Lynette Lewis gave the message at our church yesterday and it was powerful!
She said she was going to post her message on her web site, but it isn’t up yet. I was hoping to share it with you all (so be sure to check her site until you see it).
She made so many great points that brought a LOT of conviction, but this was something I had forgotten about King Solomon.
Most of us know that King Solomon was a WISE man.
1 Kings 4:29-30
God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.
God gave him wisdom, but it was up to Solomon to APPLY it. See below what happened to Solomon when he didn’t apply wisdom …
1 Kings 11:1-6
King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. They were from nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been. He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the LORD; he did not follow the LORD completely, as David his father had done.
So many of us receive instruction on Sunday mornings, during Wednesday night meetings, bible studies, personal prayer time, etc … We can read God’s Word and we can memorize God’s Word, but it is up to US to APPLY God’s Word in our lives.
I could list several areas where this message brought conviction yesterday afternoon.
Did I apply God’s Word when I was OFFENDED by someone’s selfishness and total lack of concern for the person they were attacking?
Did I apply God’s Word when I fed my flesh all it wanted?
Uh, “NO” would be the answer (though I didn’t say anything to the person who was being hurtful). Lynette made the comment yesterday that people CAN’T offend her. Well, obviously I haven’t arrived to that level yet. (What is the weather like up there?) Oh, one day I pray I can say those same words.
Oh Father, please help me APPLY Your Word in EVERY area of my life!
Ouch! I do wonder what the air smells like on that level, too…lol.
Wow Beth. Something to think about. Thanks for the quotes as well.
I agree…we can surround ourselves with God's word but until we apply it to our lives…it just ain't gonna work! Our choice! Just like Solomon's…and the consequences that come from not applying it!
Great post!
~Beth
Awesome message! AMEN and AMEN!!
I have an award for you at Arise 2 Write. It is the second post down. You deserve it, my friend!!
I have a prayer request at All Gods Creatures.
Blessings,
andrea
oh, to get to that level with Him!! this is some good stuff to ponder my friend. thank you as always for your great food for thought!
This is an OUCH!! for me, too. There are many times (more than I like to count)that I have not always apply God's word either not at all or properly.
When I go before the Lord, He graciously reminds me of James 1:22, "be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."
Thanks for sharing and reminding me as well about applying God's Word.
Blessings to you!!
Thought provoking post.