Arise and Abide

This week’s passage is 1 Kings 8:22-53. Solomon understands that God will not be contained by a building. The purpose of the temple was to honor the name of God and give the people a place to turn to and worship the LORD. Remember how big God is and His presence within you. Solomon asking God to always forgive the people when they turn to God with their whole hearts. Solomon identifies who God is, His character and attributes. You’ve witnessed what God can do; you can trust God. Solomon asks God to do all the things that are inline with God’s own character. Solomons prayer is a cry of dependence on God. All the wisdom God gave Solomon and his human nature still tried to over complicate the people ability to go to God, you do not have to turn towards Jerusalem to have God here you, see you, or rescue you. Solomon’s wisdom compared to David’s heart for God. Solomon’s prayer foreshadows all the ways in which Israel will inevitably mess up. Despite having all the wisdom, Solomon didn’t have the same heart as David. God really wants your whole heart. Because troubles and trials will come, we should be proactive in our faith praying continually and at intentional times. We are living in this world, but we have the opportunity every day to go out and follow Jesus, seeking His kingdom, and the promises and plan He has for us in the Kingdom of God.

Reading Psalms 74. The repeating theme of the Psalm where the author finds himself in a place where all is lost, needing saving, and reminding himself of all God’s goodness, faithfulness, power, and ability to rescue no matter the situation. The psalmist is calling God to remember as well as calling God to stand up for God’s own name. Jesus was always glorifying God and when God helps us, God glorifies God’s own name. The nation of Israel was supposed to represent God’s goodness and love and be a holy nation.   We can look solely at our situation and circumstance, or to turn to God. Even if all the places we’ve built to worship God get burnt down, God is bigger than the buildings and is still with you. The enemy and their attacks seem so small compared to all God has created and has charge over, God is sovereign.

This week’s passage is 1 Kings 8:1-21. Summary of 1 Kings 4-7 to set the context. All the people of Israel are brought together for this time. In chapter 3 Solomon went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices as everyone else but David was doing, when in Deuteronomy it says everyone should gather at a place of worship God chose. Now they are all worshiping God in the place God chose. God’s presence came in a thick cloud, so thick that the priests could not continue their priestly duties. The weightiness of God’s presence requires your attention. God’s presence dwelling with people was always part of the plan and after the fall God works to bring us back. Now God dwells with us individually, and we are living stones of a spiritual temple. The special moment when we stand in victory as God’s word is fulfilled. We can look forward to God’s promises to be fulfilled as it says in Revelation 21:3.

Psalm Sunday returns with Psalms 73. This is a relatable Psalm because we’ve all observed injustice in the world. Going into God’s presence and giving Him your troubles. God is patient and gives people opportunity to repent. Questioning inside stirs up doubt, so we are to go to God with all our thoughts so He can fill us with faith. Start the day in a place of praise and worship. We can go to God with questions in our heart and find clarity on God’s heart and how He is working. Surrender all your judgments over to the truth God shows you. Turn to God, draw near to God, and God will give you understanding, He died so we can.

This week’s passage is 1 Kings 3:16-28. Immediately following Solomon asking for wisdom we are given an example of the wisdom God gave him. All glory was going to God. The bible teaches about God’s nature as well as revealing human nature. Proverbs 18:17, Solomon has no way of knowing who is lying and uses a teaching Jesus gives in Luke 6:45 to find the real mother of the child. It doesn’t tell us if it is the first woman or the second woman. John 10:10, the thief comes only to kill, steal, and destroy, but I have come that you may have life and have it to the full. There are moments when we need help in judgement and if we go to God, He is faithful to answer.  

Psalm Sunday returns with Psalms 72. This Psalm is David’s prayer for his son Solomon. The heart behind this prayer is for his child to know the Lord and remain close to his heart. This Psalm can be read as a description of how God would reign on earth. The love of justice being right and fair, fruitful, everlasting, and widespread. Absolute power corrupts absolutely because of selfish human nature. 2 Chronicles 1:7 God appearing to Solomon and Solomon asks for wisdom. When we follow after God, we can help bring the kingdom of heaven to the earth. Even with all the wisdom Solomon had, he still fell short. We fall short but God rescues us. God is for us, He is with us, He always sees what we are going through. God has you, God has saved you, God has rescued you, God is continuing to carry you, God is faithful to finish the good work He started which is to save you, and you can trust Him.

This week’s passage is 1 Kings 3:1-15. How perspective on this story can changed for Sally. Solomon going to God while he is in the middle of it a lot going on. The humility of Solomon contrasts with Adonijah’s pride. God giving Solomon his request and everything else he could have asked for. Matthew 6:33, we are not to worry but we are to seek the Kingdom of God. Doing the work of remaining humble in God’s presence always going to God for the next step, how to deal with people, how to handle circumstances. God’s promise to Abraham coming true as Solomon describes Israel as a nation to great to count. Our hearts are to be for people not performance or our idea of perfection.

This week’s passage is 1 Kings 2:13-46. The story of how the Kingdom became firmly into Solomon’s grip. The picture of the human condition, wanting to position themselves on the top, to make themselves king. Adonijah still believed that the kingdom was rightfully his. Though Solomon told Bathsheba that he would deny her nothing, upon hearing her request Solomon weighs it against what the LORD had said and does not accommodate her request for Adonijah to marry Abishag. Verse 24, we see what the LORD has done vs what Adonijah was trying to do. Though God’s plan will prevail, we will have to trust God and move to action through the adversity and resistance to God’s plan. God is true to His word as we see the prophecy concerning the descendants of Eli come to pass.

This week’s passage is 1 Kings 2:1-12. David, nearing his death, wants to encourage Solomon and set him up for success with his final words. Deuteronomy 31 Moses telling all Israel and then specifically to Joshua, “Be strong and courageous” followed by instructions. David wants Solomon to go into his kingship with all the knowledge and experience David gained during his own years as king. The time during Absalom’s rebellion was very impactful to David and he wanted to prepare Solomon for the character of certain people. David’s last words were important to David, and he was blessed to be able to say them to Solomon. The most important instructions, to listen to God and to obey.

This week’s passage is 1 Kings 1:32-53. The same story repeating in form of instruction, carrying in out (obedience), and the testimony of a witness. The fearful response of Adonijah and those who supported him. Calling on God when it looks like the enemy is winning. The Lord’s will prevails. In life we will have people who try to manipulate the situation to their advantage regardless of God’s instructions. In life we are to listen to God’s instructions, to go and carry it out, and to be a witness of all Jesus has done and taught.   God loves you, God’s plan will prevail and we are fortunate to be used to carry it out as we follow Him. We already know of the victory God has made as we witness to the good news.