Good morning, I can never grow tired of watching how God provides.
Today, we will begin 2 Chronicles, reading the first five chapters.
Our Motivation
Solomon is now king in Israel and God tells him he can have anything he asks for.
Do not mistake God for some genie who grants your wishes.
God anointed Solomon to lead Israel. He knew his heart before he chose him.
James 4:2 says we don’t have, because we don’t ask. He declares it is because we ask with the wrong motives.
Solomon asks for wisdom to lead God’s people.
Because of that, God makes him wiser, richer, more honored than any king before or after (see v1:12)
When we focus on what God needs from us, success will bless us.
Too often, we start out that way, but success comes in and we focus on maintaining the success.
Because the church experienced growth, they invested in a building. Their priority is now paying for the building, not God.
They try adding programs, putting out food, hiring better musicians. Nothing works, because their focus is wrong.
Confidence in God
This I remind myself, when no one buys my book, or only reads the free edition. It isn’t about money. Those who make it about having enough money will never have enough (see Ecc 5:10).
God’s word is reaching people through my ministry. I am assured God will take care of me.
Chapter 2 reminds us that God is not limited to buildings (2:5).
He is everywhere, and the building is there for burning sacrifices for Him.
We are here to serve God. Anything we want God to do to make us greater than we are is futile, unless it enables us to serve Him better.
Our service “must be large and magnificent” (2 Chron 2:9).
The chronicler is talking about the temple but, we are the temple. Our hearts are where God dwells.
If we are asking to build ourselves up, He can, but we must build our hearts up to worship Him more. It has to be about our capacity to serve Him.
Patience
Notice in verse 3:2, it took over two years to even get started.
David had already gathered the materials and conscripted the labor. He completed the plans.
God could have just made the temple appear. He did not.
We appreciate the things we work for. Labor builds our hearts up. Time and sweat, keeping the faith, make the result sweeter.
We saw in 1 Kings that the construction took seven years.
When the construction was complete, Solomon filled the temple with the treasures his father had given him (v5:1).
Where we keep our treasure is where our hearts will be (see Matt 6:21).
Worldly concerns will worry us if we focus our hearts on them.
Therefore, we must remain steadfast and focused on God. He will not move.
When our treasure is Him, it is always safe and abundant.
Then we can celebrate like the entire assembly of Israel does in 2 Chron 5:6.
