Amen. All right. Well, we're there in First Kings chapter number nine. And of course, on Wednesday nights, we've been making our way through the book of First Kings. We're in a verse by verse, chapter by chapter study through the book of First Kings. And if you remember last week, we ended chapter eight and we saw Solomon's prayer of dedication and we saw the dedication of the temple and tonight in chapter 9 we have God's response to that prayer and of course tonight as we've been announcing we've got pizza after the service and cake and all of that we're celebrating God's answered prayers with Eretzi. So because of that, my goal is to be done by 8. The pizza is supposed to be here at 8. It's about 7.30 right now. So I've got about 30 minutes to do this. So we're not going to go through the whole chapter, but we're going to look at the first nine verses because the chapter is actually divided into two sections. The first nine verses are God's response to Solomon's prayer. And then the rest of the chapter deals with just some miscellaneous things about the kingdom of Solomon. So we're going to look at verses 1 through 9 tonight. And there are actually three principles that I see in these nine verses. And I'm going to walk you through it. And we're going to look at them together. And maybe you'd like to jot these down if you take notes. And we always encourage you to take notes. On the back of your course of the week, there's a place for you to do that. Maybe you have a notebook or something like that. then you can jot some of these things down. So, if you look down at 1 Kings 9, and you look at verse number 1, first of all, I want you to notice this little phrase here. We see statements like this throughout the Bible, and it says this, and it came to pass. and it came to pass. And of course, when we began this journey with Solomon, we met Solomon as a young man. And he took the throne of his father David. And of course, if you remember, we're going to see it, we're going to be reminded of this here in a minute. But he asked for wisdom and discernment and judgment and God was pleased with that and God has blessed him and God has now allowed Solomon to build not only the temple of the Lord but he's built his own house and actually later on in the chapter we're going to see he's built a lot of things and we are fast forwarding 20 years now into the kingdom and life of Solomon from where he began He's about 20 years into his kingdom here. So that statement there, and it came to pass, is referring to that. It's referring to the fact that time has passed, there's a transition in Solomon's reign, and time is always passing. In fact, I think when it comes to human beings, the only consistent thing in our lives is that our lives are constantly changing. And things are constantly changing. And here we see with Solomon that things are about to start to change. And unfortunately for him, they're going to go downhill. Not just yet. We're going to make it through chapter 9. But here soon, things are not going to be going well for him. But the Bible is telling us that there's a transition here. And it came to pass. And then it says this, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the Lord and the king's house and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do. And next time we're in 1 Kings 9, when we get to the rest of this chapter, we'll see all of that desire which Solomon was pleased to do and everything that he built. Don't you notice verse number 2, the Bible says this, that the Lord appeared to Solomon And if you don't mind writing in your Bible or underlining in your Bible, I'd like you to mark this little statement there in verse number two. The Bible says, the second time, the second time. The Bible says the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time. as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon. And this verse records for us something remarkable, really a remarkable moment in the life of Solomon. And it is this, that the Lord, capital L, capital O, capital R, capital D, God Almighty, appears to Solomon and speaks to Solomon and has a time with Solomon, a second time in his life. Now, of course, if you remember, and we saw it in our study in 1 Kings, the first appearance took place, as is mentioned there, in Gibeon. If you remember in Gibeon, we saw that in 1 Kings chapter 3, we saw Solomon in his early reign. And he was very humble and God came to Solomon and said, ask for whatever you want. He said, whatever you want, you can have it. And of course, Solomon asked for wisdom. He asked for discernment. He asked for judgment. He said, I'm just a child. He said, I can't bring these people in or out. I don't know how to do this. And he asked God for wisdom. The Bible says that God was so pleased with his request for wisdom that God said, I'm going to give you wisdom. And of course, we know that Solomon ended up being, other than the Lord Jesus Christ, being the most wise man who ever lived. God gave him wisdom, but along with that, God said, I'm going to give you all the things that you didn't ask for. I'm going to give you riches and success and the life of your enemies. So the first time that God appeared to Solomon, that's the event. And I think when people think about Solomon or when we study the life of Solomon, that's a big deal in his life. That's a big event in his life. But what we see here, two decades later, is that the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time. And the second time comes after Solomon has achieved his great success. He's now built a temple. He's now built his own palace. Remember we talked about the fact that he took twice as long to build his house and it was twice as big, so that says a few things there about Solomon. And he's not only done that, but he's built all sorts of cities and he's done all sorts of things. Again, later on in the chapter, we're going to see that he was quite the builder God comes to Solomon the second time, this time not as a kid, this time not as someone who's starting out, but Solomon is a great success. I mean, we're going to see in the next chapter the Queen of Sheba coming to, because she heard of the fame of Solomon, and not just the Queen of Sheba, many people from all over the world come to see him. He's famous. He's successful. He is achieving many things. The temple is complete. The kingdom is wealthy. The kingdom is peaceful. And Solomon's fame is spreading. And the Bible says that the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time. And I want to highlight that for you because when I was studying this for this sermon, it stuck out to me that phrase, the second time, the second time. Because I've seen that at other times in the passage, in the Bible. And what it tells me is this, that, and here's a principle if you want to write it down, that God is the God of the second time. God sometimes appears the second time. And here Solomon is doing well. And God comes to him a second time. And God comes to him and really we're going to see in the passage that he warns him of some things and he's trying to direct him in some things. But we see that God doesn't just appear to Solomon the first time. He appears to him the second time. And Solomon's not off track yet. Things are still going well in his life and God appears to him the second time. And I think the takeaway for me and keep your place there in 1 Kings 9 if you don't mind. That's our text for tonight. But go with me if you wouldn't mind to chapter 19, 1 Kings chapter 19. The takeaway for me is this, that the input that God wants to have in our lives and the influence that God wants to have in our lives is not just one time. It's the second time. And it's the third time. And it's the fourth time. And what I'm talking about is this, that God wants to bless you, God wants to anoint you, God wants to use you, God wants you to volunteer to be used of Him, not just the first time, but the second time. There is the second time that God is still interested in Solomon. There's a sermon, a famous sermon, probably the most famous sermon by Dr. Jack Hiles, is a sermon entitled Fresh Oil. And if you've never heard the sermon, I would encourage you to check it out if you like preaching. It's a great sermon. And the idea of the sermon, and I thought about having you go to passages, but I don't have time, so let me just tell you about it. The idea of the sermon, this sermon Fresh Oil, comes from Psalm 92, where the psalmist says, I think most people maybe agree that the writer is likely David, where he says, I will be anointed with fresh oil. And the idea is this, that David was anointed several times to be king. If you remember the first time he was anointed to be king was a very famous time when Samuel came to his home and he asked to see all the brethren, all the brothers, and he saw them one by one. And if you remember when he saw the first eldest and he saw this must be the Lord's anointed, this is the one God has chosen. Look at him, he's tall and he's strong, this must be. And God said, don't look on the height, don't look on their countenance. Man looketh on the outward appearance, but God looketh on the heart. And if you remember, they never even brought David. He had to ask, do you have another son? And they finally bring David. And Samuel anointed David to be king. And the Bible says that when the oil of that anointing came upon David, that the Holy Spirit of God came upon David at that moment. And there's some significance there, because the oil, of course, in scripture is a picture, it's an emblem of the Holy Spirit. And the anointing of David, not only physically being anointed, but then the Holy Spirit coming upon him is a picture there of God wanting to use David, and David now being available for the use of God. Shortly after that, David goes and kills Goliath. The interesting thing about David being anointed, he was anointed king of Israel, but he does not become the king of Israel for a very long time. Many, many years go by, in fact, decades go by before he becomes the king of Israel. But when he finally becomes the king of Israel, he doesn't become the king of Israel, he becomes the king of Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel. And he's anointed a second time, and he's anointed as the king of Judah. And then of course, seven and a half years later, he becomes the king of the entire nation of Israel, and he's anointed again as now the king of the entire nation. So we see that David was anointed several times for what God had called him to do. And the idea is that every time that David was anointed, he was anointed with fresh oil. And it's interesting because there's something similar with Solomon as well. If you remember when Solomon became king, Solomon became king kind of out of crisis because his brother was trying to steal the kingdom and David was still alive and David made him king so they anointed him king. The Bible actually tells us in the books of Chronicles that Solomon was, after David died, once the kingdom was established in his hands, that he was actually anointed a second time to be king. It was done maybe more solemnly and with more decor without it being rushed after David had died. And the idea is this, that often times God, you know, God wanted to use David and He anointed him king, but then years later He anointed him again. for the same calling, the same purpose, and then years later He anointed Him again. And look, what I'm saying to you is this, you may have experienced at one time the Holy Spirit of God upon your life, the filling of the Holy Spirit, the work of the Holy Spirit. I hope that that's the case. I hope that you can look back in your life and say that there was a time not only when you got saved, but when you were filled with the Holy Spirit. When God began to use you, maybe you began to become a soul winner, and you started going soul winning, and you started living out the Christian life, and that's all well and good. And you say, well, it's been decades now since that time when I met with God, that first time, that anointing. But here we have Solomon 20 years later, and God meets with him again. We have David years later, and he's being anointed with fresh oil. I think the idea is this, that God is thankful, and aren't you thankful that God met with you sometime in the past, but God wants to meet with you again the second time. He wants to fill you with His Holy Spirit the second time. He wants you to get on fire for Him the second time. He wants you to work for Him the second time. So here we see that Solomon, he was doing well. He's building this house for the Lord and he's completed it now and things are going well. The Bible says that the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time. And look, maybe you're here tonight and you say, well, I'm doing well, things aren't bad. But don't forget that God wants to meet with you a second time. He wants to anoint you with fresh oil a second time and a third time. He's the God of the second time. What's interesting is that this phrase pops out at me because I'd seen it in another place. Let me just show you some places that I thought about. You're there in 1 Kings 9, or I think you went to 1 Kings 19. But notice 1 Kings 19 in verse 4. Now in 1 Kings 19 in verse 4, we're jumping in the story of Elijah. And if you remember, Elijah just had his great his great showdown at Mount Carmel, he called down fire, and it's really the climax of his ministry. And if you remember, Jezebel, Ahab's wife, threatened to kill Elijah as a result. She said, by this time tomorrow, he's going to be dead. And Elijah runs, and he gets discouraged. In fact, if you notice there in 1 Kings 9, verse 4, the Bible says this, but he, this is Elijah, the great prophet of the Lord, running from Jezebel, but he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and he came and sat down under a juniper tree. I don't know why that phrase has always stood out to me. I think we've all had our seasons under a juniper tree. And he sat down under a juniper tree and he, notice the words here, requested for himself that he might die. I mean, this guy literally just killed 400 prophets of Baal. just called down fire from heaven, just had the great Mount Carmel showdown and showed, I mean, he's the man that stood up and said, how long aught ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, serve Him. You know, he just had this great battle that he won for the Lord. But now he is sitting under a juniper tree, and he requested, the Bible says, for himself that he might die, and said, it is enough now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am not better than my father's. Have you ever found yourself under a juniper tree? Throwing a pity party? Discouraged and maybe even depressed? I want you to notice, and just for sake of time, we'll skip some of these verses, but I want you to notice verse number seven. 1 Kings 19, verse 7, the Bible says, And the angel of the Lord came again, mark these words in your Bible, the second time. And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for thee. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God. And of course, if you know the story, He goes and he is going to do something similar to what Moses did. He goes up to the Mount of God. He goes, he eats this meal and then he doesn't eat again for 40 days and 40 nights. He and Moses being, other than the Lord Jesus Christ, the only two men in scripture that did 40 day fast. And then he goes to the Mount of God and he meets God there. And God, of course, encourages him and instructs him and tells him what to do. But what I want to highlight for you is this, that we see Solomon doing well and God comes to him the second time and he says, I'm glad you're doing well. I'm glad that you're succeeding. I'm glad that things are going well in your life. But don't forget that I didn't want to just meet with you that first time. Sometimes we need to have a renewal in our lives. Or you say, I want to meet God a second time. You say, if things are doing well, meet with God a second time. But here we find Elijah, and Elijah wasn't doing well. He was discouraged. He was depressed. In fact, he's asking for God to kill him. He's saying, Lord, just take my life. I think it's interesting that when Solomon was doing well, God came to him the second time. But also when Elijah was discouraged, the Bible says that God came to him the second time. And aren't you thankful for that? You say, I'm not Solomon. Things are not going well. We're not building. We're not succeeding. We're not beating the enemies. I'm actually more like Elijah. I find myself under a juniper tree, just kind of discouraged by the whole thing. Let me tell you something. God wants to meet with you as well the second time. And aren't you thankful that God doesn't give up on us? We give up on ourselves and we give up on God, but God never gives up on us. I want you to notice third time that I thought about this phrase, the second time. Could you find the book of Jonah, if you don't mind? Jonah chapter three. If you find the major prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel. After those major prophets, you've got the books of Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, and then the book of Jonah. Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, and the book of Jonah. Jonah chapter number three. We saw Solomon, he's doing well, and God comes to him the second time. We saw Elijah, he's discouraged. And God came to him the second time. Then I want you to notice our friend Jonah here. If you remember Jonah, God comes to Jonah and says, I want you to go preach for me in Nineveh. He sends him to be a missionary in Nineveh. And Jonah literally decides to not only not go to Nineveh, he gets on a ship and goes the exact opposite direction. And then God sends a storm. to find Jonah in the midst of his running. And how many of us have learned that you can run from God, but you cannot outrun God? You can go ahead and try to run from God, but whenever you get wherever you're going, God's going to meet you there. Jonah on his way, God meets him in that sea. And of course, you know the story. He gets thrown into the ocean and that's the end of him, except it wasn't the end of him because though he was done, God wasn't done. God sends a whale. Jonah's swallowed up by a whale. One of the greatest stories in the Bible. And then of course, after being there for three days and three nights, and that's a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ being in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights, the whale throws him up on the shore. We see Jonah in his rebellion and disobedience. I want you to notice what God says. Jonah chapter three, look at verse one. And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah. Would you mark these words in your Bible? The second time. And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. I just think it's interesting. When things are going well, God comes to Solomon the second time. When things are not going well for Elijah, God comes to him the second time. And when Joe doesn't just complete disobedience and backslid him, the Bible says that the Lord came again the second time. Aren't you thankful for that? Don't misunderstand me. God is not always the God of the third and fourth and fifth and sixth time or the hundredth time. We understand that. The Bible says that the Spirit of the Lord will not always strive with men. And we understand that there are consequences for sin. But I just want to highlight for you that God is not just the God of the first time. He's the God of the second time. And even if you're discouraged and even if you're disobedient, and even if things are going well, He wants to meet with you a second time. Can you make your way back to 1 Kings chapter 9? 1 Kings chapter 9. Look down at verse number 3. We're doing 9 verses, I've only done the first 2 so far, so let's get with this. Look at verse number 3. And the Lord said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and thy supplication. Remember in chapter eight Solomon had this whole long prayer. I think it might be the longest prayer recorded in scripture by an individual. He had this whole long prayer and now God is answering that prayer, responding to that prayer I should say, and he says, the Bible says the Lord said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication that thou hast made before me. I have hollowed this house. I just love the beauty of our King James Bible and when things are alliterated or not just alliterated, but when they have a rhythm, they seem to stand out to me. I just love there in verse three, how God says, I have heard, and then he says, I have hollowed. I have heard and I have hollowed. And of course, the request from Solomon was that God would hollow the temple, that God would accept it. And the word hollow means to set apart for God, to make holy. And here we just have an example that God hears and answers prayer. He said, I have heard your request. I have hallowed this house, which thou has built to put my name there. And here's what part I want you to focus in on. He says, to put my name there forever, and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there. Notice this word, perpetually. I want you to notice something in this verse, and it is this, that God's presence is perpetual. I'm using that word because that's the word that God used here. He said, I'm going to be there and I'm going to be there perpetually. In Hebrews, Hebrews 13 and verse 5, the writer of Hebrews wrote these words. He said, let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have. For he has said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. And that's the same idea that God is talking about here. He says, I put my name there forever and mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually. And here's what the Bible is teaching. The Bible is teaching that when God decides to hollow something, when God decides to set something apart for himself, when God decides to buy into something or maybe even literally purchase something. Do you understand the Bible says that you and I were purchased with the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ? This is why Paul said ye are not your own, but ye are bought with a price. You belong to God. You've been set aside for God. That's why later on in the passage he says, come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord. Why? Because you've been set apart and hallowed unto God. Now here, God is talking about the literal temple. He said, I've heard your prayer, I've hollowed it, and I'm going to be there forever, and mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually. But do you understand that the Bible says that your body and my body is the temple of the Holy Ghost? Which is in you. And you're not your own, but you're bought with a price. And in the same way that God looked at that temple and said, my eyes are going to be there, my heart's going to be there, I'm going to be there forever and I'm going to be there perpetually. Hey, aren't you thankful that God gave you the Holy Spirit of God? He sealed you into the day of promise and God's presence is perpetual. Now we find encouragement there in the days when we find ourselves under the juniper tree. We're encouraged about the fact that I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. But there's more to it than just that. There's a theological significance. It's eternal security. He's never going to leave us. He's never going to forsake us. God's presence, once you have it, is perpetual. But I want you to notice there's four. In verse four, the Bible says this, and if. Now again, if you don't mind writing your Bible, it's 7.52, but they're supposed to text me when the pizza gets here, so I'm just gonna go till the pizza gets here. Well, I still got eight minutes, all right, so I don't know why you were so worried. In verse four, it says, and if. You see that word if there? If you don't mind writing in your Bible, I'd like to ask you, can you circle that word if? And if. Thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in the integrity of heart and in a brightness to do according to all that I have commanded thee and will keep my statutes and my judgments. I want you to notice verse number five. And I want you to notice the first word in verse five. In fact, if you don't mind, I'd like for you to circle in your Bible. It says, then. Now again, if you don't mind, I'd like you to draw a line between the word if in verse 4 and the word then in verse 5. In verse 4, he says, And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, with integrity of heart and an uprightness to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and will keep my statutes and my judgments. And of course, we know that David was not perfect. He had major sin in his life. But he was a man up to God's own heart. And God is saying, if you'll walk, if you have a heart for me like David did, He says in verse 4, if, and then in verse 5 he says, then. Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel forever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, there shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel. And the reason I highlight for you those words, if, then, is because verses 4 and 5 form what we would call an if-then statement. An if-then statement expresses a conditional relationship between those two statements. One thing depends on the other. There's two parts. The condition, which is introduced by the word if, and the result, or the consequence, which is introduced by the word then. What we have is this. If the condition is met, then the result will happen. In verse 4 we get the if, in verse 5 we get the then. And then just in case you think, I don't know, maybe you're kind of reading into that, you're making a bigger deal about it than you should, look at verse 6. But, can you circle this word, if? If ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them. Notice verse seven, then. Can you circle that word in your Bible? And do me a favor, between the word if in verse six and the word then in verse seven, I'd like you to just draw a line from the word if to the word then. Then will I cut off Israel out of the land, which I have given them, and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people. So in verse 4 we have if, in verse 5 we have then, in verse 6 we have if, in verse 7 we have then, and I think there's something that God's trying to tell us here, and here's principle number 2 for you if you'd like to write this down, and it is this, that God's presence is perpetual, but God's blessings are conditional. Because I'm saved. Well, praise God for it. I can do anything I want. And I'm still saved. And you're right. That's the wrong attitude, but you're right. I can do whatever I want. I can say whatever I want. I can go wherever I want. I can drink whatever I want. I can snort whatever I want. I can watch whatever I want. I can listen to whatever I want. I can do whatever I want. And I'm still saved. And to that, I would say, wrong attitude, right theology, you're right. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. God's presence is perpetual. You're absolutely right. But you know that God's blessings are conditional? And though you're saved, He said, I've heard your prayers. I have hallowed this house. He said, I accepted the house. I'm going to keep the house. He said, I'm buying into the house. But then He says this, If you walk before me, then I will establish your throne. And if ye shall at all turn from following me, verse six, ye are your children and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them. He says, then I will cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them. And this house, look at it, This house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight. And look, I'm not telling you that you're going to lose your salvation, but I am telling you this, that though God's presence is perpetual, God's blessings are conditional. And if we want the blessing of God, there's an if and then statement there. And if you and I walk with God, if we're faithful to God, Then he will bless us, and he will favor us, and he will establish us. You say, what happens if you don't? Well, I'd like you to notice verse number seven. And here we'll find our third principle. In verse seven, the Bible says this, then will I cut off Israel of the land. Statement number one was this, if you want to write it down, and I've got to finish this up now. Statement number one is this, God sometimes appears a second time. Statement number two is this, God's presence is perpetual, God's blessings are conditional. Here's principle number three, God's judgment is predictable, shameful, and understandable. In verse seven, we see that it's predictable. He already told us, if then, if then. Verse 7 says, Then I will cut off Israel out of the land which I have given him, and this house which I have hollowed for my name will I cast out of my sight. The judgment of God is not complicated, it's predictable. Not only is it predictable, but it's also shameful. Look at the last part of verse 7. All Israel shall be a proverb. The word proverb there means that you're going to become a tale of warning. When people want to tell a story, give a quick illustration, give a proverb of why you should not do what you're doing, why you should not worship other gods, why you should be faithful to God. He said you're going to become that proverb. You're going to become a tale of warning and look at verse 7, a byword. The byword means not only you're going to become a tale of warning, but you're going to become a term of ridicule among all people. Look at verse 8. And at this house, which is high, and that's probably referring to the fact that it's physically high, it's up on Mount Moriah, but I think it's also referring to the fact of its importance and its renown. He says, And at this house which is high, everyone that passeth by it shall be astonished, they're going to be surprised, they're going to be shocked, and shall hiss. That word hiss is probably some sort of a mockery or derision or scorn. Here's what I'm saying to you is that the judgment of God is not only predictable, it's also shameful. And if you and I don't get back to that second time, God met with you the second time. You say, but I'm doing well. God needs to meet with you the second time. But I'm discouraged. God needs to meet with you the second time. But I'm being disobedient. God needs to meet with you the second time. If you and I don't get back there, then our lives are going to end up not being under the blessing of the Lord, and we're going to end up a proverb and a byword. And everyone that passes by it. And everybody that, all your neighbors, and all your friends, and all your co-workers, and everybody that saw you when you were right with God, and when you were on fire for God, and you were telling them all about Jesus, and you were being a Pharisee about it, and telling them how great you are, and how bad they are, they aren't, they were, or are. So when you come down, they're gonna hiss at you. you're going to become an astonishment and a hiss. And here's the thing, not only is it predictable, not only is it shameful, but it's also understandable. Look at the last part of verse 8. Why hath the Lord done thus unto this land and to this house? They're going to ask. And they shall answer, because they forsook the Lord their God. who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt and have taken hold upon other gods and have worshiped them and served them. Therefore, have the Lord brought upon them all this evil. And I think what God is telling Solomon is this, that God's judgment is not only predictable, it's not only shameful, it's also understandable. So what do we do? Well, I think we need to end tonight, where we began, not only in the sermon, but maybe in our lives. In verse one, the Bible says this, and it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the Lord, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desires, which he was pleased to do, that the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time. You know what we need? We need God to meet with us a second time, and maybe a third time. and maybe a fourth time. Aren't you thankful that God's not just the God of the one time? Hey, praise God for that one time you met Jesus and God saved. Praise God for that. But that's not all he wants. He wants a second time. The Bible talks about that he that hath begun a good work in you shall perform it until the day of Christ. So I'm glad you're here. And I'm glad I'm assuming that you've met Jesus the first time. But how about the second time? Say, I'm under a juniper tree. Then you need to meet him the second time. I'm in disobedience. OK, Jonah, meet him the second time. Things are going well. Well, then you still need him the second time. Aren't you thankful he's the God of the second time? Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer. Heavenly Father, Lord, we love you. And Lord, we thank you for these nine verses. I know they're basic. But I think there's some important principles here for us to learn. And Lord, help us to remember these things. And we thank you that you are the God of the second time. And you're not always the God of the second chance, or the third chance, or the fifth chance. But if we humble ourselves and come to you, if we draw an eye to you, you will draw an eye to us. And we thank you for that. Help us, Lord, to remember that your presence is perpetual, but your blessings are conditional. Help us to remember that your judgment is predictable, and shameful, and understandable. and help us to live our lives accordingly. We love you, in Jesus' name we pray, amen. All right, we're gonna have Brother Matt come up and lead us in a final song.