I KINGS

Today is Sunday!  I love Sundays!  I'm so looking forward to being with God's people.  This morning, I read in I Kings and here are a few thoughts:  1) TWO BROTHERS CAUSING TROUBLE- In I Kings 1:5, it says:  "Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king:..."  and then verse 6 says:  "... and his mother bare him after Absalom."  Absalom rebelled against David the King and was then overcome.  Now, Absalom's brother is causing trouble as well.  He seeks to take the kingdom away from Solomon.  Well, both brothers meet the same fate as they both rebel against the King and the king's plan.  2) SOLOMON LOVED THE LORD- I Kings 3:3 says:  "And Solomon loved the LORD, waling in the statutes of David his father:"  Solomon did not get a request from the LORD because he was the new King, but because he loved the LORD!  Not position, but relationship means something to God.  Because Solomon loved the LORD, God asked him what he wanted.  In verse 5, it says:  "In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night:  and God said, Ask what I shall give thee."  This God did because of the love HE felt from Solomon.  Let us strive to love the LORD our God in all that we do, with all of our might, with all of our heart! 3) THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON-1 Kings 4:30-34  "And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.  For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.  And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.  And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.  And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom." Here, we see not only Solomon's wisdom in judgment, but in all things.  Plants, animals, music, poetry, etc.  He was wise in all areas, not just in some.  People came from all over the known world to hear of his wisdom which God had given to him.  Remember that it says in James 1:5  "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."  God still wants to impart wisdom! 4) SOLOMON'S WEALTH- Because he asked for wisdom and understanding to judge the people of Israel, God granted him other things as well and one of those was wealth and honor!  In I Kings 10:23 it says:  "So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom." When God does something, He does it good!  When God gave Solomon wisdom, God made him the wisest of all men.  When God gave him riches, He made him the richest of all men.  Verse 14 says that 666 talents of gold came to Solomon each year.  That is over 2 billion in gold coming in every year!  And when it comes to Silver, it says in verse 27:  "And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones,"  He was wealthy beyond compare and beyond comprehension.  Blessed of God!  We too can be blessed of God. Well, hope you have a great Sunday!  May God's blessings rest upon you today.  Pastor Mike Mutchler