1 Kings 4-5; Psalm 119; John 5

June 26: The quality of faith is a tremendously winsome one in another person. It causes us to have an attitude of abundance, which allows others to trust us and see us as established by God. When we're territorial or adversarial, selfishly-ambitious, we're suspect. Self-release and trust in the Lord at the risk of status and reputation has the opposite effect.


1 Kings 4-5: Does 1 Kings 5 hint at the difference Solomon's wisdom has made in his kingdom's foreign policy? Solomon says God has given him "rest on every side" in contrast to the wars which were about David on every side (vv. 3-4). Yes, it is God's gift, but was it God's gift through Solomon's statesmanship? His magnanimity to Hiram seems to imply shrewdness in dealing with other nations. Does not some of the competition and mistrust among nations have to do with concern that an unstable and/or untrustworthy government is in place? One way God established Solomon was to cause surrounding nations to desire peace with him, and his wisdom was part of how that was fostered.

Psalm 119:65-80: Even while the Psalmist frequently talks about keeping God’s Words, there’s a confession. What did he do that leads to the admission that he “went astray” before being afflicted, then returning to keep God’s Word with a corrected heart? It really doesn’t matter. Martin Luther’s first thesis likely applies here: "When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, 'Repent,' (Mt 4:17), he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance."

John 5:24-47: Jesus identifies the testimonies/witnesses to Who He is, but what is His attitude toward the testimony of men? (cf., John 5:41) Even John the Baptist’s testimony doesn’t fit among the others (Miracles, the Father and the Scriptures). John was the greatest of the prophets, but the other witnesses to Jesus were in a far greater category. 

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