Both Rehoboam and Jeroboam learned the hard way that a leader's role isn't to maintain power. Leadership is given by the Lord - He's the One who appoints leaders, and He's the One who removes them from power. In the cases of both of these men, they lost their leadership roles because of their efforts to keep them. Isn't it funny how ... [Continue Reading]
Solomon’s Downfall (1 Kings 10-11; 2 Chronicles 9)
It's hard to believe that the most wise man who walked the earth (with the exception of Jesus - who is both God and man) made such a foolish decision in the way of obeying God's law as it related to intermarrying with other nations. Solomon fell prey to the very thing that God warned the Israelites about: having his heart pulled away to other gods as a ... [Continue Reading]
Count Your Days (Ecclesiastes 7-12)
I remember having Advent Calendars when we were growing up. Sometimes our Grandma even sent us ones that were filled with chocolate! Each day before Christmas was a special chocolate surprise. And then when summer vacation was only a few months away, my friends and I began writing a countdown in our assignment books for school. We couldn't ... [Continue Reading]
Think First (Ecclesiastes 5-6)
Since the Lord's voice is often hard to hear, there's a tendency to believe that He's more of a "silent friend." Solomon, therefore, warns us that we shouldn't be so quick to talk before the Lord and that we should remember our place in His presence. Probably not a few people have foolishly blathered on before God, forgetting Whom ... [Continue Reading]
Eternity Matters (Ecclesiastes 1-4)
If you've ever seen The Matrix and its sequels, you understand the sadness that Neo faces when he realizes in the end of the trilogy that all of his work was for naught - he was yet another human "Neo" who managed to figure out the Matrix, and it was just a matter of time before the whole cycle would repeat itself. It was kind of depressing, ... [Continue Reading]
Don’t be Simple (Proverbs 8-10)
Have you ever been handed a hot plate and been told not to touch it? And then, for reasons that you can’t explain, you went ahead and touched it? There was a funny Seinfeld episode highlighting this one time, and it is a real temptation for a person to keep his hands off that plate! This road sign isn’t very different; who doesn’t want to touch it ... [Continue Reading]
The Start of Wisdom (Proverbs 1-3)
In Proverbs 1:7, Solomon advises us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. That's a bit of advice that sounds nice but feels like it's not particularly practical. Be that as it may, nothing could be further from the truth. After all, it's when we fear the Lord that we realize our places in the whole scheme of things. ... [Continue Reading]
A Fresh Start (1 Kings 9; 2 Chronicles 8)
The finishing of the Temple and the kingship of Solomon was a time for renewal of the Covenant between Israel and her God. The Lord appeared to Solomon to remind him of the agreement that was made a long time ago between God and Abraham - that the nation would be blessed as long as it remained on a path that was faithful Him. For the sake of His integrity, ... [Continue Reading]
Giving Thanks (2 Chronicles 6-7)
I wish I could have been present when the fire from the Lord came down and consumed the burnt offerings and sacrifices given by Solomon and when the glory of the Lord filled the temple. What an incredible experience that must have been! The response of the people at that point is worth noting: they bowed to the ground and gave thanks. It seems like our ... [Continue Reading]
No Matter How Far You Go (1 Kings 8; 2 Chronicles 5)
Solomon's prayer of dedication for the Temple reminded the Israelites of a very important characteristic about God: no matter how much you have messed up or how far you have walked in a direction away from Him, He is always ready to forgive. During my years of working in the church, I've heard people say, "God couldn't forgive me," or "God ... [Continue Reading]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 57
- 58
- 59
- 60
- 61
- …
- 129
- Next Page »
Connect with Me