PJP2 PROLOG 160613 PROLOG Focus - 2 Kings 18:1, 5-8....

Psalm 105:2 (ESV/emphasis added/jaj)...."Sing To Him, Sing Praises To Him; Tell Of ALL His Wondrous Works!"....

PJP2 PROLOG POST 160613 - 2 Kings 18:1, 5-8 (ESV/emphasis added/jaj)...."In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah, king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to reign.... Hezekiah Trusted In The Lord, The God of Israel, SO That There Was None Like him among all the kings of Judah After him, NOR among those who were before him.  For he Held Fast To The Lord.  He Did NOT depart From Following Him, BUT Kept The Commandments That The Lord Commanded Moses.  AND The Lord Was With him; Wherever he Went out, he Prospered.  He Rebelled against the king of Assyria And Would NOT serve him.  He Struck Down the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city."....

As we read through the 'histories' of the Kings of Israel and Judah, to be honest there are NOT a light of Bright Spots to point to.  I mean starting with Jeroboam and Rehoboam, following King Solomon's death, the downward spiral of the now divided Kingdom is really very say.  Yet, God In His Mercy and His Plan periodically Raises Up a king, like Hezekiah Ahazson, who surprises us by TRUSTED in The Lord, Followed In The Good Godly Steps of King David, and Obeyed God's Guidance by Keeping God's Commandments (and Covenant).

The Results?

"AND The Lord Was With him; Wherever he Went out, he Prospered.  He Rebelled against the king of Assyria And Would NOT serve him.  He Struck Down the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city."....

I must admit, I often wonder what the people of the kingdom(s) thought when they followed a king like Hezekiah.  I mean they had had their fare share of not-so-good kings.  You would think they'd begin to stitch God's TRUTH together.....Get a king who Follows God....Life Goes Good....Get a king who DOES NOT Follow God....Life Goes Downhill

Now, here's what I Hear The Holy Spirit Sharing with me this morning.....It would be SO easy to start down the slippery slope of discussing our current U.S. Presidential Election scene,  BUT THAT is not the vector we are taking.

Nope.

The Spirit is Sharing - Let's Focus On His Sphere of Influence within our own Lives.  So, here's The Question - Who's The King setting on The Throne of our own Heart?

We have three choices, really - Self; World; JESUS.....

To boil it down further though, Self and World do go hand-in-hand, thus I'd cobble them into one choice of Self.....Now we're down to two choices....SELF or JESUS....,,.

It is a Question all of us our asked.  Each of us has to Make The Decision on their own.

I can only Share with you The Decision I have made.....And it is a Decision, to be Honest, we must make each and every day - for SELF is relentless - SELF is constantly, if we Choose JESUS as our Heart's KING, to dethrone Him, and take the Crown.  Believe me, I am Confident that Once Saved by our Lord Jesus, we are Forever His.  I am saying, though, the forces of darkness, and our own selfish old nature, now at War With His Presence in our Lives, will try every trick to trip us up on His Narrow Way.

So, Be Encouraged - His Holy Spirit Shares His Light Through the likes of King Hezekiah, son of a king (Ahaz) who fell victim to following his own selfish way.  BUT King Hezekiah rose above his heritage and Made YAHWEH King of his Heart.

Thus my Prayer of us today would be a Paraphrase of Prayer and Praise from His Holy Spirit's Word to His prophet Samuel (Recorded in 1 Samuel12:13-16, 20-22)...O Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, Father God, we Worship and Praise Your Holy Name.  Lord Jesus, Behold You Are The King Whom we Have Chosen.  Holy Spirit, Guide those, who Do Not Yet Know You.  Lead them to Ask You to Be King of their Hearts as well.  Father God, we Surrender our All to You.  Behold, Lord Jesus, Please, we Ask that You Be Set as The King Over us.  Holy Spirit, Help us to Heed Your Promise.  Father God, Teach us How to Be Faithful, to Exalt, Adore and Respect You in our Thoughts, Actions and Word.  Lord Jesus, Teach us to Better Obey and Serve Your Voice to us, And to Not rebel Against Your Commandments.  Father God, we TRUST Your Word that You Will Ensure All Is Well with our Souls.  Holy Spirit, Help us, as well, to Understand that If we will not Obey Your Voice, But we do rebel by making our self king, then the consequences are severe.  Guide us O Lord to NOT walk that way.  Now therefore, Lord Jesus, Help us to Stand Still in You And See The Great Things that You, O Lord Will Do Before our eyes.  Holy Spirit, Help our Witness to Reflect to those who Do Not Know You that there is STILL TIME to turn aside from the evil way.  Father God, Help us to Share that Your Way is To Serve You With All our Heart.  Lord Jesus, Guide us and Protect us from this world's empty things and distractions that cannot Profit or Deliver, for they are empty.  Holy Spirit, Thank You that You Promise Never to forsake us.  Father God, we Are Blessed For Your Great Name's Sake.  Lord Jesus Thank You that It Pleased You To Make us Your people For Yourself.  In Your Holy Name we Pray these Prayers....Amen/Amen....jaj