Participants: John Lomacang
Series Code: OTR
Program Code: OTR000813
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01:00 Thank you for tuning in to this message
01:02 entitled "In the year King Uzziah died." 01:06 Very humbling message, a message I believe 01:09 that will get our hearts ready for the coming of the Lord. 01:12 And I'm not gonna begin with music, 01:14 I'm gonna begin with prayer. 01:16 And I'll sing at the end of the sermon. 01:17 So let's bow our hearts as I kneel before the Lord. 01:24 Our Father God in heaven, 01:25 as we bow our hearts before You, 01:28 we thank You that You are almighty, 01:30 and that You are all knowing. 01:33 And that, Father, You sent Your Holy Spirit to 01:37 be in our hearts to accomplish Your work 01:40 in preparation for the coming of our Lord. 01:43 And, Father, if these are not the last days, 01:46 then what kind of days are they? 01:48 And so help us to be mindful 01:50 that any defects in our character, 01:52 Father, we must pray, 01:55 and diligently label with Your Holy Spirit 01:58 to correct the flaws 01:59 that will disqualify us to be in the kingdom. 02:03 And we pray that You'll speak to us now, 02:05 Lord, that Your purposes may be accomplished 02:08 and that we will be that much closer 02:10 to being renewed in Your character. 02:13 In Jesus' name we pray. 02:15 Amen. 02:18 I chose this message in response to an article 02:22 that Pastor Hal Steenson put in our 3ABN World Magazine, 02:26 and it was a very insightful message 02:28 on the issue of pride. 02:30 Now there are very few of us. 02:32 I should say there are very few of us 02:34 that will admit that we have an issue with pride. 02:38 Shall I say, "We are almost too prideful 02:42 to admit that we struggle with pride?" 02:45 But I also discovered that pride is something 02:48 that is insidious. 02:50 It lies dormant and it manifests itself 02:54 to our destruction 02:55 if we failed to acknowledge that 02:57 it is an issue that we struggle with. 03:00 When I read that article, I thought to myself, 03:03 "I don't see myself in everything, 03:05 but there are some areas in our lives 03:08 where when we are either offended 03:11 or spoken wrongly against, 03:13 or someone does something better than us, 03:16 or someone gets more recognition than we get, 03:19 or someone gets a position we desire." 03:21 Sometimes out pride comes to the forefront 03:24 and battles with us, 03:25 and while people around us may never understand 03:28 what the difficulty is. 03:30 Pride is something that if no one ever knows about it, 03:34 it's still something that can defeat you 03:36 and lead to your destruction. 03:38 Now, I wanna also say this, "I'm a lot wiser now 03:40 that I'm getting older than when I was younger." 03:42 Anybody else could say amen to that? 03:44 I mean as we get older the record should say, 03:49 "I've learned about something's that I would never do again." 03:52 There are certain things that I did when I was young, 03:55 that I thank the Lord, I will never do again. 03:59 But what if the record were the other way around? 04:03 That as we got older, we began to do things 04:06 that we never thought of doing when we were young? 04:10 What if instead of getting better, 04:12 we got worst as time went on? 04:15 What if instead of God blessing us 04:17 as we're getting older, 04:18 God is removing His blessings as we are getting older, 04:21 because we're failing to grow, we are almost going backward. 04:26 We are back sliding, ignorant of our direction. 04:30 Well, I've chosen someone in the Bible that 04:33 the Bible in 2 Chronicles Chapter 26 04:36 beginning with verse 1, 04:38 talks about a man by the name of Uzziah. 04:41 What was his name? Uzziah. 04:42 Uzziah, very well-known man, as a matter of fact 04:46 you'll discover 04:47 quite a few things about his life 04:48 that many of us would hope to be true 04:50 about our own lives. 04:52 But before I read, 2 Chronicles 26:1, 04:56 I wanna begin with a Bible verse 04:59 that I have been wondering about for years what it meant. 05:02 Go with me to Isaiah 6:1, Isaiah 6:1, 05:08 if you have your Bible's, you can turn it with us. 05:10 Isaiah 6:1, and we have a sermon outlined 05:13 and when we get to the particular points 05:16 that you notice are missing 05:18 that there is some blank, missing words, that outline, 05:21 the answers will appear on the screen 05:23 and those of us watching the program, 05:25 you'll be able to see it, 05:26 but unfortunately you don't have an outline, 05:28 but those of you who are here, 05:29 will be able to fit those missing words in. 05:32 This text bewildered me for many, many years. 05:36 But when I began to study the life of Uzziah, 05:39 I finally understood 05:41 why God gave Isaiah the prophet, 05:43 this very profound single verse 05:46 that summarized a man's life. 05:48 Isaiah 6:1, the Bible says, 05:51 "In the year that king Uzziah died 05:55 I saw the Lord sitting on the throne, 05:59 high and lifted up, 06:01 and the train of His robe filled the temple." 06:06 Now the emphasis on the verse 06:07 was in the early part of the verse, 06:10 in the year that King Uzziah died, 06:13 Isaiah received a vision. 06:16 And he saw, I believe, and I'll try to prove that 06:19 as I go on in the message. 06:21 Isaiah saw what God intended for Uzziah to see, 06:26 but instead of Uzziah seeing it, 06:28 Isaiah saw it. 06:30 That's why I began by saying in the year 06:32 that King Uzziah died, 06:35 I saw the Lord high and lifted up. 06:38 I would haste to say that God has a vision 06:40 for every one of our lives. 06:43 God has a vision far beyond our imagination. 06:46 What God wants us to become is far exceedingly, 06:50 abundantly above all that we can ever ask or think. 06:54 But it is our own ideas, our own ideologies, 06:58 our own decisions, our own direction 07:00 that will be the only reason why we failed to see 07:03 what God intends for us to see. 07:06 And I would also haste to say that if we don't see 07:09 what God intents for us to see by the time 07:11 we're 68 years old, 07:15 chances are we missed the boat. 07:19 Now let's go back to 2 Chronicles Chapter 26. 07:25 The Bible says, and beginning with verse 1, 07:29 "Now all the people of Judah took Uzziah, 07:34 who was," how old? Sixteen. 07:37 "Sixteen years old, and made him king 07:40 instead of his father Amaziah." 07:43 Now I got to say something right here. 07:44 Many of us wouldn't even give a 16 year old car keys. 07:47 Am I right? 07:49 Many of us wouldn't leave our 16 year old home 07:51 by himself. 07:53 Can you imagine the wisdom of God 07:55 to make a 16 year old king? 07:58 God sees in us regardless of our age, 08:01 something that God can use. 08:02 Can you say amen to that? 08:04 So age is not the thing that disqualifies us 08:06 from being used by God, it's the human heart, 08:09 it's the condition of the life. 08:10 God shows a young man, who he saw a bright feature 08:15 quite ahead of him, and the Bible said 08:17 they made him king. 08:19 And in every one of us, there is a little king. 08:23 Think about it. 08:25 I mean we like to be recognized for our accomplishments. 08:29 We like to be handled at times with special gloves. 08:33 We like to know that 08:34 when we speak, people are listing to us. 08:37 We like to know that every once in a while 08:40 God rolls out a red carpet for us, 08:43 and blesses us more than any people. 08:45 Amen. 08:46 And every now and then, 08:48 we like to get that special seat. 08:50 There's a little king in every one of us, 08:53 that's why the story about Uzziah is true 08:56 about every one of us to a great degree. 09:00 God allowed this young man 09:02 at 16 years old to be made king in Israel. 09:06 The blessings that God however gives to us 09:09 are always for His glory and not for ours. 09:12 What do you say? 09:13 So at 16 years old, Uzziah was blessed by God. 09:18 But I've come around full circle now 09:20 that as I'm getting older, and I already told you 09:21 about the fact that I've resigned 09:24 to coloring my hair. 09:29 My vision is getting worst 09:31 whether I get new contacts or new glasses, 09:33 anybody else? 09:35 So I've decided to go ahead 09:37 and if God wanted my hair to stay dark, 09:40 God would have kept it dark at this age. 09:43 But the reason why I'm allowing it to change 09:44 is because the Bible says that, 09:47 "Wise men have gray hair." 09:51 Amen. 09:53 You get wiser as you get older, and God gives you a cap 09:57 to let people say, "See that guy? 09:59 He's wiser than you are, he's got... 10:02 He at least has learnt something 10:05 that you are yet to learn." 10:07 I said to a lady just a few days ago, 10:08 I said, "When you marry somebody, 10:10 make sure that you marry an archaeologist. 10:12 Because as you get older you won't lose value, 10:14 you'll gain value. 10:18 Make sure you marry an antique seller. 10:20 You won't be old furniture, you'll be valuable furniture." 10:24 As you get older, you should be getting better. 10:27 You discover, also at the same time 10:30 that the good things we did when we were young 10:35 will either tell for or against us 10:38 when we get older. 10:39 Think about it for a moment. 10:41 There are those that became promiscuous 10:42 when they were young, never thinking 10:44 that they would have to pay for their decisions 10:45 when they got older. 10:47 There's some people that were very promiscuous, 10:49 went from one partner to the other, 10:50 and they got a disease and as they are getting older, 10:53 the disease is beginning to take tolls 10:54 in a way that it never did when they were young. 10:57 They were those if they could reverse their lives 10:59 would do things quite differently. 11:01 Every one of us, when we get older, 11:03 what we did when we were young 11:05 is going to either be for our good or for our evil. 11:09 Every one of us will influence somebody 11:12 towards God or against God. 11:15 When you look at the story of Uzziah 11:17 he was a very influential man. 11:19 He was influential in wealth, he was influential as a king, 11:24 he was almost as influential as Solomon was. 11:28 But he also had of many of Solomon's traits. 11:31 Now Solomon was wise, but I tell you what? 11:34 I'm glad I didn't do a lot of the things 11:36 that Solomon did, anybody else? 11:39 I got one wife, I'm happy with one. 11:42 Don't need 700. 11:44 Amen, men. Amen. 11:47 Don't need 700 men. 11:48 Look at verse 2 of 26, 2 Chronicles 26, 11:52 talking about the blessing of God 11:53 on this young man Uzziah. 11:56 The Bible says, "He built Eloth..." 11:58 Look at his resume, "He built Eloth, 12:01 and restored it to Judah, 12:03 after the king rested with his fathers. 12:06 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king 12:10 and he reigned," how long? 12:12 "Fifty two years." 12:15 Now, can you imagine having Bill Clinton 12:19 for president for 52 years, or George Bush? 12:24 Fifty two years or anybody's leadership 12:27 after a while, you gonna say, 12:29 "Lord, I mean, 12:32 I don't really like the way 12:33 he's taking these things. 12:34 Maybe it's time for a new president? 12:38 And so Bill Clinton is replaced by, Reagan who's replaced by, 12:42 you know so on and so forth. 12:43 I may have got them backward. 12:47 But God saw fit for this young man to be king 12:51 in Jerusalem for 52 years. 12:54 And I would haste to say. 12:56 I'm sure that there were people in Jerusalem 12:58 that did not like the fact that after 20 years 13:01 that Uzziah was still there, 13:04 or maybe after 30 years 13:06 that he was still there, or maybe after 40 years 13:09 that he was still there. 13:11 But your longevity is not based on whether 13:14 or not people like you, it's based on God's plan. 13:16 Can you say amen? 13:18 So Uzziah was there not because 13:20 the people gave him that position, 13:22 but God prospered him as king 13:24 in Jerusalem for 52 years. 13:28 The verse goes on to say, 13:29 "His mother's name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem." 13:33 And I like chapter, verse 4, 13:35 "And he did that what was right 13:38 in the sight of the Lord, according to all 13:41 that his father Amaziah had done." 13:43 Uzziah reigned till he was 68 years old. 13:47 Sixteen to 68, that's a successful life, 13:49 to be known as king for 52 years. 13:53 But here's my first point, which is on the screen. 13:56 "Doing what is right in the sight of God 14:01 and doing what is right in the sight of men 14:05 are not always the same." 14:06 Let me say that again, 14:08 "Doing what is right in the sight of men 14:10 and doing what is right in the sight of God 14:13 are not always the same." 14:17 See, God sees into the inner chambers of our life 14:21 where men may never see. 14:23 God sees our actions, 14:25 but God also measures our motives. 14:27 God sees what we say it publicly 14:30 and how we live privately. 14:31 Amen? 14:33 So how we live in the sight of men 14:35 and doing what we do in the sight of men 14:37 or doing what is right in the sight of men 14:39 is not always the same as doing 14:42 what is right in the sight of God. 14:44 So when the Bible says, 14:45 "He did what was right in the sight of God." 14:48 That means he had a good life. 14:52 I would rather people say, "You know what? 14:55 I don't like him." 14:56 But God says, "He did what was right." 14:59 You missed the chance to say amen. 15:02 I may not agree with him but God says, 15:04 "But he's doing what's right." 15:11 When we live according to God's approval, 15:16 we will not always have man's approval. 15:19 But you got to decide 15:20 whose approval means more to you. 15:23 When we live to impress God, 15:26 we may or may not really impress men. 15:29 But does it really matter when God is impressed. 15:32 When God says, 15:34 "Well done thou good and faithful servant." 15:36 Does it really matter what the multitude says? 15:40 We've got to live for the glory of God, 15:41 obedient to the will of God, obedient to the vision of God. 15:46 That's why, I wanna say that, 15:48 that's why I'm still here at 3ABN. 15:50 If I didn't believe that this ministry was moving 15:54 into direction that God intended for it to go, 15:57 I wouldn't be here. 15:59 I wouldn't be here, because the one thing that 16:02 I don't wanna have experience 16:03 in life is to go down with a ship 16:05 when I had a chance to get off the ship. 16:07 Amen. 16:10 So I'm here because I believe firmly with all my heart 16:14 that what's happening here is right in the sight of God 16:17 whether or not men accept it or believe it. 16:23 Look at verse 5 of 2 Chronicles Chapter 26, 16:28 his resume continues to unfold. 16:30 The Bible says, 16:32 "He sought God in the days of Zechariah, 16:35 who had understanding in the visions of God, 16:38 and as long as he sought the Lord, 16:41 God made him prosper." 16:43 The Bible says, 16:45 "Seek the Lord while He may be found. 16:46 Call upon Him while He is near." 16:48 When you seek Him first, 16:50 when you seek the kingdom of God 16:51 and His righteousness, every need you have 16:54 will be added to you. 16:56 The Bible says, "He sought the Lord." 16:59 And as long as he sought the Lord, 17:01 God made him prosper. 17:03 When Uzziah made sure to put God first, 17:05 God made sure Uzziah came first. 17:07 Uzziah never fell to the back of the line 17:10 when he made sure and put God at the front of the line. 17:14 And, my brethren, that's what the Bible says, 17:16 "We got to love the Lord with our heart, 17:18 mind, soul and strength first." 17:21 When it comes to making decisions, 17:22 put God first, when it comes to loving, put God first. 17:27 Uzziah put God first. 17:30 In the words that we speak, put God first. 17:35 In the life that we live, put God first. 17:38 When you put God first, God will make sure 17:41 that you do not come in last, what do you say? 17:45 But being first in God's book, 17:48 you may not be first in men's book. 17:51 So it may look like you had a disadvantage. 17:52 Remember Paul the Apostle, 17:54 when we was in chains on his way to Rome, 17:56 he had appealed to Caesar, he was shackled, 17:58 he was in chains. 18:00 But when the boat was in trouble, 18:01 they listened to Paul even while he was handcuffed. 18:06 When Paul and Silas was in prison, 18:09 shackled, chained to guards in the prison. 18:14 When the time came, the prisoners asked Paul 18:16 how to be saved? 18:18 So being in an unfavorable position 18:20 in the sight of men is not the same as being in 18:23 an unfavorable position in the sight of God. 18:26 Never measure your success by how people see you, 18:29 but how God sees you. 18:32 Uzziah did what was right in the sight of God. 18:34 Look at verse 6 and 7, 18:36 just the first part of verse 6 and 7, 18:38 I like this, just the first part of each of those verses, 18:42 "Now when he went out and made war, God helped Him." 18:48 You see that, verse 6 and 7, just the first part. 18:52 Wouldn't you like God to be on your side 18:53 when you go out to battle? 18:56 When a difficult situation arises, you say, 18:58 "Who's on my side?" 19:00 And you get a phone call, God's on your side. 19:03 Isn't that all that really matters? 19:07 Muhammad Ali calls himself the greatest, 19:10 but he got knocked out at one, he lost some fights. 19:13 But you know, brothers and sisters, 19:14 I'm here today to tell you that Jesus never lost a fight, 19:19 and He's not about to lose now. 19:23 When Uzziah went to war, God was with him. 19:27 I could imagine how the people must have felt, 19:31 when they heard that Uzziah was on his way. 19:34 You see when Uzziah was faithful, 19:37 God was with him in every battle. 19:40 Look at verse 8, this is an amazing resume, 19:44 this is an amazing resume. 19:45 He became prominent, no nation could withstand him, 19:49 every advancement he made went forward 19:51 because God was with him. 19:52 Look at verse 8, 19:53 "Also the Ammonites brought tribute to Uzziah. 19:58 And his fame spread as far as the entrance of Egypt, 20:04 for he became," how? 20:06 Say that word. 20:08 Say that word, exceedingly. 20:10 Say it exceedingly. 20:11 Sound exceedingly. Exceedingly. 20:14 There you go, "He became exceedingly strong." 20:17 Have you met people that are exceedingly strong? 20:20 I met a guy the other day and I shook His hand, 20:22 I felt like I was shaking a mountain. 20:25 This guy was stone through and through. 20:28 Tall... 20:30 You ever met those people that are just really round, 20:32 but their roundness has nothing to do with fat, 20:33 everything to do with muscle. 20:36 I mean I hugged him, he said, "Good to see you!" 20:39 And my arms couldn't reach. 20:41 I was hugging a pile of muscle. 20:43 I shook his hand and I felt like 20:45 I was using my entire body to try to just shake his hand. 20:50 Exceedingly strong, God is saying 20:53 when you stand with God, 20:55 you can be exceedingly strong in the power of God. 20:59 Classic example, who was stronger? 21:02 David or Goliath? 21:05 David was, because God stood with him. 21:08 This young man's life was very, very powerful. 21:11 As a matter of fact, 21:12 Jerusalem under the leadership of Uzziah, 21:14 they lacked absolutely nothing, they had fertile grounds, 21:18 they had livestock that could not be counted. 21:20 They had plush gardens, strong armies, 21:23 and they had the most well protected walls 21:26 and gates of any city in the region. 21:29 Uzziah made sure they had everything 21:31 and the reason why they prospered so well, 21:33 is because God spoke to Uzziah 21:35 and told Uzziah in his night visions 21:37 what to do, and how to do it. 21:39 You know what? 21:40 When you spent time in the Word of God, 21:42 you'll always be a step or two ahead of your enemy. 21:46 You'll always be ahead of those plotting against you, 21:49 Uzziah gave God all the credit. 21:51 Matter of fact, look at his military resume. 21:54 Verse 14 and verse 15, 21:58 "Then Uzziah," 22:00 the Bible says, "prepared for them 22:03 for the entire army, 22:05 shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows, 22:11 and slings to cast stones. 22:13 And he made devices in Jerusalem, 22:16 invented by skilful men, 22:20 to be on the towers and the corners, 22:23 to shoot arrows and large stones. 22:25 So his fame spread far and wide, 22:29 for he was marvelously helped..." 22:32 Oh, but there are those four words 22:33 that no one really wants to see, 22:35 "Till he became strong." 22:38 Have you noticed? 22:40 All the good things said about him could have continued. 22:44 But before I go to that point, I wanna point out 22:46 what kind of a man he was. 22:47 Uzziah was the kind of man that every defeated king 22:51 had Uzziah's name on their tongue. 22:53 He was the poster boy for success, every magazine, 22:57 front cover, Uzziah, Fortune 500, Uzziah, 23:01 Time Magazine, Uzziah, Christianity Today, Uzziah. 23:05 He was the king that every other king 23:08 was measured by. 23:09 When you mention the word success, 23:10 they said, "Like Uzziah?" 23:12 He had it all. 23:13 He had no lack, he was filled with power 23:17 and every gift that God gave him, 23:20 God gave to him so that he can prosper 23:23 in the ways of the Lord. 23:27 But remember this, God gives us gifts 23:31 for His glory and not for ours. 23:35 I like to sing, every now and then I... 23:40 I guess it's becoming less and less of a desire. 23:43 Many, many years ago, maybe this desire was greater. 23:45 But every now and then I see people 23:47 sing on television and I say, 23:48 "Man, they can't sing as good as I do. 23:51 If I could just get out there, 23:53 maybe I'll get as rich as they are." 23:54 And God taps me on the shoulder and says, "Sit still." 23:59 Because they are those who are famous 24:00 in the eyes of the world that are not famous 24:02 in the eyes of God. 24:05 So the fame that you desire, if it's not in God's plan, 24:09 it's something that's gonna become a stumbling block 24:11 rather than a stepping stone in God's grace. 24:19 The problem was not what 24:21 other people thought about Uzziah, 24:24 the problem was 24:25 what Uzziah thought about himself. 24:29 Brethren, we are most vulnerable, 24:31 don't miss this point, we are most vulnerable 24:34 when we are most successful. 24:38 Not when we are poor, you don't hear 24:39 poor people going to jail a lot. 24:41 White color crime, you know, going to jail 24:44 for embezzling billions and millions. 24:45 And what's that place that a couple of year ago 24:48 that stock E...Enron. 24:53 Guy going in suit... 24:54 Guy going to jail in an expensive suit. 24:58 When he gets there, they put an orange one on him 25:00 and he just looks like everybody else. 25:05 The problem was 25:07 what Uzziah thought about himself. 25:08 Remember the Beatles in the 1960's? 25:10 Anybody been around long enough? 25:11 I'm looking at all the gray hair, 25:13 you know exactly what I'm talking about. 25:14 They were famous until they said 25:17 that they were more famous than God. 25:20 The problem was not what the people thought 25:23 about the Beatles, 25:24 but what the Beatles thought themselves. 25:26 It was not the people praising them, 25:28 it was them praising themselves 25:29 that lead to the Beatles demise. 25:32 After that they dropped off the chart, 25:34 like the world really did have an edge 25:36 and they rolled off of it. 25:38 Their fame plummeted because all the people loved 25:42 what they did and how they sang, 25:43 they said, "We are more famous than God." 25:45 But do you realize that still even today 25:47 the number one selling book is still God's Word. 25:50 Can you say amen? 25:51 Do you realize you got the number one 25:53 best seller in your lap! 25:56 We don't need any more books, 25:57 we just need to get into this one. 26:00 Also the Kennedy Family, I am so glad 26:02 my last name is not Kennedy. 26:05 John F. Kennedy, at the height of his fame, gunned down. 26:10 Robert Kennedy, as he was rising to fame, 26:13 gunned down. 26:14 John F. Kennedy Jr. as he was rising to fame, 26:18 brand new magazine, new bride, lost his life. 26:22 I'm glad my last name is Lomacang. 26:24 Amen. 26:26 Dr. Martin Luther King, God raised him up 26:30 to make an impact on the civil rights movement, 26:32 but at the high of his life 26:33 before he hit 40, he was gunned down. 26:36 It's when you are most successful 26:39 and most visible that you are most vulnerable, 26:43 which takes me to my second point. 26:45 Look at the screen. 26:48 "When God prospers us we must never forget 26:52 that God still places limits on us." 26:57 When God prospers us, we must never forget 27:00 that God still places limits on us. 27:04 In other words, simply God still has boundaries, 27:06 no matter how famous you are, you better listen to God 27:08 because God is God and we are not. 27:10 Amen. 27:11 So God places limits on us for what reason? 27:14 Look at verse 16 of Chapter 26. 27:17 This is the reason why God always has limits. 27:19 2 Chronicles 26:16, 27:22 the Bible gives a sad commentary 27:24 about a man whose life could have ended 27:25 quite differently, 27:26 that's why when God gives you something... 27:28 Let me say this right now before I read the verse. 27:30 When God gives you wealth, or fame, or visibility, 27:34 or influence, you got to handle that like you handle an egg 27:39 because it could be as productive as an egg, 27:42 but at the same time just as fragile as an egg. 27:46 It can bring life 27:48 or it could spell the end of life 27:50 if you drop it and not handle it carefully. 27:52 When God gives you influence, and wealth and fame, 27:55 and materialism, don't boast about it 27:57 because God gives you 27:58 what He gives you for the blessings 27:59 of those around you. 28:01 What do you say? 28:02 Uzziah forgot that. 28:03 And verse 26 came to the forefront. 28:06 As he began to get older, he got worst. 28:10 Verse 16, 28:13 it begins with that all too familiar word, but. 28:17 "But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up 28:22 to his destruction, for he transgressed 28:26 against the Lord his God by entering the temple 28:30 of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense." 28:34 Which takes me to truth point A. 28:36 Look at the screen. 28:38 Brethren, this is powerful. 28:40 "There is still a line 28:42 that we cannot safely cross." 28:47 Have you heard people say, "Don't cross the line?" 28:49 Have your parents ever said that? 28:51 You know no matter how famous you are, 28:53 there's a line over which we cannot safely cross. 28:58 God called Uzziah to be king, 29:01 Uzziah wanted what God never gave to him. 29:05 You see the line where safety ends, 29:07 is when you want go into areas 29:08 that God never intended for you to be in. 29:11 When you want to accomplish what God never intended for you 29:13 to accomplish or become 29:15 what God never intended for you to become. 29:17 Uzziah crossed a line that God never intended. 29:21 God called him to be king, 29:24 but he wanted to be priest instead, 29:27 which brings me to point number three. 29:29 Look at the screen again. 29:32 "When God prospers us, we must understand 29:38 where our authority begins 29:41 and where it ends." 29:44 When God prospers us, we must understand 29:46 where our authority begins and where it ends. 29:50 There are people that I have met 29:51 that think they have authority. 29:53 You know what, brethren? 29:54 I let them go on until they make an... 29:56 I'm saying this in the right context. 29:57 Until they make an absolute fool of themselves 29:59 because God is the only one that really has authority. 30:03 Can you say amen? 30:05 So when people talk about all... 30:07 You know some people like to rattle of their resume. 30:12 I got an ABC next to my PhD, next to my MBC, 30:16 next to my ABC, next to my CNN. 30:17 All these names that is behind their name... 30:22 and it doesn't mean anything because they are really 30:24 just a pile of dust with a lot of paper work. 30:28 Amen. 30:31 So don't let what you have 30:33 become the sum total of who you are. 30:34 A man's life does not consist in the abundance 30:38 of the things he possesses. 30:39 If you die wealthy, you leave back a whole lot, 30:42 if you die poor you leave very little, 30:44 but you go to the grave with nothing. 30:48 That's the bottom line. 30:50 So actually the poor man is in a better condition, 30:52 he doesn't really miss much when he dies. 30:56 Now you don't miss anything anyway 30:57 because you're not conscious. 30:59 But if you could be conscious, you'll miss a whole lot 31:01 when you die when you're wealthy, right? 31:05 Look at verse 17, 31:11 and before I read that... 31:13 Matter of fact, let me read that first. 31:17 This is amazing verse. 31:20 If you ever wake up one day, and I'm a pastor, 31:22 and I can put this in a context of a pastor. 31:25 If I wake up one day 31:26 and I got 25 elders of my church ringing the door, 31:31 and they're not smiling, I better run for cover. 31:34 Am I right? 31:36 If you ring a doorbell and all your church members 31:39 are outside and they are not smiling, 31:42 and they got bats and gloves, 31:44 and rope and tar, and feathers, 31:47 you better find a hole in your house 31:49 that they don't know about. 31:50 Am I telling the truth? 31:52 Uzziah, when he crossed the line, 31:54 the priest who was still being led by God 31:58 did not hesitate to straighten him out. 32:02 There are some folks that are messed up 32:03 because people don't take the time 32:04 to straighten them out. 32:07 There are some folks 32:08 that are in high positions in this church 32:10 and others that think somehow 32:12 that they got control of something 32:14 when they don't have control of anything. 32:17 Ellen White says, 32:18 "If there are matters in God's work 32:20 that need to be straightened out, 32:21 God will take care of His own church, 32:24 it's God's church." 32:25 Can you say amen? 32:27 You remember that you could be in the GC, 32:28 the division, the union, the conference, 32:30 you could be a local pastor. 32:32 God is the only one that really has any power 32:36 to straighten anything out 32:37 because God doesn't see like we see. 32:40 God sees the human heart, 32:42 when all we see is just the exterior. 32:44 Look at verse 17 and 18, 32:49 "So Azariah the priest went in after him," 32:53 that is after Uzziah, 32:55 "and with him were 32:56 eighty priests of the Lord, valiant men." 33:00 In other words, they were ready for the fight. 33:02 They say, "We're gonna Uzziah down today, 33:03 no matter what he did, we're ready for him." 33:05 And it goes on in verse 18, 33:07 "And they withstood Uzziah, 33:11 to burn incense to the Lord." 33:14 Let me say this, "And they withstood Uzziah, 33:16 and said to him, 33:17 'It is not for you, Uzziah, 33:19 to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, 33:23 the sons of Aaron, 33:24 who are consecrated to burn incense. 33:27 Get out of the sanctuary, for you have..." 33:30 What's the next word? 33:31 "Trespassed, you shall have no honor 33:35 from the Lord." 33:37 Which takes me to truth B, write it down. 33:41 Which takes me to truth B. 33:44 "There is still an authority reserved for God alone." 33:49 Can the church say amen? 33:51 God is all powerful, only God sits in the top seat. 33:57 If this world were pyramid, 33:59 God would be up there all by Himself. 34:02 That's why I'm amazed, when people come and go. 34:04 I'm at the place in life, I'm almost 50, 34:07 I'll go ahead and say it. 34:08 You know why I'm saying it because I don't look 50. 34:10 Amen. Say amen for me. 34:14 I'm still fast. 34:16 Don't throw anything at me, 34:18 I can duck, I can see it coming. 34:20 I'm at the place after these many years to know that, 34:22 you know what? 34:24 I don't bow to the positions of men anymore, 34:27 I just bow to God. 34:29 You got to get to the place in life 34:31 where you gonna say what you got to say it 34:32 regardless of the person's position 34:34 because they can't... 34:35 What can they do to you? What can man do to me? 34:38 God is our helper and our strength. 34:40 Whom shall we fear, if God before us, 34:43 who can be against us? 34:44 Sometimes you got to look at people 34:46 in high positions to say, 34:47 "You know what? You just stepped out of line. 34:50 And you are where 34:51 God never intended for you to be." 34:53 That's exactly what they did to Uzziah. 34:55 Point four, look at this, point four. 34:58 You got to get this. 35:01 "If we fail to acknowledge the limits God place on us, 35:06 the honor that God gives us will be removed." 35:11 If we fail to acknowledge the limits God places on us, 35:16 the honor that God gives us will be removed. 35:21 You know what Uzziah's problem was? 35:24 He ignored the limits that God placed on him. 35:26 He walked through a door that God never opened. 35:29 He tried to occupy a position that God never gave him. 35:33 He exercised an authority that ignored God's authority, 35:36 which take me right away to point number five. 35:40 Here it is, are you ready for it? 35:45 I wanna read verse 19 35:48 before I give you point five. 35:53 "Then," the Bible says, "Uzziah became," what? 35:59 "Furious, angry and he had a censer 36:03 in his hand to burn incense. 36:05 And while he was angry with the priests..." 36:09 Let me just stop and say, you got to watch out 36:11 who you get angry with. 36:15 You may think it, 36:16 but sometimes you better not say it. 36:19 Amen. 36:23 There are times that wisdom dictates, 36:25 you better keep your mouth shut because the next thing you say 36:29 could spell your demise. 36:30 Am I telling the truth? 36:32 Look at the verse, 36:34 "And while he was angry with the priest, 36:36 leprosy broke out on his forehead 36:40 before the priests in the house of the Lord, 36:42 beside the incense altar." 36:44 He was where God never called him to be. 36:47 Let me make this very clear. 36:48 Uzziah had power in all of the kingdom, 36:50 but there was a place 36:52 that God reserve for certain people 36:53 that Uzziah wanted that too, that's covetousness. 36:56 When what you have becomes the desire of somebody else, 36:59 that person can be very well taken 37:01 the very first step to their destruction. 37:04 Because God has a square, 37:06 He say, "Don't touch my anointed." 37:08 Amen. 37:09 When you step over that line and try to mess with somebody 37:11 that God says, "Keep hands off." 37:12 God steps in. 37:14 God called the priest to be priest, 37:16 He did not call Uzziah to be priest, 37:19 which brings me to point number five. 37:21 Are you ready for it? Here we go. 37:25 "The intensity of your anger could be very well spell 37:30 the beginning of your fall." 37:33 The intensity of your anger can very well spell 37:38 the beginning of your fall. 37:39 If that's ever true, it's true today. 37:42 The Bible says, "Be angry and sin not." 37:46 Let not the sun go down on your wrath, 37:50 because when the sun goes down on your wrath, 37:52 it goes down on you too. 37:55 Think about that. 37:56 It's not going down on everybody else. 37:58 Everybody is going to bed with a pleasant heart. 38:00 But when the sun goes down on your wrath, 38:02 you sense the sun going down. 38:06 When you get angry, when you lose your mind, 38:10 God doesn't have a whole lot to work with. 38:13 The intensity of Uzziah's anger spelled 38:17 the beginning of his downfall. 38:19 And, brethren, the place where the leprosy broke out 38:23 pointed to the problem, it broke out on 38:25 Uzziah's head which meant 38:27 that Uzziah's problem was high-mindedness. 38:31 The Bible says, "In the last days, 38:33 men will be lovers of themselves, 38:36 boastful, proud, blasphemers, lovers of themselves, 38:41 high-minded, heady." 38:44 And I will haste to say that, 38:45 Satan wants that problem to be in the church. 38:49 Matter of fact, see God's plan is, 38:52 a good ending to a bad journey. 38:54 Satan's plan is a bad ending to a good journey. 38:58 Satan had a plan for Uzziah, that's why no matter 39:00 how old you get, no matter how successful you get, 39:03 you better keep your hand and your life 39:04 under the humbling almighty hand of God. 39:07 What do you say? 39:08 Because at any point you think that you're safe, 39:10 look at the story of Abraham. 39:12 Ellen White says that, 39:13 "His greatest test came to him when he was oldest." 39:18 The greatest test that came to him 39:20 came to him when he was an older man. 39:22 Not when he was the young personnel 39:24 and not when we was 16 years old. 39:26 And the reason why God brought that test 39:28 or allowed them is because God knew 39:30 that when you get older, brethren, 39:32 you ought to know better. 39:35 Amen? 39:36 Look at the next verse. 39:40 Verse 20, "And Azariah the chief priest, 39:44 and all the priests, looked at him, 39:47 and there on his forehead, he was leprous, 39:52 so they thrust him out of that place. 39:54 Indeed he also hurried to get out, 39:56 because the Lord had struck him." 39:57 God said, "You better got out of here, 39:59 I'm gonna whip you." 40:00 Matter of fact, have you ever had 40:02 whipping before? 40:03 Now you may have had a really good whipping, 40:05 I call those... 40:06 What do I call them again, honey? 40:08 I use a phrase. 40:10 A blazing saddle, that's what I call them. 40:13 You think that man can make your saddle blaze, 40:16 let God whack you. 40:18 The reason why Uzziah ran out 40:19 is because God was about to whack him, 40:21 and he was trying to run faster than God 40:23 could swing His hand. 40:26 He got out real fast, he ran out. 40:28 And the reason why he ran out 40:30 because he finally realized that in his old age, 40:34 he was not as wise as God intended for him to be. 40:38 Got to pray for wisdom at every age, 40:40 but especially when you get older. 40:41 Some people... 40:42 I've heard people say, "Ah, that's how he is, 40:44 he's getting older, ignore him." 40:46 Brethren, that's when we should be 40:48 really right fruits for the Lord. 40:49 Amen. 40:51 We shouldn't be nuts anymore, we should be fruits. 40:59 Age is no license to being foolish. 41:03 Look at point number six. 41:09 "God places limits on us 41:14 so that we can be safe 41:16 to occupy an exalted position." 41:20 God places limits on us so that we can be safe 41:24 to occupy an exalted position. 41:26 Can you imagine having a United States president 41:29 that didn't have to even ask Congress 41:31 for any permission to do anything? 41:34 That would be a dictatorship. 41:36 I'm so glad that God does not have His church that way. 41:39 At every stage in the Seventh-day Adventist Church 41:41 there is accountability. 41:43 From the local level, to the conference level, 41:46 to the union level, to the division level, 41:48 to the GC level, at every stage 41:50 God puts in place checks and balances, 41:53 so that no man or woman become a law unto themselves. 41:56 And a reason why God places limits there, 41:58 so that we can be safe to occupy an exalted position. 42:02 But hear this point. 42:03 An exalted position is not a safe place, 42:06 you're gonna be shot at when you're high up there, 42:08 am I right? 42:09 An exalted position is not a safe place. 42:11 But get this part, but a safe person 42:15 can occupy an exalted position. 42:19 When a person's heart is changed by God 42:21 and pure Holy Spirit, a safe person can be trusted 42:26 in an exalted position. 42:28 Watch out for prideful people. 42:30 The Bible says, "Whoever exalts himself 42:32 will be humbled and whoever humbles himself 42:34 will be exalted." 42:35 Matthew 23:12. 42:36 We got to make sure that we stay humble 42:39 under the hand of God and never think that we are it. 42:45 When we rush ahead of God's timetable, 42:47 we are at risk. 42:49 When we live outside of God's plans, we are at risk. 42:53 Look at verse 21, 42:59 "King Uzziah was a leper 43:01 until the day of his death, 43:03 he dwelt in an isolated house..." 43:05 What a commentary to 68 years of fame? 43:09 What a commentary to 68 years of success? 43:12 He was a leper until the day of his death. 43:15 He dwelt in an isolated house because he was a leper, 43:19 for he was cast off from the house of the Lord. 43:22 Then Jotham his son was over the king's house, 43:26 judging the people of the land." 43:28 Now get this, brethren, I caught this one, 43:30 I read the story. 43:31 You see every one of us is a leper. 43:35 Say amen. 43:36 But when we are leper is the big deal. 43:40 You see, Naaman was a leper until God touched his life 43:44 and changed his heart. 43:46 He started out with pride, but God changed him 43:49 and the Bible says, 43:50 "Good things about Naaman from that day on." 43:52 But, brethren, if you become 43:54 a leper at the end of your life, 43:55 you are in serious trouble. 43:58 If God places leprosy on you 44:00 when He should be sealing you up for the kingdom, 44:02 that's a sad commentary. 44:05 Naaman was a leper, 44:06 the Bible says, Uzziah is a leper. 44:10 What a difference? What a contrast? 44:12 Two different directions, two different men. 44:15 Everyone is a leper, but when we become a leper 44:18 is the big issue. 44:19 Look at verse 23, 44:21 "So Uzziah rested with his fathers, 44:22 and they buried him with his fathers 44:25 in the field of burial 44:27 which belongs to the kings, for they said..." 44:29 Notice this is not past tense, it's in a present tense, 44:33 "He is a leper, 44:35 then Jotham his son reigned in his place." 44:38 This is powerful, 44:39 this is righteousness by faith right here. 44:41 Listen to this. 44:43 If King Uzziah had died to sin, 44:49 he would have seen the vision 44:51 that God had for him. 44:53 If he had died to sin, but King Uzziah died in sin 44:58 and that's why Isaiah 6:1 says, 45:01 "In the year that King Uzziah died, 45:03 Isaiah saw the Lord." 45:05 Let me tell you something, brethren, 45:06 this is a humbling sermon. 45:08 It made me check myself out. 45:09 If you think that you got it all, 45:11 and nobody else has it, 45:13 you better be careful, because God took 45:16 what He intended to be Uzziah's and gave it to Isaiah instead. 45:21 In the year that Uzziah died, 45:25 Isaiah got the vision. 45:30 There's only one king and kingdom 45:31 that will never end. 45:33 Uzziah thought it was going to be his. 45:35 But, brethren, today, it's still God's kingdom. 45:37 Can you say amen? 45:39 Truth C, here it is. 45:43 Truth C. 45:45 "There is still..." 45:47 And I'm gonna add today in 2007, 45:49 whatever the year may be, 45:50 "There is still a place that belongs to God alone." 45:58 And He's inviting us to be there. 46:01 We are not gonna get there by pride, 46:02 we're gonna get there by a changed heart. 46:04 Can you say amen? 46:07 When he was strong in verse 16, when Uzziah became strong 46:11 and popular, and famous and puffed up, 46:14 and he thought he was the only one, 46:16 when he became strong, 46:18 his heart was lifted up to his destruction. 46:21 The sin that brought down 46:23 Uzziah is the sin of presumption. 46:27 What is the sin of presumption? 46:28 Here it is, "When you want to have 46:31 more than God gave you, that's presumption. 46:34 When you go where God never sent you, 46:37 that's presumption. 46:38 When you stand where God never placed you, 46:41 that's presumption. 46:42 When you do 46:44 what God never intended for you to do, 46:46 that presumption. 46:47 When you live how God never intended for you to live 46:50 and think God's gonna bless you anyhow, 46:52 that's presumption." 46:54 Brethren, I don't wanna be a person that preach 46:56 for people to be saved and be lost myself. 46:59 Can anybody else say amen? 47:00 I don't want to be a member of this church 47:02 and not a member of the heavenly kingdom. 47:04 We got to pray for those in high position from GC 47:07 all the way down 47:08 to the back room of our churches. 47:11 Because pride, the thing that keeps Satan out, 47:13 we're not taking it in. 47:15 And my last point, point number seven. 47:19 I like this point. 47:21 It ends on a high note, a positive note. 47:24 "There is no greater blessing 47:28 than the blessing that we receive 47:31 from the Lord for being faithful." 47:35 Don't just write it down, say amen. 47:37 When you are faithful, all my brothers and sisters, 47:40 my wife and I can sit you down for hours 47:42 and tell you how God has blessed us, 47:44 because our prayer has always been, 47:46 since the day we've been married, 47:47 just celebrated 24 years. 47:48 From the day we got married, our prayer has 47:51 and continues to be, 47:52 Lord, keep us humble. 47:56 Because I know at any given day, 47:58 I could be gone, I could be forgotten, 48:00 somebody else could sing better than me, 48:02 preach better than me, do programming better than me. 48:05 Brethren, when God gives you what He gives you, 48:07 He gives it for His glory, not for ours. 48:11 There is no greater blessing than the blessing 48:13 that we receive from the Lord for being faithful 48:16 which is the final scripture. 48:17 Look at the last scripture, beauty of it all, here it is. 48:22 Ephesians 6:10, if you can see that, 48:24 let's read that together." 48:25 Finally, my brethren..." All ready? 48:28 "Be strong in the Lord 48:30 and in the power of His might." 48:34 Not your own. 48:36 I didn't read the rest, 48:37 because I wanna emphases the fact 48:39 that the power is God's power. 48:41 If you gonna have any power, it better come from God. 48:44 If you gonna have any position, it better come from God. 48:47 If you gonna have any influence, 48:48 it better come from God. 48:50 The answer to Uzziah's syndrome is the answer for us. 48:54 Just before I sing this song, 48:56 let me tell you what that answer is. 48:58 By the way, the answer is always Jesus. 48:59 Can you say amen? 49:01 But here is Jesus in detail. 49:03 The answer that Uzziah's 49:04 should have sought is the answer 49:06 that we still have a chance to see. 49:10 Uzziah's heart needed to be searched by God, 49:14 but he never prayed the prayer. 49:16 Uzziah's pride needed to be uncovered, 49:19 but he never prayed the prayer. 49:21 Uzziah did not see his own weakness 49:23 because he didn't pray the prayer. 49:25 Uzziah paid no attention to the dangers 49:28 that lay in his path 49:29 because he didn't pray the prayer. 49:31 Uzziah never realized the joy 49:35 of knowing that all is well 49:39 because he didn't pray the prayer. 49:42 My prayer for you today, as I sing this song 49:44 is that we will pray this prayer. 49:46 Search me O God, reveal my heart, 49:50 as I sing this song and that's your desire, 49:53 I'm gonna ask you to just bow your heads 49:54 and listen as God speaks to us in this message. 49:57 The greatest desire 49:59 we should have is for God to search us. 50:05 Search me, oh God Reveal my heart 50:12 Expose my sin 50:14 That it may be confessed 50:23 Search me, oh God Unveil each thought 50:29 And leave no hidden motive unaddressed 50:40 Uncover every action born in pride 50:49 Show me the worldly ways 50:52 I still embrace 51:00 May every anxious thought 51:04 Be brought to light 51:09 And each unspoken fear 51:12 With faith replaced 51:18 Isn't that a prayer today for changed heart? 51:21 Listen. 51:24 Search me, oh God Observe my life 51:31 Bring to my mind Each idle word I speak 51:42 Search me, oh God 51:45 Test my resolve 51:49 And alert me Where you find it weak 51:59 Reveal all weakened walls 52:03 With in my soul 52:08 And show me potential dangers Unforeseen 52:19 Then clothe my conscience 52:22 With your holiness 52:28 Help me to guard it well 52:31 And keep it clean 52:39 Search me, oh God 52:42 That I may walk in peace 52:49 Filled with the joy Of knowing all is well 52:59 My heart surrendered 53:03 And my conscience clean 53:09 So great a joy 53:11 My tongue can scarcely tell 53:18 Oh what a joy of knowing That all is well 53:48 Today I wanna pray, 53:51 that the pride that's building up in us, 53:55 be the pride that we say, Lord, today, 53:58 I want you to take that 53:59 Holy Spirit vacuum and begin to remove it, 54:02 what do you say? 54:04 If there's anybody here today that wanna join with me 54:06 in that prayer of saying, 54:09 "Lord, do whatever You need to do 54:10 to get me into the kingdom. 54:12 Take whatever You need to take to make sure that I make it. 54:15 Let not my life of success end 54:18 with a sad statement, 54:22 that I died on the outside of the kingdom 54:24 You prepared for me, 54:25 that I died short of the realization 54:29 that all is well with me." 54:30 If you wanna join me today, and asking God to begin 54:33 to search you out and show you who you are, 54:36 stand with me as we pray. 54:38 You can join us at home. 54:40 Just bow your heads with us. 54:43 Our gracious God and our everlasting Father, 54:45 what a joy it is to know that our record 54:48 is not finished being written, 54:50 and our lives are not finished being lived. 54:54 Today, Lord, we stand before You, 54:56 humbly asking You to look into our hearts, 54:59 into our words, into our actions, 55:00 into our deeds and show us who we are, 55:05 that we may see who You are. 55:09 The glory, Lord, that You desire, 55:11 may it be just Yours. 55:13 The success You entrust to us, 55:15 may it glorify You and You alone. 55:18 The position we occupy may we desire 55:21 that position to be where You stand with us. 55:25 And, Father, when the day comes 55:26 that we stand before Your presence, 55:28 may it be to hear the words well done 55:30 rather than depart from me. 55:33 Today the decision is being made, 55:34 Lord, we are Your people, get us ready for that 55:38 which we cannot prepare ourselves for 55:41 and all that we do and say, our desire is to be saved. 55:46 Save us the way that you see fit, Lord, 55:49 and we pray this to Your holy 55:51 and honorable name. 55:53 In Jesus' name we pray and God's people said amen. 55:58 Friends, as this program is ending, 56:00 we're gonna ask that God will also speak to your heart. 56:04 That whatever challenges you may find in your home, 56:06 in your life, and in your spiritual walk 56:07 with the pastor, leader, parishioner, 56:10 whatever position you occupy in life, 56:12 give God the first place. 56:14 So that when the time comes for Jesus to come, 56:18 you'll know that all is well in your heart and in your life. 56:22 We are living in the last days, days where God says 56:25 that we must examine our own hearts. 56:28 Pray the prayer of David, Lord, 56:29 if there is any wicked way in me, 56:32 lead me into the way of everlasting life. 56:34 That's my prayer for you, that's 3ABNs prayer for you, 56:37 continue praying for us that when the Lord comes, 56:40 we will all be found faithful and be ready 56:43 to enter God's eternal kingdom. 56:46 May God bless you. |
Revised 2019-08-29