Solomon’s request

1 Kings 3:5-14

Before taking on any major task or duty, proper preparation is essential to ensuring one’s success. For example, when firefighters receive a call of a burning building, they must be certain to bring all the necessary equipment to put out the flames. It wouldn’t be wise for the firefighters to bring gallons of ice cream, or butter to dispel the flames, instead, gallons of water would be more appropriate? In another example, teachers are advised to compose lesson plans, that will prove beneficial to their student’s academic success. The right lesson plan can be the difference between a child’s future success, or failure. One thing I’ve learned in life is, “Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance”, and trusting in the Lord is the basis of all great thoughts, plans, and ideas.

Following the reign of the great king David, his son Solomon was chosen to rule in his stead. The children of Israel were a great people, not only in fame and prestige, but also in number. In Solomon’s own words, he mentioned, “And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude” (vs. 8). Leading people, in general, is no easy assignment, so imagine trying to lead millions.

King David ruled successfully, because he allowed God to guide his hand, and from his example, Solomon learned the importance of submission to God. When presented by God, the opportunity to make any request, and He would grant it, Solomon surprisingly asked for wisdom. A more accurate description of Solomon’s request was, “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad:” (vs. 9a). Solomon could have asked for money, fame, slaughter of his enemies, or anything else, and God would have granted it, but his heart was set on doing the work of the Lord, so his desires were in line with God’s will. God was pleased with Solomon’s request, and granted him the wisdom he desired, but also added riches, honor, fame, and conditional long life (if he walked in the ways of the Lord, and kept His statutes and commandments as David did).

If God asked you to make a request for anything, what would it be? Be honest. Would you ask for those things money can’t buy like wisdom, understanding, favor, or knowledge, or would you be so consumed in life’s affairs, until you’d seek pleasures of this would, that eventually fade away? I’ll be honest, I’d consider asking God for super powers like the ability to fly, breath under water, ability to touch people and instantly heal them, or X-ray vision (so I can see who’s responsible for always holding up the elevators at work…gets me so ANGRY!!!), but after pondering for a moment, I’d probably ask for something with a bit more spiritual significance, as Solomon did.

Seek to be wise in God’s eyes, and consider those things that are relevant to His will. As you plan and prepare for your daily duties, acknowledge God in all your ways, and He’ll guide you on the path of success. “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. (Proverbs 4:7)

Walk in love,

Ell

Paul in faithfulness restores life

Acts 20:7-12

Growing up in the church, as a child, the worst part of service (in my humble, childish opinion) was, sitting through those looooooong, dry sermons. Attention span, as measured by sustained attention, varies with age. Older children are capable of longer periods of attention than younger children, and it’s obvious the attention span of a child is only a few minutes, so after the music and singing was done, it was my time to fall asleep, because I knew the sermon would probably do it anyway (don’t judge me; I was only a kid). Whether miracles were taking place, or people were being delivered, I didn’t find out until after service, when I heard about it from others.

If you think me sleeping through sermons was bad, you’ll be shocked to know that worse happened to a man in the Bible…well, kinda. The most prominent Bible author was the apostle Paul. He was responsible for writing 13 epistles (14, if you include Hebrews), and took advantage of every opportunity to spread the Gospel message. He was intelligent, well-educated, and full of the Spirit of God, so when he spoke, his words were never taken lightly. One particular Sunday, as the disciples gathered together to worship, and partake of the Lord’s supper, Paul delivered a profound, yet elongated expression of God’s Word. In the midst of a well-lit room, the apostle Paul preached to his audience for nearly eight hours! Eight hours?!!! Zzzzzz…..zzzzzz….. sorry, I dozed off at the thought of sitting through that sermon lol. On a serious note, I’m certain Paul expounded on some informative, and necessary points, but there was a certain man who decided that naptime was still on his schedule. This certain man sat near a window, and fell into a deep sleep, as the length of Paul’s message was apparently too long for him to pay attention to. While snoozing through the sermon, the man fell from the third loft, or story, then was pronounced dead. Talk about a powerful message; it was so profound, until it literally killed a man.

Imagine that happening today, where a preacher preached so long, someone fell asleep in the balcony, then fell over onto the first floor, and died. This unfortunate occurrence forced Paul to stop preaching, as he rushed to attend to the dead man. It was obvious to the crowd that the man was indeed dead, but Paul embraced him, then encouraged the onlookers to worry not, because a miracle was about to take place. In some miraculous form or fashion, the man who was pronounced dead, had been resurrected, according to the faith in the apostle Paul who believed in the power of the resurrection (Christ). After the man had been brought back to life, the apostle Paul went back up to continue preaching (LOL, seriously! God bless his soul, and those who were in attendance). The people who had witnessed this great event, were left amazed, as was I, after reading this passage of Scripture again.

I’ll conclude this lesson by doing a brief comparison between the apostle Paul, and the modern-day apostle, or preacher. In the midst of his preaching, Paul stopped to perform a miracle, then went back to finish his assignment. This was a classic case of true humility. Men today need to first be motivated by the cords of the organ, before they’ll even begin to “preach”, let alone pray for someone. All attention from the pulpit should be directed to God, and not to self, because it’s our faith that moves God to act, and not our selfish performances.

Walk in love,

Ell

Parents and children together

Ephesians 6:1-4

Everyone born into this world has a purpose to fulfill, and a role to play in their predestined environments. No matter what stage a person resides in life, there are certain commands God expects all people to obey, so they can grow in His grace, and maintain good standing in His sight. Even children were commanded to obey their parents, but to the extent that their parents live according to godly standards. Children are always expected to honor and respect those who fulfill the role of guardian over them, but when provoked to do things displeasing to God, the child is not required to follow unwise, and unhealthy orders. Obeying those parents who walk by faith is right, and adds blessings to the life of a child, including health and well being, and the promise of long life. This makes me wonder why many children are dying so young. Could it be the result of disobedience to their parents or guardians? It’s a good possibility.

The role of a parent is essential to the development and growth of the child. In addition, God gives special favor to parents who train up their children according to His Word. When they began to flap their wings and attempt to fly on their own, they’ll never forget those valuable lessons they were once taught as children.

The most interesting thing I noticed in this lesson’s text is, God’s command that fathers provoke not their children to wrath, but raise them up according to godly training, education, discipline, warning, admonition, and reproof. God intended for the father to teach their household His Word. While the mother is usually responsible for nurturing, and caring for the physical needs of her children, the father is expected to keep the house filled with God’s Word. What kind of world would this be, if fathers were actually obeying this simple command? One of the reasons I’ve learn why young boys have a disconnect from God the Father is, they also have a disconnect from their earthly fathers as well. The devil’s job is to break up families, and homes, but he works diligently to sever the relationship between a father and son. Young boys need to see godly examples, especially through their own fathers. In this way, they’ll develop a greater appreciation, not only for their natural father, but also for the God of Heaven.

Good parents oftentimes produce good children, while cruel parents usually have not so good offspring (I’m fully aware there are exceptions to both examples). One simple lesson parents should grasp early on in their parenthood is, the difference between correction, and punishment. Punishing children stems from the root of the principle of revenge, whereas correction is from a principle of care and affectionate concern. The minds of children are fragile, yet super absorbent, so it’s important that parents monitor what they teach, and how they deliver it to their children, because kids soak in everything they see and hear. It’s wise to expose young minds to as much of God’s Word as possible, so that they’ll gradually develop a better understanding of holiness as they age.

Psalms 127:3 – Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

Proverbs 22:6 – Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Isaiah 54:13 – And all thy children [shall be] taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

Proverbs 13:24 – He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

Proverbs 17:6 – Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.

Walk in love,

Ell

Jesus teaches about transforming love

Matthew 5:38-48

When an athlete joins a team, they become a part of the system by which the team operates. The rules and standards set by the team must be followed by all players, in order for them to keep a position within the organization. Everywhere the player goes, each is expected to represent what their uniform stands for. All things players learned before joining their new team must be transformed, in favor of what they’ve now become engrafted into. In this same manner, when a man joins the body of Christ, he is no longer tied to his old way of living. He now wears a new uniform, lives by a new and better standard, and is expected to follow the rules set by God’s organization. The things he use to do, that may have been contrary to God’s way, are now replaced with a new attitude, that will render results based from love, and not selfishness.

In our text, Jesus continued His sermon on the mount, as He expounded on the dangers of negative retaliation. Many were taught that if someone wronged them, they were to avenge themselves, but Christ said rather than retaliate out of anger and vengeance, believers are to show love, in place of hate. It’s so easy to get back at those who do us wrong, but as children of God, we are to operate under a different set of actions. Just as God willingly gave His best to a world that rejected Him, we are to willingly render our best attitudes and actions to those same heartless people who reject our love as well. If we say we love God with our lips, but our actions aren’t aligned with what we profess, is that love real?

When we become born-again, we are to then live a perfect life, as God in Heaven is perfect. Perfection, in this sense, isn’t living flawless every day, instead, it’s living in complete conformity to God’s laws. Christians are to be mature in all their ways, and prove their maturity in how they treat their brethren, enemies, and even persecutors. How do you love an enemy, or someone who strives to make your life hell on earth? Well, look at Jesus’ example as He was being nailed to a wooden cross. While He was being beaten, spit on, mocked, scorned, and utterly humiliated, He prayed to His Father that the men be forgiven, because they had no understanding of their actions. Many were brought up a certain way all their lives, and were simply following orders. I’m not letting these men off the hook for what they did to Jesus, but when a man’s mind is consumed with rage and hate, only the love of God can transform his hardened heart.

The love we show to those who fight the good fight of faith with us, is the same love we are to show to those who walk in darkness. No one is to be held to a different standard than another, because God loves all men the same. We have the responsibility to represent the love of God to those who lack understanding of what real love is. God’s love goes far beyond mere feelings and emotions, and is expressed in deeds and actions. You can “feel” for someone until the cow jumps over the moon, but until those feelings are transformed into positive actions, they are worth little to the Kingdom of God. Let your love be without dissimulation, or undisguised. Prove to the world that God’s love is the real thing, and once they taste and see how good it is, they’ll never want to let it go.

Walk in love,

Ell

Jesus teaches about right attitudes

Matthew 5:1-12

During this time in our text, Jesus had made a reputation for Himself, as the fame of His teaching, preaching, and miraculous healing spread throughout the lands. As He, along with His newly appointed disciples continued to explore Galilee, Jesus made notice of the large gathering of people who came to see Him, so He sought an elevated place, from where He could be positioned, so that everyone in attendance could hear Him speak. Jesus didn’t go up into a mountain to puff Himself up and belittle the people, instead, He wanted all to hear the wonderful teaching He had in store for them. Jesus always took advantage of opportunities to minister when crowds gathered, and His purpose was to save the lost, so He never missed an opportunity to do so.

This lesson’s text also introduces the “beattitudes”, or behaviors that resemble godliness, and in turn, render great rewards. I often stress that Christians are to carry themselves in the same light as Jesus did when He walked the earth, so our behavior and conduct should be very similar to His. According to the text, those who surrender their lives to God, and strive to obey His Word, are considered blessed in so many ways. All who remain humble and obedient, will one day enjoy the vast wonders of the kingdom of Heaven. Even to those who may be experiencing seasons of loss and mourning, God will never leave them comfortless. There are innumerable blessings in the earth, that will run down those who are meek, or gentle and submissive. To all who yearn to grow and mature in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, their aspirations will always be satisfied. Mercy is considered not getting the punishments you deserve, so when you show mercy to others, the same will be returned to you. There’s a character in Scripture who was mentioned as a man after God’s own heart, and I often wondered what God saw in this man, for him to be grace with such a title. One thing I know is, when our hearts are pure and clean (following conversion from sinner to Saint), we are then blessed to see and understand the wonderful mysteries of the almighty God. In addition, those who are the children of God are not only pure in heart, but also peacemakers.

The last of the beattitudes aren’t for the the faint of heart, as they involve the part of Christianity many try to avoid: persecution, suffering, false accusations, and the like, but endured for Christ’s sake. As representatives of God, believers should be mindful of how they carry themselves around others. How you live, proves what’s in your heart, and if you claim to be a child of God, there should be no sign of evil or wickedness in any of your actions. An apple can never be an orange, nor can a banana be a grapefruit, so the child of God should never be anything other than what their Heavenly Father is; pure of heart, humble, holy, righteous, loving, kind, merciful and always forgiving.

Walk in love,

Ell

Blind guides confuse meaning of oaths

Matthew 23:16-22

When teaching others anything, it’s highly recommended that you know, in-depth, the topic you’re attempting to teach first. If I’ve never driven a car before, but I offer to teach someone else proper driving techniques, I’m almost certain anyone can assume how that first driving lesson will turn out.

When you lack the knowledge of a specific thing, sharing false information can mislead others, and cause them to become just as blind as you are. It’s one thing to be careless in your own endeavors, but pouring inaccurate information into the minds of others is dangerous.

We continue our studies in the book of Matthew where Jesus was coming down hard on the scribes and Pharisees. In this text, Jesus brought the hammer down on those who made false vows. The Pharisees stood firm on the belief that they were not responsible to pay vows sworn by the temple or the altar. To swear was simply to make a promise with an oath. They not only believed, but also taught these falsehoods to others.

But Jesus said that all vows were to be paid and that the temple was greater than part of its own material, and the altar was greater than the gifts laid upon it. The Pharisees were causing people to focus their attention on the material, and not the spiritual. God cares little about things, but lots for your soul. We bring gifts to God to show reverence and appreciation for who He is, but He doesn’t receive them until our hearts are first pure.

Many false teachers preach the “prosperity gospel” and blindly lead many into thinking that God will bless them, but not until they give. That’s total bologna! If God only blessed us after we gave an offering, then those who are poor, impoverished, and broke are well on their way to seasons of nothingness.

To all those who are in leadership positions, I urge you to study to show yourselves approved to God first, then share His goodness with others.

Seek peace,

Ell