UNDER THE RADAR OR BOLD—BOTH WORK FOR GOD!

Posted on September 7, 2025 by randscallawayffm

Many times, we don’t see, much less appreciate, the real heroes in our lives who help and rescue others by who they are and what they do without any thought for themselves.  It is not in their nature to advertise, take pictures, or proclaim their good works, they merely do what God says as they way of life. As people who fully believe and trust God; they are unusably humble and think it a pure privilege to be able to do good works to please God as a habit. These people live just under the radar of everyone’s attention—even to those who oppose their goodness—and can accomplish as much or more than those who live in the limelight of notice and admiration of others.  Obadiah is one of those living under the radar who rescues and saves God’s prophets who are ordered to be slain by an evil king.

We appreciate heroes like Obadiah but when the known world’s leaders are insanely evil, God also sends His “big guns” to declare His power, authority and sovereignty over all He has created.  Elijah is that man whose heart is fully committed to God, the Lord God, who created all and knows us better than we know ourselves.  God intervenes in a mighty and powerful way that humbles kings and false prophets who worship Baal. 

“BRING IT ON!” God seems to say to the king and prophets of Baal—the mere statue.  Elijah, who walks with God, talks with God, hears God. He obeys God by doing exactly as He says with an expectant joy because Elijah knows and trusts that God will prevail over the idol Baal. Look for the bonus—rain comes after years of drought!  Look also for the awesome humor God displays in and through Elijah! 

1 Kings 18

Elijah and Obadiah

After a long time, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.” 2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab.

Now the famine was severe in Samaria, 3 and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, his palace administrator. (Obadiah was a devout believer in the Lord. 4 While Jezebel was killing off the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water.) 5 Ahab had said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive so we will not have to kill any of our animals.” 6 So they divided the land they were to cover, Ahab going in one direction and Obadiah in another.

7 As Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized him, bowed down to the ground, and said, “Is it really you, my lord Elijah?”

8 “Yes,” he replied. “Go tell your master, ‘Elijah is here.’”

9 “What have I done wrong,” asked Obadiah, “that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to be put to death? 10 As surely as the Lord your God lives, there is not a nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to look for you. And whenever a nation or kingdom claimed you were not there, he made them swear they could not find you. 11 But now you tell me to go to my master and say, ‘Elijah is here.’ 12 I don’t know where the Spirit of the Lord may carry you when I leave you. If I go and tell Ahab and he doesn’t find you, he will kill me. Yet I your servant have worshiped the Lord since my youth. 13 Haven’t you heard, my lord, what I did while Jezebel was killing the prophets of the Lord? I hid a hundred of the Lord’s prophets in two caves, fifty in each, and supplied them with food and water. 14 And now you tell me to go to my master and say, ‘Elijah is here.’ He will kill me!”

15 Elijah said, “As the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, I will surely present myself to Ahab today.”

Elijah on Mount Carmel

16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17 When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?”

18 “I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you and your father’s family have. You have abandoned the Lord’s commands and have followed the Baals. 19 Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

20 So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”

But the people said nothing.

22 Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. 23 Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. 24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire—he is God.”

Then all the people said, “What you say is good.”

25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.” 26 So they took the bull given them and prepared it.

Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.

27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” 28 So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. 29 Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.” 32 With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33 He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.”

34 “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again.

“Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time. 35 The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.

36 At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37 Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”

38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.

39 When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!”

40 Then Elijah commanded them, “Seize the prophets of Baal. Don’t let anyone get away!” They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.

41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” 42 So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees.

43 “Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked.

“There is nothing there,” he said.

Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”

44 The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.”

So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’”

45 Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. 46 The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

God puts all kinds of people in the right place at the right time for our good but ultimately for His glory to be seen and praised for who He is.  Obadiah, a believer in God, was an administrator to an evil king.  Elijah was a prophet who is walking the countryside, with God leading, declaring the Word of the Lord!  Both are valuable and significant to God!  God provided for both in miraculous ways as they trusted and obeyed His will.  Both are heroes of the faith!

We all are called to be disciples who listen to God with expectant hearts, asking “what’s next, Papa” with a surrendered readiness to do God’s will.  His ways are perfect.   God’s ways are always perfect.  The sooner we realize this truth about God the healthier of lives will be spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally as we grow in our intimate loving relationship with God.  It begins with what is in our hearts.

Jesus provided this relationship.  Jesus, was “the Word made flesh” who moved into the neighborhood of humanity to seek and to save the lost.  Many who knew of God even called Jesus, Elijah!  But they would soon learn that Jesus was much more than a prophet, Master Teacher, Healer, Miracle Worker—Jesus was, is and always will be King Jesus, our Savior—the Promise Kept and fulfilled!  We worship God through Jesus Christ our Lord who reconciled us to God through His sacrifice for our sins.  Pause to dwell in this thought.  Take all they time you need—I am.

Not all of God’s servants are supposed to be in the public eye like Elijah and the other prophets. God has His servants in many places, doing the work He has called them to do. Over the centuries, countless thousands of believers have kept a low profile and yet made great contributions to the cause of Christ and the advancement of His kingdom.  I’m thinking of all my beloved missionary friends who surrendered all for the cause of God—

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17

Lord,

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In Jesus Name, for Your glory, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

NOW I KNOW THE TRUTH!

Posted on September 6, 2025 by randscallawayffm

These are the days of Elijah, Declaring the Word of the Lord

And these are the days of Your servant, Moses

Righteousness being restored

And though these are days of great trials, Of famine and darkness and sword

Still we are the voice in the desert crying, Prepare ye the way of the Lord!

(Composer Robin Mark 1995)

Imagine living in the days of Elijah where civil war between God’s chosen was the constant theme with the kings of both Israel and Judah making the choice to “do evil in the sight of the Lord” or to trust and obey God.  Those who suffered most were the people caught in the crossfire, who lived without, poor and needy, with no way to make a living because of the fallout of war. Their daily lives were lived precariously “on alert,” not knowing who to believe and trust.  Who will tell us the truth?, Was their heartcry.

Even now, I am reminded of the war going on now between Russia and Ukraine as well as the war in Israel today.  This is not a political thought; only of the sadness over moms, dad, and children just trying to survive it all and maintain a living. At times, we might think God does not see what is going on, hear the cries for help, or simply does not care but realize this is exactly what the Enemy of God wants us to think. God has not given up His supreme authority over all He has created. God is always at work among a people He has bestowed free will to choose Him or the Enemy.

And these are the days of Ezekiel, The dry bones becoming as flesh

And these are the days of Your servant, David

Rebuilding a temple of praise

And these are the days of the harvest, The fields are as white in the world

And we are the laborers in Your vineyard, Declaring the Word of the Lord

In the days of Elijah, warring, arrogant kings have decided to worship idols. They will sacrifice all they have, even their own children, to Baal’s statue and to other godless idols of the day.  The spoils of war by the kings and commanders are squandered on evil, detestable practices in dark places while the common people go hungry.  But God has a plan—THE PLAN—Jesus who is the Way, Truth, and Life!  The plan was in place since Adam and Eve, the first to fall from their pure relationship with God.  Jesus is on His way.

Behold He comes, riding on the clouds, Shining like the sun, at the trumpet call

Lift your voice, it’s the year of Jubilee, And out of Zion’s hill salvation comes!

Keep this in mind as we read of “kings and kingdoms who will all pass away.” Focus in to magnify the works of God through His prophets who are sent to herald the coming of Christ who will redeem a repentant people!  Miracles will happen to and through His prophets who boldly and relentlessly speak for God! 

1 Kings 17

Elijah Announces a Great Drought

Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.”

Elijah Fed by Ravens

2 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: 3 “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. 4 You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.”

5 So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.

Elijah and the Widow at Zarephath

7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” 10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”                 

12 “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”

13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”

15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.

17 Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. 18 She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?”

19 “Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. 20 Then he cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?” 21 Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!”

22 The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. 23 Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive!”

24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW WILL WE RESPOND?

Elijah was the first of many important prophets God sent to warn Israel and Judah as the two kingdoms fell away from God. Israel especially needed these prophets because of an evil king and unfaithful priests.  But there was remnant of faithful people, (there’s always a few), who still believe in the Living God who hears them.  The poor widow was one of them. The widow demonstrated her faith by feeding the prophet with her last meal. Not only, we noticed that she gave Elijah a place, an upper room, to stay!  Her devotion would later lead to her son being restored to life!  After all, they had enough to eat!  Yes, there’s no one like Jehovah!

It was the same in the days when Jesus walked the earth, many were tired, poor, oppressed by government and religious rule makers and breakers. They, too probably were wondering if God was hearing their cries for help. God heard before their prayers were fully formed and had an answer for whoever believed.  God sent His Son to come and to seek the lost, tell them the Truth, redeem, and save all who would believe in Him. Their answer would be the same as the widow’s, “now, I know…” To all who believed, God gave the gift of eternal Life with Him! All repentant sins gone forever!  That same Jesus sets us free when we bring all we are and all we have to Him for forgiveness and healing of all that is broken within us. 

Surrender.  Pray in faith believing that His will be done will always be His best for us.  There’s no one like Jehovah God!

If you are still asking, but does God really care…read this story again!  We serve the God who designed the universe and set our world in motion. But those hands that created all, even us in His own image, knows us by name, also bends down to wipe away the tears of the widow. And those hands will wipe away our tears as well.  Tears come to me now, remembering how God healed my broken heart, removed my sins, turning my mess into a Message to proclaim His glorious works!  He works continuously to shape me in ways to be used to help others who are searching for Truth!  There’s no one like Jehovah!

Jesus Christ is not only bore our sins he still bears our sorrows.  “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted,” our Savior proclaims!  (Matthew 5:4) He still wipes away the tears of all who are hurting. So, run to God, who calls us Friend, who sticks closer than a brother. Allow His gift of His Holy Spirit living in us to guide us to all that is truth!

In our “days of Elijah” of seeking Truth; we discover that the most important relationship we will ever have and must cling to is with Jesus Christ who is Truth. It is Jesus who demonstrated the love God has for us by dying for us, even before we repented. He is the One, the Only One, who gives us full access to the throne of God. His sacrifice was for the redemption of all the sins of the world! He took our place so that our debt of sin could be paid in full. It is not God’s desire to leave anyone left behind…to all who believe the gift of eternal life is given.  There’s no god like Jehovah, indeed!  Soon He’s coming back to claim His own!

“Behold He comes, riding on the clouds, Shining like the sun, at the trumpet call

Lift your voice, it’s the year of Jubilee, And out of Zion’s hill salvation comes!”

“He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4

Come, Lord Jesus, Come…Now and forever, You are Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords! Thank you, Father God. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Holy Spirit!

In Jesus Name, Yes, and Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

EVIL MONOPOLIZES THE KINGS OF ISRAEL

Posted on September 5, 2025 by randscallawayffm

Bad reps are hard to overcome!  New to the community, Randy and I began to get to know the people in the neighborhood that surrounded the church he was called to lead as pastor.  We had spent a few weeks getting the know the people inside the walls of the church before going outside the church.  It was interesting what many of those we met related to us.  When you want to know how to reach the needs of the community; it is quickest to just ask them!  However, the most often heard statement made was; “Oh yeah, I know that church, I used to go there but…” Then they would relate what the church did that disappointed them and hurt them deeply.  (Sigh)

From the outside this church had everything going for it—beautiful worship center, more than enough parking, well cared for, with a great location!  It was a “church on a hill” that you could not miss!  But on the inside the people gossiped wildly, demanded their own ways, worshiped tradition more than God Himself!  They did “good things” to look good to each other and to the community. They confused holiness with previous traditions of being a busy church, handed down by their parents. They insisted in doing things in the same way even though it was not successful in outreach.  They wanted a preacher who would merely be their chaplain who maintained the status quo. 

It was a rough assignment for us.  The reputation the church had created was hard to overcome.  The evil within had to be rooted out and seen as evil.  We sought God’s will and plan continually for this place at that time.  As the prophets of God before us, we never gave up but did grow weary until God said to move on. 

But nothing is impossible with God! If only His people, called by His Name, come and humble themselves before Him and ask what HE wants for His church who are commanded by Him to go and tell—not sit and stew.  We are commanded to teach disciples, baptizing them in His Name for His glory as their witness of a changed life—not gossip about who is not good enough to enter the doors of His church!  This was years ago, in a time long ago, but I relate this past experience so that we may all take stock and evaluate our hearts often.

The kings of Isreal were many and could not hold their positions for long. Their reputation according to God’s Word; “they did evil in the eyes of the Lord.” God commanded His people through Moses; “You will have no other idols before Me.”  (Exodus 20)  Israel’s kings set that commandment aside along with many others to build shrines to accommodate their desires to do evil.  How our Enemy must love that…(sigh)

Before we read and judge, we recall that we are not always perfect as believers who love God back. But we are perfectly forgiven. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” However, “God showed us his love in this way; while we were yet sinners Christ died for our sins.” God’s kindness, love, mercy, and grace lead us to repentance of our sins!  (Romans 3:23, Romans 5:8, Romans 2:4)

We cannot be and do what God wants as His best for us without His help.  God knows exactly who we needed—a part of Him living in us!  We are given the gift of God’s Holy Spirit to help us with each step of our journey with Him.  God requires us to “seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him” according to Micah, the prophet. But how?

Jesus teaches us how to walk with God.  He is the Word made flesh to show us how!  Jesus commands us to seek God first, be still before Him, turn all of our attention to Him, seek His will, ask for His wisdom, then listen intently to Him before doing anything of significance in His Name! 

I don’t know about you, but I pray that at the end of my life, Jesus will say, “she had her Father’s eyes.”   (A song of my past by Amy Grant that still touches my heart of hearts today.)  We avoid, at all costs, being known as a people of God “who did evil in the eyes of the Lord” and worse yet, caused others to sin, too! Yikes! 

1 Kings 16

Then the word of the Lord came to Jehu son of Hanani concerning Baasha: 2 “I lifted you up from the dust and appointed you ruler over my people Israel, but you followed the ways of Jeroboam and caused my people Israel to sin and to arouse my anger by their sins. 3 So I am about to wipe out Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat. 4 Dogs will eat those belonging to Baasha who die in the city, and birds will feed on those who die in the country.”

5 As for the other events of Baasha’s reign, what he did and his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 6 Baasha rested with his ancestors and was buried in Tirzah. And Elah his son succeeded him as king.

7 Moreover, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Jehu son of Hanani to Baasha and his house, because of all the evil he had done in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger by the things he did, becoming like the house of Jeroboam—and also because he destroyed it.

Elah King of Israel

8 In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah son of Baasha became king of Israel, and he reigned in Tirzah two years.

9 Zimri, one of his officials, who had command of half his chariots, plotted against him. Elah was in Tirzah at the time, getting drunk in the home of Arza, the palace administrator at Tirzah. 10 Zimri came in, struck him down and killed him in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah. Then he succeeded him as king.

11 As soon as he began to reign and was seated on the throne, he killed off Baasha’s whole family. He did not spare a single male, whether relative or friend. 12 So Zimri destroyed the whole family of Baasha, in accordance with the word of the Lord spoken against Baasha through the prophet Jehu— 13 because of all the sins Baasha and his son Elah had committed and had caused Israel to commit, so that they aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, by their worthless idols.

14 As for the other events of Elah’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?

Zimri King of Israel

15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned in Tirzah seven days. The army was encamped near Gibbethon, a Philistine town. 16 When the Israelites in the camp heard that Zimri had plotted against the king and murdered him, they proclaimed Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that very day there in the camp. 17 Then Omri and all the Israelites with him withdrew from Gibbethon and laid siege to Tirzah. 18 When Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the royal palace and set the palace on fire around him. So he died, 19 because of the sins he had committed, doing evil in the eyes of the Lord and following the ways of Jeroboam and committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.

20 As for the other events of Zimri’s reign, and the rebellion he carried out, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?

Omri King of Israel

21 Then the people of Israel were split into two factions; half supported Tibni son of Ginath for king, and the other half supported Omri. 22 But Omri’s followers proved stronger than those of Tibni son of Ginath. So Tibni died and Omri became king.

23 In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned twelve years, six of them in Tirzah. 24 He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver and built a city on the hill, calling it Samaria, after Shemer, the name of the former owner of the hill.

25 But Omri did evil in the eyes of the Lord and sinned more than all those before him. 26 He followed completely the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat, committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit, so that they aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, by their worthless idols.

27 As for the other events of Omri’s reign, what he did and the things he achieved, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 28 Omri rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. And Ahab his son succeeded him as king.

Ahab Becomes King of Israel

29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel twenty-two years. 30 Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him. 31 He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him. 32 He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria. 33 Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to arouse the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than did all the kings of Israel before him.

34 In Ahab’s time, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. He laid its foundations at the cost of his firstborn son Abiram, and he set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, in accordance with the word of the Lord spoken by Joshua son of Nun.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

The author of 1 Kings recounted the lives of seven evil kings. Only one king, Asa, did what was right in God’s eyes. God blessed him with long life.  King Asa undoubtedly faced opposition as he tore down his nation’s idols. He made unpopular decisions but continued to do what was right.  While Israel is playing “king of the hill” with many kings coming and going; King Asa of Judah is quietly but boldly leading, “doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord.” Even though there is less land area to manage, King Asa makes treaties to maintain peace over Judah. Do we see the difference God makes in lives?

Max Lucado writes;

As long as you are stationary, no one will complain. Dogs don’t bark at parked cars. But as soon as you accelerate—once you step out of drunkenness into sobriety, dishonesty into integrity, or lethargy into compassion—expect the yapping to begin. Expect to be criticized. Expect to be mocked. Expect to be persecuted.

So how can we prepare ourselves? Simple. Imitate the disciples. Linger long and often in the presence of Christ. Meditate on his grace. Ponder his love. Memorize his words. Gaze into his face. Talk to him. Courage comes as we live with Jesus.

Are you willing to stand up for your faith? Think about the people and circumstances that might challenge your standards of humor, entertainment, or activities, and plan how you can respond.—Lucado, Encouraging Word Bible

Lord, I’m yours and I’m listening. In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

SOME WERE GOOD AND SOME WERE BAD

Posted on September 4, 2025 by randscallawayffm

Twelve men went to spy out Canaan,
(Ten were bad, two were good)
What do you think they saw in Canaan?
(Ten were bad, two were good)
Some saw giants, big and tall!
Some saw grapes in clusters fall,
Some saw God was in it all.
(Ten were bad, two were good).

Moses sent twelve spies, one from each of Israel’s tribes, to explore the land of Canaan, a mission described in the book of Numbers 13. The spies were given the mission to assess the Promised Land’s fruitfulness and the strength of its inhabitants, but while they confirmed the land flowed with milk and honey, like God had promised, the majority brought back a negative report, focusing on the giants and fortified cities, leading to a 40-year period of wandering in the wilderness for the Israelites. The wandering was a result of their lack of trust in God who led them all that He had promised to them. 

God’s people are still wandering, relying on their own strength, to live life.  Idols they can see have taken the place of living in God’s Holy Presence. Instead of people like Moses who led them in the past, God’s people demanded kings to rule over them “like other nations.”  God gave them what they asked for and allowed them to live with the consequences of their decisions.  Throughout the history of Israel some kings “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” and “some were aligned with evil—doing all things detestable and dishonoring to God. God’s people followed whoever was in charge at the time—a kind of “king of the hill” situation.  Whoever survived the climb to the top of the heap of humanity ruled until they were pushed off the top. But God was still evolving His Plan.  When it seems like God is not watching; He is. God is preparing the world for a King greater David, greater than anyone they could possibly imagine! God’s prophets will give real clues for His coming. But in the meantime, God’s people who wanted kings are now living with the consequences of getting what they asked.

I Kings 15

Abijah King of Judah

In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah became king of Judah, 2 and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Maakah daughter of Abishalom.

3 He committed all the sins his father had done before him; his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his forefather had been. 4 Nevertheless, for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and by making Jerusalem strong. 5 For David had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord and had not failed to keep any of the Lord’s commands all the days of his life—except in the case of Uriah the Hittite.

6 There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam throughout Abijah’s lifetime. 7 As for the other events of Abijah’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 8 And Abijah rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. And Asa his son succeeded him as king.

Asa King of Judah

9 In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king of Judah, 10 and he reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. His grandmother’s name was Maakah daughter of Abishalom.

11 Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David had done. 12 He expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his ancestors had made. 13 He even deposed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 14 Although he did not remove the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life. 15 He brought into the temple of the Lord the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.

16 There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns. 17 Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah.

18 Asa then took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of his own palace. He entrusted it to his officials and sent them to Ben-Hadad son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, the king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus. 19 “Let there be a treaty between me and you,” he said, “as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you a gift of silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so he will withdraw from me.”

20 Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. He conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maakah and all Kinnereth in addition to Naphtali. 21 When Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah and withdrew to Tirzah. 22 Then King Asa issued an order to all Judah—no one was exempt—and they carried away from Ramah the stones and timber Baasha had been using there. With them King Asa built up Geba in Benjamin, and also Mizpah.

23 As for all the other events of Asa’s reign, all his achievements, all he did and the cities he built, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? In his old age, however, his feet became diseased. 24 Then Asa rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of his father David. And Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king.

Nadab King of Israel

25 Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. 26 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of his father and committing the same sin his father had caused Israel to commit.

27 Baasha son of Ahijah from the tribe of Issachar plotted against him, and he struck him down at Gibbethon, a Philistine town, while Nadab and all Israel were besieging it. 28 Baasha killed Nadab in the third year of Asa king of Judah and succeeded him as king.

29 As soon as he began to reign, he killed Jeroboam’s whole family. He did not leave Jeroboam anyone that breathed, but destroyed them all, according to the word of the Lord given through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite. 30 This happened because of the sins Jeroboam had committed and had caused Israel to commit, and because he aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel.

31 As for the other events of Nadab’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 32 There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns.

Baasha King of Israel

33 In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king of all Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned twenty-four years. 34 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of Jeroboam and committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

We can learn much about God between the lines of these recorded generational kings and kingdoms.  The main lesson we learn is that through it all, not matter the circumstances; God is still watching over His people with great love, care, and concern.  There will be times when God must discipline who He loves so they may rise from their fall to see God for who He really is.

God is also preparing all nations for the coming of His Son, Jesus, Promised Messiah, who would reconcile whoever believed in Him to God. Complete forgiveness will be provided by His Son, who died on a cruel cross. Yes, Jesus, Promised Messiah, willingly laid down His life for ours—may we never forget! Sins are removed by the spilling of His blood once and for all. THEN on the third day—Jesus defeated death and left the borrowed grave to appear fully alive and well to many of his disciples and other followers who would report all that they had seen.  Hope—our Living Hope! 

We believe because those who saw with their own eyes believed and obeyed the commandment of Jesus to go and teach others! (Matthew 28:20)

But, in the meantime, kings come and go. There are reasons we must learn from what God does in and through them.  Look for the kings who seek, trust, and obey God—their lives and the lives of the people they rule see the Light that guides them to truth. 

The northern kingdom of Israel had nine dynasties in about 250 years, while the southern kingdom faithfully maintained the Davidic dynasty for 350 years—and that was the dynasty from which the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of David, would come (See Matthew 1:1). With all of its faults, the kingdom of Judah was identified with the true and living God, practiced authorized worship in the temple, and had kings in the line of David.

With whom do we identify?

Who do we long to be with, think about most, and idolize in our daily lives?

“In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.” Daniel 2:44 Daniel, prophet of God, spoke while in captivity for living a devoted life with God.

“Then the end will come, when he (Jesus) hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.” 1 Corinthians 15:24

“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. —Paul, 1 Corinthians 15:56-57

In the beginning, middle, and end—God wins!

“Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
There’s just something about that Name.
Master, Savior, Jesus,
Like the fragrance after the rain.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
Let all heaven and earth proclaim,
Kings and kingdoms will pass away,
But there’s something about that Name.”

(Bill and Gloria Gaither, Composers)

Lord,

Thank you for bringing our lives into your stories of past kings. Some followed you; some did not. It is the same today because of your freedom to choose.  I choose you. I love you because you first loved me.  I offer my life to you again today. Lead me, teach me, show me all you that you want for my life.  My identity is in you.  I am nothing much without you.  You are Life to me!  You are my everything!  Give me wisdom to seek you first, love you back as I love others like you love us.  May I grow in your love as we grow in our relationship.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A HOUSE DIVIDED

Posted on September 3, 2025 by randscallawayffm

Quarrels within a family over trivial matters lead to sins of division that can tear the family apart if there is no intervention to bring peace. Satan, our real enemy, (not each other), tempts us to demand our own way which leads to division.  When we fall for this temptation to turn our hearts from following the example of Christ who put others’ interests ahead of His own, it affects everyone.

“A house divided cannot stand” means division can happen to family or to any group or entity suffering from internal conflict, disagreements, with lack of unity with purpose among its members and will eventually fail or fall apart. While the phrase was famously used by Abraham Lincoln to describe the sectional divisions over slavery in the United States, its origin is from the Bible. Appearing in the synoptic gospels, we read Jesus telling the Pharisees and other religious leaders what this means for God’s people.  In Matthew 12:25 Jesus teaches; “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand”. Jesus is responding to the Pharisees who accused him of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul.  Read all of Matthew 12 for context to get the full picture of Jesus’ explanation to his accusers who declare Jesus is of the devil.  Jesus uses the analogy to show that if Satan’s kingdom were divided, it couldn’t stand, thus disproving their accusation.

“But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.” –Jesus, Matthew 12:25-28

The kingdom of Israel is divided between two kings: Jeroboam, (Israel) and Rehoboam, (Judah).  This division will be costly to God’s people from top to bottom, inside out, and outside in.

1 Kings 14

Ahijah’s Prophecy Against Jeroboam

At that time Abijah son of Jeroboam became ill, 2 and Jeroboam said to his wife, “Go, disguise yourself, so you won’t be recognized as the wife of Jeroboam. Then go to Shiloh. Ahijah the prophet is there—the one who told me I would be king over this people. 3 Take ten loaves of bread with you, some cakes and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy.” 4 So Jeroboam’s wife did what he said and went to Ahijah’s house in Shiloh.

Now Ahijah could not see; his sight was gone because of his age. 5 But the Lord had told Ahijah, “Jeroboam’s wife is coming to ask you about her son, for he is ill, and you are to give her such and such an answer. When she arrives, she will pretend to be someone else.”

6 So when Ahijah heard the sound of her footsteps at the door, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why this pretense? I have been sent to you with bad news. 7 Go, tell Jeroboam that this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I raised you up from among the people and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 8 I tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, but you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commands and followed me with all his heart, doing only what was right in my eyes. 9 You have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made for yourself other gods, idols made of metal; you have aroused my anger and turned your back on me.

10 “‘Because of this, I am going to bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam. I will cut off from Jeroboam every last male in Israel—slave or free. I will burn up the house of Jeroboam as one burns dung, until it is all gone. 11 Dogs will eat those belonging to Jeroboam who die in the city, and the birds will feed on those who die in the country. The Lord has spoken!’

12 “As for you, go back home. When you set foot in your city, the boy will die. 13 All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. He is the only one belonging to Jeroboam who will be buried, because he is the only one in the house of Jeroboam in whom the Lord, the God of Israel, has found anything good.

14 “The Lord will raise up for himself a king over Israel who will cut off the family of Jeroboam. Even now this is beginning to happen. 15 And the Lord will strike Israel, so that it will be like a reed swaying in the water. He will uproot Israel from this good land that he gave to their ancestors and scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, because they aroused the Lord’s anger by making Asherah poles. 16 And he will give Israel up because of the sins Jeroboam has committed and has caused Israel to commit.”

17 Then Jeroboam’s wife got up and left and went to Tirzah. As soon as she stepped over the threshold of the house, the boy died. 18 They buried him, and all Israel mourned for him, as the Lord had said through his servant the prophet Ahijah.

19 The other events of Jeroboam’s reign, his wars and how he ruled, are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel. 20 He reigned for twenty-two years and then rested with his ancestors. And Nadab his son succeeded him as king.

Rehoboam King of Judah

21 Rehoboam son of Solomon was king in Judah. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel in which to put his Name. His mother’s name was Naamah; she was an Ammonite.

22 Judah did evil in the eyes of the Lord. By the sins they committed they stirred up his jealous anger more than those who were before them had done. 23 They also set up for themselves high places, sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree. 24 There were even male shrine prostitutes in the land; the people engaged in all the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites.

25 In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem. 26 He carried off the treasures of the temple of the Lord and the treasures of the royal palace. He took everything, including all the gold shields Solomon had made. 27 So King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them and assigned these to the commanders of the guard on duty at the entrance to the royal palace. 28 Whenever the king went to the Lord’s temple, the guards bore the shields, and afterward they returned them to the guardroom.

29 As for the other events of Rehoboam’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 30 There was continual warfare between Rehoboam and Jeroboam. 31 And Rehoboam rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David. His mother’s name was Naamah; she was an Ammonite. And Abijah his son succeeded him as king.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

God knows our hearts from the inside out.  God created us, “in the image of God, he created us.” (Genesis 2) Jeroboam sent his wife to Shiloh to find a priest to prophecy the fate of his son who was ill. Covering herself so she would not be recognized was foolish and fruitless. We wonder why the king told his wife, who probably would have preferred to stay with her son, to do this?  But then, if we are honest, we also carry our sins with coverings hoping God will not notice.  We may fool those around us for a while; but God sees our hearts and wants to bring us back to him.  God loves us.  How faithful and longsuffering is our God who for centuries dealt with His people who tried to cover up, rationalize, while resisting to repent of their sins!  But we are them, too. 

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23 After centuries of looking over world, seeking those whose hearts were fully committed to God but finding more and more selfishness which made hearts evil; God, at just the right time, sent His Son to bring unity to His divided house of all humans.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17

A house of unity are members with a shared goal.  Jesus is our goal.  Becoming more and more like Jesus is our goal.  Jesus brings us together as part of Himself. As members of His family we discover that the closer we come to Jesus; the closer we relate lovingly to each other! Jesus reconciles us to God.  God is our Father in heaven; we are His children.  As children we are joint heirs with Jesus, His Son. Yes, Jesus changes everything!  We are the Body of Christ, called church, (not a building but a people of purpose), and Jesus is the Head of the Body.  Paul explains unity in Christ;

“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.” Colossians 1:15-23

“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27

CHRIST IS US provides what we need to have unity with God and each other! Unity lies with Christ, our eternal hope and current purpose for living.  God’s Holy Spirit who guide us to all that is truth; leads us to unity with God and each other.

Behaviors that divide versus actions that lead to unity in Christ are provided by Paul in His letters to The Body of Christ. Ephesians 4 is a great teacher of what it means to grow and mature in unity with Jesus and His Body.  Philippians 2 reminds us that Christ laid aside his glory, putting others’ interests ahead of His own, to save us.

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:22-32

“He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” Ephesians 4:16 He is Jesus!

Want to be more like Jesus?

“Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:1-11

We don’t read in Scripture that Jeroboam sought God’s will, prayed for spiritual discernment, or asked the Lord to make him a godly man. Like many of us today, the only time Jeroboam wanted help from God’s servant was when he was in trouble.

“There was continual warfare between Rehoboam and Jeroboam.” The House remained divided; however, God’s covenant remained intact.  (Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28–30). God does not give up on His people. They will suffer because of their turning from Him, not listening to Him, trusting, or obeying Him, but His love never changes for them—His love becomes greater still and will be demonstrated in the life of His Son, Jesus—the Promise and Fulfillment.

Lord,

There are so many thoughts given to us this morning to meditate on all day long. Lead  us to truth, your purpose and will, with your agenda for us today. 

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

GOD’S WARNING TO SIN-FILLED HEARTS

Posted on September 2, 2025 by randscallawayffm

Our world is filled with warnings, signs, and even side effect warning labels attached to what is supposed to be helpful and healthy for us.  “Take this medicine” to relieve what ails you, advertisers proclaim; but know that taking it could cause all the things we are trying to avoid!  Lightheadedness, nauseous, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, low blood pressure, mood swings, depression, cancers and the list goes on and on!  “Notify medical professionals if you feel have suicidal thoughts.” Wait, what?! This is the warning label on drugs meant to pull you out of depression!  Is it no wonder that we have trust issues?!  Who or what can we really trust to make us totally healthy and whole?

The next chapter may seem to be about prophets who come with warning labels; but these words of warnings are really about King Jeroboam of Israel and his sins. The young prophet’s ministry is very important in this account, for all that he said and experienced, including his death, were a part of God’s warning to King Jeroboam. But according to the last verse—he did not heed the warning—the king didn’t turn back to God.

We are reminded of Samuel’s words to sinful King Saul— “To obey is better than sacrifice.” (1 Sameul 15:22)  The Lord comes to King Jeroboam as he is making an offering on the altar.

1 Kings 13

The Man of God From Judah

By the word of the Lord a man of God came from Judah to Bethel, as Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make an offering. 2 By the word of the Lord he cried out against the altar: “Altar, altar! This is what the Lord says: ‘A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on you.’” 3 That same day the man of God gave a sign: “This is the sign the Lord has declared: The altar will be split apart and the ashes on it will be poured out.”

4When King Jeroboam heard what the man of God cried out against the altar at Bethel, he stretched out his hand from the altar and said, “Seize him!” But the hand he stretched out toward the man shriveled up, so that he could not pull it back. 5 Also, the altar was split apart and its ashes poured out according to the sign given by the man of God by the word of the Lord.

6 Then the king said to the man of God, “Intercede with the Lord your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored.” So the man of God interceded with the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored and became as it was before.

7 The king said to the man of God, “Come home with me for a meal, and I will give you a gift.”

8 But the man of God answered the king, “Even if you were to give me half your possessions, I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water here. 9 For I was commanded by the word of the Lord: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.’” 10 So he took another road and did not return by the way he had come to Bethel.

11 Now there was a certain old prophet living in Bethel, whose sons came and told him all that the man of God had done there that day. They also told their father what he had said to the king. 12 Their father asked them, “Which way did he go?” And his sons showed him which road the man of God from Judah had taken. 13 So he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” And when they had saddled the donkey for him, he mounted it 14 and rode after the man of God. He found him sitting under an oak tree and asked, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?”

“I am,” he replied.

15 So the prophet said to him, “Come home with me and eat.”

16 The man of God said, “I cannot turn back and go with you, nor can I eat bread or drink water with you in this place. 17 I have been told by the word of the Lord: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water there or return by the way you came.’”

18 The old prophet answered, “I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the Lord: ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” (But he was lying to him.) 19 So the man of God returned with him and ate and drank in his house.

20 While they were sitting at the table, the word of the Lord came to the old prophet who had brought him back. 21 He cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You have defied the word of the Lord and have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. 22 You came back and ate bread and drank water in the place where he told you not to eat or drink. Therefore your body will not be buried in the tomb of your ancestors.’”

23 When the man of God had finished eating and drinking, the prophet who had brought him back saddled his donkey for him. 24 As he went on his way, a lion met him on the road and killed him, and his body was left lying on the road, with both the donkey and the lion standing beside it. 25 Some people who passed by saw the body lying there, with the lion standing beside the body, and they went and reported it in the city where the old prophet lived.

26 When the prophet who had brought him back from his journey heard of it, he said, “It is the man of God who defied the word of the Lord. The Lord has given him over to the lion, which has mauled him and killed him, as the word of the Lord had warned him.”

27 The prophet said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me,” and they did so. 28 Then he went out and found the body lying on the road, with the donkey and the lion standing beside it. The lion had neither eaten the body nor mauled the donkey. 29 So the prophet picked up the body of the man of God, laid it on the donkey, and brought it back to his own city to mourn for him and bury him. 30 Then he laid the body in his own tomb, and they mourned over him and said, “Alas, my brother!”

31 After burying him, he said to his sons, “When I die, bury me in the grave where the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones. 32 For the message he declared by the word of the Lord against the altar in Bethel and against all the shrines on the high places in the towns of Samaria will certainly come true.”

33 Even after this, Jeroboam did not change his evil ways, but once more appointed priests for the high places from all sorts of people. Anyone who wanted to become a priest he consecrated for the high places. 34 This was the sin of the house of Jeroboam that led to its downfall and to its destruction from the face of the earth.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

“Don’t shoot the messenger!”

When our pastors stand each week to preach the words God has prepared their hearts to give to us, how do we receive the message from God?  Do we cringe when the words point out our very sins?  Do we wonder if the pastor has cameras at our house or place of work?  We are uncomfortable at the very least.  Our reactions to hearing God’s Word touch our hearts, rattle our minds, and cause a soul searching are varied.

Our thoughts may sift through the words, looking for loopholes in the warnings and commands; as the Enemy jumps in to give his two cents of selfish advice to keep us distracted and deceived from truth!  Sometimes, we first blame others for our sins—first our parents then coworkers, extended family, and frienemies (friends who became enemies).   From blame, we might shift our sins to categories that range from “my sins are not as bad as that person over there” to “everybody does it, how bad could it be.”  “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Paul reminds and warns us. (Romans 3:23)  Listen to the Messenger and head God’s call to repentance! Don’t try to get rid of the messenger as the King and his evil prophets did.

The king paid no attention to the message from God; all he wanted to do was punish the messenger. He was infuriated to hear that a king from Judah would one day desecrate and destroy his successful religious system. When Jeroboam stretched out his hand and pointed to the prophet, the Lord touched his arm and paralyzed it. The king then witnessed miracles in just a few minutes, yet we find no evidence that he was convicted of his sins.

Miracles aren’t necessary for real evangelism (John 10:40–42), and those who claimed to believe in Christ only because of His miracles were not, in fact, true believers. (John 2:23–25).  When we read all of the gospel of John; we discover the concise conflict between Jesus and who He is among the religious leaders.  Jesus came to “seek and to save” the lost—among the lost were the religious leaders who were sinners who oppressed and overburdened God’s beloved with manmade laws to gain power within the community.  They indeed chose to “shoot the Messenger” over his uncomfortable words of Truth and Life by handing Jesus Christ, Son of God, to be crucified by the Romans.  They lost their Way to God.

Warren Wiersbe writes;

“This narrative presents some things to puzzle over, but we must not forget the main message: If the Lord punished a deceived prophet for his disobedience, how much more would He punish a wicked king who was sinning with his eyes wide open? If a true prophet disobeyed and was disciplined, what will happen to the false prophets? The prophet from Judah didn’t compromise in his message, but he did compromise in his conduct, and he paid for his disobedience with his life.” Wiersbe Study Bible

When we prepare our hearts, minds, and souls for hearing God with the motivation to trust and obey what He says; God will speak directly into our hearts through His Holy Spirit living in us.  The Message our pastors prepare first went through the same process before giving God’s Word to us.  No matter how skillful the messenger, God’s truth will pierce our hearts with warnings for our good and His glory. Trust and obey, for there’s just no other way to walk humbly with our God.

God gets our attention with the daily miracles He provides. It is up to us to listen, trust, and obey with a repentant heart. 

Lord,

We find ourselves in Your Story once again.  Thank you for your faithful kindness to you that leads to repentance. Thank you, Jesus, for being the Way, Truth, and Life eternal to reconnect to God, our Father. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for making course corrections in our lives committed to God. We need you every hour of every day.  Thank you for the cleansing that your sacrificed blood provides.  There is no one like you! 

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

SEEKING ADVICE

Posted on September 1, 2025 by randscallawayffm

“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear”. Paul advising Timothy a young pastor, 2 Timothy 4:3-4.

This warning to Timothy from Paul, a seasoned servant of God, speaks against appealing to people’s desires for messages that align with their own lifestyles and preferences rather than with sound doctrine and truth. The phrase “itching ears” refers to people who seek out advisors and teachers who offer feel good, pleasant lies and myths instead of uncomfortable truth. Listening to fools ultimately leads to turning away from God’s word to follow their own lusts for power and position. 

Two leaders are in competition for power and control. One is the son of Solomon and the other is an enemy of Solomon’s house and of God.  Both seek advice.  They both listen to the advice of people who will tell them what they want to hear.  How will this be played out? How will this work out for them? Read on…

1 Kings 12

Israel Rebels Against Rehoboam

Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king. 2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard this (he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), he returned from Egypt. 3 So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and the whole assembly of Israel went to Rehoboam and said to him: 4 “Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”

5 Rehoboam answered, “Go away for three days and then come back to me.” So the people went away.

6 Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How would you advise me to answer these people?” he asked.

7 They replied, “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants.”

8 But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. 9 He asked them, “What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”

10 The young men who had grown up with him replied, “These people have said to you, ‘Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.’ Now tell them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. 11 My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.’”

12 Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had said, “Come back to me in three days.” 13 The king answered the people harshly. Rejecting the advice given him by the elders, 14 he followed the advice of the young men and said, “My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.” 15 So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from the Lord, to fulfill the word the Lord had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.

16 When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king:

“What share do we have in David,
    what part in Jesse’s son?
To your tents, Israel!
    Look after your own house, David!”

So the Israelites went home. 17 But as for the Israelites who were living in the towns of Judah, Rehoboam still ruled over them.

18 King Rehoboam sent out Adoniram, who was in charge of forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam, however, managed to get into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.

20 When all the Israelites heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the house of David.

21 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mustered all Judah and the tribe of Benjamin—a hundred and eighty thousand able young men—to go to war against Israel and to regain the kingdom for Rehoboam son of Solomon.

22 But this word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God: 23 “Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, to all Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, 24 ‘This is what the Lord says: Do not go up to fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.’” So they obeyed the word of the Lord and went home again, as the Lord had ordered.

Golden Calves at Bethel and Dan

25 Then Jeroboam fortified Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. From there he went out and built up Peniel.

26 Jeroboam thought to himself, “The kingdom will now likely revert to the house of David. 27 If these people go up to offer sacrifices at the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, they will again give their allegiance to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah. They will kill me and return to King Rehoboam.”

28 After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” 29 One he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan. 30 And this thing became a sin; the people came to worship the one at Bethel and went as far as Dan to worship the other.

31 Jeroboam built shrines on high places and appointed priests from all sorts of people, even though they were not Levites. 32 He instituted a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the festival held in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. This he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves he had made. And at Bethel he also installed priests at the high places he had made. 33 On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a month of his own choosing, he offered sacrifices on the altar he had built at Bethel. So he instituted the festival for the Israelites and went up to the altar to make offerings.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Proverbs 15:22

Seeking advice from many counselors is a prudent practice highlighted in the Book of Proverbs, which asserts that a multitude of counselors provides safety and leads to successful plans. The principle encourages gathering diverse perspectives from wise, experienced, and honest individuals to make well-informed decisions, avoid failure, and secure a better outcome for personal, family, or leadership matters.

The Shepherd King David who “followed after the heart of God” sought the Lord for what to do and when to do it. King David believed, trusted, and obeyed God before defeating all the giants in his life.  His descendants, however, lost this desire to seek God first which led to rebellions and wars resulting in a turning away from God. Israel’s leaders turned to advisors who would tell them what their itching ears wanted to hear as they grabbed for more power and higher positions in Israel.  As predicted by God, the son of Solomon, Rehoboam, would only have one tribe in Judah to carry on the line of David due to the sins of his father.  It is this line of descendants from which our Savior, King Jesus, was born.

Jesus teaches, Seek God first—always and in all circumstances— “and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33. Jesus instructs believers who follow Him to make the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness their highest priority in life. It means entrusting your life to God, prioritizing a relationship with Him, while fully believing He will provide for your needs as you live according to His will. 

These behaviors involve trust, prayer, obedience, and aligning your actions and desires with God’s.  We cannot effectively do life alone—we need God’s power at work within us to live for Him. God provides the same power that resurrected Jesus from death to life to come and live within all believers.  His Holy Spirit directs our path to all that is pleasing to God and is for our good.  When we seek God—we are seeking Truth.  God who knows our hearts’ desires to know the Truth.  God sent His Son, Jesus as the Way, Truth, and Life with Him.  It is Jesus who saved our souls and reconciled us to God!  It is God who is faithful to love and forgive and offer a new life and walk with Him.  God always does more than we seek, dream, or imagine!

“…O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”—Jesus, Matthew 6:30-34 (Gentiles are anyone who is not a Jew or believer in God.

Seek the advice and counsel of God’s Holy Spirit first.  Then be affirmed by God’s Holy Spirit in others who will affirm what God is saying to us—not what we want to hear—but what God wants us to hear, trust, and obey— “for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” 

Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”—Jesus, Matthew 18:19-20  Agreement comes by seeking God first, individually or as a group, asking for His Holy Spirit to lead us to all that is God’s will and His best for us which is Truth—the greatest advice of all!

Lord,

We quickly see how life goes dark as soon as we stop asking for your help and guidance in all the details of our lives of which you delight.  Thank you for never tiring of our requests for your will with advice of how to accomplish your plan. Thank you for cleansing our hearts and renewing our minds so we are more open to your wisdom! I trust you above all.  You are Life and Light!  Why go to anyone else but you?  I love you, Lord with all that is in me.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

WISE BUT WEAK

Posted on August 30, 2025 by randscallawayffm

Wait, what?! That cannot be true!  Our pastor has been dating another woman who is not his wife?  But he is our pastor, how could he do that?  We look to him to solve our problems, give counsel, correct our path.  How could be so wise for everyone else but  fall for his own selfish desires while devasting his own family?  This scenario happens more often that we’d like to admit in God’s church.  I’ve witnessed our past pastor leave the ministry God called him to be and do to pursue freedom from marriage so he could build upon his growing wealth. He was savvy in business but weak in relationships with those who loved him most.  How could it happen?  Sometimes the pressure of the pedestal we as the congregants put on these once servants of God becomes so great they lose all focus of Who, what, and why they served.  Any job, any person, any distraction other than God and His church becomes their new attraction and focus which leads to a spiritual sickness that can lead to death of their relationship with God.  All becomes lost when sinners think, “I deserve it.”

How did the decline from wisdom to foolishness happen for Solomon?  Going back to Egypt may have been Solomon’s first step in turning away from the Lord. He secured a bride from Egypt, Pharaoh’s daughter, and he purchased horses and chariots there. Both of these actions revealed Solomon’s unbelief in God.  While building a Kingdom of wealth; he turned from God who had given him the greatest gift—wisdom beyond that was beyond all men.  God also gave Solomon all that needed but Solomon wanted more. Dissatisfaction with God gives birth to our discontent which leads to our sins.

1 Kings 11

Solomon’s Wives

King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. 2 They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. 3 He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. 4 As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. 5He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. 6 So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done.

7 On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and for Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. 8 He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.

9 The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. 10 Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the Lord’s command. 11 So the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates. 12 Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 13 Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribe for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”

Solomon’s Adversaries

14 Then the Lord raised up against Solomon an adversary, Hadad the Edomite, from the royal line of Edom. 15 Earlier when David was fighting with Edom, Joab the commander of the army, who had gone up to bury the dead, had struck down all the men in Edom. 16 Joab and all the Israelites stayed there for six months, until they had destroyed all the men in Edom. 17 But Hadad, still only a boy, fled to Egypt with some Edomite officials who had served his father. 18 They set out from Midian and went to Paran. Then taking people from Paran with them, they went to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave Hadad a house and land and provided him with food.

19 Pharaoh was so pleased with Hadad that he gave him a sister of his own wife, Queen Tahpenes, in marriage. 20 The sister of Tahpenes bore him a son named Genubath, whom Tahpenes brought up in the royal palace. There Genubath lived with Pharaoh’s own children.

21 While he was in Egypt, Hadad heard that David rested with his ancestors and that Joab the commander of the army was also dead. Then Hadad said to Pharaoh, “Let me go, that I may return to my own country.”

22 “What have you lacked here that you want to go back to your own country?” Pharaoh asked.

“Nothing,” Hadad replied, “but do let me go!”

23 And God raised up against Solomon another adversary, Rezon son of Eliada, who had fled from his master, Hadadezer king of Zobah. 24 When David destroyed Zobah’s army, Rezon gathered a band of men around him and became their leader; they went to Damascus, where they settled and took control. 25 Rezon was Israel’s adversary as long as Solomon lived, adding to the trouble caused by Hadad. So Rezon ruled in Aram and was hostile toward Israel.

Jeroboam Rebels Against Solomon

26 Also, Jeroboam son of Nebat rebelled against the king. He was one of Solomon’s officials, an Ephraimite from Zeredah, and his mother was a widow named Zeruah.

27 Here is the account of how he rebelled against the king: Solomon had built the terraces and had filled in the gap in the wall of the city of David his father. 28 Now Jeroboam was a man of standing, and when Solomon saw how well the young man did his work, he put him in charge of the whole labor force of the tribes of Joseph.

29 About that time Jeroboam was going out of Jerusalem, and Ahijah the prophet of Shiloh met him on the way, wearing a new cloak. The two of them were alone out in the country, 30 and Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces. 31 Then he said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘See, I am going to tear the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand and give you ten tribes. 32 But for the sake of my servant David and the city of Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, he will have one tribe. 33 I will do this because they have forsaken me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Molek the god of the Ammonites, and have not walked in obedience to me, nor done what is right in my eyes, nor kept my decrees and laws as David, Solomon’s father, did.

34 “‘But I will not take the whole kingdom out of Solomon’s hand; I have made him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of David my servant, whom I chose and who obeyed my commands and decrees. 35 I will take the kingdom from his son’s hands and give you ten tribes. 36 I will give one tribe to his son so that David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to put my Name. 37 However, as for you, I will take you, and you will rule over all that your heart desires; you will be king over Israel. 38 If you do whatever I command you and walk in obedience to me and do what is right in my eyes by obeying my decrees and commands, as David my servant did, I will be with you. I will build you a dynasty as enduring as the one I built for David and will give Israel to you. 39 I will humble David’s descendants because of this, but not forever.’”

40 Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam fled to Egypt, to Shishak the king, and stayed there until Solomon’s death.

Solomon’s Death

41 As for the other events of Solomon’s reign—all he did and the wisdom he displayed—are they not written in the book of the annals of Solomon? 42 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. 43 Then he rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son succeeded him as king.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Solomon’s love for spiritual values was replaced by a love for physical pleasures and material wealth, and gradually his heart turned from the Lord. Unfortunately, this decline can lead to being condemned with the world and losing everything. 

God disciplines those He loves.  From Adam to Solomon and later to the church in Corinth that began after Jesus’ died and rose again, God disciplines those who are distracted by evil.  Paul, servant of Jesus, church builder, relays the words of God’s Holy Spirit to the people of the Corinthian church attenders who were making Holy Communion a mockery of Christ that included wild partying.  They had forgotten the command of Jesus “do this in remembrance of Me” as sacred worship, taught at The Last Supper with His disciples.  Here is part of the letter of admonishment;


“Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.” –Paul, 1 Corinthians 11:28-32

This also happened to Lot (Genesis 13) and it can happen to believers today!  “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God!” Romans 3:23.  But it is not God’s desire that anyone perish—so God provides the discipline we need to correct our path in our humble walk with God. Listen to Him!

Look at life this way—

God tells us to love the Lord with all our heart (Deuteronomy 6:5) and receive His Word into our hearts (Proverbs 7:1–3). God wants us to do His will from our hearts (Ephesians 6:6). If a person’s heart is wrong toward God, that person’s entire life will be wrong, no matter how successful he or she may appear to others.  God knows our hearts.  It is unwise and useless to hide what is in our hearts.  Confess and allow His correction.

Our sin affects everyone around us—

Solomon had sinned greatly by introducing idolatry into the land, a sin that would eventually destroy the nation and lead the people into captivity.

Our sins forgiven is the Message of Truth!

Like King Saul, Solomon was handed great opportunities but didn’t make the most of them. He knew a great deal about animals, plants, bringing wealth to the nation, and constructing buildings, but he was defective in sharing the knowledge of the Lord with the Gentiles who came to his throne room.

May our allegiance always be sincere and loyal to Jesus Christ, the one “greater than Solomon,” who died for us, who lives for us, and one day will come for us.

And may we boldly share the Good News of redemption with every opportunity God gives us!

In Jesus Name, for His glory and our good, Amen!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

WISDOM AND WEALTH DRAWS ATTENTION

Posted on August 29, 2025 by randscallawayffm

As a child growing up in a small church community outside of Oklahoma City, I was amazed at all the people who would come and talk with my grandpa.  Of course, I wasn’t privy to the talk; but I observed the peace and resolve after the conversations.  All who came to Grandpa trusted his wisdom and help to solve their current problems that perplexed them.  Grandpa would always stop whatever he was doing to listen.  After listening, he would then respond slowly and carefully.  Most people called him Uncle Jesse, which confused me as child thinking the everyone was related to me; but this was a term of endearment for those who sought his wisdom and help in crisis.

Grandpa Lacquement would deliver loving advice from God’s perspective because He knew and loved God personally and dearly.  He was a man who praised God in the morning while feeding stock on his farm before going to his job as a carpenter. In the evening, Grandpa and Grandma took turns reading God’s Word out loud before talking over what it meant for them—and for whoever was spending the night.  After the study, we would automatically get on our knees in front of the couch or chair and pray, asking God to forgive, help, and guide us in His ways.  This nightly habit before God explained why people without this habit came to him for help.  I got it then, even as a young child.  Above all, I praise God for being a witness to his life of faith!  He led me to know all who believe are children of the God our Father who created us in his own image and saved us from our sins by sending His Son, Jesus to pay our debt.  We are a product of God’s everlasting love, wonderful mercy, and unending grace. Wisdom is knowing God and listening to what He says with trust and obedience.  Grandpa’s favorite song to lead was “Trust and Obey.”

1 Kings 10

The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon

When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the Lord, she came to test Solomon with hard questions. 2 Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. 3 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. 4 When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, 5 the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed.

6 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. 7 But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard. 8 How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9 Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness.”

10 And she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

11 (Hiram’s ships brought gold from Ophir; and from there they brought great cargoes of almugwood and precious stones. 12 The king used the almugwood to make supports for the temple of the Lord and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. So much almugwood has never been imported or seen since that day.)

13 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for, besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.

Solomon’s Splendor

14 The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents, 15 not including the revenues from merchants and traders and from all the Arabian kings and the governors of the territories.

16 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. 17 He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three minas of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.

18 Then the king made a great throne covered with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. 19 The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them. 20 Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom. 21 All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s days. 22 The king had a fleet of trading ships at sea along with the ships of Hiram. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons.

23 King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. 24 The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. 25 Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift—articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules.

26 Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills. 28 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue—the royal merchants purchased them from Kue at the current price. 29 They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. They also exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and of the Arameans.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

The Enemy of God tempts us to automatically assume that those with great wealth are automatically those with great wisdom.  But that is not always true. When you read the backstories of some of the wealthiest people in the world, we find that manipulations, cheating, and cunning may have led them to amass great wealth but lack of real wisdom later led to losing it all.  Or great wealth might have been handed down from hard working parents to kids who hadn’t learned what it meant to build and grow wealth using trusted advisors along with skills to continue growing the “company”.  If parents were too busy to teach these skills then most led to inner family struggles, fights over the wealth accumulated, with manipulations of selfish grabbing for what remains after death.  Is this real wealth?  Is this why Jesus related the word picture of a camel trying to go through the eye of a needle?

Matthew (19:24) and Mark (10:25), and Luke (18:25), record these words of Jesus; “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God”. This is a powerful simile emphasizing the extreme difficulty, not impossibility, for someone who is self-reliant due to wealth to humble themselves and let God be their priority. God owns all we have been given to manage.  When we turn from God, we turn from His wisdom to steward well.

Real wisdom, Godly wisdom draws the attention of those seeking answers.  The queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s wisdom and came to see if the reports were true and she was highly impressed, not only with Solomon’s wisdom but his wealth!  However, toward the end of his life, Solomon’s many wives influenced him to turn away from God.  Solomon had been given great wisdom and wealth from God, but instead of responsibly using those gifts in obedience to God, the king allowed himself to be influenced by others.

We, as followers of Jesus need to stand against pressure to compromise our faith and what we know to be true.  Wealth is not the problem; what we with wealth can decides who we are and who leads us.  Does our wealth have us in its control or do we use what has been give to us in pleasing God?  We need to use all that God gives us for His glory and for the good of His created.  Anything less turns wealth into an idol of worship.   

Wealth is not the determiner to salvation in Jesus.  Wealth does not buy His love, mercy, and grace.  It is not how much but how we use what has been given to us.  What responsibilities have we been given to serve God? In what areas are we vulnerable to the influence of others? Pause to pray, asking God for His wisdom and help to stand against influences in the world who stand against Him.

In the world of King Solomon, especially to the Israelite people, he became a model of wealth and splendor, and no doubt many envied him. But Jesus said that one of the Father’s lilies was more beautifully adorned than Solomon in all his glory (Matthew 6:28–30). “Incorruptible beauty [is] of a gentle and quiet spirit” (1 Pet. 3:4). The more we must add to our possessions before people will admire us, the less true wealth and beauty we really have.  Mm, something to think about, right?  What is our heart’s motivation?

Lord,

Thank you for reminding us that wealth and the accumulation of wealth does not impress you as much as a surrendered heart to you.  You own it all!  So, cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, and refresh our souls with your Kingdom thinking.  Restore the joy and peace of your salvation at work within us. Lead us in all we think, say, and do in Your Name for Your glory!

In Jesus Name, we pray for your wisdom, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

GOD ANSWERS SOLOMON’S PRAYER

Posted on August 28, 2025 by randscallawayffm

“I sought the Lord, and He heard, and He answered…and that’s why I trust Him!”

This is a line for a current song of praise that assures us God indeed hears our prayers in ways that are best for us and gives Him glory.  But with each prayer we pray, we must believe that God will do what is best for us as He works to perfect His will in and through us. Our part is to obey what He says when He says it!  “Trust and obey for there’s no others way…,” a hymn of my youth sends its meaning and melody through my mind.

Jesus not only taught us how to pray to God, our Father in Heaven but He also demonstrated how prayer works in our lives. 

First, seek God each day. Ask God what He wants to do in us and through us.  Ask for His help in all we think, say, and do with a resolve to trust and obey what He says.  God answers all our prayers with “daily manna” portions that will challenge us to lean into His wisdom, insight, and understanding as we do His will.  In the process, we begin to know God with more knowledge of what He desires for us.  God’s Holy Spirit who lives in us to guide us to Truth does His work of producing God’s character within us. These holy traits will appear and be reflected in  behaviors more and more each day we trust and obey.  Paul lists these traits as “fruits of the Holy Spirit as “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

But it all begins with sincere, humbled hearts fully committed to God who is ready to hear God and do what He says—all because we trust and obey.

God appeared to Solomon and promised blessing in exchange for obedience.

1 Kings 9

The Lord Appears to Solomon

When Solomon had finished building the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had achieved all he had desired to do, 2 the Lord appeared to him a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. 3 The Lord said to him:

“I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.

4 “As for you, if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws, 5I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father when I said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’

6 “But if you or your descendants turn away from me and do not observe the commands and decrees I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, 7 then I will cut off Israel from the land I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. Israel will then become a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples. 8 This temple will become a heap of rubble. All who pass by will be appalled and will scoff and say, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’ 9 People will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the Lord their God, who brought their ancestors out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why the Lord brought all this disaster on them.’”

Solomon’s Other Activities

10 At the end of twenty years, during which Solomon built these two buildings—the temple of the Lord and the royal palace— 11 King Solomon gave twenty towns in Galilee to Hiram king of Tyre, because Hiram had supplied him with all the cedar and juniper and gold he wanted. 12 But when Hiram went from Tyre to see the towns that Solomon had given him, he was not pleased with them. 13 “What kind of towns are these you have given me, my brother?” he asked. And he called them the Land of Kabul, a name they have to this day. 14 Now Hiram had sent to the king 120 talents of gold.

15 Here is the account of the forced labor King Solomon conscripted to build the Lord’s temple, his own palace, the terraces, the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, Megiddo and Gezer. 16 (Pharaoh king of Egypt had attacked and captured Gezer. He had set it on fire. He killed its Canaanite inhabitants and then gave it as a wedding gift to his daughter, Solomon’s wife. 17 And Solomon rebuilt Gezer.) He built up Lower Beth Horon, 18 Baalath, and Tadmor in the desert, within his land, 19 as well as all his store cities and the towns for his chariots and for his horses—whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and throughout all the territory he ruled.

20 There were still people left from the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites (these peoples were not Israelites). 21 Solomon conscripted the descendants of all these peoples remaining in the land—whom the Israelites could not exterminate—to serve as slave labor, as it is to this day. 22 But Solomon did not make slaves of any of the Israelites; they were his fighting men, his government officials, his officers, his captains, and the commanders of his chariots and charioteers. 23 They were also the chief officials in charge of Solomon’s projects—550 officials supervising those who did the work.

24 After Pharaoh’s daughter had come up from the City of David to the palace Solomon had built for her, he constructed the terraces.

25 Three times a year Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar he had built for the Lord, burning incense before the Lord along with them, and so fulfilled the temple obligations.

26 King Solomon also built ships at Ezion Geber, which is near Elath in Edom, on the shore of the Red Sea. 27 And Hiram sent his men—sailors who knew the sea—to serve in the fleet with Solomon’s men. 28 They sailed to Ophir and brought back 420 talents of gold, which they delivered to King Solomon.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

No matter what is happening around us, to us, or in us; we must seek God, trust Him, and obey what He says.  (Romans 12:1-2 give us the process.)

Solomon prayed.  God answered.  God assured Solomon that He had heard the king’s prayer and would answer it. God’s eyes would be on the house Solomon had built and dedicated, and His ears would be alert to hear the prayers of His people, (See also 2 Chronicles 7).  Here is a portion that might be familiar to us;

“Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place.” 2 Chronicles 7:14-15

God spoke specifically to Solomon, reminding him of the covenant God had made with his father, David (2 Samuel 7). God then reaffirmed the terms of the covenant and assured Solomon that David would always have a king on the throne IF his descendants obeyed the Law and walked in the fear of Him. Fear is awe of all God was, is, and always will be—God of all who is in all He created!  Where God guides; He provides! 

“When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still
And with all who will trust and obey

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies
But His smile quickly drives it away
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear
Can abide while we trust and obey”

Solomon’s Downfall—Not trusting and obeying

Solomon’s father, David, had conquered enemy territory and added it to the kingdom, but he hadn’t attempted to build an international network that would make Israel powerful among the nations. David was a mighty general who feared no enemy, but Solomon was a shrewd diplomat and politician who missed no opportunity to increase his wealth and power.  A demonstration of Solomon’s real heart is demonstrated in his poor relationship and cunning manipulation of Hiram.  If it were not for Hiram; the palace and Temple would not have been built!

Solomon “had it all” as the world sees it; but was spiritually bankrupt because of his lack of obedience to God.  Solomon’s gift of wisdom from God turned sour when the king relied only on himself while seeking to satisfy self.  At the end of his life Solomon writes;

“The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:

Meaningless! Meaningless! says the Teacher.
Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.

What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?
Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.” Ecclesiastes 1:1-4

Are you seeking the real meaning to life? Then seek first the One who is Life Eternal! Believe what Jesus did for us. Repent and be forgiven of all sins. Trust and obey the One who wants the best for us—for there’s no other Way!

Lord,

Thank you for the lessons of Solomon.  We see and find ourselves in Your Story of King Solomon.  If only we would first pause, pray, and ask what You want with a heart committed to trust and obey what you say!  Cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, refresh our souls, and restore the joy of your salvation within us. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In Jesus Name, Amen 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment