Seek God's Wisdom 04.22.08

Hello My Friends/Guest,

It is Tuesday April 22, 2008 and today we are continuing our study on the book of I Kings. Please read Chapters 3-4 in your Bible or Click Here to read. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I%20Kings%203-4&version=9

Today we will read and learn about Solomon marrying the Pharoah's daughter and his kingdom becoming secure. Today's message focuses on realizing that God is the source of all wisdom and without Him we can not understand what is good or bad regardless of how good it looks to us.

Soon after Solomon became king we read that he creates a relationship with the Pharoah of Egypt and marries his daughter. He also declared his love for God, "And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall of Jerusalem round about. Only the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no house built unto the name of the LORD, until those days. And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places." (I Kings 3:1-3).

The Tabernacle and the Altar of Burned Offering were still located at Gibeon, about six miles northwest of Jerusalem. The last major event to take place at Gibeon was Solomon's great dedication service as king and on the night of that great sacrifice, Solomon had a remarkable dream. "And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days. And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants." (3:11-15). God's purpose for this dream was to remind Solomon that He is the source of all wisdom and, without Him, man is but a little child who needs help in order to discern between good and bad. This "dream" is recorded to remind us that this important need still exists today.

This dream revealed the abundant mercy and grace that God would give Solomon or anyone else who chooses to live to love the Lord with all his heart and keeps His commandments . Sadly, this remarkable dream had no lasting affect on his life for he became increasingly self-centered. Solomon ignored God's Word concerning what the kings of Israel were commanded, "But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold." (Deuteronomy 17:16-17). He not only turned to Egypt for horses, but he also took Pharaoh's daughter as a wife. He offered enormous sacrifices to God, built the world famous Temple in Jerusalem, and offered the longest recorded prayer in the Bible; but his disregard for God's Word, his many marriages to pagan wives, and his worship at their Canaanite high places were all acts of rebellion against God.

Solomon refused to follow his godly father's advice to keep the Lord's commandments, he is typical of the brilliant, multitalented people who compromise biblical principles and still assume that God is pleased since they are successful and popular. But compromise is the first foothold of sin that sooner or later destroys one's spiritual usefulness and influence for Christ.

Too often people claim to be Christians because it will benefit them in some manner, but a real relationship with Christ begins by loving the Lord with all your heart and not becoming consumed with the lusts of the world. "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment." (Matthew 22:37-38).

In today's message Jesus Christ is revealed through the wisdom which God gave Solomon (I Kings 3:12). "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:" (I Corinthians 1:30)

Today's Psalm: 86:12
"I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore."

Today's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Help our ears to be alert, our eyes to be open, and our hearts perceptive as we follow in Your ways. May we be eager to hear Your teaching and apply it to our lives so that we may be found blameless before You and experience the joy You give to those who follow Your commands. When Your meaning is clear help us to seek no other meaning to satisfy our own desires or to change the clear meaning of Your message. Align our desires with Your own, that we might find genuine peace and wholehearted obedience as You bring spiritual healing to our lives. Help us to follow Your will as You will bless us abundantly in doing so. In Jesus' name, I pray....Amen.

Have a terrific Tuesday and God bless you,
Christina

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