Sreedhar's Journey

Are you looking for a miracle in your life? The impossible can become possible. History has shown (not in your regular history books, but the Bible) that miracles do happen. Elijah was a great prophet who lived during the days of King Ahab of Israel. 1 Kings 17:14, For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’ Two important groceries in the home of this widow and her son did not run out. It was time of drought, but their lives were sustained. They were contemplating death but when the widow obeyed and gave Elijah food, she was blessed. Not only did she not run out of food, she also got back her son from death. This is so moving. She felt that her sin got to her and God punished. But, no! 1 Kings 17:24, Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is the truth.” God is a worker of miracles. Ne

Man does not learn from history. We see this time and time again. There are no learnings. I feel sorry for the history majors. No one is listening to them. Or, may be worse, they are mute. In the days of Israel, the prophets were not mute. They spoke boldly against the sin of the kings. 1 Kings 16:31, And it came to pass, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians; and he went and served Baal and worshiped him. Ahab has been spoken against many times by the prophets of God. These kings of Israel broke the lineage of David from day 1. The blessing was not in them. Commander after commander took things into their own hands to defeat the rulers they served. Ending up with Ahab. It is during his time that Joshua's curse on Jericho was fulfilled. 1 Kings 16:34, In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation with Abiram his firstborn, and w

Have you read bad history? One of them is the case of the morning of the attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor. It was a Sunday. The enemy planes were discovered coming from the north, but the information was processed wrongly leading to the first Japanese fighters being able to fly in and disable much of the US' firepower. You can say that the Americans were caught sleeping. There was also bad history with the people of Israel. 1 Kings 15:34, He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin by which he had made Israel sin. King after king did things against God. They promoted idolatry. They stopped worshiping the God of the universe. They forgot the good history of their forefathers and the promises given by God. What an absolute multi-year nightmare it must have been. It is time to create good history. A legacy of obedience to God and the great blessing that brings. No returning to silly ways that only lead to eternal death. We are recon

What personal beliefs do you have when it comes to spiritual matters? There are many around me that do not believe in God, but yet take great pains to ensure no bad thing befalls them. Some go to mediums, others to feng shui masters, and still others have images of different gods in their office and homes. Israel was no different during Jeroboam and Rehoboam's time. 1 Kings 14:24, And there were also perverted persons in the land. They did according to all the abominations of the nations which the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel. When you have experienced God why would you chase something else? It is so irrational. Every civilization in the world has experienced God. You can see it in their traditions and core beliefs. But it is mixed in with other things. Their forefathers knew God, but there were those that influenced the subsequent generations with new ideas that went against the Lord. Father, help me pass on my faith to my children and children's child wi

Are you a bold person? Are you driven by your convictions so much so that you are prepared to die for that cause. A man of God came from Judah to King Jeroboam and started to say some harsh things against his actions and plans. 1 Kings 13:2, Then he cried out against the altar by the word of the Lord, and said, “O altar, altar! Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, a child, Josiah by name, shall be born to the house of David; and on you he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and men’s bones shall be burned on you.’ Jeroboam spilt the kingdom and instituted a new religion for the people of Israel, and a new center for worship. But the bold prophecy by this man of God is that this place of sacrifice would be destroyed along with the priests of the land. He probably fasted and prayed before this given what was told to him to do by God. But he failed to do that after he had a successful time with Jeroboam. He ate and drank at an old prophet's house. This le

Am I too busy to speak to my children? I cherish them greatly. There is no excuse to stay connected no matter how old they are. I am not perfect but there is much learning to be made from my successes and failures. The young upcoming leaders should not repeat the mistakes in history. An example of this is Rehoboam. 1 Kings 12:8, But he rejected the advice which the elders had given him, and consulted the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him. The new king of Israel, Solomon's son, just took over and was approached by Jeroboam to seek some change for the people. Jeroboam used to be Solomon's chief of labor until he escaped to Egypt when he wanted to start a revolt against Solomon. Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders and followed the advice of his peers. This caused the kingdom of Israel to split and majority of Israel officially entering into idolatry. The following verse gives some indication of how a new religion was started with the same practices

I am sure you heard it said by many that they do not want to be a Christian because they know too many Christians. While this is a sad statement, it is also a cop out statement. It is an excuse to not not consider the gospel. Christians are not perfect. Even the great Solomon was not perfect. 1 Kings 11:4, For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David. Are you following God? He has had a plan for our salvation from the beginning of time. The good news of His salvation is for all peoples. Like Solomon, Christians can fail, but not God. The most important decision you can make is to follow Jesus and have an eternal relationship with God. Don't cop out. The impact of Solomon's disobedience is that the kingdom was going to be broken into 2. They will face trouble of war with others as well. The lesson here is that we need to follow God. Not man. Father,

Yesterday I spoke about entrepreneurs, and how you need to ensure all the smaller details in a business arrangement need to be spelled out to avoid any issues later. There is also a tendency to do the unconventional when it comes to treatment of employees. Entrepreneurs tend to get employees to absorb some of risk of a venture with lower salaries and undefined success pay. Solomon on the other hand was very generous. He ruled with righteousness and justice. 1 Kings 10:8-9, Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.” Solomon was just and right with God, a potent combination for success. Solomon had everything going for him. The rest of the chapter speaks of the results of these attributes. Solomon became very wise and rich. Readin

When you do business with entrepreneurs, it is important to settle the minor details of the business relationship early. Many of these entrepreneurs have a tendency to review their contractual obligations due to changing market conditions. Solomon had a business relationship with the king of Tyre. He traded cities for the supply of building materials and other items. 1 Kings 9:11, (Hiram the king of Tyre had supplied Solomon with cedar and cypress and gold, as much as he desired), that King Solomon then gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee. The response from Hiram is interesting. He basically says the cities given are good for nothing. Reading this I am reminded that Jesus grew up in Galilee and spent much of his time in this area. In reality this area is very fruitful. What man deems as useless, God can and has turned it around. Father, I know you create fruitfulness, and I pray you make me fruitful. I reject uselessness.

One of the definitions of history is, the whole series of past events connected with someone or something. The existence of King Solomon and his actions through time are clearly documented in history. He had a great start. At the dedication of the three temple that he built, they moved the ark into the temple. 1 Kings 8:9, Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. The rest of the chapter contains a record of the proceedings of the dedication of the temple. This included a repeat of the covenant given by the Lord. This covenant is very clear and is emphasized during the dedication. There is no question. No doubt about the reality of God and His purpose for mankind. This was history created not for the people of Israel alone, but for the whole world. Father, I cry out for the many that do not know you. They must reconcile with you. There is n

It is always good to get skilled individuals to get work done. You want it done right the first time. In a factory you always have the challenge of quality control. It only takes one person in a factory employing hundreds or thousands to cause a problem and impact the global reputation of a brand. King Solomon did not want to take a chance with the building of the temple. He hired a skilled bronze worker. 1 Kings 7:13-14, Now King Solomon sent and brought Huram from Tyre. He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a bronze worker; he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill in working with all kinds of bronze work. So he came to King Solomon and did all his work. Solomon knew what kind of skill he needed and the job got done. We also need to learn from Huram. He had to make a decision in the past to learn from his father. He had to invest time and energy to learning to do it right. Bronze is not light. Huram would have had to fig

A building is an innate structure. It has no life. What brings life to it are the occupants and how they live their lives and the relationships built. This makes the difference between a house and a home. An office or industrial building, and a business. Solomon took 7 years to build the temple. Based on the description of the building, it was magnificent. 1 Kings 6:38, And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its details and according to all its plans. So he was seven years in building it. But, was God going to dwell with the people of Israel. There is a promise and warning given to Solomon. And we know that God kept to His word. 1 Kings & :12-13, “Concerning this temple which you are building, if you walk in My statutes, execute My judgments, keep all My commandments, and walk in them, then I will perform My word with you, which I spoke to your father David. And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will n

Are you ready for work? Many of us white collar workers don't understand the concept of work sweat. We are in air conditioning all day, or some climate controlled environment, and we call it work. Don't shoot me! In the case of Solomon's days many worked a sweat. 1 Kings 5:14, And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month in shifts: they were one month in Lebanon and two months at home; Adoniram was in charge of the labor force. Adoniram, as the part of Solomon's cabinet responsible for the labor force, mobilized the required human resource. Everything is well planned and executed. This is an important project to build the first non-tent and permanent temple of God. Especially when you have that many people "sweat" mobilized. Having said this many ministries do not plan well. It is time we plan everything well and not leave anything to chance. Of course, God is the mover and shaker of events and people, but we have our part to play. Once God gives the v

When you form a government, the composition of the cabinet gives you a picture of the priorities of the leader and the government. Solomon seems to indicate his priorities when he formed his cabinet. 1 King 4:1-6, So King Solomon was king over all Israel. And these were his officials: Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest; Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder; Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, over the army; Zadok and Abiathar, the priests; Azariah the son of Nathan, over the officers; Zabud the son of Nathan, a priest and the king’s friend; Ahishar, over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda, over the labor force. The cabinet positions seem to cover religious affairs, law makers, secretary, defense, personal confidant or assistant, chief of staff, and human resources. Interesting that 4 out of 10 are priests. He had a dream team with great emphasis on making decisions in God's ways. As you read the rest of the chapter yo

I am sure most of you have heard of the 2 women that had a child each, and how one of them lost her baby. She claimed the other child as her own and this matter was brought before Solomon. Solomon instructed that the baby be cut in half and shared. In the ensuing response the real mother was discovered. Where was this recorded? In the Bible. Where did Solomon get such wisdom? From God. 1 Kings 3:9, Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” This discourse between Solomon and God happened in a dream. Solomon was given the opportunity to ask something from God. Solomon asked for discernment. Solomon was a real person in history. He was renowned for his wisdom. At the end of his life he wrote some powerful advice based on his life experiences. What would you have asked for if you were Solomon? Father, I cannot do what I do without your wisdom, power and stre

Being in authority and staying in authority is not easy. There may be others interested in your role. I suppose authority comes with power, and depending on your personal agenda, it can be used to effectively fulfill that agenda. But authority also comes with responsibility. In David's case it was clear that he and his descendents needed to follow God's ways. 1 Kings 2:4, that the Lord may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,’ He said, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’ Blessings follow, if your heart and soul are submitted to the Lord. This is an important responsibility with a blessing. I am reminded of the theme verse of life. Matthew 6:33. All these things shall be added to you, if you seek God's righteous. Well, the message today is clear. Get right with God. Father, thank you for the responsibilities that you have given me.

When a new person is made king it is always a very grand affair and steeped in tradition and culture. Some of this comes from the religious connections the seat of the throne has. The Queen of England is connected to the Church of England, the Sultans of Malaysia are connected to the Muslim administration of each State, and the kings of Israel are connected to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 1 Kings 1:39, Then Zadok the priest took a horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. And they blew the horn, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” Solomon was picked to be king. Absalom tried to takeover from David but was killed in battle. Adonijah tried to do the same, and knew that claiming the throne wrongfully would mean death. Solomon had a great installation and the people rejoiced. As we know today, he had great renown amongst all peoples. 1 Kings 1:37, As the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so may He be with Solomon, and make his throne greater th

Are you watching your waist line? Maybe better. Are you watching weight of the weights that you are pulling (or carrying)? We are always concerned about our wellbeing. Many take it seriously and pursue health or fitness programs to stay fit and strong. As they progress through the program they are monitoring their progress. David did the same thing with his fighting men. And found himself doing it all wrong. Counting the fighting men in all of Israel was a wrong move. Joab said it well. God can supply. Your victories are given by God, and not the number of fighting men that you have. 2 Samuel 24:3, And Joab said to the king, “Now may the Lord your God add to the people a hundred times more than there are, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king desire this thing?” 2 Samuel 24:24, Then the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing.” S

When you are in an extremely distressing situation it would be very understandable if you cried out for help. People may think you are mad, but when they see your situation, some will make the effort to help. David did the same to God. 2 Samuel 22:7, In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry entered His ears. Reading this chapter, I am reminded that crying out to God should be a given. After all, He is our Father and He is listening at all times. David knew that God listened. Our problem is that we think He is not listening. When we are not delivered immediately we have this impression that He is not listening. We need to listen. Listen well. Father, you are the great listener. Help me to listen like you.

Last night I was with a few friends around the dining table and I was recounting my journey of faith. Looking back I saw the complex and rich journey I have had. Thinking about it this morning, I don't think God is done with me. He is only moving me to the next thing. David had a similar experience in his life journey and a major shift happened here. 2 Samuel 21:15, When the Philistines were at war again with Israel, David and his servants with him went down and fought against the Philistines; and David grew faint. David no longer went to war because he was physically not able to. His people took over and emulated his success in killing giants. Every leader needs to go through this. They need to know when it is time to delegate, and sometimes move out of the way so that younger and more capable leaders can take over. Father, thank you for your wisdom on leadership. Help me hear You for each and every season of my life.

When you are the leader expect people to disagree with you and sometimes garner support from others against you. They are unhappy to the point that they may be willing to disrupt an entire organization. David had a similar experience. 2 Samuel 20:1, And there happened to be there a rebel, whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite. And he blew a trumpet, and said: “We have no share in David, Nor do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse; Every man to his tents, O Israel!” The rebel was pursued and eventually literally lost his head for his actions. There are two lessons here. Firstly, as leaders we need to be close enough with our people to know what is their state of mind and issues. Secondly, i f you are a member of an organization and have issues with the leadership, approach using the principles taught by Jesus and recorded in Matthew 18 . There is great wisdom there. Father, there are many leadership lessons in the bible. Help me learn from the successes and failu

Many of my American friends would remember the Vietnam War. Many were drafted to travel half way around the world to fight a war that was not theirs. It was an action to fight the spread the communism. However, many Americans spoke against the war and dishonored those who returned from Vietnam. Israel faced a similar situation. 2 Samuel 19:5, Then Joab came into the house to the king, and said, “Today you have disgraced all your servants who today have saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines, David's men defended David and his followers against his son. But when his son was killed in the midst of the battle, David went into mourning. The men returned ashamed and quietly. It was not a victory but disgrace. What would you have done if you were David? Mourn your son or celebrate victory? As David returned to rule much reconciliation happened but there was still animosity and division. The people wanted a return

Reading the chapter today reminds me of how it was in my early corporate life without the internet. We could only send letters by post, courier or fax. There was always this contention as to whether a faxed letter is acceptable, especially if the receiving fax used thermal fax paper. Remember those days? David's days was even more backward. 2 Samuel 18:27, So the watchman said, “I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “He is a good man, and comes with good news.” Messengers ran to bring news from the battlefield. They specialized and so people knew who they were. They ran long distances, had to remember well the messages and be ready to present the message according to protocol. They were committed and trusted to do the job well. We also are messengers. Messengers of the gospel. We need to be intentional, know how to do it right, be committed and be trusted. Being trusted is the most difficult. We need to demonstrate

Ever done anything and found that everything and everyone were against you? You could not move because many things were not in place. When you don't command the authority or the respect it cannot happen. And it is worst when God himself is against you. 2 Samuel 17:14, So Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than the advice of Ahithophel.” For the Lord had purposed to defeat the good advice of Ahithophel, to the intent that the Lord might bring disaster on Absalom. God wanted to defeat Absalom. Who is man to stand in the way? No one can stand against God. David was well looked after and he received great kindness. 2 Samuel 17:27-29, Now it happened, when David had come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the people of Ammon, Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, brought beds and basins, earthen vessels and wheat, barley and flour, parched grain and beans, lentils and pa

Are there people around you that seem to not like you? You cannot seem to really understand why they may say the things that you hear. The things being said seem to be almost hate language. And you feel terrible. David was in that situation with Shimei the Benjamite. 2 Samuel 16:11, And David said to Abishai and all his servants, “See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the Lord has ordered him. I get very troubled and affected when someone seems to have an issue with me. Over the years I have learned to listen, understand and pray for myself, the person and the situation. It is never easy to appreciate the perspective of the other person. David's reaction and response was to take it as ordained by God. All in God's control and charge. Father, help me learn from every bad feedback and look to you for your deep counsel and wisdom.

When you are doing something important you need to depend on resources and usually this includes people. I have seen many projects fail because of a lack of resources. This lack could be due to many things. Lack of planning, change of circumstances and environment. In my last corporate stop it was political. David faced a political crisis. 2 Samuel 15:29, Therefore Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem. And they remained there. In anticipation that Absalom his son was going to conduct a coup d'etat, David left Jerusalem with his loyalists. Even the priests and the ark of God followed. He could have easily kept thinking that it would protect him. However, he made a powerful statement. 2 Samuel 15:25, Then the king said to Zadok, Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, He will bring me back and show me both it and His dwelling place. David knew that only God could intervene and he relied on God to make a way for him.

When we go about the daily affairs of our lives there is always a need for favor from others. Every task needs a team and unless the team members show favor to each other it is impossible to see success. The person that receives favor is greatly blessed. Joab was shown favor for Absalom. 2 Samuel 14:22, Then Joab fell to the ground on his face and bowed himself, and thanked the king. And Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord, O king, in that the king has fulfilled the request of his servant.” Joab was seeking for reconciliation between David and Absalom, and he received favor for his request. He meant well and saw success. But sometimes showing favor to somebody can be detrimental to you. Joab's field got burned by Absalom. Instead, of gratitude he received trouble. Reflecting on this I am reminded of the greatest giver of favor, God. How much we have failed Him with ingratitude and disobedience. Father, show me where I have failed s

Have you watched Indian movies? Especially, those featuring love and family based stories. They are tear jerkers. They can be quite distressing but most have a good ending. David's family in this chapter was also going through chaos like a movie. 2 Samuel 13:12, But she answered him, “No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing should be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing! His daughter Tamar was raped by her half brother Amnon, David's son. Absalom, her brother, was determined to take revenge and 3 years later he gets Amnon , his half brother, killed. This grieved David greatly. This tells me yet again that if you mess with God's design for the family, you will reap its consequences. One man one wife! Father, help me live my life according to your perfect design. Help me to help others do the same.

One of the saddest event in a person's life is when an immediate family member dies, especially if the person is your spouse or child. A couple, some years ago, lost their daughter at the age of about 12. It was heartbreaking. We could not imagine losing one of our children that way. David lost a child, but immediately after Solomon was born. 2 Samuel 12:24, Then David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her and lay with her. So she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. Now the Lord loved him, David clocked great favor with God. Only a compassionate and loving God could do this. David was rebuked for having Uriah killed and marrying Bathsheba. His sin was great and there was the consequence of death and other future consequences for his family. This emphasizes the need for me as the head of my household to always do right as a blessing for my family. Father, I will seek first your kingdom and your righteousness.