RTW 2022

Praise the LORD your God, who delights in you and has placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, He has made you king so you can rule with justice and righteousness.
1 Kings 10:9

“God wanted to reach the nations through an obedient and blessed Israel. If Israel did not obey, then God would speak to the nations through a thoroughly disciplined Israel.” – David Guzik

If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the world.
Deuteronomy 28:1

Solomon’s wisdom and leadership were gifts given to him by God. His renown reached to Sheba, and the Queen traveled 1500 miles to see him. And the Queen knew who to bless for these gifts.

Just as God wanted to reach other nations through Israel, God wants to reach others through us.

Does my obedience draw others to Christ?

Love is demonstrated through obedience. Obedience delights the Lord

• If you love me, obey my commandments.
  John 14:15

• He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.
  John 14:21 (NKJV)

• Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.
  1 John 5:3 NLT

Obedience delights the Lord.

• And Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.
  1 Samuel 15:22 (ESV)

And when we delight in the Lord, others will want to know our Lord.

• When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.
  Galatians 5:19-24

Conclusion:

The way we live our life, in obedience or disobedience to God, will influence people to follow Christ or not follow Christ.

God’s goal for all is that none would be perish, and all would have everlasting life.

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I’m so thankful scripture teaches scripture.

Solomon turned his attention to rebuilding the towns that King Hiram had given him, and he settled Israelites in them.
2 Chronicles 8:2

Why?

1 Kings 9:15-19

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Live my life to influence people for the Kingdom.