Yeargin Solomon's Search

Finding God’s Purpose for Your Life

Solomon

I) Looking For Purpose () Gibeon BC 1015

*possibly 19 years old

Vs 1- Strengthened- God was moving but direction needed to be clear

Vs 2- Communication- Solomon asked for help

Vs 3- Gathered- Solomon gathered with others to worship, sought God collectively

Vs 4- Ark of Covenant-

Vs 5- Seeking- Sought God

Vs 6- Sacrifice- Put God first, showed God he needed Him; He meant business

Vs 7- Offer- God asked a question

Vs 8- Mercy- God given responsibility and skill

Vs 9- Wisdom- Recognized his greatest need to serve God effectively and honor God

Led to His Purpose ()

A) Commitment- altar not the ark

(Gibeon not Jerusalem)

God often calls those who are serving

God often instructs those who are seeking

God often calls those who are completely committed

Luke 9:23 KJV 1900

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Matthew 16:24 KJV 1900

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Mark 8:34 KJV 1900

And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Luke 14:27 KJV 1900

And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

How did sacrifice play in Solomon discovering God and God’s purpose in his life? How does it apply to discovering God’s purpose in my life today?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

B) Connection- to God’s People ()

B) Connection- to God’s People ()

“That thou mayest judge my people”

Fill in your blank “that thou mayest __________ my people”

John 21:17 KJV 1900

He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

Solomon’s purpose in God’s program was to rule and judge the people of God; “that thou mayest judge my people.”

Can you think of ways God has called others and how they have served his people? How in your own life has this been true?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

C) Connection- to What God had Given him ()

God had given him the crown

God had given him the judgment seat

God had given him the Word of God

Solomon’s purpose was largely founded on what God had given him. What conclusions can you draw between the skills, abilities and gifts God has given you and His purpose and calling?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

II) Living out His Purpose (2 Chron 2:1-5, 5:13-14) Jerusalem BC 1011

II) Living out His Purpose (2 Chron 2:1-5, 5:13-14) Jerusalem BC 1011

Building the Temple ()

Vs 1- Determination-

Vs 2- Invested- Solomon took the burden of his economy/resources and placed it into God’s kingdom

Vs 3- Recruitment- Solomon gathered allies as he knew God’s work was to big for one

Vs 4- Dedication- Solomon had the goal of pleasing and obeying God

Vs 5- Admiration- Solomon was in awe of God and thought there was no expense to great that could not be given to such an awesome God

A) Inward Relationship () BC 1011

*possibly 23 years old

This shows us some insights into Solomon’s heart or his inward living out God’s purpose

He began building in the fourth year of his reign ()

1) Dedication and Admiration

God was everything to Him, his relationship, and pleasing his God was of the utmost importance. Other projects and endeavors could take a second place to the great work God had given him. He was living out God’s purpose in his life. Inwardly he was determined to do something great that God had called upon him individually to do. Inwardly he was invested, and dedicated; there was no price, no sacrifice, nothing that was off limits to God in his heart. Lastly inwardly he was in admiration; the fuel of this fire was a burning admiration for who God was, what he did, and what he promised; God was who inspired everything he did and the lens by which he viewed everyone and everything around him.

Reading these verses how would you evaluate Solomon’s relationship and view of God in his life? What changes would you make in your own relationship to God based on his example?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

B) Outward Recognition () BC 1004

*possibly 30 years old

Seven years later () note that many of the times when living out God’s will for our lives; people cannot see the inward; but outward fruit often comes from our faithful work and service to his kingdom years later. Solomon had at this time devoted 7 years of his life to building this house for God.

Vs 1- Finished- from the inward working to the outward manifestation was seven years; do not rush the timing of God’s fruit and work in your life, results will come; be patient and faithful to living out the purpose God has called you to.

Vs 2- ark of covenant- Joining his Gibeon with his Jerusalem

Vs 3- feast- celebration

Vs 4- ceremony

Vs 5- treasure

Vs 6- sacrifice- this time without number

Vs 7- Rest- God’s presence now had a temple to abide in

Vs 8- Covered

Vs 9- settled

Vs 10- Promise

Vs 11- Sanctified

Vs 12- Worship

Vs 13- Praise

Vs 14- Glory

1) God’s Manifestation

God’s Glorification was so intense and visible people lives were changed- something supernatural that man cannot do ()

1 Corinthians 12:7 KJV 1900

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

2) Man’s Maturation

Solomon living out his purpose resulted in many praising and thanking God () Men were profited or built up

Queen of sheba (992 BC)

What elements of Solomon’s example of fruitfulness for God can you relate to in your life? How can we maximize our fruitfulness for our Lord Jesus Christ?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

III) Losing His Purpose () BC 984

* possibly 50 years old

Vs 1- Estranged

Vs 2- Hardened

Vs 3- Unquenchable

Vs 4- Away

Vs 5- After

Vs 6- Evil

vs 7- Builder

vs 8-

A) Problems Reproduced

tarts small and grows; started with the daughter of Pharaoh and grew to over 1000, a small distance between him and God grew larger and larger, and he never stopped the bleed or turned around and said enough is enough. The flesh is never satisfied, it always wants more and more, it says just one more, just one more time and Ill never ask again, it says; I need it to live. Notice he did not simply dabble but ended up cleaving; meaning they were inseparable; they were so hardened together that to separate him from his sin would break him as he had become formed to it.

B) Passion Replaced

Something took God’s place in his heart; his love, his devotion, his admiration, his dedication

C) Purpose Redirected

Our purpose is redirected towards another god, in fact Solomon took the gifts and skills God had given him; building and began using them for his new god. Whitney Houston

Engages in unspeakably evil acts;

D) Power Rent Away

God had to take the kingdom that he had given to him and give it to another

God had to remove his protection away, his presence away

What changes could Solomon have made in his life to solve the above issues?

What judgments or hard decisions have you had to make in your life to avoid or correct losing God’s purpose in your life?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

IV) Learning Again His Purpose () BC 977

*possibly 57 years old

As he served God perfectly for 7 years here he gives the devil 7 years

Possible death at BC 975 (2 years in his wisdom)

Died possibly 59 years old

purpose must be found in something beyond this temporal life eccl 1:1-11

not enough to have wisdom eccl 1:12-18

purpose not found in pleasure eccl 2:1-3

purpose not found in success eccl 2:4-26

purpose not found in work eccl 4:5-12

purpose cannot be found in others eccl 4:13-16

purpose not found in routine or rituals eccl 5:1-7

purpose not found in wealth eccl 5:8-20

purpose not found in sin eccl 8:8-17

purpose must be found in God eccl 12:13-14 and your obedience to Him

Based off the snap shots of the stages of Solomon’s search for purpose what stage do I find myself in today?

What steps does God want me to take based on where he has me?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________