GOSPEL NUGGET #547

Why did God allow Solomon to be pampered with the things of this world? What was His purpose why Solomon's plate was filled to overflowing with things that everything under the sun could offer?

One of the reasons is this --- He allowed Solomon to abound with so much in order to tell the succeeding generations that man's heart is too big for the world. Here's this one man who gained the world and yet at the end of it all, he says: "Been there, done that, I've been to the top of the world and it's vanity! It's nothing! It's meaningless! It doesn't satisfy!"

He had riches. He had fame. He had knowledge and wisdom. He had pleasure. He had entertainment. He had power. He had romantic relationships left and right. He had accomplishments here and there to fill man's need to be significant. He had the admiration of everybody. Every meal he had for years was a feast. Every single need he had under the sun was satisfied to the hilt --- physical, psychological, mental, relational, you name it.

And yet, at the end of it all, across it all, he said: "Believe you me, it's vanity! Man's heart is too big for the world. You can have all of these things, you will feel a temporary high, but, eventually, in the end, you will feel empty."

My friend, your heart was made for something bigger. You were made for God. You will always be restless until you will find Him in Christ Jesus. If the heart is too big for the world, let me tell you that God is too big for your heart. He will more than satisfy you.

Come to Christ in repentance and faith, trusting in Him for salvation. Be reconciled to God.

GOSPEL NUGGET #546

"... the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, “In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength.” Isaiah 30:15

If you read the entire chapter and the next, the situation here is that Israel was afraid of the Assyrian invasion. Israel knew that he had no chance against Assyria in his own strength. Assyria was just too strong for him and impossible to foil. .

Israel was agitated, worried, harassed and troubled. He was anything but calm and composed. If we were there, we would here the loud clamor of the people about their situation; there was a national uproar among them all. What did Israel do? He trusted Egypt and sought deliverance from him.

And God came saying: "If you repent and change your attitude from trusting in Egypt to resting in Me, if you only repose quietly on Me, trusting in Me, you will find salvation and strength, which you could never find in Egypt."

In the same way, because we are sinners, judgment and condemnation will soon invade our lives forever and ever. We have no chance, in ourselves, to deliver ourselves from it. And our only real refuge and chance is not in anyone and anything else, but in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our salvation and strength.

In changing our attitude from trusting in anything and anyone else and turning only to Him, trusting in Him for salvation, if we only repose quietly on Him and what He did on the cross, we will find in Him the solid and strong Rock of salvation.