There was no hope outside of a miracle.

Thursday 7-21-2016   Home in Modesto

Scripture Reading:  2 Kings 18 – 19    2 Chron 32    James 5

S=Scripture  O=Observation  A=Application  P=Prayer  SOAP for the soul.

S.  2 Kings 19:14-16 And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD.  Then Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said: "O LORD God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. NKJV

O.  With Jerusalem surrounded by a powerful enemy, Hezekiah took Sennacherib’s threatening letter, probably a scroll, and went to the house of God where he spread it out before the Lord.  He knew that he and his city were doomed without a miracle.

A.  (Early 1980s) Missionary Norman Campbell was starting a new church in Palermo, an expensive neighborhood of Buenos Aires.  He was renting Saint Paul’s Church, a well-built old church building with an option to purchase it.  All was progressing toward its purchase.  The former owners, representing a church denomination, were anxious to sell.  But a club of elderly people brought a law suit against the sale.  They had been meeting there monthly as a club and wanted to preserve it as a museum.  Norman had contracted a very capable lady lawyer to help him through this tangled situation.  It was down to the last day and it was obvious that the club was going to win.  Then this lady lawyer told us this story.  “I knew there was no hope outside of a miracle.  I went into my bedroom and laid out the thick folder of legal documents on a chair and I knelt down in front of it there in the darkness and prayed.  ‘God, You know that without Your miracle we cannot win.’”  She goes on: “Suddenly I could see through the huge folder of papers and a single sentence stood out to me.  I searched through them and found it.  And that sentence made the difference.”  Norman’s church won the law suit, the building was purchased, and a thriving church called “Saint Paul’s Assembly of God” serves that community today. 

Have you ever taken your problem, your medical test result, your legal document, your helpless situation... and just spread it out before the Lord?  Hezekiah did and God read the document and took charge.

P.  Father in heaven, I know that You are bigger than my problem.  Help me to run to you and spread it out before You.  You have intervened for me so many times.  You can do it again.  I thank You in advance for I pray in the authority of Your Son, Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Ralph

My mother used to sing this one:   

Leave It There

By Charles A. Tinley  1916

1.    If the world from you withhold of its silver and its gold,
And you have to get along with meager fare,
Just remember, in His Word, how He feeds the little bird—
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.

o    Refrain:
Leave it there, leave it there,
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there;
If you trust and never doubt, He will surely bring you out—
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.

2.    If your body suffers pain and your health you can’t regain,
And your soul is almost sinking in despair,
Jesus knows the pain you feel, He can save and He can heal—
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.

3.    When your enemies assail and your heart begins to fail,
Don’t forget that God in Heaven answers prayer;
He will make a way for you and will lead you safely through—
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.

4.    When your youthful days are gone and old age is stealing on,
And your body bends beneath the weight of care;
He will never leave you then, He’ll go with you to the end—
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.