Good morning, our Fire-starter comes from 2 Kings 22. Our Fire-starter thought is: journeying with Josiah.

Have you ever walked with someone and got to know their ways whether good or bad?

This morning, I want us to take a journey into the life of Josiah. Josiah was anointed king at eight years old and he had more respect for God than his father had. His father, Amon, according to Chapter 21:22 forsook the Lord…
Josiah in chapter 22:2 did that which was right in the sight of the Lord.
First thing I want you to see about Josiah is that he didn’t let his father influence him to go the wrong direction.
As an eight year old boy he probably didn’t know much but he had been around his dad long enough to see the wickedness he was committing and wanted change!!!!
Secondly, he was touched by the reading of the Word of God. You have to understand they didn’t have a copy of the whole Bible like we have, they had portions. The portions that were read to him was of the wickedness of their fathers and how God was going to judge them.
Problem we have is we think it’s everyone else’s fault for what we are going through but he said it’s our fault. In verse 13 he says this, …. because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book,…..
He said that the wrath of God was great upon them because of that reason.
Thirdly, Josiah was tender hearted and humble.

Are you hard hearted or tender hearted? I know alot are hard headed but are you hard hearted?

See its easier for God to work on a tender heart. Hard hearts he has to brake and make tender and he can and will do that if he has to.
What does it mean to be tender hearted? Having great sensibility; susceptible of impressions or influence.
God said, because Josiah was tender hearted he would die before the wrath of God happened.
He let the Bible make an impression on him. Is the Bible making an impression or influencing you this morning?
That’s the only living book we have!!!!
The author is always present, the author is available to answer any questions you may have. May we know more and more about Him!!!!
And lastly about Josiah was he was humble.
The word humble means to bring low.
He stayed low and God exalted him. Think about it if you and I have a prideful spirit God will humble us. By the way, he has a way of doing that. May we be humble.
Hope the life of Josiah has helped you this morning! May we live a life more like Jesus!!!!

2 Kings 22:1-20 KJV
Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath. [2] And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left. [3] And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the Lord, saying, [4] Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the Lord, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people: [5] And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord : and let them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the Lord, to repair the breaches of the house, [6] Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house. [7] Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully. [8] And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. [9] And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord. [10] And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king. [11] And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. [12] And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king’s, saying, [13] Go ye, enquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us. [14] So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her. [15] And she said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me, [16] Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read: [17] Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched. [18] But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the Lord, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard; [19] Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the Lord. [20] Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.