It Pleased the Lord

 

April 16, 2021

 

1 Kings 3:10-15

 

It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this.   And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right,  behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.   I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days.  And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”

And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.

 

As you read the Scripture above and give thought to your prayer life, are you following Solomon's example?   How can we know if our prayers are pleasing to God, first and foremost turn to Matthew 6:9-13,  “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation,  but deliver us from the evil one.”  

 

As we read that do you stop reading and allow the Holy Spirit to renew your mind; first to understand the only things Jesus' disciples ask of him was to teach them to pray.  Next, to grasp to whom you are addressing, that the Father knows you, He saw you before you were and numbered your days on planet earth.  He knew you were going to be under the control of sin and the evil one, and from the beginning before creation, he knew that His only Son would have to become a man and die to buy you out of the control of sin.  For that reason and many more, you should study this prayer and learn also what pleases the Father.

 

In this world we will have tribulation, I did not say that but God's Word does, and for a person who has known darkness and comes out into the light of Jesus Christ, it is clear that we the Church are experiencing or will soon be experiencing tribulation.  We are told in 1 Peter 4:16-19, “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.   For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?   And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” Therefore, let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.”

 

As followers of Christ, our first and foremost examination should begin in our mirror, and 2 Corinthians 13:5, gives us the first step; “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”  A couple of questions I have to often ask myself in this examination, am I seeking God’s will or my own?  Do I understand my flesh patterns, and am I trying to get my needs met outside of Christ?   

 

Let's get honest with ourselves, I hate the evil I see in Washington D.C., I do not have a clue who is pulling the strings but I’m sure it is not President Biden or V.P. Harris.  I and most who have looked into the past election know it was stolen, but do you understand, our Father allowed this to happen, He is God, and you are not, so get over it.  In no way did I say it was God’s will to have the election to be stolen, but this I know I can go back to Jesus's prayer, and ask for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.  He is Holy and good, and at best all men are liars, so why are you surprised at those who follow after the world, to act like their father the devil.  But you who have come out of the darkness are without excuse when you act like them.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice