If God Gave You A Wish.

If God gave you a wish, what would it be?

This morning we’re gonna be looking at . 1 Kings 2:1-4 3:1-15

• And what we need to understand is that In the Old Testament,

• God rarely appeared to people.

• However, King Solomon had a number of direct encounters with God and this was one of them.

Now I have wondered just how I would have responded if I had heard,God ask me this

• As a Pastor, a larger Congregation?

• That the church be out of Debt?

• That we would have a great band?

• That we could make a greater difference for His Kingdom

• “"What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you" (I Ki 3:5)

Today if God asked you this question how would you respond?

• Family get saved

• More Money

• A better Job

• Someone that you know could be healed

• “"What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you" (I Ki 3:5)

Now Solomon could have asked for riches,

• But instead he asked for something completely different

• He asked God to give him the ability to do what God wanted him to do

• He asked to be a Fair / Just / For a Understanding Heart / for Wisdom

• So he could governor in Israel.

Solomon asked that God give him what he needed to do God’s work

• Because this was more important to him than Riches / Honor / Power .

• We was more concerned with what God wanted him to do

• Than what he wanted to do

His number 1 Priority

• Was to be able to walk in God’s ways / do what God wanted him to do

• In the middle of a corrupt world.

So he chose a discerning heart so that he could governor of God’s people.

Jesus tells us Lk 12:34 Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be.

As I thought about this passage I wondered WHY Solomon made such a good Choice / Wise choice in response to God’s question: “"What can I give you? Ask." (I Ki 2:5).

And I can think of three reasons:

1. His Father’s influence- It was from the good influence of David his father.

Read 2 Kings 2: 2-3

David gave Solomon a solemn charge / Serious Obligation / A Requirement

• To Observe The requirements of the Lord

• To Follow all His ways

• To keep the Decrees / Commands / Regulations / Laws written in the Law

As parents we can have a real influence on our children

• For good and for evil.

• And we can never underestimate just how much of an effect

• We have on our children, even when they have grown up and left home.

Mark Twain Once Said about his own father:

"When I was a boy of 14 my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around, but when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years."

It takes time for children to appreciate their parents ‘Concern / Advice.

• It was important to David to encourage his son to follow the ways of God.

And it’s because of David’s influence that I believe Solomon made such a good choice in response to God’s question:

• “What can I give you? Ask." (I Ki 3:5).

But at the same time, godly parental influence isn’t enough

• To guarantee Christian success.

• It also comes down to the company we keep

• Because they play an IMPORTANT influence on our Christian commitment.

We read in 1 Kings 11 that Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines.

(How wise is this)

• And Sadly Solomon’s commitment to the Lord Wavered / Relaxed /

• BECAUSE his foreign wives introduced him to their foreign gods and led his heart away from the LORD.

1Ki 11:4 In Solomon’s old age, they turned his heart to worship their gods instead of trusting only in the LORD his God, as his father, David, had done

No wonder Paul reminds us not to be "unevenly yoked" (2 Cor 6:14) in marriage.

• If we want to keep our Christian faith going,

• We need to Meet Regularly / Pray with those who are likeminded

• That’s why Paul encourages us to come to CHURCH!.

But godly Christian parents are a good start.

2. Solomon was committed to God’s will for him.

• Solomon made this wise choice because he decided for himself that he would follow the ways of God.

• Someone once said: God only has children, not grandchildren.

No matter how much we may want to