“ASK WHAT SHALL I GIVE THEE ?”

[Helen]

God says to Solomon- “Ask what I shall give thee?"...1 Kings 3
.......verse 8 "Thy servant is in the midst of thy people which Thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
9 Give therefore Thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee."

So , if you would be given your own wish for the one thing you most want, what would it be?

King Solomon was given a choice, and God was prepared to grant his desire. Solomon asked for a wise and understanding heart to lead and to discern between good and evil which was actually a revelation of the character he already possessed. It was a wise choice to ask for wisdom and understanding.

Solomon must have realized trusting his own knowledge without wisdom he would likely make decisions that would impact his and others life negatively.
This shows us the truth that simply just knowing facts and information can be dangerous unless we understand how to discern between good and evil based on divine truth.

Discerning between right and wrong is a critical skill. Everyone needs it... parents need it, children need to learn it.... preachers need to preach it; teachers need to illustrate it; sinners need to embrace it and Christians need to pray for God help us to acquire it.
James assures us, “If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you” James 1:5

 

[VictoryinJesus]

God says to Solomon- “Ask what I shall give thee?"...1 Kings 3
.......verse 8 "Thy servant is in the midst of thy people which Thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
9 Give therefore Thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee."

So , if you would be given your own wish for the one thing you most want, what would it be?

King Solomon was given a choice, and God was prepared to grant his desire. Solomon asked for a wise and understanding heart to lead and to discern between good and evil which was actually a revelation of the character he already possessed. It was a wise choice to ask for wisdom and understanding.

Solomon must have realized trusting his own knowledge without wisdom he would likely make decisions that would impact his and others life negatively.
This shows us the truth that simply just knowing facts and information can be dangerous unless we understand how to discern between good and evil based on divine truth.

Discerning between right and wrong is a critical skill. Everyone needs it... parents need it, children need to learn it.... preachers need to preach it; teachers need to illustrate it; sinners need to embrace it and Christians need to pray for God help us to acquire it.
James assures us, “If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you” James 1:5

Great post, Helen. God gives us all the same choice, doesn't He? What do we want more...

"Solomon asked for a wise and understanding heart to lead and to discern between good and evil."

Psalm 111:10
[10] The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments : his praise endureth for ever.

Proverbs 8:13
[13] The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

 

[lforrest]

Insight would be a good gift to receive from God.

An insightful person would find it easy to understand, even without vast knowledge. Discernment should come easy to them, with minimal information. Since knowledge is the requisite for everything, its better to be able to do more with less.

Though insight may be a more selfish gift than wisdom, because wisdom can be shared with others and they too can grow in wisdom. You can offer insights, but that will not make people more insightful.

 

[Helen]

So , if you would be given your own wish for the one thing you most want, what would it be?

Insight would be a good gift to receive from God.

An insightful person would find it easy to understand, even without vast knowledge. Discernment should come easy to them, with minimal information. Since knowledge is the requisite for everything, its better to be able to do more with less.

Though insight may be a more selfish gift than wisdom, because wisdom can be shared with others and they too can grow in wisdom. You can offer insights, but that will not make people more insightful.

Thanks for the response.

As I lay in bed last night before sleeping I was asking myself...Okay if God did ask me this, what would I choose?
I need healing in some areas of my body, I could ask for healing, first for myself, so that I could then use the gift for everyone else in need.
But , I felt that would be selfish...so in the end I settled on insight just like you mentioned. :)
The more that I mused on it...the more I could see the blessing of true insight.
At the moment that is my choice, if I was offered one.
But , I may also change my mind if I see more wisdom from other people's responses. :)

@bbyrd009 @amadeus @aspen @Triumph1300 @mjrhealth @ScottA ..looking forward to seeing your wise posts on here too ....and any others. :)

 

[bbyrd009]

seems to me that Solomon reaped what he sowed nonetheless?
so there is an unexplored dichotomy there, that i guess no one really wants to look too closely into

imo insight = wisdom, but i might be wrong there

 

[VictoryinJesus]

seems to me that Solomon reaped what he sowed nonetheless?
so there is an unexplored dichotomy there, that i guess no one really wants to look too closely into

imo insight = wisdom, but i might be wrong there

Yes, but how much sown has been reaped over time from Solomon asking God for wisdom instead. Do we gain from Solomon’s proverbs, does it bear fruit? When the Proverbs woman is the temple(church) made without hands. (proverbs 31:10-31) To say Solomon reaped what was sown in the flesh is to cut wisdom short and not see that the wisdom God shared with Solomon continues to live on and still gathers. Same as Paul planting grace among the gentiles...it continues.

(Proverbs 8:1-36) in its entirety, is it not Christ(the Son)?

Proverbs 8:34-36
34] Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. [35] For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord . [36] But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

“Blessed be the man that hearth me”
“Waiting at the posts of my doors”
“Whoso finders me findeth life”
“all they that hate me love death”
...why would we not ask for wisdom when wisdom is Christ (God, the extender of peace and mercy).

 

[bbyrd009]

Yes, but how much sown has been reaped over time from Solomon asking God for wisdom instead. Do we gain from Solomon’s proverbs, does it bear fruit? To say Solomon reaped what was sown in the flesh is to cut wisdom short and not see that the wisdom God shared with Solomon continues to live on and still gathers. Same as Paul planting grace among the gentiles...it continues.

(Proverbs 8:1-36) in its entirety, is it not Christ(the Son)?

Proverbs 8:34-36
34] Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. [35] For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord . [36] But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

“Blessed be the man that hearth me”
“Waiting at the posts of my doors”
“Whoso finders me findeth life”
“all they that hate me love death”
...why would we not ask for wisdom when wisdom is Christ (God, the extender of peace and mercy).

i'm not disagreeing, so much as attempting to point out that even Solomon reaped what he sowed,
even after he "got wisdom."

 

[VictoryinJesus]

i'm not disagreeing, so much as attempting to point out that even Solomon reaped what he sowed,
even after he "got wisdom."

Ok, but does wisdom(able to discern between good and evil) not allow one to plant a new seed and to reap a different harvest then the one previously planted and reaped. Isn’t that the point of “be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” able to discern between good and evil? To ask for light rather than darkness, to ask for sight rather than blindness...is this not a prayer for wisdom (not the worlds wisdom but God’s wisdom)?

 

[lforrest]

i'm not disagreeing, so much as attempting to point out that even Solomon reaped what he sowed,
even after he "got wisdom."

Asking God for something is sowing? Is this what you mean?

For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
Ecclesiastes 1:18 KJV
Ecclesiastes 1:18 KJV; For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

 

[bbyrd009]

Ok, but does wisdom(able to discern between good and evil) not allow one to plant a new seed and to reap a different harvest then the one previously planted and reaped.

i would certainly think so, yes; yet prophets previously depicted as "of God" go in to whores, etc, so it apparently is not as one-dimensional as we might think

 

[bbyrd009]

Asking God for something is sowing? Is this what you mean?

um, maybe, but i would say that even getting wisdom does not seem to make one immune from future sin?
Solomon et al demonstrate that they are still divided, still "two men in a field" so to speak

Sampson, Jacob, i could think of many other examples. And in Scripture i note the reverse is also true; those portrayed as "bad guys" are not as bad as we might like to think. Imo this is a literary way of hiding the truth in plain sight

 

[APAK]

Thanks for the response.

As I lay in bed last night before sleeping I was asking myself...Okay if God did ask me this, what would I choose?
I need healing in some areas of my body, I could ask for healing, first for myself, so that I could then use the gift for everyone else in need.
But , I felt that would be selfish...so in the end I settled on insight just like you mentioned. :)
The more that I mused on it...the more I could see the blessing of true insight.
At the moment that is my choice, if I was offered one.
But , I may also change my mind if I see more wisdom from other people's responses. :)

@bbyrd009 @amadeus @aspen @Triumph1300 @mjrhealth @ScottA ..looking forward to seeing your wise posts on here too ....and any others. :)

Helen:

For me, physical, and still bearable ailments take a backseat compared with gaining spiritual insights that grows my faith toward God. The physical ailments I have were self-induced and a reminder for me I’m getting older. Looking at my personality, I can see God allowing these things to occur to slow my mind and physical activities down, and by using more thought and insight, for my own good.

So. It’s easy to make my decision, based on my personality to ask God for patience, knowledge, understanding and wisdom in knowing his word and how and when to share these attributes with other people. I’ve asked for these things for many decades now and it’s paying off for his glory. He already knows all this anyway. He knows our heart.

APAK

 

[amadeus]

What Solomon asked for was a good thing according to God and as a result God gave him what he asked plus other tblessings in his natural life as well:

"And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like into thee all thy days." I Kings 3:11-13

We know according to scripture that Solomon reigned over all of Israel 40 years and his kingdom was both rich and peaceful more so than that of David his father... but unlike David where was the application to self? Solomon was a wise ruler but where was the application of his own wisdom to his own personal walk before God?

So then is the application not the thing?

We see today many who say they have received the baptism of the Holy Ghost and the availability of Bibles to read among those in the western supposed Christian lands is great. Solomon similarly for his time and place was greatly blessed but the same verse that applies to this faltering Christendom today applies to him:

"But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more." Luke 12:48

"much is given... much is required"

For Solomon we see as we should be seeing for ourselves, that the application to ME should be, should have been, the most important thing. Many people will quickly jump in to criticize the Catholics or the Pentecostals or the Baptists or the Mormons or the Muslims [or just about anyone who is not where they are on one or more points] when they are effectively taking the same wrong turn that Solomon in spite of all of his wisdom chose to take.

So what would I ask if I were given Solomon's choice?

How about the "eyes to see" and the "ears to hear" what God is saying along with the power and will to surrender always to Him? Actually He has already given those things to anyone who really sincerely wants them above everything else. So many like Solomon are still nourishing the ways of their own flesh first even though like Solomon they know better. Jesus really did not come for nothing, but too many people it would seem while claiming salvation still live as if Jesus came for nothing... at least as I see it.

 

[bbyrd009]

Solomon reigned over all of Israel 40 years

and we also know what else 40 years reps, i guess huh

when they are effectively taking the same wrong turn that Solomon in spite of all of his wisdom chose to take.

ezackly

 

[bbyrd009]

How about the "eyes to see" and the "ears to hear" what God is saying along with the power and will to surrender always to Him? Actually He has already given those things to anyone who really sincerely wants them above everything else.

yet none of us can even discern 95+% of creation, hmm. Many or most of us are closer to 1%, surely.

So many like Solomon are still nourishing the ways of their own flesh first even though like Solomon they know better.

why eat beans when you can eat lobster, right

 

[amadeus]

yet none of us can even discern 95+% of creation, hmm. Many or most of us are closer to 1%, surely.

why eat beans when you can eat lobster, right

That could be a lot to give up... considering as well the double dip Sundaes covered with nuts and cherries and hot fudge [not even thinking about the lobster].

If we were even at only 10% but steadily growing toward God it might not be so bad, but if we are only at 1% and struggling to take even one baby step in the right direction...? Help us dear Lord!

 

[bbyrd009]

why eat beans when you can eat lobster, right

i guess "CAFO meat" would be a better term there, over lobster

 

[lforrest]

um, maybe, but i would say that even getting wisdom does not seem to make one immune from future sin?
Solomon et al demonstrate that they are still divided, still "two men in a field" so to speak

Sampson, Jacob, i could think of many other examples. And in Scripture i note the reverse is also true; those portrayed as "bad guys" are not as bad as we might like to think. Imo this is a literary way of hiding the truth in plain sight

I've heard somewhere that in hebrew culture the biggest fool is someone that knows something is wrong and does it anyways.

So I think the lesson here is the wisest man in the world was still foolish.

 

[Helen]

Solomon reigned over all of Israel 40 years and his kingdom was both rich and peaceful more so than that of David his father... but unlike David where was the application to self? Solomon was a wise ruler but where was the application of his own wisdom to his own personal walk before God?

So then is the application not the thing?

For Solomon we see as we should be seeing for ourselves, that the application to ME should be, should have been, the most important thing.
Many people will quickly jump in to criticize the Catholics or the Pentecostals or the Baptists or the Mormons or the Muslims [or just about anyone who is not where they are on one or more points] when they are effectively taking the same wrong turn that Solomon in spite of all of his wisdom chose to take.

So , what would I ask if I were given Solomon's choice?

How about the "eyes to see" and the "ears to hear" what God is saying along with the power and will to surrender always to Him? Actually He has already given those things to anyone who really sincerely wants them above everything else.
So many like Solomon are still nourishing the ways of their own flesh first even though like Solomon they know better. Jesus really did not come for nothing, but too many people it would seem while claim salvation still live as if Jesus came for nothin... at least as I see it.

Amen John. Good point....yes, where was Solomon's application to his own life, with the wisdom? It is so much easier to see the wisdom needed in another's life, but short sighted in our own life.

Yes, Jesus did not come for nothing.
When we surrender to the Lord at the beginning we quickly and emotionally say- Thank you for saving me..Lord.., now I give my life to You" And, in the euphoria and emotion of the moment we do really mean it...but then, a month, a year, a decade, or five decades later...how valid was that first surrender?

The surrender cost us nothing...yet our God is a Fruit Inspector ( as bbyrd009 is often reminding us) ..and just like the fig tree...He will come expecting to find fruit....if He only finds lots of leaves...we know what happens...we don't lose the gift of salvation, but we do lose the Inheritance of A son...and by the lack of fruit, we have proved that we are indeed not a son that is fit to take care of his inheritance in the name of the Father....

 

[bbyrd009]

The surrender cost us nothing

hmm, then why count the cost, do you think? Admittedly i am still very new to Dialectic Reasoning, and Christ may have meant "there is no cost to count" from a certain perspective, sure; but hate your life, hate your family, give away all your possessions, these are pretty steep costs, from another perspective anyway