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The Gospel Observer
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them
to observe all that I commanded you, and lo, I am with you always,
even to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:19,20).
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January 15, 2017
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Contents:
1) Solomon's Prayer for Wisdom (Warren E. Berkley)
2) News & Notes
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Solomon's Prayer for Wisdom
Warren E. Berkley
“At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night,
and God said, ‘Ask what I shall give you.’ And Solomon said, ‘You
have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father,
because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and
in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this
great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his
throne this day. And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant
king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child.
I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the
midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many
to be numbered or counted for multitude. Give your servant therefore
an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern
between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great
people?’
“It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. And God said to
him, ‘Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself
long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for
yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do
according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning
mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you
shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both
riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all
your days. And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and
my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen
your days.’
“And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to
Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and
offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for
all his servants.” – 1 Kings 3:5-15
If you read only of Solomon’s failures, you might be surprised to
read this prayer or perhaps you doubt the sincerity of it. But
biblical history is clear, there were times when this man held to
great sincerity of interests and affection for the Lord, though his
consistency and follow-through was obviously failed. This prayer is
an example of a good time, and instructs us in several good ways.
“The kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon,” according to
the last verse of the previous chapter (though after some struggle
& violence), and now – he must be serious about the challenges
soon to be encountered; the choices soon to be made; the leadership
to be provided through him to God’s people and his own personal
salvation. His succession to the throne had not been easy. Now the
task ahead would be obtained only with God’s help. So he prayed.
What can we discover from this?
(1) Imperfect People Need To Pray. “Solomon loved the Lord,
walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and
made offerings at the high places” (v. 3). The “high places” were
locations where idolatry was practiced. This is evidence of his
imperfection. Good intentions were not fully carried out, thus he
was imperfect in his efforts. Let us consider that imperfection is
reason to pray, never a reason to neglect speaking to God. It may be
argued, in fact, the more we struggle; the less perfect we are, the
more we need to speak to God and ask for His help and make good
commitments to Him. Here is a man with enough love for the Lord to
respond to God and make requests in prayer, at least at this point
in his life. What he says is rooted in his trust in the good and
faithful God his father taught him to serve.
(2) What If God Asked You What You Wanted? What would your
answer be? Money? Worldly Success? Celebrity Status? That new truck?
Our first response might not be our best. Solomon had enough love
for the Lord to know what he needed. He needed to receive wisdom
from the highest source. “Give your servant therefore an
understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between
good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” He
wasn’t perfect before God, but humble before God to ask for
something valuable, not temporal. We need this humble sense of our
weakness and need. And we need to take those weaknesses and needs to
the Lord in sincere prayer. While we are not assigned the leadership
of a nation, the navigation of our personal lives requires wisdom
and discretion. We learn from others, from experience and by reading
God’s Word. But all such efforts ought to be accompanied by prayer
to the Father through Jesus, that we might be wise. “If any of you
lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without
reproach, and it will be given him” (Jas. 1:5). I don’t know of
anyone among my acquaintances who has mastered wisdom, who doesn’t
need more, or who doesn’t need to offer up this prayer. Ask God for
wisdom now; don’t wait! (Read the first three chapters of 1 Kings!
Perhaps you will conclude Solomon should have offered up this prayer
earlier.)
3) Always Acknowledge Past Blessings Received In Your Family.
In Solomon’s prayer, he acknowledged past blessings received: “You
have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father,
because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and
in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this
great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his
throne this day” (v. 6). It is always commendable and necessary to
remember what God has done for your family, that brought you to
where you are now in life. How soon we may forget how God has
providentially nurtured us and blessed us through our families. Do
not let such memories and gratefulness slip from your mind. Tell God
how you appreciate it.
(4) Always Confess Your Ignorance (v. 7). The new king said,
“I do not know how to go out or come in.” It was like someone today
saying, “I don’t know if I’m going or coming.” Such humble
confessions of ignorance ought to be stated to God, when we ask for
His help. We ought to be willing to say to the Father: “I don’t know
what to do, but I know You do. Help me learn and grow and do right.”
We do not boast of our ignorance, but we must confess it. Implied in
such confessions, our need for God’s help and our responsibility to
listen to His Word with obedient intent.
(5) The Value Of Discernment. “…that I may discern between
good and evil” (v. 9). No matter where you are in history,
geography, culture, or position – you need this skill: Discernment.
It is the capacity to see issues, recognize temptations, and know
what is right and wrong, based on divine truth. Fathers, mothers,
husbands, wives, single people – all need this skill. Children need
to learn it; preachers need to preach it; teachers need to
illustrate it; sinners need to embrace it, and Christians need to
use it from now on. Discerning between right and wrong is a critical
life skill. Pray God to help you acquire it, and accompany all such
praying with your diligent study of His Word, His Standard!
(6) Governing Others Requires Discernment. “…for who is able
to govern this your great people?” (v. 9). Our influence on others
is directly related to our capacity to see what is right and wrong.
While we are not charged to lead a nation, we are charged to let our
lights shine and exert a good influence on others. That serious
charge cannot be well done if we are unclear about right and wrong.
An unknown civil war soldier wrote this eloquent testimony:
"I asked for strength that I might achieve; I was made weak that I
might learn humbly to obey.
"I asked for health that I might do greater things; I was given
infirmity that I might do better things.
"I asked for riches that I might be happy; I was given poverty that
I might be wise.
"I asked for power that I might have the praise of men; I was given
weakness that I might feel the need of God.
"I asked for all things that I might enjoy life; I was given life
that I might enjoy all things. I got nothing that I had asked
for, but everything that I had hoped for.
"Almost despite myself my unspoken prayers were answered; I am,
among all men, most richly blessed."
So the Bible says that “It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked
this.”
— Via Expository Files 20.8; August 2013
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“Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother shall rise again.’ Martha said to
Him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last
day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who
believes in Me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives
and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ She
said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ,
the Son of God, even He who comes into the world’" (John 11:23-27,
NASB).
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News & Notes
For those who can pray, let us be remembering the family and
friends of KeAnuenue Hayashi who passed away at just 35
years of age. He had been a band instructor at Waianae
Intermediate, Ilima Intermediate and Campbell High School in Ewa
Beach, Hawaii. He has been described as one who "was loving,
compassionate, funny and always generous with his time. He would
never turn away a friend in need and was sensitive to the needs of
those around him. He will be missed by all who knew him" (Music
Center of Hawaii, Inc.).
Andi Head is in ICU with an unknown sickness. As of
earlier today (1/19), he had a fever of 106.1. Ginger,
his mother, who had neck surgery two weeks ago, has also been sick
with possibly the same unknown illness.
Janice Members is in the hospital. Her heart had
stopped, but is now beating again.
We also extend our condolences to the family and friends of Cheryl
Thomas (Janice Members' sister) who recently passed away.
And our sympathy also goes out to the family and friends of Gary
White who passed away at only 40 years of age.
Billy Lowe is in the hospital with pneumonia in one
lung. He is now doing somewhat better, but still not
completely over it. He is also in the early stages of
Alzheimer's.
Charles Crosby’s knee-replacement surgery went well January
9. He was later walking that same day! It will be about
three weeks before his knee is feeling back to normal, but it is now
getting better each day.
Camp Tatum, who is only 2 years old and with cancer, is
now back home receiving hospice care. Let us continue to
remember him and his family.
Remember, too, Lexi Crawford in her battle with
cancer. She was given the option of starting intense chemo
again, which would lead to her feeling deathly ill and other
complications, and with no guarantee of working; so she has chosen
not to. She will, however, be trying an oral medicine.
Also: the Corbitt family, Shirley Davis, Jim Lively, the
Medlocks (Bennie, Deborah, Penny, and James), Kay Byars, La Donna
Andrews, Kelli Fleeman, Brianna Mackey, James “Buddy” Gornto, Ray
Richards, and Mary Vandevander
WordPress Version of this week's bulletin:
https://thegospelobserver.wordpress.com/2017/01/19/the-gospel-observer-january-15-2017/
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the gospel, for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John
20:30,31).
2) Believe in the deity of Christ (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts
2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4; Gal. 3:26,27; 1 Pet.
3:21).
6) Continue in the faith, living for the Lord; for, if not,
salvation can be lost (Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501
Sunday services: 9:00 AM (Bible class); 10 AM & 5 PM (worship)
Tuesday: 7 p.m. (Ladies' Bible class)
Wednesday: 7 PM (Bible class)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 614-8593
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
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