Lessons On Living

[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living From David
Scripture: 2 Samuel 19:7-8

Going On

2 Samuel 19:7-8

"Now therefore, arise, go out and speak comfort to your servants. For I swear by the Lord, if you do not go out, not one will stay with you this night. And that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now." Then the king arose and sat in the gate. And they told all the people, saying, "There is the king, sitting in the gate." So all the people came before the king. For everyone of Israel had fled to his tent.

Going On

A page from John Wesley’s diary reads as follows: "Sunday a.m., May 19, preached at St. somebody else’s, deacons called special meeting and said I couldn’t return. Sunday p.m., May 19, preached on the street, kicked off the street. Sunday a.m., May 26, preached in meadow, chased out of meadow as a bull was turned loose during the services. Sunday a.m., June 2, preached out at the edge of town, kicked off the highway. Sunday p.m., June 2, afternoon service, preached in a pasture, 10,000 people came to hear me."

David had been hit with many heartbreaking experiences as well. His son had rebelled against him. His people had failed to support him. His trusted advisor, Ahithophel, had joined the enemy. His general and nephew, Joab, had disobeyed him and killed Absalom. In fact, life was probably at its lowest ebb for David. But he had a responsibility. He was king and he did not have the luxury to wallow in his sorrow. Life went on and so did David.

When you’re battered by continual disappointments and heartaches, it’s tempting to simply give up. But as Christians we don’t have that luxury. God gives us responsibilities, and until He calls us home we need to fulfill them. There is no promise in God’s Word that life will be easy, only that God will be faithful.

If you are tempted to give up, recognize your responsibilities. Until God gives the signal to pack up and leave, you must go on. In the meantime, rely on God’s strength. He will never fail you.

Life goes on—and so must we.

_________________________

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[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living From David
Scripture: 2 Samuel 17:28-29 2 Samuel 19:31-33

Get Even

2 Samuel 19:31-33

And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim and went across the Jordan with the king, to escort him across the Jordan. Now Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. And he had provided the king with supplies while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man. And the king said to Barzillai, "Come across with me, and I will provide for you while you are with me in Jerusalem."

Get Even

There are times when it’s entirely appropriate to get even with someone—not, however, with those you think have wronged you, but with those you know who have helped you. David practiced this kind of "getting even" with Barzillai.

When the king fled from his son Absalom, he had been unable to gather the supplies needed to support himself and his followers in the wilderness. Hearing of this, a Gileadite from Rogelim named Barzillai and his friends brought "beds and basins, earthen vessels and wheat, barley and flour, parched grain and beans, lentils and parched seeds, honey and curds, sheep and cheese of the herd, for David and the people who were with him to eat. For they said, ‘The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness’" (2 Sam. 17:28-29). When the crisis was over and David was ready to return, his first desire was to "get even" with such kindness. He offered Barzillai the opportunity to feast at the king’s table for as long as he was in Jerusalem.

What an impact we Christians would have for good in this world if we tried to get even with those who have been kind to us. Instead of taking for granted the blessings God brings to you through other people, seek a way to return that kindness with kindness. That’s the kind of vengeance God approves of.

Have you been blessed today? Then get even. And if you can’t get even with the one who blessed you, pass the blessing on to someone else.

Get even with someone today—God’s way.

_________________________

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[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living From David
Scripture: 2 Samuel 23:16-17

Giving Our Best

2 Samuel 23:16-17

So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord. And he said, "Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this! Is this not the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. These things were done by the three mighty men.

Giving Our Best

In her book The Gospel in Leviticus, Eleanor Herr Boyd tells of a missionary in India who saw a woman standing at the water of the Ganges River. In her arms was a sickly, whining infant, while at her side stood a beautiful, strong, healthy child. When the missionary returned, he saw her with the sickly child in her arms, but the beautiful boy was gone. He knew she had thrown her child to the crocodiles in the turbid river to appease her god. He asked her, "If you felt you had to do it, why didn’t you throw in the sickly little one?" The woman drew herself erect and proudly replied, "We give our gods the best."

David was committed to this same belief. On one occasion he had expressed a desire to taste the water from the well in Bethlehem. Since Bethlehem was occupied by Philistine soldiers at the time, this was no small challenge. Three of David’s mighty men, however, broke through the enemy lines and retrieved the requested water. Yet it was so precious, bought at the risk of his men’s own lives, that David couldn’t use it for himself. It was the most valuable possession he had, so he gave it to the Lord.

God deserves our finest. When it was His turn to give, God gave the most precious gift He had, His only begotten Son. With such an example, how could a Christian do anything less?

Give your best to the Lord. Whether it’s treasures, time or talents, God deserves more than your leftovers.

The God who gave us His best will not accept less from us.

_________________________

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Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living From David
Scripture: 2 Samuel 24:2-3

Look At Me

2 Samuel 24:2-3

So the king said to Joab the commander of the army who was with him, "Now go throughout all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and count the people, that I may know the number of the people." And Joab said to the king, "Now may the Lord your God add to the people a hundredfold more than there are, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king desire this thing?"

Look at Me

A man went to a shoe store to purchase a new pair of shoes. He was fitted with a very suitable pair and went away happy. Some weeks later, though, he brought the shoes back. "Don’t they fit?" asked the store owner. "Oh, they fit fine," replied the man. "Weren’t they of good quality?" the owner inquired. "Yes, they’re fine quality." "Then why are you returning them?" the retailer wanted to know. "Because they don’t have any squeak," said the man. "Why would you want a pair of shoes that squeak?" asked the baffled owner. "So when I go to church," said the man, "people will look up and notice."

Unfortunately, that same attitude took hold of David. In and of itself, there was nothing wrong with numbering the people. It was a convenient way to know who was available for war or what taxes to levy. But those were not David’s motives. David undertook this task to bring glory to himself. Underneath an innocent-looking decision slithered the snake of pride.

Many times Christians do the right thing but with the wrong motive. They might give a large gift, serve on a committee or sing in the choir, but they do it so they will be noticed. Their desire is to glorify themselves more than to give godly service.

Ask God to reveal your true reasons for the things you do. It takes courage and discipline to do this, but it’s worth getting to the bottom of your motives. Don’t be guilty of doing the right things for the wrong reasons.

If your motive is wrong, your service can never be right.

_________________________

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[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living From David
Scripture: 2 Samuel 24:16-18 2 Samuel 24:24

An Oxymoron

2 Samuel 24:24

Then the king said to Araunah, "No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

An Oxymoron

An oxymoron is two words put together that seem to contradict each other. Our language is sprinkled with such paradoxical phrases, although we often are not consciously aware of them. For example, we talk about eating "jumbo shrimp," driving by a "sanitary landfill" or seeing something we describe as "pretty ugly." But there is another oxymoron that often exists in our thoughts if not in our language—it’s called a "free sacrifice."

When David sinned by taking a census of the people, a plague ravished the land for three days. As the angel of the Lord stretched out his hand to strike Jerusalem, however, God stopped him and spared the city (2 Sam. 24:16). This took place at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. In response to this act of mercy, David was instructed to erect an altar to the Lord on that site (v. 18). When David went to build the altar and make the sacrifice, he was presented with what seemed like a great deal. Araunah offered to freely give him both the land for the altar and the oxen for the sacrifice. But David rejected his offer. How could he make a sacrifice that cost him nothing? The two were incompatible.

Too often when it comes to sacrifice, Christians are looking for a bargain. We want the most sacrifice for the least expense. We wants lots of gain but little pain. Yet such a combination simply isn’t possible. A sacrifice is only worth what you pay for it.

Don’t go looking for sacrifices at a discount. God will have no cheap sacrifices. Be willing to pay the full price if you want the full benefit.

If it isn’t a sacrifice to you, it isn’t a sacrifice for you.

_________________________

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[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living From David
Scripture: 1 Kings 1:5-6

Father Failure

1 Kings 1:5-6

Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king"; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. (And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, "Why have you done so?" He was also very good-looking. His mother had borne him after Absalom.)

Father Failure

The sheriff’s office in a Texas city once distributed a list of rules entitled "How to Raise a Juvenile Delinquent in Your Own Family." If that is your goal, it suggests, "Begin from infancy to give the child everything he wants. This will insure his believing that the world owes him a living. Pick up everything he leaves lying around. This will teach him he can always pass his responsibility on to others. Take his part against neighbors, teachers, policemen. They are all prejudiced against your child. He is a ‘free spirit’ and never wrong. Finally, prepare yourself for a life of grief. You’re going to have it."

David apparently raised his son Adonijah by similar rules. Brought up in the pomp and ceremony of a royal court, surrounded by servants to do his bidding, funded by a nearly unlimited supply of wealth, Adonijah was a prime candidate to become a spoiled child. But what put the final seal on Adonijah’s fate was his father. It is said of David that he "had not rebuked him at any time."

Fathers play a vital role in the disciplining of children, especially sons. Even though the dad often does not spend as much time in direct contact with a child as the mom does, his influence should never be underestimated. David’s son Solomon wrote, "My son, keep your father’s command, and do not forsake the law of your mother" (Prov. 6:20). The word command literally means "to teach with discipline." Apparently Solomon learned something from his father’s failures.

If you are a father, don’t shirk your responsibility to teach with discipline. Let your children know you love them by the guidelines you set for them. Don’t be a father failure.

If you think it’s hard to live with your father, try living without one.

_________________________

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[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Solomon
Scripture: Galatians 5:13 John 13:34 Romans 15:7 Colossians 3:13 1 Kings 1:5

The Would-Be King

1 Kings 1:5

Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king"; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

The Would-Be King

Self-centeredness keeps us from truly caring about others. One of the saddest characters in American literature is Willy Loman in Arthur Miller’s classic play Death of a Salesman. Poor Willy. He was always going to make that "big sale." He was going to bring home a fortune one day—then people would give him the recognition that he truly deserved. But the big sale never came. Willy even boasted of the number of people who would come to his funeral, for everybody loves a salesman. But the only people who attended Willy’s funeral were his wife and two sons, the ones whom he neglected most while he played the big shot.

Adonijah was afflicted with the same problem. His father, King David, was old and feeble but had not yet publicly appointed an heir. Instead of considering his father’s wishes, Adonijah decided he would "exalt himself." He was a self-appointed king. Furthermore, his actions reflected the attitude that he considered his father as good as dead. He never saw beyond himself.

American culture encourages self-centeredness. Slogans such as "You deserve a break today," "Grab all the gusto" and "Have it your way" can seduce even Christians into believing that life revolves around their own whims and wishes. How different this attitude is from what the New Testament teaches. We are commanded to "love one another" (John 13:34), "receive one another" (Rom. 15:7), "serve one another" (Gal. 5:13) and "forgive one another" (Col. 3:13). Instead of exalting ourselves, Scripture exhorts us to be concerned about the welfare of others.

Be careful not to buy into the "me-first" philosophy that permeates our world today. Ask God to give you a heart that is sensitive to the needs of others. Pray for others. Demonstrate your concern for others in the way you care for their needs. And trust God to provide for you as He provides for others through you. It’s the way to beat the trap of self-centeredness.

Exalt others and let God exalt you.

_________________________

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[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Solomon
Scripture: Proverbs 18:24 1 Samuel 22:20 Matthew 28:20 1 Kings 1:7

Friends Who Fail

1 Kings 1:7

Then he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed and helped Adonijah.

Friends Who Fail

Aristotle claimed that a friend is "one soul dwelling in two bodies." Others have defined a friend as "a person who knows all about us and still likes us." Newspaper columnist Walter Winchell suggested that a friend is one "who walks in when others walk out." However you define a friendship, it is obvious that when a friend fails us, the pain can be devastating.

In his latter days, David experienced the failure of not just one friend but two. One was Joab, David’s nephew and the commander of his armies; the other was Abiathar, the high priest. Both of them sided with Adonijah, David’s son and brother of Absalom, when he decided to exalt himself as king. These men had served faithfully with David. Abiathar had been with him as far back as the days when David first fled from Saul (1 Sam. 22:20). And Joab had been the genius behind much of David’s success as king. The pain of their treachery must have been excruciating for the aging and ailing king.

How often, even among Christians, do friends fail us. Sometimes they deliberately turn their backs on us; other times they simply vanish from our lives due to unforeseen circumstances such as moving away, sickness or death. Ultimately, all of our friends fail us in some way and we feel hurt. We must know, however, that there is a friend who never fails. The Book of Proverbs says, "There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (18:24). That friend is Jesus. He promised us, "I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:20).

Are you experiencing the pain of a failed friendship? Has your best friend moved away and left you friendless? Or worse, has someone turned against you and you feel betrayed? Then turn to Jesus. He will understand (His friends did the same to Him), and He will stand by you whatever your circumstances. Jesus is a friend who never fails.

When all other friends fail you, your friend Jesus is faithful.

_________________________

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Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Solomon
Scripture: 1 Kings 3:13 1 Kings 1:33

A Gentle Spirit

1 Kings 1:33

The king also said to them, "Take with you the servants of your lord, and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon."

A Gentle Spirit

Richard Weaver earned his living in the mines, but his higher priority was bringing others to Christ. One day a fellow said to Weaver, "I’m sick of your constant preaching. I’ve a good mind to smack you in the face!" "Go ahead if it will make you feel better," Weaver replied. The man struck him. The Christian did not retaliate but turned the other cheek. Again the unbeliever hit him and then walked away. Weaver called after him, "I forgive you and still pray that the Lord will save you!" The next morning his assailant was waiting for him. He asked, "Dick, do you really forgive me?" "Certainly," Weaver said, and again shared the message of salvation. God opened the man’s heart, and he received Christ as his Savior. Gentleness and humility had won the day.

As Solomon prepared to take his place as king, he rode on the back of a lowly mule, not an impressive warhorse. His reign was not to be marked by power and brute force but by wisdom exercised in gentleness and humility. While his father, David, achieved great honor through warfare, Solomon far excelled him (1 Kings 3:13) without having to resort to the same tactics.

When we are faced with opposition, it is tempting to overpower it by sheer strength. If someone dares to stand in our way, we run over him. Yet this is not normally God’s way. What we accomplish in a spirit of gentleness, as we seek peace and reconciliation, will outlast what we achieve by the "bulldozer approach." And it leaves a better testimony as well.

If you’re facing opposition from someone at work, at home or in church, ask God to give you a gentle spirit. Seek His wisdom to deal with the conflict humbly. Put aside any pride that might be a stumbling block to your success, and determine with God’s help to respond with meekness. The effects will be more satisfying and more permanent.

Brute force is only for brutes.

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Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Solomon
Scripture: 1 Kings 1:40

The Joy of the Lord

1 Kings 1:40

And all the people went up after him; and the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth seemed to split with their sound.

The Joy of the Lord

A middle-aged schoolteacher invested her life savings in a business enterprise that turned out to be a swindle. When her investment disappeared and the wonderful dream was shattered, she went to the local office of the Better Business Bureau. "Why on earth didn’t you come to us first?" they asked. "Didn’t you know about the Better Business Bureau?" "Oh, yes," the teacher said sadly, "I’ve always known about you. But I didn’t come because I was afraid you’d tell me not to do it."

That’s the attitude many people have toward God. They know that He’s there, but they’re afraid to come to Him because He might throw a wet blanket on their plans. They know He’ll tell them the truth; they just don’t want to hear it.

When Solomon, God’s choice for Israel’s king, proceeded to be crowned, the hearts of the people were filled with joy. The procession down to Gihon, where Solomon was officially declared king, was filled with the sound of music and celebration. This is the way it should be with us too. Obeying the will of the Lord is always a cause for rejoicing, not a cause for mourning.

Satan would have us believe that God is a killjoy. He lies to us and tells us that the farther we stay away from what God wants, the greater our chances to be truly happy. But countless people have been ruined by Satan’s lies. Only the Lord is able to give true, lasting joy. The closer we walk with Him, the more cause we have to rejoice.

Discover for yourself what a joy it is to walk in God’s will. You will learn that there is a direct relationship between obedience to God and joy from God. Let the joy of the Lord fill your heart. Ask Him to remove anything that is preventing you from fully experiencing His joy. Then discover the delight of obeying Jesus.

Joy is inextricably tied to Jesus.

_________________________

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Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Solomon
Scripture: Mark 8:36 1 Kings 2:2-3

The Key to Prosperity

1 Kings 2:2–3

"I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn."

The Key to Prosperity

Many young people fantasize about the possibility of becoming a sports star. And little wonder. According to one source, Michael Jordan earns more than $300,000 a game (that’s $10,000 a minute, assuming he averages 30 minutes per game). In December 1998, the Los Angeles Dodgers signed pitcher Kevin Brown to a $105-million contract. With those kinds of dollars being spent on athletes, prosperity for them seems like a sure thing.

Yet the true secret to affluence doesn’t lie in landing a lucrative sports contract. Solomon’s father, David, knew that real prosperity comes from being obedient to the Lord. Unlike those who seek only the benefit of financial gain, David assured Solomon that obeying God would result in prosperity in "all that you do and wherever you turn."

Although we may legitimately question whether any athlete is worth the kind of money mentioned, there is certainly nothing wrong with material abundance. But we must recognize that it counts for little when compared to spiritual prosperity and the well-being of those we love. Mere dollars and cents cannot turn back the hands of time or restore the ravages of loose living. It is especially in these important areas of life that living according to God’s Word pays the greatest dividends.

Don’t be lulled into thinking that prosperity is based on a bank account. Jesus said, "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" (Mark 8:36). Where do you find your prosperity? Is it in the temporal, the financial, the pleasurable? Make sure your prosperity is built on your walk with God rather than on your wealth in this world.

The key to real prosperity is found in God, not in gold.

_________________________

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[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Solomon
Scripture: 1 Kings 3:1 2 Timothy 2:4 1 Kings 11:3 2 Corinthians 6:14

Unequally Yoked

1 Kings 3:1

Now Solomon made a treaty with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and married Pharaoh’s daughter; then he brought her to the City of David until he had finished building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall all around Jerusalem.

Unequally Yoked

We often receive letters at Back to the Bible from heartbroken parents whose children were raised as Christians but have chosen to marry unbelievers. We also get letters from Christians who married outside the faith and now are experiencing the heartaches that such unions bring. In the long run, marriage to an unbeliever invariably brings grief.

No one discovered that more tragically than did Solomon. In his early years as Israel’s king, he made a treaty with Pharaoh, king of Egypt. The custom of that day was to seal such a relationship by marriage. This was not a union of two people who loved each other; it was a business deal. But such an arrangement made Solomon responsible to see that all the needs of his Egyptian wife were met, including her religious needs. As time passed, Solomon made more treaties and collected more wives with various religious backgrounds. In the end, 1 Kings 11:3 tells us he had 700 wives (not to mention 300 concubines) and "his wives turned away his heart."

The Bible warns us not to be intimately involved with unbelievers. Paul calls it being "unequally yoked" (2 Cor. 6:14). This involves not only marriage but also business partnerships and other relationships where moral and ethical issues are at stake. Such alliances will entangle us with the values of the world (2 Tim. 2:4) and seriously compromise our walk with the Lord.

If you are contemplating becoming involved intimately with an unbeliever, heed God’s warning. Save yourself and others from a great deal of heartache. Don’t bind yourself to someone to whom you cannot bind yourself spiritually. If you are already involved, ask God to protect you from harming your relationship with Him. Pray earnestly for the unbeliever in your life and set a godly example for him or her.

If you can’t pull together, don’t get together.

_________________________

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[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Solomon
Scripture: Proverbs 4:7 1 Kings 3:8-9

An Understanding Heart

1 Kings 3:8–9

"And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?"

An Understanding Heart

A lack of understanding can cause a great deal of embarrassment. President Coolidge once invited some friends from Vermont to dine at the White House. They were worried about their table manners, so they decided to do everything their host did. All went well until coffee was served. Coolidge poured part of his into the saucer. The guests did the same. The president then added sugar and cream. So did the visitors. Finally Coolidge leaned over and placed his saucer on the floor for the cat!

King Solomon was faced with something more serious than a simple faux pas. He would be responsible for the lives of millions of people. His decisions would create a ripple effect that would reach well beyond the borders of his own land. His wisdom, or lack of it, would bring either prosperity or ruin to the entire nation. Therefore, it is understandable why he felt an overwhelming need for a heart that could correctly assess a situation and distinguish between good and evil.

This need is still very real for you and me today. Even though we may not wield quite the influence of Solomon, the decisions we make certainly affect our family, our work and, through exercising the privilege of voting, our community, state and nation. When pooled with other believers, we influence far more than our family; we can change our country. That makes it imperative for us to seek an understanding heart from God as well.

The Book of Proverbs urges, "And in all your getting, get understanding" (4:7). Ask God to give you an understanding heart, especially when it comes to decisions that affect your family, your church and your country. Acknowledge your inability to always distinguish good from evil, and seek God’s discernment instead.

Discernment begins with God.

_________________________

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[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Solomon
Scripture: 1 Kings 3:12-13

Superabundant Blessings

1 Kings 3:12–13

"Behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days."

Superabundant Blessings

Howard Hendricks, professor emeritus at Dallas Theological Seminary, told a story about a couple in Christian ministry who had four children. While things were financially rough, Timmy, the youngest, asked, "Dad, do you think Jesus would mind if I asked for a shirt?" "Well, of course not," his father replied. So every day they prayed for a shirt. Several weeks later the mother received a call from a merchant who inquired, "Could you use some boys’ shirts?" "How many do you have?" she asked hesitantly. He said, "Twelve." That night when Timmy began to pray for a shirt, his father said, "We don’t have to pray for the shirt, Timmy. The Lord has answered your prayer." Older brother Tom went out of the room and brought back one shirt. Then he went out again and brought back another, and another—until he had piled 12 shirts on the table. Timmy thought God had gone into the shirt business! Today, there is another young boy who believes that God is able to provide superabundantly.

Solomon also discovered that God is no miser. Instead of just the wisdom and understanding the newly crowned king asked for, God gave him riches and honor in abundance as well. Solomon became known as both the wealthiest and wisest king of his time. He found that God’s blessings were not simply sufficient; they were overflowing.

Are you expecting God to provide for your needs? Do you think He will give you only the bare necessities? Don’t cheat yourself. Expect a lot more from God. He blesses superabundantly. While it isn’t always in the material realm, God never fails to give His children blessings in profusion. Our God is the God of abundance. Let Him bless you abundantly.

God’s blessings are never just the minimum daily requirement.

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[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Solomon
Scripture: 2 Peter 1:5 James 1:5 1 Kings 3:23-25

Know-how Plus

1 Kings 3:23–25

And the king said, "The one says, ‘This is my son, who lives, and your son is the dead one’; and the other says, ‘No! But your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.’" Then the king said, "Bring me a sword." So they brought a sword before the king. And the king said, "Divide the living child in two, and give half to one, and half to the other."

Know-how Plus

How many times have you come across a new invention and thought, I could have invented that! Recently I walked though an area at work where employees at Back to the Bible are allowed to display items for sale. Someone had come up with a nifty wooden rack for displaying Beanie Babies. Anyone could have invented it, yet it took someone who not only thought of the idea but actually made the product to reap the benefits. Wisdom is knowing the right thing to do and then doing it at the right time.

Solomon demonstrated that kind of practical wisdom. Faced with the need to determine the true mother of a newborn, he resorted to what he knew about motherhood. He applied that knowledge by suggesting the child be cut in two, with half given to each woman who claimed to be the child’s mother. As expected, the real mother refused while the false claimant was willing to go along with the suggestion. The writer of 1 Kings says the people heard of this judgment and "feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice" (3:28).

Knowledge is important in a Christian’s life (2 Pet. 1:5), but we also need the wisdom to apply it. It’s not sufficient to have the know-how—we have to do something with that know-how. Only as God shows us how to apply what we know can we lay claim to the gift of wisdom.

Are you lacking in wisdom? James says, "Ask of God" (James 1:5). Ask God to give you not only knowledge but also the practical wisdom of knowing how to apply it.

Wisdom puts feet to your knowledge.

_________________________

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