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Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can govern this people of yours, which is so great?” 2 Chronicles 1:10 (ESV)

We learn a good lessons form King Solomon about one of the key things we should be asking God for in prayer, wisdom. We need wisdom to govern our own lives, for our family life, ministry and work.

We need to be humble like Solomon and admit we do not have wisdom and so ask God to grant it to us. We read in James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

The wisdom that God gives is better than the wisdom of the world. In James 3:13–17  we read “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.”

The house that I am to build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods. 2 Chronicles 2:5 (ESV)

Our God is great and so when we do something for God’s glory we should not do it in a half hearted way, or be slap dash and messy. We should seek to give God our very best and do great works for him.

We should have an attitude to do things for God with excellence and need to be willing to do big things for God in faith because God is great and so what we do for him should bring him great glory.

Jesus taught us that those that have much, more will be given to them in context to faithful working for the Lord in his kingdom in Matthew 25:28–29 “So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to make offerings before him? 2 Chronicles 2:6 (ESV)

This is one of the things we understand about God, God is not just located in one place he is everywhere at the same time, his being is unlike any other. God alone is omnipresent. God is in all places at all times.

God created time and space when he created the universe so God is not bound by time or space, he is the transcendent creator, he inhabits eternity and is both outside and inside time and space.

This understanding should help us to live for him because there is no place that any of us can hide from God.

He set up the pillars in front of the temple, one on the south, the other on the north; that on the south he called Jachin, and that on the north Boaz. 2 Chronicles 3:17 (ESV)

Jachin means “he establishes” and Boaz means “in him is strength” the symbolic meaning of these two names is significant. They speak of the temple not being merely the work of a man but something established by God’s strength. Whatever we do for the Lord should be established by Gods strength not ours.

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, Titus 1:1 (ESV)

Paul is a servant and Apostle not for the world but specifically for God’s elect and his mission is to build them up in their faith and knowledge of the truth as well as teaching them to live holy lives.

We should be encouraged that once we are saved God does not leave us to ourselves, we are his elect, chosen before the world began, we are precious to him and God gives us leaders like our own Pastors to ensure we grow to God’s glory and our joy

in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began Titus 1:2 (ESV)

This helps us to understand the plan of the ages, God planned before he created the world that he would save the elect and give them the gift of eternal life.

Our salvation was not an after thought or a knee jerk reaction, God planned for our salvation before the world began, that thought should fill us with awe and worship.

and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior; Titus 1:3 (ESV)

The preaching of God’s word is so important, it is through the preaching of God’s word that we grow in knowledge of the truth and through which Gods plans and mysteries are made known. We should eagerly sit under the preaching of God’s word every week at church.

To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. Titus 1:4 (ESV)

Further evidence that God the Father and Jesus Christ are equal. In the previous verse Paul mentions God our Saviour and now he says Christ Jesus our Saviour. This is not modalism (God in various modes as Father, as Son as Spirit but not a trinity) as the oneness pentecostals teach because they are referred to distinctly as two separate persons, this is the biblical teaching that God is a trinity, one God in three distinct persons.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91:1–2 (ESV)

God is our refuge. Jesus calls us to abide in him in John 15:9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.”

He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. Psalm 91:4 (ESV)

We can have complete confidence in God’s faithfulness to himself and the words he has spoken

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. Psalm 91:11 (ESV)

We can trust that God’s angels are God’s servants who minster on our behalf as we read in Hebrews 1:14 “Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?”

Yet the LORD God of Israel chose me from all my father’s house to be king over Israel forever. For he chose Judah as leader, and in the house of Judah my father’s house, and among my father’s sons he took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel. 1 Chronicles 28:4 (ESV)

David recognises a key truth revealed in Gods word, namely Gods purpose in sovereign election. God elected Israel as a people and David as king not because of good they had done but to bring God pleasure and for God’s glory.

Paul reminds us in Ephesians 1:4–6 “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.”

In a day when mans own power and choice is exalted, the teaching of God’s sovereign election seems alien but it is clearly taught in Gods word and is the way that our God has chosen to work out his purposes and save us his people as our King.

Now therefore in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God, observe and seek out all the commandments of the LORD your God, that you may possess this good land and leave it for an inheritance to your children after you forever. 1 Chronicles 28:8 (ESV)

Alongside Gods election we are called to make our calling and election sure by obeying God’s commands just like David charges the people to seek out and observe God’s commands to secure the land for themselves and a heritage for their Children.

Peter reminds us in 2 Peter 1:10 “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.”

We should not be complacent because God has chosen us, there are rewards in this life and heaven to be gained and we need to work towards those rewards. We were not chosen to simply live in ease and to seek our own glory, no, we were chosen to bring glory to God.

We should live with our inheritance in mind. Jesus taught us in Matthew 6:20 “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

“And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. 1 Chronicles 28:9 (ESV)

When we follow the Lord we do not leave our brains at the door. God created our minds and want us to serve him with our mind, we should seek him in his word and as we study and read. Alongside a mind geared towards actively seeking God we should have hearts which are wholly dedicated to the Lord passionately and joyfully serving him with all our heart, soul and mind as the greatest commandment teaches us.

Jesus tell us in Matthew 22:37 “And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the LORD God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.  1 Chronicles 28:20 (ESV)

As mentioned in verse 10 we should be bold and courageous as we seek to serve the Lord for the very fact that he has chosen us for this purpose and is living in us working through us.

We should feel encouraged to be finishers, to not give up and to get the job done because God is with us.

Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 2 Timothy 4:18 (ESV)

This is very encouraging but must be taken in context Paul is not excluding any evil that might be done to him rather the power of evil to bring about his final destruction.

This is why Paul mentions the heavenly kingdom because this verse is not about having a life free from difficulty and suffering but is actually about the ultimate security and assurance we have in Jesus.

Another contextual clue is all the evil that Paul mentioned enduring in the verses before. Paul is encouraged by God standing with him that God will bring him through to the heavenly kingdom despite the schemes of men and devils.

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. Psalm 90:2 (ESV)

This verse declares the Aseity (through himself) of God. Aseity is not a word we use in everyday conversation but is the best word to describe the attribute of God which speaks of God’s eternal self existence. Gods revealed name Yahweh (I Am That I Am) holds this attribute as central to Gods being.

God is the only one who has Aseity.

The following quotes on God’s Aseity are good to mediate on from “God: His Knowability, Essence, and Attributes, A Dogmatic Treatise”.

“Aseity is that divine attribute in virtue of which God exists by Himself, in Himself, and through Himself. In English it is generally called “self-existence…Here the enormous difference between Divine Being and created being again becomes manifest. God is being, the creature has being….Both Holy Scripture and Tradition teach that aseity is an attribute proper to God, and to God alone”

You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!” Psalm 90:3 (ESV)

God created man from the dust of the ground, not from monkeys. This should humble us, we are not self existing like God. Evolutions is absurd.

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12 (ESV)

God is self existent, man is not, in light of this we need to number our days, this means we need to use our time and energy wisely because our lives are short and finite, even 80 years is not a long period of time so we need to like Moses (the one who wrote this Psalm) ask God to teach us to use or lives well so that we receive a reward and inheritance.

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands! Psalm 90:17 (ESV)

Only God who is self existent can allow our work to to be established, we are just dust and finite, God can make our work out last us.

Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peullethai the eighth, for God blessed him. 1 Chronicles 26:5 (ESV)

We remember Obed-edom from a few chapters back, when the Ark was returned it was left at his home and God’s presence through the Ark brought great blessing to his life.

The Chronicler wants the people to remember the special significance of this man who had the tangible presence of God in his life, was blessed and his being blessed by God made hime a faithful and eager servant of God.

It is of note that he had 8 sons which is a number associated with new beginning and would just speak of the abundance of God’s blessing in his life. This would be a great encouragement for those coming out of exile.

We learn from this that God wants to bless us too as we live in his presence and serve like Obed-edom. God’s presence is so important in our lives, as we live in the presence of God and he lives in us, we will be fruitful, it is a promise because he is the very source of life.

Jesus said in John 15:4–5 “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself….”

All these were of the sons of Obed-edom with their sons and brothers, able men qualified for the service; sixty-two of Obed-edom. 1 Chronicles 26:8 (ESV)

Again we see the fruitfulness of Obed-edom’s life, from his children and grandchildren came these men of great ability, able and qualified for service. As we read yesterday it is the precious word of God as found in the words of the bible that equip us for service in Gods kingdom 2 Timothy 3:16-17

The third commander, for the third month, was Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada the chief priest; in his division were 24,000. This is the Benaiah who was a mighty man of the thirty and in command of the thirty; Ammizabad his son was in charge of his division. 1 Chronicles 27:5–6 (ESV)

Benaiah stands out for special mention again, he was the 3rd of 12 commanders each over 24,000 men. Benaiah is remembered for his courageous and loyal service for the king, he serves as an example for us.

Again it is of note that each of the commanders, one for each month of the year were each over 24,000 men. Every time we see the number 24 we should see God’s order and the 24 hours of the day.

As soldiers in God’s army we are called to be on duty 24 hours a day and to have the order of God in our lives as mentioned yesterday.

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 2 Timothy 4:3–4 (ESV)

Teaching matters! We are all students and in ways we are all teachers too so we need to be careful in a general sense with the things we take in and give out. However that is not the type of teaching being spoken about here.

In the passage Paul is talking about explicit Christian teaching or doctrine. Our faith is not a mystical, make it up as you go along faith, it is one that is established in the truth of God and has teaching at the heart of its life.

Jesus came and was a teacher, and Jesus calls us all to teach in the great commission but in particular our leaders teach us Gods word and ways.

Today many do not want to sit under sound teaching, instead they gather around teachers who tell them what they want to hear, preachers who only say things like God has a great plan for you. Being “seeker friendly” is wrong.

We must be people who love faithful bible teaching and have an appetite for God’s word and truth. We should prize the faithful exposition of God’s word.

As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 2 Timothy 4:5 (ESV)

Although these instructions are for a church leader we are all called to evangelise in line with the great commission

Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:8 (ESV)

This is a great encouragement and hope which should spur us on to fight the good fight, finish the race and above all keep the faith like Paul.

We will receive a crown, a reward from our king, the righteous Judge for faithful service. God doesn’t have to award us but he choses to out of the abundance of his love for us.

God is the very source of life, abiding in him and serving him can only lead to fruitfulness in this life and in eternity. Faith in God’s future grace should fill us with joy and encouragement today, our labour is not in vain, there is a crown waiting for us. Glory be to God, he didn’t have to do it but he did.

but I will not remove from him my steadfast love or be false to my faithfulness. I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips. Psalm 89:33–34 (ESV)

We can thank God today for his steadfast, firm love for us and the fact that he has bound himself to us in covenant, the new covenant in Jesus and he will not forsake it. We can trust in his faithfulness to his own words.

This is why teaching is important as we read earlier because God is faithful to his word. We should abide in his love and we will see the fruitfulness he promised.

the twenty-third to Delaiah, the twenty-fourth to Maaziah. 1 Chronicles 24:18 (ESV)

There are quite specifically 24 divisions of the decedents of Aaron the high priest.

Each division would have their turn to serve in the ministry of the temple each year (with the lunar calendar consisting of only 48 weeks each group would serve twice yearly for a week each time).

This points forward to the 24 elders we see in Revelation 4:4. 24 like 12 speaks of Gods government and order.

We find application in two way, the first is that we serve a God of order and planning not mess and spontaneous diversions. We must order our lives according to Gods word and his ways in line with his Spirit.

One way to order our lives is to be faithful in waking each morning at a certain time for prayer and study and even going to bed by a certain time. This sense of order and planning should filter across into every area of our lives.

The other application is that we are not part time servants for the Lord, we serve him 24 hours a day. See 1 Peter 3:15

Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah, sons of Asaph, under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied under the direction of the king. 1 Chronicles 25:2 (ESV)

When we read about prophecy in the new testament and its use in everyday life and the church community we are not speaking about prophecy to be taken on the level of the Cannon of Scripture which is closed.

Prophecy is now the bold declaration of the word and truth of God often done in praise and worship. Colossians 3:16

Just like these priest were set up by the King to prophesy with guitars, harps and cymbals in thanksgiving and praise so we should see our times of praise both private and corporate as a time of prophesying the truth and glory of God as expressed in his revealed word. Ephesians 5:19

Like Asaph we should prophecy under the direction of our King Jesus. It is worth noting that Paul encourages us all to prophecy, he doesn’t mean we should all tell the future, he means we should all boldly declare the truth of God’s word and in faith proclaim that which God lays on our hearts in accordance with his word by the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 14:5, 26

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16–17 (ESV)

This is one of the most comforting and important scriptures to me, it strikes at the core of our faith, it is this that gives us the firm ground to stand upon when we say the bible is the inspired, inerrant, infallible word of God.

The cannon is closed this means the time of inspiration and writing of the bible is completed and we have God’s complete revealed word in the bible.

When we say the bible is infallible we mean it is not misleading and so safeguards God’s revealed truth, it is the safe and reliable rule and guide in all matters.

When we say the bible is inerrant we mean it is free from all falsehood or mistakes (translation errors withstanding) so is entirely true and trustworthy in all its assertions.

Some today claim that they have new revelation, new prophecies that are on the level of or above scripture. Infamous claimants include Mohammed (Islam) , Joseph Smith (Mormons), Mary Baker Eddy (Scientology), Charles Taze Russell (JWs) and Ellen G White (7th Day).

The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them. Psalm 89:11 (ESV)

There is no one like our God, he is sovereign and rules not just over heaven but also over the earth

These were the sons of Levi by their fathers’ houses, the heads of fathers’ houses as they were listed according to the number of the names of the individuals from twenty years old and upward who were to do the work for the service of the house of the LORD. 1 Chronicles 23:24 (ESV)

We are a royal priesthood and have been saved for a purpose, we are not saved to sit by and watch the body of Christ working while we do nothing, No, we are called to work in God’s kingdom.

Work has sometimes been understood as a curse but God is always working as Jesus mentions in John 5:17 “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

From the moment man was created, work was part of God’s mandate. Genesis 2:15 states “The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.”

Paul admonishes us to keep ourselves clean so God can use us in 2 Timothy 2:21 “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. “

Peter also reminds us In 1 Peter 2:5-9 that we as “… living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 2 Timothy 3:2–4 (ESV)

Paul’s vice list which he aims at the false teachers and those that follow there errant teaching and evil ways begins with them loving themselves and one of the last sins listed is worldly hedonism (loving pleasure in an evil way), all the other sins mentioned between these two are all to do with self exaltation or pulling others down in some way.

Paul was making a point, that this sort of hedonistic (pleasure seeking), nihilistic (nothing has worth and self destructiveness) and narcissism (self worship) although competing philosophies of life, each will work destruction in the lives of those who do not believe the truth.

False teaching can bring false confidence to the lives of those who believe that sin has no consequence, or that the flesh means nothing (Gnosticism), or that we have no obligation to live in holiness (Antinomianism which is the opposite extreme of legalism).

If we in lazy surrender give ourselves over to live like this, we deny the power of God to keep us.

having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 2 Timothy 3:5 (ESV)

There are some who claim to be Christians who quite consciously live in selfish and sinful ways because of their agreement with some false teaching like the material driven “prosperity gospel” or “easy believism” which says once someone is saved it does not matter what they do after that they will still go to heaven, these beliefs are simply wrong and Paul tells us not to even engage with but to avoid the advocates of this sort of living and corrupted belief.

A belief that keeps us from this sort of error as seen in Paul’s day where they said the resurrection was in the past and they were already fully living in the kingdom of God so sin meant nothing, is our belief in the “Now and Not Yet” of God’s kingdom.

The kingdom is here now in some ways and it is not yet here in other ways, which is why we still have to struggle with sin until the Lords return, when he will bring the kingdom into full effect in the earth as he takes his place on David’s throne in Jerusalem to judge the nations.

always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 2 Timothy 3:7 (ESV)

This should not be our testimony. Unlike the post modern view in western society we do believe that truth is knowable and we have the objective guide of God’s word so that our learning is not futile. Our faith is not fluffy and mystical we have solid firm beliefs which have been made clear in scripture and throughout church history. Yes we claim to KNOW the truth.

O LORD, God of my salvation; I cry out day and night before you. Psalm 88:1 (ESV)

All the man centred philosophies of this world want us to take our eyes of the Lord, we should turn our heart to him and cry out to the God who saved us