1 Kings 3:3-4
6.) Solomon made sacrifices on the "high places" (1 Kings3:3) of Gibeon, but did not come under God's severe judgements. Why?
God's Mercy?
Funny how on compare verse v. 2-3 to v.15. it does not mean that there is only one place of worship.
1 Kings 3:5-10
7.) What did Solomon request from the Lord? Why?
He asked for wisdom. take note here that he took the Pharaoh's daughter first before asking for wisdom ;)
definition of wisdom: From what i recall this sunday's sermon, knowing to do the right thing is a given situation. tama ba?
8.) What did God promise Solomon in response to his request?
Well he promised a lot more than he asked. This tells you a lot about God's grace too. A lot of things we don't deserve but he still gives it to us.
9.) Describe ways that discernment might be help to a:
Cardiologist - knowing what to say to patients
Personnel director - not sure?
Marriage counselor - giving timely advises, helping to know what the real problems are
10.) If you can, describe an instance that your own "discernment" revealed truths that were beneath the surface.
causing the wrong person. Saying sorry to people i've wronged
11.) Identify some ways that discernment might save a person from future trouble or sorrow.
Say the right words at the right time.
Showing posts with label Solomon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Solomon. Show all posts
Monday, January 22, 2007
Making the Right Choice Part 2
1 Kings 2:1-4
4.) What primary instruction did David give to Solomon on his deathbed?
David knew that he is dying already so he starts giving his last words and advise to his son, Solomon. So here are some of the things he told him to do:
a.) be strong
Probably telling Solomon to be courageous cuz as the new leader he is going to face lots of pressures and problems
b.)show yourself a man
time to take responsibilities
c.) Observe what the Lord your God requires
Obey God and his commandments. He did not say to choose commandments that you like. Or obey just 75% of it but ALL of it. Yikes kinda hard to do.
If you continue to read the whole chapter. You would be wondering is David a bad guy or not? He is telling Solomon to take out his enemies, but didn't David forgive Shimei already? It's like one of those Mafia movies when a new leader arises and he takes out the competition. These are tough questions to answer. Well David knew that these people will give Solomon a hard time when he rules.
5.) What did David promise Solomon in response to his obedience?
-Prosper in all you do and wherever you go.
-Lord will keep his promise to have a descendant on the throne of Israel
Question: So does God's promise depend on our actions?
4.) What primary instruction did David give to Solomon on his deathbed?
David knew that he is dying already so he starts giving his last words and advise to his son, Solomon. So here are some of the things he told him to do:
a.) be strong
Probably telling Solomon to be courageous cuz as the new leader he is going to face lots of pressures and problems
b.)show yourself a man
time to take responsibilities
c.) Observe what the Lord your God requires
Obey God and his commandments. He did not say to choose commandments that you like. Or obey just 75% of it but ALL of it. Yikes kinda hard to do.
If you continue to read the whole chapter. You would be wondering is David a bad guy or not? He is telling Solomon to take out his enemies, but didn't David forgive Shimei already? It's like one of those Mafia movies when a new leader arises and he takes out the competition. These are tough questions to answer. Well David knew that these people will give Solomon a hard time when he rules.
5.) What did David promise Solomon in response to his obedience?
-Prosper in all you do and wherever you go.
-Lord will keep his promise to have a descendant on the throne of Israel
Question: So does God's promise depend on our actions?
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Choosing the Right Values
This will be a continuation from my previous post "Making the Right Choices". The learning focus this time around is "Compromise with the world's values means abandoning God's values." It is a timely message especially for those who are already in the world like young pros like Elliott and me. Because I feel most high school students are still pampered in their comfort zones. Yet come the time to enter into college, most students, if not all, feel the pressure to adapt to the world's ways. That's why we have terms like "culture shock." They now see a big difference in living life that is pleasing to God and living life that is following the world's ways. Sounds familiar? Again this goes back to the issue of making the right choices and sticking to it!
Section 1: Spiritual Compromise
Often times when we get tempted by the world, we gradually take them into our lives. I like Rev. Billy's picture of a man who is running the race of his life based on Psalm 1. But then something in the crowds caught his eye that made him to walk instead of run. While he was walking, he suddenly stopped and stood there to get a better glimpse of that thing. And finally he sat down with the people who have that item and discuss with them without knowing that by this, the people already has affected his way of life, his way of thinking even his beliefs. The runner failed to run the race faithfully and just continue to imbibe what circumstances has led him to believe.
When we are not careful in this world, we leave ourselves open to situations where we are faced with certain choices that affect our values. And if our value system is not that rooted firmly in its foundation, most of the time we are dragged into the other person's or the world's value system. Solomon was tagged as the "Half-hearted man" which was always contrasted in the Bible with his father David who was tagged as the "Whole-hearted man". Both of these imply how they sought the Lord during their kingship over the Israelites. Both have been in situations where they were tested and even failed the test, but the difference lies in David's attitude and love of God. As for Solomon, his love for women intruded in his relationship with God and loosened the foundation of his faith. As a result, he became numbed to God's calling and commandments.
Section 2: Spiritual Numbness
We can imply from Solomon's actions that he clearly knew what must be done, but he was blinded by all of his 700 wives and 300 concubines. Imagine having to wake up every morning listening to your wives that we should do this or that! No wonder Solomon, not even the wisest man, can escape being affected by the backgrounds, beliefs, cultures, and pagan practices brought by his wives. But the blame is not entirely on the wives of Solomon. He himself brought this on himself when he did not listen to the God, the Supreme Wisdom, the One who granted him wisdom in the first place.
We all know that Solomon had good intentions in asking for wisdom and that is to govern well the people of the Lord in a way that is pleasing to Him. And yet here we see a different Solomon who valued politics and peace treaties more than preserving the good intention of the Lord's gift to him. Instead of thanking and praising the Source of Wisdom, he abandoned and turned to worship other gods. Not a wise thing to do isn't it? So the Lord judged him fairly out of his mercy and made him to suffer the consequences of his actions. And this is what happens when we place ourselves outside of God's plan and do things our own way.
Section 3: Spiritual Obedience
Again we go back to the question, if God knew that we would sin, would He have given us still the freewill to choose? I believe He would still give us that because He is more glorified when we choose to honor Him in our lives. In a unrealistic setting where there is no sin, where there are no temptations, it will definitely be easier to choose God. But in reality, it is not like that... we live in a world full of sin and temptation, and it is to God's glory and satisfaction when we His children choose to obey Him and choose to use this gift of freewill for His love and devotion alone!
Solomon had it going for him - wealth, power, glory. But he traded all of these for the one true thing that lasts and that is the relationship with God. He tried to claim God's victories as His own victories and God's wisdom as his own wisdom when it is clear that all of it is only possible because God permitted it so. In the end, God punished him for his disobedience and his own follies. Let this serve as a reminder for us to continue to devote our lives to Him!
Section 1: Spiritual Compromise
Often times when we get tempted by the world, we gradually take them into our lives. I like Rev. Billy's picture of a man who is running the race of his life based on Psalm 1. But then something in the crowds caught his eye that made him to walk instead of run. While he was walking, he suddenly stopped and stood there to get a better glimpse of that thing. And finally he sat down with the people who have that item and discuss with them without knowing that by this, the people already has affected his way of life, his way of thinking even his beliefs. The runner failed to run the race faithfully and just continue to imbibe what circumstances has led him to believe.
When we are not careful in this world, we leave ourselves open to situations where we are faced with certain choices that affect our values. And if our value system is not that rooted firmly in its foundation, most of the time we are dragged into the other person's or the world's value system. Solomon was tagged as the "Half-hearted man" which was always contrasted in the Bible with his father David who was tagged as the "Whole-hearted man". Both of these imply how they sought the Lord during their kingship over the Israelites. Both have been in situations where they were tested and even failed the test, but the difference lies in David's attitude and love of God. As for Solomon, his love for women intruded in his relationship with God and loosened the foundation of his faith. As a result, he became numbed to God's calling and commandments.
Section 2: Spiritual Numbness
We can imply from Solomon's actions that he clearly knew what must be done, but he was blinded by all of his 700 wives and 300 concubines. Imagine having to wake up every morning listening to your wives that we should do this or that! No wonder Solomon, not even the wisest man, can escape being affected by the backgrounds, beliefs, cultures, and pagan practices brought by his wives. But the blame is not entirely on the wives of Solomon. He himself brought this on himself when he did not listen to the God, the Supreme Wisdom, the One who granted him wisdom in the first place.
We all know that Solomon had good intentions in asking for wisdom and that is to govern well the people of the Lord in a way that is pleasing to Him. And yet here we see a different Solomon who valued politics and peace treaties more than preserving the good intention of the Lord's gift to him. Instead of thanking and praising the Source of Wisdom, he abandoned and turned to worship other gods. Not a wise thing to do isn't it? So the Lord judged him fairly out of his mercy and made him to suffer the consequences of his actions. And this is what happens when we place ourselves outside of God's plan and do things our own way.
Section 3: Spiritual Obedience
Again we go back to the question, if God knew that we would sin, would He have given us still the freewill to choose? I believe He would still give us that because He is more glorified when we choose to honor Him in our lives. In a unrealistic setting where there is no sin, where there are no temptations, it will definitely be easier to choose God. But in reality, it is not like that... we live in a world full of sin and temptation, and it is to God's glory and satisfaction when we His children choose to obey Him and choose to use this gift of freewill for His love and devotion alone!
Solomon had it going for him - wealth, power, glory. But he traded all of these for the one true thing that lasts and that is the relationship with God. He tried to claim God's victories as His own victories and God's wisdom as his own wisdom when it is clear that all of it is only possible because God permitted it so. In the end, God punished him for his disobedience and his own follies. Let this serve as a reminder for us to continue to devote our lives to Him!
Making the Right Choices part 1
Lesson 1:
Making the Right Choice
Opening Questions:
1.) How does personal morality affect a person's ability to lead others?
A person's morality is his basis on how he is leading other people. The decisions he is going to choose will reflect his values and morals.
2.) Discernment plays an important role in a leader's life. Identify several ways that it might be used to lead a nation.
I think that there are pros and cons in every decision a leader makes. He cannot please everybody. He has to make a decision that will either make some people happy others mad. Or he has to make a decision that is right but a lot of people are against it. I wonder if presidents look at their apporval ratings everytime they want to make a decision? Or do they just make decisions because they know that this is the right thing to do.
3.) Name the most "discerning" leaders that you have known, or known of, in your lifetime and describe how they exemplified discernment.
Not sure? I think everybody makes a bad decision in their life but to say a that person is discerning does that mean that they don't make mistakes? Anyways I don't know. Do you have anybody in mind?
Main Entry: mo·ral·i·ty
Pronunciation: m&-'ra-l&-tE, mo-
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -ties
1 a : a moral discourse, statement, or lesson b : a literary or other imaginative work teaching a moral lesson
2 a : a doctrine or system of moral conduct b plural : particular moral principles or rules of conduct
3 : conformity to ideals of right human conduct
4 : moral conduct : VIRTUE
Main Entry: 1mor·al
Pronunciation: 'mor-&l, 'mär-
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin moralis, from mor-, mos custom
1 a : of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior : ETHICAL <moral judgments> b : expressing or teaching a conception of right behavior moral poem> c : conforming to a standard of right behavior d : sanctioned by or operative on one's conscience or ethical judgment moral obligation> e : capable of right and wrong action moral agent>
2 : probable though not proved : VIRTUAL moral certainty>
3 : perceptual or psychological rather than tangible or practical in nature or effect moralmoral support> victory> <>dis·cern·ment
Pronunciation: di-'s&amp;rn-m&nt, -'z&rn-
Function: noun
1 : the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure : skill in discerning
2 : an act of discerning
Main Entry: dis·cern
Pronunciation: di-'s&rn, -'z&rn
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French discerner, from Latin discernere to separate, distinguish between, from dis- apart + cernere to sift -- more at DIS-, CERTAIN
transitive verb
1 a : to detect with the eyes <discerned a figure approaching through the fog> b : to detect with senses other than vision <discerned a strange odor>
2 : to recognize or identify as separate and distinct : DISCRIMINATE <discern right from wrong>
3 : to come to know or recognize mentallydiscern his motives>
intransitive verb : to see or understand the difference
Making the Right Choice
Opening Questions:
1.) How does personal morality affect a person's ability to lead others?
A person's morality is his basis on how he is leading other people. The decisions he is going to choose will reflect his values and morals.
2.) Discernment plays an important role in a leader's life. Identify several ways that it might be used to lead a nation.
I think that there are pros and cons in every decision a leader makes. He cannot please everybody. He has to make a decision that will either make some people happy others mad. Or he has to make a decision that is right but a lot of people are against it. I wonder if presidents look at their apporval ratings everytime they want to make a decision? Or do they just make decisions because they know that this is the right thing to do.
3.) Name the most "discerning" leaders that you have known, or known of, in your lifetime and describe how they exemplified discernment.
Not sure? I think everybody makes a bad decision in their life but to say a that person is discerning does that mean that they don't make mistakes? Anyways I don't know. Do you have anybody in mind?
Main Entry: mo·ral·i·ty
Pronunciation: m&-'ra-l&-tE, mo-
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -ties
1 a : a moral discourse, statement, or lesson b : a literary or other imaginative work teaching a moral lesson
2 a : a doctrine or system of moral conduct b plural : particular moral principles or rules of conduct
3 : conformity to ideals of right human conduct
4 : moral conduct : VIRTUE
Main Entry: 1mor·al
Pronunciation: 'mor-&l, 'mär-
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin moralis, from mor-, mos custom
1 a : of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior : ETHICAL <moral judgments> b : expressing or teaching a conception of right behavior moral poem> c : conforming to a standard of right behavior d : sanctioned by or operative on one's conscience or ethical judgment moral obligation> e : capable of right and wrong action moral agent>
2 : probable though not proved : VIRTUAL moral certainty>
3 : perceptual or psychological rather than tangible or practical in nature or effect moralmoral support> victory> <>dis·cern·ment
Pronunciation: di-'s&amp;rn-m&nt, -'z&rn-
Function: noun
1 : the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure : skill in discerning
2 : an act of discerning
Main Entry: dis·cern
Pronunciation: di-'s&rn, -'z&rn
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French discerner, from Latin discernere to separate, distinguish between, from dis- apart + cernere to sift -- more at DIS-, CERTAIN
transitive verb
1 a : to detect with the eyes <discerned a figure approaching through the fog> b : to detect with senses other than vision <discerned a strange odor>
2 : to recognize or identify as separate and distinct : DISCRIMINATE <discern right from wrong>
3 : to come to know or recognize mentally
intransitive verb : to see or understand the difference
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Making the Right Choices
The message can be summarized in what was written in the learn focus section; "A discerning heart is better than power or riches." You may ask what's the connection between this and the title of the lesson. Well, I'll try to come up with it through the following sections...
Section 1: Grasping God's Plan
I think most of us know that we are persons created by God with reason, emotion and freewill (from Bok Su's message in camp). Although there are extreme people who would rather use only reason or emotion, I think we agree that normally we rely on both to make our decisions hence using our freewill. It is evident in the Bible about the freewill of man. In the Book of Genesis, we see the man and the woman refusing to obey God's command of not eating of the fruit of the tree of good and evil. And we all know of the consequences that came after that.
Question, if God knew that the results would be disastrous, why would He give us freewill? Or another way around it would be asking, if God gave us freewill, why does He have to give us standards to follow like the 10 Commandments or the Beautitudes, etc.? The answer is simple. He wants us to choose the good and not the evil. God created us in His likeness and image and not as controlled robots that does eveything that its inventor commands it to do. God created us for the purpose of glorifying Him and we do this by choosing what is good and pleasing to Him. This means that if we truly love Him and want to glorify Him in our life, we must choose to live by His standards. (1 Kings 3:3a "Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according the statutes of his father David...")
Section 2: Upholding God's Standard
As what we have read in the Bible study material, we are not like most politicians who choose to show an outward "upright" appearance just to win the favor of other people. On the contrary, the Bible tells us that our heart is more important to God than what the human eyes can see. (1 Samuel 16:7b "...man looks at outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.") His objective standards are different from people's relative standards. And yet most of the time, we tend to people please or codepend or give in to peer pressure because we fear men more than we fear God.
In the end, it is God who we should fear because no one else compares to Him, no one else deserves our praise and devotion. No one else, nothing else. This is should be a good reason enough to follow Him. And yet people like us don't get satisfied with statements like these. We demand a clearer explanation from God and He answers us in Job 28:28 "Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding." Only when we fear Him do we truly choose to shun evil. I feel that this is the time when we exercise true discernment.
Section 3: Following God's Command
What do you mean by making the right choices and why should discernment enter into these choices? In the Bible study material, Solomon was at still young when He became the King of Israel yet he chose discernment over power and riches. As we talked about earlier and in Proverbs 3:7 God warns and commands us, "Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil." Solomon feared and loved God during his early years and followed the statutes that his father upholded. He was humble enough to admit that he doesn't know and therefore needs help from God. He knew what was important for the glory of God and for His kingdom and chose to be given what could help him govern God's people effectively.
Let us ask also for discernment especially now when all apear to be good and beneficial to us. Contrary to the saying, "All that glitters is NOT gold." Some things of the world may seem to be pretty and eye catching but inside they are rotten and ugly. Some ways of the world may achieve "worldly" success, but it doesn't mean God approves of it. It all boils down to what we prioritize and what we give value to. If we think that the worldly things are more important than God, it would be natural to choose the ways of the world. If we indeed love God, it should also follow that we choose to submit ourselves to His teachings.
I believe this small group is the perfect for planting the seed of desiring more after God. After all, if we want to follow God's standard, we must know what are His standards right? Let us learn to obey and devote ourselves to Him! (which is the name of our blog. hehehe)
Section 1: Grasping God's Plan
I think most of us know that we are persons created by God with reason, emotion and freewill (from Bok Su's message in camp). Although there are extreme people who would rather use only reason or emotion, I think we agree that normally we rely on both to make our decisions hence using our freewill. It is evident in the Bible about the freewill of man. In the Book of Genesis, we see the man and the woman refusing to obey God's command of not eating of the fruit of the tree of good and evil. And we all know of the consequences that came after that.
Question, if God knew that the results would be disastrous, why would He give us freewill? Or another way around it would be asking, if God gave us freewill, why does He have to give us standards to follow like the 10 Commandments or the Beautitudes, etc.? The answer is simple. He wants us to choose the good and not the evil. God created us in His likeness and image and not as controlled robots that does eveything that its inventor commands it to do. God created us for the purpose of glorifying Him and we do this by choosing what is good and pleasing to Him. This means that if we truly love Him and want to glorify Him in our life, we must choose to live by His standards. (1 Kings 3:3a "Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according the statutes of his father David...")
Section 2: Upholding God's Standard
As what we have read in the Bible study material, we are not like most politicians who choose to show an outward "upright" appearance just to win the favor of other people. On the contrary, the Bible tells us that our heart is more important to God than what the human eyes can see. (1 Samuel 16:7b "...man looks at outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.") His objective standards are different from people's relative standards. And yet most of the time, we tend to people please or codepend or give in to peer pressure because we fear men more than we fear God.
In the end, it is God who we should fear because no one else compares to Him, no one else deserves our praise and devotion. No one else, nothing else. This is should be a good reason enough to follow Him. And yet people like us don't get satisfied with statements like these. We demand a clearer explanation from God and He answers us in Job 28:28 "Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding." Only when we fear Him do we truly choose to shun evil. I feel that this is the time when we exercise true discernment.
Section 3: Following God's Command
What do you mean by making the right choices and why should discernment enter into these choices? In the Bible study material, Solomon was at still young when He became the King of Israel yet he chose discernment over power and riches. As we talked about earlier and in Proverbs 3:7 God warns and commands us, "Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil." Solomon feared and loved God during his early years and followed the statutes that his father upholded. He was humble enough to admit that he doesn't know and therefore needs help from God. He knew what was important for the glory of God and for His kingdom and chose to be given what could help him govern God's people effectively.
Let us ask also for discernment especially now when all apear to be good and beneficial to us. Contrary to the saying, "All that glitters is NOT gold." Some things of the world may seem to be pretty and eye catching but inside they are rotten and ugly. Some ways of the world may achieve "worldly" success, but it doesn't mean God approves of it. It all boils down to what we prioritize and what we give value to. If we think that the worldly things are more important than God, it would be natural to choose the ways of the world. If we indeed love God, it should also follow that we choose to submit ourselves to His teachings.
I believe this small group is the perfect for planting the seed of desiring more after God. After all, if we want to follow God's standard, we must know what are His standards right? Let us learn to obey and devote ourselves to Him! (which is the name of our blog. hehehe)
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