God declares, “ I the LORD speak the truth; I declare what is right (Isaiah 45:19). And there is no other God like me, a righteous God, a savior, there is none besides me (Isaiah 45:21). Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. By myself, I have sworn, from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: To me, every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance (Isaiah 45:22-23).” As spoken in the scriptures “This is my beloved Son; listen to him (Mark 9:7).”
Jesus proclaimed “ The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel and build your house on the Rock. Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand ( ,26). If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him; Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me John 14:22-24).”
And Solomon stood, after offering a prayer and plea to God, and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying, “Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. Reflecting on God’s word, He promised Jesus to this lost world, who said,” Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:29). Are you with me? Continuing with Solomon’s blessing, Solomon continued to say “Not one word has failed of all God’s good promise, which He spoke by Moses His servant,” (I am adding) and through Jesus, His Son our Lord and Savior. In Solomon’s blessing, he asked, “That God be with them, as He was with their fathers. May He not leave them or forsake them.” Reflecting back in scripture, Moses gave Joshua encouraging words that God will be before him and He would never forsake him, and He would be with him everywhere he would go (Deuteronomy 31:8). Now looking to Jesus, Emmanuel (God with us) will be with us until the end of time (Matthew 28:20), keeping this reflective thought, Jesus, by having the Father give us His gift of the Holy Spirit, who now indwells in all believers, and is God’s presence within us will never leave or forsake us and be everywhere we go (Psalm 139:7-8). Are you still with me? And now, the Holy Spirit helps believers do what Solomon asked, “That God may incline their hearts to Him, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments, statutes, and rules, which He commanded our fathers.” This caused me to reflect on what God had spoken to Ezekiel, “I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God (Ezekiel 11:19-20).
I am almost finished, please bear with me, Solomon then said, “Let these words of mine, with which I have pleaded before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, and may He maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, as each day requires,that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other.” Reflecting on that statement, I will look to Jesus again, who said, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” Are you getting this?
Now let me get back to Solomon, who instructed the people to “Let your heart, therefore, be wholly true to the Lord our God, walking in His statutes and keeping His commandments, as at this day.” These words are for all believers today, tomorrow, and forever. And remember that the Holy Spirit, the helper, will help believers to fulfill what Solomon and God, Himself, instructed through His spoken word to live a purposeful blessed life that pleases God.
Blessings and love from the Father.
Extra reading: 1 Kings 8:54- 61 and reflect on God’s Word and read God’s response to Solomon’s plea and prayer in 1 Kings 9.
Destined to follow Jesus in His ways and teachings
Imitating and demonstrating Jesus’ likeness and glory
Sacrificing their lives for the sake of others
Crucifying the self-daily focusing on what ought to be
Identified as followers who continue His Kingdom mission
Professing what He reveals and speaks
Leading willing hearts and minds to follow the King
Equipped and motivated by His Spirit
Sharing God’s redeeming and reconciling grace
Reading: Matthew 10:7-8
And proclaim as you go, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.
This is part 2 of who the followers of Jesus are and do as found in Matthew chapters 5-7 (ESV). As stated previously, this is the GPS in keeping followers on the right road. The narrow road that Jesus speaks of in Matthew 7:13-14, leading to righteousness, justice, and equity (ESV, Study Bible).
Love your enemies
Pray for those who persecute you
Give to the needy without sounding a trumpet
Pray without using empty phrases with many words.
Forgive others
They do not lay up treasures or serve two masters, God, and money.
They are not to be anxious
Seek the kingdom of God
Not to judge others
They know they can ask God, and He will give them whatever they need
Practice giving, praying, and fasting as their heart reflects their relationship with God
Follow the golden rule, the law of the prophets do unto others what you desire they do unto you.
True believers do the words or teachings of Jesus (Matthew 7:24-27;James 1:22-23; James 2:20-22)
Who are the followers of Jesus? Jesus describes His followers as found in Matthew chapters 5-7 (ESV) and they are:
The salt of the earth
Light of the world
The ones who model and teach the commandments and teach others to do the same, they will be great in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:19).
They do not murder or insult their brothers
They practice Kingdom righteousness which begins inside out, producing a changed heart and new motivations (Romans 6:17;2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5: 22-23; Philippians 2:12; Hebrews 8:10).
Reconcile with one another if need be
Do not commit adultery
They do not swear falsely
Read the chapters for they are considered one’s GPS to stay on course of salvation’s path. Part 2 is forth coming.
A friend stopped me after church and handed me a poem he wanted me to read; like me, he had the poem written on an opened envelope. I surmise a lot of poets or inspirational writers do that, and I am one of them who writes on whatever is available. I skimmed over it, and to encourage him to continue to write, I told him I would print the inspirational in my blog. After reviewing and editing what he wrote, I met with him to review his work before I print it and informed him that I added scriptures. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV) teaches that believers are to encourage one another and build each other up. So here is my brother in Christ, inspirational thought.
A Rainbow
by David Gertin
There is something about a rainbow. Does truth have a color? Does righteousness have a color? Does life have a color? Does integrity have a color? Does love have a color?
No! Yet, they come in every color. Does not a rainbow shine in the brilliance of the heavens? Does the rainbow come from the light or the darkness? Does it not come from above from the Kingdom of heaven? Is not the rainbow beautiful? There is something about a rainbow.
Hatred, lust, murder, racism, addictions, and sexual immorality do they not come from the darkness and the flesh? Do these things shine or emit light? Do they arise to teach the truth? Can they stand in the light of the presence of God? Should light not dispense the darkness and the darkness fall away! He writes an answer, a problem solved, a dispute resolved. The color of Jesus, a rainbow.
Reading: Revelation 10:1
He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above His head; His face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars, and He gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When He shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke.
I couldn’t make up my mind the other morning where to eat breakfast, should I eat at Eggs Up, Shoney’s, the hospital cafeteria that was nearby or IHOP, I chose IHOP.
How about I’m the only person in IHOP and the one person who does all the work, cooking, cleaning, and preparing the restaurant for the day.
As I entered I asked her jokingly has the end come? She smiled. While she was walking me to my booth, she started telling me her story saying she left her husband and found a place, she needed 100 to turn her lights on. What do you think I did for her besides praying. Yep, I did what you were thinking. She said “You must be an Angel” thank you mama! Let there be light! Before I left the weirdest thing happened the lights started blinking. Hmm did IHOP pay their light bill!
Reading: Matthew 5:16
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Wind Gust 