Jun 21 – 1 Kings 8:22-66, 1 Kings 9:1-9 Acts 14:8-28 Proverbs 15:11-20

1 Kings 8:27

“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! 

When the temple was built, it was not build to contain God. Solomon hd no illusions about how big God is. Not only was the temple not big enough, neither is the earth no heaven.

God can measure the stars with the span of HIs hands – all the waters of the sea can fit into the hollow of HIs hand.

God is bigger than the temple. He’s bigger than we could ever imagine or contain. Don’t try and put limits on Him or what He can achieve. 

1 Kings 8:33-34

“When your people Israel are defeated before the enemy because they have sinned against you, and if they turn again to you and acknowledge your name and pray and plead with you in this house, then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them again to the land that you gave to their fathers. 

There’s a very famous passage of scripture in 2 Chronicles 7:14 – in which God says “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

That quote does not take place in a vacuum – it’s actually a response to this prayer of Solomon. The list is a little different – but certainly connected.

So this promise from God is a response to a prayer.

Promises and words from God don’t just take place, they are responses to prayer. If you are not hearing from God – are you praying? Are you praying specifically? Because God responds to the things we ask.

Prov 15:17

Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it. 

What a great proverb!  Given a choice, I’m sure the meal of the fattened ox is a better choice than a dinner of herbs. Yes, it’s much better to prepare something great for your family – to give them the best.

But what good is that without love and harmony? What you can give your family materially is of some value, but of no value without giving emotionally.

Love with little is better than distance with much.