1 Chronicles 22-25, Psalm 78, Romans 5

Solomon is going to build the temple that David had desired to build, but it wasn’t God’s will.  David has some advice for the Israelites going forward.

“David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, ‘Is not the Lord your God with you?  And has He not given you peace on every side?  For He has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand, and the land is subdued before the Lord and His people.  Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord you God.  Arise and build the sanctuary of the Lord God, so that the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy vessels of God may be brought into a house built for the name of the Lord.” (1 Chronicles 22:17-19 ESV)

Then the psalm of Asaph, a Levite in the court of David, offers this advice to all generations.

“Give ear, of my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth!  I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us.  We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and His might, and the wonders that He has done.  He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.”  (Psalm 78:1-7 ESV)

Finally, the apostle Paul offers words of encouragement to all believers in Christ.

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will scarcely die for a righteous person- though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die- but God show His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:1-8 ESV)

Lord, thank you for Your word.  Your word provides that only advice that we should seek, not of this world, but of Yours.  Help us to use it to truly guide our lives.

~Kellie