What's Your Answer?
'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.' 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NLT)
Because
of the chronicler, it has been made known to us that after Solomon
built the Temple, he dedicated it to the Lord. What an amazing
accomplishment. Just imagine how the people felt when the Fire of the
Lord came down from heaven and burnt up the offerings and the
sacrifices, 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats, as the glorious
presence of the Lord filled the Temple.
Solomon
and the rest of the people of Israel celebrated for seven days. The
priests and the Levites sang, 'His faithful love endures forever'!
Solomon consecrated the central area of the courtyard in front of the
Temple with peace offerings, burnt offerings and grain offerings because
the bronze altar could not hold it all. Then he sent the people home
and they were filled with joy at what the Lord had done. They were so
grateful that the Lord had blessed them.
'Then one night the Lord appeared to Solomon and said,
“As for you, if you faithfully follow me as David your father did, obeying all my commands, decrees, and regulations, then I will establish the throne of your dynasty. For I made this covenant with your father, David, when I said, ‘One of your descendants will always rule over Israel.’
“But if you or your descendants abandon me and disobey the decrees and commands I have given you, and if you serve and worship other gods, then I will uproot the people from this land that I have given them. I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor my name. I will make it an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations. And though this Temple is impressive now, all who pass by will be appalled. They will ask, ‘Why did the Lord do such terrible things to this land and to this Temple?’
“And the answer will be, ‘Because his people abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and they worshiped other gods instead and bowed down to them. That is why he has brought all these disasters on them.’” 2 Chronicles 7: 12-22 (NLT)
Dear Father. Thank you for Your Word. What an amazing, transformative book Your Book the Bible is. Throughout its 66 books, authored and Holy Spirit inspired by 40 people over a span of 1600 year, with the oldest parts written over 3300 years ago, we can read it for ourselves and we can know You. Your Word has been proven historically and scientifically accurate, with, amazingly enough, a common thread that You love us running throughout, and that thread is Jesus. The Old Testament references the Messiah, Savior and Redeemer to come, the New Testament tells who Jesus is and what Jesus did. Thank you Lord!
The Bible is Your Living Word, it moves us. You gave it to us so that we might know You. You speak directly to us through it to give us hope and meaning. Even though it has been destroyed, banned, burned and lied about throughout the ages by evil men and yet it is still remains and is still the #1 Book of all times. That is because You are who You say You are. The Great 'I Am'. That is because You are Love. That is because You are Truth. Help us to not abandon You or take Your Holy Word for granted. Forgive us when we do. Our desire is to pray and to seek Your face. Let Your Word be a warning to this generation. Speak to us today. In Jesus's mighty name. Amen.
Source: 'Drummingthemessagehome', February 24, 2020 blog post.
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