We just were in 1 Kings 8 which was a pivotal chapter. The dedication of the temple. Solomon's prayer for us to be in a relationship with God and prayerful with God at all times in all aspects of our lives. Now in 2nd Chronicles 5. It's the placing of the ark in the temple. The ark was a symbol of God's rule and authority. And God's glory filled the Temple as a cloud showing His acceptance.  Read More

1 Kings 7 goes into detail for Solomon's house. I'm sure it is more majestic and luxurious than we can imagine. Everyone was probably gawking or rubbernecking as the windows and the pillars were placed.    There is a striking contrast that is presented at the very beginning of the chapter: Solomon spent seven years building the Temple for God (as noted in the previous chapter), but thirteen years ...  Read More

In 2nd Chronicles chapters 2 and 3, we see King Solomon preparing, beginning, and completing the temple of God. King David had wanted to build the temple, but God told him that he could not because he had too much blood on his hands. However, God told King David that he could prepare the materials and that his son, Solomon, could build the temple. King David had an alliance with King Huram, Who provided the materials and Craftsman for King David's Palace, and now would provide the same to Solomon for the temple of God.  Read More

Did you know there are thirty wise precepts in Proverbs 22-24? Today’s reading emphasizes the importance of a good reputation, the value of wisdom and guidance, and the dangers of associating with the wicked. It advises avoiding anger and envy, seeking counsel, and maintaining a virtuous life. In essence, these chapters promote ethical behavior, positive relationships, and the pursuit of a life that honors God.  Read More

Proverbs 20:1-19 is not a collection of gentle suggestions; it is a divine blueprint for a life of unyielding conviction and power. It commands us and challenges us to forge a character that is disciplined, just, and wise.  Read More

Proverbs 18 emphasizes the power of words and the importance of wisdom in speech and relationships. It warns that fools speak without understanding and stir up conflict, while wise individuals listen and speak with care. The chapter highlights that words can bring life or death, making thoughtful communication essential. It also stresses the value of seeking knowledge, being fair in judgment, and avoiding arrogance. True strength and security are found in trusting God, and deep, loyal friendships are more valuable than many superficial connections. Overall, the chapter encourages humility, discernment, and reliance on God and wise counsel.  Read More

Our youngest is at camp this week and the rest will go in a couple weeks. We love Church Camp! We always tell our kids to listen to what God has in store for them, build on the friendships they bring with them, enjoy making new ones, be kind, include everyone and find the joy in all situations. Most importantly, thank God for what He taught you while you were there and how He wants you to use it when you get home. What was it that He put on your heart? Was it to grow your faith, share the gospel, reach out to someone, surround yourself with Christ loving people and get rid of things that keep you from doing what is good? At camp, the love of Christ shines in everyone. Some will leave it, but others will treasure it and bring it home. Don’t leave it at camp, bring it home! I picked out a few verses in Proverbs Ch 13-15 that no matter if you are young going to camp or an adult way past camp days, hopefully it will remind you how to live wisely and follow God’s path. Proverbs 13:20 “Walk with the wise and become wise, but the companion of fools suffers harm.” Keep choosing people in your life that helps you grow closer to Jesus. Surround yourself with people that will cheer you on when you do something good and picks you up when you fall. Be the person that others want to be around because they see something different in you. “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers.” Psalm 1:1  Read More

If you have ever walked down a dirt road after a rain, you know there is two ways to go, the high road or the muddy road. Proverbs chapters 10 through 12 are just like that—two paths laid out: the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked. One leads to life and blessing. The other? Trouble and destruction. Solomon lays it out plain. The righteous speak truth, bring peace, and walk in integrity. The wicked lie, stir up trouble, and follow foolishness. And in the middle of it all is Proverbs 10:12—a verse that hits the heart of it: “hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs”.  Read More

Proverbs 8 is a powerful chapter that personifies wisdom as a woman calling out to humanity, urging us to embrace understanding and righteousness. Here are some key principles and reflections:  Read More

Stop for just one moment and think about what the world around us considers wisdom. High IQ’s, College Degrees, Great Philosophers, Scientists. And yet, nowhere, outside of a community of believers, does wisdom have any consideration of knowledge of God’s Word! It is a sad state to be in folks, and yet here we are. What is worse, you say? Maybe it is the fact that many believers fail to spend time in God’s Word, praying, asking for knowledge, and then consuming what He has clearly inspired to be written down for us through generations! In our study of Proverbs for today, we clearly see how the wisdom God wants us to have is tasked to be passed from father to children, how we are to lead our families in the wisdom taught to us in the Bible, and the true consequences of falling short of God’s expectations.  Read More

Proverbs are short, well-known sayings that express a general truth, offer advice, or illustrate a moral lesson based on common sense or experience.   Read More

Song of Solomon has been interpreted in many ways in the theological world. Some disagree on who the characters are, and even how many people are represented in the text. Questions arise such as. Is it allegory? Many believe so. But one thing we can say without a doubt is the book points to the purity and beauty of the marriage covenant, a sacred institution ordained by God to reflect the intimate, faithful love between Christ and His church (Ephesians 5:25-32). Just as the bride in Song of Solomon delights in the presence of her beloved, we are invited to find our joy and security in the love of Jesus, our Bridegroom. One of the things that surfaced as I read the whole book at one time was the concept of the pursuit of the King and the pursuit the woman has for her beloved. In every section, there is this desire to be close to, to touch, to be intimate with the one they love. If this truly is an example of the love and faithfulness of Christ and his church, it makes one wonder if we share the same “passionate” love for our Lord as is exhibited here in this book. I can understand for many believers, the concept presented here is a more sensual tone and can be uncomfortable to consider. But one can’t ignore the relational example of the bride being the church and the groom being Christ in Ephesians 5. In that relationship, we know that Christ pursues those whom he wants to be the church, and we as believers should pursue Christ as our Lord and Savior.  Read More

"That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, 'Ask for whatever you want me to give you.'" Imagine God appearing to you and offering you anything your heart desires. This is precisely what happened to Solomon, the newly appointed king of Israel. His father, David, had just passed away, and Solomon was faced with the immense responsibility of leading a nation. In this pivotal moment, an invitation – an opportunity for Solomon to articulate his deepest needs and desires before the Almighty. WOW. It's easy to get caught up in the "what if." Would we ask for wealth? Power? Fame? Personal comfort? Solomon's response, which we see in the following verses, is a profound lesson for us all. He didn't ask for personal gain, but for wisdom to govern God's people well. He recognized the weight of his calling and the need for divine guidance to fulfill it.  Read More

Solomon's Wisdom: Who doesn't want wisdom and discernment? In 1 Kings 3 & 4, we see King Solomon, David's son, who does not think very highly of himself, as we see in 1 Kings 3:7. He calls himself a little child even though he's not. King Solomon dreams a dream in which he asks God for wisdom because he understands the task at hand will require much wisdom. As we'll see later in the passage, God does indeed grant Solomon wisdom. But it made me ponder: at what point did God grant Solomon wisdom? I wondered this because it seems Solomon already has some level of wisdom by knowing that wisdom will be more valuable to him than wealth, fame, or victory over his enemies. Maybe God was growing his wisdom all along. We see that in 1 Kings 3:3, Solomon showed his love for the LORD by walking according to the instructions given to him by his father David. We know that when we walk according to the LORD's instructions, our lives will bear fruit. It appears the wisdom King Solomon obtained was immediate, but maybe not—maybe it was grown. Let's look at what we can learn from this for our own lives.   Read More

Meditation and Prayers relating to the Law of GodFacts about Psalm 119…..It’s the longest chapter of the Bible with 176 verses. It’s an acrostic poem consisting of all 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. There are 8 verses in each of the 22 stanzas. No one knows who wrote it; but some say Ezra, David, or Daniel.Here are a few verses that portray the ideals and standards we are striving for:REAL peo...  Read More

I recall the day my dad first let me use his car. He gave the keys and said, “Son, be very  careful, do not go out driving around like crazy, be wise who you let in the car, and do not let  them influence you in your decisions.”In 1 Kings 1 and 2, we see David’s last days. He is about to pass away, and in those last days,  he appointed his son Solomon to be king of Israel. This was a great respons...  Read More

Can believers argue with these points? … Great are the Lord’s Works (Psalm 111), The Righteous Will Never Be Moved (Psalm 112), Who is Like the Lord Our God? There is no other like HIM (Psalm 113), What does NOT Tremble at the Presence of the Lord (Psalm 114), We Should Give Glory to God’s Name (Psalm 115), We Love the Lord (Psalm 116), The Lord’s Faithfulness Endures Forever (Psalm 117), and His Steadfast Love Endures Forever (Psalm 118).   Read More

Psalm 127, attributed to Solomon, is a "Song of Ascents" and emphasizes God's essential role in all human endeavors. It's often summarized by the Latin phrase "Nisi Dominus frustra" – "Unless the Lord, in vain."  Read More

There are days when my heart feels too loud, racing with questions, tangled with worry, and desperate for clarity. I open my Bible, needing more than inspiration. I need stillness. And in those moments, Psalm 131 feels like a whisper from God:   Read More

These chapters are the kind that many of us tend to skim. Long lists of names. Tasks assigned. Divisions detailed. Musicians. Gatekeepers. Priests. It can feel dry, until you realize what it’s really about: God sees worship in our work.   Read More

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. A phrase our parents would teach us when we were little. But words sometimes hurt. But they can do so much more. I recently heard from a wiseman; “the foundation of ministry is Character, not a professional skill”. As a Christian, we should place great value on our character. Galatians 5:22,23 summarizes the character of the Christian: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”. Definitely a high standard, but we have a worthy God that we should be Honored to be able to represent with these characteristics. It also makes for an easy target for Satan and his followers to strike at us when we fail. “Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark!” – James 3:5  Read More

Now, let’s look at Psalm 30. David may have written this psalm when he dedicated Araunah’s threshing floor (which became the future site of the temple), and after God stopped the great plague He had used to discipline David (1 Chronicles 21: 1-22: 6). The serious illness mentioned in 30: 2-3 may refer to an illness David experienced or to the plague itself.   Read More

Psalm 95 encourages believers to come together to approach God’s presence with joyful worship and thanksgiving. It reminds us that God is the Lord, our rock, our great God, our great King, our Creator of all things and the Shepherd who cares for His people. The latter part of the psalm warns against hardening our hearts, referencing the Israelites' rebellion in the wilderness.   Read More

You could call Chapter 22, David’s Song of Thanksgiving. David was a skilled musician who played his harp for Saul (1 Samuel 16: 23), instituted the music programs for the tabernacle and temple (1 Chronicles 25), and wrote more of the Psalms than anyone else. Writing a song like this was not unusual for David. This royal hymn of thanksgiving is almost identical to Psalm 18.   Read More