Isaiah 39:8
“Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which
thou hast spoken. He said moreover, For there shall be peace and truth
in my days.”
Hezekiah achieved much good for the LORD in the early years of his reign. He was probably the third greatest king in Israel’s history, yet his reign was tainted by faulty focal points at the end of his life. What is sad is that his focal points were right when he just began to reign, but his confidence in himself is what led him to faulty focal points. The verse above shows us three faulty focal points that became the eventual destruction of a good man.
Social acceptance instead of Divine approval was the first faulty focal point. Hezekiah was glad that the king of Babylon sent servants to “comfort” him after his sickness. Be careful never to allow the desire for social acceptance to become your measurement of success. Social acceptance always leads to Divine disapproval. Your focal point should always be based on what the LORD approves. It should never matter whether your actions or stance are socially accepted; the only thing that matters is if the LORD is pleased with what you are doing and where you stand positionally.
Peace living instead of truth living was the second faulty focal point. Hezekiah was glad that there was going to be peace in his day. Nobody likes to fight battles, but battles are a part of life if you stand for truth. Never let the discomfort of battles sway you from standing for truth.
Present enjoyment instead of future consequences was the third faulty focal point. Hezekiah didn’t care how his actions affected the next generation; he was only focused on present enjoyment. It should bother you when your actions adversely affect the next generation. You should never live with the mentality that as long as you are happy it doesn’t matter how it affects the next generation. Always stay focused on how your actions and decisions affect the next generation.
There are three things that you should remember concerning these faulty focal points. First, everyone is capable of changing their focal points. These faulty focal points were not the focal points of Hezekiah’s early life. Don’t ever think that you won’t acquire faulty focal points. Overconfidence is always the tool Satan uses to get God’s people to change. Always stay on guard with your focus and be sure that your focal points are always centered on the Word of God.
Second, your past achievements don’t justify faulty focal points. Hezekiah justified his focal points because of what he had achieved throughout his life. Let me emphatically say that you never earn a right to compromise. Just because the LORD used you mightily in the past doesn’t justify faulty focal points in the present. God holds you accountable for your present focal points and what they are leading you to do.
Third, never let youthful achievements lead to faulty focal points. Youthful achievements can lead to overconfidence, and overconfidence can lead to a fault security in what you can do. Always remember that you need God no matter how much you have achieved. Don’t let your mentality drift into the thought process that you are the one who makes everything happen. Always remember that whatever you have done was accomplished through Christ. Don’t let confidence in your abilities cause you to change focus from God to you.