A Listening Heart

Introduction: Have you ever been in an experience you have never been in before and you felt un-prepared, unqualified, and uneasy about it, because you’ve never done it before?

2 - We Don’t Know What to Do.

Solomon is not young he is in his 40’s when he becomes King, but he is Young to being King - He just received a crazy amount of responsibility and for him

and he has gone through a lot of challenges to keeping his throne. In those days, you don’t just wait for the next election, other potential kings try to kill you, so Solomon had to navigate that offering grace, but ultimately kill those who would try to usurp the throne.

Worshipping on High-places -

1 Kings 3:4 NIV

The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

1 Kings 3:5–12 LEB

Yahweh appeared to Solomon at Gibeon in a dream at night, and God said, “Ask what I should give to you.” Then Solomon said, “You have shown great loyal love with your servant David my father, as he walked before you in faithfulness and in righteousness and in uprightness of heart with you. You have shown for him this great loyal love, and you have given a son to him who is sitting on his throne as it is this day. So then, O Yahweh, you are my God. You have made your servant king in place of David my father though I am a young boy. I do not know going out or coming in. Your servant is in the middle of your people whom you have chosen; a great people who cannot be counted or numbered because of abundance. Give to your servant a listening heart to judge your people, to discern between good and bad, because who is able to judge this, your difficult people?” The word was good in the eyes of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing and you did not ask for yourself a long life and you did not ask riches for yourself and you did not ask for the life of your enemies, but you have asked for yourself the ability to make wise judgments; behold, I do hereby do according to your word. I hereby give you a wise and discerning heart; there was no one like you before you, nor afterwards will one like you arise.

11 - Have you ever been in a situation that you never experienced before and you were like “I don’t know what to do?” What do you do in situations like this.

I personally have had many experiences like this.

Being voted in as team captain for my football team, and then my Baseball team. “What, I had to lead my team?”

Trying to get my first job out of college. Who do I go to, how do I apply.

Telling co-worker that Cindy and I are not having children until we are ready - Oh, honey, know one is ever ready to have kids.

Being Deposed when the company I worked for was under an SEC investigation.

In all of these situations, there was a certain level of uneasiness, because of inexperience, and a desire to learn from someone, somewhere what to do.

12 - Wisdom Comes by Listening to God.

Wisdom is the Ability to see with discernment, to view life as God perceives it.

Understanding is the skill to repsond to insight.

Knowledge is the rare trait of learning with perception. - Chuck Swindoll

What Comes from the Lord because it is impossible for humans to manufacture it? Wisdom. What comes from humans because it is impossible for the Lord to experience it? Worry. What is it that brings wisdom and dispels worry? Worship - Chuck Swindoll

The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom.

Hear for Solomon it is the ability to Listen to the Lord.

It requires wisdom to understand wisdom; the music is nothing if the audience is deaf. THE WISDOM OF CHILDREN

Patrick aged 10: "Never trust a dog to watch your food."

Michael aged 14: "When your dad is mad and asks you, "Do I look stupid?" don't answer him."

Joel, aged 10: "Don't pick on your sister when she's holding a cricket bat."

Andrew aged 9: "Puppies still have bad breath even after eating a Polo mint."

Taylia aged 11: "When your mum is mad at your dad, don't let her brush your hair."

Armir aged 9: "You can't hide a piece of broccoli in your milk."

Mitchell aged 12: "Don't sneeze in front of your mum when you're eating a cracker."

Michael aged 14: "Never tell your mum her diet's not working."

13 - How to Listen to God.

Reading Scripture - Reading the book of Proverbs over a month

Dream Vision Here - we should not rule this out.

A Still Small Voice words - from Elijah

A sense

A Song

Through Listening Prayer - Requires some times time and intentionallity.

Scripture helps us discern these other means that they are from God.

Listening to other people - The Very next story is intended to show Solomon’s Wisdom, but God is not even in the storyline - He listens to

We don’t always listen well - Story about Listening to Cindy.

Active Listening

Reflective Listening

Without Listening to other people, we can often mis the real story - and then mis-judge. - Listening to other people to both hear what God and gain wisdom, and to simply understand better other people.

Conclusion: What Can you do to Listen to God more?