The Everyday Prayer

Re:Verse passage – 2 Chronicles 7:1-10 (day  seven)

“So Solomon observed the feast at that time for seven days, and all Israel with him.” Vs 8

We baptists can get on board with this! In order to complete the dedication of the temple, the whole nation threw a feast! Sounds like a potluck of grandiose proportions!

Outside of backing up our doctrine of casseroles, this passage shows us the importance of celebrating what God has done for us. We are great at celebrating big occasions, but what would it look like if we began celebrating with each other on a regular basis? What if we began every Bible study by celebrating the good that God had done in our life that week? What if we began celebrating with our family before dinner how God worked in our life that day? We have a tendency to focus on the negatives that are in our life, but when we look for the good as a community, we will begin to see his daily mercies and gifts much more clearly. It sounds so simple, but our community will grow together when we celebrate together!

P.S. Celebrate the gift of our Moms today! Happy Mother’s Day!

Re:Verse passage – 2 Chronicles 7:1-10 (day six)

Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. Jude 24

In less than forty years Solomon turns from God and gives his devotion and attention to pagan gods. As goes the king, so does the people. Save the prophets of the Lord, the nation is rife with rebellion and the pungent stench of idolatry. It is hard to imagine how quickly they forgot their incredible encounter with God at the dedication of the Temple.

The irony is stark; as important as the Temple was to David, and then Solomon, there is barely a mention in the rest of the historical books (save during Josiah’s reign).

What a terrible reminder for us! How quickly we can exchange the glory and wisdom of God for our homemade (and destructive) idols!

Oh what a miserable person I am. Who will free me from this life of sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord! -Paul, Romans 7:24-25

Re:Verse passage – 2 Chronicles 7:1-10 (day five) 

“On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people to their homes, joyful and glad in heart for the good things the Lord had done for David and Solomon and for his people Israel.”  Isn’t it interesting that the scripture says that the people were “sent (away) to their homes”.  In my mind, I can picture a group that didn’t want to leave. They kept “congregating”.  Not in a hurry to get to lunch.  Not thinking about the to-do list.  Just soaking up the moment and experience that has gone on for days. Why?  Because they had a personal and powerful encounter with the Lord. Ever had those moments?  Ever anticipate those moments?  There is something captivating about being with other believers and (personally and corporately) experiencing God’s power and presence.  Don’t want it to end.  Don’t want to leave.  Want to linger.  Want to share that experience and enjoy the fellowship that it fosters.  May our Worship and Bible Study gatherings leave us in that kind of awe because of God’s presence and power through His Holy Spirit.

“The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.” Exodus‬ ‭33:11‬

Re:Verse passage – 2 Chronicles 7:1-10 (day four)

Fire is often used in Scripture to represent the presence of God.  Moses saw God in the burning bush and received instructions from Him.  During the exodus, the children of Israel followed the pillar of fire by night.  Elijah called down fire from heaven when he dealt with the prophets of Baal.  David experienced the presence of God on the altar when He responded with fire.  Now, we see the presence of God manifested to Solomon through fire.

In New Testament times, the Holy Spirit was depicted as tongues of fire.  And, in Revelation, we see God’s ultimate judgment coming as fire.  The dramatic display of power under control through fire has signaled the presence of God from the beginning.  What is it in your life that signals the presence of God to the world?  Is the awesome display of God’s power visible in you?  Do others see the Holy Spirit working in your life?  Let your light so shine before men…

Re:Verse passage – 2 Chronicles 7:1-10 (day three)

“…rejoicing and happy of heart because of the goodness that the Lord had shown to David and to Solomon and to His people Israel.”

When you know someone is caring for you, you are free from worry. This effect is on display here with the people having seen evidence of God’s care. This was Jesus’s point in directing people’s attention to the way God cares for the flowers and the birds. What better way to help people find release from worry than to stand with them in thoughtful caring, as though you were embodying Christ’s care for them?

Re:Verse passage – 2 Chronicles 7:1-10 (day two) 

Then on the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people to their tents, rejoicing and happy of heart because of the goodness that the Lord had shown to David and to Solomon and to His people Israel. vs. 10

Not every day is a festival day. Not every experience is on the mountain. These are moments that when totaled are far outnumbered by the regular, the mundane, and even the bleak, but they matter. They matter because of their uniqueness. Those times when you feel so near to the Lord can be a lifeline for the times when you are searching for his presence. It doesn’t mean that the Lord has left you, but perhaps you have allowed other things to cloud your vision. If you are in one of those times of distance right now stop and remember when you felt the overwhelming presence of God in your life. May that serve as a buoy for your heart right now, and inspire you to move once again toward him.

Re:Verse passage – 2 Chronicles 6:12-42 (day seven)

“When […] there is no rain because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin […] send rain on Your land.” 26-27

There must have been a lot of repenting this week, because we had not gotten rain like that in a very long time! For clarity, I do not know if God continues to use weather patterns as a punishment for sin, but let me ask you a few questions:

Did you go outside after the rain let up? What did you see? Were the colors of the land brighter? Had there been new growth? How was nature reacting?

The rain was a cleansing for the land. Confession and repentance does the same thing for our soul. Every thing is brighter. We are seeing the world without a layer grime blocking our vision. New growth begins to come up in the form of relationships. Our relationship with others is restored. Our relationship with God flourishes. The storms that roll through can be dark and frightening, as can confession, but the healing that comes as a result makes the storm worth enduring.

Re:Verse passage – 2 Chronicles 6:12-42 (day six)

The temple was a house of prayer. The whole purpose of atoning sacrifices was to pave the way for the people to commune with God; to petition him from out of their brokenness and sin, to find wholeness again. This ornate building was to be a constant reminder of that reality, that the God who fashioned the heavens and the earth, gave the people his name on which to call, giving his infinite and glorious attention to a people who need his help.

The temple was a sign of hope and promise:

That if they would humble themselves and call upon the Lord, they would be saved.

Jesus, is not a sign, he is the truth. He is temple, sacrifice, and high priest…

God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12