Hidden In The House

2 Kings 11:1-3
We find a one year hold boy was the heir to the throne and a wicked relative of King Ahab named Athaliah was going around killing all of the heirs to the throne so she could take over and run the country. Joash was the name of the little boy and he was hidden in what amounts to a closet for the next six years. His life was saved so that he could sit on the throne when he was seven years old.

HIDDEN IN THE HOUSE

We have a great generation in our Children's Churches and nurseries that are HIDDEN IN THE HOUSE. Trust I know and understand that we as the church are just assisting the parents to raise their children in the "fear of the Lord" Two sins against this generation that are HIDDEN IN THE HOUSE that I am convinced we need to repent of:

1. Apathy is the greatest sin of omission in America today. Christianity the great inconvenience of America.

2. Abortion is the greatest sin of commission in America today. Children the great inconvenience of America.

We cannot sit silently by while this generation of leaders that are HIDDEN IN THE HOUSE just perish. We must have a VISION for them and reach them.

THEY ARE HIDDEN IN THE HOUSE FOR:

1. Protection - from the enemies design and plan for them, (John 10:10) They have a bulls eye on them.

2. Prophetic purpose - There is a prophetic Word of these kids, that they will be world changers. We must teach them to wage war by these prophecies. (1 Timothy 1:18-20)

3. Perseverance in their future. - With these prophecies there is a bright future for them but the timing must be right. DISCIPLINE - DELAY - then DISPLAY. Even Jesus waited 18 years to preach his first sermon even though He knew His purpose at 12. (Luke 2:49-51 and Luke 4:18)

We must INVEST in and BELIEVE in our children's ministries.

Jesus Probably Would Not Get Invited to Preach at Your Church

DELIBERATE - INTENTIONAL - AGGRESSIVE . . .Jesus

I do not know what your picture of Jesus is like, but mine is something quiet different than a pale, frail, mild, and meek mannered Savior.

In Mark 2 there are several instances where Jesus DELIBERATELY, INTENTIONALLY, & AGGRESSIVELY calls out the religious crowd and fronts them with their own foolish thinking. I  mean it was like He was driving down their street, pulled up in their driveway, got out and shined His flash light in their kitchen and got all up in their grill. Of course Jesus did not have a car nor a flash light but He did decide to make their narrow minded thinking His business and He tried to convince them to change the way they saw things.

Mark 2:1-11 He forgave sins then He healed the guy.

Mark 2:13-17 He was hanging out with scum according to the religious crowd.

Mark 2:16

16 But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, "Why does he eat with such scum?" NLT

Mark 2:18-22 He and His disciples were not fasting like the religious people.

Mark 2:23-3:6 This was a an instruction on what the Sabbath was really about, which totally offended the religious crowd because this really was a “SACRED COW.”

Mark 3:5-6

 He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, "Hold out your hand." So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! 6 At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus.NLT

Hard hearts keep us from being DELIBERATE – INTENTIONAL – AGGRESSIVE.

I am of the opinion that we (most Christians) are way to comfortable in our way of life to go about DELIBERATELY, INTENTIONALLY, AGGRESSIVELY rocking the world of the religious crowd. Have you noticed that Jesus' ratings on the OBNOXIOUS / ANTAGONISTIC / SARCASTIC  meter were so off the charts when He was dealing with Pharisee, Sadiucess, & Priests? He was totally offensive!

Yet when it comes to the rank heathen of the culture he was kind, gentle, and wanted to hang out (Zaccheus in Luke 19). This is so RADICAL but I somehow think that Jesus was more comfortable in a bar with heathens than He was in a church; which is why I have gone to Mardi Gra, Hollywood, and the streets of my own city to do street ministry on many occasions over my 35 years of being a Christian. It keeps me in touch with God's plan for the world. He wants us to be His hands, feet, and mouth piece to hurt and lost world.

Which is why if JESUS WAS ALIVE TODAY IN THE PHYSICAL SENSE HE PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE INVITED TO SPEAK AT VERY MANY OF OUR CHURCHES.

Give a listen to the message by the above title at www.generationslubbock.com

I AM CHALLENGED,

Ed