II Kings & I Chronicles

Tonight is late Sunday evening, and it has been a wonderful day in the Lord.  People were saved, baptized, and joined the church.  The crowds were large, and the spirit was exciting!  God has been so good to us! I am writing this blog tonight because I fly out early in the morning to preach at chapel at Golden State Baptist College and teach on Tuesday in their master's course to the master's students.  So, I don't know if I will get to blog on Tuesday, only if I can connect to the internet, but I can at least later in the day.  Here are some thoughts from the Bible: 1) TEACH THEM ABOUT GOD- Yes, this happened in II Kings 17:27 when the King of Assyria, commanded that priest should teach the Israelites about their God!  He hired priest to teach the people.  A heathen king wanted Israel to know about their God.  Wow! 2) SET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER- Hezekiah was told this in II Kings 20:1.  He was told he was going to die, so he was told to "Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live."  Do we have our house in order?  God wants us ready to meet Him at all times and we had best have our houses in order to meet the Lord. 3) I HAVE FOUND THE BOOK- In II Kings 22, Josiah, a godly youth who was the king, had the priest clean out the temple that had been closed for a good long time.  In the process, in verse 8, he came to the king and said "I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD."  The book made all of the difference!  The book brought revival in the land and God's people rejoiced as God blessed the land and it's people!  All because of the book!  The Bible is that same book!  We too have the Book and we too can have revival and be blessed!  Look into God's Word today and be blessed! 4) THE PRAYER OF JABEZ- In I Chron. 4:10, Jabez called upon the God of Israel and prayed: "Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!  And God granted him that which he requested."  God say to call upon Him and He will show us great and mighty things which we do not know of.  If God is no respecter of persons and God heard the prayer of Jabez, then we should also be able ask God for His blessings as well.  Start asking today!! Well, this is all I can write today.  May God's blessings be upon you!  Pastor Mike Mutchler

I KINGS & II KINGS

It's Sunday!  A beautiful day outside with blue skis and white clouds.  It is going to be a great day in the Lord.  I'm hoping for a great crowd of people to be at church, several people to be saved, some to be baptized, and some to join the church!  I'm looking for God's Spirit to meet with us and to have Christ exalted as our Savior.  I'm looking forward to singing God's praises and giving to God's work!  It is Sunday, and it is a glorious day!! I'm reading in I Kings and into II Kings today, and I have just a few thoughts for today's blog: 1) WHOSE CAUSING ALL THE TROUBLE?  In I Kings 18:17,18 there seems to be a difference of thought on whose causing all of the trouble in Israel.  In verse 17, Ahab, the wicked king sees Elijah, the godly prophet, and says: "Art thou he that troubleth Israel?"  And in verse 18, Elijah answers and says: "I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house.."  Today, we have the same difference of opinion.  The world thinks that the problems are these narrow minded Christians who are against abortion, against homosexual rights and their agenda, against gambling, against alcohol, against sex education that stress "how too have sex and not get pregnant" instead of abstinence.  Christians who are for conservative causes are pointed out as those causing all of the trouble, because they follow a book (the Bible) that society rejects!  On the other hand, we are not taking the drugs, alcohol, gambling, robbing, mugging, killing, raping, etc.  And we say that the worlds crowd is destroying our nation.  Whose right??  Well, the crowd that stands with God and His opinion is the one that is right!  And that is us!! 2) AT A VENTURE- In I Kings 22:34, there was a certain man who "drew a bow at a venture" and let it fly... it killed Ahab, the king of Israel.  He had disguised himself as the king of Judah, Jehoshaphat, but God knew where he was and who he was and when this arrow flies at a venture, God uses it to kill an ungodly king!  Perhaps we can say a word of kindness at a venture and let God use it.  Perhaps a word of encouragement at a venture and let God use it wherever He will.  Perhaps share the gospel at a venture and let God do something great with it!  Perhaps at a venture we can give something extra to Church or Missions, and let God use it. God is in control and can use even the little things we let go at a venture.  Let her fly!!! 3) FAITH WITH BLISTERS- In II Kings 3:16 God's man told Jehoshaphat to "Make this valley full of ditches"  This took faith with blisters!  You don't dig ditches but what you become acquainted with blisters.  Three kings were in the desert without water.  They were half way across and no water was to be found and the enemy was soon to be upon them.  The answer was to dig ditches in the desert.  They had to have faith, but faith that would work, faith with blisters!  I have faith that God will build a church and specifically Grand View Baptist Church, but I have faith with blisters!!  Winning souls, knocking on doors, making visits, organizing the church, preaching, teaching, singing, planning, etc.... blisters!!  Well, they dug the ditches... the water came and filled them all up.  The sun shown on the water and made it look red... the enemy saw that and assumed the armies were dead and dropped their weapons and ran to the spoil... only to find that the armies were not dead, but had their weapons!  God gave a great victory that day.... the army had faith... with blisters!!  Let us do the same in our lives... believe that God will bless your work, but work hard.  Believe that God will bless your ministry... but work hard.  Faith with blisters!! Well, so much to say and time is once again gone!  Have a blessed day!   Pastor Mike Mutchler