1 Kings 11:6
6 So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done. ESV
- Solomon didn’t follow whole hearted and that is called evil. Are you following whole hearted? Is there anything that you may have held back? God if there is anything that I have not fully given to you show me. Help me to let it go and to seek you with all my heart. Jer 29:13;
- 1 Kings 8:48;
1 Kings 11:9
And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice ESV
- First, note that he turned away. Just because you were right with God doesn’t mean you can never turn away. Matt 24:12; Rev 3:5;
Solomon had seen God apprear twice and had been warned by God, yet still he turned away. Yesterdays encounters with God no matter how great can not sustain you today. A great meal no matter how good won’t sustain you for years to come. You need to keep seeking God. If you let compromise in, your closeness with God will begin to fade away. 1 Cor 16:13; Rev 2:5
1 Kings 13:33
33 Even after this, Jeroboam did not change his evil ways, but once more appointed priests for the high places from all sorts of people. Anyone who wanted to become a priest he consecrated for the high places. NIV
- God extends grace to all, but many reject it. Jeroboam got a warning accompanied by signs, yet he chose to harden rather than repent (Heb 3:8). Rom 10:13 says that whoever calls. The offer to call is open but we must receive it. Matt 22:14 says many are called but few are chosen. Most of the people called don’t receive what God offers. Jesus said in Matt 7:13-14 That wide is the way that leads to destruction and many find it but that they way of life is narrow and few find it. God help me receive the grace you have given and to live to please you. Help me to introduce you to others in a way that will lead them to respond to your extended grace.
1 Kings 8:48
48 if they repent with all their mind and with all their heart in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen, and the house that I have built for your name, ESV
- If, they repent with ALL. I think a lot of times we repent half way. Really we aren’t sorry for what we did and really don’t want to change but we are sorry we got in trouble or that you were hurt by what we did. But when we apologize or repent without changing we are admitting but not repenting. Prov 28:13 tells us it is the one that repents and forsakes their sin that finds mercy. God help me to repent whole heartedly, help me to see my sin like you see it. Help me to hate sin and depart from it. Help me to bring you glory in all I do.
- 1 kings 11:6;
Acts 12:5
5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. NIV
- Peter was in prison, BUT… but means to forget what comes before it. The way it is stated here implies that the prayers of the church had a direct impact on Peter getting rescued from prison. Then this is not a random act of sovereignty on God’s part but a response by God to the churches prayers as promised by Jesus in the gospels. Matt 21:22; Mark 11:22-24; John 14:13; 15:16; 16:23;
- If this is a response to their prayers prayer is the most powerful force available to us. Through prayer we are connected to the God of the universe. Prayer is available to you at any time what are you doing with it? What are you seeking God about in prayer? Earnetly/fervently = Greek word 1619 adverb from 1618 coming from 1614 intent, with out ceasing, stretched out. Am I praying for anything like that. Is there anything that you are holding onto in prayer intently stretching out for . 1 Thess 5:17
Acts 14:19
19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. NIV
- People are fickle and easily swayed. One minute we find them ready to worship the next we find them stoning Paul. Prov 29:25; John 2:24;
- Vs 20; 1 Cor 15:33; This verse displays the amazing power of influence. The crowd was set on something then a few Jews came from Antioch and we able to persuade the whole crowd in a completely opposite direction. Who is influencing you?
Acts 6:10
10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke
NKJV
- He wasn’t on His own. He was able to do so much because he was filled with the Spirit.(vs 5 & 8) The overflow of God’s spirit from his life was more then they could handle.
- Are you over flowing? Acts 1:8
- Lord Help Me to Overflow with your Spirit.
Acts 4:21
21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. NKJV
- vs 16 Lord help me to keep my eyes on you. When we get focused on ourselves we will walk away from God’s plan because it makes us uncomfortable, it would take us into the unknown.
- The appropriate response to a miracle is glorifying God.
1 Sam 13:12
12 I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” ESV
- Saul’s excuses continue. As he moves on he states how because of Samuel being late and the people leaving he was forced to do what was forbidden. This is in no way shape or form his fault or even a sin in his eyes. He has no intent of changing. When you get confronted with your sin, or mistakes do you look for a reason you don’t need to change why it wasn’t your fault, or how you can change to prevent it from ever happening again?
