Today’s reading II Chronicles 8-11

II Chronicles 9:23 And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart.

Solomon was an extremely wise man, the wisest. It is easy to think of how smart he was, how educated he was, how much he read and thought but more true is that God gave him that wisdom.

We want to think in terms of what a man has accomplished. We rarely think of God doing something. When we think in terms of how wise we are or what we have accomplished we put the emphasis in the wrong place and get glory for ourselves.

People are coming from every where to hear the wisdom that Solomon speaks. It is easy to see the man and elevate him. It is easy to think of him as something special but the Scriptures are clear, God put it in his heart.

I want to remember that God lifts up and puts down. It is God that makes us and gives us all that we have.

We should work as hard as we can but never forget that it is all about Him, what He has done, what He is doing, and He gets all the glory!

Today’s reading II Chronicles 5:2-7:22

II Chronicles 5:13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;

What a beautiful and precious story! It motivates me to sing more. The people of God got together as one. They were focused on getting one sound, one harmony, one thing through. They wanted to be heard praising the Lord. They sang out strongly, lifted up their voices. They praised Him. They said out loud for all to hear that God is good, that His mercy endures for ever.

Then when they came together as one, wanted to worship as one, they praised God strongly, and had one message to Him and them He came and filled the place.

How I long to see God fill our place. I want to see Him move in us and in my life. I do not want to live a life of routine and habit. I know that I do.

I go to church. I preach and teach but rarely do we really look for Him to do great and mighty things. I am not complaining. I am confessing a sin.

I want to praise and thank Him more. They weren’t asking Him to come. They were praising Him and He came.

Could it be that we should praise Him more?

Today’s reading II Chronicles 1-5:1

II Chronicles 2:1 And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the LORD, and an house for his kingdom.

Solomon wants to build a house for the name of the Lord and His kingdom! If you didn’t know the story about what has already happened this would still be a beautiful statement. Solomon wants to do something to the honor and glory of God and that is great.

But when I consider that God laid it on David’s heart to build that temple and it was in David’s heart the story gets even stronger. David wanted to build the temple. David worked his heart out getting things ready for the building of the temple.

Now Solomon has a dream to build the temple. Don’t forget that David is Solomon’s dad! Solomon has accepted the challenge. Solomon has a desire to do what God put in David’s heart. The dream has passed on.

What started in the heart of David is now in the heart of his son. Solomon will build the temple.

I think in terms of our ministries and realize how important it is to get the dream of doing something into our children’s hearts and even into others of the next generation.

We do not want to see God glorified and His kingdom extended only under our leadership and in our time. We want to pass on the dream.

Who are you investing in to get the dream to the next generation? Who are you influencing for the kingdom of God?

Today’s reading I Chronicles 27-29

I Chronicles 29:25 And the LORD magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.

The beautiful truth to learn today in this verse is that it was the Lord that magnified Solomon exceedingly. I fear that we seek to be magnified. We want to be recognized. We want to exceed all those that came before us and also all those that live in our generation.

We want to be somebody. Solomon got all of that but it was the Lord that did it! It was the Lord that chose to bless and honor him beyond all others.

I should learn to humble myself, not seek my kingdom or my glory but rather seek His. If He chooses to in some way honor me that should be His decision. It is not about me. It is not about my position but His.

I am afraid that too often we have things all out of order! What do you think?

Today’s reading I Chronicles 24-26

I Chronicles 29:19 And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.

David prepared the work for the one that would follow him. It was his son but still many men will not let go of leadership. They will not prepare for others. They look and think only of themselves and their ministry. If something bad is going to happen their only concern is that it happen to the next generation.

David had prepared by great sacrificial giving. His goal was not his name or reputation but that the work of God would go forward. It was in his heart to build the temple that would be called Solomon’s temple.

Now he is praying that God will give the ones that follow him the wisdom to do the ministry well.

He asks God to give his son a perfect heart- not a divided heart. He wants God to make his son love God and only God.

He wants God to cause his son to love God’s Word and the things of God.

He wants Solomon to be successful in the ministry he is about to inherit.

David is setting him up to succeed.

How are we preparing the ministry for the future? How many are we preparing to do more? How are we trying to insure that the kingdom is extended and the ministry succeeds?