Story Time with Jesus
Bible Stories
Chapters 50-61
50-David’s Harp
51-Psalms and Supply
52-King David and Dancing
53-Instructions and Supplies for Solomon
54-The Temple is Built 
55-A Wise King
56-A King’s Proclamation 
57-God Cares for Elijah
58-Fire and Water
59-Heavenly Food and Encouragement
60-The Boys Who Were Kings
61-Hezekiah’s Healing 
(Jesus speaking: )
David’s Harp
David had been a shepherd boy for as long as he could remember. And being a shepherd wasn’t just a slow-moving and peaceful job. He learned many things that would help him later on in life with the big responsibility of being king. At times there were wild animals that he had to chase off. The weather wasn’t always balmy and warm and pleasant, and he had to be strong and put the needs of the sheep above his own wishes for comfort. 
David was also a musician, and was good at playing the harp. He practiced playing it often and sang songs of praise and prayer to Me. He used his times of peace to practice this skill, and to pray. Those were good uses of his time, and things that were to benefit him and others.
When David was anointed to be the new king, even though Saul was still the king for quite some time afterwards, David received My Spirit on him and he gained strength and wisdom. However, Saul no longer had that special empowerment anymore. He often got in a very bad mood and was easily upset and angry about things. Saul acted very differently when he didn’t have God’s Spirit on him as he’d had before.
Someone got an idea that it would help Saul if he had someone play music for him, when he got into a bad mood. I had a plan for David, and part of his training to be a king later on was to live close to King Saul and be a helper to him. When those around Saul wanted to find someone to come and play music for him, someone thought of David. David was known for his musical talent and skill with the harp. 
David was called to come and stay with the king and to play music for him with his harp, when King Saul was in need of encouragement. And it worked! Saul felt so much better when David played his beautiful songs of praise and prayer and faith. You never know where your skill of playing songs—or whatever skill I have given to you—may lead you. Learn well whatever skill you have, and it may provide you with new and exciting opportunities.
Jonathan, Saul’s son, was a good friend to David. David needed that encouragement. He was away from his family, and King Saul wasn’t pleasant to be around most of the time. Jonathan made sure that David was safe and cared for and had all that he needed. 
I gave David wisdom and knowledge about what to do and how to do it. He didn’t act proudly and try to get attention for himself. He was prayerful and trustworthy. He made good decisions as I led him. Things were getting more difficult with the Philistines, and David helped to boost people’s faith that God was more powerful than anything else on Earth.
People began to like David and were glad for what he was able to do to help them. David wasn’t doing things out of pride, or because he wanted people to follow him. David wanted people to be true to King Saul, and David was doing all he could to be a help to him too. 
However, it was hard for Saul to hear people saying how much they liked David, and what a good job he was doing. Saul’s pride is what had made him unable to be a good king anymore, and it was making him unable to act wisely and he began to feel upset most of the time. His heart was no longer filled with My Spirit. 
Jonathan told David that it would be better if he left the palace and moved somewhere else, as his father, King Saul, was too upset with him. There wasn’t anything wrong that David had done to cause this, but it was hard for King Saul to not have people saying as many wonderful things about him as he heard people saying about David. 
David had learned a lot when living and working there with King Saul, and then it was time to move on. It was part of David’s training, and it would help him to be a good king later on. He saw that the most important thing was to love Me and follow My Words, and to stay humble. These were the things that would make someone a good king. Having My Holy Spirit and My help was the only way to success.
***
Psalms and Supply
David could no longer live around King Saul, as Saul was too easily angered about the fact that David was more liked than he was. It was King Saul’s pride that caused him the most trouble. He no longer had normal and calm reactions, but was difficult to be around and made some very wrong choices that he regretted.
David had to leave, and a team of men wanted to work with him and help him. David and his team had to travel and live outdoors for quite a while. A large cave was their home for some time. Can you imagine what that might have been like? David had to be brave and strong and have lots of faith. He had been anointed to be the new king of Israel, but now he didn’t even have a home to live in. His brothers and family came to see him in the cave, and so did many others. 
People who had grievances and had suffered in some way due to Saul’s unwise reactions and decisions, came out to be with David and join his team. They weren’t living comfortably at all. They had to trust God to supply food for them and to take care of them. David spent a lot of time in prayer and wrote songs and psalms to the Lord—which you can find in the Book of Psalms. He learned that as he praised and trusted in Me to work things out that he felt better and solutions were found. 
There were many difficulties and challenges that David and his men had. One time when Saul felt very angry about David and came with many men to try to stop David and his band of followers, Saul lay down for a rest—in a cave! It just so happened to be the cave that David was in at that moment. David respected Me and knew that I had made Saul the king for that time, and even if he wasn’t always making the right choices and was causing David a lot of hardship and sorrow, David wasn’t going to do anything wrong to stop Saul from being the king.
David was patient and kind, and when Saul woke up and David told him that he had been right there in the cave with him, Saul was amazed. Saul realised that David wasn’t someone who was trying to do anything wrong, or trying to take the leadership of the country away from Saul. David wasn’t angry with Saul and wasn’t trying to cause him trouble. Saul cried and said he was sorry for being so upset with him, and left to return back to his home.
Later on, Saul again let the feelings of the Enemy get him thinking that David was up to no good, and set out to find him and cause him trouble. But David proved once more that he was wise and kind, and Saul had nothing to worry about. 
King Saul and his men were all sleeping on the ground and I made them sleep very deeply. David and one of his men went quietly to Saul’s side and took a couple of his things and crept away. In the morning, from a nearby hill David yelled out to Saul and the others that he had been there in the night. David showed everyone the things he had taken from Saul to prove that he was gentle and respectful he didn’t even wake Saul up—much less cause any trouble at all, even though he had been so close. 
When Saul heard David’s voice he recognised it and realised once again that David didn’t mean to do any harm to him at all. The things David had taken for a short while as a demonstration, were returned to Saul, and Saul was sorry for his unkind thoughts and actions once again, and left peacefully.
Sometimes that can be the best way to put an end to someone’s angry thoughts and actions towards you—to do something kind and to prove that you are not any trouble at all. Another time this lesson was shown, but this time it was in a different situation.
David and his team of several hundred men needed food to eat, and they’d heard of a very rich man called Nabal, who had plenty to spare. David sent some of his men to ask Nabal if he could share some food with them. They were very hungry and had nowhere to get food. The rich man was someone who had too much and still didn’t want to give anything away. He spoke unkindly to David’s messenger men and sent them away without giving anything to them or their team.
David and his men had been very kind and they didn’t go on to that ungodly man’s property grabbing what they needed. They had just politely asked, even though all of them were tired and of course very hungry. David was feeling under pressure to provide what was needed for his faithful and hungry men. When David’s men weren’t treated hospitably by someone who had more than enough, it really upset him. 
When Abigail, who was Nabal’s wife, heard about the situation she took quick and kind action. She was a good and generous woman. She was very unhappy to hear that David’s men weren’t treated well, and while the rich, selfish man was feasting and getting too drunk to care about anyone but himself, she got to work to help David and his men. 
Abigail immediately got her servants to help, and they loaded up donkeys with all kinds of yummy treats. She gathered whatever foods they had that were prepared already and could be given right away—like some fig cakes, loaves of bread, corn, meat, raisins and wine. When she met David and presented her gifts of food, her kind words and thoughtfulness changed David’s feelings from anger into thankfulness. 
Abigail said that she had heard that David’s men were very polite and didn’t take anything that wasn’t theirs, even though they desperately needed it. She was glad for how well they had behaved and wanted to show kindness to David and his team. Abigail said she knew that one day David would be king, and wanted him to not do anything wrong now out of anger that he would regret later on. She knew he would make a good king if he kept acting wisely and following in My ways.
Abigail asked David to please forgive them and not be angry anymore. She said that she knew it was a difficult time for David, as King Saul was making things hard for them. Abigail encouraged David that I, the Lord, would take good care of him and protect him.
David listened to her wise and kind words and answered humbly. He praised Me for sending her and thanked Abigail for her counsel. He was glad that her words and gifts came just at the right time. Her words had helped to calm David’s heart and stopped him from letting his anger and their needs cause him to act roughly, taking matters into his own hands, rather than letting Me work things out. David accepted the apology and forgave those who treated them unkindly, and was very thankful for the food gifts. 
Later on, David heard that Nabal was no longer around, as he had passed away unexpectedly. David remembered how kind Abigail was to him and to his team. He went to find her and asked if she would like to live with him and travel with them. Abigail became David’s wife, and helped to take care of him and encourage him. Abigail loved God and loved David and was very glad to have a godly man to live with, even if it meant no longer living in a fancy house with many comforts and luxury. She was glad to be with someone who loved Me. David had other women too, who he invited to be part of his family team and bear his children.
As time went on, more people joined their band, and I used them to help put a stop to many of the ungodly and bothersome people who were making things difficult for the Israelites. Even though things were very difficult for David, because he trusted in Me to help him, and he talked to Me about all their troubles, and heard from Me about what to do, he had the strength and the peace and the faith to make it through those tough times. 
The Book of Psalms in the Bible has many of David’s prayers and thoughts and feelings written down. Those prayers and words from his heart give a glimpse into some of the situations he was going through. David cried a lot, he had sickness, he felt forsaken by some who used to be his friends, he felt afraid and in danger. The Psalms show us also the key to his victory and how he managed to make it through those very difficult years. David learned to praise God no matter what. He believed that I was going to keep My Word and would always be with him. 
Reading or memorizing verses from the Psalms can be a great encouragement to you, too. I’m sure at times in your life you have felt, or will yet feel sad, lonely, sick, in pain, without friends, afraid, or in dangerous situations. The Psalms tell of David’s great love for Me and for My Words. He loved My Words and thought about them as often as he could. It was his remembering God’s Words that gave him the courage and strength he needed to keep on going when things were real hard for him.
***

King David and Dancing
At last the time came when David was crowned king. He was 30 years old, and ruled for 40 years. David loved Me so much, and would always pray and ask for My advice and counsel. He knew he could not succeed in anything unless I was the One helping him. I protected him and blessed him and provided for him and those helping him. 
David had not had a comfortable house to live in for a long time, but when he was the king some people made him a strong wooden house, and he was happy with it. One day when he was sitting in his house, thinking how nice it was and how much he appreciated it, he wished he could build a fancy, beautiful palace for God. Ever since the Israelites had been travelling through the wilderness, the special Ark of the Covenant had been in a tent. David wished he could do something special for Me and make a wonderful building. 
David told Nathan the prophet his idea. Nathan prayed about it and heard what I, the Lord, wanted to say about it, and then came and told David. The message said that it was a good thing to do, and that David’s son, a new child that had not yet been born, would help to make it. 
I said that I was pleased with David, because he loved Me so much, and David would be able to be the king for a long while. His son would also be able to be the next king, too. David was real happy to hear the message from God, and he made plans for building the temple in the future.
The Ark of the Covenant had been kept at someone’s house for many years, and it was time for David to bring it. David was so happy and thrilled that at last he could have it near to him. It reminded him and others how very close I, the Lord, was, and how I was watching over them. A big musical parade announced the moving of the Ark of the Covenant, with songs and all kinds of instruments. 
When it neared David’s place he was so happy! It felt like one of the happiest moments of his life. Riches and friends and everything else that people might have thought a king wanted was nothing compared to his great love for Me, his Lord and God; and this Ark of the Covenant made David feel that I was near and would bless and keep him and the country. David sang and danced with all his might. He did the best dancing he could do, as a praise to Me. 
He wasn’t just raising his hands to praise, or singing a song, or playing an instrument, or jumping up and down with joy a few times, but he danced so freely and with such enthusiasm that everyone saw how happy David was to think that I was so close to him. 
A few people thought he was being a bit too wild as he freely and enthusiastically danced. However, he wasn’t dancing for people to watch; he was just thinking about the Lord and wanting to please Me. That’s all he cared about! Everyone else loved seeing such a happy king praising God with dancing, and celebrating this wonderful event. David made a big barbeque and gave everyone a generous portion of food and drink, so that they all could enjoy this very special day.
When he did what I told him to do, things went well and he was a happy king. King David wasn’t perfect though, and I knew he would make mistakes, but as he prayed for forgiveness and tried to keep his heart right with Me, then he was forgiven. 
Sometimes there were sad and difficult consequences for the things done that displeased Me. When someone is a king or ruler the consequences don’t just affect them, but can affect many others, so that all will learn the lesson too and realise that what was done was wrong. Everyone makes mistakes and has lessons to learn—even those in charge of many others. And sometimes the lessons are harder and have worse consequences for those that have lots of leadership responsibilities.
Some of the consequences for wrong choices and decisions by him, or by Saul previously that hadn’t been made right again, were things like a famine in the land for a few years, or real bad sickness affecting many of the Israelites, or those he loved no longer being near to him. But as David prayed with all his heart and chose to change and make things right then I sent My comfort and encouragement.
David’s life was a difficult one, and there were many hard times and troublemakers. He had sickness and pain. He often had to live outdoors and travel around without comfortable places to live—even when he was the king he didn’t always get to stay in the palace. Sometimes those he loved and depended on weren’t trustworthy and disappointed him. His children didn’t always make the good and right choices and this made him real sad. But King David didn’t give up. He was strong in heart and mind and body as he chose to get his strength from Me, his Lord. He spent lots of time in prayer telling Me what was on his heart and mind, and he listened to My words. David learned how to survive through hard times and sorrow, through difficulties and tough jobs. 
The Book of Psalms, that is a collection of prayers, praises and psalms from King David and others as well, contains some tips that can help you and others when faced with things in your life that seem too hard for you. Most people feel that at some time in their life, and these are some good things to remember that are mentioned in that book:
•	Praise and pray first thing in the morning, before you start your day! (Psalm 5:3)
•	Happiness comes from Me, Jesus, and can be in your heart even when things aren’t as nice as you’d like them to be. (Psalm 4:7)
•	Those that love Me and My words and think about them will be strong and succeed. (Psalm 1:2-3)
•	I hear prayer and help those in need. (Psalm 138:3)
•	I think about you and know everything about you, (Psalm 139:1-18) 
•	When you feel very sad and discouraged, it helps to remember all the great things I have done. (Psalm 143:4-5) 
•	Find out what I want you to do, and I can help you to do it. (Psalm 143:8,10)
•	Praise and thank Me daily and always, and teach others to do the same. (Psalm 145:1-4)
•	Put your trust in Me, and not just in people—even important and strong people. (Psalm 146:3; Psalm 118:8-9)
•	Memorize God’s word; hide it in your heart. (Psalm 119:11)
•	Those who spend special time and are close to Me will have My protection. (Psalm 91:1-2)
•	God has the whole world in his hands. (Psalm 95:4-5)
***
Instructions and Supplies for Solomon
Bathsheba was a beautiful woman and King David loved her. He married her and they had a son, who was to be the next king after David. I said to name him Solomon, to remind them of the peace the country would have. It was a wonderful thought that the country would have peace when he was the king.  He was a special son sent to King David and Bathsheba. I loved Solomon very much and put My Spirit on him. 
Solomon loved his father David, and listened when his father taught him about God and told him many things that would help him to be a good king one day. Solomon grew up to be a wise man who respected and loved Me when he was crowned to be the new king. Solomon was the son I promised to give to King David, the son that would build a magnificent temple dedicated to Me, later on when he was king after David. It would be where the Ark of the Covenant would go, rather than in the tent that it had been in for so long. People would have a special place to meet for prayer and praise and worshiping. 
When King David was getting real old it was time for a new king to take the throne. One day one of King David’s other sons decided that he wanted to be the new king, and had a celebration inviting some people to it, telling people that he was the new king. But he wasn’t meant to be, and King David didn’t even know about it. 
Solomon’s mother, Bathsheba, and the prophet Nathan came to talk to King David about it. Old King David who was resting on his bed said that Solomon was to be the new king and could be anointed for the job, right away. King David gave the instructions of what to do. Solomon rode King David’s mule and was anointed by the priest to be the king. The people that were there were very happy and cheered and the trumpet was blown, and everyone played music loudly and joyously. It was a loud and happy celebration! 
When Solomon’s brother that was off doing his own thing and trying to announce himself as the new king heard all this noise—so much noise that the ground was rumbling—he asked what was going on. When he heard that Solomon was made the king, then he realised he needed to stop trying to make himself the new king, so he and everyone else stopped their out-of-step party, and returned to their homes.   When old King David heard that Solomon was anointed and was now the new king, even he showed respect and bowed down, setting the example to others that Solomon was the one to be now followed and listened to and respected.
King David took some time to talk to and instruct his son with tips on what would make him a good king, and help things go well. He told Solomon the most important thing was to do what My Word says and to follow My instructions. King David also talked to Solomon about the plans for building the temple, and gave him the special job of getting it built. 
Much work and planning and preparations were made for it before Solomon was king and began to build it. King David prayed a lot about it, and I told him what to write and draw and how it should be. I was the one giving the plans. It was something new that King David wanted to do and that I said he could. But with prayer and listening to My instructions he was able to do something new that he’d never done before, even though he was getting older. I told him how to make the blueprints for it, as well as lots of other details of things that were to be used in the temple and how they should be made.
Just being smart and capable of doing things won’t make you able to do the best jobs. But if you are willing to do whatever I, Jesus, need you to do and you let Me tell you what to do and how to do it, and if your greatest skill is being able to ask Me about your jobs then you can do some amazing things—as I’ll be helping you and making it easier for you.
King David did all that he could to ensure that the temple would get built. Even though he was old and tired and sick he worked as hard as he could to do as much preparation as he could to make it easy for his son to do it. He got Solomon off to a good start. If he had left all the work and all the planning to his son it might have taken so much longer and would have been harder to get started, as not only did Solomon have the job of building it but learning to be a new king and ruling the country as well. Those were some big jobs to suddenly be in charge of doing.
When someone helps get you off to a good start and even has some of the needed materials all ready and available then it’s easy to jump in and get started and do the job. It’s the starting of big jobs that can seem the hardest. So helping someone get started on their jobs, or making it easy for them by making sure they have what they need for the job is a big help. 
Doesn’t it make it easier for you if instead of someone saying, “Please clean the table” they handed you a clean cloth to wipe it with and gave you a tray to help make clearing the dishes go fast? It can also help when you put some time and thought and preparation into a project before the time comes to work on it. You’ll get more done that way. 
For example, let’s imagine that you and your brothers or sisters were going to spend time making Christmas cards one afternoon. Rather than waiting until it was time to start to begin gathering the items needed, if you collected the art supplies ahead of time you’d be able to just get to work right away when it was time to do it. If you also thought beforehand about some artistic ideas or marked pages in a book that give examples of types of cards to make, it would be easy to just start on the project right away, rather than spending half the time just getting the materials needed and getting started. 
Thinking ahead and preparing for things makes it easier for you and makes you be more productive at the time. It saves time and makes it more enjoyable. Teachers and all kinds of people learn this tip, that things go much better if they think and pray and plan and prepare in advance.
Also, if there is a big job that you are asked to do, don’t worry about how big it is. Just focus on getting the first part of the preparation done, and once you make the plans and gather the materials and think about how to do it in the best way, then you are off to a good start. 
King David was able to collect a lot of building materials, like cedar wood from Lebanon was sent to him for this project, gold and silver was gathered, brass as well, and iron for the nails and door hinges. People were employed to cut big stones to be used in the building. He collected many beautiful precious stones of many colours, as well as marble to be used. 
A lot of work was put into it, and lots of preparation. King David asked Solomon to build it, and made it easier for him by gathering many materials needed for it, and getting many people to help do the work of constructing it. 
Most great works are a teamwork effort, and David was the first one to start on work towards building the temple, and then passed it on to his son to do. You don’t have to feel bad if you aren’t the one to do a wonderful job from step one until the last finishing touches. 
Even though it might seem like you’d feel great being able to say, “I was the one to do it ALL!” well, the extra work and effort, and the extended amount of time it might take you to do it from beginning to end with no help at all from others probably won’t feel so great. 
Be glad when others can give you a short cut and lend you a hand, you’ll be able to get even more done that way and have time to learn things you wouldn’t get to if all your time was spent on just one project, while you struggled to do it alone.
When King David told everyone about the project of building the temple and asked if anyone would like to help build it, or offer any gold and silver, brass or onyx stones and other precious stones, the people were real glad about it and gave all that they could. It was an inspiring project and they promised to help Solomon build it. It made King David so very happy to see how eager and willing people were, offering to help. It was a happy time and King David prayed a praise prayer, saying, 
“Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.
“Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
“Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.”
There were other things King David helped to organise in the last part of his life. People were chosen to do each of the important jobs that would be needed for the temple as well. King David made sure that each of the Levites, who were to help with the temple and jobs of serving God, knew what their jobs were. There were thousands of them, and each one had something special they were to help with. Most of them were going to help build the temple and make what was needed for it, many were to be the overseers and instruct the others, and others would to help with the daily jobs in the temple.
Do you remember something that was special about King David, something that he especially liked to do? He was a musician and wrote many songs and psalms. He liked music and knew it was a wonderful way to praise, and he realised that praise was very important! So there were thousands of people that he gave that job to—to be the praise musicians! To sing and play musical instruments, and some were to hear from God too, prophesying and receiving His words as they sang and praised.
When King David was telling everyone about the temple and its preparation, and announcing that Solomon, who was now the new king, was to be the one to build the temple, Solomon was then anointed with oil for a second time and sat on King David’s throne. Everyone there felt so happy and had a feast to celebrate the new things that were to happen.
***
The Temple is Built
King Solomon worked on building the temple that his father asked him to build. With the plans drawn up and with many supplies already on hand he could get to work right away. Building fancy buildings took quite some time back then. There were no factories to order the supplies from, and they would need more wood and stones to construct with.
King David had a friend called Hiram, who was the king of Tyre. It was a nearby country, and he had charge over the cedar and fir trees in Lebanon. This country was famous for its great cedar trees. When Hiram heard that Solomon, King David’s son, was the new king he sent messengers to him. Solomon passed on a message to ask King Hiram if his clever people who knew well how to cut down and transport the trees, could help him. 
King Solomon said that he could send many people from his own country to join up and help King Hiram’s workmen and together they could do the job. King Hiram was so glad to hear this message from King Solomon, and he was so happy that King David had a wise son. He wanted to help, as he loved David and wanted to be a help to his son then too.
So the workmen cut down the trees that were needed and floated them along the sea to transport them to the place that King Solomon needed them. In return for these trees King Solomon gave wheat and oil to King Hiram and his household, which is what he most needed.
Many thousands of builders and workmen helped King Solomon build the temple. There was all kinds of jobs to be done. There were jobs like wood work, stone cutting, working with metal, silver and gold, carving designs, sculpting, and making beautiful coloured cloth. King Solomon wanted to make this special place where the Ark of the Covenant would be, as fancy and strong as it could possibly be. It wasn’t like houses nowadays that can be built in a short time, with a team of workmen. The work of building the temple was shared by many thousands of people! And it took seven years until it was complete.
There was a very special room in the temple that was built for the Ark of the Covenant. In this room King Solomon had two big gold covered wooden angels placed. The wings of these angels, called Cherubims, together reached from one side of the room to the other, and between them is where the Ark of the Covenant was to be placed. 
The day the temple was at last finished was a great day of celebration and honouring God. It had been more than four hundred years from the time the Israelites had left Egypt until they had a palace or temple to place the Ark of the Covenant in. Everyone wanted to come and see it and to celebrate together. There were countless people who came, as far as the eye could see! 
The Ark of the Covenant was placed in its special new room in the temple, and everyone rejoiced! King Solomon prayed a beautiful and long prayer during this celebration of dedicating the temple to God. He prayed that everyone would always remember to pray and turn towards God no matter where they were or what was happening to them. He prayed that God would always have mercy and forgive people whenever they prayed and asked Him for forgiveness. 
King Solomon knew that the people in the land that he was now a ruler over wouldn’t be perfect and would make mistakes and at times stop following the instructions that were given to them. He wasn’t praying for them to be perfect. He wasn’t praying that their country would be the most important and rich and powerful. He wasn’t praying for people to admire him and to think that he was the greatest King around. King Solomon’s prayer was for people’s hearts to turn to Me, their Lord, and to pray and follow Me, and for Me to give them peace and blessings when they did that. He knew that when God forgives sins that it makes things better, and the difficult consequences of disobedience are changed into blessing. 
After King Solomon offered this prayer, I did a wonderful thing that amazed and surprised everyone. Fire came down from God on the altar! And that wasn’t all! I wanted to do these amazing things to show the people that I was there and was glad that everyone wanted to love and follow Me. Remember that heavenly cloud that was sent to show Moses and the travelling Israelites in the wilderness that God’s Spirit was there? Well, that amazing and marvellous, thick cloud from God filled the new temple during that celebration, and the priests couldn’t even stand in there it was so overpowering!
It was a wonderful time of not only dedicating the temple, but re-dedicating themselves to God, and choosing to once again do things My way. The real temple that My spirit lives in is you—each one of you that know and love Me and have accepted Me into your life and heart and mind. There is no one certain place where you need to be in order to pray and to be heard and answered. If you have invited Me to come into your heart and be a part of your life and to give you forgiveness and salvation so that you can one day come and live in heaven forever with Me, then you have God’s spirit with you, and you can pray anytime and anywhere! Isn’t that great?

A Wise King
What would you say if the One who owns everything came and asked you what you would like Him to give you? Now when God offers to give you something, you know He can do anything. He has endless power, He owns everything, He can give absolutely anything to you that you need.
God came and spoke with King Solomon while he slept, appearing to him in a dream, asking him, “What would you like Me to give you?”
Because Solomon didn’t think highly of himself, nor think that he could do the job all on his own, that made him answer wisely. You can make smarter and better decisions if you realise you aren’t smart on your own, and you ask for the wisdom and help of the One who made you and can do anything.
“I am just like a little child. I don’t know what to do. What I want most of all is to have understanding, and to discern what is good and bad.” Solomon requested.
Good choice! He won the gold medal for the best choice of the day! As not only did he receive what he asked for, for the gift of a wise and understanding heart and mind, but he was made very rich with gold and all kinds of treasures as well as time went on.
As a result of this gift that I, the Lord, gave to him, King Solomon wrote a thousand songs and quoted and spoke three thousand proverbs! He also learned and knew a lot about plants and animals and all kinds of things. People came from all over just to talk with him and hear the wise things he would tell them. It wasn’t something he could do himself. Only I could give him that good of a memory and the ability to talk with people of all sorts, about all kinds of things, and to know what was the best thing to tell them in answer to their questions and to give helpful advice. 
Some of King Solomon songs and the proverbs and words he spoke are written down in the Book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon. There is helpful advice and beautiful poetry recorded in those books, which God gave to him. 
One day an important visitor arrived to talk with King Solomon. It was a queen from another country—the Queen of Sheba. She had all kinds of questions to ask, and wanted to see if it was true what she had been told. People had said that King Solomon was very wise and rich and things were going well in his country.
The Queen of Sheba came with a very big team of helpers on many camels, carrying special and expensive gifts. One of the gifts was spices from her country. She brought more spices than anyone had every brought before. She brought gold and precious stones as well.
King Solomon took time to talk with her and surprised her by being able to answer all her hard questions wisely. She found out that King Solomon and the success of his country was even more amazing than she thought it would be, from all that she had heard. King Solomon also gave gifts to her and offered her anything she wanted. She returned to her land a happy queen with a glad heart and her questions answered.
King Solomon became one of the most magnificent kings there ever was. He was dressed in costly and fancy clothes. Gold and silver were abundant in the city of Jerusalem. His throne was covered in gold. He had thousands of stalls for his horses and chariots. Everyone knew it was because he was following in God’s ways like his father King David had taught him, and because he was listening to God’s words in his heart and mind. He couldn’t have done a thing on his own, and would have made a mess of things if he had tried in his own strength and knowledge to make things in the country better. 
It was all God’s doing—to make him successful and to let there be peace in the land, to cause the other countries around to be friendly or to not cause them trouble. And anything he said that was good and right and helpful was all because of God’s gift of wisdom that was given to him. 
Each one doing a job for Me needs to have wisdom, and one just needs to pray to receive it and to listen to what I tell them in their heart. It’s not something that was only for a fancy king, and it doesn’t mean that you will be rich and famous just because you are given wisdom from God. But that was what was right for him. If you are wise and doing and saying what I, your Lord, know is best, then you’ll also get what is right for you and for your life. 
Maybe your job isn’t to be a king or to sit on a golden throne, and you can be glad. Do you think King Solomon got to run and play with his children very much, or even with his dad, King David, when he was young? Probably not very much. A king’s life requires a lot of work and giving up doing many of the things that most people get to do for fun and relaxation. So you can be glad that you are who you are and where you are. And those who follow and do what My Word says is right, will grow up strong and wise and able to do whatever it is that I have for them to do.
Remember when I, Jesus, came to Earth? I am the King of all Kings, the One Who made the stars and universe, and all that was created on Earth. But was I dressed in royal robes and walking around with a bag full of gold? No. Remember I said one time that I didn’t even have a place to sleep sometimes? It wasn’t My job while on Earth to have a palace like kings did, nor to be dressed in fancy clothing. My job was to show God’s love, to speak God’s Words, and to bring salvation and to give forgiveness and healing to all who asked for it.
So if your job and place on Earth is a humble one, like Mine was, then do it with all your heart and most of all do what pleases God, for that is what will really matter in the end. When you get to heaven you can then receive wonderful rewards and live in a more fancy place than you ever thought of, wearing shiny and good-looking clothes, and helping to ruling as a king and queen—because you didn’t give up and you gave your life to love Me and showed others My love. 
Do you remember what I told people about King Solomon? I looked at the flowers and told everyone something that was surprising. I said the flowers were more amazing and more wonderfully dressed than he had been! So if you feel you are humble, small, and don’t have a lot, well, just be like a pretty flower that looks up to the light of God’s love and smiles and makes the world a bit nicer, like flowers do wherever they are placed. 
***
A King’s Proclamation
In the time when King Solomon chose to do things My way things were going real well, but sad to say things didn’t stay that way. There was a lot of nonsense and terrible things that the kings who reigned after him did, all because they didn’t have My Word in their hearts. As King David said, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11) 
That was King David’s secret to staying on track, and it’s what helped him to choose My way, and choose Godly women to marry. Bathsheba was someone who loved Me and raised their son Solomon in My ways, and King David was faithful to teach him My Word too. 
King David also used music as a way to remember My Words and the great things I had done for the people. He even had many harps made out of wood so that the musicians who had the job of singing and praising God would have plenty of instruments to use. King Solomon remembered the things his father taught him, and he also wrote songs when he was a king.
However, towards the end of King Solomon’s reign people were starting to get very off track again. There were many new kings after Solomon, and one king after the next didn’t following in My ways. They were totally disregarding all that I had said to do, forgetting the miracles that had been done to bring everyone close to God. Instead, they chose to do whatever wrong things I said not to do. Oh dear! It was a very sad and difficult time.
There were prophets and I would give warnings through them to the people, trying to get them to change their ungodly and bad ways of doing things. But people didn’t make much of a lasting change, and so the result was a country that was no longer nice like it could have been if the rulers and everyone were following and respecting God. When not only the people were doing the wrong things that those who didn’t know My ways were doing, but also the new kings were following in those ungodly ways, it made things real rough.
You can be powerful and in charge of something big and great, but if in your heart there is greed, ugly ideas, stubbornness against God’s laws, and hate rather than love for others, you’ll never be anything great. 
Eventually, everything you try to do will collapse and fail. If you want the things you do on Earth to last and benefit you and others for a long time, and if you want to have your name be listed among the great people that lived—on My list of well-respected people who get wonderful things in return for all you do—you have to build your life with the good things that last. 
One of the kings that reigned over the people of Israel was King Asa. He made the right choice to follow in My ways with his whole heart. He realised that it was the best way to have a happy country and to make things go well. 
King Asa had heard and read that in times past the people and kings that did what I said to do, had My blessings and help, and those that chose their own way had lots of trouble. He decided he wanted things to go well during his reign.
A prophet called Azariah came to King Asa with a message from Me, telling him that I, the Lord, would be with them and help them if they were on My side. The message also said that it had been a long time since the people had been taught and instructed in God’s Words, and they needed to know what I had said and what had been written down for everyone. 
Since he was the king he could tell everyone in the country what to do. He didn’t worry about whether people would like to stop all their wrong deeds, or if they would still like him if he insisted on obedience to God. King Asa made it a strong rule that while he was king that’s what they needed to do. From that time on everyone was to obey My Words. He declared to all that the way to success and prosperity was obedience to Me and My Word.
Everyone agreed and cheered and shouted and blew trumpets promising their loyalty to God. I blessed them as a result and things went well and they prospered. They all had a chance then to make their cities nice and strong, and grow their crops, and take good care of their families. 
When there was trouble beginning to stir, King Asa turned to Me for My help, and their country was kept safe and peaceful. I was pleased that King Asa depended on My help and commended him through a message given by the prophet Azariah.
One time a king from another country was trying to cause problems, and decided to build a city that would block travel to Asa's country. King Asa got very worried and rather than just depending on Me to help him, and praying to see what I wanted him to do in that situation, he just asked the king of Syria to help them. Well, they got help and the construction work stopped, but I was rather disappointed. You see, when there is a dangerous or difficult situation for those that love Me, well, maybe you feel scared or worried or bothered and angry. But I get excited about the wonderful opportunity for a miracle to happen. I like to do far-out, amazing things. And when people are following Me and obeying Me, and they run into troubles, it’s My pleasure to work for them and bring them victory. 
Everyone gets very thrilled then to see the marvellous things happening—things that were thought impossible. But if people don’t pray and don’t ask for My ever-ready help, then I am somewhat limited to help them. Even though I am the God of all things and have the power to do anything, I don’t just push My way around. You who are on Earth get to have free choice of what you want to do and when you want to do it. If you choose to please Me and to obey My instructions then things go well. If you go your own way then things are difficult. But when hard times come and you are in My will doing what I want you to do, then I still want to let you choose what you will do in that situation. If you call for My help, then I’ll help you. If you choose to go a different way or forget about praying, then I can’t work the super-natural miracles for you. I choose to let you do the calling, the asking and the deciding. If you need My help, I am more than happy to be of assistance, and there is absolutely nothing that is too hard for Me. The more you pray, the more wonderful surprises you will get. You’ll never know what great things I can do until you ask.
So, anyway, the king of Syria did help them out for awhile, but just think what cool miracle could have happened if only King Asa had had more faith when that new trouble came and remembered to pray with all His heart for God to help. The Prophet Hanani came to bring a message from Me for King Asa. Since the king was in charge of the whole country the only way for him to be instructed and to learn lessons was for God to speak to him through a messenger. The message told him that I, the Lord, wished that King Asa had depended on Me rather than just another king on Earth, and that God was always on the lookout, watching over those that loved and followed Him, to see who needed miracles and help. 
When King Asa chose not to use the full power of heaven by continuing to ask for My help, from then on things weren’t so easy. Not only were there more troublemakers who caused them problems, but King Asa also got real sick, and sadly, again, he didn’t call out for My healing but chose to trust in doctors only, and found that the sickness just got worse. He learned that it was not only important to obey My words and instructions in order to bring good things in his life and in the country, but when problems came that he needed to pray with all his heart and trust that I was able to do anything to help them.
I, Jesus, hold more power in my hands that you will ever imagine and am just waiting to use it to benefit you in your service to Me and in your time on Earth learning what you need to learn and helping others come to know Me too. I like to see your desperate hearts praying fervently for Me to come and help, and I love to hear your prayers and everything you tell Me. But it’s not like you have to try to convince Me and make me want to do miracles, because I very much want to do amazing things for you. I’m happy every time I get the chance! I’m eager to do them. I am ready and willing to work the impossible, and you just need to do the praying. That’s your part of the problem-solving, and of course doing whatever I tell you to do to bring about my solutions and miracles. 
***
God Cares for Elijah
   Famines are no fun—they are terrible in fact. As the result of an ungodly king and the people going their own wrong ways and not following what God’s Word said, this is what happened. Maybe if you live in a place where there is plenty of rain or abundant food it’s hard to understand why it would make things so very difficult to have no rain fall for a few years. However, without rain, crops don’t grow and so people and animals don’t have food to eat.
Elijah the prophet received a difficult message to pass on to a king and queen who weren’t going God’s way. He told them that they would experience the consequences for their wrong doing. The trouble this time was there would not be any rain for quite a while which would cause a famine in the land. 
Prophet Elijah was a brave and faithful messenger and told the King and Queen that it would not rain again until God said so, and would only come when Elijah prayed for it to. There was nothing anyone could do to bring the rain. When troubles come and people realise that unless I, the Lord, help them they really are completely helpless, this gets people desperate and back on track again listening to Me and obeying Me.
Even if it would make things hard to not have enough food and water for awhile, the prophet Elijah loved Me and respected Me, and he loved the people too and wanted them to turn their hearts back to Me—the God who made them! If that happened as a result of this rainless lesson time, then it would be worth it, he thought.
The King and the Queen were very unhappy to hear that message, however, and from that day onward for the next three and a half years there was no rain or dew on the land. The ground got very dried out and food was scarce. With no crops growing, food supplies ran low very quickly. However, I took good care of prophet Elijah and others who loved Me and obeyed My Word.
There was a brook called Cherith and I told Elijah to stay there for awhile. He had water then, but what about food? I told some ravens to bring Elijah bread and meat in the morning and in the evening. It really isn’t hard for Me to do whatever those who love and serve Me need. If I have to send birds to feed them, I will!
After a while the brook dried up and it was time for him to move on. I told Elijah just where to go and what to do. He was instructed to go to a place called Zarephath, and there to find a woman who would help him. I had prepared her heart to be the one to feed and care for Elijah while he stayed with her. If she obeyed what I and Elijah said to do, then she would see a wonderful miracle take place.
When Elijah showed up at the gate of the city and saw her, he knew she was the one that I, the Lord, had told him about. Elijah was very thirsty and hungry from the long walk in the hot sun and he asked her for some water and some bread. She brought him water, but said she had no food at all to give him. The woman explained that she was finding wood to make a little fire and bake her very last bit of flour into a little loaf for her son and herself to eat. 
I told Elijah to tell this woman that if she baked that little bit of bread and gave it to him first, sharing with Elijah her last bit of food rather than eating it together with her son, then for the rest of the time of famine she would always have enough flour and oil to make bread. The containers would simply never get empty! 
 The woman realized that this man talking with her was a prophet of God and she wanted to obey. So with a spark of faith she took the tiny bit of oil and handful of flour and made her last little bit of bread and gave it to the prophet. The woman and her son were so very hungry, but for some reason they felt glad to have given to this man who spoke My Words. Giving to God’s prophet was like giving to God! She believed the words of the prophet and was ready and expecting the miracle!
Instead of just feeling sad and hungry, the woman felt a sense of excitement as she went back to the place where she had just baked every last crumb and drop of food. Her and her son’s eyes were wide with surprise as they saw that the container of flour and the jar of oil were not empty after all! How could that be? I know how to do the physically impossible! And so it was that day-by-day, as they continued to cook and eat, and as the woman fed Elijah each day as well, that there was always something to cook with. Every day they all had food to eat! –-Miraculous and marvellous food.
I knew what was going on in each one’s lives and I knew who was making the right choices to put Me first. I took good care of those that loved Me, and that were helping My messengers.
Later on, another miracle took place that showed the woman just how powerful prayer is and that I can do anything. Her son got very sick and to her great shock and sorrow, he died! She was holding her son and crying and felt so very sad. She went to prophet Elijah expressing her distress. Elijah carried the boy to his room and placed him on his own bed. He prayed with all his heart for Me to restore him to good health and give him his life back again.
The boy then opened his eyes and was alive and well! Elijah brought him to his mother and she was so glad! She realised more than ever that Elijah spoke My Words and was a faithful prophet. The woman also felt My special love and care for her and her son.
***
Fire and Water
The Word of the Lord came to Elijah telling him that it was time for the refreshing rain, for cleansing of the sins of the people, for healing of hearts, and for Me, the Lord, to demonstrate His power. It was a time for the famine to end and for there to be an amazing display of My power and reality.
As Elijah walked to find the king he first met Obadiah who was searching for any bits of grass that could be found growing, to bring back and feed the king’s horses and animals. He was a good man that loved and respected Me, even though he had to work for a very ungodly man—the king. Obadiah was very surprised to see Elijah, as he hadn’t been around for quite awhile and was in hiding from the king. 
With courage Elijah told Obadiah to go and tell the king that he was there and wanted to talk with him. At first Obadiah didn’t know about doing that. The king was very upset about the famine and the fact that Elijah told him the truth and gave him correction. Obadiah wondered if perhaps by the time the king came to see him, that Elijah would be off on another mission and would be hard to find again, and the king would be upset that he didn’t get to see him after all. Elijah promised Obadiah that he wouldn’t leave but would wait there and talk with the king. 
When the king came to see Elijah he said, “Are you the one who has been causing us all this trouble?”
Elijah responded that he wasn’t. “It is you who has been,” he said to the king. It was the ungodly king and queen who were really the cause of many problems! Their waywardness and choices to do things opposite to what God had said to do is what actually brought on the famine as a lesson. 
I loved everyone and My heart was so sad that people were turning away from Me and doing things that were wrong and hurtful. I tried anything I could to get their attention and to get them to make a change for the better. Some of the lessons were real tough, as the people wouldn’t eagerly and readily listen to Me, so it took some difficult things to get them to stop and change.
Elijah told the king to call all the people of the country, as well as for the king and his ungodly team who were not following God’s ways, to gather on Mt. Carmel. Elijah would meet them there and they would hear what he had to say.
Everyone, including the king, was eager for the rain to come and did whatever prophet Elijah said to do, and listened to what he had to say. He asked the people why they weren’t believing in and serving God with all their hearts. No one knew what to say. Then he told them that God was going to do something to demonstrate His power, and so they could all know for sure who was in charge and who they should be worshiping and praying to and respecting. 
“Get me four barrels of water,” he said, while building a stone altar for prayer. He dug a trench all around it and placed wood on the altar. Getting water for him wasn’t as easy as turning on a tap! They were on a mountain after a long time of no rain falling, so it took some time. 
Elijah told them to pour it on top of the altar and get the wood, the stones, the dirt and everything very wet! When they poured the four barrels all over altar it was too wet for anyone who might have tried to light the wood to make a fire. But it was not wet enough for Elijah!
“Do it again—and again!” Twice more the four barrels were filled and poured out until everything was soaking wet and the trench all around the altar was filled with water. 
Why was he doing this? You see, he wanted to make it very, very clear to everyone just how amazing and powerful I am. He didn’t just want Me to do an amazing miracle, he wanted it to be something that was normally completely impossible, so that everyone would respect and choose to worship the God who loved them and made them, and get to see in a powerful way just how real I am.
Elijah had told everyone that they would see who the true God was when He answered Elijah’s prayer with a fiery show of power and lit the wood of the altar on fire without Elijah doing anything else but praying! The people were listening and watching and very interested to see just what was going to happen.
The King’s and Queen’s ungodly men and false prophets tried to make fire come out of the sky to show everyone that the false gods they believed in existed and would come to help them. Elijah told them to build an altar and give it a try first. So they did, and all day they were yelling and calling out to some made-up false god of their ugly imagination to bring down fire. It looked so very silly to Elijah. Of course nothing was going to happen. Elijah let them just go on and on until they were tired of trying. He joked with them that the reason no fire was being sent to them was because their false spiritual god was sleeping so they need to yell louder to wake him up, or that he was on a journey, or perhaps busy. 
At last towards the end of the day it was time for everyone to come near to Elijah and watch while he offered a simple yet sincere and powerful prayer. He called for Me, the Lord of all, to show to everyone that I am the true God, Who am all-powerful and able to answer the prayers of those that believe in Me and followed Me with all their hearts.
A short prayer is all that it took. I wasn’t deaf or sleeping. I had been eagerly waiting for this special moment when I could remind everyone in a powerful way that I am to be loved, obeyed and worshiped. As soon as the prophet Elijah prayed, I, the true God, sent fire! And it was no ordinary fire either. The fact that everything was very wet on the altar was no hindrance. My special fire instantly burned not only the wood and all that was on the altar, but the stones, the dirt and the water in the trench around the altar as well. All of it was completely burned up. Poof! Now that was a clear and powerful answer! 
All the people were in awe and shocked and a bit afraid too! They felt they had better get things right in their hearts and lives. They all knelt down on the ground, bowing their heads low proclaiming, “The Lord is God! The Lord is God!”
With people’s hearts turned towards God it was now time for the next miracle—for rain to fall on the land once again. Elijah told the king to go home and eat and drink because plenty of rain was on its way. So the king got in his chariot and began to ride home and tell the queen all that had just happened.
Meanwhile on Mt. Carmel prophet Elijah knelt down to pray desperately for God to now send the rain. After praying he asked his servant to look and see if there were any clouds forming, but there was nothing yet, so he knelt to pray a second time. The servant was sent again to look for any signs of clouds. However, there wasn’t even a hint of a cloud yet. Seven times Elijah prayed, and at last on the seventh time the servant said that there was a tiny little cloud that looked about as big as his hand when he held it up to the sky.
That was it! Elijah knew it would rain a whole lot! He then ran and ran, and with amazing speed he caught up to the king’s horse chariot and even went beyond it! Elijah made it to the entrance of the city before the king got there! And the rain came pouring down! What an amazing day that had been!
***
Heavenly Food and Encouragement
Elijah had obeyed what God told him to do, but it wasn’t easy and the ungodly king and queen were upset with him. He was helping the people in the country to follow God’s Word and counsel, so now it was harder for the king and queen to continue to do their own wrong things and they wished they could stop Elijah.
 If God was the one that everyone respected the most, then the people wouldn’t think well of the ungodly king and queen. So, once again Elijah needed to go somewhere that those who didn’t like him telling them the truth couldn’t find him and try to stop him. 
Elijah found a quiet place and rested under a juniper tree. He was feeling rather discouraged and like he was one of the only ones left in the land that loved Me with all of his heart and mind. He felt if people weren’t going to eagerly change, and if My prophets and followers were going to be in the minority, and have the ungodly people making it hard for them, then he didn’t know if he wanted to keep on doing his job as My prophet. He just wanted to live in a place where everyone loved and obeyed Me and did what was right and good.
Elijah fell asleep under a juniper tree, until he felt someone waking him up. He was pleasantly surprised when he saw that it was an angel who was there to encourage him and feed him. There was a little fire with coals and on it was some bread that was freshly cooked and delicious. The angel told Elijah to wake up and eat the heavenly bread and to drink some water that he offered him as well. 
Prophet Elijah ate and drank and felt much better. He lied down and went back to sleep, until the angel woke him up again with more special bread and water. He told Elijah that he needed that nourishment, as the next part of the journey would be long and tiring. Elijah was very glad to eat Heaven’s special and empowering-food and water.
When it was time to keep travelling, Elijah felt so much energy and was strengthened from the food the angel gave to him. He felt so strong that he was able to travel and not feel like he needed to eat for the next 40 days! Imagine that! He was amazed! 
The rain had come and crops would be able to grow again, but since it just rained for the first time shortly before there probably wasn’t a whole lot of food around yet, as it still needed to grow. So this was a great solution—to be fed from the bread of Heaven by an angel. Elijah was empowered and good to go for a long time. At last after travelling for several weeks he reached Mt. Horeb and found a good cave to call his home for a little while, while talking with Me and getting his new instructions. 
There was much that could be done and should be done, and I had many plans for Elijah. He wasn’t the last one left that still believed in My Word and followed in My ways—like he had felt he was, but there were many others. Every one of God’s servants—like Elijah the prophet—are very valuable to Me and there are special jobs I need each one to do. For Elijah, his primary job was to receive the Words of God in prophecy and to pass them on.
When Elijah was in this cave I, the Lord, spoke with him and asked, “What are you doing here?”
Elijah hadn’t been too eager to continue on with his job as a prophet. He loved Me so much and it bothered him very much to see that not everyone around felt the same way, and he knew that it hurt Me, too. He wanted everyone to love and please God. But he’d felt it wasn’t safe to keep trying to do his job, and it seemed it wasn’t making much of a difference anyway.
Have you ever very much wanted to do something, and you are eager to do it, but then when you try and things don’t work out like you wanted it to and no one is helping to make it possible, you just feel like quitting?
Well, I wasn’t ready for Elijah to give up yet. He had done a great job and there was lots more that needed to be done. My love and patience isn’t like what people have on Earth. I wanted to keep giving everyone a chance to come to know Me, and I wanted to keep sending My messengers around to help turn hearts and minds back to Me. I so much wanted to be able to make things in the country nice again, but that would only happen when people chose God’s way.
Elijah listened to what I had to say to him there in the cave, and received his new instructions. He decided he wouldn’t give up, but keep on going doing whatever I needed him to do—whether it seemed to make a big difference or not. If it was what I asked him to do, he’d do it! 
***

The Boys Who Were Kings

If you think you aren’t so big and important, I want you to know that what goes on inside your heart is what makes the biggest difference.
Those who look around them to see what’s going on in the world and who try to copy what everyone else is doing, instead of getting their instructions from God, are going to have a crash landing. Things won’t work out well at all. It’s like a fancy building made of cards. Have you ever seen a house of cards? Even if it’s made of shiny gold-coated cards that are stacked up in an impressive design, it’s not going to stay standing when a strong wind blows. 
Trying to build your life with the materials of this world and what things have come into the world through sin—starting from the Garden of Eden until now—is going to leave you in a heap of trouble. If you leave aside all that seems to be considered worthwhile and as good as “gold” now in the world—the things people consider worth a lot—and you build with God’s everlasting and invisible building materials, there’s nothing in this world that can ruin your life or cause your efforts to be worthless. 
Do people think that it’s the best thing to have everyone think well of them, or to have the best car in town, or to be the richest, or to have the nicest clothing? People who are tricked into thinking that those things are tops, are like those who are collecting shiny gold covered paper cards to make a house or a life with. 
Those who instead grab the paper of the Bible and ask Me, to change it into invisible building materials of the gold of faith, obedience, love for others, doing good for others, and telling people about God’s love will have good and lasting results forever. 
Those who act in humility and are hard-working as servants of Heaven bringing a bit of God’s love and peace to those they meet on Earth will find out something wonderful! When they get to the end of their life and come to meet Me, Jesus, I will show them that they built their lives with the best materials ever! 
All the good that they did will be rewarded to them again and again. Their name will be listed for all to see for all eternity as someone who made a positive difference for Me. Will you be one of those people? I hope so, as I’m so eager to reward you in all the best ways, more than you can even imagine. 
So, back to our story about those very young kings.
There were two good kings that made a positive difference, and as amazing as it sounds, they were each crowned as the king when they were children! One boy was seven years old, and his name was Joash. He was cared for and taught God’s ways by a good priest named Jehoiada. 
When Joash was made king everyone was glad and they hoped he would make things better for them. He loved and followed My ways, and Jehoiada helped to instruct him and gave him wise and Godly advice. Young King Joash was wise because he listened to and obeyed what My Word said to do, and did the good things that Jehoiada suggested. 
One time King Joash had a plan to fix up the temple again, as it was getting run down. So a new idea was tried to raise the money needed to do the job. Joash and Jehoiada set up a wooden chest with a hole in it. People were encouraged to come and drop coins in it. It was something new and interesting, and people were glad to help. The chest was filled many times with coins and emptied into bags. The money was used for fixing things up again. 
Maybe he didn’t have a lot of riches and gold and he was just a young person at that time, but because he wanted to please Me and do something that would help turn people’s hearts and minds back to God, then a good idea came to him, and it worked! Just one little coin at a time given for the project is all it took, until eventually it added up to be enough. Workmen were given money to work, and the materials they needed to fix the temple were bought.
That happens today to those trying to do something for Me. I might give an idea of a project to someone, something good that they can do to help others but they might feel they can’t do it, because they don’t have the money needed. But all it takes is having the determination to get the project done, and praying for the supply of what is needed to do it. 
I can then show them what to do that will make it all possible, and help people want to give to them. You don’t have to have all the money you will need to do what I say to do, right when you start. If you wait for that you may never get started. Just step out by faith and do what I tell you to do and keep praying and asking and soon, bit by bit, you’ll have what is needed. If it’s something that I want you to do, I’ll help you do it, and you don’t have to worry.

Many years later there was another boy who was crowned king, and his name was Josiah. He was eight years old. After several years he instructed teams of people to fix up the temple and its surrounding buildings, as well as make more wooden harps as King David had told people to make when he was king as well. 
One day there was a discovery made when work was being done to fix up the temple. One of the books that Moses had written that told of the Laws that they were to follow was found by Hilkiah the priest. He gave it to Shaphan the scribe who knew how to read and write.
Shaphan came to tell the king the progress and how things were going on the temple project, and told the king about the book that was found. Shaphan read the book to King Josiah, as he wanted to hear it right away. When King Josiah heard what the book of the Law said, and he realised how disobedient everyone in his country had been, and how most people weren’t following in God’s ways, he was determined to change things. He was desperate to get things right with God again, and was enthusiastic, and he wholeheartedly got busy.
Josiah realised that the troubles they were having was a result of people not doing what that book of God’s Words given to Moses said. King Josiah knew that if they wanted God’s blessings and for things to get better, the first step was to stop everyone from going their own ways, and to turn their hearts back to loving and respecting God. 
King Josiah called a meeting and had people listen while the book was read to them. He then expected a change in the whole country. He wanted each one to begin right away doing just what it said to do. It didn’t matter to him if those living in the area of land were from other nationalities. King Josiah travelled around and got everyone making the steps towards obedience. He said whoever was living in the land that was given to the Israelites needed to serve and worship God. 
When it was time for the Passover, the time when they used to have a special dinner to celebrate God’s care and deliverance during their time in Egypt hundreds of years before, King Josiah declared that everyone should have that special meal and time of prayer, just like they were meant to do. It was their way of remembering My love, care and power to help those who obey Me.
There was a prophetess called Huldah, and messengers of the king, including Hilkiah the priest and Shaphan the scribe, went to her to receive a prophecy for the king. She spoke My Words for them to pass on to King Josiah. The message confirmed that all that was written in that book of God’s Words would come to pass. Those that hadn’t and wouldn’t follow and obey My Words would have more troubles. However, because the king was eager to instantly obey Me and was desperate for My forgiveness and was repentant, then I would bless and keep him while he ruled as king.

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Hezekiah’s Healing
An announcement was made throughout the country that King Hezekiah ruled over. People were invited to a special get-together with the king! It would be the best festival they’d ever attended. It wasn’t for a time of partying and doing whatever people wanted. There was a reason for this meeting. Many chose not to come, but many did come, and when the day arrived for the meetings and ceremonies to begin there was quite a big crowd.
King Hezekiah knew what was written from Me in the books of Moses and wanted to do what My Word said to do. During this time together he talked with the people and he spoke from his heart in a way that made everyone want to listen to what he had to say. He told them how much he wanted everyone in his country to believe in Me and follow in My ways, and how important it was that they do so. He told them what My Word said, so they would know what to do and make the needed changes. 
The king then prayed for the people, and the priests offered prayers to God for forgiveness for everyone. People were sorry for their waywardness and confessed that they needed My help and forgiveness. 
It felt so good to get their hearts clean and to be forgiven. They had a new start to begin once again going in My way. The meetings and prayers and time of instruction in God’s Words was meant to be for one week only. But everyone wanted to keep going. They were getting to know how much I loved and cared about them. They realized that it made a difference to Me what they did or didn’t do. I loved them and wanted to be close to them.
Everyone felt My love and spirit so close alive, and they just didn’t want to stop! So they all decided to have another week of this special time in fellowship and communion with God and each other. They were having great times of praise and singing using loud musical instruments. It was the best time of their life. The people felt so glad, rejoicing in My wonderful love and power!
King Hezekiah wanted there to always be music and singing praises to God while he was king. It wasn’t just at this time together when they sang and played instruments. He commissioned those who served Me in the temple to sing songs of praise with instruments like cymbals and harps. He wanted them to sing the psalms of King David and also of Asaph who wrote many psalms as well, and he had the words of those psalms and the skill of making music taught to others. 
When it was time to go home, the people didn’t just go back to their old ways of doing things, forgetting what they’d learned and the decisions that they made. Instead, they went throughout the country telling everyone else to follow in My ways and help to make a positive change all throughout the land. After they had done that, they then returned to their houses.
Because King Hezekiah led everyone in doing things God’s way, things went well in the land and they prospered. 
One time, he got a painful sore and was very sick. When he heard that he would soon die from it he chose to pray with all his heart, crying out for the miracle of healing. Prophet Isaiah had just been talking with him and was leaving the property when God told him to stop and go back to the king and tell him the good news. Since King Hezekiah’s reaction was to pray and believe that God could heal him, God chose to do that miracle. Prophet Isaiah said to the king that God saw his tears and heard his prayer and would heal him! 
King Hezekiah wanted to have some encouragement that it was indeed going to happen, as just a short while before he was told he would never recover. God gave the king the choice of what sign he wanted to have, to prove that it was true, that he would be healed. Did he want the shadow on the sundial to move forwards or backwards 10 degrees? 
The shadow always goes forward each day on this olden day clock—the sundial. Of course if God made it jump in one second to the place on the sundial that it normally took the shadow much longer to be at, that would be quite amazing. But Hezekiah had lots of faith and asked for something that would seem far more impossible. He said he wanted the shadow to go backwards, to back up to where it was earlier! And God did it, much to the amazement of everyone! 
When people are asking Me, Jesus, about their health problems, I can give personalized instructions to them. Sometimes I will just heal them instantaneously, without them needing to take any action at all in the physical. But more often than not, as was the case with King Hezekiah, as you’ll find out, I show them or those helping them, what they can do to remedy the problem. This shows them that I, the Lord of the whole Earth, haven’t left people without solutions while they live in a world filled with the effects of the curse of sin and all the ills that befall the world’s inhabitants.  Built into the natural world and all that I created, there are aids for good health.
After the promise of healing was granted to King Hezekiah, prophet Isaiah received the specific instructions from Heaven, for what natural remedy would be appropriate at that time for his very painful sore, a boil that was not healing. Isaiah immediately told the king what was to be done to bring healing, and without hesitation it was done. A lump of figs was placed on the boil, and the healing properties that were released at that time from those figs, were just what was needed. 
What if the king had not prayed for healing, asking Me for his life to be extended? Do you think healing and a lengthening of the years of his life would have miraculously been given to him, even if he grabbed the best and biggest lump of figs around? It’s not the food, the water, or the natural health properties available in the world that have the magic touch to restore physical health in themselves alone, but in the God that made them and grants the healing to those that ask Him. 
Some things are made as part of the natural course of a person’s body—scrapes and scratches heal, and proper health care of the needs of a body make it function well, for example. But when something isn’t working right, and it’s time for some extra intervention, then asking Me, Jesus, for your healing, and following through on what action is best to take to gain that healing, is a winning combination. 
King Hezekiah did recover, just as I promised, and lived for another 15 years. 
King Hezekiah chose to believe and obey God. Do you? A life built on faith in Me and in My Words, and faith put into action by doing what you know I want you to do is going to make your life a strong and lasting one. What does that mean? 
Does it mean that everyone on Earth will like you and honour you and bring you gifts and always do whatever you tell them to do, and no one will ever do things that hurt or trouble you? Is that the kind of strong life I’m promising to those who follow Me and live for Me? No, that’s not. But you can be strong in faith and believe in the promises I said in My word, and you will have the courage and the bravery to face any situation. 
You can be strong no matter how hard something is, and do your best and not give up. You can be strong to show love and compassion to others, even those that try to do you wrong. You can be strong and forgive others and not let yourself get too down about things or let anger ruin your joy. You can be strong to endure through hard times and accidents and sickness claiming My healing power for you and others and see the positive results and feel your faith strengthened as well.