Ogundipe oluwatoyin amos The Bible Calendar for 17th September 2024.
1 Kings 9
Jeremiah 17
Philippians 2: 12–30.
POINTS:
1. Location of Solomon’s Temple Today
2. DESIST From Man
3. Without Murmuring or Disputing.
1. LOCATION OF SOLOMON’S TEMPLE TODAY
God is Omniscient; He knows the end from the beginning, and He knows what the Israelites would do afterward. He warned Solomon and the people of the danger of walking against His will. As if He did not appreciate the Temple, He told them to be careful or else the Temple seemed to them as the glory of the Nation, and the glory of their God would be desolate and shameful if they forsake the Lord God. Unfortunately, the people were carried away with their pride and disobedience and He sent many prophets to them, but they did not listen. Even the book of Jeremiah read here continued to warn them on keeping the Sabbath, yet they remained adamant till the coming of Jesus, and He warned them that no stone shall be left on another and the temple that serves as pride and business center and all shall be destroyed. The question is where is the temple of Solomon today? The people were sent to exile in Babylon for about six hundred years before the coming of Jesus and the strange people were transported to Jerusalem after the prophecy of Jeremiah after seventy years they were redeemed and renovated the temple yet they turned into the market of selling and buying things and money changer of which Jesus sent out on His triumphant entry to Jerusalem. But it is very shocking news to know that Solomon’s temple has been replaced by a mosque today in the same location, and Muslim worshippers throughout the world will face the place as the prayers offered by Solomon and as the fulfillment of the wrath of God for the disobedience of Israel. History has it that in 48AD, the war faced the people who scattered the Israelites, and in 600AD, the Muhammadant also attacked the Jewish and the Christian religion, which made many of the worshipers migrate to many places in the world. Till today, the agitation is still in place to reclaim Jerusalem as a capital of Judah, that is the extent of what the wrath of God can do to the disobedient children. He cannot be bribed; he cannot condole disobedience; let us purify our minds and follow his work of salvation on us and provoke Him. Not till His coming we will not see the wrath of God on us, our family, church, and the nation in Jesus’ name. Please note this, your good work for the Lord can only be rewarded when you keep your standing in the Lord. Keep your relationship with Him.
2. DESIST FROM MAN
We trust in man that, in one way or the other close to us, but the heart of man is wicked, and there is no means to know it. We cannot know whether the person who smiles at us is smiling with good intentions or smiling to perpetrate evil; that is why God told us through Prophet Jeremiah to desist from trusting human beings, for their hearts are depraved, and only God knows the heart of man. The heart of man in this context is not the blood circulatory pump organ in man but the mind of man with the thinking faculty and memory storage in man which are deeper than what the scientific means can read. Man can be laughing while he is planning evil, and he can be frank yet deep in love. Man can do and undo, he is not easily understood. Some will speak the opposite of what they have in their mind; man is unstable, wicked, and self-centered; he will do everything to his favor at the detriment of others. We need to be very careful with man, anyone can do good to us in extreme denial of his mind. It is better to trust in God than to trust in man of any category, do normal with everyone, give the benefit of the doubt to people when dealing with them, don’t believe your spouse will always accept all things, know that he is also a human being, only God is perfect; and doing these will make us appreciate one another very well for anyone does well has compelled his heart and denied himself for that he does, and will not be disappointed for anyone who fails to do something for we have expected the worse from men because the heart of man is wicked.
3. WITHOUT MURMURING OR DISPUTING
Christianity is spiritual and a way of life. It can only be smooth when we follow the rudiments of Christ’s life; murmuring, disputing, rebellion, anger, and many others cause serious problems in the church. The Israelites’ congregation was seriously affected by this pest, and many people lost their lives in the wilderness. Jesus, in his earthly ministry, did not allow murmuring; he quickly addressed any symptoms of dispute among His followers and even the opposition. Apostle Paul followed suit by telling his lovely church to not allow murmuring or opposition in the church. Murmuring can occur when people don’t understand the situation of things when they are not carried along when the leaders are not accountable when judgment is delayed or perverted, when there is double-dealing in the church, or when sins find their way to the church. But many of these mentioned can be guarded against by the leaders and the followers in the church, especially those who know that the church is a heritage of God and its living organisms which should be nurtured and cared for with the understanding that not all will grow together at a time; some will have rapid growth while some will slow even some may be crawling; and all must be taking to the promised land. Satan will certainly be looking for loopholes to come in, but we should not allow it, knowing fully that Jesus would not have easily apprehended if not for the internal person that revealed Him; such people as Judas are still in the church today; we need to be careful. Nothing stops the church members from asking the pastor or the church officers about whatever they do not understand, but it should be done with good manner and respect, and the ministers should be tender-minded because such angry people may be many in the church who did not come, but the one who comes when the answer is well given, others will hear and remove such ignorance in their mind. Many ministers hate criticism meanwhile, criticism makes for rapid development in the church and helps the minister to cut their excessiveness in the church and proper keeping of things in the church. One of my mentors will say, “It is better to murmur out than murmur in,” which means it is better to dialogue within the church than a murmur. All the damages that murmuring and disputes have caused in the church and our family, may the Lord have mercy and heal those aspects in Jesus’ name. Keep your relationship with God and also with people especially those under your leadership. Remember, you will account for all of them, and there is no excuse for losing anyone among them.
Pastor M. O. Shodipe.
For questions: 08056044717
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