Chapter 11 footnotes:
Although Solomon had clear instructions from God not to
marry women from foreign nations, he chose to disregard God's commands. He
married not one, but many foreign women, who subsequently led him away from
God. God knows our strengths and weakneses, and his commands are always for our
good. When people ignore God's commands, negative consequences inevitably
result. It is not enough to know God's Word or even to believe it; we
must follow it and apply it to our daily activities and decisions.
Take God's commands seriously. Like Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, we
are not as strong as we may think.
Solomon didn't turn away from God all at once or in a
brief moment. His spiritual coldness started with a minor departure from God's
laws. Over the years, that little sin grew until it resulted in Solomon's
downfall. A little sin can be the first step in turning away from God. It is
not the sins we don't know about, but the sins we excuse, that cause us the
greatest trouble. We must never let any sin go unchallenged. In your life, is
an unchallenged sin spreading like a deadly cancer? Don't excuse it. Confess
this sin to God and ask him for strength to resist temptation.
Keep reading -- 196 days left!
All footnotes taken from the Life Application Study Bible, NIV
No comments:
Post a Comment