1 Kings 10-11; 2 Chronicles 9; 1 Timothy 6

Three very interesting portions of Scripture for our consideration this morning. I am struck by a phrase that is used in 1 Kings 10 and 2 Chronicles 9. These are words from the Queen of Sheba about what she sees in King Solomon’s Kingdom, 8 Blessed be the Lord your God! He delighted in you and put you on his throne as king for the Lord your God. Because your God loved Israel enough to establish them forever, he has set you over them as king to carry out justice and righteousness.” (2 Chronicles 9:8 [Christian Standard Bible]).

(By the way while I was reading this passage I was listening to a classical station and they were playing The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba by Handel. Click on this link and listen to it while reading the rest of this post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KLee4Kgr_E&t=6s)

This concluding remark by the Queen of Sheba had to do with what she saw as a by product of Solomon’s wealth and wisdom. He had to have been the richest person in the world at that time. One scholar’s calculations put his wealth in today’s terms at about 100 billion dollars. He humbled himself and asked for wisdom and God gave him both wisdom and wealth. As a result the Queen of Sheba states, “he (God) has set you (Solomon) over them as king to carry out justice and righteousness.” When wisdom and wealth are used in a right manner the people are happy and contentment, justice and righteiousness prevail.

Yet as we read on in 1 Kings we see Solomon drifting from his commitment to God. Along with that came a degrading of that justice and righteousness and Solomon started worshiping other gods. And in the end his heir lost the bulk of the kingdom. I wonder what the world would be like today if each of Solomons heirs governed like he started. The world would be an entirely different place and perhaps justice and righteousness would prevail.

So the Apostle Paul paints a dire picture of a person who persues wealth for wealth’s sake. He writes to his protege Timothy the following: 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. 8 If we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. 9 But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs (1 Timothy 6:6-10 [CSB]).

Money used or desired in the wrong ways only leads to grief and heartaches. I’ve known of many who have wandered away from the faith and have found themselves in these situations.

So what about us. I believe we need to focus on verse 6 above. If we focus on godly living and being content with that no matter what our economic standing is, we will find great contentment.

Father God, pursuing a relationship with You is where we find our greatest contentment. I pray that we would all be doing that as we grow in You. In Jesus strong name we pray, Amen!

Florence, Italy: Lorenzo Ghiberti’s Gate of Heaven. Solomon receives the Queen of Sheba, the gate panel

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2 Chronicles 6:12-42; 1 John 5; Habakkuk 1; Luke 20

I love Solomon’s prayer when he dedicated the temple to God once it was completed.  Full of passion, his body  language denoted humility before an almighty God.  I find myself falling on my knees and raising my hands in prayer more often these days – probably an act of surrender acknowledging to God that more and more I need Him in my life.

Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the court; and he stood on it. Then he knelt on his knees in the presence of the whole assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven. – 2 Chronicles 6:13

Over the years, my “prayer batting average” is pretty low. I have prayed for the salvation of people who have not gotten saved. I have prayed for the restoration of sinning Christians, who have not repented and been restored. I have prayed for the reconciliation of many Christian marriages that have broken up.  I have prayed for physical healing for those in need and they have not been healed.  You would think that I might just give up.  I did once, when I was fourteen, and God showed up so tangibly that I will never lose my confidence that He is working everything out in His own time.

And this is the boldness we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. – 1 John 5:14

I am still learning today the same lessons I did then as I face different situations in my life.  I still cry, still tell Him what bothers me and I have given God exactly what He needs to do to solve the problem – oops – He still is ignoring my solutions.

O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen?  Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? – Habakkuk 1:1

I know there is a temptation for me to abuse prayer, to fake it and to tell everyone how pious I am in my prayer walk.  Pretty sure I have not fallen to the level of the scribes in Jesus’ time.

They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation. – Luke 20:47

Father, as I kneel before You with my outstretched arms, I do it knowing that as I come before You, it is to acknowledge that You reign in my life.  I yield my life before You and as Solomon consecrated the temple, I consecrate myself to You again this day.  As Jesus taught us to pray – I acknowledge You as my Father  –  I worship You today.  Be glorified in my life.  If that comes through answered prayer – that would be a blessing and encouragement to me – if it comes from Your hand another way, I am so thankful that You are still listening to me.  For Yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory for ever – Amen. 

evanlaar

1 Kings 8,9; Acts 8:1-25

1 Kings 8

²⁷ “But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!

1 Kings 9

³ The Lord said to him: “I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.⁴ “As for you, if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws, ⁵ I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father when I said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’

²⁵ Three times a year Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar he had built for the Lord, burning incense before the Lord along with them, and so fulfilled the temple obligations.

Acts 8

¹⁵ When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, ¹⁶ because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷ Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Solomon spent thirteen years building a temple for God, now he’s trying to convince the God of the universe to take up residence in a home built by man.  Solomon does all of the right things.  He pulls the elders of Israel together, they place the ark of the Lord’s covenant in the new temple, offer up praise to the Lord, and perform large numbers of sacrifices.  Even with all of this I can’t help but think that Solomon has some major doubts about God taking up residence in the new temple.  I’m sure he was relieved when the Lord appeared to him a second time and claims that he will indeed keep His eyes and ears there forever.  Maybe twenty percent of God’s message to Solomon was accepting the temple.  The other eighty percent was filled with things that Solomon must do and warnings of what would happen if he didn’t.  Solomon seems to have only paid attention to the part about the temple.  He quickly falls into the trap of only doing what is required to fulfill the “obligations” of his walk with God.

Now move into the time of Acts – new believers in Samaria, needing the presence of God with them.  Did they build a temple?  They did not.  Instead, they asked for help and were sent Peter and John.  Peter and John prayed and with the laying on of hand , the new believers received the Holy Spirit.   God NOT living with man, but instead God Living in Man!  What a concept.  God is here with us at all times.  We don’t have to go great distances and sacrifice animals or make burnt offerings.  It is as simple as looking towards God who Lives in us!  We no longer have an excuse to worship other gods or to not obey the commands and decrees that God has given us.  We have God in us!

Father, help us to always be aware of your presence in our lives.  Help us to always worship you and to become aware of all the false gods that we tend to be deceived by.  Pour out your spirit on us so that we may always have you with us.  Write your name on our hearts and help us to share the Gospel with others.  May all things be as Jesus said they would be, Amen.

Ed Sorrell

1 Kings 5,6,7; Acts 7:44-60

In the Old Testament, we return to the story of King Solomon and the building of the temple. Solomon started on this mammoth project, making deals with other kings for materials, and organizing a huge forded labor force. It amazes me what people could accomplish in ancient history, without the technology we have today. The temple was amazing.

Unlike the commands for the Tabernacle, or the Ark of the Covenant, or Noah’s Ark for that matter, there are no specific requirements for this temple. Personally, it seemed like this temple was more important to the people than it was to God. When God speaks to Solomon about it, he dismisses it right off and instead emphasizes the importance of obedience to God’s decrees, regulations and commands. The promise for the throne to continue in David’s lineage was actually dependent on it. It was one of those promises of God that starts with “If…”.

¹¹ The word of the Lord came to Solomon: ¹² “As for this temple you are building, if you follow my decrees, carry out my regulations and keep all my commands and obey them, I will fulfill through you the promise I gave to David your father. ¹³ And I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon my people Israel.” (1 Kings 6:11-13)

Solomon completes the construction in seven years, but then takes thirteen years building his palace, which was four times bigger that the Temple! (And in Ecclesiastes we read how all of this extravagance gave only fleeting pleasure…)

Fast forward to the New Testament, and we hear what Stephen has to say about this Temple as he addresses the crowd:

⁴⁶ “David found favor with God and asked for the privilege of building a permanent Temple for the God of Jacob.^{[j] 47} But it was Solomon who actually built it. ⁴⁸ However, the Most High doesn’t live in temples made by human hands. As the prophet says,

⁴⁹ ‘Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
Could you build me a temple as good as that?’
asks the Lord.
‘Could you build me such a resting place?
⁵⁰ Didn’t my hands make both heaven and earth? (Acts 7:46-50)

This Temple became a stumbling block to the Jews.  By having something concrete to focus on they missed the whole point of having God present with them all the time. Stephen continues:

⁵¹ “You stubborn people! You are heathen^[l] at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you! ⁵² Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One—the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered. ⁵³ You deliberately disobeyed God’s law, even though you received it from the hands of angels…

⁵⁷ Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him ⁵⁸ and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him.” (Acts 7:51-53,57-58)

Lord, temples can’t contain you. You are omnipresent. My relationship with you is more important than elaborate buildings, riches, or anything I can see, feel, or touch. I crave your presence. I want to hear the truth. I want to trust you. Come stay with me.

suegraff

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

Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. …  behold, I have done according to your words 1 Kings 3:9,12

 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, Ephesians 1:3

Read at –  www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1Kings%203;%20Eph.%201;%20Ezek.34;%20Ps.83,84&version=NKJV

1 Kings 3                  At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask! What shall I give you?” … “Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil.” …  “behold, I have done according to your words” 1 Kings 3:5, 9,12

                     God approached Solomon! God watched Solomon and asked him what his desires were. How wondrously caring You are Lord! And Your reason? To have us see into our own hearts, and to know Your perspective on it because of our choices. At times You have asked me “What do You desire?” When I care, I tell You. Being far from You, I do not receive the desires of my selfish heart. When I am close under You, You overwhelm me with Your compassion and glory by giving me far more than I can imagine!

                       Thank You for honoring Solomon as You did. And for Solomon honoring You as he did! You are the Source of True Wisdom, Lord God Almighty. Not just knowledge and human perceptions, but Godly Perfection. Lord, give me a heart of wisdom so that I can live by Your Love and strength, with the Holy Spirit flowing through me incessantly.

                     Train me in the quiet times and keep me close so I do not worship “at the high places” against You. (John 7:38-39; John 4:10; John 4:13-14; John 14:6 ) Continue to make me Your vessel for Your Good purposes and Your glory only! Thank You Jesus.

Ephesians 1             God, Your character is revealed by Your thoughtfulness and actions toward us!! Your faithfulness and pure love compel me to worship You!! According to Your good pleasure, You, Lord God Almighty have done all these for those who trust and believe the Word of God for salvation in Christ Jesus:

1. Blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
2. Chose us in Him before the foundation of the world,
3. That we should be holy and without blame before Him in love
4. Predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself,
5. He made us accepted in the Beloved.
6. We have redemption through His blood,
7. The forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
8. He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence
9. He made known to us the mystery of His will,
10. We have obtained an inheritance,
11. Being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
12. We who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
13. You were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14. Guaranteed of our inheritance
15. All to the praise of His glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, I praise You!! Thank You for limitless blessings because of Your Goodness!!

I must remember all these things at all times in order :

To chase away the fear of man

To abolish the fear of the temporal

To live emPowered and with deliberation and diligence for Your purposes in ALL things. 

I am grateful God desires this for me > Ephesians 1:15-23 <and for you dear Reader!

Ezekiel 34                 “You are My flock, the flock of My pasture; You are men, and I am Your God,” says the Lord GOD.                      

                    Lord God, You searched for me and sought me out many years ago. You still deliver me from the cloudy and dark places of my heart, mind and life. Thank You! You feed me on Your Word and I rest in Your Presence. Worshipping You daily renews my soul. Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Good Shepherd, the living God. (Hebrews 1:3, John 10:11,14, 30)

            Being a re-creation by the living God (2 Cor 5:17), I am now part of the royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9).

                     I have fed myself amply on the Word of God. How often in my daily life have I not given Your Word to a stranger, to a sibling in Christ Jesus, to my family or friends? Instead I keep Your Wisdom, Truth and Love hidden under a bushel. (Matthew 5:14-16) I must feed, clothe, strengthen, heal, bind up the broken hearted, bring back those who were rejected, seek the lost and serve with God’s Love. These are not alternatives, but commands.

                      Lord Jesus Christ, give me Your passion and perseverance please. Let me not be distracted but instead be “Visionary” with Your sight! I am accountable to You! (Matthew 12:36, Romans 14:12-13) Help my siblings in Christ to do the same! What a wondrous Army we will be when we all do our part!! How many will be snatched from the fire (Jude 1:23) by living as Your royal priesthood!! What glory You will get Lord Jesus Christ!! I praise You!!

Psalm 83                   There are people who are Your enemies O God. “Those who hate You have lifted up their head. They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, and consulted together against Your sheltered ones. They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”… They form a confederacy against You:” they say “Let us take for ourselves The pastures of God for a possession.”

            These are not just past events, but recent UN events. Lord, we are grateful that You “Do not keep silent, Do not hold Your peace, And do not be still” You, O Lord, are never caught by surprise, because Your Word declares the future from the past! Those who do NOT fear You will be made “like the whirling dust, Like the chaff before the wind! As the fire burns the woods, And as the flame sets the mountains on fire,… You will pursue them with Your tempest, And frighten them with Your storm.” and “Fill their faces with shame,”

Lord, I pray this to be so: “That they may seek Your name, O LORD.” That they may know Your “only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16  ”That they may know that You, whose name alone is the LORD Are the Most High over all the earth.”

            Please cause them to repent to You, the One True Holy God, just as You had me do!! Pour out Your Holy Spirit that they would not sin against You but live with and for You, the Lord Jesus Christ by Spirit and Word here on earth and forever – for Your Glory alone!!

Psalm 84                   Lord Jesus Christ, day after day You feed me with Your details of everlasting life as I walk by Your Holy Spirit!! You have appointments for me and others entwined with You ceaselessly!! When I begin to fear and feel that tension           from being separate from You,                  from watching “my” circumstance as if they were my own possession and not Yours,            from moving ahead in my feelings, thoughts and actions apart from Your Word and Holy Spirit,             I begin to tremble within and can botch it all in a millisecond.

                     I am grateful for Your Graciousness that You are right here, and I am only to STOP, and LISTEN for You, the still small Voice and Major Counselor, to discuss my fears and trepidations, observations, etc., and You come through!! Loud and Clear, for me to stop, drop to the knees of my heart in prayer and humble submission to You Lord God, and roll with the wind of Your Holy Spirit! (John 3:5-8)

            It is when I do not fear man, culture, my own failings to show up and more that I enjoy and see: “How lovely is Your tabernacle O LORD of hosts!” Then I feel blessed as “those who dwell in Your house … still be praising You.” Then I can relate well with “Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage” … going “from strength to strength”

                      I am like Your sparrow whom You find “a home” and where You, “O LORD of hosts, My King and my God” dwell within me!!  John 14:15-18; John 14:25-27; John 15:3-11

O LORD of hosts, Blessed is the man (and woman and child!!) who trusts in You! Psalm 84:12

Crystal (PsalmThirty4)