HOW TO SET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER

TEXT- 2 KINGS 20:1-7

INTRODUCTION

AS  A CHILD I GREW UP IN A HOME WHERE EVERYTHING HAD A PLACE AND EVERYTHING MAS IN ITS PLACE.

MY  MOTHER MAS SUCH A PERFECTIONIST THAT SHE USE TO  MAKE  US  TAKE OFF OUR SHOES BEFORE ME COULD COME  INTO  THE  HOUSE AND WE WERE NEVER ALLOWED TO  SET  ON  ANY  LIVING  ROOM  OR  DINING  ROOM FURNITURE UNLESS WE FIRST CHANGED OUR CLOTHES.

IN FACT, AT ONE POINT IN TIME SHE EVEN COVERED ALL THE LIVING ROOM FURNITURE WITH CLEAR PLASTIC SO IT WOULD NEVER BECOME SOILED.

ONE  DAY  MY  BROTHERS  AND I JOKINGLY COMMENTED THAT  IT  MAS  LIKE LIVING IN A MUSEUM WHERE YOU COULD  NEVER  TOUCH ANYTHING AND YOU HAD TO STAY ON THE TOUR PATH.

SOME  PEOPLE  ARE  SO ORDERLY THAT THEY ARE LIKE THE  NEUROTIC  WIFE  OF  A  POOR, FELLOW WHO GOT HUNGRY  LATE ONE NIGHT AND DECIDED TO GET OUT OF BED  FOR  A  MIDNIGHT SNACK. WHEN HE CAME BACK , HE  DISCOVERED  THAT  SHE  HAD  ALREADY MADE THE BED.

ONCE MY FATHER AND MOTHER CAME TO VISIT WITH US.  ONE MORNING I AWOKE AND WENT TO THE BATHROOM.  I RETURNED AFTER JUST A FEW MINUTES AND FOUND THAT MY BED HAD BEEN MADE BY MY MOTHER.  THE BED WASN’T EVEN COLD YET!

THEN  THERE ARE THOSE MHO ARE SO DISORDERLY THAT THEY  ARE  LIKE  THE PERSON WHO WAS SUCH A LOUSY HOUSEKEEPER  THAT GOOD HOUSEKEEPING CANCELED HER SUBSCRIPTION.

ERMA  BOMBECK  ONCE  SAID THAT HER IDEA OF BEING ORDERLY  WAS  HAULING  IN THE GARDEN HOSE BEFORE WINTER.

SHE  ALSO  ADMITTED  THAT  HER  CUPBOARD SHELVES WERE  LINED  WITH  NEWSPAPERS  THAT  READ ON THE FRONT PAGE, "MALARIA STOPS WORK ON THE CANAL".

PEOPLE  WHO  CAN'T HAVE A ANYTHING OUT OF PLACE ARE AS  BAD, OR MAYBE WORSE, THAN THOSE WHOSE FAMILY RESEMBLES A CHINESE FIRE DRILL AT SUPPER TIME.

  THE  ANSWER  TO  HAVING  AN ORDERLY HOUSE IS NOT VACUUMING  FOUR  TIMES  A  DAY OR RUNNING AROUND THE  HOUSE  CLICKING  OFF  LIGHTS AND TIGHTENING FAUCETS   OR   SETTING UP  YOUR  MONTHLY  BILLS ACCORDING TO THE DEWEY DECIMAL SYSTEM.

IF  THE  TRUTH  MERE  KNOWN, MOST OF US PROBABLY DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH BEING TOO ORDERLY.

OUR PROBLEM IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN.

THIS  MORNING  THE  TITLE OF MY MESSAGE IS, "HOW TO SET YOUR  HOUSE IN ORDER" AND OUR TEXT IS FOUND IN 2 KINGS 20:1-7.

HERE  IN  OUR  TEXT  ME  FIND ISAIAH THE PROPHET COMING  TO  KING  HEZEKIAH AND TELLING HIM, "SET YOUR  HOUSE  IN ORDER, FOR YOU SHALL DIE AND NOT LIVE."

IN  OUR SOCIETY TODAY WE FIND SO MANY HOMES THAT ARE  DISORDERLY WHEN  IT COMES TO ANYTHING FROM PREPARING  A  MONTHLY  BUDGET TO THE ROLE OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS.

SATAN IS ATTACKING THE FAMILY FROM ALL SIDES AND CREATING CHAOS.

THE  PROBLEM  IS  THAT MANY WAIT UNTIL CHAOS  STRIKES BEFORE THEY BEGIN SETTING THEIR HOUSE IN ORDER.

THIS  MORNING  I  WOULD  LIKE US TO EXAMINE FIVE THINGS  FOUND  IN OUR TEXT THAT WILL HELP ANYONE WHOSE LIFE OR FAMILY NEEDS TO BE SET IN ORDER.