Alive and Active

In Luke 18 Jesus described two men who went to the temple to pray. One man was a Pharisee who thought he followed the law but in all reality, he was self-righteous and prideful. The other man was a tax collector who was hated by everyone and he humbly asked God for mercy since he knew he was a sinner. The tax collector and the Pharisee needed to be rescued and only Jesus Christ will set us free from the penalty of sin. Don't be deceived like the Pharisee, rest peacefully in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Exodus 20 instructs the Jewish people to remember the Sabbath by keeping it holy. The Pharisees made it legalistic and forgot the real reason for the Sabbath. Jesus paid the price for our sins on the cross so that we could rest in Him. We have flexibility in how we observe the Sabbath, but the key is celebrating the Lord Jesus Christ and resting in His finished work

In 1 Kings 6 the Lord came to Solomon and promised Solomon that if he observed His laws and kept His commands then the Lord would live among the Israelites and not abandon His people. Solomon knew the law, especially  Deuteronomy 17 which instructed kings on how they should serve. By 1 Kings 11 Solomon had violated the law and pursued gold, foreign women and foreign gods. When we are tempted for power, money, lust, and more things that will set us apart from God, we must confess our sins and repent and turn back to Jesus.

In 1st Kings 5 the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon and Solomon was strategic in the way he allowed his workers to be refreshed and rested. Solomon trusted in the sovereignty of God despite the monumental task. Whatever we have, we can offer it up to the Lord so he can distribute as He sees fit. We need to be disciplined and we need to make rest a priority so God can recalibrate our thinking.

What does it mean to honor a friendship? Solomon's father David had a great friendship with King Hiram of Tyre and now Solomon was hoping to use that friendship. In 1st Kings 5, Solomon connects with Hiram about asking for cedars so he could build a temple for the Lord.  Hiram and Solomon worked together to accomplish an important task for the Lord. As believers we should honor the friendships in our lives and finish strong for Christ.

Solomon's first test is recorded in 1 Kings 3 when two prostitutes come before him claiming one child as their own. Solomon tested both women and exposed their inner thoughts to find out who was the rightful mother.  Israel was in awe of the king because they saw the wisdom he had from God as he was administering justice. We have the opportunity each day to expose our children for who they are and to put them to wise tests to expose the fruit in their lives.

In 1st Kings 3, God comes to Solomon in a dream and asks him to ask for whatever he wants. Solomon understood the important responsibility of leading God's people and he asked for a discerning heart to govern God's people. It says the the Lord was pleased with Solomon's ask and God blessed Solomon and gave him way more than he could have ever asked for. We tend to be trivial with our asks and we don't get in the paint with God because we don’t understand his ways however, we too have the opportunity to ask the Lord good asks that are in line with His desires for us, but we have to have a trustworthy relationship with the Lord and learn and study His Word. As we mature in the Lord, our asks will also mature.

2 Corinthians 6:14 says "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers." When it comes to marriage, the Bible says two shall become one flesh and the Lord says let no man divide. God gives us urges and impulses but they are to be guided in the right direction and we must be grounded in our training. We must go to the Lord first when seeking a spouse and we should follow God's word instead of letting our emotions get in the way.

Before he died King David gave his son Solomon instruction on how to establish the Kingdom of God and how to set the culture. In 1 Kings 2, Solomon wisely addressed Adonijah, Abiathar, Joab and Shimei and he judiciously dealt with each of them. Because Solomon set the temperature, the kingdom was now established in his hands. Solomon was not afraid to make tough decisions so that the culture would be set in ways to honor The Lord.

In 1 Kings 1, David had grown old and unfortunately the consequences of not disciplining his son Adonijah have caught up to him. Adonijah knew his brother Solomon was to be the next king, but he tried recruiting people to help him take the crown. Bathsheba and Nathan brought the news to David who was unaware of Adonijah's rebellion. David's supporting cast showed up and helped get David's mind straight. As believers we need to be ready to help others reach the finish line of life.