The Apprentice - Part 2 Series

The apprentice - part 2

April 25, 2004 AM

Last week we began a new series on being an apprentice --

learning the ways of God to become a success in our life.

Last weeks secret was : The buck stops here --

No one controls your life but you --

If others are controlling your life, it is because you are allowing them to.

Where you are right now in your life is not someone else’s fault.

We cannot play the blame game and change our future.

The buck stops here .... we are responsible for our own life.

Today we’re going to look at secret # 2 --

2) Secret #2: Seek Wisdom

Let’s look at God’s word in relation to wisdom;

(Prov 4:5 NKJV) Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

(Prov 4:6 NKJV) Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you.

(Prov 4:7 NKJV) Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.

Wisdom is the principle thing!

Wow

I thought maybe success was the main principle.

Or being nice to people, or maybe feeding the hungry,

Or some people think being cool is the principle thing.,

Or being happy.

Let’s look at a story from the history of God’s word;

(1 Ki 3:1 NKJV) Now Solomon made a treaty with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and married Pharaoh’s daughter;

then he brought her to the City of David until he had finished building his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall all around Jerusalem.

(1 Ki 3:2 NKJV) Meanwhile the people sacrificed at the high places, because there was no house built for the name of the LORD until those days.

Now when you read about sacrifices at high places in the old testament it usually refers to pagan temples,

Or altars to idols.

Often they were places where a statue or an idol was set up and people would bring offerings and gifts.

Our team that is going to Thailand will see buddist high places --

Statues covered in gold leaf, idols surrounded with flowers and gifts .

1 Ki 3:3 NKJV) And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places.

It appears Solomon copied the customs of the pagan idol worshippers -- and worshipped at this high place.

The ark of the covenant and the brazen altar were indeed there in Gibeon.

But it was forbidden by old testament law to make offerings anywhere but the temple or the tabernacle -- but, offerings were being made at this high place to Jehoveh

(1 Ki 3:4 NKJV) Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place: Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

(1 Ki 3:5 NKJV) At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, "Ask! What shall I give you?"

(1 Ki 3:6 NKJV) And Solomon said: "You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You;

You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.

(1 Ki 3:7 NKJV) "Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.

(1 Ki 3:8 NKJV) "And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted.

(1 Ki 3:9 NKJV) "Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?"

(1 Ki 3:10 NKJV) The speech pleased the LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing.

(1 Ki 3:11 NKJV) Then God said to him: "Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice,

(1 Ki 3:12 NKJV) "behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart,

so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.

(1 Ki 3:13 NKJV) "And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days.