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No dull blades!

1 Kings 22 – 2 Kings 2

Okay, so after reading today’s passages you’re probably thinking, “didn’t Bill say yesterday that Ahab had been forgiven because he humbled himself before the Lord?  Now today we read that Ahab ended up dying as God prescribed prior to his humble attitude.  At first glance this looks like I missed the mark about Ahab being forgiven.  Believe it or not, I believe what I said yesterday was true, not because I said it was true but because the Bible specifically said that Ahab would not suffer the death earlier declared by God through Elijah.

The problem here is that Ahab went back to his old ways.  He continued to sin against God.  He had a moment of humility before God and then fell back into sinful behavior.  Ahab’s humble change was only momentary and thus his on-going behavior earned him the end he deserved.  That’s tragic, but why does God make sure you and I know this story today by including it in His Word?  Ahab was a sinner just like you and me.  Ahab had a moment of remorse for his behavior and humbled himself before the Lord, just like we did when we accepted Christ.  That, however, is where our paths diverge.  We have Christ; Ahab didn’t.  We have the Holy Spirit Jesus sent to guide us in righteousness; Ahab didn’t.

I remember discussing God with a co-worker years ago and he said more than once “I just can’t believe in a God that would condemn to hell anyone who didn’t or doesn’t know about Jesus”.  I’m a former salesman and this kind of statement is something I used to refer to as a “false objection”.  How God chooses to reveal Himself to others and call others to Him is His business and has nothing to do with you and me.  We could get into this but it is really beside my point.  That co-worker was hearing about God there and then.  God was revealing Himself to that guy and calling that guy to Him.  The issue wasn’t “what about everybody else”.  The issue was, “what about you”; would he respond or not.

The issue for you and me, and those to whom we take the Gospel is, what are you going to do with God’s call today?  As Christians we do have the Holy Spirit to guide us in righteousness.  Are you responding to His guidance?

Today’s reading also gave us a glimpse at godly mentoring.  We don’t actually see the mentoring but we do see the results.  Elijah had mentored Elisha.  Elisha was faithful to Elijah and God.  He faithfully followed his mentor and when the time came for Elijah to be taken up, Elisha was ready.  Elisha duplicated Elijah’s miracle of parting the Jordan.  Elisha was immediately seen to have assumed Elijah’s mantel.

In my walk I have come to realize that each of us needs to mentor and be mentored.  Each of us is further along in our spiritual maturity than some and a bit behind others.  Do you look for the opportunity to mentor?  Do you look for those who might mentor you?  You know, when Jesus sent his disciples out for a little missionary work without Him, he sent them, not alone but, two by two.  We are fools if we think we can walk this road completely alone.  There may be times when we have to walk a short distance with no human companionship but it really should be the exception rather than the rule.  We are made for fellowship brothers.  There is no getting around it.

I’m reminded of the following verse as I’m sure you are as well.

Proverbs 27:17

“Iron sharpens iron,

and one man sharpens another.”

Realize that you are not only to be sharpened by another godly man but to sharpen others as well.  I think that a lot of what is wrong today in the Church is a lack of mentoring.  Too few of our brothers in Christ are being raised up to spiritual maturity.  This is about discipling and being discipled.  Don’t be a dull blade my friend.

Finally, we read the story about Elisha and the bears today.  Let’s clear up some misunderstandings.  The young people were not little children as the King James Version renders it but young adults.  They are not taunting Elisha’s follicly challenged head.  They are ridiculing the story that God caught Elijah up in the air.  They are scoffing at the idea that a god has the power to do such a thing.  “Go up” is a challenge to duplicate the miracle.  They are saying prove it.  Realize that they are not really mocking the prophet, they are mocking God.

Elisha pronounces his curse “in the name of the Lord”.  Some have claimed that Elisha acted with malice and anger toward the “youths”.  To do something in the name of someone in the Old Testament, however, is to do it in the character of that person.  It is to do something at the behest or at least in harmony with the person named.  Remember earlier on in our readings how God would burn, or swallow up, or otherwise destroy those that treated Him with a lack of godly respect?

I remember an old margarine commercial that had “Mother Nature” tasting what she thought was butter, and when she was told that it was margarine, thunder cracked and her face turned stern and she said “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature!”  Well you can’t fool God but it’s not nice to ridicule him either.  Is that thunder I hear?  Grab hold of your fire extinguishers guys, it’s going to get a little hot.

God showed Israel, at a critical point in their history, that they must respect God if they expect to receive His blessing.  This was a tough lesson but these young men had it coming.  What was that old Jim Croce song?  “You don’t tug on Super Man’s cape, you don’t spit in the wind, you don’t pull on the mask of the ole Lone Ranger and you don’t mess around with God!”  I may have misquoted that a bit.

Well, I’ve rambled today haven’t I?  My apologies.  Brothers, let’s start, or keep, sharpening each other, as the case may be.  We have work to do and we can’t do it with dull blades!

Have a blessed and wonderful day!  God loves you!

Your brother and servant in Christ,

Bill

Dying to self, living to serve!

Why do good things happen to bad people?

1 Kings 20-21

I’ve often heard the question, why do bad things happen to good people.  Today’s reading made me ask the reverse, why do good things happen to bad people?  Ahab is one nasty dude.  The childish self-centeredness of this guy is just stupendous.  Remember, Elijah, the man of God, is on the run from him.  The good-guy is in hiding afraid for his life and the bad guy gets God’s help in defeating his enemy.  Doesn’t seem right does it?

Why does God help this no-account king?  Why did God help Ahab defeat Ben-hadad twice?  Was it for Ahab’s sake?  No.  Both times God tells us specifically why he gave Ahab victory; “you shall know that I am the Lord”.  God is showing His power to both Israel and Syria and all the people of the Middle East and all the generations to come.  There is no way Ahab wins unless God backs him.  Ahab is fantastically out-numbered.  After the first defeat the Syrians decide it is because the gods of Israel are gods of the hills.  They figure they just have to fight the Israelites in the plain and their gods will not be able to help them.

Syria did not know much about the one true God did they?  I bet they did their homework after the spanking they got from the hands of a little, inferior nation like Israel; don’t you think?  If you look at the kings of both these nations, Syria and Israel, neither really merits divine support.  God isn’t working to keep either of these buffoons on their throne.  He is working to call all of mankind into right relationship with Him.  He wants the world to know Him.

Ahab will get his just reward; oh, wait a minute.  He got a reprieve didn’t he?  Because he realized the wages of his sin was gruesome death, he humbled himself before the Lord.  Disaster will come in the future for his descendants, and they will have earned it, but Ahab will not be burned up as Elijah declared.

Salvation.  That is why sometimes good things happen to bad people.  God is about salvation, not revenge.  God is fully righteous and, thank goodness, He is also fully merciful.  He keeps calling.  He keeps working in the world to redeem all that will turn to Him.

Have you ever stopped to think that you are called to be a modern day Elijah?  Ahab was saved because Elijah faithfully delivered God’s message that disaster was upon him.  Look at the people that sit across the hall or cubical from you.  If they don’t know Jesus, disaster is upon them.  Look at your family, your neighbors, people walking by; if they don’t know Jesus, disaster is upon them.  I don’t mean to say that you should go shouting fire and brimstone in the face of all these people; heaven forbid.  Remember that Elijah had a series of encounters with Ahab before this particular showdown.  Elijah had faithfully delivered a series of messages.

If you accepted Christ and he cleansed you of your sins so you can now be in the presence of a holy God, and if God’s desire is for you to spend eternity with Him in Heaven, then why are you still here?  Why hasn’t He taken you home yet?  God hasn’t taken you home yet because He’s got Elijah-type work for you to do.

Yesterday Elijah begged God to take him home after being hounded by Jezebel into hiding in the desert.

1 Kings 19:4

“But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

God sent an angel to strengthen him and get him back into the fray.  God still had work for him to do.  Today, God has sent his Holy Spirit to strengthen you and to keep you in the fray.  You are His and He has a job for you to do.  Did you know that by doing the work the Father has sent you to do you glorify Him?  Read John 17 when you get a chance.  In that passage Jesus clearly says that He glorified the Father by doing the work God sent Him to do and that now His disciples would glorify Him by do the work He sent them to do.

John 17:4

“I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.”

John 17:18-21

“As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.  And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.  I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

Brothers, it may seem like the bad-guys are having all the fun and all the good-guys are hiding out in a desert.  The truth is those “bad-guys” are just like we were and they are laughing and playing all the way to their eternal fiery graves.  Don’t be jealous of them.  You are the truly rich ones here, and having been saved from a gruesome end, we should have pity on those that are being left behind.  We should be doing the work God sent us to do; calling a lost and dying world.

Have a blessed day my fellow heirs to the Kingdom of God!

Your brother and servant in Christ,

Bill

Dying to self, living to serve!

How brightly does your zeal for God burn within you?

Elijah, an example for today!

1 Kings 18-19

Elijah is one godly man.  Do you know he is the only other character in the Bible story that does not die but is taken up to heaven?  The first was Enoch.  As we will see shortly, the second was Elijah.  This guy clearly has a heart after God’s own heart.  He is outraged at the wickedness of Israel and rightly so.  Look at this relationship.  Elijah loves God and is jealous for Him.  God loves and provides for Elijah.  God feeds him through the agency of ravens at one point, a destitute woman at another, and finally an angel.

No one ever said being a godly man would win you popularity contests let alone a comfortable ride.  Elijah had to live on the run but God always provided for him.  That’s the way it is for godly men today.  It is not easy to be a godly man.  The self discipline alone is hard enough.  The isolation from the world one can feel is difficult as well though not as difficult as the persecution that is also often present.  Through it all guys, God will provide for you.  All it takes is a heart and mind dedicated to Him.

Do you remember the transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain?  The disciples saw Moses and Elijah there; Moses representing the Law and Elijah the prophets.  You may also recall Jesus refer to the “Law and the Prophets”.  He referred to them because they pointed to Him.  The book of Malachi mentions a prophecy about Elijah.

Malachi 4:5-6

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.  And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”

Some argue that John the Baptist was in fact, or in essence, Elijah.  Others disagree saying that the hearts of the fathers were not turned in any significant way during Christ’s first appearance.  They believe that Elijah will come just before or during the tribulation.  Some point to Revelation 11 as a reference to Elijah’s return.

Revelation 11

“And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”

Remember my comment above about “The Law and The Prophets”.  Both of these point to Christ or are witnesses to Christ.  Some folks believe that the witnesses in this verse from Revelation are Moses and Elijah for this reason.  There are other references to Elijah in the Bible.

I read a little about Elijah and thought that a couple of passages on him from “Every Man in the Bible” would be of interest to you.  So I’ll close with that but guys remember, it is hard to be a godly man but the strength, power, and unfathomable rewards are great!

FROM “EVERY MAN IN THE BIBLE” by Lawrence O. Richards (1999, Thomas Nelson)

Elijah

Scripture references:
1 Kings 17–19; 2 Kings 1–2;
Malachi 4; Matthew 11, 17;
Mark 9; Luke 1, 4, 9;
John 1; James 5:17

————————?————————

Date: About 875 b.c.

Name: Elijah [ee-LI-juh; “Yahweh is my God”]

Greatest accomplishment: Elijah checked the efforts of evil King Ahab and his wife Jezebel to replace the worship of Yahweh with worship of Baal in the northern Hebrew kingdom.

————————?————————

Elijah’s Role in Scripture

Elijah lived at a critical time in the history of the northern kingdom, Israel. From its origin in 930 b.c., Israel had been ruled by kings who refused to submit to God’s will. The first ruler of the north, Jeroboam I, had designed a counterfeit worship system to keep his citizens from going to Jerusalem, the capital of the southern kingdom, Judah, to worship. In the 850s, King Ahab, encouraged by his wife Jezebel, initiated an active campaign to wipe out the worship of Yahweh in Israel and replace it with worship of Baal. Jezebel had imported some 850 pagan prophets from her homeland and at the same time had set out to exterminate any prophets of the Lord who remained in Israel. It was then that Elijah appeared, and demonstrated the power of the Lord first by bringing a three-and-a-half-year drought that devastated Israel, and then by defeating 450 prophets of Baal in a contest on Mount Carmel. The outcome was that the people of Israel, who had been wavering, affirmed that “the Lord, He is God!” (1 Kings 18:39). The efforts of Ahab and Jezebel were stymied, and while the counterfeit religious system existing in Israel was not changed, the Israelites were turned back to the Lord.

This confrontational ministry of Elijah and its great national impact serve in Scripture as a model for the ministry of a prophet predicted in Malachi 4:5–6.

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet

Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

And he will turn

The hearts of the fathers to the children,

And the hearts of the children to their fathers,

Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.

Elijah and the Malachi prophecy are referred to frequently in the Gospels. A prophet with an Elijah-like ministry (or, some say, Elijah himself!) will appear before the Messiah sets up His kingdom. John the Baptist had this kind of ministry, but Israel did not respond, and so the Elijah prophecy was not fulfilled in John.

James 5 also contains a significant reference to Elijah. James encouraged his readers to pray and declared that “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit” (James 5:17–18). The inspired author focused on two matters: Elijah’s humanity and his prayer.

…

Elijah: An Example  For Today

Elijah provides us a picture of the prophet as a lonely man—a man dedicated to God in a hostile society. Elijah was bold and brave, but Elijah was merely human. His dedication to God placed strains on him that led to the recorded bout of fear and depression. Elijah’s experience reminds us that while commitment to the Lord may increase the stress in our life, the Lord is committed to us and will meet us in our need. From Elijah we discover much about the cost and the rewards of commitment.

•  Elijah reminds us that we may find ourselves in situations where we feel that we alone have remained faithful to the Lord. Should this happen, we are to be bold and speak up for Him as Elijah did.

•  Elijah reminds us that when we feel weakest God may be the closest to us, ready to whisper to us in a still, small voice.

•  Elijah reminds us that God is never critical of our human limitations. God understands us, and cares. He knows how to provide what we need to go on with life.

•  Elijah reminds us that we need God’s perspective always. However alone we may feel, many others love God equally and share our experiences.

•  Elijah reminds us that we, too, need the companionship of like-minded believers. Today, you and I can find this companionship with others in the church, the body of Christ. Let’s seek fellowship there, that we might offer and receive support.

Have a blessed day guys!

Your brother and servant in Christ,

Bill

Dying to self, living to serve!

He will try to measure up, or down, to Dad.

How will you walk?

1 Kings 15-17

Boy, it just keeps getting worse and worse doesn’t it?  At least in Israel.  In Judah, Asa, the grandson of Jeroboam, actually turns Judah back to God by destroying the foreign gods and idols.  He went so far as to remove his grandmother, Maacah, from her position as “queen mother” because “she had made an abominable image for Asherah”.  While he failed to take down the high places, his heart was “wholly true to the Lord all his days.”

While he reigns in Judah, Israel is going to go through a series of kings all worse than the first, and it seems as if each new king who comes to power through treachery kills off all the descendents of his predecessor.  These guys show humanity at its most selfish and worst.

Since we are supposed to be looking at what God would have us understand about Godly manhood through our Bible reading together I’d like to discuss the consequences of our behavior as men and as fathers.  While I list these as two separate items, if we have children then we are both men and fathers, the two cannot be viewed as two different issues; they are the same man.

We have heard God say that He will visit punishment on the children for the bad behavior of the father.

Numbers 14:18

“The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

I did a quick search and found four different Old Testament passages that said “to the third and the fourth generation” when discussing the punishment of those that walk away from Him.  God has told these kings of Israel what comes of walking away from Him but why does God punish the children to the third and fourth generation?  How can they be held accountable for the acts of their father?

If you will notice each subsequent generation of Israel seems to be worse than the previous.  Having learned bad behavior and self-centeredness from the previous generation the subsequent generations build on their parent’s debauchery and perversion.  It isn’t that God punishes the innocent.  It is that bad parenting leads to bad behavior in the children.  What is the natural outcome for children of parents who do not walk in the ways of the Lord?

Today’s reading, and many before it, point to the fact that as men and fathers we have an incredible responsibility to practice, model, and teach a godly lifestyle.  The errors of our ways will very likely be mimicked by our children bringing on them the same awful consequences we bring on our own heads.

Now lest anyone try to blame their bad behavior on their father, God provides us the example of Asa who, without the modeling of a godly father, turned his heart toward God.  A father’s behavior influences a child but a man has the power to choose a right relationship with God.  There is no way out of personal accountability.  We are responsible for the example we set but we are also responsible for the decisions we make.  You cannot blame your father for your bad choices but you should blame yourself for the example you set for your children.

Ah, the blame game.  What’s the point?  Why do we always attempt to assign blame?  There is a point to blame when used appropriately; when it is used to hold ourselves accountable.  We should accept blame for our own behavior so as to motivate a godly change.  By the same token, we should offer forgiveness to others so we can point them to ultimate forgiveness.

I want to touch on another aspect of this.  God does not order each successive king to destroy the offspring of his predecessor.  These evil dudes are doing this in their own wickedness in a futile attempt to maintain power.  The child of a previous king would be a challenge to their throne.  These ruthless fellows are not about to allow a perceived threat to remain alive.

In my view, God does not order evil to be done.  Having given His creation free will He allows us to experience the natural consequences of evil acts.  Even the “innocent” suffer in a fallen world.  Jesus sure did.  The suffering is from man not from God.  Again, in my view, when God says He will visit punishment on people He is saying that He is allowing it to happen, not commanding it to happen.  He knows it will take place because He knows what is to come.  I do not mean to say that God can’t or won’t use the evil acts of others to accomplish His purpose.  In fact that is exactly what I am saying.  God does use the evil acts of others to accomplish His purpose.  Of course, He uses the good acts of others to accomplish His purpose as well.  What is that purpose?  To reconcile His creation with Himself.

Guys, your witness to the world begins in your own home, and just like in the real world, it starts with your walk.  Walk with God.  Practice daily discipleship.  Let the light of Christ shine from within.  Leave a legacy of joy and peace!

Have a great day my brothers!

Your brother and servant in Christ,

Bill

Dying to self, living to serve!

Disobedience hurts!

OBEY

1 Kings 12-14

Okay, I have read through the Bible cover to cover a number of times but I have forgotten far more than I remember.  That is why I found my jaw dropping as I read today’s passages.  We had been told that Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, would lose all but the tribe of Judah due to Solomon’s turning his back on God and worshipping other gods.  We knew that was coming.  We were also told that Jeroboam would be made king over the remaining tribes.  Again, we knew that was coming.

What I didn’t see coming is that the guy who God made king over Israel would immediately make golden calves for Israel to worship.  Get this:

1 Kings 12:28

“So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, “You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”

It would be one thing if the guy had no idea that God had made him king but this guy had to run to Egypt until Solomon died because God had foretold that Jeroboam would be king and Solomon had tried to kill him because of it.  So here is a clear demonstration to Jeroboam of God’s authority and power and he makes golden calves and says “here is who brought you out of Egypt”?  Really?  I just can’t get my mind around it.  How warped and twisted do you have to be to not understand the consequences of such a perverted act?

You know, that is the problem with reading about the Israelites.  We read from many thousands of years in the future knowing the course of history and we say “You dummies!  Don’t you know that your disobedience is going to hurt”?  Were there to be another 5,000 years before Christ returns I wonder what people would say of us.  Would it be something like “You dummies!  Don’t you know that your disobedience is going to hurt”?

I think the parallels between ancient Israel and modern America are pretty apparent but what about a comparison between ancient Israel and the American church?  Did you notice in today’s reading the story of the “man of God” whom God sent to prophesy about Jeroboam’s downfall?  He obeyed God, delivered his message and went home.  Part of his instructions from God was to “neither eat bread nor drink water nor return by the way that you came” (1 Kings 13:9).  When invited by Jeroboam and later a prophet to go with them and eat he says no quoting his instructions from God.  So far so good.

The prophet, unfortunately, lied to the “man of God” and told him that an angel had spoken the word of the Lord to him and that “the man of God” was to go home with him.  The man of God, I’m sure, was tired, hungry and thirsty.  This probably sounded like music to his ears.  It was something he wanted to hear.  At this prohibited meal God speaks through the prophet and tells the man of God that his “body shall not come to the tomb of your fathers”.  He is going to die.  He will not make it home.  He will not be buried in the tomb of his fathers.  Can you imagine starting off on your trip home knowing that you will die before you get there?

Man that is harsh!  My human sense of righteousness was outraged.  It was the prophet that had lied.  The prophet ought to be punished not the man of God!  The man of God had every intention to obey.  He was tricked!  This isn’t fair!

Boy we love that phrase “It isn’t fair!”  Fair by whose standard?  Here is the problem with what the man of God did.  God spoke directly to him and told him what to do.  Someone else came along and said “God countermanded His order and now you are to do something else.”  Why would the man of God accept the word of this stranger?  If he has a direct channel to God why would he assume God would change his orders by talking through someone else?  It isn’t consistent with how God started the communication.

Let me give you an example.  If my wife tells me that our daughter is not allowed to have any more sweets today and then one of her little friends comes to me and says “Mr. Hood, I just spoke with Mrs. Hood and she says that Olivia can have a big slice of chocolate cake”, what do you think my response will be?  “Well if you say so.”  No.  That will not be my response.  My response will be to call my wife and confirm that directive.  If I gave my daughter that cake do you think my wife would be mad at me or my daughter?  You got it.  I’d have a big bull’s-eye painted on my forehead!  I’d be in for it brother and I don’t mean maybe!

Do you know there are at least two major religious groups in the world today that do exactly that?  They say their more recent guy is the latest and greatest word on the subject of God and redemption.  I’m aware of allegedly Christian denominations that say God’s Word was written for a different time and that the prohibitions against things like homosexuality are no longer pertinent.  I’ve quoted before Christ’s statement that He came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it.  He further said that not one dot would pass from the law until heaven and earth pass away (Matthew 5:17-18).  I’m also reminded of His words when he said:

Matthew 7:21-23

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’  And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

Brothers, God has written a sense of right and wrong on every human heart.  He calls the world to right relationship with Him and, more importantly, He has provided you, and every Christian, with His Word and His Holy Spirit to guide you in His will.  You have no need to search out a guru or some other spiritual leader to tell you God’s will.

When Christ died the veil was ripped from top to bottom.  You can now come into the presence of the almighty and holy God because the shed blood of Christ covers your sin.  He can, will, and does speak directly to you.  Woe to you if you take a word from man that is contrary to God’s revealed Word.  You will not be held blameless.  Compare everything that comes from man against the Holy Word of God.  If it doesn’t fit you must acquit!

Believe it or not, the sin of Rehoboam, Jeroboam, and the man of God were the same; they didn’t follow God’s commands.  To not follow God’s commands is to turn your back on God.  That is deadly.  Good intentions are not enough.  Forgiveness through Christ is paramount.  That requires that you accept Him as your King and that you do not follow after false gods.  If you have truly accepted Christ, false teachers will rub you the wrong way.  If, however, you fall for a lie, you will not lose your salvation, but there will be consequences.

There is no need for that brothers.  Remember under whose authority you have placed yourself and obey that authority alone so, as God says many a time in the Bible, things “will go well for you”!

Have a blessed day!

Your brother and servant in Christ,

Bill

Dying to self, living to serve!

Let Your Light So Shine Before Men

1 Kings 10-11

Well today’s reading begins by telling us of Solomon’s wisdom.  The Queen of Sheba comes and fawns over his great intelligence.  I get the feeling Solomon liked this fawning as the Bible tells us that he gave Sheba anything she asked for.  There is a legend that Solomon had relations with Sheba and he gave her the Ark of the Covenant.  It is said that he had a child by her as well.  There is a place in Ethiopia, allegedly Sheba’s home, which claims to have the ark to this day.  Of course, only the high priest can go into the presence of the Ark so there is no way to verify this claim.

I get the sense that Solomon was a real sucker for the ladies.  What I can’t figure out is how an allegedly smart man can have 700 wives and 300 concubines.  I know we joke about such things but really, how can this be a good idea?  It’s not, and as we read today it turns Solomon from God.  These women are his down fall.

God allowed Solomon to maintain control of all of Israel while he was alive due to the faithfulness of David.  Yes David sinned but then all men have sinned.  David never, however, worshiped other gods.  David was faithful to God even though he was a sinner.  The kingdom will be wrenched from Solomon’s son.  The line of Solomon will retain Judah, but the other tribes Israel will have a different king; this becomes a divided kingdom due to unfaithfulness.

Guys, I think there is yet another warning here for us.  Is God our only god; are you faithful to Him?  You know, the Queen of Sheba was blown away by the life Solomon lived.  It would be easy for anyone who looked at the wealth and joy that Solomon had and desire that for one’s self.  That should be true for us as Christians.  We are children of the King of the universe.  He has blessed us beyond belief.  The wealth of joy and peace that are our inheritance should be apparent to the lost and they should desire what we have.

When, however, the source of those blessings are taken for granted and the things of this world become idols, the blessings themselves become diminished and we lose the fullness of joy and peace He intends for us to have.  When we lose those we have nothing the world needs let alone wants.  Our life is to be a beacon of hope to those who don’t know our Lord and Savior.  Is that light shining in your life as you walk with Him or have you walked away from him and dimmed that light?

Brothers, please don’t crave the lesser part.  Don’t let your hearts be turned away by the empty promises of a lost and dying world.  Never allow anything to draw your eyes away from Jesus.  Never allow anything to dim His light in you.  It is too precious to throw away for baubles!

Have a fantastic day guys!

Your brother and servant in Christ,

Bill

Dying to self, living to serve!