December 29 2013
What Gifts Has God Given You?
1 Kings 3:10-14 (NIV)
So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?" The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.
So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both riches and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life."
In the selected verses, God promises Solomon a long life, but God does not promise Solomon an eternal life, at least not in this exchange. Of course, at this time in history, Jesus had not yet come to the earth to bring the gift of eternal life! In this commentary, there will be no assumptions made about the salvation of people who lived and then died, before Jesus came to this earth. It seems from the Bible accounts that salvation could be attained by, making the appropriate sacrifices that God commanded. As these verses indicate, God was promising Solomon a long life on the condition that, “if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life."
This promise of God to Solomon was a wonderful promise, and certainly was a great gift that God gave him. If you read the other Old Testament accounts of how Solomon lived you will see that he was blessed by God, and as indicated in these selected verses, God came through, as Solomon was the wisest and richest man on the earth at that time in history! As is still the case today, there are many humans who possess huge fortunes, and they do not all follow the commands of the Biblical God, who is the only true God. In such cases it appears that their blessing of worldly wealth is a blessing from Satan. This may seem harsh, but I know of no other reason to account for their earthly success!
Well now the Christmas celebration is over, and the next thing to celebrate is a New Year, which is only meaningful from an earthly perspective. There will be a count-down of the last ten seconds of this year, and then the celebration of a New Year is announced. The decorative ball will drop in New York City Times Square and millions of people will be watching this on multi-media devices, and then shouting Happy New Year! For most of these people there will only be earthly things to wish for in the New Year.
However, those of us who celebrated the birth of their Savior Jesus Christ will be able to celebrate a much more wonderful gift. The gift that truly keeps on giving forever! We should be celebrating a New Year that will allow us to grow in Spiritual gifts, because we have just again been reminded of the greatest Gift if all, the gift of forever with Jesus. On this New Year’s Eve as you celebrate a New Year, ask Jesus for a better gift than Solomon received, when he asked God for the proper gift of discernment and love, as God gave him that and much more. Ask Jesus, “What do I need to do differently this year to make a better year and to be a better follower of Jesus.” Our gift that keeps on giving is a promise Jesus gave His disciples, and John recorded for us. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:40) What a wonderful gift Jesus left for His future disciples, “everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life!”
Jesus came to this earth as we all have by being born of a human female. However, this birth of a human being was very different in that this baby did not have a human father. Therefore His mother was still a virgin at His birth. No other human being can make that statement, and be telling the truth! The first man, Adam had neither a human father nor mother, as he was created by God, and Adam came from the dust of the earth. Please believe it, you are also a creation of God/Jesus, you did not evolve from some form of an animal, you are one of God’s Special Creation. Death was not meant to be a limiting factor for humans, but Adam and Eve disobeyed the one command God gave them, and thus the whole of creation was cursed by that sin, and death was needed as a means to end the curse for each human in this life.
Jesus came to this earth as the Last Adam to break the curse of that first sin, by being the perfect sacrifice for covering over the curse of all sin! Therefore, if you have taken Jesus as your Savior, then your sins will be washed away, and you will be cleansed of all stains of sin. This cleansing is needed so that your body can be the temple of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit will be willing to abide there! Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) Your immortal soul was purchased by Jesus, when you accepted Him as your Lord and Savior.
Will you be making any new year’s resolutions for the coming year? It is a good idea to set some goals for the coming year, and to look at it as a new beginning for the rest of your life on this earth. Remember though that no one is promised tomorrow on this earth, so you should also resolve to lay some plans for your eternal life too. Please believe it, your soul is immortal, and this limited lifetime is given to you as a gift for you to plan for all eternity, which will be spent either with Jesus, or with Satan! There are no other options available.
AND only by following Jesus now, will pave the way for your eternal life with Him. Every human being is given a gift of life, and all of us get a mortal body, and an immortal soul. Jesus came to supply the only path, or narrow road, that leads back to Him. Will you resolve to get on that path and return to the Garden of God, or are you too busy attaining the things of this world? Jesus wants to give the gift of eternal life, but He only awards the greatest gift to those who chose to be His follower. You must decide which path you will follow!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
1 Kings 3:10-14 (NIV)
So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?" The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.
So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both riches and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life."
In the selected verses, God promises Solomon a long life, but God does not promise Solomon an eternal life, at least not in this exchange. Of course, at this time in history, Jesus had not yet come to the earth to bring the gift of eternal life! In this commentary, there will be no assumptions made about the salvation of people who lived and then died, before Jesus came to this earth. It seems from the Bible accounts that salvation could be attained by, making the appropriate sacrifices that God commanded. As these verses indicate, God was promising Solomon a long life on the condition that, “if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life."
This promise of God to Solomon was a wonderful promise, and certainly was a great gift that God gave him. If you read the other Old Testament accounts of how Solomon lived you will see that he was blessed by God, and as indicated in these selected verses, God came through, as Solomon was the wisest and richest man on the earth at that time in history! As is still the case today, there are many humans who possess huge fortunes, and they do not all follow the commands of the Biblical God, who is the only true God. In such cases it appears that their blessing of worldly wealth is a blessing from Satan. This may seem harsh, but I know of no other reason to account for their earthly success!
Well now the Christmas celebration is over, and the next thing to celebrate is a New Year, which is only meaningful from an earthly perspective. There will be a count-down of the last ten seconds of this year, and then the celebration of a New Year is announced. The decorative ball will drop in New York City Times Square and millions of people will be watching this on multi-media devices, and then shouting Happy New Year! For most of these people there will only be earthly things to wish for in the New Year.
However, those of us who celebrated the birth of their Savior Jesus Christ will be able to celebrate a much more wonderful gift. The gift that truly keeps on giving forever! We should be celebrating a New Year that will allow us to grow in Spiritual gifts, because we have just again been reminded of the greatest Gift if all, the gift of forever with Jesus. On this New Year’s Eve as you celebrate a New Year, ask Jesus for a better gift than Solomon received, when he asked God for the proper gift of discernment and love, as God gave him that and much more. Ask Jesus, “What do I need to do differently this year to make a better year and to be a better follower of Jesus.” Our gift that keeps on giving is a promise Jesus gave His disciples, and John recorded for us. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:40) What a wonderful gift Jesus left for His future disciples, “everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life!”
Jesus came to this earth as we all have by being born of a human female. However, this birth of a human being was very different in that this baby did not have a human father. Therefore His mother was still a virgin at His birth. No other human being can make that statement, and be telling the truth! The first man, Adam had neither a human father nor mother, as he was created by God, and Adam came from the dust of the earth. Please believe it, you are also a creation of God/Jesus, you did not evolve from some form of an animal, you are one of God’s Special Creation. Death was not meant to be a limiting factor for humans, but Adam and Eve disobeyed the one command God gave them, and thus the whole of creation was cursed by that sin, and death was needed as a means to end the curse for each human in this life.
Jesus came to this earth as the Last Adam to break the curse of that first sin, by being the perfect sacrifice for covering over the curse of all sin! Therefore, if you have taken Jesus as your Savior, then your sins will be washed away, and you will be cleansed of all stains of sin. This cleansing is needed so that your body can be the temple of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit will be willing to abide there! Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) Your immortal soul was purchased by Jesus, when you accepted Him as your Lord and Savior.
Will you be making any new year’s resolutions for the coming year? It is a good idea to set some goals for the coming year, and to look at it as a new beginning for the rest of your life on this earth. Remember though that no one is promised tomorrow on this earth, so you should also resolve to lay some plans for your eternal life too. Please believe it, your soul is immortal, and this limited lifetime is given to you as a gift for you to plan for all eternity, which will be spent either with Jesus, or with Satan! There are no other options available.
AND only by following Jesus now, will pave the way for your eternal life with Him. Every human being is given a gift of life, and all of us get a mortal body, and an immortal soul. Jesus came to supply the only path, or narrow road, that leads back to Him. Will you resolve to get on that path and return to the Garden of God, or are you too busy attaining the things of this world? Jesus wants to give the gift of eternal life, but He only awards the greatest gift to those who chose to be His follower. You must decide which path you will follow!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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