I was doing my quiet time today and felt spoken to from 1 King 8 and thought of sharing what God has placed in my heart.
In 1 King 8, we read about King Solomon has completed building the temple for the Lord and is dedicating it. And we read in verses 10 and 11 that the temple begin to be filled with the glory of the Lord:1 King 8:10-11 (NIV)
When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD. And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple.
1 Corinthians 6:19 (NIV)
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
Therefore, let's see what happens to a life dedicated and consecrated to the Lord and reflect on where our lives are at this point in time.
Solomon prays that...
- ... there be the forgiveness of the Lord in the temple.
"Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place... and when you hear, forgive." (v30)
In the temple of God, there is forgiveness of sin. Similarly, in our lives, we started off with the acknowledgment of our sins as we come before God to accept Him into our lives as Lord and Saviour. But, what other sins do you currently have that you need to deal with in the Lord. Remember that in the temple of the Lord, there is forgiveness of sins.
- ... there be judging by the Lord in the temple.
"When a man wrongs his neighbour and is required to take an oath and he comes and swears the oath, before your altar in this temple... Judge between your servants, condemning the guilty... declare the innocent not guilty and so establish his innocence." (v31-32)
As the Lord's presence is in the temple and judges between people, He is also in our lives and watches over the choices we make and how we walk. And we will also have times where we may have been wronged but there is trust in the Lord that He will judge between the guilt and innocent and will eventually declare and establish our innocence. Sure there will be situations where you may have been wronged but will you trust in the Lord that He is the Judge and will vindicate you in His time?
- ... there be restoration by the Lord, as we repent.
"When your people Israel have been defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you, and when they turn back to you and confess your name, praying and making supplication to you in this temple, then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to their fathers." (v33-34)
We know that as we come to the Lord, we will receive restoration in our lives to how God had intended it to be, restoration from hurts, pains, bitterness and a live lived apart from God and His blessings. Are there areas where you need restoration?
- ... there be teaching of His ways, as we repent.
"When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and confess your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land you gave your people for an inheritance." (v35-36)
The Lord longs to teach us His ways and decrees so we can walk according to His ways and stay in His approval, blessings and favour. So, as we continue to have the glory of God in our lives, He will teach you, step by step, to grow in righteousness and to His likeness. Are you still keeping your hearts and minds open to the Lord's teaching, rebuking and correction?
- ... there be the fear of God.
"When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, and when a prayer or plea is made by any of your people Israel—each one aware of the afflictions of his own heart, and spreading out his hands toward this temple- then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart (for you alone know the hearts of all men), so that they will fear you all the time they live in the land you gave our fathers." (v37-40)
A life with God's presence will also have the fear of the Lord because of who God is; the Almighty God who sees the heart of man and can do all things. Personally for me, I have seen what God can do in my life, especially when I grief Him, and so the fear of the Lord keeps me trying to always walk righteously. The day we do not have the fear of the Lord is the day we no longer stay within the boundaries of the Lord and of His love, peace, favour and blessings and we are in the danger of taking God for granted.
Proverbs 16:6 (NIV)
Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.
Proverbs 14:27 )NIV)
The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.
Proverbs 19:23 (NIV)
The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.
Do you have the fear of the Lord in your life?
- ... that God's name be glorified.
"As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name- for men will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm—when he comes and prays toward this temple, then hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name." (v41-43)
When the glory of the Lord is in the temple and in our lives, God's name will also be glorified through it because of the great things that He will do in you and through you, you will be seen as bearing His name and people will come to hear and know of God.
Do you bear the glory of God in your lives that is a living testimony to others who have yet to know Him. A living testimony, likened a living bible, who will result in others wanting to know about God?
- ... that there be favour.
"When your people go to war against their enemies, wherever you send them, and when they pray to the LORD toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name, then hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause" (v44-45)
When the temple of God is filled with the glory of God, there will be favour as we walk with the Lord and He upholds our cause.
Are you experience God's favour in your life?
- ... there be deliverance when we come in repentence.
"When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to his own land, far away or near; and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their conquerors and say, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly'; and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name; then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offenses they have committed against you, and cause their conquerors to show them mercy; for they are your people and your inheritance, whom you brought out of Egypt, out of that iron-smelting furnace." (v46-51)
When our lives are filled with the glory of God, we will receive deliverance from bondages and things that we are caught in captivity by. Do you need something which you are captive of now that you need God to deliver you from? Just as God delivered the Israelite from Egypt? God indeed has the power to "bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners" (Isaiah 61:1), both Himself and through His servants doing His will in your life.
- ... there be the honour of being chosen by God.
"For you singled them out from all the nations of the world to be your own inheritance, just as you declared through your servant Moses when you, O Sovereign LORD, brought our fathers out of Egypt." (v53)
Ephesians 1:4-5 (NIV)
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will
God chose you and what a privilege it is to be called sons and daughters of the living and Almighty God. And we are reminded that "we were by nature objects of wrath" because of our sin but God in His love and grace and mercy, gave us His son so we can be made alive in Christ while we were dead in our sins (Ephesians 2:3). That's the wonders of accepting the work of Jesus on the cross and appropriating it to our lives. Do you believe in your position as a child of God in your life?
- ... there will be turning of peoples' hearts back to God.
"May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our fathers; may he never leave us nor forsake us. May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep the commands, decrees and regulations he gave our fathers." (v57-58)
Often times, when we become restored and have experienced the love, grace and mercy of God and His work in our lives, we will naturally want to share this wonderful privilege with others who have yet to know and experience Him. And hearts will be turned to God through the work of our hands and the testimony of our mouths.
- ... so much so there is forgiveness of your sins?
- ... so much so, there is trust in your life of God as the Ultimate Judge; that He knows everything that happens and is capable of vindicating you of wrong done to you?
- ... so much so there is restoration in our lives as we come to him in repentence?
- ... so much so we are receiving teaching from the Lord day after day as He continues to work in us?
- ... so much so we will have the fear of the Lord which will keep us within His boundaries, approval, blessings and favour?
- ... so much so God's name is glorified through us?
- ... so much so we experience God's favour in our lives?
- ... so much so we receive deliverance from things which keeps us captive?
- ... so much so we know and are affirmed of our position as children loved by God?
- ... so much so we see the turning of peoples' hearts back to God?
How about you?
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