A Call Of Accountability by Brother Curtis Hansen

            You worship God in the highs of life to stay humble. Now there are many times when people are on the high end of life, and their perceived humility is more pride and arrogance. Staying humble and reverent to Jesus is replaced by saying "I did this!" or " I bought that." and so on.

        When you get to a point of fasting, know that fasting is not limited to just food. There are many other things that you can commit a fast towards. You can still be righteous and holy yet you still wrestle with iniquity. Iniquity can cause you to feel guilt or your flesh turn to self justification. In the scripture reading this morning from Isaiah chapter 6, what happens to the prophet happens to us as well. God will take care of your little stuff in life, but it doesn't mean you aren't with iniquity.

        So, as you worship God in the highs of life to stay humble you worship in the low parts of life to encourage yourself. That worship is there to lift you up and keep your spirit encouraged. Worship is an integral part of our faith and we are in a season where we are worshiping the wrong things. We are worshiping material things and possessions. The creation rather than the creator. If you have been praying for material gain in this world, you have to give something spiritually to God. You cannot just take and take and take. Give God what is his.

        This message is comprised of three points. People who don't see God, feel God, or follow the one true God are like stone. Nothing given from God, whether it's a miracle, a word of faith, a blessing, nothing affects you. You don't see he's the answer because your flesh likes to keep him a mystery. Your preferences of your flesh are not in his law.

        The message is a call of accountability. It is comprised of 3 points you need to exercise in the coming weeks. 1) Humility 2) Reverence and 3) Ready. As you go and pray, you need to wring out your heart before God. With the nee year approaching, there should be new goals for you to set. Anything of excess, anything you fall short or need help on, wring your heart to God. Bring those things to him. God will not get in your personal space and fix it for you. He has given you free will and choices to make. You have to sacrifice something of your flesh to God, even for a day or two. We are heading to a consecration of our flesh. If you don't lay things down to God, you are going to miss out on the potential turn which is ahead. 

        We are going to read from Isaiah 6, starting with verse 1.

        In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

        King Uzziah was one of the good kings of Judah. He was innovative and intelligent during his reign. Judah was very prosperous when he was on the throne. His fame and strength led to him becoming prideful which led to his downfall. You can read more about him in 2 Chronicles chapter 26. It took death for Isaiah to see the Lord clearly and in a spectacular fashion. When your idol is put away to death, toy see that glory of God. God is sitting on the throne while your life is in a constant state of emotion, flux, or even panic. God remains unmoved nor shaken or rattled by what happens in the world today.

        2 Above it stood the seraphim: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

        God created these beings for the atmosphere. Two wings covering the seraphim face was for humility. Two wings across the feet were for reverence. These are the two things required of us to go before God in prayer. Humility and reverence. Find something in your life you love and give it to God. Jesus made you to handle what is here on earth.

        3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

        4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

        The problem with many churches in American Christianity is an abuse of grace to self justify the lack of growth or change. There is no shame because everything is accepted. There's more intense debate of what alcohol is allowed because of scripture than there is of conviction of the flesh. The pursuit of holiness is seemingly lost on many and seen as something the early church did. When the seraphim cried to another holy three times, the building shook.

        5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone: because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.

        When you have an encounter with God scubas in verse 5, there are many people, including those who call themselves Christian who will look at you as crazy. There are plenty of "christians" here in the world, but how many are disciples?

        Reverence is lacking today. Isaiah showed reverence before God. There was humility shown in this verse.

        6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar.

        There as no asking nor requesting when reverence and humility are present. It is an action at work.

        7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

        There is no true repentance without a death. You have to take something, put it under to burn out the iniquity. Contrary to some scholars take, this scripture reads more than just baptism.

        8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I: send me.

        The environment of heaven and its inhabitants are holy. Who will go for them like Isaiah steps up to say in this verse? This is just for a season. Conviction is temporary in your flesh. Discipline yourself by taking a personal pleasure, sacrifice it to God and pray.

        Where does all this start? It starts in our praise and our worship. Everyone goes through highs and lows. Praise should be the constant in your life. Take time to give things to God and fill your life with holy. The promise of consecration is separating yourself from the world and seeking God. Pray to him for your next step and direction.