Last day of April – hope the moisture we had helped Carla’s flowers – but more importantly, her tomatoes!

One of our cell phones (or whatever they call them now) went on the fritz and decided to try and use one of my old flip phones to replace it for now.

So, I pulled the old flip phone from my desk drawer – I know it might be embarrassing to use it, but at least it is a phone available in emergencies.

So I called my cell phone company and started the process of changing the number from my number to the other one.

We started the process by turning the phone on; it gave the tell tale music as it came on line – the tech on the other end of the phone – “I haven’t heard that in years!”

Just one more young person thinking I am an old codger.  They seem to be adding up.

1 King 10:6-9 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.

⁷ Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.

⁸ Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.

⁹ Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.

King Solomon was blessed by God, and Israel was at peace.  The stories of his success were wide spread, but the Queen of Sheba wanted to see for herself.  Those were her comments, she did, indeed, see the Blessing of God on Solomon.

Solomon had anything he wanted.  Because he asked for wisdom, God gave him not only wisdom, but riches and respect from both his subjects and his neighbors.

Unfortunately, Solomon grew careless, he married many wives had many concubines and started turning his back on God.

1 Kings 11:3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.

Verse 10-11 And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the Lord commanded.

¹¹ Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

Solomon’s transgressions caused his family to lose the throne which God had placed Solomon on.

It is puzzling that Solomon in all his wisdom, in the esteem he had been held in by God, chose to worship false Gods thus turning from God, and as the leader his example was followed by others.

No matter how pious we are, if we slip and not immediately recover we start sliding away from God and turn to the ‘old’ man within us. 

Solomon is a good example for us as to what NOT to do in our lives.  No matter how much God has blessed us we can lose it all by not continuing to follow Him.

But we do have another example, this time as to what we should do, from Paul:

2 Timothy 4:7-8 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

⁸ Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Paul was persecuted, prosecuted, beaten, tortured, thrown in jail and killed but didn’t flinch from his duties that God had given him. 

It can be hard sometimes, especially if we allow ourselves to dwell on the world, and not on God.  But it is up to us, for our own soul as well as the souls of those we touch to always stand solidly for God.

Ephesians 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

and having done all, to stand.

Later, Art :-)