Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Faith Of A Mustard Seed

Date: Tuesday, May 05, 2015
Chapters: 1 Chronicles 29/2 Chronicles 1-2
Message Title: Faith Of A Mustard Seed

Hello My Friend,

The Book of 2 Chronicles is the fourteenth book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains thirty-six chapters. The timeline for these events took place approximately 1015 BC – 610 BC. The author of the book is the prophet Ezra and the book was written to the Jews who were in captivity in Babylon for seventy years. The purpose of the book was to record the religious history of the tribe of Judah. What we are to learn from the book is that the blessings that God gives to us comes through humbling ourselves and seeking Him in all that we do. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” - 2 Chronicles 7:14.

God knows our hearts and intentions, if we are serving Him wholeheartedly He will always be with us, and even give us the power and strength to accomplish our work. After David's instructions, he offers one of the most inspiring prayers recorded in Scripture, a prayer of thanksgiving, praise, and adoration to God, and of His great love. “Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.” - 1 Chronicles 29:10-15.

Our days on earth are as a shadow, they are always behind. We can never get back yesterday, but we can do something about today. We're not always going to give God a hundred percent, sometimes we may only have faith the size of a mustard seed, but that seed can move mountains. When things look as though there is no end in sight, use that mustard seed faith, praise God, thank Him, and humble yourself before Him. He will hear our prayers and take care of our needs. “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” - James 4:2,3,7-10.

Now, after David died, Solomon was given the task to not only reign over the kingdom, but to build the first building for people to worship God. I imagine Solomon was a bit uneasy about such a huge task, but God was with him and knew what he was feeling. Through a dream Solomon had a very inspiring conversation with God.

And Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and the LORD his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly. In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead. Now, O LORD God, let thy promise unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great? And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king: Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.” - 2 Chronicles 1:1,7-12.

God spoke to Solomon in a dream because it was His intention to get Solomon to see that more important than riches and fame was to be obedient to Him. When we live in submission to God we become more obedient to Him as we read His Word and follow it. “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” - James 1:21-25.

Now with a new outlook, Solomon was determined to build the temple as his father David instructed, he began to gather only the best people along with those David appointed. Solomon sent message to Huram, one of David's trusted friends, that he needed some of his people.

And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the LORD, and an house for his kingdom. Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel. And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods. But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him? Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that can skill to grave with the cunning men that are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide.” - 2 Chronicles 2:1,4-7.

Solomon expresses that building a house for God would not be a place to contain Him as He cannot be contained, but it would be a place to worship Him and where He would be graciously present. Today, we still cannot contain God in one building, in fact, God does not dwell in a building at all, He dwells within every believer who accepted Christ as their Saviour. However, we do need a place to come together to worship God, it's more than just sitting in a pew, it's being with others who can help build our faith, and we may even be an encouragement to those who are struggling. “Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” - James 5:13-16.

Today's Prayer: God, I understand that the second I called on Your Son Jesus Christ to save me Your Spirit entered my body and now You dwell in me just like You dwelt in the temple in Jerusalem so many years ago. God, I want to feel Your presence upon my live, help me to remove the impurities that keep me from seeing You bless me as You did Solomon, not with riches beyond my need, but wisdom and a wiling heart to be a faithful servant and a holy temple for You to dwell in. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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