GateWay Church of Visalia
Everybody Qualifies
#6 Solomon Pastor Ed Kemp July 20 & 23, 2023
Locations & Times
GateWay Church
1100 S Sowell St, Visalia, CA 93277, USA
Thursday 6:45 PM
Sunday 8:30 AM
Sunday 10:30 AM
Introduction
When you’re planning to begin,
consider carefully how you’ll finish!
consider carefully how you’ll finish!
3 Now Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David… 4 The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place; Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, “Ask what you wish Me to give you.”
6 Then Solomon said, “You have shown great lovingkindness to Your servant David my father, according as he walked before You in truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart toward You; and You have reserved for him this great lovingkindness, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.7 Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. 9 So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”
10 It was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing.11 God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice, 12 behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you. 13 I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days. 14 IF you walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and commandments, as your father David walked, then I will prolong your days.”
6 Then Solomon said, “You have shown great lovingkindness to Your servant David my father, according as he walked before You in truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart toward You; and You have reserved for him this great lovingkindness, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.7 Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. 9 So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”
10 It was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing.11 God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice, 12 behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you. 13 I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days. 14 IF you walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and commandments, as your father David walked, then I will prolong your days.”
DUETERONOMY 17:16 Moreover, he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor shall he cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses…
17 He shall not multiply wives for himself, or else his heart will turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself.
18 “Now it shall come about when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. 19 It shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life…20 that his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left, so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel.
17 He shall not multiply wives for himself, or else his heart will turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself.
18 “Now it shall come about when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. 19 It shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life…20 that his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left, so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel.
I KINGS 10:27 The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars as plentiful as sycamore trees that are in the lowland. 28 Also Solomon’s import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king’s merchants procured them from Kue for a price. 29 A chariot was imported from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver, and a horse for 150; and by the same means they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of the Arameans.
I KINGS 11:1 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, 2 from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the sons of Israel, “You shall not associate with them, nor shall they associate with you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods.” Solomon held fast to these in love. 3 He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned his heart away. 4 For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. I Kings 10:27-11;4
So What?!
How do I take responsibility for wisdom?
#1. Ask God for wisdom.
But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. James 1:5
But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. James 1:5
#2. Walk with Godly people.
He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. Proverbs 13:20
He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. Proverbs 13:20
#3. Obey the commands of Scripture. Buy truth, and do not sell it,
Get wisdom and instruction and understanding. Proverbs 23:23
Get wisdom and instruction and understanding. Proverbs 23:23
EVERYBODY QUALIFIES, #6. Solomon
I Kings 3:3-14, NASB, Pastor Ed Kemp, 7/20 & 23, 2023
Prayer Requests:
Group Discussion: Discuss one bad decision you made that led to a good lesson or one good decision you made that kept you from a painful experience.
Read: I Kings 3:1-14
James 4:8 says, Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Notice how Solomon draws near to God and shows his connection and commitment by the enormous number of sacrifices. God responds to his commitment by asking him what his greatest need and desire are. Solomon asks for wisdom. How would you summarize what this passage is teaching us? Is it, “If we sacrifice God will grant us one wish like a Genie?” How does drawing near to God work in your life?
In vs. 6 Solomon thanks God for His “lovingkindness.” That is God’s loyal covenant of love. Solomon also mentions how David “walked” with God. David and Solomon had this mutual commitment relationship with God. What words or phrases would you use if someone were to ask you, “how God is committed to you?” How would you explain your commitment to God?
In vs. 10-12 Solomon is rewarded by God for wanting to be the best leader or King for the people of God. Do you know any wise people? What are they like? Why do you think they are wise? If you were to take responsibility for wisdom, what areas of your life would you ask God to impact?
To take responsibility for wisdom you have to walk with wise people, Proverbs 13:20. What life experiences have you walked through with a wise person? Who has given you wise counsel? To whom have you supplied wise counsel?
The last application is to obey. Proverbs 23:23 says, Buy truth and do not sell it, Get wisdom and instruction and understanding. How do you buy truth? Solomon is taking a concept and making it a commodity. People invest in commodities and purchase them. What concepts would you turn into commodities and purchase?
Family Time: Take a little time at a meal and lead a discussion about asking God for wisdom. What is wisdom? How do you get it? Read James 1:5. Then lead a prayer asking God that each person, name each individually, would grow in wisdom.
I Kings 3:3-14, NASB, Pastor Ed Kemp, 7/20 & 23, 2023
Prayer Requests:
Group Discussion: Discuss one bad decision you made that led to a good lesson or one good decision you made that kept you from a painful experience.
Read: I Kings 3:1-14
James 4:8 says, Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Notice how Solomon draws near to God and shows his connection and commitment by the enormous number of sacrifices. God responds to his commitment by asking him what his greatest need and desire are. Solomon asks for wisdom. How would you summarize what this passage is teaching us? Is it, “If we sacrifice God will grant us one wish like a Genie?” How does drawing near to God work in your life?
In vs. 6 Solomon thanks God for His “lovingkindness.” That is God’s loyal covenant of love. Solomon also mentions how David “walked” with God. David and Solomon had this mutual commitment relationship with God. What words or phrases would you use if someone were to ask you, “how God is committed to you?” How would you explain your commitment to God?
In vs. 10-12 Solomon is rewarded by God for wanting to be the best leader or King for the people of God. Do you know any wise people? What are they like? Why do you think they are wise? If you were to take responsibility for wisdom, what areas of your life would you ask God to impact?
To take responsibility for wisdom you have to walk with wise people, Proverbs 13:20. What life experiences have you walked through with a wise person? Who has given you wise counsel? To whom have you supplied wise counsel?
The last application is to obey. Proverbs 23:23 says, Buy truth and do not sell it, Get wisdom and instruction and understanding. How do you buy truth? Solomon is taking a concept and making it a commodity. People invest in commodities and purchase them. What concepts would you turn into commodities and purchase?
Family Time: Take a little time at a meal and lead a discussion about asking God for wisdom. What is wisdom? How do you get it? Read James 1:5. Then lead a prayer asking God that each person, name each individually, would grow in wisdom.