“Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”—1 Kings 3:9
At the beginning of his long reign, God gave Solomon an invitation to ask for whatever he wanted. “Ask what I shall give you,” the Lord told him. Solomon prayed for the gift of wisdom—the gift of discernment or the ability to make the best choice when confronted with a number of options. God commended Solomon for not asking for a long life, nor riches, nor for the …
“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”—1 Corinthians 10:13
On one occasion, a Christian woman came to the Elders of our church and asked for special prayer because she was so terribly tempted to accept the pressure from her male friend that they become sexually intimate. Because immorality had been in her background, she found herself weary of resisting his overtures and was about …
“Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.”—1 Corinthians 5:6-7
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”—1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.”—1 Corinthians 3:12-13
All believers will appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ to give account of themselves to God. Let us suppose that every deed we’ve done since our conversion is turned into either a piece of precious metal or a piece of straw depending on the quality of the work. Then let …
“And because of him (God)you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God,righteousness andsanctification andredemption,so that, as it is written,“Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”—1 Corinthians 1:30-31
When we think about Christ’s relationship with us, we immediately think of what He did for us as our substitute, bearing our sin on the cross. But He is not only our sin-bearer, He also embodies all that we need for our continuing spiritual growth and strength to face all of life. In other …
“If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place. But if he says ‘I have no pleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him.”—2 Samuel 15:25-26
Last week we joined David in giving praise to God for being delivered from Saul. Today, I shall introduce you to a prayer of his that’s one of utter despair. Yes, God delivered David from Saul, but now more ominously, the question was whether God would deliver him …
“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.”—2 Samuel 22:2-4
This week let’s concentrate on worshipping God with our praise.
There are times to intercede on behalf of others; there are times to pray for the sick, for finances, and for God’s leading. And then there are times to …
“Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart”—1 Samuel 16:7
The context of this statement gives us insight into what God considers of utmost value. Samuel is asked by God to find another king for Israel, and is given specific instructions to go to the house of Jesse near Bethlehem because God was preparing one of his sons to be the next king. From the oldest to the youngest, the …
“Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and right way.”—1 Samuel 12:23
Do you have to confess the sin of prayerlessness? Samuel, spoke the above words to the people who had clamored for a king, assuring them of his continual prayers on their behalf. He himself was born in answer to his mother’s prayers, and as he grew up he saw the value of prayer as he assumed his leadership position.
“My heart exults in theLord; my horn is exalted in the Lord. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation…The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven.”—1 Samuel 2:1,10
Surprisingly, this prayer actually was offered to God in response to domestic rivalry. Hannah was bitterly treated by her husband’s “other wife,” who bore children, but Hannah herself was barren. Yes, in those days bigamy and even polygamy were permitted by God. Of course this was never the ideal, God intended marriage to be between one man …
