Wednesday, April 29, 2015

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 7

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

 

This is a view that many Bible characters would have seen as they looked east toward the Mount of Olives from the southern wall of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. On the top left in the wall you can vaguely see the blocked up Triple Gate that was one of the entrances to the Temple.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

 

Key Verse: 1 Kings 7:51

So all the work that King Solomon had done for the house of the Lord was finished; and Solomon brought in the things which his father David had dedicated: the silver and the gold and the furnishings. He put them in the treasuries of the house of the Lord.

At this time of King Solomon’s life, God was in His rightful place…FIRST PLACE! Only one wife is mentioned, the daughter of the ruler of Egypt. Solomon’s full attention was on the rule of his kingdom and on the task of building God’s Temple (here is a link to a good illustration of how the Temple may have looked). This building project was a job left for Solomon by his father, David. Later in his life, Solomon married many other wives, built temples to their gods, and his attention was not on the Lord God of Israel. It’s sad but true.
Jesus said, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). May this be the case throughout all the periods of our lives, not just for the first few years. As we read in today’s reading about the intricate details of the construction projects, let us recognize that God did indeed add “all these things” to Solomon and the Kingdom of Israel. As we will see, the Kingdom of God became diminished and the kingdom of Solomon increased. The end result will not be glorious. The country will be torn apart. Eventually the Temple will be destroyed and all the beautiful vessels in the Temple taken by a foreign invader. However, in the intervening period of God’s blessing, we can also be blessed as we read ahead.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, grant me even more wisdom than You gave Solomon. I ask for enough wisdom to last me an entire lifetime, not for just the first few years. I need You 24/7! In the Name of another descendant of King David, Jesus, my Saviour and Lord, Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

For some reason I’m thinking of building projects in which I have been involved in a leadership role. The first was a new roof on a little church building in Castleton, Ontario. The next was a new church building in Deep River, Ontario. Then there was the construction of another church building in Sudbury. All these projects were built under budget and paid for in short order. But then 25 years later came the necessity of building a new 143,000 square foot studio and office building for Crossroads Christian Communications Inc. I was confident that we could once again build for less than the estimated costs, but the project went considerably over cost. It took lots and lots of fervent prayer, much sacrificial giving, and the daily pressures of also paying regular operating costs in order to prevail. There was no overlay of gold, just drywall, brick, and the most reasonable materials available. Nevertheless, the former Chairman of Canada’s Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission, Keith Spicer, did pronounce the Crossroads Centre in Burlington the finest TV production facility in Canada. Every day, we sought to “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.” And through the amazing investment of God’s people in the purchase of mortgage certificates and in giving so very generously, the charity, Crossroads, became free of debt in ten years. It may seem foolish to draw any comparison to the Temple of Solomon, but it seems to me the same principles are involved, i.e. putting God first!

Yours for God’s blessing on the new, God-called leadership at Crossroads. Greater challenges than ever face our Board, our Global CEO, John Hull, and our Chief Ministry Officer, Ron Mainse, and the entire Crossroads team,

David

P.S. This week Ron and Ann are in Oklahoma city with daughter Andrea and family, and 100 Huntley Street daily TV continues with John Hull and Michael Coren. Please click HERE for essential knowledge called “Defying Isis” and HERE to request the book by Johnnie Moore. Your brothers and sisters in Christ are being killed by the thousands because they refuse to deny their faith. (For a full episode of 100 Huntley Street from yesterday, click HERE).

Dr. John Hull on "100 Huntley Street" with this week's co-host Michael Coren, dealing with the topic of the horrific Christian persecution at the hands of ISIS.

Dr. John Hull on “100 Huntley Street” with this week’s co-host Michael Coren, dealing with the topic of the horrific Christian persecution at the hands of ISIS.

14 thoughts on “Wednesday, April 29, 2015

  1. April 29, 2015

    I enjoy following David’s daily blog and here’s the latest poem from my
    Facebook page : Witness Stand. Praying that it blesses you and yours.
    You’re free to share it
    God Bless, Robin Aldrich, ( Witness Stand )

    TWELVE YEARS

    They were glad of my Offerings
    when once I was rich,
    but my place for these twelve years
    was almost the ditch !

    Don’t ask me my name,
    I’ve remained quite unseen.
    Every days’ loss of blood
    clearly condemns me ‘Unclean ‘

    My husband , a good man,
    ( now long in his grave )
    Oft came before Jairus;
    and ONE favour he’d crave ..

    But the Synagogue leader
    no exception would offer,
    even tho’ my dear husband
    constantly filled up the Coffer !

    We despaired of an answer
    and were shunned by the crowd.
    My uncleanness did scourge me;
    T’was was almost a shroud !

    Many times I lay weeping
    on a bed of despair,
    as my blood still was seeping
    most days; every year !

    Now alone, with him gone,
    the remains of our wealth
    was poured out in fruitless
    searchings for health.

    I’d heard of this Jesus
    who was rumoured to travel
    with a doctor named Luke;
    twisted lives ,they’d unravel !

    Now a sole child was born
    to this Synagogue Speaker,
    twelve years ago now
    when my own frame grew weaker.

    Soon I heard a loud wailing;
    hearts and robes were full torn
    as his young girl lay dying…
    …”It’s his payback for scorn ! “

    And then this same Jesus
    Whom the crowds did adore
    was begged by ‘friend Jairus’
    “My girl .. PLEASE RESTORE ! “

    If Jairus could lay down
    his pride then, so much ..
    I also would beg for
    ‘The Carpenter’s Touch ! ‘

    So I crawled on my knees
    through the crowds gathered round;
    My heart reaching the clouds
    as my feet dragged the ground.

    It was only my finger
    that brushed like a flea
    by His robe’s edge,
    but He halted and said,
    “ Who’s touched me?”

    His disciples? They laughed
    and said ,”Lord it’s clear
    that the crowds here around us
    just want to draw near”

    Jesus knew that His power
    had flown to my soul.
    I agreed. It was true !
    My body was whole !

    “Go in Peace, my dear daughter
    and be of good cheer.
    Your faith has restored you;
    don’t shed one more tear! ”

    Then the friends of that father
    who had caused me such strife,
    said to Jairus, “She’s no more;
    go comfort your wife”

    I later did hear
    Jesus stopped all their weeping,
    and announced to them all,
    “ She’s not dead; she’s just sleeping !”

    They all were amazed
    for they’d stood at her feet.
    and they knew she had died.
    Now she sat up to eat !

    Jesus received no assistance
    from Luke the Physician,
    but relied on His Father;
    … the Son’s TRUE position !

    My blood flow was staunched
    but Christ’s own, He soon shed.
    To give every ‘dead one’
    God’s New Life instead.

    My story is told;
    it’s every bit true.
    I reached out to Jesus.
    Now how about YOU?

  2. I am amaze how similar the fate of early Israel the Christian Church took. It started small, completely devoted to the God, and as it grew, it prosper much like Israel did. Eventually instead of just God to run the church, they put one man in charge, the Pope. The church grew wealthy, had many grand buildings, influence nations, but then just like kings of Israel, the leaders in the church grew corrupt, sought their own ambitions instead of God’s will and eventually it cause the Church to be torn into half, Catholic and Protestant. I don’t know if these similarities are by design or just the natural course of what happens when as David said we stop putting God first, but the old saying those who don’t learn from history and doomed to repeat it seems apt here.

    • I think you’re so right Donna, man seems to corrupt everything he touches even the church if he’s not careful and forgets who comes first. I’m grateful that God is so patient with us.

  3. Beautiful poem Robin. Thanks.
    I am a visual person so the link to what the temple might look like was awesome. Thanks Pastor Daviid

    Continuing to pray for those being slaughtered by the evil of ISIS

  4. Enjoyed reading about and seeing the pics of what the Temple might have looked like. I was thinking about Sah. She hasn’t been on the blog for awhile, I am praying that she us ok. Thanks for the poem Robin and all the others comments.
    Have a great everyone. Eleanor M.

  5. Afternoon fellow saints.
    Wonderful poem Robin. And Donna you are so right with the comparison of today’s Christian Church. Hopefully our eyes will still seek God first and always.
    Blessings.

  6. Yes, how sad that Solomon fell so far away from following after and seeking the way of the the Lord. What a blessing he received of the Lord, and yet the lust of the flesh and the eye took his attention away from the gift and all he received from God the Father.

    Thank you Rev. David for the link of how the temple may have looked!!!

  7. Sorry I missed yesterday but my heart is grieved and I will pray for those dear Christians. Glad you included yesterday’s 100 Huntley St. program, Rev. David. Quite a poem Robin!

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