Two Different Kings April 22, 2018
There were two kings:
One a very good man, the other a bloody man.
One was the wisest, with a large heart. The other a simple shepherd that often made wrong decisions.
One was at peace with his enemies. The other was always at war.
One was graced to build the temple, and the other not allowed to.
One king had wives and children that spoke well of him, the other king’s wife openly mocked him, and his children rebelled so much as to take the kingdom away.
These were two very different kings. It’s obvious who man would prefer, the one with the pristine life. But I want to know God’s choice, not man’s opinion. Whose heart did God love and adore?
1 Kings 11:4-6 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, thathis wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as wasthe heart of David his father. 5. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as didDavid his father.
1 Kings 11:34 Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant's sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes:
1 Kings 14:8b . . .David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do thatonly which wasright in mine eyes;
What was God looking at? God looks on the heart. He wants your heart, all because of grace!
1 Kings 15:3 And he(Abijam)walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.
How could God say that about David? Grace! The same grace and mercy of God that saved you is the grace and mercy that will change you. His life is in you and fully equipped to grow up. We need to be fed the word of His grace. We need to hear truth.
The question for us all is,which king would you rather be? The goodly king whose heart was turned to other gods, or the bloody failure that had a heart after God’s own heart? Praise Him for His grace. Those that go around like the Pharisees, don’t see their need for the grace of God. It must have been a shock for many seeing Solomon go after other gods. There are onesnow,that were graced to hear the ruling and reigning doctrine, butlike Solomon were suddenly bewitched and went after other gods,such asself-righteousness and condemnation. We had better stay in worship for mercy and grace. Paul was the chief of sinners because he gloried in his works. Davidlived such a blotched life, heknew it had to be God’s grace and mercy that caused him to go on. Have a heart like David, perfect before God. David may have not always made the right steps in the eyes of man but he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. God said it, don’t wrestle with it. It had to be the before ordained good works he walked in. If your life is a whirlwind and never settles down, praise Him for it. He loves you. The eagle loves her kids, but takes out the fluff in the nest and teaches them to fly. Do you see why your life is not perfect?Your life is so valuable to God, He gave you Jesus. He doesn’t want our hands to fold or our eyes to slumber (Proverbs 24:33). He stirs up the nest, so we better start flying! Take the cup of salvation and don’t put it down. If by any means, want a perfect heart. Love His word. Thank Him today.
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