In 1st Kings 5 the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon and Solomon was strategic in the way he allowed his workers to be refreshed and rested. Solomon trusted in the sovereignty of God despite the monumental task. Whatever we have, we can offer it up to the Lord so he can distribute as He sees fit. We need to be disciplined and we need to make rest a priority so God can recalibrate our thinking.

What does it mean to honor a friendship? Solomon's father David had a great friendship with King Hiram of Tyre and now Solomon was hoping to use that friendship. In 1st Kings 5, Solomon connects with Hiram about asking for cedars so he could build a temple for the Lord. Hiram and Solomon worked together to accomplish an important task for the Lord. As believers we should honor the friendships in our lives and finish strong for Christ.

Solomon's first test is recorded in 1 Kings 3 when two prostitutes come before him claiming one child as their own. Solomon tested both women and exposed their inner thoughts to find out who was the rightful mother. Israel was in awe of the king because they saw the wisdom he had from God as he was administering justice. We have the opportunity each day to expose our children for who they are and to put them to wise tests to expose the fruit in their lives.

In 1st Kings 3, God comes to Solomon in a dream and asks him to ask for whatever he wants. Solomon understood the important responsibility of leading God's people and he asked for a discerning heart to govern God's people. It says the the Lord was pleased with Solomon's ask and God blessed Solomon and gave him way more than he could have ever asked for. We tend to be trivial with our asks and we don't get in the paint with God because we don’t understand his ways however, we too have the opportunity to ask the Lord good asks that are in line with His desires for us, but we have to have a trustworthy relationship with the Lord and learn and study His Word. As we mature in the Lord, our asks will also mature.

2 Corinthians 6:14 says "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers." When it comes to marriage, the Bible says two shall become one flesh and the Lord says let no man divide. God gives us urges and impulses but they are to be guided in the right direction and we must be grounded in our training. We must go to the Lord first when seeking a spouse and we should follow God's word instead of letting our emotions get in the way.

Before he died King David gave his son Solomon instruction on how to establish the Kingdom of God and how to set the culture. In 1 Kings 2, Solomon wisely addressed Adonijah, Abiathar, Joab and Shimei and he judiciously dealt with each of them. Because Solomon set the temperature, the kingdom was now established in his hands. Solomon was not afraid to make tough decisions so that the culture would be set in ways to honor The Lord.

In 1 Kings 1, David had grown old and unfortunately the consequences of not disciplining his son Adonijah have caught up to him. Adonijah knew his brother Solomon was to be the next king, but he tried recruiting people to help him take the crown. Bathsheba and Nathan brought the news to David who was unaware of Adonijah's rebellion. David's supporting cast showed up and helped get David's mind straight. As believers we need to be ready to help others reach the finish line of life.

In 2nd Samuel 12, David acknowledges his sin of sleeping with Bathsheba and killing Uriah and he pleads that his son would stay alive. When he finds out that his son died, David gets up, washes, eats, and goes to worship the Lord. David recovered quickly and he comforted
Bathsheba. When you understand how much Jesus loves you, you won't want to take advantage of Jesus. When we go out of bounds, we will want to quickly get back in the game. David modeled moving forward in life and the importance of going to the Lord.