1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,800 In First Chronicles 22, nine through 10, it says, Behold, a 2 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:05,760 son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of rest, and I 3 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:08,320 will give him rest from all of his enemies all around. 4 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:11,760 His name shall be Solomon, for I will give peace and quietness to 5 00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:14,280 Israel in his days. He shall build a house for my 6 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:17,440 name, and he shall be my son. I will be his father and I will 7 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:21,120 establish the throne of the Kingdom over Israel forever. 8 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:24,720 Pastor Lauren has been talking about a lot of different people 9 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:27,440 in the Bible. And I always love when we talk 10 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:30,120 about the the lives of different people in the Bible because I 11 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:33,600 know there's just so much to learn from the stories and the 12 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:36,360 testimonies of their lives. And we've worked our way through 13 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:38,240 a few people. But last week Pastor Lauren was 14 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:40,800 talking about King David and there was a lot of great 15 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:43,480 qualities about King David. One of my favorite is I love 16 00:00:43,480 --> 00:00:46,840 that the Lord said he was a man after God's own heart. 17 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:50,880 Another story I love about King David is when he was so excited 18 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:54,040 and worshiping the Lord, he was dancing like crazy and his wife 19 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:55,880 came up to him and said, why are you dancing like this? 20 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:58,480 And he said, I'll be even more indignified than this. 21 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:01,760 David was an amazing man, a man after God's own heart. 22 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:06,360 And he had this idea in his life that he wanted to build a, a 23 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:09,080 house for the Lord. And he said, before I build my 24 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:10,960 house, Lord, I want to build you a house. 25 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:14,080 And God said, I love that idea. However, you're not going to be 26 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:16,840 the one to build my house because you're a man of war. 27 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:19,600 And the person that I want to build my house is going to be a 28 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:22,280 man of rest. And he said, but don't worry, 29 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:25,960 it's going to be a sun, an air that you're going to have who's 30 00:01:25,960 --> 00:01:29,280 going to be a man of rest? And he's going to be the one to 31 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:32,400 build my house. So there's a lot of us to learn 32 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:35,960 from this story. What does it mean to be a man of 33 00:01:35,960 --> 00:01:38,480 rest? Because if if David, a man after 34 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:41,400 God's own heart and one who worshipped the Lord as 35 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:45,640 undignified as it gets, he was not able to be the one to build 36 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:48,040 the House of the Lord because he was a man of war. 37 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:52,160 What does this mean for us Church, We are called as pastor 38 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:56,280 Lord was talking about last week to be a people of rest. 39 00:01:56,440 --> 00:01:59,480 And what it means to be a people of rest is how many of you know 40 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:03,000 that God has his part and we have our part. 41 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:06,120 But a lot of times, even though we have the understanding that 42 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:09,600 God has his part and we have our part, a lot of times we think we 43 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:11,880 have great ideas. I mean, I'm that person, right? 44 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:15,840 You think of a plan in your life and you're like, you know, or a 45 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:18,320 situation or whatever it may be in your life and you're like, I 46 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:22,360 could think of the exact, the, the exact way of how this should 47 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:24,640 happen. And typically speaking, we do 48 00:02:24,640 --> 00:02:26,760 think our way is kind of the best way, right? 49 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:33,600 I was reminded of a time where, you know, I always have this 50 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:36,960 like thing about me that I just, I'm right, you know what I mean? 51 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:42,120 So the right way to get somewhere, if you're going 52 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:45,760 someplace that you don't know, would obviously be to just turn 53 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:48,160 the Bluetooth on your phone, turn your car, play on in your 54 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:51,720 car, let your maps come up in your car, And then you just type 55 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:54,960 in the place that you're going. Siri is going to give me like 18 56 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:57,160 options and it's going to give me the fastest option. 57 00:02:57,160 --> 00:02:59,760 So obviously you're going to pick the fastest option. 58 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:02,640 I don't know anyone who would be like, yes, I want to take 59 00:03:02,640 --> 00:03:06,280 forever to get there, right? So that's my way of doing 60 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:07,680 things. However, there's people in my 61 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:09,080 life. You don't think that that's the 62 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:12,960 best way. One person in my life, his name 63 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:20,040 is dad, also Pastor Lauren. And, and it comes into the most 64 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:23,960 area of conflict for us when we're in Florida and we have to 65 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:27,520 use a rental car. And I mean, she's laughing 66 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:29,920 because she knows, right? My mom's over here laughing. 67 00:03:29,920 --> 00:03:31,920 My husband's in the back. Like, I'm not even laughing 68 00:03:31,920 --> 00:03:33,320 about this. The amount of times that I felt 69 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,720 like I was going to die, you know, because we put in the GPS 70 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:40,480 and like, we'll be driving down the road and, you know, Siri's 71 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:42,960 like turn left on, you know, whatever, whatever. 72 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:47,280 And my dad's like, she's wrong. And I'm just like, Oh my God, 73 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:48,920 you know what I mean? Like we're like swerving all 74 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:52,200 over the road. And you know, all that to say is 75 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:54,640 we all have our ideas of what is best. 76 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:59,160 Now, I will tell you that the reason that my dad doesn't like 77 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:01,800 using it is because he's like, I know all the back roads, right? 78 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:03,840 How many times? Like we were going to a funeral 79 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:07,320 yesterday and my brother and I, we literally live like less than 80 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:10,000 a mile from each other and we're at the light and we both turn 81 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:11,680 separate ways. I call him, I was like, where 82 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:14,240 are you going? He's like, I'm just following, 83 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:18,040 you know, my GPS. I'm like, so am I like that's so 84 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:20,279 weird, right? We're, although he's not a 85 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:25,720 iPhone user, he's screaming from the back, but I got there first 86 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:27,840 because I decided to take all the back roads. 87 00:04:27,840 --> 00:04:33,480 All that to say is we as human beings usually think that our 88 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:36,800 way is best. So God so graciously is like, I 89 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:41,280 have a plan and I'm going to allow you to do your work within 90 00:04:41,280 --> 00:04:43,600 my plan. And we're like, but my way is 91 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:46,080 better. How many times do you think I 92 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:48,880 have a plan for that? But when you have that I that 93 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:51,480 idea in your mind that your way is better, you're not not a 94 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:52,880 person of rest. Why? 95 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:56,200 Because we have to come to the place in our lives where we know 96 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:59,080 that God has a part to play in that. 97 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:02,600 And it's only in that place of rest, Amen. 98 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:06,320 It's only in that place of rest where you're able to sit back 99 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:09,920 and be like, Oh my gosh, this doesn't make sense to us at all. 100 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:14,560 But God, I'm going to trust you because I know your ways are 101 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:17,240 higher. God, I know that you see things, 102 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:19,880 Lord, that I'm not able. You see all the back roads that 103 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:23,160 I'm not able to see. So even if it doesn't make sense 104 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:27,960 to me, God, allow me to operate as a person of rest, which says 105 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:31,400 God, I'm going to do my part, but I'm going to be in a place 106 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:34,960 that allows you, God, to do your part knowing that I'm just a 107 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:38,160 part of your plan. Amen. 108 00:05:39,280 --> 00:05:44,000 In second Samuel 1224 to 25 says then David comforted Bathsheba, 109 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:47,040 his wife. He went into her and lay with 110 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:51,560 her, and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. 111 00:05:51,840 --> 00:05:55,880 Now the Lord loved him and he sent word by the hand of Nathan 112 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:59,040 the prophet. So he called his name Jedediah 113 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:02,200 because of the Lord. I want to just talk about a 114 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:04,960 little bit of the story, David, although we talked about it last 115 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:08,840 week because it sets the tone for the story of Solomon. 116 00:06:09,280 --> 00:06:12,440 Because how many of you know you, you are not who you are 117 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:15,680 without your family. You are not who you are with 118 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:18,440 understanding that there are little bits of your parents 119 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:21,480 inside of you. Can I get an Amen? 120 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:27,160 You know, I, I remember thinking like, I am nothing like my mom. 121 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:29,320 And then I grow up and I'll be doing something. 122 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:33,000 I'm like, Oh my gosh, that was my mom. 123 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:35,960 You know what I mean? So we just have to come to the 124 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:40,320 reality that for us inside of us, there are our parents inside 125 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:41,760 of us. So I'm going to talk a little 126 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:45,240 bit about David this morning while we intro into the life of 127 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:47,400 Salahim. So David was a king. 128 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:51,360 He's standing in his kingly place and he looks over on the 129 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:53,440 roof and there's a beautiful woman bathing and he's like, 130 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:56,560 she's beautiful. Get her over here to me, right? 131 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:59,920 So he sleeps with her, she becomes pregnant, she comes back 132 00:06:59,920 --> 00:07:02,280 to him and she's like, hey, just so you know, I'm pregnant. 133 00:07:02,280 --> 00:07:05,560 He's like what, you know, he's like, he can't let anyone know. 134 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:08,640 So he goes and sends her husband to battle. 135 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:11,960 Her husband got gets put on the front line of battle. 136 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:14,920 He dies and then he brings her to the house and they think 137 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:17,480 they're going to live happily ever after with his child that 138 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:19,320 she has. And the Lord's like, this is 139 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:23,560 something that displeases me. So she bears the child and they 140 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:26,680 have a child and the Lord strikes the child with the 141 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:29,440 illness. And you know, King David is just 142 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:32,320 like mourning over this child that he thought was going to be 143 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:35,680 the child that would make them have this happy, wonderful life 144 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:37,800 and just sweep the situation under the rug. 145 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:40,400 But the Lord's like, that's not how it works, right? 146 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:45,080 So that child passes away, but God has this conversation with 147 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:48,120 David and remains faithful to him and says, I will still give 148 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:52,320 you an heir to the throne, the child of rest who's going to 149 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:56,280 rule over my people. So he sleeps with his wife 150 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:58,560 again, she becomes pregnant, and she has Solomon. 151 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:01,400 Solomon is the name that means peace. 152 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:04,240 But what I love about this is because God said I'm not going 153 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:07,160 to let a man of war build my house. 154 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:09,040 I'm going to give you a man of rest. 155 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:11,280 So they named him Solomon, which means peace. 156 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:16,360 And not only does it mean peace, but the Nathan the prophet comes 157 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:18,560 to him and he says, but I'm going to call him Jedediah 158 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:21,320 because it means beloved of the Lord. 159 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:26,480 So here we have this child out of God's mercy and out of God's 160 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:30,200 grace and out of God's forgiveness for King David for 161 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:32,280 what he thought he could sweep under the rug. 162 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:36,799 He gives him this child who will take over the throne of Israel 163 00:08:37,039 --> 00:08:41,600 and who will be the man of rest, just like God had promised him 164 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:44,960 someone to establish the throne of Israel. 165 00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:46,960 In First Kings 10/7 to 9 it says. 166 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:50,240 However, I did not believe the words until I came and saw with 167 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:53,920 my own eyes, and indeed the half was not told to me. 168 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:58,000 Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I 169 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:01,640 heard. Happy are your men, happy are 170 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:05,720 these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear 171 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:08,320 your wisdom. Blessed be the Lord your God, 172 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:11,280 who enlightened you, setting you on the throne of Israel, because 173 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:13,680 the Lord has loved Israel forever. 174 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:17,880 Therefore He made you king to do justice and righteousness. 175 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:20,760 The the opening scriptures that I read to you was the story 176 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:23,880 about King Solomon when he was going up to the high places and 177 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:26,120 the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, what is it that 178 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:28,600 I asked of or what is it that you have need of? 179 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:31,960 And King Solomon, I mean, he could have asked for anything, 180 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:34,200 right? But he goes there and he says, 181 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:35,800 well, you know what it is that I need? 182 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:39,800 What I really need is wisdom to help, you know, judge and 183 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:43,280 discern what's right and wrong for the people that you've given 184 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:45,960 me. And God loved that he asked for 185 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:48,320 that. So God says, I'm going to give 186 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:51,120 you wisdom. And not only am I going to give 187 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:55,720 you wisdom, but I'm going to give you like a lot of wisdom. 188 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:58,800 And that's the reason that I'm using the scripture here because 189 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:02,160 I could have read a scripture from the opening scriptures that 190 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:04,240 we read. But I love this scripture here 191 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:06,320 because it talks about the Queen of Sheba. 192 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:11,280 She says, I have heard and heard and heard again all about this 193 00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:13,760 wisdom that you have. And I mean, I've heard a lot 194 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:16,560 about this wisdom that you have. I've heard of your riches. 195 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:19,440 I've heard of your fame, like for for all of us that are 196 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:22,560 surrounding your Kingdom like you are it Solomon, King Solomon 197 00:10:22,560 --> 00:10:24,840 who has wisdom. She's like, so I had to come 198 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:27,840 here just to see if this was all true. 199 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:30,520 And she says everyone around you is happy. 200 00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:33,160 Your servants are happy, everyone is happy. 201 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:37,120 And she says, your wisdom far succeeds anything I could have 202 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:40,560 ever imagined. Can you imagine church, the gift 203 00:10:40,560 --> 00:10:42,680 of wisdom that God gave to Solomon? 204 00:10:43,680 --> 00:10:48,040 I think that is so crazy to think that Solomon was able to 205 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:50,520 ask of something. And God said, not only am I 206 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:54,280 going to give it to you, but I'm like really going to give it to 207 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:57,320 you. And I love that because I know 208 00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:02,320 that we have this opportunity to ask God to look at our lives, to 209 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:06,040 look at the call that God has upon our lives. 210 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:10,720 And if we can ask of something that is necessary for us to 211 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:14,240 fulfill the call that God has on our lives, he's going to give it 212 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:15,920 to us. I love it. 213 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:18,720 Reminds me of the scripture. She says, I will throw open for 214 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:22,120 you the windows of heaven and give you such a blessing that 215 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:25,880 you won't have room enough to receive it. 216 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:30,840 That's the kind of gift that God wants to bless you with. 217 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:35,200 We need Amen. We need to be like King Solomon 218 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:39,440 and look at the call that God has on your life and don't be 219 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:42,640 too nervous to ask for something from the Lord. 220 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:45,360 He says ask and it will give it be given to you. 221 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:50,880 And James 1/5 it says God gives wisdom to those that ask for it. 222 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:54,400 If you lack wisdom he will give it to you liberally. 223 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:57,960 So we need to use King Solomon as the example to really look at 224 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:02,040 our call and walk and have this conversation with the Lord and 225 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:06,560 say God, this is what I have need of to fulfill the call that 226 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:09,720 you have on my life. And a lot of times when God's 227 00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:14,240 calling us, it's not most times, I wouldn't say a lot of times, I 228 00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:18,440 would say most times the call that God has on our lives is not 229 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:21,200 one that's just going to be like smooth sailing. 230 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:24,560 A lot of times the call that God has on our lives is an 231 00:12:24,560 --> 00:12:28,240 uncomfortable walk. It's a walk that we might not 232 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:31,000 feel ready for. It's a walk that we might not 233 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:34,240 feel prepared for. It's a walk that naturally 234 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:38,600 speaking doesn't make sense. But he says, I have this for 235 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:40,760 you. What is it that you have need of 236 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:43,560 for me? And we need to ask of that which 237 00:12:43,560 --> 00:12:47,240 God has. So King Solomon said, I need 238 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:51,640 wisdom and God blessed him abundantly with this gift of 239 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:53,760 wisdom. So I want to kind of take us 240 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:56,880 back to the beginning of the story that I read where he's 241 00:12:56,880 --> 00:13:00,360 really asking God about this wisdom in First Kings Three. 242 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:05,880 It says in Solomon love the Lord walking in the statutes of his 243 00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:10,120 father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at 244 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:13,280 the high places. Now, O Lord, my God, you have 245 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:15,560 made your servant king instead of my father David. 246 00:13:15,560 --> 00:13:19,920 But I am a little child. I do not know how to go out or 247 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:22,080 come in. Therefore give to your servant 248 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:25,680 an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern 249 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:29,720 between good and evil. For who is able to judge this 250 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:33,520 great people of yours? When God came to speak to 251 00:13:33,520 --> 00:13:38,200 Solomon and ask him what it is that he have need of, he started 252 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:42,840 out with this. I'm walking in the statutes of 253 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:46,120 my father. You have made your servant king 254 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:50,400 instead of my father. But I am a little child. 255 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:54,440 He was not a little child. Can we all come to that 256 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:56,600 understanding? Solomon was not a little child 257 00:13:56,760 --> 00:14:00,480 when he was asking this of God. But you want to know what he 258 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:02,840 had? He had humility. 259 00:14:03,280 --> 00:14:07,320 He was able to say, listen, God, I know that I, I'm this child 260 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:11,400 that you have given to my father David to walk in this call to 261 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:17,160 lead your Kingdom, but I'm really inexperienced in this. 262 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:20,840 And because of my inexperienced God, I'm going to ask that 263 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:25,000 wisdom of you. So King Solomon was able to step 264 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:30,040 back and say, hey, I might be king over this land, but really, 265 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:32,440 I don't feel like I'm prepared for this. 266 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:35,720 I may have been following my dad around for all these years, but 267 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:37,560 I haven't had to make these decisions. 268 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:41,840 So God, I'm asking of you to give me that understanding heart 269 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:45,680 and be able to discern how to judge your people, how to 270 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:49,160 discern between good and evil. And God gave him that gift. 271 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:52,840 And he says, not only have I given you what you've asked for, 272 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:55,120 but I'm going to give you all the things that you didn't even 273 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:57,320 ask for. How many of you know that the 274 00:14:57,320 --> 00:15:02,120 Bible says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom? 275 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:06,400 I want to talk about 3 different things in these scriptures that 276 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:08,120 Solomon did. First of all, it says that he 277 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:11,040 was walking in the statutes of his father David. 278 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:13,600 How many of you know that from the beginning I said that David 279 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:17,240 was a man after God's own heart? David was walking this holy 280 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:20,120 lifestyle and Solomon said, I'm walking in the statutes of my 281 00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:23,000 father David. Solomon was walking softly 282 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:25,960 before the Lord. He was living a holy life. 283 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:29,080 And then he comes to the point where he says, Lord, this is 284 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:30,960 what I'm going to ask because I'm a little child. 285 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:34,000 And we just said he wasn't a little child, but he was walking 286 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:38,240 in humility that he was able to say, Lord, I know this is the 287 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:41,240 call that you have for my life. But Lord, I don't want to go 288 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:45,760 into this call with pride, but I want to walk humbly before you. 289 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:49,800 And then when he asked of whatever it was that God asked 290 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:51,560 of him, what is it that you have need of? 291 00:15:51,880 --> 00:15:55,680 In the Scriptures, it said you didn't ask this for yourself. 292 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:59,320 You didn't ask this for yourself, but what you did ask 293 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:01,360 was for something for your people. 294 00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:04,920 So he asked out of a selfless heart. 295 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:08,720 We need to understand that we can come to God and we can ask 296 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:11,640 Him for whatever it is that we have need of, but He's not just 297 00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:13,920 going to give it if you're not living a holy life. 298 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:16,840 He's not just going to give it if you're not walking out of 299 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:18,680 humility. And He's not just going to give 300 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:22,640 it if what you're asking for is out of selfish ambitions. 301 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:27,480 See, a lot of times, in so many times in the Bible, God's not 302 00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:32,000 picking the person who makes sense for the call that he has. 303 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:34,360 Why? Because God looks at the heart. 304 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:38,600 So when he had King Solomon take over the throne and he was going 305 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:41,840 to be that man of rest, he was walking in holiness, He was 306 00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:46,360 walking in humility, and he was walking and selflessness of 307 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:49,160 heart. Solomon was doing all the things 308 00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:53,600 that was required of him, right? A heart for God and the call 309 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:57,720 that God had on his life a long time ago. 310 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:01,440 I think we're at like 15 years now in 2010. 311 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:03,400 Well, I guess it started a little bit earlier. 312 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:07,839 I graduated from with my undergrad in 2007 and all I 313 00:17:07,839 --> 00:17:10,359 wanted to be was a host of e-news. 314 00:17:11,079 --> 00:17:13,960 I was just like, this is this is the jam, you know what I mean? 315 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:16,480 I tried to do all the video classes that I could do. 316 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:19,359 I was at Oakland University because like you got to stay 317 00:17:19,359 --> 00:17:21,160 local, right? Stay involved in the church. 318 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:23,640 So I was like, but I'm going to make it anyway, right? 319 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:26,520 So I would go in all the video classes and I'm just like, I'm 320 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:29,160 going to be the host of e-news. And my dad's like, yeah, great. 321 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:31,440 You know, that's awesome. And then he's like, by the way, 322 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:33,840 we bought ATV Station. Just so happens that we bought 323 00:17:33,840 --> 00:17:36,640 it the year you're graduating. Do you want to host your own TV 324 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:40,000 show? And I'm like, come on, Like, you 325 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:42,280 would do that, right? Right. 326 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:46,000 You would do that when I'm like, ready to like, you know, fly the 327 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:48,640 nest and do my own thing. But I was like, well, I can kind 328 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:51,520 of like, serve coffee to like, people, or I could just do the 329 00:17:51,520 --> 00:17:54,840 thing. So I decided to do the thing and 330 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:57,840 do this TV show. And I'm like signing my life 331 00:17:57,840 --> 00:17:58,600 away. Just kidding. 332 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:00,560 There was no contract or anything, but it was like verbal 333 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:01,600 agreement, you know what I'm saying? 334 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:05,440 So we're like planning the show and planning the show and he's 335 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:09,080 like, and it's in Spanish and I'm like, what the what are you? 336 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:11,880 I don't even speak Spanish. And he's like, oh, you're gonna 337 00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:15,400 right. So I started Spanish lessons 338 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:19,280 and, and by time it's time to film, I'm definitely not fluent 339 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:22,600 in Spanish or even conversational in Spanish at 340 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:25,800 this point. So I would like, I would write 341 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:28,920 my whole thing out in English. I would, I would meet with Marta 342 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:31,720 and we would translate it all into Spanish. 343 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:34,960 And then I would memorize the whole thing, like literally 344 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:37,040 memorize it. No teleprompter at this time. 345 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:41,080 And I would say everything to the camera as if I spoke 346 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:45,320 Spanish, right? So in 2010, we have this huge 347 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:48,240 concert in Peru. There's like 8000 people there. 348 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:50,200 The first night was like a celebration night, and the 349 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:52,240 second night there was a worship night. 350 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:58,080 So of course, you know, in true worship fashion, I was asked to 351 00:18:58,080 --> 00:19:01,320 give an exhortation. So I wrote it out in English. 352 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:05,160 Marta translated it for me in Spanish, and I memorized the 353 00:19:05,160 --> 00:19:07,560 whole thing. But I brought my Bible with me, 354 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:09,640 you know, So I get out on stage, right? 355 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:12,880 And I have my Bible and I have this whole thing memorized and 356 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:14,840 I'm just like, you know, talking in Spanish. 357 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:17,960 And I'm like, it's, you know, like 30 seconds or something 358 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:19,680 before this beautiful worship song starts. 359 00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:23,600 And I get out there and I'm telling you, Oh my gosh, it was 360 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:27,080 like God's words in Spanish just like flew out of my mouth. 361 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:31,000 And I was just like, I mean, it was just nothing that I had even 362 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:32,560 prepared just started coming out. 363 00:19:32,800 --> 00:19:36,160 And it was just like, God just took over my mouth and I started 364 00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:38,640 speaking. And I remember going off stage 365 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:43,600 that night and I was like, crap, I knew in that moment the call 366 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:47,040 that God had on my life. And of course, all these things 367 00:19:47,040 --> 00:19:50,360 were leading me up to this point, but I literally knew in 368 00:19:50,360 --> 00:19:53,880 that moment, God has a call of ministry on my life. 369 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:57,360 And I was like a couple, you know, a couple of months before 370 00:19:57,360 --> 00:19:59,280 that, I remember someone asked me, do you ever think you'd be a 371 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:00,600 preacher? And I said God would have to 372 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:03,400 strike me down from heaven. There ain't no way I'm doing 373 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:06,920 that, you know? And then a couple months later, 374 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:10,080 it's like June and I'm reading my Bible and I hear of, you 375 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:12,520 know, First Timothy 412. And I just kind of like post it 376 00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:16,160 on my Facebook and it like pops up in my memories from here to 377 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:17,760 there. Let no one despise your youth, 378 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:20,400 but be an example to the believers in Word, conduct, 379 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:23,080 love, spirit, faith and purity. And it was something that I 380 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:25,920 really was feeling pressed on my heart like God, I really want to 381 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:27,880 see young people because I was young at the time. 382 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:31,040 Like I really want to see young people who are really living a 383 00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:33,880 holy life leading an example in this, right. 384 00:20:34,520 --> 00:20:38,480 So Pastor Lauren comes into my office and he's like, what was 385 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:40,280 this? Why, Why'd you post about this? 386 00:20:40,640 --> 00:20:42,880 And I was like, it just, oh, just something that I was 387 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:45,760 reading, felt, you know, inspired to post on my Facebook 388 00:20:46,120 --> 00:20:49,920 better than my, my Facebook things that my memories will 389 00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:52,960 post back to like 2008. And it just says Ashley Kovarubi 390 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:56,560 is tired. And I'm like, I didn't even know 391 00:20:56,560 --> 00:20:59,680 what tired was back then, you know what I'm saying? 392 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:02,680 But anyway, so he's like, we're going to start, you know, we're 393 00:21:02,680 --> 00:21:06,440 kind of kind of like move the, the way that our young adult is 394 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:08,320 going and just kind of want you to head it up. 395 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:10,520 And I was like, OK, like I already knew it was coming. 396 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:12,440 You know, it's like one of those things that God spoke to me 397 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:14,960 beforehand, but I was like, OK, I'll do it. 398 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:19,680 A couple months later, he comes into my office and he's like, I 399 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:22,000 want to tell you something. This is like out of nowhere. 400 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:24,280 Like I hadn't done anything. I don't even know if we've moved 401 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:27,520 forward in this, right? But like, I was working in TV, 402 00:21:27,520 --> 00:21:29,040 now I'm working in ministry. And he comes in. 403 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:33,120 He's like, I just want you to know you don't know anything. 404 00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:38,960 And I'm like, OK. He's like, no, you know 405 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:41,080 absolutely nothing. And I want you to understand 406 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:43,640 that, that there are a lot of people who work here and they 407 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:45,520 know more than you. Don't pretend that you know more 408 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:48,680 than them. And I'm like, did something 409 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:51,200 happen? He's like, no, I just know who 410 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:53,640 you are. And I want you to know, See, I'm 411 00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:55,200 talking about the parents, right? 412 00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:58,040 They know us better than we know ourselves. 413 00:21:58,360 --> 00:22:01,360 And he said, so this is your chance to learn. 414 00:22:02,120 --> 00:22:04,680 He said there's all these offices with their doors open. 415 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:07,280 I want you to learn from everyone who's been working in 416 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:09,720 ministry way more than you glean from them. 417 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:12,760 Learn from them. And I had the opportunity at 418 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:15,440 that choice to kind of put my defense walls up and be like, 419 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:18,640 OK, whatever, right? You know, as sometimes we do 420 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:21,560 when people confront us with something that we really, you 421 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:23,960 know, even if I didn't feel it in the moment, how many of you 422 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:26,840 know that God places people in our lives that they can see 423 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:29,800 things the way that we don't necessarily see them in that 424 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:32,200 moment? So I had to operate under the 425 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:34,400 assumption like, he knows what he's talking about. 426 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:38,640 Like not only is it my dad, but he's my boss and my pastor. 427 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:41,400 Like obviously he's seeing something in me that I'm not not 428 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:44,680 necessarily seeing, but I had a choice in that moment to walk in 429 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:48,720 humility, right? King Solomon, when God asked him 430 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:52,320 what it was that he had for him, he was walking in humility. 431 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:55,200 He said, God, I know that this is the call that you have for 432 00:22:55,400 --> 00:22:59,120 for my life, but I'm a little child and I need wisdom to walk 433 00:22:59,120 --> 00:23:01,120 out this call that you have for my life because I'm 434 00:23:01,120 --> 00:23:04,680 inexperienced and I don't know what it is that I'm supposed to 435 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:07,960 be doing. So I had to go into, you know, a 436 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:10,040 lot of times, right? You have like the young adult 437 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:12,360 group and I was a young adult in the young adult group. 438 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:14,360 And I'm like, this is not the theme that I would have picked 439 00:23:14,360 --> 00:23:18,040 for this party or this isn't the camping ground that I would have 440 00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:19,120 picked. I would have picked one with a 441 00:23:19,120 --> 00:23:20,920 hot tub or whatever it is, right? 442 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:24,200 Just, you know, little things here and there that you think 443 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:28,560 you can do it better until you start walking in their shoes, 444 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:30,800 right? So I was young adults and I was 445 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:32,200 like, of course, I can do this better. 446 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:33,520 So now I'm the young adult pastor. 447 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:35,880 I'm like, Rich, I need your help, right? 448 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:39,120 And I'm like, even to this day, I'm almost 40 years old. 449 00:23:39,120 --> 00:23:42,320 And this last week I had to walk into his office and I closed the 450 00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:45,040 door and I'm like, I need your counsel on something, right? 451 00:23:45,360 --> 00:23:47,720 I was like, and I was like, this is this is the situation. 452 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:49,080 What should I do? And he told me what to do. 453 00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:54,320 And that's what I did because we can go into life saying I know 454 00:23:54,320 --> 00:23:56,920 what to do. I'm going to do it my ways best. 455 00:23:57,040 --> 00:23:59,160 Boom, you're not going to build a house because you're a man of 456 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:02,040 war. And God hasn't called us to be 457 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:05,000 men of war. He's called us to be a people of 458 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:10,520 rest, which says I'm going to walk in the fear of the Lord, 459 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:13,400 which is the beginning of wisdom. 460 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:17,680 And when you can operate in wisdom, it's in that moment that 461 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:22,400 you can allow God's hand to work in your life, to cause change in 462 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:25,800 your heart, in your mind, and in your life. 463 00:24:25,840 --> 00:24:31,000 We have to humble ourselves and walk softly before the Lord. 464 00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:33,920 So the most important thing when looking at Solomon is this 465 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:37,760 understanding that he received this gift of wisdom, but it came 466 00:24:37,760 --> 00:24:42,280 from this place of holiness, humility and selflessness of 467 00:24:42,280 --> 00:24:46,920 heart, remembering that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of 468 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:50,680 wisdom. In first Kings 9, four to five, 469 00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:53,840 it says Now if you walk before me as your father, David walked 470 00:24:54,400 --> 00:24:59,160 in integrity of heart, an uprightness to do according to 471 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:03,760 all that I have commanded you. And if you keep my statutes and 472 00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:08,040 my judgement, then I will establish the throne of your 473 00:25:08,040 --> 00:25:12,520 Kingdom over Israel forever as I promised David your father, 474 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:17,080 David your father saying you should not fail to have a man on 475 00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:22,120 the throne of Israel. All we have to do is walk in his 476 00:25:22,120 --> 00:25:26,480 ways and keep his statutes and commandments. 477 00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:32,200 And although Solomon was born to David after God forgave David 478 00:25:32,200 --> 00:25:37,640 for all the sins and although Solomon was born and named Peace 479 00:25:37,640 --> 00:25:41,640 and and David knew that he was a man of rest, his child was a man 480 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:44,160 of rest. And although Solomon by Nathan 481 00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:48,080 the prophet was named Jedediah, which means beloved of the Lord, 482 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:51,760 there was an expectation for his life. 483 00:25:52,120 --> 00:25:55,120 See, a lot of times we start walking in the ways of the Lord 484 00:25:55,120 --> 00:25:59,200 and when we if this in our mind that you know our way is better 485 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:02,600 than his way or our thoughts are better than his thoughts, we 486 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:07,280 start walking the path for our life that we think is right. 487 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:12,960 We start living the life that we think is right, forgetting that 488 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:16,600 there's an expectation that God has set on our life. 489 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:21,280 The walk of the beloved. You can have all the wisdom in 490 00:26:21,280 --> 00:26:25,320 the world, this gift of wisdom that God has given you and be 491 00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:29,280 known for it. But it says walk in integrity of 492 00:26:29,280 --> 00:26:34,160 heart and in uprightness and keep my statutes in judgment. 493 00:26:34,960 --> 00:26:39,920 God set the expectation for King Solomon's life, and God has set 494 00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:42,440 the expectation for our life, right? 495 00:26:42,920 --> 00:26:46,880 We can't allow His love and His mercy and His grace to just 496 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:51,120 allow us to remain as infants who need milk. 497 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:55,080 But we need to allow His love and His mercy and grace to 498 00:26:55,080 --> 00:27:00,240 really transform our lives into mature sons of the Lord where we 499 00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:05,400 can now be given meat for food, where He can say, I trust you 500 00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:09,320 with this part of my plan and I trust that you're going to walk 501 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:12,000 in my ways. God has set out those 502 00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:15,240 expectations for our life. And I believe church, this is 503 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:18,680 like something that I pray for when I'm praying in this 504 00:27:18,680 --> 00:27:20,480 building and I'm praying for this church. 505 00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:24,520 What I'm praying for is that we would have the opportunity for 506 00:27:24,520 --> 00:27:28,720 people to walk into this place and see the lives of the people 507 00:27:28,720 --> 00:27:32,160 who fill up these seats and see people whose lives have been 508 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:36,360 transformed, people who literally hear the word of God 509 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:39,600 and allow it to transform their lives. 510 00:27:41,040 --> 00:27:43,520 Amen. Because how many people you, you 511 00:27:43,520 --> 00:27:45,640 can start following whatever preacher that you want on 512 00:27:45,640 --> 00:27:47,000 Instagram. And it's like they're dropping 513 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:49,720 like flies, right? Because they're not living a 514 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:52,920 holy and consecrated life. They might be living that in the 515 00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:55,160 public eye, but they're not living that in their private 516 00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:58,200 lives. But I believe God's word is able 517 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:03,000 to transform our hearts so our lives no longer look like they 518 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:06,200 used to look, but they really are made in the image in 519 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:16,160 likeness of God. Amen in first Kings 11/7. 520 00:28:16,160 --> 00:28:19,640 Just as I don't have a scripture for it, but I just want to say 521 00:28:19,640 --> 00:28:24,000 it says he built high places for his wives. 522 00:28:25,640 --> 00:28:32,920 He allowed something to come into his life that was not of 523 00:28:33,120 --> 00:28:35,880 the Lord. He allowed something to come 524 00:28:35,880 --> 00:28:39,720 into his life that he knew wasn't walking in the statutes 525 00:28:39,880 --> 00:28:42,880 that God had for him and the judgements and the ways that God 526 00:28:42,880 --> 00:28:45,360 had for him. Now he may have looked at it and 527 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:48,040 thought, well, it's not really that big of a deal if I allow 528 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:50,080 that to come into the life, right? 529 00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:54,760 But we have to remember that even a little Levin leavens the 530 00:28:54,760 --> 00:28:57,200 whole lump. So a lot of times we can say, 531 00:28:57,200 --> 00:29:02,080 well, I just let this one little area stay in my heart or this 532 00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:07,920 one little mindset or this one little thing to be in my life, 533 00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:10,760 but a little leaven leavens the whole lump. 534 00:29:11,440 --> 00:29:15,080 So he married these women and he allowed them to have these high 535 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:20,120 places to worship their gods. But God at that time said you 536 00:29:20,120 --> 00:29:23,040 are not to intermarry. And Solomon was following along 537 00:29:23,040 --> 00:29:26,800 in the judgments and God had the expectation set on his life. 538 00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:29,600 But he saw these women was like, this is what I'm going to do. 539 00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:32,040 I allow them into my life. And now that I allow them into 540 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:33,800 my life, they're into this Kingdom. 541 00:29:34,080 --> 00:29:37,040 And now that they're into God's Kingdom and I'm giving them 542 00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:38,840 their high places. And all the children of Israel 543 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:41,560 are like, wait, we can worship at high places. 544 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:47,040 They didn't go into the house that the man of rest built for 545 00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:50,200 the Lord. They started going all every 546 00:29:50,200 --> 00:29:52,280 which way. And the crazy thing about this 547 00:29:52,280 --> 00:30:00,480 to me is right, that as a man of rest, God said no place around 548 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:04,200 you is going to come in and cause war because my Kingdom is 549 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:07,040 going to be at rest. So nothing from the outside is 550 00:30:07,040 --> 00:30:10,000 going to come in to this place. But you want to know what 551 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:14,000 happened? It imploded because he allowed 552 00:30:14,000 --> 00:30:18,440 that little thing to come in. So when we have a walk as a 553 00:30:18,440 --> 00:30:22,840 beloved, when we have the walk as a child of God, we have to 554 00:30:22,840 --> 00:30:26,320 understand that he sets those expectations for our lives and 555 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:29,760 he doesn't hide those expectations from us. 556 00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:31,920 He doesn't hide His plan from us. 557 00:30:32,080 --> 00:30:35,320 He doesn't hide your call for your life from you. 558 00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:38,440 He gives us his plan. He gives us his calls. 559 00:30:38,440 --> 00:30:41,560 He gives us all of that. We can't act like, oh, but God, 560 00:30:41,560 --> 00:30:44,440 I didn't know how many times, you know, my children are like 561 00:30:44,440 --> 00:30:46,280 that. I'll be like, you're not 562 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:48,040 supposed to do that. I didn't know, Oh, you didn't 563 00:30:48,040 --> 00:30:52,040 hear me the last 18,000 times that I told you that, right? 564 00:30:52,440 --> 00:30:54,760 But a lot of times, how many of you know God comes in and he's 565 00:30:54,760 --> 00:30:55,880 like, I asked you not to do that. 566 00:30:55,880 --> 00:30:58,760 You're like you did. You asked me to give you my 567 00:30:58,760 --> 00:31:01,720 whole heart. You asked me to break the 568 00:31:01,720 --> 00:31:05,920 iniquities of my family, God. You asked me to give you my mind 569 00:31:05,920 --> 00:31:10,040 since I don't remember that. You know, we know He doesn't 570 00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:13,560 hide that from us church. So we can't convince ourselves 571 00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:16,840 that even the smallest thing that you're not willing to part 572 00:31:16,840 --> 00:31:20,080 with isn't keeping you from the fullness that God has for your 573 00:31:20,080 --> 00:31:24,240 life. The smallest, like King Solomon, 574 00:31:24,240 --> 00:31:28,280 the smallest affection for someone or something in your 575 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:30,480 life. We can't act like that's not 576 00:31:30,480 --> 00:31:33,360 going to deter us from walking and holiness and humility. 577 00:31:34,080 --> 00:31:37,600 It's written out pretty clearly and in first Kings 11 for it 578 00:31:37,600 --> 00:31:43,040 says for it was so when Solomon was old that his wives turned 579 00:31:43,040 --> 00:31:49,120 his heart after other gods. Man, that just makes me so sad. 580 00:31:49,120 --> 00:31:54,360 You know, you think of the plan that God had for his life for 581 00:31:54,360 --> 00:31:58,720 him to be the man of rest, to give him the gift of wisdom and 582 00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:01,920 wisdom that all the surrounding areas, his fame. 583 00:32:01,920 --> 00:32:05,160 I mean, if you if I asked you, what do you know about Solomon, 584 00:32:05,160 --> 00:32:06,520 you'd be like, oh, he's a man of wisdom. 585 00:32:06,520 --> 00:32:10,760 If I ask my kids, they learn it and and the moms and kids, they 586 00:32:10,760 --> 00:32:13,320 know Solomon was a man of wisdom, that much amount of 587 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:17,480 wisdom, right? But his wives turned his heart 588 00:32:17,480 --> 00:32:21,720 after other gods. She's just so crazy to me. 589 00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:26,720 Whoever would have thought that you think about his his father, 590 00:32:26,720 --> 00:32:31,160 David, who is living the life as the king. 591 00:32:31,360 --> 00:32:34,880 He had everything that he had need of, but he saw a woman over 592 00:32:34,880 --> 00:32:37,560 in the distance and was like, I need her. 593 00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:41,760 She came into his life and shook things up pretty good. 594 00:32:42,600 --> 00:32:46,120 And now you have King Solomon. Everything that he ever needed, 595 00:32:46,400 --> 00:32:52,400 but he allowed a little lovin into his life and that changed 596 00:32:52,440 --> 00:32:56,400 everything. And now the country and the, 597 00:32:56,480 --> 00:33:00,440 the, the Kingdom didn't explode, but it imploded because he 598 00:33:00,440 --> 00:33:04,920 allowed that in there. So although Solomon had this 599 00:33:05,320 --> 00:33:09,720 gift of wisdom that made him, he was made famous for it. 600 00:33:09,920 --> 00:33:15,680 He allowed a natural choice that he made to come in and, and, and 601 00:33:15,680 --> 00:33:18,560 change that. So we can't forget that when 602 00:33:18,560 --> 00:33:22,200 we're walking in the call that God has for a life, although he 603 00:33:22,200 --> 00:33:26,080 may fill us with supernatural gifts and he may fill us with 604 00:33:26,080 --> 00:33:29,320 this calling and everything that we have need of from Our 605 00:33:29,320 --> 00:33:32,480 Calling, we have to understand that we have a natural part of 606 00:33:32,480 --> 00:33:35,280 our lives that we have to walk in holiness. 607 00:33:36,200 --> 00:33:39,120 We can't just like, operate in the supernatural and forget that 608 00:33:39,120 --> 00:33:43,360 we have a natural life over here that you must steward and you 609 00:33:43,360 --> 00:33:47,960 must, we must not allow things to come into that, even the 610 00:33:47,960 --> 00:33:52,200 smallest of things to come in and really change our life. 611 00:33:52,480 --> 00:33:56,080 And so King Solomon finds himself in the same place, in 612 00:33:56,080 --> 00:33:59,240 the same decision that his father made. 613 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:04,000 We have this ability to walk in the knowledge of learning from 614 00:34:04,000 --> 00:34:08,280 those who are older than us. We have the ability to walk in 615 00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:11,080 humility and say, you've walked this walk. 616 00:34:11,320 --> 00:34:15,159 Give me some insight into how that I'm supposed to do this. 617 00:34:15,320 --> 00:34:19,920 But if we if we let go of that humility, if we let go of that 618 00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:24,480 holiness and we start operating in selfishness, that's when our 619 00:34:24,480 --> 00:34:27,239 decisions are going to be made in the way that they should not 620 00:34:27,239 --> 00:34:30,000 be made. So he let these women lead him 621 00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:34,239 away from, you know, this really allowing God's full plan to come 622 00:34:34,679 --> 00:34:39,120 to pass in his life. And I have over this like 623 00:34:39,120 --> 00:34:42,760 father, like son, because in the natural, how many of you know, I 624 00:34:42,760 --> 00:34:45,159 mentioned we are like aren't there. 625 00:34:45,159 --> 00:34:48,520 You can't deny that you are like your natural parents. 626 00:34:49,239 --> 00:34:52,639 But what I want you to know is it should not be like Father, 627 00:34:52,639 --> 00:34:57,720 like son, but our lives need to be like Father, like son, 628 00:34:58,520 --> 00:35:02,080 because we can't allow that natural thing Amen to stir 629 00:35:02,080 --> 00:35:04,640 inside of us. But say God, I made in your 630 00:35:04,640 --> 00:35:08,880 image, in your likeness. And God, I want to break this 631 00:35:09,120 --> 00:35:12,480 things that goes from generation to generation to generation for 632 00:35:12,480 --> 00:35:17,480 my life and for my family. So that means we we got to walk 633 00:35:17,480 --> 00:35:20,520 softly before him. We have to walk in humility. 634 00:35:20,640 --> 00:35:24,840 We have to walk in holiness, and we must lead a selfless life so 635 00:35:24,840 --> 00:35:28,360 we're not stuck making that same mistake over and over again. 636 00:35:29,080 --> 00:35:32,360 In this last scripture that I have for you in first Kings 854 637 00:35:32,360 --> 00:35:36,600 through 56 and 58, it says. And so it was when Solomon had 638 00:35:36,600 --> 00:35:39,920 finished praying all this prayer and supplication to the Lord, he 639 00:35:39,920 --> 00:35:43,840 arose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his 640 00:35:43,840 --> 00:35:45,840 knees with his hands spread up to heaven. 641 00:35:46,680 --> 00:35:50,200 And he stood, and he blessed all the assembly of Israel with a 642 00:35:50,200 --> 00:35:54,080 loud voice, saying, Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to 643 00:35:54,080 --> 00:35:57,040 His people Israel, according to all that he promised. 644 00:35:57,160 --> 00:36:02,600 There is not failed one word of all, His good promise, which He 645 00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:06,040 promised through My servant Moses, that He may incline our 646 00:36:06,040 --> 00:36:10,640 hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His 647 00:36:10,640 --> 00:36:13,640 commandments and His statutes and His judgements which He 648 00:36:13,640 --> 00:36:17,960 commanded our fathers. I love this scripture. 649 00:36:17,960 --> 00:36:22,280 I have over it heart posture because the Scripture is talking 650 00:36:22,280 --> 00:36:25,720 about the posture of an intercessor, a posture of 651 00:36:25,720 --> 00:36:30,760 someone who walks softly before the Lord, the posture of someone 652 00:36:31,000 --> 00:36:37,000 who is walking in that rest and that wisdom, the fear of the 653 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:42,440 Lord that God has called us to. And I love it about it because 654 00:36:42,440 --> 00:36:45,480 it says he stood up, which meant he was on his knees, and it says 655 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:47,680 his hands were outstretched to heaven. 656 00:36:48,440 --> 00:36:52,280 You might not have to physically be on your knees with your hands 657 00:36:52,280 --> 00:36:56,960 outstretched to heaven, but it shows the humility to get down 658 00:36:56,960 --> 00:37:01,120 on one's knees and to fully surrender your life to the Lord. 659 00:37:01,320 --> 00:37:04,680 And that's what God is calling us to in this day, to be a 660 00:37:04,680 --> 00:37:09,680 people of humility and holiness and selflessness with a heart 661 00:37:09,680 --> 00:37:13,480 posture that says, God, I want to walk softly before you, Lord, 662 00:37:13,480 --> 00:37:16,720 deal with my mindsets. Lord, deal with my heart 663 00:37:16,720 --> 00:37:20,400 condition. Lord, deal with the things in my 664 00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:23,520 life that I just can't seem to let go of. 665 00:37:23,720 --> 00:37:29,080 But allow me to walk in wisdom, Lord, like you have called of 666 00:37:29,080 --> 00:37:31,440 us. Lord, allow us to walk fully in 667 00:37:31,440 --> 00:37:34,960 the plans that you have for us. And it says in the Scripture 668 00:37:35,680 --> 00:37:40,400 that He may incline our hearts to Himself to walk in all His 669 00:37:40,400 --> 00:37:44,680 ways and keep His commandments and statutes. 670 00:37:45,880 --> 00:37:48,520 We have to understand, like I said, that He doesn't hide His 671 00:37:48,520 --> 00:37:50,920 plan from us. He doesn't hide His call from 672 00:37:50,920 --> 00:37:53,360 us. And there is an expectation 673 00:37:53,360 --> 00:37:59,560 that's set on our lives if we want to truly be transformed by 674 00:37:59,560 --> 00:38:03,640 His word, which He allows that for each and every one of us. 675 00:38:05,080 --> 00:38:07,680 This is Pastor Lorne Coverbius from Mount Zion Church. 676 00:38:07,920 --> 00:38:10,680 We thank you for joining us today and invite you to connect 677 00:38:10,680 --> 00:38:14,280 with our church family by visiting mountzion.org and 678 00:38:14,280 --> 00:38:16,920 following us on social media. God bless you.