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It really does appear that God exceptionally blesses some people. When you look through Scripture, you see it again and again. But perhaps no one illustrates this more vividly than Solomon. His life is marked by extraordinary blessings—wisdom, wealth, influence, peace, and the privilege of building the temple itself.

So, the question naturally arises: Why did God bless Solomon, and what did God say to Solomon that might reveal why He chooses to bless anyone? Furthermore do we have to do what Solomon did, and if we did, would we receive the same kind of blessing?

These are the questions at the heart of 1 Kings 9.... So let's explore why God blesses some people—and what that blessing looks like for us today….

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Three thousand years ago, a very wise man prayed a prayer. Not just any prayer—the longest recorded prayer in the entire Bible. And we still have it. Preserved word-for-word and spoken by a man that scripture says was the wisest on earth.

Solomon also prayed this prayer on one of the most significant days in Israel’s history: the dedication of the temple. And because of when he prayed it and why he prayed it, and what he prayed, this chapter is by nature one of the richest lessons in the bible on how to talk to the Lord…

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The L.I.F.E. Podcast: (Philosophy and current trends in the Arts and Entertainment Podcast).

https://the-living-in-faith-everyday-podcast.buzzsprout.com

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https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568891

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What Does It Really Mean to Honour God?

If I asked that question to a congregation on a Sunday morning, I suspect the answers would come quickly—and the list would be long. Some would say we can do that with worship. Others would say prayer. Some might mention giving, serving, witnessing, or obedience.... And all of those are good and biblical answers.

But Solomon honoured the Lord in a way that you and I will very probably never be called to do. And yet, what he did—and how he did it—can help us think more deeply about what it truly means to honour God in our own lives…..

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The L.I.F.E. Podcast: (Philosophy and current trends in the Arts and Entertainment Podcast).

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There are seasons in life when we become so busy—even with good things—that we can stop listening. Modern life makes it easy. Work piles up. Responsibilities multiply. The to‑do list is growing faster than we can cross things off. And before we realise it, the noise of life has drowned out the voice of the Lord.

And—perhaps most surprisingly—it can happen in ministry as well. You can become so involved in the work of the Lord that you forget the Lord of the work. You can be doing the right thing, for the right reasons, and still lose sight of the One you’re doing it for.

There is a moment in the Old Testament that captures this perfectly. A moment when God interrupts His own building project to remind His people what matters most. And it happens in 1 Kings chapter 6….

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The L.I.F.E. Podcast: (Philosophy and current trends in the Arts and Entertainment Podcast).

https://the-living-in-faith-everyday-podcast.buzzsprout.com

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Today, we’re turning to 1 Kings chapters 4 and 5.

These chapters don’t just tell us that Solomon was wise—they show us what wisdom looks like in action. They give us a picture of how God’s gift of wisdom shaped a kingdom, organised a nation, built relationships, and prepared the way for one of the greatest projects in biblical history.

The writer of Kings, probably Jeremiah, structured Solomon’s story to highlight the fulfilment—or failure—of earlier prophecy. In Solomon’s case, the prophecy is in chapter 3, where God promises to give him wisdom. And that theme will run all the way through chapter 11.

In other words, the entire narrative of Solomon’s reign is, in a sense, a study in wisdom—how it works, how it blesses, and eventually, how it can be lost.

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The L.I.F.E. Podcast: (Philosophy and current trends in the Arts and Entertainment Podcast).

https://the-living-in-faith-everyday-podcast.buzzsprout.com

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Imagine—just imagine—that God Himself came to you and said, “Ask Me for anything you want… and I will give it to you.”

Your first reaction might be, “Well, that’s not how God works.” And of course, you’d be right. But there is one moment in the Old Testament where God does actually do that for someone. God comes to a man and says, “Ask for whatever you want Me to give you.” And the way that man responds teaches us something really important about what we should desire—and what God delights to give.

That story is found in 1 Kings chapter 3….

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The L.I.F.E. Podcast: (Philosophy and current trends in the Arts and Entertainment Podcast).

https://the-living-in-faith-everyday-podcast.buzzsprout.com

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https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568891

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Today we begin a new chapter—literally and figuratively—as we step into 1 Kings chapter 2. And this episode, I’ve made the title a question that I believe every one of us should ask ourselves, whether we think of ourselves as leaders or not: “Who Put You in Charge?”

Now, you may not be the president of a company. You may not manage a team or sit in a boardroom. But almost all of us, at one time or another, have been put in charge of something—or someone.

If you’re a parent, you’re in charge of raising children. If you’re employed, you’re responsible for your work. And even if none of that applies, you are always, at the very least, in charge of yourself—the choices you make, the character you build, and your direction in life.

So let me ask you the question:

What kind of virtues does it take to lead well?

Because leadership—whether in a home, a workplace, a ministry, or a nation—requires something deeper than talent or charisma. It requires character. And 1 Kings chapter 2 gives us a front‑row seat to a father passing on that truth to his son….

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History of the Christian Church: https://thehistoryofthechristianchurch.buzzsprout.com

The L.I.F.E. Podcast: (Philosophy and current trends in the Arts and Entertainment Podcast).

https://the-living-in-faith-everyday-podcast.buzzsprout.com

The Renewed Mind Podcast. My Psychology and Mental Health Podcast:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568891

The Classic Literature Podcast:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568906

To visit my Author page on Amazon and view my entire back catalogue of books on both Amazon and Kindle and now also on Audible, Visit:

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Life has a way of surprising us, doesn’t it?

And nowhere is that more true than in our spiritual lives. We look at people and situations and think, “Ah, that’s the person God is going to use.” And then—He doesn’t. Meanwhile, someone we would never have chosen, someone we might have overlooked entirely, becomes the very person God raises up.

So, how does God make His choices?

And perhaps more importantly, how should we make ours?

That’s exactly the kind of question the opening chapter of 1 Kings invites us to explore.

So, settle in as we open 1 Kings chapter 1 and begin this new series with a story that reminds us that God’s ways are not our ways—and that His choices often surprise us in the best possible ways….

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Jeremy McCandless | Creating Podcasts and Bible Study Resources | Patreon

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Check out my other Podcasts.

The Bible Project: https://thebibleproject.buzzsprout.com

History of the Christian Church: https://thehistoryofthechristianchurch.buzzsprout.com

The L.I.F.E. Podcast: (Philosophy and current trends in the Arts and Entertainment Podcast).

https://the-living-in-faith-everyday-podcast.buzzsprout.com

The Renewed Mind Podcast. My Psychology and Mental Health Podcast:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568891

The Classic Literature Podcast:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568906

To visit my Author page on Amazon and view my entire back catalogue of books on both Amazon and Kindle and now also on Audible, Visit:

Amazon.com: Jeremy R Mccandless: books, biography, latest update