Are You Responding To God's Instruction?

1 Kings 22:30-31,34---And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle, but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself and went into the battle. But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel. And a certain man drew a bow at a venture and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.

Good king Jehoshaphat must have been awfully naïve or under some kind of spell to want to help evil Ahab. The prophet of God warned them, and they still went into battle. Why in the world would good king Jehoshaphat wear royal robes and become a target while he let evil Ahab hide in regular soldier garb? You can't outwit God. If God says something will happen, it will happen, try as you may to prevent it. In the book of Chronicles, we will see that Jehoshaphat repented over his error of uniting with Ahab. The forces of Aram were ordered to attack the king. Jehoshaphat saw them coming for him and fled to safety. God allowed him to escape even though he was doing something wrong in the eyes of God. But Ahab has had his chances. It was God's time to finish his reign. After all, he had seen and heard, he would not surrender himself to God. A stray arrow found its way between the plates of his armor, and he bled to death in his chariot. The chariot was washed out in Samaria, and the dogs lick up the blood, as was prophesied. The odds are not what matters in the battle of life. God is on the throne of heaven. What matters is what you have done with His revelation of Himself to you. Has it humbled you and broken your proud spirit so that you are His, or are you stubbornly refusing to listen to Him? The outcome of these two men's lives was dramatically different. Both were involved in the same error, but their hearts were different and responded to God differently.

In Difficulties or Good Times, We Need God's Direction

1 Kings 20:27-28---And the children of Israel were numbered, and were all present, and went against them: and the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids, but the Syrians filled the country. And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

The patience and mercy of God are amazing. God is still trying to convert evil Ahab. Israel is only a remnant of what it once was. When a king came to plunder Israel, the LORD told Ahab that He would give him the victory so that he would know the LORD was God. He had already seen the fire from heaven, saw the end of a three-year drought at the word of the prophet, and seen the prophet miraculously preserved. Why would God continue to deal with him? The answer is because God is not willing that any should perish. He seeks the hardest hearts and gives them more proof. He gave him one victory, but the enemy came again. This second time the enemy was doomed before they started. The people had begun to return to Jehovah because of the ministry of Elijah. The enemy said that Jehovah was a god of the hills and not the plains. Oops! Limiting God is a sure way to end up with your foot in your mouth. He is God over all and will gladly prove it. In spite of being vastly outnumbered, the little bands of Israelites defeated the army of the Arameans. God caused a wall to fall on 27,000 of them. Ahab listened carefully to the prophet's instruction going into the battle but did not seek his advice on what to do once he had the victory. He reverted to leaning on his own wisdom and made a costly mistake. How like us! Under pressure in an impossible situation, we seek God and He delivers us. Then we go back to our own ways. Keep seeking! Keep obeying!

Having A Godly Mentor

1 Kings 19:20-21---And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee? And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.

Elijah left Mount Horeb with fresh inspiration. He was going to train someone to take his place. He saw the man God had told him to call and threw his cloak upon him. It was a picture of the anointing of God coming upon Elisha and covering him. We have the same picture in the New Testament when the Apostle Paul says, "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ..." Elisha wanted to go say goodbye to his parents, but Elijah asked him to consider what has just happened. He was called by God. What would hold him back or deter him? We read nothing of him saying goodbye. That reminds us of the person that wanted to follow Jesus but wanted to wait until his parents died. Jesus told him to let the dead bury the dead, but they should come and follow him. Elisha must have considered this to be a great calling. He burned the implements that he used to make a living and roasted the oxen. He fed the people with the meat. He no longer had anything to go back to. Today we would call this "burning our bridges". Elisha planned to go forward and never look back. If God wanted to use him, he wanted to be undistracted and completely available to God. We will see in coming devotions how he highly prized the calling and anointing of God. His training started as a servant to Elijah. He would observe the man that God was using and learn from him.

You Are Never Alone When You Know God

1 Kings 19:13b,14,18---And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

God asked Elijah what he was doing on Horeb. Of course, God knew the answer, but Elijah needed to express it. I think this is a common tool that God uses to make us aware of our sense of reality. So what is your doing, reader? Take a moment to think how you would respond to your Maker if He were to ask you that right now. Elijah told God how zealous he had been for God and how alone he felt because of it. He told how he was fleeing again for his life. God had news for Elijah. He told him to anoint the coming kings and his own successor. That was a vision for the near future and motivation to get back to work. Then God had a correction to make to Elijah's pity party. He was not alone. There were 7000 people who had not worshipped Baal. At times we get discouraged and think we are the only ones that are serious about God. Individuals and churches can feel that way, but there are always others that love God. He always keeps a remnant for Himself. They may not look and act like you do, but God has kept their hearts, and they are not going the way of the world.

Be Still And Know That He Is God

1 Kings 19:11-12---And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

Elijah had come to the mountain of God, the place of fresh inspiration. He saw the wind so strong it broke the rocks. The ground shook with an earthquake. A fire followed the earthquake. But God had not passed by him in any of those things. Those things preceded God. God came in the gentle whisper. What was this discouraged prophet learning from God's lesson to Him? Perhaps he thought the fire from heaven would transform the hearts of the people causing a national revolt and return to God. The rain had been a physical sign that God was working through Elijah. Surely they would all listen then. But all those physical things only preceded the real work of God, His whisper to each and every heart. That is where the real change comes. Man is always seeking some great physical sign or manifestation. We want to see and hear and feel something that will move our senses. God may precede a work in that manner. If people are too immature or off track it may be necessary. But what follows is really where God is. He is in the voice that speaks to the heart and brings a change of attitude to the heart. That is where individuals and nations are changed. God is about to whisper a word to Elijah that will change the course of nations.

Where Do You Go For Fresh Inspiration?

1 Kings 19:7-8---And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

Poor Elijah! He had been on the run and in hiding for three and a half years. He brought a great victory for God and was forced back into hiding again. God sent an angel to deliver the food and water he needed. Elijah was so tired from the spiritual conflict that he needed an angelic alarm clock. He was encouraged to eat to get the strength he needed for the journey. There is a temptation for those suffering from depression to forget the physical. Elijah needed to eat to get the strength to move to a new setting. We can use a change of scenery. It gets our mind off the problems that have overwhelmed us. Then we are able to hear from God without the cloud of things troubling us and distorting what He speaks to our hearts. He traveled to the same place Moses got his inspiration, Horeb. Horeb means 'fresh inspiration'. That was what Moses needed too. Moses went from second in Egypt to being a shepherd and had given up the hope of helping his people. When we get to the place of despair that Elijah and Moses were in, we need to get away to a mountain of inspiration. We need to meet with God and hear from Him. We need God's perspective on our situation.

Lost Opportunity, Jeremiah 8:20

Five Keys To Answered Prayer

If You Are Discouraged, Remember That God Is Sovereign, A Very Present Help

1 Kings 19:2-4---Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time. And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

When Ahab relayed to Jezebel the message of Elijah's victory on Mt. Carmel, she promised to do to Elijah what he had done to the prophets of Baal. In doing so, she made an oath common at the time. She vowed that if she couldn't do it to him, then the gods could do it to her. God took her up on that. We need to watch carefully the vows that come from our lips. God does. It is hard to imagine her heart being so hard that, even after hearing of a mighty miracle of God, she would attempt to murder the instrument of that miracle. Elijah took her threat seriously. He faced the false prophets, but he was afraid to face Jezebel and her army. Going off into the desert, he found a bit of shade to rest under and asked God to take him home. He must have thought that after the great victory, things would suddenly change. The people knew Jehovah was God, so why didn't they overthrow Ahab and Jezebel? Elijah was burned out. He had fought for his life and the cause of the LORD and came to the climactic point, yet nothing seemed to have changed. Even great men of God despair of life. In God's time, there will be a change in the nation. Elijah had to train a disciple before he could go to his heavenly home. Despair comes upon us at times, but don't give up. There are things yet to be done.

The Importance of Prayer

1 Kings 18:36-37---At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O LORD, answer me so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God and that you are turning their hearts back again."

Elijah had given the prophets of Baal every advantage. He gave them most of the day. They had hundreds of Baal priests. When they had exhausted all their efforts he built an altar of twelve stones, arranged the wood, and upon it placed the sacrificial bull. He dug a trough around the altar. Then he had the people drench the altar with water until the trough filled up. It must have been 3PM, the time of the evening sacrifice. Elijah prayed the above prayer. He declared the reason for this test was that the people would know the God of Israel is the most powerful god, and that he was doing these things at God's command. He prayed that the people would know that the LORD (Jehovah) is God. He prayed that they would realize God was turning their hearts back. A fire fell from heaven and consumed everything, including the altar stones! Then the people shouted, "Elijah, Elijah, Elijah!" Elijah's name means God is Jehovah! They were declaring that God is Jehovah. Elijah's prayer was answered. If we operate at God's command and pray with a heart to see people realize that the LORD is God, we can expect to see miracles also. We can expect God to turn hearts back to Him. If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

It's Your Decision

1 Kings 18:21---And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
Elijah had Ahab meet him on Mt. Carmel with 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah. The people of Israel gathered to watch the showdown. After three and a half years without rain, did they still believe Baal brought the blessing of rain? He asked them point blank, but they do not answer him one word. What would it take? What will it take today, as we see the weather plaguing us instead of blessing us? How long will the people of the world look to the god of science? How long will we waver between two opinions? People do not want to believe in God because they intrinsically realize that if He is real, He is worthy of our worship. If He is our Creator, then we owe all to Him. God was wooing Israel back to Himself with a challenge to believe. He had shown the impotence of their supposed gods, just as He had done before when He brought them out of Egypt. What will it take? Though Israel's false god could not perform for them, they refused to believe in the God that had already performed miracles throughout their history. How many times does God have to miraculously show us that He alone is God? We will look at history and take lessons of the past as valid instruction today in the secular sense. Why not learn from the history of the many ways that God has proven Himself to be the Almighty One?

Standing For Truth And Righteousness

1 Kings 18:17-18---And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.

Elijah has been in hiding for three years. Wicked King Ahab searched the nations for him. The drought was so severe that it was destroying the kingdom. When God sent Elijah to meet with the king, the king called him, "the troubler of Israel" Amazing how the world sees the saint as the evil one. There is a cry in some societies today against "the intolerant Christians". There will always be a cry against the righteous who stand for integrity and truth. As long as you represent the LORD, and hold Him as the standard, the world will hate you and blame you for the troubles that stem from the judgments of God. Elijah had come to bring the mercy of God in the form of rain. He set the record straight when he told Ahab that it was he and his family that was the cause of the trouble in Israel. Why? They have abandoned the LORD's commands and followed Baal. If God allowed rain when the people looked to Baal for it, He would be encouraging them to have faith in a lie. The mercy of God withheld the rain. The guilty often point their finger at the very ones who are trying to bring the grace and mercy of God into a situation. There are times when a brother will bring us a harsh word. We must determine whether there is validity in it, or if we are being attacked for our integrity. A heart that is soft toward God will soon know the difference. Ahab did not have such a heart. I trust, by the grace of God, you and I do.

When God Provides There Is Always Enough!

1 Kings 17:14-15---For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house did eat many days.

Once the Kerith Ravine dried up, the Lord sent Elijah to the home of a Gentile woman. If you thought ravens were stingy, try humans. But a few verses earlier the LORD said He had commanded her to feed Elijah. Elijah gave her a real faith test by asking her to feed him first and then cook their meal from the little left in her jar. If the LORD had not commanded her to do this, I doubt she would have even considered it. Even though there was a promise that a miracle would happen, consider that this woman is not Jewish. The prophet before her had been camping out in a ravine for months. Who is going to give their last meal to him instead of feeding their own child? But just as the LORD commanded the Ravens, so He commanded her. When she obeyed, she found the promise was true. One pastor tells of the surprise she must have experienced each time she reached in to scrape the bottom of the jars. Just enough for another meal, again, and again, and again! We have the same experience when we abide in Christ. We think we have scraped the bottom of the mercy and grace jar with a certain brother. We reach into the life of Christ within us and, low and behold, there is just enough for the present situation. Then another situation comes along. The last time, we know we scraped the bottom and had just barely enough. Here this brother is offending us again. How can we possibly find the mercy to forgive him? But we reach into the earthen vessel that holds the treasure and what do you know! It is just enough to meet the present circumstance.

The LORD Will Care For You

1 Kings 17:2-4---Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah: "Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there."

Elijah had just predicted that until he prayed for rain there would be no rain on the land. Then God sent Elijah to a hide from the king and provided for him in a rather unusual way. The ravens brought him the ingredients for sandwiches. If you've ever watched ravens eat, you know they do not like to share. That's quite a miracle. God is Lord over His creation. I once read a story of a Chinese brother who was imprisoned for his faith. The guards withheld his food because he would not renounce Christ, so the LORD ordered mice to bring him food. He probably ate better on what the mice brought than if the prison had served him his meals. Jesus told us not to worry about what we will eat or wear because we have a Father in heaven that knows we are in need. If He feeds the sparrows he will feed us, for He values us more than the sparrows. The psalmist said, from his youth to his old age, he had never seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. If we are obedient to the LORD, we will not starve. We may not always have the abundance we might prefer, but God will care for us. Having food and clothing, we should be content. If we can learn to be content with the few necessities of life, the many things that distract us will lose their power of influence over us. We can then give our attention to the LORD and His instruction to us. He didn't promise us luxury in this life, in fact, he promised tribulation. But we have the assurance that He will care for us as a Father cares for his children.

Seeking Advice, Be Careful!

1 Kings 12:7-8---And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants forever. But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:

Solomon reigned for forty years, the same number of years as his father David. Because his heart turned to other gods, the LORD promised ten tribes to one of his overseers, Jeroboam. When Solomon's son, Rehoboam, was to be crowned king, the people asked him to please lighten the burden Solomon had placed on them. Solomon had heavily taxed the people and given them assignments in service to the kingdom. Rehoboam asked the people to give him three days to consider their request. First, he went to the elders that had advised his father. They had been a part of the success of his father and had a track record of giving good advice. They had years of experience and were probably very wise individuals. They advised Rehoboam to be a servant leader. They told him that if he would indeed lighten their load, they would keep their word and serve him faithfully all their life. Rehoboam didn't like that advise. He wanted what his father had. Why should he tighten his belt and do with less? He sought out the advice of the young men he grew up with. They told him what he wanted to hear. He answered the people that he would be harsher than his father. The ten northern tribes drew away with Jeroboam as their leader, fulfilling the word of God. Man always wants more. It is hard for the carnal nature to give up niceties of life but oh so easy to desire more. In Rehoboam's greed, he lost nearly all. Instead of a minor cutback, he had to make a major one.

Don't Let Anything Or Anyone Dilute Your Testimony

1 Kings 11:4---For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

Solomon started with a heart after God. He had learned from his father, David, that God was worthy of all our praise. The blessing of God was upon Solomon, and he was probably the wisest and wealthiest king to ever live. But in prosperity, there is a great danger. He had a weakness for women. He married women from the countries that the Lord had forbidden the Israelites to marry. God had warned in the Law that if there should be a king over Israel, he was not to multiply to himself many wives. God warned that wives of other nations would turn his heart from the true God. There are a number of warnings for us in this sad account of the demise of Solomon. The first is to pay attention to the word of God. We may think our abilities or gifts make us exempt from some passage or direction. We may justify our sin in any number of ways, but we will suffer for disobedience. The warnings in the Word are for our own good. Choose your mate carefully. Your mate will, over time, affect your relationship with God. You may think you can win them, or that you will not be affected, but two do become one. There has to be an influence. If you are already in a marriage with an unbeliever, pray! Pray for strength to stand firm in your faith. Pray for opportunities to help turn your mate's heart. Look for the leading of the Holy Spirit to share God's love for them. We see in this passage that God is after a fully devoted heart, not a heart of compromise. In our old age, when we are slowing down from everything, we are tempted to slow down on our wholehearted devotion. Don't go there! Finish strong. Endure to the end. Have a heart like David!

Expressing The Lord's Character

1 Kings 10:8-9---Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom. Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.

The Queen of Sheba had heard of the wisdom of Solomon and his relation to the name of the LORD. We often overlook her interest in Solomon's relationship to the name of the LORD. The LORD's name is the sum of all His attributes. The LORD is all-wise, but He is also faithful, merciful, loving, just, true, holy, etc. She came to see it all in Solomon. All men are a poor reflection, but Solomon was one of the best in the world at that time. After spending time asking questions, hearing his answers and seeing the wealth and splendor of his royal court, she burst into the praise of verse 9. Once again, we have an expression of just why it is the LORD bestows His favor. Why did God place Solomon over Israel? It was because of His eternal love for them. Has anyone ever come to visit with you because of your relation to the name of the LORD? They may have without you being aware of the real reason for their visit. If we are truly walking with the LORD, in His Spirit, the seekers will be overwhelmed too. It is not you they are overwhelmed about, but the LORD whose life is expressed through yours. Why has God placed you where you are and doing what you do? It is because He loves the people around you and desires for you to be an example of Him in that environment.

Are You FULLY Committed?

1 Kings 8:59-61---And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require: That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God and that there is none else. Let your heart, therefore, be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.

Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple is worth taking time to study. The end of that prayer is our Scripture today. He asks that this prayer be continually before the LORD and to uphold their cause. The reason he is bold enough to ask this is verse 60, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God and that there is no other. This was God's heart. If Israel would truly live in relationship with God, then the world would receive the witness of God's faithfulness and love. The world would know there is no other god. That was God's intention in forming Israel as a nation, to witness to the world the blessing of obedience and worship of the one true God. BUT, there is always a condition. That is because we are creatures with a free will. BUT, your hearts must be fully committed to the LORD our God. It is the same today. You are the only bible that many will read. God will hear your prayer and uphold your cause, BUT your heart must be fully committed to Him. If people look to you as a person in relationship with God but your walk does not match your talk, they will be misled. But if you are fully committed, even with your mistakes, they will see an example. The eyes of Israel had been on David when he fell, but because his heart was fully committed, they saw an example of conviction and repentance. They saw a humbled man.

Our Body Is God's Temple

1 Kings 8:10-11---And it came to pass when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.

When Solomon had finished building the temple that David had planned, the priests stepped out of the Holy Place (an inner room of the temple). Then a cloud filled the temple of the LORD. The Hebrews associated clouds with the glory of God. Their ancestors had seen the cloud on Sinai when Moses met with God. The glory of the LORD so filled the temple that the priests could not come in and do their assigned duties. Our bodies are the temples of the LORD. Jesus said, "Destroy this temple (meaning his body) and in three days I will raise it up." His body was so full of the glory of God that He did nothing except what the Father showed Him. Jesus didn't really have His own ministry isolated and of itself. He was a yielded instrument to the glory of His Father. He got out of the way and let God work, and so "we have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14 (NIV) The glory of the Father was the operating source in Him. We are often carried away with our ministry and wrapped up in what must be done. If we are not careful and focused we will end up ministering from the wrong source. The glory needs to fill our temple, our earthly body. Then there is no room for us to get in the way and make a mess of things. The glory needs to fill us so that He is the source of our activity and we are merely submitted vessels for that glory.

Being Shaped by God

1 Kings 6:7---And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.

Imagine the precision that had to be used to have the stones perfectly fit when they arrived at the temple site! Three-dimensional exactness had to be obtained at the quarry, for no pounding of any iron tool was to be heard at the site. Each block was custom made for an exact location to fit with the blocks beside and below. Peter refers to believers as living stones. What kind of parallel can we see here? Jesus is the real builder of the temple of God, as the author of Hebrews declared. He must shape us to perfectly fit the place God has for us and that includes fitting in with those around us. Each of us has a calling and a place in the temple. But what does this noiseless activity represent? The pounding and shaping, the noisy activity, should go on outside the temple site. When we gather to worship is not the time to hash out our differences. There we quietly behold His glory or sing His praises. There, our focus is not on our fit with the stone next to us but the wonder of our Savior. O come let us adore Him. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. The hammering and shaping should go on in the quarry. One on one with the Lord, we should allow ourselves to be shaped. The places in our life that do not fit with the other living stones must be chiseled away. That noisy and often painful activity goes on in the quarry with Jesus so that we do not disturb the focus of others as we gather to worship corporately. Are you letting Him remove from you the protrusions in your life that keep you from fitting perfectly with the rest of the building?

Being Shaped by God

1 Kings 6:7---And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.

Imagine the precision that had to be used to have the stones perfectly fit when they arrived at the temple site! Three-dimensional exactness had to be obtained at the quarry, for no pounding of any iron tool was to be heard at the site. Each block was custom made for an exact location to fit with the blocks beside and below. Peter refers to believers as living stones. What kind of parallel can we see here? Jesus is the real builder of the temple of God, as the author of Hebrews declared. He must shape us to perfectly fit the place God has for us and that includes fitting in with those around us. Each of us has a calling and a place in the temple. But what does this noiseless activity represent? The pounding and shaping, the noisy activity, should go on outside the temple site. When we gather to worship is not the time to hash out our differences. There we quietly behold His glory or sing His praises. There, our focus is not on our fit with the stone next to us but the wonder of our Savior. O come let us adore Him. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. The hammering and shaping should go on in the quarry. One on one with the Lord, we should allow ourselves to be shaped. The places in our life that do not fit with the other living stones must be chiseled away. That noisy and often painful activity goes on in the quarry with Jesus so that we do not disturb the focus of others as we gather to worship corporately. Are you letting Him remove from you the protrusions in your life that keep you from fitting perfectly with the rest of the building?

Being Shaped by God

1 Kings 6:7---And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.

Imagine the precision that had to be used to have the stones perfectly fit when they arrived at the temple site! Three-dimensional exactness had to be obtained at the quarry, for no pounding of any iron tool was to be heard at the site. Each block was custom made for an exact location to fit with the blocks beside and below. Peter refers to believers as living stones. What kind of parallel can we see here? Jesus is the real builder of the temple of God, as the author of Hebrews declared. He must shape us to perfectly fit the place God has for us and that includes fitting in with those around us. Each of us has a calling and a place in the temple. But what does this noiseless activity represent? The pounding and shaping, the noisy activity, should go on outside the temple site. When we gather to worship is not the time to hash out our differences. There we quietly behold His glory or sing His praises. There, our focus is not on our fit with the stone next to us but the wonder of our Savior. O come let us adore Him. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. The hammering and shaping should go on in the quarry. One on one with the Lord, we should allow ourselves to be shaped. The places in our life that do not fit with the other living stones must be chiseled away. That noisy and often painful activity goes on in the quarry with Jesus so that we do not disturb the focus of others as we gather to worship corporately. Are you letting Him remove from you the protrusions in your life that keep you from fitting perfectly with the rest of the building?

Consider What You Would Ask God For

1 Kings 3:5,9—So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

Solomon began his reign with a heart seeking God. After offering 1000 sacrifices upon the high place of Gibeon, the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream promising him whatever he would ask. Of all the things Solomon could have desired, he asked for a discerning heart, wisdom to rule God’s people. He recognized his need for discernment. This pleased the heart of God. He was then told that he would also receive the things a man would normally ask for, riches, long life, and the death of his enemies. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Isn’t seeking the kingdom seeking the good of the people in it? Solomon was thinking of others and not himself. It is sad that his heart did not remain in this condition, but at the time it was genuine. We have here both the good example of seeking the best for the people of God, and the warning to be careful that we do not turn our attention to pleasing ourselves. If you will seek the good of others, God will see that you are taken care of, and you will be laying up treasures in heaven.

Meditate On All That God Is To You

2 Samuel 22:2-4---And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence. I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

After David was delivered from the hand of Saul and all the enemies of Israel, he sang this song. He gave all the credit to God for his victories. He recognized that it was all the grace and presence of the LORD in his life. He sang of what the Lord meant to him. Have you ever looked back over all that you have been through and given God praise for His goodness? If you do, you will probably find many of the same things David saw. You might not express it the same, but you will find the same wonderful working in your life. A rock, hasn't God been the one unshakable thing amidst all the changes in your life? A fortress, hasn't He been the one place you could run for safety in the storms of life? My Deliverer, not only has He delivered each of us from some impossible situations, but most of all from the chains of sin. The strength of my salvation, Your salvation is secure, because it was earned by the Mighty One who paid the price owed in full. A stronghold, a refuge, the One to Whom we run whenever we are overwhelmed or lacking in strength. My Savior! He is our Superman and much more. He saved us from an evil worse than any super-villain and has wonderful plans for us. Yes! He is worthy of praise. He has saved you. He is saving you. He will save you. What a mighty God we serve.

Lessons Can Be Learned Through Trials if We Seek Him (Jesus)

2 Samuel 21:1---Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered It is for Saul, and for his bloody house because he slew the Gibeonites.

When the weather conditions were severe so that they suffered a lack of food, David sought the face of the LORD. He did not think it was just cycles. He did not consider it coincidence or natural phenomenon. He looked to God for the reason behind this "natural" problem. When we seek, we will find. God spoke to David. We do not know how. It may have been audible, or it may have been in his heart. It could have been through one of the prophets. The answer was that the land was experiencing the judgment of God for something that had happened years earlier. Saul had violated the ancient covenant that Joshua made with the Gibeonites. Pretending they had come from a far-off country, they had tricked Israel into a peace treaty. Nevertheless, the covenant was made. Saul made war on them, breaking this ancient treaty. There are times in life when we face the consequences of another's actions. It is not always clear why there are problems, but it could be God balancing the books. If we seek the face of the LORD, He may show us some way to rectify the imbalance so that God can justly bless the land again with rain. Often it will be something in our own life. It may be an apology that needs to be made or forgiveness that needs to be granted.

The Words That Jesus Speaks To Us Are Spirit And Life

John 4:48-50---Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.

Some folks are desperate for signs and wonders. "Show me and I'll believe," they say. A miraculous sign may help convince the seeking but cautious heart, but it will add to the condemnation of the hard-hearted who are looking for excuses. Jesus said, "They have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father" (John 15:24). Many will believe and yet not confess, because they love their lives just as they are (John 12:42-43). The royal official may have had some doubts, but he was desperate for Jesus to save his child. He did not let the rebuke deter him. There was nowhere else in which he placed any hope. Jesus spoke the word, and it was done. Remember that whatever your situation, Jesus need only speak the word and it is done. If He doesn't, there is a reason. The solution to every problem is a word from the lips of Jesus, but He will not speak it when He has better things in store for you. The man took Jesus at His word. What great faith! What an example for us today! Like the Centurion whose servant was sick, this official knew a word from the lips of Jesus was enough. And yet, when he arrived at his home and found his child well, he asked what hour his healing took place. When he found it was the moment Jesus spoke, he and his entire household believed. The miracle convinced his seeking heart. Are you taking Jesus at His word, both His written and spoken word? When He speaks to your heart, do you count it done? When you see the miracle, are you and your household convinced?

Follow The True King, Even When It Is Difficult

2 Samuel 16:1-2---And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred bunches of raisins, and a hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine. And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses are for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink.

Remember Ziba? He was Saul's servant. David appointed him and his family to be servants of Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth. After all the kindness and mercy that David showed Mephibosheth, he turned on him, hoping to inherit Saul's throne. Ziba was loyal to David. David's young children and wives needed animals to ride so that they could keep up. Ziba provided them and food to nourish them all on the journey. What David could not prepare on the short notice with his sudden flight, God provided from an unlikely source. We can know that when we are in the middle of calamity, God will provide. It seemed unjust that Ziba and family had been freed when Saul died and then turned back into the servants of Saul's family. Nevertheless, they humbly submitted. Now they are free again. All Israel was choosing sides. Will you side with the Usurper or with the true King? The Usurper promises position and power, but he cannot deliver. You will find real freedom with hardship if you follow the true King. Your service will be rewarded for He is just and genuinely appreciative.

Worshipping In Spirit And Truth

John 4:22-24---Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Jesus did not give in to the prejudice of His culture, but neither did He deny the error in the Samaritan belief system. Their version of the Laws of Moses was corrupted. They had formed a counterfeit belief system that did not lead to salvation, that is, to the Messiah. The tendency today is to praise the lack of prejudice but condemn Jesus' judgment on woman's religious beliefs. Jesus was leading her to the truth, not some universal acceptance of all belief systems. The issue was not about which mountain was the appropriate God-pleasing mountain to worship on, but about the heart. The true worshippers are more concerned about the condition of their spirit not ritual. They are more concerned about truth than cultural acceptance. What good is worship if the heart is fixed on the wrong thing or if the substance of belief is untrue? The Father is not looking for the correct procedure but for those worshipping in spirit and truth. With that expression, He bridged their cultural differences and found the common ground of a heart seeking God. Then He told her a most amazing thing. God is looking for that kind of worshipper. We don't have to go groping around after God. We just need to worship in spirit and truth and He will find us. He is a spirit. He is not some physical object. You don't need to worship before or in some special setting, but you do need to worship Him in spirit. He is the truth. There is nothing false in Him. That is why the two requirements for worship are that you worship in spirit and truth. You must be honest about your condition. Nothing is hidden from Him. You can't present one aspect when your heart is hiding something contrary. He sees right through us.

Our Life Must Flow From A Sincere Heart

2 Samuel 15:19-21---Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile. Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee. And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.

Absalom returned his father David's mercy with a coup. David got wind of the revolt and fled with those who were loyal to him. David knew it would be tough, so in the generosity of his spirit, he told the foreigner, Ittai, to stay. Ittai had only recently come to Jerusalem as an exile from his own land. Instead of taking the easy way out, Ittai chose the tough road with David. Ittai's response shows that David's good spirit must have won his heart. Ittai was probably exiled because of his political savy and not going along with those who led his own country. He could see David was an honest and sincere king. He chose to stay by David's side regardless of the cost. It doesn't take long to develop strong friendships if you are a genuinely loving person. The world is looking for sincere people who will be honest, people that will risk their position to be kind. This is how we influence people with the Gospel. They see our sincerity, align themselves with us, and we get to tell them why we live like we do. In time, our God becomes their choice.

Stop Sin Before It Moves From Thoughts To Actions!

2 Samuel 13:13-15---And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee. Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her. Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.

One of David's sons, Amnon, was lustfully desirous of his half-sister, Tamar. His friend helped him hatch a plot to be alone with her. While he pretended to be sick, he asked for Tamar to come prepare a meal and feed him. Once she brought the food to his bed he showed what he was really after. Tamar responded wisely with verse 13. If he would act honorably, she would have married him. She asked him the question we should ask ourselves when faced with lust of any kind. What about the persons affected? What will be the consequences in their lives? What about ourselves? What will be the full consequences in our own life if we give in to that desire? They had seen their father make this mistake with Bathsheba and saw the consequences. Now Amnon needed to face the truth of what might happen if he went through with his plan, but he would not consider it. He had already determined what he would do. After raping her, he despised her. The carnal desires will paint a picture of fulfillment that is never even close to reality. Tamar's honorable questions showed how wicked his heart truly was. He wanted to be as far away from the truth as he could get. The end of the matter will be death and hatred within the family.

Guard Your Heart!

2 Samuel 12:10---Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

After David had Uriah killed and married Bathsheba, God sent the prophet Nathan to David. He told him the story of a man who had one little lamb that was his only and dearest possession. A wealthy man of the city came and took the lamb from him to feed to his guest. David said that wealthy man deserved death. Nathan's response must have stunned David, "You are the man!" David thought he had gotten away with his sin, but God loved David too much to let it go. The real crime in sin is despising God. David knew God had blessed him and that all he had was a gift from God. Every victory was because of God. Every blessing was the grace of God. He already had at least three wives, but he despised the goodness of God and took what was not his to take. That is the root of all sin, a despising of God and His goodness, demanding what we want though it is not ours to take. This is the height of ingratitude. If God was a man who was that generous and good and you abused his trust, he would probably end the relationship. Thank God for being more gracious and forgiving than men! David repented. He would now have to face the consequences. The cycle of sin would affect generations to come. The unguarded, rebellious moment would cause untold pain and suffering in David's life and in the life of his descendants. Sin is never a little thing. One seed sown reaps a harvest of trouble.

Stop The Cycle Before It Gets Uglier

2 Samuel 11:13-15---And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even, he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house. And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

The chain of sin that began when David stayed home instead of going into battle was carried even further. David wanted to cover up his adultery by having the husband of Bathsheba sleep with her. Then he would think her child was his own. The faithful Uriah would not sleep with his wife when his fellow soldiers and the ark of God were in tents in the battlefield. David tried harder. He got him drunk, but still Uriah was faithful. Then he sent a letter along with him that gave a plan for his murder by not defending him in battle. If David couldn't cover his sin, he would have Bathsheba's husband killed and take her for his wife. King David thinks no one but Joab will ever know. God knows! David thought the letter would remain a secret. But now the world has read the substance of his letter. When we plot a sin to cover sin and think that our cunning will keep anyone from knowing, we are only deceiving ourselves. Be sure your sin will find you out. When Bathsheba gave birth, the nation knew and the death of Uriah would be seen as more than a coincidence. In an effort to save his reputation, David lost even more respect in the eyes of his nation. Our sin always costs more than we planned to pay and takes us further than we planned to go.

Paying The Price

2 Samuel 11:2-4a---One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof, he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, "Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her.

In the spring, the kings would go out to war on the enemies of their nations. Instead of going out with his army, David sent his general, Joab. David remained in Jerusalem. It has been said that an idle mind is the Devil's workshop. It sounds like David was sleeping in and rose to do a little peeping on his neighbors from his roof. He saw a beautiful woman bathing. Instead of turning his gaze, as would have been appropriate, he continued to look. His mind dwelt on her beauty, and he took the next step to ask who she is. The answer from his servant should have been a wake-up call, but then he took the next step and had her summoned to his presence. We can see the string of sins, each leading to a greater one. In the season before, God had given David a great victory over his enemies. Joab was leading the forces against an old enemy, the Ammonites. Why had David decided to stay behind? He was not an old man. Was his vacation from the war a purposeful choice to indulge himself in some way? From the looking to the contemplation, to the asking, to the invitation, David was sliding down a slippery slope. The fall of many a man of God has the same sad story. One sin leads to another. If at any time in your life you decide to stop fighting the enemy to indulge yourself, it won't be long before you find yourself defeated. At any point, David could have stopped and realized where he was headed. He would have avoided the devastating consequences.

The King's Family And The Word Provided For You

2 Samuel 9:6-8---Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant! And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?

David remembered his covenant with Jonathan. Though he was in a position of power and needed to answer to none, he knew he must answer to God. David asked a former servant of Saul if there were any of Saul's family left. Only Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan survived. He was crippled in both feet. Mephibosheth came fearing for his life, but David only wanted to bless him. He restored all the land that belonged to Saul and appointed the servant of Saul and the servant's family to care for him. He also gave him a place at his table. That meant he would always eat the best and have fellowship with the King's family. Mephibosheth was shocked. Who am I that you would notice a dead dog like me? We are a lot like Mephibosheth. We are really powerless to do much. We are lame in our own way. Our family (mankind) sought the King's life. Though Jesus is anointed King, like David, we served another. Our family lost the conflict, but He still loves us and keeps His covenant toward us. He only seeks to do us good. He calls us to come before Him, and we tremble as if He would destroy us. He says, "Fear not. I will surely show you kindness for the sake of Christ Jesus. From now on, eat at my table.