King Solomon

Wisdom’s Framework

“He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.” – Isaiah 33:6 Even though he was in the thick of trials and up to his ears with problems, King Solomon recognized that there would be more value in understanding how to deal with them than if they disappeared. This is an excellent frame of mind to maintain as we enter the new year.  It’s fascinating to me that God not only honored the wise king’s request for wisdom, He assured him that he would have more of it than anyone else on earth. Beyond that, He promised that all the things he wanted but hadn’t asked for would be added to him — wealth, honor, and a long life. I believe this is because the Lord knew that if his

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The Greatest Treasure

“At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, ‘Ask for whatever you want me to give you.’ ” – 1 Kings 3:5 Yesterday, we looked at how King Solomon sought the Lord first when he was faced with overwhelming challenges and obstacles. Today, I want to look at God’s response.  It’s interesting that Solomon gave 1,000 choice offerings to the Lord at Gibeon and then went back to his tent. The Bible doesn’t tell us what else happened at that special place or if anything transpired in between, but one thing is certain — the King’s reverence got the Lord’s attention. In the middle of the night, God appeared to the novice ruler in a dream and offered to give him whatever he wanted. I don’t know about you, but if the Almighty asked me this question, I can think of a

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Seek God First

“The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.” – 1 Kings 3:4 Now that it’s December 26, I find myself thinking again about the fact that another year is nearly over. Even more importantly, I am beginning to contemplate the one that lies ahead as I seek to prepare my mind and heart for the new challenges and adventures that await.  For inspiration, I find myself looking to the example of King Solomon. At the time he took the throne, this young ruler, who was the son of the legendary King David, had major problems. His brothers were jealous of his reign, the tribal rulers of Israel didn’t like him, he had some big bad enemies at the border, and he had no idea how to lead the people. Knowing that the

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The Blessing in Wisdom

“God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore.” – 1 Kings 4:29 In addition to righteousness, the second of the three virtues I believe leads to a blessed life is wisdom. While many of us hear this somewhat intimidating term and think it refers to intelligence or “book smarts,” the truth is that wisdom is inextricably linked to character. For this reason, it can always be cultivated and inherited in greater measure. Perhaps this is why James 1:5 says to ask God for more of it, and He will gladly provide. So what exactly is wisdom? I believe it’s simply humility — the opposite of arrogance. Wisdom is an attitude of heart that doesn’t assume it knows best but that seeks advice and input from others. It yields to the Lord’s way and is willing to consider

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