1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:09,920
Day 91, or April 1. Please don't add anything. Our thoughts today are from 1 Kings chapter

2
00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:15,840
3 verse 3. Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the instructions

3
00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:23,120
given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on

4
00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:27,120
the high places.

5
00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:33,500
Now the big picture of this verse. The first book of Kings is dominated by King Solomon,

6
00:00:33,500 --> 00:00:38,960
but only until halfway through. After that the kingdom splits and there are lots of kings

7
00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:45,480
with lots of names. Solomon had a significant rival for the throne in the person of one

8
00:00:45,480 --> 00:00:50,920
of his older brothers born to David when he ruled in Hebron. With the help of his mother

9
00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:57,100
Bathsheba and the fact that he was the favorite son from the favorite wife, Solomon finally

10
00:00:57,100 --> 00:01:04,160
acceded to the throne on the death of David. Solomon's rule was quickly established, but

11
00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:11,000
then he went off the rails by assembling a vast army of horses and chariots, the very

12
00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:19,360
thing he was warned not to do in the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 17 verse 16.

13
00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:24,640
Now today's action step. One of the reasons I wouldn't make a good sculptor or painter

14
00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:30,820
in oils is that I always want just one more touch before it's finished. The skill is

15
00:01:30,820 --> 00:01:37,460
knowing when you have the perfect result and leaving it alone, not adding anything else.

16
00:01:37,460 --> 00:01:43,720
Solomon had the same problem, only he had the power and authority to add so much more.

17
00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:50,460
He asked God for wisdom and got it. He also received untold riches as a bonus. Then he

18
00:01:50,460 --> 00:01:57,080
started adding things. We read that very early in his reign he walked according to the teachings

19
00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:02,720
of his father David. But that wasn't enough for Solomon. He also followed the pagan practices

20
00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:08,780
of the day by offering sacrifices on the high places. He didn't stop there. He became

21
00:02:08,780 --> 00:02:15,900
increasingly independent of God. As believers we need to remind ourselves that our salvation

22
00:02:15,900 --> 00:02:23,280
requires no additions. If you are trusting in God plus whatever, we need to delete the

23
00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:46,180
whatever and then we are totally secure whatever life throws at us.