Literature Ministries International


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May 30, 2019

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The Letter

"And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD." 2 Kings 19:14

This experience of Hezekiah in 2 Kings 19 has always intrigued me, because it shows God's grace exercised in mighty power through a man who "dared to believe", who made bare his heart before God, and trusted Him against unbelievable odds from a powerful enemy. Unbelievers are often confounded when God moves in a mighty display of His power through one of His own. It was true when Peter and John stood before the Sanhedrin, the members of which could not understand the miracle that took place nor the bold witness of these disciples. All through the Scriptures, we read of those who bore striking testimony through their lives of God's intervention. And what is it that makes them so radically different from the unbeliever? In every case, they had embraced the truth, it had touched their hearts, they had applied it to their lives, and they all had an intimate relationship with God. So it is with every believer who will "dare to trust" and meet the criterion.

It was no small thing for Hezekiah to stand against the king of Assyria. He and his ruthless army had just turned six cities into heaps of stone. It was useless for Israel to fight against such overpowering odds. But Hezekiah went into the house of the Lord and laid the letter from the king of Assyria before the Lord. When Hezekiah stood firm, the general of the Assyrian army could not comprehend the secret source of Hezekiah's confidence, the uncompromising display of his faith, or his defiance against those who would ridicule and blaspheme God. What happened? God answered his prayer, honored his faith, and sent His angel, who smote 185,000 Assyrian soldiers who were all dead the next morning.

Our lives should be a mystery to the world, which should be confounded by a Christ-centered life, by a peace that passes understanding, the source of our strength, the grounds of our confidence, the reason for our actions, and the steadfastness of our faith. Our behavior is determined by our faith, which the world knows not and cannot penetrate. Someone asked Norman Grubb, the great man of faith and missionary to Africa, "What kind of relationship do you have with Christ?" Very quickly he answered, "HE IS ALL, THERE IS NOTHING ELSE!" It is through such men that God seeks to move in mighty ways for the perfecting of His purpose and will, but there must be the "channel" through which He can work.

It is not who we are or what we have, but who is paramount in our life. God has need of you. There's a face upon which there will be no smile, unless you put it there. There are broken hearts that will never have the courage to try again, unless you give it to them. There are hard-pressed souls who will not get through another day, unless you pass along a helping hand and a word of encouragement. God has made YOU necessary to help meet the need in many lives and has provided no substitute for you. No life is without its influence; it either sheds a light or casts a shadow. Are you available for Him to live His life through you? There is no greater privilege than to be used of God in the lives of others!

© 2007 by Ed Powell. Used by permission.


This page was reprinted by permission from: http://litmin.org/dare.php?date=2019-05-30


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