GOD UNBOXED Part 2: Hezekiah

Sermon notes from Bill Hybels - Willowcreek.org

Open the eyes of our Heart, Lord, so we will see God for who He really are..

He started with
Deuteronomy 29:29: The Secret Things belong to the Lord our God, But the things revealed belong to us and our children forever..

Mysteries of God are going to remain as a secret. Psalm 145:3 - Great is the Lord and greatly to be praise -- His greatness is unsearchable.

He spoke abou tthe sotry of a great and faithful king Hezekiah, 25 yr old son of Ahaz, who has reigned Judah for 29 years. His father, Ahaz, claim to fame was to forbid anyone to worship the true God and set up every critical position outside Jerusalem to worship false gods.. When Ahaz died, Hezekiah rebuild the temple of the God of Israel, Moses and David...

1 Chronicles 29: 2-3 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done. 3 In the first month of the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the temple of the LORD and repaired them


Hezekiah would like all the people to know that he's parting way from his father. Upgrading and reopening the Temple of the Lord and started a huge worship gathering for all his people to worship the true GOD. 2 Chronicles 29: 28-30 The whole assembly bowed in worship, while the singers sang and the trumpeters played. All this continued until the sacrifice of the burnt offering was completed. When the offerings were finished, the

king and everyone present with him knelt down and worshiped.

30 King Hezekiah and his officials ordered the Levites to praise the LORD with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness and bowed their heads and worshiped.

King Hezekiah knelt down and praise with his people in that TEmple... Your examples matters more than anything than words.. Is powerul and everytime you make a GREAT STAND it (not just appropriate stand) registers profoundly in the people lives.. you're gonna sow seeds in their minds...

1 Chronicles 30: 20-21 This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God. 21 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. ---- 2 successful secret to great things on this world.

1 Kings 18: 7 And the Lord was with him; and he was succesful in whatever he undertook..

Question: Does God always prosper those who seek to honor him fully all the time? in any situation?

in the scripture it says:

Job 36: 11. If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment

Proverbs 10:22 the blessings of the Lord brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it..

So many names and people are witnessed to the Love and grace of our God. However you see the people in faith like Daniel, Apostle Paul, John the Baptist.. why did God allow them to get hurt and pass through the pain if God says he would make you prosper if you follow him? Why did God allow certain things to happen if you are faithful to God? Is there any predictability at all to who God is going to let prosper and who doesnt? Who he blesses and who doesnt?

God at this point could not be pinned down because of this issue. God comes out of the box.

Look at the life of King Hezekiah who came into a conclusion: that honoring GOD was the way he wanted in honoring God; it right thing to do; it was the best way to live his life. He didnt orient his life that way in order to OBLIGATE GOD to only prosper him or bless him the way he wanted it, He let the prospering decision totally in God's hands..

Bill suggest: We get up in the morning to make a FRESH COMMITMENT EVERY MORNING IN honor Him in everything.. every thought every word every deed.. and just let GOD be GOD.. and let Him sort your life out..

Don Cousin: Honor God everyday in your life and God will honor you in lifetime.. and let the rest up to GOD..

Then Hezekiah had a challenged in his life when a certain Assyrian ruler has mocked his reign, challenged Hezekiah to destroy their own godsand tried to sent out a massive military assylum to Hezekiah's kingdom to kill him and his people.. Hezekiah, as a true young leader, who looks after the well-being of his people was pressured and scared for his people upon receiving the Letter of the Ruler that threatened his kingdom.. Finally realized to forward and surrender his feelings to GOD and SPREAD OUT THE LETTER RECEIVED fr his enemy TO GOD..

1King 19: 14-19 Hezekiah’s Prayer
Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it.

Then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD.

And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD: “LORD, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 16 Give ear, LORD, and hear; open your eyes, LORD, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God. “It is true, LORD, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste these nations and their lands. 18 They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands.

Now, LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, LORD, are God.”

REFLECTION: What do you usually SPREAD OUT TO GOD on your prayers? What are you spreading out before GOD? GOD iS OMNIPOTENT.. and he can fly out whatever box you have him.. and Hezekiah prayed for this not to become a greater King or to lead His troops to victory on his name.. Hezekiah prayed so that GOD will be made known for his greatness in all the Kingdoms of the Earth.. WHAT SO-THAT DO YOU PRAY TO GOD? HAVE YOU BEEN ANALYZING YOUR PRAYERS TO GOD?

God answers Hezekiah's prayer that is ridicule and absurd.. Through Isaiah, God appeared to him to send out the message to Hezekiah.. to just relax, sow some seed and relax as God will fight the battle of Hezekiah.. Then

1 KIngs 19: 35 That night the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies! 36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.

God answers our prayers in a mysterious way.. God expects us to fight our own battle with his help.. but why is it that at some times, that God fights our battle for us? In our lives, where GOD left me with no other choices than to sacrifice, again with His help, to achieve something important. God needed me to fight that battle for me to grow a love in me and perservance and courage.. But there are times too that God is going to send you to battle and say, fight.. fight some more.. fight harder and God is with you.. its not gonna come easy for you but im with you.. until at times you'll be exhausted..

but GOD has important reasons to let us go into the battle for HIM.. GOD provides soemthing that we dont deserve.. straight from the victory circle.. then we will be surprised to see that we dont deserve that victory..

WHY GOD let us fight our own battle with his help? and at times, GOD will fight directly to our battle?

Bill hybels jokes -- I dont have a clue..
Psalm 145: His greatness is unsearchable..
Deuteronomy 29:29: The secret things belongs to God..

Let GOD be GOD.. Unboxed Him.. Either way to battle, ask and spread out your battle to GOD.. with God's help on your battle, GOD will reveal himself to you as you trust him in whatever battle you are into..

2 Kings 20:1 Hezekiah’s Illness
1 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.”

2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD,

3 “Remember, LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

4 Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: 5 “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the LORD. 6

I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’”

God has found favor in Hezekiah's prayer and he extended 15 more years of his life and said that God will defend his city for GOD'S SAKE AND THE SAKE OF MY SERVANT, DAVID.. God has found favor in Hezekiah but also it also favored God because He would like Hezekiah to continue to work for God's glory..

However Hezekiah did not let God's favour imprisoned him from pride and did not rest on his laurels from God.. He has secured God's favour for Him so he has made God's glory greater by creating a POOL OR TUNNEL in his city so that waters from city will distributed properly. He ordered the people to chisel 1750 foot and nowadays, it has been a tourist destination in Israel where the tunnel is and brings legacy to the works of Hezekiah. But during this works and achievement, Hezekiah has offered this achievement for God's glory..

2 Kings 20: 20 As for the other events of Hezekiah’s reign, all his achievements and how he made the pool and the tunnel by which he brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 21 Hezekiah rested with his ancestors. And Manasseh his son succeeded him as king.

Almost all the reign of Hezekiah's work has been forgotten but only Hezekiah's tunnel has been secured SO THAT God's hand will be shown on it...

Reflection: What is our legacy? What is our Tunnel? what are the people will talk about after 25 years in your life that outlives you but only for the glory of God..?

Pour yourself in God's word.. Envision life with spirituality.. Instill Christianity to each and everyone in front of You.. and SPREAD IT OUT TO GOD WHO WILL HELP YOU AND GUIDE YOU TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.. It takes humility to understand and believe that God can do this through you.. We usually put it on our own strength and carry it on our own power and mind, so we thought it is ours who made it happen.. but laugh.. God enables you through His Spirit within you to make it happen..

What are you gonna leave as a legacy of your own life to glorify the Lord? God will advice you and lead you into this.. so THAT it blesses a greater part of the world..

LORD, if you pursue me, i will be among those people that will make sure that your works and glory shall be made known..

to GOD be all the glory..

hell -- not a sudden slope

The safest road to hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts. C. S. Lewis

C.S. Lewis and the Narnia

Maybe because im a Christian now that I could now understand how ASLAN tried to speak to Lucy, Edward, Peter and Susan and the whole Narnia.. Ive just seen the movie in a 3d with hubby, rob, and it has amazingly touched my heart.. the moment lucy embraced Aslan to bid goodbye, my tears just keep pouring as if I am longing to finally meet God and hug him tightly..

"Oh, Aslan," said Lucy. "Will you tell us how to get into your country from our world?"
"I shall be telling you all the time," said Aslan. "But I will not tell you how long or short the way will be; only that it lies across a river. But do not fear that, for I am the great Bridge Builder."

"It isn't Narnia, you know," sobbed Lucy. "It's you. We haSn't meet you there. And how can we live, never meeting you?"
"But you shall meet me, dear one," said Aslan.
"Are — are you there too, Sir?" said Edmund.
"I am," said Aslan. "BUT THERE... I HAVE ANOTHER NAME. YOU MUST LEARN TO KNOW ME BY THAT NAME.. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there."


As Lewis wrote in a letter to a Mrs Hook in December 1958:

If Aslan represented the immaterial Deity in the same way in which Giant Despair [a character in The Pilgrim's Progress] represents despair, he would be an allegorical figure. In reality, however, he is an invention giving an imaginary answer to the question, 'What might Christ become like if there really were a world like Narnia, and He chose to be incarnate and die and rise again in that world as He actually has done in ours?' This is not allegory at all

The whole series works out like this.

The Magician's Nephew tells the Creation and how evil entered Narnia.
The Lion etc the Crucifixion and Resurrection.
Prince Caspian restoration of the true religion after corruption.
The Horse and His Boy the calling and conversion of a heathen.
The Voyage of the "Dawn Treader" the spiritual life (especially in Reepicheep).
The Silver Chair the continuing war with the powers of darkness
The Last Battle the coming of the Antichrist (the Ape), the end of the world and the Last Judgement.

excited and wondered if the producers of the movie will intend to finish the whole series until the Last Battle so that other people can see the end of the world and how GOD's glory truly works in our lives just to save us until the last Judgement..

oh im so thrilled... now i think i would like to watch it again and probably might buy the book to read it too.. :-)

ALL GLORY TO GOD as this provision has enlighten me again and again.. oh Lord your provisions are just endless... salamat po!

my father, my refuge, my praise i give

Our loving heavenly father, my refuge, my hiding place, u love me first before I love you, as merciful as you are, I am privilege at this very hour that I am your loving child asking for your presence to be feeled n as a great encourager as you are, let me accept such invitation of your grace and love.. Praise you!

I still fear but you have already covered me with your love and faithfulness.. However I still fall short of your glory and praising you through jesus christ sacrificial blood to assure the forgiveness of my sins.. I am still a child who needs your guidance thru d loving holy spirit.. Lord fill my heart with your spirit so that my eyes are only looking in for the opportunities to honour your glory and not at my own sake.. Released the arrogance n pride for my self but only for your glory I see myself serving as a living witness of your greatness..

Thanking you father for the unconditional and immeasureable love.. How can I ever ignore the kind of love you've shown me, when you have saved and transformed me into one of ur faithful loving servant.. I gave you my life and will honor and obey your words in the holy scriptures.. I surrender my hands on you to lead me where your greatness starts.. I will love you with all my heart, my mind, my soul..

Strengthen me as I walk in this world, live in my own flesh, feel in d temptation of evilness.. But lord as I walk, live n feel you also in my heart, may you strengthen me with your courage, your faithfulness, your love, and your wisdom, so that I can truly live only in your spirit n likeness to resist the desire the apetite of the world, flesh n evil.

My supplications you know as I do not need to list. Your greatness has always been revealed and shown in my daily struggles but Your will be done on my life, my familyn and friends.. May you just give honor to help us understand your will, the wisdom, patience, and courage to face your loving plans n purpose in our life on earth..

I give thanks and praises as this will never be enough to give the glory back to you! You've saved a wretch like me and covered me w ur blood for my deliverance.. I rejoice till d day. I see you.. In jesus name I surrender my love for you, amen!

GOD UNBOXED Part 1: Elijah in Mount Carmel

- Sermon Notes from Bill Hybels Sunday service

I am being challenged with ther sermon officiated by Senior Pastor Bill Hybels to his church in WillowCreek Community. So I would like to share with you the sermon notes Ive taken (actually taking down notes simultaneously listening to the sermon)

Part 1 of the Series is emphasized on Elijah's radical life; from challenging 400 pagan prophet's to a duel, enjoying God-crafted picnic lunch, and hearing a mountainside whisper from the Lord.

Psalm 145:3 - Great is the Lord and greatly to be praise -- His greatness is unsearchable.

There is a lot to know about God.. Basic commitment of God to people in the sense of HOliness, but as knowable as God is, there is a limit to what the finite human mind can comprehend to what God mysterious plan in your life.. So we cannot put God in a box here.. Talk about unpredictability God is.. how unsearchable God is..

Elijah's Victory at Carmel. Ahab, Djesebel, King and Queen of Israel, and forbid anyone to worship the true God. Then prophet Elijah came to the scene and he see what the King and Queen has made to Israel.. I cant stand no more -- Elijah.. If it caused me my life, I am going to turn this way around - Elijah.. Then Elijah invited and challenged the 850 pagan prophets at that time and made a duel to the prophets of the pagan's god to bring fire to the mountain and whoever sends out Fire to the mountain, they need to worship the true God. Midday past, nothing happens after the prophets cries, dances and sacrifices to bring Fire to the mountainside, Until Elijah's turn came.. Elijah ddnt just call out the fire from the sky.. He ordered some people nearby to fill 4 huge water jars and start dousing the sacrifice and start pouring water to do this 3 TIMES.. other prophets could not understand.. Then until Elijah calls out God in a very cool way.. and IMMEDIATELY, FIRE FALLS OUT FROM HEAVEN.. and not only burns the wood but also the stone and all the matreials Elijah ordered for the sacrifice.. HAND'S DOWN.. the pagan's prophet was astonished to see the blast of the Fire..

Elijah set it up with this contest but Why did God demonstrated His power to the people? Because of Elijah's prayer..

37 Answer me, LORD, answer me, SO THAT these people will know that you, LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”

2 MOST IMPORTANT WORDS IN THAT PRAYER: 1. SO, 2. THAT..

God knows that Elijah did not set up this contest for his own purposes and his own games or fame.. on the contrary, Elijah was jealous to be acknowledge as the one True God and aching to see the pagan's turn their hearts FROM THEIR IDOLS TO GOD.. Elijah is willing to put his life on it.. Have the fire not come, Elijah could have been killed..

there is something PREDICTABLE ABOUT GOD.. You can bank on this all the time.. It relates how He willed his power.. He flows it to people who are jealous to see His name made Great.. He flows his power to people who put his purposes in front of their own.. He flows it to people who yearns to freed from false god or no got at all..

When you are on your knees, Is it usually for GOD's sake, fame or purposes and glory.. or your own? true confession.. if majority of prayers are about MY PROGRAM, MY WANTS MY WISHES SELF, MY REQUEST, MY MY MY... AND IF WE ARE NOT CAREFUL, I WILL WANT MY KINGDOM, MY WILL TO BE DONE AND ARRANGE EVERYTHING FOR ME..

Instead of the other way around when you beg for GOD to answer your prayer, SO THAT GOD'S NAME WILL BE MADE GREAT..

Maybe you've been asking GOD to do something for you, and you keep praying that you got disappointed because GOD seems to be not listening and doing it.. SEEM LIKE PRAYERS ARE MANIPULATED FOR OWN SAKE.. God often refuses to grant our prayer request because at the end of the day, he discerns our motives and he sees that were just trying to manipulate our power for our own purposes..

JAMES 4: 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

Elijah pleaded for God SO THAT ISRAEL WILL TURN AWAY FROM IDOLS AND SO THAT GOD CAN BLESS ISRAELITES LIVES..


HAVE YOU ANALYZED YOUR SO THAT LATELY? HAVE YOU RE-READ YOUR PRAYERS RECENTLY? HAVE YOU REVIEWED YOUR RECENT PRAYERS AND ASKED, WHAT IS THE SO THAT OF MY PRAYERS? IN WHAT WAY IF THIS PRAYER IS ANSWERED, WHAT WAY WILL HELP TO SEE GOD BY OTHERS AND BETTER ESTABLISHED GOD'S KINGDOM ON EARTH..

serious SO THAT.. your name will be made GREAT.. THE WORLD WILL KNOW THAT THE ONE TRUE GOD IS ALIVE AND LOVING..

PREDICTABLY, GOD WILL HONOR THE SO THATS..

SPIRITUAL BREATHING

The MOST satisfying DAILY EXERCISE:
SPIRITUAL BREATHING

BREATHING IN powerful prayers that will intercede to your struggle (crossing the street.. driving in a traffic way.. Boss called you for a specific assignment.. Washing clothes with stain.. Husband Infidelity.. Shoe unpolished.. Children quarreling.. Wife is too nice.. Smoking.. Lies.. Anger.. Too loving.. Prideful situations.. Humbling situation.. buying your craving for a branded shoe.. Shoe laces untied.. Hot.. or Cold.. Cancerous Sickness.. anyyyy situation but called struggle because you will now have the POWER TO CHOOSE HOW TO REACT OR RESPOND ON IT..)

STRUGGLES... anyway you put it, WE all have different struggle.. maybe in different intensity -- high or low..

HOW TO HANDLE?
SO VIA BREATHING IN, YOU, who have the power to choose to respond or react, WILL PRAY (on that spot praying) to our Loving Father God For the Holy Spirit to fill your Heart and guide you on that particular struggle..

BREATHING OUT IS THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE REACTION YOU HAVE CHOSEN.. the crucial RESPONSE you've chosen to that particular struggle... and we know that if it displeases our FATHER, the Spirit you've chosen is not the HOly Spirit that leads to the glory of God.. this is where we all fall short when we put all our struggle On our own hands.. a TRUE SPIRIT must always put GOD's GLORY "above" our SELF satisfaction.. a response shall always pleases our FATHER and that ILLUMINATES HIS LOVE for other people to see... When you've chosen the leading of the Holy Spirit, OBEDIENCE to GOD then shall naturally flow


HOLY SPIRIT is not just a third party element of GOD.. IT IS GOD HIMSELF (Exodus 28:3, 31:3) Zechariah 4:6 I Corinthians 3:16 .. IT IS FROM A LIVING GOD.. We do not call unto GOD and just forget about the Holy Spirit to lead us.. but We call our FAther GOD to be filled with HIs Holy Spirit for his guidance and so to continue to LIVE INSIDE US..

The Holy Spirit dwells in the believer, perfecting us for the day of Redemption.

He grieves with our actions and language. (Hebrew 10:29)
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption Ephesians 4:30
He intercedes for us with groaning, prompting us to pray, (Romans 8:26)
He searches our hearts (Romans 8:27)
He talks to us (Acts 13;2, 16:6-7, Revelation 2:7)
He teaches all things (John 14:26)
He reminds us of scripture (John 14:26)

there might be another SPIRIT that lives in you.. the FLESH.. THAT IS YOU.. YOUR HUMAN FLESH that craves and yields in this world.. Believers or unbelievers struggle on the Flesh.. But GOD who started a good work in you since you were born will never leave you nor forsake you.. THE GOSPEL IS.. or the GOOD NEWS is.. JESUS gives us the assurance of forgiveness everytime we fall short to glorify our Father.. But He is truly working on His way to LEAD YOU BACK TO HIS PLACE, TO HIS HEART, TO HIS PROMISE... The HOly Spirit of the Grace of GOD is now following you and asking you to open up to enter your Heart.. and that is GOD..


Soooo.... breath in BREATH OUT.. HOLY SPIRIT IN.. HOLY SPIRIT OUT...

MAY THE SPIRIT OF OUR LOVING GRACIOUS FATHER BE WITH US WHENEVER WE BREATH.. until then this will become a way of LIFE.. USE THE FREEDOM you have right now and show HIS GLORY to people who needs the truth about SALVATION... PREACH THE GOSPEL.. and look for OPPORTUNITY which are being led by GOD himself.. OPEN YOUR EYES.. AND FOCUS YOUR HEART AND MIND ON HIS PROMISE.. our ETERNAL LIFE...


GALATIANS 5: 13 -14.. Life by the Spirit
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control