Key To Remaining Successful

Posted by Christina Scovone on Tuesday, April 26, 2011

King James Bible Study: Key To Remaining Successful
For: Monday April 25, 2011
Chapters: I Kings 9-11
Click Here to Read Them or Go to: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-april-25

Details of Today's Reading: God appears to Solomon a second time in a dream, God's promise and warning to Solomon, Solomon’s fame increases, the queen of Sheba visits Solomon, Solomon marries heathen wives which turn his heart from God, God causes separation of the kingdom, and Solomon's death.

Hello My Friend/Guest,
It is said that Christian's are some of the hardest, faithful, and productive workers, regardless of whether or not we choose to follow Him, God blesses us all with the wisdom, skills, and talents we need to do the work He chooses for us to do. The Bible says, “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe...Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men...But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;..That no flesh should glory in his presence.” - I Corinthians 1:21,25,27,29.

Successful people of the world will tell you that they made themselves a success and give glory to themselves for their success. Successful Christian's on the other hand know that God made them successful and will give Him the glory for their success. However, if Christian's are not careful, they too can lose sight of God in the midst of their success and even fall away from Him.“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” - I Corinthians 6:9-11.

King Solomon was the most successful king of all time, he not only possessed great wisdom, he was wealthy and looked highly upon by the rest of the world. The Lord gave Solomon special privileges far exceeding those of any other kings, but His continued blessings were conditional. After the longest recorded prayer spoken to God was spoken by Solomon God came to Solomon once more in a dream.

“And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do, That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon. And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually...But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them: Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:” - I Kings 9:1-3,6,7.

God assures Solomon he and his family will live a successful, prosperous life as long as he followed Him with all his heart, just as his father David did. The word perpetual means constantly, continually, applied to things which proceed without intermission, or which occur frequently or at intervals, without limitation. God promised to always keep Solomon and his family in his heart as long as he kept his commands. However, God also came with a warning, turn away and not only will you suffer, but your family as well. God promises to bless us, but it comes with a condition that we obey and remain committed to Him. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” - Psalm 1:1-3.

Solomon had kings and queens from all over the world coming to see the king and place that the God that they only heard about was blessing. Solomon got a visit from the queen of Sheba, testing him to see if he was really as wise as she heard, but most of all if the God she heard about was there.

“And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard. Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom. Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.” - I Kings 10:6-9.

You may not realize it, but a Christian not only has the audience of other Christian's checking us out we also have the world checking us out. Jesus said, “A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas.” - Matthew 16:4. All, even those whom have walked away from God seek a sign. That is why it is important as a true Christian to keep our sight on God at all times, walking with Christ, even when things are going well. It's the only way they see that we are true and not apart of the wicked. I have seen so many people lose everything they have because they stopped going to church and serving God.

Solomon eventually disregarded God's warning, did everything he was not to do as king, and quickly fell from God. How did he fall? Women. He married seven hundred women, all from different religions. “But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites: Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.” - I Kings 11:1-4.

Solomon's pleasure driven life eventually became his downfall, the underlying corrupting influences of his wealth, worldly policies, many pagan wives, and ignoring the Word of God not only destroyed his relationship with God, it also destroyed the foundation of David's kingdom. This would be the start of a divided kingdom. What happened to Solomon can happen to anyone who allows physical pleasure, riches, lust, or any other thing to crowd out their opportunities to give their best to Christ. We must all realize that our success comes from God and just as He can give it to us, He can take it away if we are not obedient to Him. “For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.” - Matthew 25:29.

God does want to bless us and see us prosper, but we must keep our sight on God to remain successful. “For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” - I Timothy 2:2-4.

Jesus Revealed: Today Jesus is revealed through David who lived to please the Lord. Jesus praying to the Father said, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” - Matthew 26:39.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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