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Today is Friday April 24, 2009 and we are continuing our studies on the book of I Kings. Please read chapters 3-5 in your Bible or you can Click Here to read them online. If the link does not work you can copy and paste this link into your browser: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I%20Kings%203-5&version=9

Today's Message: Spiritual Failure
It does not matter how wise or talented we are, we can not compromise God's Word in order to become successful. In doing so, we become spiritual failures and eventually any success becomes failure.

Solomon was known as the wisest man of all time, although he loved God there was no record that showed he loved God with all his heart. This proved true when he became friends with the Pharaoh of Egypt and married his daughter as well as made sacrifices to God in high places, which were for pagans. "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). Solomon is an example of brilliant, multi-talented people who are so blessed with God's gifts, yet
compromise biblical principles, assuming that God is pleased with them since they are successful and popular in the world.

To get Solomon to realize that he needed to rely on God he came to him on a dream. "In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day...................Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?And the speech pleased the LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing.................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." (3:5-6,9-10,12-14). God was trying to get Solomon's attention through the dream to remind him that he needed to meditate upon Scripture so he could discern between good and bad, but this remarkable dream had no lasting affect on his life, for he became increasingly self-centered.

In his lifetime, Solomon 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 high places were all acts of rebellion against God. These actions eventually led to his apostasy. It all started with his willingness to compromise with the world in order to prosper. Compromise, is a powerful foothold of sin and often destroys our spiritual strength and the only way to overcome it is to study God's Word so you know exactly what his instructions are. "Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness." (II Timothy 2:14-16).

God will use many ways to get us to hear what he has to say to us, even our dreams. How do you know if it is God speaking to you? Anything God says, whether it is in a dream, a vision, an impression, or that still small voice, will agree completely with what He has revealed in His Word. If you you feel God is speaking to you, prayerfully examine the Word of God to see if it is in agreement with Scripture. "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." I Corinthians 2:12-14).

Today's Psalm: 51:10
"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."

Have a wonderful and blessed night/day and weekend.
God Bless,
Christina

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