1 Kings 3; Ephesians 1; Ezekiel 34; Psalm 83, 84

My husband will ask for a list of gift ideas near a gift-giving occasion. Some families go big on birthdays, but we’ve chosen to go small: one gift (which actually became two when the kids wanted in on giving, so really, two gifts). Ideas can range from really practical (like cookware) to pleasurable (like perfume). When the Lord asks Solomon what he wants, I lean in.

⁵ That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!” (1 Kings 3:5, NLT)

I paused. I wondered: what would I ask?

⁷ “Now, O Lord my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. ⁸ And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! ⁹ Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”

¹⁰ The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom. ¹¹ So God replied, “Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies— ¹² I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have! ¹³ And I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life! ¹⁴ And if you follow me and obey my decrees and my commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life.” (1 Kings 3:7-14, NLT, emphasis added)

Solomon chose practical over pleasurable. He knew he needed discernment to govern well and that he was faced with an important responsibility. I value that he chose with a kingdom focus (not only an immediate kingdom, but one that would outlive him). And I love God’s response: that and more.

³ All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. ⁴ Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. ⁵ God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. ⁶ So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. ⁷ He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. ⁸ He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

⁹ God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. ¹⁰ And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. ¹¹ Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.

¹² God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. ¹³ And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. ¹⁴ The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him. (Ephesians 1:3-14, NLT, emphasis added)

I realized I don’t really let my mind go free in the possibilities, that I don’t go big or small with God. Sometimes, I don’t even ask. And now I wonder: why?

Lord, I want to praise and glorify you with my life. Help me to come to you and ask. I know I trust you, so why don’t I ask? I know you love me, so why don’t I ask? I know you’re generous, so why don’t I ask? I know when I draw near to you, you meet me. Thank you for your word to remind me I am chosen and dearly loved. You call me yours, and that truly is a gift.

Courtney (66books365)

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1 Chronicles 13, 14; James 1; Amos 8; Luke 3

But if any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it. He is generous to everyone and will give you wisdom without criticizing you. But when you ask God, you must believe and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like a wave in the sea, blown up and down by the wind. Such doubters are thinking two different things at the same time, and they cannot decide about anything they do. They should not think they will receive anything from the Lord. James 1:5-8 (NCV)

As I think about the word wisdom, I am struck that wisdom is so much more than simply being intelligent. I can be educated, well-studied, but that doesn’t mean that I am wise. I can have common sense, street-smarts as it were, but it doesn’t mean that I have wisdom.

Wisdom is defined as the ability to apply knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense, and insight in a situation. It is using the education I have received through schooling and through life experience in the context of the circumstances I am living through right now. But it shouldn’t start there; it should start with a conversation with the Lord; it should start with His Living Word.

This verse in James reminds me that if I need wisdom in any situation, all I need to do is ask God and believe that He will give it to me. I need to trust that He will give me the wisdom that I require in every circumstance. He is all-knowing, all-seeing and desires to help me through all of the events of my life. He has all of the answers and is just waiting for me to ask Him for help.

David asked God, “Should I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?”

The Lord answered him, “Go, I will hand them over to you.” 1 Chronicles 14:10 (NCV)

Soon the Philistines attacked the people in the valley again. David prayed to God again, and God answered him, saying, “Don’t attack the Philistines from the front. Instead, go around them and attack them in front of the balsam trees. When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then attack. I, God, will have gone out before you to defeat the Philistine army.” David did as God commanded, and he and his men defeated the Philistine army all the way from Gibeon to Gezer. 1 Chronicles 14:13-16 (NCV)

Throughout David’s life, he consistently looked to God for wisdom and God gave it to him. He asked God for help. He asked God what he should do, what steps he should take. And, when he asked, God gave him instructions, detailed directives in everything, from how to slay Goliath when he was a youth to how to bring the Ark of God to Jerusalem after he became king. Repeatedly, David asked for wisdom in how to defeat the Philistines in battle, and God never failed to share with him the way to gain victory over Israel’s enemy.

In Luke, as John the Baptizer began paving the way for Christ, he brought conviction to the hearts of the people. As John preached about changed hearts and lives for the forgiveness of sins, the people began looking to him for answers. They asked him, “What should we do?” and because of His dedication to God, he was able to give them godly counsel to demonstrate their transformation.

The Lord God says: “The days are coming

when I will cause a time of hunger in the land.

The people will not be hungry for bread or thirsty for water,

but they will be hungry for words from the Lord. Amos 8:11 (NCV)

In Proverbs it shares that ONLY God gives wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. I can look to a book, to education, or to another person, but the One who IS Wisdom, is the only one who can impart strategic wisdom for my specific situation. And I can receive that wisdom by asking Him and then listening to and obeying His response.

As I remember to look to God first for wisdom in every aspect of my life, He will help me apply the earthly knowledge that I have by giving me better understanding of the state of affairs by giving me directions, by guiding me in each step I need to take.

Yesappa, Thank You for providing for ALL of my needs, especially my need for Your wisdom for the various circumstances of my life. Lord, I ask for wisdom in what steps to take in managing my home well. I ask for wisdom in my relationship with my husband, my marriage. I ask for wisdom in parenting my children. I ask for wisdom to help me survive and thrive each day, to not feel overwhelmed in the day to day of life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Blessings – Julie (writing from Sholavandan, India)

Scripture taken from the New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

2 Kings 1, 2 Kings 2, 2 Kings 3, James 1

Thus says the Lord: ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of …? ”  2Kings 1

“Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” 2 Kings 2

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, Who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. James 1

Read at – www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2Kings1,2,3;%20James%201&version=NKJV

2 Kings 1         “the angel of the Lord said…, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’… “Thus says the Lord: ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?…. is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of His word?” “but you shall surely die.” “So Ahaziah died according to the word of the Lord”

               This is serious, deadly business. The message: Inquire of the LORD, the God of Israel, and do His Word, otherwise you will surely die. This repeats the original sin from the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 1-3) 

                 Because King Ahaziah did not inquire of the Lord of Hosts and instead trusted other deities/ entities, especially because Ahaziah was in the position of ruler and overseer to influence many others, he was judged sharply.  

                 In what position has God place me? Wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, teacher, co-worker, boss, etc.  Where is my area influence? Everywhere I am, write, speak, or am seen.  God repeats thrice.

“Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” Revelation 4:8, Leviticus 19:2

                  Holy Lord God Almighty, I humble myself before You, as one who does not always seek Your wisdom first and who does not always act upon Your counsel as You deserve. I am very sorry. Please forgive me. (Isaiah 1:18) Please keep my heart in check and spirit attentive for those I influence, especially my family for whom I am most accountable. Thank You Lord Jesus.

2 Kings 2      But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!”  (Repeated Thrice.) And so, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?” Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”

                 Elisha wanted with all his soul to hear and do the Word of God.

So Elijah said, “if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.”  Then it happened, …”

               So many of God’s promises are if/then clauses. 1  

And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, and they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.”

The result? Elisha’s first acts are very effective: 1- Thus says the Lord: ‘I have healed this water; from it there shall be no more death or barrenness.’  2- “So he turned around and looked at them, and pronounced a curse on them in the name of the Lord.”  

                Now that’s power from the Word of God!  Matthew 9:20-22

2 Kings 3         Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of the Lord by him?”

            Finally a king gets it right! And because of Jehoshaphat’s inquiry of the Lord, God gave wisdom and victory!! 

James 1         If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  But let him ask in faith, with no doubting,… For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.  

                Today God gives His Holy Spirit Wisdom and Victory to anyone who asks directly and receives in faith! 2   

Of His own will He brought us forth by the Word of Truth, receive with meekness the implanted Word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. …to keep oneself unspotted from the world. James 1

                Want your soul saved from hell? Want to not be deceived? Want to not be dirty? Then receive with meekness the Word of God and do it.   

                 Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Word of God. 3 Thank You for sending me Your Holy Spirit to teach, guide and comfort me, Your child. 4 

            Lord Jesus Christ I place my sins on Your cross that I would not carry them anymore. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I would live for You all the days of my life. Teach me, guide me, grow me and show me how You want me to be so I will serve You always and for Your glory alone. 5  

                 Recently I worked in a prayer tent where I saw the faith filled prayers of men, women and children availing much because they confessed their sins directly to the Lord Jesus Christ, repented and spoke God’s Word back to Him in surrender to His Will and for Jesus’ active effect in their lives. The transformations were powerful. God means His Word.

“So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret,” Luke 5:1   How casual it is for Jesus to speak, yet He is the Very Word of God. How Amazing. Read the Word of God aloud to yourself to increase your faith in God. Romans 10:17, Hebrews 4:2

Jesus answered, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”  John 6:63

Bible insights –

1          John 15:5; James 1:5-8; James 1:12; James 1:22-26; 1 Corinthians 9:24-26; Hebrews 12:25; John 13:14; Galatians 3:29; Galatians 4:7; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 10:38-39; John 15:10; John 14:15; Romans 10:9-10; 1 John 5:10; John 8:31-36; John 3:16-19; Acts 8:36-37; Romans 8:1; Romans 8:9-17; Romans 8:31; Hebrews 12:7-8; Hebrews 11:6

2          Joel 2:28-29, Jeremiah 31:31-34, Ezekiel 36:25-27, John 16:7; John 16:13-15; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:4; Romans 8:6; Romans 8:14; Romans 8:27; 1 Corinthians 2:10; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 12:1-13; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Galatians 6:8; Ephesians 2:18; Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 4:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21 

3          John 1:1-3; John 1:14; John 14:6; John 6:63; John 6:68; John 5:24

4          John 1:12; Romans 8:16; 1 Peter 1:23; 1 John 3:1

5          Psalm 51; Isaiah 1:18; 1 John 1:9; Isaiah 59:2; Psalm 103:12; 1 Peter 3:7; 2 Chronicles 7:14; James 5:16

Crystal (PsalmThirty4)