The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 Kings 9:3-7, “The LORD said to him, ‘I have heard your prayer and your supplication, which you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built by putting My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.
4 As for you, if you will walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you and will keep My statutes and My ordinances,
5 then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, just as I promised to your father David, saying, ‘“You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.”
6 “But if you or your sons indeed turn away from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them,
7 then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them, and the house which I have consecrated for My name, I will cast out of My sight. So Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples.”

Upon the death of David, his son, Solomon, became King over all Israel. It was Solomon who authorized the building of the Temple and his own place of dwelling. It was when all of the building was completed that the LORD appeared to him the second time. It was the LORD’s acknowledgement that He had heard Solomon’s prayer. Further, He promised that if Solomon were to live before Him according to His commandments, He would “establish his throne forever…”

But, as always, the LORD reminded Solomon that if he turned away from His commandments and statutes, and followed and served other gods, He would cut Israel off from the land and destroy the house that had been built for His Name.

In the simplest of terms, the LORD just doesn’t put up with foolishness, regardless of who it is. Medical doctors often refuse to work with patients who will not follow their instructions. Lawyers often refuse to legally represent clients who will not be honest with them as they seek to build their case. Why should we believe the LORD would provide for us in any manner if we elected to follow our own ways instead of His? Simply stated, He will not. What we can learn from Solomon is to keep on praying and live righteously before the LORD. He will always be faithful to His Word.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom