Pride Will Ruin Your Life! - King Uzziah

Along The Way: Pride Will Ruin Your Life!

 (Written By Kevin A. Hall   07.03.17)

“He was marvelously helped until he became strong”!

Imagine this statement being written on our tombstone. We ran well until… This story is repeated over and over in the human experience without fail, but should not be the story of our lives as children of God.   This statement was made of King Uzziah:

 He did right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his father Amaziah had done. He continued to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding through the vision of God; and as long as he sought the Lord, God prospered him (2 Chronicles. 26:15).

 He was 16 when he began to reign with his father King Amaziah, taking full control after his father’s death. His great dedication to God included a deep respect for and partnership with the prophet Zechariah. As long as he remained connected to God and His servant, he was blessed. There's an abiding principle here regarding one's relationship to the church.

Like Uzziah, believers can hold on to God’s promise – “I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). We are blessed if we endure. However, blessings should never be defined by things or accomplishments. Uzziah was blessed but missed the mark – he became strong or very proud and corrupt. He achieved prosperity, influence, power, wealth and fame.

God Has My Hand, But Not My Heart - King Jehu

Along The Way: God Has My Hand, But My Heart?

 (Written By Kevin A. Hall  07.01.17)

The newly appointed King Jehu was zealous for God.  He assassinates King Joram (2 King 9:24); then King Ahaziah (1 Kings 9:27). He confronts Jezebel; encouraging loyalists to throw her from the window. He tramples her with his horse and carriage (2 Kings 9:33). He commanded the “slaughter of the 70 sons of Ahab” (2 Kings 10:7). The fear of the new king was upon the entire nation. No one dared oppose him. Along the way, he slaughters family members, wives, princes and princess of Ahab’s household. Finally, he assembles all the priests of Baal and kills them in one sitting, destroying the Baal pillars, altars and house. King Jehu “eradicated Baal out of Israel” (2 Kings 10:28) and he was faithful to kill “all who remained to Ahab” (2 Kings 10:17). In other words, he was faithful to do “according to the word of the Lord which He spoke to Elijah” (2 Kings 10:17b).
Even though he carried out God’s commands, “he was not careful to walk in the law of the Lord” for himself (2 Kings 10:31).  We can be faithful to works, yet be far from God. I struggled with Jehu's story for a while because he was appointed by God to fulfill this task. Let me go back for a little..What was his task?

Caring For Those We Work With - The Prophet Elisha

Along The Way: Leaders Who Care –Elisha

(Written By Kevin A. Hall   06.30.17)

Throughout Elisha’s ministry, we see the heart of a man who cares much for the basic needs his ministry partners. We should practice his servant leadership. He prayed to God for the deepest desire of the Shunammite woman – God gave her a son (2 Kings 4:17). When there was a famine in Gilgal, he was instrumental in providing a large pot of stew for the men at the School of the Prophets (2 Kings 4:38-41). When a stranger brought food to the school, he prayed and God miraculously stretched the food to feed everyone with leftovers (2 Kings 4:42-44). When the School outgrew its space, he agreed to supervise the work at a new location by the River Jordan (2 Kings 6:1-3). He was engaged and involved at all levels. How else will a leader get to know his people? We must enter their world. When the axe head fell in the river, Elisha was concerned and through another miracle, retrieved the borrowed axe head (2 Kings 6:5-7). There was no concern too small for him to take to God.

If Only I Could Punish My Enemies! - The Prophet Elijah

Along The Way: Desiring The Ministry Of Elijah?

(Written By Kevin A. Hall   06.20.17)

At first glance we see power on display – Elijah calls down fire from heaven to consume two units of 50 soldiers of the Baal influenced King Ahaziah

Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him, and behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. And he said to him, “O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.’”  Elijah replied to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.  So he again sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he said to him, “O man of God, thus says the king, ‘Come down quickly.’”  Elijah replied to them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty (2 Kings 1: 9-12)

Matthew Henry shares a powerful perspective on the confrontation: "Come down quickly, and do not trifle, the king’s business requires haste; come down, or I will fetch thee down.’’ Elijah relents not, but calls for another flash of lightning, which instantly lays this captain and his fifty dead upon the spot. Those that will sin like others must expect to suffer like them; God is inflexibly just”.

  A third commander showed humility to Elijah, bowing before him, asking “Please let my life and the lives of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight…” (1: 13b).There is no winning when we fight against God and His servants. Effective living begins with a right attitude toward God (Nasb). This third commander was wise enough to respectfully approach the man of God.  In this account we can learn two things: (1) God always protects His name and His people and (2) God responds to those who show humility.

Motivation For Christian Ministry - The Apostle Paul

 Along The Way: The Apostle Paul’s Motivation Project

(Written by Kevin A. Hall 07.25.16)

The Apostle Paul settled his identity in Christ.

Here’s a man who  knew his calling and so developed his Philosophy of Ministry. He considered himself a servant/bondservant of the Lord Jesus Christ – Romans 1: 1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God. He spoke often about his calling and commission during his ministry. In his letter to the Galatians he stated that the Gospel for the uncircumcised was committed to him (2:7) and many times in his defense, he repeated his commission from the Lord during his conversion – “He is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15). In this he was confident.  His use of the titles servant/bondservant depicted a person dedicated to the cause of his master.

Because he was confident of his calling, commission and source, he easily declared the “true Gospel”. He could proudly declare his message without regards of opposers – “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ (Galatians 1:10). “He did not act in obedience to men, but to God, who had called him to this work and office. He did not seek to accommodate himself to the humors of persons, either to gain their affection or to avoid their resentment; but his care was to approve himself to God” (Matthew Henry).

A Master Missions Strategy By A Master Missionary

The Apostle Paul’s Discipling Project  

(Written by Kevin A. Hall  07.31.16)

The Apostle Paul often described himself as a bond-servant of the Lord. I would consider him a work-horse. His entire reason for living was consumed with fulfilling his commission:

“But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me [f]from God, 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:15-16). “Paul, the missionary, undertook three missionary journeys, before he journeyed finally to Rome, and founded churches in key cities of Asia and Europe within a span of about twelve years” (AD 46-57) [Kanagaraj]

Paul was purposed driven. He had a plan of action. He had a definite strategy for accomplishing his goal. He was gifted in working with people and it is through the efforts of his ministry partners, he accomplished much over his lifetime. His purpose driven approach “implies an order or discipline with which his missionary partners were led to accomplish their mission, taking into consideration the cultural context” (Kanagaraj) The strategy was brilliant. “Paul chose prominent cities which provided him such strategic locations as the market places, synagogues, lecture halls and houses to reach out easily both Jews and Gentiles with the gospel of Jesus and to expand his mission to the neighboring towns and regions” (C.M) Weaved into all his plans was guidance from the Holy Spirit (Acts 16:6-10; 19:21a).

A Healthy Church - The Implications of Conversion

Along The Way : Conversion & Membership

(Written by Kevin A. Hall   04.14.17)

In God’s great plan, His will was to achieve His goals through a people separated unto Himself. Israel was given this calling in the Old Testament. The Church now bears this responsibility. The baton has been passed if you will to us with His command “You will be my witnesses”. The promise of a “new heart, new creation, and a new covenant was fulfilled through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ” (Schreiner, T). Tom says the saving work of God promised in the Old Testament is encapsulated in the term “Kingdom of God” in the New Testament” and is therefore the process through which the unbeliever enters the kingdom – Conversion. Membership in God’s kingdom is impossible without Conversion (Mark 10:17-31). 

The Role of Church Membership & Discipline

Along The Way:  IX Marks- Membership and Discipline in the Church

(Written By Kevin A. Hall   04.21.17)

Sound Doctrine saves. The Gospel saves (1 Peter 1:21). These are things we preach. We must preach sound doctrine as it is the requirement for salvation. Jesus called the Apostle Paul’s doctrine “testifying about me” (Acts 23:11). The Great Commission instructs the church to “teach them to obey” -obey what? Doctrine. Sound doctrine distinguishes between those living in darkness and those in the light.

Sound doctrine is the proclamation about God and our need for salvation. It is through sound doctrine that the church can proclaim “Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). Sound doctrine is the hope for the entire world – “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed” (Romans 10:11). The teaching of sound doctrine conforms a person to Christ. It is therefore essential for evangelism, discipleship, providing the framework for how we move to sanctification.

Church discipline is a tough job that most people would rather stay away from, but it is necessary. It is protecting God’s call to holiness and a righteous witness to the world. “The advantages of discipline are obvious. It reclaims backsliders, detects hypocrites, circulates a salutary awe through the church, adds a further incentive to watchfulness and prayer, proves beyond question the fact and consequences of human frailty, and moreover, publicly testifies against unrighteousness” (John/9Marks). There are many instances of church discipline in the Bible, but two main texts addressing the issue and giving guidance are Matthew 18:15-20 and 1 Corinthians 5, which deals with disorder in the church. Unchecked sin can paralyze the church. We have a moral responsibility to maintain God’s call to righteousness. Allowing public sins affects everyone. Leaders in the church have a responsibility first to God, to themselves and to everyone else not to turn a blind eye to unrepentant sin.

The Relationship Between God, Israel & The Nations

Along The Way – Bible Studies: The Relationship Between God, Israel & The Nations

(Written By Kevin A. Hall   11.06.2016).

God’s business is the Nations

The Nations are fully part of God’s intended plan.  It is given that we are a diverse make up of people much like the diversity found in the animal kingdom. All nations will stand before God in judgment – God deals with us corporately, as individuals and as nations.

Because God is sovereign, He can use any nation as an agent of His judgment and when He uses a nation/person it is not because one is more righteous than the other.

Any nation/person can be a recipient of God’s mercy. Jeremiah’s Theology of the potter is a great example of God’s international sovereignty – God can and will change His mind doing one thing and not another.

All nations’ histories stand under God’s control – He rules in the affairs of men. Nations are controlled by Him and belong to Him. God had been moving the nations around like a chess board even before Israel came on the scene, getting things ready for His chosen people.

Toronto mass choir . Praise and worship in reggae