The First Step to Making a Difference for God

Introduction: God is searching. . . . . .for a select group of people.

2 Chronicles 16:9 "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him"

God is seeking a people that He can empower and equip to do amazing things in them and through them, are you one of them? "For the Eyes of the LORD run to and fro . . ." this means that the eyes of God is going up and down the halls of your home, going up and down the street where you live, going up and down the rooms of the place you work or go to school, going up and down the fields and industrial places of this country. He is seeking for a man or woman whose heart is fully His, when he finds one He will equip, give whatever it takes, to allow that person to do His will. Are you that person?

The Context of 2 Chronicles 16:9

• Past “Success” 2 Chronicles 14-15:

• Asa in chapter 14 gets his heart right with God and honors God by removing the idols. God gives him about 10 years of rest; Asa is obedient to God and God continues to bless Asa.
• God brings a test.The Ethiopians brings an army of well over a million soldiers against Asa; Asa’s army was nothing in comparison. Asa goes to God and says that if the battle is to be won God would have to do it.Asa knew who he was and who God was and what each were capable of doing.
• After the victory wrought by God a prophet comes to Asa and says “if you will be for God, He will be for you, but if you turn away from Him he will turn away from you”. Asa leads the nation in repentance and God gives them 25 more years of peace and prosperity.

Great Door of Opportunity

2 Chronicles 16:1-6 “1 In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. 2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king's house, and sent to Benhadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, 3 There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me. 4 And Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the store cities of Naphtali. 5 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he left off building of Ramah, and let his work cease. 6 Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.”

Asa’s greatest problem was really his greatest opportunity!

• Judah and Israel have been at odds with one another for generations. God was giving Asa an opportunity to deal with the nation Israel and Syria to demonstrate God's authority. One thing that happens with age and prosperity is that you begin trust in yourself more than you trust in God!
• Asa had matued, he has been king for thirty-five years, he was experienced and God had prospered him. Asa learns that Israel was planning an action against Asa and the nation of Judah. Asa, decided to go the king of Syria for help instead of the Lord.
• The king of Syria did the work and Asa was feeling good about the outcome; he had a problem, he had resources to get out of it, he got out of the problem and now everything is okay; but . . .

A Sad Commentary

2 Chronicles 16:7-12 “7 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. 8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD, he delivered them into thine hand. 9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. 10 Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time. 11 And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 12 And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.”

Asa started well, but finished poorly!

• A lot of people start well but finish poorly. What happens is that as you move along in life you get risk adverse; you start operating on the success of yesterday, you start to put your faith in yourself.
• You end up this nice moral person who has missed out on what God had prepared for your life.

I don’t know about you, but I want to make a difference, I want that holy ambition that God has planned for me; I don’t want to miss it!

The Question: Will we answer God’s call to make a significant impact?

Our great door of opportunity

We have such uncertainty today, (suicide bombers, economy, strife, false religions, etc.) that produces a fertile environment where people are seeking an answer and are willing to talk about Christ and receive Him as never before.

What will it mean for each of us?

• It means that we will have to model it; you cannot pass on what you do not have; you have to walk the talk!
• It will require focus.
• The key to impact is concentration; the key to concentration is elimination. Your have to simplify your life.You cannot do everything. Discover a few things that God wants you to do and do it with all your might.

Our Model: Nehemiah

Nehemiah 1:1-4 "1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, 2 That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. 3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire."

Nehemiah had a full time job; he had a life with responsibilities, he lived in a gated community, he had the finest of clothing, he had privilege, he drove the best chariot, just like you and me! He was just a business man! Notice his response to the news:

"4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,”

Nehemiah had developed a dislocated heart!

What is a dislocated heart?

A dislocated heart is a God-given concern for others that propels us out of our comfort zone. It is a passionate concern for God’s agenda that supersedes our own desires for personal peace and prosperity.

What does a dislocated heart look like?
Exhibit A = Jesus

Philippians 2:5-13 “5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”

We need to have this same attitude of crossing a culture - whether its age culture, background culture, education culture, job culture, tatoo culture: to reach people who are different than us!You have to cross some barriers to get the message out that God loves them!Jesus was living in heaven in comfort, He was receiving the adoration of the hosts of heaven, Jesus saw the needs of mankind, He left His comfort zone and became a missionary to mankind.

Exhibit B = Paul

Romans 9:1-3 “1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:. . ."

What is a dislocated heart? It is “do you care?"   No, do you really care? Care enough to sorrow, to morn to sacrifice your time, talent and treasure?

How do you develop a dislocated heart?

• Honest evaluation, do you really care; not by your thoughts but by your actions?
• Genuine repentance, a change of mind and resulting change in behaviors.“God please forgive me, I really have not cared for people and their needs. I’m fairly consumed about me
  and my needs and desires. Please change me.
• Careful consideration. This does come with a cost be careful before moving forward.
• Ask God for a dislocated heart.I don’t want to be a fake or phony.

Paul was willing to give it all up if it would draw his Jewish family to the Christ. Asa was a good king at a bad time! The people where into idol worship, they had forgotten the Lord; they were doing evil things; this was the condition of the land when Asa became king. If you study back from Asa you will discover that Judah had kings that were not good. Occasionally there would be one that was ok, but not good.