KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Saturday, May 07, 2016
Chapters: 2 Chronicles 6-8
Message: 2 Chronicles: I Choose To Believe
Hello My Friend,
There is something interesting to be said about God allowing His people to work among those who are not. In the midst of a lost world that is competing in a survival to the fittest, we are the hope that they never knew they had, the strength that keeps them going, and the light that brings some to Jesus. Our good works may not be what gets us into heaven, but they do shine the light of Christ on the world who needs Him too. “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” – Matthew 5:14-16.
I am updating the I’m Following Jesus site, I had to upgrade the server (praise God) and decided it needed a bit of a remodel. It has been since 2012 that I made any changes, and God pointed out to me that there were some pages missing on it too, I had pages exposing false science and religion, but felt like I did not need them and left them out (so much for my human reasoning). Upon going through the several sources where I got the info, I discovered that some of them changed their views and was not taking the Bible literally word for word. The devil is slick and he will even deceive the elect. So, now, we have learn of the first temple built for God and how it was built exactly according to David’s plans, we come to the celebration of its grand opening. Solomon gathers all of Israel together, this will probably be the last time all of Israel would come together as one nation.
“Then said Solomon, The LORD hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. But I have built an house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy dwelling for ever. And the king turned his face, and blessed the whole congregation of Israel: and all the congregation of Israel stood. And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who hath with his hands fulfilled that which he spake with his mouth to my father David, saying, Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build an house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be a ruler over my people Israel: But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel. Now then, O LORD God of Israel, let thy word be verified, which thou hast spoken unto thy servant David. But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!” – 2 Chronicles 6:1-6,17,18.
“neither chose I any man to be a ruler over my people Israel:” You know, we may have have kings and queens, and presidents running our nations, but we only have one ruler, God. God cannot be contained, He is found in the darkest, deepest caves in the sea to the highest, steepest mountain tops. No one can escape God, and while we, who are His saved, born again souls, must be subject to the worlds authority, our highest authority is God, and He is who we are accountable to. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” – Hebrews 13:8,9,16,17.
The world loves to discredit God, they will do anything necessary to try and prove that we are wrong for believing in something we cannot see. Secular science loves to try and say that man gets smarter as they evolve, that we make no mistakes because we are just doing what is natural. We all have different characteristics, we all have a mind, a voice, and the freewill to choose what we believe. You can say and believe that God does not exist, but that does not mean we all have to agree. No one can take away our right to believe or convince us that we are not smart enough to make that choice on our own. Solomon stood on a scaffold he had made to be able to be seen by all the people. He gets on his knees, raises his hands up to God, and begins to pray one of the longest prayers recorded in history. He not only prayed for Israel, but very nation. Something amazing happened after he prayed.
“Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house. And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD’S house. And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD. And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of musick of the LORD, which David the king had made to praise the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever, when David praised by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood.” – 2 Chronicles 7:1-6.
“they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement,” We all like to imagine what we will do when we first see Jesus face to face, and every person will, but the truth is, we will all be on our knees. Those with egos that were to proud to accept Him will be begging for mercy, those who know Him as their Saviour will be too humble to look Him in the face. Every knee will bow to Christ, whether we believe in Him or not. “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.” – Isaiah 45:22-24.
People do not just wake up and just wake up and decide that they do not want to follow or believe in God. You would have to be one of the most miserable people on earth not to believe there is some kind of supernatural higher power out there, even agnostics believe that. Rejecting or walking away from God comes gradually as we allow the corrupt world to creep in, and if we are not careful it will overtake us. In the beginning, Solomon was godly, and followed in his fathers footsteps, but all it took was one wrong decision for him to start allowing the world to creep in his life and overtake him. He married the king of Egypt’s daughter.
“As for all the people that were left of the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which were not of Israel, But of their children, who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel consumed not, them did Solomon make to pay tribute until this day. But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no servants for his work; but they were men of war, and chief of his captains, and captains of his chariots and horsemen. And these were the chief of king Solomon’s officers, even two hundred and fifty, that bare rule over the people. And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David unto the house that he had built for her: for he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy, whereunto the ark of the LORD hath come. Then Solomon offered burnt offerings unto the LORD on the altar of the LORD, which he had built before the porch, Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.” – 2 Chronicles 8:7-13.
“because the places are holy,” While Solomon kept the law of Moses to some extent after he married, he would eventually fall as he married many more women of different faiths. Those who are holy (saved) cannot allow the world to come into their lives, this includes those who are not likeminded in their faith. You cannot believe that Jesus has the power to save you from hell and not believe that He is God Himself in the flesh. God may allow us to work with people of different beliefs, and be friendly to them, but we are to never bring them into our lives unless they have been converted themselves. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” – 2 Corinthians 6:14-16.
Jesus Christ Revealed: Today, Jesus is revealed through Solomon, who prayed for the people. Jesus prays for His people. “For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.” – John 17:8,9.
Today’s Prayer: God, I have seen You do some amazing things in my life, just sitting here today is a blessing considering where you found me. I admit, my faith in You has it’s ups and downs, sometimes, I believe You can move mountains, others, that You would never do it for me. I know You are the same today as You were back then, I know You can still turn things around, and overwhelm me with so many things that I cannot help, but cry for all You are doing for me. Lord, let me never lose sight of Your faith in me, and Your willingness to give me the things I need and desire through my faith in You. When I want to give up, Your strength keeps me going. I love You Lord, and pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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