It is neat to read 2 Chronicles 6-7 and see how it matches up with 1 Kings 8. The Bible proves itself many times over...
2 Chronicles 7:1-3 NOW when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house. And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD's house. And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, saying, 'For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.' (Psalm 136....)
The priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD's house.
---Adrian Rogers told the story of a man who claimed he saw Jesus. This man said that he woke up one morning and Jesus was there, and that Jesus was with him in whatever he did. The man said that Jesus was with him in the bathroom while he was shaving. Adrian asked something along the line of "well, what did you do when you saw him?". The man responded: "I kept on shaving" to which Adrian replied "then that's not Jesus..."
We must again be cautious. God is GOD!! We say God is with us, we say He inhabits our worship, we say He is in His house....look at what ALL the children of Israel did when they saw the glory of the LORD upon the house...they WILLINGLY (not forced to) bowed themselves down with their faces to the ground and worshipped, and praised the LORD.... this to me is genuine worship, simply because God is worthy. I wonder if true revival is the coming of the glory of the Lord. In which we worship because of His glory revealed. We cannot even stand to our feet before God... too often I feel we create a "church" atmosphere, a "worship" atmosphere ("come into the House of God", "Life up your hands, sing about bowing down") in which we desire this very response the children of Israel had...but this response, this worship...comes from the revealing of God's glory to us? Revelation 22:20 "He which testifieth these things saith, 'Surely I come quickly.' A-men. Even so, come, Lord Jesus."
Even so, even though you are here with us Lord Jesus, come. Come in glory.
Scripture Memory:
Romans 12:1-2
I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.
---In meditating on this verse, I was wondering why it says "be transformed by the renewing of your mind" so that you can prove God's will. What does that mean to prove God's will?
Proving God's will, as in knowing for sure that what you are doing is God's will, and having assurance that God's will is perfect as He says it is (as we are told not to worry because God's will for us is perfect...). And to prove God's will you have to continually be transforming. Not conforming. And to transform, we are to do it by the renewing of our mind. What does this mean? Growth. Knowledge. "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 3:18. Renew your mind by growing in knowledge of Jesus. God's given us everything we need to grow through His precious Word.
Look at it this way: some say you cannot prove God. I say you can! God tells us how to prove Himself! Anyone who says that you cannot prove God is not telling the truth of the Bible. Jeremiah 29:13 says this: "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." To prove God, you must seek God with all your heart..and HE WILL BE FOUND BY YOU........proven.
In the same way, we can prove God's will. Have you ever asked yourself "is what I am doing right now God's will? How can I know?" Well, first ask yourself what God requires of you: Deuteronomy 10:12-13 tells us "And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all they heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes..."
You see, it's all about...GOD. Worship. As in 2 Chronicles. Take yourself out of the picture. It is your reasonable service (serve God with all your heart and all your soul). Continue to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and in doing so, fear God, serve God, keep his commands. Just as He promises that He will be found by you, He promises that He is faithful, and will not leave you or forsake you. So by following God, by doing that which He requires of you, you are doing that which is His will. And you will prove it, for it will come to pass, just as God intended it to...perfectly, goodly, and acceptable.
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