Priorities - Part One

Introduction

1. An expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will never forget. As this man stood in front of t> efforts fulfilling - does your jar seem full or empty?

Teaching

1. Solomon had just been anointed king and his father David had just died. God comes to Solomon in a dream and in that dream He says to Solomon "Ask for whatever you want me to give you?’

2. Solomon’s answer would reveal to God what the rocks in his live really were. That which was most important.

3. If God were to come to you today and say "Ask for whatever you want me to give you", what would your answer be? Good health, a good job, a husband or wife, money? What is it you long for the most in your life?

4. Solomon’s answer is based on a number of things. We will look at these things that determine his answer and as we do, ask yourself if these things are true about yourself as well.

5. First of all, Solomon loved the Lord. Vs. 3 tells us that Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the statutes of his father David. Those statues could be summed up by what David had told David in 1 Kings 2:3:

"observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses,"

One of the big factors of what we live for is whether or not we love God. The evidence of that love will be a desire to live according to His word.

6, Now we need to be honest here. The text might make it seem that Solomon was almost perfectly obedient. But it also makes David seem so. Solomon says that David was righteous and upright in heart. And we know that David committed some terrible sins - even murder and adultery. And we read that Solomon married an Egyptian. God had forbidden inter-marriages. And he worshipped God on the high places where Baal had not been worshipped. Both Solomon and David had divided hearts.

7. But they loved the Lord and sought to live for Him. And especially as we know with David, there was repentance and deep sorrow over their sin

8. Do you love God? Do you strive to live for Him? When you sin are you truly sorry for your sin, because you know you have sinned against the one you love?

9. Second, in order to make our priorities right we need to have a correct view of God. We need to know God. Solomon says:

1 Ki 3:6 "You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David,.... You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day."

10. Solomon knew that God was a God of great-kindness. The word for great kindness means mercy and favour. It refers to God’s covenant favour and mercy. It means that God is faithful to His promises.

11. In order for us to place our priorities in the right order and to live according to these priorities, we need to know God’s promises and that He keeps His promises. That means that we know that God will work out things for our good. It means that He will bless us when we walk according to His word. And that He is merciful when we sin and turn back to Him. That means that we do not need to spend our lives striving for our rights and for possessions. It means that we live thankful lives and trust God in all things. It means we can live for Him rather than ourselves.

12. Do you know God’s great kindness? Do you know that He has given you promises? Promises He has kept and will keep in the future?

13. Solomon also understood his role in life. That is important to prioritize what is most important. A teacher’s role is to teach and the priority of what she or he does is in the classroom is based on that. Just as a my role as a minister. I need to keep my priorities straight, remembering my role as your pastor and shepherd.

14. Solomon states his role in verse 7:

1 Kings 3:7 "Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David.

He tells us three things about his role.

First - his role has been defined by God - YOU MADE HIM King

Second - he has a role toward God - he is God’s servant and all that he does should be done in order to serve God