Walking With The Greats - The Life of Solomon

This week's service can be watched at

http://www.kbmlive.tv/

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"...follow the example of those who are going to inherit
God’s promises because of their faith and endurance."
Hebrew 6:12

Today's Scripture Text: 1st Kings 3:1-15

If you KNOW the right thing, you’re INTELLIGENT; If you DO the right thing, you’re WISE!  Wisdom is the ability to make the right choices.  Wisdom is the application of knowledge.

Proverbs 9:10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom..."; James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him"

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LIFE LESSON 1 - Seek Wisdom - Receive Wealth - 1 Kings 3:12-13

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Matthew 6:33 - "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."  Because Solomon requested wisdom, God made him Healthy, Wealthy and Wise!

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LIFE LESSON 2 - Godly Wisdom Gains Great Respect - 1 Kings 3:16-28

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Your wisdom will be your witness!  People around you will see God through you.  God's favour comes through a life lived in Wisdom, so in every are of your life, ask for wisdom!  Incredibly, in all the wisdom God gave Solomon, he still had a vice... Women! Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines.

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LIFE LESSON 3 - Wrong Connection Will Lead You in the Wrong Direction - 1 Kings 11:1-3

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Solomon was led to worship other gods against 'the beginning of wisdom'.  He lost his 'fear of the Lord'.

Sin Will Get in the Way of Your Prophetic Promises

Solomon wrote more songs to God than David; He was a worshipper who had wisdom, but he allowed sin to remain and it was to his demise.  Disobedience, no matter how small, is a problem; it can foster addiction.  Addiction is predictable:

1. First you tolerate it;
2. Then you justify it;
3. Then you participate in it.

Solomon's compromise affected his future and eroded the peace of the people of his kingdom.  It affected his children and his kingdom was split into 2 nations!

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LIFE LESSON 4 - Two-timing on God Gets His Anger & Not His Favour - 1 Kings 11:1-12

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vs 4 - "As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been."

vs 9 - "The LORD became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel..."

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LIFE LESSON 5 - It’s Not Only How You Start But How You Finish That’s Important

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vs 11 - "So the LORD said to Solomon, "Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates."

Solomon lost the Kingdom and it affected the generations to follow.  Even if you start slow, stay faithful.  Your choice to faithfully serve God and fear Him with healthy respect flowing from your realization of what He's done for you and what life would be like without Him, is what will keep you experiencing the promises of God.

Paul finished the race and won the prize - 2 Timothy 4:7-8

Let Solomon's life be an example - don't compromise; don't allow for even a 1% margin of error; finish strong!  Let your best days be those ahead of you!  God hasn't brought you this far to drop you now!  He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it! Remember: All Gods promises prove true!

CHALLENGE: Regardless of where you started or where you find yourself today, it's not too late to get God's wisdom to help direct your life so that you can receive and walk in all the promises of God.  Do these 3 things daily:

1. seek wisdom
2. stay on course
3. finish strong

You are a light in the darkness.  Let your light shine with wisdom.  It will illuminate your path so that you can see where you are going to get to your destiny.

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