SOLOMON'S PRAYER: He had a brass scaffold made for him to speak from, measuring exactly the same as the brass altar in the Tabernacle of Moses - speaking of himself as a living sacrifice. God keeps covenant and mercy with those who walk with Him. To experience God's fullness and glory takes a walk in obedience, a sacrifice so great it can't be measured (by you). The place of God's fullness is bathed in YOUR blood (your life laid down). "Arise, O Lord God, into Thy resting place..." (see Psa 132). As Solomon finished his prayer, fire fell from heaven and consumed the offerings and sacrifices, "and the glory of the Lord filled the house." The people were "glad, joyful and merry." GOD'S APPEARANCE TO SOLOMON: (second time) God knew Solomon's heart, and warned him AGAIN against apostasy. This is actually 13 years since the dedication of the Temple. God had heard the prayer of 2 Chron 7:14 and had CHOSEN and SANCTIFIED the Temple. BUT, Solomon must walk like David walked, "in integrity of heart and in uprightness." He must "do, keep and observe the Word of the Lord."
"IF YOU TURN AWAY,": If you forsake God and God's Word, He will not only forsake you, but He will "pull you up by the roots and cast you out of His sight!" It will be so bad that everyone who sees you will wonder what on earth you did, that God is so mad at you!
RESPONSE: This reminds me of Hebrews, where we learn that we are better off never knowing God, than if we know Him and then forsake Him. God takes it very seriously when we don't believe Him. He expects us to keep pushing forward - never turn back.
ROMANS 7:14 - 8:8
THE STRUGGLE: The sin nature is stronger than the Law that would suppress it. LUST in me - the desire to gratify the flesh. In my flesh, there is no good thing. There is an inner conflict because I know the good thing to do, but the harder I try to do it, the worse I become. The purpose of the conflict is to show us our selfishness and destroy our independence. WE NEED GOD. GOD'S ANSWER: We don't get our lives "changed", but "EX-changed." His for ours, and ours for His. The independent self must be crucified with Christ. Deliverance from hurt, offense, bondage, selfishness and lust is through that Cross working IN me. The Law does its job: it brings self-discovery and an admission of helplessness. We are freed from the law of sin and death by a higher law of life in Christ Jesus. The Law could not make us righteous or produce the image of Jesus in us. It was "weak through the flesh" - impotent, because the law works through the flesh, not through relationship. The Law lacks the power, and it is impossible for it to change my heart. Jesus "condemned sin in the flesh" by living an overcoming life.
THE REAL ENEMY: "The mind of the flesh" is our desires, doing what we want to do. When we live according to that, we die because the mind of the flesh hates God, isn't subject to Him, and can't please Him. Our REAL enemy is our own flesh and mind.
RESPONSE: The day we got saved, a war started. Some of us think we were doing "just fine" until we got saved - then the struggle began. However, we were going to hell. Now, the Life of God is in us to war against our flesh. If it weren't for the Word and the Spirit, we would never CHANGE. I was sick of myself. I blamed everyone else for my misery. As long as it was someone else's fault, I would remain a victim - but I didn't know that. Now I know I must submit to God. Submit everything to God. What I think. What I reason out. What I want. What "makes me happy" (nothing much). God kills it - then I can't go back to it. Then He gives me Himself! His happy, holy self! As long as I keep my focus on Him, remain thankful for His goodness and greatness, then I can overcome anything.
PSALM 18:1-15
When we are praising and thanking God for His goodness and greatness, Psalm 18 is a good one to real out loud. The names of God in verses 1-5 are the fruit and results of long and varied experiences of troubles and perils, and acknowledges that although David hid in rocks and caves, only God could actually deliver him.
PROVERBS 19:24-25
Imagine being so lazy you won't even feed yourself! When a person gets caught in sin or foolishness, a fool is sorry he got caught; but a wise person is sorry for his foolishness and learns not to repeat his deed.
RESPONSE: Have you ever asked yourself why God would even NEED to be "rock", "deliverer", "fortress", "refuge", "shield", "horn of my salvation", "stronghold". It's because that is what most of us are looking for - SECURITY and SAFETY. And God is all those things. What we must learn is how to get INTO that place of safe keeping. A lot of times I feel like a real fat lady trying to hide behind a skinny sapling of a tree. Anyone can take potshots at me. This is because I am not always successful at "hiding" in Christ, instead of letting my flesh get out of control. When I feel myself getting angry, hurt, offended, etc. - I KNOW I must get busy thanking and praising God and being grateful for His mighty faithfulness to me, His ability to shield me from darkness, His strength and sufficiency in providing for my deep hungers and needs. Then, what other people do to provoke an emotional response from me, becomes immaterial.
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