tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13211418249432805442008-11-02T19:57:39.940-08:00Holy Devotion - 1 KingsBible DevotionalStevenoreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-22155510535519911792008-11-02T19:51:00.000-08:002008-11-02T19:57:39.959-08:001 Kings 22:29-35 - Heeding God's warnings<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 22:29-35<br> 29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up against Ramoth-gilead. <br> 30 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself and go into the battle, but you put on your robes." So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into the battle. <br> 31 Now the king of Aram had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, "Do not fight with small or great, but with the king of Israel alone." <br> 32 So when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "Surely it is the king of Israel," and they turned aside to fight against him, and Jehoshaphat cried out. <br> 33 When the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. <br> <br> 34 Now a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel in a joint of the armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, "Turn around and take me out of the fight; for I am severely wounded." <br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and Ahab, king of Israel, go to war together against the Arameans. However, before going to battle, Jehoshaphat insisted they inquire of a prophet of God. This man, Micaiah, gave this counsel to Ahab:<br> <br> <blockquote>1 Kings 22:23<br> 23 "Now therefore, behold, the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; and the Lord has proclaimed disaster against you." <br> NASU<br> </blockquote> <br> Ahab believes the word of the Lord enough to disguise himself, but not enough to change his plans (verse 30). But as we then find out, the sole reason the Arameans want to battle with Israel and Judah, is that they might kill Ahab (verse 31), which they then did (verse 34).<br> <br> How tragic that we can believe God's warnings to a degree, but not truly heed them. I've heard of more than one person outside of a saving relationship with Christ, who was concerned about the judgment they knew they were due, but were unwilling to receive Christ as Savior. Likewise, I've seen more than one Christian ignore warnings about sin in their life, only to be taken down by that sin.<br> <br> <br> <b>Prayer:</b><br> <br> Oh Lord, please give me an attentive ear to You! Give me the softness of heart to hear Your voice, and the wisdom and strength to obey. I don't want to foolishly ignore Your warnings, as Ahab did.<br> <br> Amen <br>Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-18663850694161730982008-10-27T17:51:00.000-07:002008-10-27T17:57:28.951-07:001 Kings 21:1-3 - Obedience under pressure<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 21:1-3<br> 1 Now it came about after these things that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. <br> 2 Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, "Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden because it is close beside my house, and I will give you a better vineyard than it in its place; if you like, I will give you the price of it in money." <br> 3 But Naboth said to Ahab, "The Lord forbid me that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers."<br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> Naboth does what is right before God (verse 3b), despite pressure from a powerful person, King Ahab (verse 2). In ancient Israel, land was the inheritance of a family, not to be taken from them, but to be passed down from generation to generation:<br> <br> <blockquote>Numbers 36:7<br> 7 "Thus no inheritance of the sons of Israel shall be transferred from tribe to tribe, for the sons of Israel shall each hold to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.<br> NASU<br> </blockquote> <br> Naboth's obedience to God costs him his life as Queen Jezebel incites some false witnesses to testify against Naboth, for Ahab:<br> <br> <blockquote>1 Kings 21:13-14<br> 13 Then the two worthless men came in and sat before him; and the worthless men testified against him, even against Naboth, before the people, saying, "Naboth cursed God and the king." So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones. 14 Then they sent word to Jezebel, saying, "Naboth has been stoned and is dead." <br> NASU<br> </blockquote> <br> But God is not absent from even the tiniest act of obedience. He knows what has happened to Naboth and why, and pronounces judgment against the king:<br> <br> <blockquote>1 Kings 21:17-19<br> 17 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 18 "Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria; behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth where he has gone down to take possession of it. 19 "You shall speak to him, saying, 'Thus says the Lord, "Have you murdered and also taken possession?"' And you shall speak to him, saying, 'Thus says the Lord, "In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth the dogs will lick up your blood, even yours."'" <br> NASU<br> </blockquote> <br> <b>Prayer:</b><br> <br> Lord, I thank You that You are the unseen eye watching over every decision I make and action that I take. The things I do for You, though no one else may respect or notice, You take note of. I look forward in Christ, to the reward for my obedience to You, in heaven someday.<br> <br> Today, I am encouraged to be like Naboth. To stand for and do what's right before You, no matter who may be pressuring me to do otherwise. Even though it may cost me dearly, I will walk in obedience to You, by the power of Your Spirit in my life.<br> <br> Amen<br>Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-16557341081002494122008-10-19T17:02:00.000-07:002008-10-19T17:13:04.439-07:001 Kings 20:35-36 - Taking God seriously<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 20:35-36<br> 35 Now a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to another by the word of the Lord, "Please strike me." But the man refused to strike him. <br> 36 Then he said to him, "Because you have not listened to the voice of the Lord, behold, as soon as you have departed from me, a lion will kill you." And as soon as he had departed from him a lion found him and killed him. <br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> What the Lord says, will be done. This prophet is going to King Ahab to deliver a prophecy of judgment against him. In case there should be any doubt however, this fulfilled prophecy (verse 36) should make it clear this man is speaking for God!<br> <br> Like the disobedient man, don't we tend to also disbelieve the things the Lord has said? Particularly when they do not meet with our expectations or desires. But the Lord speaks with authority, whether He backs it up with lions or not. He is God.<br> <br> <br> <b>Prayer:</b><br> <br> Lord, please forgive me. I take so lightly the things You say. Like this man, I deserve death for my disobedience and unbelief.<br> <br> Thank You for Your grace by which I'm saved. Were it not for Christ's offering on my behalf, I would be without hope, but in Him, I have eternal life.<br> <br> Amen <br>Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-9915749293103968542008-10-12T13:35:00.000-07:002008-10-12T14:26:50.450-07:001 Kings 20:26-30 - When good things happen to bad people<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 20:26-30<br> 26 At the turn of the year, Ben-hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. <br> 27 The sons of Israel were mustered and were provisioned and went to meet them; and the sons of Israel camped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Arameans filled the country. <br> 28 Then a man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said, "Thus says the Lord, 'Because the Arameans have said, "The Lord is a god of the mountains, but He is not a god of the valleys," therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.'" <br> 29 So they camped one over against the other seven days. And on the seventh day the battle was joined, and the sons of Israel killed of the Arameans 100,000 foot soldiers in one day. <br> 30 But the rest fled to Aphek into the city, and the wall fell on 27,000 men who were left. And Ben-hadad fled and came into the city into an inner chamber. <br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> The king of Israel at this time, Ahab, was an evil man. In fact, the writer of Kings tells us that up to his reign, none were as wicked as he was:<br> <br> <blockquote>1 Kings 16:30<br> 30 Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all who were before him. <br> NASU<br> </blockquote> <br> It is troubling then to see the Lord is blessing the wicked King Ahab with this amazing military victory. But note that it is not because God is pleased with him. The two reasons stated for God's defeat of the Arameans (verse 28) are: 1. because they have mocked God, saying He is limited in power; and 2. that king Ahab will know that the Lord is God.<br> <br> It seems natural for us to infer when bad things come into a person's life, this means God is displeased, and that when good things come, God is pleased with them. Clearly from Ahab's life though, this is not always the case. God may have other purposes we know nothing about. In this instance, God is bringing this good in part to convince Ahab that He is God, not the false gods that he is following, and leading the nation to do the same.<br> <br> It's tempting to make this same inference with regards to ministry, as well. A ministry that seems to be flourishing, we assume God's hand is behind it. Whereas a ministry that is struggling financially, or in number, we assume is not blessed by God. In the same way, these inferences may or may not be true.<br> <br> <br> <b>Prayer:</b><br> <br> Lord, keep me from pride and discouragement, two polar responses to my circumstances. Pride when things are going well as I seek to give some glory to myself. Discouragement when they are not going well, thinking something must be wrong with me, which may or may not be. Let me be content and joyful in You, no matter my circumstances:<br> <br> <blockquote>Philippians 4:12-13<br> 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.<br> NASU<br> </blockquote> <br> Amen <br>Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-13093350441606696522008-10-05T18:54:00.000-07:002008-10-05T19:12:09.726-07:001 Kings 19:1-8 - Handling burn-out<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 19:1-8<br> 1 Now Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. <br> 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time." <br> 3 And he was afraid and arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. <br> 4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, "It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers." <br> 5 He lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, there was an angel touching him, and he said to him, "Arise, eat." <br> 6 Then he looked and behold, there was at his head a bread cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again. <br> 7 The angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, "Arise, eat, because the journey is too great for you."<br> 8 So he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God. <br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> Elijah has just been integral to an amazing feat, in which the Lord dramatically showed His power by consuming the sacrifice offered by Elijah. As a result, the prophets of the false god Baal were killed:<br> <br> <blockquote>1 Kings 18:40<br> Then Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape." So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. <br> NASU<br> </blockquote> <br> But now, Elijah's own life is threatened (verse 2), and he succumbs to fear (verse 4).<br> <br> This is not uncommon in the Christian life. After an amazing spiritual victory or intense time of activity, we can find ourselves worn out. This can then give way to us feeling as Elijah does: gloomy; depressed; burned-out.<br> <br> But notice how God cares for Elijah in this state. He needs some very basic things that God gives to him. He needs to rest and eat (verses 5-8a), and he needs time with God (verse 8b) which he will receive at Horeb. Using terminology of our day, he needed to slow down. Rather than worrying about the threats of Jezebel, he needed to have his most basic needs met and regroup. <br> I have followed this prescription a number of times in my own life, and have found that it has worked for me, too. Rather than winding ourselves up even tighter with worry and activity in stressful times, setting those things aside and choosing instead to rest in the presence of God and allowing Him to change our perception of our circumstances.<br> <br> <br> <b>Prayer:</b><br> <br> Lord, we are truly frail beings. It takes so little to overwhelm us!<br> <br> Thank You for the example of Elijah. Thank You for this battle plan I can use when the events of life overwhelm me. Give me the wisdom and strength to do these things, when those times come.<br> <br> Amen <br>Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-84321675309954839362008-09-28T14:57:00.000-07:002008-09-28T17:40:53.216-07:001 Kings 18:27-39 - The hand of God<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 18:27-39<br> 27 It came about at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, "Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or gone aside, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened." <br> 28 So they cried with a loud voice and cut themselves according to their custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out on them. <br> 29 When midday was past, they raved until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice; but there was no voice, no one answered, and no one paid attention. <br> <br> 30 Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me." So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord which had been torn down. <br> 31 Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, "Israel shall be your name." <br> 32 So with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he made a trench around the altar, large enough to hold two measures of seed. <br> 33 Then he arranged the wood and cut the ox in pieces and laid it on the wood. <br> 34 And he said, "Fill four pitchers with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood." And he said, "Do it a second time," and they did it a second time. And he said, "Do it a third time," and they did it a third time. <br> 35 The water flowed around the altar and he also filled the trench with water. <br> <br> 36 At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came near and said, "O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and I have done all these things at Your word. <br> 37 "Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that You, O Lord, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again." <br> 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. <br> 39 When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God."<br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> This is certainly the most famous event recorded in the life of Elijah: his show-down with the priests of the false god Baal. After allowing them to spend the day trying to coax their god to bring down fire from heaven (verses 27-29), Elijah sets up a dramatic response from God, soaking his altar with water so that there could be no mistake when it caught on fire, that it was not by some sleight of hand by Elijah (verses 34-37). Then, God delivers (verse 38).<br> <br> Although God is not so dramatic in our lives these days, He still desires the glory for the work He does in our lives. He wants us to know that He has worked.<br> <br> As Christians, we often try to paint God into our circumstances after the fact. We hone out what we desire, and then try to involve Him. How much better to wait on Him and allow Him to show His hand! Then praise can be offered to Him, for what He has clearly done (verse 39).<br> <br> <br> <b>Prayer:</b><br> <br> Lord, it's hard to wait on You, sometimes! Help me though, to yield to You. To not seek my own way, and then try and force You into the picture, somehow. <br> <br> May I worship and follow You today, in spirit and truth.<br> <br> Amen <br>Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-11219662298722029702008-09-21T18:58:00.000-07:002008-09-21T19:07:43.220-07:001 Kings 17:17-24 - Blinded by feelings<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 17:17-24<br> 17 Now it came about after these things that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became sick; and his sickness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. <br> 18 So she said to Elijah, "What do I have to do with you, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my iniquity to remembrance and to put my son to death!" <br> 19 He said to her, "Give me your son." Then he took him from her bosom and carried him up to the upper room where he was living, and laid him on his own bed. <br> 20 He called to the Lord and said, "O Lord my God, have You also brought calamity to the widow with whom I am staying, by causing her son to die?" <br> 21 Then he stretched himself upon the child three times, and called to the Lord and said, "O Lord my God, I pray You, let this child's life return to him." <br> 22 The Lord heard the voice of Elijah, and the life of the child returned to him and he revived. <br> 23 Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper room into the house and gave him to his mother; and Elijah said, "See, your son is alive." <br> 24 Then the woman said to Elijah, "Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth."<br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> Who can understand the hardness of our hearts toward God? Miracles have been happening daily in this house (verse 16), and yet only after this most intense miracle (verse 22), does the widow fully believe (verse 24).<br> <br> It's strange what power our emotions can have on us. This woman seems depressed. When Elijah came to her, she was ready to die:<br> <br> <blockquote>1 Kings 17:12<br> 12 But she said, "As the Lord your God lives, I have no bread, only a handful of flour in the bowl and a little oil in the jar; and behold, I am gathering a few sticks that I may go in and prepare for me and my son, that we may eat it and die."<br> NASU<br> </blockquote> <br> Sometimes feeling down can keep us from seeing what God is doing around us. Truly He is always at work, but sometimes our emotions blind us to what He is doing. All we see in those times are our feelings and the tainted picture of reality they bring, not the truth.<br> <br> <br> <b>Prayer:</b><br> <br> Lord, let me be full of Your joy today. May I look expectantly for Your hand at work in my life. May I not allow my emotions to cloud my view of all that You are doing and to the truth concerning my circumstances.<br> <br> Amen <br>Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-28364559237564247232008-09-14T15:39:00.000-07:002008-09-14T15:45:49.697-07:001 Kings 17:10-16 - Trusting in God<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 17:10-16<br> 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath, and when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks; and he called to her and said, "Please get me a little water in a jar, that I may drink." <br> 11 As she was going to get it, he called to her and said, "Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand." <br> 12 But she said, "As the Lord your God lives, I have no bread, only a handful of flour in the bowl and a little oil in the jar; and behold, I am gathering a few sticks that I may go in and prepare for me and my son, that we may eat it and die." <br> <br> 13 Then Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go, do as you have said, but make me a little bread cake from it first and bring it out to me, and afterward you may make one for yourself and for your son. <br> 14 "For thus says the Lord God of Israel, 'The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall the jar of oil be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain on the face of the earth.'" <br> 15 So she went and did according to the word of Elijah, and she and he and her household ate for many days. <br> 16 The bowl of flour was not exhausted nor did the jar of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke through Elijah. <br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> What a wonderful story! Through one set of circumstances, God not only cares for Elijah, but also this widow and her son (verse 12). <br> <br> Truly a miracle is taking place with the flour and the oil (verses 14-16), but look how God required this woman to give away what she had, before she saw it happen (verses 13, 15). This is not always how God works, but still it illustrates to me how the Lord wants us to trust Him, and not are own abilities. She thought she had just enough for a final meal, but the Lord gave her enough to support her family.<br> <br> <br> <b>Prayer:</b><br> <br> Lord, forgive me for a skeptical mind that thinks: You don't work in these kinds of ways today. You do! I have seen it, although not so dramatically.<br> <br> Let me be a person of faith, today. Let me see You in my life. Let me trust in Your provision not just for food, but for all that I want and need in my life.<br> <br> Amen <br>Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-39016401056268474952008-09-07T14:23:00.000-07:002008-09-07T14:30:39.548-07:001 Kings 17:1-9 - Moving on<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 17:1-9<br> 1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the Lord, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, surely there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word." <br> 2 The word of the Lord came to him, saying, <br> 3 "Go away from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. <br> 4 "It shall be that you will drink of the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there." <br> <br> 5 So he went and did according to the word of the Lord, for he went and lived by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. <br> 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he would drink from the brook. <br> 7 It happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land. <br> <br> 8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, <br> 9 "Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there; behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you." <br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> What an amazing sequence of events! Elijah prophesying as the Lord commanded Him (verse 1), the prophecy coming true (verse 7b), and the Lord providing for Elijah through a brook and ravens (verses 4, 6). How spiritually momentous! How exciting.<br> <br> But then something happens, the brook dries up (verse 7a). God is not asleep however, He knew this would take place. He provides another source of sustenance for Elijah, through a widow (verses 8-9).<br> <br> Thinking on this passage metaphorically, how do we react when the brooks of God's spiritual provision dry up in our lives? When we find a choice place as Elijah was given, we want to put a stake in the ground and never leave. But sometimes the Lord puts us in a particular place of spiritual nourishment for a certain time only, and then moves us on. <br> <br> As for Elijah it made no sense to fret over the brook and stay where the Lord was not providing any longer. We too have to hear from God where He wants to take us next, and go. Not mourning over the "dried up brook," but looking forward to the "widow" whom the Lord has commanded for us.<br> <br> <br> <b>Prayer:</b><br> <br> Lord, one of the hardest things to face as a Christian are those times that You lead us in a new direction. We tend to want to camp out where You have provided in the past, but sometimes we have to leave those things behind. Whether it be corporately, for example adjusting the ministry style from past successful vehicles of ministry to new methods of reaching and helping people. Or individually, for instance guiding a person to a different Bible study, church, or devotional practices.<br> <br> Help me not to hold on too tightly to the things You are using in my life. What matters is that I am connected to and growing in You. Help me to be malleable and submissive to Your leading in my life, in line with Your Word.<br> <br> AmenStevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-89339784006285561062008-09-01T18:51:00.000-07:002008-09-01T18:57:13.120-07:001 Kings 16:34 - Winning in the world, failing at home<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 16:34<br> 34 In his days Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho; he laid its foundations with the loss of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates with the loss of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which He spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.<br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> We can become so focused on achievement, that we don't see or don't care how it affects our family and relationships. Hiel disregards the warning given by Joshua, and it costs him 2 of his own sons, exactly as Joshua prophesied roughly 500 years before:<br> <br> <blockquote>Joshua 6:26<br> 26 Then Joshua made them take an oath at that time, saying, "Cursed before the Lord is the man who rises up and builds this city Jericho; with the loss of his firstborn he shall lay its foundation, and with the loss of his youngest son he shall set up its gates."<br> NASU<br> </blockquote> <br> Hiel was building a city for himself, but destroying his own family. He was seeking to perhaps make a name for himself, but did so in disobedience to God.<br> <br> <br> <b>Prayer:</b><br> <br> Lord, it is so easy to get focused on achievement at work, at home, even in ministry, to the detriment of my relationship with You and those near to me. To be worried about trophies that will die with me, rather than true treasure.<br> <br> Help me to stay focused on loving You and others, starting with those closest to me. Grant me the wisdom and restraint to stay out of the various rat races of life. Keep me focused on that which lasts for eternity.<br> <br> AmenStevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-55353199958163075332008-08-24T14:40:00.000-07:002008-08-26T15:22:27.575-07:001 Kings 16:8-11 - Foundation<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 16:8-11<br> 8 In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah the son of Baasha became king over Israel at Tirzah, and reigned two years.<br> 9 His servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him. Now he was at Tirzah drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household at Tirzah. <br> 10 Then Zimri went in and struck him and put him to death in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and became king in his place. <br> 11 It came about when he became king, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he killed all the household of Baasha; he did not leave a single male, neither of his relatives nor of his friends. <br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> The bloodiness of the northern kingdom of Israel is sickening. Jeroboam had become king peacefully, but then he is routed by Baasha who kills Jeroboam and his entire family line. Now here, Zimri destroys the line of Baasha in the same way (verse 11). Zimri will reign for 7 days, choosing to kill himself in the face of his own defeat:<br> <br> <blockquote>1 Kings 16:15-19<br> 15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days at Tirzah. Now the people were camped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines. <br> 16 The people who were camped heard it said, "Zimri has conspired and has also struck down the king." Therefore all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp. <br> 17 Then Omri and all Israel with him went up from Gibbethon and besieged Tirzah. <br> 18 When Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king's house and burned the king's house over him with fire, and died, <br> 19 because of his sins which he sinned, doing evil in the sight of the Lord, walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, making Israel sin. <br> NASU<br> </blockquote> <br> The nation has become seemingly lawless. When the foundation of a people is sin, here the idolatry that Jeroboam began, there is no security.<br> <br> In the same way, our lives need the right foundation. Building upon anything but a relationship with the Lord is not truly secure. The things of this world in which we are often told to place our security are not really secure in themselves, things like our finances, our health, our careers, and even our families. All of these can pass away, only the Lord will always remain, and only He can guarantee our eternal well-being.<br> <br> <br> <b>Prayer:</b><br> <br> Thank You Lord, that in a world that is constantly changing, You never change. The call You gave 2000 years ago, still stands today:<br> <br> <blockquote>John 7:37-39<br> 37 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'" 39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.<br> NASU<br> </blockquote> <br> Thank You that I have a solid foundation, in You.<br> <br> Amen <br>Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-58452115972075519622008-08-17T18:57:00.000-07:002008-08-17T19:06:25.046-07:001 Kings 15:9-15 - Spiritual freedom<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 15:9-15<br> 9 So in the twentieth year of Jeroboam the king of Israel, Asa began to reign as king of Judah. <br> 10 He reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. <br> 11 Asa did what was right in the sight of the Lord, like David his father. <br> 12 He also put away the male cult prostitutes from the land and removed all the idols which his fathers had made. <br> 13 He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother, because she had made a horrid image as an Asherah; and Asa cut down her horrid image and burned it at the brook Kidron. <br> 14 But the high places were not taken away; nevertheless the heart of Asa was wholly devoted to the Lord all his days. <br> 15 He brought into the house of the Lord the dedicated things of his father and his own dedicated things: silver and gold and utensils. <br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> Asa is the son of Abijam (1 Kings 15:8) who was the son of Rehoboam (1 Kings 14:31), the son of Solomon (1 Kings 11:43), who was the son of King David. Since Solomon's fall, the royal line has been in sin. At last in Asa, there's a ray of light in Judah's line of kings! Asa walks with the Lord (verse 11). He removes most of the evils begun by his forefathers (verses 12, 14), and even his own mother (verse 13).<br> <br> Asa's story is such an encouraging example of how each of us can choose the spiritual path that we walk on. Though our descendants may not have walked with God, we can by His grace. No one is destined to walk in the fallen ways of their descendants or trapped in their false religion.<br> <br> It is also such a wonderful example of how God does not give up on people. You would think that the kings of Judah were history, but God was able to reach Asa, and he responded. <br> <br> <br> <b>Prayer:</b><br> <br> Thank You Lord Jesus, that no one else decided my spiritual life for me. I'm so thankful You give all of us the freedom to choose, and that I chose life in You.<br> <br> AmenStevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-24602415486969321422008-08-10T18:42:00.000-07:002008-08-10T18:50:47.205-07:001 Kings 14:1-6a - Hiding from God<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 14:1-6a<br> 1 At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam became sick. <br> 2 Jeroboam said to his wife, "Arise now, and disguise yourself so that they will not know that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh; behold, Ahijah the prophet is there, who spoke concerning me that I would be king over this people. <br> 3 "Take ten loaves with you, some cakes and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy." <br> <br> 4 Jeroboam's wife did so, and arose and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were dim because of his age. <br> 5 Now the Lord had said to Ahijah, "Behold, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to inquire of you concerning her son, for he is sick. You shall say thus and thus to her, for it will be when she arrives that she will pretend to be another woman." <br> <br> 6 When Ahijah heard the sound of her feet coming in the doorway, he said, "Come in, wife of Jeroboam, why do you pretend to be another woman? <br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> Jeroboam sends his wife to inquire of the prophet Ahijah, concerning the health of his son. In doing so, he gives her contradictory directions: she is to go to and ask of the prophet who by God's enabling can see their son's future, but to disguise herself so he won't know who she is! (verses 2 and 3) This really makes no sense. Certainly if Ahijah can see the details of their son's condition, he will know whose son it is! (verse 6)<br> <br> Scenes like this are so comical to us to read, but they are being re-enacted daily. From those apart from Christ who may vainly hope that God has seen whatever good things they've done in life but doesn't see or will ignore the bad, to the "Sunday Christian" who cleans up their act to make a good show on Sunday but lives a pagan lifestyle the rest of the week, and to even the sincere Christian, holding on to pockets of sin in their life as though God does not see and care. In any of these cases and all others, God is omniscient. He knows all.<br> <br> God offers a way out of this spiritual hiding, however. He offers forgiveness through the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf. As the scriptures say:<br> <br> <blockquote>Proverbs 28:13<br> 13 He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper,<br> But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion. <br> NASU<br> </blockquote> <br> What a burden is lifted, when we openly confess our sins to the Lord! By His power, turning away from them.<br> <br> <br> <b>Prayer:</b><br> <br> Thank You God, that because of Your grace I don't need to hide from You. Truly, I cannot hide from You if I wanted to!<br> <br> Thank You for extending forgiveness to me. A forgiveness that costs me nothing, though it cost You more than I can fully understand. That sets me free of the guilt and punishment of my sin, and free to live a holy life in You, through Christ.<br> <br> Amen <br>Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-32142278891848672302008-08-03T20:19:00.000-07:002008-08-03T20:25:36.038-07:001 Kings 13:11-24 - Spiritual deceivers<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 13:11-24<br> 11 Now an old prophet was living in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the deeds which the man of God had done that day in Bethel; the words which he had spoken to the king, these also they related to their father. <br> 12 Their father said to them, "Which way did he go?" Now his sons had seen the way which the man of God who came from Judah had gone. <br> 13 Then he said to his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me." So they saddled the donkey for him and he rode away on it. <br> <br> 14 So he went after the man of God and found him sitting under an oak; and he said to him, "Are you the man of God who came from Judah?" And he said, "I am." <br> 15 Then he said to him, "Come home with me and eat bread." <br> 16 He said, "I cannot return with you, nor go with you, nor will I eat bread or drink water with you in this place. <br> 17 "For a command came to me by the word of the Lord, 'You shall eat no bread, nor drink water there; do not return by going the way which you came.'" <br> <br> 18 He said to him, "I also am a prophet like you, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, 'Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.'" But he lied to him. <br> 19 So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house and drank water. <br> <br> 20 Now it came about, as they were sitting down at the table, that the word of the Lord came to the prophet who had brought him back; <br> 21 and he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, "Thus says the Lord, 'Because you have disobeyed the command of the Lord, and have not observed the commandment which the Lord your God commanded you, <br> 22 but have returned and eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which He said to you, "Eat no bread and drink no water"; your body shall not come to the grave of your fathers.'" <br> 23 It came about after he had eaten bread and after he had drunk, that he saddled the donkey for him, for the prophet whom he had brought back. <br> 24 Now when he had gone, a lion met him on the way and killed him, and his body was thrown on the road, with the donkey standing beside it; the lion also was standing beside the body. <br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> The "man of God" is a prophet from Judah who has come into Israel under the direction of God, to deliver a message to King Jeroboam. The Lord gave him further instruction as to what he was to do, he was not to eat while there, or even return in the way he came (verse 17). <br> <br> But tragically, the man of God allows himself to fall under the persuasion of a liar (verses 18-19). The "old prophet" deceives him into believing that God had rescinded His first set of commands: now it was OK for the man of God to dine in Israel. This foolish decision costs the man of God his life, as God brought judgment for his disobedience (verse 24). Clearly God's hand is in this attack by the lion, how else can we explain a lion killing without eating and a donkey standing calmly next to a fierce predator!<br> <br> This is such an ugly and angering story. How could this happen? Why would the old prophet knowingly deceive the man of God in this way? The text doesn't provide any clear motive. Perhaps he simply wanted to spend time with this prophet.<br> <br> The point for us as Christians today, is to always be discerning. The old prophet spoke the right kinds of words to convince the man of God that he had a message from God for him, but the old prophet was lying! In the same way, people may come to us and say they have a word from God for us -- possibly even spiritual leaders who we respect -- but we must always test what we hear against God's word and against anything He has already spoken to us as guidance for our lives:<br> <br> <blockquote>1 Thessalonians 5:19-22<br> 19 Do not quench the Spirit; 20 do not despise prophetic utterances. 21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil. <br> NASU<br> </blockquote> <br> <br> <b>Prayer:</b><br> <br> Lord, help me to be a discerning Christian. No matter how well someone speaks or how well known they are to me, I should not treat whatever they say as though it were Your infallible truth. Help me not to be lazy in this regard! Even a person with right motives can have a wrong opinion.<br> <br> Thank You for Your word that is unchanging by which I can discern truth from error. And thank You for Your Holy Spirit You've given to all who believe in Christ, Who guides us and can keep us from error.<br> <br> Amen <br>Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-9208631148841698672008-07-27T19:35:00.000-07:002008-07-27T19:46:11.317-07:001 Kings 12:26-32 - Fear or faith in God<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 12:26-32<br> 26 Jeroboam said in his heart, "Now the kingdom will return to the house of David. <br> 27 "If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will return to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah." <br> 28 So the king consulted, and made two golden calves, and he said to them, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt." <br> 29 He set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. <br> 30 Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan. <br> 31 And he made houses on high places, and made priests from among all the people who were not of the sons of Levi. <br> 32 Jeroboam instituted a feast in the eighth month on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast which is in Judah, and he went up to the altar; thus he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made. And he stationed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.<br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> Jeroboam fears he will lose his throne and even his life if the people continue to worship the Lord in Jerusalem, which is now a part of the separate kingdom of Judah from his own, Israel (verses 26-27). So, in a scene eerily similar to Aaron's sin long before him, he makes a golden calf, actually two, and presents them to Israel as the gods that brought them up out of Egypt (verse 28):<br> <br> <blockquote>Exodus 32:3-4<br> 3 Then all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took this from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it into a molten calf; and they said, "This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt."<br> NASU<br> </blockquote> <br> This is horrendous on many levels, the foremost being that it is taking the nation into idolatry. These idols are being proclaimed as the gods who delivered them from Pharaoh, and yet this was clearly the work of the one true and living God. But equally repulsive is the personal choice this represents for Jeroboam. Recall that it was the Lord that established him as ruler of the kingdom of Israel as He told him:<br> <br> <blockquote>1 Kings 11:37-38<br> 37 'I will take you, and you shall reign over whatever you desire, and you shall be king over Israel. <br> 38 'Then it will be, that if you listen to all that I command you and walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight by observing My statutes and My commandments, as My servant David did, then I will be with you and build you an enduring house as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you.<br> NASU<br> </blockquote> <br> God promised to secure Jeroboam's kingdom, if he would simply obey Him (11:38). If Jeroboam only had faith in the Lord to believe this, he would not have needed to worry about the people turning away from under his leadership. But tragically, he chooses the path of fear over faith. Rather than trusting in God, his fear motivates him to contrive a religious system that will guarantee -- he believes -- his own self-protection, but will only lead to his downfall.<br> <br> <br> <b>Prayer:</b><br> <br> Lord, why are we so slow to believe the things that You say? Why do we not believe that we can trust You, and instead resort to our own devices to try and protect ourselves? Truly, it is foolish as is so evident in Jeroboam's life.<br> <br> The only path to security is the same one that You prescribed for Jeroboam, that is to walk with You in Your ways. Though I may lose all that I possess in this world, You promise to preserve me as a Christian, most importantly, eternally. Help me to walk in faith with You, today.<br> <br> Amen<br>Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-56195785867681053212008-07-20T20:37:00.000-07:002008-07-20T20:47:00.174-07:001 Kings 12:1-11 - Choosing wise counsel<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 12:1-11<br> 1 Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. <br> 2 Now when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it, he was living in Egypt (for he was yet in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of King Solomon). <br> 3 Then they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, <br> 4 "Your father made our yoke hard; now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you." <br> 5 Then he said to them, "Depart for three days, then return to me." So the people departed. <br> <br> 6 King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, "How do you counsel me to answer this people?" <br> 7 Then they spoke to him, saying, "If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and grant them their petition, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever." <br> 8 But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had given him, and consulted with the young men who grew up with him and served him. <br> 9 So he said to them, "What counsel do you give that we may answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, 'Lighten the yoke which your father put on us'?" <br> 10 The young men who grew up with him spoke to him, saying, "Thus you shall say to this people who spoke to you, saying, 'Your father made our yoke heavy, now you make it lighter for us!' But you shall speak to them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's loins! <br> 11 'Whereas my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.'" <br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> While Solomon was still king, the Lord promised to another man Jeroboam, that he would rule over ten of the tribes of Israel because of Solomon's sin. Solomon's response to this promise was anger and to seek to kill Jeroboam who fled to Egypt (verse 2).<br> <br> Now Solomon is dead and his son Rehoboam has become king in his place. Rehoboam gets his first test in leadership, and he fails miserably. In response to the plea of the people (verses 3 and 4) he rejects the good counsel he receives (verses 7 and 8), and seeks out counsel that is more pleasing to him (verses 9-11).<br> <br> This is such a critical failing that all of us can fall into. That is, not seeking good counsel, but seeking counsel along the lines that we want. Seeking after counselors who will tell us what we want to hear, not what we need to hear.<br> <br> The consequence for Rehoboam will be that the promise God had already made is fulfilled, as ten of the tribes turn away from him to follow Jeroboam. In the same way, our following bad counsel can have disastrous consequences in our lives. Poor career choices, wrecked marriages, financial hardship, damaged relationships, these are just a few of the consequences we can experience. How much better to follow after wise counsel, rather than simply our own desires.<br> <br> <br> <b>Prayer:</b><br> <br> Lord, grant me the humility to seek and to follow Godly counsel when I find myself uncertain of Your will. Thank You for the Bible that so clearly handles most of life's questions. And for Christian friends and mentors You use in the times that things aren't so clear.<br> <br> Amen <br>Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-89654981045651194032008-07-13T17:53:00.000-07:002008-07-13T18:00:43.682-07:001 Kings 11:9-10 - Forgetful hearer<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 11:9-10<br> 9 Now the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, <br> 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not observe what the Lord had commanded. <br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> Solomon began to follow false gods because of his many wives:<br> <br> <blockquote>1 Kings 11:4<br> 4 For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. <br> NASU<br> </blockquote> <br> God is rightly angry at Solomon's unfaithfulness (verse 9) and direct disobedience (verse 10). Think of it, the Lord had appeared to him twice (1 Kings 3:5-14; 9:1-9) and even spoken to him about this very thing!<br> <br> When we read accounts like this, we find it very alarming. How could this be? How could Solomon forget what the Lord had told him? <br> <br> But why do we do the same thing? Forgetting what we read in the Bible, at times we turn around and do the opposite. This should not be!<br> <br> <br> <b>Prayer:</b><br> <br> Lord, help me to remember the things You have spoken in Your word. Let me be a doer of Your word, and not a forgetful hearer:<br> <br> <blockquote>James 1:23-25<br> 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.<br> NASU<br> </blockquote> <br> Help me to live out what I read in Your word, today. How I need Your strength to do it!<br> <br> Amen <br>Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-40538036243474500402008-07-05T21:16:00.000-07:002008-07-06T21:29:24.643-07:001 Kings 8:65-66 - Consecrating time to the Lord<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 8:65-66<br> 65 So Solomon observed the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt, before the Lord our God, for seven days and seven more days, even fourteen days. <br> 66 On the eighth day he sent the people away and they blessed the king. Then they went to their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the Lord had shown to David His servant and to Israel His people.<br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> Consecrating time to the Lord seems like a lost act of worship. Here Solomon and the nation have set aside 2 weeks to dedicate the temple (verse 65). <br> <br> Today, with busy schedules and sometimes just an infatuation with entertainment, we might grow impatient at a worship service that goes a little long. What if we were to consider our time at church as consecrated to God? Rather than just another entry in our calendar, what if we celebrated this time, looking forward to it as though it were a birthday or holiday? How much that could change not only our attitudes, but our relationship with God. How much might that change our churches, as well.<br> <br> <br> <b>Prayer:</b><br> <br> Lord, help me to have the right focus, setting aside time to hear from You and worship You. How I need this time with You and Your people! Shield me from my own selfishness and the cares of this world. Let me be immersed in Your presence.<br> <br> AmenStevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-55156526304508696372008-06-29T18:20:00.000-07:002008-06-29T19:53:11.617-07:001 Kings 8:15-21 - To God be the glory<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 8:15-21<br> 15 He said, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to my father David and has fulfilled it with His hand, saying, <br> 16 'Since the day that I brought My people Israel from Egypt, I did not choose a city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house that My name might be there, but I chose David to be over My people Israel.' <br> 17 "Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. <br> 18 "But the Lord said to my father David, 'Because it was in your heart to build a house for My name, you did well that it was in your heart. <br> 19 'Nevertheless you shall not build the house, but your son who will be born to you, he will build the house for My name.' <br> 20 "Now the Lord has fulfilled His word which He spoke; for I have risen in place of my father David and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and have built the house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. <br> 21 "There I have set a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord, which He made with our fathers when He brought them from the land of Egypt."<br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> As the temple is dedicated, Solomon reminds himself and the nation of how it came about: it was by God's hand (verses 15, 20). God established David as king (verse 16), God told David his son would build the temple (verses 18-19), and God is the reason there even is a temple! (verse 21) Truly, He did it all.<br> <br> God seems to delight in revealing what His will is, and then accomplishing it before our eyes. And He generally does it in such a way that only He can get glory. But strangely, after it's all over, unlike Solomon does here we can forget Who really accomplished it. We forget to give Him the praise for what has occurred. Especially when those around us might be congratulating or expressing gratitude to us, our pride revels in receiving glory for that which we really have no claim. We take so much of what the Lord does for granted, and over estimate any role that He may have allowed us to play.<b><br> <br> <br> Prayer:</b><br> <br> Lord, thank You for the times that You have worked so clearly in and sometimes through my life. What a great God You are to care for me and to use me in the lives of others.<br> <br> Forgive me for the times I've taken the glory for Your work, if only in my mind. Truly, all glory belongs to You for anything good that has come in my life.<br> <br> Amen <br>Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-68990191737821801322008-06-22T13:00:00.000-07:002008-06-22T13:22:17.369-07:001 Kings 8:6-11 - Worship experience<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 8:6-11<br> 6 Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, to the most holy place, under the wings of the cherubim. <br> 7 For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim made a covering over the ark and its poles from above. <br> 8 But the poles were so long that the ends of the poles could be seen from the holy place before the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen outside; they are there to this day. <br> <br> 9 There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the sons of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. <br> 10 It happened that when the priests came from the holy place, the cloud filled the house of the Lord, <br> 11 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. <br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> What a day of celebration! The ark of the covenant is placed in the temple of God for the first time (verse 6), under the sculpted cherubim.<br> <br> And how wonderful is it when the Lord shows up in a special way during a worship service! (verses 10-11) Truly He is always present when we worship, but how great it is when He makes His presence known in a more tangible way. <br> <br> Fantastic displays like this are not the Lord's method we tend to experience these days, but we still may feel Him touch our heart in some way as we worship. We can't allow ourselves to depend on feelings in our walk with God, for these special moments are few, but how neat it is that God chooses to touch us at times in a unique and meaningful way. What a marvelous, personable God, Who chooses to interact with His creation!<br> <br> <b><br> Prayer:</b><br> <br> Lord, may I know Your presence in my life today, even in the mundane. Whether You work in any tangible way or not, may I be confident that You are with me, as You promise:<br> <br> <blockquote>Hebrews 13:5b-6<br> He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU," 6 so that we confidently say,<br> <br> "THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID.<br> WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?" <br> NASU<br> </blockquote> <br> And may I worship You in sincerity. Whether I sense Your presence or not, You are worthy of all worship and praise.<br> <br> Amen <br>Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-30150164522652360822008-06-15T18:11:00.000-07:002008-06-15T18:17:46.914-07:001 Kings 6:37-7:1 - Using God's gifts<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 6:37-7:1<br> 37 In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid, in the month of Ziv. <br> 38 In the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished throughout all its parts and according to all its plans. So he was seven years in building it.<br> 7:1 Now Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house.<br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> The temple was complete after 7 years of construction (verses 37-38). This is significant not only to indicate the size and complexity of the project, but also because the number 7 is used often times in the Bible to symbolize God's perfection. The temple was complete according to God's design (verse 38).<br> <br> It's interesting that right after mentioning the 7 years of work on the temple, we are informed that Solomon spent 13 years building his own home! (verse 7:1) There's no indication of the Lord's disapproval here, and the Lord had chosen to enrich Solomon according to His promise, so this may not be disobedience on the part of Solomon. However, it does give us something to ponder. What portion of my resources do I see as devoted to God versus using for my own needs and desires? Am I using what He's entrusted to me, as He desires? <br> <br> <br> <b>Prayer:</b><br> <br> Lord, I want to see all that is under my control as Yours. No facet of my life is truly mine, but all of it is from You and belongs to You. <br> <br> Let me live in this light, today. May I use all that You've given me according to Your perfect plan, as You guide me.<br> <br> Amen <br>Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-6864190402881617262008-06-08T16:21:00.000-07:002008-06-08T16:37:56.468-07:001 Kings 6:11-13 - Relationship over service<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 6:11-13<br> 11 Now the word of the Lord came to Solomon saying, <br> 12 "Concerning this house which you are building, if you will walk in My statutes and execute My ordinances and keep all My commandments by walking in them, then I will carry out My word with you which I spoke to David your father. <br> 13 " I will dwell among the sons of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel." <br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> The Lord is reminding Solomon of the value He places on a consistent walk with Him. Solomon is doing a wonderful work building the temple, but the Lord wants more than what his hands can produce in this instance, He desires for Solomon to walk in His ways.<br> <br> This is poignant for us, too. We may find ourselves thinking, as Solomon must have been tempted to, that some thing we have done for God replaces our need to walk with Him, daily. But God wants our hearts and lives, not simply an act of devotion here or there. <br> <br> We tend to just want to give the Lord things in an effort to show we're still in touch with Him. We may give to our local church or a ministry financially, or perhaps we serve in some way. All of these are good things, but God prizes a relationship with us above all else. He wants a daily walk with us. Shouldn't we feel the same? Shouldn't our desire be to be connected to Him, not to try and merely appease Him somehow with offerings?<br> <br> <br> <b>Prayer:</b><br> <br> Lord, I give You my heart. I want to walk daily with You, including today. Thank You that I can because of Jesus' sacrifice on my behalf.<br> <br> And Lord, I thank You that my right standing before You is completely based on what Christ has done and not on my own ability. I could never do anything as grand as Solomon, if that's what You required.<br> <br> Amen <br> <br>Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-462266582423188132008-06-01T12:20:00.000-07:002008-06-01T12:48:07.115-07:001 Kings 5:5 - Following through on God's will<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 5:5<br> 5 "Behold, I intend to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spoke to David my father, saying, 'Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, he will build the house for My name.'<br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> Solomon is now prepared to launch into the massive project of building the temple of God, a project that will take 7 years to complete. This was the desire of his father David, but he was given the privilege of seeing it through. In the process, Solomon overcomes a hurdle that stumbles many, he actually does what he knows God wants him to do!<br> <br> Although it can be difficult to discern what the Lord's will is for us, it can also be equally hard to then respond in obedience. Solomon was fortunate in that the task was clearly laid out before him, but I find that the Lord is still capable of making His will clear to us, today. When He does, we must in His strength overcome any fears that would hold us back, and step forward. On the other side of fear is faith and victory.<br> <br> <br> <b>Prayer:</b><br> <br> Lord, give me confidence and clarity concerning Your leading in my life. Then, give me the faith to take action as You guide me! <br> <br> Amen<br> <br>Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-30838191336666605412008-05-18T14:22:00.000-07:002008-05-18T14:28:59.725-07:001 Kings 4:21-34 - Promises from God<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 4:21-34<br> 21 Now Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt; they brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life. <br> <br> 22 Solomon's provision for one day was thirty kors of fine flour and sixty kors of meal, <br> 23 ten fat oxen, twenty pasture-fed oxen, a hundred sheep besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fattened fowl. <br> 24 For he had dominion over everything west of the River, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings west of the River; and he had peace on all sides around about him. <br> 25 So Judah and Israel lived in safety, every man under his vine and his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon. <br> 26 Solomon had 40,000 stalls of horses for his chariots, and 12,000 horsemen. <br> 27 Those deputies provided for King Solomon and all who came to King Solomon's table, each in his month; they left nothing lacking. <br> 28 They also brought barley and straw for the horses and swift steeds to the place where it should be, each according to his charge. <br> <br> 29 Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand that is on the seashore. <br> 30 Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. <br> 31 For he was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was known in all the surrounding nations. <br> 32 He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005. <br> 33 He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop that grows on the wall; he spoke also of animals and birds and creeping things and fish. <br> 34 Men came from all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.<br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> In this glimpse into the life of a very successful, wealthy, and wise king, we also see that the Lord honors the promises He had made to Solomon. He had promised wisdom (verses 29-34), riches (verses 22-28), and honor (verse 31):<br> <br> <blockquote>1 Kings 3:11-13<br> 11 God said to him, "Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice, 12 behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you. 13 " I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days.<br> NASU<br> </blockquote> <br> Isn't it good to know that God can be trusted? When He makes a promise, He fulfills it:<br> <br> <blockquote>Numbers 23:19<br> 19 " God is not a man, that He should lie,<br> Nor a son of man, that He should repent;<br> Has He said, and will He not do it?<br> Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? <br> NASU<br> </blockquote> <br> What a wonderful God!<br> <br> <br> <b>Prayer:</b><br> <br> Lord, it's wonderful to see how You keep Your promises. Let me be encouraged by this, today. The things that You have placed on my heart and written in Your word, You will bring to pass. No time is wasted!<br> <br> Amen <br>Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1321141824943280544.post-63158551674537750472008-05-10T20:07:00.000-07:002008-05-10T20:27:54.910-07:001 Kings 3:16-28 - Ugliness of sin<b>Scripture:</b><br> <br> 1 Kings 3:16-28<br> 16 Then two women who were harlots came to the king and stood before him. <br> 17 The one woman said, "Oh, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house; and I gave birth to a child while she was in the house. <br> 18 "It happened on the third day after I gave birth, that this woman also gave birth to a child, and we were together. There was no stranger with us in the house, only the two of us in the house. <br> 19 "This woman's son died in the night, because she lay on it. <br> 20 "So she arose in the middle of the night and took my son from beside me while your maidservant slept, and laid him in her bosom, and laid her dead son in my bosom. <br> 21 "When I rose in the morning to nurse my son, behold, he was dead; but when I looked at him carefully in the morning, behold, he was not my son, whom I had borne." <br> 22 Then the other woman said, "No! For the living one is my son, and the dead one is your son." But the first woman said, "No! For the dead one is your son, and the living one is my son." Thus they spoke before the king. <br> <br> 23 Then the king said, " The one says, 'This is my son who is living, and your son is the dead one'; and the other says, 'No! For your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.'" <br> 24 The king said, "Get me a sword." So they brought a sword before the king. <br> 25 The king said, "Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other." <br> 26 Then the woman whose child was the living one spoke to the king, for she was deeply stirred over her son and said, "Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him." But the other said, "He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him!" <br> 27 Then the king said, "Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him. She is his mother." <br> 28 When all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had handed down, they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.<br> NASU<br> <br> <br> <b>Thoughts:</b><br> <br> Without a doubt, this is the most famous story of Solomon. With God's wisdom (verse 28), he is able to flush out the impostor (verse 26). Having already lost her own child, she wouldn't care if her "friend" also lost hers.<br> <br> How degraded humans can become! How selfish! These women were sexually immoral (verse 16), and on top of this, the jealous one shows no regard for a child's life. Her own child having died (verse 19), now she's ready to have another killed (verse 26b). <br> <br> This is such an extreme story, it's difficult to read it without disgust. But what of our own sin? Our selfish and hurtful choices are no less disgusting in the eyes of God and others. Oh for a heart that is pure, and set upon pleasing the Lord!<br> <br> <br> <b>Prayer:</b><br> <br> Lord, it's hard to read such an ugly account of human behavior -- though such things occur, everyday. <br> <br> Let my heart always be soft towards You! May I always be quick to respond to Your nudges at my heart and mind, steering me into what is right and away from what is sinful. <br> <br> Help me Lord to walk in Your ways, today. Thank You for Your word that so clearly shows the way I should live.<br> <br> AmenStevenoreply@blogger.com