Through the Bible - 2 Chronicles 7-9, John 13:21-14:14
Good morning,
This past weekend I was away, helping my son Jason move from Union Seminary in New York City to Washington D.C.. It was a busy weekend but we did have time during the drive to talk about many things, much of it revolving around theology and personal faith. We spoke of the importance of "passing on the faith" to future generations while at the same time realizing that it is not something that is inherited, it has to be lived, taken to heart and acted out, generationally.
In this past weekend's devotional Larry wrote that Psalm 145 were David's last recorded words in the Bible. For today's verse we'll go to some of the last words of King David to his son Solomon. In both instances they reveal something that is on David's heart.
1 Chron 28:9 "And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. 10 So take this seriously. The Lord has chosen you to build a Temple as his sanctuary. Be strong, and do the work." NLT
I read these verses in the read throught the Bible plan for last Friday, the day of our trip. How fitting they were then and will continue to be.
Solomon was challenged to find out for himself just who God is, not to settle for hearing about what someone else had to say about Him.
I mentioned "theology" above, it can be defined as the study of the existence, nature and attributes of God. As Christians we realize that God has drawn us to Himself and His Son Jesus Christ (John 6:44) and we have become His followers.
Charles Spurgeon wrote:
Only one thing is needful--
to have our hearts united to Jesus in humble faith;
to set Him always before us;
to rejoice in Him as our Shepherd and our portion;
to submit to all His appointments, not of necessity, because He is stronger than us--but with a cheerful acquiescence, because He is wise and good, and loves us better than we do ourselves;
to feed upon His truth;
to have our understandings, wills, affections, imaginations, memory--all filled and impressed with the great mysteries of His redeeming love;
to do all for Jesus;
to receive all from Jesus;
to find all in Jesus!
I have mentioned many things, but they are all comprised in one--a life of faith in Jesus!
to have our hearts united to Jesus in humble faith;
to set Him always before us;
to rejoice in Him as our Shepherd and our portion;
to submit to all His appointments, not of necessity, because He is stronger than us--but with a cheerful acquiescence, because He is wise and good, and loves us better than we do ourselves;
to feed upon His truth;
to have our understandings, wills, affections, imaginations, memory--all filled and impressed with the great mysteries of His redeeming love;
to do all for Jesus;
to receive all from Jesus;
to find all in Jesus!
I have mentioned many things, but they are all comprised in one--a life of faith in Jesus!
May each of you, and the generations that follow, experience and live a life of faith in the only one who can save to the uttermost, Jesus Christ. Getting to know Him through the teachings of scripture and the work of the Holy Spirit are keys to security, happiness and justice. But you'll never discover them without learning and knowing Him as He is in His Word.
R.C. Sprouls sees this desire to "know God" to be a fundamental need of the church, for more on that you can check out this link:
In Christ,
Mike
1 Chron 28:9-29:1
9 "As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. 10 Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong, and do it."
11 Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the vestibule, its houses, its treasuries, its upper chambers, its inner chambers, and the place of the mercy seat; 12 and the plans for all that he had by the Spirit, of the courts of the house of the Lord, of all the chambers all around, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries for the dedicated things; 13 also for the division of the priests and the Levites, for all the work of the service of the house of the Lord, and for all the articles of service in the house of the Lord. 14 He gave gold by weight for things of gold, for all articles used in every kind of service; also silver for all articles of silver by weight, for all articles used in every kind of service; 15 the weight for the lampstands of gold, and their lamps of gold, by weight for each lampstand and its lamps; for the lampstands of silver by weight, for the lampstand and its lamps, according to the use of each lampstand. 16 And by weight he gave gold for the tables of the showbread, for each table, and silver for the tables of silver; 17 also pure gold for the forks, the basins, the pitchers of pure gold, and the golden bowls — he gave gold by weight for every bowl; and for the silver bowls, silver by weight for every bowl; 18 and refined gold by weight for the altar of incense, and for the construction of the chariot, that is, the gold cherubim that spread their wings and overshadowed the ark of the covenant of the Lord. 19 "All this," said David, "the Lord made me understand in writing, by His hand upon me, all the works of these plans."
20 And David said to his son Solomon,"Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God — my God — will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord. 21 Here are the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the service of the house of God; and every willing craftsman will be with you for all manner of workmanship, for every kind of service; also the leaders and all the people will be completely at your command."
NKJV
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