"So King Solomon became richer and wiser than any other
king on earth."
1 Kings 10:23
king on earth."
1 Kings 10:23
My Take Aways
Something Old:
God blessed Solomon with more than wisdom. He has blessed and will continue to bless me with more.
Ephesians 3:20
"Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]" (AMP)
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us." (NIV)
Something New:
2 Chronicles 8:7
"There were still people..."
Did you notice there were still other people groups living among the Israelites? These groups were supposed to have been destroyed. Reference back to Joshua 15:13, 15:63, 16:10, 17:12
This will cause trouble later.Something to Do:
- Obey right away.
- Have wholehearted devotion to only one God-the One and Only
19 Comments:
Wendy,even on"low battery",you can teach, girl!!!! Fabulous vlog this morning, my pen was furiously scribbling! I desire the "prosperity" the Lord promises us because of who I am becoming in Christ, and I can see he is blessing me abundantly! Every day has become a new adventure in seeking Him, praising Him, seeing and feeling Him!
"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
(Jeremiah 29:13).
Thank you, Lord, for blessing me with another adventurous day. Thank you for Wendy, and thank you for every one of my GIG's here! I pray that we may all seek and find you today, and that you will meet our individual needs for this day, in Jesus's name, Amen!
Peace and Gratitude,
Michelle in New England
P.S. Jennifer Renee, thank you so much for all the verses of "It is Well With My Soul." It is one of my favorites, but you shared verses I never heard before. Have a good day, sweet Sister in Christ!
Morning,
I can't get the vlog to play on my computer this morning so I will try again after I get my son to school. I can't wait to watch after your comments Michelle!
My take away today was 1 Kings 10:1, "All Solomon had was to bring honor to the LORD." What God gives me-resources, gifts, talents, blessings- it is all to bring Him honor. He wants me to use those things to glorify Him, serve Him and to bless others. My prayer today is that my life will bring honor to the Lord.
Be back in a bit to try to watch the vlog again...it was just not loading for some reason.
Brandee, TN
Hello all,
It has been a crazy day and I was not able to post until now. Even so, I am taking a quick break to post the part about the cities Solomon gave Hiram from yesterday. I would love to comment on other things too, but right now time is short. So here goes...
Matthew Henry talked about the 20 cites. They were a reword for Hiram's services "Above and beyond the (promised) food for his family.":
But here we are told that, over and above that, he gave him twenty cities (small ones we may suppose, like those mentioned here, v. 19) in the land of Galilee, v. 11. It should seem, these were not allotted to any of the tribes of Israel (for the border of Asher came up to them, Jos. 19:27, which intimates that it did not include them), but continued in the hands of the natives till Solomon made himself master of them, and then made a present of them to Hiram.
[from today's reading...]
They pleased him not. He called the country the land of Cabul, a Phoenician word (says Josephus) which signifies displeasing, v. 13. He therefore returned them to Solomon (as we find, 2 Chr. 8:2), who repaired them, and then caused the children of Israel to inhabit them, ... Did Solomon act meanly in giving Hiram what was not worth his acceptance? Or was Hiram humoursome and hard to please? I am willing to believe it was neither the one nor the other. The country was truly valuable, and so were the cities in it, but not agreeable to Hiram’s genius. The Tyrians were merchants, trading men, that lived in fine houses, and became rich by navigation, but knew not how to value a country that was fit for corn and pasture (that was business that lay out of their way); and therefore Hiram desired Solomon to take them again.
So neither king acted in bad faith or insulted the other. The ability to use the gifts you receive is as individual as the person is. I found it really interesting that Hiram, King of a seafaring nation, didn't know what to do with agrarian land. It makes sense once you look on it this way. It is also evident that Solomon and Hiram's relationship continued and flourished... (1 Kings 9:26-28)
My to do; recognize and utilize the gifts I have been given completely, as the Lord intended (avoid the situation of these cities - the Lord gave this land to the Israelites, they failed to drive out the inhabitants until Solomon's day). Be mindful of the expectations I have for and the gifts I give others. Make sure they complement the person's talents as well as aid them in fulfilling God's purpose for them.
Sorry for the rambling today. I'll check in later for all of your insight.
Karen, Basel
Oh, I'm definitely still workin' on that! :-)
After reading today, what felt like a fairly straightforward account, I'm wondering a few things ... for how long did this peaceful wealth-gathering period last? How much time passed in today's reading? Where is Solomon's palace that his wife, the princess from Egypt, has been moved to? Are there other wives yet?
I know that there's more to Solomon's story and I guess I'm looking forward to reading it! Looking forward to Karen's info about the 20 towns, too ... today it sounded like Solomon received them from Hiram but yesterday it said the opposite.
Asking today for the desire to desire the right things, like Solomon, if that makes any sense!
Thank you Wendy for your teaching today, and I agree with Michelle, your batter never seems “Low” you’re just our precious energizer bunny, encouraging us to keep turning our pages…day by day!
I’m continuing to notice just how much this one particular King is acquiring! “So King Solomon became richer and wiser than any other king on earth” (I Kings 10:23). “Solomon built up a huge force of chariots and horses” (26). Will he be able to obey God and do what God desires or will his wealth get the better of him? Obedience is not always easy.
Today, am I listening to God and doing what he asks me? Am I obeying, 100%? Well, I had a situation happen to me last week. I was asked to do something that, oh “I” really wanted to do! It was an opportunity placed in front of me that I would never have dreamed possible. Immediately, I wanted to say, “YES! YES!” But, I felt lead to pray and ask God what He wanted. It was the Spirit causing me to pause, and wait. I was fighting between my “I”-ness, - (the enemy destroying what God wanted out of me, and my obedience to God.) Well, over the next two days it was clear to me what God wished, and as hard as it was I had to say, “no.” I did; however, the enemy did not stop! He tormented my thoughts all weekend long. Aahh, then…a God STOP moment. Sunday evening I was reading “The Practice of the Presence of God, my eyes read a sentence, that about popped off the page! It was just like God was sitting next to me and talking out loud. In black and white He made it clear, once again. Humbly, and full of love I sat there in awe; “thank you, LORD.” Oh my goodness, that our Mighty God, the creator of the entire world, would pay attention to the tiny details of my small life. God is everywhere. He never leaves us, ladies! His hands are on everything!
“Oh God, once again we come into your presence with expectancy in our hearts knowing that You are going to bless us” {the beginning words of our theme song…smile} Today, GIG, we seek His presence throughout our day. We focus our thoughts on Him and lift up our praises, to our Holy God. Yes, many of us are weighted down, carrying a load too heavy to carry - lift it up friends. He is there next to you. Let Him take a hold of your trembling hand, and guide you today. May you experience His strength and enjoy His joy knowing that in Him you have hope.
Loice, praying for you, and Wangui.
And, Angela you will also be in my prayers this morning. During this time, Angela you have an opportunity to get so very close to God. This is my prayer, that He will woo you, and the two of you will draw so near to Him. That His glory will shine so bright out of you. Hold on tight, not only will God be with you, but all of us are journeying along beside you, too. It is no accident that you are here on Journeying through the Word! Keep us updated, re: surgery, so we can pray better, ok? Love you!
No matter what your mood girls – it’s a brand new Wednesday, a brand new day to wake up and praise the Lord! Hugs, Lori
WOW, two simple things to follow, obedience and whole-hearted devotion. Boy do I need God's guidance every day. Thank you Wendy for being an encouragement to my walk with the Lord.
Solomon's wisdom and understanding did really allow him to set his priorities straight and it brought much pleasure to the Lord.
GiGi's pls pray for me today , I will be having surgery for my varicose veins on my leg. I am getting a bit nervous and I am so thankful that I did the devotion and reading today.
Thank you in advance for your prayers and encouraging words in the vlog comments today.
Have a blessed Tuesday!
Paola from Long Island
WOW, two simple things to follow, obedience and whole-hearted devotion. Boy do I need God's guidance every day. Thank you Wendy for being an encouragement to my walk with the Lord.
Solomon's wisdom and understanding did really allow him to set his priorities straight and it brought much pleasure to the Lord.
GiGi's pls pray for me today , I will be having surgery for my varicose veins on my leg. I am getting a bit nervous and I am so thankful that I did the devotion and reading today.
Thank you in advance for your prayers and encouraging words in the vlog comments today.
Have a blessed Tuesday!
Paola from Long Island
Morning, GIGS! Paola, praying for you right now!Praying that He will fill you with the peace that surpasses all understanding.
Jennifer Renee, "It Is Well" is one of my favs! I downloaded it yesterday to my ipod--right after the Kurt Carr song! And, trying to model Brandee's prayer time on her knees, I played one song to get me going in praise this morning. Guess which song it was? Yes, ma'm! "It Is Well". Since I have the ipod shuffle, I never know which song is going to play next! Shouldn't have been surprised....we sang it in church on Sunday as well!
I loved the scripture today-- hearing about the wealth and wisdom that Solomon had from God. I have always been partial to the story of the Queen of Sheba in 1 Kings 10. I can only imagine the look on her face when she realized how wise he was, his achievements, and his organization (Flylady is going to be visited by me today!). "Nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her...." (v. 3). Jesus will explain things to us if only we will listen with our ears and our hearts. We just have to stop...and be still!
Y'all have a wonderful day! Wendy, I will be back later to listen to the vlog and read more comments.
Hugs!
Susan
Yes, Wendy, I too, am still working on it.
I landed on "where the ark of the Lord is/has been is holy ground" 2 Chronicles 8:11b. The Lord is in me, I am holy. Wow!
Karen, thank you for sharing on the towns. Makes much more sense now.
Paola, praying God to stay close by you through the surgery, that the Dr. is guided by Him, and that your recovery is quick.
Immediate obedience- working with God on that!
Have a wonderful day! The birds here are singing His praises, I must do the same because for sure I do not want some rock doing my job (Luke 19:40)!
Praising Him,
Gaylene
In light of my post from last night, I was concerned that Solomon was hoarding! LOL! Thank you Wendy, for today's lesson, putting the wealth of this king into perspective-- how abundantly God provides when we follow Him! A much more meaningful picture of abundance.
The other verse that captured my attention was:
I Kings 10:8 "How happy your men must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom!"
I see in this that leadership based on God's principles is so much more effective and productive than leadership based on selfishness. Employees are happy to work for a boss who is caring and strong and wise! This verse really clarifies leadership styles I am experiencing in my life.
We are having an upheaval in our clinic right now, as one of our two doctors unexpectedly announced that he is leaving. He is a non-believer and is a demoralizing leader. There is almost a sigh of relief because he was so difficult to work for. Of course there is much uncertainty about how to replace him, as well as future staffing, etc. But our remaining doc is an amazing example of faith, essentially saying, "God has a plan for us, so we will get through this." Such a difference in those two!
So I may have a much longer vacation than planned-- but, know what? I have been preparing for this all year with you guys! I have such peace in my heart that God will give me direction, that I will not worry about my circumstances! Instead I pray for our leader, and for this sad doc who is leaving a horrible aftermath (and his dear family who has to be uprooted), and for his PA who has to make unexpected decisions now, with their first baby due soon. I am praying for all of our staff. We are very close, and so there are opportunities to share our faith and look forward to God's outcome! And I thank God for a boss who has faith in Him.
Have a great day, and know that I am praying for each of your special needs.
Blessing you today,
Jacque
Good morning, GIGS.
Jennifer Renee, thank you for the lyrics to "It is Well." I love that song!
Michelle, praying for peace for the next few weeks as the wedding approaches.
Paola, praying that you will have a very uneventful, routine vein surgery. May you feel God's peace and presence. Bring your ipod with you. That will calm your fears when you listen to praise music.
Our church went through the life of Solomon last summer. I looked at my notes on 1 Kings 9 & 10 and I'm going to share them with you.
* In chapter 9, my pastor said that Israel was great in this day because they honored God. Our hope is in revival not bailout. Yes, these were great times for Solomon but the spiritual decline is starting.
* In chapter 10, v. 1 It shows that godly/wise living is attractive. Our life preaches. Make sure you are preaching the right message. We should be like salt and make people thirsty for God.
* He also said that if we read between the lines we see in "all the blessings come from God" an Old Testament example of "Seek Him first and all these things will be added unto you."
* Solomon's wealth and riches became a source of frustration for him as we will see in Eccl 2. It led to dissatisfaction and emptiness. The key to handling wealth: Do not be a consumer be a channel. Be a tool that God can use to bless others.
* Deut 17:14-20 gave 3 things that a king must not do:
1. Do not multiply horses so they do not trust in their military might. Do not go back to Egypt - stay away from the old life.
2. Do not multiply gold - don't use your position.
3. Do not multiply wives because they will turn your heart away from God. (This is me now talking: As wives and mothers, we have such an influence over our families so we need to stay close to our power source like Wendy said).
Three things that Solomon did that is like us:
1. He was not accountable. Ask ourselves, are we teachable?
2. He lost his perspective on wealth and possessions.
3. He loved the praise of men - constant parade of world leaders in his court. He started to believe he was different that the smarts were his and not a gift from God.
There are consequences - but not right away. There is a gap between sowing and reaping. God's patience gives us either a time to repent or a rope to hang ourselves. Abraham was incredibly wealthy but he kept an open hand. How do we use our resources? Our life? Our time?
- End notes -
Have a blessed day, everyone.
While reading today my first thought was on how everything Solomon had done was talked about in all the other countries.
Even the Queen of Sheba had heard of the fame of Solomon. Of course she had to come and see it for herself before she would believe what she had been told (2 Chron. 9:5-6; 1 Kings 10:6-7).
I wonder am I doing anything for God that is worthy of someone telling others about it. Don't misunderstand this statement. I don't do things for people to notice, however, someone saying, "Good job" is nice but I do things for God, for my reward in heaven.
The Queen of Sheba came to prove Solomon with hard questions and he answered all of her questions (2 Chron. 9:1-2; 1 Kings 10:1-3).
My second thought: If someone asks me questions about the Bible and anything relating to God will I be able to answer their questions.
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Last Friday I told a few people that I was considering myself to be broke because I had just paid the dentist over $1600 for two crowns and it brought my checking account down real low. Today after doing the reading I decided that I shouldn't think this way. I do have back up savings and I have plenty of food that I didn't have to pay for. At least most of my food was given to me. God has supplied all my needs.
Lord, give me wisdom to know and understand your word so whenever I'm questioned I can answer those questions. Help me to hide your word in my heart and bring it back to my remembrance when I need your word. Amen.
Hi everyone--
For Angela and Paola:
My time of trouble brought my daughter and I so so close to God. Psalm 91 gives me courage and strength. Praying all goes well.
Now onto the readings...
I was thrilled to read the Chronicles which seemed to stress all the good done by Solomon. I was in awe of the palace he had built. Yet in Kings that we find his huge amount of foreign wives which lead to God's anger which was placed onto Solomon's son.
I was wondering why Hiram did not appreciate his gift from Solomon. It wasn't until I read Karen's insight to the background of the kings that I realized why Hiram was not pleased. Again, Solomon using his wisdom to give the land to Hiram---diversifying Hiram's nation would make it more stable in times of trouble. Again, a show of great wisdom.
My take a way and prayer is for me to develop a discerning heart. A understanding heart to recognize His will, His path for me, His guidance--to hear. I pray I have the ability to recognize(hear) God's messages to me, so I can listen (follow)and obey (implement).
Susie
Wisconsin
Wendy your words were directly for me to hear. Thank you.
GIG...I am always stirred by the things you all share. This site truly is a gift to me from God.
Thank you for your words.
Sister Believer
Morgen
Something that spoke to me today was "when the queen of Sheba realized how wise Solomon was, and when she saw the palace he had built, she was breathless." The Lord our God should take our breath away! And when she told Solomon that "The Lord your God is great indeed! He delights in you..." He delights in me:-) and in all of you dear GIG's, his princesses:-)
I've also been praying that I obey the Lord out of want to, not have to; that the Lord change me from the inside out - "working in (me) to WILL and do of His good pleasure." Phil 2:13, and "may He give (me) the desire to do his will in everything and to obey all the commands...1 Kings 8:58
Praying for y'all!
~Nancy in TX
I have to thank God for all you faithful ladies. I have fallen behind the last week or so and didn't realize how empty my bucket had gotten until I watched the vlog and read your wonderful insights today. The spirit is strong with you/us and I am just sitting here with tears on my cheeks. I am so blessed by this community, and am glad to have come back and seen my need for the spirit dwelling within it.
So, I didn't really have my own take-aways, I just soaked up all of your words. Lots of convicting questions for me to sit with today. Have a blessed week, ladies, I praise God, our loving and attentive Father for all of you.
Olivia
The Book of Deuteronomy warns kings and commands them not to do three things:
The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.” He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold. (Deut 17:16-17)
G&P... these were some of my notes for today also!! Wow!! double WOW!!
Karen....Thanks for hopping on this morning to give the info on the 20 cities.
(1 Kings 10:1-10):
The queen of Sheba, having heard of Solomon’s fame, came to test him with subtle questions. She arrived in Jerusalem with a very numerous retinue, and with camels bearing spices, a large amount of gold, and precious stones. She came to Solomon and questioned him on every subject in which she was interested. King Solomon explained everything she asked about, and there remained nothing hidden from him that he could not explain to her.
When the queen of Sheba witnessed Solomon’s great wisdom, the palace he had built, the food at his table, the seating of his ministers, the attendance and garb of his waiters, his banquet service, and the burnt offerings he offered in the temple of the Lord, she was breathless. “The report I heard in my country about your deeds and your wisdom is true,” she told the king. “Though I did not believe the report until I came and saw with my own eyes, I have discovered that they were not telling me the half. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report I heard. Blessed are your men, blessed these servants of yours, who stand before you always and listen to your wisdom. Blessed be the Lord, your God, whom it has pleased to place you on the throne of Israel. In his enduring love for Israel, the Lord has made you king to carry out judgment and justice.” Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty gold talents, a very large quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again did anyone bring such an abundance of spices as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
(Mark 7:14-23):
Jesus summoned the crowd again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but things that come out from within are what defile.”
When he got home away from the crowd his disciples questioned him about the parable. He said to them, “Are even you likewise without understanding? Do you not realize that everything that goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters not the heart but the stomach and passes out into the latrine?“ (Thus he declared all foods clean.) “But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him. From within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils All these evils come from within and they defile.”
King Solomon, following his father’s footsteps, was a righteous person in God’s eyes. God gave him great wisdom and wealth, which had his nation following him and doing well themselves. The word of this got to the Queen of Sheba, and she had many areas of interest that she wanted answers on so she went to King Solomon and asked these questions. Through the Grace of God, King Solomon was able to answer these questions. In doing so, the Queen, increased his wealth and honored him even more. If we were to follow the example of King Solomon in honoring and following the laws of the Lord, without expecting any returns, would in fact receive great things as well. Honor and serve the Lord, and you will be repaid, now or later!
Jesus lets the people know that it is not the food you eat that makes you evil or bad, but what you think in your heart, and what you do with your mouth and actions. It is His desire that you keep your heart clean, keep your actions and words within the Commandments, and help one another in life, and you will be following His wishes!
Hope in God...
Rhonda
Thank You Lord for everything you have done in my life.You have blessed me beyond my thoughts and hopes and dreams. Praying on the desire to obey you in everything.
Ephesians 3:20-
exceedingly,abundantly and immeasurable those words are so powerful and strong.
Prayers and Love
Debra
Hey everyone...i"m one of the lurkers...read every day but don't have much to contribute over what has already been said.
Jon Courson made the statement that Queen Sheba wasn't just there out of curiosity, but was a seeker of the truth and came to commit her life to the God of Solomon. He noted Matthew 12:42...where she is called the queen of the South where she will stand in judgment with this generation.
I am praying for all the prayer requests.
Jan TN
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