Category Archives: Matthew

mmmm King Solomon mmmm

mmmm Mum’s homemade Peach Cake mmmm

Mum lovingly baked a fruity cake for my family

Tastes delicious when served with ice cream

This light cake is moist and not too sweet

Perfect for dessert and a light snack

I have been reading about King Solomon recently:

At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream,

and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.

Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David,

because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart.

You have continued this great kindness to him and

have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.

“Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David.

But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.

Your servant is here among the people you have chosen,

a great people, too numerous to count or number.

So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and

to distinguish between right and wrong.

For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.

So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life

or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies

but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked.

I will give you a wise and discerning heart,

so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.

1 Kings chapter 3 verses 5 to 12

King Solomon made for himself the carriage

he made it of wood from Lebanon.

Its posts he made of silver,

its base of gold.

Its seat was upholstered with purple,

its interior inlaid with love.

Daughters of Jerusalem, come out,

and look, you daughters of Zion.

Look on King Solomon wearing a crown,

the crown with which his mother crowned him

on the day of his wedding,

the day his heart rejoiced.

Song of Songs chapter 3 verses 9 to 11

Solomon was the son of Bathsheba and King David

He became the king of Israel after the death of his father

Solomon was a young man when he became king

God spoke to him in a dream

Solomon asked for wisdom

God was pleased to give him a wise and discerning heart

Solomon became the wisest king of Israel

His wisdom is recorded in the books of Proverbs and Song of Songs

Solomon also became the richest king of Israel

He ruled over a peaceful and prosperous country

Solomon built the temple for the LORD

1 Kings records the construction of the temple in great detail

The Queen of Sheba visited King Solomon

She was impressed with his wisdom and wealth

Solomon loved many foreign women

He had 700 wives and 300 concubines

God had told the Israelites not to intermarry with foreigners

Unfortunately Solomon’s wives led him astray

He worshipped the foreign gods of his wives

God punished Solomon by splitting his kingdom after his death

Solomon is mentioned in the New Testament:

“And why do you worry about clothes?

See how the lilies of the field grow.

They do not labour or spin.

Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these.”

Matthew chapter 6 verses 28 & 29

Jesus referred to Solomon in his sermon on the mount

He compared the lilies of the field with Solomon’s robes

The riches of Solomon were no match for the beauty of God’s creation

Jesus reminds us that we are more valuable than the lilies of the field

We are encouraged to seek first the kingdom of God

This Christmas we are reminded of the birth of Jesus

As a king, Jesus is greater and wiser than Solomon

His kingdom is eternal

Jesus came to bring people into his kingdom

His kingdom began with his death and resurrection

We enter his kingdom by grace

Jesus offers forgiveness for our sins

We now have peace with God

The promise of eternal life is what we hope for

This Christmas, who do you trust to save you?

Is Jesus your Lord and Saviour?

For believers: how can Jesus help you to be wise?

mmmm bible mmmm

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mmmm matthew 6 mmmm

Mmmm Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken with Tomato Rice Mmmm

In Sydney, we have delicious Asian Food thanks to multiculturalism!

But that’s not the only food that is mouth-watering.

At Bible College this semester, I’m eating big mouthfuls of the New Testament.

No one can serve 2 masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

Matthew 6:24

There is an old saying “Money makes the world go round.”

Many people watch their bank balances & stock markets closely.

Everyone is worried that we don’t have enough money.

We just want more and more money.

Even when we are wealthy, we are never satisfied.

Our wealth and livelihoods are at the mercy of global stock markets.

We cannot predict with certainty when the next crash will occur.

The Bible passage above is a challenge to all who follow Jesus.

Jesus was teaching his disciples about how to live in his kingdom.

A large crowd was also listening to his teaching.

Jesus’ teaching was revolutionary and counter-cultural 2,000 years ago.

His teaching is still relevant and a stark reminder to us today.

It is impossible to serve 2 masters because they have conflicting demands.

Anyone who has ever worked for 2 bosses knows this.

1 boss wants something & the other wants the complete opposite at the same time.

Money can be very demanding if we constantly worry about our financial security.

Pursuing wealth through workaholism can damage our health & family relationships.

Instead Jesus reminds everyone to be fully devoted to him instead.

We are to trust him with our lives instead of worrying about money:

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 6:33

We need to ensure that we are actually in his kingdom.

Do you know him as your King and Saviour?

He promises that if we follow him, he will look after us.

He knows that we need food, clothes and shelter in our daily lives.

So where do we place money in our lives?

  1. God, Jesus & the Holy Spirit occupy No. 1 place in our lives.
  2. Our relationships with family, friends and other followers are in 2nd place.
  3. Money is in 3rd place.

So if we trust Jesus, what does it mean to “seek first his kingdom”?

Here are some suggestions:

  • We spend time ensuring that our family & friends know Jesus.
  • We encourage other followers to pursue righteousness.
  • We may even give up our careers to tell the world about Jesus.

How are you seeking God’s kingdom?

Do those around you know that you are in His kingdom?

How can others see that God is in No.1 place in your life?

mmmm Bible mmmm

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