Month: February 2011

2 Chronicles 7

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Grace and Sacrifice.

“Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices to the LORD.” ­– 2 Chronicles 7:4 NLT

The celebration lasted for eight solid days. For seven of those days, Solomon and the people offered sacrifices to God. So many in fact, that they had to consecrate the main courtyard because there were s0 many animals sacrificed that the bronze altar could not accommodate them all. We are told that Solomon himself sacrificed 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. All of this can end up sounding like one big party to celebrate the dedication of the Temple, but there is something far more important going on here. Just a day or so earlier, Solomon had had the Ark of the Covenant moved into the Holy of Holies. This elaborately decorated box contained the original (2nd draft) of the Ten Commandments that God had given Moses on Mount Sinai. The lid of the ark was called “the mercy seat” or kappo„reth, This was God’s throne so to speak. It was where His presence dwelt in the Temple. “There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites” (Exodus 25:22). The ark was a symbol of God’s presence, but also of His grace and mercy. In that ark was contained the law of God in the form of the Ten Commandments. These were God’s expectations for His covenant people. These laws were given to be obeyed and followed. But God knew that His people would be incapable of keeping His commands faithfully and perfectly. So He established the sacrificial system as a means of providing atonement or payment for their sins. If they sinned, they could offer the appropriate sacrifice and receive forgiveness. The shed blood would cover their sins. They would receive grace and mercy from God as long as they were faithful to avail themselves of the sacrificial system that He had provided. But over time, this all became ritualistic and rote. The people learned to just go through the motions. They lost the true meaning and significance.

The altar was to symbolize the people’s response to the grace of God. Because God had chosen them, set them apart, and agreed to dwell in their midst, the appropriate response was to be sacrifice. God had done much for them. The least they could do was offer up sacrifices to God in order to present themselves as a holy people, set apart for His use. You see throughout this chapter a series of if…then statements. The most familiar one is found in verses 14 and 15. “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, [then] I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land. [then] I will listen to every prayer made in this place” (2 Chronicles 7:14-15 NLT). While this passage is often used by modern day Christians here in America as a call to prayer for our country, it was a promise given to the nation of Israel. It had direct ties to the land of promise. While there are principles we can glean from these verses regarding repentance, it does not contain a promise to America that God will restore our land if we pray. America is NOT the promised land of God. Americans are NOT the chosen people of God. Israel was and still is.

But God’s blessings on Israel were conditional. If Solomon obeyed all of God’s commands and laws, then God would not allow anyone to take his throne away from him. God expected Solomon to be obedient. If Solomon abandoned God and went after other gods, then God would abandon the people and allow them to go into captivity. He would remove His presence from the Temple, from above the mercy seat. He would even allow the Temple to be destroyed. God demanded sacrifice and a big part of that sacrifice had to do with obedience. Samuel put it this way: “Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22 NASB). David echoes this thought: “For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise” (Psalm 51:16-17 NASB). God wants the sacrifice of a broken, humble heart. He wants us to offer sacrifices based on an understanding of just how broken we are without Him. We have been extended grace and mercy. Our response should be gratitude and sacrifice, expressed in obedient service and submission to His will for us. The Israelites would fail miserably at this. But we do too in so many ways. The great news is that the new covenant under which we live is non-conditional. God’s grace and mercy to me is not dependent upon anything I do or have done. It is all a free gift provided to me because of what Christ has already done on my behalf. And while I don’t have to DO anything to remain in God’s good favor and graces, I will do all things to the glory of God because of His good favor and grace. My response to His grace is obedient sacrifice and service. Grace like that deserves gratitude expressed in obedience and selfless sacrifice.

Father, Your grace for me is unbelievable. That You would choose me and shower me with Your grace and mercy is hard to understand. I always feel like I have to do something to earn Your grace. I keep thinking I have to do something to make You love me. I have to do something to stay in Your good graces. But Christ has done it all. My obedience should be an expression of my gratitude for Your grace. Help me understand more and more just how magnificent Your grace really is so that I might be willing to sacrifice more and more to You. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org





2 Chronicles 6

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Our Incomparable God.

“O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in all of heaven and earth. You keep your covenant and show unfailing love to all who walk before you in wholehearted devotion.” ­– 2 Chronicles 6:14 NLT

The Temple is complete. Solomon’s grand project to build a house for God and fulfill the dream of his father David has been realized. The dedication is all that’s left to wrap up this project. And as Solomon takes center stage, addressing the thousands of Israelites who have come to witness this once-in-a-lifetime event, he gives the speech of his lifetime. Like all good dedication speeches, it contains a prayer; and in that prayer, Solomon reminds God of His faithfulness. He acknowledges that God has kept the promise He had made to David to allow one of his descendants to build the Temple. He has made it possible for Solomon to complete this unbelievable building project. Solomon knows that he could not have done it without God’s help. But Solomon also reminds God that there are other promises yet to be fulfilled. He was thinking about his kingdom. He recalled what his father David had told him. And he reminded God. “And now, O Lord, God of Israel, carry out the additional promise you made to your servant David, my father. For you said to him, ‘If your descendants guard their behavior and faithfully follow my Law as you have done, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel” (2 Chronicles 6:16 NLT). I have a feeling that Solomon could remember word for word the promise that God had made to David. He could quote those words from memory, and he was counting on God fulfilling them. “He is the one who will build a Temple to honor my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will secure the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever” (1 Chronicles 22:10 NLT). Solomon had done his part. He had finished the Temple. Now he was asking God to fulfill the rest of His promise. He was asking God to secure the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.

Solomon knew he was nothing without God. He knew that the Temple was just another building if God chose not to inhabit it. He knew his kingdom was going to be short-lived and less-than-memorable if God was not on his side. He knew that tough times were going to come and that the people of Israel were going to encounter difficulties along the way, and if God was not faithful to hear their prayers and to intervene of their behalf, they would fail. Solomon knew just how much he needed God. Do we? Do I really understand just how dependent I am for EVERYTHING in my life. Without God in my marriage, all I have is just another marriage. Without God in my work, I am laboring in vain. Without God in my home, my family is no different than any other family on earth. Without God in my church, it is just another gathering of people. God is central to all that we do as Christians. We do not exist without Him. We cannot succeed without Him. We cannot survive without Him. Solomon knew that. He was well aware of the fact that his reign was on shaky ground without the abiding presence of God. So he called on God to remember His promises. Solomon was counting on the faithful and unfailing love of God. “O Lord God, do not reject the king you have anointed.Remember your unfailing love for your servant David” (2 Chronicles 6:42 NLT). Solomon’s Temple would not last. Neither would his reign. He and the people would prove to be unfaithful. They would fail to keep their end of the bargain. You could almost sense that Solomon saw this coming. But God would be faithful in spite of their unfaithfulness. God would keep His end of the covenant. David’s kingdom would last. One of his descendants would sit on David’s throne and His kingdom will last forever. Jesus Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of these promises. Listen to the words of the angel to Mary: “You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” (Luke 1:31-33 NLT).

Father, You truly are incomparable. Not only is there no other god like You, there is no other god besides You. And that You have chosen to show Your love to someone like me is unbelievable. That You have chosen me and every day shower me with Your love is incomprehensible. You are so faithful. You never let a single one of Your promises go unfulfilled. Thank You for keeping Your covenant with David by sending Your Son to rule and reign. Thank You that I can rest in the knowledge that He is sitting at Your right hand even now, and is one day coming back to establish His kingdom on earth forever. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org





Psalms 149-150

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Warriors, Not Just Worshipers.

“Let the praises of God be in their mouths, and a sharp sword in their hands.” ­– Psalm 159:6 NLT

What an interesting phrase. “Let the praises of God be in their mouths, and a sharp sword in their hands — to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with shackles and their leaders with iron chains, to execute the judgment written against them” (Psalm 149:6-9 NLT). These last five psalms of the entire psalter are hymns of praise to God, encouraging us to praise Him for His power, provision, mercy and grace. But right in the middle of Psalm 149 the psalmist mixes in a little weaponry and war-like language with his call to worship. He tells the people of God to praise God with their lips, but to have a sword ready in their hand at the same time. I think we sometimes forget that our God has called us to be a part of His glorious army. We are at war. We are engaged in an epic battle between the dark forces of this world that have aligned themselves against the rule and reign of God Almighty. Jesus told us that the enemy (Satan) seeks to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). Paul reminds us that we have weapons we are to use in this battle – the weapons of our warfare. “We use God’s mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil’s strongholds” (2 Corinthians 7:4 NLT). Paul also tells us to equip ourselves with the armor of God. “Use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm” (Ephesians 6:13 NLT). This is not Disneyland. This is a battle field and there are casualties of war all around us. Every day we see marriages destroyed, relationships blown apart, children rebel, individuals succumb to addictions of all kinds, and fellow believers fall prey to the attacks of the enemy because they were ill-prepared for battle.

This psalm is a vivid reminder that we have been called to praise God, but to also be ready to fight for God. As Paul tells us, our enemies are spiritual, not physical. Our weapons are not made of steel and chrome. They are the Word of God and the power of faith in God. Paul tells us, “Be strong with the Lord’s mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:10-12 NLT). We have the promises of God’s Word, the power of believing prayer, the presence of the Holy Spirit, the protection of our faith in God’s love for us, and the peace-providing reality of our ultimate salvation and victory over the enemy. So praise God and be ready to defend the cause of God. One day His Son is going to return. This time He is not coming as an innocent, helpless baby in a manger. He is coming as the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is coming in might and power and He is bringing the army of heaven with Him. And He will put an end to this war once and for all. He will destroy the kingdom of Satan and restore the earth back to its former glory. We fight for the side that is going to win in the end! And that’s something worth shouting about.

“Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. And the one sitting on the horse was named Faithful and True. For he judges fairly and then goes to war. His eyes were bright like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him, and only he knew what it meant. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in pure white linen, followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword, and with it he struck down the nations. He ruled them with an iron rod, and he trod the winepress of the fierce wrath of almighty God. On his robe and thigh was written this title: King of kings and Lord of lords.” – Revelation 19:11-16 NLT

Father, we praise You, but we also want to be ready to fight alongside You in this earthly struggle between the kingdom of righteousness and the kingdom of wickedness. Never let us forget that we are at war. While we sing songs and worship You on Sunday, there are countless people dying at the hands of the enemy all around us. As we read our Bibles and study Your truths, there are people who are being destroyed by the enemy and his lies, and we have the means to rescue them. Show us how to be warriors, not just worshipers. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org





1 Kings 8

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Hear Our Prayers.

“May you hear the humble and earnest requests from me and your people Israel when we pray toward this place. Yes, hear us from heaven where you live, and when you hear, forgive.” ­– 1 Kings 8:30 NLT

In this recalling of Solomon’s dedication of the Temple, we are given a word-for-word account of the prayer Solomon offered up to God on that solemn occasion. We are told that Solomon prayed this prayer with his hands upheld as he kneeled in front of the altar of the Lord. He had just built a magnificent structure, a testimony to the greatness of God. This impressive building was intended to be the house of God – His literal dwelling place. But even Solomon knew that no man could build a building big enough or grand enough to contain the God of the universe. He stated, “Why, even the highest heavens cannot contain you. How much less this Temple I have built!” (1 Kings 8:27 NLT). Solomon’s God was bigger than Solomon’s Temple. And Solomon knew that his Temple, his kingdom and the people of Israel were hopeless and helpless if God did not continue to fulfill His promises and keep His hand on them. So Solomon prayed. He begged God. And the one word he repeated over and over as he prayed was, “hear.” He wanted to know that God was going to listen to the cries of His people. Solomon was wise. He knew human nature. He knew that a Temple alone was not going to make the people of Israel obedient and sin-free. The sacrificial system had yet to produce a perfect people. So he went to God and begged Him to be available during those time when the people sinned, turned their backs on God, or found themselves in desperate circumstances. Solomon leaves nothing to the imagination. He gave God scenario after scenario – countless examples of situations in which the people might find themselves calling out to God for help and mercy. When they were wrongly accused. When they suffered defeat at the hands of their enemies due to sin. When they find themselves in times of drought. When they suffer the effects of a natural disaster or calamity. When foreigners hear of the greatness of God and call out to Him. When they need help during times of war. When they sin and find themselves exiled to a foreign land.

It is almost as if Solomon knew exactly what the people of God were going to do in the years ahead. They would sin. They would find themselves at war. They would encounter diseases and disasters. They would end up in exile. And much of it because of their own sin and stubbornness. So Solomon, knowing the sinful nature of man, begged His God to never stop hearing the repentant prayers of His people.He wanted to know that, whatever happened, God would be there to hear from and respond to the people when they called out to Him. And over in 2 Chronicles we have God’s condition for His response: “Then one night the LORD appeared to Solomon and said, ‘I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices. At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or I might command locusts to devour your crops, or I might send plagues among you. Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land. I will listen to every prayer made in this place, for I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be my home forever. My eyes and my heart will always be here. (2 Chronicles 7:12-16 NLT). God wanted prayers mixed with humility, brokenness and repentance. He wanted to know they were sorry for their sin and serious about changing. And God wants the same things today. God still hears. But He wants to hear sincere prayers prayed from sincere hearts. He wants repentance not remorse. God hears, but He also perceives. He knows the difference between a prayer prayed from a broken heart and one prayed to simply to get out of a circumstance of brokenness. God hears. But what kind of prayers does He hear His people praying today?

Father, may we learn to be broken over our own brokenness. We are going to sin. We are going to let You down. We are going to do things that break Your law and Your heart. May we learn to cry out to You in repentance, not remorse. May we long to be forgiven more than we long to be released from whatever pain or difficulty we find ourselves in. Give us the capacity for praying prayers of sincerity. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org





Psalms 146-148

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Our Great and Gracious God.

“How great is our Lord! His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension!” ­– Psalm 147:5 NLT

These three Psalms are three-fifths of the closing hymns of the entire psalter. They help wrap up this collection of songs by offering praise to God for His power, provision, grace, and mercy. They remind us of just how great a God we serve. He is not a mere concept or force, but a being of immense power and intelligence. He is a loving creator who made all that we see by simply speaking it into existence, and He sustains it all with ease. When we consider the immensity of God, it seems ludicrous to trust in men. God alone has the power to rescue, redeem, and restore. He brings healing to the brokenhearted, sight to the blind, support to the fatherless and widows, food for the hungry, freedom to the captives, support to the afflicted, and favor to those who fear Him. As followers of Christ, those phrases should sound familiar. On a visit to His hometown of Nazareth, Jesus stood in the synagogue and read from Isaiah chapter 61 the following words: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the downtrodden will be freed from their oppressors, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come” (Luke 4:18-19 NLT). Jesus Christ is the ultimate expression of God’s grace and mercy. He is the real answer to oppression, illness, disease, inequity, spiritual blindness, hunger, affliction, fear, and even death.

God does not offer just temporary relief from the cares and concerns of life. He offers eternal salvation from the rule of sin and the penalty of death. He has provided a way for men to be restored to a right relationship to Him, in spite of their sin and rebellion against Him. He has made possible a way to remedy the results of the fall and restore mankind and the earth to their former glory. He not only created the earth and all it contains, He is one day going to recreate it – restore it to the way it was intended to be all along. Only God can do that. Any attempts by man to improve the earth and our lives on it are fleeting and temporary. In many cases, our attempts at improvement have resulted in greater devastation. From nuclear power that resulted in nuclear weapons to the combustion engine that has polluted our atmosphere, every “improvement” by man has ended up having a negative impact. God alone is our salvation. He alone has the power to provide us with hope and healing. So the Psalmist reminds us to praise Him. From the oldest to the youngest, the rich to the poor, the wealthy to the needy – everyone and everything should praise the Lord. “Let them all praise the name of the LORD. For his name is very great; his glory towers over the earth and heaven!” (Psalm 148:13 NLT).

Father, only You are worthy of our praise. Only You have the capacity to do anything about our neediness and hopelessness. I can praise You even before You answer because I know You will – You always do. You have sent Your Son as the answer to every single one of our problems and as the solution to all that’s wrong with our planet and the people who occupy it. Even as I read the news this morning I am amazed at all that is wrong in our world. Earthquakes, riots, rebellions, murders, genocide, war, hatred, greed, and immorality of all kinds. But I can praise You because one day You are going to make all this right. You are going to restore Your creation to the way it was meant to be. And even in the midst of all this, You have given me hope through Jesus Christ, Your Son. He is the ultimate expression of Your favor to man. So I praise You! Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org





Psalm 134

/ kdmiller55 / 2 Comments

Unseen, But Far From Unappreciated.

“Oh, praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, you who serve at night in the house of the Lord.” ­– Psalm 134:1 NLT

Just three verses long, this Psalm seems to be a short, simple conclusion or benediction to the Song of Ascents, the hymnbook used by pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem to celebrate the annual feasts of Passover, Pentecost and Booths. The Song of Ascents included Psalms 120-134. In this particular concluding Psalm the emphasis turns toward those who serve God in the Temple at night. Care for the Temple was an around-the-clock affair. While the people slept, the priests were busy caring for, cleaning, purifying and readying the Temple for the following day. It seems that there was a group of the Levites whose duty it was to perform some of the more mundane or less-than-glamorous duties associated with the Temple. According to 1 Chronicles 23, “The duty of the Levites was to help Aaron’s descendants in the service of the temple of the LORD: to be in charge of the courtyards, the side rooms, the purification of all sacred things and the performance of other duties at the house of God. They were in charge of the bread set out on the table, the flour for the grain offerings, the unleavened wafers, the baking and the mixing, and all measurements of quantity and size.  They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD. They were to do the same in the evening, and whenever burnt offerings were presented to the LORD on Sabbaths and at New Moon festivals and at appointed feasts. They were to serve before the LORD regularly in the proper number and in the way prescribed for them (1 Chronicles 23:28-31 NLT).

This Psalm was meant to be an expression of encouragement to those who serve the Lord at night, in relative obscurity – serving Him joyfully, offering Him praise even in the midst of their nightly duties. It was a reminder to the pilgrims and the priests that the role these priests played was far from unimportant. While no one saw what they did, God was watching. Their duties were just as important as those of the priests who offered up the sacrifices in the courtyard. Without their careful purification of the utensils and objects used in the sacrificial system, the sacrifices offered up to God would have been considered unclean and unacceptable. I can only imagine the cleanup job each evening after a full day of sacrifices with the blood of thousands of animals having flowed within the grounds of the Temple. Everything had to be cleaned and purified. These men played a critical role in the sacrificial system of Israel. And their efforts were a blessing to God.

What a reminder to us that there are those who serve the body of Christ in obscurity, doing roles that many of us would think are unglamorous and even unimportant. I think of the men and women who serve each week on our Parking Posse, overseeing the flow of cars on to and off of our campus each week. Without their efforts, the chaos that would ensue would be unbearable. Yet many don’t even notice these people are there. I think of the hundreds of Sunday School teachers and volunteers who serve each and every Sunday throughout the year, caring for and teaching our children. We take them for granted. We come to church knowing they will be there to provide our children a safe environment in which to learn and grow in their knowledge of God and His Word. What about the maintenance staff who work all throughout the week, caring for the buildings and grounds, ensuring they are clean and that everything works properly? They operate behind the scenes, invisible and unknown to most of us. But just think about how their efforts enhance our worship of God on Sunday.

From those who design and print the worship folders each Sunday to those who prepare the coffee, countless individuals serve behind the scenes in an effort to make our worship of God as comfortable and hassle-free as possible. May God bless them for their efforts. And may we learn to thank them for all that they do.

Father, thank You for reminding me of all those who serve You selflessly each week. Create in me a heart of gratitude, expressing my thanks to them for all that they do to enhance our worship experience each week. May You bless them Father for their willingness to serve in ways that many of would not do. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org





Psalm 136

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

His love endures forever.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. “His love endures forever.” ­– Psalm 136:1 NLT

In this Psalm we are encouraged repeatedly to give thanks to God. But we are also given the reasons why. Over and over again, the psalmist provides us with the countless examples of God’s love that we encounter each and every day. The word the psalmist uses that is translated love in The New Living Translation and mercy in The New American Standard version is chesed, which means “the grace, favor, and mercy of God toward man.” The things the psalmist lists are examples of God’s favor and mercy toward us. His creation is an example of His grace, mercy and favor. His redemption of Israel from captivity in Egypt is an expression of His grace, mercy and favor. His splitting of the Red Sea and miraculously rescuing the Israelites from certain destruction at the hands of the Egyptians was an expression of His grace, mercy and favor. His provision and protection of the Israelites during all their years of wandering in the wilderness was an expression of His grace, mercy and favor. His victories over the enemies who occupied the Promised Land was an expression of His grace, mercy and favor. His provision of the land was an expression of His grace, mercy and favor. His recognition of Israel’s weakness and inability to save themselves, then stepping in and redeeming and rescuing them, is an expression of His grace, mercy and favor.

Over and over again, the psalmist paints a picture of God’s unending grace, mercy and favor expressed to the people of God in a variety of ways. And what should our response be to all this? Thanks! Gratitude! A recognition that God has been and is at work in and around our lives in so many ways. Some obvious, and some not so obvious. The very creation of the world in which we live is an expression of God’s love for us. The provision of the food we eat is an expression of God’s love for us. But how often do we thank Him for our meals or for the beauty we see all around us? We take it all for granted. One of the problems the Israelites faced was that when they finally got into the land and enjoyed all that God had given them, they would take credit for it all and forget God. And God knew this was going to be temptation for them. Listen to His warning to them just before they entered the land. “When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you–a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant–then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery” (Deuteronomy 6:10-12 NLT). Cities you did not build, good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, vineyards and groves you did not plant … all of these things were provided by God in His great grace, mercy and favor. They were undeserved and unmerited. God gives us so many things each and every day that we do not deserve. We enjoy so much that is just a result of His unmerited favor toward us. And our response should be (1) a recognition of it as an expression of God’s love, and (2) thankfulness to God for His love. God’s love is everlasting and everywhere we look. It surrounds us. It protects us. It provides for us. It sustains us. And for that we should be eternally grateful.

Father, thank You for Your everlasting, undeserved love that You shower on me day after day in so many ways. Thank You for my health, my home, my cars I drive, the clothes I wear, the wife I love, they children You have given me, the job I go to each day, the paychecks I cash, the food I eat, the friends I enjoy … they all come from You. Because You love me. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org





2 Chronicles 5

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

The Indwelling Presence of God.

“The trumpeters and singers performed together in unison to praise and give thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, they raised their voices and praised the LORD with these words: “He is so good! His faithful love endures forever!” At that moment a cloud filled the Temple of the LORD.” ­– 2 Chronicles 5:13 NLT

The Temple was complete. The construction crews had gone home. It was now time to make the house Solomon had built for God ready for God. So he sent for the Ark of the Covenant. It had been in a temporary location since the time of David. A procession of priests and people accompanied the Ark from the city of David all the way to the Temple, which was located a spot that was at a higher elevation. Along the way, the priests made sacrifices to God – so many in fact, nobody was able to keep an accurate count. “King Solomon and the entire community of Israel sacrificed sheep and oxen before the Ark in such numbers that no one could keep count!” (2 Chronicles 5:6 NLT). There was music, instruments, singing and praises lifted up all along the way. It was a celebration of the highest order. And when they finally were able to place the Ark inside the Holy of Holies, the glorious presence of God filled the place. His shekinah glory, in the form of a cloud, descended onto the Ark and filled the Temple – making it impossible for the priests to continue their work.

The cloud, signifying God’s presence, filled the Temple. This was the same cloud that had led the people of God from Egypt all the way to the Promised Land. It was a sign of God’s favor, blessing, leading, and yes, His presence. When they saw the cloud, they knew that God was there. The invisible one had become visible. God did a similar thing when He sent His Son to earth – the invisible became visible. God came and dwelt among men in the form of a man. God’s Son walked and lived among us. He was the living, breathing presence of God. Then when Jesus died, rose again, and ascended back into heaven, God sent another proof of His presence – the Holy Spirit – who lives within us, filling us with the very presence of God. We are the temple of God and He indwells us just like He did that day when Solomon placed the Ark in the Tabernacle. And the very fact that the presence of God is among us and inside us, should cause us to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1), and lift up a constant flow of praise to Him. We should sing, shout, rejoice, and celebrate the presence of God among us each and every day of our lives.

Father, Your Spirit inhabits me just as it did the Temple that day. You fill me with Your presence every day of my life. Yet I take it for granted. I sometimes allow my “temple” to become less than holy. I fail to keep my “temple” separated for Your use only. I use it for my own pleasure and benefit. I forget that You are there. Give me a more constant awareness of Your presence. Help me not forget that You are there, right inside of me; guiding, directing, comforting, convicting, and loving me. What an incredible thing to consider. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org





2 Chronicles 4

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

A Glimpse of God.

“I am about to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God.” ­– 2 Chronicles 2:4 NLT

How would you describe God? What words would you use? How many adjectives would you have to string together until you came up with a suitable description of a God who is indescribable? The fact is, describing God is an impossible task for mere man to take on. We don’t even have the capacity to  comprehend God, let alone describe him. So we are left at a loss for words. Which is part of the reason why I think God gave Moses the plans for the Tabernacle in the wilderness. Just think about it. God was VERY specific about how He wanted the Tabernacle to be constructed, right down to the  exact materials and measurements. Nothing was left to chance or the imagination. Now when it comes to the Temple that Solomon built, the plans were not from God, but they seem to be patterned after the Tabernacle. You might want to think of the Temple as the Tabernacle on steroids. It was a bigger, better version of the same thing. And I think it was Solomon’s attempt to describe the indescribable – God Himself. He made it clear that he was building the Temple in order to honor the name of the Lord. This building was an earthly representation or symbol for a heavenly being.

When you read this portion of the book of 2 Chronicles, it’s easy to let your eyes glaze over and your mind drift as you work your way through the endless details and descriptions of basins and bowls, cherubim and chains, lampstands and ladles, courtyards and curtains. But if you slow down long enough to think about what this building and all its elements must have looked like when completed, it begins to give you an idea of what I think Solomon was trying to do – honor the glory of his God with a building that was truly glorious and spectacular. The Temple contained elements and attributes that correlate with God Himself. The Temple was filled with expensive and hard-to-come-by metals. In fact, there was so much bronze used, that they couldn’t determine its weight. There were precious stones and exotic woods. Only the finest fabrics were used, handwoven with painstakingly dyed thread and containing intricate designs of incredible beauty. Everything seems to be over-sized and out of proportion. The basin could hold 11,000 gallons of water. There were hand-carved and cast versions of pomegranates everywhere – symbolic of fruitfulness and abundance. Gold glistened everywhere. Lamps filled with the finest olive oil shed a shimmering light on everything. Light, beauty, abundance, immensity, quality, craftsmanship, creativity, order, peace – all these things speak of God. They reflect who He is. This building was not only a dwelling for God, it was a telling place. It told of His goodness, greatness, power, creativity, holiness, righteousness, order, and beauty. Our God is great. Our God is good. Our God is indescribable. But the good news is – He is knowable. I may not be able to describe Him, but I can know Him and be known by Him.

Father, I have no idea what the Temple really looked like, but I can imagine it was an incredible sight to behold. But even in all its glory, it couldn’t hold a candle to You. Open my eyes and let me somehow perceive just how great and good You are. You reveal Yourself around me each and every day, but I have grown blind to Your presence. Open my eyes and let me see. May the glory of Solomon’s Temple give me a little glimpse of just how great You really are. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org





1 Kings 7

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

All to the Glory of God.

“Huram set the pillars at the entrance of the Temple, one toward the south and one toward the north. He named the one on the south Jakin, and the one on the north Boaz.” ­– 1 Kings 7:21 NLT

What an amazing description of Solomon’s palace. At first reading it gave me the impression that Solomon was more obsessed with his own palace than he was for the Temple of his God. After all, he took longer to build his palace, it was much larger and contained even more objects of beauty and symbols of his wealth. But in the cultures of his day the size of the king’s palace and its proximity to the temple of their god, were signs of the power and glory of that god. Solomon’s palace was a direct reflection of the blessings of God and was designed to honor the one who made Solomon’s reign possible. The entire complex must have been a sight to behold. It was massive, beautiful and filled with treasures of all kinds. But it was not just a monument to extravagance. Everything had a purpose. Even the two pillars that Solomon had erected within the Temple. You can recognize it in the names he gave them. These were probably not functional pillars. In other words, they were not being used to hold up the roof of the Temple. They were decorative, but also highly symbolic. Their real purpose seems to have been to remind the Israelites that Yahweh had established them as a nation and was the source of their strength. The first pillar was named “Jachin” which means “He shall establish,” and the second was named “Boaz” which means “In Him is strength.”

God was the one who had created the nation of Israel. He had called Abraham out of Ur of the Caldees hundreds of years earlier. God had blessed Abraham and fulfilled His promise to make him a great nation – even though he was old and married to a barren wife. God was the one who had prospered Israel during their time in Egypt and multiplied them from just a handful to a great multitude. He had set them free from their captivity in Egypt and led them to the Promised Land. He had delivered the land into their hands – giving them victories over their more powerful enemies. Even when Israel rejected God as their king and demanded a human leader, God did not give up on them, but eventually gave them David – a man after His own heart. Through David, God completed the conquering of the land and made Israel a great and powerful nation. David’s son, Solomon, took over the kingdom and enjoyed a time of great power, prominence and peace – all because of the sustaining hand of God. And as long as Israel worshiped, honored, and obeyed God, their nation would continue to be established and upheld by God. He was their strength. He was the source of their power. It was not their great king and his mighty armies. It was not his vast wealth and incredible wisdom. The people of Israel must never forget that God was the one they were to rely on. His power alone made their existence possible. But they would soon forget that. They would become complacent, cocky, and turn away from God. They would turn to other sources for their strength. They would doubt the very one who had established them and gave them strength. And the beauty of the Temple and the grandeur of Solomon’s palace would not be able to protect them from what was to come. Both would be destroyed, and Israel would end up in captivity.

God is the one who establishes and He is the one who provides strength. The same is true for us as believers today. I am nothing without Him. He chose me. I did not choose Him. He saved me when I could not have saved myself. He is my source of strength. I have no power on my own. But how easy it is to forget those two facts. I can quickly fall into the delusion that I established myself. I am a self-made man. I can begin to rely on my power and intelligence, forgetting that God is the source of my strength. Solomon didn’t want the people to forget the reality of God’s role in their existence, so he had two huge pillars erected as reminders. What do we need to do to keep this same message burned into our own memories? The psalmist gives us a clue. “We will not hide these truths from our children but will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the LORD. We will tell of his power and the mighty miracles he did” (Psalm 78:4 NLT). Rather than erect monuments to God’s greatness and goodness, we should talk about all that He has done. We should brag about His provision for us. We should tell others of His grace and mercy toward us. We should constantly talk about our dependence on Him and the strength He provides for us. Tell of the Lord’s greatness. Speak about His power. And never forget.

Father, You alone have established us and You alone provide the power necessary to protect and provide for us. Yet it is so easy for us to take credit for where we are and falsely believe that we can somehow take care of ourselves. May we learn to remind one another daily about just how great You really are. May we learn to recall just where we were without You. You established us. You are our strength. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org