I Kings 3
Alliance with Egyptverses 1-2
And Solomon made affinity with Pharoah king of Egypt
and took Pharaoh’s daughter
and brought her into the city of David
until he had made an end of building
his own house
and the house of the LORD
and the wall of Jerusalem round about
Only the people sacrificed in high places
BECAUSE there was no house built
to the name of the LORD until those days
Solomon loves the LORD and sacrifices at Gibeonverses 3-4
And Solomon loved the LORD
WALKING in the statutes of David his father
only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there
for there was the great high place
a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon
offer upon that altar
LORD appears to Solomonverse 5
In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon
in a dream by night
and God said
Ask what I shall give you
Solomon praises the LORDverses 6-9
And Solomon
said
YOU have shown to YOUR servant David
my father great mercy
according as he WALKED before YOU
in truth – righteousness
uprightness of heart with YOU
And YOU have kept for him this great kindness
that YOU have given him a son to sit on
his throne as it is this day
NOW O LORD my God
YOU have made your servant king
instead of David my father
and I am but a little child
I know not how to go out or come in
YOUR servant is in the midst of YOUR people which YOU
have chosen – a great people
that cannot be numbered nor counted
for multitude
GIVE therefore YOUR servant an understanding heart
to judge YOUR people
that I may DISCERN between good and bad
for who is able to judge this YOUR so great a people?
LORD gives over and above Solomon’s requestverses 10-14
And the speech pleased the Lord
that Solomon had asked this thing
And God
said to him
BECAUSE you have asked this thing
and have not asked for yourself
long life – riches – life of your enemies
BUT have asked for thyself understanding to
discern judgment
BEHOLD
I have done according to your word
LO – I have given you a wise and an understanding heart
so that there was none like you before you
neither after thee shall any arise like unto you
And I have also given you that which you have not asked
both riches and honor – so that there shall not be any
among the kings like unto you all your days
And IF you will WALK in MY ways
to keep MY statutes and MY commandments
as your father David did WALK
THEN I will lengthen your days
Solomon offers sacrifice to the LORDverse 15
And Solomon awoke – and behold it was a dream
and he came to Jerusalem – and stood before the
ark of the covenant of the LORD
and offered up burnt offerings
and offered peace offerings
and made a feast to all his servants
Dispute between two harlots over childverses 16-22
Then came there two women – that were harlots – to the king
and stood before him
And the one woman
said
O my lord – I and this woman dwell in one house
I was delivered of a child with her in the house
And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered
that this woman was delivered also
and we were together
There was no stranger with us in the house
save we two in the house
and this woman’s child died in the night
BECAUSE she overlaid it
And she arose at midnight -and took my son from beside me
while your handmaid slept – and laid it in her bosom
and laid her dead child in my bosom
And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck
BEHOLD – it was dead
BUT when I had considered it in the morning
BEHOLD it was not my son which I bear
And the other woman
said
Nay – but the living is my son
and the dead is your son
And this said
No – but the dead is your son
and the living is my son
Thus they spoke before the king
Solomon gives verdict on disputeverses 23-25
Then said the king
The one said – This is my son that lives
and your son is the dead
And the other said – Nay but thy son is the dead
and my son is the living
And the king said
Bring me a sword
And they brought a sword before the king
and the king said
Divide the living child in two – and give half to the one
and half to the other
Real mother speaks upverse 26
Then spoke the woman whose the living child was to the king
for her bowels yearned upon her son
and she said
O my lord – give her the living child
and in no wise slay it
BUT the other said
Let it be neither mine nor yours – but divide it
Solomon revises verdictverse 27
Then the king answered
and said
Give her the living child – and in no wise slay it
she is the mother thereof
Children of Israel saw wisdom of God in Solomonverses 28
And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged
and they feared the king – for they saw that the
WISDOM of God was in him to do judgment
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 1 And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh’s daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall of Jerusalem round about. (2859 “affinity” [chathan] means to intermarry with, to become a son-in-law, to marry outside of one’s own ethnic, social, or family group, to make oneself a daughter’s husband, or become a son-in-law)
DEVOTION: When we make alliances with someone it means that they are working with us on projects. One of the projects would be protecting each other in times of war. One of the habits while making alliances, in those days, was for the ruler of the nation to give away one of his daughters to confirm the alliance.
Here we have Solomon taking an Egyptian bride as part of the alliance. One of the things that happen in an alliance is that she will bring her beliefs with her to Israel. There were many false gods worshiped in Egypt during the time of Moses and that had not changed.
We need to watch who we make close friendships with in our world because those we are closest to influence our beliefs. This happened in the life of Solomon and will happen in our life as well.
Does that mean that we shouldn’t have friends that don’t believe in Jesus? No!! But we have to watch the way they will influence us in our decisions regarding proper actions each day. If they want us to try something that we know is a sin we need to be able to tell them that we will not do it and not worry about losing their friendship.
Our friends and relationships can get us closer to the LORD or further away from HIM. Too often it happens the second way instead of the first.
CHALLENGE: Please remember to keep Jesus closer than any friend. HE provides the strength for each day.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 3 And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places. (1980 “walking” [halak] means to go, to behave, to go along, follow, proceed, move, or manner of life)
DEVOTION: Can you love the LORD and still sin? How much can you sin until you are out of fellowship with the LORD? How understanding is the LORD regarding our relationship with HIM?
Solomon “loved” the LORD but still worshiped at other places besides the Tabernacle and then the Temple after he built it. Can you worship other places and still be glorifying the LORD? There seems to be more conflict in the Old Testament regarding worship.
Today we have the church to worship in on a regular basis. We should be in church worshiping each Sunday. We can worship the LORD at home during the week while we are having family devotions with those in our family that are home. Fathers were to teach their children the Word of God throughout the day in the Old Testament and this should be true even today.
We know the “statutes” or standards for Christian service today. How do individuals know that we are genuine believers and not fakers? It is by watching us over a long period of time. Will they see us sin on occasion? YES!! We have to explain that we are sinners saved by grace and that we will not be sinless until we get to heaven.
Solomon sinned by worshiping at the high places but just after he had done it he was given a dream from the LORD regarding the gifts HE was going to give HIM. Did HE condone his worshiping at the high places? NO!! Did HE look at his heart and see his love for HIM? YES!!! His father was a man after God’s own heart and yet his sins are recorded to give us hope that even when we sin HE will forgive and continue to bless our life.
We need to love the LORD will all our heart and realize that perfection will not come until we reach heaven but not use it as an excuse to sin.
CHALLENGE: It is a hard balance to keep for us humans!!!
: 9 Give therefore YOUR servant an understanding heart to judge YOUR people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this YOUR so great a people? (995 “discern” [biyn] means to understand, see, to pay attention, consider, teach, examine, to detect with the senses, distinguish, separate, perceive, realize, have skill or look closely.)
DEVOTION: Solomon was praying a prayer to the LORD that all of us should pray. He was asking the LORD to give him wisdom regarding how to make good decisions regarding all the issues he must face from day to day.
He knew that he could not do it on his own but needed help and not just human help, he needed the help of the LORD because people could give him wrong advice and he wanted the good advice that only the LORD could help him discern before making a decision.
We need this same prayer to be said in our lives. We need the wisdom that comes from the LORD for each of the decisions we make in life. There are some decisions that we can make once we understand the commands of the LORD for our everyday life.
However, when we are faced with decisions that don’t come up all the time we need HIM to answer our prayers regarding these decisions like Solomon needed when two women came to him with a problem. Each seemed to be right but only one was.
As leaders in a local church and as parents in a home we have to make these types of decisions often. We need to be in prayer regarding how we are to lead the local church and how we are to lead our families.
Our world wants to influence us in this area. Our world is not listening to the LORD very much, just like the world in which Solomon was living. Our world wants to live as if there was no true God.
We are to live as if there is one true God and that HE is giving direction through HIS Word the Bible and through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers if we are willing to listen to them both.
Too often even believers try to make decisions on what they think is best without consulting the LORD for HIS Wisdom on the decision. This has caused many church splits and many families to break up.
Discernment doesn’t come easy but it can come to those who are willing to seek it from the LORD and HIS Word the Bible.
Before making a decision spend time in prayer and the Word of God and wait on the LORD for the right decision. Don’t follow the world’s lead by making decisions based on feelings alone.
CHALLENGE: How are you making decisions in your life? Are they according to the LORD’S leading through HIS Word and the ministry of the Holy Spirit?
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 14 And if you will walk in my ways, to keep my statutes, and my commandments, as your father David did walk, then I will lengthen your days. (1980 “walk” [halak] means proceed, live, come, flow with, conduct oneself, adhere to, behave or follow)
DEVOTION: We have all heard that we are supposed to “go with the flow.” That means that on the job we should be working well with others and doing what needs to be done in a manner that keeps things flowing.
Here we find that the LORD wants Solomon to go with the flow of HIS statutes and commandments like his father did. Remember that David was not sinless but he flowed with the LORD a majority of the time. He looked to the LORD for guidance. He went to the LORD when he was in distress over the loss of his family. He went to the LORD for instructions regarding how to lead the children of Israel. He flowed with the commands of the LORD more often than not. His live was described as a man who was after God’s own heart.
The LORD was giving Solomon instructions regarding what way he should live his life if he wanted to be blessed by HIM. One of the blessings HE promised was length of days. He would have a longer life if he obeyed the commands of the LORD. He would have a short life if he went his own way without following the LORD.
This is true today as well. Obeying the commands of the LORD can give us a longer life than those who disobey the LORD. This is not always true but the habits of those who are disobedient to the LORD can cause an early death. Our lifestyle does make a difference as to the length of our life.
Solomon agreed with the LORD. He showed he wanted to follow the LORD by the sacrifices he offered right after having the dream regarding the LORD speaking to him.
Most of us don’t have dreams like this but the LORD talks to us in the night as we yield ourselves to the Word of God. I have awakened many nights with a sermon from the LORD. HE seems to mature our thoughts when we give ourselves to studying HIS word on a regular basis. We will never be sinless but we can sin less as we listen to HIS voice through the Word of God.
CHALLENGE: Solomon was given a choice. We are given a choice as well. Flow with the LORD or flow with the world.
: 28 And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment. (2451 “wisdom” [chokmah] means skillful, wisely, wit, shrewdness, or prudence)
DEVOTION: The Bible instructs in the FACT that there are two types of wisdom in this world. There is the wisdom of God and there is the wisdom of the world. Most people have the wisdom of the world. Only those who are followers of Christ have the wisdom of God.
The LORD visited Solomon in a dream one night after he sacrificed a great sacrifice unto the LORD. On the occasion of this visit the LORD asked Solomon what he wanted from HIM. Solomon asked for an understanding heart. This impressed the LORD.
The LORD gave him an understanding heart, as well as, riches and honor. HE even promised to lengthen his days if he walking in HIS statutes and commandments.
With the understanding heart Solomon could discern between good and bad. Solomon’ skillfulness in solving problems was tested in this chapter with two mothers who had come to him both claiming to be the mother of the live baby. The gift of discernment was manifested in his actions. When he was ready to divide the child in half the real mother wanted her child spared. Thus, he met the challenge. This impressed the nation of Israel when they heard of his solution to the problem. They knew that the LORD was with Solomon.
We are told in Scripture to ask the LORD for this gift and HE will give it to us. The problem is that most Christians don’t ask the LORD for this gift and go out on their own to solve their problems.
When we apply the LORD’S prudence to our lives, which HE has given us in our new birth, we can meet any challenge sent our way by this world, our flesh or the devil. We can face each challenge in HIS strength each day.
CHALLENGE: Before we make a future decision, let us ask the LORD for this gift that HE gave to Solomon. Encourage all those who are followers of Christ to do the same.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Solomon’s request of the LORDverses 6-9
LORD answered prayerverses 10-14
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
House of the LORDverse 1
Ark of the Covenantverse 15
Burnt offeringverse 15
Peace offeringsverse 15
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Statutesverses 3, 14
Commandmentsverse 14
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 1-3, 5, 7, 15
House of the LORDverse 1
Name of the LORDverse 2
LORD appearedverse 5
God – Elohim (Creator)verses 5, 7, 11, 28
LORD my Godverse 7
LORD pleased with prayer of Solomonverse 10
Lord (Master, Sovereign)verse 10
Gave Solomon: riches, honor verse 13
Ark of the Covenant of the LORDverse 15
Wisdom of Godverse 28
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Pharaohverse 1
Pharaoh’s daughterverse 1
Enemiesverse 11
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Affinity with Pharaohverse 1
Sacrificed in high placesverses 2-4
Badverse 9
Harlotverse 16
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Loveverse 3
Walking in the statutesverses 3, 14
Mercyverse 6
Walk in TRUTHverse 6
Walk in RIGHTEOUSNESSverse 6
Walk in UPRIGHTNESS OF HEARTverse 6
Kindnessverse 6
Servantverses 7-9
Chosenverse 8
Understanding heartverses 9, 12
Discern between good and badverses 9, 11
Long lifeverses 11, 14
Wise heartverses 12, 28
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Solomonverses 1-28
Married Pharaoh’s daughter
Building his own house
Built a wall around Jerusalem
Loved the LORD
Walked in HIS statutes
Offered sacrifices in high places
Burnt incense in high places
Gibeon – 1,000 burnt offerings
LORD appeared to Solomon in dream
little child
Shown kindness of God
Prayed for understanding to judge people
Discern between good and bad
Given a wise and understanding heart
Lengthened days
Offered offering to the LORD
Made a feast for his servants
City of David (Jerusalem)verses 1, 15
Davidverses 3, 6, 7, 14
Walk in TRUTH
Walk in RIGHTEOUSNESS
Walk in UPRIGHTNESS OF HEART
Walked in statures and commandments of the LORD
Israel: Chosen of God and a great peopleverses 8, 18
Hear of the judgment of Solomon
regarding the two women
Feared the king
Two women come with problemverses 16-27
One live child and one dead child
Solomon knew that right mother would protect her child
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
10–13 Matthew 6:33 is well illustrated here. Solomon bypassed the kind of request that most men would commonly make—prosperity, a long life, victory over enemies, etc. He sought the more essential thing, and because of this God promised him the wisdom that he sought in such measure that he would stand alone among men (vv.10–12). In addition God granted him what he had not requested—wealth and honor unequaled in his lifetime (v.13).
In granting Solomon “a wise and discerning heart” (lēḇ ḥāḵām wenāḇôn, v.12), God gave him the ability to judge and rule well. But God here also went beyond Solomon’s request and opened up his understanding in areas beyond those having to do with rulership. 1 Kings 4:29–34 and 10:1–25 sum up his fame and the vast extent of his insight and learning. (Patterson, R. D., & Austel, H. J. (1988). 1, 2 Kings. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job (Vol. 4, p. 46). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
3:10–14. Solomon placed the good of God’s people above his personal peace or prosperity and above any desire to become a powerful and popular king. His values were in the right place from God’s perspective. Therefore God promised to give him what he requested. He would possess a wise … heart (v. 12) and be able to discern and render fair judgments (v. 11). Since Solomon sought what was most important God also promised to give him what was of secondary importance, riches and honor, to further enable him to govern God’s people effectively. Solomon was to be the richest and most honored king of his day. If Solomon remained faithful to pursue the will of God, obeying the Law of Moses, God promised he would also live a long life. (Constable, T. L. (1985). 1 Kings. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, pp. 494–495). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
Approbation (vv. 10–13). God was pleased with Solomon’s request for wisdom, for it showed that the king was concerned with serving God and His people by knowing and doing God’s will. Solomon never read Matthew 6:33, but he practiced it—and the Lord gave to him the additional blessings that he didn’t ask for! God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him. When you read the Book of Proverbs, you find that the love of wisdom and the practice of discernment can lead to these extra blessings (see Prov. 3:1–2, 10, 13–18). In the subsequent chapters, we will learn about Solomon’s wealth and honor and how he attracted visitors from other nations who wanted to hear his wisdom. (Wiersbe, W. W. (2002). Be responsible (p. 30). Colorado Springs, CO: Victor)
Ver. 12. Behold, I have done according to thy words, &c.] Expressed in his request; he not only promised he would grant him it, but he had already done it, or at least had begun to do it: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; had greatly increased his wisdom and understanding in things political, things respecting civil government, and also in things natural, in the knowledge of the things of nature as appears from ch. 4:33 and of all arts and sciences: so that there it as none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee; which some restrain to kings, and to the kings of Israel; that there were none of the kings before him, as Saul and David, like him for wisdom, nor any of the kings of Judah and Israel after him; but it may include all men of all nations in the world, since he is said to be wiser than all men; and some other nations, and particular men of other nations, famous for wisdom, are expressly mentioned as inferior to him, ch. 4:30, 31. but then this must be understood of men since the fall; for Adam, doubtless, had a larger stock of knowledge and understanding in his state of innocence than ever Solomon had; and it must be restrained to political and natural knowledge; for, as for divine knowledge, Kimchi excepts Moses; and we may well except the apostles of Christ for spiritual and evangelical knowledge; and as for our Lord, the antitype of Solomon, he is greater than him in all kind of knowledge, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge being hid in him, see Matt. 12:42. Col. 2:3. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 2, p. 686). London: Mathews and Leigh)
I have done according to thy words; I have granted, and do at this present grant, unto thee thy desire. And accordingly at this time God did infuse into him a far higher degree and greater measure of wisdom than he naturally had. A wise and an understanding heart, i.e. wisdom to govern thy people, to know and do thy several duties; which was the thing that Solomon desired, ver. 7, 9, and the effects whereof here follow, ver. 16, &c.; and withal, all Divine and human wisdom, the knowledge of all things, of all the arts and sciences, as may be gathered from 1 Kings 4:29, &c., and that in a far greater proportion than by his years, and the time he could get for his study, could possibly produce. So that there was none; either no king, or rather, no man; for he is herein preferred, not only before all kings, but before all men, chap. 4:31; no mere man since the fall equaled him, to wit, in universal knowledge, and especially in the art of well-governing his people. Neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. Quest. Did not the apostles excel him? Answ. They did not in natural and political knowledge, but only in the knowledge of the mysteries of faith, which were more freely and more fully imparted in those times; the ignorance whereof was no disparagement to Solomon’s wisdom, because they were not discoverable by any creature without Divine revelation, which God saw fit not to afford in Solomon’s time. I know no inconvenience in affirming that Solomon’s natural capacities were higher than any of the apostles; and Solomon had a more comprehensive knowledge of all things known in that age, than the apostles had in all the discoveries of their age. (Poole, M. (1853). Annotations upon the Holy Bible (Vol. 1, p. 655). New York: Robert Carter and Brothers)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
(qal) behave, conduct, live, formally, walk, i.e., go about doing certain actions in a regular, more or less consistent manner, so possibly constituting a life or lifestyle, as an extension of the act. of walking as regular and patterned (Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.)
This root is used in various other special ways. It may be used to emphasize that a certain thing occurred; Jacob went and got the kid his mother requested, in other words, he actually did the action (Gen. 27:14). In Gen. 8:3 the waters of the flood steadily receded from the surface of the earth. Sometimes this verb implies movement away from, as in Gen. 18:33, when the Lord “departed” from Abraham.
God is said to “walk” or “go in three senses. First, there are certain cases where He assumed some kind of physical form. For example, Adam and Eve heard the sound of God “walking” to and fro in the garden of Eden (Gen. 3:8). He “walks” on the clouds (Ps. 104:3) or in the heavens (Job 22:14); these are probably anthropomorphisms (God is spoken of as if He had bodily parts). Even more often God is said to accompany His people (Exod. 33:14), to go to redeem (deliver) them from Egypt (2 Sam. 7:23), and to come to save them (Ps. 80:2). The idea of God’s “going” (“walking”) before His people in the pillars of fire and cloud (Exod. 13:21) leads to the idea that His people must “walk” behind Him (Deut. 13:5). Quite often the people are said to have “walked” or to be warned against “walking behind” foreign gods (Deut. 4:3). Thus, the rather concrete idea of following God through the wilderness moves to “walking behind” Him spiritually. Some scholars suggest that “walking behind” pagan gods (or even the true God) arose from the pagan worship where the god was carried before the people as they entered the sanctuary. Men may also “walk … after the imagination of their evil heart,” or act stubbornly (Jer. 3:17). The pious followed or practiced God’s commands; they “walked” in righteousness (Isa. 33:15), in humility (Mic. 6:8), and in integrity (Ps. 15:2). They also “walk with God” (Gen. 5:22), and they live in His presence, and “walk before” Him (Gen. 17:1), in the sense of living responsibly before Him. (Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. Nashville, TN: T. Nelson.)
WHAT IS PRAYER?
And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
1 John 3:19
What is prayer? Well, I cannot think of a better way of describing it than these two words that we have at the end of 1 John 3:19: “Hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.” That is prayer; prayer is coming before Him. Now we are always in the presence of God’s “in him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28) “and we are always under His eye. But prayer is something still more special. Prayer is having a special audience and going immediately and directly to Him” “before him.” Prayer is something in which we turn our back upon everything else, excluding everything else, while, for the time being, we find ourselves face to face with God alone. There is a sense in which one cannot expound it further; it is just that.
We have to realize that is exactly and precisely what we do when we pray. Obviously, therefore, in a sense the most vital thing in prayer is the realization that we are before Him. And you will find that the saints have always talked a great deal about this. That is the difficulty; thoughts will keep on obtruding themselves, and our imaginations will wander all over the world, and certain ideas and proposals and wants and needs will intrude. But all that must be dismissed, and we must just start by realizing that we are actually and literally in the presence of the living God. Before him.
Now, says John, this whole question of brotherly love is of importance because of that. It is when you come there, when you are before Him, that you begin to realize the importance of what you are doing with the rest of your life and with the rest of your time. It is when you come there that you begin to see the relevance of this.
A Thought to Ponder: We must just start by realizing that we are actually and literally in the presence of the living God. (From Children of God, p. 122 by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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