CAC Living Water Devotional – What Else?

CAC Living Water Daily Devotional 17th September 2021 – What Else?

Topic: What Else?

Text: 1 Kings 10:14-29

[14]Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold,

[15]Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffic of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country.

[16]And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one target.

[17]And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pound of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.

[18]Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold.

[19]The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays.

[20]And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom.

[21]And all king Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.

[22]For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

[23]So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.

[24]And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.

[25]And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.

[26]And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem.

[27]And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance.

[28]And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price.

[29]And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.

MEMORIZE: What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? (Matthew 16:26).

EXPOSITION

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A major breakthrough in medicine was the discovery in 1847 by sir James Simpson. His discovery saved millions of lives. Later in life, one of his students at the University of Edinburgh asked him what he considered to be the most valuable discovery of His lifetime. To the amazement of all who expected him to refer to his medical discovery or feat, He replied, "My most valuable discovery was when I discovered myself as a sinner and that Jesus Christ is my Saviour." What an unbelievable statement from a scholar of that calibre! It becomes more amazing and encouraging in a world where at such a level, many have foolishly turned atheist, claiming there is no God, not to talk of accepting the Personality (Lordship)of Jesus Christ.

What is the yawning of the people of the world? Wisdom, wealth, fame and the likes that people pursue as a means to an end. That end is happiness. However, outside self-discovery in God, lasting happiness, is elusive. Read Psalms 1v1ff. Who is it that is truly happy and blessed? Those who have climbed the ladders of wisdom, wealth and fame will tell the story better. King Solomon saw it all.

Today's text gives an insight into the extent of Solomon's wealth and fame that have remained matchless among men till date. He employed all he had for his enjoyment and the betterment of his subjects. Yet, he confirmed that worldly acquisitions and attainments are vanities without the fear of God and obedience to His Word. About 33 times in Ecclesiastes alone, he depicted how everything is mere vanity (1:2,14;2:1,11,15,17,19,21,23,26,3:19). True joy and happiness are found when we become joint heirs with Jesus Christ.

PRAYER POINTS:

1. In Jesus name, may I not be blinded by worldly gains and pleasures.

2. Lord, I only desire what You have programmed for me in life, and all that alone will I get. I loathe all You didn't programme for me; let them not come to my side, at all.

3. Let us pray that God should deliever the church in the land from the undue invasion of the gospel of materialism trying to kill the true essence of the Church.

EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Proverbs 3:12 - 5:12, 2 Cor. 3:2 - 4:5