1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:04,880 Those who honor me I will honor. Those who despise me, I will 2 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:07,960 lightly esteem. One of the primary ways that you 3 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:11,720 honor God is you honor His Word. You love His Word, You tremble 4 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:14,320 at His word. You consider the word of God the 5 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:16,680 voice of God. And we are going to hear from 6 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:20,240 the voice of God today in a exciting chapter in First Kings. 7 00:00:20,240 --> 00:00:24,800 So meet me in First Kings Chapter 3 as we posture our 8 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:28,400 hearts to hear from the living God in First Kings Chapter 3. 9 00:00:35,030 --> 00:00:38,270 And we are going to begin and study starting from verse 16, 10 00:00:38,270 --> 00:00:44,310 First Kings 3 verse 16. Father, we bow before you in our 11 00:00:44,310 --> 00:00:51,030 hearts, and we pray for a special help from the Holy 12 00:00:51,030 --> 00:00:54,150 Spirit. Lord, we are privileged to be 13 00:00:54,150 --> 00:00:57,510 students of your word. But, Lord, you call us more than 14 00:00:57,510 --> 00:01:00,430 just students or servants. You call us friends. 15 00:01:01,230 --> 00:01:04,959 Thank you for making us friends. Thank you that you've adopted us 16 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:07,560 to be your children. We are not orphans. 17 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:11,240 We belong to you. And we pray that we would hear 18 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:17,040 the voice of our father speaking exactly how we need to be taught 19 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:23,240 and encouraged and built up, maybe even convicted, so that we 20 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:25,680 can reflect the image of the one that we belong to. 21 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:29,760 Lord, We ask for a special unction, even in a Bible study, 22 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:34,040 that our hearts would be gripped by the truths in this time 23 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:37,080 together, and we pray that you would be exalted and blessed and 24 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:40,120 honored in it all. In Christ's name we pray. 25 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:44,520 Amen. Prayer is a privilege. 26 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:52,080 Prayer is a treasure. For the Christian, prayer is 27 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:55,560 often the object of much scorn and mockery by those who deny 28 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:59,720 God altogether. But what is the object of scorn 29 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:03,480 is the delight of the Christian, the St. 30 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:07,920 And one of the things that makes prayer such a privilege is that 31 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:12,320 it is God's invitation to us to come to Him and to open our 32 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:15,720 hearts, and to pour out what's in our hearts at His caring 33 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:19,200 feet, and to be. Assured every single time that 34 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:21,560 we don't not have to go to a brazen altar. 35 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:24,360 We don't have to bring specific types of animals that at any 36 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:29,280 place, anytime we can commune with God and we are promised His 37 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:32,800 listening ear. But the exciting thing about 38 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:36,960 prayer beyond that, beyond the access we have with God, as 39 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:42,840 amazing as that is, is that prayer will be answered. 40 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:48,560 God responds to prayer. He delivers. 41 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:52,440 He will move, He will act, He will respond to. 42 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:55,520 Consider this the creator and the sustainer of the heavens and 43 00:02:55,520 --> 00:03:01,160 the earth will actually bend down and act upon the desperate 44 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:06,880 request of a creature. And you and I, beginning in 45 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:11,200 chapter three of this witness a man who prayed, we studied, a 46 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:15,800 man who realized the the great responsibility he had as a king 47 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:19,760 and could not fathom pursuing and advancing in that calling 48 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:22,280 apart from God's help God's hand on his life. 49 00:03:22,640 --> 00:03:26,040 And so he prays. He asked God for his help. 50 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:29,720 He asked God to be endowed with certain discernment and skills. 51 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:32,600 And what you and I are going to see now for the rest of this 52 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:34,360 chapter is God answer that prayer. 53 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:36,960 Oh yes, God told him that he was going to do it. 54 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:40,440 But now we're going to see that answer materialize. 55 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:43,160 We're going to see it now manifest. 56 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:45,880 And that makes it a thrilling study. 57 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:50,560 Because apart from salvation, I can't think of a more thrilling 58 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:54,320 experience than knowing that God in heaven can actually answer 59 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:58,120 and intervene in my life when you and I pray. 60 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:02,280 God is going to answer Solomon's prayer. 61 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:08,760 Solomon prayed. God answered and promised to 62 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:12,800 provide and do more. And now we are going to behold 63 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:17,000 how God is going to allow Solomon experience that answer. 64 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:24,440 In a very dramatic scenario, Solomon now is going to know the 65 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:28,640 endowment, the enablement that has been assured by God in and 66 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:31,520 through him. And what we're going to do is 67 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:37,000 really just read the case that's going to pull on the wisdom that 68 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:40,000 Solomon received from God. But let's make this interactive, 69 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,400 shall we? I'm going to read these verses 70 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:45,760 before we see how Solomon's wisdom interacts with it. 71 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:50,880 And let's try to investigate and and draw insights and details, 72 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:54,160 Not just mere observations, but perhaps even some kind of 73 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:58,240 instruction in the scene before us today. 74 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:01,080 Let's read beginning of verse 16 and give your attention to this 75 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:03,600 as we complete a few verses at a time. 76 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:09,880 First kings 316. Then two prostitutes came to the 77 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:14,920 king and stood before him. The one woman said, Oh my Lord, 78 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:19,320 this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth to 79 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:21,000 a child while she was in the house. 80 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:24,920 Then on the third day after I gave birth, this woman also gave 81 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:27,080 birth. And we were alone. 82 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:29,640 There was no one else with us in the house. 83 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:34,000 Only we two were in the house. And this woman's son died in the 84 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:38,640 night because she lay on him, and she arose at midnight and 85 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:42,280 took my son from beside. Me while your servant slept and 86 00:05:42,280 --> 00:05:46,000 laid him at her breast. And laid her dead son at my 87 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:49,560 breast. When I rose in the morning to 88 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:51,520 nurse my child, behold, he was dead. 89 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:55,160 But when I looked at him closely in the morning, behold, he was 90 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:59,720 not the child that I had born. But the other woman said, No, 91 00:05:59,920 --> 00:06:02,720 the living child is mine, and the dead child is yours. 92 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:05,480 The first said no, the dead child is yours, and the living 93 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:10,200 child is mine. Thus they spoke before the king. 94 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:15,160 Any details, Anything that stands out to you that think 95 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:17,600 that you think will contribute to the understanding of this 96 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:22,000 passage, or at least color it in a way where we can draw some 97 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:24,760 principles? What things stand out to you? 98 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:33,320 What characteristics? Nobody else was in the house. 99 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:36,720 That's repeated over and over. We were the only ones in the 100 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:39,160 house. We were alone in the house. 101 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:42,760 That's going to be huge. That's going to really determine 102 00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:46,160 how Solomon's going to really need to draw from God's wisdom. 103 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:49,800 Good, if we can answer like that. 104 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:51,680 Just rapid fire. Anything else standing out to 105 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:53,680 you Doesn't have to be this incredible revelation, just 106 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:58,160 observations. Yes, very good. 107 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:02,000 Two prostitutes were able to enter and stand before the 108 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:05,160 presence of the king. I believe that said something 109 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:06,880 about Solomon as well. Sorry, go ahead. 110 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:11,960 Not only that, they were arguing before the king, and I'll add to 111 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:14,840 that. The king lets them argue, and he 112 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:17,200 is silent. Good. 113 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:22,280 Anything else? These are great observations. 114 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:24,080 Observations that will be noted in this study. 115 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:28,000 Anything else? Once telling the truth, one 116 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:30,120 isn't, that's that's obvious, right? 117 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:33,000 We're going to see how Solomon's going to discover who's telling 118 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:35,200 the truth. Anything else? 119 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:42,000 Well, let me remind you again, this is how you and I get 120 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:44,400 something from the Bible. We talk to the Bible in a way. 121 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:47,800 We engage with the scriptures, we ask questions, and that will 122 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:50,320 make all the difference between you just scratching up a 123 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:52,200 devotional. Time and actually getting gold 124 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:55,160 from the Bible. Well, let's do this together. 125 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:58,920 Let's revisit verse 16. Then two prostitutes came to the 126 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:03,080 king and stood before him. Were these women moral or moral? 127 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:06,400 Immoral. Immoral. 128 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:08,800 They were prostitutes. They were harlots. 129 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:12,600 And they made a decision in their lives what to do with 130 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:14,800 their bodies. And the decisions that they 131 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:18,080 would make with their bodies brought turmoil upon themselves. 132 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:21,280 Is it not true? But not only did they experience 133 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:25,080 distress in their own lives, it's spilled over into the lives 134 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:27,760 of others, namely, these precious babies. 135 00:08:28,480 --> 00:08:32,080 These precious babies, in fact, one of these woman. 136 00:08:33,280 --> 00:08:36,159 Was so careless with her body and it reflected even in how she 137 00:08:36,159 --> 00:08:38,919 treated the body of another innocent, precious child. 138 00:08:39,159 --> 00:08:42,480 Because we we just read that one of these woman turned over 139 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:46,840 without caution and laid on top of a child and smothered that 140 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:50,800 baby to death. And so we see here that there is 141 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:53,760 this attitude of selfishness at play here. 142 00:08:54,040 --> 00:08:56,960 And one of the one of the unfortunate things about 143 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:59,480 selfishness is that selfishness doesn't just affect self. 144 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:03,880 Other people have to. Endure the suffering that comes 145 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:06,920 from a person who is absorbed into themselves. 146 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:10,440 And so we see that these people who made the decision to live as 147 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:12,880 prostitutes, not only did that affect their lives, that affect 148 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:15,280 the lives of those in their close context, but not only did 149 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:19,160 it affect the lives of those in their close context, they became 150 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:24,200 a stain to society. This is, this is a public affair 151 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:27,560 now. This is a scandal and how true 152 00:09:27,560 --> 00:09:31,520 it is of sin. Sin is not just in the air, 153 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:33,240 right? It starts in the heart. 154 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:36,120 This is where it overflows from. Jesus made that emphatically 155 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:39,880 clear. And sin is slippery. 156 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:44,480 Contrary to the false hope that many sinners have, the 157 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:47,640 repercussions of sin cannot be contained. 158 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:51,480 They can't be contained. You can't determine where your 159 00:09:51,680 --> 00:09:54,280 decisions will take you. You can't determine the 160 00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:58,680 collateral damage that your decisions and disobedience can 161 00:09:58,680 --> 00:10:01,800 bring. And so we see this here. 2 162 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:05,800 prostitutes who lived in one home together are now on the 163 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:10,840 public stage nationally, so to speak, the Supreme Court of 164 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:15,240 Israel. And this is a reminder to us 165 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:19,440 that the stench and the sting of sin has a tendency to spread and 166 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:21,920 permeate beyond what you had hoped or imagined. 167 00:10:22,680 --> 00:10:26,360 May we shun it from the beginning at the same time you 168 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:29,760 brought it up, sister. It's interesting to see Solomon 169 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:33,760 willing to engage with this dilemma as a king. 170 00:10:35,680 --> 00:10:38,880 You know Solomon with his stature, with his with his 171 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:42,440 responsibility. He had every right to ignore 172 00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:47,280 these citizens who are staying to this God centered culture. 173 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:50,280 He could have just shooed them away and let them endure their 174 00:10:50,280 --> 00:10:53,680 pain, but instead he brings them and gives them a chance to 175 00:10:53,680 --> 00:10:58,640 receive justice. And already you and I have a 176 00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:01,000 glimpse of a king to come. Do you not? 177 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:06,400 One who is infinitely more holy and just than King Solomon, who 178 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:12,080 will also receive sinners, and he will eat with them, and he 179 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:14,400 will give him a chance to experience new life through 180 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:18,120 repentance and faith. Here are two prostitutes who 181 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:21,680 came before King Solomon. But the King of Glory, when you 182 00:11:21,680 --> 00:11:24,480 read through the pages of the New Testament, comes to the 183 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:29,560 prostitutes. She is coming, one of these 184 00:11:29,560 --> 00:11:30,880 women's coming to receive justice. 185 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:35,800 And our King leaves the throne and comes to those who are not 186 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:40,400 searching for him to begin with and sits with them in the homes 187 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:43,440 of tax collectors, in the homes where the religious leaders 188 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:47,200 would stick their nose in the air and look down upon. 189 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:51,400 Already we see just just a little stitch of what makes 190 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:56,000 Jesus greater than Solomon here. And now we read and we continue. 191 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:58,480 What do we notice? One of these woman's speak up. 192 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:01,320 The one woman said, Oh my Lord, this woman, verse 17, I live in 193 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:03,520 the same house. They live in the same house. 194 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:05,440 OK, clearly they don't have husbands. 195 00:12:07,360 --> 00:12:09,280 And it makes you wonder what kind of house this was. 196 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:13,360 Probably a brothel, probably some kind of an inn where 197 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:17,240 inappropriate behavior regularly took place. 198 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:23,080 And so we know that this House is not a respectable abode. 199 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:28,200 It's questionable and we we're told that they live together. 200 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:31,080 And what's more important than determining what kind of home 201 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:34,800 this was was the fact that this child she says that she born 202 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:39,120 came into this world at a certain point and this other 203 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:41,000 roommate of hers had another child. 204 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:43,240 And what's the days of difference between these 205 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:44,600 children? Three days? 206 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:49,200 Three days? When it comes to infants 3 days 207 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:52,480 apart, is there much significant features that distinguish them? 208 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:55,080 Not really. Three days. 209 00:12:55,280 --> 00:13:00,000 Very little to work with. If this one baby had been a few 210 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:02,200 weeks older, you wouldn't even have controversy here. 211 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:07,360 But you have two children. You have two babies coming to 212 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:11,720 this world three days apart. Very difficult to even 213 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:13,560 distinguish. I mean, only a mother can look 214 00:13:13,560 --> 00:13:16,240 closely and see the difference as she confesses later. 215 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:21,560 But in terms of what this means for Solomon, you have very 216 00:13:21,560 --> 00:13:25,240 little evidence. To work with in in terms of 217 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:28,720 making the right judgement and if it wasn't difficult enough to 218 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:31,600 have very little evidence. We heard it from our brother. 219 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:36,360 You have no eyewitnesses. What does she say? 220 00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:39,400 Over and over again she said he she says it here at the end of 221 00:13:39,400 --> 00:13:43,080 verse 18 and we were alone. There was no one else with us in 222 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:46,120 the house. Only we two were in the house. 223 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:49,400 No evidence, very little to work with in terms of evidence, and 224 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:55,400 no witnesses. This is what Solomon has to deal 225 00:13:55,400 --> 00:13:58,800 with. How will he make a right choice 226 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:01,880 without risk? How will he solve this? 227 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:07,480 Where can he go with this? All he has now is 2 228 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:11,440 contradictory statements being made and you got to pick one. 229 00:14:11,680 --> 00:14:16,320 You got to choose someone, and this is what thrilled my heart 230 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:20,960 when when studying this Out of all the potential circumstances 231 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:23,920 and predicaments, this is the one that the Lord brings to 232 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:26,840 Solomon to prove that his wisdom is in fact true. 233 00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:32,880 It couldn't have been a little bit easier, no. 234 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:35,640 He gives them an almost impossible puzzle. 235 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:41,920 For what purpose? So that when the solution would 236 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:45,720 come about, Solomon would be absolutely convinced that the 237 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:49,040 wisdom he had. Was exceptional and given by 238 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:52,320 God. There would be no room for doubt 239 00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:55,520 that if God will come through with what I asked for, then 240 00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:59,120 certainly I have received my answer. 241 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:04,440 I want you to never forget that when God in His Providence 242 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:07,480 places you before something that seems absolutely impossible to 243 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:11,320 resolve, because that is by design as you walk in obedience 244 00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:14,840 to His will. Remember this as a principle 245 00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:17,720 that if I am standing before something that seems to be a 246 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:21,320 tight and tricky trial, how am I going to get out of this one? 247 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:26,280 Understand that by design, God LED you there so that when you 248 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:29,680 do come through, and you will, as long as you hold His hand, 249 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:33,600 both you and all the witnesses in your world will be able to 250 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:39,520 say, God did this, God did this. And that's why James can say 251 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:42,080 something. So bold as count it all. 252 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:46,000 Joy, my brothers, when you face trials of various kinds, What 253 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:48,960 specimen, What kind of human being can actually count it? 254 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:52,280 Joy When you face a trial, I'll tell you which one the Christian 255 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:55,080 not because of the Krishna, but because of the Christ in the 256 00:15:55,080 --> 00:15:59,800 Christian's life. And so you really can't lose as 257 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:04,560 a Christian in your pilgrimage, because even things like this, 258 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:07,400 that seem like you don't know how you're going to get out of 259 00:16:07,400 --> 00:16:08,360 this. You don't know how God's going 260 00:16:08,360 --> 00:16:09,920 to be glorified in this. You don't know how you're going 261 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:15,600 to be able to exemplify Christ likeness in it and come out 262 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:18,000 successful, come out shining with his glory. 263 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:23,760 You will, because God often times brings us to these moments 264 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:26,440 so that you would come out believing him more and 265 00:16:27,120 --> 00:16:28,960 confounding others who might have doubted him. 266 00:16:30,680 --> 00:16:32,520 This is where Solomon's at. This is immediately following 267 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:34,480 his request to receive wisdom. And God says, I'll show you 268 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:38,240 wisdom and I'll show you that I'm with you and I'll prove 269 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:42,080 myself in and through you. Here are a couple of prostitutes 270 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:45,800 with no witnesses, with little to no evidence. 271 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:49,360 Now watch me work. Watch me work. 272 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:53,920 So you can smile, my brother. You can smile, my sister, 273 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:57,880 because of the Lord is. With you that he'll bring you 274 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:00,440 through. And that's what Solomon's going 275 00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:03,320 to experience in a moment here. But look at this scene, this 276 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:05,920 interesting scene in verse 22. But the other woman said no. 277 00:17:05,920 --> 00:17:07,920 The living child is mine and the dead child is yours. 278 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:09,839 The first said no, the dead child is yours and the living 279 00:17:09,839 --> 00:17:12,000 child is mine. Thus they spoke before the king. 280 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:14,280 So an argument breaks out in the throne room. 281 00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:22,000 And that is often the case with people. 282 00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:25,599 This is an extreme situation, but. 283 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:30,680 Tense relationships, accusations, lies, personal 284 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:34,440 offences are unfortunately far too common, especially believer. 285 00:17:34,440 --> 00:17:36,320 Listen to me very carefully. As long as you live in 286 00:17:36,320 --> 00:17:39,480 community, what you see here between these two women going at 287 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:43,160 it back and forth will be something that you will witness 288 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:49,440 on more than one occasion. I'm just preparing you, and what 289 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:51,240 we need is what Solomon has here. 290 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:54,480 As we do life with other people, Solomon's a leader. 291 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:56,480 Here's a king. He has governing authority. 292 00:17:56,760 --> 00:17:58,360 He has a different kind of responsibility. 293 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:02,840 But this, this kind of context and situation is something that 294 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:04,400 you and I share in to some extent. 295 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:08,400 When we deal with people as Christians, and we're called to 296 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:10,680 bear one another's burdens, and we're called to confront sin, 297 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:13,120 we're called to listen to those who need some advice. 298 00:18:13,360 --> 00:18:18,360 We need wisdom. You and I need wisdom from God. 299 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:21,800 Or else we'll do damage to ourselves and damage to others, 300 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:24,480 and ultimately damage to the testimony of Christ. 301 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:28,280 And so this is not just you and I studying an interesting story 302 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:29,480 and applauding it from a distance. 303 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:32,640 This is you and I saying, OK, yes, Solomon, receive a wisdom 304 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:35,960 that will never be repeated, but there is still an invitation for 305 00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:39,000 me to receive wisdom. And I want to show you that 306 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:43,520 Solomon is exercising a wisdom that can be reflected on our own 307 00:18:43,520 --> 00:18:45,640 lives before he even utters a word. 308 00:18:47,120 --> 00:18:50,120 I believe Solomon is operating in wisdom before he even says 309 00:18:50,120 --> 00:18:52,120 anything. You say how? 310 00:18:52,120 --> 00:18:54,000 Look at the last part here, verse 22. 311 00:18:54,240 --> 00:19:00,120 Thus they spoke before the King. Solomon's wisdom here is in his 312 00:19:00,120 --> 00:19:06,320 silence. In his silence he has two women. 313 00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:08,000 Here. They're both claiming something 314 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:11,360 contradicting each other and Solomon on his throne. 315 00:19:11,880 --> 00:19:15,000 Let's one speak her mind and share her perspective and lets 316 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:17,240 the other speak her mind and share her perspective. 317 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:23,800 And this man is living out the principle that you see in two 318 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:26,080 verses in one chapter of the book of Proverbs. 319 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:30,120 The one is Proverbs 1813 and the other is a very well known one. 320 00:19:30,120 --> 00:19:35,920 In Proverbs 1817 wisdom is not given to everybody, but it is 321 00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:38,960 required of everybody. You and I are called to be a 322 00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:41,600 wise people. And so let's glean some 323 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:44,960 practical wisdom. Here a couple ways that you can 324 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:47,880 assure yourself you can measure wisdom in your life. 325 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:52,360 Proverbs 1813 reads. If one gives an answer before he 326 00:19:52,360 --> 00:19:59,800 hears it is his folly and shame if one brings an opinion, a 327 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:04,680 judgement before taking the time to gather as much necessary 328 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:07,440 data. It's foolishness. 329 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:11,720 It's foolishness. And often times people want to 330 00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:15,320 try to prove their wisdom by interjecting halfway through 331 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:18,240 somebody's explanation to try to show that they are prophetic in 332 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:19,480 some sense. I guess I don't get it. 333 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:23,760 And the Bible says no, no, no, you have to actually wait and 334 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:27,800 hear before you give an answer. And part of waiting and hearing 335 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:29,520 before you give a judgement or opinion. 336 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:31,400 I'm telling you, so many Christians have made a mess of 337 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:33,680 so many relations because of they refuse to be wise in this 338 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:36,400 respect. One of the ways in which you and 339 00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:39,480 I listen carefully before we give an answer is verse 17. 340 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:43,360 What does verse 17 say? The one who states his case 341 00:20:43,360 --> 00:20:46,800 first seems right until the other comes and examines him. 342 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:51,400 The one who states his case first seems right until another 343 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:54,760 comes and examines him. It's a part of listening is also 344 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:58,680 including different perspectives depending on the nature of the 345 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:03,160 situation and how providential is this in a time in which we 346 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:07,200 are receiving hourly updates on a world scale. 347 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:16,800 There seems to be this pressure to make statements and to give 348 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:19,640 commentary on absolutely everything that comes your way. 349 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:23,000 You don't need to do that. You don't. 350 00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:27,920 But because everybody's been given a platform, right, Which 351 00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:29,720 is a blessing and a curse at the same time. 352 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:33,400 Because people who should have a voice can now have a voice, and 353 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:34,760 people who shouldn't have a voice. 354 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:39,880 They unfortunately have a voice. Be be careful. 355 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:44,200 Be wise. There's wisdom in silence. 356 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:46,280 There's wisdom in stepping back and examining. 357 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:51,400 There's wisdom in taking your time instead of allowing your 358 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:55,400 emotions to spring you into statements, to make judgments, 359 00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:58,520 only to find ourselves to be foolish and shameful. 360 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:02,920 And so we're we're living in a different era of world history 361 00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:04,600 now again because everybody has a platform. 362 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:08,240 And now not only your own little world, not only your family, now 363 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:12,280 you you are given access to what's happening across the 364 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:17,600 world. And so be very, very careful 365 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:21,040 because what you and I say and do ultimately reflects the one 366 00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:25,520 that we love and serve. I don't want to be too specific 367 00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:28,320 in this. I I think I I'm communicating 368 00:22:28,320 --> 00:22:33,680 clearly enough, and Solomon here is showing that as a general 369 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:36,560 rule, when you and I are presented with a predicament of 370 00:22:36,560 --> 00:22:44,360 problem, especially in our own world, Listen, ask, listen more, 371 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:50,840 inquire more, and patiently endure the temptation to try to 372 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:56,000 give a premature opinion or judgement. 373 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:01,080 Because if you and I desire to be wise, then what I just 374 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:05,080 explained from these two verses will help you do this and 375 00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:09,280 applying it will clear your understanding so that your 376 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:13,000 vision will be more precise. In order that you can provide a 377 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:19,960 more specific and sound suggestion or an answer as what 378 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:22,600 Solomon does here. Look again in verse 23 First 379 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:25,400 Kings. Look at verse 23. 380 00:23:25,720 --> 00:23:30,000 Then, the king said. The one says this is my son that 381 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:35,160 is alive and your son is dead, and the other says no, but your 382 00:23:35,160 --> 00:23:37,680 son is dead and my son is the living one. 383 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:40,040 What's Solomon doing there? He's making sure he got his 384 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:43,520 facts right. I just want to make sure I'm 385 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:45,680 clear here. So this is what you're saying 386 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:51,600 and this is what you're saying. And once that was affirmed, he 387 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:56,000 was able to now execute in wisdom, in wisdom. 388 00:23:57,560 --> 00:24:01,520 Don't make decisions with your feelings. 389 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:05,560 Please, please don't do that right. 390 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:10,480 Ask the Lord for the ability to make statements, decisions, 391 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:15,760 moves, reactions, interactions with truth, with truth. 392 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:20,200 And the more truth you gather, the more confident you can be in 393 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:23,920 your answer, the more you save yourself from looking like a 394 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:28,000 fool. Is this what I'm hearing? 395 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:29,360 This is what you're saying about the child. 396 00:24:29,360 --> 00:24:30,680 This is what you're saying about the child. 397 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:36,600 The silence here tends to agree that this is the case, and I 398 00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:39,200 could not help but also at this point, think about Jesus. 399 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:42,440 Think about Christ and how he is greater than Solomon. 400 00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:45,160 Do you know how? Because Christ will one day 401 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:47,920 return as king. And when he returns as king, he 402 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:50,600 will return as the king who judges the whole world. 403 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:56,440 He'll be a righteous dictator. And the beauty about King Jesus, 404 00:24:56,640 --> 00:25:01,760 which is often found here, prophetically speaking, at least 405 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:05,760 in types and shadows with Solomon, is that he does not 406 00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:08,520 need to and he will not need to do what Solomon does here and 407 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:10,640 what you and I have to do on a regular basis. 408 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:13,040 Let me prove that What do I mean by that? 409 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:15,760 And Isaiah 11, verse one and three. 410 00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:20,560 This is a picture of Christ in terms of what he will do, his 411 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:22,160 ministry, what it would look like. 412 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:27,160 And in these first three verses you have what Christ will do in 413 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:30,640 his first coming, and also what he will do in his second coming. 414 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:34,280 Let me read these verses with you, verse one of Chapter 11. 415 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:38,560 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a 416 00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:41,080 branch from his roots shall bear fruit. 417 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:45,640 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of 418 00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:48,960 wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the 419 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:51,360 Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. 420 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:54,200 And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. 421 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:55,920 Well, the fear of the Lord can't be what most people think the 422 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:57,720 fear of the Lord is if Jesus delighted in it. 423 00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:00,560 This might disturb you, but it's OK. 424 00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:03,720 It's Bible. Do you realize that Jesus Christ 425 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:09,320 in humanity feared the Lord? How many of us viewed Christ 426 00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:10,840 that way? How many of us understand Jesus 427 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:15,240 in that sense? Jesus Christ feared the Father 428 00:26:16,920 --> 00:26:20,640 and he delighted in it. So clearly the fear of the Lord 429 00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:22,440 is a good thing. I'm very passionate about the 430 00:26:22,440 --> 00:26:23,520 doctrine of the fear of the Lord. 431 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:28,600 If you can't tell, and this is the sevenfold ministry of the 432 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:30,240 Holy Spirit. You see this later on in 433 00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:32,800 Revelation, The sevenfold ministry of the Holy Spirit. 434 00:26:33,920 --> 00:26:35,360 It's explained here in Isaiah 11. 435 00:26:35,360 --> 00:26:37,800 But notice this in verse 3. And His delight shall be in the 436 00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:41,960 fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his 437 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:46,520 eyes see, or decide disputes by what His ears hear. 438 00:26:49,320 --> 00:26:51,760 So when Christ does come, and he will come as King, there would 439 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:55,400 be no outward appearance or persuasive speech that will 440 00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:59,800 alter or influence the accuracy of his assessment of every 441 00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:02,920 single problem that will come before him as king. 442 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:08,080 Jesus doesn't need a jury. Jesus doesn't need eyewitnesses. 443 00:27:08,360 --> 00:27:10,080 Jesus doesn't need security footage. 444 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:12,560 Jesus doesn't need fingerprints. Why? 445 00:27:12,720 --> 00:27:16,480 Because the Lord Jesus knows what is in the heart of man, and 446 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:20,080 he can discern perfectly the depths of the human heart. 447 00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:24,360 Oh, and when it comes to rule and reign, how swift that 448 00:27:24,360 --> 00:27:27,040 justice will be, how pure it will be. 449 00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:30,160 No one will be able to say anything about it. 450 00:27:30,160 --> 00:27:31,800 No one will be able to blame him for anything. 451 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:33,200 No one will be able to correct them. 452 00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:35,760 He will be able to bring justice. 453 00:27:35,760 --> 00:27:39,040 Without the need to see anything or hear anything. 454 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:42,560 And that is true of Jesus when he comes to rule and reign. 455 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:46,640 But that is true of Jesus now. You and I can't hide from him. 456 00:27:47,360 --> 00:27:49,000 This is the essence of the fear of the Lord. 457 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:51,640 In one way. Jesus is with me wherever I go. 458 00:27:51,800 --> 00:27:54,960 He's with you wherever you go. If you really believe that 459 00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:58,440 you're going to live differently, I promise you you 460 00:27:58,440 --> 00:28:02,840 will. And so I can't wait for Christ 461 00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:04,800 to come and to bring true justice to the earth. 462 00:28:05,880 --> 00:28:08,800 He will come, Maranatha. May he come sooner than later. 463 00:28:10,120 --> 00:28:13,920 The king on this particular occasion, did not have. 464 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:17,560 That much to work with. He didn't have the ability that 465 00:28:17,560 --> 00:28:21,280 Jesus alone has, so he doesn't have eyewitnesses. 466 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:25,840 He has very little evidence. So what does he have to do? 467 00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:27,920 He has to create his own evidence. 468 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:34,200 Solomon has to create his own evidence, and he's going to do 469 00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:38,360 that in a very unorthodox way. On the surface it may actually 470 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:43,040 seem to be barbaric and just out of bounds. 471 00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:50,040 Verse 24 and the king said, bring me a sword. 472 00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:55,080 I wonder what the suspense was like at that point. 473 00:28:55,720 --> 00:28:59,160 Bring me a sword. So a sword was brought before 474 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:04,600 the king, and the king said divide the living child in two 475 00:29:06,760 --> 00:29:11,000 and give half to the one and half to the other. 476 00:29:12,760 --> 00:29:14,520 Was there any gasp? I don't know. 477 00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:18,080 The people break out in sweat. I don't know. 478 00:29:19,600 --> 00:29:22,160 But I can imagine that there was much discomfort. 479 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:28,600 The king said divide the living child into and give half to the 480 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:32,200 one and half to the other. And this would prove to be 481 00:29:32,200 --> 00:29:34,480 absolutely genius on Solomon's part. 482 00:29:34,480 --> 00:29:36,680 But you know. Somebody earlier this week. 483 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:39,200 I don't even know if they knew we were talking about this at 484 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:41,680 this Bible study came with an interesting question, and I 485 00:29:41,680 --> 00:29:46,880 presented to you because we know here that Solomon's purpose is 486 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:48,360 not to actually go through with this, right? 487 00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:51,560 Solomon doesn't actually believe that this is the solution to 488 00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:55,160 this problem. But what he is doing here is 489 00:29:55,160 --> 00:29:59,400 that he is going to bring a test to measure the presence or the 490 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:05,920 lack of motherly affection and qualities of a true mother. 491 00:30:05,920 --> 00:30:09,320 This is what he's doing. He's about to expose who here 492 00:30:09,320 --> 00:30:14,880 truly has a heart of a mother. But the question was, this seems 493 00:30:14,880 --> 00:30:17,240 a little bit deceptive on Solomon's part. 494 00:30:17,240 --> 00:30:19,680 Because Solomon. Wasn't really going to do this 495 00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:24,600 and the question was an interesting thought if this is 496 00:30:24,600 --> 00:30:30,000 Solomon coming with a deceptive tactic to achieve his judgement. 497 00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:34,560 He wasn't actually going to kill the baby, but the source of this 498 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:37,480 controversial approach was from God, evidently because this 499 00:30:37,480 --> 00:30:40,840 wisdom would come from God. Does God here then promote a 500 00:30:40,840 --> 00:30:46,600 form of dishonesty? There we say lying to achieve 501 00:30:46,600 --> 00:30:48,720 certain ends. Do you understand the question? 502 00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:50,840 I thought that was a thought provoking question. 503 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:56,080 How would you answer that? Any idea? 504 00:31:05,820 --> 00:31:08,660 OK, but that's testing a faith. But what about actually? 505 00:31:10,780 --> 00:31:12,860 OK, so you're looking at, from God's perspective, from 506 00:31:12,860 --> 00:31:15,180 concealing certain matters, right? 507 00:31:20,580 --> 00:31:25,100 OK, so you guys now are touching on the idea of God testing us 508 00:31:25,100 --> 00:31:26,780 because he tested Abraham, right? 509 00:31:27,820 --> 00:31:28,940 It's a test. So this is the. 510 00:31:29,140 --> 00:31:31,580 So your answer would be this is more like a test than anything 511 00:31:31,580 --> 00:31:33,640 else. This is, this is not, this is 512 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:38,320 not the Lord implementing, you know, duplicit things or he's 513 00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:42,240 trying to be clever and sneaky. Would you guys agree with that? 514 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:45,120 I think that's a helpful answer. This is a test and I would. 515 00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:47,360 Take it even further than that, because when you look at the 516 00:31:47,360 --> 00:31:51,760 context and consider Solomon's position and responsibility, 517 00:31:51,760 --> 00:31:55,160 then there's more light to be shed on this. 518 00:31:55,360 --> 00:31:57,200 Solomon was a governing authority. 519 00:31:58,080 --> 00:31:59,720 That was given the duty to do what? 520 00:31:59,960 --> 00:32:02,600 To exercise justice in the land, to actually cleanse the land, to 521 00:32:02,600 --> 00:32:05,600 even hunt for evil and to purge the land of evil right. 522 00:32:06,280 --> 00:32:08,280 That was one of his responsibilities at least. 523 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:13,760 And as king with that sole and unique authority, he was also 524 00:32:13,760 --> 00:32:19,080 granted with that certain approaches, certain permissions 525 00:32:19,080 --> 00:32:24,640 to make his task effective. And maybe a modern example would 526 00:32:24,640 --> 00:32:26,360 help. Because upon hearing that 527 00:32:26,360 --> 00:32:28,560 question, this modern example came to mind. 528 00:32:28,680 --> 00:32:32,360 Because in certain operations you have our police who will 529 00:32:32,360 --> 00:32:39,160 undergo undercover, Undercover plans and investigations for the 530 00:32:39,160 --> 00:32:43,320 purpose of what? Discovering evil? 531 00:32:43,640 --> 00:32:46,920 Gaining evidence that would not be gained otherwise. 532 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:51,000 And you can almost say going undercover is what deceptive 533 00:32:51,600 --> 00:32:55,400 you're camouflaging. To pretend to be something that 534 00:32:55,400 --> 00:32:59,280 you're not, but with a righteous end, with a righteous goal in 535 00:32:59,280 --> 00:33:03,120 mind, and none of us would criticize that, right? 536 00:33:03,440 --> 00:33:06,320 None of us would look at that kind of a strategy and condemn 537 00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:10,920 it, and rightfully so. And so the way I view Solomon 538 00:33:10,920 --> 00:33:14,160 here, if this is a problem, we're seeing Solomon presenting 539 00:33:14,160 --> 00:33:18,360 this in a in a certain way. Look at Solomon as a detective. 540 00:33:20,360 --> 00:33:24,680 Seem here as somebody who is. Doing an investigation. 541 00:33:24,680 --> 00:33:28,160 And part of that investigation is infiltrating, right? 542 00:33:28,480 --> 00:33:30,920 It's to get deeper, go to the heart of the matter, discover 543 00:33:30,920 --> 00:33:33,360 things that are cloaked, discover things that are not 544 00:33:33,360 --> 00:33:35,960 easily perceived for the sake of what? 545 00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:40,400 Executing justice. And God is behind that, 546 00:33:41,200 --> 00:33:43,920 especially for those who hold certain positions that allow 547 00:33:43,920 --> 00:33:47,720 them to punish evil and to establish that which is good. 548 00:33:47,840 --> 00:33:52,080 And so the Lord enable Solomon here because of his unique 549 00:33:52,080 --> 00:34:04,960 position and authority. To do so, and to do so very 550 00:34:04,960 --> 00:34:08,239 well, yes, brother, you had your hand up. 551 00:34:08,239 --> 00:34:10,000 Can you read it please? Psalm 1826. 552 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:13,760 With the purified you've shown yourself pure, and with the 553 00:34:13,880 --> 00:34:17,760 truth you make yourself. Seem torturous? 554 00:34:17,760 --> 00:34:20,800 Torturous, Yes. So is your question pertaining 555 00:34:20,800 --> 00:34:22,719 to Solomon reflecting that truth? 556 00:34:29,199 --> 00:34:30,719 Oh, I see. So you're saying because of the 557 00:34:30,719 --> 00:34:35,920 nature of their sin and how they are dealing with things in a 558 00:34:35,920 --> 00:34:38,320 crooked way, Solomon is responding in a crooked way as 559 00:34:38,320 --> 00:34:39,360 well? Yeah. 560 00:34:39,360 --> 00:34:41,560 I don't know if I would apply that certain verse to this, but 561 00:34:41,560 --> 00:34:45,600 I think you are on to something in that Solomon has to, he has 562 00:34:45,600 --> 00:34:50,520 to go about this in a different way to almost expose them at 563 00:34:50,520 --> 00:34:53,679 their level, right. And and so he he is now doing 564 00:34:53,679 --> 00:34:59,240 something that is wise. And coming down to a certain 565 00:34:59,240 --> 00:35:02,040 level, meeting them at a certain level, and then from there 566 00:35:02,040 --> 00:35:04,880 really pulling the sheets and exposing them and unveiling the 567 00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:06,960 true nature of their heart posture. 568 00:35:07,600 --> 00:35:10,600 So this is genius. And Solomon has all the 569 00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:15,120 permission to do this. It's end is righteous, it is God 570 00:35:15,120 --> 00:35:19,080 glorifying and it is good and it fulfills his role as a king. 571 00:35:19,640 --> 00:35:21,600 And wisdom is the application of knowledge, right? 572 00:35:22,200 --> 00:35:24,000 That's really what it is. A simple definition of wisdom is 573 00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:25,920 the application of knowledge. You can be a knowledgeable 574 00:35:25,920 --> 00:35:27,200 person. I know knowledgeable people. 575 00:35:27,200 --> 00:35:30,880 They're not wise. They stumble, trip, bump into 576 00:35:30,880 --> 00:35:34,480 things, socially speaking, financially speaking, 577 00:35:34,480 --> 00:35:36,480 spiritually. They stuff their head with a 578 00:35:36,480 --> 00:35:38,840 bunch of information that they're they're very good and 579 00:35:38,960 --> 00:35:41,480 being able to rehearse facts and bring things to your attention. 580 00:35:41,680 --> 00:35:44,080 But wisdom is being able to take all of that. 581 00:35:44,240 --> 00:35:48,200 And to apply it to certain situations, ultimately 582 00:35:48,200 --> 00:35:53,040 glorifying God. What is Solomon going to do 583 00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:55,720 here? Divide the living child into and 584 00:35:55,720 --> 00:35:58,720 give half of the 1 to the one and half to the other? 585 00:35:58,760 --> 00:36:03,320 What is the knowledge behind this strategy that is bringing 586 00:36:03,320 --> 00:36:05,240 him to formulate this kind of a plan? 587 00:36:05,440 --> 00:36:08,520 What is he working with in order for him to bring this about? 588 00:36:10,440 --> 00:36:11,440 The heart? Sure. 589 00:36:12,760 --> 00:36:14,200 Think deeper. Who's he dealing with here? 590 00:36:14,200 --> 00:36:15,040 What? What's the situation? 591 00:36:15,040 --> 00:36:18,760 You have two women who are claiming to be what mothers. 592 00:36:18,760 --> 00:36:23,400 They're claiming to be mothers. Solomon's Dilemma is who is the 593 00:36:23,400 --> 00:36:28,480 true mother? What knowledge does Solomon have 594 00:36:28,480 --> 00:36:34,000 here concerning a mother that is bringing him to this kind of 595 00:36:34,000 --> 00:36:38,960 request? Motherly instinct, right? 596 00:36:39,840 --> 00:36:42,160 Yes. OK. 597 00:36:42,160 --> 00:36:43,960 And one of them is also a killer. 598 00:36:44,280 --> 00:36:48,200 All right, so hold on. You have here, Solomon, 599 00:36:48,200 --> 00:36:50,280 understanding something about the nature of a mother. 600 00:36:50,800 --> 00:36:57,600 She has intrinsic love, sacrificial love, something 601 00:36:57,600 --> 00:37:02,520 wired in her that's willing to do anything for her baby, right? 602 00:37:02,520 --> 00:37:04,080 Any mother in here would know that. 603 00:37:05,520 --> 00:37:09,400 And Solomon, knowing that now is taking that general truth and is 604 00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:12,200 going to bring it to this situation. 605 00:37:12,200 --> 00:37:15,400 That's what wisdom does. And as our brother said also, 606 00:37:16,160 --> 00:37:19,040 these two mothers are blaming each other. 607 00:37:20,840 --> 00:37:26,520 For the murder of a child. And the essence of this murder 608 00:37:26,520 --> 00:37:28,640 is that there was carelessness involved, right? 609 00:37:29,120 --> 00:37:32,360 Criminal negligence. One of these ladies apparently 610 00:37:32,360 --> 00:37:36,440 rolled over during the night and smother the child to death. 611 00:37:37,760 --> 00:37:43,440 So the way this is wired is that it would not only reveal who has 612 00:37:43,560 --> 00:37:47,880 this true motherly instinct and nature. 613 00:37:48,480 --> 00:37:52,040 But it also show who is the one who is less concerned of the 614 00:37:52,040 --> 00:37:56,040 life of a child this is. Wise this is so good. 615 00:37:56,320 --> 00:37:58,080 This is like, who said the Bible is boring? 616 00:37:58,280 --> 00:38:00,600 Shame on you. Bible is not boring. 617 00:38:01,760 --> 00:38:05,360 And so Solomon now is operating in wisdom and in a moment of 618 00:38:05,360 --> 00:38:07,840 suspense the unmasking will take place. 619 00:38:08,640 --> 00:38:12,680 And so he makes this strong suggestion, almost in the form 620 00:38:12,680 --> 00:38:15,920 of a command. And verse 26 happens then the 621 00:38:15,920 --> 00:38:20,280 woman whose son was alive said to the king because her heart 622 00:38:20,480 --> 00:38:26,200 yearned for her son. Oh my Lord, give her the living 623 00:38:26,200 --> 00:38:28,800 child, and by no means put him to death. 624 00:38:29,960 --> 00:38:33,600 But the other said he shall neither might be mine nor yours 625 00:38:34,920 --> 00:38:41,440 divide him. So let's look at these two women 626 00:38:41,440 --> 00:38:45,520 separately, because not only do we have the success of Solomon's 627 00:38:45,520 --> 00:38:48,560 wisdom before us, there's some things to learn between these 628 00:38:48,560 --> 00:38:49,400 two women. Right? 629 00:38:50,080 --> 00:38:53,200 So the first response is this woman, the same woman who opened 630 00:38:53,200 --> 00:38:57,320 up this case to Solomon, pleading her innocence, is now 631 00:38:57,320 --> 00:38:59,000 pleading for the life of her baby. 632 00:39:03,120 --> 00:39:05,960 You have here the ingredients of true love. 633 00:39:07,840 --> 00:39:10,840 Even in this story, you can. You can pluck something out of 634 00:39:10,840 --> 00:39:14,440 it to apply in your own understanding of what true love 635 00:39:14,440 --> 00:39:15,720 is. What's true love? 636 00:39:16,560 --> 00:39:20,120 That you prioritize the well-being of someone else, even 637 00:39:20,120 --> 00:39:24,280 if it's at your own expense. That you're willing to protect 638 00:39:24,280 --> 00:39:27,560 and provide for someone else, even if it costs you. 639 00:39:27,560 --> 00:39:31,680 Because that's what love does. It gives even if in that giving, 640 00:39:31,840 --> 00:39:37,920 you have to surrender something. Can you think of something more 641 00:39:37,920 --> 00:39:42,160 excruciating than a mother giving up her baby to the care 642 00:39:42,160 --> 00:39:45,000 of someone else? And you can't do anything about 643 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:47,120 it? Can you? 644 00:39:47,160 --> 00:39:51,120 Can you imagine that seeing a baby being handed over to the 645 00:39:51,120 --> 00:39:53,680 supervision of someone else? And you know that this person is 646 00:39:53,680 --> 00:39:56,560 careless. You know this person does a 647 00:39:56,560 --> 00:40:00,160 really want to this child, and for the sake of that baby's 648 00:40:00,160 --> 00:40:03,400 life, you're willing to pay that price? 649 00:40:04,120 --> 00:40:06,480 Why? Because she loves that baby. 650 00:40:07,520 --> 00:40:10,600 She loves that baby. That's what love does. 651 00:40:10,600 --> 00:40:15,560 It surrenders. It prioritizes, it cost. 652 00:40:17,720 --> 00:40:20,080 And what's so amazing about this woman is that she reflects the 653 00:40:20,080 --> 00:40:23,120 exact opposite attitude of many people who are pro abortion. 654 00:40:27,000 --> 00:40:30,920 Instead of yearning and protecting the life of babies, 655 00:40:31,840 --> 00:40:35,480 they see them as a burden and they're gladly willing to 656 00:40:35,480 --> 00:40:38,960 slaughter them in order to protect self. 657 00:40:41,520 --> 00:40:46,440 You know, Paul told Timothy that one of the signs of the last 658 00:40:46,440 --> 00:40:49,280 days, he lists all these different vices and one of them 659 00:40:49,280 --> 00:40:53,000 stands out in light of this. It's in Second Timothy 33, it's 660 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:55,280 in the ESV, it's this. And you'll see if it goes on the 661 00:40:55,280 --> 00:40:57,080 screen or if you want to turn there, you can turn there as 662 00:40:57,080 --> 00:40:59,520 well. That one of the marks of the 663 00:40:59,520 --> 00:41:03,920 last days is that there will be people in Second Timothy 33 who 664 00:41:03,920 --> 00:41:09,880 will be heartless. I like how the King James words 665 00:41:09,880 --> 00:41:17,560 it. Void of natural affection, Void 666 00:41:17,560 --> 00:41:22,640 of natural affection. Things that are natural, like 667 00:41:22,640 --> 00:41:25,840 the love that a mother would have for a baby, love in your 668 00:41:25,840 --> 00:41:28,040 family. Things that are almost just 669 00:41:28,080 --> 00:41:31,760 embedded in human nature. As we approach the end of all 670 00:41:31,760 --> 00:41:38,120 things will become more and more rare, become less and less 671 00:41:38,120 --> 00:41:43,160 common, and Jesus even said that there will be a coldness of love 672 00:41:43,160 --> 00:41:46,200 for other people. As we approach the culmination 673 00:41:46,200 --> 00:41:50,520 of the age, we tend to only think about rumors of wars and 674 00:41:50,520 --> 00:41:52,040 wars. And that is true. 675 00:41:52,040 --> 00:41:56,120 That is a mark. But the quality of men, one of 676 00:41:56,120 --> 00:42:00,080 the marks, is that they will be void of natural affection. 677 00:42:01,160 --> 00:42:02,720 That's a sign of the times, my friend. 678 00:42:03,080 --> 00:42:06,400 The fact that we've slaughtered millions and millions of babies 679 00:42:07,920 --> 00:42:12,160 is not divorced from prophecy. It's prophetic. 680 00:42:12,400 --> 00:42:17,920 We're living in prophetic times and we tend to miss it. 681 00:42:17,920 --> 00:42:22,440 But Paul spells it out clearly, and this woman here is is 682 00:42:22,440 --> 00:42:24,880 showing that she does have natural affection. 683 00:42:24,880 --> 00:42:30,440 I want that baby to live. And contrast it now with this 684 00:42:30,440 --> 00:42:34,840 other lady and verse Kings 26th of Chapter 4. 685 00:42:34,840 --> 00:42:37,120 And the second part You heard it, but the other said, He shall 686 00:42:37,120 --> 00:42:41,200 be neither mine nor yours. Divide him, divide him can. 687 00:42:43,320 --> 00:42:47,040 You imagine that. I mean, you've been making a 688 00:42:47,040 --> 00:42:51,200 case that this baby is yours. And the moment you hear that 689 00:42:51,560 --> 00:42:54,120 this baby can be killed, you don't even hesitate. 690 00:42:56,560 --> 00:42:59,720 Here's the principle behind it. She professed one thing, but her 691 00:42:59,720 --> 00:43:05,040 actions betrayed her. She confessed one thing, but her 692 00:43:05,040 --> 00:43:09,840 deeds denied whatever confession or conviction she had. 693 00:43:10,080 --> 00:43:12,560 And I looked at this verse and I thought to myself, we, here we 694 00:43:12,560 --> 00:43:16,920 go, yet another example that time and certain opportunities 695 00:43:17,280 --> 00:43:23,200 will either confirm or deny the legitimacy of your confession or 696 00:43:23,200 --> 00:43:25,920 conviction. All takes is time and all takes 697 00:43:25,920 --> 00:43:29,920 is certain opportunities to really show the sincerity of 698 00:43:29,920 --> 00:43:33,200 what you might have confessed and the convictions you might 699 00:43:33,200 --> 00:43:37,200 have had and even fought for, claimed to have. 700 00:43:37,720 --> 00:43:42,480 Wow, isn't that fascinating? This woman claimed to be the 701 00:43:42,480 --> 00:43:46,200 mother this woman claimed to be for the love of her child and 702 00:43:46,200 --> 00:43:50,320 once this was brought forth she was exposed. 703 00:43:52,680 --> 00:43:57,640 Jesus speaks about different soils and one of the seeds, the 704 00:43:57,640 --> 00:44:01,600 word of God, would fall on rocky soil, and the rocky soil he 705 00:44:01,600 --> 00:44:04,520 describes are those who receive the word of God initially with 706 00:44:04,520 --> 00:44:06,320 what? Rejoicing. 707 00:44:07,240 --> 00:44:09,120 That's the initial reaction This is. 708 00:44:09,160 --> 00:44:11,840 Amazing. This is fantastic. 709 00:44:12,440 --> 00:44:14,240 Yes, I want to follow this Jesus. 710 00:44:14,240 --> 00:44:19,400 And in Luke's version, we were told they endure for a while. 711 00:44:21,440 --> 00:44:25,240 Time. But when persecution arises on 712 00:44:25,240 --> 00:44:27,760 account of the word, they're uprooted. 713 00:44:28,400 --> 00:44:32,160 Certain opportunities, certain circumstances. 714 00:44:32,920 --> 00:44:35,640 Here you have this woman. She had the confession strong if 715 00:44:35,640 --> 00:44:37,040 I she was willing to go to court for it. 716 00:44:38,400 --> 00:44:42,240 But when the opportunity, the time came, she was exposed of 717 00:44:42,240 --> 00:44:49,240 being hollow and false. Why was she fighting for this 718 00:44:49,240 --> 00:44:52,840 child then? Any idea why go through all this 719 00:44:52,840 --> 00:44:54,840 effort? Why put yourself out there? 720 00:44:56,320 --> 00:44:58,040 Why risk being exposed like this? 721 00:44:59,040 --> 00:45:01,240 Well, let's make this certain. Did she love the child? 722 00:45:02,600 --> 00:45:04,840 Oh, please say no. No, right? 723 00:45:05,360 --> 00:45:06,800 Divide the child. Let it happen. 724 00:45:06,800 --> 00:45:08,720 I'll take the 1/2. Who says that? 725 00:45:09,400 --> 00:45:11,400 Who thinks like that? You would think that they would 726 00:45:11,400 --> 00:45:12,680 both fight for the life of the child. 727 00:45:12,680 --> 00:45:17,280 No one says forget it. So if this woman was willing to 728 00:45:17,280 --> 00:45:20,120 be careless with this baby, surely she was careless with her 729 00:45:20,120 --> 00:45:25,080 own. And that's what it reveals. 730 00:45:25,600 --> 00:45:27,040 That's the wisdom of Solomon here. 731 00:45:29,600 --> 00:45:31,800 Look at the difference here You have one mother who reflects 732 00:45:31,800 --> 00:45:34,720 selfless love, and you have another woman who reflects 733 00:45:34,720 --> 00:45:39,520 selfish ambition. One is so beautiful, the other 734 00:45:39,520 --> 00:45:41,920 one is so ugly. May the spirit of Christ conform 735 00:45:41,920 --> 00:45:46,400 us to that which is lovely. Look at verse 27. 736 00:45:46,400 --> 00:45:49,080 Then the king answered and said, give the living child to the 737 00:45:49,080 --> 00:45:52,440 first woman and by no means put him to death. 738 00:45:52,960 --> 00:45:57,320 She is his mother. I would love to be in that 739 00:45:57,320 --> 00:45:58,960 courtroom to see the faces of people. 740 00:46:00,520 --> 00:46:02,960 I would love to see the woman of that mother who was faking it 741 00:46:02,960 --> 00:46:05,840 the whole time. Did her jaw drop? 742 00:46:05,840 --> 00:46:08,320 Did they want to break out into tears? 743 00:46:08,320 --> 00:46:12,200 We're not told, but what we are told is verse 28 and all Israel. 744 00:46:12,200 --> 00:46:16,000 Heard of the judgment that the king had rendered, And they 745 00:46:16,000 --> 00:46:20,040 stood in awe of the king because they perceived that the wisdom 746 00:46:20,040 --> 00:46:25,680 of God was in him to do justice. When God gifts you with 747 00:46:25,680 --> 00:46:30,640 something, when he empowers you in a certain way, not only will 748 00:46:30,640 --> 00:46:33,520 he confirm it to you in one way or another, he'll confirm it 749 00:46:33,520 --> 00:46:35,600 through the witness in the testimony of other people. 750 00:46:37,240 --> 00:46:39,560 Remember that. Listen, if you believe God has 751 00:46:39,560 --> 00:46:42,720 given you a call and he's giving you something special, something 752 00:46:42,720 --> 00:46:45,800 supernatural, you don't have to parade it. 753 00:46:46,240 --> 00:46:49,600 You don't have to advertise it. People will eventually recognize 754 00:46:49,600 --> 00:46:53,880 it and see it, and that's the best way to do it. 755 00:46:54,720 --> 00:46:57,640 That's the best way to do it is trust in God's Providence and 756 00:46:57,640 --> 00:46:59,480 leading your life that it will be identified. 757 00:46:59,880 --> 00:47:02,160 And let me give you a hint that if you're a person that's 758 00:47:02,160 --> 00:47:05,080 wondering how is it that I can identify the gifts in my life, 759 00:47:05,080 --> 00:47:08,000 God has ordained that the primary place for that to be 760 00:47:08,000 --> 00:47:10,040 recognized is within the local church. 761 00:47:11,440 --> 00:47:15,840 Because this is the primary arena where your gifts are 762 00:47:15,840 --> 00:47:20,040 recognized and are utilized and other people benefit from it. 763 00:47:21,560 --> 00:47:23,720 So if you're a person again who is eager Lord, what is it that 764 00:47:23,720 --> 00:47:25,080 you have for me? How have you? 765 00:47:25,600 --> 00:47:27,680 Furnished me. What is it that you want me to 766 00:47:27,680 --> 00:47:29,560 do? Well, the longer you stay in the 767 00:47:29,560 --> 00:47:31,840 local church and the more you build relationships with people, 768 00:47:32,000 --> 00:47:34,360 and the more you respond to opportunity to serve, the closer 769 00:47:34,360 --> 00:47:35,760 you will come. And if you're a true Christian, 770 00:47:35,760 --> 00:47:38,000 I'm sure you want to know why you're here on the earth. 771 00:47:40,760 --> 00:47:46,240 Side note, not really. In the main part, everybody saw 772 00:47:46,240 --> 00:47:52,520 the wisdom that Solomon had a unique story, a unique measure 773 00:47:52,520 --> 00:48:02,560 of wisdom. But an invitation for us still 774 00:48:03,560 --> 00:48:07,640 to access wisdom for ourselves. I want to end here in this New 775 00:48:07,640 --> 00:48:09,600 Testament text. Turn with me to James chapter 776 00:48:09,600 --> 00:48:11,920 one. I referenced it earlier. 777 00:48:14,000 --> 00:48:18,680 Many people know this verse, but they don't understand the 778 00:48:18,680 --> 00:48:23,240 immediate context of this verse. Look at James chapter one, verse 779 00:48:23,240 --> 00:48:29,920 2 counted all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various 780 00:48:29,920 --> 00:48:33,240 kinds for you know James one verse 3. 781 00:48:33,240 --> 00:48:36,280 For you know that the testing of your faith produces 782 00:48:36,280 --> 00:48:40,080 steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its 783 00:48:40,080 --> 00:48:45,200 full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in 784 00:48:45,200 --> 00:48:48,360 nothing. Now it is an end there. 785 00:48:48,680 --> 00:48:50,200 So what's that? What's he talking about here? 786 00:48:50,200 --> 00:48:53,480 He's talking about what? Christians going through. 787 00:48:54,480 --> 00:48:56,560 Trials is that. Does that tell you and I that 788 00:48:56,560 --> 00:48:57,480 we're going to go through trials? 789 00:48:58,080 --> 00:48:59,120 Yes. You're going to go through 790 00:48:59,120 --> 00:49:05,360 trials of various kinds, various kinds of trials. 791 00:49:05,360 --> 00:49:09,800 It might not look like the next person beside you because you 792 00:49:09,800 --> 00:49:13,080 have a unique family, right? You have a unique marriage, 793 00:49:13,080 --> 00:49:15,560 right? You have special children, 794 00:49:15,560 --> 00:49:18,400 right? You work at a specific place, 795 00:49:18,400 --> 00:49:19,600 right? So it's various kinds. 796 00:49:19,600 --> 00:49:21,600 That's encouraging to you and I. Not just certain kinds of 797 00:49:21,600 --> 00:49:25,000 trials, various kinds of trials. There's a spectrum of suffering 798 00:49:25,160 --> 00:49:27,560 that this is for, but I can rejoice. 799 00:49:27,560 --> 00:49:33,640 I can count it all joy. But that joy also is not just in 800 00:49:33,640 --> 00:49:35,480 the truth that I can see the end of it. 801 00:49:35,480 --> 00:49:37,560 There's going to be something produced in me as a result. 802 00:49:37,560 --> 00:49:40,680 But look at verse five. If any of you lacks wisdom, let 803 00:49:40,680 --> 00:49:44,160 him ask God, who gives generously to all without 804 00:49:44,160 --> 00:49:46,200 reproach, and it will be given him. 805 00:49:46,960 --> 00:49:48,920 Is James starting a random thought after this? 806 00:49:49,600 --> 00:49:52,200 No, no, no, no. This is tied into the fact that 807 00:49:52,200 --> 00:49:55,000 he just finished saying when you go through trials, Christians 808 00:49:55,120 --> 00:49:58,000 count it all joy. So the instruction is still 809 00:49:58,000 --> 00:50:00,400 within the context of you and I going through trials. 810 00:50:00,920 --> 00:50:03,480 And one of the things that I do in trials, one of the commands 811 00:50:03,480 --> 00:50:06,000 that God gives me as I go through these tribulations, is 812 00:50:06,000 --> 00:50:13,520 not just to by faith counted all joy, but to ask God for wisdom. 813 00:50:15,800 --> 00:50:19,840 So the asking God of wisdom is within the context of me going 814 00:50:19,840 --> 00:50:23,440 through a trial when I go through something that, like 815 00:50:23,440 --> 00:50:29,240 Solomon, seems difficult, unanswerable, challenging, 816 00:50:29,560 --> 00:50:34,680 uncomfortable. I am commanded that if I don't 817 00:50:34,680 --> 00:50:39,320 know what to do, how to respond, how to pivot to ask God for 818 00:50:39,320 --> 00:50:42,160 wisdom. So here's what this tells me 819 00:50:42,160 --> 00:50:44,800 too. That when I go through trials, 820 00:50:44,800 --> 00:50:48,040 God allows trials. God expects me to talk to Him. 821 00:50:50,920 --> 00:50:56,400 God expects you to talk to him when you go through a season of 822 00:50:56,400 --> 00:51:00,640 trials. And it could be that many people 823 00:51:00,640 --> 00:51:03,160 keep going through trials because you haven't caught that 824 00:51:03,160 --> 00:51:05,960 yet. You still don't know how to go 825 00:51:05,960 --> 00:51:07,520 to him and talk to him in your trials. 826 00:51:11,560 --> 00:51:14,120 A lot of stubborn people. I know a lot of strong people. 827 00:51:14,120 --> 00:51:19,640 And that's not a compliment, because it takes so much for 828 00:51:19,640 --> 00:51:23,600 them to get on their knees and to ask God. 829 00:51:23,920 --> 00:51:25,960 But here's the invitation. If any of you lacks wisdom, let 830 00:51:25,960 --> 00:51:28,280 him ask God, who gives generously to all, to do what? 831 00:51:28,480 --> 00:51:29,720 To know how to navigate through this trial. 832 00:51:29,720 --> 00:51:33,000 Primarily, try to come out of the most successful, the 833 00:51:33,000 --> 00:51:36,680 shiniest you can come out of it because that's what wisdom will 834 00:51:36,680 --> 00:51:38,360 do. Wisdom will protect you from 835 00:51:38,360 --> 00:51:41,840 making pitfalls, from making foolish decisions, and will 836 00:51:41,840 --> 00:51:45,520 bring about the greatest success in your sanctification, if any 837 00:51:45,520 --> 00:51:46,680 of you. I love that. 838 00:51:46,680 --> 00:51:48,520 Not just kings and not just pastors. 839 00:51:50,080 --> 00:51:55,680 If any of you likes it, let him ask God. 840 00:51:58,800 --> 00:52:06,080 When was the last time you endure turbulence relationally 841 00:52:06,240 --> 00:52:12,360 in the context of the Church, and you stopped and you ask God, 842 00:52:13,400 --> 00:52:17,160 God, I need your wisdom. I don't know how to do this. 843 00:52:17,600 --> 00:52:22,440 My flesh is telling me this. God, this is a very tangled and 844 00:52:22,440 --> 00:52:27,200 complicated thing. Like Solomon, I have to make a 845 00:52:27,200 --> 00:52:30,360 choice here. I have to stand on one side 846 00:52:30,360 --> 00:52:35,320 here. The nature of my status in this 847 00:52:35,320 --> 00:52:38,000 mess is that I am required to answer to it. 848 00:52:38,120 --> 00:52:44,960 Lord, give me wisdom, please. That's God's will. 849 00:52:45,960 --> 00:52:48,760 Notice it's not a suggestion, right? 850 00:52:49,080 --> 00:52:53,400 If any of you lacks wisdom, if you feel like it, you can. 851 00:52:53,760 --> 00:52:56,520 You can call God. No, let him ask. 852 00:52:57,120 --> 00:52:59,960 It's an invitation, but it's also command your your 853 00:52:59,960 --> 00:53:03,520 Commission to come to the Lord. And here's the beauty of it. 854 00:53:03,520 --> 00:53:07,200 He will bring about and deposit in you something for that 855 00:53:07,200 --> 00:53:11,240 specific trial. Some of you are very young here, 856 00:53:11,560 --> 00:53:15,120 so you're hearing this and you're thinking, OK, live life 857 00:53:15,120 --> 00:53:17,640 long enough and this will be a treasure. 858 00:53:19,560 --> 00:53:24,280 Do life with professing Christians long enough and this 859 00:53:24,280 --> 00:53:31,120 will be a refuge for you. But I even say as the world is 860 00:53:31,120 --> 00:53:36,600 going through many trials and as Christians are stuck in the 861 00:53:36,600 --> 00:53:47,290 middle. Let's ask God for wisdom and he 862 00:53:47,290 --> 00:53:50,290 will give it to us. Lord, we thank you. 863 00:53:50,290 --> 00:53:54,370 For this Bible study and we thank you that. 864 00:53:54,370 --> 00:53:58,570 In this small portion of Scripture, you have awakened our 865 00:53:58,570 --> 00:54:00,250 hearts to the beauty of your wisdom. 866 00:54:02,490 --> 00:54:05,450 It's very possible, Lord, that there are people in here who are 867 00:54:05,450 --> 00:54:09,010 suffering in one way or another and they feel like they're 868 00:54:09,010 --> 00:54:12,650 suffocating because they don't know what move to make next. 869 00:54:13,600 --> 00:54:15,800 They don't know how to answer. They don't know how to counsel. 870 00:54:15,800 --> 00:54:17,760 They don't know whether they should give or not give. 871 00:54:17,760 --> 00:54:19,840 They don't know whether they should keep or not keep. 872 00:54:19,840 --> 00:54:22,560 They don't know if they should respond or not respond. 873 00:54:23,000 --> 00:54:25,600 Lord, we ask for all the things that we might be going through, 874 00:54:25,600 --> 00:54:28,400 things that are unspoken, unknown to our neighbors. 875 00:54:28,800 --> 00:54:36,680 Give us wisdom. Give us wisdom and help us 876 00:54:36,680 --> 00:54:41,960 believe that when we ask you, you can answer that you are a 877 00:54:41,960 --> 00:54:49,520 God who says if any of you to the least, to the greatest, to 878 00:54:49,520 --> 00:54:53,440 the minister, to the stay at home, Mom, you are willing to 879 00:54:53,440 --> 00:54:58,600 give the same gift and we pray we would know what to do. 880 00:55:01,080 --> 00:55:07,480 Lord, as we go tomorrow to serve you, give us power, energy. 881 00:55:08,000 --> 00:55:11,240 May we be like Stephen and have our faces shine like an Angel. 882 00:55:12,040 --> 00:55:17,240 It made people witness a people who are not of this world, a 883 00:55:17,240 --> 00:55:21,680 royal priesthood, those who are unashamed and bold for truth, 884 00:55:22,160 --> 00:55:25,680 those who have the same cry as this mother who in love are 885 00:55:25,680 --> 00:55:29,720 willing to sacrifice time and energy to say let that baby 886 00:55:29,720 --> 00:55:34,800 live. And so, Lord, we thank you that 887 00:55:34,800 --> 00:55:36,720 your word is eternal. It is timeless. 888 00:55:36,880 --> 00:55:43,240 It applies in every way for all things and all generations. 889 00:55:43,760 --> 00:55:45,840 Lord, we want to glorify and give you thanks as we worship 890 00:55:45,840 --> 00:55:47,680 you. In Jesus name we pray. 891 00:55:48,080 --> 00:55:49,160 Amen. Amen. 892 00:55:49,640 --> 00:55:52,200 Let's stand, fellow soldiers in Christ.