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My Fight With God - eBook By Brian Klemmer / Destiny Image Do you sometimes feel like going toe-to-toe with God over the unfairness of life? Klemmer beats you to the punch! Taking off the gloves, he grapples with tough questions you've always wanted to ask. Learn why...

Book Review: Mere Christianity

Book Review: Mere Christianity

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Book Review: A Woman Rides the Beast

Book Review: A Woman Rides the Beast

CLICK HERE to buy: A Woman Rides the Beast By Dave Hunt / Harvest House Publishers Virtually all attention these days is focused on the coming Antichrist --- but he is only half the story. Many are amazed to discover in Revelation 17 that there is also another...



Hineni: Seeking The Favor Of God

by | Oct 1, 2025

Good morning, church, we’re going to switch things up a little this morning, and I want to open by addressing the recent events of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, knowing it’s not an easy topic to start with for many reasons. My message this morning was written about a month before his assassination.

Much of this message has been on my heart for the past 5 years as I’ve wrestled with the ways of the world and how God would have us respond to it. Other than this introduction, today’s message is as intended before that event happened. Since that day, I have been reviewing the message that has been given to me to deliver, and I am awestruck by the timing of God in relation to his assassination.

I have since learned that one of Charlie’s favorite words in scripture was Hineni. A Hebrew word, in its simplistic form, means: “Here I am, Lord.” Send me. It’s a single word of posture of your heart and complete submission of yourself to serve Him, embracing His call for your life..

I am very grateful for the opportunity to share my first message with you, and the timing of God that is beyond my understanding.

I am incredibly thankful that we have a great comfort here in our church family to be able to share this message with you. In my discussions with many here over the years, there is a consensus that genuine and authentic love and care exist among us in Westbank Bible Chapel. It’s one of the reasons why, after just a few visits, we said this is a church.

A strong and healthy church family that gives Him the preeminence, benefits our individual families, benefits the families outside our church circle, and benefits the community that surrounds us…providing we’re seeking His favor and will in our lives and our church.

A few summers ago, during a conversation at camp, the following question came up.

How do we know we’re doing the will of God in our lives?

The answer given by someone (not myself) was two-fold:

First: You’re doing things outside your comfort zone and using your abilities and talents beyond their current limits. You’re doing things outside of your own ways and actively pushing yourself in faith that God will provide in ways you simply cannot understand in the moment. You’re forcing yourself to rely on God’s faithfulness to provide and not your own abilities or limitations.

Secondly: Things begin to happen that you just can’t explain. People showing up in your life that you never anticipated, unexpected funding may come in right when you need it the most, the timing of events happens beyond coincidence. You may be achieving things you never thought were possible. Sometimes you might see miracles happen that just cannot be explained by reason.

God’s favor is provided in the discomfort of serving His will in our lives rather than seeking our own comfort. His favor comes from our sacrifice, humility, pain, and even our suffering through tribulations…if we allow it. If we choose into it.

Rom 5:1-4 says Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Jesus never promised to take away our tribulations; He promised to be there for us in them. To give us comfort in them, that we would seek His glory in them through perseverance that builds character and hope.

Our character through faith is simply not strengthened in attending church once a week, sitting in the same seats, greeting the same people in the same manner, and singing the same songs, expecting that He will do a great work in us.

Now, before you start putting up walls against what I just said, please allow me to elaborate.

That seat there, second row in, on the end. That’s my seat. You may not see it, but I assure you that my name is on it. Please do not sit in my seat, or you will disrupt my connection to God on Sunday mornings.

Brian, there have been a few Sundays that you have not been there at the front door to shake my hand upon entering this chapel. I would appreciate it if you would promptly stand in your position immediately after the Lord’s supper to greet me when I walk in, so that my Sundays can be consistent. This is a ritual of comfort I must have to better connect with God.

And to the youth in our church family. My Sunday is simply not complete unless you’re here. Will you please promise never to grow up, be here every Sunday for the rest of your lives..well, at least for the rest of mine, and be ready for me, because I rely on the encouragement of your youth to get through the week?

So if you all agree, while comforting, there is A LOT wrong with what I just said, then this message WILL encourage you this morning.

It’s time we get a little uncomfortable and willingly step out from our norm, if just for one Sunday, and exercise our faith that God will protect us, even if we don’t get the seat we’ve put our names on, even if the service doesn’t look how we’re used to, even if the room is hotter or cooler than we’d like, even if we go five or ten minutes longer than we ought to…whatever it is…that’s distracting you from the very purpose and reason we’re to gather together in accordance to the will of God.

To be in the presence of God together, in unity, seeking His word and will for us. To have ears to hear and to train us up to be great disciples in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

If you haven’t guessed it already, today is looking a bit different from other Sundays, and I am asking for your trust as I lead us into discomfort this morning .

I see some of you squirming already, wondering what happened to our songs?

Have faith that God is with us, and you will make it through alive…God willing, of course.

I’m also going to ask for your participation as I share this message with you, just a little more than you’re used to giving, just a bit more beyond your comfort level.

Do I have your permission to lead you into a little bit of discomfort this morning? (hands up, ask for engagement if not happening)

Are you willing to say, “It doesn’t need to look how I want?” (hands up)

Are you ready to ask, ‘Am I truly open to God’s will when it looks uncomfortable?’ (hands up)

Pause

I heard this joke from within our circle of believers a while back. Some of you may know the answer to it.

How many brethren does it take to change a lightbulb?

Answer: How often do we fight change… And yet, we’re called to be transformed in Christ. Do you not see the contradiction in your thinking that everything needs to look a certain way…because that’s how we’ve always done it?

I would like to offer a new version of that joke to you this morning.

How many brethren does it take to change a light bulb?

Answer: As demonstrated by Charlie, Only one. However, the church must be willing to change so that it can once again shine its light in the darkness of the world, before Jesus comes quickly to remove our lampstand because we’ve lost our first love.

Pause – I’ll let you wrestle with that one on your own for a bit.

Please, give me a show of hands once again if you will.

Who here looks at this fallen world and sees the enemy taking a stronghold, feeling a little desperate for God to intervene?

Who’s been praying for God to do a supernatural work and see His will be done on earth as it is in heaven?

Who here would just be beside themselves with joy…seeing the masses in the streets fall to their knees in worship and repentance to the one true God of the Bible?

OK, let’s hope no one regrets saying yes to those questions.

Let’s open our Bibles to 2 Chronicles chapter 20.

While turning there, if I haven’t expressed this to some of you before, this is the chapter that God grabbed my attention in a world of turmoil that was no longer making sense. I was not seeking answers in my bible, and yet God put this right in front of me to see. That’s when I realized the ways of the world are not for me, but are against me. And from that, I came to receive Jesus. The more I meditate on it, the more God gives me.

Again, 2 Chronicles 20, and we’re going to read verses 1-30

Pause if they’re still looking for it

Let’s pause our reading for a moment. Close your eyes if you will, and meditate on what we just read from the Word of God this morning. Dwell on the situation at hand here. Put yourself in Jehoshaphat’s shoes. Feel the fear, Jehoshaphat was feeling as a man of God responsible for leading the nation of Judah in accordance with the will of God. His back against the wall, seeing an impending doom for the people he is responsible for. And hear the message from God that was given to Him. To do the unthinkable and unnatural in the flesh and to send the singers to the battlefield first, singing praise to God, having faith that God would protect them from this massive attack.

Gormans to lead us in singing

Right after the song, read verses 22-30

Pray

Jehoshaphat was the fourth king of Judah. He was known as a high religious character with much zeal. In the previous chapter, we would have read his accomplishments in reforming the kingdom, restoring the justice system, and removing the wooden images, the groves, or the false idols that were being worshipped in the land.

As I reflected on this, I couldn’t help but notice something I never paid close enough attention to before.

ALL the cities of Judah came to seek the Lord
ALL of Judah stood in front of the Lord
ALL of Judah bowed before the Lord.

As they turned away from their pagan beliefs and rituals, God was restoring them and healing their land. God was preparing their hearts for what was to come. While all credit and glory always go to God, we would be remiss if we did not learn from Jehoshaphat’s example in this.

God gave every single person in Judah free will. Not to obey God by force, but because they wanted to, they desired to. God had the preeminence in their lives as they repented from their sins. God used Jehoshaphat’s heart to serve Him, shaping the nation of Judah by leading them in the ways of God, so that God’s favor would be bestowed and His will would be done.

When I read this, I see a parallel, a foreshadowing, or a characteristic of the coming Christ that’s worthy of paying attention to.

Jehoshaphat kept pointing to God instead of himself, as Jesus did.
Jehoshaphat kept seeking the will of God over his own as Jesus did.
And Jehoshaphat kept obeying God as Jesus did… at least in this event anyway.

Amid the stress of other nations coming for him, outnumbering his armies, his back against the wall, not knowing what to do, he kept turning to God and saying, WHATEVER YOUR WILL, GOD, WE THE NATION OF JUDAH WILL FOLLOW!

And they did.

Let’s go back to 2 Chronicles 17:3-6

Read the verses

We can clearly see here again, Jehoshaphat sought to please God, and the more he gained the favor of God AND of men…listen carefully, church…God entrusted him with more blessings.

God was investing in him, and the return on that investment was producing good fruit for the nation.

Judah had a little over a million military men on hand at this time. That does not include the woman and the children, so we if we do the math that’s around 2-3 million people.

I want to revisit what I mentioned earlier.

ALL the cities of Judah came to seek the Lord, ALL of Judah stood in front of the Lord, and ALL of Judah bowed before the Lord.

By conservative numbers, and not just the “right-wing” folks, millions of people followed Jehoshaphat’s leadership as he directed them to God! Not some. Not most. The word of God says ALL.

I am not sure about any of you, but I am not willing to stand up here on this podium and argue with the word of God and say, “Well, surely not all of them did?” “Some of them had to have disagreed”.

ALL OF JUDAH sought the favor of God! And that seems impossible from our experience today…and we serve a God that does the impossible in the minds of men, and likes to do it through the MEN and WOMEN made in HIS image who seek HIS favor.

And now, I am going to bring this plane down for a hard landing. I am going to guide us to take a deep look inward and ask you…

When was the last time you saw ALL born-again Christians across the world united in seeking God’s favor, regardless of their denominations, eschatologies, theologies, and doctrines?

When was the last time ALL born-again Christians in our nation were this united in seeking God’s favor, despite our differing opinions of what we believe it should look like?

When was the last time…ALL of Westbank Bible Chapel was this dedicated to seeking the favor of God, that in the midst of trials and tribulations, in the midst of our different understandings, in the midst of our different lifestyles, in the midst of a world crisis have we been united in saying to those that lead our church: I don’t know where we’re going, I don’t know what it’s going to look like, but you keep pointing to God seeking His favor, leading the way by example, fearing God above man, and we are seeing the the blessings of God as a result. We will follow in your lead in obedience to God, even if it doesn’t look how I want.

I am not here to answer this question for you.

I am not here to criticize anyone.

I am not here to tell you how you should feel about what I just said.

I am certainly not here to convict you of anything; hear me, church…that is the job of the Holy Spirit alone and not mine to take.

And…I must confess in front of you all right here and right now. When there are times that I don’t like how it looks, I tend to go my own direction. And then I find all sorts of justifications for why my choice was the right one. (pause)
I get to choose to wrestle with what I just said and work that out with the Holy Spirit. I simply cannot quench the conviction of the Holy Spirit and justify my desires over God’s will…and yet, I know I do. Are you willing to admit the same?

My point is simply that sometimes it can be challenging to get 40-50 believers on the same mission and in the same direction, seeking His favor as a body. And here we see that one man, Jehosaphat, a leader embodying just a little of the characteristics of Christ, as per Luke 2:52, increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. Enough so to lead millions of people to seek the Lord, to face the Lord, and to bow down before the Lord. Fulfilling the will of God and laying the groundwork of what’s to come.

Yes. All glory to God. We don’t praise the name of Jehoshaphat; we don’t put him on a pedestal or idolize him. Not because he wasn’t great in this achievement, not because he didn’t accomplish great things, not because of his leadership traits…but because he chose to be an empty vessel, willing to be used by God, to disciple and transform a nation of people. We thank God for Jehoshaphat’s heart and example in this passage. An example we ought to follow in.

That’s the simplicity of it. That’s how basic this is. And yet, we overcomplicate it to justify our ways and our pride as God’s will.

This is personal spiritual warfare we’re talking about here. This is about our first love. This is about the will of God and not your own. This is about the great commission we were told to obey as believers in Christ.

Are you willing to put aside your comfort to be used by God for His purposes and not your own?

Are you willing to crush your own ego so that His Glory may shine and not your own?

Are you willing to let go of your pride so that you can see HIS great works done, and not yours?

Are you willing…to be transformed into someone you’re not?! To renew your minds to His. To be open to every conviction of the Holy Spirit. To receive His grace and mercy so that you may be transformed and live in God’s favor, despite what it looks like? Even in persecution? Even in an assassination.

Are you willing to die from your own ways, so that you may live in His?

Then here’s the good news for you this morning, church.

You have already been given the full, unreserved, and abundant favor of God.

He gave it that day He carried His cross.
He gave it that day He was crucified.
He gave it that moment He said, Father, Forgive them.
He gave it the day He was resurrected.
He gave it that day He sent the Holy Spirit to convict and comfort us.

In that moment. That sacrificial act. His blood shed. He paid the full price for your sin, and by supernatural force, God’s abundant favor was given to the world.

Favor like the world had never seen before.
Favor that changed the history of man.
A favor that transforms a man like Saul into Paul.
Favor that takes the least of the world, and makes it the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Favor that transforms the very essence of who you are from a lost sinner to a saint seeking His sanctification.

Church, do we not have an amazing God whose mercy endures forever?

Now I must land this plane again, harder than the first time.

You lack the favor of God in your life to do what YOU think is impossible.

You lack the favor of God to walk in great faith that HE will provide when all seems hopeless.

You lack living the abundant life promised by Jesus because YOU lack God’s favor.

Not because He didn’t provide it.
Not because He gives more favor to some and not to others.
Not because He’s unjust in His favor.
And certainly not because you were destined to a life of suffering and call it God’s will.

But because YOU STRUGGLE to receive such a gift as glorious as God’s favor.

You took the salvation, and then dwelt on your unworthiness of the transformation through sanctification. Hear that again, church.

You took the salvation, and then dwelt on your own unworthiness of the sanctification, and you never saw His favor in the transformation.

You’ve read of His mercy, but you fail to receive His favor in it because you lack faith that He shed His blood on that cross for YOU personally.

You fail to receive His full grace, because you are aware of how much you fail in giving grace to others.

You do not see the favor of God in your life because you close your heart and mind to receiving it.

You lack the favor of God because you hold on to and coddle your sin with pride like it’s your firstborn child.

You lack because you quench the Holy Spirit from doing a good work within you!

Hear me, church!

I lack receiving the full favor of God, because I quench the Holy Spirit from doing a great work within me.

We lack the favor of God in our lives and in our church simply because we choose to.

Church.
Where is your heart?
Where are your desires?
Is it not to be on God?
God, who wants to see every single soul be reunited with Him?
God, who wants the gospel to be shared so that all men would know what He did for us on that cross?
Does that not require us to seek His favor as living waters, and the favor of men in order to be heard?

I ask again, would you not love to have ears all around you that wanted nothing more than to hear about this God that you say you serve?

The God that redeems. The God that comforts. The God that gives strength. The God that transforms. The God that gave you His only begotten Son, so that none would need to perish but have everlasting life? Do you not desire to see all souls receive His favor?

Then I would respond to you…Be careful what you ask for.

You see, when we choose to seek the favor of God by carrying OUR cross, by putting on the whole armor of God, by repenting from our sins, and then seek to gain the favor of men, the adversary, the devil, as per 1 Peter 5:8, walks around like a roaring lion seeking to devour. He does not want to see God’s favor on your life. He does not want to see God’s favor on those who bear His image. He wants those souls to be lost from heaven just as he is, which means deceiving YOU…into quenching the Holy Spirit so that you lack the favor of God to be seen.
He will bring up your past, he will bring up your character, he will bring up your sin, and make all sorts of accusations about why YOU DON’T DESERVE THE FAVOR OF GOD!

And he’s not wrong. You don’t. I don’t. None of us do.

Romans 3:23-24 tells us “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

That’s the favor that God has for every one of us individually. It’s undeserving. It’s unearnable.

With an army the size of Jehoshaphat’s, a nation that followed his heart, and a track record of great blessings from God, he still feared. Doubting the favor of God and His strength to protect, if just for a moment or two, before confessing, Whatever Your Will, God, We will follow.

Hineni: Here am I Lord. Send me.

And Jehoshaphat did as commanded, sending the singers to the battle line, and they sang “Praise the LORD, For His mercy endures forever.” And then God did the unthinkable, the unimaginable, the indescribable, a miracle of protection because of the faithfulness in allowing Him to provide, not in the ways I would. Not as I would do in our flesh. Not in my pride. And certainly not in seeking my own comfort.

The enemy is gathering his great army. The enemy has been growing in strength and size. As believers in Christ, we have become vastly outnumbered in this place we have mistakenly called home. The enemy is surrounding us. And the enemy is right outside those doors, threatening to come in and take over the inhabitants of this church. Where is your fear, Church?

Is it on the enemy? Or the God that knit you in your mother’s womb and made you in His image?

Do you walk in fear of what we see is becoming of our world?

Or do you walk in victory that Christ has already defeated the enemy in shedding His blood for us and giving us His favor?

Did God say?: Go, hide in your little chapel, be safe in your comfortable little Sunday gatherings, sit in those same seats week after week, worship me among yourselves in your own way. Allow the enemy to gain the stronghold while YOU REFUSE TO CHANGE THE LIGHTBULB ON YOUR LIGHTSTAND FOR THE WORLD TO SEE!

Pause

Let’s go back to 2 Chronicles 20, and re-read verses 22-23.

This is again a foreshadowing. A parallel in history. A lesson we must be reminded of. We do not have a fight to win, because Jesus has already won the battle. He has conquered sin, He has redeemed us, and given us heavenly riches no man can fathom. And He has given us a command. A command to go to the battlefield in the world and give praise to Him. A command to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the ways of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

None of which can be done from that seat, I must sit in every Sunday because IT gives me comfort…and not God.

Hear my heart, church. I am not up here to entertain you.

I don’t want to deliver some inspirational message to get you through the week.

I have no agenda to gain your praise or get your gratification.

My desire is to provoke you to keep seeking more of His favor in your willingness to get uncomfortable in your flesh, to seek out YOUR sin, and repent from it, so that His glory can shine in you stronger than ever!

Are you committed to that kind of discomfort?

Let me close with this last exhortation. We do not need a Turning Point USA or even a Turning Point Canada. We do not yet need another political side to put our hope in, as the Pharisees did. What we need is a Turning Point Church, one that seeks God’s favor in our lives through the repentance of our sins because we know…we have not yet been perfected. And then be out in the world to show the favor God gives us when we’re being transformed by Him in doing so, giving the world a hope they have not seen before.

SLOW

We’re going to end with a few songs and give praise to God for His favor, and I am going to ask you to get very uncomfortable in doing so.

I am going to suggest we take it to the battlefield. We go outside, to the grass facing the city of West Kelowna, and we show the city the God that we serve. We sing praises to the God we fear more than the enemy, knowing full well, it’s going to upset him. And we pray that we would gain the favor of men, so that they can see the favor of God in us.

Or, we can continue to do what we’re already comfortable doing and sing in the same spots we do every week. That choice is yours to make and not mine.

I will step down in a moment and leave this in your hands. Whatever you choose, you do it in unity as a body of Christ, not in division, because we think it needs to look a certain way. Not in pride, but in the most humble way possible, with the fruit of the Spirit.

We are united as one body in Christ. We allow the Holy Spirit to guide us as one body, to fill us with the joy, peace, and hope only He can provide when we’re in an uncomfortable situation that requires a choice to be made.

And we all get to be satisfied with that choice, whatever it looks like.

When we’re done singing, whatever choices we allowed the Holy Spirit to move us in, I invite whoever feels Spirit lead to close us in prayer, and that might be more than one person.

I now step down and completely surrender this moment to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to provoke your mind and your heart. May His will be done and not any of our own…

Good morning, church, we’re going to switch things up a little this morning, and I want to open by addressing the recent events of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, knowing it’s not an easy topic to start with for many reasons. My message this morning was written about a month before his assassination. 

Much of this message has been on my heart for the past 5 years as I’ve wrestled with the ways of the world and how God would have us respond to it. Other than this introduction, today’s message is as intended before that event happened. Since that day, I have been reviewing the message that has been given to me to deliver, and I am awestruck by the timing of God in relation to his assassination.

I have since learned that one of Charlie’s favorite words in scripture was Hineni. A Hebrew word, in its simplistic form, means: “Here I am, Lord. Send me. It’s a single word of posture of your heart and complete submission of yourself to serve Him, embracing His call for your life..

I am very grateful for the opportunity to share my first message with you, and the timing of God that is beyond my understanding. 

I am incredibly thankful that we have a great comfort here in our church family to be able to share this message with you. In my discussions with many here over the years, there is a consensus that genuine and authentic love and care exist among us in Westbank Bible Chapel. It’s one of the reasons why, after just a few visits, we said this is a church.

A strong and healthy church family that gives Him the preeminence, benefits our individual families, benefits the families outside our church circle, and benefits the community that surrounds us…providing we’re seeking His favor and will in our lives and our church.

A few summers ago, during a conversation at camp, the following question came up. 

How do we know we’re doing the will of God in our lives?

The answer given by someone (not myself) was two-fold:

First: You’re doing things outside your comfort zone and using your abilities and talents beyond their current limits. You’re doing things outside of your own ways and actively pushing yourself in faith that God will provide in ways you simply cannot understand in the moment. You’re forcing yourself to rely on God’s faithfulness to provide and not your own abilities or limitations.

Secondly: Things begin to happen that you just can’t explain. People showing up in your life that you never anticipated, unexpected funding may come in right when you need it the most, the timing of events happens beyond coincidence. You may be achieving things you never thought were possible. Sometimes you might see miracles happen that just cannot be explained by reason.

God’s favor is provided in the discomfort of serving His will in our lives rather than seeking our own comfort. His favor comes from our sacrifice, humility, pain, and even our suffering through tribulations…if we allow it. If we choose into it. 

Rom 5:1-4 says  Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Jesus never promised to take away our tribulations; He promised to be there for us in them. To give us comfort in them, that we would seek His glory in them through perseverance that builds character and hope. 

Our character through faith is simply not strengthened in attending church once a week, sitting in the same seats, greeting the same people in the same manner, and singing the same songs, expecting that He will do a great work in us. 

Now, before you start putting up walls against what I just said, please allow me to elaborate.

That seat there, second row in, on the end. That’s my seat. You may not see it, but I assure you that my name is on it. Please do not sit in my seat, or you will disrupt my connection to God on Sunday mornings.

Brian, there have been a few Sundays that you have not been there at the front door to shake my hand upon entering this chapel. I would appreciate it if you would promptly stand in your position immediately after the Lord’s supper to greet me when I walk in, so that my Sundays can be consistent. This is a ritual of comfort I must have to better connect with God.

And to the youth in our church family. My Sunday is simply not complete unless you’re here. Will you please promise never to grow up, be here every Sunday for the rest of your lives..well, at least for the rest of mine, and be ready for me, because I rely on the encouragement of your youth to get through the week?

So if you all agree, while comforting, there is A LOT wrong with what I just said, then this message WILL encourage you this morning. 

It’s time we get a little uncomfortable and willingly step out from our norm, if just for one Sunday, and exercise our faith that God will protect us, even if we don’t get the seat we’ve put our names on, even if the service doesn’t look how we’re used to, even if the room is hotter or cooler than we’d like, even if we go five or ten minutes longer than we ought to…whatever it is…that’s distracting you from the very purpose and reason we’re to gather together in accordance to the will of God.

To be in the presence of God together, in unity, seeking His word and will for us. To have ears to hear and to train us up to be great disciples in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

If you haven’t guessed it already, today is looking a bit different from other Sundays, and I am asking for your trust as I lead us into discomfort this morning . 

I see some of you squirming already, wondering what happened to our songs? 

Have faith that God is with us, and you will make it through alive…God willing, of course. 

I’m also going to ask for your participation as I share this message with you, just a little more than you’re used to giving, just a bit more beyond your comfort level.

Do I have your permission to lead you into a little bit of discomfort this morning? 

Are you willing to say, “It doesn’t need to look how I want?”

Are you ready to ask, ‘Am I truly open to God’s will when it looks uncomfortable?’ 

I heard this joke from within our circle of believers a while back. Some of you may know the answer to it.

How many brethren does it take to change a lightbulb? 

Answer: How often do we fight change… And yet, we’re called to be transformed in Christ. Do you not see the contradiction in your thinking that everything needs to look a certain way…because that’s how we’ve always done it?

I would like to offer a new version of that joke to you this morning.

How many brethren does it take to change a light bulb? 

Answer: As demonstrated by Charlie, Only one. However, the church must be willing to change so that it can once again shine its light in the darkness of the world, before Jesus comes quickly to remove our lampstand because we’ve lost our first love.

I’ll let you wrestle with that one on your own for a bit.

Please, give me a show of hands once again if you will. 

Who here looks at this fallen world and sees the enemy taking a stronghold, feeling a little desperate for God to intervene? 

Who’s been praying for God to do a supernatural work and see His will be done on earth as it is in heaven?

Who here would just be beside themselves with joy…seeing the masses in the streets fall to their knees in worship and repentance to the one true God of the Bible?

OK, let’s hope no one regrets saying yes to those questions.

Let’s open our Bibles to 2 Chronicles chapter 20. 

While turning there, if I haven’t expressed this to some of you before, this is the chapter that God grabbed my attention in a world of turmoil that was no longer making sense. I was not seeking answers in my bible, and yet God put this right in front of me to see. That’s when I realized the ways of the world are not for me, but are against me. And from that, I came to receive Jesus. The more I meditate on it, the more God gives me. 

Again, 2 Chronicles 20, and we’re going to read verses 1-30

Pause reading when done verse 21

Let’s pause our reading for a moment. Close your eyes if you will, and meditate on what we just read from the Word of God this morning. Dwell on the situation at hand here. Put yourself in Jehoshaphat’s shoes. Feel the fear, Jehoshaphat was feeling as a man of God responsible for leading the nation of Judah in accordance with the will of God. His back against the wall, seeing an impending doom for the people he is responsible for. And hear the message from God that was given to Him. To do the unthinkable and unnatural in the flesh and to send the singers to the battlefield first, singing praise to God, having faith that God would protect them from this massive attack.

Continue reading after reflection

Jehoshaphat was the fourth king of Judah. He was known as a high religious character with much zeal. In the previous chapter, we would have read his accomplishments in reforming the kingdom, restoring the justice system, and removing the wooden images, the groves, or the false idols that were being worshipped in the land.

As I reflected on this, I couldn’t help but notice something I never paid close enough attention to before.

  • ALL the cities of Judah came to seek the Lord
  • ALL of Judah stood in front of the Lord
  • ALL of Judah bowed before the Lord.

As they turned away from their pagan beliefs and rituals, God was restoring them and healing their land. God was preparing their hearts for what was to come. While all credit and glory always go to God, we would be remiss if we did not learn from Jehoshaphat’s example in this.

God gave every single person in Judah free will. Not to obey God by force, but because they wanted to, they desired to. God had the preeminence in their lives as they repented from their sins. God used Jehoshaphat’s heart to serve Him, shaping the nation of Judah by leading them in the ways of God, so that God’s favor would be bestowed and His will would be done.

When I read this, I see a parallel, a foreshadowing, or a characteristic of the coming Christ that’s worthy of paying attention to.

  • Jehoshaphat kept pointing to God instead of himself, as Jesus did.
  • Jehoshaphat kept seeking the will of God over his own as Jesus did.
  • And Jehoshaphat kept obeying God as Jesus did… at least in this event anyway. 

Amid the stress of other nations coming for him, outnumbering his armies, his back against the wall, not knowing what to do, he kept turning to God and saying, WHATEVER YOUR WILL, GOD, WE THE NATION OF JUDAH WILL FOLLOW!

And they did.

Let’s go and read to 2 Chronicles 17:3-6

We can clearly see here again, Jehoshaphat sought to please God, and the more he gained the favor of God AND of men…listen carefully, church…God entrusted him with more blessings. 

God was investing in him, and the return on that investment was producing good fruit for the nation.

Judah had a little over a million military men on hand at this time. That does not include the woman and the children, so we if we do the math that’s around 2-3 million people.

I want to revisit what I mentioned earlier.

ALL the cities of Judah came to seek the Lord, ALL of Judah stood in front of the Lord, and ALL of Judah bowed before the Lord.

By conservative numbers, and not just the “right-wing” folks, millions of people followed Jehoshaphat’s leadership as he directed them to God! Not some. Not most. The word of God says ALL. 

I am not sure about any of you, but I am not willing to stand up here on this podium and argue with the word of God and say, “Well, surely not all of them did?” “Some of them had to have disagreed”. 

ALL OF JUDAH sought the favor of God! And that seems impossible from our experience today…and we serve a God that does the impossible in the minds of men, and likes to do it through the MEN and WOMEN made in HIS image who seek HIS favor.

And now, I am going to bring this plane down for a hard landing. I am going to guide us to take a deep look inward and ask you…

When was the last time you saw ALL born-again Christians across the world united in seeking God’s favor, regardless of their denominations, eschatologies, theologies, and doctrines? 

When was the last time ALL born-again Christians in our nation were this united in seeking God’s favor, despite our differing opinions of what we believe it should look like?

When was the last time…ALL of Westbank Bible Chapel was this dedicated to seeking the favor of God, that in the midst of trials and tribulations, in the midst of our different understandings, in the midst of our different lifestyles, in the midst of a world crisis have we been united in saying to those that lead our church: I don’t know where we’re going, I don’t know what it’s going to look like, but you keep pointing to God seeking His favor, leading the way by example, fearing God above man, and we are seeing the the blessings of God as a result. We will follow in your lead in obedience to God, even if it doesn’t look how I want.

I am not here to answer this question for you.

I am not here to criticize anyone.

I am not here to tell you how you should feel about what I just said.

I am certainly not here to convict you of anything; hear me, church…that is the job of the Holy Spirit alone and not mine to take.

And…I must confess in front of you all right here and right now. When there are times that I don’t like how it looks, I tend to go my own direction. And then I find all sorts of justifications for why my choice was the right one. (pause)

I get to choose to wrestle with what I just said and work that out with the Holy Spirit. I simply cannot quench the conviction of the Holy Spirit and justify my desires over God’s will…and yet, I know I do. Are you willing to admit the same?

My point is simply that sometimes it can be challenging to get 40-50 believers on the same mission and in the same direction, seeking His favor as a body. And here we see that one man, Jehosaphat, a leader embodying just a little of the characteristics of Christ, as per Luke 2:52, increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. Enough so to lead millions of people to seek the Lord, to face the Lord, and to bow down before the Lord. Fulfilling the will of God and laying the groundwork of what’s to come.

Yes. All glory to God. We don’t praise the name of Jehoshaphat; we don’t put him on a pedestal or idolize him. Not because he wasn’t great in this achievement, not because he didn’t accomplish great things, not because of his leadership traits…but because he chose to be an empty vessel, willing to be used by God, to disciple and transform a nation of people. We thank God for Jehoshaphat’s heart and example in this passage. An example we ought to follow in.

That’s the simplicity of it. That’s how basic this is. And yet, we overcomplicate it to justify our ways and our pride as God’s will.

This is personal spiritual warfare we’re talking about here. This is about our first love. This is about the will of God and not your own. This is about the great commission we were told to obey as believers in Christ.

Are you willing to put aside your comfort to be used by God for His purposes and not your own?

Are you willing to crush your own ego so that His Glory may shine and not your own?

Are you willing to let go of your pride so that you can see HIS great works done, and not yours?

Are you willing…to be transformed into someone you’re not?! To renew your minds to His. To be open to every conviction of the Holy Spirit. To receive His grace and mercy so that you may be transformed and live in God’s favor, despite what it looks like? Even in persecution? Even in an assassination.

Are you willing to die from your own ways, so that you may live in His?

Then here’s the good news for you this morning, church.

You have already been given the full, unreserved, and abundant favor of God.

  • He gave it that day He carried His cross.
  • He gave it that day He was crucified.
  • He gave it that moment He said, Father, Forgive them.
  • He gave it the day He was resurrected.
  • He gave it that day He sent the Holy Spirit to convict and comfort us.

In that moment. That sacrificial act. His blood shed. He paid the full price for your sin, and by supernatural force, God’s abundant favor was given to the world.

  • Favor like the world had never seen before. 
  • Favor that changed the history of man. 
  • A favor that transforms a man like Saul into Paul. 
  • Favor that takes the least of the world, and makes it the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
  • Favor that transforms the very essence of who you are from a lost sinner to a saint seeking His sanctification.

Church, do we not have an amazing God whose mercy endures forever?

Now I must land this plane again, harder than the first time.

You lack the favor of God in your life to do what YOU think is impossible. 

You lack the favor of God to walk in great faith that HE will provide when all seems hopeless. 

You lack living the abundant life promised by Jesus because YOU lack God’s favor.

  • Not because He didn’t provide it.
  • Not because He gives more favor to some and not to others.
  • Not because He’s unjust in His favor. 
  • And certainly not because you were destined to a life of suffering and call it God’s will.

But because YOU STRUGGLE to receive such a gift as glorious as God’s favor. 

You took the salvation, and then dwelt on your unworthiness of the transformation through sanctification. Hear that again, church.

You took the salvation, and then dwelt on your own unworthiness of the sanctification, and you never saw His favor in the transformation.

You’ve read of His mercy, but you fail to receive His favor in it because you lack faith that He shed His blood on that cross for YOU personally. 

You fail to receive His full grace, because you are aware of how much you fail in giving grace to others.

You do not see the favor of God in your life because you close your heart and mind to receiving it. 

You lack the favor of God because you hold on to and coddle your sin with pride like it’s your firstborn child.

You lack because you quench the Holy Spirit from doing a good work within you! 

Hear me, church!

I lack receiving the full favor of God, because I quench the Holy Spirit from doing a great work within me.

We lack the favor of God in our lives and in our church simply because we choose to.

Church. 

  • Where is your heart? 
  • Where are your desires? 
  • Is it not to be on God? 
  • God, who wants to see every single soul be reunited with Him? 
  • God, who wants the gospel to be shared so that all men would know what He did for us on that cross? 
  • Does that not require us to seek His favor as living waters, and the favor of men in order to be heard?

I ask again, would you not love to have ears all around you that wanted nothing more than to hear about this God that you say you serve? 

The God that redeems. The God that comforts. The God that gives strength. The God that transforms. The God that gave you His only begotten Son, so that none would need to perish but have everlasting life? Do you not desire to see all souls receive His favor?

Then I would respond to you…Be careful what you ask for.

You see, when we choose to seek the favor of God by carrying OUR cross, by putting on the whole armor of God, by repenting from our sins, and then seek to gain the favor of men, the adversary, the devil, as per 1 Peter 5:8, walks around like a roaring lion seeking to devour. He does not want to see God’s favor on your life. He does not want to see God’s favor on those who bear His image. He wants those souls to be lost from heaven just as he is, which means deceiving YOU…into quenching the Holy Spirit so that you lack the favor of God to be seen.

He will bring up your past, he will bring up your character, he will bring up your sin, and make all sorts of accusations about why YOU DON’T DESERVE THE FAVOR OF GOD!

And he’s not wrong. You don’t. I don’t. None of us do. 

Romans 3:23-24  tells us “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 

That’s the favor that God has for every one of us individually. It’s undeserving. It’s unearnable.

With an army the size of Jehoshaphat’s, a nation that followed his heart, and a track record of great blessings from God, he still feared. Doubting the favor of God and His strength to protect, if just for a moment or two, before confessing, Whatever Your Will, God, We will follow. 

Hineni: Here am I Lord. Send me.

And Jehoshaphat did as commanded, sending the singers to the battle line, and they sang “Praise the LORD, For His mercy endures forever.” And then God did the unthinkable, the unimaginable, the indescribable, a miracle of protection because of the faithfulness in allowing Him to provide, not in the ways I would. Not as I would do in our flesh. Not in my pride. And certainly not in seeking my own comfort.

The enemy is gathering his great army. The enemy has been growing in strength and size. As believers in Christ, we have become vastly outnumbered in this place we have mistakenly called home. The enemy is surrounding us. And the enemy is right outside those doors, threatening to come in and take over the inhabitants of this church. Where is your fear, Church?

Is it on the enemy? Or the God that knit you in your mother’s womb and made you in His image?

Do you walk in fear of what we see is becoming of our world? 

Or do you walk in victory that Christ has already defeated the enemy in shedding His blood for us and giving us His favor?

Did God say?: Go, hide in your little chapel, be safe in your comfortable little Sunday gatherings, sit in those same seats week after week, worship me among yourselves in your own way. Allow the enemy to gain the stronghold while YOU REFUSE TO CHANGE THE LIGHTBULB ON YOUR LIGHTSTAND FOR THE WORLD TO SEE!

Let’s go back to 2 Chronicles 20, and re-read verses 22-23.

This is again a foreshadowing. A parallel in history. A lesson we must be reminded of. We do not have a fight to win, because Jesus has already won the battle. He has conquered sin, He has redeemed us, and given us heavenly riches no man can fathom. And He has given us a command. A command to go to the battlefield in the world and give praise to Him. A command to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the ways of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

None of which can be done from that seat, I must sit in every Sunday because IT gives me comfort…and not God.

Hear my heart, church. I am not up here to entertain you. 

I don’t want to deliver some inspirational message to get you through the week. 

I have no agenda to gain your praise or get your gratification. 

My desire is to provoke you to keep seeking more of His favor in your willingness to get uncomfortable in your flesh, to seek out YOUR sin, and repent from it, so that His glory can shine in you stronger than ever!

Are you committed to that kind of discomfort?

Let me close with this last exhortation. We do not need a Turning Point USA or even a Turning Point Canada. We do not yet need another political side to put our hope in, as the Pharisees did. What we need is a Turning Point Church, one that seeks God’s favor in our lives through the repentance of our sins because we know…we have not yet been perfected. And then be out in the world to show the favor God gives us when we’re being transformed by Him in doing so, giving the world a hope they have not seen before.

We’re going to end with a few songs and give praise to God for His favor, and I am going to ask you to get very uncomfortable in doing so.

I am going to suggest we take it to the battlefield. We go outside, to the grass facing the city of West Kelowna, and we show the city the God that we serve. We sing praises to the God we fear more than the enemy, knowing full well, it’s going to upset him. And we pray that we would gain the favor of men, so that they can see the favor of God in us. 

Or, we can continue to do what we’re already comfortable doing and sing in the same spots we do every week. That choice is yours to make and not mine.

I will step down in a moment and leave this in your hands. Whatever you choose, you do it in unity as a body of Christ, not in division, because we think it needs to look a certain way. Not in pride, but in the most humble way possible, with the fruit of the Spirit.

We are united as one body in Christ. We allow the Holy Spirit to guide us as one body, to fill us with the joy, peace, and hope only He can provide when we’re in an uncomfortable situation that requires a choice to be made. 

And we all get to be satisfied with that choice, whatever it looks like.

When we’re done singing, whatever choices we allowed the Holy Spirit to move us in, I invite whoever feels Spirit lead to close us in prayer, and that might be more than one person.

I now step down and completely surrender this moment to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to provoke your mind and your heart. May His will be done and not any of our own…

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In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?

 

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