Category Archives: Bible

Solomon and Effort

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King Solomon was very clearly a man who knew how to get things done.  It all started with the temple in Jerusalem.  His father David gathered most of the materials, but it was Solomon who oversaw the actual construction.  Then there was his own palace, along with more work in and around the city, the building of a powerful military, and his vast commercial enterprise empowered by a fleet of ships.  People came from all over just to hear his wisdom or receive his counsel.  He might easily have made a fortune as a consultant – well, if he weren’t already a king.  A man like Solomon should even have some solid advice for us to help in our endeavors – and he does.  We find it in Psalm 127:1-2:

Unless the Lord builds the house,
   They labor in vain who build it;
   Unless the Lord guards the city,
   The watchman stays awake in vain.

It is vain for you to rise up early,
    To sit up late,
    To eat the bread of sorrows;
    For so He gives His beloved sleep.
                         – Psalms 127:1-2 (NKJV)

Solomon is not advocating laziness, merely pointing us to the reality that anything we mere mortals do is subject to futility – if the Lord isn’t in it.  Take some time this day to ask God’s blessing upon your work.  We need His Holy Spirit’s empowering in all our efforts. We need His mercy, His grace and His guidance.  With His hand upon you, you will never “labor in vain.”

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. – 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NKJV)

Who’s the Best?

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Those silly apostles. In Luke 22 we see Jesus about to be betrayed, arrested and crucified – approaching the climax of His mission and ministry here on earth. Sadly, His closest followers seem oblivious. They are so self-centered they get into something of a fight.

“I’m a better Christ-follower than you, Peter, ” says one.

“You are not,” the burly fisherman strikes back.

“Wait a minute! I’m the disciple Jesus really loves,” says John, the beloved disciple.

“He’s just trying to make you feel good because you’re such an idiot.”

And so Jesus, with endless patience, interrupts.  He takes a conversation about greatness and makes it a lesson about our willingness to serve others. It’s a lesson we need every bit as much as they did:

Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves. – Luke 22:24-27 (NKJV)

On Personal Revival

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While reading this morning in Psalm 119, I was struck by the repeated phrase “revive me”. These two words make a remarkable personal prayer.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines revival as “a restoration to use, acceptance, activity, or vigor after a period of obscurity or quiescence.” Sometimes that’s exactly what we need. We all go through lulls, dry periods, valleys in our spiritual life. What better thing to do than to pray God’s own word back to Him in asking Him to restore us to life. Here are the nine verses from Psalm 119 taken from the NKJV:

25My soul clings to the dust;
       Revive me according to Your word.

37Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things,
       And revive me in Your way.

40Behold, I long for Your precepts;
Revive me in Your righteousness.

88Revive me according to Your lovingkindness,
So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.

107I am afflicted very much;
Revive me, O Lord, according to Your word.

149Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness;
O Lord, revive me according to Your justice.

154Plead my cause and redeem me;
Revive me according to Your word.

156Great are Your tender mercies, O Lord;
Revive me according to Your judgments.

159Consider how I love Your precepts;
Revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness.

Who Does God Use?

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The short answer, of course, is, “Anybody He wants.” But if we think the question through more thoroughly, what we’re probably looking for is some characteristic in or about the person God uses that makes him or her most useful.

Two areas we often look, which are no special indicator of usefulness, are qualifications and giftedness. Qualifications are often more about rights than responsibilities. “I’m qualified in this or that way; therefore, I should be allowed to do or not do _____ .” Giftedness, on the other hand is more about potential than reality. The pathways of life are littered with gifted failures.

The best general indicator of usefulness might just be obedience, and a good example of that is found in the prophet Amos. The Scriptures give us no indication that Amos was a gifted speaker. Nor did he come into his ministry with any special education or experience. Nonetheless, Amos was willing and would do what the Lord called him to do.

The Lord called Amos to preach to the people of Israel, including Jeroboam the king and Amaziah the priest of Bethel. So Amos spoke and Amaziah told him to be quiet. (In that setting Amaziah was the one “qualified” to speak.)

“Then Amos answered, and said to Amaziah: ‘I was no prophet, nor was I a son of a prophet, but I was a sheepbreeder and a tender of sycamore fruit. Then the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said to me, “Go, prophesy to My people Israel.”’” – Amos 7:14-15 (NKJV)

So God spoke through Amos, the shepherd and fruit-picker-turned-prophet – not because he was a shepherd or a fruit picker, but because he was obedient.  Amos went and did what God wanted – and no doubt He wants us to go somewhere, do something or say something too.