You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. John 14:14-16

Jesus left the disciples with an important truth about their new identity, which was going to be revealed to them in the process of time. He told them that they were no longer going to be His servants but His friends. He also told them that He was going to make known to them the things of God.

This may have excited and even flattered the disciples. Being the friend of Jesus would have been a more prestigious position than just being a servant. They could have felt the extra special “click” whom Jesus wanted to associate with.  In reality, the disciples did not really understand the ramification of this new identity.

Many times we do not fully understand God’s word to us. We may get very excited at the beginning when we hear God’s voice concerning our identity or receive a prophetic word, but over time we wonder about the fulfillment of that identity.

The new identity as the friend of Jesus did not transpire right away in the disciples’ lives, but this truth began to be revealed to them one day at a time starting on the Day of Pentecost. This new identity was going to build on their previous identity as fishermen of men, and it was going to upgrade the nature of their relationship with Jesus to a new level.

The idea of friendship with Jesus, would have looked very different than what Jesus had in mind. Their choice would have been to be closer and spend more time with Jesus in person, but that was not what God had in mind. Their friendship began when Jesus was taken up and when the Holy Spirit came upon them. They received the resident comforter and counselor who was going to always be with them. The disciples had to grow up fast, and as representatives of Jesus, they had to begin to think, speak, and act like Jesus.  They also had to do away with their competitiveness for a superior position in Jesus’ circle and begin to work as a team.

We also have our own ideas of how this new identity is going to work out in our lives. Certain circumstances and situations that we had not imagined can cause us to get disillusioned with our identity and the call of God in our lives. However, God’s work is not limited to our understanding, and we have to be willing to go through the process with Him without fully liking or understanding the process.

The disciples’ obedience as fishermen of men had grown them to a level where Jesus was giving them more authority and heavenly privileges, but they also had greater responsibility. Now, they were supposed to continue the mission Jesus began by sharing the Gospel and making disciples of others.

I think, most of the time we claim we have faith because we are comfortable with our circumstances. However, when our faith is challenged through perplexing circumstances or uncertain future that is when its true nature revealed. The disciples’ new identity as the friend of Jesus had to develop in the crucible of an uncertain future and in the absence of Jesus. This would have seemed like an oxymoron to the disciples.

Our new identity in God will also grow when we are willing to go through the process with God and allow Him to unfold what He has spoken concerning our lives. If we are developing friendship with God, we need to allow the Holy Spirit to comfort and counsel us one day a time and learn to depend on Him at a new level. Friendship with God is very different than friendship with people. Friendship with God requires deeper level of faith and trust in Him when everything in our carnal nature wants to oppose it.

Please don’t give up on God’s identity for you. He is working on us in ways that do not make sense in order to fulfill His word in our lives. He is faithful to accomplish it as we surrender ourselves to His process.

When Jesus intersected the disciples’ lives, they were busy working as fishermen and making a livelihood for their families. A different calling or identity was not on their mind.

And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Matthew 4:18-20

Jesus told them that their identity was about to change and that they were going to become fishers of men. This identity was going to be based on following Jesus and being shaped through their relationship with Him.  The disciples were willing to leave their nets and follow Jesus immediately, They didn’t know where Jesus was going, but they were willing to take the risk and follow Him. I doubt if they fully understood what it meant to be fishers of men. Jesus found busy fishermen and intersected their lives to completely change their worldview and their value system.

Most of us have had encounters with the Lord when we weren’t looking for Him, but at a moment in time, He intersected our lives and completely changed our passion, hope, and dreams. He replaced the worldly desires with the passion for His presence and His glory. In some ways, we were like the disciples. We knew our identity was being changed, but we weren’t sure where we were headed and what to expect in our relationship with the Lord.

The disciples walked with Jesus for three years and ministered to people under Jesus’ direction and guidance. They assumed that being fishers of men was about their limited ministry under the supervision of their teacher. This was evident when they went back to fishing after Jesus was crucified. They must have thought that their identity as fishers of men was over. Therefore, it was time for them to return to who they were before.

Our disappointments cause us to go back to our familiar places. The familiar always appears more real than something that we don’t understand. The familiar is more comfortable than the person who has disappointed us.

I’m so glad that Jesus did not give up on the disciples. He also does not give up on us. Today, if you are questioning certain aspects of your identity in Christ, be real with Him in prayer. Submit and surrender the perplexing issue to the Lord. Refrain from blaming and accusing others about your situation.  Be open to receiving His words of life, comfort, and correction. His presence and assurance will settle your identity in Him!

I will continue with this subject in the next devotional.

Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” Exodus 3:10

Now you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do. So he shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God.  And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.” Exodus 3:15-17

Moses was a shepherd for his father-in-law for forty years and he was content with that role. However, God was about to close that chapter on his life and move him into a new dimension. God called Moses to be Israel’s deliverer, but Moses was reluctant and did not see himself capable of doing it.

Moses questioned God and wondered why Pharaoh would take his demand seriously. The Lord showed Moses that He was with him by turning Moses’ rod into a snake, and then He had Moses catch it by its tail to become a rod again. Then God allowed Moses’ hand become leprous and then He restored back to normal. A snake and a leprous hand would have been frightening to anyone, yet, Moses was still reluctant because he had a stutter. God solved his problem by picking Aaron, his brother, to be his spokesperson. 

Sometimes the Lord has to take drastic measures to help us believe that our season has changed and that we need to embrace our new identity. We don’t like it when life situations seem uncertain and out of our control. We like to be comfortable and certain, but it is in these new dimensions that we become more intimate with God and less religious. We have no other option except to seek His face and to depend on His mighty hand to walk with us in those unknown situations.

Moses’ new identity as the deliverer of Israel caused him to seek God and to get to know Him. When had the simple job of shepherding his father-in-law’s sheep, he could operate on cruise control, but he could do that no longer.  He had to depend on the Lord because the situations he was going to encounter were going to be difficult, uncertain, and unique.

We also like our predictable life where we have a level of control and familiarity with our surroundings, but when God wants to give us a new identity everything changes. We used to easily prescribe scriptures to others and think that it will fix people’s problems if they took it once a day, but now we don’t want others’ pre-packaged prescription. We need God in a level that we cannot even articulate. Nowadays. we seek His presence at a deeper level to calm our nerves rather than just singing some good worship songs to feel good. We are in a place that we desperately need His insight in this new identity that we just stepped in. 

God said to Moses that he was going to be like God to Aaron. Moses had a temporary identity to be as god for Aaron. This was a temporary assignment in order for Aaron to be the mouthpiece for Moses. Aaron was supposed to only speak what Moses instructed him and not add his own thoughts and opinions when he spoke to Pharaoh. Moses understood this temporary identity, and it did not cause him to think that he was more important than Aaron. Neither did he think that Aaron was going to remain in that role for the rest of his life.

In the last forty years of his life, Moses was not only Israel’s deliverer, but God also imparted the law and the Ten Commandments, and Moses is known as the Lawgiver. The Lord has different seasons with different identities for us as well, and when He taps us on the shoulder,  it is time for us to let go of the past identities and step into the new role that He has given us.  

Understanding our identity in Christ is one of the key foundational truths in our walk with God, but our identity develops in new dimensions as we grow in our relationship with the Lord!

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15

having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:5-6

The scriptures  tell us that when we accept Jesus’ work on the cross, God wipes away our sins and accepts us into his fold. At one time, we were orphans, but now we are children of God. Being adopted as a child of God seems to be a simple idea, but sometimes it takes a lifetime for us to get a good grasp of this truth and allow it to sink into our spirit and soul. This truth not only sets us free from fear, but it also allows us to believe God’s promises for our future and His purpose for our lives.

When we begin to live as a child of God, the Lord starts to develop new identities in us.  Some of the identities are temporary and some of them become life-long assignments. Moses’ identity changed a few times. He was a Jew but he grew up in Pharaoh’s palace in the presence of Egyptian royalty. When he was grown, he left that life behind because he knew that was not part of his true identity. He murdered an Egyptian to protect a Hebrew, but that caused him to run to desert and flee from being captured by Pharaoh. He must have felt that his burden for his brethren was a fleshly and dangerous zeal! However, God had a plan for that burden!

Then Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses.And she bore him a son. He called his name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land.” Exodus 2:21-22

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. Exodus 3:1

Moses tried to put his bad experience behind,  and in the process he let go of his true identity. He married Zipporah’s daughter and became a father and a shepherd taking care of his father-in-law’s sheep until God met him in the desert at the burning bush. While he seemed content with his life, God was  not finished with him and the Lord was about to change his identity forever. 

Sometimes we don’t see the fruit of the burden God placed on our hearts. We become disappointed and disillusioned with what we thought to be true. This leads us to give up on the dream and our true identity, and we find something else to do. The good news is that God knows where to find us when it is time for us to step into the new identity and the role He has for us. 

I will continue with this subject in the next devotional.

Paul wrote that, “we have this treasure in jars of clary” (See 2 Corinthians 4:7). While clay can make useful containers, it is fragile and brittle. Similarly, we also can be useful to God but remain frail and vulnerable. That’s why it is important not to look at our usefulness as a sign of strength. While we should be thankful that God uses us, our various ministry roles do not change our vulnerability. Peter found this out the hard way, and it completely caught him by surprise.

Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”

Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.” Luke 22:31-34

Based on all the stories we read in the Bible, Peter seems to be the bravest and the boldest of all the disciples . He was the one who declared Jesus to be the Messiah. Peter was also the only disciple who stepped out of the boat and walked on water.  Finally, he also had the bravery to defend Jesus and cut off the ear of the solider that tried to arrest Him.

Peter had an impressive resume of boldness and zeal, but those qualities did not buy him immunity from being vulnerable. He never thought in a million years that he would ever deny Jesus, but in his moment of weakness, he did the unthinkable. Peter didn’t deny Jesus just once but three times!

If you were Peter, how would you have felt about denying Jesus? It would have been easy to feel like a failure or a hypocrite. He could have questioned his faith and wondered how real was his experience in ministering with Jesus for three years. Peter found himself bankrupt and perplexed while he had been trained by powerful teachings he had received from Jesus.

Peter had a mixture of fleshly and spiritual confidence up to that moment. This made him presumptuous of his abilities to the point that he refuted Jesus’ prediction about the denial of him! In addition, his association with Jesus may have given Peter false confidence, and in time, he had to stand on his own spiritual feet!

While our circumstances look very different than Peter’s, we can also suddenly find ourselves bewildered and weak in a moment of pressure. Jesus knew that Peter was going to deny him, and He told Peter that he had prayed for him. Similarly, Jesus understands our frailties. Our weak moments do not surprise Him, but they expose something that we need to address with God. Jesus restored Peter for the work He had for Peter was far more important than letting Peter sulk in his failure.

Praise God for His grace and mercy! It takes a huge burden off of our shoulders when we realize that not only God is not surprised by our frailty, but Jesus is interceding  on our behalf, so we can get through the situation and come out stronger on the other side!

We all know that a successful Christian life has peaks and valleys, but most of us hate to be in a valley. We don’t like the times of weakness because they make us think that we must not be a good Christian. 

We have learned to quote the Bible and speak eloquently of the giants in the faith. However, at times, we find ourselves at a loss for words or scriptures to console ourselves or others. It seems that everything we have learned and known up to that point, evaporates in a moment, and we are left bewildered in how to respond to the situation at hand. The truth is that we are not alone, and the Bible has some examples of brave and Godly individuals who found themselves lost and dumbfounded for a season.

And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” 3 And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” 1Kings 19:1-5

Elijah had mightily faced prophets of Baal and shown them the power of God in the midst of grave opposition. That was a major feat for any man of God. Nowhere in the Bible is there any information about Elijah’s apprehension in facing these false prophets or wondering if God was going to come through for him. However, one woman’s threat changed everything for him! Jezebel’s threat led him to not only run away, but he also dreaded being alive! Why was there such a drastic change in Elijah’s life!?

We all can feel helpless like Elijah at times. We may be strong for a long time, but one thing takes us completely off course. Or we can be strong in many areas, but certain things or people push our vulnerable button and cause us to question ourselves. 

Is it possible that Elijah’s accomplishments gave him a false sense of self-righteousness? Success has a deceptive way of making us think that we are capable apart from God! Whenever we begin to feel self-righteous, it becomes a set-up by the enemy to attack us! If our focus becomes what we can do, then we look to ourselves when a new challenge arises.

Our spiritual walk was never intended to be done apart from the Lord! Our success should bring us closer in intimacy with Christ. Otherwise, we are trapped by that success, and now we begin to have greater confidence in our ability than God’s power. When a new challenge comes along our way, we measure it against our strength, and we fall short because our strength was never meant to be enough to face that challenge.

In addition, Elijah felt all alone that he was the only righteous person left. We are always meant to stay connected with others. If we just get busy with the tasks of the day or relish on our success at the sacrifice of relationships, sooner or later, we will find ourselves emotionally bankrupt. 

From Youtube:Healing hand of God by Jeremy Camp

If you are feeling frail today, remember that you are not alone and this does not make you a weak or a bad Christian. Talk to the Lord and be honest with your heart condition. Let Him comfort you with His spirit as He helps you how to deal with the situation!

But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites— from the nations of whom the Lord had said to the children of Israel, “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. 1 Kings 11:1-3

God knew in advance the temptations faced by the kings of Israel, and centuries prior to the Israelites having a king, He warned them and gave them principles by which the kings should govern God’s nation.

“When you come to the land which the Lord your God is giving you, and possess it and dwell in it, and say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me,’  you shall surely set a king over you whom the Lord your God chooses; one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again.’ Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself. Deuteronomy 17:14-17

The Lord specifically told Moses that the kings should not amass horses, gold, and silver, and neither should they be polygamous and marry foreign wives. Solomon went against everything God had warned. He multiplied his horses, and he did intermarry foreign women, and in turn, he saw the consequence of his bad actions.

Intermarriage was part of the customs in that era allowing the the kings to form alliances with other nations. Solomon may have excused his behavior because it was cultural. Sometimes we excuse our actions and blame it on our history or our culture, but anything that does not line up with the truth has to be driven out of our lives. This may mean not attending certain family gatherings or celebrations, or it may cost us some friendships because people expect us to do certain activities with them. When we walk with God, we are accountable to the truth we know, and we need to follow through with what He has instructed us about.

Having many horses may have caused Solomon to begin relying on his military prowess rather than the power the Lord provides. Similarly, we may rely on our titles, wealth, or certain relationships to cover up our insecurities or to prop us with fictitious power.

In addition, by Solomon giving his heart to foreign women, his heart was not engaged with pleasing God anymore. He loved the women he married, so he desired to please them by worshipping their God and making altars for them. Solomon had to be a hefty price as the consequence for his actions, and God announced that his  kingdom was going to be divided after his death.

We live in a culture that many things are permissible and lawful, and people in the world would not look down upon us if we sinned. However, God’s law is higher than the laws of the land. It is important not to evaluate our morality based on the culture around us or what is lawful. The Bible provides us with plumb-line for Godly living,  Godly wisdom, and evaluates our actions against its standard. Much of the ills of society can be prevented or minimized, if people followed God’s counsel and instructions instead of doing what everybody else is doing.

In his old age, Solomon penned the book of Ecclesiastes where he shared about the vanity and the meaningless of life and wealth. Apart from God, the things of this world only have a temporary satisfaction, and they eventually leave us empty and bankrupt. Our relationship with God gives us the stability and the wholeness that keeps us steady regardless of our possessions or circumstances. In the last verses of the of book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon concluded with the following:

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:

Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.
For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

After all the glamour, the glory, and the pitfalls, Solomon understood that the most important thing in life is to fear God, for someday, we will all give an account of our lives to Him!

The  Solomon Series will be continued next time, but the Lord led me to write on the topic of the Cross!

There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. Luke 23:32

Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”

But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?  And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”  And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:39-43

Jesus and two criminals were all being crucified on calvary. For a casual observer, it would have been easy to assume Jesus was guilty by association. Perhaps, they crucified the two criminals at this time to convolute the issue and to convince everyone that Jesus was just as guilty.

Man has a tendency to cover up his sins by variety of ways such as focusing on other people’s sin, comparing his sin to others, or thinking that everyone does it. This takes attention away from our issues in an attempt to minimize our sins.  The Lord does not deal with us or our sins as a group.  He designed us to be in a relationship with Him, and He never intended for people to have a higher priority in our lives. Regardless of others’ sin, we will each stand before the Father on our own, and we cannot use other people’s actions, attitudes, or teachings to explain or convult our sin. 

The two criminals had much in common up to the point of crucifixion. However, this moment changed the direction of their eternity. One criminal mocked Jesus’ identity and told Him that if He was the Christ, He should save Himself and the two of them.  The sad truth was that the first criminal never acknowledged his sin but was expecting to get away from being punished. In addition, the criminal was used by the enemy to tempt Jesus one more time into questioning His identity.

Everyone of us will have to face Jesus and respond to His work on the Cross. Some will try to ignore their sin and expect cheap grace. Others will expect that their good works is enough for them to be pardoned, but none of those can fix our sinful condition before a Holy God. If our self-effort were enough, Jesus did not have to be crucified. 

The second criminal scolded the first one, and he acknowledged that he feared God. He recognized that he was a sinner and the punishment he was receiving was just for what he had done. He knew that Jesus wasn’t like them and that He was innocent of the charges. He also acknowledged Jesus to be the Messiah and that He had a heavenly Kingdom.

The second criminal was able to look at his own actions and take responsibility for them. This is critical for our Salvation and our walk with God. Some people do not recognize their depth of sin or think they have something special to offer to God. We will stand before a holy God and none of our accomplishments and accolades will justify our goodness. The criminal could not offer anything to Jesus except confessing his sins and believing in the Messiah. Jesus mercifully received him immediately into the Kingdom without finding fault with him. He also has the power to receive us into His family when we invite Him into our lives.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. 1John 8-10

We are all faced with the two decisions that the criminals had. One denied and tried to get away from his sin. The other confessed and accepted the Messiah.  One died in his sin and the other one went to be with the Lord! Praise God for His marvelous work and for Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross!

Then she [queen of Sheba] said to the king: “It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. However I did not believe the words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard. Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.” 1Kings 10: 6-9

Now King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired, whatever she asked, besides what Solomon had given her according to the royal generosity. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants. 1Kings 10:13

The queen of Sheba came from southwestern Arabia (current day Yemen) to observe Solomon. She was most likely an unbeliever seeking and searching for the truth! The Queen asked Solomon hard questions, and he was able to answer all of them. She was not only pleased with Solomon’s answers, but she was also impressed by his way of life. 

The queen of Sheba understood that it was God who had placed Solomon in his position to do justice and righteousness. The wisdom of God in solomon’s life drew her and others to know about Solomon’s God. While the Bible does not tell us what happened to queen of Sheba after she returned home, it is possible that she had encountered the true God  after spending time with Solomon. In answering her questions, he might have shared some of the wisdom and insight that he penned in the book of Proverbs. In addition, Solomon blessed queen of Sheba with many material things on her journey back to her country. However, the most valuable treasures that she must have taken with her were an understanding of the true God and that divine wisdom comes from fearing God. 

How do we steward our leadership roles? When God sends people our way, do we point them to Jesus or do we relish on the fact that they are impressed with us? The Lord gives each of us a sphere of influence, and there are people who are drawn to us because they are hungry for truth.  As people of God, we should take advantage of every opportunity to share the wisdom of God and point people to Jesus! 

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29:2

The queen of Sheba observed that those who were under Solomon’s leadership must be very happy and satisfied with his wisdom. She understood that it was the God who picked Solomon to be the ruler over His people. She also remarked that God certainly had loved Israel by blessing them with such a man. While Solomon did not have the experiences of his father, God anointed him for the position and allowed him to be the wisest person ever known. Solomon set the standard for wise leadership, and leaders can gain must insight on how to lead and judge righteously from the wisdom Solomon shared in the book of Proverbs. We need to pray for wise leadership in every arena of our society. 

The wisdom of God allows a person to live righteously, rule righteously, and judge righteously. We all need the wisdom of God to lead our lives, families,  and ministries, and to be an influence to those around us.  

How is it that most people appreciate wisdom but there is such a lack of wisdom in society and in leaders? Solomon’s life answers those questions as well. I will continue with this subject in the next devotional. 

In the last devotional, I shared that Solomon had a vision where he asked God for an understanding heart.  His heart’s desire was to lead God’s people with equity and justice because they were valuable to the Lord.

The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice,  behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.  And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days.  So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.” 1Kings 3:10-14

The Lord was greatly pleased with Solomon’s request and made him the wisest and the most understanding person ever known. He also blessed Solomon with wealth and honor, which Solomon had not requested. In addition to blessing him richly, the Lord reminded him to walk in all of His ways.

God has blessed with us with many spiritual and natural blessings, but none of those blessings are intended to derail us from walking in God’s ways. The blessings of God should not make us walk independently of God. Instead, the more responsibility He gives us, it should cause us to be more dependent upon Him for the wisdom we need to navigate through various decisions. 

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10

Solomon received much insight and wisdom, and he penned some of those insights in the book of Proverbs. The secret to Solomon’s wisdom was the fear of the Lord! Revering God and honoring the Lord is the starting point of wisdom. When we put God first in everything, it strips away our personal plans and ambitions. We empty ourselves of our own ideas, and we allow God to fill us with His wisdom and insight. Wisdom and understanding protect us from evil, and they help us to navigate successfully through various junctions of life without making too many detours. True wisdom is potent and effective in the person’s life, and it is a blessing to those around them.  

Wisdom comes from the foundation of respecting and honoring the Word of God. Love and respect are two separate things. Some people have grown in families where there were no  boundaries. As a result, children love the parents but do not honor them.  Others have had harsh or neglectful parents, as a result, they did not respect their parents and rebelled against them. When people come to salvation, some bring their past experience and mindset to their relationship with the Lord. They love Him, but they still do what they want to do. They selectively pick and choose what they want out of the word of God, and they think they can get away with it. 

If we desire to be wise, we must ask ourselves, do we revere God and desire to know Him? Are there areas of your life that you still operate as the little boy or the little girl dealing with his/her parents? The Lord has designed a system with healthy boundaries for our good. It is a system where we thrive and fulfill God’s purpose in our lives. Honoring Him and taking His seriously opens the door to wisdom and insight.