May 27

What a heavy price Solomon and all of Israel will pay. God was so good to Solomon, but something happened to this great man of wealth and wisdom. We read it in 3 minutes, but it took years – even decades to happen. After all just the wedding of 700 wives would take 700 weeks at a minimum.

My application is be careful who influences me. Solomon’s downfall was that he let others have more influence on him more than God. When I think about my influencers I first think of TV and media. How much do they influence me? Do they get me off the path? Do they at least distract me? But then I thought of my own thoughts and the “thought bombs” of the devil. I think they are the most powerful influencers in my life. For those of you who are naturally “positive”, you won’t understand when I say that my own thoughts are the things I have to beat down. It is not as if I struggle all the time, because my mind has been renewed! Yet, negativity is familiar to me and must be crushed as an influencer. There are other influencers – the voices of those around me. Will I let the dream crushers and the critics influence me? Will I let those who are well-meaning, but are directing me to something God hasn’t called me to influence me?

Papa – I want you and you alone to influence me! You are life to me! Your voice means more than a thousand others.