OUR MESSAGE FOR TODAY’S SUNDAY SERVICE ON MARCH 15, 2015 IS: THE KNOWLEDGE TO TRUE JOY IN LIFE LIES ON THE PATH OF OBEDIENCE TO GOD:

OUR MESSAGE FOR TODAY’S SUNDAY SERVICE ON MARCH 15, 2015 IS: 2 CHRONICLES 30:1-26 THE KNOWLEDGE TO TRUE JOY IN LIFE LIES ON THE PATH OF OBEDIENCE TO GOD: 1. Permit me to begin this message with the knowledge of true joy in life which lies in the part of obedience, some of you may ask what relationship has Obedience and Joy, because obedience sounds restrictive, burdensome and heavy while joy seems liberating and conveys light heartedness. Hezekiah’s obedience to God by calling for the celebration of the Passover is a living testimony that proves that obedience is the key to our true joy. See verses 1-5 2. It might interest you to know that the Passover feast was abandoned by the children of Israelites for many years because of their captivity, which came upon them because of their disobedience to God, but it also took Hezekiah to walk in the knowledge of God to call them back to God as follows:- a) He sent letters to all provinces to his people to return to God b) He charged them to walk in obedience so that they may be free c) He asked them to do away with their father’s unfaithfulness to God d) He asked them to come out of their stiff-necked and horror attitude e) He asked them to come to the sanctuary and serve our God. f) He told them of the fierce anger of God and his compassionate and gracious heart to restore them when they repent. See verses 6-10 3. I want you to know that the enemy of Joy is disobedient and also the enemy of knowledge is foolishness. Hezekiah refused to give up on those Israelites who choose not to be part of the Festival of the Unleavened Bread neither did he allow them to discourage him from moving forward with the Passover Feast, but celebrated the Feast, restores the Levites and the Priests in their offices in the house of God even though they were ashamed of themselves by failing to perform their duties in the past, but they resumed their duties, sprinkled blood of the lamb on the Altar and consecrated the people that are not clean, which brought peace in the land and the return of the exiled Jews to their land as commanded by God. He obeyed God. See verses 11-16 4. Love answers all things, Hezekiah’s love for his people and God moved him to call on the priest to consecrate members of the tribes of Zebulon, Manasseh, Ephraim, Issachar, and others who had not purified themselves, ate the Passover feast contrary to the Passover rules but Hezekiah walked in knowledge, and prayed for them so that they can be part of the Joy of the Passover feast, He said unquote “May the LORD, who is good, pardon everyone who sets their heart on seeking God—the LORD, the God of their ancestors—even if they are not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.” And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people. See verses 18-20 5. There is nothing like joy in the presence of the Lord, after the consecration, the Israelites present in Jerusalem with Hezekiah and the Levites with the Priests celebrated the Feast of the Unleavened Bread for seven days in the presence of God because of one Man act of obedience to God in knowledge to do what is right rejoicing, singing and dancing before the Almighty God. Have you been living by example? See the strategies below: a) King Hezekiah encouraged the Levites for services to God b) They people celebrated extra seven days for the joy of the Lord c) King Hezekiah provided enough to eat and drink for the people d) The officers of the land supported King Hezekiah willingly e) Great number of Priests consecrated themselves for services to God f) The entire Assembly rejoiced with the Levites, Priests, Foreigners, those who had come from Israel and resided in Judah, there was great Joy such that was last seen in Jerusalem in the days of King Solomon. See verses 21-26. 6. My prayer for you today is to receive the Anointing power to walk in Godly knowledge of true joy that lies through the path of obedience to God in Jesus name Amen. Read below: 2 Chronicles 30:1-26 New International Version Hezekiah Celebrates the Passover 30 Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, inviting them to come to the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the LORD, the God of Israel. 2 The king and his officials and the whole assembly in Jerusalem decided to celebrate the Passover in the second month. 3 They had not been able to celebrate it at the regular time because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not assembled in Jerusalem. 4 The plan seemed right both to the king and to the whole assembly. 5 They decided to send a proclamation throughout Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, calling the people to come to Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the LORD, the God of Israel. It had not been celebrated in large numbers according to what was written. 6 At the king’s command, couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the king and from his officials, which read: “People of Israel, return to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that he may return to you who are left, who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. 7 Do not be like your parents and your fellow Israelites, who were unfaithful to the LORD, the God of their ancestors, so that he made them an object of horror, as you see. 8 Do not be stiff-necked, as your ancestors were; submit to the LORD. Come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever. Serve the LORD your God, so that his fierce anger will turn away from you. 9 If you return to the LORD, then your fellow Israelites and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will return to this land, for the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.” 10 The couriers went from town to town in Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun, but people scorned and ridiculed them. 11 Nevertheless, some from Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and went to Jerusalem. 12 Also in Judah the hand of God was on the people to give them unity of mind to carry out what the king and his officials had ordered, following the word of the LORD. 13 A very large crowd of people assembled in Jerusalem to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread in the second month. 14 They removed the altars in Jerusalem and cleared away the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley. 15 They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed and consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the temple of the LORD. 16 Then they took up their regular positions as prescribed in the Law of Moses the man of God. The priests splashed against the altar the blood handed to them by the Levites. 17 Since many in the crowd had not consecrated themselves, the Levites had to kill the Passover lambs for all those who were not ceremonially clean and could not consecrate their lambs[a] to the LORD.18 Although most of the many people who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the LORD, who is good, pardon everyone 19 who sets their heart on seeking God—the LORD, the God of their ancestors—even if they are not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.” 20 And the LORDheard Hezekiah and healed the people. 21 The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great rejoicing, while the Levites and priests praised theLORD every day with resounding instruments dedicated to the LORD.[b] 22 Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites, who showed good understanding of the service of the LORD. For the seven days they ate their assigned portion and offered fellowship offerings and praised[c] the LORD, the God of their ancestors. 23 The whole assembly then agreed to celebrate the festival seven more days; so for another seven days they celebrated joyfully. 24 Hezekiah king of Judah provided a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep and goats for the assembly, and the officials provided them with a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep and goats. A great number of priests consecrated themselves. 25 The entire assembly of Judah rejoiced, along with the priests and Levites and all who had assembled from Israel, including the foreigners who had come from Israel and also those who resided in Judah. 26 There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. Watch out for our MARCH 2015 daily words of Exhortations on “EMPOWERMENT TO WALK IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THAT WILL BRING PLEASANTRIES INTO YOUR LIFE" TOMORROW MARCH 16, 2015. Be blessed as you receive THE EMPOWERMENT FOR THE MONTH OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THAT WILL BRING PLEASANTRIES INTO YOUR LIFE ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE. For updates join our conversation on tweeter @lwfmpower and like us on Facebook at Living Water Foundation Ministries (LWFM), you can also contact us at www.lwfw.org or info@lwfm.us or lwfm@cox.net