So this morning, without taking much of our time, a book of Second Chronicles, number 26, and please, and please, I have an accent, okay? I'm a Nigerian, okay? So I may not be able to pronounce words correctly, you know, the way it was sounds in Europe. Just pardon me, okay? All right, so 2 Chronicles 26. I want to introduce you this morning to the 11th king of Israel. The 11th king of Israel, a very young man that was made a king at age 16. A young man, age 16, becoming a king, 11th king. And then what happened to this young man? What happened to Uzziah? If you look in your Bible, 2 Chronicles number 26, from verse number one, Bible says that all the people of Judah, they took Uzziah, who was 16 years old, a maiden king, in the room of his father, Amaziah. You know Amaziah was killed, if you look back in chapter 25, He was conspired against and then he was killed. And after that, in chapter 26, Bible says the people of Judah gathered together and then they took his son Uzziah and made him a king. Bible says in verse number two that he built Eilat and restored it to Judah. After that, the king slept with his father. So 16 years old was Uzair when it began to rain. And look at this, he rained 50 and two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jecholiah of Jerusalem. Father bless your world right now. in Jesus' name, amen. So I want us to look at the heart of this young man who died this morning. Someone said, a grave, wherever it is found, preaches a short and pity sermon to the soul. Epitaphs, at times, just a few lines, tell us a lot about the person buried in that particular place. Yes, buried in a grave, wherever it is found, does preach a short and petty sermon. It tells us more about the person that was buried in that particular site or place. So the grave of Uzziah was no different. If you look in your Bible again in 2 Chronicles 26 verse number 23, Bible says that Uzziah slept with his fathers and then buried him, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the barrier which belonged to the kings. But look at what Bible says next. It says, For they said, He is a leper, and Jot and his son reigned in his church. So what a tragic epitaph about this young man, the young king, the eleventh king of Judah or Israel. What happened to him? The Bible says, the people said about him, he is a leper. What happened? So let's look at his heart condition this morning. And I want you to also look into your heart this morning. Brethren, as we all gather here, some of us are gonna be a preacher, some are into different programs here. But you know what? Your heart condition matches a lot. the position of your heart with God. What is going on in your heart right now? Are you a humble person? Or you are, you know, like this young man, Uzziah. If you look at verse number 16 of that 2 Chronicles, I mean, chapter 26, Bible says in verse number 16, that his heart was lifted up to his destruction. He was a young man, 16 years old, made a king. What did the people of Judah actually saw or see in this young man that made them to decide to make him a king? The first I want to discuss with you is that position where he was brought into. Like I mentioned, he was young, age 16, but then there's some things about his life that probably made the Judah people, the Israel people, to make him their king after the death of his dad. He had some qualities, some things that were very impressive, not only impressive, but some inspiring qualities about him. And then, you know, becoming a king, he has some exceptional skills, abilities, and of course, 16 years old, but mature in mind. The people saw in him, in spite of his age, brethren, they saw a diligent man, an enterprising young man as well. And they decided, well, this young man could lead the kingdom. So, of course, the observation about Uzziah was true because the Bible says he reigned for how many years? For 52 years. His leadership was exceptional. And that makes him also one of the greatest kings, you know, that ruled after David and Solomon. He was a young man, but then his natural qualities and what have you set in my path. Hallelujah. Not only was his natural quality set in a path, but also spiritually, when you look at his life. If you look at verse four and five in that 2 Chronicles 26, Bible says, this young man, he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. Not only that, Bible says, according to all that his father, Amaziah, did. Look at verse number five. Bible says, Uzziah sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understand in the visions of God. And as long as he sought the Lord, look at what happened. Bible says God made him, what? To prosper. Yeah, natural qualities, abilities are there, but then spiritually brightened, this young king, Bible says he sought the Lord. He did what is right in the sight of God. He was a man that sought God. He had a heart and hunger for God. Why are you here? Just to get a college degree? And then you get your freedom so that you can, are you here because you believe God wants you to be here? And while you are here, are you still seeking his face? Asking, praying, serving him. Uzadidat. Uzadidat, excuse me. And you know, what a blessing to see young people, teenagers have a son. We are hoping that he's going to come here next year for, I don't know, one year Bible college? I don't know. One year Bible? I don't know. We've been talking about this, we've been praying and the young man will be like, but daddy, I don't know. But you know what, Brady? It's just a blessing when we see young people, teens, that really love the Lord, they have that heart and desire to serve the Lord, to work for the Lord. You see, Uzziah was just a perfect young man right here. He had those qualities, natural qualities, I believe he had, you know, those skills to change things, to move things around, and so on and so forth, and then coupled with his spiritual qualities. And Braden, the position that he was brought, people looked at his life, they observed his life, and they saw in him something that we all need to really work on in our lives. Yeah, we may possess those natural qualities, but how about spiritual qualities? Do you seek the Lord? Do you pray always? Do you read your Bible? Or you are just here? And I mentioned this last time, the majority of Bible college students see Bible as their what? As their textbook. When I say textbook, like a dictionary. A go to, to go to for them when they are looking for maybe a sermon, looking for a devotion to teach or to preach. Oh, let me just pick my Bible and then, or do you have that personal relationship? deep, deep relationship with God. So apart from the position where he was brought to, Bible talks about the blessing of God in his life. Bible says God prospered this young man. And you know, I mentioned this sometimes ago, I said, you know, I want the Lord to bless me. I believe Elon Musk is the, maybe the richest guy in America. Dr. Boyle, I wish I could be blessed like Elon Musk, but thank God for his blessing in our lives, hallelujah. If you look at verse number five, Bible talks about the prosperity in his life. Bible says, he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God. And as long as he, look at that, as long as he sought the Lord, what happened? God made him to prosper. Uzziah prospered and achieved as much as any other king. Like David? Yes. Like Solomon? Yes. Why? God made him to prosper as long as he sought the Lord. The Bible says God made him. prosper. I remember Psalm number one, verse one to three, Bible says, blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the ways of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of discomfort, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law he meditates day and night. I would say is that he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in season, his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. God's promise to each of us, burden, is that he will bless us if we serve him and if we seek him. Uzziah, he's a good example of a person that served God and sought God and of our whatsoever he did, God, what God made him to prosper. And then when you look at the scope of his prosperity, burden, if you look at verse number two, the Bible says that this guy prosper commercially. Look at verse number two. He built Herod and restored him to Judah. He prospered militarily as well. You know, I don't know whether he has CIA, FBI during his days, but militarily this guy prospered. Look at verse six, to hate. He made himself and the Hamel of Israel a power to fear. We read that in verse number 8. If you look at verse number 8, look at verse number 8. The Bible says, And the Hamelites gave gift to Zion, and his name spread abroad, even to the entering in of Egypt, for he strengthened himself exceedingly. He not only prosper offensively, but also defensively. If you look at verse 9 to 15, he prospered geographically, he prospered agriculturally, he prospered horticulturally, he prospered politically. Look at verse number 15. The Bible says, "...and he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men to be on the towers and upon the book-works, to shoot arrows and great stones wither. And his name spread..." Look at that! "...and his name spread far abroad, for he was marvelously helped." I'm just going to stop right there. What is the source of his prosperity? The Bible says, as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper. So the source of his prosperity burden was the Lord he sought. You want the Lord to bless you? Now, I'm not a Pentecostal preacher, okay? I just want you to know that God promised to bless his children. And that is the truth. You sought him, he blesses. Good health? Sometimes it could be some green bags in your wallet, I don't know, you know. If you look at verse number 7, the Bible says, I mean, God helped him. And then verse number 15, he was marvelously helped. Brethren, the position he was brought, natural qualities, spiritual qualities, and then of course, what is the source of his blessing? God, God, God. So I'm about to close here this morning. Something tragic happened in his life. Something tragic happened in his life. Yeah, a young man, age 16, vibrant, skillful. He has all the qualities. And then he loved the Lord. He will pray, he will read his Bible, all sort of. And then God helped him, marvelously. Then something happened. We sang the last hymn, free from guilt and sin. And then the first stanza is talking about what? My pride, your pride. My pride, your pride. That's what happened to Uzair. That's what happened. Oswald Sanders says, we are all familiar with those days when the sun rises in its ruddy glory and promises warmth and beauty. About midday clouds appear from nowhere and obscure the sun. The temperature drops, lightning flashes, and thunder rolls. The heavens open, and the day that had such promise closes cold and dark and dismal. Such was the life of Zaire. At age 16, Bredin, His eye steps into the history, has the sun rising in its ruddy glory and promise of warmth and beauty. But before the life is through, his story becomes that of cold, dark, and dismay. He had a serious heart condition that led to his destruction. Pride. It's a serious, serious problem. There are many Christians, you know, pastors and missionaries and college students and what have you. We all need to be careful. I remember Dr., what's his name? He taught me in Christlikeness and Dr. Cow? We read a particular book called Dangerous Calling. Pride. Oh, pride. Verse number 15 and 16. Look at what Bible says, then we're going to close. I think my time is up. The Bible says, and he made in Jerusalem engines invented by cunning men to be on the towers and upon the buckworks to shoot arrows and great stones. And his name spread far abroad, for he was marvelously helped. till he was strong, but when, look at that, but when he was strong, his heart was what lifted hope to ease. What destruction, for he transgressed against the Lord his God and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense. His heart was lifted hope. proud. All that God did for him, breathed God into his heart, into his head, and then lifted his heart. He did all right till he was strong. He was strong, but then he became obsessed with his own greatness and intoxicated with his own success. Someone said, he said, the mental cases most difficult to cure are those who are crazy about themselves. If you are crazy about yourself, I'm telling you, no doctor can help you. You can't even help yourself. It's only God. Then another anonymous said, that none are so empty as those who are full of themselves. When you are full of yourselves, you know what? You are just, in my local town, we say, I bow before any man who yamu yamu. An empty barrel makes the loudest noise. I'm making the loudest noise. You see, when you look into your Bible, you see how God feels about pride. Psalm 12, number 3, the Bible says, Proverbs 15, 25, the Lord will destroy the house of the proud, but He will establish the border of the widows. Proverbs 16, 5, everyone that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord. Proverbs 16 and 17, these six things the Lord hates. Yes, seven are abomination unto Him. Verse number 17, Bible says, A proud look, a lying tongue, and chants that shed innocent blood. It was not for God that it was the Lord who had made him unblessed. His blessing brought him pride instead of praise. Brethren, I would say this morning you've been blessed. You can become a blessing to others and it is because you've been blessed by God. and you don't want that to get into your head, then you started, you know, instead of a cocked head, right then, we all need to get on our knees and say, God, I'm thankful and grateful. Instead of a lifted heart, we all need to lift up our hands and say, Lord, I worship you because it is you. And what happened? To this young man, finally, he was humbled. Somebody said, he said, it's better you humble yourself before God, rather than having God to humble you. Oh my goodness, you are gonna become a animal. Okay, you remember Nebuchadnezzar, right? That's exactly what happened to Uzziah, Psalm number 10, verse four. Says the wicked, through the pride of his countenance, we what? We not seek after God? And God is not in all his thoughts. Brayden, as I close this morning, in his pride, he taught himself to have any privilege, you know, that whatever I want to do, no one can stop me. And you know, pride makes him, you know, to turn against God. And you know, a preacher, when a preacher, you know, filled with pride. He will only preach something about himself, not anything that brings glory to God. And when singers, you know, we have them all over the places, when they sing, you know, with pride, you know, they are more interested in what people think about them, not what they think about God. You know, pride will always make us to be self-centered, and self-serving, not God-centered and God-serving. So we all need to be very careful, right? We all need to be very careful. If you lift up your heart, not your hands in worshipping of a almighty God, God knows how he can actually bring you down. God struck him down with leprosy. Look at verse 19, 20, and then we are done. The Bible says, Denouza was wrought, and had a censer in his hand. And verse number 20, And Nazariah the chief priest, and all the priests looked upon him, and, behold, he was what? He was leprous. Leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from Dane's year, himself hasted also to go out, because the Lord had what? Smitten him. And Uzziah the king was a leper until the day of his what, his death. And dwelt in the sea, he dwelt in a servile house, being a leper, for he was what? He was cut off from the house of the Lord. You don't want God to cut you off. You don't want him to smite you. You know, it's either we bow before God and worship him, or be broken by God. See, that will go on the news. Say, Lord, I worship you. Or, God, bow your head in grief. And you know what? Then God will bless the humble heart, but He will break the haughty heart. So if your heart is haughty this morning, God is about to break you. But before He does that, I would say, be humble. Seek Him. Pray. Ask Him to help you. Heart's condition of desire is your situation also this morning. God is here to help you. He can deliver you, He can set you free when you come to Him. Humble yourself and He will do that. I want to be marvelously helped, not grievously humbled by God. I want to be blessed because of a humble heart, not broken over a hearty heart. I pray this morning that God will help her heart.