{"id":34439,"date":"2025-01-29T22:00:10","date_gmt":"2025-01-30T05:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/1-kings-2_28-46-copy\/"},"modified":"2025-01-22T21:36:22","modified_gmt":"2025-01-23T04:36:22","slug":"1-kings-3_1-15","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/1-kings-3_1-15\/","title":{"rendered":"If You Want to Hear from God"},"content":{"rendered":"

1 Kings\u00a0 3:1-15 (CLICK HERE FOR\u00a0BIBLE VERSES)<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is 1 Kings 3:1-15.\u00a0 As usual,\u00a0I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.\u00a0 See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit\u2019s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.\u00a0 Let’s go!<\/p>\n

1 Kings 3:1-3 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n1\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the\u00a0LORD, and the wall around Jerusalem.
\n2\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places, because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the\u00a0LORD.
\n3\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Solomon showed his love for the\u00a0LORD\u00a0by walking according to the statutes of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 1-3:\u00a0 It helps to read these verses with Deuteronomy 12:1-14 in mind.\u00a0 There, Moses makes it clear that when the Israelites entered their promised land, they were not to sacrifice offerings to the LORD at the elevated places (known as \u201chigh places\u201d) where the Canaanites would sacrifice to their gods.\u00a0 Rather than sacrificing burnt offerings anywhere they pleased, the Israelites were to offer their sacrifices at one central place.\u00a0 That central place was the tabernacle, which was located in the city of Gibeon (see verse 5 and also 2 Chronicles 1:1-7).\u00a0 Nevertheless, in 1 Kings 3 we read that the people continued to sacrifice at the high places (v2a) and seemed to use the lack of a physical, permanent building as the reason for not going to the tabernacle to worship (v2b).\u00a0 While Solomon loved and trusted God in many ways during this time, Solomon too would sacrifice at these high places (v3).<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0\u00a0Don\u2019t let your worship be controlled by convenience or habit, but let God\u2019s commands regarding worship determine how you worship.\u00a0 Since Jesus gave His life for us on the cross, may we not let convenience keep us from giving God costly worship.<\/strong><\/p>\n

1 Kings 3:4-5 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n4\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
\n5\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0At Gibeon the\u00a0LORD\u00a0appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
\n<\/em>
\nOn verses 3-5:\u00a0 Notice that when Solomon went out of his way to worship God in the way that God had prescribed \u2013 i.e. at the tabernacle \u2013 and gave to God costly worship (v5-6), that night God appeared to Solomon and spoke to him (v7).<\/p>\n

Likewise, if you want to hear from God, realize this:\u00a0\u00a0you\u2019re in far better position to hear from God and receive direction from Him when you\u2019re worshiping God in the way God intended, or as Jesus would say worship that is \u201cin spirit and in truth\u201d.<\/strong><\/p>\n

1 Kings 3:6-15 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n6\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.
\n7\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“Now, O\u00a0LORD\u00a0my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.
\n8\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number.
\n9\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
\n10\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.
\n11\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice,
\n12\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.
\n13\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for–both riches and honor–so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.
\n14\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”
\n15\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Then Solomon awoke–and he realized it had been a dream\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses\u00a06-15a:\u00a0 Instead of asking for wealth or honour, Solomon asks for a wise and discerning heart so that he can govern the people of Israel justly (v9).\u00a0 The fact that in verse 9 Solomon says, “For who is able to govern this great people of\u00a0yours<\/em>?” shows us two things: (1) at this stage Solomon did not see the people of Israel as his own, but God’s; and (2)\u00a0Solomon did not see himself as self-sufficient, but was desperate for God to help him know to lead.<\/p>\n

God was pleased with Solomon’s humble attitude, how Solomon wanted to do what was right and how he wanted to seek God’s kingdom first.\u00a0 God decides to bless Solomon not only with wisdom and discernment, but also with even more wealth and honour.<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0Just as Solomon referred to the people as God\u2019s people (v9),\u00a0don\u2019t see what you have in life as belonging to you, but see them as belonging to God.<\/strong>\u00a0 That includes your time, your wealth, your talents, your relationships, everything you have.\u00a0 God has entrusted all these to you to manage for His glory.\u00a0 As Pastor Rick Warren says, “What we think we own is really on loan”.<\/p>\n

2. If there’s one thing worth emulating from Solomon here, it’s how Solomon asked God for wisdom.\u00a0 It’s a prayer I find myself praying pretty much every day: “God give me wisdom”.\u00a0\u00a0Are you in need of a wise and discerning heart?\u00a0 Ask God for wisdom today.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

15<\/sup>\u2026He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 15: After Solomon hears from God at Gibeon, he returns to his home city of Jerusalem and worships God there.\u00a0 He also gives a feast for everyone in his court (which likely includes his family, servants and others).<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0\u00a0When we go out of our way to meet with God and worship Him, we\u2019re more able to bring the presence of God into our home and workplace.\u00a0 We\u2019re more inclined to serve and bless the people around us.<\/strong>\u00a0 So if you want to be a blessing in your home, workplace and community, make it a point to meet with God and let His wisdom and love empower you.<\/p>\n

Father, thank You for reminding me today that all I have is what You’ve entrusted to me to manage\u00a0for Your glory.\u00a0 So like Solomon I pray for a wise and discerning heart, that I may know how to manage what You have placed in my care.\u00a0 May I go out of my way to honour You and find in You all the wisdom and power I need.\u00a0 In Jesus’ name, AMEN!<\/em><\/p>\n

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opyright \u00a9 2022 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is 1 Kings 3:1-15.\u00a0 As usual,\u00a0I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.\u00a0 See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit\u2019s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.\u00a0 Let’s go!\u00a0<\/p>\n

1 Kings 3:1-3 (NIV)
\n1\u00a0\u00a0Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the\u00a0LORD, and the wall around Jerusalem.
\n2\u00a0\u00a0The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places, because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the\u00a0LORD.
\n3\u00a0\u00a0Solomon showed his love for the\u00a0LORD\u00a0by walking according to the statutes of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.
\n\u00a0
\nOn verses 1-3:\u00a0 It helps to read these verses with Deuteronomy 12:1-14 in mind.\u00a0 There, Moses makes it clear that when the Israelites entered their promised land, they were not to sacrifice offerings to the LORD at the elevated places (known as \u201chigh places\u201d) where the Canaanites would sacrifice to their gods.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":34441,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34439","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gametime-sharing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34439","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34439"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34439\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34442,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34439\/revisions\/34442"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34441"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34439"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34439"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34439"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}