June 3-7

But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites — 1 Kings 11:1 ESV

Big Falls Begin Small
One of the largest freshwater turtles is the alligator snapping turtle. Found primarily in the southeastern United States, these massive turtles have been known to weigh close to 250 pounds. They are carnivorous, and while their diet is primarily fish, they have been known to eat almost anything else they can find in the water—even in a few cases small alligators! The alligator snapping turtle relies on a uniquely deceitful method of foraging for fish.

The turtle will lie completely still on the floor of a lake or river with its mouth wide open. At the end of the turtle’s tongue is a small, pink, worm-shaped appendage. The turtle wiggles the end of its tongue so that it looks like a worm moving through the water. When a fish comes to eat the worm, the turtle’s jaws rapidly close, trapping the fish so that it cannot escape.

Solomon doesn’t, all of a sudden, get hooked to one thousand women and hooked to all the diplomatic relationships in Egypt. It was a slow gradual giving in to temptation. Over time that little compromise grew into a great fall.

Reflection
Sin has a very subtle hook in it and Satan knows that. He often starts by tempting us with small things. What are some of the subtle temptations Satan has tried to use on you?

Pray/Praise
Thank God for always making a way to escape sin. Ask God to help you recognize any subtle unconfessed sin in your life.

But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites—  from the nations of whom the Lord had said to the children of Israel, “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. – 1 Kings 11:1-2 ESV

Big Falls Come By Way of Deliberate Sin
A man was praying with his pastor at the altar. He prayed a prayer the pastor had heard many times before. “Lord, take the cobwebs out of my life.” Just as he said this, the pastor interrupted, “Kill the spider, Lord.” (Source: Unknown)

We reviewed yesterday, how Solomon started with a small sin that grew into bigger sins. He refused to kill the spider. Solomon eventually got to a place in his life of willful and deliberate disobedience to God. God commanded the children of Israel not to marry people of other nations who worshiped false gods. The more Solomon sinned the harder his heart became and the less sensitive to the Spirit of God’s leading.

Reflection
Many times we ask the Lord to forgive us of some sin, yet we leave the source of temptation in our life. We don’t want to kill the spider. Is there any clear disobedience in your life?

Praise/Prayer
Ask God to forgive you and give you the strength you need against sin in your life. Praise God for His promise of forgiveness and deliverance from the power of sin.

...from the nations of whom the Lord had said to the children of Israel, “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. – 1 Kings 11:2-3

Big Falls Have No One To Blame But The Heart
The story is told of an atheistic barber who was talking to a pastor. The barber asked the pastor, “If there is a loving God, how can He allow poverty, war, and suffering?” Just at that moment, a disheveled man crossed the street. The pastor said, “You are a barber and claim to be a good one. How can you allow that man to go unkept and unshaven?”
“He never gave me a chance!” the barber replied. To which the pastor said, “Exactly, men are what they are because they reject God!” (Source: Unknown)

God warned Solomon that foreign women and disobedience would turn his heart away from God. Several times in 1 Kings 11 we are reminded that Solomon’s heart was finally turned from God. At that point, Solomon no longer even wanted to do things God’s way. Matthew 6:21 says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Solomon began to treasure women, money, and power in his heart more than God.

Reflection
Proverbs 4:23 warns you to, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the
wellspring of life.” What are some ways you can guard your heart?

Praise/Prayer
Thank God for giving you a new heart when you became a Christian. Ask God to put a hedge of protection around the things that you love.

Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not fully follow the Lord, as did his father David. Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the hill that is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the people of Ammon. And he did likewise for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. –  1 Kings 11:6-8 ESV

Big Falls Come From Persisting In Sin
The pufferfish looks about as threatening as a pet goldfish but it carries deadly toxins that can kill a person after just a few bites of puffer sashimi. Every year several people in Japan die from eating this unique fish delicacy and many others get sick. The danger is so great that Japanese chefs must receive years of training to learn the intricate skills of removing the lethal toxin before they can be certified to serve puffer. Flirting with sin is not only foolish, it can be fatal. (Source: USA Today)

In 1 Kings 11:6-8 Solomon’s love has grown cold and, as a result of
his love growing cold for the Lord, he is making some fatal decisions. Solomon began to build places of worship for false gods. The Bible calls these gods an abomination. Solomon has gone from being one of God’s wisest servants to a man determined to do evil and encourage idol worship.

Reflection
Have you ever sinned so bad and wondered, how did I get here? Those moments don’t happen all of a sudden. They happen over time with persisting in sin.

Praise/Prayer
Thank God for the times He has kept you from continuing to live in sin. Ask God to convict you of any ongoing sin in your life. Pray for friends and family members you know who are continuing to live in sin.

Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, “Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. – 1 Kings 11:11 ESV

Big Falls Will Take Us Farther Than We Want To Go
A sailor was once left in charge of the helm, with directions from the captain to keep his eye on a certain star and steer the vessel directly towards it, which he promised faithfully to do. The captain went below and fell asleep. After awhile he awoke, went on deck, and found the vessel sailing in a course exactly opposite to that in which he had directed the helmsman to steer. “What does all this mean, Patrick?” The sailor replied, “Captain, ye must pick me out another star, for I've sailed clear by that one!” (Source: Bible Truths)

Solomon sailed clear by God’s best for his life and lost everything. So it was during Solomon's declining years. Shrines to pagan gods with attending priests and guardian queens dotted the hills surrounding Jerusalem. And there they remained for three hundred years the empty shrines built by Solomon. He did so much spiritual damage that it would take years to repair. At last, during Josiah’s great reform movement toward the end of the seventh century B.C., these “high places” around the city were destroyed (2 Kings 23:13).

Reflection
Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” If you reap what you are sowing now, what will be the result? Are you headed toward God’s blessings or toward spiritual loss?

Praise/Prayer
If you have been able to stay near to God thank Him for His grace, power, and mercy. If you are on the wrong path, repent right now and ask God for mercy before you lose more than you ever intended.