Let's give him some praise. Thank you Lord. Thank you Lord. Amen.
Man. Like, I don't even know where to go from here. Thank you team. Guys, bring in the house down.
So good. So I just want to reiterate what Autumn said earlier and just want to extend from Kristen and I, from church leadership, from everybody here and to everybody that served this week. This was really a busy week. We had events going on four nights this past week at City Reach, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday.
But Thursday night, what an amazing night. I think it was like, I don't know the exact numbers, but it was definitely the biggest crowd we've served probably in five, six years. I mean, we had an amazing turnout. It was so good.
The line is was down beyond, it was outside the church, down down the yard and the line was down beyond the women's home. And we're looking at the piles of turkeys. We've got boxes of, I think there's four turkeys to a box and we've got, you know, I don't know, ten boxes to go and it looks like there's 500 people in line. You know, the tendency is like, we're going to run out.
You know what? If Jesus could feed 5,000 people with fishes in love, let's just pray that we'll give them out. I don't want to look, let's give them out and let's just see what Jesus does. And the next thing you know, the line starts shrinking and the turkey starts shrinking.
And honestly, we got down, there's no joke. We got down. We had one family left where we ran out of turkeys. And Seth goes, we got a couple more in the shed.
I was holding back. I was like, what are you doing holding back? But we were away. We had a couple more coming after that, but it was so good to see how God supplied and how God met needs.
And those that gave financially, thank you for those that served, the package that handed out, that hugged, that prayed, that did all those things that go into touching our community because it was super good to see God move. And I know we had to pray with a few people that were here and level them. So great job. I was supposed to say thank you.
Great job. You have to sweat so you're there. Next thing you know, I'm going to have to get one of those rags like Seth has. I feel like you haven't made it as a preacher until you have one of those rags.
I just can't bring myself to do it. Oh, Kristin said, don't shake. Yeah, that's probably a good thing. You guys have seen a movie hitch?
Every time we watch this, when that part comes up, you're here and you're here. No making the pizza. No, no, none of that. She's like, you're here and you're here.
And so it's honestly inhibited my worship. So I'm trying to reject that and have a little more freedom on my worship, but that always comes back to me. All right. Well, we're going to continue.
We've been on the series on royalty now for probably eight weeks. It's been so good. I really think we've probably been like forever because this is our identity. Like we have been made kings and then priests.
We're a royal priesthood. So, you know, Jesus is obviously the king of kings, the Lord of Lords, but he's given us his royal identity. And it should affect the way we do life. It should change the way we do life.
And we've looked at a lot of things today. And I'm going to go back to, I've been on this verse for the last, this is the third time I preached off. I just want to use those launching pad and really wrap this up from Romans 5 17. I want to talk about wisdom today.
You know, I really, as I'm thinking about it, the verse says that by one man's offense, death rained through the one speaking about them much more those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one Jesus Christ. So, it's talking about that if because of one man's sin, Adam, that death actually ruled and rained and death rained preeminently, it's got a hundred percent rate of success. Like everybody dies. He said that if one man's sin caused death, the rain, one man's obedience, which is Jesus, will allow you the opportunity to rain in life.
That it's more certain than death. And he says much more to a greater degree, those who receive the abundance of grace. We talked about that a couple times ago, received the abundance of grace, the gift of righteousness, I really focused on last week. And this week I want to focus on the last part of that shall reign in life through the one Jesus Christ.
Like it doesn't work without Jesus. I mean, in a sense, Jesus is the person of grace. Like he is grace personified. So when you receive the abundance of grace, it's him.
When you receive the gift of righteousness, he became sin so that we could be made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. When you receive the gift of righteousness, it's him. And all this functions through him. It says those that receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one Jesus Christ.
And I really was planning on doing a message on authority because we talked about a lot. We have authority in Jesus. And when we reign through Jesus and we reign through Jesus Christ, there's all kinds of aspects to that. There's his power, his miracle working power.
There's his authority that he delegates and gives to us to use on his behalf. But I really found like this week God wanted me to focus on wisdom and that there's a verse in Proverbs. We'll look at it in a minute that says in Proverbs 8, it talks about wisdom. It's wisdom actually speaking.
And wisdom says, by me, kings reign. Wisdom says, by me, because of me on my account, kings reign. And so I just felt like God wanted us to talk about wisdom this week. So what is wisdom?
Wisdom, a lot of times, is different than knowledge. Here's an easy way. You guys like easy? I like easy.
That's my question. I like easy. Wisdom is the right application of knowledge. It's taking what we know and applying it correctly.
So here's a good way to think about this. When I come down down the industrial boulevard, maybe I've been to the red light on the industrial boulevard. Like the longest light in Cumberland. Right?
Okay. So when the light shifts from green to yellow, knowledge recognizes that the light is yellow. Wisdom tells you to do what? You failed.
See, this is no joke. I failed. When I moved from Maryland to West Virginia, I had to retake the West Virginia driver's test. I was about 26.
I thought I knew it all. And I actually walked away with a failing grade. I was denied to West Virginia. I believe that West Virginia driver's license.
I actually answered the question when the light turns yellow, what do you do? I thought it was speed up. That wasn't the answer. But so knowledge lets me see the light is yellow.
Wisdom tells me to do one of two things. Pump the brakes or hit the gas. If you're like, oh, it's hit the gas. I'll just tell you something a little bit about me.
You know, my name's Fred. When I was in college, I had people rename red lights to Fred lights. Because I made a game of catching it right between yellow and red. I'd be looking up as I'm driving through.
It would be changing. I'm like, oh, still yellow? We call them Fred lights. I'm not advocating that.
Probably not. Probably still good. Still good. So wisdom is the right application of knowledge.
Wisdom is important because of this. We're going to see that wisdom attracts people. Wisdom attracts people. Wisdom attracts people because there's something in us that has a desire for wisdom.
Even unbelievers have this desire that they don't even know about. That there's this attraction. We're going to see how the entire world, the kings of the earth, all the people of the earth, were attracted to Solomon. They were drawn to Solomon.
And so we a lot of times talk about the sending out of the gospel. We'll call it the send. Talk about Matthew 28. Jesus says, all authority has been given to me.
Go therefore and make disciples of all men. Baptizing of the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And lo, be with you all. It's the go.
The send. The go out. We go out and witness. We send people out.
But today we're going to focus on, we're going to call it the seek of the gospel. Not the send. It's not the going out. It's the attracting in.
And that God has positioned you within the city of Cumberland, or ridgley, or wherever you might live. God's positioned you to live in such a way, to do life in such a way that people will be attracted to the way that you do life. That they're going to see the way that you handle situation. They're going to see the way that you mow your grass.
They're going to see the way that you walk through the loss of a loved one. They're going to see the way that you dealt with kids that didn't mean that you were going to live in such a way. You're going to see the way that you dealt with kids that didn't do what you wanted to do, but you maintained your composure. They're going to see how you walk through a marriage.
And despite the enemy trying to tear it apart, you walk through it with grace. They're going to be attracted to you because they see you being betrayed by somebody close to you. Instead of responding evil for evil, you actually bless them and pray for them. See, there's a grace that's going to sit on you, that sits on you.
It's like a magnet. God's ever seen those bug zappers. They light up, right? You're going to zap some people because they're drawn.
They don't know why. They just know there's a cry in their heart that's aching for something that you have. There's something you carry. There's an anointing, a grace.
They can't even put it into words what it is, but they're drawn to it. And God wants you to reign in life. We talked about the word, reign, means to be king, to act as king, to actually bring influence. Last week I told you, you're kingdom influencers.
To bring the highest or greatest influence into the issues and situations of life called you Swifties. Those weren't here. That's somebody that follows Taylor Swift. I just learned this two weeks ago, by the way.
I'm using it all the time now. It's like my latest buzzword, Swiftie. I'm not one, but I just like saying. It's just kind of fun.
Swiftie. Ask people. Are you a Christian? No, I'm a Swiftie.
Okay. No. It's a close second. We want to talk today about bringing this influence, reigning in life through wisdom.
It says that those that receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one Jesus Christ. What do we know about Jesus? Paul says in 1 Corinthians chapter 2, he says that Jesus Christ is the wisdom of God. Jesus is the wisdom, like the wisdom, like the exclusion of all others.
He is the wisdom of God. And then it says in verse 30, I think it is. Go to the next slide. It says of him, you're in Christ.
So when you get saved, we talk about that when you're in new creation, you're in Christ. Well, when you're in Christ, it says you're in Christ who became for us wisdom from God. So that Jesus is the wisdom of God. I'm in Jesus and he became for me wisdom from God.
Now, do you think if we had wisdom from God, we could actually bring some creative solutions to the issues of life? Do you think we could live differently? Do you think we could make better choices? Do you think we could exhibit a lifestyle that somehow was different than the life of the world is living?
That when you're living in your neighborhood, there's something about you and your family. It doesn't mean that you don't have problems. It doesn't mean that they're not going to see you and your wife out in the street arguing one night because they definitely saw us on Triad Street. I can tell you, we lived on this no joke.
We lived on faster. We got into it like you wouldn't believe. One night we get into it so back, Chris, I said, I'm done with you. I'm out of here.
No clap of dad. No clap of dad. That's not clap worthy. She said, I'm done.
She gets in the car. I did it between the car door. She's dragging me down the driveway. I was like, please, baby, don't go.
And she stayed. And 30 years later, we're still together. Clap of dad. That's right.
But you know what? It doesn't mean that you're not going to have issues. It means that you can go through life and bring influence and solutions and creative ideas and inventions and all kinds of things because you're in Christ. And when you're in Christ, he is the wisdom of God.
And Solomon says this in Proverbs 8, he says, by me, by wisdom, kings reign. I love it in the passage translation. It says this. Next slide.
I don't have it memorized in the passage. It says, you will find true success when you find me. Now, this is wisdom speaking. You'll find true success when you find me.
I have insight into wise plans that are designed just for you. You realize God has plans? I put wise plans just for you. I hold in my hands living understanding, courage and strength.
I empower kings to reign and rulers to make laws that are just. Solomon says this about wisdom. He says, I empower kings to reign. Jesus Christ, the wisdom of God.
Jesus became wisdom from God for us. I'm in Christ because I'm in Christ because Christ is the wisdom of God. I can actually bring wisdom into situations of life. It actually looks different.
It's actually going to attract people. Look at your neighbor and say, you're attractive. You're attractive. You're a magnet.
You're a magnet. If you're single, say, I'm attractive. You're going to want what I have. I tell my wife about it all the time.
She's like, I'm not buying it. I'm like, well, whether you buy it or not, it's true. You don't have to believe it. You believe it.
All right. Wisdom attracts people, even those who don't have a relationship with God yet. That's important because the purpose, see, it's, think of it like this. If everybody in Cumberland got saved to today, let's just think of it.
If everybody in Cumberland got saved today, we'd still have problems tomorrow because getting born again and allowing the kingdom to get in you and flow through you and reigning in life are two different things. So you need to get saved. You need a relationship with Jesus, but once you do, you need to learn how to have the kingdom flow through you. You need to learn how to reign in life.
See, the purpose is not, we're not reigning over people. Like God's not putting you in a position to reign over people. He's putting you in a position to reign over life to be a magnet to draw people to Him. So you're like, you're going to enjoy it.
It's going to be great, but at the same time, God's going to draw people to you that you never would have thought you'd have a chance to witness to. And they're going to say, I don't know what it is about you, but you have what I need. I can feel it. I can sense it.
You've got something. I can't put it into words, but there's something in my heart that is telling me that you have what I need. And the answer is Jesus. It's Jesus.
He's what's in you. He is who is in you. All right, so we're going to look at Solomon today. It says this in 1 Kings 434.
It says, from all nations, people came to hear Solomon's display. That's an important word, display of wisdom. Because I want you to see today is wisdom is verbal solutions. It is answers to questions.
The answer is the life's question, but it's more than just answers to questions. There is a display of wisdom. There's a way that wisdom, people can see it whether you say anything or not. We want to attack all of those today.
They came from all the kings of the earth who heard about his wisdom. So here's kings of the earth, unsaved, heathen kings. Hear about a guy that's really wise. And they're like, hmm, maybe he knows something I don't know.
He has what I need. And it says kings and people from the entire earth descended on Jerusalem. So here is wisdom. All right, one of these people is going to be is the queen of Sheba.
So we're going to read today. Our passage is going to be first King's chapter 10. So if you want to mark that, first King's 10. And I just want to work through this.
There's a couple of things in here I want to point out. I don't have a cute alliteration today. I've got about four points, but none of them line up. So take good notes.
And I just want to read through this. And then we want to bring it forward into where we're at today. So in verse one, it says this. And we're going to stay on this one for a minute.
It says, now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord. Notice what she heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, which tells me this, that whatever Solomon did and whatever Solomon built and whatever he accomplished, guess who he gave credit to. He recognized that God was His source. It didn't say the fame of Solomon.
It said the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord. And she came to test him with hard question. She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue. And what in the world was a retinue?
Possy. You know what? Possy, entourage. She came with a bunch of camels and people.
And she had her Swifties. And they were coming with this big entourage that says retinue. With camels, the bore spices, very much gold, precious stones. And when she came to Solomon and spoke with him about all that was in her heart.
So she recognizes there's something on him. She comes to test him with hard questions. And she actually begins to release to him and bear to him everything that was in her heart. And it says Solomon answered just a few of her questions.
Solomon answered all her questions. There was nothing too difficult for the king that he could not explain it to her. So here's somebody that's drawn to Jerusalem because they know there's a king there named Solomon, who has a reputation of being very wise. That everything he does he ascribes to the Lord.
She's not a believer. She's not in covenant. She's not of the Jewish nation. But nonetheless, she comes because there's something in her that recognizes there's something in Solomon that she needs.
And it says she tested him with hard questions. And in verse three, it says he answered all of her questions. Is it the rapture? I'm ready.
Why am I still here? I hear the Lord coming. Oh, wait. It might be Dawn Ward.
Maybe in there. I'm not sure. It was Dawn. I cannot.
What have we asked Dawn not to play the horns? I can't think. Yeah. Hold it, man.
Are you playing a horn in here? No, it's not going. OK, it must be the Lord. That was so strange.
OK, now if we have gold dust starts to float down here, we're going to know something's going on. Dawn's actually praying for our service. I just thought he was in there playing the show far or something. I'm not sure what that was.
OK. It says Solomon answered all her questions. So here's what the Lord really showed me this week was this. Is she came to Jerusalem with a lot of hard questions.
She opens her heart and he answers every question. What we try to do is we try to give answers to questions people aren't asking. You know, what do we do? Well, I'm going to they need the word of God.
I'm going to thump them over the head. Well, let me know how that works. Let me know how that's working for you. Now, can God use that?
Yes, because God's word never returns void. But if we want to do what is most effective, I believe what's most effective is have a relationship with somebody, let them ask you a question. And when they ask you a question, give them the answer. Because when somebody is receptive and open, guess what?
They're going to receive what you're giving them. You know what? But what do we do? We want to give everybody the answer on Facebook.
We want to tell the world what their problem is. You know what? They didn't ask. They didn't ask you.
We want to go. Well, if that didn't work, we're going to go protest. You will never find me protesting because I never saw Jesus holding a protest sign up. What I saw Jesus doing was sitting at the table with sinners and prostitutes eating and drinking and having fellowship.
And all of a sudden they asked him, hey, what do I need to do to be saved? Oh my gosh, I'm glad you asked. See, stop supplying answers to questions people aren't asking. Stop supplying answers.
I'll say to this side. The questions that people don't have. See, the queen of Shiba, Solomon didn't go to Shiba. He didn't go to her and say, let me tell you.
Now, I believe there's a time when God gives us prophetic words that we release the people in the right setting. And I'm all about that. But he didn't go down on the street corner and try to answer questions that she didn't have. He lived a life of integrity and grace and honor to the Lord that actually was a magnet that drew her in.
She said, hey, I got a couple questions. And he goes, I might just know the answer. Because I know God knows everything. You're like, well, I don't have all the answers.
Anybody feel like that? What if somebody asked me a question? I don't know the answer to. Do you think Solomon didn't have all the answers when he started out?
Look what he said. So a lot of times, if you're reading chronicles, it said Solomon asked for wisdom. But if you're reading 1 Kings, chapter 3, it said Solomon asked for an understanding or a hearing part. Look at this.
Next slide. It says, here's Solomon's prayer. He says, Lord, my God, you major servant king and my place, my father David, I'm like a little boy. This is the king of Israel.
Standing before God said, I'm a child. I know nothing. Help. He goes, I don't know how to go out or come in.
That means I don't know how to fulfill the duties of being king. I don't know how to do this. I need some divine help. And what does he ask for?
Therefore, give to your servant and understanding the word actually means hearing part. See, when somebody asks you a question, guess who knows the answer? Like, if you don't, guess who does? God does.
Jesus, the Holy Spirit, they know everything. They know the question before it's asked. They know the answer before you give it. It says in Colossians, it says, in whom speaking of Christ, Jesus, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
You see the person of Christ that is in you? You have all the answers in you. Do you believe that? The answer to every issue in life is in you because who's in you?
Christ Jesus is in you. Jesus said this in John 16. He says, when he, the spirit of truth, is come, he will not speak of himself. He will glorify me.
He will lead you into all truth and tell you things to come, which means there's some things that you don't know yet that the Holy Spirit knows that he's going to tell you. Jesus says, all things that the Father has are mine. Therefore, I said to you, he will take of what is mine and declare it unto you. Do you think you need to have a hearing heart if Jesus has all knowledge and all wisdom and the Holy Spirit goes into the depths of Jesus' wisdom draws it out and gives you the answer?
Do you think you need to be able to hear that? Like, you don't need to ask for more wisdom. I think you need to ask for more hearing because he's always speaking. How do you need a unique situation yesterday?
My wife had this great idea, as she normally does. Have you ever heard of ear candles? Need I say more? Well, they don't really come in my size, but she's like, oh, I've got these, we literally have nothing to do.
So she goes into closet, finds a box, and she goes to happens to be four-year candles in it. It looks, I turn it over, she bought it at Big Lots, like 15 years ago. Or, did these even work? What is this?
So long story short, after I held the candle for her years, the other were done these. Weird and disgusting. It's like a candle, it's hollow, like this big. And you lay down, you put it in your ear and you light it.
And as the flame burns, it somehow warms up your grossness inside your head, creates a vacuum, and then sucks out stuff you never knew was in your brain. Like, it's really gross. Well, I don't know. I still don't hear anything she says.
I feel like she had an ulterior motive. I didn't hear that. I feel like the giggles are going to hit the church here. Sounds like it.
So I woke up at four o'clock this morning. I tried to, and I can't say it, but I try to, before I go to sleep, kind of turn my attention to the board and just say, if you give me a dream, talk to me. I'm trying to get better at that, because I think there's a lot of value there. And God does some great things in the middle of the night.
Welcome to Up at Four o'clock this morning, reminding me this verse in James, after one. And I hadn't thought about this verse for a while. It says, therefore, lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness and receive the engrafted word, which is able to save your soul. It says, lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness and receive with meekness the engrafted word or implanted word that is able to save your soul.
And I remembered from a study I did 15 years ago, the word overflow, where it says overflow of wickedness, the word overflow is the word that the Greeks use to talk about the residue that remained in your ear canal, after you cleaned your ear. And I just felt like God, so what it's saying is, it says, receive with meekness the engrafted word. That means implanted, the word is infutos, which means it's in there by nature. That you have a word from God that is implanted in you by nature, because you have him in you.
But it says that you have some wax in your ear, you got some filth in your life, that's actually blocking the flow of hearing that would release the word that's implanted in you that would actually come out and it says save, which means heal, deliver, set free, rescue your soul, your mind, your will and your emotion. I'm not talking about salvation, I'm not talking about becoming a new creation or born again, it's talking about having your mind free, having your decisions cleaned up, having your attitudes cleaned up. I just felt like God said, if we wanna have a hearing heart, we need to put a little ear candle and get rid of that residue and allow the flame and the wind or the Holy Spirit to cleanse what's left over in our head, in our thoughts, our emotion, our decision making, so that we can actually release the word that's been planted in us, the very wisdom of God that's waiting to be revealed. Well, that's it, the candle worked.
I still can't hear, but, James 121. Verse four says this, so wisdom, the wisdom of God will in fact allow us to give answers to questions that people have. Jesus has all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in him. The Holy Spirit has access to everything that Jesus has.
He actually grabs it, speaks it to you, but if you wanna be able to speak it to somebody else, you actually have to have ears to hear what he's saying. Sometimes we need to clean up a few things in our life to allow the word that's in us to flow freely, to our head to our mouth. It says, when the queen of Shiva had the first she did what? She heard, she asked and he gave her, and now she sees a visible demonstration of wisdom.
When she had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he built, the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service of his waiters, their apparel, his cupbearers, the entryway by which he went up into the house of the Lord. I put in brackets here because there's two translations of this, one says entryway, which is staircase, the way he walked into the house of the Lord, the other translation, which I think is probably more accurate, talks about the way that he offered burnt offerings or sacrifices to the Lord. There was no more spirit in her. She was breathless.
You know, breathless means to be awe inspired. Like there was something about the way that Solomon did life that was actually awe inspiring. We're not talking about words and deep thoughts and answers to questions. We're talking about when she saw the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he built.
Like he just didn't take a few sticks and nails and hammer a shack together. He actually did it with quality. He actually did it with integrity. He actually took pride in his work, the food on his table, the seating that word actually means dwelling, the places that his employees lived, the service of his waiters, the way that people, when they were sitting at the table, the way that they served, the way they were polite, the way the mannerisms, the way that they set the cup down, the way that they picked the plate up.
All of these things demonstrated the wisdom of God, the way that Solomon sacrificed to the Lord, that the way he actually sacrificed and worshiped the Lord, demonstrated wisdom. So much so that it said it left her breathless. I just want you to think about the way that you do life. I'm not talking about having a five to $10 billion mansion like Solomon had, but the way that you take care of your stuff is it awe-inspiring, the way that you do life, is it with excellence?
Is there anything about the way that you do life that would attest to the wisdom of God that's actually attractive to the world? I heard somebody say one time it was John Maxwell, he's a leadership guy, you know, John Maxwell. He said this, he says, nobody pays for average. Like everybody desires excellence, whether you know where to not.
You realize that? Nobody pays for average, here's why. Hey, Kristen. I've heard of a new restaurant downtown.
They have very average food. You want to go? I heard about a football team that's very average. Do you want to support them?
No. I heard about a church that's preachers very average. You want to go there? Yes.
I heard about a church that the worship is average. The way people greet you is very average. It doesn't inspire me. You want a restaurant that is excellent.
What do we do? We look at the Google, oh, it's a 2.5. I think I'll go there. Anybody ever go to a 2.0 just to see?
It's got 1,000 reviews and it's a 2.2. No, because nobody aspires to be average. See, God's puts something in you that aspires to excellent. And when we do life in a way that exhibits the nature and the character of God, it attracts people.
Hey, why do you do what you do? Because you don't live like everybody else lives. There's something different about you. The very first time the spirit of God and wisdom is mentioned in the Old Testament, it's in context of a God named Bezelel, and it had nothing to do with being smart in terms of answering questions.
Exodus chapter 35 says this. This is Moses talking to children of Israel. He says, the Lord is called by named Bezelel, the son of Uri, the son of Hearer of the tribe of Judah. And he has filled him with the spirit of God, first person in the Old Testament talking about being filled with the spirit of God.
In wisdom and understanding and knowledge and all manner of workmanship, design to design artistic works to work in gold and silver and bronze and cutting jewels for setting, carving wood and to work in all manner of artistic workmanship. When the wisdom of God is put on display in what you do, it should be excellent. There should be excellence in what you do. When you go to work, you should do your job with excellence.
When you go to the market, not that I go to the market, you should do it with excellence. Like whatever it is, you should do life in such a way that not that you're better than or more than, but that you're displaying the wisdom of God in all that you do. Like it should be different. It was said about Daniel by King Nebuchadnezzar's wife, the queen says this, about Daniel.
There's a man in your kingdom in whom the spirit is the spirit of the Holy God and the days of your Father, light and understanding in wisdom in as much as there is an excellent spirit in Daniel. Like if you have the spirit of God in you, and you actually allow Him to flow through you and give you creative ideas and ingenuity and inventive things, and you're going to design things. And you're going to be creative and artistic. And you're going to write songs and build things.
And it's going to be great. And it's going to be something different about the church is going to be better than the world. Like we should be. Like why should somebody that doesn't have the spirit of God in them do things at a higher level than us?
We're carrying around the creator of the universe. And it should be evident. The next thing's this. Verse 6 says, then she said to the king, anybody here need a good reputation?
This is for you. Wisdom will give you a good reputation. Now does that mean people won't say bad things about you? I probably will.
People say crap about me all the time. I had a guy come in this week to buy it. Hopefully he's not here. But he came in.
I don't think he is. He came in to buy a car. And he looks up and he sees my light. He goes, just spread on this place.
And the person said, yeah, I'm not buying here. He didn't pay me 15 years ago. It was a contractor. I've never not paid any.
I've always paid. But this guy for 15 years has been telling. But I can't control that. But here's what wisdom will do.
He's the exception. Here's what everybody else will say. They're going to say good things. It says, she said to the king, it was a true report, or good report, which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom.
However, I did not believe the words until I came and saw it with my own eyes. Indeed, half was not told to me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the same. Here's what's going to be.
You're going to have a good reputation. People are going to have a good report about you. If your life is a bad reputation, and there's a series of bad events, you're probably not walking in the wisdom of God. Because if you're displaying the wisdom of God and making decisions with the wisdom of God, you're going to have no option but to have a good report with people.
People will say good things about you. And here's the thing. It is only half of what's actually true. She said the half of it wasn't told to me.
So here's what I want to tell you with God. There's more in the tank. There's more. And when people hear that X, then it's 2X.
And when they come to talk to you, they're like, man, I've heard these great things about you. I've heard these things about your family. I've heard all these things. And when you start sharing with them, they're going to be like, oh my gosh, I knew it was good, but I didn't know God was this good.
Like God's way better than I thought. But you never would have the opportunity to tell them if you don't start living now to the point where you have a good reputation that draws them in. Because who wants advice for somebody with a bad rep? Well, a lot of people do.
And where are they? They're going down the tube. You're going to have a good reputation. See, here's the thing.
Because when you start telling them what God has done for you, there's actually things. There's wisdom that God has hidden that he hasn't revealed yet. Because sometimes, either you're not ready for it, they're not ready for it. He's keeping it protected until the time is right, when he can actually release what he has prepared for you.
Like all these great things that God has. Paul says this. It says, we speak the wisdom of God among those who are mature, but not the wisdom of this world. Go to the next slide.
It says, which God ordained before the ages for our glory, for none of the rulers of this age knew, for had they known they would not have crucified the Lord of the Lord of the Lord. Here's what he's saying. He said that God had this amazing plan in the plan of salvation. But he didn't release his wisdom, because had he released it at the inappropriate time, then the rulers of this world would have found out God's plan and would not have killed Jesus.
Because when they realized they killed Jesus, they actually sealed their own faith. So God kept this thing hidden. That God has wisdom. He actually doesn't have all his chips on the table yet.
Like when I used to play Blackjack back in the day, my wife would call me a squirrel, because I'd win a hand and I'd put some away. And I'd win a hand and I'd put some away. And then she'd look over, she's like, where's all you see, I'm done. I'm like, oh no, baby, I've got all these chips down here.
Like God's got more in the tank. And because sometimes he doesn't throw everything out on the table is because it's not the right time yet. But when that person comes to you and they said, hey, I heard about a God in your life. I heard about you and the way you do life.
And you start, you're like, oh my gosh, it's bigger than I ever thought. See, Paul says this right after this. He says, I has not seen nor heard nor has it entered into the heart of man the things that God has planned for those who love them. Don't stop there.
But has revealed them to us by his spirit, who searches all things, the deep things of God. So once again, God has these things for you. He has these things for people you're going to minister to. He keeps them hidden until the appropriate time.
And then somebody comes to you and says, hey, I think you might have an answer for me. And you start to release to them. And all the spirit goes over here, grabs it, reveals it to you. And because you have a hearing heart, you start to give them wisdom into life situations.
And they're like, mind blown. I has not seen or heard nor entered the heart of man and things which God has prepared for those who love him. But God has revealed them to us by his Holy Spirit. Do you think you need a heart that can hear?
Yeah, you do. Because he, see, wisdom should be a continual revelation. It should be continually unfolding. It should be, Paul says, I pray that God would give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.
That as I begin to know more about Christ, I begin to, like, it opens my mind up to who he is and how to do life. All right, the very last thing, wrap it up. She says this. So she comes in, she asks him hard question.
He answers it. And then she sees the display of creativity and excellence in his life and she sees the wisdom. And she says, man, I heard a good, like, you have a good reputation, but I didn't realize God was this good. He's way better than I heard.
And when you start revealing to me what God's laid on your heart, it's approved like this. And then after that, she looks around and she says, happy are your men and happy are your servants who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom. Wisdom ought to change your attitude. That word where it says stand before you, it actually means peneem, and the Hebrew means face to face.
If I'm face to face with Jesus, guess what he doesn't have, a bad attitude? Like if you got one, he probably need to go back in a room. See somebody like this? There's somebody I want to give me some advice.
I think I'll go talk to that idiot. No. Like if you're face to face with God's not mad, God's actually happy. If you're actually in his presence listening to him, it should change your face.
Some of you are happy, but you need to tell your face you're happy. What was that song? If you're happy and you know it. Yeah.
If you're happy and you know it, slap your hands. If you're happy and you know it. OK, stop right there. That's the new version.
The old version when I was a kid, what it says now is if you're happy and you know it and you really want to show it, they change that. They change scripture. This isn't scripture. It used to say if you're happy and you know it, then your face should surely show it.
I think the person had a bad attitude that changed the words. I'll just change it because my face sucks. Now, who wants to talk to him down in the mouth? I don't know what.
I don't. You know, there's people in life that actually lift you up. Have you ever talked to somebody that actually lifts you up? Yeah.
And then there's people in life, right? All they do is suck you dry. That's the one walking around like this. Like, you're not going to impact anybody looking like a prune.
Maybe a box of raisins. I don't know. But look, like you've got the wisdom of God living in you. Like, look like it.
Because God's not in air. Oh, my gosh. I got to spend another day with him. I've been in his heart for 27 years.
It's like doing a life sentence with this guy. No. God's excited. Gee, the Holy Spirit wakes up happy every day.
He's not even waking up. He's always awake. He's happy. What's she saying to Solomon?
Here's a here's a heathen woman prophesying to Solomon. It says, God has delighted in you. Look at that. It says, blessed be the Lord your God who delighted in you.
God delights in you. He's made you a king. He's happy about it. Well, I don't know.
I made Raya King. I'm going to have to yank it back. I don't know. Curtis, I don't know.
He's delighted. You're kings. It says he delights over you with singing. I'm not going to do it.
But he does. Like he's happy that you're in the position that you're in. He's excited about it. Pastor told me God's excited about me.
They're going to win some souls for the Lord. You know Jesus? I don't either. We have a reason in us to act with excellence.
Does God delight in you, setting you on the throne, because God loves Solomon? No. Because God loves Israel. See, God is delighted to put you in a position of ruling and reigning in life because he loves people.
See, his reason for putting Solomon in that position wasn't for Solomon, it was for Israel. And because God loves people. And because God's cared about people. And God loves sinners and addicts and prostitutes and thieves and liars and people that act good but really aren't.
Because he loves people, he's put you in a position of kingship. And he's happy about it. And he's put his Holy Spirit in you to grab nuggets of wisdom from Jesus who has all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge so that you can put the wisdom of God on display verbally and on display in the way you do life and your attitude and your reputation. It should impact your entire life.
And it should point to him. All right, that was the opening. Sorry. Preston says, you should just preach your intro.
All right, here's where we're getting. It says, King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth and riches and wisdom. Riches and wisdom. Guess what all the other kings of the earth had?
Riches. Guess what they didn't come for? Riches, they came for wisdom. Because they came for the thing that they didn't have.
They said he exceeded them all. It says all the earth was seeking the presence of Solomon. All the city of Cumberland is seeking with you. All the city of Cumberland is seeking heaven.
All the city of Cumberland is seeking right. All the city of Cumberland is seeking courage. All the city of Cumberland is seeking love you. Not because you're so special, but because you carry the one who is.
Because you carry the presence of God in you. And they want to hear what you have. Jesus says this in Matthew 5. He says, you are the salt of the earth.
Says, all the earth came to hear Solomon. Jesus says, you are the, you're not trying to be. You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt has lost its flavor, wherewithal will it be seasoned?