Unexpected Baptism

Acts 10: 24-48 (June 16)

Cornelius was very excited that Peter was coming, and he invited many of his friends and family. When Peter got there, Cornelius fell at his feet. Peter asked him to stand up because he was only human and didn't want any special treatment.

Ordinarily, Peter would never have entered the home of a Gentile. It was against Jewish law. But Peter was living with the new knowledge he had gained from his vision, realizing that God did not judge anyone based on their nationality.

Peter did wonder why he had been asked to Cornelius' home, so he asked. Cornelius told him all about the vision he had the day before. He was certain that God was sending Peter to give him a message and he was eager to hear it.

Peter responded, "I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel - that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee, after John began preaching his message of baptism. And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him."

He continued on, speaking of how the apostles had been able to witness all Jesus had done, and telling of his crucifixion and resurrection. While he was speaking, the Holy Spirit came upon those who were listening. You can imagine how surprised the Jewish believers were to see the Holy Spirit poured out on GENTILES!! (Remember, they had not seen the vision Peter had seen, so they were still skeptical.)

And here is where the Unexpected Baptism occurs. Peter asks, "Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?"

There were no objections, and Peter baptized many that day, and stayed with Cornelius for several days afterward.

This is a pivotal point in Christianity... where those considered unworthy to associate with, and unable to believe... were offered respect, friendship, and the Holy Spirit, to be considered equal to the Jews. This changed the entire landscape of the area and allowed the Good News to go be spread farther than they could imagine.

To me, it is also a message of love. Love those who are different. Love those who are oppressed. Love those who society says you shouldn't love. Show no favoritism. Love like Jesus.

Scandolous Idols

One Year Bible (June 16)

I Kings 15:25-17:24

Scandalous Idols

Have you heard about the most recent “Idol Scandal”?

Fans reported an unfair voting system for “American Idol” when about 100 people used an auto-dialing technology to reportedly place almost 10,000 votes every night for their favorite contestant. Then there was the issue of “time zones”. The voting would favor a particular part of the country over another area due to the time that the show premiered and the cut-off for voting.

What is the great pull for this famous show? Well, everyone wants to hear those four little words, “You’re Going to Hollywood”!

Fame. Stardom. Prestige. Power. Recognition. Money. What could possibly go wrong?

Today’s passage is all about those “Scandalous Idols”. I understand IDOLS in our day and age. We as a society have many and they are all around us.

I am just wondering, "What I am missing in my understanding of idols during the Old Testament period?" I am picturing golden calves and pondering what in the world they can begin to do for a person. I just don’t get it. I really don’t!

So, I decided to dig a little deeper…It’s really enlightening and eye-opening. Perhaps our culture today and the Old Testament times have more in common than I have ever realized.

Perhaps, It is not about "The Pole" but about "The Pull".

Here is “Dot. Dot. Dot. Debbie’s Reader’s Digest Version” of today’s text: Abijam ruled over Judah and he was evil. He committed the same sins as his father before him, and he was not faithful to the Lord his God, as his ancestor David had been. (I Kings 15: 3)

Jeroboam and Abijam were always at war. This is an example of “Bad and Badder”. Nadab, son of Jeroboam followed the example of his father and did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. Baasha also followed in Jeroboam’s footsteps and did what was evil in God’s sight. Elah, son of Baasha was getting drunk and got killed. Zimri became the next king and killed the entire dynasty of Baasha.

Zimri ‘took the cake’ when it came to all the kings because his reign only lasted for seven days. He was “The One Week Wonder”! After one week he “went up in flames”! Literally!! So, then they got “Ornery Omni” who also provoked the Lord’s wrath with his “worthless idols”. Unfortunately, the next season came along, and “Ornery Omni” is “Soooo... Season 6. Yes, he was actually the 6th king of the Northern Tribes, (King of Israel).

Winner! Winner! Guess who won the “Un-American Idol Award”? Season 7 brought about “Big Bad Ahab” and guess what was said about him? Well, (Ornery Omni’s son) Ahab, ‘did evil even more EVIL than any of the kings’!” (He married Jezebel who even tops “Cruella de Vil” or was that “devil”?) He literally took the cake, “He did more to provoke the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel than ANY of the OTHER Kings of Israel before him”!!

If you think I am joking about Ahab being a winner in the area of music, then you have never heard Ray Steven’s song, “Ahab the Arab”.

Did you also know that there is also an old song called “Jezebel” by Frankie Laine? The opening verse goes like this, “If ever the devil was born without a pair of horns it was you, Jezebel, it was you. If ever an angel fell, Jezebel, it was you!” So, there you go!

These two have the “unholy union” for “Scandalous Idolatry”. Just wait a couple of chapters from now and you will see exactly what I mean!

King Ahab was not a winner because of his “Talent” but rather for his “Terror”, and he was a “Teddy Bear” compared to Jezebel. I am pretty sure that she wore the “bell-bottoms” in this “unholy union”!

So, here is my struggle. I understand why ordinary people want to be worshipped in “The Polls”. What I don’t understand is why Kings want to worship “POLES”. Are you with me?

Why does a king like Solomon leave his palace with all its splendor to go out to the “HIGH COUNTRY” and worship “A POLE”? As you can see from the list of unkingly contestants in our line-up, he is not the only king trading in the One True God for a CREATED Idol or “god”.

Sadly, idol worship was scarce or non-existent in the land of Israel before King Solomon. His unquenchable desire for women opened the door for him to marry many foreign women. He had 1000 women in his life. (700 wives and 300 concubines) He was the first king to introduce idol worship to the kingdom. His sons and their sons followed in his unfaithful footsteps.

Not only did he use his gifts to build the Temple and the Palace, but his gift also became “his god” as he continued building… IDOLS IN HIGH PLACES!

In order to satisfy all of his wives he built and worshiped pagan deities such as Ashtoreth (the goddess of the Sidonians), Molek (the god of the Ammonites), and Chemosh (the god of Moab). The man who had it “ALL” (including a God who personally spoke to him in dreams) turned away in his “old age”.

What happened to the saying “wisdom comes with age”? Solomon had more wisdom than any living person but it seemed to all have vanished away when he moved away from God and towards idols.

Why was the worship of Baal, Asherah, and the other idols such a constant struggle and repeating pattern for the Israelites?

I look forward to reading your thoughts, questions, and insights. So, please put your comments below.

What is the “PULL” to worship "POLES"...“Scandalous Idols”?

“Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.”-- Exodus 20:2.

Double Vision

Acts 10: 1-23 (June 15)

A few years ago, I had a surgical procedure in which I was out for a couple of hours. I remember when I tried to stand up, I got dizzy, and my vision was messed up. It was as if I saw two of everything... Double Vision.

In today's reading, we have Double Vision...but not from one person but two. Cornelius has a vision. Peter has a vision. God was using visuals to get his point across to both of these men.

Cornelius is a Roman army officer who lived in Caesarea. He was in charge of about 100 men. He was a normal soldier type, except for one great standout thing about him... he was a devout, God-fearing man as was his household. This Gentile man gave generously to the needy and prayed to God.

It was on an afternoon at about 3:00 that Cornelius had his vision. An angel of God came toward him, calling "Cornelius!" This terrified Cornelius. He didn't know a lot about angels. He thought it was God himself. WHEW!!!

The angel told Cornelius that his generosity and prayers had been received by God as an offering. He was asked to send some men to Joppa to retrieve Peter. So, Cornelius gathers up a soldier and a couple of household servants and sent them off to Joppa.

As they were nearing Joppa the next day, Peter went out on the roof to pray. It was about lunchtime, and he was hungry. This is where his vision takes place.

He saw the sky open, and a large sheet let down by its corners. In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. A voice said to him, "Get up, Peter; kill and eat them."

Peter wanted none of that! (Kind of how I feel when someone offers me deer, lamb or snake meat.) His Jewish upbringing prevented him from ever eating anything pure and unclean, and he didn't want today to be the day to change that.

But the voice spoke again: "Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean." He had this vision three more times. This vision was about more than a Jew eating meat. Before the vision, Peter would never have considered that a Gentile Roman officer could accept Christ, because the Gentiles were seen as inferior, and he thought God would not redeem an inferior man.

After the vision, Peter realized it was his responsibility to offer Christ to the Gentiles. This is when the gospel began to spread even further by offering the Gentiles the same opportunity to know Jesus.

Because of this, Peter was willing to go with the messengers of Cornelius back to Caesarea. He knew God was saying that all men have the ability and opportunity to know him, not just a chosen few.

Because of the visions of Cornelius and Peter, the Gentiles had the chance to become believers.

A House Divided

One Year Bible (June 15)

I Kings 14:1-15:24

“A House Divided”

“A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved-I do not expect the house to fall- but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other.”-- Abraham Lincoln.

This is one of the most famous quotes of all time and was given by Lincoln, in Springfield, Illinois, my hometown. Did you know that in Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address which was delivered on March 4, 1865, to a nation that was divided in the grasps of the Civil War that in only 701 words, Lincoln mentioned God 14 times, quoted Scripture 4 TIMES, and invoked prayer 3 TIMES. Lincoln was a man “acquainted with sorrow and grief” whose only help came from above during his time as president of a divided kingdom.

Today, sadly we will look at another divided kingdom. King Solomon is now gone and the kingdom is no longer at peace. It has been divided by God due to Solomon’s worship of idols. In fact, God told the people who were relatives not to fight, “For what has happened is my doing!”

Out of respect to the covenant God made to his father, David, God left two tribes under the lineage of David to Solomon’s son, Rehoboam (King of Judah). God also was preserving Jerusalem for the lineage of the Messiah. As you read about The Kings of the South, (Judah) you may want to highlight them with the same color. In the margin of your One Year Bible, you can denote whether their character was Bad or Good, and also what the outcome of their life was. I will give you another hint. 12 were BAD and only 8 were GOOD.

Then there is the Northern Kingdom (Israel). God has given 10 tribes away to Jeroboam to rule over as the King of Israel. As you read through the Kings of Israel it will be interesting to note their character and the outcome of their life. You might want to highlight their names in a different color. I will give you a hint. They are the kings of the North and that stands for NASTY. There is not a good one in the entire batch. All of them were VERY BAD… Need I say more?

It is an interesting parallel that President Lincoln was speaking about the division between the North and the South. The division that we are studying in Scripture is between the Northern Kingdom (which retained the name of Israel), and the Southern Kingdom, (Named after the tribe of Judah that dominated the new kingdom).

During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln was trying to point people to the right “with malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right"…

The Civil War was divided: Northern opposed Slavery. They wanted Freedom while the Southern states wanted to keep their slaves.

Slavery and Freedom are also the themes of the Biblical conflict. The lines were clearly drawn. They were posted on the tablets called the Ten Commandments that were placed in The Ark of the Covenant. Here was the dividing line…“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” This was commandment NUMBER ONE. The second commandment forbids the worship of man-made things that represent false gods. Nothing was to be placed BEFORE Jehovah God. NOTHING.

Worshipping God brought FREEDOM. Worshipping Idols brought SLAVERY.

Perhaps as we look back on Israel’s history we can see why God did not want the people to choose a KING to reign over them in the first place. According to the Ten Commandments HE was supposed to be KING of their lives!

Let’s take a closer look at the HOUSE DIVIDED…

“During King Rehoboam’s reign, the people of Judah did what was EVIL in the Lord’s sight, provoking his anger with their sin, for it was even worse than that of their ancestors. For they also built for themselves pagan shrines and set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. There were even male and female shrine prostitutes throughout the land. The people imitated the detestable practices of the pagan nations…” (I Kings 14:22-24)

As for Jeroboam, his sin was considered even greater as he invented a man-made system of worship changing the entire system of holy days and sacrifices. He had people worshiping golden calves.

Perhaps you remember the story of Jeroboam’s hand becoming paralyzed when he pointed at the man of God and tried to seize him. This didn’t stop him. There was also a prophet and an old man who had quite the encounter with a lion that left the man of God laying dead on the road. “Lions & Tigers & Bears, Oh my!!!” (Well, maybe just Lions!)

Here is what we are told next, “But even after this, Jeroboam did not turn from his evil ways. He continued to choose priests from the common people. He appointed anyone who wanted to become a priest for the PAGAN SHRINES. Jeroboam did it “his way!”! Sadly, division proceeds disaster.

As Abraham Lincoln so eloquently stated, “A House Divided against itself cannot stand!”

Our generation would be wise to remember Abraham Lincoln’s famous words, “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.” -- Abraham Lincoln.

Time to Heal

ACTS 9: 26-43 (JUNE 14)

Most people have heard of Mother Theresa. She was a sacrificial soul who tried to help as many as she could, especially the poor. She was highly favored for her humble work, and she meant so much to so many.

In today's scriptures, we meet the original "Mother Theresa"... a woman who gave of herself to help others in need.

But first...

Let's check in on Saul and Peter and see how they are doing.

Saul made it to Jerusalem, which was a dangerous place for him to be. The believers he went to meet with were afraid of him. They had heard about the "old Saul" before the transformation.

Barnabas took him to the apostles and told them all about what had happened to Saul and what he had been doing since then. The apostles allowed him to travel around Jerusalem with them, preaching in the name of Jesus.

Soon, some Greek-speaking Jews had a dispute with him and wanted to murder him. So, the believers (who now believed in him) took him away and sent him to his hometown of Tarsus.

Then the church experienced peace throughout the lands and more and more believers came to know Jesus.

Meanwhile, Peter was traveling around and went to visit the believers in Lydda, where he healed a paralyzed and bedridden man named Aeneas. This was a great testimony for the Lord in this city and caused more to believe. It was a great time to heal.

Then he was called to Joppa, and this is where we hear about the original "Mother Theresa". Her name was Tabitha. Her name pronounced in Greek was Dorcas.

Dorcas was dearly loved and admired. She lived in a town where many husbands and sons set sail on the seas, never to return again. This left many widows alone, or with children, and little or no money. Dorcas spent her days sewing clothing for these ladies and their children, and they appreciated her generous heart. Interestingly, she is the only woman in the bible to be called a "disciple." She was a true believer.

Dorcas got sick and died. This caused great sorrow for the widows of Joppa. In the clothes she had made them, they stood watch over her body. They had called for Peter and were waiting for him to come.

When he got there, they took him to her room. He asked them all to leave, then he knelt and prayed. He turned to Dorcas and said, "Get up, Tabitha." She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. Again, it was a time to heal.

Oh, how happy the widows were to have their sweet Dorcas back!

They spread the news all around the city. The more people who heard, the more became believers.

Peter spent quite a bit of time in Joppa with these new believers. While there, he stayed with Simon, a tanner of hides. This was a big deal because the Jewish considered anyone who touched dead animals to be unclean. So, Peter's stay with him showed that he was no longer bound by this belief, but by the word of God.

A lot went on during this particular time. God used Peter and Saul in miraculous ways to heal and draw others close to him. It was definitely a time to heal. And these people needed a healing, both physical and spiritual.

What about you? Do you need a healing? Is your heart hurting?

Turn to the one true Healer, and you will find the help and the hope you need to face whatever struggles are in front of you. It is always a Time to Heal.

Flawless Beauty

One Year Bible (June 14)

I Kings 12:20-13:34

FLAWLESS BEAUTY

When you can’t get your beauty sleep or caffeine and those puffy “Bags” are “Front and Center”, What you need is a good “CONCEALER”. $25.00 and up should do the trick! After all, basic make-up can only go so far as to hide those bags, circles, and dark spots.

However, if you want your skin to have an “all-over glow” then what you need is an “ILLUMINATOR” which is a make-up that highlights your beauty while your “CONCEALER” hides your “places that you want to be concealed”. (See how delicately I put that!)

Once you get done with this little process and a zillion other tricks you have “up your sleeve” you will have “FLAWLESS BEAUTY”. You can then “Morphe” your “Glossier” self into a “Lush” “ColourPop” existence! If you have no “LipSense” of what companies I am referring to, you can just call SeneGence and my daughter-in-law can help you out with those dark spots, wrinkles, and more… much more.

Here is the thing, my dear “Color Girls”, we live our entire lives “Concealing” what we do not want to see and “Revealing” the image that we want to put forth…. Can I hear an “Oorah” from our “Beauty Bootcamp Babes” out there today?

Don’t even get me started on hair coloring! My roots are so resistant that they refuse weekly to be “Concealed” and choose to “Reveal” themselves making me “live up to” the image of Solomon’s wisdom. Who wants to be that wise???

So, let me get politely to the point today… Many people will tell you, “I prefer the New Testament to the Old Testament”. After all, the Old Testament is about “Law” vs. “Liberty” and “Rules” vs “Redemption. God seems so “angry” in the Old Testament and there are so “many wives”, “too much killing”, and they “sacrifice babies” and kill entire families. Who wants to read that kind of stuff? Just give me the life of “Graceland”...

Trust me, I get it! I like to wear my “CONCEALER” too. I would also prefer my roots to be “Nice ‘n Easy” as well. To tell you the truth, I would like for the Old Testament to be “Nice ‘n Easy” as well, but it isn’t at all!

What is “the deal” with all these kings' struggles, and battles? Bingo!!! Now, we are talking? What is the battle in today’s passage really all about? What are they fighting to stop, and why does it matter who God’s chosen people are in the big scheme of things? Now, we are getting warm!

This is what the great theologian Augustine once said about the Holy Scriptures, “In the Old Testament the New is CONCEALED, in the New the Old is REVEALED”.

The Old Testament is NOT there to “CONCEAL” man’s sinful nature, mistakes, or the wrath of God. (Like we like to hide our blemishes.) All of that is printed on each page for us to realize the need for a savior.

Just consider all of the Old Testament holidays, “Passover, The Days of Unleavened Bread”, “Pentecost”, “The Feast of Trumpets”, “The Day of Atonement”, The Feast of Tabernacle”, and “The Last Great Day”. All of their holidays “foretold” of Jesus! He was the fulfillment that was NOT revealed until the New Testament.

The Temple and the “Mercy Seat” proclaim the need for a perfect sacrifice.

We read of how “The Cloud” or “Presence of God” filled the “Holy of Holies”.

However, God could not RESIDE with HIS People until Jesus came to REDEEM HIS People.

How could such great men as David and Solomon fall in such devastating ways?

They lacked what we have today; God living and dwelling in us through the Holy Spirit!

Without the Old Testament, we can’t understand the New Testament, and without the New, we have a very incomplete understanding of the Old Testament.

The Old Testament is part of the entire series. We can’t choose Season 12 and skip Season 1. The Bible is like a powerful epic movie series that is moving us from “DEATH TO LIFE”.

Adam and Eve went from “LIFE TO DEATH”. Through Jesus’ death, mankind will now go from “DEATH TO LIFE”. Now, can we see why there is such a fierce battle going on in the kingdom?

As we read through the Old Testament together we know how the war ends. Help is on the way!

May we read with expectant hearts and eyes that seek to see, “The New Revealed in the Old”.

From “CONCEALED” to “REVEALED”...

Oh Lord, ILLUMINATE our hearts to see YOU as we watch YOUR Salvation unfold!

“Do not think that I came to abolish the LAW of the PROPHETS. I did not come to abolish but to FULFILL.” (Matthew 5:17)

FLAWLESS BEAUTY…

The journey of being changed from “The Old” to “The New”!

Heart Change

Acts 9:1-25. (June 13)

Michael Jackson had a lot of hit songs during his long career. One of my favorites was Man in the Mirror:

I'm starting with the man in the mirror

I'm asking him to change his ways

And no message could've been any clearer

If they wanna’ make the world a better place

Take a look at yourself and then make a change.

This song talks about wanting a better world. If we want things to be better, we have to start with ourselves. The change has to first come from within us, and as WE change for the better, so does the world around us.

Saul made one of the biggest changes ever recorded! And when he did, the world became a better place.

If you remember from our previous reading, Saul despised Christians. He wanted them all dead. And he made no bones about it.

He was heading to Demascus to get some help from the synagogues. He wanted them to arrest any Christians they came across.

He chose Demascus because it was a thriving city. Its many trade routes made it a key city of commerce. He must have thought that if he could get rid of Christianity there, he could stop its spread to other places.

But along the way, something HUGE happened. He heard a voice saying, "Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?"

"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.

"I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you just do."

You can imagine the shock for Saul and everyone with him. As he picked himself up from the ground, he was without sight. His friends help him to Damascus where he stayed, blind and without food, for three days.

Already he is experiencing change. He cannot see. He cannot eat. He is not the strong capable man he was and has to be helped to walk.

But God is not done with him yet. He spoke to Ananias in a vision, telling him to go and lay hands on Saul so that his sight will be returned.

Ananias has heard about Saul, and really wants no part of him. But God explains to him that he has chosen Saul to be his instrument to spread his message to the Gentiles and kings.

Ananias does as he is asked. The scales lift from Saul's eyes and he can see again. He was filled with the Holy Spirit and was baptized. Then he ate and got his strength back.

More change for Saul! But the greater change was about to happen...

This man who despised and murdered Christians, began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues. His transformation was indisputable proof of the power of God.

Some Jews wanted him dead. (The same way they wanted Jesus dead.) So they plotted to have him killed. (SOME people never change!)

He found out about their plot and snuck out in the night, a changed man who was now living for the Lord.

A man who started the change with himself, and lived the rest of his life to make the world a better place.

This should make us ponder... what changes do we need to make? How can the world be a better place starting with us? What scales need to be removed from our eyes so we can see clearly?

Wise Men Say

One Year Bible (June 13)

I Kings 11:1-12:19

“Wise Men Say”

“Wise men say, Only fools rush in. But I can’t help falling in love with you. Shall I stay? Would it be a sin, If I can’t help falling in love with you?” (The King of Rock N’ Roll, Elvis Presley)

Yes, and Yes, to the questions posed in this song!

“The Lord had clearly instructed his people not to intermarry with those nations because the women they married would lead them to worship their gods. Yet, Solomon insisted on LOVING them anyway.” ( I Kings 11:2)

What is the problem when “fools rush in”?

“They led his heart away from the Lord and turned his heart to worship THEIR gods.” (11:3-4)

I Kings 6-7 tells us that it took SEVEN YEARS to finish the temple in Jerusalem, and Solomon spent 20 years total building the Temple and the Palace. This means he spent thirteen years building his palace, which means he spent twice as long building his own house as he did the holy sanctuary of the Lord.

Let’s take a closer look at this little math problem. Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Hmmmmm, I wonder how many rooms were needed in this palace for 1000 women? Does this make "THE REAL PROBLEM" a little more evident?

(Hmmmmm, I am thinking it is a good thing he didn’t have to pay for their Health Care Coverage back then…Can you imagine how expensive it would be for the Blue Shield "Priority Palace Plan"?

Secondly, there is a passage of scripture that perhaps you may have raised an eyebrow at earlier in this book. Here is what it said, “Now Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David, except he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.” (I Kings 3:3) "EXCEPT".... hmmm.

The “high places”... This sounds so spiritual and uplifting, doesn’t it? But, notice the word, “EXCEPT” because it is like a “cliffhanger”. This was the beginning of Solomon’s compromise.

I Kings 12:30, 31 makes reference to worship being conducted in the “HIGH PLACES”. This was the area where the people worshiped Baal and other gods. Israel was forbidden to allow such practices. They were to “drive out all inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured stones, and destroy all their molten images and demolish all their “HIGH PLACES”. (Numbers 33: 52)

Why did it take Solomon so long to build? Well, he didn’t stop after the Temple or the Palace. He also built temples to Idols for his many foreign wives! He built shrines and worshipped with his wives the gods of Ashtoreth and Molech to name a couple. The passage here in I Kings 11: 4-8 tells the sad details of Solomon’s moral decay in “his old age”.

Do you know that part of the practice at these idols’ altars was to sacrifice babies? How could the man of wisdom who saved the life of the baby by giving him to his rightful mom choose this detestable act before the Lord?

Let’s take a deeper look at Solomon’s Idolatry. It is significant as the location is mentioned to us, “On The Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem, he even built a shrine for Chemosh, the detestable god of Moab, and another for Molech.” (11:7)

Once again the message is so powerful when we follow the clues. The Mount of Olives where the disciples sang hymns and Jesus came to pray and sacrifice himself for our sins was the exact location where Solomon had betrayed his God.

It was “The Mount of Olives” where Jesus once again stood to reveal himself to his disciples before he was taken up into heaven (the vicinity of Bethany). (Luke 24: 50-51, Acts 1:12)

Then two angels told the disciples on the Mount of Olives, “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you, into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11)

Listen to the words of Zechariah relating to the end times, “On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.” (Zechariah 14:4)

The very location where David wept, Solomon committed idolatry, and where Jesus was betrayed will be the place where Jesus will triumph over all HIS enemies.

“Wise Men Say, Only Fools Rush In”…

“Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.” --King Solomon (Ecclesiastes 12:13)"

To Tell the Truth

Acts 8:14-40 (June 12)

Back in the late 1950's, a new game show appeared on ABC...To Tell the Truth.

The idea behind this show as that there was a celebrity panel who had to ask questions to three different contestants and determine which one of the three was telling the truth. Two of the contestants were "fibbing" and one was actually being truthful.

So, the object for the contestants was to be the best "liar." Hmmm... how well would you do on this show?

Peter and John are being sent to Samaria. They are the celebrity panel. Their job is to see if the Samaritans have really accepted God's message. The question was... could non-Jews and half-Jews REALLY receive the Holy Spirit?

When they got their they realized that, while these Samaritans were truthful about believing God's message, the Holy Spirit had not yet entered these people, so they prayed for the new

believers to receive the Holy Spirit. When John and Peter layed their hands on them, they received the Spirit.

Once again, Simon is watching. When he saw them all receive the Holy Spirit, he offered John and Peter money to buy this power. He wanted to be able to lay hands on people and have them receive the Holy Spirit just as they did.

Peter was upset by this. " May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God's gift can be bought! You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God."

So was Simon telling the truth in yesterday's scripture about believing in God? Or was he merely trying to gain favor? If you were on the celebrity panel, what would your answer be?

Peter goes on to tell him that if he repents of this wickedness, maybe God will forgive his evil thoughts. Those evil thoughts revealed that he was full of bitter jealousy and sin.

Simon wants Peter to pray to the Lord for him so nothing bad will happen. It seems he knows Peter is telling the truth.

Peter and John continue on to Jerusalem, preaching in Samaritan villages along the way.

Phillip follows the command of an angel of the Lord to "Go south." It is then that he meets the treasurer of Ethiopia, who is a eunuch with a lot of power under the queen of Ethiopia. When Philip met him, the Eunuch was reading aloud from the book of Isaiah.

Following the prompting of the Holy Spirit, Philip went and walked along beside the carriage and asked the eunich if he understood what he was reading. He did not.

Philip goes on to minister to him through the scriptures he had been reading. They came upon a body of water and Philip baptized the eunuch before they parted ways.

The conversion of this eunuch with great authority brought Christianity into the power structures of another government. Christianity was now spreading out beyond the traditional government of the apostles.

Philip continued on in other regions, preaching the Good News and gained many followers who believed he was Telling The Truth.

What about you? When you speak of your faith, do others believe you? Would a celebrity panel see the proof of your truth? We are all contestants in the game of life and it is important that, as believers in the word of God, we continue Telling the Truth to all who will listen.

Splendor Without Surrender

The One Year Bible (June 12)

I Kings 9:1-10:29

“Splendor Without Surrender”

What could possibly be more exciting than “A Royal Visit”?

Are there any Downtown Abbey fans out there? Just thinking of the first movie, with the royal visit, makes me think of scones, lemon curd, and a cup of hot tea. My mind always wanders back to the scene of dear Mr. Molesley serving the Royals for the very first time. Just speaking out loud and out of turn, he nearly swallows his own tongue. He is left SPEECHLESS!

So, is “The Royal” in today’s story. Her name is The Queen of Sheba or the “Queen from the South” in the New Testament.

“When the Queen of Sheba realized how very wise Solomon was, and when she saw the palace he had built, she was OVERWHELMED or SPEECHLESS. (I Kings 10:5)

Her royal visit gives us a glimpse of the splendor of Solomon’s palace. She was impressed by the meals, the conduct of the servants, and the seating of the officers and guests for starts. Then there was the incredible wealth displayed on the tables and the gold everywhere. (No silverware here! Only gold cups!)

The Queen was not just impressed with his WEALTH. She was even more impressed with his WISDOM. She asked Solomon every hard question she could think of and he answered every single one of them, and then more.

She announced publicly that his servants in the palace must be “the happiest people in the kingdom”! (Wonder where Disney got their slogan? Thank you, Queen Sheba!)

As she left, she bestowed wealth upon him. Wealth upon wealth flowed through his fingers and through the kingdom. Yes, God had blessed Solomon by making his name famous. He was the richest, wisest, and most honored of all kings of all time!

Did you know that The Queen of Sheba is mentioned in the New Testament by Jesus in Matthew 12:42? Jesus actually commended her even though she went home to worship her own gods. Why was she mentioned by Jesus?

The Queen of Sheba actually traveled hundreds of miles to hear Solomon’s wisdom and she blessed the Lord because of the testimony of what she saw and heard in the Solomon, the son of David.

Jesus Christ far exceeded the wisdom of Solomon but the Jewish religious leaders only scoffed in disbelief at the Son of God. Jesus made the statement that “The Queen of Sheba” will point her finger at them in condemnation. She an unbeliever was listening, seeking, and impressed. The religious leaders had their own ungodly agenda.

They were looking for SPLENDOR but were not interested in SURRENDER.

Sadly, they weren’t the only ones who missed the main event.

Let’s look at how this chapter begins today. “Then the Lord appeared to Solomon a second time, as he had done before at Gibeon.” (I Kings 9:2) He reminded Solomon of the covenant that he had made with David and now with Solomon. “If you keep my commandments, I will keep you.” His dynasty would only last as long as his commitment to honor God as the true king over the kingdom.

The saddest words begin tomorrow’s passage, “Now King Solomon LOVED many foreign women”... The Lord had warned him not to marry foreign women or his heart would be turned away. However, he ignored the Lord’s warning and promise.’’

“Yet, Solomon insisted on LOVING them anyway… And, in fact, they did turn his heart away from the Lord.” (I King 11: 2-3)

“In Solomon’s old age, they turned his heart to worship other gods instead of being completely faithful to the Lord his God, as his father, David, had been.”(vs. 4)

Yes, the Queen of Sheba came to behold all of Solomon’s glory and praised his God because of his wisdom and kingdom. In the very next breath, we are left speechless as Solomon sought the LOVE of other foreign women. The message of the fall of the united kingdom will now defame the God that has blessed him all of his earthly life.

How heartbreaking to have SPLENDOR without SURRENDER…

Eye Witness

Acts 7:51-8:13 (June 11)

Crime shows...you either like them or you don't. I like to try to guess "who dunnit". There are typically experts in their fields giving information and insight. There are investigators who gather evidence to build a case. Family and friends share testimonies of the victim. Sometimes co-workers and neighbors add their input.

All of this combined can help build a case. Sometimes there is enough information, sometimes not. But one thing that is key to solving a case is an EYE WITNESS. This person was present for the crime, saw it take place, and has knowledge that no one else has.

Today we get introduced to a EYE WITNESS in the case of Stephen vs. the Jewish leaders.

Stephen is frustrated with these Jews. He accuses them of being stubborn and resisting the Holy Spirit, and of deliberately disobeying God's law. (Remember he is still on trial for blasphemy and is trying to prove his innocence.)

These Jewish leaders are furious with Stephen. After he claims, "Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God's right hand!", they drag him out of the city and began to stone him. They don't care that he is filled with the Holy Spirit.

They took off their coats and laid them on the ground at the feet of a young man. And this is where we first meet our EYE WITNESS.

This young man is named Saul. (He will have a name change and a heart change later in our reading.) Saul witnessed this brutal killing of an apostle. This was the beginning of a great wave of persecution against the church, and Saul was a ring leader.

We can wonder if he hated the apostles before this moment, or if he gathered his opinion by witnessing the execution of Stephen.

We can question if he had a truly hating heart or if he was just fearful of the Jewish leaders,and wanted to go along with them for his own well being.

We may never know his reasons, but we do know that he was definitely an EYE WITNESS for the prosecution.

Even with the chaos and fear around them, the believers persevered. They were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, but they continued to preach the Good News wherever their feet landed.

Philip went to Samaria, where he told those people about Jesus. He performed miracles and the people believed him.

Even Simon, a sorcerer who proclaimed his own greatness and power, believed and was baptized. He began following Phillip along his journey.

Simon, too, was an EYE WITNESS, only he was a witness for the defense. His ringside seat of Philip's actions caused him to believe. He gave up his own reputation as the Great One to follow the Good News.

So, this makes me think... who am I a witness for? Who are you a witness for?

We all see the ugliness of the world each and every day, but do we take that to heart and go along with the evil? Or do we look for the goodness, and live according to the gospel?

You get to decide. Who will you be an EYE WITNESS for?

His Glorious Presence

One Year Bible (June 11)

I Kings 8:1-66

“His Glorious Presence”

Did you know that at today’s prices Solomon’s Temple would be worth FIVE BILLION DOLLARS!

Expensive cedar, cypress, and costly stones lined the entire temple. It was such a magnificent structure that it was famous and glorious throughout the world. (I Chron. 22:5)

But, what is “The Temple of God” without “The Presence of God”?

I Kings 8:9-10 tells us what happens when The Ark of the Covenant is finally brought home to rest in the Temple. The “Holy of Holies” had been empty until this happened.

Let’s take a closer look at Possession, Power, and Presence in relationship to The Ark of the Covenant.

First, what did The Ark of the Covenant POSSESS? That is a very interesting discussion… We will look at what was “Mentioned” and what is “Missing”.

The Ark of the Covenant was a box of acacia wood overlaid with gold both inside and outside. It was portable and traveled as the centerpiece of the Tabernacle. It had a golden cover called “The Mercy Seat” with golden angel (cherubim) statues above. It was the place that God chose to meet with His people. (Exodus 25:22)

In today’s passage we are told, “Nothing was in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed there at Mount Sinai where the Lord made a covenant with the people of Israel as they were leaving the land of Egypt.” (I Kings 8:9)

This is of interest because we are told when they traveled with the Tabernacle that Aaron’s staff and a jar of manna were included with The Ark of the Covenant. “Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing some manna, Aaron’s staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the covenant with the Ten Commandments written on them.” (Hebrews 9:3-4)

These items were kept in the Ark during its “traveling days” with the Tabernacle. Either they were taken out when the Philistines captured the Ark, (Remember the boils that came their way?), or they were now stored in the Temple but not kept in the Ark by Solomon’s directive. I Kings 8:51 and I Kings 9:4 tell us that Solomon brought all of the silver, gold, and other ‘utensils” stored by his father David as treasures into the Temple. I Kings 9:4 tells us that the Priests and Levites carried all these things into the Temple along with the Tabernacle.

Secondly, let’s look at the POWER associated with The Ark of the Covenant. Here is just one example of the BLESSING that came with the presence of the Ark. “And the ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the LORD BLESSED OBED-Edom and all his house.” (2 Samuel 6:7)

On the other hand, perhaps you remember what happened when it was in the wrong hands…The Philistines captured THE ARK and were given a plague of “BOILS”. They couldn’t send a peace offering and THE ARK back quick enough!!

Then, there was Uzziah who stuck out his hand to steady the Ark when David was trying to move it home. BAAMMMM… That was a bad move! This made David angry and God angry as well.

The Ark of the Covenant definitely holds a POWER that we can not comprehend with our human minds. Can we touch electricity or radiation and live?

How does the POWER of GOD compare to our human energy?

Well, HIS POWER resided in the Ark of the Covenant, and human mankind was not able to gaze upon, touch, or comprehend the power of THE ONE WHO HOLDS THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE IN HIS HANDS!

The Temple has been empty and devoid of POWER, but look what happens after the priests and Levites brought the Ark into the Temple. “As the priests CAME OUT of the inner sanctuary, a CLOUD filled the Temple of the Lord. The Priests could not continue their work because the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple.” (I Kings 8: 10)

All of Solomon’s wealth and riches could not begin to make the Temple SHINE until God’s Glorious Presence SHOWED UP!

All of our best efforts, hard work, and possessions can not stand before a Holy God either. It was not what “Solomon Built”. It was about what “God Inhabited”!

What HE INHABITS is... the PRAISE of HIS PEOPLE!!

It has always been about HIS GREAT POWER and HIS GLORIOUS PRESENCE!

“O the glory of Your presence. We, Your temple give You rev’rence… As we glory in Your embrace, As Your presence now fills this place.” (Steven Fry

The Helper

Acts 7:30-50 June 10

And the story goes on...

Today we find Stephen continuing to recount the story of Moses. If you remember, he is being accused of blaspheming Moses and God.

What exactly do they mean by this?

They felt that Stephen was such an admirer of Moses, and that perhaps he saw Moses as a "little God." Stephen is trying to show them that this is not true.

Through his retelling of Moses' journey, his encountering of the burning bush, and all that transpired after, Stephen spoke honorably of Moses, showing them that he saw Moses as a man, not a "little God."

He saw Moses as a human being, subject to the same thoughts and feeling as all of us. And while he as only human, he was still a glorious instrument in the hand of God for forming the Old Testament church.

The point of his message was:

1. We are all only human. We will never be equal to God. But despite the fact that we are only human, God can use us. We can be powerful instruments for God and the plans he has for this world.

2. When God uses us in powerful ways to make a big difference, we need to remember that we are STILL only human. Nothing we do or say makes us any greater than the God we serve. Nothing makes us equal.

If you find yourself thinking more of yourself or find that someone is praising you more than they praise God, you need to get the focus back on God. Live humbly in the service he calls you to, keeping him at the center.

Another thought I have today is this...

What are the "little Gods" in your life?

What things do you spend more time thinking about, praising, and proclaiming?

Is it a relationship? A career? Money, fame, or success?

Be on guard for the "little Gods" in your life. Be watchful of ways the enemy can draw you away from God. He is a sneaky little bugger!

Remember...if you want to serve him, you have to focus on him, listen to him, and be obedient to him. That makes you a good Helper

The Mercy Seat

One Year Bible (June 10)

I Kings 7: 1-51

The Mercy Seat

“O Come to the altar. The Father’s arms are open wide. Forgiveness was bought with The precious blood of Jesus Christ.” (“O Come to the Altar”. Elevation Worship)

Perhaps you have sung this worship song, but do you realize that it is directly linked to the understanding of the Tabernacle and then the Temple?

The Temple was a more permanent dwelling place that was modeled after the Tabernacle. We can not understand the Tabernacle or Temple without understanding its purpose and function.

The entire Temple was designed to point the people to “The Mercy Seat” of God.

“The Altar of Sacrifice”-- As the people entered the outer courtyard of the temple there was a great altar where animals were sacrificed to God. Only perfect animals could be offered for sacrifice. They produced a “pleasing aroma” to the Lord.
(Exodus 29:25)

“The Brazen Sea”--There was a large reservoir of water that stood by “The Altar of Sacrifice”. It was where the sins were washed away before they could come into the presence of God.

“The Two Pillars”--By the vestibule of the temple, there were two pillars that symbolized David and Solomon representing Intelligence and Wisdom.

“The Table of Showbread”--Just as the Tabernacle had twelve unleavened loaves of bread, the Temple reminded the people that their “food” and life comes from God alone.

“The Menorahs”--In the tabernacle there was only ONE Menorah, which was a large candlestick with seven oil lamps. In the Temple built by Solomon, he added to make TEN Menorahs. These were ornate, filled with pure olive oil, and placed opposite of the Showbread. The Western Lamp was special and constantly burning.

“The Incense Altar”--Incense was burned on this altar in the inner sanctuary and the perfume would fill the room symbolizing the prayers of the saints. (I Kings 7:49) The priests were the mediators between the people and God.

“The Veil”--The only thing that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies was a veil, which was a large curtain with two cherubim embroidered on it. Only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies and talk with God directly. “The Veil” blocked all others from access to God.

“The Ark of the Covenant”-- The Holy of Holies was the innermost place where no one could enter except for the High Priest. The Ark of the Covenant held the tablets of the Ten Commandments and resting on the Ark was “The Mercy Seat”, with two cherubim facing each other with their wings outstretched. God would speak to the high priest in this very spot between the golden angels. (Ex. 25: 10-22)

“The “Mercy Seat” represented God’s Presence with his people. The two cherubim on top of the pure gold Mercy Seat were not cute little babies with wings. They were actually quite terrifying in appearance. (Ez. 1: 4-14)

What can we learn about “The Mercy Seat” from the cherubim placed here?

The first mention of the cherubim in the Bible is in Gen. 3:24. Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden after their sin and cherubim were placed on the east side of the garden with flaming swords to guard the way to the tree of life. They served as the “gatekeepers” to God’s presence, and they kept Adam and Eve from this perfect place due to their sin.

“The Mercy Seat” is where the high priest would take some of the blood sacrifices through “The Veil” and into the holy place. It was here at this very spot that the sins of the people would be rolled back for that year, and yet Hebrews 10:4 makes it clear that the blood of animals can NEVER actually take away our sin.

Everything in the temple points us to “The Mercy Seat”. Hebrews 9:1-9 helps us understand what the Old Testament Temple’s function really was about and its fulfillment in Jesus. It tells us that Jesus came as “A Better High Priest”, and that He was “A More Perfect Sacrifice”.

In the Temple, “The Veil” kept sinful man from coming near God or his Mercy Seat. Only the High Priest could go there. When Jesus, the perfect High Priest died, he completed the once and for all sacrifice for sins at the altar of God. “The Veil of the Temple” was torn IN TWO FROM TOP TO BOTTOM! No man could possibly do this act, only God. (Mt. 27: 51)

The distance between God and man has been removed. Jesus’ outstretched arms on the cross and death atoned for the past and future sins of all mankind.

“Today, you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43) Those were the words of Jesus to the thief on the cross and they are the words of “The Mercy Seat” to you and me today.

Yes, the center of the Temple was the altar… “The Mercy Seat”.

“O Come to the altar. The Father’s arms are open wide. Forgiveness was bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ.” (“O Come to the Altar”. Elevation Worship)

A Walk Down Memory Lane

Acts 7:1-29 (June 9)

How sweet it is when we get to gather together with friends and family we haven't seen in a while! Undoubtedly, the conversation turns to days gone by... those special things we recall about the past. We laugh about the "good ole days", often at our own expense.

It is so fun to take that walk down Memory Lane. It is especially interesting when we can see where the events of our past have formed our present, and how God has orchestrated it all in his wisdom and timing.

If you recall... if you can walk down Memory Lane to yesterday's passage... then you will remember that Stephen is on trial, accused of blaspheming God. He is standing there with his face as bright as an angel.

Our walk today takes up where we left off... the high priest asking Stephen if the accusations are true.

Stephen does not answer him with a yes or no answer. Instead, he starts taking a Walk Down Memory Lane.

He reminds them of the promise God made to Abraham, that if he left his land and went to a new place that the new land would belong to him and all of his descendants. (This was told to Abraham when he had NO children, yet he still obeyed.)

He went on to tell Abraham how his descendants would be oppressed slaves for 400 years, and that the nation that enslaved them would be punished.

Stephen is speaking this as a child of Abraham, as one of his descendants. He starts his speech with "our ancestor Abraham", showing them all that he fully believes he is of the family of Abraham. He is letting them know that he is very versed in this history.

He then goes on to speak about Joseph and his brothers. Another Walk Down Memory Lane.

Joseph had a lot of troubles, beginning with being sold into slavery by his brothers. But God was with him and rescued him from all his troubles. Not only did he rescue him, but he gave him the wisdom he would need to make crucial decisions that would save many, including the very family that had harmed him.

He spoke these words so that these envious officials would see the results of envy amongst them.

Continuing his walk down Memory Lane, he goes on to remind them of Moses, of how he was raised by the Egyptians. At age of 40, he decides to visit his relatives , the Israelites. That is when he saw the Egyptian mistreating the Israelite and killed him.

It was his hope that his fellow Israelites would see that he was there to save them, sent by God to do so. Unfortunately, they didn't see it that way. Instead they saw him as a murderer, which caused him to live in exile in a foreign land.

Just like those Israelites didn't get Moses' purpose, these government officials weren't seeing the purpose of the apostles. They didn't recognize that they were sent by God for a purpose.

Yes, Stephen took this trip down Memory Lane as a reminder to these leaders, but was it helping them see the significance of his purpose? Of his fellow apostles' purpose?

Will this trip down Memory Lane soften them to wards him? Will they believe him?

Will this trip down Memory Lane save his life?

Well...the reminiscing isn't over...it continues tomorrow... and only time will tell where the story ends.

Location, Location, Location

One Year Bible (June 9)

I Kings 5:1-6:38

Location. Location. Location.

Recently the song, “Go Rest High On That Mountain” by Vince Gill has come to my attention. Perhaps it is because we all mourn when we watch faithful humans struggle and die before their time.

The song begins with the words, “I know your life on earth was troubled And only you could know the pain. You weren’t afraid to face the devil. You were no stranger to the rain.”

David was a “man after God’s own heart”, but he was also a fallen man who would not be allowed to lead Israel from The Tabernacle to The Temple. David had made the plans and preparations and collected a vast amount of materials before his death. (I Chron. 22:5). Even though Solomon was young and inexperienced, David would not be the one to build the “magnificent structure, famous, and glorious throughout the world”. (22:5)

“Then David sent for his son Solomon and instructed him to build a Temple for the LORD, the God of Israel. I wanted to build a Temple to honor the name of the LORD my God.” David told him, “But the LORD said to me, ‘You have killed many men in the great battles you have fought. And since you have shed so much blood before me, YOU WILL NOT BE THE ONE to build a Temple to honor my name. But you will have a son who will experience peace and rest. I will give him peace with his enemies in all the surrounding lands. His name will be Solomon, and I will give him peace and quiet to Israel during his reign.’... “And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.” (I Chronicles 22:6-10)

What is the significance, symbolism, and site of all of this elaborate building that is under construction for the Temple by King Solomon in I Kings 5-7?

Have you heard of Mount Moriah?

This is the LOCATION where King Solomon began building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign. As God promised, it was a time of peace, and there was an alliance of peace with David’s friend, Hiram, who said, “Praise the Lord for giving David a wise son to be king of the great nation of Israel.” ( I Kings 5:7)

First, Mount Moriah is the location where (2000 years before) Jesus died.

Secondly, Abraham, the Hebrew patriarch of Israel, ascended this mountain with his only son, Isaac, to sacrifice him to his God as requested to show his faith. It was on Mount Moriah that God provided a ram to take the place of his human son. This lamb was the substitutionary sacrifice. The book of Hebrews says that Abraham received his son “back from the dead”.

The theme of “The Sacrificial Substitutionary” lamb was the basis of the Feast of the Passover that Moses was instructed to institute. The enslaved Israelites were instructed to sprinkle the blood of a lamb over their doorposts to spare them from death and to free them from slavery.

Thirdly, perhaps, we may not have connected all the dots yet, but we also recently saw Mount Moriah as the place where David bought a threshing floor to atone for his sin concerning taking the census. It was there that he commented, “I will not offer a sacrifice that cost me nothing”.

Solomon built the very first temple on this very site where his father, David, had sacrificed to God, and where Abraham, the “Father of the Nation of Israel” had been willing to sacrifice his only son. Does the significance of this location give you chills?

Remember when God told Solomon that he would “establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.”? The Temple that Solomon is building in this passage was destroyed by the Babylonians. Then King Herod later remodeled the structure. The second temple, however, was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D. So, what happened to the “Kingdom over Israel forever”?
promise? Mount Moriah in Jerusalem is now known as “The Temple Mount”. So, what was God referring to in his promise?

During his ministry, Jesus compared himself to the Temple in Jerusalem. He promised that HE would “tear down the temple in three days and raise it again in three days”. (John 2: 19-21)

What about that sacrificial lamb introduced to Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah? Revelation 13:3 tells us that, “Jesus is the LAMB slain before the foundation of the world.”

You see, if we miss the location of the mountain where the Temple is built, we will miss the message and the meaning of all of the symbolism that goes on inside of it. Mount Moriah reminds us that the Temple is not a Temporary Place. It is a Forever Person and an Eternal Promise fulfilled through Jesus Christ, the perfect lamb!

“Go rest high upon that mountain. Son your work on earth is done. Go to heaven a-shoutin’ Love for the Father and the Son.” (Vince Gill)

As you can see, one can not begin to understand the significance or symbolism of the Temple without understanding … Location. Location. Location.

Finding Fairness in the Feuding

Acts 6:1-15 ( June 8 )

I remember when my kids were little. They typically played well together, knowing what to expect from each other and being familiar with each other's attitudes and temperaments.

But when they would get together with their big ole group of cousins...that's when the trouble would start. Too many kids with too many unfamiliar characteristics did not mix well. Someone always felt left out, treated unfairly, or taken advantage of.

There is just something about "combining the masses" that creates an opportunity for fueding amongst each other. We see this time and time again, in Scripture and in our own experiences.

That is what is happening as more and more believers are coming together under the teaching and preaching of the apostles.

You can imagine...a situation where unfamiliar people with unfamiliar customs come together, chaos is likely to be seen.

We have Greek-speaking believers joining with Hebrew-speaking believers. This is not "smooth sailing" for the apostles.

In fact, they are hearing a lot of fueding going on, a lot of bickering and complaining about unfair treatment. So much so that they seem to be spending more time solving disputes than actually preaching and teaching.

One particular issue about discrimination in daily food distribution is the final straw.

Having had enough, they called a meeting with the entire group and said, "We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program."

The apostles suggested the choose seven men who were well respected and full of the Holy Spirit to oversee all complaints and help resolve them, so they could get back to their teaching.

There was agreement that this was a good idea (finally...something they can agree on), so they chose their seven mediators: Stephen, Philip, Procurus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenides, and Nicolas of Antioch.

The apostles prayed for these men and laid hands on them. (They knew these men were going to need it!) Then they got back to spreading the message of God's word.

Now Stephen was a standout! (Every group has that one) He performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. Some Jewish men, thinking they could outsmart him (there are always some of them in every group too), started arguing with him. They didn't realize they weren't just arguing with Stephen, but also with the Holy Spirit. There was no way they were going to win this argument.

So what do you do when you can't win an argument? They talked some men into lying about Stephen, saying he was blaspheming both Moses and God.

Of course, this caused the officials to arrest him and bring him to trial. (They sure have a lot of trials!)

When they spoke of his charges, all eyes turned to Stephen, this man who supposedly had the nerve to blaspheme not only Moses, but God himself.

I wonder what they thought when they turned to look at him and his face was as bright as an angel's?

Hmmm...perhaps we will hear more about this shiny, bright-faced man tomorrow.

“Baby, You’re Mine”

One Year Bible (June 8, 2022)

I Kings 3:3-4:34

“Baby You’re Mine"

“Baby mine, don’t you cry. Baby mine. Dry your eyes. Rest your head close to my heart, Never to part, baby of mine.” (Baby Mine, by Bette Midler)

What do you say to a mama that has just lost her baby?

What emotions does a mama (who lost her firstborn baby boy) feel when she sees her living son sitting on the throne as the King of Israel?

What thoughts does a father have when he sees his 20-ish-year-old son take his place on his throne, holding his sword, and building his father’s dream of a palace and tabernacle?

I cannot begin to imagine, but it puts a large lump in my throat.

Today’s “changing of the guard” shows a monumental change. We need to stop and really take this in. The Mighty Warrior has fought his final battle, and his son picks up his sword, but the shift in focus, purpose, and person will be VASTLY different.

The embodiment of God’s promises to David is about to come to life before our very eyes. David will have a small glimpse of his son’s wisdom as he is ready to pass from this world… “The Light of Israel” is now to be passed on to a new generation. Can you feel the hope filling the palace? I like this young man already!!

There are three words that jump off the page at me today: Palace, Throne, and Sword.

Now, I know that these are not unusual words at all when we are talking about a king, but they are each mentioned in a very UNUSUAL way in this passage. They are not at all what I would have expected when reading about Solomon…

Let’s begin with the word, “PALACE”.

“That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, ‘What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you’.” (I Kings 3:5)

Solomon replied, “You showed great and faithful love to your servant my father David because he was honest and true and faithful to you.” (Vs. 6) “Now O Lord my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours.” (3:7-9)

Did you see the word, “Palace” or “Kingdom” anywhere in his words? That is what is so unusual! All of his brothers were literally "killing" to get into the palace. Solomon doesn’t ask for a kingdom or a fancy palace. He asks for “wisdom to govern his people well”. He is not focused on a PLACE. He is focused on PEOPLE.

The Lord was so pleased that Solomon asked for wisdom that he promised to give him a “wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have!” (vs. 12)

Here is what is said of Solomon, “No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life!”

God also promised to give him what he did NOT ask for, riches and fame! In essence, God gives Solomon everything that he could possibly need to face the great challenges that Solomon has lying ahead of him. He will build the Palace, The Tabernacle for God, and a Dynasty of Peace.

Here is what we are told about Solomon’s new kingdom. “So the kingdom was now firmly in Solomon’s grip.” (I Kings 2:46b)

Did you get that, Solomon didn’t even ask for a kingdom or palace and he is given a “solid grip” on the kingdom at a young twenty-ish years of age, and that isn’t the half of it…

Next, let’s look at the word, “Throne”.

Remember Adonijah, his half-brother who tried to steal the throne from Solomon? Well… he’s BACK! He comes to Solomon's mother, Bathsheba, and asks her to go to Solomon for him and give him permission to marry Abishag. I am sure that this seemed like a peacekeeping mission to Bathsheba. Mamas are gifted “Meddlers”.

I love this next part. Solomon invites his mama into the throne room and asks his servants to “pull up” an extra THRONE for her to sit next to him. I love that the word, “THRONE” is used here, and I love the way that he respects and treats his “Meddling Mama”.

Solomon loves his “Kibitzer Mama” and will do whatever she asks of him. Except This!

Already Solomon is blessed with the wisdom to see that this is a “big boy ploy” to take over the kingdom. You can look it up in the playbook, “Tattletale 101” under the chapter, “Run to Mama”. Solomon knows how to handle his mama too! This is a Win-Win! Wise Man!!

The woman who had “no voice” with David and was taken into his kingdom through sin had lost her first baby. Now she is sitting next to her second baby and he is providing a THRONE for her to sit right next to him.

What was she thinking? I am pretty sure I know the song in her heart, “Baby You’re Mine!”

One final word used in this passage in an unusual way is the word, “SWORD”.

Perhaps you have heard the Bible story about Solomon dealing with the mothers who are fighting over the baby. Evidently, in Sunday School they didn’t cover the part about the two women being PROSTITUTES. Did you realize that part of the story? I know that I didn’t. But as I reflect upon it, I think it is one of the most important aspects that we dare not overlook.

The new King of Israel stoops down to listen to the heated argument, heartache, and hopes of two lowly broken women. Secondly, he uses an understanding heart to decide the life and destiny of a tiny baby. What happens next?

Ah, the SWORD! The sword that took his father to endless wars where blood was shed, is now the King’s sword that will GIVE LIFE rather than take it. Solomon offers to split the baby “In Half”. One mother is fine with that, and one would willingly hand over her baby rather than see it harmed.

This story is not just about two women tarnished by sin that found grace and hope in the new kingdom. It is a story about what is to come…A Palace. A Throne. A Sword.

Can’t you just hear the soft lullaby playing in the background again?

“Baby mine, don’t you cry. Baby mine. Dry your eyes. Rest your head close to my heart, Never to part, baby of mine.”

Yes, I think I know what both mamas were singing softly through their tears of joy, “Baby, You’re Mine."

The Day of Their Lives

Acts 5:1-42 (June 7)

When I was younger I would watch Days of Our Lives with my Granny. Oh, the drama! Oh, the intrigue!

There was a complete cast of colorful characters... liars, cheaters, masters of deceit. It made for interesting viewing!

This is where we find ourselves in our New Testament story today. We meet two new characters...Ananias and Sapphira (now doesn't she just SOUND like a soap opera character?)

These two play a supporting role in today's "soap opera." If you remember, all the believers were selling their land and sharing their proceeds so that no one was needy. Well, these two masters of deceit decided they would take only part of the money from the sale to the apostles and pretend it was the full amount. (Can you see the plot of deception beginning to form?)

Unfortunately for them, Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and didn't fall for their trickery.

When Ananias approached him, Peter asked him why he had let Satan fill his heart and lie to the Holy Spirit.

You can imagine Ananias's shock that he had been found out. This was a "duh-duh-duh" moment. He fell to the floor and died. Some young men (part of the unnamed cast of characters) wrapped him in a sheet and buried him.

As if this wasn't enough tragedy and deceit for one episode, Sapphira came along about three hours later. She has no idea what has happened and is keeping up with the lie they had agreed on.

Peter asked her if that was the full amount of money they had received for the land and she said it was.

He replied, "How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out too."

Instantly she fell to the floor in her dramatic death. Once again, that cast of characters came in and took care of the body.

The apostles continued performing miracles and wonders worthy of many good episodes but the people seemed a little fearful after TWO instant deaths. Even though they admired the apostles from afar, they continued to meet in worship and the number of those saved continued to increase.

The sick, lame, and possessed (this actually did happen on Days) were brought into the streets for healing. Crowds gathered to watch.

Now the high priest and his officials got jealous about this. (There is always jealousy in a soap opera) They arrested the apostles and put them in jail to await trial the next day.

Imagine their amazement when they went to get them the next day and they were gone, released in the night by an angel of the Lord! (This just keeps getting better and better)

They found out the apostles were in the Temple preaching and teaching. They went and arrested them again, this time deciding that killing them was the only way to end this problem.

And here is where a new character enters the show. His name was Gamaliel. He was an expert on religious law and had respect for all the people.

He told the officials, "Take care what you are planning to do to these men." He had a feeling the way were telling the truth about God, and didn't think it would be a good idea to fight against God. (There is always a character who saves the day!)

They took his advice. Calling the apostles back, they flogged them then let them go.

Peter and John continued preaching and teaching...in the Temple and house to house...all the Days of Their Lives. (Tune in tomorrow for the next episode.)

Unequivocal

One Year Bible (June 7, 2022)

I Kings 2:1-3:2

UNEQUIVOCAL

Today I got a writing “check-up”. It came without warning. I did not ask for it, but it came from an impartial source called, Grammarly. I have used this tool for years, but I have never seen a report about my writing from them until today.

Here is what I learned. It says that I am more productive than 95% of Grammarly users, 87% more accurate, and used 96% more unique words than other Grammarly writers. I got dinged on my use of quotation marks. (Commas inside and out, Yada Yada). Got it, Sorta! You all can watch for that… There was one more thing, but we will get to that soon enough as

Grammarly commented on my profuse love of the Ellipses.

Today’s powerful message is David’s final “Charge to Keep” that he is speaking to his son. If I was analyzing his TONE today (GRAMMARLY JR) I would say that his CONFIDENCE is at the very top of the list. Why? He knows that it is ALL ABOUT GOD and following HIM.

What I like about David the most is his use of his “Unnecessary Ellipses”. As in, there is always MORE to the story…

David gives his admonition to his son and then he adds an Ellipse, “And there is something else…” I Kings 2:3 (One more reason why I love this guy!)

Let’s look at David’s final admonition to his son: “Take Courage and be a man (leader).” (2:2)

UNEQUIVOCAL OBSERVANCE.

“Observe the requirements of the Lord your God. ” (I Kings 2:3) (KNOW THEM.)

UNAMBIGUOUS OBEDIENCE.

“And Follow all his Ways. Keep the decrees, commands, regulations, and laws written in the Law of Moses…” (FOLLOW THEM.)

UNMISTAKABLE OPPORTUNITIES.

“...So that You Will Be Successful in all you do and wherever you go. IF You Do This, THEN, The Lord Will Keep The Promise He Made To Me, ‘If your descendants live as they should and follow me faithfully with all their heart and soul, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel.” (I Kings 2:4-5) (KEEP THEM and He’ll KEEP YOU!)

UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

“And there is something else… “Remember. Be Kind. You are a Wise Man.” (I Kings 2:3)

David finishes by asking Solomon to remove those that stood against peace and pretended to “Be For God” while they were really “Against God”. He asks him to BE KIND to those who stood with him as king. He ends by reminding Solomon that he is a Wise Man, even though he is probably only about 20 years old.

Wisdom goes from Knowledge to Understanding to Courageous Living.

Why do we GASP in ANGST when a mighty king like David falls when he depends on himself?

Why not GAZE in AMAZEMENT when a young, inexperienced king like Solomon (approximately 20 years of age) shows wisdom and strength beyond his years!

David’s final “Charge To Keep” which was given to his son can be summarized in two words: “IF/THEN” because we serve a COVENANT MAKING, COVENANT KEEPING GOD. David reminds his son that it is a two-way covenant. IF he does “his part”, THEN God keeps “HIS”.

In the days ahead we will see Solomon ADHERE to his father’s wise words, and we will see him ABHOR his father’s wise words.

The kingdom will FLOURISH, and the kingdom will FALL!

Everything will depend on Solomon’s FOCUS. (And ours as well.)

This powerful message is so needed by our generation as many are choosing to walk OUTSIDE THE PROTECTION and PROVIDENCE OF GOD.

We are forgetting the “IF/THEN” principle that David reminded his son to follow…

UNAMBIGUOUS. UNMISTAKABLE. UNFINISHED.

In Simple terms…OBSERVE. OBEY. KEEP. MODEL.

UNEQUIVOCAL.