Selfishness leads to self-destruction. King Ahab wants something so bad that his wife Jezebel (surely with Ahab’s knowledge) facilitates the owner’s murder so Ahab can take the property. God sends Elijah the prophet to confront Ahab. The king responds less than favorably, and the prophet accuses him of selling himself. When we extravagantly accumulate stuff [...]
Archive for the ‘First Kings’ Category
Day 110: First Kings 21-22
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, First Kings, tagged Ahab, Elijah, life, spirituality on December 19, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Day 109: First Kings 18-20
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, First Kings, Relationships, tagged Baal, Elijah, God, life, spirituality on December 18, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
The prophet Elijah feels like he’s the only person living for God, and his opponents are numerous. He challenges the prophets of Baal to a duel. Baal does not respond, but God acts in an amazing way. Divine fire is no match for water. I haven’t ever seen God work in such a movie-like way, [...]
Day 108: First Kings 15-17
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, First Kings, Leadership, Spiritual Disciplines, tagged Asa, kings of Israel, kings of Judah on December 17, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Here begins a chaotic list of kings. A few are good; most are not. Today’s reading shows us Abijah, Asa, Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omri, and the infamous Ahab. The story of Asa, the one good king in chapters 15 and 16, teaches us to be fully devoted to God and to do all the [...]
Day 107: First Kings 12-14
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, Church, First Kings, Leadership, tagged advice, change, intergenerational ministry, wisdom on December 16, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Healthy organizational change requires sensitive leadership that listens to wise counsel. King Solomon dies, and his son Rehoboam inherits the throne. His people fear that he might be overbearing, so they ask him to take it easy on them. He consults some experienced mentors who served as his father’s advisors, but he doesn’t like their [...]
Day 106: First Kings 10-11
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, First Kings, Leadership, Spiritual Disciplines, tagged purpose of leadership, Queen of Sheba, Solomon, spirituality on December 15, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
“Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness” (Queen of Sheba to King Solomon, 1 Kings 10:9). Solomon’s wisdom and relationship with God amaze the visiting monarch and fuel his leadership, which is so excellent that his people follow happily; and the purpose of his [...]
Day 105: First Kings 8-9
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, First Kings, tagged God, life, prayer, Solomon, spirituality, Theology on December 14, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Good theology has practical implications. King Solomon and his people have spent seven years building a temple where people can worship God. Upon its completion Solomon leads a prayer of dedication and issues a challenge. Notice two things about the prayer of dedication. First, Solomon remembers God’s goodness and faithfulness. Second, the prayer repeatedly petitions [...]
Day 104: First Kings 6-7
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, First Kings, Holidays, tagged Christmas, God, life, Solomon, spirituality on December 13, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Commercialization consumes Christmas. At least it threatens to. From Black Friday to last-minute shopping on Christmas Eve, my culture worships the stuff god. I like giving presents that make people smile, and I enjoy receiving useful and thoughtful gifts, but Christmas can be more. It can be an opportunity to thank God for blessings (especially [...]
Day 103: First Kings 3-5
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, First Kings, Spiritual Disciplines, tagged discernment, life, Solomon, spirituality, wisdom on December 12, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
You rub a bottle, and a genie pops out and offers to grant you three wishes. What do you request? You sit on Santa’s lap. He asks if you’ve been naughty or nice. Then he asks what you want for Christmas. How do you answer? Of course the Bible says nothing about genies that magically [...]
Day 102: First Kings 1-2
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, First Kings, Leadership, Relationships, tagged Abishag, Adonijah, brotherly love, Solomon on December 11, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Brotherly love isn’t always what it should be. King David dies, and his son Solomon inherits the throne. Adonijah (Solomon’s older half-brother) asks Bathsheba (Solomon’s mother) to ask her son to let Adonijah marry Abishag. Some readers assume Abishag was one of David’s wives, but all we know from the text is that she was [...]
