Read
1 Chronicles 17:7-15 – 7 Now, therefore, thus shall you say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people Israel, 8 and I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 9 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall waste them no more, as formerly, 10 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover, I declare to you that the LORD will build you a house. 11 When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you, 14 but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.’” 15 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.
1 Kings 2:10-12 – 10 Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. 11 And the time that David reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 12 So Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.
1 Kings 3:3-10 – 3 Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places. 4 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” 6 And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. 7 And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. 9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”
10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this.
Proverbs 1:7 – 7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
PONDER
Consider the Lord’s faithfulness to keep His promise to David by making Solomon king. Meditate on Jesus, the ultimate fulfillment of this promise who is the King of kings. Let this reality lead you to stand in awe of the steadfast love of the Lord who keeps His covenant, who is in control of all things, and who reigns eternally over us.
Wisdom is living skillfully in light of who God is and what God has said.
- What is significant about Solomon asking for wisdom?
- What does Solomon’s request for wisdom reveal about his view of God? About his view of himself?
- Why is it dangerous to despise wisdom and instruction?
- The Lord gives wisdom to those who ask in faith. Do you ask the Lord for wisdom?
PRAY
- Father, I need you. Apart from you, I can do nothing. Help me to see the magnitude of my dependence on you.
- Father, give me wisdom to know you, faithfully interpret your Word, and rightly apply it to my life. Guide me to live as you would call me to live.
- Father, in your kindness, lead me to repentance where I am tempted to follow after my own way.
- Father, by your Spirit, help us to see, know, and love you more through your Word.
- Father, prepare me to gather with my church and worship you. You are worthy! To you be the glory!
Sing: We sing to praise our Creator, to aim our hearts toward Him, and to spur on our brothers and sisters to worship and be glad in the Lord. Listen to this week’s songs on Spotify
Psalm 149:1-2 – 1 Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the godly! 2 Let Israel be glad in his Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!
PRactice
Gather! 9:30am or 11:00am.
Talk About It:
- Tell someone one thing that you learned from your Bible reading this week.
- Practice telling someone the story of God’s Word, from the beginning to what you have read so far.
5 Practices to Gathering Well:
- Be Present – The first step to gathering well: Gather!
- Be Early – Prioritize the gathering with your time. Don’t be late. The practical discipleship of this priority can be profound for you and your family.
- Be Prepared – Ponder, pray, sing, fast, and praise are all good ways to prepare.
- Be Uncomfortable – Sit with different people. Sing loud. Challenge routines. Gather on mission.
- Be Responsive – Don’t just be hearers of the Word, be doers. Pray. Ponder. Practice. Too often we gather to affirm what we already hold, rather than be taught, rebuked, corrected, or trained in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). Gather to be transformed.
- Get help and accountability in Prepare Sundays at either 9:30 or 11:00 am across from the Give2Go Cafe. Prepare is a Go Study Group aimed to help us grow as doers of the Word by working through the next steps required to faithfully apply the biblical text we’re reading and preaching through at TCBC.