Intro:

Feb 24, 1955 a little baby boy was born to two college college students in California who immediately gave him up for adoption. This little boy was raised by his adopted parents Los Altos California in a regular home, a home like any other little boy may have been raised in. He was by no means wealthy, he used to live off of free meals he received from a buddhist temple near his house — maybe not quite on food stamps, but not living in luxury by any means. As he grew he became interested in electronics, and that passion grew until one day he was building computers in his dad’s garage. He had to quite college because he couldn’t afford it. But that poor adopted boy later became one of the most famous CEO’s of one of the richest companies in the world — Apple Computers.

That little boys name was Steve Jobs — who had a net worth over $10B when he died — A true rags to riches story! A story of hard work, perseverance, big dreams, and what is possible when we focus our energies on doing a great work.

When we look at success, we often tie it to wealth — and our next character in our Dive Deeper series would be considered by all to have been maybe one of the most successful kings of Israel.

His name is Solomon which means “Peace” in Hebrew. — He is known as the wisest king to have ever reigned in Israel but he was also the wealthiest king of Israel — and is the wealthiest person in the history of this planet.

How wealthy was Solomon by today’s standards:

The Bible tells us that he brought in  

[1Ki 10:14 NKJV] 14 The weight of gold that came to Solomon yearly was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold,

Now I don’t want to read to much into this but that comes to 666 — the Mark of the

Beast at the end — and I’ll just throw this in here, maybe at the end of time our choice will be between MONEY and GOD? WEALTH on earth or WEALTH in heaven? I just find it interesting that the first time that 666 is mentioned in the Bible it is tied to wealth! So Solomon brings in 666 Talents of Gold per year — how much is that?

A single Talent weighs about 75lbs — That’s 50,000 lbs of gold/yr. To put that into perspective for you that is how much a fully loaded semi truck weighs —  (Maximum weight) shipping container on the back of semi-truck is 50,000 lbs. That’s also what a full size humpback whale weighs — which is also what your average firetruck weighs…  

Imagine getting a semi-truck loaded with gold every year!

Today’s gold prices (and yes, I checked) $2,344 per oz — 50k lbs is 800k oz =

$1,875,624 / yr in just gold flowing into Solomon’s treasury… Now Solomon reigned for 40 years which means that over his reign as king, he brought in $75B in revenue just from gold over his lifetime. But that wasn’t all of king solomon’s assets — researchers and scholars estimate his cumulative net worth at his death to be $2T.

Now that doesn’t even come close to the US National Debt currently — This morning our country was over $34T in debt, which means our government owes more than $100k per US citizen in debt…. Still Solomon’s wealth is staggering for any one individual.  

Bill Gates net worth is $100B

Elon Musk = $186B

These are wealthy dudes but their wealth pales in comparison to Solomon’s Net Worth of $2T — How does someone who makes $2T live? The Bible gives us just a glimpse into Solomon’s lifestyle:

[1Ki 10:18-23 NKJV] 18 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. 19 The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne [was] round at the back; [there were] armrests on either side of the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the armrests. 20 Twelve lions stood there, one on each side of the six steps; nothing like [this] had been made for any [other] kingdom. 21 All King Solomon’s drinking vessels [were] gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon [were] pure gold. Not [one was] silver, for this was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon. 22 For the king had merchant ships at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the merchant ships came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys. 23 So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.

But lest you think that all this wealth and success was only the fruit of hard work and genius, let’s go back a few years to King Solomon’s beginnings. Solomon was given a dream right at the beginning of his reign as king, where God came and spoke to him, and asked him what he would like from the Lord. If God came to you tonight in a dream and asked you what you would like from Him, what would be at the top of your list? Take a moment to think about it, if you could ask anything from God what would it be?

For Solomon it wasn’t money, it wasn’t fame, it wasn’t success in worldly standards — When Solomon asked God for one thing, it was that God would bless him with the ability to fill the role which God had given him to fill in life:

[1Ki 3:9 NKJV] 9 “Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

Here is a lesson for us all — When we pray to the Lord, the Bible says “Ask and your shall receive” — But what should we ask for?

Like Solomon, we should ask that God would fill our life full with whatever is needed to fulfill the position God has placed you in today:

• For Kings & Queens, and Fathers & Mothers — A prayer like Solomon’s may be for wisdom to lead your family with integrity, and raise your children to know and follow the Lord.
• Maybe God has given you the position of business owner — Lord I ask you give me influence, that I might use my run my business to lead others to you – Maybe God has given you property in the country — Lord give me health and strength to plant my gardens and work my soil in the place you’ve planted me
• Maybe God has given you the position age — Lord help me to use the knowledge and experience of years to help those around me not repeat the mistakes common to man.

Whatever position you are in our prayer can be — God help me to be successful in the work you have given me to do! This may not mean wealth, it may not mean prestige, because true success is not money, but filling the place God has given you fully to His glory and to the best of the ability given to you!

Was Jesus successful? What about Peter & Paul? When was Job most successful — when he had much or had nothing? Solomon’s prayer sweeps away the illusion of success and reveals what all of us should seek after.

[Jer 29:11 NIV] 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

God has a plan for our life

[Dan 2:21 NKJV] 21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.

[Pro 19:21 NKJV] 21 There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the LORD’s counsel–that will stand.

This is why the Bible tells us:

[Mat 6:33 NKJV] 33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Our goal in life should be to understand the Lord’s mission for our life, His purpose, His plan, and then to seek to accomplish that plan… So you have to ask yourself this morning, whose plan are you following? Whose mission are you achieving?  

And because Solomon made the Lord’s plan for his life, his primary concern — God bless me with an understanding heart so I can Judge these people — God gave him even more than he asked in both wealth and fame:

[1Ki 3:12-13 NKJV] 12 “behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. 13 “And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days.

And I want to say that God wanted to prosper Solomon even before Solomon prayed — just like God wants to prosper you! It is God’s will for you to be successful, do you believe that?  

[3Jo 1:2 NKJV] 2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

But the key to prosperity, the secret sauce of success is making the Lord’s mission your priority! When Solomon set his heart to fulfill God’s dreams for his life, the windows of heaven were unlocked, and God was able to give Solomon not only wisdom, but every blessing of prosperity, why? Because success, wealth, and prosperity come from the Lord, all come from the Lord.

[Psa 127:1 NKJV] 1 A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.

[Deu 8:17-18 NKJV] 17 “then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ 18 “And you shall remember the LORD your God, for [it is] He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as [it is] this day.

I am convinced that the opposite of prioritizing God’s kingdom is “The Love of Money”… Had Solomon made his own life mission his aim and the aim of his prayer, what would he have asked for from the Lord? “Lord make me please make me a trillionaire! Why? Because that’s what you seek first when the kingdom you are building is your own kingdom — But when you are building God’s kingdom, Love for God and

His work consumes your life and replaces love for money! Your priorities shift!

[Luk 16:13 NKJV] 13 “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

What is Jesus saying here? Jesus is saying you can’t have two supreme priorities in life. You can’t have two masters. You can’t travel in two directions at the exact same time… Jesus isn’t saying money is bad, or wealth is from the devil, or gold never comes to the godly…. Not at all… Jesus is saying it is impossible to make money the aim of your life, and also make the kingdom of God the aim of your life — You can only have ONE as the supreme priority of your life.

And here is the reason — If you try to have both money and God at the top, eventually you will reveal which one is really at the top, and it will happen when they come in conflict with one another and you have to sacrifice one in order to satisfy the other…

When you are trying to serve God and Money, you will find out that money is your priority when you are willing to sacrifice faithfulness to God in little things in order to not lose money

However, when God is your priority and His kingdom comes in conflict with money, you will discover God is your priority when you are willing to sacrifice money in faithfulness to God. And the root reason is because you “Can’t serve two masters” it’s a law of life… Someone is always above the other!

When we put money at the top of the list, even when God comes in as a very very close 2nd — it will always lead to sin in our life, without exception! Listen to apostle Paul:

[1Ti 6:10 NKJV] 10 For the love of money is a root of all [kinds of] evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Not MONEY friend, but the Love of Money

Abraham was Rich

Solomon was Rich

Nicodemus was Rich

All of them served the Lord and had great wealth — Money is not evil! Wealth is not a sin! Having more or less than others does not determine moral worth.

Jesus was poor

Paul was poor

The widow with two mites who gave more than all was poor

Jesus, Paul, and the Widow will be sitting at the same table with Abraham, Solomon, and Nicodemus in the kingdom of heaven! Why, because what mattered in these people’s lives is that they made the Lord the priority of their life!

[Deu 8:17-18 NKJV] 17 “then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ 18 “And you shall remember the LORD your God, for [it is] He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as [it is] this day.

Principles that will add to your success:

1. Hard Work Bring Wealth

[Pro 13:4 NKJV] 4 The soul of a lazy [man] desires, and [has] nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.

Did King Solomon follow this principle?

[2Ch 8:1-3 NKJV] 1 It came to pass at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the house of the LORD and his own house, 2 that the cities which Hiram had given to Solomon, Solomon built them; and he settled the children of Israel there. 3 And Solomon went to Hamath Zobah and seized it.

2. Wisdom Brings Wealth

[Pro 14:24 NKJV] 24 The crown of the wise is their riches, [But] the foolishness of fools

[is] folly.

[Pro 3:16 NKJV] 16 Length of days [is] in her right hand, In her left hand riches and honor.

How do we obtain wisdom?

[Jas 1:5 NKJV] 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Did Solomon follow this principle? — Absolutely, this was the basis of his prayer

3. Saving Keeps Wealth

[Pro 6:6-8 NKJV] 6 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, 7

Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, 8 Provides her supplies in the summer,

[And] gathers her food in the harvest.

Did Solomon follow this principle?

[2Ch 8:4-5 NKJV] 4 He also built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the storage cities which he built in Hamath. 5 He built Upper Beth Horon and Lower Beth Horon, fortified cities [with] walls, gates, and bars,

4. Giving Preserves Wealth

[Pro 11:25 NKJV] 25 The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself.

Did Solomon the richest man ever follow this principle?

Here was Solomon’s gift at the dedication of the temple:

[1Ki 8:63 NKJV] 63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to the LORD, twenty-two thousand bulls and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD.

As single live bull today is (Avg.$3200 – 8500) $5000 x 22,000 ($110M)

A single sheep today is $600 x 120,000 ($72M)

Total Offering: $182M Approximately

Do you remember what Solomon’s yearly salary was in Gold? 1.8B

Do you know what 10% or a Tithe of 1.8B is? $180M

Appeal:

Friends