FBC Independence Podcast

Reasons We Follow Jesus: God can guide us in this life.

A few weeks ago, my wife and I got into our car and pulled out of the driveway, going down the hill.  I looked over at Tammy, and, as she looked at her phone, she commented, “Siri, find (the address we were given for an event).  Siri said something in her pleasant, annoying, computer-generated voice and gave us directions in a timely fashion for the next hour or so.  On our way, I got confused in one of the new Round-a-bouts in K.C., and Siri, without insulting me at all, re-directed us immediately.  Even though we had to go through an unfamiliar area to get back ‘on track,’ Siri got us to our destination just a few minutes later than planned. Going home, we did the same thing, and, again, after missing a turn, Siri re-directed us, getting us home without any trouble at all.

 

I love that woman! (Siri, that is – even though I love my wife, too).  We, like you, have repeated this process dozens of times in the past few years, and “Siri” has allowed us to go all over the place without even thinking about it.  Amazing!

 

Don’t you wish we had something like Siri to guide us in the course of our lives? You know, to give us direction in difficult decisions, guide us when we get lost or make mistakes, and ultimately get us where we want to go and live as we want to live?  

 

We do!  We who claim Jesus as our Savior and place our faith in his leadership in our lives live with the privilege of guidance from God himself!  The direction God gives does not come from any computer-generated personality, though. The ways of faith come as we allow the living God to speak and guide us as we read His Word, follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit, and learn from others in The Church.  There are many passages that speak of how God provides us a ‘way’ to live.  One such passage is Hebrews 13. Here is a short passage:  “Let love of the brethren continue.  Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers. . . Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the  marriage bed be undefiled. . .; and, finally, “Let your character be free from the love of money.”  

 

In one passage, we are taught that God guides us in many situations:

• Love people all the time, no matter what.
• Be kind and hospitable to all you encounter, especially those from another land.
• Make sure you keep your money and possessions in their proper place in your life.

 

Without too much effort, you can clearly see God’s ways for you!  To live this way is more than God just teaching us a sense of obedience to him; instead, our obedience becomes a way that God can use to bless us!

            

Here is a simple example of how living according to the way of Jesus can allow God to bless you:  A person has a good job and makes a solid wage.  Great!  Suppose he handles that salary according to the ways of Jesus. In that case, he will save a portion, give away a portion, provide for his and his family’s needs, and even have enough to help others.  If he avoids debt, his dollars will go further, and if he can control his spending and live within his means, his ‘nest egg’ can grow and lead to greater security.  In this example, God’s blessings aren’t a result of God doing something special – God’s blessings are simply the natural result of living according to God’s ways!  Suppose the same individual disobeys God by carelessly spending too much on a vehicle or vacation. In that case, God cannot bless those actions.  The man will have financial problems and struggle in that area of his life.  Blessings come to one who lives according to the ways of God!

            

Let me encourage you to follow Jesus and live according to God’s ways.  Your life will become more stable, and God’s blessings will come your way.

 

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Thank you for watching. We will see you next week.

Why Should You Follow Jesus? God loves us, and Wants to Save us

If you go to a “DIY” section of any bookstore or Library, you will find a fascinating and entertaining series of books, the titles all beginning with a very similar title:  Computing for Dummies, How to Fix Everything for Dummies, Woodworking for Dummies, etc. There are over 30 books in this top-rated series!  In fact, the DIY section in most bookstores is often very large – we in our culture have a very strong desire to do things ourselves without hiring someone else to complete a task or fix something broken.

  

Wouldn’t it be great if we could fix everything in our lives by reading the proper “DIY” book?  Unfortunately, many things in our lives may be broken but cannot be addressed by a Do-It-Yourself book.  Physical problems that may require surgery, dental work, etc. And, of course, a broken life.  Many of us struggle with parts of our lives for years, and these problems resist self-help.  We need help!

 

I am currently preaching a series of messages dealing with ways to answer the question, “Why Should you Follow Jesus?”  One of the reasons might be stated:  God loves us and wants to Save us.”

 

That’s right – One of the best reasons to follow Jesus is how God loves us!  We are familiar with one of the more familiar passages in John 3:  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.  For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.”  John 3:16-17

 

The reason that following Jesus is such a good choice in one’s life is because Jesus is the way to know the God who loves us!  By our choices and lifestyles, we are all separated from God.  We may pray and receive no help.  We might try to ‘straighten ourselves out’ but cannot stick to it.  And we might be unable to keep our family together, no matter how hard we try.  The God who loves us can help us with those things, and we gain access to His mercy and power through following Jesus as Savior.  Here’s another passage from Romans 5 that might help us understand:  “But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.” (vv.8-9)  

 

When you receive Christ as Savior and follow him with your life, God begins to work in your life!  If you let him in, He can change your heart, wash away the guilt you may feel, and even start to change your life as you practice his teachings, found in the Bible.  The changes God may bring about will make your life better and enable you to experience what the Bible calls the “blessings” of God. 

 

This offer of new life is for all people, for all time.  God loves everyone and wants to bless everyone through His Son, Jesus.  Let me encourage you to follow Him today!

 

You can best support our Ministry by sharing these videos with your friends and family.

 

We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/

 

If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/

 

Thank you for watching. We will see you next week.

Reasons We Follow Jesus: He’s The Only God There Is

Our nation is currently in a political ‘battle’ to choose a new President. Although some enjoy this experience, most of us rather dread the whole process: One candidate criticizes the other, political parties and followers line up with ‘their’ candidate, and we are forced to endure a seemingly endless number of political speeches, TV commercials, and even cleverly-written bumper stickers. Worst of all, in my opinion, is the continuous pleading of the candidates, each saying essentially the same thing:  “Vote for me,”“Join me,” and, finally, “Follow me.”

 

Of course, we all understand and accept this—we know that people must ‘follow’ others in this life—be they a family member, boss, or even political leader. We function better when we learn that we must all look to others for guidance and leadership! This goes for every area of life, even that of religious faith.

 

This week, we begin a series of messages dealing with that very issue—the idea that we must learn to follow someone to have a healthy and productive life of faith. The series is entitled “Reasons We Follow Jesus.” For the first week, we focus on the fact that one would do well to follow Jesus because “He is the only God there is.”

 

Here is a passage where the Apostle Paul makes the case that Jesus is The One God: “And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. For by Him, all things were created, visible and invisible in the heavens and on the earth, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:15-17

 

Paul makes the case here that Jesus was present at the beginning of time and was the ‘creative agent’ that God used to bring about all that exists. God’s power, at work in and through Jesus, formed the raw materials that make up all things, created the laws of physics that order all things in this universe, and then fashioned the raw materials in life and every living thing. 

           

Doesn’t it make sense that if we seek a ‘greater power’ than us, we will worship The One that created us? Why would we look to anyone else for guidance, strength, and comfort?

           

Here are a few ideas to keep in mind when I say that we should follow Jesus because He is the only God there is:

 

Jesus, God the Son, was “in the beginning” before all things. No one else ‘created’ Jesus. He is the fullness of Deity. 

 

Because Jesus created us physically, spiritually, and emotionally and designed us to live in relationships with others, He is uniquely qualified to understand and help us. No one else can know us like Jesus!

 

Finally, Jesus is eternal God, without beginning and end. He is without equal and will exist forever: He will always be there for us!

 

We follow Jesus because He is The One God. Join us in this faith!

 

You can best support our Ministry by sharing these podcasts with your friends and family. 

 

We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/. 

 

If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here: https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/.

 

Thank you for listening. We will see you next week.

Live In the World, Not Of It

Rev Kev is on vacation this week, so Pastor Dave is filling in. He shares a message about how Christians can Live In the World, Not Of It.

 

You can best support our Ministry by sharing these podcasts with your friends and family. 

 

We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/. 

 

If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here: https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/.

 

Thank you for listening. We will see you next week.

Crowns of Blessing

Following Jesus is easy and clear—until it isn't! What I mean by that is when someone first receives Jesus as Savior, the issue is usually very simple: "Do you want to be forgiven of your sins and commit to following Jesus?" The answer is usually, "Yes, I do." However, at some point, when the new convert begins to struggle against the sin that is their life, or they struggle with biblical teachings that challenge them, they begin to realize just how 'extreme' this Christian faith can become!

 

The 'extreme' nature of the faith occurs in at least two areas of life. First, the beliefs that lead to salvation are quite extreme. We believe that our salvation is based on the truths of the Gospel: God came in the flesh as the infant Jesus and lived a sinless life. When he was about 33 years old, though, he was crucified by the Roman government, buried, and then came back to life after three days in the grave. This was God's way of offering us cleansing from our sins and a chance at a better life now, as well as an eternal life with Him after our life on this earth is over. This is an extreme set of beliefs!

 

The other area where the faith becomes extreme is how we live our daily lives. God calls us to not only learn some of the spiritual beliefs of the faith but also expects us to live our lives based upon those beliefs! The self-control of our emotions and passions and offering love and forgiveness to others are to be valued by those who follow Jesus. He also calls us to give up part of our lives to serve others in the name of Jesus, help those in need, and proclaim the message of Jesus to anyone who will listen.

 

This is an extreme faith! It is much more than just "listen and learn." It is also "practice and do!" When we live as God calls us to live, our lives are better. God blesses us, and we can even become a blessing to those around us.

 

You can best support our Ministry by sharing these podcasts with your friends and family. 

 

We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/. 

 

If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here: https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/.

 

Thank you for listening. We will see you next week.

God Uses People: Thomas

Several years ago, my wife and I bumped into an old college friend; he was a great guy, and we both liked him very much. He went by a nickname that fit his character, and I could never remember calling him by his proper name. He seemed ok with that, so I had no reason to question the practice. When we ran into this old friend, he was with his young wife, whom we had never met. I walked up to him and called him by the nickname I had always used, and the situation immediately became very awkward. He ignored me entirely and turned to walk away, and his wife, who heard me call out to him, didn’t seem to recognize the name I had used for her husband!  

 

My wife and I were a little hurt, but then we talked about it. My wife, who tends to ‘read’ social situations better than I do, finally concluded that he had likely never liked the nickname and now, as an adult, did not want it to be used. Rather than confronting me, though, he just chose to walk away!

 

Sometimes, people are known for something and given a name, even though it may no longer ‘fit,’ or they simply don’t like it anymore!

 

There is a story in the Bible about a man who was nicknamed for one of his actions. If he were alive today, he would be repelled by the nickname he was given. The story is recorded in the Gospel of John, chapter 20.

 

Jesus called out the disciples from everyday life, and one of them was Thomas. This man was strong and outspoken, but he sometimes tended to be stubborn.

 

All in all, though, Jesus thought he would make a good disciple. A couple of times, he blurted out something foolish or ‘over the top,’ but nothing that really amounted to anything. And then, just three days after Thomas and the other disciples watched Jesus die on the cross and heard the story of his burial in a tomb by a wealthy man named Joseph, something unimaginable happened. The disciples had gathered together to grieve the loss of their Rabbi, and all of them were there except for Thomas. At some point in their time together, Jesus appeared to them! He had risen from the dead, as he had predicted, and they were amazed and excited and relieved to see Jesus alive. It was a wonderful time for them all!

 

The next time the disciples gathered, Thomas was there. They told him the good news, and he couldn’t believe it! He was so adamant in his disbelief that he proclaimed, in front of his friends, that unless he could see the wounds on Jesus’ hands, put his fingers in those wounds, and the cut on his stomach, he would not believe! Eight days later, the disciples gathered again, and Jesus appeared to them all. He gave them a greeting common in that day, and then, without wasting any time, turned to Thomas and said, “Reach here your finger, and see My hands, and reach here your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving, but believing.” (v.27)  Thomas was stunned! He looked around and then examined Jesus’ wounds. Without saying anything else, he blurted out, “My Lord and My God!” (v.28). Jesus chastised him a bit, explaining that those who believed without seeing him were blessed. The issue was never addressed in the Bible again. Forever after, in church history, Thomas was given the nickname “Doubting Thomas.”

 

It was insulting and unfair, to be sure, but the name has ‘stuck’ on this disciple for over 2000 years!

 

Unfortunately, he has never received the credit he deserved for his life of faithful service because of that one ‘failure of faith.’

 

“Doubting Thomas” continued to follow Jesus faithfully and ended up in India, where he led hundreds to faith and established many churches up and down the coast in that heavily populated nation. 

No one who knew him and served with him would ever have called him by the nickname he still uses today in the Western Church! He is remembered as a strong, passionate, and dynamic minister of the Gospel. 

 

“Doubting Thomas” simply no longer existed!

 

God works with people who fail, even with disciples who say something foolish in a crisis. God used Thomas, and he can use us as we turn from our sins, allow God to nurture us in our faith, and get to work.

 

Please join us for worship and praise every Sunday starting at 10:30 AM. We are located at 500 W. Truman Road, Independence, MO.

 

Our ministry is also reliant on the generosity of our congregation. Please consider contributing online by clicking here: https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/

 

If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/

 

Thank you for listening. We will see you next week!

God Uses People: Joseph and Mary

I was talking to a good friend recently, and we were lamenting that it was becoming increasingly difficult to believe what our political leaders would tell us. Sometimes, it is obvious they do not understand what they are talking about; sometimes, we get the distinct impression that we are being lied to, even though we cannot prove it. To emphasize that this has happened before, I mentioned a report that recently came out regarding our government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which began in the spring of 2020. The report clarified that many mistakes were made, including false information being passed on to people. Because of this, even more mistakes were made, and people began to lose faith in "the system." The commentator who reported on this then mentioned, almost casually, that it would be long before the people's trust would be gained.

Once you lose someone's trust, it is tough to gain it back!

 

There are many passages in the Bible where God promises to us.

 

Sometimes, He promises a blessing if one follows a particular pattern of behavior; other times, He promises to act in certain ways and work to bring about a specific outcome. Whenever He promises to us, He always follows through! God may not do things according to our timetable, but He always makes good on His Word.  

 

The story of Jesus' crucifixion is just such a word. God promised us, in many ways and times, that He would send an anointed one, a 'Messiah,' to come and save humanity from sin. This Messiah would offer himself up as a sacrifice and, in doing so, would pay the price for our sins and make our salvation possible. One such promise comes through the prophet Isaiah: "But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging, we are healed." 53:5  The Apostle Paul, writing to the church at Corinth over 750 years later, wrote of the fulfillment of this promise of God: "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sin according to the Scriptures." 15:3  God kept His word! This has happened hundreds of times in Scripture. Christians often speak of God keeping his word to care for them, protect them, and give them encouragement and strength - just as He promised in a biblical passage.

 

This week, we will remember Jesus' crucifixion on the cross and be reminded that it fulfilled one of God's promises to us all.

God is a God of His Word! You can trust Him with your life and believe what He says in Scripture. You can base your life on it!

 

Please join us for worship and praise every Sunday starting at 10:30 AM. We are located at 500 W. Truman Road, Independence, MO.

 

Our ministry is also reliant on the generosity of our congregation. Please consider contributing online by clicking here: https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/

 

If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/

 

Thank you for listening. We will see you next week!

God Uses People: Jonah

Have you ever heard a story that seemed impossible? The Bible has many such stories!

          

In one Old Testament book, the book of Jonah, there is the story of a man who was in a boat during a tremendous rainstorm; the situation was so desperate that the sailors on board began to throw everything off the ship to lighten its load and raise it in the water. The man, Jonah, realizing that he was the reason for the storm because of a wrong decision on his part, told the sailors to throw him into the water; they did so, and the storm stopped, and the waters immediately calmed. Instead of drowning, though, Jonah was swallowed by a giant fish; after three days, the fish vomited him up on a nearby beach. What a story! Why in the world would such a story be placed in the Bible, which is considered a religious work that happens to include a history of the Jewish people?

           

The story of a man swallowed by a big fish who lived to talk about it is an account of how God worked with one of his prophets, Jonah, to reach a people group in a nearby city with his message of forgiveness. Let me explain:

           

Jonah was a prophet with the Hebrew people when God called him to go and preach a warning of imminent destruction to the people of the city of Nineveh. He was to go and tell the people that their destruction could be avoided if they would turn from their wicked ways and worship the Hebrew God. Jonah refused because he did not like the Ninevites. 

They were sinful people, and Jonah, rather than warning them of coming judgment, wanted just to let them die! 

 

He refused God's call, got on a ship, and went as far away as possible; this is where the story of the storm and great fish came from! God had caused the storm to stop Jonah from running away; the great fish was one of God's ways of rescuing him from drowning and giving him a chance to reconsider his choice to run away. Jonah relented while in the fish's stomach and, after being vomited up on a beach, proceeded to Nineveh. He went and warned them of their coming destruction, and, in an act that surprised everyone, the people turned from their sin and became people of faith, thus saving themselves from certain destruction!  

           

This should have made Jonah happy, but instead, it made him angry. He didn't want them to be saved! So, he threw a fit, ran, and hid from God in the desert. God grew a special plant to shade the prophet from the blazing sun to demonstrate the prophet's messed-up priorities. And then, God destroyed the plant, and, predictably, Jonah threw another fit about the plant. God confronted him by saying, and I will paraphrase here, "Jonah, you're so messed up; you care more about a dead plant than you do about the people of Nineveh! I am God and care about all people, not just those you like."

           

Wow – what a story! And, more importantly, what a great truth that story communicated! 

 

The point of the story was not that God could save Jonah from drowning by using a big fish; the point was that God loved everyone, even the sinful Ninevites, and wanted to save them! Jonah only loved certain people and only certain types of people. Instead of representing the truth of our loving God, he chose to ignore the very message he was to preach: Jonah was a bigot! A bigot rejects and even hates those who are different or from a different group or nation – that was Jonah.

           

God loves everyone, and he calls his people to do the same. It is a message that can change the world when we live out a truly revolutionary conviction!

 

You can best support our Ministry by sharing these podcasts with your friends and family.

 

We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/

 

If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/

 

Thank you for listening. We will see you next week.

God Uses People: Esther

Sometimes, in times of stress or hardship, we may wonder if God is doing anything!

           

As a student preacher in college many years ago, I wondered how God would get me into a church. I didn’t know much, I wasn’t connected to influential people, and I was struggling with deciding which Seminary I would attend to finish my education. I was slightly afraid of the whole thing. I even wondered if I had correctly discerned God’s call on my life into the preaching ministry. Looking back, though, I can now see the ways that God was working!

          

While this was all happening, the long-term Pastor in my home church retired, and some new guy was there – a total stranger! He attended my wedding, one of his first events as the new Pastor. We talked for a little bit and immediately became friends. He questioned my life plans and even made it a point to speak to my new bride. He was just a nice, average person who happened to be a preacher -or so I thought! In just a few months, this new friend that God had brought into my life greatly impacted my life.

 

In the months after the wedding, my new friend investigated the churches around my home church and found a small church without a pastor. He made a few phone calls on my behalf and then called me one evening. 

 

He told me he had found a small church that needed a pastor and wondered if I would be interested. I was astounded that he had done this for me! 

 

One thing led to another, and just a couple of months later, that small church called me as their Pastor. We eventually moved from the college town we lived in for five years into the church’s parsonage. For the next three years, I practiced the craft of preaching, made good friends, learned to lead a church, and, to top it all off, decided to attend a seminary within an easy driving distance from my church. God was working! He worked through a man God had brought into my contacts; He worked through my new friend’s desire to help a young, unproven preacher student get into a church. He worked through those first few years of my service as a Pastor and attending a Seminary to shape me for the next 40 years of Ministry.  

 

Looking back at my story, I am reminded that God is working—even when you don’t realize it! This is one of the great messages of the Bible, and it is particularly evident in the Book of Esther. 

 

Esther was just a young girl in the city of Susa, but God had plans for her. She ended up the wife of the King and earned the title “Queen Esther.” 

She worked in a corrupt and terrifying system to make a good life and even save her Jewish relatives from annihilation. 

 

She is remembered fondly by those of the Jewish faith and is a testament to the truth that God is at work, even when you may not realize it at the time. God used a young woman and her cousin, Mordecai, to save his people. All they did was place their faith in God’s direction, and He did all the rest!

 

Let me encourage you to allow God to work in your life. Ask and pray for guidance from Him, and when you sense his leadership, follow him in faith. He will guide your steps and give you a life you could never imagine. 

 

You can best support our Ministry by sharing these podcast with your friends and family.

 

We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/

 

If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/

 

Thank you for listening. We will see you next week.

God Uses People: Solomon

The story could have been taken from today’s tabloids – it was so bizarre and unbelievable!

           

There were two prostitutes living together in a dirty, run-down part of town. Both were pregnant and finally gave birth just a few days apart. Everything was going as well as they could, considering their miserable circumstances. One night, though, one of the women rolled over in bed on her baby, suffocating it. 

 

She woke up in horror the following day and was terribly distraught – her baby was dead! But then, in an instant, the sound of her friend’s baby, sleeping in a nearby room, gave her an idea: she would take her dead child, wrapped in her blanket, and sneak into her friend’s room. There, she would switch her lifeless child for the live one – surely the other woman would not notice! She would claim that it was the other woman’s baby that had died in her sleep, and the now lifeless child was hers! It seemed like a good plan, and it worked – until morning!

           

In the darkness of the early dawn, the other woman awoke to find the dead child in her bed – she was so distraught! But then, as light filled the room, she recognized the child – it was her friend’s baby! 

She immediately figured out what had happened and thus began the fight of her life for her child!

           

There was no way the other woman would admit to the switch – a baby was at stake! So, they took the case to court before King Solomon. He was already known as a wise and fair judge – he would fix this! Solomon heard their emotional plea – the one whose child had been stolen was distraught, and the other, who had made the switch, was enraged with her accusations! 

 

The crowd hung on this story – what would the wise king do? How would he know which woman was lying? He considered the circumstances and considered the women and their demeanor as they told their stories. Then, he prayed to God for wisdom. Finally, he announced: “Bring me a sword!” He explained that because neither would relent, he would have the child cut in two – each woman would have to be satisfied with one-half of a now-dead child. In horror, the mother of the baby pleaded with the king and asked him to give her baby to the other woman. She explained that she would instead give up the child and have it live with the other woman rather than be killed. The other woman, surprisingly, cried out for the king to cut up the child and be done! 

           

This final word helped King Solomon decide; he ordered the baby to be given to the mother who wanted to save the child. He understood that only the true mother would do anything to keep the child’s life – even if it meant the child would be given to another woman.  

           

The crowd was amazed, and this story made news for years! In fact, over time, Solomon became known as one who had been given a special gift of wisdom from the One God – and people traveled from all over the world to hear him speak.

           

That is quite a story, isn’t it? There is at least one great truth we can glean from this story. When we consider how God moved in Solomon’s life, we learn that the God who loves us can give us the wisdom to face the circumstances of this life. We can pray to God and ask for wisdom and guidance, and He will, in some way, help us do the right and good things. We do not have to live at the mercy of our emotions or the schemes of those around us. God can help us think, discern the truth, and make a decision that will enable God to work with us and guide us through whatever troubles us. 

 

Wisdom is a gift that God can give to those who trust in Him.

 

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Thank you for listening. We will see you next week.