PROVERBS: WHO IS SOLOMON PART 4

Last time, we talked about what happens when you let the Lord I.D. you. People will start to hear about your I.D. God has given you. In most cases, someone will come see for themselves. They may test you to see if what they said about you is true. We are going to start studying about the fall of Solomon. Solomon allowed people close to him change his I.D. with God. Also, this situation triggered the beginning of the damage to Solomon’s relationship with God. Today, we’ll study how Solomon started to be disobedient according to what he was taught.

Solomon was taught by David to obey God. In 1 King 2:1 New International Version it states: “When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son.” David is getting ready to tell Solomon a command. In 1 King 2:3 New International Version it states: “and observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go.” What I want to focus on in this verse is “commands” and “as written in the Law of Moses.”

The word “commands” and “as written in the Law of Moses” in 1 King 2:3 is referring to the 10 commandments that God wrote and gave to Moses. One of the commandments is in Exodus 20:3. It states: “You shall have no other gods before me.” Solomon was taught that he should not have other gods when he was younger. This was before God started to speak to Solomon directly. However, when Solomon became older he disobeyed this commandment. In 1 King 11:4 it states: “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been.” In 1 King 11:5 it states: “He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites.” Solomon allowed his I.D. to be changed by his wives. This action was a factor in the fall of Solomon because he didn’t do what he was taught by David.

What’s the God U Said It verse of today? Let’s refer back to the 1 King 11:4 and 1 King 11:5. You have to be careful about letting people turn your heart away from God. It could be your spouse, relatives or your friends that is turning your heart away from God. What are some examples of worldly Gods: The God of lust, God of greed, God of money God of envy, etc… Your heart will be perfect with those other worldly Gods instead of the true God. Just like Solomon, you have been taught to have no other gods before him. Today, start obeying the commandments of our God. Next time we’ll look at the warnings and commands that God told Solomon. Until then, may God continue to bless you and keep you.

 

Walt G.

PROVERBS: WHO IS SOLOMON PART 3

Last time we talked about Solomon’s I.D. God told Solomon’s father David who Solomon was going to be. God gave David’s son an I.D. before he was born. David instructed Solomon on who he was and what was expected by his actions and words. Later on, God spoke to Solomon to test him and to ensure that he knew what his I.D. was. Now the nations wanted to check and test Solomon’s I.D. Today we are going to examine what happens when you let God I.D. you. Also, what happens when you keep a relationship with God?

In 1 King 4:34 New International Version it states “From all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.” Now let’s focus on the last part of this verse: “who had heard of his wisdom.” The kings of the other nations wanted to find out if what they say about Solomon is true. If they’re willing to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, it means they were seeking knowledge and answers to questions. They wanted to find out how they could have what Solomon had. I’m also sure that they wanted to test Solomon by asking questions just to see if he knew the answers. Some of the questions were probably challenging or difficult question that most people probably wouldn’t know the answers to. In essence, they wanted to check his I.D. In fact, there was a person in royalty who had to find out the answer herself about Solomon.

In 1st King 10:1 New International Version it states: “When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the LORD, she came to test Solomon with hard questions.” Sheba came to Solomon in person to test Solomon’s I.D. She has heard the reports about Solomon. She figured the only way I can find out if this true is to come and see for myself. Let’s take a closer at what the kings have heard about Solomon compared to what the Queen of Sheba heard about Solomon. In 1 King 4:34 New International Version the last part of the verse states: “who heard of his wisdom.” According to the verse, the kings at this time only heard about his wisdom. Now in 1st King 10:1 New International Version it states in the 1st part of the verse “When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the Lord.” In 1st King 10:6 New International Version it states in the 1st part of the verse “She said to the king, the report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true.” Also in 1st King 10:7 New International Version it states in the 2nd part of the verse “Indeed not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard.” According to these verses, the queen at this time heard about Solomon’s fame, his relationship to the Lord, his achievements, wealth and his wisdom. I believe what drew her to come see Solomon was the other blessing Solomon had received. She already heard about Solomon’s wisdom but now she’s hearing other things about Solomon’s I.D. Keep in mind that she came to Solomon approximately 20 years after the kings started to come. In those 20 years, Solomon had built his palace and the temple for the Lord. From 1st King 5 to 1st King 9 New International Version, it describes in great detail about the construction of the palace and the Lord’s temple. Also, it describes the conservation he had with the Lord and the blessings that Solomon had on his life.

So what’s the “God U Said It verse of the today?” Let’s go back to 1st King 10:7. It states “But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard.” When people hear about your I.D. from God people are going to want to see this with their own eyes. Just like Sheba, someone is going to come and get proof that you are indeed the person that is on your I.D. that God has given you. They are going to be surprise to find out that not even half was told to them. You will exceed the report that they heard about you. Just like what God did for Solomon, he will give you a blessing that you didn't ask for. Keep the I.D. that God has given you. If you lose your I.D. God has given you or get distracted away from God, you will start to lose what God has given you. That’s what happened to Solomon. We will talk about this next time. Until then, May God continue to bless you and keep you

Walt G.

PROVERBS: WHO IS SOLOMON PART 2

Last time we did an introduction of Solomon. We talked about how Solomon became king and the charge that his father King David gave him. This became the foundation of the direction Solomon would eventually go. Today we are going to look into Solomon’s request to God and how God responded.

David knew who Solomon was supposed to become before he was born. God told David about his son. This is how David knew what instructions to tell Solomon. In 1 Chronicles 22:9 (NIV) New International Version it states: “But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign.” God told David what his son’s name was going to be: Solomon. In Hebrew the name Solomon means peace. God identified to David who Solomon was going to be: A King. He told him who he was: a man of peace and rest.

Solomon did develop a relationship with God. Solomon did what David instructed for him to do before he died. In 1 King 3:3 (NIV) New International Version it states “Solomon show his love for the Lord by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.” God’s house hasn’t been built at this time. This is why Solomon offered sacrifices and burned incense on high places. David wanted to build it however God told David that his son Solomon will build his house. Solomon knew that the charge David gave him was too great for him to accomplish by his own might. The question was since Solomon knew this, would he continue with this charge or would he go a different path? God himself wanted to see what Solomon would do. So God decided to find out.

In 1 King 3:5 (NIV) New International Version it states “At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” God was testing Solomon to see what he was thinking and to see if he knew who he was. Just like God said prove me in Malachi 3:10 (KJV) King James Version. It states “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” God will on occasion prove you to see if you will open the windows of obedience and pour out yourself toward him. The conversation continues in 1 King 3:6 (NIV) New International Version which states: Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart you have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to his throne this very day.” By telling God these facts, he’s confirming that he has observed how his father David lived. He also got another piece of his ID. He knew he was going to be a king and a servant to God like his father. In fact verse 7-9 (NIV) New International Version states: “Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours.” In verses 10-15 (NIV) New International Version it states: “The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for both wealth and honor so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” Then Solomon awoke and he realized it had been a dream. Solomon has passed the test. For being obedient, Solomon was awarded what he asked for and then some. God gave him the tools needed to accomplish the charge that David established with Solomon. In fact look what it says in 1 King 4:29-34. (NIV) New International Version it states “God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite—wiser than Heman, Kalkol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. From all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.” I want to look closer at 3 verses that were quoted above.

In 1 Chronicles 22:9 (NIV) New International Version it states: “But you will have a son who will be A MAN OF PEACE AND REST, and I WILL GIVE HIM REST FROM ALL HIS ENEMIES ON EVERY SIDE. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign.” Now look at 1 King 3:10-11 (NIV) New International Version again. It states: “THE LORD WAS PLEASED THAT SOLOMON HAD ASKED FOR THIS. So God said to him, “SINCE YOU HAVE ASKED FOR THIS AND NOT FOR LONG LIFE OR WEALTH FOR YOURSELF, NOR HAVE ASKED FOR THE DEATH OF YOUR ENEMIES but for discernment in administering justice. What’s interesting is that God said this about Solomon: you are a man of peace and rest. Also, I will give you rest from your enemies from every side. However later in 1 King 3 (NIV) New International Version God is pleased Solomon didn’t ask for death for his enemies. This tells me that Solomon knew what was on his I.D. He didn’t ask for death of his enemies because he knew who he was: a man of peace and rest. In addition he knew God was going to protect him from his enemies on each side. Also, God was pleased with the fact he didn’t ask for anything for himself. Solomon was more concern with the people he was king over welfare. This also tells me that God was use to hearing people asking for the same thing: wealth, long life and death of their enemies. God was saying can I get someone to pray for others?

It isn’t always about just you. There are other people who are suffering that you need to pray for. If you pray for them, then God may say to you “I will do what you have asked and I will give you what you didn’t ask for.” When you please God, he wants to show his appreciation by blessing you with something you didn’t ask for. Also, as I said you will be tested even by God. God has given you an I.D. He will tell you who you are in him. If you don’t know who you are, someone will try to give you an I.D. that suit their goals and purpose. Some of these people don’t have your best interest in mind. . They will try to give you a fraudulent or fake I.D. The I.D. God gave you didn’t say you were stupid, dumb, not worth anything, a loser or anything else that’s negative or degrading. This is the work of the enemy trying to keep you down and control you with force, words or manipulation. The only way this continues is if it’s allowed. This may be the reason why you’re hurting right now. You know this isn’t you. However, because you have been exposed for so long in this environment, you have adapted. The question I want to ask is do you know what God said about you when he I.D. you? If you don’t know you need to find out. God expects better and greater things from you!!! Next time we’ll go to part 3 of Solomon. Some people decide to check his I.D. Until next time may God continue to bless you and keep you.

 

 

Walt G.

PROVERBS: WHO IS SOLOMON PART 1

Last time I introduce you to the book of Proverbs. It’s a book of the bible in the Old Testament that deals with the practice and the theory of wisdom. Proverbs provides us with the wisdom and knowledge to help us with even today’s challenges. I want to now introduce you to the main author of Proverbs: Solomon.

Who is Solomon? Solomon is the son of David and Bathsheba. David was a great king of Israel. According to the bible, when David became very old, he made Solomon king. In 1 Kings 1:43 NIV (New International Version) it states “Not at all” Jonathan answered, “Our lord King David has made Solomon King.” After David made him king, he gave a charge to Solomon. In 1 Kings 2:2 NIV (New International Version) it states “I (David) am about to go the way of all the earth, so be strong, act like a man. In 1st Kings 2:3 NIV (New International Version) it states “And observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go.” David knew that this charge was so great to Solomon that he couldn’t accomplish this alone. He knew that he was going to need the Lord’s help to do what he ordained. That’s why David emphasized the importance for Solomon to have a relationship with God. In order to do what God commands, you have to have a relationship with him.

David gave Solomon something very important: direction. 1st he told Solomon who he was: A King. 2nd he told Solomon how to act: be strong and act like a man. Solomon knew how to act like a man because he was shown and taught how to do so. This is one of the reasons why it’s important to have a father or a father figure involved in a son’s life. 3rd he told Solomon about serving God and being obedient: Observe what the lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations as written in the Law of Moses. Why was it so important for David to do this? Let’s look at the God U Said It verse and find out.

In Proverbs 22:6 KJV (King James Version) it states “train a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” David trained Solomon on the way he should go. Also, he taught him who God was and the importance of having a relationship with him. Our children aren’t being trained today like they should be. If we don’t train them, the enemy will. A child has to be trained, taught, shown and guided toward the right way to go. You as a parent or guardian have a responsibility of making this happen and also leading by example. If your child is not acting correctly or if there’s other issues you need to look at yourself and ask yourself some questions. What kind of example am I setting? Am I training my child or is the TV, music and the internet training them. Am I their main influence or is it their friends, classmates or people you don’t know anything about. With social websites like my space and facebook, a total stranger can get to know your child’s wants, needs and problems. Your child’s secrets and desires could be a text message away. The enemy will be more than happy to train your child or send someone to train your child up to the way HE wants them to go. The way that will lead them on a path to chaos, confusion and destruction. Your child will be trained by someone. It’s in their spiritual DNA. The choice is yours on who it will be. Next time we will go to part 2 of Solomon. What did he ask of God and how did God respond. Until next time, may God continue to bless you and keep you.

 

Walt G. 

INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS

The book of Proverbs is sometimes defined as belonging in a group of books in the bible. The name of the group is Wisdom Literature Group. The other 2 books belonging to this group is Ecclesiastes and Job. The book of proverbs is located in the Old Testament. One of the definitions of the word Proverb is a short verse of truth or moral lesson. Proverbs deals with the practice and theory of wisdom. It's characterized by insight, instruction, knowledge of divine truth and the importance of applying the wisdom and knowledge received toward your life. Proverbs is rich with advice and an answer to even today's challenges and problems.

Starting today, I will be blogging about the importance of Proverbs. God has led me here to inform and help you to understand Proverbs. Also, to help you apply the book of Proverbs into your life. I will quote Proverbs to help us relate to some of today's headlines and news. I will talk about problems and issues we are having now in our lives and what God has said about it through proverbs. With everything going on now, we need God more than ever. Why do we need God? Let's look at the God U Said It verse and see what he said about our needs.

In Philippians 4:19 King James Version it says "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus." God is aware that we have needs for him to fulfill. Whether it's a situation, problem or direction, God has the answer to our needs. Some of the needs we have can be only solved through God. When you have a need that you can't provide for, you're going to turn to someone to help you. Seek God first and see if he will provide for your needs. It may not be the answer you want or what you expected. However, God knows what is best for your life at that particular moment. We just need to be obedient and have an ear to hear what God has to say. Next time we will talk about who Solomon was and get to know him better. Until then, may God continue to bless you and keep you.

 

Walt G.

 

Bernard Madoff downfall part 2

Last time, I wrote about Bernard Madoff. He was the investor who pleaded guilty on March 12, 2009 for investor fraud. He committed the largest investor fraud in history by swindling investors out of an estimate 65 billion dollars. Today, I want to focus on the scheme that was used and how it works. Also, how the victims of this scheme were affected. Then, we will get the God U Said It verse to help us get a better understanding on what happened.

The fraudulent investment operation that was used is called a Ponzi scheme. You may be asking how a Ponzi scheme works. A promoter will place an advertisement that promises extraordinary returns on an investment. For example, it may say you can earn 20% on a 30-day contract. The objective is usually to deceive people who don’t have any in-depth knowledge of finance or financial jargon. They’ll use words that sound financial and impressive but they are meaningless such as “High-Yield Investment Programs” or “Hedge Futures Trading.” Thirty days later, the investor pulls his original investment out plus the 20% return. This will give the investor the incentive to reinvest their money plus their returns back into the scheme. Also, they will probably tell other investors about their high returns. These new investors will also invest their money. However, the only returns the initial investors are getting are being paid out of the investments of new investors and not out of profits. They will send out realistic financial statements showing the investors how much money they earned. In addition, to minimize withdrawals, the promoter will offer new plans to investors. Often these plans will require your money to be frozen for a longer period of time in exchange for higher returns. Usually, after a period of time, the promoter will vanish, taking all the investment money minus the payouts with them.

 What makes Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi scheme so unique is he deceived not only 1st time investors but also financial professionals. His scheme affected Florida retirees, hedge fund managers, international banks, movie stars, professional athletes, non-profit organizations, charities and even a Nobel Peace Prize winner. The scheme wiped out pensions, life savings, trust funds and known foundations to name a few. It’s believed that two people were so devastated by their loses, it pushed them to commit suicide. It not only damaged and destroyed the lives of the initial investors; it also affected the lives of the future generations. Their inheritance was wiped out before they had a chance to see it. The people using these non-profit organizations now have to go without help or find an alternative. Charities were forced to shut down because of the financial lost. Also, the organizations counting on these charities suffered and fell into financial hardship or in some cases failed completely. I could go on and on about the devastation that this scheme caused.

 What is the God U Said It Verse for the day? In Proverbs 23:23 the New International Version states: “Buy the truth and do not sell it; get wisdom, discipline and understanding.” These are powerful and sobering words. For some of these people if they took hold of this verse, they could have avoided hardship and pain. I know they didn’t mean for this to happen. My heart and prayers goes out to these people. For those of you who have investments or thinking about investing please hear me. Buy the truth means if you don’t understand your investments or finance, pay someone who does. You may need to pay an accountant, financial advisor or an attorney to get the truth. Don’t sell it means do not give up ownership to the truth you gain from them. People will try to talk you out of the truth and substitute it with lies and deception. Study for yourself; get wisdom and a better understanding on what’s going on with your investments. Be disciplined: if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. Until next time, may God continue to bless you and keep you.

 

 
Walt G.

Bernard Madoff downfall part 1

On March 12, 2009 Bernard Madoff pleaded guilty to pulling off the largest Ponzi scheme in history. In addition, he committed the largest investor fraud by a single person in history. On June 29, 2009, he was sentenced to 150 years in prison. Madoff swindled about 65 billion dollars out of investors. It makes you wonder how a person could have no sense of morals. How could a person be so ruthless and uncaring? Didn’t he realize what kind of harm and damage he caused to these investors? Some people lost everything investing and putting their trust in this man. Madoff said he begun the scheme in the early 1990’s. He started it as a short-term way to weather the early 1990’s recession and was unable to untangle himself as the years went by. He had to continue the scheme to satisfy the expectations of high returns promised to his clients. Madoff himself admitted that he knew the day would come when he would be caught and arrested. If he knew that he was going to get caught eventually, why did he keep doing it? Let’s go get the God U Said It verse and see what he said about this type of situation.

Some of you have heard part of 1st Timothy 6:10. The King James Version says “For the love of money is the root of all evil.” However, what I want to look at is 1st Timothy 6:9. The New Living Translation states “But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.” What a powerful word and revelation toward this difficult situation. Madoff fell into temptation of not only being rich, but staying rich. He knew when the recession hit in the 1990’s that he would have problems satisfying the expectations of high returns. He made a promise to his investors that he had to keep. Otherwise, there would be questions and possibly an investigation into his financial activities. He gave into his foolish and harmful desires by developing and executing a Ponzi scheme. This was supposed to be temporary until the recession was over. However, he did the scheme for so long and got so deeply involved that he couldn’t see a way out. This involvement plunged him into ruin and destruction. At 70 years old, his life will never be the same again.

It goes to show that God knows what he is talking about. A lot of situations happening now positive and negative can be traced back to the bible. There is nothing wrong with being rich. There were wealth people in the bible. God said himself that he can make people wealthy. However, it must be done using God’s wisdom, knowledge and power. The trouble starts when your love for money is more than your love for God. Next time we will look on the other side of this tragedy: the victims. Until then may God continue to bless you and keep you.

Walt G.