Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study - What Are You Holding Back from God? | The Life of Solmon | Tanya Willmeth

Episode Date: June 9, 2021

Do you find submitting your life to God easy? Probably not. It doesn't come naturally this side of the Fall. Instead, we want to hold back and keep our plans for ourselves. In this episode, Tanya Willmeth explores lessons from David, her dad and her life on submitting to God. Like this content? Make sure to leave us a rating and share it with others, so others can find it too. Use #asktmbt to connect with us, ask questions, and suggest topics. We'd love to hear from you! To learn more, visit our https://www.thecrossingchurch.com/ (website) and follow us on https://www.facebook.com/TenMinuteBibleTalks (Facebook), https://www.instagram.com/thecrossingcomo/ (Instagram), and https://twitter.com/tmbtpodcast (Twitter) @TheCrossingCOMO and @TenMinuteBibleTalks. Your support makes TMBT possible. Ten Minute Bible Talks is a crowd-funded project. Join the TMBTeam to reach more people with the Bible. Give now.

Welcome to 10-minute Bible Talks, where we connect the Bible to your life in the time it takes to get to work. I'm Keith Simon. And I'm Patrick Miller. I hope that you enjoyed our series on favorite verses. One of our favorite speakers in that series was Tanya Wilmuth. In fact, we liked her talk so much that we've invited her to come on and co-host with us at 10-minute Bible Talks. So if you start hearing a new voice, which you will hear today, that is Tanya. Just a quick reminder of who she is.

Tanya is a mom, a former English teacher, and she's also a Bible teacher. And I think that you are really going to enjoy learning from her. She's got a different style and amazing insights that I don't think Keith or I could bring to the table. So enjoy listening to her today and from that point forward. We had about six weeks from the time he first let us know he wasn't feeling well until my dad died from cancer. Those were both the shortest and longest days, each filled with new questions and information. I was 38, and even though I lived a few hours away, I tried to be with my family and especially him as much as possible. Dad and I had some relevant conversations in those six weeks, maybe some of the best of our lives.

He loved being a farmer. He loved my mom. He loved us. And while he did help us lay out plans and understand the ones he'd already made, his focus was on the plans of the Lord. Our best conversations were centered around how he could follow Jesus in the face of cancer and death. Watching someone submit their life to the Lord, both because they have no other choice and because they completely trust him,

teaches you a lot about our God and Creator. First Kings opens with David still on the throne, but facing the end of his life. In this crucial time of death and transition of power in Israel, David has a chance to share with his son Solomon the things that mattered most from his perspective of one who's about to die. David first charged Solomon to be a king that obeyed the Lord. His instruction was far more focused on how to be a good king over what to do as a good king. In 1st Kings chapter 2, David begins, be strong and show yourself a man and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies.

as it is written in the law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn. Well, Solomon, he would have known the law of Moses by heart. So David wasn't just talking about head knowledge. High school kids, well, they may know the story of David fighting the giant Goliath by heart, but I don't think that's going to be the only one that shapes their decisions when they leave home. The story of personally needing God, though, needing his help, wisdom, and forgiveness. That's a true story where we can all relate. Solomon will need to follow the Lord and experience God's goodness so he can trust that God's ways are good.

He will need to encounter God's justice so he can act justly. And it's through need of God's mercy that he will be willing to offer mercy to others. I was born and raised in Missouri. If I'd only read about sushi and not had friends who ordered it and put it in front of me, I would never know that it actually tastes great. For a girl from a beef farm, the description sounds strange because I have no frame of reference. God tells us in his word that it is through inviting God's words and instructions to shape our lives that we experience his goodness. David himself says in Psalm 348,

taste in see that the Lord is good. I think the more of your life you submit to his leadership, the more of his goodness you will taste. Everything about Solomon's kingship, including who he will marry, who he pardons, who he appoints, should ultimately flow out of his loyal following of the true king. When David says,

do this so that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn. He won Solomon to know that there isn't any part of his royal or personal life that should not fall under the authority of God. The same is true for us. If you're a student, your greatest priority is to have a relationship with God. If you're a teacher, the greatest gift you can give your students is your own. personal relationship with God. If you're a small group leader or a life coach or a financial advisor,

will your group members and clients reap the benefits of your relationship with God? When David gave these instructions to Solomon, he spoke from experience. David wanted to follow God, but he didn't always do it well. From his perspective, he saw the outcomes of both. In Psalm 19, David said, The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the symbol. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.

The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. If Solomon pursued the Lord, he would find peace, wisdom, joy, and discernment to face the challenges of being a king. But instead, we're going to watch him be a king, a builder, a husband, and a father with a divided heart. He followed God like one category rather than the one, who is God over all categories. Do you have areas of your life where you've set up boundaries for God or parts of your life, like your work life or dating life or shopping life, that you don't really want God

to touch? I think there are lots of ways I do this, but it was really obvious in college. I knew God, but I tricked myself into thinking he didn't really want to know all parts of me. So I kept those to myself and made my own decisions, but made sure I went to church on Sundays and kept that category in check. Honestly, it was a mess. I was inconsistent and disappointed in myself and tired because I was trying to look like I wasn't.

As our creator, God has made us in a way that only his goodness can truly satisfy and fulfill. And so if we set up boundaries for him, then we're just creating areas of life where our satisfaction will never truly be met. Are there parts of God's word where you're choosing to ignore because you just don't like them? Or maybe they just don't sound good or loving. or maybe they don't seem to fit what our culture says is good or loving. I think that as we trust God with all parts of our lives, we're moved to understand his law through the lens of who he is,

merciful, just, forgiving, good. We find in his character the reason we can trust his authority. Solomon was the new king, and the Lord had given very clear instructions about how to rule over this nation. There weren't many ways to be the king God's people needed. There was one way. And it was to follow God. He is the king we want to come under. He is the one who both deserves and demands our absolute loyalty. There is not a part of our lives or callings that isn't best given over to his standards and his care. Jesus, in that area of my life, I

want to keep to myself, help me instead choose to taste and see the goodness of submitting to you. Lord Jesus, help me do what you want instead of what I want, even if it doesn't feel better in the moment. King Jesus, help me to believe that you are always with me and that following you is the life of prosperity. Amen. Thanks for listening. If you've enjoyed this content, please subscribe and give us a rating. That helps other people find this podcast more easily. Also, ask yourself, who could you share this podcast with? Texting an episode to a friend or a family member is a great way to help them grow spiritually. If you want to go deeper, check out our show notes for book recommendations.