What to do in a time of crises, II Kings 18:5-7

#1) Change the atmosphere around you as Hezekiah did.

A. Break ties with anything or anyone that is going to drag you under.

*Notice how Hezekiah broke ties with everything in his life that was not pleasing to God.

· He broke the images of his past. The idols represent everything that has been taking the place of God in your life.

· It may be money(to some people money is more important than serving God)

· It may be a relationship that drags you down. Or an unhealthy relationship.

B. The altar represents your offering. We all have the same amount of time (in Eccl.9:12 we see that there is time and opportunities extended to everyone. There isn't any person that is exempt).

*Your time. Is it spent honoring God and doing constructive work? Or do you offer your time to other things that do not Glorify God.

*Your talents and ambitions that God has given you. Are you offering your talents to the Lord or are they going to waste. Remember the parable of the talents(mat.25:15); To one He gave five talents, to another two talents, and to the other only one. But they all had something. The one that got the five talents invested them and made another five. The one with the two did likewise. But the person that was given one talent buried it and did nothing with it. There are people in the church that God has blessed with a talent that they have buried. Yet the Bible teaches that to whom much is given much is required.

*Your money. Are you giving to God what belongs to Him? Are you doing your part so that the house of God is not in lack? Some people love their money more than they love God. That's why the Bible says that "the love of money is the root of all evil". It's evil to love money more than loving God.

D. The bronze serpent that Moses had built at one time was a blessing now it was a curse, this represents our past. There is people that can never move ahead because they are still living in the past.

*They are still living on the old wine. Old wine turns into vinegar.

*The problem is that they were caught up in the past. The past worked in the past but it doesn't mean that it's going to work now. God is doing some new things.(ECCLESIASTES 3:1 SAYS; "TO EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON, AND A TIME TO EVERY PURPOSE UNDER HEAVEN".

· We must trust that God is in control of every situation in our lives. Hezekiah trusted in God and this got him through the times of crisis.

· David said; "BUT I HAVE TRUSTED IN YOUR MERCY, THEREFORE MY HEART WILL REJOICE IN YOUR SALVATION". You "will" experience joy, if you put your trust in Him. He will not let you fall!!!