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WWW . REMIXNJ . COMPractical Application Questions - 1 Kings 3:1-281. Without over-spiritualizing your answer, if God showed up on yourway home tonight and told you to ask for whatever you want, whatwould you ask for?2. What has been the toughest decision you’ve had to make lately?Looking back, do you feel your decision was wise?3. What impresses you most about Solomon in tonight’s story?4. Why do you think God asked Solomon to ask for whatever hewanted?5. Where else in the scriptures did God offer an individual or group ablank check?6. What are some plausible reasons why Solomon desired wisdomabove anything else?7. Sometimes, it builds one’s faith when you recount and acknowledgeall God has done, can you think of three “unbelievable” things Goddid in or through your life this past year?Psalm 119:11I have hidden yourword in my heartthat I might not sinagainst you
WWW . REMIXNJ . COM7. What are some natural gifts, talents, or innate abilities you’ve observed in your life?What would your prayers sound like if you began asking God to help you excel in thoseareas of gifting?8. In light of your personal life experience, relationships, education, time in God’s word,and prayer life, where have you gained the most wisdom in your life?9. What opportunities or decisions are you facing right now for which you need thewisdom God granted Solomon?
THEREMIXMINISTRYWWW . REMIXNJ . COMtheREMIX is thecollege and20somethingministry of Gracethe church on theMount.As part of a churchwide vision to raise upa generation offamilies that are builtto last, our goal is toprepare young adultsto engage in healthyrelationships at everylevel of their lives.Hence, our worshipgatherings aredesigned to equipyoung adults withbiblical truths so thatthey in turn influencethe people in their livesfor Jesus ChristMATTHEW 22:37-39Part four: ‘1 Kings 3:1-28’series: ‘SUN STAND STILL’If on your way home tonightafter REMIX, you stopped at atraffic light and out of nowhere,a bright, almost blinding lightappeared, and there was nodoubt in your mind and inactuality that it was Jesus Christ.And if in that moment, Helooked favorably on you andmade this offer, “Ask forwhatever you want me to giveyou.”The question is, what would youask for?Some of you already know this,but a scenario quite similar tothat happened to a realindividual in the bible. Hisname was Solomon, he was theson of the aging king David, hewas in his early twenties, andGod is about to make him anoffer of a lifetime.Just so we have some context asto where we are. We are in thebook of 1 Kings 3. King Davidhas ruled Israel for 40 years andhe’s old and frail, however rightbefore his death, he passes onthe mantle of leadership to histwenty something year old sonSolomon.Verse 1-4: “A CALL TOLEADERSHIP”“Solomon made an alliancewith Pharaoh king of Egypt andmarried his daughter. Hebrought her to the City ofDavid until he finished buildinghis palace and the temple of theLORD, and the wall aroundJerusalem. 2The people,however, were still sacrificing atthe high places, because atemple had not yet been builtfor the Name of the LORD.3Solomon showed his love forthe LORD by walkingaccording to the statutes of hisfather David, except that heoffered sacrifices and burnedincense on the high places.4The king went to Gibeon tooffer sacrifices, for that was themost important high place, andSolomon offered a thousandburnt offerings on that altar.”
WWW . REMIXNJ . COMI think it’s accurate to say that afterinheriting the kingdom from his fatherDavid, Solomon had his fair share ofconcerns to worry about as he began hisreign as the 3rd king over Israel. Let’sreview a few of them.A few moments later, Idecided ice cream cakewasn’t worthy of God andchanged my visualization to astack of cash, which at thetime would have amounted tosomething around 42, (bigdreams have to startsomewhere!). When all wassaid and done, I had dreamtup everything from owning ourneighbors new car (forget thefact that I couldn’t drive at thetime), to being the coolest andsmartest kid at my school atthe time.In previous chapters, we’re told that onthe very day he was made king, one ofhis stepbrothers, (Adonijah) attempted acoup d'état, but failed. Secondly, hisfather David, prior to his death, hadwarned Solomon to be wary of certainmen who could do him harm – so hehad that additional worry on his mind.Thirdly, at the young age of 20, he’sfaced with the great responsibility ofleading a nation that had the potentialfor great good, or great evil.In addition to all of those burdens, verse1 indicates that even at a young age, hewas being sought after by foreign kingswho wanted to form an alliance withhim through marriage to theirdaughters. Not only did he have to be adiplomat and a good husband, he alsohad the arduous task of overseeing threemajor building projects; his own palace,the defensive walls of his city, and thefirst temple in Israel.Lest you think anyone in his positioncould have done what he did becauseGod was on his side, you should knowthat we don’t really hear much of theprophetic intervention we read of duringhis father’s reign as king. During David’stime as king, he had the prophets Samueland Nathan to encourage or rebuke himaccording to God’s word, but Solomonwas sort of on his own. He didn’t reallyhave any of the prophets speaking to himduring his reign.All that to say, if anyone needed a sunstand still prayer, Solomon was a primecandidate. This guy needed some seriousdivine intervention.Now, the first few verses do indicate thathe might have had a divided heart on inthat he sometimes worshipped God in amanner contrary to what God hadinstructed, but verse 3 compensates forthat fact by telling us that, “Solomonshowed his love for the LORD bywalking according to the statutes of hisfather David ”Verse 5: “AN OFFER OF ALIFETIME”In fact God seems to have taken notice,because verse 5 says, “The king went toGibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was themost important high place, and Solomonoffered a thousand burnt offerings onthat altar. At Gibeon the LORDappeared to Solomon during the night ina dream, and God said, “Ask forwhatever you want me to give you.”Though I asked this questionhypothetically at the beginning of themessage, and though this is taking placein a dream, there was (and is) nothinghypothetical about this offer God wasmaking. God was basically giving him ablank signed check in which he could putin as many zeros as he wanted!Can we take a moment and justacknowledge how incredible this offer is?There are only a handful (or so) ofpeople in the scriptures who had this kindof personal relationship with God wheresuch an offer was made.My earliest memory of being in churchinvolves hearing a message about thisstory. I must have been 10, maybe 11years old at the time, and even then Iremember being stirred deeply by thisaccount. I recall sitting next to some ofmy friends while the Sunday schoolteacher rambled on and on, and I didn’tsnap to it until she got to this question, “ifyou were in Solomon’s shoes, what wouldyou have asked?”I vividly remember in that momentvisualizing a giant ice cream cake I hadseen on T.V and how amazing it wouldbe if God would grant me a monsterslice, (delicious cake was a scarcity inNigeria during those years!). A fewmoments later, I decided ice cream cakewasn’t worthy of God and changed myvisualization to a stack of cash, which atthe time would have amounted tosomething around 42, (big dreams haveto start somewhere!). When all was saidand done, I had dreamt up everythingfrom owning our neighbors new car(forget the fact that I couldn’t drive at thetime), to being the coolest and smartestkid at my school at the time.Now I don’t even remember what the restof the message was that morning, but Ido remember that over the next fewmonths, and maybe even years, Icontinually found myself wondering whatI needed to do or change in my life sothat God would extend to me such anoffer.The reality is that God has made thatsame offer to you and I through His sonJesus Christ. It’s what the apostle Johnwrites about in 1 John 5:14-15 when hesays, “This is the confidence we have inapproaching God: that if we ask anythingaccording to his will, he hears us. 15Andif we know that he hears us—whateverwe ask—we know that we have what weasked of him.”
WWW . REMIXNJ . COMIn his prayer, Solomon was essentiallyasking God to grant him wisdom &understanding, but here’s what’sincredible about this prayer, earlierIn light of Solomon’s situation, you and Ichapters indicate that Solomon wascan probably come up with a list ofalready a man of wisdom. It waspriority items from which he could havedisplayed in the way he handled affairs ofselected his request.Is it possible that the reason some of usthe state in chapter 1:52-53, and in fact,are not seeing God move as dramatically his father David says so on two occasionsIn light of the ill-intentioned men hisas we’d expect is because we haven’t even in the previous chapter that he is a manfather warned him about, he could haveasked God to help him completely rid his taken the time to acknowledge and thank of wisdom, (verse 6 & 9).enemies so his reign would be a period of Him for all the great things He has done!So out of all the things he could havepeace.There is a reverence and humility inasked for, why in the world would he askSolomon’s prayer as He acknowledgesfor more of what he already had? I thinkConsidering the fact that he had justbeforeGodthatlongbeforeHewasthe answer to that question is themarried the daughter of Pharaoh fordifference in settling for something goodpolitical reasons, he could have asked that born, God had been gracious to Hisrather than trusting God for somethingGod would bless his time in office sogreat!that Israel would be the most renownednation in the known world.I recall one of my professors walkinginto class in seminary and making thisIn light of all the building projects hestatement to us eager students, “thewas involved in, he could have askedproblem some of you will face inthat God would exponentially multiplyministry is that you’re good at what youwhatever wealth his father David haddo!” His point was that relying on ourleft for him so that he and his peopleown gifts and talents might get us far inwould never be in need.life, but arriving at a point where werecognize that compared to what GodBut incredibly, Solomon doesn’t ask forhas to offer, even our best is like a child’sany of the “expected requests” you andknowledge!I would have made. His request reflectssomething profound and honorableCould Solomon have asked God forgoing on deep in his heart. Listen towealth or military might and still havehow he starts it in verse 6, “SolomonMore of the same?been an effective king? Absolutely, butanswered, “You have shown greatits highly unlikely you or I wouldWhyaskformoreofwhathealreadykindness to your servant, my fatherremember his name today or associatehad? The answer to that question isDavid, because he was faithful to youhim with wisdom and opulence.the difference in settling for somethingand righteous and upright in heart. Yougood rather than trusting God forhave continued this great kindness toEven though Solomon already possessedsomething great!him and have given him a son to sit onwisdom, he recognized that in order tohis throne this very day. ”truly be great, he needed a superempowering of God’s spirit in an areaThose are just the opening lines to hisofhis life he had already been blessedprayer, he hasn’t even gotten to his mainfather, and true to HIS nature, God wasin. He was willing, not only to surrenderrequest yet, but did you hear theagain extending the same grace and favor his weaknesses to God, but also his best!genuineness and humility in his tone ashe approached God to ask for something to him. It’s as if Solomon was saying,“God I know you know this already, but I Think about that for a moment, many ofGod already guaranteed would be his?want you to know that I know that you’re us often approach God with our longthe one who has done this!”beefed up resume stating what it is weHe acknowledges before God that all hecan bring to the table for the kingdom ofhas and is about to be entrusted with is aIt’sonlythenthatheasksforhisrequest,God. But what we learn from Solomongift from God. He was in essence saying,7 “Now, O LORD my God, you haveis that in approaching God, we must see“O Lord, my father became king andwhatever gifting we’ve been given in lightremained successful because you allowed made your servant king in place of myof His greatness and generosity.it, and by your great loving kindness, you father David. But I am only a little childanddonotknowhowtocarryoutmyhave provided me with the opportunity toduties. 8Your servant is here among theListen to how he builds his case beforebe in his position today.”people you have chosen, a great people,God. He says, “Lord, though the worldtoo numerous to count or number. 9Sopraises my wisdom, truth is, I don’t reallyOk, let’s pause and reflect on that for agiveyourservantadiscerninghearttoknow what I’m doing here. You have justmoment. When you approach God ingovern your people and to distinguishentrusted me with the lives of a greatprayer, do you ever pause andacknowledge what God has already done between right and wrong. For who is able people who have the potential forto govern this great people of yours?”amazing good, or frightful rebellion, Iand is doing in your life, and in the livesneed your version of wisdom so I canof those closest to you?Verse 6-9: “A REQUEST FORWISDOM”What has God done right in your life?What have you prayed for and seen Godwork out? How has He demonstrated Hislove and power in the lives of thoseclosest to you?
WWW . REMIXNJ . COMlead them well.”Don’t miss how responsiveand thankful Solomon is toGod throughout this account;there is an ongoingacknowledgment that all hehas is a gift from God. An actwe continual encourage allremixers to regularly engagein!He wasn’t simply asking for morewisdom, Solomon was asking that Godwould grant him the kind of wisdomthat would help him EXCEL at theresponsibilities he was entrusted with.Solomon was already king, he hadalready received the answers to his sunstand still prayer, but now he had to dosomething with it. Hence why he askedGod to grant him a discerning heart onhow to govern the people and helpthem distinguish between right andwrong.So here’s a natural transitional thought,what has God already “installed” inyou? What areas of gifting, talent, andabilities do you already thrive in?Consider the fact that you already findgreat joy in these areas because theycome naturally to you. So why notbegin praying that God would grant youthe wisdom to best manage and excel inyour giftings in such a way that it bringsHim the greatest glory.In asking God to grant him a discerningheart so that he could excel in what Godhad entrusted him with, Solomon (as wellas those of us who follow his lead) wasessentially preparing the way so that Godcould show His power in and through hislife.Verse 10-15: “A RESPONSE LIKENO OTHER”In light of his prayer, God grants himthree favorable responses. First off, Godgranted him the wisdom he needed tolead, so much so that dignitaries from faraway lands came to Israel seeking hiscounsel. So he received above andbeyond what he expected. But Godwasn’t done just yet because He threw inan extra bonus, he also granted Solomon,wealth and fame.While those first three responses werefreebies, the last one is conditional in thatNotice how God responds to his request, he would be granted long life to enjoy all“10The Lord was pleased that Solomonhis blessings if he remained faithful tohad asked for this. 11So God said to him, God all his days. All that to say, there are“Since you have asked for this and not for times when God blesses us for His namelong life or wealth for yourself, nor havesake and for His glory, and other times, itasked for the death of your enemies butis conditional upon our faithfulness tofor discernment in administering justice,walk in obedience to Him.12I will do what you have asked. I willgive you a wise and discerning heart, soThe account ends with Solomon offeringthat there will never have been anyonethanks and praise to God, even though itlike you, nor will there ever be.all happened in a dream. Think about his13Moreover, I will give you what youactions in verse 15 because ithave not asked for—both riches anddemonstrates a heart that was incrediblyhonor—so that in your lifetime you willreceptive and responsive to God.have no equal among kings. 14And ifyou walk in my ways and obey myIn light of that fact that all of this tookstatutes and commands as David yourplace in a dream, Solomon could havefather did, I will give you a long life.”woken up and written off as a result of a15Then Solomon awoke—and hegood night’s rest. Instead, by faith andrealized it had been a dream. Heout of gratitude, he offered personalreturned to Jerusalem, stood before thesacrifices and offerings to God, then heark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed threw a huge “thank-you-madd-shoutburnt offerings and fellowship offerings.out to God” party for all his officials.Then he gave a feast for all his court.”Can you imagine him trying to explainthe reason for the celebration?, “yeah, soGod told me in a dream I am gonna besooooo smart & rich!”Don’t miss how responsive and thankfulSolomon is to God throughout thisaccount; there is an ongoingacknowledgment that all he has is a giftfrom God. An act we continualencourage all remixers to regularlyengage in!Verse 16-27: “A DISPLAY OFWISDOM”As if to assure us that God really didgrant Solomon wisdom, chapter 3 endswith an account stating how his wisdomwas put on display.Let me read it to you cause it’s actuallyan interesting account. Starting in verse16, “Now two prostitutes came to theking and stood before him. 17One ofthem said, “My lord, this woman and Ilive in the same house. I had a baby whileshe was there with me. 18The third dayafter my child was born, this woman alsohad a baby. We were alone; there was noone in the house but the two of us.19“During the night this woman’s sondied because she lay on him. 20So shegot up in the middle of the night andtook my son from my side while I yourservant was asleep. She put him by her
WWW . REMIXNJ . COMbreast and put her dead son by mybreast. 21The next morning, I got upto nurse my son—and he was dead!But when I looked at him closely inthe morning light, I saw that it wasn’tthe son I had borne.”22The otherwoman said, “No! The living one ismy son; the dead one is yours.” Butthe first one insisted, “No! The deadone is yours; the living one is mine.”And so they argued before the king.23The king said, “This one says, ‘Myson is alive and your son is dead,’while that one says, ‘No! Your son isdead and mine is alive.’”24Then theking said, “Bring me a sword.” Sothey brought a sword for the king.25He then gave an order: “Cut theliving child in two and give half toone and half to the other.”26Thewoman whose son was alive was filledwith compassion for her son and saidto the king, “Please, my lord, give herthe living baby! Don’t kill him!” Butthe other said, “Neither I nor youshall have him. Cut him intwo!”27Then the king gave his ruling:“Give the living baby to the firstwoman. Do not kill him; she is hismother.28When all Israel heard theverdict the king had given, they heldthe king in awe, because they saw thathe had wisdom from God toadminister justice.”God did exactly what he said hewould do. If you want a detailedaccount of his wealth and wisdom,look at 1 Kings 4:29-34 and 1 Kings10:14-29.As we finish off this part of theevening, one of the questions you’llhave a chance to discuss in yourgroups is this, “What opportunities ordecisions are you facing right now forwhich you need the wisdom Godgranted Solomon?”WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN?theREMIX meets on Sunday nights at 6:00P.M (year round).We can be reached online at (www . remixnj . com) You can also find us on Facebook The Remix MinistryPhone: 973.347.0667. Fax: 973.691.4214 EMAIL: remixministrynj @ yahoo.com We meet at GRACE THE CHURCH ON THE MOUNTBox 35. Route 46 East. Netcong, New Jersey, 07857 (Next to CITGO gas station)
time), to being the coolest and smartest kid at my school at the time. Now I don't even remember what the rest of the message was that morning, but I do remember that over the next few months, and maybe even years, I continually found myself wondering what I needed to do or change in my life so that God would extend to me such an offer.
