WEBVTT

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 Do you like stories with happy endings?

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 Most people do.

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 In fact, I don't really know anybody who would say,

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 I love to read a story that just rips my heart out at the end.

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 I can't imagine that.

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 Well, have you ever noticed that most of the Bible stories

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 that you were taught growing up or that you just have read yourself,

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 have you ever noticed that most Bible stories have a happy ending?

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 Think about some that you know well, like the story of Joseph.

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 Joseph started off, he was sold into slavery.

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 He was abused in various ways,

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 but God raised him up to a position of prominence and power in Egypt.

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 His story had a great ending.

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 You know the story of Daniel,

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 how he was thrown into a den of lions,

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 but God rescued him, closed the mouths of those lions,

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 brought him not only out of the lion's den,

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 but put him back in a place of power,

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 of great influence in a foreign pagan nation.

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 The greatest story is the story of Jesus,

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 how he died on a cross and was buried,

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 but God brought him back from the grave.

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 He not only was resurrected,

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 but he has ascended back into heaven where he is today

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 and one day will return to this world.

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 And if you know him as your Lord and Savior,

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 or you'll come to put your faith in him,

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 your life story can have a great ending.

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 No matter what happens in this world,

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 you will live for eternity in heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ.

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 That'd be the greatest ending, wouldn't it?

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 But I'm going to guess most people in this room,

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 you know that not all stories, even in the Bible,

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 have a happy ending.

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 One of the saddest stories that you'll ever read in the Bible

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 is the story of Solomon.

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 Now last week we saw how God blessed him with such wisdom

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 that the Bible even calls him the wisest man who ever lived.

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 Now you would think that the wisest man who ever lived,

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 according to Scripture,

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 that his life would be a great life.

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 That his life would just be a life of faithfulness.

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 It'd just be a good life that would end well.

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 But it didn't.

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 Solomon's life does not have a happy ending

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 because he, even though he was a man of wisdom,

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 he made a lot of unwise choices throughout his life.

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 Chuck Swindoll describes how Solomon's failure

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 to consistently act wisely led to its tragic ending.

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 Look at it.

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 By the end of Solomon's life,

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 the royal tree that once stood so straight and tall

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 had rotted from within.

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 In the springtime of his life, he had written,

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 Solomon wrote that, Proverbs 1.7.

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 But by the autumn of his life,

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 he had ceased fearing God

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 and simply depended on his own human wisdom.

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 He was no longer the world's wisest man.

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 He had become the world's wisest fool.

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 Last week, we looked at the bright side of Solomon's life.

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 Well, today we're going to look at the dark side.

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 It's in 1 Kings chapter 11.

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 Turn with me if you would.

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 1 Kings chapter 11.

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 As we go through this message,

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 as we go through this passage,

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 our goal is to learn some good lessons

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 from Solomon's bad example.

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 Our goal is that we learn from him

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 and not follow in his footsteps

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 because we don't want to become wise fools

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 with a tragic ending to our life.

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 So let's read 1 Kings chapter 11.

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 Now Solomon loved many foreign women

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 along with the daughter of Pharaoh,

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 Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women

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 from the nations concerning which

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 the Lord had said to the people of Israel,

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 You shall not enter into marriage with them,

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 neither shall they with you,

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 for surely they will turn away your heart

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 after their gods.

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 Solomon clung to these in love.

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 He had 700 wives who were princesses

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 and 300 concubines,

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 and his wives turned away his heart.

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 For when Solomon was old,

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 his wives turned away his heart

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 after other gods,

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 and his heart was not wholly true

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 to the Lord his God,

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 as was the heart of David his father.

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 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth,

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 the goddess of the Sidonians,

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 and after Milcom,

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 the abomination of the Amorites.

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 So Solomon did what was evil

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 in the sight of the Lord

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 and did not wholly follow the Lord

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 as David his father had done.

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 Then Solomon built a high place

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 for Chemosh,

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 the abomination of Moab,

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 and for Molech,

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 the abomination of the Amorites

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 on the mountain east of Jerusalem.

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 And so he did for all his foreign wives

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 who made offerings and sacrifices

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 to their gods.

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 And the Lord was angry with Solomon

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 because his heart had turned away from the Lord,

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 the God of Israel,

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 who had appeared to him twice

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 and had commanded him concerning this thing

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 that he should not go after other gods.

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 But he did not keep what the Lord commanded.

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 Therefore the Lord said to Solomon,

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 Since this has been your practice

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 and you have not kept my covenant

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 and my statutes that I have commanded you,

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 I will surely tear the kingdom from you

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 and will give it to your servant.

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 Yet for the sake of David your father,

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 I will not do it in your days,

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 but I will tear it out of the hand of your son.

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 However, I will not tear away all the kingdom,

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 but I will give one tribe to your son

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 for the sake of David my servant

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 and for the sake of Jerusalem that I have chosen.

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 Solomon, the wisest man on earth

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 because God had graciously chosen

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 to bless him with that wisdom.

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 He didn't use it wisely.

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 He made foolish choices.

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 And the result was,

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 God was angry

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 and God told him,

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 I'm not going to take the kingdom from you right now,

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 not because of you,

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 but because of your father David

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 and my covenant with him.

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 But I'm going to take this kingdom from your son.

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 And every parent in here knows

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 that would have ripped the heart out of Solomon

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 to think all that he had,

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 all that he had amassed,

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 that he knew one day would belong to his heirs,

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 God was going to take it away.

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 His son would suffer.

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 And Solomon, if you go ahead and read on,

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 Solomon suffers all,

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 also because God raises up adversaries

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 who are going to create problems for Solomon

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 from here on out.

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 Solomon shows us the way

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 someone becomes a wise fool.

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 Let's see what we can see

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 with prayer to help us avoid

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 following those footsteps.

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 Number one,

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 a wise fool compromises biblical truth

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 when it seems personally beneficial.

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 Solomon compromised

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 what he knew,

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 the scripture says,

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 because he thought he was an exception.

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 He thought it would help him

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 maybe be a better king,

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 enhance his reputation,

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 and in the back of his mind,

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 he probably thought,

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 as the king of God's people,

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 if my image is made greater,

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 burns brighter,

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 maybe that'll make God's burn brighter as well.

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 He was a compromiser,

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 and so he had probably

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 all kinds of rationalizations in his mind.

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 Let's look at some of the ways he compromised.

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 Number one,

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 he compromised in the way he sought power.

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 He sought to make his kingdom secure

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 by developing alliances

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 with foreign kings

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 through marriages

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 to their daughter.

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 Look at verse 3

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 that we've just read.

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 Look at the description

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 of his many wives.

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 It says,

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 He had 700 wives

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 who were princesses.

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 Now that word,

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 princesses,

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 means that many of his wives

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 were daughters of foreign kings.

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 Those marriages

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 were politically motivated.

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 He didn't have a real relationship

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 with 700 wives

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 and 300 concubines.

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 That was a part of his image.

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 That was a part

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 of what kings did in that day

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 to make them look

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 greater and mightier

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 before people.

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 But also in this case,

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 this was Solomon's way

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 of aligning himself

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 with other kings

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 and kingdoms

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 to avoid future conflict.

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 He did not have to do it

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 at this time

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 because there were no problems.

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 David had taken care

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 of everything.

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 Basically,

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 the kingdom that Solomon inherited

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 was at peace.

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 He did not need to do this,

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 but he chose to do it.

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 He was politically motivated.

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 You can understand maybe

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 he wanted to make sure

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 that his people,

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 his nation,

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 would be secure.

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 So I'm going to make

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 what might be an enemy

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 become my ally

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 through these marriages.

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 Now,

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 what we were reading about

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 in chapter 11

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 took place at the end

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 of Solomon's life

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 or near the end.

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 But Solomon didn't do this

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 just toward the end

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 of his life.

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 He started his reign

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 as king

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 making the same compromise

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 as we saw last week

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 in chapter 3.

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 In chapter 3

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 of this 1 Kings

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 that we're looking at,

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 verse 1,

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 it says this,

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 Solomon made a marriage alliance

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 with Pharaoh,

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 king of Egypt.

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 He took Pharaoh's daughter

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 and brought her

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 into the city of David.

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 Solomon

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 thought he was being,

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 what you might say,

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 politically savvy.

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 Now,

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 he was not trying

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 to be defiant.

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 He was not trying to,

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 he was not openly

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 rebelling against God.

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 Especially here

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 in chapter 3,

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 he didn't really see it

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 as a compromise.

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 Chapter 3,

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 verse 3 says,

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 he loved the Lord

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 and we looked at that

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 last week.

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 Solomon probably thought

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 in his mind,

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 this is just what kings do.

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 this will enhance

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 our nation's security.

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 This will prevent

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 problems from happening.

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 It will make peace

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 between neighboring countries.

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 That may have been

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 a very wise thing

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 for a secular king,

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 but it was not

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 for God's king.

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 God warned his people.

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 God warned the people

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 of Israel

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 from the beginning,

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 before they ever went

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 to the promised land,

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 before this ever

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 could happen.

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 He warned his people

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 that they were not

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 to do things like this.

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 What is said

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 in the last part

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 of verse 2

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 here in chapter 11

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 that we saw,

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 that came from

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 Deuteronomy chapter 7.

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 I want you to look at it

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 from Deuteronomy 7

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 on the screen.

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 God said to

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 the people of Israel,

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 you shall make

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 no covenant

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 with them

00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:30.720
 and show no mercy

00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:31.220
 to them.

00:13:31.540 --> 00:13:33.340
 That's those foreigners

00:13:33.340 --> 00:13:34.040
 who occupied

00:13:34.040 --> 00:13:34.920
 the promised land

00:13:34.920 --> 00:13:37.160
 prior to God

00:13:37.160 --> 00:13:37.840
 sending his people

00:13:37.840 --> 00:13:38.200
 in there

00:13:38.200 --> 00:13:38.940
 to take it.

00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:40.120
 You shall make

00:13:40.120 --> 00:13:40.639
 no covenant

00:13:40.639 --> 00:13:41.180
 with them

00:13:41.180 --> 00:13:42.180
 and show no mercy

00:13:42.180 --> 00:13:42.580
 to them.

00:13:43.220 --> 00:13:44.320
 You shall not

00:13:44.320 --> 00:13:45.800
 intermarry with them,

00:13:46.440 --> 00:13:47.280
 giving your daughters

00:13:47.280 --> 00:13:48.240
 to their sons

00:13:48.240 --> 00:13:49.320
 or taking their daughters

00:13:49.320 --> 00:13:50.180
 for your sons,

00:13:50.540 --> 00:13:51.519
 for they would

00:13:51.519 --> 00:13:52.500
 turn away

00:13:52.500 --> 00:13:53.460
 your sons

00:13:53.460 --> 00:13:54.879
 from following me

00:13:54.879 --> 00:13:56.720
 to serve other gods.

00:13:57.280 --> 00:13:58.360
 Then the anger

00:13:58.360 --> 00:13:59.060
 of the Lord

00:13:59.060 --> 00:14:00.000
 would be kindled

00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:00.940
 against you

00:14:00.940 --> 00:14:01.800
 and he would

00:14:01.800 --> 00:14:02.740
 destroy you

00:14:02.740 --> 00:14:03.380
 quickly.

00:14:04.280 --> 00:14:04.560
 Now I want you

00:14:04.560 --> 00:14:04.940
 to just stop

00:14:04.940 --> 00:14:05.280
 and think.

00:14:05.600 --> 00:14:06.640
 The very thing

00:14:06.640 --> 00:14:07.060
 that happened

00:14:07.060 --> 00:14:07.680
 to Solomon,

00:14:09.320 --> 00:14:11.060
 God said

00:14:11.060 --> 00:14:11.780
 before there was

00:14:11.780 --> 00:14:12.260
 ever even

00:14:12.260 --> 00:14:13.400
 a nation of Israel,

00:14:14.080 --> 00:14:15.400
 don't do things

00:14:15.400 --> 00:14:15.900
 like that.

00:14:17.320 --> 00:14:17.880
 Don't

00:14:17.880 --> 00:14:18.920
 intermarry

00:14:18.920 --> 00:14:21.040
 because if you do,

00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:23.660
 these pagan,

00:14:24.200 --> 00:14:24.900
 false God

00:14:24.900 --> 00:14:26.000
 worshiping people,

00:14:26.400 --> 00:14:27.200
 they'll lead you

00:14:27.200 --> 00:14:27.720
 astray.

00:14:28.640 --> 00:14:29.560
 They'll take you

00:14:29.559 --> 00:14:30.500
 away from me

00:14:30.500 --> 00:14:32.119
 and that'll result

00:14:32.119 --> 00:14:33.339
 in my anger

00:14:33.339 --> 00:14:34.699
 and your judgment.

00:14:35.319 --> 00:14:35.579
 God

00:14:35.579 --> 00:14:37.299
 mercifully

00:14:37.299 --> 00:14:38.559
 warned them.

00:14:40.739 --> 00:14:41.319
 Solomon,

00:14:42.059 --> 00:14:43.079
 the wisest man

00:14:43.079 --> 00:14:43.679
 who ever lived,

00:14:44.619 --> 00:14:45.559
 didn't listen.

00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:47.519
 He compromised

00:14:47.519 --> 00:14:48.639
 the truth of God

00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:49.919
 in order to

00:14:49.919 --> 00:14:51.099
 maybe seek

00:14:51.099 --> 00:14:52.000
 or maintain

00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:53.000
 political power,

00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:55.159
 national security.

00:14:55.599 --> 00:14:56.519
 That's not all he did.

00:14:56.639 --> 00:14:57.679
 That's not the only compromise.

00:14:58.099 --> 00:14:58.599
 He compromised

00:14:58.600 --> 00:14:59.460
 in some of the ways

00:14:59.460 --> 00:15:00.980
 he spent his wealth.

00:15:02.779 --> 00:15:03.159
 Solomon

00:15:03.159 --> 00:15:04.960
 in some ways

00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:05.879
 flaunted

00:15:05.879 --> 00:15:08.300
 that great wealth

00:15:08.300 --> 00:15:10.120
 that God gave him.

00:15:10.659 --> 00:15:11.639
 One was in the way

00:15:11.639 --> 00:15:12.420
 he accumulated

00:15:12.420 --> 00:15:13.480
 many horses

00:15:13.480 --> 00:15:15.340
 and chariots

00:15:15.340 --> 00:15:16.740
 from Egypt.

00:15:16.980 --> 00:15:17.440
 I want you to just

00:15:17.440 --> 00:15:18.279
 look at it real quickly,

00:15:18.340 --> 00:15:19.159
 just a couple of verses.

00:15:19.879 --> 00:15:21.620
 In 2 Chronicles chapter 9,

00:15:21.680 --> 00:15:22.519
 that's sort of a parallel

00:15:22.519 --> 00:15:23.820
 story.

00:15:23.820 --> 00:15:26.140
 And horses

00:15:26.140 --> 00:15:26.980
 were imported

00:15:26.980 --> 00:15:27.720
 for Solomon

00:15:27.720 --> 00:15:28.480
 from Egypt

00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:29.600
 and from all the lands.

00:15:30.120 --> 00:15:31.400
 Here in 1 Kings,

00:15:31.480 --> 00:15:32.240
 just back up

00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:32.920
 from where we are

00:15:32.920 --> 00:15:33.640
 in chapter 11,

00:15:33.940 --> 00:15:34.640
 chapter 10,

00:15:34.700 --> 00:15:35.920
 verses 26 and 28.

00:15:36.280 --> 00:15:36.940
 And Solomon

00:15:36.940 --> 00:15:38.000
 gathered together

00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:38.800
 chariots

00:15:38.800 --> 00:15:39.500
 and horsemen.

00:15:39.879 --> 00:15:41.220
 He had 1,400

00:15:41.220 --> 00:15:42.140
 chariots

00:15:42.140 --> 00:15:43.780
 and 12,000

00:15:43.780 --> 00:15:44.680
 horsemen.

00:15:44.960 --> 00:15:45.740
 And Solomon

00:15:45.740 --> 00:15:47.020
 imported horses

00:15:47.020 --> 00:15:48.520
 from Egypt

00:15:48.520 --> 00:15:49.440
 and Q.

00:15:49.440 --> 00:15:51.220
 And you might think,

00:15:51.320 --> 00:15:52.060
 what's the big deal?

00:15:54.180 --> 00:15:55.740
 Don't kings acquire

00:15:55.740 --> 00:15:57.180
 all kinds of things

00:15:57.180 --> 00:15:57.740
 like that?

00:15:58.880 --> 00:15:59.540
 Yes.

00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:03.040
 But Israel's kings

00:16:03.040 --> 00:16:04.840
 were specifically

00:16:04.840 --> 00:16:05.740
 instructed

00:16:05.740 --> 00:16:07.380
 not to

00:16:07.380 --> 00:16:08.720
 amass

00:16:08.720 --> 00:16:12.340
 an army of chariots

00:16:12.340 --> 00:16:13.420
 and horsemen.

00:16:14.420 --> 00:16:15.420
 Look at it

00:16:15.420 --> 00:16:16.540
 from Deuteronomy

00:16:16.540 --> 00:16:17.760
 chapter 17.

00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:20.000
 Basically,

00:16:20.319 --> 00:16:20.899
 instructions

00:16:20.899 --> 00:16:22.139
 to Israel's

00:16:22.139 --> 00:16:22.580
 former

00:16:22.580 --> 00:16:23.519
 or future

00:16:23.519 --> 00:16:24.220
 kings.

00:16:25.500 --> 00:16:26.460
 When you come

00:16:26.460 --> 00:16:26.960
 to the land

00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:27.379
 that the Lord

00:16:27.379 --> 00:16:27.779
 your God

00:16:27.779 --> 00:16:28.620
 is giving you

00:16:28.620 --> 00:16:30.240
 and you possess it

00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:31.379
 and dwell in it

00:16:31.379 --> 00:16:32.460
 and then say,

00:16:33.019 --> 00:16:33.899
 I will set a king

00:16:33.899 --> 00:16:34.539
 over me

00:16:34.539 --> 00:16:35.639
 like all the nations

00:16:35.639 --> 00:16:36.639
 that are around me,

00:16:36.840 --> 00:16:37.799
 you may indeed

00:16:37.799 --> 00:16:38.620
 set a king

00:16:38.620 --> 00:16:39.379
 over you

00:16:39.379 --> 00:16:40.159
 whom the Lord

00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:40.639
 your God

00:16:40.639 --> 00:16:41.460
 will choose.

00:16:42.179 --> 00:16:43.259
 Only he must

00:16:43.259 --> 00:16:44.439
 not acquire

00:16:44.439 --> 00:16:45.419
 many horses

00:16:45.419 --> 00:16:46.460
 for himself

00:16:46.460 --> 00:16:48.320
 or cause the people

00:16:48.320 --> 00:16:49.019
 to return

00:16:49.019 --> 00:16:49.980
 to Egypt

00:16:49.980 --> 00:16:50.900
 in order to

00:16:50.900 --> 00:16:52.060
 acquire many horses

00:16:52.060 --> 00:16:53.440
 since the Lord

00:16:53.440 --> 00:16:54.280
 has said to you,

00:16:54.400 --> 00:16:55.220
 you shall never

00:16:55.220 --> 00:16:56.620
 return that way

00:16:56.620 --> 00:16:57.280
 again.

00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:00.639
 Solomon,

00:17:00.800 --> 00:17:01.320
 it appears,

00:17:02.120 --> 00:17:03.240
 was more concerned

00:17:03.240 --> 00:17:04.799
 with competing

00:17:04.799 --> 00:17:06.079
 with other kings

00:17:06.079 --> 00:17:08.420
 in accumulating

00:17:08.420 --> 00:17:09.259
 a lot of horses

00:17:09.259 --> 00:17:10.019
 and chariots,

00:17:10.259 --> 00:17:11.279
 that kind of army,

00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:12.579
 that kind of division

00:17:12.579 --> 00:17:13.720
 in his army.

00:17:13.720 --> 00:17:14.660
 He was more concerned

00:17:14.660 --> 00:17:15.519
 with competing

00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:16.339
 with the other kings,

00:17:16.480 --> 00:17:17.319
 maybe outdoing

00:17:17.319 --> 00:17:18.400
 the other kings

00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:19.600
 than he was

00:17:19.600 --> 00:17:21.660
 with obeying God.

00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:23.660
 Solomon also

00:17:23.660 --> 00:17:24.380
 put more emphasis

00:17:24.380 --> 00:17:24.920
 on building

00:17:24.920 --> 00:17:26.019
 his own house

00:17:26.019 --> 00:17:27.420
 than he did

00:17:27.420 --> 00:17:28.319
 the house of God.

00:17:29.100 --> 00:17:30.000
 I want you to note

00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:31.940
 one sentence

00:17:31.940 --> 00:17:32.640
 that is said

00:17:32.640 --> 00:17:34.299
 about Solomon

00:17:34.299 --> 00:17:35.500
 building the temple,

00:17:36.460 --> 00:17:37.200
 God's house.

00:17:37.539 --> 00:17:39.759
 It's in 1 Kings 6, 39.

00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:40.819
 It says,

00:17:40.920 --> 00:17:42.059
 he was seven years

00:17:42.059 --> 00:17:42.659
 in building.

00:17:42.819 --> 00:17:43.359
 That's the temple.

00:17:44.019 --> 00:17:45.339
 The very next verse

00:17:45.339 --> 00:17:46.859
 is chapter 7, verse 1.

00:17:47.500 --> 00:17:47.960
 And just look

00:17:47.960 --> 00:17:48.639
 at what it says.

00:17:49.440 --> 00:17:50.480
 Solomon was building

00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:51.720
 his own house

00:17:51.720 --> 00:17:53.980
 13 years

00:17:53.980 --> 00:17:55.859
 and he finished

00:17:55.859 --> 00:17:57.159
 his entire house.

00:17:58.159 --> 00:17:59.440
 Now, most commentators,

00:18:00.399 --> 00:18:01.759
 most Old Testament scholars

00:18:01.759 --> 00:18:03.139
 who are trying to figure out

00:18:03.139 --> 00:18:04.019
 what's going on here,

00:18:05.299 --> 00:18:06.159
 interpret that

00:18:06.159 --> 00:18:07.399
 as the writer

00:18:07.399 --> 00:18:08.379
 of 1 Kings

00:18:08.379 --> 00:18:11.059
 contrasting,

00:18:11.059 --> 00:18:11.919
 pointing out

00:18:11.919 --> 00:18:12.700
 the difference

00:18:12.700 --> 00:18:14.220
 between the time

00:18:14.220 --> 00:18:15.899
 and the money

00:18:15.899 --> 00:18:17.639
 Solomon spent

00:18:17.639 --> 00:18:18.980
 on the Lord's house

00:18:18.980 --> 00:18:22.319
 versus the time

00:18:22.319 --> 00:18:22.879
 and money

00:18:22.879 --> 00:18:23.440
 he spent

00:18:23.440 --> 00:18:24.700
 on his own house.

00:18:24.700 --> 00:18:26.319
 And time-wise,

00:18:26.899 --> 00:18:27.639
 Solomon spent

00:18:27.639 --> 00:18:29.079
 almost twice

00:18:29.079 --> 00:18:29.899
 as much time

00:18:29.899 --> 00:18:31.139
 building his

00:18:31.139 --> 00:18:32.079
 elaborate

00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:34.039
 palace

00:18:34.039 --> 00:18:36.279
 than he did

00:18:36.279 --> 00:18:37.299
 building the temple

00:18:37.299 --> 00:18:38.759
 of God.

00:18:38.759 --> 00:18:41.039
 the ESV study Bible

00:18:41.039 --> 00:18:41.940
 points this out.

00:18:42.019 --> 00:18:42.519
 Look at it.

00:18:42.980 --> 00:18:43.779
 Solomon spent

00:18:43.779 --> 00:18:44.960
 much more time

00:18:44.960 --> 00:18:46.019
 building his own house

00:18:46.019 --> 00:18:46.660
 or palace

00:18:46.660 --> 00:18:47.680
 complex

00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:48.599
 than he did

00:18:48.599 --> 00:18:49.740
 building God's house,

00:18:50.200 --> 00:18:51.339
 another indication

00:18:51.339 --> 00:18:52.019
 of his

00:18:52.019 --> 00:18:52.900
 divided

00:18:52.900 --> 00:18:54.000
 heart.

00:18:57.440 --> 00:18:58.220
 From everything

00:18:58.220 --> 00:18:58.920
 we see,

00:19:00.019 --> 00:19:00.599
 it appeared

00:19:00.599 --> 00:19:01.599
 there were times,

00:19:01.879 --> 00:19:02.579
 not all the times,

00:19:02.779 --> 00:19:03.619
 there were times

00:19:03.619 --> 00:19:05.459
 when Solomon

00:19:05.459 --> 00:19:07.139
 was not wise

00:19:07.139 --> 00:19:07.439
 in the way

00:19:07.439 --> 00:19:08.239
 he used his money.

00:19:09.259 --> 00:19:10.439
 And there were times

00:19:10.439 --> 00:19:12.000
 when he was just

00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:12.839
 concerned to put

00:19:12.839 --> 00:19:13.599
 on a show,

00:19:14.500 --> 00:19:15.119
 flaunt

00:19:15.119 --> 00:19:16.479
 what he had,

00:19:16.839 --> 00:19:18.339
 make other kings

00:19:18.339 --> 00:19:19.479
 envious,

00:19:20.479 --> 00:19:21.639
 but he was

00:19:21.639 --> 00:19:22.439
 compromising.

00:19:23.379 --> 00:19:24.019
 He wasn't

00:19:24.019 --> 00:19:24.899
 acting

00:19:24.899 --> 00:19:25.619
 faithfully

00:19:26.519 --> 00:19:27.859
 to the Word

00:19:27.859 --> 00:19:28.319
 of God

00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:30.119
 as he knew it.

00:19:30.119 --> 00:19:31.199
 and he really

00:19:31.199 --> 00:19:31.699
 just wasn't

00:19:31.699 --> 00:19:33.059
 acting as a man

00:19:33.059 --> 00:19:34.500
 that God

00:19:34.500 --> 00:19:34.839
 had given

00:19:34.839 --> 00:19:35.500
 such great

00:19:35.500 --> 00:19:36.379
 wisdom to.

00:19:37.299 --> 00:19:37.639
 But there's

00:19:37.639 --> 00:19:37.919
 a third

00:19:37.919 --> 00:19:38.399
 compromise

00:19:38.399 --> 00:19:39.059
 we need to notice.

00:19:40.179 --> 00:19:40.859
 He compromised

00:19:40.859 --> 00:19:41.279
 in the way

00:19:41.279 --> 00:19:41.979
 he fulfilled

00:19:41.979 --> 00:19:42.779
 his sexual

00:19:42.779 --> 00:19:43.599
 desires.

00:19:45.899 --> 00:19:46.199
 Solomon

00:19:46.199 --> 00:19:47.419
 had a great

00:19:47.419 --> 00:19:49.099
 interest

00:19:49.099 --> 00:19:50.519
 in women,

00:19:51.199 --> 00:19:52.059
 in foreign

00:19:52.059 --> 00:19:52.479
 women.

00:19:53.759 --> 00:19:55.019
 He had a

00:19:55.019 --> 00:19:55.339
 weakness

00:19:55.339 --> 00:19:55.859
 for women.

00:19:56.500 --> 00:19:56.939
 Look at verse

00:19:56.939 --> 00:19:57.359
 one.

00:19:58.159 --> 00:19:58.959
 Now Solomon

00:19:58.960 --> 00:20:00.539
 loved many

00:20:00.539 --> 00:20:01.400
 foreign

00:20:01.400 --> 00:20:02.299
 women.

00:20:03.299 --> 00:20:03.759
 Now as we've

00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:03.980
 said,

00:20:04.180 --> 00:20:04.620
 some of these

00:20:04.620 --> 00:20:05.279
 marriages were

00:20:05.279 --> 00:20:05.680
 politically

00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:06.440
 motivated.

00:20:07.539 --> 00:20:07.799
 Hey,

00:20:08.200 --> 00:20:08.740
 but nobody

00:20:08.740 --> 00:20:10.079
 twisted Solomon's

00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:10.779
 arm to make

00:20:10.779 --> 00:20:11.500
 him do this.

00:20:13.140 --> 00:20:13.920
 Nobody put

00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:14.400
 any pressure

00:20:14.400 --> 00:20:14.940
 on him to

00:20:14.940 --> 00:20:15.259
 take all

00:20:15.259 --> 00:20:15.700
 these women.

00:20:17.220 --> 00:20:17.840
 Solomon was

00:20:17.840 --> 00:20:18.299
 king.

00:20:18.799 --> 00:20:19.180
 Solomon could

00:20:19.180 --> 00:20:19.680
 do what he

00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:20.360
 wanted to do

00:20:20.360 --> 00:20:21.100
 and not do

00:20:21.100 --> 00:20:21.500
 anything he

00:20:21.500 --> 00:20:21.840
 didn't want

00:20:21.840 --> 00:20:22.140
 to do.

00:20:23.140 --> 00:20:24.220
 Solomon loved

00:20:24.220 --> 00:20:24.559
 women.

00:20:24.900 --> 00:20:25.259
 He loved

00:20:25.259 --> 00:20:25.940
 foreign women.

00:20:26.500 --> 00:20:26.880
 And in the

00:20:26.880 --> 00:20:27.259
 power,

00:20:27.360 --> 00:20:27.799
 with the power

00:20:27.799 --> 00:20:28.240
 he had,

00:20:28.319 --> 00:20:28.600
 the position

00:20:28.599 --> 00:20:29.099
 he was in,

00:20:29.319 --> 00:20:29.659
 he took

00:20:29.659 --> 00:20:30.299
 advantage of

00:20:30.299 --> 00:20:30.559
 that.

00:20:32.199 --> 00:20:32.859
 Whoever he

00:20:32.859 --> 00:20:33.219
 wanted,

00:20:33.819 --> 00:20:34.379
 that's who

00:20:34.379 --> 00:20:35.000
 he got.

00:20:35.559 --> 00:20:35.980
 And he

00:20:35.980 --> 00:20:36.699
 did it

00:20:36.699 --> 00:20:38.579
 excessively.

00:20:39.099 --> 00:20:39.439
 Look at

00:20:39.439 --> 00:20:39.980
 verse three.

00:20:41.719 --> 00:20:42.500
 They captured

00:20:42.500 --> 00:20:44.039
 his heart.

00:20:45.500 --> 00:20:46.299
 He loved

00:20:46.299 --> 00:20:46.899
 foreign women.

00:20:48.179 --> 00:20:49.240
 He gave

00:20:49.240 --> 00:20:50.639
 himself to

00:20:50.639 --> 00:20:51.159
 many women.

00:20:51.159 --> 00:20:53.159
 There was

00:20:53.159 --> 00:20:53.579
 love,

00:20:53.719 --> 00:20:53.959
 there was

00:20:53.959 --> 00:20:54.559
 emotional

00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:55.139
 attachment.

00:20:55.759 --> 00:20:56.279
 And because

00:20:56.279 --> 00:20:56.839
 he gave

00:20:56.839 --> 00:20:57.459
 himself that

00:20:57.460 --> 00:20:57.840
 way,

00:20:58.960 --> 00:20:59.340
 they had

00:20:59.340 --> 00:21:00.019
 influence over

00:21:00.019 --> 00:21:00.200
 him.

00:21:01.000 --> 00:21:01.279
 They

00:21:01.279 --> 00:21:02.079
 influenced

00:21:02.079 --> 00:21:03.299
 him in

00:21:03.299 --> 00:21:03.819
 some terrible

00:21:03.819 --> 00:21:04.579
 ways.

00:21:05.319 --> 00:21:05.860
 Verse three,

00:21:06.100 --> 00:21:06.400
 and his

00:21:06.400 --> 00:21:07.980
 wives turned

00:21:07.980 --> 00:21:08.880
 his heart,

00:21:09.259 --> 00:21:10.220
 turned away

00:21:10.220 --> 00:21:11.460
 his heart.

00:21:12.420 --> 00:21:13.220
 As we have

00:21:13.220 --> 00:21:13.980
 already seen,

00:21:14.460 --> 00:21:15.000
 this was a

00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:15.799
 clear violation

00:21:15.799 --> 00:21:17.240
 of God's

00:21:17.240 --> 00:21:17.680
 word.

00:21:18.400 --> 00:21:18.840
 Deuteronomy

00:21:18.840 --> 00:21:19.220
 seven,

00:21:19.340 --> 00:21:19.940
 you shall not

00:21:19.940 --> 00:21:20.840
 intermarry with

00:21:20.840 --> 00:21:21.100
 them.

00:21:21.100 --> 00:21:21.880
 Also in

00:21:21.880 --> 00:21:22.299
 Deuteronomy

00:21:22.299 --> 00:21:23.119
 17,

00:21:24.419 --> 00:21:25.000
 Israel's

00:21:25.000 --> 00:21:25.539
 kings were

00:21:25.539 --> 00:21:26.240
 not supposed

00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:27.220
 to take

00:21:27.220 --> 00:21:27.700
 all these

00:21:27.700 --> 00:21:28.240
 wives.

00:21:28.319 --> 00:21:28.639
 Look at

00:21:28.639 --> 00:21:28.819
 it.

00:21:29.000 --> 00:21:29.279
 And he

00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:29.559
 shall,

00:21:29.619 --> 00:21:30.059
 talking about

00:21:30.059 --> 00:21:30.539
 Israel's

00:21:30.539 --> 00:21:30.879
 kings,

00:21:31.240 --> 00:21:31.539
 and he

00:21:31.539 --> 00:21:32.159
 shall not

00:21:32.159 --> 00:21:33.039
 acquire many

00:21:33.039 --> 00:21:33.720
 wives for

00:21:33.720 --> 00:21:34.319
 himself,

00:21:34.980 --> 00:21:35.759
 lest his

00:21:35.759 --> 00:21:37.379
 heart turn

00:21:37.379 --> 00:21:37.700
 away.

00:21:39.079 --> 00:21:39.559
 Solomon

00:21:39.559 --> 00:21:40.180
 compromised

00:21:40.180 --> 00:21:40.639
 the truth of

00:21:40.639 --> 00:21:41.259
 God's word

00:21:41.259 --> 00:21:43.460
 in his

00:21:43.460 --> 00:21:44.119
 pursuit of

00:21:44.119 --> 00:21:44.500
 women.

00:21:46.680 --> 00:21:47.200
 He

00:21:47.200 --> 00:21:47.740
 compromised

00:21:47.740 --> 00:21:48.139
 the truth of

00:21:48.139 --> 00:21:48.639
 God's word

00:21:48.639 --> 00:21:49.139
 in the way

00:21:49.140 --> 00:21:50.100
 he fulfilled

00:21:50.100 --> 00:21:51.640
 his sexual

00:21:51.640 --> 00:21:52.820
 desires.

00:21:54.060 --> 00:21:54.360
 Now,

00:21:54.840 --> 00:21:55.680
 let's look at

00:21:55.680 --> 00:21:55.960
 it now.

00:21:56.980 --> 00:21:58.080
 Solomon never

00:21:58.080 --> 00:21:59.380
 renounced his

00:21:59.380 --> 00:21:59.880
 faith.

00:22:02.740 --> 00:22:03.840
 Solomon never

00:22:03.840 --> 00:22:04.780
 says or does

00:22:04.780 --> 00:22:05.740
 anything to

00:22:05.740 --> 00:22:07.800
 say he's

00:22:07.800 --> 00:22:08.200
 turning away

00:22:08.200 --> 00:22:08.740
 from God.

00:22:10.120 --> 00:22:10.580
 He doesn't

00:22:10.580 --> 00:22:11.259
 believe God's

00:22:11.259 --> 00:22:11.620
 word.

00:22:12.300 --> 00:22:12.700
 He doesn't

00:22:12.700 --> 00:22:13.200
 care what

00:22:13.200 --> 00:22:14.080
 God thinks.

00:22:16.080 --> 00:22:16.860
 But his

00:22:16.860 --> 00:22:17.560
 love for

00:22:17.560 --> 00:22:17.940
 God,

00:22:17.940 --> 00:22:19.920
 and his

00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:21.320
 trust in

00:22:21.320 --> 00:22:23.320
 God is

00:22:23.320 --> 00:22:24.200
 obviously,

00:22:25.320 --> 00:22:26.000
 as you just

00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:26.440
 read through

00:22:26.440 --> 00:22:26.820
 this,

00:22:27.519 --> 00:22:27.900
 it's not

00:22:27.900 --> 00:22:28.480
 wholehearted.

00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:29.680
 He did

00:22:29.680 --> 00:22:30.340
 love God

00:22:30.340 --> 00:22:31.759
 to a certain

00:22:31.759 --> 00:22:32.100
 degree.

00:22:32.980 --> 00:22:33.519
 He was

00:22:33.519 --> 00:22:34.920
 committed to

00:22:34.920 --> 00:22:35.259
 a certain

00:22:35.259 --> 00:22:35.660
 degree.

00:22:37.240 --> 00:22:38.160
 But there

00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:38.820
 was not the

00:22:38.820 --> 00:22:39.420
 wholehearted

00:22:39.420 --> 00:22:40.200
 love and

00:22:40.200 --> 00:22:41.080
 commitment that

00:22:41.080 --> 00:22:42.700
 God required.

00:22:43.980 --> 00:22:44.880
 How do you

00:22:44.880 --> 00:22:45.220
 know that?

00:22:45.500 --> 00:22:46.080
 Because all

00:22:46.080 --> 00:22:46.559
 along the way

00:22:46.559 --> 00:22:47.400
 he compromised

00:22:47.400 --> 00:22:48.840
 and disobeyed

00:22:48.840 --> 00:22:49.480
 God to

00:22:49.480 --> 00:22:50.100
 increase his

00:22:50.100 --> 00:22:50.560
 power,

00:22:50.560 --> 00:22:52.780
 to flaunt

00:22:52.780 --> 00:22:53.660
 his wealth,

00:22:54.780 --> 00:22:56.140
 to fulfill

00:22:56.140 --> 00:22:57.560
 his lusts.

00:22:58.560 --> 00:22:59.660
 All too many

00:22:59.660 --> 00:23:00.300
 times,

00:23:00.880 --> 00:23:01.600
 Solomon was

00:23:01.600 --> 00:23:02.300
 more committed

00:23:02.300 --> 00:23:03.060
 to pleasing

00:23:03.060 --> 00:23:05.700
 himself than

00:23:05.700 --> 00:23:06.180
 he was to

00:23:06.180 --> 00:23:07.240
 pleasing God.

00:23:07.240 --> 00:23:07.380
 God.

00:23:09.180 --> 00:23:09.460
 Now,

00:23:10.059 --> 00:23:11.359
 do you see

00:23:11.359 --> 00:23:13.180
 yourself in

00:23:13.180 --> 00:23:13.680
 any of these

00:23:13.680 --> 00:23:14.180
 pictures,

00:23:15.620 --> 00:23:16.620
 in any of

00:23:16.620 --> 00:23:17.779
 these compromising

00:23:17.779 --> 00:23:18.500
 situations?

00:23:19.819 --> 00:23:20.019
 You know,

00:23:20.099 --> 00:23:20.339
 money,

00:23:20.559 --> 00:23:20.799
 sex,

00:23:20.880 --> 00:23:21.819
 and power are

00:23:21.819 --> 00:23:22.440
 the big three

00:23:22.440 --> 00:23:23.200
 sources of

00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:24.339
 temptation in

00:23:24.339 --> 00:23:24.960
 this world,

00:23:25.059 --> 00:23:25.420
 aren't they?

00:23:28.700 --> 00:23:29.660
 One or two

00:23:29.660 --> 00:23:30.200
 of them,

00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:31.779
 probably not all

00:23:31.779 --> 00:23:32.099
 three,

00:23:32.680 --> 00:23:33.460
 one or two of

00:23:33.460 --> 00:23:34.559
 them really

00:23:34.559 --> 00:23:36.319
 resonates with

00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:36.639
 you,

00:23:36.960 --> 00:23:38.639
 because we're

00:23:38.639 --> 00:23:39.279
 just that way.

00:23:40.259 --> 00:23:40.440
 You know,

00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:43.079
 you know what's

00:23:43.079 --> 00:23:43.599
 one of your,

00:23:43.700 --> 00:23:44.200
 maybe what you

00:23:44.200 --> 00:23:45.019
 might call root

00:23:45.019 --> 00:23:45.740
 sins,

00:23:46.500 --> 00:23:47.059
 one of the

00:23:47.059 --> 00:23:47.919
 greatest temptations

00:23:47.919 --> 00:23:48.440
 for you,

00:23:48.839 --> 00:23:49.399
 but the person

00:23:49.399 --> 00:23:49.819
 sitting right

00:23:49.819 --> 00:23:50.480
 beside you in a

00:23:50.480 --> 00:23:50.659
 pew,

00:23:51.299 --> 00:23:52.220
 that may not be a

00:23:52.220 --> 00:23:52.899
 temptation for them

00:23:52.899 --> 00:23:53.379
 at all.

00:23:54.319 --> 00:23:55.399
 What you struggle

00:23:55.399 --> 00:23:55.819
 with,

00:23:56.359 --> 00:23:57.039
 it's not even a

00:23:57.039 --> 00:23:57.539
 thought for

00:23:57.539 --> 00:23:58.339
 somebody else.

00:24:00.220 --> 00:24:01.000
 But you think

00:24:01.000 --> 00:24:01.359
 about it.

00:24:04.779 --> 00:24:05.579
 We in this

00:24:05.579 --> 00:24:05.859
 room,

00:24:06.859 --> 00:24:08.119
 we all struggle

00:24:08.119 --> 00:24:09.059
 with temptations.

00:24:10.960 --> 00:24:12.140
 Are yours more

00:24:12.140 --> 00:24:12.920
 along the lines

00:24:12.920 --> 00:24:13.119
 of,

00:24:13.900 --> 00:24:14.500
 you struggle

00:24:14.500 --> 00:24:15.259
 with an area

00:24:15.259 --> 00:24:16.119
 of money,

00:24:16.240 --> 00:24:16.880
 of wealth,

00:24:17.880 --> 00:24:18.640
 of material

00:24:18.640 --> 00:24:19.519
 things.

00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:21.319
 Maybe just

00:24:21.319 --> 00:24:22.480
 your desire

00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:23.099
 for it.

00:24:24.140 --> 00:24:24.920
 Maybe some

00:24:24.920 --> 00:24:25.359
 of the things

00:24:25.359 --> 00:24:25.740
 you might

00:24:25.740 --> 00:24:26.480
 compromise in

00:24:26.480 --> 00:24:27.180
 order to get

00:24:27.180 --> 00:24:27.400
 it,

00:24:27.720 --> 00:24:28.339
 or to hold

00:24:28.339 --> 00:24:29.000
 on to it.

00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:32.539
 Or maybe

00:24:32.539 --> 00:24:33.119
 do you

00:24:33.119 --> 00:24:33.900
 compromise in

00:24:33.900 --> 00:24:34.339
 the area

00:24:34.339 --> 00:24:35.480
 of power,

00:24:36.019 --> 00:24:37.960
 of control?

00:24:39.619 --> 00:24:40.059
 Maybe you

00:24:40.059 --> 00:24:40.740
 abuse your

00:24:40.740 --> 00:24:41.240
 authority.

00:24:43.000 --> 00:24:44.200
 Maybe you

00:24:44.200 --> 00:24:45.559
 envy those

00:24:45.559 --> 00:24:46.460
 who are

00:24:46.460 --> 00:24:48.700
 in authority,

00:24:48.839 --> 00:24:49.160
 who have

00:24:49.160 --> 00:24:49.660
 power.

00:24:51.500 --> 00:24:51.960
 Maybe you

00:24:51.960 --> 00:24:52.740
 resent it.

00:24:54.240 --> 00:24:55.119
 Or maybe

00:24:55.119 --> 00:24:56.160
 your temptations

00:24:56.160 --> 00:24:57.759
 in the sexual

00:24:57.759 --> 00:24:58.180
 realm.

00:24:59.000 --> 00:25:00.000
 maybe it's

00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:01.000
 just thoughts.

00:25:02.819 --> 00:25:03.480
 Maybe it's

00:25:03.480 --> 00:25:03.779
 some of the

00:25:03.779 --> 00:25:04.480
 ways you

00:25:04.480 --> 00:25:05.400
 entertain

00:25:05.400 --> 00:25:06.119
 yourself.

00:25:07.420 --> 00:25:08.079
 Or it

00:25:08.079 --> 00:25:08.440
 could be

00:25:08.440 --> 00:25:08.779
 just a

00:25:08.779 --> 00:25:09.220
 flat-out

00:25:09.220 --> 00:25:09.880
 relationship

00:25:09.880 --> 00:25:10.339
 that you

00:25:10.339 --> 00:25:11.099
 know is

00:25:11.099 --> 00:25:12.460
 not right.

00:25:15.220 --> 00:25:16.259
 We struggle.

00:25:18.539 --> 00:25:19.279
 We are

00:25:19.279 --> 00:25:19.740
 tempted.

00:25:20.799 --> 00:25:21.460
 We're not

00:25:21.460 --> 00:25:21.940
 tempted all

00:25:21.940 --> 00:25:22.380
 in the same

00:25:22.380 --> 00:25:23.119
 ways.

00:25:24.900 --> 00:25:25.779
 But most

00:25:25.779 --> 00:25:26.180
 of us in

00:25:26.180 --> 00:25:26.579
 this room,

00:25:26.720 --> 00:25:27.220
 we struggle

00:25:27.220 --> 00:25:27.759
 with one

00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:28.240
 or more

00:25:28.240 --> 00:25:29.600
 money,

00:25:30.059 --> 00:25:30.500
 sex,

00:25:31.240 --> 00:25:31.759
 power.

00:25:33.759 --> 00:25:34.660
 What are

00:25:34.660 --> 00:25:35.079
 you doing

00:25:35.079 --> 00:25:35.600
 to guard

00:25:35.600 --> 00:25:36.100
 against

00:25:36.100 --> 00:25:36.799
 stumbling

00:25:36.799 --> 00:25:39.000
 and falling

00:25:39.000 --> 00:25:41.299
 over one

00:25:41.299 --> 00:25:41.660
 or more

00:25:41.660 --> 00:25:41.960
 of these

00:25:41.960 --> 00:25:42.559
 temptations

00:25:42.559 --> 00:25:43.259
 in your life?

00:25:43.759 --> 00:25:44.000
 I mean,

00:25:44.039 --> 00:25:44.420
 what are you

00:25:44.420 --> 00:25:44.720
 doing?

00:25:44.819 --> 00:25:45.299
 How are you

00:25:45.299 --> 00:25:46.000
 fighting it?

00:25:46.180 --> 00:25:46.660
 How are you

00:25:46.660 --> 00:25:47.700
 resisting it?

00:25:47.700 --> 00:25:49.740
 One of the

00:25:49.740 --> 00:25:50.240
 most important

00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:51.140
 ways to avoid

00:25:51.140 --> 00:25:52.259
 compromising and

00:25:52.259 --> 00:25:53.539
 falling, as

00:25:53.539 --> 00:25:55.460
 Solomon did, is

00:25:55.460 --> 00:25:56.120
 to learn to

00:25:56.120 --> 00:25:57.240
 choose God's

00:25:57.240 --> 00:25:58.420
 way of wisdom

00:25:58.420 --> 00:25:59.319
 and obedience

00:25:59.319 --> 00:26:01.440
 every day.

00:26:02.440 --> 00:26:03.600
 You know, if you're

00:26:03.600 --> 00:26:04.039
 familiar with the

00:26:04.039 --> 00:26:04.799
 Old Testament, this

00:26:04.799 --> 00:26:06.279
 story, or here

00:26:06.279 --> 00:26:08.160
 last week, chapter

00:26:08.160 --> 00:26:09.039
 three, verse

00:26:09.039 --> 00:26:11.220
 three, God

00:26:11.220 --> 00:26:12.160
 said, Solomon, I'll

00:26:12.160 --> 00:26:12.900
 give you anything you

00:26:12.900 --> 00:26:13.080
 want.

00:26:13.160 --> 00:26:14.039
 You tell me.

00:26:14.360 --> 00:26:14.940
 And Solomon made

00:26:14.940 --> 00:26:15.480
 this choice.

00:26:15.600 --> 00:26:16.460
 I want wisdom.

00:26:17.559 --> 00:26:18.940
 A great choice.

00:26:20.380 --> 00:26:21.620
 But it wasn't

00:26:21.620 --> 00:26:22.620
 enough for

00:26:22.620 --> 00:26:23.720
 Solomon to ask

00:26:23.720 --> 00:26:24.580
 for wisdom

00:26:24.580 --> 00:26:25.920
 one time

00:26:25.920 --> 00:26:26.799
 at the beginning

00:26:26.799 --> 00:26:27.500
 of his reign.

00:26:28.860 --> 00:26:29.740
 Solomon should

00:26:29.740 --> 00:26:30.500
 have been asking

00:26:30.500 --> 00:26:31.600
 for wisdom

00:26:31.600 --> 00:26:33.299
 every day

00:26:33.299 --> 00:26:34.539
 of his reign.

00:26:35.660 --> 00:26:36.400
 And he would

00:26:36.400 --> 00:26:36.960
 have avoided

00:26:36.960 --> 00:26:38.299
 these compromises

00:26:38.299 --> 00:26:39.000
 if he had

00:26:39.000 --> 00:26:39.680
 truly sought

00:26:39.680 --> 00:26:40.820
 day by day

00:26:40.820 --> 00:26:41.559
 to be faithful

00:26:41.559 --> 00:26:42.019
 to God,

00:26:42.160 --> 00:26:42.920
 to listen to

00:26:42.920 --> 00:26:44.080
 God, to obey

00:26:44.080 --> 00:26:44.620
 God,

00:26:44.619 --> 00:26:45.839
 in every

00:26:45.839 --> 00:26:46.599
 detail.

00:26:48.179 --> 00:26:48.839
 Here's what I

00:26:48.839 --> 00:26:49.359
 want us to

00:26:49.359 --> 00:26:49.779
 understand.

00:26:50.459 --> 00:26:51.119
 Choosing to

00:26:51.119 --> 00:26:51.839
 trust God and

00:26:51.839 --> 00:26:52.459
 be faithful to

00:26:52.459 --> 00:26:53.699
 him is not a

00:26:53.699 --> 00:26:54.619
 once-in-a-lifetime

00:26:54.619 --> 00:26:55.519
 choice that you

00:26:55.519 --> 00:26:55.839
 make.

00:26:59.659 --> 00:27:00.519
 You don't have

00:27:00.519 --> 00:27:00.899
 some kind of

00:27:00.899 --> 00:27:02.259
 emotional experience

00:27:02.259 --> 00:27:03.199
 or really just

00:27:03.199 --> 00:27:04.019
 think it through

00:27:04.019 --> 00:27:05.679
 and come to a

00:27:05.679 --> 00:27:06.419
 real serious

00:27:06.419 --> 00:27:07.219
 decision and

00:27:07.219 --> 00:27:08.259
 say, I am

00:27:08.259 --> 00:27:09.179
 going to put my

00:27:09.179 --> 00:27:10.139
 faith and trust

00:27:10.139 --> 00:27:11.139
 in God.

00:27:11.519 --> 00:27:12.339
 I am going to

00:27:12.339 --> 00:27:13.079
 really and truly

00:27:13.079 --> 00:27:14.159
 trust Jesus as my

00:27:14.160 --> 00:27:14.880
 Lord and Savior

00:27:14.880 --> 00:27:16.200
 and think to

00:27:16.200 --> 00:27:17.019
 yourself, it's a

00:27:17.019 --> 00:27:17.740
 done deal.

00:27:17.880 --> 00:27:18.519
 I never need to

00:27:18.519 --> 00:27:19.120
 think about it

00:27:19.120 --> 00:27:19.540
 again.

00:27:19.900 --> 00:27:20.680
 I make this

00:27:20.680 --> 00:27:21.460
 commitment and I

00:27:21.460 --> 00:27:22.060
 go on with my

00:27:22.060 --> 00:27:22.580
 life.

00:27:23.519 --> 00:27:24.400
 That's crazy.

00:27:27.860 --> 00:27:29.140
 That is not

00:27:29.140 --> 00:27:30.880
 biblical faith.

00:27:30.880 --> 00:27:31.060
 faith.

00:27:31.100 --> 00:27:33.920
 We must make this a

00:27:33.920 --> 00:27:35.420
 daily, sometimes

00:27:35.420 --> 00:27:36.780
 even hourly

00:27:36.780 --> 00:27:39.820
 commitment if we

00:27:39.820 --> 00:27:40.360
 really want to be

00:27:40.360 --> 00:27:40.740
 faithful.

00:27:41.820 --> 00:27:42.780
 You don't make a

00:27:42.780 --> 00:27:43.540
 decision to trust

00:27:43.540 --> 00:27:44.460
 Christ one day,

00:27:45.600 --> 00:27:47.180
 never think about

00:27:47.180 --> 00:27:47.560
 it again.

00:27:48.820 --> 00:27:49.700
 Saving faith is

00:27:49.700 --> 00:27:52.300
 continuing faith or

00:27:52.300 --> 00:27:53.200
 it's nothing at all.

00:27:54.260 --> 00:27:55.020
 Everything you read

00:27:55.020 --> 00:27:56.540
 about faith in both

00:27:56.540 --> 00:27:57.060
 the Old and New

00:27:57.059 --> 00:27:57.419
 Testament.

00:27:58.179 --> 00:27:59.399
 Somebody begins a

00:27:59.399 --> 00:28:00.279
 relationship with the

00:28:00.279 --> 00:28:03.480
 Lord one day, putting

00:28:03.480 --> 00:28:04.220
 their faith and trust

00:28:04.220 --> 00:28:05.279
 in Him, but they

00:28:05.279 --> 00:28:06.579
 continue to trust Him,

00:28:06.879 --> 00:28:08.559
 to obey Him if

00:28:08.559 --> 00:28:09.159
 they're faithful.

00:28:10.619 --> 00:28:11.419
 That's what God

00:28:11.419 --> 00:28:12.179
 calls us to do.

00:28:13.639 --> 00:28:14.519
 That's why it's so

00:28:14.519 --> 00:28:15.159
 important for us to

00:28:15.159 --> 00:28:16.159
 spend time every day

00:28:16.159 --> 00:28:18.539
 with the Lord in

00:28:18.539 --> 00:28:20.500
 meaningful, heartfelt

00:28:20.500 --> 00:28:23.079
 prayer and Bible

00:28:23.079 --> 00:28:23.460
 reading.

00:28:23.460 --> 00:28:29.740
 We need to seek to

00:28:29.740 --> 00:28:31.019
 cultivate a conscious

00:28:31.019 --> 00:28:32.380
 awareness of God's

00:28:32.380 --> 00:28:33.860
 presence in our life

00:28:33.860 --> 00:28:35.779
 on a regular basis.

00:28:36.860 --> 00:28:37.900
 Begin the day with

00:28:37.900 --> 00:28:38.539
 Him in the morning.

00:28:39.779 --> 00:28:40.860
 Talk to Him as we go

00:28:40.860 --> 00:28:41.539
 through the day.

00:28:42.880 --> 00:28:44.220
 Become familiar enough

00:28:44.220 --> 00:28:45.420
 with His Word that as

00:28:45.420 --> 00:28:47.279
 we encounter situations,

00:28:47.380 --> 00:28:48.319
 have to make decisions,

00:28:48.680 --> 00:28:50.200
 we have a good idea of

00:28:50.200 --> 00:28:51.840
 what God's will is and

00:28:51.840 --> 00:28:52.960
 we ask His help to

00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:54.299
 enable us to do His

00:28:54.299 --> 00:28:54.640
 will.

00:28:58.579 --> 00:28:59.539
 The only way we can

00:28:59.539 --> 00:29:01.840
 avoid compromising like

00:29:01.840 --> 00:29:04.220
 Solomon did is to live

00:29:04.220 --> 00:29:05.519
 in close fellowship with

00:29:05.519 --> 00:29:06.759
 God every day.

00:29:07.420 --> 00:29:08.279
 And I'm as serious as I

00:29:08.279 --> 00:29:08.579
 can be.

00:29:08.640 --> 00:29:09.340
 That applies to every

00:29:09.340 --> 00:29:09.940
 single one of us in

00:29:09.940 --> 00:29:10.299
 this room.

00:29:12.500 --> 00:29:13.720
 Your level of

00:29:13.720 --> 00:29:17.019
 commitment could be

00:29:17.019 --> 00:29:21.960
 stated this morning if

00:29:21.960 --> 00:29:24.860
 someone observed you,

00:29:24.980 --> 00:29:25.700
 knew what was in your

00:29:25.700 --> 00:29:26.660
 mind, knew what was in

00:29:26.660 --> 00:29:27.960
 your heart, knew how

00:29:27.960 --> 00:29:28.779
 you spent your time.

00:29:29.259 --> 00:29:30.360
 Every one of us, our

00:29:30.360 --> 00:29:31.579
 level of commitment to

00:29:31.579 --> 00:29:32.420
 the Lord Jesus Christ,

00:29:32.519 --> 00:29:34.840
 our faithfulness could be

00:29:34.840 --> 00:29:36.259
 pretty much explained

00:29:36.259 --> 00:29:38.319
 based on the amount of

00:29:38.319 --> 00:29:39.500
 time we spend with Him,

00:29:39.579 --> 00:29:40.220
 talking to Him,

00:29:40.340 --> 00:29:41.160
 listening to Him,

00:29:41.960 --> 00:29:44.019
 loving Him, praising Him,

00:29:45.640 --> 00:29:47.500
 desiring Him, obeying Him.

00:29:47.500 --> 00:29:51.299
 that's true about me and I

00:29:51.299 --> 00:29:52.299
 know it's true about you.

00:29:54.720 --> 00:29:57.259
 Solomon got too busy with

00:29:57.259 --> 00:29:57.819
 his kingdom.

00:29:59.259 --> 00:30:00.500
 Solomon got too concerned

00:30:01.380 --> 00:30:02.220
 about himself.

00:30:03.119 --> 00:30:04.359
 He got preoccupied by his

00:30:04.359 --> 00:30:05.819
 wealth, by his power, by his

00:30:05.819 --> 00:30:06.319
 position.

00:30:08.839 --> 00:30:10.579
 Solomon got distracted by

00:30:10.579 --> 00:30:12.720
 women and sex.

00:30:15.779 --> 00:30:17.279
 And it destroyed

00:30:17.279 --> 00:30:19.939
 his kingdom.

00:30:20.740 --> 00:30:22.639
 It destroyed his life.

00:30:25.639 --> 00:30:27.079
 The only way we can avoid

00:30:27.079 --> 00:30:28.059
 this divided heart,

00:30:29.359 --> 00:30:30.319
 Solomon's problem,

00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:36.579
 is to have a guard over our

00:30:36.579 --> 00:30:39.259
 hearts and not let it

00:30:39.259 --> 00:30:43.359
 become distracted and

00:30:43.359 --> 00:30:44.359
 divided like he did.

00:30:44.420 --> 00:30:44.940
 Let's look at one more

00:30:44.940 --> 00:30:45.519
 point quickly.

00:30:46.220 --> 00:30:48.339
 A wise fool carelessly

00:30:48.339 --> 00:30:50.980
 fails to guard his heart

00:30:50.980 --> 00:30:52.619
 because he thinks he can

00:30:52.619 --> 00:30:53.839
 handle anything.

00:30:54.140 --> 00:30:54.599
 I want you to look at

00:30:54.599 --> 00:30:54.940
 Solomon.

00:30:55.200 --> 00:30:56.819
 Chapter 11, verse 4 first.

00:30:58.039 --> 00:31:00.059
 For when Solomon was old,

00:31:00.680 --> 00:31:03.039
 his wives turned away his

00:31:03.039 --> 00:31:05.259
 heart after other gods,

00:31:05.259 --> 00:31:06.960
 and his heart was not

00:31:06.960 --> 00:31:09.059
 wholly true to the Lord

00:31:09.059 --> 00:31:11.200
 his God, as was the heart

00:31:11.200 --> 00:31:13.359
 of David, his father.

00:31:13.480 --> 00:31:14.399
 Look at verse 6.

00:31:16.220 --> 00:31:17.559
 So Solomon did what was

00:31:17.559 --> 00:31:18.659
 evil in the sight of the

00:31:18.659 --> 00:31:20.779
 Lord, and did not wholly

00:31:20.779 --> 00:31:22.740
 follow the Lord as David's

00:31:22.740 --> 00:31:23.500
 father had done.

00:31:23.759 --> 00:31:24.559
 And then verse 9.

00:31:24.819 --> 00:31:26.419
 And the Lord was angry with

00:31:26.419 --> 00:31:28.359
 Solomon because his heart

00:31:28.359 --> 00:31:30.000
 had turned away from the

00:31:30.000 --> 00:31:31.720
 Lord, the God of Israel,

00:31:31.720 --> 00:31:33.480
 who had appeared to him

00:31:33.480 --> 00:31:34.720
 twice.

00:31:34.720 --> 00:31:39.720
 Solomon allowed his heart to

00:31:39.720 --> 00:31:40.360
 become divided.

00:31:41.200 --> 00:31:43.440
 Again, he never renounced

00:31:43.440 --> 00:31:46.360
 his faith or even his love

00:31:46.360 --> 00:31:46.900
 for God.

00:31:47.660 --> 00:31:50.500
 But for all practical purposes,

00:31:51.140 --> 00:31:54.480
 he really did because when

00:31:54.480 --> 00:31:57.360
 his heart turned away from God,

00:31:57.359 --> 00:32:00.740
 his heart turned to his

00:32:00.740 --> 00:32:04.059
 wives and false gods.

00:32:05.699 --> 00:32:08.000
 Solomon became an idolater.

00:32:08.679 --> 00:32:10.439
 Solomon became one who

00:32:10.439 --> 00:32:13.279
 worshipped things that were

00:32:13.279 --> 00:32:16.919
 not even gods because his

00:32:16.919 --> 00:32:19.240
 wives captured his heart.

00:32:20.359 --> 00:32:23.240
 He desired to please them more

00:32:23.240 --> 00:32:25.640
 than he desired to please God.

00:32:27.660 --> 00:32:29.500
 Solomon's idolatry emphasizes

00:32:29.500 --> 00:32:31.120
 how important it is for us

00:32:31.120 --> 00:32:35.339
 to guard our hearts and guard

00:32:35.339 --> 00:32:36.079
 them every day.

00:32:37.440 --> 00:32:38.640
 You know, today we're expected

00:32:38.640 --> 00:32:41.859
 to accept everyone's view of

00:32:41.859 --> 00:32:44.420
 the truth as being equally

00:32:44.420 --> 00:32:44.880
 valid.

00:32:45.640 --> 00:32:47.299
 Every day, today, I mean, in

00:32:47.299 --> 00:32:47.980
 this world in which we live

00:32:47.980 --> 00:32:49.400
 today, if we're going to be

00:32:49.400 --> 00:32:50.400
 politically correct, if we're

00:32:50.400 --> 00:32:51.299
 going to get along, if we're

00:32:51.299 --> 00:32:52.240
 not going to get labeled as

00:32:53.240 --> 00:32:56.140
 some kind of extremist,

00:32:57.059 --> 00:32:59.200
 whatever anyone thinks,

00:32:59.400 --> 00:33:00.359
 whatever anyone considers to

00:33:00.359 --> 00:33:01.640
 be true, we're supposed to

00:33:01.640 --> 00:33:02.720
 say, okay.

00:33:05.460 --> 00:33:06.180
 It's okay.

00:33:06.859 --> 00:33:07.680
 You believe what you want to

00:33:07.680 --> 00:33:08.859
 believe, I believe what I

00:33:08.859 --> 00:33:09.240
 want to believe.

00:33:10.380 --> 00:33:11.880
 You believe what you do and

00:33:11.880 --> 00:33:12.960
 it's true for you.

00:33:13.799 --> 00:33:14.859
 I believe what I want to

00:33:14.859 --> 00:33:16.920
 believe and it's true for me.

00:33:18.200 --> 00:33:19.819
 That's the way the world tells

00:33:19.819 --> 00:33:20.740
 us to think.

00:33:20.740 --> 00:33:23.660
 That's the world tells us what

00:33:23.660 --> 00:33:24.799
 we've got to do in order to

00:33:24.799 --> 00:33:25.579
 get along.

00:33:28.220 --> 00:33:29.279
 That's what we've got to do in

00:33:29.279 --> 00:33:30.680
 order to please the world.

00:33:32.819 --> 00:33:34.519
 But if we try to please the

00:33:34.519 --> 00:33:36.700
 world, we're going to be just

00:33:36.700 --> 00:33:38.160
 like Solomon who tried to

00:33:38.160 --> 00:33:40.880
 please his wives and the result

00:33:40.880 --> 00:33:42.319
 will be we will compromise

00:33:42.319 --> 00:33:43.240
 God's word.

00:33:44.240 --> 00:33:46.120
 Our hearts will be pulled away

00:33:46.119 --> 00:33:48.159
 from God, from his will.

00:33:49.939 --> 00:33:50.779
 Here's what we need to be

00:33:50.779 --> 00:33:51.219
 aware of.

00:33:51.319 --> 00:33:51.959
 It's not going to happen

00:33:51.959 --> 00:33:52.419
 overnight.

00:33:54.339 --> 00:33:55.019
 It's going to happen

00:33:55.019 --> 00:33:55.579
 gradually.

00:33:56.219 --> 00:33:57.459
 It's going to happen almost

00:33:57.459 --> 00:33:58.559
 unnoticeably.

00:34:00.239 --> 00:34:02.739
 But a life made up of little

00:34:02.739 --> 00:34:04.559
 compromises here and there,

00:34:05.739 --> 00:34:07.039
 year in and year out,

00:34:07.859 --> 00:34:10.400
 will eventually result in a

00:34:10.400 --> 00:34:12.219
 heart that's turned away from

00:34:12.219 --> 00:34:15.019
 God just like Solomon's was.

00:34:17.139 --> 00:34:18.399
 We need to learn from the

00:34:18.399 --> 00:34:21.619
 mistakes of this wise fool.

00:34:24.419 --> 00:34:25.779
 Solomon was smarter than any of

00:34:25.779 --> 00:34:26.399
 us in this room.

00:34:28.019 --> 00:34:29.539
 Solomon had a gift from God

00:34:29.539 --> 00:34:30.859
 that we do not have.

00:34:30.860 --> 00:34:35.039
 But because he compromised,

00:34:35.960 --> 00:34:38.019
 because he did not guard his

00:34:38.019 --> 00:34:42.079
 heart, he became the biggest

00:34:42.079 --> 00:34:46.220
 fool from the heights he fell

00:34:46.220 --> 00:34:46.579
 from.

00:34:47.940 --> 00:34:50.780
 He became a wise fool.

00:34:53.900 --> 00:34:56.000
 Before we go, I want us to hear

00:34:56.000 --> 00:34:58.940
 from one who was wiser than

00:34:58.940 --> 00:35:00.120
 Solomon, the only one.

00:35:00.860 --> 00:35:02.039
 The Lord Jesus Christ,

00:35:02.400 --> 00:35:03.620
 along the same line.

00:35:03.860 --> 00:35:04.599
 Look at what he said.

00:35:05.539 --> 00:35:07.380
 No one can serve two masters.

00:35:08.120 --> 00:35:09.240
 For either he will hate the one

00:35:09.240 --> 00:35:10.740
 and love the other, or he will

00:35:10.740 --> 00:35:12.000
 be devoted to the one and

00:35:12.000 --> 00:35:13.180
 despise the other.

00:35:13.920 --> 00:35:17.780
 You cannot serve God and money.

00:35:19.240 --> 00:35:20.440
 That's what Jesus said.

00:35:21.400 --> 00:35:22.960
 You may think you can't because

00:35:22.960 --> 00:35:24.099
 Solomon thought he could.

00:35:25.700 --> 00:35:26.700
 And in light of what we see in

00:35:26.700 --> 00:35:30.019
 Solomon's life, we need to

00:35:30.019 --> 00:35:31.440
 understand not only can we not

00:35:31.440 --> 00:35:32.559
 serve God and money

00:35:32.559 --> 00:35:36.039
 simultaneously, we can't serve

00:35:36.039 --> 00:35:36.920
 God and power.

00:35:38.280 --> 00:35:40.400
 We can't serve God and sex.

00:35:41.739 --> 00:35:44.759
 We can't serve God and anything

00:35:44.759 --> 00:35:45.619
 else.

00:35:47.619 --> 00:35:50.280
 We must serve God wholeheartedly,

00:35:50.280 --> 00:35:52.760
 we're not at all.

00:35:55.760 --> 00:35:57.820
 Jesus, as the old cliche says,

00:35:58.500 --> 00:36:01.000
 Jesus must be Lord of all,

00:36:02.000 --> 00:36:05.500
 or he will not be Lord at all.

00:36:05.500 --> 00:36:11.440
 So I want to ask you, who are you

00:36:11.440 --> 00:36:11.820
 serving?

00:36:13.000 --> 00:36:14.079
 What are you serving?

00:36:16.199 --> 00:36:17.920
 There's nothing in the world wrong

00:36:17.920 --> 00:36:20.460
 with wisely using power.

00:36:22.199 --> 00:36:24.519
 Nothing in the world wrong with

00:36:24.519 --> 00:36:26.980
 wisely using wealth.

00:36:26.980 --> 00:36:31.539
 Nothing in the world wrong with

00:36:31.539 --> 00:36:33.579
 having strong sex drive and having

00:36:33.579 --> 00:36:36.900
 those needs met in the context of a

00:36:36.900 --> 00:36:40.280
 marriage, one man and one woman.

00:36:40.280 --> 00:36:49.660
 But your heart, your wholehearted commitment,

00:36:50.240 --> 00:36:55.160
 your wholehearted devotion must be,

00:36:56.060 --> 00:36:58.260
 must rest upon the Lord Jesus Christ,

00:36:59.260 --> 00:37:00.880
 your heavenly Father.

00:37:02.220 --> 00:37:04.840
 It cannot be divided between him and

00:37:04.840 --> 00:37:05.640
 anything else.

00:37:05.639 --> 00:37:08.460
 hear that word.

00:37:10.039 --> 00:37:11.079
 Don't compromise.

00:37:12.460 --> 00:37:13.839
 Guard your heart.

00:37:15.019 --> 00:37:16.960
 Your life will never end well

00:37:16.960 --> 00:37:18.879
 if you don't.

00:37:19.460 --> 00:37:20.339
 Let's pray together.

00:37:20.960 --> 00:37:21.359
 Dear God,

00:37:22.279 --> 00:37:25.359
 help us to see how we should respond

00:37:25.359 --> 00:37:25.960
 right now.

00:37:28.339 --> 00:37:29.920
 Father, if there are people in this room

00:37:29.920 --> 00:37:32.519
 who do not really have a relationship

00:37:32.519 --> 00:37:34.859
 with you, their heart is not for you.

00:37:34.860 --> 00:37:38.180
 It's for themselves or something else.

00:37:39.900 --> 00:37:40.220
 Dear God,

00:37:40.720 --> 00:37:41.840
 call them

00:37:41.840 --> 00:37:43.720
 to turn from their sin

00:37:43.720 --> 00:37:45.079
 and put their trust in Jesus

00:37:45.079 --> 00:37:46.140
 right now

00:37:46.140 --> 00:37:48.019
 for their salvation.

00:37:49.300 --> 00:37:50.880
 If there's Christians in this room,

00:37:50.940 --> 00:37:51.559
 dear God, who

00:37:51.559 --> 00:37:54.720
 have been more like Solomon

00:37:54.720 --> 00:37:58.019
 and not guarded their heart

00:37:58.019 --> 00:37:59.680
 but made compromises,

00:38:01.160 --> 00:38:02.019
 convict them

00:38:02.019 --> 00:38:03.400
 and help them

00:38:03.400 --> 00:38:03.800
 and help them to see

00:38:03.800 --> 00:38:04.860
 the importance right now

00:38:04.860 --> 00:38:06.099
 of confessing their sin,

00:38:07.079 --> 00:38:09.679
 renouncing these wrong allegiances

00:38:09.679 --> 00:38:11.340
 or wrong priorities.

00:38:14.920 --> 00:38:15.519
 Dear God,

00:38:15.599 --> 00:38:16.619
 call them back right now

00:38:16.619 --> 00:38:17.900
 to wholehearted

00:38:17.900 --> 00:38:19.840
 love,

00:38:21.000 --> 00:38:21.519
 trust,

00:38:22.599 --> 00:38:23.519
 commitment to you.

00:38:23.519 --> 00:38:26.420
 and in an attitude of prayer,

00:38:26.519 --> 00:38:27.119
 let's listen to the Lord

00:38:27.119 --> 00:38:27.960
 and respond to Him.

00:38:29.239 --> 00:38:30.880
 Do what God's calling you to do

00:38:30.880 --> 00:38:33.659
 and I'd be glad to pray with you

00:38:33.659 --> 00:38:34.280
 here at the front

00:38:34.280 --> 00:38:36.340
 if you'd like for me to pray with you

00:38:36.340 --> 00:38:36.900
 during this time.

00:38:36.900 --> 00:38:52.780
 you

00:38:52.780 --> 00:38:54.320
 to