This past month I’ve been reading the books of 1 Kings and 2 Kings. For the first time ever, I’ve taken the time to read them as a continuous story versus reading one verse here and there. As I read throughout the history of the Kings of Israel, there is a consistent thread which I believe is the main message to us today – If we worship, love, and follow God, we will be successful in everything we do! He will be WITH us all the way! The following Scriptures say it clearly and this message is repeated consistently throughout these two books.

1 Kings 2:1-4 (NLT) As the time of Kin David’s death approached, he gave this charge to his son Solomon: “I am going where everyone on earth must someday go. Take courage and be a man. Observe the requirements of the Lord your God and follow all his ways. Keep each of the laws, commands, regulations, and stipulations written in the law of Moses so that you will be successful in all you do and wherever you go. If you do this, then the Lord will keep the promise he made to me: ‘If your descendants live as they should and follow me faithfully with all their heart and soul, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel.’

2 Kings 18:5-7 (NLT) Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was never another king like him in the land of Judah, either before or after his time. He remained faithful to the Lord in everything, and he carefully obeyed all the command the Lord had given to Moses. So the Lord was with him, and Hezekiah was successful in everything he did.

Furthermore, when we are faithful to God, He will give us whatever we ask just as He did for Solomon:

I Kings 3:3-5 (NLT) Solomon loved the Lord and followed all the instructions of his father, David, except that Solomon, too, offered sacrifices and burned incense at the local altars… That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”

We all know the story after this event. Solomon asked God for wisdom and God made him the wisest person on earth. When we put God first, at the top of everything else, and we love Him with all our hearts, soul, and mind, He will be WITH us throughout our lives. Will our lives be easier? Maybe not because we still live on earth where there is tribulation for sure. But we will have God to help us get through every situation in our lives. Anything else we put above God can become our god, so we must watch for that as He is a jealous God:

I Kings 8: 60-61 (NLT) “May people all over the earth know that the Lord is God and there is no other god. And may you, his people, always be faithful to the Lord our God. May you always obey his laws and commands, just as you are doing today.”

So today I want to encourage you to search your heart for anything that you may be putting above God. Ask Him to help you seek Him with all you’ve got, and He will be WITH you in your journey of life. You will be successful at everything you do!