Joshua 1

Being corrected for doing wrong is normally not something we enjoy.  Solomon knew that the long term good was worth the pain of proper discipline.  “It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools.” (Ecclesiastes 7:5)  He mentions discipline many times in Proverbs as well.  “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.” (Proverbs 12:1)  “Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your…

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Solomon had been given riches beyond compare, but he found out that all things on this earth are worthless.  “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2)  Paul encourages us to not let the things of this life get in the way of our focus on our eternal life.  “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the…

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Even with all of his wisdom, Solomon knew that the wisdom of God is beyond compare.  “Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.” (Proverbs 28:26)  Paul also appreciated the greatness of God’s wisdom.  “For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1 Corinthians 1:25)  We may not be able to have wisdom on the level that God has, but we are told how…

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Solomon was blessed with great wisdom and riches yet he knew staying humble was God’s will.  “Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence or stand in the place of the great, for it is better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be put lower in the presence of a noble. What your eyes have seen” (Proverbs 25:6)  He warns us that getting an arrogant attitude will cause problems.  “Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty, but humility comes before…

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God greatly blessed Solomon, but He required something from Solomon as well. God demanded obedience. “But if you or your sons at all turn from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them; and this house which I have consecrated for My name I will cast out of…

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Have you ever been let down by someone that you trusted?  The Psalmist tells us who we can and cannot trust.  “Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,” (Psalm 146:3-5)  The Proverb writer points out that the Lord is to…

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The Psalmist starts and ends chapter 136 exclaiming thanks to God.  In between he lists things to thank Him for and ends all 26 verses with a reason why, “for his steadfast love endures forever” (some translations say lovingkindness or mercy).  We could all put together a long list of things we are thankful to God for because everything good comes from Him.  “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom…

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In God’s word there are many instances of people being influenced negatively by those around them.  One of those is Solomon.  “Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung…

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With all the knowledge that he had, Solomon recognized that there were still things only God knew.  “then hear from heaven your dwelling place and forgive and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways, for you, you only, know the hearts of the children of mankind,” (2 Chronicles 6:30)  It is easy for us to think we know someone’s heart or motive, but Jesus also said that only God can do that.  “The Pharisees, who were…

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God allowed Solomon to build the temple that his father David was not able to build.  “Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.  But the LORD said to David my father, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart.  Nevertheless, you shall not build the house, but your son…

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