1 Kings 16:29-17:24; Acts 11:1-18; Psalms 135:5-12; Proverbs 28:23-24

OT: “Now Elijah the Tishbite, from the Gilead settlers, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, in whose presence I stand, there will be no dew or rain during these years except by my command!” Then the word of the Lord came to him: “Leave here, turn eastward, and hide at the Wadi Cherith where it enters the Jordan. You are to drink from the wadi. I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there.” …After a while, the wadi dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him: “Get up, go to Zarephath that belongs to Sidon and stay there. Look, I have commanded a woman who is a widow to provide for you there.” So Elijah got up and went to Zarephath. When he arrived at the city gate, there was a widow gathering wood. Elijah called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup and let me drink.” …Then Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid; go and do as you have said. But first make me a small loaf from it and bring it out to me. Afterward, you may make some for yourself and your son, for this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘The flour jar will not become empty and the oil jug will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the surface of the land.’” …After this, the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. His illness got worse until he stopped breathing… Then he cried out to the Lord and said, “ Lord my God, have you also brought tragedy on the widow I am staying with by killing her son?” Then he stretched himself out over the boy three times. He cried out to the Lord and said, “ Lord my God, please let this boy’s life come into him again!” So the Lord listened to Elijah, and the boy’s life came into him again, and he lived.” (‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭17:1-4, 7-10, 13-14, 17, 20-22‬ ‭CSB)

King Ahab not only followed in the false religion of Jeroboam – he took it to another level by marrying the Sidonian Jezebel and giving himself over to the worship of her god Baal. According to history, Baal was a Canaanite and Phoenician god who was designated the universal god of fertility. In that capacity, one of his titles was Lord of Rain and Dew (britannica.com). When God, through the prophet Elijah, declared that he was stopping any precipitation of any kind, it was a direct assault on the powers of Baal. Elijah, of course, was innocent of Baal worship, but the God-imposed drought affected him just as much as it affected the guilty. However, in the midst of the region-wide drought, God promised to provide for Elijah. Not only did God provide for Elijah – but through Elijah, God also miraculously provided for a gentile Sidonian widow, who was most likely a Baal worshipper herself. Through God’s miraculous provision and the raising of her son from the dead, The widowed Baal worshipper came to faith in God. God proved Himself to be greater, and in the end, He was glorified, not only by the unfaithful Israelites, but by a gentile widow in Sidon as well. While we may not have outright Baal worship in our day, often times we place our trust in systems and powers outside of God. I wonder if what we are currently experiencing through this world-wide pandemic is something of a frontal assault against all the things we have chosen to place our trust in besides God. For those of us who have remained faithful to the Lord, or even those who repent and return to the Lord, we can take heart and trust that the God who is greater will provide for us and sustain us through the duration of this “drought,” however long it may last. Not only that, but the Lord will undoubtedly use us to minister the good news of the Kingdom of God to unbelievers who are struggling and at the end of their self-sufficiency. Will we give ourselves over to the fear and panic that comes when trust systems are confronted, or will we trust in the Lord and allow Him to glorify Himself in us and through us to the world?

Psalms: “For I know that the Lord is great; our Lord is greater than all gods. The Lord does whatever he pleases in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all the depths. He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain and brings the wind from his storehouses.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭135:5-7‬ ‭CSB)

This section of Psalm 135 speaks directly to God’s preeminence over all gods… all idols… anyone or anything that would attempt to magnify itself above the Lord. Our Lord is greater than them all… and we can trust completely in His goodness, His faithfulness, and His ability to protect and provide for His people through whatever chaos the world may subject them to. He is the peace in the midst of the raging storm, for He is not subject to anyone nor anything.

1 Kings 15:25-16:28; Acts 10:34-48; Psalms 134:1-135:4; Proverbs 28:21-22

NT: “Peter began to speak: “Now I truly understand that God doesn’t show favoritism, but in every nation the person who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. He sent the message to the Israelites, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ — he is Lord of all… While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came down on all those who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and declaring the greatness of God. Then Peter responded, “Can anyone withhold water and prevent these people from being baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for a few days.” (‭‭Acts‬ ‭10:34-36, 44-48‬ ‭CSB)

Peter’s revelation was pivotal and key to seeing Christ’s commission fully accomplished. God isn’t looking for a certain race, a certain gender, a certain language, a certain ethnicity, a certain job title, or even a certain age or socio-economic status. God is looking for people who fear Him and live according to His righteousness. Anyone who willfully and humbly comes under His Lordship is acceptable to Him. When Peter understood that, the doors to the kingdom of heaven flew open for the entire world – Jew and gentile alike. The gospel came first to the Israelites, but it doesn’t stop there. The good news of peace through Jesus Christ is available to all. To confirm Peter’s new revelation, Jesus poured out the Holy Spirit on all of the gentiles in Cornelius’ household – before they were even baptized in water. Equal doesn’t mean exactly alike. Thankfully, when we come to Jesus, we aren’t made into identical clones. We maintain our uniqueness. God graces us all differently and calls us to different roles and responsibilities, and different levels of authority. But when it comes to value, we are all equal – we all have the opportunity to be free from sin, to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, and to be transformed into the likeness of Christ as we undergo the process of sanctification. We all equally have the call and commission to be witnesses of God’s good news and make disciples of all who believe our message. What does that mean for us? We do not withhold the gospel from anyone and we give place for the work of the Holy Spirit in each and every believer that is fully submitted to Christ. If God does not show favoritism, then neither should we.

Psalms: “Hallelujah! Praise the name of the Lord. Give praise, you servants of the Lord who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God. Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praise to his name, for it is delightful. For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel as his treasured possession.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭135:1-4‬ ‭CSB)

The descendants of Jacob, the nation of Israel were the people that God chose to carry the revelation of God. They were the blessing that God promised to Abraham that would end up being a blessing to all the nations of the world. Much like the priests were the chosen people to carry the Ark of the Covenant, the nation of Israel were the chosen people, chosen by God, to carry the revelation and blessing of God to the entire world. According to the Bible, when we place our faith in Christ (regardless our ethnicity or nationality), we are grafted in to that same family line… we become fruit-bearing branches that are grafted into the life-giving vine of Christ. We then become part of that chosen people that has been chosen to bring the revelation of God and the reconciliation to God to the rest of the world. As Peter wrote in 1 Peter 2:9, we (Jew and gentile alike) are now part of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. Our call is to (like this psalm commands) proclaim the praises of the One who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Hallelujah! Praise the name of the Lord. Give praise, you servants of the Lord who abide in Him and have been made a temple of the Holy Spirit. For the Lord is good! What an honor to be one of God’s chosen people.

1 Kings 15:1-24; Acts 10:24-33; Psalms 133:3; Proverbs 28:19-20

Psalms: “How delightfully good when brothers live together in harmony! …It is like the dew of Hermon falling on the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord has appointed the blessing — life forevermore.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭133:1, 3‬ ‭CSB)‬‬

When God’s people… His family life together in harmonious unity, it is like the dew of Hermon. Mount Hermon is in the northern-most area of Israel and is the tallest mountain in the region. It stands over 9,000 feet high is snow-capped for much of the year. Israel is in a very arid, desert-like area of the world. However, the water vapor in the air condensates around the peak of Mt Hermon, and in the cool of the early morning, the mist surrounding Mt Hermon’s peak descends its slopes and saturates the entire area with dew. That refreshing and life-giving moisture forms the headwaters of the Jordan river, which fills the Sea of Galilee and brings water and life to the entire nation. Were it not for the dew of Hermon, much of Israel would be an uninhabitable desert, but instead, it is a land full of fruitfulness. It is in the midst of a unified people that God appoints the blessing of life. The Hebrew word that is translated in this version as ‘appointed’ means to command or to give orders. God commands His harmoniously unified people to be blessed with everlasting, abundant, and vibrant life. How important it is, in the challenging and uncertain times we find ourselves in now, for God’s people to live in unity instead of in disagreement and bickering. Just as Israel is a fruitful land in the midst of a desert, God’s church could be a vibrant and everlasting source of life to the lost and dying world around us… if we would just live in unity… if we would set aside our differences and come under and submit to what unifies us: the Lordship of King Jesus, the authority of His word, and the leading and empowering of the Holy Spirit.

1 Kings 14:1-31; Acts 10:9-23; Psalms 133:1-2; Proverbs 28:17-18

NT: “The next day, as they were traveling and nearing the city, Peter went up to pray on the roof about noon… He saw heaven opened and an object that resembled a large sheet coming down, being lowered by its four corners to the earth. In it were all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, and the birds of the sky. A voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.” “No, Lord!” Peter said. “For I have never eaten anything impure and ritually unclean.” Again, a second time, the voice said to him, “What God has made clean, do not call impure.” This happened three times, and suddenly the object was taken up into heaven.” (‭‭Acts‬ ‭10:9, 11-16‬ ‭CSB)

Up until this point, the disciples of Jesus had only taken the gospel of the kingdom to the Jews and Samaritans – but Christ had commissioned them to take the gospel to the entire world. Standing as a wall of separation between Jew and gentile was the exclusive law of Moses. Jews, because they followed the laws and restrictions given by Moses, saw themselves as clean and gentiles as unclean heathens that should not be associated with. Jesus did not want His church being an exclusive society, but an inclusive family that was open to any and all who would believe. Before that could happen, the wall of division between Jew and gentile had to be broken down. One afternoon, when Peter was hungry and awaiting lunch, the Lord gave him a vision. In the vision, the Lord Himself offered Peter food to eat – the only problem was that there were unclean animals in the offering. Dietary restrictions were one of a number of things that divided Jew and gentile. When the Lord told Peter to eat the “unclean”  food, Peter (like any good Jew) refused. Then the Lord said something very key: “What God has made clean, do not call impure.” Just as Peter had been made clean through the blood of Christ, God could also cleanse gentiles. Isaiah 64:6 says that all of us have become like something unclean, and all of our righteous acts are like a polluted garment. Following the Mosaic law does not make people clean – only faith in Christ can make people clean. In terms of spiritual purity, the Jew and gentile were on level ground: both needed saving, and both could be saved and cleansed through faith in Christ. Whomever Christ has saved and made clean, we should never regard as impure or less-than. This wasn’t just a message for Peter. This is a message for us in our day as well. Jesus desires a unified and inclusive church… not inclusive of sin, but inclusive of anyone, from any background, who will repent of their sin, place complete faith in Christ, and be raised to a new and holy life in Him. We should never consider a believer from a different denomination as inferior… we should never consider anyone as beyond saving. Whom God has cleansed through the blood of His Son Jesus Christ, we should never call impure.

Psalms: “How delightfully good when brothers live together in harmony! It is like fine oil on the head, running down on the beard, running down Aaron’s beard onto his robes.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭133:1-2‬ ‭CSB)

This is a song of ascents written by David. It was under David’s reign as king that all the tribes of Israel united together as one nation. It was under David’s reign that Jerusalem was established as the spiritual and governmental center of the nation – and all peoples, from every tribe, would assemble to conduct their affairs. To David, unity and harmony was a beautiful and desirable thing. How wonderful it was for people from every tribe in all their varying uniquenesses, to come together as one united kingdom, where all were considered equal. He equated unity to the anointing of the High Priest. Oil is a biblical symbol of the Holy Spirit. When the High Priest’s head was anointed with oil, His entire body became anointed as the oil flowed down from his head to his feet. That’s what unity allows: it allows all who are in unity to share in one corporate anointing of the Holy Spirit. All who come together and position themselves under the head are able to share in the poured-out anointing. Those who choose not to unite with the body are excluded from the top-down flow. This applies in micro and macro form. In our families… in our church congregations… in our businesses – if we live together in unity, we share in all that God pours out. As the national and global church unites together under the headship of Christ… as we see each other as equals in the Lord, then we all get to share equally in the poured-out Holy Spirit that flows from the top down through Christ’s line of delegated authority. Oh, to see Christ’s church live together in united harmony. Jesus said that it would be through our unity and love for one another that people would know that we are His… and how delightfully good that would be.

1 Kings 13:7-34; Acts 10:1-8; Psalms 132:13-18; Proverbs 28:15-16

OT: “Then the king declared to the man of God, “Come home with me, refresh yourself, and I’ll give you a reward.” But the man of God replied, “If you were to give me half your house, I still wouldn’t go with you, and I wouldn’t eat food or drink water in this place, for this is what I was commanded by the word of the Lord: ‘You must not eat food or drink water or go back the way you came.’” So he went another way; he did not go back by the way he had come to Bethel. Now a certain old prophet was living in Bethel. His son came and told him all the deeds that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. His sons also told their father the words that he had spoken to the king… He followed the man of God and found him sitting under an oak tree. He asked him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?” “I am,” he said. Then he said to him, “Come home with me and eat some food.” But he answered, “I cannot go back with you or accompany you; I will not eat food or drink water with you in this place. For a message came to me by the word of the Lord: ‘You must not eat food or drink water there or go back by the way you came.’” He said to him, “I am also a prophet like you. An angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord: ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat food and drink water.’” The old prophet deceived him, and the man of God went back with him, ate food in his house, and drank water… So after he had eaten food and after he had drunk, the old prophet saddled the donkey for the prophet he had brought back. When he left, a lion attacked him along the way and killed him. His corpse was thrown on the road, and the donkey was standing beside it; the lion was standing beside the corpse too.” (‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭13:7-11, 14-19, 23-24‬ ‭CSB)

After the man of God delivered his charge and warning to Jeroboam, Jeroboam sought to dilute and delegitimize the word of the Lord by inviting the man of God to his home for dinner. Wisely, the man of God refused, stating that God had told him not to stop for food or drink in Israel – but to go quickly back to Judah. That is often the case with us. If the enemy of our soul can’t defeat the word of God in us, then he will try to tempt us to compromise our witness and make the word of God ineffective in our lives and the lives of those we minister to. That is why it is so important to remain precisely obedient to what the Lord tells us… not doing less, and not doing more. Unfortunately, the man of God did stop for a rest before crossing the border into Judah. Had the man of God not stopped, he would have made it back to Judah without incident. Because he stopped before fully completing the task at hand, he made himself vulnerable to suggestion. The old prophet lied and gave the man of God a word of false prophecy. The man of God’s mistake was that he trusted the “word from an angel” spoken to the prophet over the direct word of God that he had heard. Had God changed His mind, He would have spoken to the man of God directly, and the word from the prophet would have confirmed it. We must not rely solely on other people to give us words from the Lord, especially if we do not know the people and trust their ability to hear and discern accurately. We are to seek wise and trusted counsel to help us clarify and confirm what God has already spoken to us. Those who do not seek the Lord themselves, but rely on “prophetic voices” to give them direction are headed for a trap. If we ask the Lord for wisdom and are humbly submitted to His will, He will speak to us and lead us… and then He will send trusted people to confirm and/or clarify what He said… not contradict what He said or has said in His word.

1 Kings 12:20-13:6; Acts 9:36-43; Psalms 132:10-12; Proverbs 28:14

OT: “When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had come back, they summoned him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. No one followed the house of David except the tribe of Judah alone… Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. From there he went out and built Penuel. Jeroboam said to himself, “The kingdom might now return to the house of David. If these people regularly go to offer sacrifices in the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem, the heart of these people will return to their lord, King Rehoboam of Judah. They will kill me and go back to the king of Judah.” So the king sought advice. Then he made two golden calves, and he said to the people, “Going to Jerusalem is too difficult for you. Israel, here are your gods who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” …A man of God came, however, from Judah to Bethel by the word of the Lord while Jeroboam was standing beside the altar to burn incense. The man of God cried out against the altar by the word of the Lord: “Altar, altar, this is what the Lord says, ‘A son will be born to the house of David, named Josiah, and he will sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who are burning incense on you. Human bones will be burned on you.’” He gave a sign that day. He said, “This is the sign that the Lord has spoken: ‘The altar will now be ripped apart, and the ashes that are on it will be poured out.’” When the king heard the message that the man of God had cried out against the altar at Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar and said, “Arrest him!” But the hand he stretched out against him withered, and he could not pull it back to himself. The altar was ripped apart, and the ashes poured from the altar, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the word of the Lord.” (‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭12:20, 25-28; ‭13:1-5‬ ‭CSB)

When the Lord initially approached Jeroboam, He said to Jeroboam that He would establish a dynasty through Jeroboam as long as he was faithful to the Lord’s word, will, and ways. After Jeroboam was made king over the 10 tribes of Israel, he became more fearful of losing his reign than he was of offending God. Instead of trusting God’s word and faithfulness, Jeroboam placed his faith in himself. Instead of leading the people in worship to the living God, Jeroboam created his own religion (fashioned after the religions of Egypt) and led the entire nation astray. It wasn’t long before God sent a prophet to warn Jeroboam. This man of God is unnamed, but his prophecy was amazingly accurate. 300 years after this prophecy was given, a young descendant of David, named Josiah, came to power in Judah – and as part of a nation-wide revival, he went into the Northern kingdom of Israel and desecrated and destroyed the altar and high places that Jeroboam had initiated. After Jeroboam, the Northern Kingdom of Israel never returned to fully and faithfully worship the Lord God… and nearly every king of Israel was accused of following the sin of Jeroboam. Jeroboam could have established quite the legacy, had he trusted in the Lord. Instead, his name went down in infamy as an example of someone who completely and unrepentantly rejected the Lord. While we may never see ourselves doing something as rash as Jeroboam did – in a sense, we commit the sin of Jeroboam nearly every day. How often do we trust ourselves more than we trust the Lord? How often do we take matters into our own hands instead of placing our well-being in the hands of the Lord? How often are we more concerned with our reputation and maintaining our position than we are with honoring and obeying the Lord. Something to consider.

Proverbs: “Happy is the one who is always reverent, but one who hardens his heart falls into trouble.” (‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭28:14‬ ‭CSB)

Proverbs 16:18 says that pride comes before destruction and an arrogant spirit before a fall. This proverb is similar, but it offers an antidote to pride: reverence… a humble reverence of the Lord’s word, will, and ways leads to happiness (blessedness). Reverence leads to blessing, while pride and a hardened heart leads to a curse. Jeroboam, unfortunately, gave in to the latter. We have the opportunity to choose the former.

1 Kings 11:29-12:19; Acts 9:26-35; Psalms 131:1-132:9; Proverbs 28:12-13

NT: “So the church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.” (‭‭Acts‬ ‭9:31‬ ‭CSB)

The fledgling church did not exist within a peaceful environment. The followers of the way continued suffering persecution from the Jewish leadership. True, Saul had converted and was now preaching Jesus and defending the gospel – but everywhere he went, the Jews tried to take his life. So threatened was he, that  the apostles had him sent away to his home town of Tarsus – for his safety and the safety of his fellow believers. Yet, in all that turmoil and adversity, the regional church had peace and was strengthened. How was that possible? They lived in the fear of the Lord and were encouraged by the Holy Spirit. Despite the constant attacks, instead of decreasing, the church continued to increase in numbers – because of their peace that passed all understanding. While we now live in uncertain and challenging times, we aren’t experiencing (in America, at least) the kind of persecution that the early church faced. Are we at peace? From what I can see through posts on social media, we are not. Are we living in the fear of the Lord and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, or are we living in the fear of what could happen to us and the discouragement that comes from the events around us? Of all people, the church of Jesus Christ should be the most at peace, yet it seems that we are the most wrought up. We need to trust the Lord with all the things that are out of our control, and focus our eyes on following the word, will, and ways of Jesus – the author and finisher of our faith… and allow His Holy Spirit to encourage us along the way. If we do that, we will be strengthened, and this challenging time will become our finest hour.

Psalms: “Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I do not get involved with things too great or too wondrous for me. Instead, I have calmed and quieted my soul like a weaned child with its mother; my soul is like a weaned child. Israel, put your hope in the Lord, both now and forever.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭131:1-3‬ ‭CSB)

Newly weaned children are not typically children at peace. In the name of maturing, they find themselves at an uncomfortable crossroads of sorts. Gone are the carefree and soothing days of being held by their mother as they satisfy their hunger with the warm milk from their mother’s breast. They have to begin the process of becoming individuals. They have to learn how to seek and find comfort and peace instead of always being comforted. As king, David faced many uncomfortable challenges. In order to grow and mature in the Lord, he had to leave behind the comfortable and embrace the uncomfortable. He had to leave behind the peaceful mornings in the pasture with his sheep to serve in King Saul’s courts. He had to transition from defending his sheep from a lion to defending an army from a giant. He had to leave behind the days of leading a company of soldiers to leading a nation. All the while, he was keenly aware of his own weaknesses and shortcomings. Instead of striving in the flesh and getting in way over his head, he focused on what was his to do: trust in the Lord and obey His word. The impossible things that were before him, he gave over to the Lord to handle. He learned to find peace through the hope that he had in the Lord of Hosts, the Lord God Almighty, who was always faithful to his word. Church… don’t try to force your way into things and get in way over your head. Put your hope in the Lord, both now and forever. Focus on following the Lord Jesus and trust Him with the improbable and impossible. If you do that, you will be strengthened, grow in maturity, and be at peace.

1 Kings 11:1-28; Acts 9:10-25; Psalms 130:6-8; Proverbs 28:11

OT: “King Solomon loved many foreign women in addition to Pharaoh’s daughter: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women from the nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, and they must not intermarry with you, because they will turn your heart away to follow their gods.” To these women Solomon was deeply attached in love. He had seven hundred wives who were princesses and three hundred who were concubines, and they turned his heart away. When Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away to follow other gods. He was not wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God, as his father David had been. Solomon followed Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Milcom, the abhorrent idol of the Ammonites. Solomon did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, and unlike his father David, he did not remain loyal to the Lord… 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. He had commanded him about this, so that he would not follow other gods, but Solomon did not do what the Lord had commanded.” (‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭11:1-6, 9-10‬ ‭CSB)

This is a sad story that often repeats itself. When Solomon began his reign as king, he was humble and depended greatly on the Lord. He loved the Lord and was committed to His word, will, and ways. Because of Solomon’s properly placed desires, God blessed him richly. As is often the case, Solomon gradually turned his eyes to the blessings instead of keeping them on the Blesser. The Apostle John warned us about that in 1 John 2:15-17. It is troubling how quickly Solomon went from dedicating the temple to building places of worship for foreign idols and false gods. Chapter 10 of 1 Kings is all about Solomon amassing great amounts of wealth and prestige… and part of that was amassing an enormous harem of women from every variety of race and religion. Solomon succumbed to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. Within just one generation, Jerusalem went from hosting the earthly habitation of the One True God to becoming overrun by worship centers to every idol and false god known to man. All because Solomon took his eyes off the Lord and sought pleasure and satisfaction in the things of this world.

NT: “There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” “Here I am, Lord,” he replied. “Get up and go to the street called Straight,” the Lord said to him, “to the house of Judas, and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, since he is praying there. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him so that he may regain his sight.” “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And he has authority here from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to take my name to Gentiles, kings, and Israelites. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” Ananias went and entered the house. He placed his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road you were traveling, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” At once something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. And after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul was with the disciples in Damascus for some time. Immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues: “He is the Son of God.”” (‭‭Acts‬ ‭9:10-20‬ ‭CSB)

Ananias was a hero of faith in my book. He was just an ordinary guy. As far as we know, he held no position of leadership or influence in the Damascus Church. He was simply a faithful disciple of The Way. The Lord appeared to him in a vision and asked him to do something incredibly risky. He didn’t know what had just happened to Saul. All he knew was that Saul came to Damascus to arrest Christians and drag them back to Jerusalem for trial. Finding Saul and then praying for him could have lead to Ananias’ arrest and even possible execution. But the Lord reassured Ananias and told him to go… so Ananias remained faithful to the Lord and obeyed precisely. Ananias’ faithful obedience made all the difference. Because he trusted the Lord, laid aside his claim to his life and risked everything to pray for Saul, Saul received his sight, was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and was filled with the Holy Spirit. Saul is another story in faithfulness. One thing was true of Saul: He was committed to honoring the Lord’s word, will, and ways. As soon as it was made clear to him that the Lord was in fact the Jesus that he was zealously persecuting, he quickly abandoned his life… all that he had built over the years… the reputation that he had strived so hard for, and followed Jesus. For many of us, if Jesus asked us to do something risky, we would say no. For many of us, if Jesus confronted us and told us that everything that we had built in our lives was preventing us from fully following Him, we would reject Jesus’ correction and cling to our stuff. Ananias and Saul chose to make Jesus their primary pursuit and they remained faithful to Him… and the world was changed because of it. Where does my heart lie? Am I faithful to the Lord, or am I faithful to my life?

1 Kings 10:1-29; Acts 9:1-9; Psalms 130:1-5; Proverbs 28:8-10

NT: “Now Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul said. “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting,” he replied. “But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the sound but seeing no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. He was unable to see for three days and did not eat or drink.” (‭‭Acts‬ ‭9:1-9‬ ‭CSB)

Saul was (in his own words) a Pharisee of Pharisees. He was zealous for the law and the Jewish traditions. Through his blind commitment to the letter of the law, however, he missed the heart and purposes of God. After a successful campaign against the Jerusalem church, Saul received permission from the high priest to chase down followers of Jesus who had fled to Damascus and bring them back to his idea of justice. On his way to Damascus, the arrester became the arrested… the unmerciful zealot encountered the forgiving Lord. Imagine how Saul must have felt as he was instantly made aware that he was guilty of persecuting the Messiah, the King of kings and Lord of lords. The haughty man on his high horse was knocked to the ground and left humbled and defenseless. For three days, Saul was blind – left alone with his thoughts to reconcile his beliefs with the truth, to repent, and turn from the law to God.

Psalms: “Out of the depths I call to you, Lord! Lord, listen to my voice; let your ears be attentive to my cry for help. Lord, if you kept an account of iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that you may be revered. I wait for the Lord; I wait and put my hope in his word.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭130:1-5‬ ‭CSB)

As Saul sat there blind in Damascus for three days, I wonder if this psalm came to mind. This psalm is a song of ascents, and would have been familiar to every faithful Jew. After coming face to face with his iniquity, I’m sure Saul must have felt that he was drowning in his own guilt. The truth is, whether we are a zealous persecutor of the works of God or we are just a regular person trying to make his way through life – outside of the salvation that is found in Christ, we all would find ourselves in over our heads and drowning in sin. We are all guilty, and none of us could stand as innocent before the Holy, Righteous, and perfectly Just God. Thankfully, with God there is forgiveness. Thankfully, when we cry out to the Lord in humble desperation, He hears our cries and is faithful to save. When we humbly come to Jesus and present to Him our “filthy rags,” He removes our guilt and fills us with His innocence. Saul was forgiven and saved. I have been forgiven and saved. Anyone can be forgiven and saved if they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, humbly repent of their sin, and turn completely to Him.

1 Kings 9:1-28; Acts 8:25-40; Psalms 129:5-8; Proverbs 28:6-7

OT: “When Solomon finished building the temple of the Lord, the royal palace, and all that Solomon desired to do, the Lord appeared to Solomon a second time just as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. The Lord said to him: I have heard your prayer and petition you have made before me. I have consecrated this temple you have built, to put my name there forever; my eyes and my heart will be there at all times. As for you, if you walk before me as your father David walked, with a heart of integrity and in what is right, doing everything I have commanded you, and if you keep my statutes and ordinances, I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised your father David: You will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel. If you or your sons turn away from following me and do not keep my commands — my statutes that I have set before you — and if you go and serve other gods and bow in worship to them, I will cut off Israel from the land I gave them, and I will reject the temple I have sanctified for my name. Israel will become an object of scorn and ridicule among all the peoples. Though this temple is now exalted, everyone who passes by will be appalled and will scoff. They will say, “Why did the Lord do this to this land and this temple?” Then they will say, “Because they abandoned the Lord their God who brought their ancestors out of the land of Egypt. They held on to other gods and bowed in worship to them and served them. Because of this, the Lord brought all this ruin on them.”” (‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭9:1-9‬ ‭CSB)

After Solomon dedicated the Temple, the Lord appeared to him once again. The Lord let him know that He had heard Solomon’s prayer – but He wanted Solomon to know something far more important. Opulent temples don’t impress the Lord. Grand and eloquent oratory and prayer don’t impress the Lord either. The Lord is pleased and moved by integrous hearts that are worshipfully yielded and obedient to Him and Him alone. The temple that Solomon built and God consecrated was not a guarantee of God’s habitation and blessing forever. If Solomon or his sons after him turned from the Lord and led the people into idolatry, God would remove His presence from the nation and reject the temple. While God appreciates the art that comes forth from our worship, it’s not the art that He is after. God is after our hearts. A beautiful song that is not sung from a heart of humble, consecrated, and obedient worship is just that: a beautiful song… it is not worship, nor is it accepted as worship. But even an offering that is at best mediocre in our eyes, if it is offered out of the fullness of devoted worship, is beautiful and accepted by the Lord. We keep our lives consecrated… we remain connected to the vine and in an abiding relationship with the Lord… we remain full of the Holy Spirit… we remain covered by God’s grace as we walk before the Lord with integrity and do everything to honor and keep His word, will, and ways.

NT: “An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip: “Get up and go south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is the desert road. ) So he got up and went. There was an Ethiopian man, a eunuch and high official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to worship in Jerusalem and was sitting in his chariot on his way home, reading the prophet Isaiah aloud. The Spirit told Philip, “Go and join that chariot.” When Philip ran up to it, he heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you’re reading?” “How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him… Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning with that Scripture.” (‭‭Acts‬ ‭8:26-31, 35‬ ‭CSB)

Philip is an example of a man who is consecrated to the Lord and obedient to the Lord in every way. Not only did he honor and treasure the word of God, he also precisely obeyed the leading of the Lord through the indwelling Holy Spirit. He remained full of the Holy Spirit because he honored the word, will, and ways of the Lord. He was able to more fully obey the word, will, and ways of the Lord because he was full of the Holy Spirit and conformed to His leading. Not only was he led in the moment by the Holy Spirit – he had also been diligent to study God’s word and understand it well enough to teach it and explain it to others. Because of Philip’s obedience, an entire nation was opened to the good news of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God. God desires to use us the same way He used Philip… and He will be able to if we consecrate our lives, walk in integrity of heart, and fully honor and obey the word, will, and ways of the Lord through the enabling and empowering of the indwelling Holy Spirit.