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The Battle is Not Yours–2 Chronicles 20:15-17

June 14, 2013 in 1 Kings, 2 Chronicles, 2013 Journey, Depression, Divorce, Fear, Finances, Tough Times, Trials, Trust with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 22:10-28; 2 Chronicles 18:9-27; 1 Kings 22:29-35; 2 Chronicle 18:28-34; 1 Kings 22:36-40, 51-53; 2 Chronicles 19:1-20:30

He said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! 

This is what the Lord says: 

Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.  Tomorrow, march out against them. 

You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel.  But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!”  --2 Chronicles 20:15-17

What battle are you facing today?

This is what Your God says:

  • Do not be afraid
  • Do not be discouraged
  • The battle is not yours
  • It’s Mine!

Rest in that knowledge as you go about your day!

Heavenly Father, help us to remember You are in charge.  Lord, I have a battle that is impossible for me to win on my own.  I trust You to fight it for me!

Trusting You.

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!

 

© 2013 Dianne Guthmuller

 

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 1:1-18; 2 Kings 3:1-27; 1 Kings 22:41-49; 2 Chronicles 20:31-37; 1 Kings 22:50; 2 Chronicles 21:1-4; 2 Kings 8:16-22; 2 Chronicles 21:5-7

He Is Jealous for Me– 2 Kings 1:16

June 13, 2013 in 1 Kings, 2 Chronicles, 2 Kings, 2013 Journey, Obedience, Prayer, Trust with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  2 Kings 1:1-18; 2 Kings 3:1-27; 1 Kings 22:41-49; 2 Chronicles 20:31-37; 1 Kings 22:50; 2 Chronicles 21:1-4; 2 Kings 8:16-22; 2 Chronicles 21:5-7
 
And Elijah said to the king, “This is what the Lord says:  Why did you send messengers to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether you will recover?  Is there no God in Israel to answer your question?  Therefore, because you have done this, you will never leave the bed you are lying on; you will surely die. –2 Kings 1:16

When you have a question about life, where’s the first place you go?

  • Your spouse
  • Your best friend
  • Your pastor
  • Your boss
  • A teacher
  • A counselor
  • Facebook, Twitter
  • A book on the subject

While these are great areas for support that God uses to minister to us, it’s the “when” that we need to think about.

Ahaziah, Israel’s new king who succeeded Ahab was seriously injured and sent messengers to the temple of Baal to ask the god of Ekron if he would recover. Israel’s God, the one and only living god, was not happy about Ahaziah consulting pagan gods instead of “the God of Israel.”  He sent Elijah to tell king Ahaziah that he would not recover because he consulted the wrong god.

God is definitely a jealous God. He wants to have first place, not 10th place.

If you’re like me your probably thinking, “I don’t go to pagan gods!”

In my 20s and 30s I would immediately go to anyone who would listen for prayer, counseling, encouragement, comfort, and guidance—except the Lord.  Literally, I didn’t whisper a one-sentence prayer before looking for someone to tell my troubles to.

Then as I got older and harder from life’s difficulties I tried to fix it myself; yes, I would pray…actually it was more like telling God how I thought He should fix it.  I’m sure He was thinking, “Dianne, is there no God in your life?”

In the last few years I’ve made a conscious effort to ask God…

and

WAIT (the hard part)

for HIS answer.

I can’t believe the peace it brings in my life when I do this.

Believe me, I still try to fix things myself but I always go back to the best way:

I Ask the God who made me and knows the future like no other and wait for His advice.

So I guess from my Heavenly Father’s perspective I’m no better than Ahaziah when I take the advice of others or try to fix it myself. I’m so thankful for His patience with me.

We need family, friends, and professionals to support us, But we need to go to God first and seek His guidance and His plan for our lives. This song says it all–He is jealous for me…

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Lord, forgive me for all the times I’ve run to other people or things when you have the answer to every question I could ever have.  Yes Lord, You are my God and I will seek Your counsel, comfort, guidance and encouragement before I run to people and things!  Holy Spirit, help me to seek You early each day before the cares of this world overwhelm me .   Thank you for Your patience!  You are the God of my life!

In Jesus Name.  Amen and Amen!

 

© 2013 Dianne Guthmuller

 

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:   2 Kings 1:1-25; 2 Kings 4:1-44

One Thing to Do Before Starting a Fight–1 Kings 22:5

June 12, 2013 in 1 Kings, 2 Chronicles, 2013 Journey, Christian Living, Conflict, Obedience, righteous living, Workplace with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 20:23-22:9; 2 Chronicles 18:1-8

Have you ever just wanted to go out and have a good fight with someone?

Oh, I know that doesn’t sound very Christ-like, but if you are as human as I am then you’ve at least wanted to verbally give someone a “piece of your mind” at some point in your life.

In today’s reading King Jehoshaphat gave us some great pre-fight advice…

For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel.  Then during the third year, King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to visit King Ahab of Israel.  During the visit, the king of Israel said to his officials, “Do you realize that the town of Ramoth-gilead belongs to us? And yet we’ve done nothing to recapture it from the king of Aram!”

Then he turned to Jehoshaphat and asked, “Will you join me in battle to recover Ramoth-gilead?”

Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “Why, of course! You and I are as one. My troops are your troops, and my horses are your horses.” Then Jehoshaphat added, “But first let’s find out what the Lord says.”

What if…

we “found out what the Lord said” before we started our next fight. serious discussion, or heart-to-heart with our spouse, children, parents, in-laws, co-workers, neighbors, or enemies?

It might sound like this…

“God, I’m really mad at my _________ right now.  I really want to hurt him/her as much as he/she’s hurt me.  What do you think?  Should I start a fight?”

Do you think God would ever say, “yes”?

I do.

There’s a time to get the “stuff” of life out on the table

but

there’s also a time to be silent.

So, if we only started fights when the Lord told us to

There would probably be

  • Less fights
  • More understanding
  • More self-control
  • More peace
  • More people wanting to know Jesus because of our testimony…

What do you say?

From now on let’s ask our Heavenly Father’s permission to start a fight and if He says “no,” let’s say that sounds good to me Lord!

Heavenly Father, help us to go to You with our anger, frustration, and desire to fight.  You alone know what we should do.  Give us Your wisdom.  Give us Your self-control. Help us to fight–only– when You say to go to battle!

In Jesus’ Name. Amen and Amen!

 

© 2013 Dianne Guthmuller

 

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 22:10-28; 2 Chronicles 18:9-27; 1 Kings 22:29-35; 2 Chronicle 18:28-34; 1 Kings 22:36-40, 51-53; 2 Chronicles 19:1-20:30

Are You Struggling to Commit Your Life to God?–1 Kings 19:21

June 11, 2013 in 1 Kings, 2013 Journey, Commitment, Giving Our Best to God, Tough Times with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  1 Kings 17:8 through 20:22

God was almost ready for Elijah to retire, so he picked out his successor, Elisha (I know, it’s hard to keep these two straight).

Can you imagine having your name called out by God to replace the prophet Elijah?

…So Elijah grabbed the anointing oil and went to Elisha’s hometown and found him plowing a field with a team of oxen.

This is a very weird way to tell somebody they’re going to take your job but it really happened–Elijah threw his coat across Elisha’s shoulder and then walked away.

Throwing a prophet’s cloak around a person symbolized the passing of the power and authority of the office to that person. That Elisha realized the meaning of this act is obvious from his reaction. Immediately he started to abandon his former occupation and follow Elijah. Elijah gave him permission to say farewell to his family. The unusual reply, What have I done to you? is a saying meaning, ”Do as you please“ or ”What have I done to stop you?“ (The Bible Knowledge Commentary)

I’m sure you’ve heard the cliché, “It’s time to burn your bridges.”  There were no bridges in Elisha’s day, so he burned his plow and slaughtered his oxen.  This was a significant statement. It seemed from the twelve teams of oxen that Elisha’s family had a lot of land.   To walk away so dramatically from his inheritance  was a huge statement to his family and friends.

When it comes to serving the Lord, whether it was in Elisha’s day or 2013, most of us are hesitant to “burn our plows and slaughter our oxen.”  We would rather live for the Lord “sometimes” and dabble in the things of the world “sometimes.”

The problem is, we want to have what Elisha had—an amazing anointing and used greatly by God—but we don’t want to do what Elisha did—go whole-hog as we say in the south, which come to think of it goes pretty well with slaughter you oxen!

Think about it…

Elijah didn’t require Elisha to make such a drastic display of commitment, but Elisha wanted Elijah and God to know that he was hungry for the Lord’s Spirit and His Anointing; which Elisha knew was given to very few in those days.

I’d say the Lord definitely chose a winner in Elisha.

In these tough times we need the Spirit of God resting on us everyday like Elijah’s coat did on Elisha’s back.  We need to hear God say…

Stop.

Go.

Turn left.

Turn right.

Wait.

Move Now!

 

What do you need to stop, start, or change to move closer to God? 

Get off the fence, slaughter your oxen, burn your plows and commit your life to the God who made you!

 

 

Spirit of the Living God, fall fresh on me!

 

 

© 2013 Dianne Guthmuller

 

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 20:23 through 22:9; 2 Chronicles 18:1-8


4 Things to Do in The Tough Times—2 Chronicles 16:7-9

June 10, 2013 in 1 Kings, 2 Chronicles, 2013 Journey, Believing God in the Hard Times, Choices, Depression, Failure, Finances, Tough Times with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:   1 Kings 15: 16-22; 2 Chronicles 16: 1-10; 1 Kings 16: 1-34; 1 Kings 15: 23-24; 2 Chronicles 16:11 through 17: 19; 1 Kings 17: 1-7

What do you do when times get tough?

  • Do you deny there’s a problem?
  • Does your problem paralyze you?
  • Do you look to other people to solve your problem?
  • Do you look for a substance, outlet, or person to make you forget you have a problem?
  • Do you try to fix the problem yourself?

King Asa provided a great lesson in right and wrong choices in tough times.  He tried two different approaches.

Which one will you choose?

 At that time Hanani the seer came to King Asa and told him, “Because you have put your trust in the king of Aram instead of in the Lord your God, you missed your chance to destroy the army of the king of Aram.  Don’t you remember what happened to the Ethiopians and Libyans and their vast army, with all of their chariots and charioteers?  At that time you relied on the Lord, and he handed them over to you.  The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war.” –2 Chronicles 16:7-9

In yesterday’s post we talked about laying down our idols so that we can find God.  One sure-fire way to discover the idols in our life is to look at what we do when times get tough.

The funny thing about Asa…

…early in his reign as king of Judea, when he fought the Ethiopians and the Libyans he relied on the Lord and his enemies were handed over to him.  He knew what to do.

What changed?

Why did he buy King Aram’s services instead of trusting God to fight his battles?

Looks like a serious case of pride to me.  After God specifically called Asa out on not seeking His help, Asa never changed.  How sad.  It is so easy for a successful person to think they are so powerful that they can buy, talk, or pressure others to get their way.

It seems to me that if God was offended by Asa replacing His power for manpower, then He’s probably offended when we go to people, substances, outlets, or to our own power to handle life’s tough times.

So what should we do?

1. Build a relationship with God when things are going well through prayer, Bible study, and corporate worship.

Friends, we’re either in a crisis, getting over a crisis, or headed into a crisis—we can’t wait until we’re in trouble to get to know the Lord

2. Get involved in some type of small group where you develop deep friendships—Godly counsel and encouragement are a lifeline in tough times.

3. Begin to look for ways to serve others—there’s no better way to survive tough times than get your mind off yourself by helping someone else.

4. Once the storm passes and God helps you through it, testify to His goodness—your testimony could be the encouragement that helps someone else get through their tough time.

 

Bottom Line:  When tough times come, run to your Heavenly Father first and ask Him what to do next.

Praying for you!

 

 

© 2013 Dianne Guthmuller

 

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  1 Kings 17:8 through 1 Kings 20:22

Are You Having Trouble Finding God?—2 Chronicles 15: 15

June 9, 2013 in 1 Kings, 2 Chronicles, 2013 Journey, Choices, Commitment, Faith, God Speaks today, Prayer with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  1 Kings 13:1 through 1 Kings 14:24; 2 Chronicles 12:13-14; 2 Chronicles 11: 18-23; 2 Chronicles 12: 1-12; 1 Kings 14: 25-28; 2 Chronicles 12: 15-16; 1 Kings 14: 29 through 1 Kings 15:5; 2 Chronicles 13:1-22; 1 Kings 15: 6-8; 2 Chronicles 14: 1-8; 1 Kings 15: 9-15; 1 Kings 14:19-20; 1 Kings 15: 25-34, 2 Chronicles 14:9 through 2 Chronicles 15: 19

Do you find yourself envious when you hear people talking about their relationship with Jesus?

Have you tried to pray and feel as though you’re talking to yourself?

Do you want to know Him more but you just haven’t figured out how to do it?

Don’t feel alone if you answered “yes” to any of these questions, I think we all feel this way from time to time.

We definitely saw great examples of how “not” to find God in today’s maze of scriptures.  It seems as though the children of Israel chose to worship an idol quicker rather than worship the Living God .  We’ve seen this many times throughout our journey.

It’s easy to stand in judgment of their idol worship, but I think we better choose not to go there… today’s children of God do the same thing.

I heard a definition of an idol years ago that has stuck with me:  Anything (time, talent, treasure) I give myself to more than my Lord is an idol.

Israel had to lay down their idols before they could find God.  They had to earnestly seek Him.

All in Judah were happy about this covenant, for they had entered into with all their heart.  They earnestly sought after God, and they found him.  And the Lord gave them rest from their enemies on every side.  –2 Chronicles 15:15

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.  –Hebrews 11:6

If you feel like God is a million miles away, pursue Him.  Push other things aside and spend time with Him.  Turn off all distractions, and be truly alone with Him.  Expect to find Him. I promise you, He will exceed your expectations!

If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. –Jeremiah 29:13

Learning to seek Him!

 Blessings!

 

© 2013 Dianne Guthmuller

 

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  1 Kings 15: 16-22; 2 Chronicles 16: 1-10; 1 Kings 16: 1-34; 1 Kings 15: 23-24; 2 Chronicles 16:11 through 17: 19; 1 Kings 17: 1-7

One Reason Not To Worry About the Future–1 Kings 11: 27-40

June 8, 2013 in 1 Kings, 2 Chronicles, 2013 Journey, Depression, Ecclesiastes, Fear, leadership, The Hurting World, Tough Times with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Ecclesiastes 11:7 through Ecclesiastes 12:14; 1 Kings 12: 1-20; 2 Chronicles 10:1-19; 1 Kings 12: 21-24; 2 Chronicles 11: 1-4; 1 Kings 12: 25-33;  2 Chronicles 11: 5-17

Rehoboam… Jeroboam–Who’s Who?

Was it hard for you to keep them separated?  I had to go back several times to get it straight.

  • Rehoboam was Solomon’s son who became the King of Israel after Solomon died
  • Jeroboam, was one of Solomon’s officials who had fled to Egypt from King Solomon

When I first read today’s scriptures I thought, “Rehoboam, you should have listened to your elders and kept all of Israel as your kingdom.”

But then I read …

1 Kings 12:15:   So the king paid no attention to the people.  This turn of events was the will of the Lord, for it fulfilled the Lord’s message to Jeroboam son of Nebat through the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh.

1 Kings 12: 19:   And to this day the northern tribes of Israel have refused to be ruled by a descendant of David.

If you go back to June 5th’s reading you will see where this was prophesied: 1 Kings 11:27-40

Folks let’s not miss the significance of this—we read the Bible as history but when the word was given to Jeroboam by the prophet Ahijah it was a prediction of the future.  It happened just as He said!

One of the benefits of reading the whole Bible is realizing how many times God said it and then it happened!

We live in troubling times but if we read scriptures like Matthew 24 and the Book of Revelation we can know that these events were prophesied two thousand years ago and are the will of the Lord, and will come to pass.

Let’s determine to spend less time fretting over the things we cannot control and more time seeking the Lord for his will for our lives during these historic times.  Jesus is coming soon!  We need to be busy about His business!

 Blessings!

 

© 2013 Dianne Guthmuller

 

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  1 Kings 13:1 through 1 Kings 14:24; 2 Chronicles 12:13-14; 2 Chronicles 11: 18-23; 2 Chronicles 12: 1-12; 1 Kings 14: 25-28; 2 Chronicles 12: 15-16; 1 Kings 14: 29 through 1 Kings 15:5; 2 Chronicles 13:1-22; 1 Kings 15: 6-8; 2 Chronicles 14: 1-8;1 Kings 15: 9-15; 1 Kings 14:19-20; 1 Kings 15: 25-34, 2 Chronicles 14:9 through 15:19

Is Your Life Meaningless?–1 Kings 11:1-3

June 5, 2013 in 1 Kings, 2 Chronicles, 2013 Journey, Choices, Ecclesiastes, Giving Our Best to God, leadership, Obedience, Pride, Success with 0 Comments


Today’s Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 11:1-43; 2 Chronicles 9:29-31; Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

Now King Solomon loved many foreign women. Besides Pharaoh’s daughter, he married women from Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and from among the Hittites.  The Lord had clearly instructed the people of Israel, ‘You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.’ Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway. He had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines. And in fact, they did turn his heart away from the Lord.  –1 Kings 11:1-3

Have you ever insisted and persisted to do something “anyway” when you knew that You were going against your conscience, the law, your parents, your supervisor or your God?

How did that work for you?

Probably about as good as it did for Solomon…

The Lord was very angry with Solomon, for his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice.  He had warned Solomon specifically about worshiping other gods, but Solomon did not listen to the Lord’s command.  So now the Lord said to him, “Since you have not kept my covenant and have disobeyed my decrees, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your servants.   –1 Kings 11:9-11

    • God chose Solomon to be the king
    • God was so impressed with Solomon that he offered to give him anything he asked for
    • Solomon asked for wisdom and God gave it to him, plus riches, and so much more
    • Solomon did amazing things: Built a beautiful temple for the Lord, built a gorgeous home for himself, rebuilt the city of his father, ruled justly, wrote all the amazing Proverbs that are still guiding us today
    • Solomon worked very, very hard
    • But, then Solomon forgot where his wisdom and riches came from
    • He began to believe his own press and decided to go against the will of God
    • He thought he was above it all
    • He thought he needed to experience it all…so he did

The great thing for us is Solomon did it all and told us what he learned from the thrill of going directly against the will of the Living God…

“Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!”

What do people get for all their hard work under the sun?  

Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes. The sun rises and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again.  The wind blows south, and then turns north. Around and around it goes, blowing in circles. Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows out again to the sea.  

Everything is wearisome beyond description. 

No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.

History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.  –Ecclesiastes 1:2-9

I wonder how many of you feel this way today?  Never satisfied.

There’s only one thing that can truly satisfy–filling that place in the deep, quiet, depths of our soul with a relationship with the One, True, God.  Not just a head knowledge of God, not just a “Santa Claus” mentality of God, but knowing we have a Friend, Savior, King, and Trusted Advisor who knows what’s best for us…

Then, life is never meaningless. It’s an adventure, a wild ride, a well-thought out plan with the perfect destination!

Heavenly Father, forgive us for wanting to go our own way.  Forgive us for never being satisfied.  Call us out to be different.

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!


 

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 1:12-6:12

Are You too Tired to Read This? 8 Things You Need to Know

May 26, 2013 in 1 Kings, 2013 Journey, leadership, Parenting, Prayer, Psalms, Success, Workplace with 1 Comment

Today’s Scripture Reading:  1 Kings 4: 1-34; Psalm 72; Psalm 127

I put the words “tired all the time” in my Google search box and got 33,800,000 links (that’s up 15,000,000 from 2 years ago).

I’d say they’re a lot of tired people out there!

If you ask someone how they’re doing, how often do you get the answers—tired or busy?

As I read today’s scripture reading I became tired just from reading  Solomon’s achievements.

How did he do it all?

He had the same number of hours in his day that  you and I have.

Solomon knew how to work hard and rest well.  There seemed to be a degree of balance in his life, which was amazing considering all that he accomplished.  Let’s once again learn from his example today…

  • Am I the ONLY one who can do this?

Solomon didn’t do ANYTHING someone else could do.  I know, we don’t have nine high officials and twelve district governors to manage our affairs and prepare our food.  But we do have kids, family members, spouses, church families, team members, friends, and co-workers who have strengths that we don’t have.  Most of us will not be able to fulfill the plans God has for us without learning to delegate and ask for help.

AND, if we don’t delegate to others we may be keeping them from growing (especially our children).

  •  Can’t we all just get along?

There was more peace in Israel and the surrounding kingdoms during Solomon’s reign than at any other time in history. Constant conflict sucks the energy and life out of people–peace makes life easier–be a peace-maker.

  • What can I create today?

Solomon composed 3000 proverbs and wrote 1005 songs, in addition to all his other accomplishments.  He made the time to create. Find 30 minutes in your day, release those creative juices and put your mark on the world.

  • What can I learn today?

Solomon was the poster child for life-long learning.  Because of constantly learning new things in many areas he became  the authority on all kinds of plants and an expert on animals, birds, small creatures, and fish.  Never stop learning–your hobby may turn into a new career or ministry!

  • What does the Lord have to say to me today?

Solomon constantly sought the Lord’s guidance and direction.  Psalm 72 is a record of one of those times.  God will speak to you–wait on Him.

  • Who can I help today?

Every family in Israel lived in safety and had their own home and garden. Everything Solomon did was to make life easier for the Israelites.  The poor were always on his mind: Let the poor always be treated fairly (Ps 72:2).  You will encounter someone today who needs something that you have to give–take the time to listen to the Holy Spirit and reach out to help?

  •  Where does my success come from?

Solomon continually reminded himself that God has the final say in his life  (Ps 127: 1).  When God makes you successful, no man can take it away.

  • Am I enjoying the gifts and blessings God has given me?

Solomon knew rest was a gift from God that had to be opened and enjoyed daily.  Solomon’s wisdom led him to measure his blessings through his true legacy, his children (Ps. 127: 3-5)  Don’t miss God’s best!

Unless the Lord builds a house,
the work of the builders is wasted.
Unless the Lord protects a city,
guarding it with sentries will do no good.
It is useless for you to work so hard
from early morning until late at night,
anxiously working for food to eat;
for God gives rest to his loved ones.

Dear Heavenly Father, help us to look to you to “build our lives.” Thank You for loving us so much that you gave us rest!  Use us for Your Glory today.

In Jesus Name.  Amen and amen!


 ©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  Proverbs 1:1 through Proverbs 4: 27

Are We “Doin’ it for the Fame?”–1 Kings 10:1

May 25, 2013 in 1 Kings, 2 Chronicles, 2013 Journey, Goals, leadership, Pride, Workplace with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  2 Chronicles 8: 1-18; 1 Kings 9: 15 through 1 Kings 10: 13; 2 Chronicles 9: 1-12, 1 Kings 10: 14-29; 2 Chronicles 9: 13-28; 2 Chronicles 1: 14-17

What comes to mind when you see the word “fame?”  It probably depends on your age.  The first thing I thought of was the title song to “Fame, the Musical,” but when I typed the word in my Google search box I was introduced to another fame song by Lady Gaga.  What better person to talk about fame in 2013 than the self-proclaimed fame monster herself!

Here are eight lines of “The Fame” by Lady Gaga:

I can’t help myself

I’m addicted to a life of material

It’s some kind of joke

I’m obsessively opposed to the typical

 Fame doin’ it for the fame

’cause we wanna live the life of the rich and famous

Fame doin’ it for the fame

’cause we gotta taste for champagne and endless fortune

 

Unfortunately, for many this is a description of the American dream, and yes, they’re “doing it for the fame.”

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 10th edition defines fame as public estimation.

Is seeking public opinion a bad thing?

Is fame something we should run away from like a dreaded addiction?

The word fame occurs 24 times in the Bible (KJV).  It was used to describe God, Jesus, David, Joshua, Solomon and a handful of others.  A true hall of “fame!”  Just for fun do a Google search on “the top 5 most famous people of 2013″ and see how they stand up the biblical hall of fame.  It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad.

It took a lot to be famous in the Bible; very few could read or write. There were no T.V.s, phones, email, or internet.  It was strictly word of mouth.  The queen of Sheba lived over a thousand miles from King Solomon and she had heard of his fame.  Wow, that was some game of gossip!

I think the answer to our fame questions lie in this verse:

When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, which brought honor to the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions.    –1 Kings 10: 1

The type of fame that Solomon had was a good thing because it brought honor to the name of the Lord.  In everything we’ve read so far Solomon wasn’t seeking fame, he was doing the job he was called to do—building the Temple of the Lord.

From Solomon’s example running to fame is not what wise people do. Fame should have to search for us and it should always find us bringing honor to the Lord.

We’re going to find later in the life of Solomon that fame is part of the “success test” and it is something that few can handle.

But for now, here’s the last word on fame:

  • Be about God’s purpose and calling for your life
  • Bring honor to the name of the Lord in everything you do
  • If fame finds you make him ride in the trunk  :-)

 

Blessings in Jesus!

 

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  1 Kings 4: 1-34; Psalm 72; Psalm 127

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