February 24 -- "The Lord's Radiant Outshining"

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 8 

"The Lord's Radiant Outshining"

Here we read about the cloud, the brilliant symbol of the Divine glory and presence. At the inauguration of the Temple and the first service there, the cloud appears to have filled not only the Holy of Holies, but the whole Temple, courtyard, porch and all. It was visible and was evident to all the people who had gathered for this sacred event. By this, Solomon knew that God had honored the place with His presence, and had taken up residence therein.

This was the cloud of glory, which appears visibly at times in the Bible, sometimes called the cloud of “Shekinah” glory. Shekinah Glory is a visible manifestation of God on earth. The word Shekinah is a Hebrew name meaning “dwelling” or “one who dwells.” Shekinah glory refers to the divine presence of God.

This Shekinah is the cloud that stood by Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 13:21-22); 

The cloud from which God met with Moses and others (Exodus 19:9); 

The cloud that stood by the door of the Tabernacle (Exodus 33:9-10); 

The cloud from which God appeared to the High Priest in the Holy Place inside the veil (Leviticus 16:2); 

The cloud of Ezekiel’s vision, filling the temple of God with the brightness of His glory (Ezekiel 10:4); 

The cloud of glory that overshadowed Mary when she conceived Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35); 

The cloud present at the transfiguration of Jesus (Luke 9:34-35); 

The cloud of glory that received Jesus into heaven at His ascension (Acts 1:9); 

And this is the cloud that will display the glory of Jesus Christ when He returns in triumph to this earth (Luke 21:27).

What an amazing spectacle! Think of it! A cloud filled the house of the Lord with His glory. “For the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.” (V11). The word “glory” in this verse means honor, splendor, glory, magnificence, brilliance, grandness. It is a word that expresses the impressiveness of God and His holy presence. It is hard to define the glory of God, but we could call it the “radiant outshining” of His character and presence.

In this incidence, the cloud’s presence was so overwhelming that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud. The extreme presence of the glory of God made normal service impossible. The sense of the presence of God was so intense that the priests felt it was impossible to continue in their ministry.

The Lord your God is living and powerful and He wants to show you His Shekinah Glory. Perhaps not as a visible spectacle or an overwhelming cloud, but if you prayerfully seek Him, He will reveal His extreme presence and radiant outshining in your life.

February 23 -- "A Place for God's Presence"

 Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 4

"A Place for God's Presence"

Construction went on for seven years until the Temple, its furniture, its courtyard, and all other articles and decorations connected with it were completed according to plan. Solomon’s Temple (as it has come to be known) was a more permanent form of the Tabernacle (Tent of Meeting) which had been constructed under Moses’ leadership in the wilderness. It would become the new center of worship for the Israelite people.

It would be hard to overemphasize the importance to the Jews and to Judaism of the ceremony, the symbolism and the sacrifices involved in worship at the Temple in Jerusalem.  The Temple was the place where God dwelt among his people.  The Temple was the place where forgiveness for sins was obtained.  The Temple was the heart of what made a Jew a Jew.  The pilgrimage to the Temple at Jerusalem on the Day of Atonement or one of the other festivals was the highlight of the religious year - indeed it would become the highlight of the entire religious life of the Jew. The purpose all along for the building of the Temple was so that God could dwell amongst his people. 

While the Jewish Temple rituals held great weight for the Jewish people, their true meaning truly blossoms under the New Covenant ushered in by Jesus Christ. Each element of physical worship in the Temple served as a prefiguration of a deeper spiritual reality that finds its complete expression in Christ. For over a millennium, the Levitical priests carried out their daily and yearly duties, oblivious to the fact that they were living out a symbolic foreshadowing of the transformative New Covenant established through Jesus' sacrifice.

The purpose all along for the building of the Temple was so that God could dwell amongst his people without them seeing him directly. If the Temple was the place where God dwelt among his people, then one could argue that the entire focus of the Old Covenant worship was to establish a way to be in fellowship with God and to come into his presence.  This, too, is the focus of the New Covenant.

Once the  sacrifice of Jesus’ blood has been applied to us, we can come into the sanctuary - into the very place where God dwells.  As we spend time in quiet prayer, let us in our minds visualize entering into the Holy Place.  What do we find there?  There we find intimacy in our relationship with God. There we obtain forgiveness for our sins. There we find fellowship with our Creator. There we find the purpose for our existence - to dwell with our God.

February 22 -- "The Company You Keep"

 Today’s Reading: Proverbs 13

"The Company You Keep"

With whom do you spend your time? Think about this carefully because the people you choose to hang out with can have a dramatic effect on your spiritual health, your relationship with God, and your future. It has been said, “Show me a person’s company, and I will show you the person. Let me know the company he keeps, and I shall easily guess his moral character."

Choose your companions wisely. Here in Proverbs 13, we are told that “Whoever walks with the wise, becomes wise.” If you keep company with others who fear the Lord, and you spend time talking with them about spiritual things, and walk together with them in the ways of the Lord, then their good qualities will begin to “rub off on you.” Your spiritual life will improve by keeping wise company. Hang out with spiritually mature people, and you will begin to mature spiritually.

The opposite is also true, as we read in the second half of this verse, “The companion of fools will suffer harm.” The Apostle Paul confirmed this truth in 1 Corinthians 15:33, "Be not deceived. Evil communications corrupt good morals." If you spend time with those who are not walking in the fear of the Lord, but rather follow worldly and fleshly pursuits, watch out! Your spiritual life will decline by keeping foolish company. Their values and morals will begin to “rub off on you,” and you run the risk of becoming like them. The end result of being a companion of fools is you will “suffer harm.” The King James Version puts this much more bluntly – “a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” And, that is the reality - following unwise and carnal people will ultimately lead you away from God and bring eternal harm to your soul.

This doesn’t mean you should disown your unsaved friends and family. After all, how will they call on the Lord if they haven’t heard of Him? And how are they to hear if you don’t tell them? You should be intent on preaching Christ to them and influencing them for God’s kingdom. Who knows, perhaps by God’s grace you will “rub off” on them?

Just make sure that your “companions” are those who follow Christ and walk in His ways.  Their spirituality and wisdom will rub off on you. 

February 21 -- "The Blessing of Work"

Today’s Reading: Proverbs 12 

"The Blessing of Work"

The Biblical work ethic is one of hard work and diligence. Colossians 3:23-25 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Here, we are commanded to put forth our best efforts, to work from our heart and soul at whatever we do. 

Interestingly, it was God who instituted work at the beginning of creation (prior to the Fall). Genesis 2:15 says, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Work is not a burden or an inconvenience in life (as some consider it), it is part of the overall scope of God’s creative genius. The promise here is that working hard will result in “plenty of bread.”

Solomon’s writings contain many wise sayings regarding work. Proverbs 14:23 says, “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” Proverbs 6:6-11 says, “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.” Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.”

The New Testament contains another important principle regarding work: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10) The refusal of an able-bodied person to work should have the consequence that he lacks food. Paul also says that an “idle” man who refuses to work should not be part of the church (verse 6). Solomon here calls it “following worthless pursuits.” The person who spends their time being idle or slothful, or trying to get out of working simply “lacks sense.”

It is important to note that the Bible does not condone workaholism. We do not work merely to amass worldly wealth (in fact, Matthew 6:19-34 warns about this). We work to bring glory to God. We also do not work ourselves into the ground or to the extent that our health is damaged or our families suffer.

Christians should work hard. Work is integral to life, and approaching work as God-given will give us more pleasure in it. We can work cheerfully and without complaint because we are working for the Lord who loves us and has redeemed us. A good work ethic can also be a witness to others (Matthew 5:16). The world takes notice of our efforts and wonders why we do what we do. Accordingly, the follower of Christ should stand out as the hardest worker in the firm; demonstrating the highest work ethic of all.

February 20 -- "The Irony of Charity"

Today’s Reading: Proverbs 11 

"The Irony of Charity"

The Bible is packed full of unconventional wisdom and paradoxes of truth. For example, we must go “down” in order to go “up” (James 4:10). Another example is that when we are “weak” then we are “strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10) Another, we must “lose” our life to “find” it (Matthew 10:39). Another, to be “great” we must be a “servant” (Matthew 20:26).

When Jesus walked this earth, He shocked the world with His unconventional teaching. He would often take a commonly accepted cultural belief and flip it completely upside down by using the leading phrase, “You have heard that it has been said…” and then rocking their belief by saying, “But I say to you…”.

In our culture today, there is a commonly accepted belief regarding riches and wealth. This is the belief that to be happy and satisfied, you must get rich by paying yourself first and holding tightly to the assets you’ve accumulated. The “path to financial freedom” is to invest in your personal future. On this topic, like so many others, the Bible is very unconventional. It may seem paradoxical or even ironic, but according to Scripture, the way to enrich yourself is to open your tight fist and use your assets to bless and enrich others.

One of the striking truths of Scripture is that you cannot outgive God. The more we give, the more we receive. Here in Proverbs 11:25, we are told that the path to enrichment is to open our penny-pinching fingers and use our assets to bring blessing to others. God’s promise is that “the liberal soul shall be made fat” (KJV). — He who gives to those in need, in the true spirit of charity, shall get a hundredfold from God's mercy. How wonderful is the Lord! He gives us the property, gives the heart to use it correctly, and rewards us for doing so - even though all the fruit was found from Himself!

You have heard that it has been said, “Hold on to all that you have, you never know when you may need it,” but I say to you, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over.” (Luke 6:38) Unconventional wisdom - If you want your life to be enriched, then make it your aim to bless others. You will be soaked with blessings from Heaven when you do.

February 19 -- "The Road Not Taken"

 Today’s Reading: Proverbs 9 & 10

"The Road Not Taken"

In Robert Frost’s poem, “The Road Not Taken” we read these words: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” The metaphor of the road is one that speaks to us of a journey, with many roads which we must travel along, and with many alternative paths which we must choose between. As the two roads diverged, the author was forced to choose one, because he could not take both. By choosing one, this meant that he also necessarily had to choose not to take the other. In opting for one road, he was consciously rejecting the other.

In a similar fashion, Proverbs 10 lays out for us two distinct roads our lives could take during our journey here on earth. One is the road to life. The other, the road to going astray. We, too, must pause and intently consider these two roads, because we cannot take both. In opting for one road, we must make the conscious choice not to take the other.

Verse 17 tells us that “whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life.” This path is the road of submission to Jesus Christ. If we heed His instruction, trust His love, and follow His guidance, He will lead us to this “life.” This is the road to everlasting life – not only in the future “by-and-by” but in the present “here-and-now.” Jesus said that He had come to bring us “abundant life” – a life free from worry and free from condemnation for sin - a rich and satisfying life filled with joy and peace and the presence of the Holy Spirit. “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.” (1 John 5:12) This, sadly, is the road less traveled.

The other road is taken by the one who “rejects reproof.” He/she doesn’t pay attention to God’s truth or His chastisement. This person, tragically, will not only go astray themselves, but will lead others astray. In the end, the road they chose will come to a bitter end with pain and misery. That’s why Jesus urged us all to take the road less traveled: “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way [road] is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.  For the gate is narrow and the way [road] is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:14)

So, which road have you chosen? The “path of life”? Or, the path of going astray? Jesus counsels you to take the road less traveled: “If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel, you will save it.” (Mark 8:35)

As Frost said, “I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”

February 18 -- "Pillars in God's House"

 Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 7

"Pillars in God's House"

Two massive bronze pillars were constructed at the entrance to Solomon’s Temple. Their dimensions indicate the extent of the work involved in creating them. Including the decorative tops of the pillars, they stood approximately forty-five feet tall (about the length of the trailer on a semi-truck) and had a diameter of about five feet. 

These pillars were given names: “Jachin” and “Boaz.” Jachin (pronounced yaw-keen) and Boaz (bow·az) stood at the entrance to the temple’s foyer. Their names are significant. Jachin means “he will establish,” and Boaz signifies “in him is strength.” Taken together, the names were a reminder that God would establish the temple and the worship of His name in strength. God had king Solomon erect the two pillars and keep them at the entrance so that people understood the presence of God in the Temple. For the Jews in Solomon’s day these pillars stood as a pointed reminder each time they entered the porch of the Temple that Yahweh was their support and strength.

The pillars of Solomon’s Temple have significance for us today, as well. Jesus refers to them in Revelation 3:11-12 as He is encouraging the Church in Philadelphia. He promises them that “The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name”

With Christ as the foundation, the Church is referred to as the temple of God and the place where His presence dwells. His servants constitute the pillars by which the Church is decorated. In Galatians 2:9, Paul the Apostle refers to Peter, James, and John as “pillars” in the church. The picture, then, is one of the overcomer being established in Christ’s Church with His support and strength.

Just as the Temple pillars had names, so we too – as pillars in God’s temple – will one day bear three names: the name of our God, the name of God’s city, and Jesus Christ’s “new name.” We don’t yet know just what that name will be, but it will surely stand as a pointed reminder that He is the One who has established us (Jachin) and by whose strength (Boaz) we receive eternal life.