace (with a few "bumps in the road") for the rest of Hezekiah's 29 year reign. 


What's the point of all this, br Winskie? Simply this:


Our nation has fallen into a state of deep sin. Our churches have fallen into a free spirit state of mind. Anything goes. Let's not talk about doctrine, you might offend someone. Let's not worry about God's ways of doing things, people will run away from your church. Let's just get together, "put our praise on", and enjoy the "blessings of God". 


But what god is sending the blessings? Is it the one true God (Jesus)? Or is it Baal of old? People forget 1 Timothy 6: ¹Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.

 ²And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.

 ³If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;

 ⁴He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

 ⁵Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.


Just because God heals, doesn't mean he approves of their religion, but Baal (Satan) does. Just because all your financial needs are cared for, doesn't mean that God is the one meeting those needs- but Baal sometimes is. 


It's time for us, as preachers of "the Gospel of Jesus Christ", and as "children of God", to call a "solemn assembly"! It's time for us to spend time in prayer, fasting, and consecration to God. It's time for us, like Hezekiah of old, to get into the word of God. We need to compare the ways folks are doing things now, with the ways God's word says to do them- and make changes accordingly! 


What will be the results? a) Right standing with God! What better result could we hope and pray for? b) Right standing with our "brothers and sisters in the Lord" (at least the ones who have returned to God, as well). c) Protection from our enemies. Not that we won't have trials and battles, but as long as we're in right relationship with God, we'll be victorious! Those battles we've been fighting for years- like Assyria attacking Israel of old- will be over! Victory will be ours! 


Hezekiah took over after his father died. Look around, church. How many men of God has the Lord been calling home, lately? They've ran their races and fought their fight. Nothing against them, but I believe that God is making room for our generation to stand up and do a work WITH the Lord (not FOR the Lord). The prophesied end time revival is here and it's OUR generations time to lead the way! 


Will we continue to allow the things to go on that our forefathers have allowed to creep in? Or will we, like Hezekiah, stand for righteousness and remove the evil from our midst? Will we enjoy the temporary "blessings" of Baal? Or we will enjoy the permanent blessings of Jesus?  Hezekiah's epitaph was "he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord". Wake up, church! What does our generation want our epitaph to be?    

Will the real church of God, PLEASE come out from among them?

Most of the time, when I write one of these blogs, I tend to have a pattern. I begin with a few scriptures, and then expound upon them to get the point across that I feel God wishes to tell us all. This time, it's different. This time, I'm just going to write from my heart.

For many years, my family and I have struggled. We have fought enemies real, enemies imagined, enemies spiritual, and enemies physical. This struggle has cost us friendships, ministerial contacts, money, and who knows what else. Why have we done this?

We have tried with all our might to be, what one author calls, "God chasers". It is our desire to be with God. It is our desire to be in the middle of what God is doing in these last days. Unfortunately, when you step out to truly follow God, there are MANY voices (in and out of the church), that try and tear you down and stop you!

All we want to do is be a help to the kingdom of God and God's people. If God will help me, and I have not arrived yet, I would like to point out a few things we've learned along the way. Maybe this will be of help to someone out there.

1) Holiness IS required by God, but it is NOT a checklist of rules and regulations! Holiness is a real relationship WITH God! It is God living HIS life in and through us! I cannot be holy, as he is holy, unless he is the one doing the living in my life!

2) Standard. This is the word we "holiness people" like to use when we are referring to the list of do's and don'ts that we believe will get us into heaven. First of all, it is NOT these rules that will get us into heaven. It is, simply and totally, our relationship WITH HIM that gets us in. If we stay in relationship with him, we will naturally live the way he wishes. We will also stay under the blood, keeping us washed whiter than snow. When we begin to follow our standards, but neglect our relationship, we are backslidden!

Secondly, the word standard in scripture doesn't even mean "rules to follow". A standard, in scripture, was the flag that carried the kings emblem on it. When this standard was raised, it caused a beaten down and battered army to look, remember their just cause, regroup and fight for their righteous king. Jesus said, "If I (not these rules), but if I be lifted up, I will draw all men." The standard we need to be lifting is JESUS! We are called to introduce people to Jesus, not our rules!

I'm not saying that scripture doesn't give us do's and don'ts- it does! I am not trying to throw out all of our rules (though some of them are unbiblical and need to be tossed). What I am trying to say is that we have erred. We have placed so much emphasis on our rules, that we have given a false impression to people. We've unwittingly taught them that it is the rules that save them. I have personally seen many "saints" who lined up from head to toe to the "standards", but are as cold as a block of ice, hateful as a mad wolf, and as manipulating as any witch or politician. Yet, they are told if they come to church and check the blocks the preacher tells them to, they will make heaven. God help them on judgement day.

3) Church. Church is NOT the building. Going to church, to quote Kieth Green, won't make you a Christian any more than going to McDonald's will make you a hamburger. When the scripture says to forsake not the gathering of yourselves together, it is NOT referring to a building. Don't get me wrong. If you have a building to assemble in, great! Praise God for it. But that building is not "the church". The church is the people, the bride of Christ that he died on a cross to redeem. Many are the people who think that if you don't go to a building, you're breaking scripture. Many are the people who believe that because they darkened the door of the building, they checked the block, meeting the requirement of gathering together. Again, we have erred.

4) The "church" today is quickly becoming a "bless me club". Sermons are given that tell people how God will bless them, wants to bless them, how to line yourself up in order to receive the blessing. Where is the cry for repentance? Where are the cries to righteousness? Where are the preachers who will stand against sin- naming it specifically, instead of glossing it over as a vague concept. The law, scripture says, is the school teacher to lead us to Christ. Specific sins are named so that we can then see our need for cleansing in the blood of Jesus. The average church today teaches another Gospel, not the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

5) The Bible gives us specific instructions on how to live in EVERY area of our lives. There is more to being a Christian than Acts 2:38 and the oneness of God. But even those things are done in relationship with our creator, not on our own.

6) Todays churches are becoming educated and sleek. Professional preachers, impeccably dressed, preach in front of professional choirs, to a congregation of professional Christians, who proudly hold their head up because they go to Brother "X"'s church. We look down on the worldly singers and celebrities, yet we make our own to follow! In the mean time, lost souls are dying by the thousands right outside the church doors, but these are not reached out to because they can't pay tithes and will be a burden on the pastor and the people to straighten out their lives! God help us! Return us back to the days where all we want is Jesus! Help us Lord to see people through Your eyes!

7) The Apostate church is growing in numbers and notoriety! While many are the people- hungry for God's true words, that are starving in the temples!

It is time for God's people to stand up! It is time for a modern day Pentecost! It is time for the remnant of the bride of Christ to come out from among the worldly church and begin to be the arms, eyes, mouthpiece, and heart of our Lord to a lost and dying world! Lord, help us to find your mind for each of our lives! Help us to find the fields that you would have each of us to work in! Send laborers to the fields to help us and bring forth the promised end time revival! Oh, How my heart longs to be in the middle of what you are doing!

May God help us all!