Another Level

God said it, I believe it.

These are the literal lyrics that were being sung as I walked into the sanctuary. This entire day was a living confirmation so let's get into it!

Pastor's message came from 2 Kings 22:1-2, 8, 10,11, 23:1-3


Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.

Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord.” He gave it to Shaphan, who read it.

 Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.

When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes.

Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 2 He went up to the temple of the Lord with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets—all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord. 3 The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord—to follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.


Josiah was one of many kings but he was a good king. Prior to him, the nation of Judah was essentially awful. Josiah knew that if he kept doing what his father and grandfather had done, his people would be destroyed. 

Josiah decides to lead a reform and a revival. Both of those things started in his heart. He is one of the greatest spiritual reformers in the Bible and it happened because of a change in his own life. 

Josiah's reforms: the revitalization of worship and a rediscovery of the power of the Word of God.

The first 10 years of his reign, Josiah's handlers taught him about the history of the country, governing, and the faith of his ancestors. He made a critical decision to restore the temple and revitalize worship.

Everything Josiah does is about taking God from the background to the foreground. Its all about restoring relationship with God.

I try really hard to live my life like this. I try to put God first in the things I do and say but I don't always succeed. God usually handles me about that. But its hard. Sometimes I want to do whatever but I've learned that "no" keeps me safe. "No" keeps me from heartache. I'm definitely a super sensitive person and I need God to be my strong tower and that means no often times. Even when it's hard to hear that no, I know its because He loves me. 

God had to be first and not last for Josiah to do what he went on to do. He decided he needed God for himself.  The first step Josiah took was to worship God.

AW Tozer said "Without worship we go about miserable."

Jack Hayford said Worship changes the worshipper into the one being worshiped. 

As a human, you were created to worship. Something shifts on the inside of you because of worship. You can testify that if people are talking about being cured and being delivered that God is in the neighborhood. Your miracle is in the atmosphere.
 You may not know how or when but you should believe  it in your spirit that you're next in line!

Can I tell you this is how I've been feeling!!! There's something about worship that's so transformative. I can literally begrudgingly go into worship and come out :-) 
But also... I've just had this feeling lately. Like something is changing. In our congregation we had someone cured stomach cancer, someone who's sugars were high enough to be hospitalized outside the country and unable to leave and they're down to 120 this am....clearly my miracle is somewhere close!!!!

I've also settled into this year of medical school so well. Its sooooooooo much easier this year. I'm so much more confident this year. I'm not afraid of being stumped nearly as often and I think that's not only learning but also the time I get to spend in the hospital. Shout out to my awesome mentors who have let me become "Dr" to my fellow classmates because I'm always here. Always seeing patients. Always doing the most. Even my chief resident was like "Your life is the most."

What I love about God though is that its been so subtle. I've almost not noticed it. This blog keeps me abreast of how I'm actually feeling about stuff and how its changed. I went back and read about wanting to go to Oregon and now that all sounds like "Yea that would be cute but my heart's desire, my prayers, and my faith aren't leading me there. They're leading me South."

Josiah lead a rival in Judah and it started with realizing how important worship is. Unfortunately, worship is incomplete without the Word. 

For 8 years, He focused on restoring the temple and committed himself to worship. One day, a book was found. The high priest discovered that it was the law of God. For 75 years, they had been without the Word. 

Let me stop you right here! 75 years without the WORD?!?!?! I couldn't. 
I can't. 
I'd be so unable. 
Being that I have the Word, I'll never let it go. I mean I'm lost without my Bible. I'm so dependent. Its the main way God communicates with me so I've got to have. 
Got to.

It was the Word and discernment of the Word that turned things around for Josiah.

Before they had revival but not revelation. You can want to do the right thing but not know how to do it.  They had been going to worship all that time but didn't know that the promises of God were right there.  I can't imagine knowing she's supposed to be my wife and not having all the promises God's given me through the Word. I'd have no assurances. I'd really have no faith in it happening at all without the Word.

He had been missing out on the benefits and promises of God. He didn't realize he had missed out on so many of the benefits.

Of note, God preserved and protected Josiah throughout his life in response to Josiah's faithfulness to worship.

A lot of Christians don't come to church for the Word. They come to see all kinds of things other than the Word. There are so many promises and benefits in the Word that you won't know if you aren't IN YOUR WORD!!!!! 

God has made help available to you if you will access the Word. If you need hope, peace, joy, self esteem, your breakhrough, direction...its in the Word.

God has given us everything we need in the Word.
Everything.

The Word turned his life around, protected him, and positioned him for prosperity. 

In addition to worship, Josiah committed himself to corporate and personal Bible study. He was a forerunner if knowing God's Word and keeping it. He was also a forerunner of appointing women to study the Word. He appointed 4 people to study the Word and one of them was a woman.  I love that he saw the value in women. Women are the one's upholding the US Constitution in courts of law across our nation right now. If you need something done correctly the first time, ask a woman.

John 5:39 
You study[a] the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,

2 Timothy 2:15
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

 2 Timothy 3:16

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

You have to have the Word inside of You. You have to know it for yourself. This is why I also love John 1:1 which is the other post from today that I realized tied directly in! I love when God does that. Like I said.... a whole day of confirmation of the things He's going to do or already moving in. I just wish I could be less worried on a regular basis but I'm a human after all. 

The Word talks about how to do lots of things. Of note, the Word talks about how to treat immigrants and foreigners. Knowing the Bible would prevent the nonsense in the government if these people were actually Christians.

Worldly possession can't give you joy. When there's a Word with your name on it, nothing can stand in the way of it. And joy is inevitable with the Word.

Weeping might endure for a night but if you can hold on until 12:01 am......

Paul said Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.