II Chronicles 9
Queen of Sheba impressed verse 1- 6
And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon
she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem
with a very great company – and camels that bare
spices – gold in abundance – precious stones
and when she was come to Solomon
she communed with him of all that was
in her heart
And Solomon told her all her questions
and there was nothing hid from Solomon which he told her not
And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon
and the house that he had built
and the meat of his table
and the sitting of his servants
and the attendance of his ministers
and their apparel – his cupbearers also – and their apparel
and his ascent by which he went up
into the house of the LORD
there was no more spirit in her
And she
said to the king
It was a true report which I heard in mine own land of your acts
and of your wisdom – howbeit I believed not their words
until I came – and mine eyes had seen it – and – BEHOLD
the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me –
FOR you exceed the fame that I heard
Queen of Sheba informs Solomon verse 7- 8
Happy are your men – and happy are these your servants
which stand continually before you – and hear your wisdom
Blessed be the LORD your God – which delighted in you
to set you on HIS throne
to be king for the LORD your God
BECAUSE your God loved Israel
to establish them forever – therefore made HE you
king over them – to do judgment and justice
Queen of Sheba gives gifts to Solomon verse 9
And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold
spices in great abundance – precious stones
neither was there any such spice
as the queen of Sheba
gave king Solomon
Solomon made things of algum trees verse 10- 11
And the servants also of Huram – and the servants of Solomon
which brought gold from Ophir
brought algum trees and precious stones
And the king made of the algum trees terraces
to the house of the LORD
And to the king’s palace – and harps and psalteries for singers
and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah
Solomon gave gifts to Queen of Sheba verse 12
And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire
whatsoever she asked
besides that which she had brought to the king
So she turned
and went away to her own land – she and her servants
Solomon accumulated gold and silver verse 13- 14
Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was
six hundred and threescore and six talents [666] of gold
besides that which chapmen and merchants brought
And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought
gold and silver to Solomon
Solomon made shields of gold verse 15- 16
And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold
six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one target
and three hundred shields made he of beaten gold
three hundred shekels of gold went to one shield
And the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon
Solomon made throne of gold verse 17- 19
Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory
and overlaid it with pure gold
and there were six steps to the throne
with a footstool of gold
which were fastened to the throne
and stays on each side of the sitting place
and two lions standing by the stays
and twelve lions stood there on the one side
and on the other upon the six steps
There was not the like made in any kingdom
Solomon made drinking cups of gold verse 20
And all the drinking vessels of King Solomon were of gold
and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon
were of pure gold – none were of silver
it was not anything accounted of in the
days of Solomon
Solomon had ships that brought treasures verse 21- 22
For the king’s ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram
every three years once came the ships of Tarshish bringing
gold – silver – ivory – apes – peacocks
And king Solomon passed all the kings of the earth
in riches and wisdom
Solomon had visitors who brought rich gifts verse 23- 24
And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon
to hear his wisdom – that God had put in his heart
And they brought every man his present – vessels of silver
vessels of gold – raiment – harness – spices – horses
mules – a rate year by year
Solomon’s wealth and kingdom described verse 25- 28
And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots
and twelve thousand horsemen
whom he bestowed in the chariot cities
and with the king at Jerusalem
And he reigned over all the kings from the river
even unto the land of the Philistines
and to the border of Egypt
And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones
and cedar trees made he as the sycamore trees
that are in the low plains in abundance
And they brought unto Solomon horses out of Egypt
and out of all lands
Record of Solomon’s reign over Jerusalem verse 29- 31
Now the rest of the acts of Solomon – first and last
are they not written in the books of Nathan the prophet
and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite
and in the visions of Iddo the seer
against Jeroboam the son of Nebat?
And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years
and Solomon slept with his fathers
and he was buried in the city of David his father
and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 2 And Solomon told her all her questions: and there was nothing hid from Solomon which he told her not. (1697 “questions” [dabar] means a brief statement, utterance, saying utterance, manner, happening, or manner)
DEVOTION: Solomon received his wisdom from the LORD. He has asked to be a wise king and the LORD granted his request. This visitor wanted to see if she could trick him into giving wrong answers. She wanted to see if there were any real hard questions that he couldn’t answer. Remember that his wisdom came from the LORD and HE knows everything.
Today we are told to ask for wisdom from the LORD when we need it. HE will give wisdom to those who seek it. We should not settle for the world’s wisdom because it leaves God out of the equation.
We are to seek HIS wisdom every day for every activity of the day. This means that we do nothing without asking the LORD to help us make wise decisions. Too often we try to do things on our own without a time of prayer before we made decisions that affect ourselves, our family and our community.
Our witness depends on us seeking the LORD’S wisdom when we answer questions. The disciples were brought before rulers and the LORD told them that the Holy Spirit would give them the words they would need to answer properly. We need the same type of wisdom when we address those around us.
There are people like the Queen of Sheba who are trying to ask us hard questions to see if we genuinely have wisdom from the LORD. These answers only come when we seek the wisdom the LORD provides.
CHALLENGE: If you lack wisdom –ask of God!!!!
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 6 Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and behold, the one half of the greatness of your wisdom was not told me: for you exceed the fame that I heard. (3254 “exceed” [yacaph] means to increase, to add, to continue to do, carry on doing, to make an addition to, or increase the quality, quantity, size or scope of)
DEVOTION: When the LORD blesses someone HE give them more than enough to handle their needs. HE knows exactly what each of us needs to help us be a productive servant in HIS service.
Solomon was blessed of the LORD with wisdom to finish the Temple. He organized the kingdom to be one that could handle any enemy. He was able to show the queen of Sheba all of his kingdom without fear.
When the LORD blesses each believer it is the same. HE gives all that we need to face the challenges we face each day. The challenge to Solomon was greater than we would ever face.
However, we just need to ask HIM for what we need and HE will give us what HE thinks is best for us. We need to trust HIM because HE knows exactly how much we need and what we can handle in life.
Too often we think we need more than HE gives us but that thought comes not from HIM but from the enemy. The enemy wants us to doubt what the LORD has giving us is enough.
When we are confronted with a need we need to ask the LORD and understand that HE will always give us what HE thinks is best for us. If we understand this fact we will realize that God knows what is best for us and what we cannot handle.
Our society is always seeming to tell us what we need but that is not always the truth of the matter. We need to listen to the Holy Spirit regarding our needs to make sure that we are in a right relationship with HIM that will cause us to mature in our faith.
CHALLENGE: If we think that the LORD is not providing our every need we are doubting HIS love for us. This should never happen in the life of a genuine believer.
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: 8 Blessed be the LORD your God, which delighted in you to set you on his throne, to be king for the LORD your God: because your God loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore mad he you king over them, to do judgment and justice. (2654 “delighted” [chaphets] means to delight in, take pleasure in, desire, be pleased with, to be favorable, be eager, or have a fondness or affection for an object or experience)
DEVOTION: Testimony of the Queen of Sheba is recorded here. She saw the wisdom of Solomon and gave credit to the LORD. She gave credit to the LORD for HIS love of Solomon and the children of Israel. She saw that the LORD delighted in Solomon. She knew that because of his wisdom he would be able to reign in righteousness and judge justly.
This should be the testimony of those who hear about genuine believers who defend the faith that was delivered to us through the Word of God. Our wisdom comes from above as well. The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to teach us what has taken place in the past for our understanding of the standards the LORD has set for believers. The Holy Spirit also helps us know how to apply truth to our present generation as we deal with different issued than are covered in the Word of God.
The principles of the Word of God apply to each situation we find ourselves in today. It is not easy to be a good witness for the LORD on a regular basis with our understanding of the Word of God. We need new lessons each day from the Holy Spirit.
This only comes as we study the Bible and ask for the wisdom that comes from above. As we ask the Holy Spirit will give us the words we need to say to those who question our beliefs and practices.
Compromise is not what the LORD teaches regarding our attitude toward the world. We should never be politically correct if it disagrees with the Word of God.
We should always be BIBLICALLY correct through the ministry of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. The testimony of the church depends on it, if we are to be a true church that serves the LORD alone.
CHALLENGE: Does the LORD delight in us? What makes HIM delight in us?
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 23 And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart. (2451 “wisdom” [chokmah] means technical skill, aptitude, good sense, skill in war, shrewdness, prudence, or skillful man)
DEVOTION: All I need to do is win the lottery and I will be happy. If I had riches that would really make me happy. If everyone would be impressed with my wisdom, that would make me happy. Now if I had wealth and wisdom that would guaranty my happiness. Is this right???
Solomon was given a gift from the LORD of prudence. He was shrew. He was skillful. He was noted for his wisdom in all the kingdoms of the earth at his time. Kings and people came from all around to hear the prudence of Solomon.
He knew how to answer questions that were very difficult. He knew how to administrate a kingdom. The queen of Sheba did not believe the stories told concerning his application of knowledge. She came with hard questions to trick him. He answered all her questions. The LORD hid nothing from him.
She was amazed at his discernment. She praised his servants that had an opportunity to hear him answer all the questions given to him. This whole chapter tells of how he used his gift for the furtherance of his kingdom. He used his gifts to make the nation rich. There was not a kingdom that was a rich or wealthy as Solomon’s kingdom.
However, Solomon wrote another book of the Bible called Ecclesiastes. In this book he explains that having wisdom and riches is not satisfying. Only the fear of the LORD and the keeping of HIS commandments is the whole duty of man.
God tells us in the New Testament that if we lack wisdom, we can ask and HE will give it to us. Do any of us lack discernment? Do any of us need more discernment to face the trials that come our way?
If we think we can handle it on our own, we truly lack discernment. We think that man’s skillfulness is enough. Satan has us fooled. We need to constantly remind ourselves that the “fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.”
We are told that we can ask God for this gift and HE will give it to us. Have we asked lately? There is a wisdom that comes from above. Ask and we shall receive. Our world truly needs this wisdom today!!!!
There is a great need today in our families and churches for discernment. We need to realize that our eyes are blinded unless we turn to the LORD for direction.
CHALLENGE: Dependence on the LORD is critical to bringing glory to the LORD in our daily walk. Are we willing to seek HIS guidance?
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: 25 And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; whom he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. (220 “stalls” [’averah] means manger, crib, compartment in a stable, or pen)
DEVOTION: In the book of Deuteronomy chapter seventeen verses fourteen through twenty that there are the LORD’S guidelines for future kings of Israel. HE knew in the future that the children of Israel would want a human leader to be over the nation so HE informed Moses of what HE would require of a king.
In verse 16 we read “But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD has said unto, “You shall henceforth return no more that way.”
There is another command regarding a king, multiplying wives, as well which the LORD didn’t approve of either because “that his heart turn not away.” The third warning was about “greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
We find that Solomon did all three of these things that the LORD warned future kings not to do. This caused the downfall of Solomon and the nation because of his leadership and his disobedience to the commands of the LORD.
There are things that we should not be involved in if we are going to serve the LORD properly. The collection of things can get in the way of our service to the LORD. We have to make sure that things we possess don’t possess us. It is hard at times to know what is proper and what is not but when we see some individuals talk about money and show off their wealth on television and brag that it is the LORD who wants them to be rich they are just fooling themselves and making others think improperly about earthly possessions.
Our treasure is supposed to be in heaven waiting for us when we meet our Savior. We have a place reserved for us. That should be our goal rather than accumulating great possession here on this earth.
How much do we leave behind when we did? ALL of it!!!
CHALLENGE: Ask the LORD for guidance regarding your wealth concerns. Our wealth should only be used to give glory to the LORD and help others.
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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)
Book of Nathan verse 29
Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite verse 29
Visions of Iddo the seer verse 29
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)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
House of the LORD verse 11
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 4, 11
House of the LORD verse 4, 11
God – Elohim (Creator) verse 8, 22, 23
LORD thy God verse 8
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)
Queen of Sheba verse 1- 12
Prove Solomon with hard questions
Saw wisdom of Solomon
Gave gifts to Solomon
Ships of Tarshish verse 21
Kings of the earth verse 22, 23
Philistines verse 26
Egypt verse 26, 28
Book of Nathan verse 29
Ahijah the Shilonite verse 29
Iddo the seer verse 29
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Doubt (believed not) verse 6
Accumulating wealth verse 22
Accumulating horses verse 25
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Wisdom verse 3, 5- 7, 23
Delight verse 8
Love verse 8
Judgment verse 8
Justice verse 8
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Solomon verse 1
Visit from queen of Sheba
Questioned by queen
Gifts from queen
Wisdom of
Wealth of
Solomon reigned for forty years verse 30
Solomon slept with his fathers verse 31
Rehoboam – reigned verse 31
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
9:29 First Kings 11:41 reports that Solomon’s deeds were written in “the book of the acts of Solomon.” For the rest of the record of Solomon’s life, read 1Ki 10:26–11:43. In later years, he turned away from God and, due to the influence of his wives, he led the nation into idolatry. This split the kingdom and sowed the seeds that led to its defeat and dispersion. The Chronicles do not record this sad end to Solomon’s life because the focus is on encouraging the returning Jews from Babylon with God’s pledge to them for a glorious future in the Davidic Covenant. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (2 Ch 9:29). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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9:28, 29 Nathan the prophet had rebuked David for his adultery and murder (2 Sam. 12:1) and had become a confidant and counselor to both David and Solomon (1 Kin. 1:8, 11). Ahijah the Shilonite would select Jeroboam as the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel (1 Kin. 11:26–40) and later would announce God’s judgment on him (1 Kin. 14:1–16). Iddo the seer was a contemporary of Ahijah who compiled accounts of both Jeroboam and Rehoboam (12:15). (Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson’s new illustrated Bible commentary (p. 545). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.)
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Ver. 29. First and last. His first were best; of his last this historian saith nothing, but layeth his finger on the scar [Trapp]. Solomon did not live to a very great age, since he was not more than twenty years old when he ascended the throne. Whether Solomon turned to the Lord again with all his heart, a question widely discussed by the older commentators, cannot be ascertained from Scripture. If the Preacher (Koheleth) is traceable to Solomon, so far as the leading thoughts are concerned, we should find in this fact an evidence of his conversion, or at least a proof that at the close of his life he discovered the vanity of all earthly possessions and aims and declared the fear of God to be the only abiding good, with which a man can stand before the judgment of God [Keil]. (Wolfendale, J. (1892). I & II Chronicles (p. 193). New York; London; Toronto: Funk & Wagnalls Company)
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29 ¶ Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the †book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of kAhijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat?
Iddo the seer, mentioned also chap. 12:15, supposed to be the same who is called Oded, chap. 15:1. This, and the other prophets mentioned, were also historians, and wrote some annals or histories of their times; out of which these sacred and canonical books were taken, either by these or other prophets. (Poole, M. (1853). Annotations upon the Holy Bible (Vol. 1, p. 829). New York: Robert Carter and Brothers.)
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29–31. Pause, Reader! and in the account of the death of Solomon, learn to make a true estimate of human life. Alas! what can be the real intrinsic value and importance of all things here below, bounded as they are within the transitory existence of threescore and ten years, and those years liable to be cut short by numberless causes every moment! Oh! Lord, teach me, teach every Reader that gracious lesson, so to number our days as to apply our hearts unto wisdom. Psm. 90:12. (Hawker, R. (2013). Poor Man’s Old Testament Commentary: 1 Kings–Esther (Vol. 3, p. 464). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.)
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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!!)
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The Fire of God
“For our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:29)
Fire was considered by certain of the ancient pantheistic philosophers to have been the primeval element out of which all things had evolved, and this same myth is promulgated today by evolutionary cosmogonists in the form of their “Big Bang” theory. The fact is, however, that fire is a creation of God used both actually and symbolically as God’s vehicle of judgment on sin.
It is significant that both the first and last references to fire in the Bible mention both fire and brimstone used in flaming judgment on human rebellion against God. First, “the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven” (Genesis 19:24). And finally, “the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).
Today’s verse is a reference to Moses’ words to the tribes as they were preparing to enter the promised land after his death. Warning them against corrupting their faith through idolatry, he said: “For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God” (Deuteronomy 4:24). Its New Testament context is a grave warning against rejecting God’s Word: “See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven” (Hebrews 12:25).
In a sense, God’s Word is also God’s fire. “His word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay” (Jeremiah 20:9). It is better to be refined with the fire of God’s Word than to be consumed by His judgment fire. HMM (The Institute for Creation Research)
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THE PROOFS OF ADOPTION
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:26
What are the proofs that any one of us can have that we have been adopted? Well, you can find the scriptural proof. “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” Also in 1 Peter 1:3-6 you find it again: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations. “We are the inheritance” that is, the children of God. This is for all of us who believe in Christ.
The second way of assurance is that we are given “the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15); “we receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:5). You can be assured of the fact that you have received adoption because you know that the Holy Spirit is dwelling within you. We have His testimony to our spirits that we are the children of God. And then last of all I would offer the fact that we are led by the Spirit. This is Paul’s argument: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:14). Paul does not say, “As many as are actively acting as peacemakers or who are loving their enemies . . .” No! “As many as are led by the Spirit of God”; those who subject themselves to His leading and who rejoice in being led by Him they are the sons of God.
A Thought to Ponder: You can be assured of the fact that you have received adoption
because you know that the Holy Spirit is dwelling within you. (From God the Holy Spirit, p. 187.)
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THE REAL REASONS FOR REVIVAL: THE GLORY OF GOD
And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation. And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? Exodus 32:9-11
You see Moses’ concern? He is concerned about the name—that is, the reputation and the glory—of God. And that is the point he is making here. “This nation,” he says, “is Thy people.” He is saying, in effect, that God’s honor and God’s glory is involved in this situation. They are, after all, His people; they have claimed that, He has given indications of that, and He has brought them out of Egypt in a marvelous and a miraculous manner. He has brought them through the Red Sea. Is He going to leave them here in the wilderness? What will the Egyptians say? What will the other nations say? Has He failed? He promised them great things. Can He not execute them? Can He not bring them to fulfillment?
Moses is suggesting to God that His own glory, His own honor, is involved in this whole situation. Now you will find this plea endlessly in the Psalms. You will find it constantly in the prophets. Their prayer to God is, “for Thine own name’s sake,” as if to say, “We have no right to speak, but for the sake of Thine eternal honor.” Moses thus had a concern for and was jealous about the name and the glory of God. And here he is asking God, for His own sake, to do this extra, this special, thing.
A Thought to Ponder: Moses was concerned about the name and the glory of God.
(From Revival, pp. 188-189, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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Prayer of the Whole Heart
“Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:12-13)
There are many promises and instances of answered prayer in the Bible. Unfortunately, many of us really don’t seem to believe them and therefore don’t experience the answers to our prayers. Halfhearted praying may sometimes secure partial answers, but God exhorts us to pray wholeheartedly. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16).
The principle is timeless and is stressed often in the Word. “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not” (Jeremiah 33:3). God’s resources are unlimited, but our motives must be pure, and our prayers must be from the heart. “Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering” (James 1:6). “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts” (James 4:3).
In addition to right motives and genuine faith, there must be deep sincerity as we pray from the heart. “Men ought always to pray, and not to faint” said Jesus (Luke 18:1), who Himself found it necessary to pray long and earnestly. “Rising up a great while before day, he…departed into a solitary place, and there prayed” (Mark 1:35).
The early church followed His teaching and example, and saw His blessing. “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication” (Acts 1:14). “And they continued stedfastly…in prayers” (Acts 2:42). “We will give ourselves continually to prayer” (Acts 6:4). Consequently, “the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly” (Acts 6:7). God is honored when we search for Him and pray to Him with all our hearts. (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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