Hezekiah's Prayer

Hezekiah's Prayer

14 Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord and spread it before the Lord. 15 And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said: “O Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. 16 Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God.17 Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands 18 and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed. 19 So now, O Lord our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O Lord, are God alone.” (Emphasis Mine)

Hiya!

I love reading Scripture.  Any of you who have been following this blog or know me at all know that.  I'm not a read a book about Scripture person, although I have no problem with people who do.  I am a 'go to the source' and let God help you figure it out advocate.  As I have said before, we read through the Bible every year.  I cannot express enough how important that is. It gets the Word into your heart and that's what comes out in times of stress.

As we read the account of Hezekiah in 2 Kings, his prayer jumped out at me.  Hezekiah had received a letter from the king of Assyria that basically said "Don't kid yourself, your God is no greater than the gods of the nations we have destroyed."  This is our second occurrence of the king of Assyria saying this type of thing but this time Hezekiah goes directly to the house of God and prays the above prayer.

Notice what he says: You alone are GOD.  You made the heavens and the earth.  YOU ARE GOD.  Then he concludes: Save us, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you O Lord are God alone.  

I was struck so much by this passage.  This is our prayer in Scotland.  We're not looking for any accolades.  Please don't get me wrong, we like to get credit for what we do.  We like it when people say thank you or say good job. There's nothing wrong with that.  However, if that never happened, we'd be fine with it.  All we want is that all the people in Scotland would see what He has done and would KNOW that He is God alone.  We pray this prayer over the children (and adults) of Scotland all the time.  Do it again Lord.  Blaze over this land so that no one can ignore that YOU ALONE ARE GOD.  

We believe that God is in control of everything.  We believe that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength.  We believe that as we are faithful to do that which He has called us to that He will do what He has promised.  He loves people so very much and He desires to have a relationship with them.  We, as His body, MUST reach out to those to whom He has sent us.  

We cannot discard anyone that God has sent to us.  We cannot pass judgement on anyone that God has sent to us.  "For God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world but that the world through Him might be saved." 

God has granted each one of us the privilege to serve where He has placed us.  Clean toilets, vacuum floors, carry boxes, wash feet, pick up rubbish, whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord.

And may the God of all peace grant you each peace and joy in His Spirit.  With love and many prayers,

Mike and Tina Hook
Missionaries to the children of Scotland 

Zealous

Hello again!

Mike and I read through the Bible every year and have done so for....WOW about 15 years or so now.  I love reading Scripture and I love how sometimes the Lord will take things that we've read time after time and just jump them out at us.

We were recently, actually this week, reading through Numbers 25.  This is the story of Israel joining themselves to Baal-peor and Jehovah's anger was kindled against all Israel.  So He told Moses to kill all of the  heads of the people.  And as Moses is saying, "Slay every man who has joined himself to Baal-peor" one of the men of Israel brings a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and the children of Israel as they are weeping before the Tabernacle.  I imagine Moses standing there with this conversation bubble still over his head saying...slay everyone who has done this...and here's this brilliant man who just brazenly brings this woman into the camp.  (In case you've not figured it out yet, I'm saying brilliant in a very sarcastic way.)

When Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw what this guy had done, he takes a javelin, goes into the guy's tent and runs them both through with it.  And so the plague, which had already claimed 24,000, was stayed.  

 ¹⁰ And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying,

¹¹ “Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned My wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for My sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in My jealousy.

¹² Therefore say: ‘Behold, I give unto him My covenant of peace.

¹³ And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.’” Numbers 25:10-13 (21st Century King James Version)

Let's look at the word ZEALOUS for a moment...the dictionary defines the word as:

adjective

ardently active, devoted, or diligent; full of, characterized by, or due to zeal. Synonyms: enthusiastic,eager, fervid, fervent, intense, passionate, warm. Antonyms: apathetic; lackadaisical.

Phinehas was so devoted, eager, enthusiastic, ZEALOUS for the Lord's sake that he thought nothing of taking that javelin and putting the business end of it to work.  As a result, he is granted a covenant of peace from God.  This struck me this week.  

What kind of zealousness do we have for the Lord? Please understand that I'm not saying take the javelin and get rid of people that you think are not doing as the Lord intended.  The covenant of Grace in which we live is different than the covenant in which Phinehas lived.  However, the Lord is the same.  Did you catch that??  The Lord is the SAME!  The Lord that inspired such zealousness in Phinehas is the same Lord that you serve (if indeed you do).

Are you more zealous for the work than for the Lord?  Are you more zealous for your own agenda, social issues, political issues, or what have you than you are for the sovereign God of the universe? Israel got into trouble in the reference passage because they sought Baal-peor rather than Jehovah.  Are we truly seeking what the Lord has for us or are we only seeking what we want Him to have for us?

I love food for thought.  This one is a biggie.  My prayer for myself, Mike and, indeed, for all of you is that we would always put the Lord's will above our own; that we would be zealous for Him above all things.  

Until the next time...CHEERS!!

Blessings in Christ,

Mike and Tina Hook
Missionaries to the children of Scotland

Quixotic Imagining

So let me ask, did you have to go to a dictionary to find out what "quixotic" meant?  I learned the word when I was a Sophomore in High School, I would have been about 15 I guess.  I took that word home and tried it on for size...that's the type of person I am.  I always have to try out new skills, words, or what have you on people as soon as I get them.  My husband, Mike, says he loves that since I very often do that with recipes.  He's my first and foremost taste tester.  Anyway, my Father, and you'd have to know him to understand, latched onto that word and used it so far out of context that he had me in stitches for days and days.  Gotta love him!

What do I mean by quixotic imaginings?  It's almost like I'm saying the same thing as imaginary is one of the the words that is a synonym.  I'm not 100% certain but I think I will explore it here while I type and trust that you will indulge me as you read.

We are currently reading Circle Maker by Mark Batterson with the staff here at BFC (Bridge Family Church).  Now, I don't normally read this type of book.  Those of you who know me know that I am more likely to read a full out Science Fantasy or Mystery when I'm in the mood.  But Pastor Dave wanted us to do this so we are.  That's the thing about serving isn't it?  It means sometimes putting aside your personal convictions or preferences to fulfill the call to service that God has placed on our hearts.  For this comment I give you the 2nd chapter of Philippians where Paul tells us to "do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit but in humility consider others better than yourself" and he also tells us to "have this mind that was also in Christ Jesus who, though He was in the form God, did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped but emptied Himself by taking on the form of a servant being born in the likeness of man.  And being in human form, He humbled Himself to the point of death, even death on a cross."  

When it was time for Jesus to go to earth, take on human form, and die for our sins He did not tell the Father, "Oh no, that's against my personal convictions."  Nor did He say, "That's not my ministry give it to someone else."  And He also didn't say, "Ok, I'll go but I'm going to listen to what makes me feel good and say only what I want to say."  The book of John tells us that Jesus only did what He saw the Father doing and only said what the Father told Him to say.

Servant-hood means putting your preferences away and blessing someone else.  It doesn't mean let people walk all over you, it rather means be willing to hold someone up even if their shoes are dirty.  That puts a different perspective on being a servant.  Understand that who you are or what you know doesn't matter.  Whose you are and Who knows you is the point.  I'm taking you now to the book of John chapter 13:

12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant[c] is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 

Jesus knelt and washed the feet of His disciples and when He did so, Judas was still in the room.  He didn't differentiate between Judas and the others, I've done a blog on that already.  But see what He's saying here. If He has washed our feet, we ought to wash one another's feet.  If He has forgiven us, than we must forgive others.  If He has become a servant, than we must be servants as well.

Our job, should we choose to accept it and if you're a believer you have whether you want to do it or not, is to show Christ to the world.  That means, wash their feet whether you agree with them or not.  It means, be a blessing and a sweet smell to those to whom God has given you.

Hmmm....this didn't go at all where I thought it would.  Ah well, God has other plans for the blog than I do and I will go with His every single time.

May God richly bless each one of you.

Mike and Tina Hook
Missionaries to the children of Scotland

Presence

My husband Mike and I recently moved to Edinburgh Scotland.  Yes, I know that most of you already know that but there are a couple of you that might not.  We've been here for about 3 weeks give or take and are just captivated by the beauty and history of the surrounding city.

We've taken a couple of weeks to get our feet here but are doing fairly well and looking forward to what the Lord has in store for us.  In fact, we're looking at a 3 year plan starting today.

However, one Saturday a couple of weeks ago was a stunning day and we were wandering around getting our bearings when we discovered that we live right down the road from St. Mary's Cathedral.  There is a painting that we used during some of our itineration services, which was painted in 1910 in St. Mary's and the original is still there.

We trekked down the road at the end of which was the cathedral.  It's beautiful and very large.  We walked into the sanctuary, after we figured out where the door was, and wouldn't you know there was a choir practice going on.  They were practicing a piece from Thomas Tallis, it was lovely, we got a little misty eyed because we've not sung that type of music in years.  

The atmosphere was hushed even though the singing was going on in the background.  The air a little musty with dust motes floating in and out of the light coming in through the windows.  We walked down the right side of the sanctuary to a small lady chapel where we were encouraged to sit down and pray a while.  Then we saw it, the original painting, across on the left side.  We calmly walked back and up the left side.  Hearts pounding we stood before two paintings.

In one, the one we know, the church is lit up in the front as communion is taken but the back is very shadowed, the chairs askew as a lone woman sits on the floor bent over the seat of the chair in front of her.  She is in obvious distress but behind her Jesus stands, reaching forward to lay a hand on her shoulder to let her know that she is not alone in the midst of her struggle.

The other, which we did not know, is the same scene done in reverse.  Now Jesus stands at the front of the sanctuary as the emblems are given.  In front of him are the people in the congregation worshiping as they wait for communion to be given whilst beside him on each side are the Priests prepared to give.  

One painting is dark and haunted.  The other is light and rejoicing.  And I began to realize that these two paintings represent our walks with Christ.  On the one hand, He is the light of the world and we rejoice in His presence always.  On the other, He is the light of the world and we sob at His feet as we struggle.  

But in each of these times, HE IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.  We've said it before and we will say it again, your circumstances do not determine your anointing.  The bottom line in conflict or in joy is Jesus.

May the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you throughout all.

Blessings,

Mike and Tina Hook

Missionaries to the Children of Scotland

3rd Trimester

Someone asked us recently what it feels like to be near the end of itineration.  Mike looked him straight in the eye and said, "It's like we're in the last trimester of pregnancy.  We just want the baby out."  Everyone laughed and that was the end of it.

That is how we feel though.  We're at the end.  The race is now uphill but we're almost to the top and headed down the other side.  We're tired and if we never had to see the inside of our car again, we'd be very happy.  But God.

One Monday a week or so ago, after half a day of discouraging phone calls, we chucked it in and headed out to lunch.  Little did we know that God had an appointment for us on that day.  As we walked into the restaurant, we saw two women having lunch who happen to be friends of ours.  We said hi, did the requisite small talk, gave our order and went to eat.  Wouldn't you know it they were still there when we went to leave.   What ensued was a conversation that encouraged us more than we could ever have expressed to them.  

Mike gave them the above analogy and some of our discouragement leaked out.  "But think about it" they said, "the last trimester is the most important.  That's when all of the internal work is done.  That's when the lungs mature, the bones are fully developed, the baby begins to put on weight and prepares for birth and living outside of the womb.  You don't want to have a premature birth, that's when all the problems happen."  I think we probably stood there for a moment with our mouths wide open.  How that resonated with our hearts and our spirits!

We are in the final stages of itineration.  We have 13% (unofficially) left to go which looks like $885.00 per month.  During this time, we are very busy with meetings, Pastor contacts and services.  But God is also preparing us internally.  We're being prepared by the Spirit for the field as we are waiting to leave.

God is preparing each one of us for the work to which He has set us.   He speaks.  He prunes.  He causes good growth.  As we wait on Him, He does what He's promised to do.  When God calls, He equips.  We're learning not to rush out into premature birth.  We want to be strong and able to grow as we enter the field.  We wait on the Lord.

31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.  Isaiah 40:31

Blessings to you all!

Mike and Tina Hook

Say Goodbye

Not to us...not yet, but very, VERY soon.

Rather, say goodbye to what you thought your life would be like.  Say goodbye to the dreams that you had for your life good, bad or indifferent.

Mike and I just sold our home of almost 18 years.  After the big move on Wednesday, well it only took us a couple of hours so maybe it wasn't that big,  we watched our couches go (the last thing).  We stood in our empty and very dirty house and felt overwhelmed.  We had purchased our house with dreams of raising a family there.  It wasn't to be in the Lord and now we saw the end of those dreams in this place.  

So on Thursday we went to clean the house, and when I say it was dirty I'm being very nice.  Some of that furniture was heavy and hadn't been moved since we placed it there.  We spent 4 1/2 hours cleaning and praying over that house.  We prayed that God would bless the people that have purchased it as He blessed us.  We prayed that there would be laughter and joy in it as we have had.  We prayed that God would make this house a safe place for many as He has done all the years we have been there.

For those of you who offered to help us clean.  THANK YOU!  We didn't accept anyone's offers because this was our time to say goodbye to our house and to all the dreams that went into the purchasing of it.  There wasn't anything wrong with the dreams that we dreamed they were just not what God intended for us.  

Today we signed the final papers and now we are no longer home owners.  We were just as apprehensive as when we signed the closing papers when we purchased the house.  (Only this time I didn't throw up!)  But then a curious thing happened, Mike turned to me and said, "I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off me."  I felt the same way.  As we said goodbye to our dreams for ourselves, we said hello even more fully to God's dreams for us.

Matthew 11:28 says, "Come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest." May I say that some of what is "heavy laden" on us is what we place on ourselves by shouldering our dreams and those that others have for us rather than just giving them to the Lord and letting Him take care of all of it for us.

God's dreams for us are massively more than we could ever, EVER dream for ourselves.  They are far beyond the small spheres in which we place ourselves and encompass all that He is.  May God grant you a time to say hello to all that He has dreamed for you.

Next move....SCOTLAND!!

Blessings on you all,

Mike and Tina Hook

Fish Men

Luke 5:1-11

Take a moment to read the passage right now if you're not familiar with it.  Go ahead...I'll wait.  Done?  Good.

There are a couple of things that God has shown me in this passage.  Can you just imagine the scene?  Jesus is on the beach and there are so many people that they're pressing in to hear Him.  He gets into Simon's boat and asks him to put out a little from the shore.  Imagine Jesus in the boat, standing there teaching as the shore is literally filled with people.  Love that image.

Then, when He's done, the carpenter tells the fisherman to go out into deep water and let the nets down for a catch.  Now, common sense and experience tell Simon that they're not going to catch anything.  This is the wrong time to fish; they've been at it all night with no luck; they've already put into shore and washed the boats and the nets.  We've already done it that way and it didn't work.  Don't you know, Lord, that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results?  But Simon says, "At Your word, we will put down the nets."  Jesus called, Simon did regardless of how impossible it sounded.  

When they put the nets down, they pulled in such a great number of fish that the nets began to break, they had to call their partners in to help, and both boats began to sink.

Simon falls at Jesus' knees and says "Go away from me for I am a sinful man".  Simon's afraid, we know that because Jesus says "Do not be afraid, from now on you'll fish men."  He's been given a visual representation of the greatness of Christ and he's overwhelmed by it.  Simon isn't focusing on his sin in this passage, he's focusing on the awesome power of Christ.  

Here's what God has shown me:

1.  Do what the Lord tells you to do, even if it doesn't make sense.  If you've done something 9,999,999 times and you know He's telling you to do it again, do it the 10 millionth time and watch Him show Himself strong.

2.  Expect the Lord to show up.  When we walk in relationship with Christ, as Simon did although this was very early for them, we should expect the Glory of God to be manifested in all that He calls us to do.  He's going to do that which He said He would do because He's Faithful and True and He will not go against His very nature.

3.  Focus on the Lord.  Simon wasn't focused on his sin although that's what it seems like.  He's making an appropriate response to the sovereignty of Christ. When the Lord shows up, give Him the glory.

It's about the furthering of the Kingdom of the Lord.  It's about telling people the Way to Christ.  It's about giving people and opportunity to come into relationship with Christ so that none would perish.

That's the call of every believer.  Is it yours?

Blessings to all of you.

Mike and Tina Hook

Missionaries to the children of Scotland