G'day, friends. This is Pastor Joe here, sharing insights from our ongoing study in Proverbs. Over my 40 years in ministry, I've seen that life's challenges boil down to seven key questions: who, which, what, where, when, why, and how. Every situation fits into these, and Proverbs offers a foundation to answer them through God's wisdom.

Divine wisdom is heaven's solutions to earthly problems – the Word applied to navigate life's trials successfully. It's about doing and saying the right thing at the right time.

We prayed for instruction, righteousness, correction, and encouragement, thanking Jesus as our wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:30).

Diving into Proverbs 1:2-3 (Amplified Bible): "That people may know skillful and godly wisdom and instruction, discern and comprehend the words of understanding and insight. To receive instruction in wise dealing and the discipline of wise thoughtfulness, righteousness, justice and integrity."

The Hebrew word "yada" for "know" means deep acquaintance and comprehension. This wisdom is accessible to all people – no age, background, or status barriers. God values everyone equally.

We control how much of heaven's solutions we release into our lives. As co-labourers with God (1 Corinthians 3:9), we obey His lead. There's a big difference between good ideas (which we fund) and God ideas (which He funds).

To access this wisdom, develop deliberate plans: routines, disciplines, and habits. Ideally, parents impart it early, but if not, start today. Examine your priorities and time usage – where you spend time is where you spend life.

I know life's busy with family, work, and commitments – Indra and I raised four daughters while pastoring, running a global radio ministry, and working secular jobs. But structure routines prayerfully; there's always time for essentials.

I recalled a Jordan Peterson podcast about a man equivalent to 10 PhDs, with patents and 12 companies – it's about how we use time. Commit to God's wisdom as a pathway for and through life.

Expanding to verses 2-6: We're granted access to the divine pathway for effective living – practical wisdom for daily to long-term matters, intellectual wisdom (like Paul's scholarly training), and moral wisdom for strong foundations in individuals, families, and nations.

It's open to the simple (prudence), youth (knowledge and discernment), and wise (to increase learning and understand enigmas). Stay teachable; probing wisdom adapts to changing marketplaces, ideologies, cultures, technology, and geopolitics – like AI advancements today.

We'll explore more next week. Heaven's answers to earthly matters!

God bless you all. Indra and I are dedicated to helping you become all you can in Christ. Visit livingsuccess.org to subscribe for free podcasts.

In this episode of Helping You Become, we dive into 1 Kings 3, starting from verse 4. Solomon offers 1000 burnt offerings at Gibeon, highlighting the cost of serving God—much like Jesus' call in Matthew 16:24 to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. We explore self-denial through Philippians 2:3-8 and Luke 9:23, emphasising daily commitment and humility.

God appears to Solomon in a dream, offering anything. Solomon praises God's mercy to David for his faithfulness, righteousness, and upright heart, leaving a legacy even his children admire. Acknowledging his own youth and inexperience (verse 7), Solomon asks for an understanding mind and hearing heart to discern good from evil and judge God's people wisely.

Pleased, God grants unparalleled wisdom, plus unasked riches, honour, and long life if Solomon obeys like David. This stems from humility and aligning with God's heart—identifying his greatest need relative to his calling.

We learn to pinpoint our own greatest needs in serving Jesus, seeking His kingdom first (Matthew 6:33). Solomon's story shows obedience and right heart attitudes bring exceptional blessings, as seen in 1 Kings 4:29-30.

Friends, reflect: What's your greatest need in your calling? Go to livingsuccess.org for free resources to help you grow in Christ. God bless!

G'day friends. In this episode of Helping You Become, we delve into 1 Kings chapter 2, exploring divine wisdom through King Solomon's story. David, nearing death, charges Solomon to be strong, walk in God's ways, and keep His statutes, commandments, precepts, and testimonies for prosperity – echoing God's words to Joshua. David humbly focuses on obedience to God, not his own achievements.

We reflect on the extraordinary success of Joshua and Solomon, who fully adhered to God's charge. This prompts questions: What life could we lead if fully committed? How do we cut through distractions like cultural noise to prioritise Jesus?

I challenge the notion of work-life balance, noting biblical figures like Jesus and Paul were driven by their God-given tasks, not clock hours. In our prosperous age, let's leverage disciplines and routines diligently. 2 Chronicles 16:9 reminds us God supports those with blameless hearts towards Him.

The promise in 1 Kings 2:4 requires walking in truth with full heart, mind, and soul – not cultural fads. Commitment must align with God's priorities; fans show full commitment to sports, but where do we stand with Scripture?

Track your time for a month against true priorities: prayer, worship, service. If TV outpaces prayer, there's an issue. Honest self-examination honours God and invites His wisdom.

We touch on 1 Kings 3:3 – Solomon loved the Lord, walking in David's statutes. True love for Jesus (John 14:15) shows in obedience and prioritising His Word.

We're out of time, but join next week for more on prevailing Proverbs. Check livingsuccess.org for free resources like "So What's Next" – a study on steps after committing to Christ. Share it widely!