1 Kings 20-21, Humility Rewarded

 ““Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son’s days I will bring the disaster upon his house.””

‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭21‬:‭29‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Read Context

Interestingly Ahab does not seek the Lord when he is against the wall, but God comes to his aid and does the impossible.  God demonstrates His power multiple times to make it uncoincidental…even after all that Ahab continues to do what he thought was best.  Which was wrong…even though God decides to punish Ahab, he turns in humility and God spares him!

God really is looking for us to be humble and seek Him rather than figure things out on our own.

1 Kings 16, 2 Chronicles 17, Seek God

 “The Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. He did not seek the Baals, but sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the practices of Israel. His heart was courageous in the ways of the Lord. And furthermore, he took the high places and the Asherim out of Judah.”

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭17‬:‭3‬-‭4‬, ‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Read Context

Seeking the Lord is right in every moment of life.  Attempting to know Him and to love Him more intensively will always produce further sanctification.  Obedience is part of seeking and especially when temptation is at hand following His direction is great evidence of our love.

Lord, strengthen my heart to seek you every moment of every day!  I want to know You and serve You alone…

1 Kings 15, 2 Chronicles 13-16, Dependance on God

 “And Asa cried to the Lord his God, “O Lord, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.””

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭14‬:‭11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Read Context

Dependence on God rather than our own strength or wisdom is critical for following God.  It’s very easy for me to fall into my own strength without paying attention to this.

Lord, I need my eyes open to see when I depend on my own strength and ideas.  I need my ears tuned to your voice so that I can know where You are leading.

2 Chronicles 10-12, Giving God Glory

 “When the rule of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him.” (The Lords destruction followed…)

 “And when he humbled himself the wrath of the Lord turned from him, so as not to make a complete destruction. Moreover, conditions were good in Judah.”

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭12‬:‭12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Read Context

How easy it is to get comfortable and feel like things are all going your way…and become self dependent rather than leaning on God.  After He has cared for and protected us, we gladly accept the credit for all of Gods work.  We actually think all of His provision was because of our own great wisdom and awesomeness…and therefore turn from Him.

God is patient with us, but is unwilling to give up glory and will eventually pull away his blessing and may even allow suffering…this always brings destruction!  But is is also meant to remind us that all good things are from God, not ourselves.

Lord, I need your patience, but open my eyes quickly when I am taking credit for Your blessing so that I can. Give You glory.

1 Kings 12-14, Wiser Counselors

 “Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” And they said to him, “If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever.” But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him.”

‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭12‬:‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Read Context

Seeking wisdom from the wise rather than your friends is always the right move.  Your friends will lead you astray and right into the claws of destruction.

Ecclesiastes 7-12, Work Diligently

 “Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.”

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭9‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Read Context

Wisdom for the ages: whatever you are working on, do it with all your heart…and in the process, enjoy the blessings God has given you!

Ecclesiastes 1-6, Better Expectations

 “There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?”

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭2‬:‭24‬-‭25‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Read Context

This has always been one of my favorite books of wisdom.  It seems a bit depressing, but it also helps to reframe what is important and what things to ignore.  Love God, serve Him, take pleasure in whatever He provides and hold all things loosely.  In other words, set the bar of your life expectations low and seek to please God…any joy you experience is a bonus!

Proverbs 27-29, Confessions Healing

 “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. Blessed is the one who fears the Lord always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭28‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Read Context

What a backward truth that hiding our sin causes destruction but confessing it brings life and peace!  James 5:16 says the same thing…yet that is the opposite of what our fleshly brains think.  God, thank You for new mercy every day…I need it!!!

1 Kings 9, 2 Chronicles 8-

 “Then they will say, ‘Because they abandoned the Lord their God who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt and laid hold on other gods and worshiped them and served them. Therefore the Lord has brought all this disaster on them.’””

‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭9‬:‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Read Context

Destruction is ahead for us when we surrender to Jesus, then turn our own way.  I am convinced that those who are saved and turn away from God experience more trouble, heartache and suffering that people who have never followed Jesus.  Their actions may not be any different, but the result of their rebellion is much more intense.  Lord, when I stray help me to run back to you so that I can live in Your peace and rest!

1 Kings 8, 2 Chronicles 5, Spirit Filled

 “and it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord), and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever,” the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.”

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Read Context

These passages are a great reminder of who God is.  I am especially impacted by the last few verses that talk about the glory of the Lord filling the temple so that even the priests couldn’t continue to minister.  This reminds me of Galatians 5:16 that says, “walk by the spirit and you will not sin”…as the temple of the Spirit of God, I want to be so full of the Spirit that it is no longer possible for me to do anything other than Gods will!

1 Kings 5-6, 2 Chronicles 2-3, Incredible Temple

 “Now the word of the Lord came to Solomon, “Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel.””

‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭6‬:‭11‬-‭13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Read Context

What a grand temple!  It would have been amazing to see in person…yet it is only a shadow of Heaven, no matter how perfectly made!

Even more incredible is that God now dwells in me…and I am far from perfect.  So many flaws and failures…Lord, help me to live in obedience so that Your glory would be on display!!!

Proverbs 4-6, Wisdom Personified

 “Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.””

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭4‬:‭5‬-‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Read Context

Wisdom personified is such an attractive idea…of course I want to pursue wisdom, to gain it, keep it, used it and share it.  Yet as I read, I see so clearly many ways that I continue to act like the fool!  You would think that after following Jesus for nearly 40yrs all of that would be gone by now.

Lord, help me to recognize when I am acting the fool.  Help me to repent of that foolishness and replace my thoughts or actions with a wise course of action.

Proverbs 1-3, Seek Wisdom

 “if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭2‬:‭4‬-‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Read Context

When I consider what it looks like for me to seek Silver and Gold, I compare that to my effort to get better at my work.  I have literally read hundreds of books and invested thousands of hours listening to podcasts to gain an edge in business and leadership.

So do I seek Gods wisdom with that same vigor and intensity?  Lord, help me to continue to prioritize knowing You and seeking Your wisdom!

Song of Solomon 1-8, Singleminded Pursuit

 “I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My soul failed me when he spoke. I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he gave no answer. I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him I am sick with love.”

‭‭Song of Solomon‬ ‭5‬:‭6‬, ‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Read Context

I love that God decided to place this passage on young love in the midst of Scripture.  Of course it has some passionate imagery related to this married couple, but. It also points to the passion with which I should be pursuing Christ!  Lord, help me to chase after You like the bride was searching through the city for her husband!  I pray that my delight and attention could be naturally and singularly directed toward You!!!

2 Chronicles 1, Psalm 72- Defending the Weak

 “May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor! For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭72‬:‭4‬, ‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Read Context

I love how as a new king granted with wisdom and knowledge he is focused on the poor and needy.  He is instantly carrying out his calling to care for all of his people, not just the rich and powerful.