"Let the God that answers by fire, let him be God", what a declaration, what a risk, what if God did not answer? What if baal answered since his prophets went first? But Elijah was sure beuond sure that God would answer him because he knew the God he was serving.

What would you be remembered for and how would you be remembered? What legacy would you leave behind? Would you be remembered more as a David or a Jeroboam. These are the lessons from today's podcast.

1kings chapter 13 was a bit confusing for me as a young Christian, I could understand the explosion of the gifts of the Spirit expressing themselves especially in the gift of prophecy and the gift of the word of wisdom due to the sharp rise in idolatry in both Judah and Israel, but I could not understand why God would punish the young prophet who sort to do the right thing and with courage and great risk to his life, confronted Jeroboam, I could not understand the motive of the old prophet. If you didn't or don't, then listen to today's podcast. Chapter 14 records a devastating expression of the gift of the Spirit that would predict with pinpoint accuracy, the end of Jeroboam's dynasty. Lessons from today's podcast, follow God, follow the word, stop looking for and listening for the spectacular.

As King Solomon grew older, the things he managed so easily as a young man became a burden. As he grew older, instead of growing wiser to become a wise old man, Solomon seemed to have grown more and more foolish; who marries 700 wives, 300 concubines? What was King Solomon looking for? He would go on to worship the gods of his wives; Molech, Ashtoreth and Chemosh, three gods that demand human sacrifices...Big lessons from the life of King Solomon, for one, the only place to find satisfaction and contentment is in God, not things, not people. Secondly, you will not always be strong, so just because you can handle the evil and hold back lust today does not you will always be able to. Do the right thing, put your hope in God alone.

Is there anything as "too much success"? Possibly, what King Solomon had was too much wealth. He made gold has common as plastic. Everything around him was platted or made of God. Sadly, Solomon himself will go on to say that "the love of money is the root of all evil", it seems he was talking about himself as his wealth will begin corrupt him and attract all manner of persons including the most beautiful women in the world at that time. Lessons, prioritize helping others, solving problems for people, over making money. Ensure your heart stays there over the money you are making, not even when the wealth truly comes and you will find that you are unmoved.

You thought the temple building was glorious, the finishing was even more spectacular, it was beautiful, it was intimidating, I am talking about you actually, God goes to the same length to beautify us. At the dedication of the temple, king Solomon says a since prayer that is both true and powerful, God still answers it today over the nation of Israel.

King Solomon builds a magnificent and intimidating temple, paying attention to details like nothing anyone has seen before. Everything was excellent and overlaid with gold, it was truly amazing. That temple was a symbol that God's presence could come rest in a place. Today, you and I are the temples of the Holy Spirit where God's presence rest and dwells. We are not built with gold but we are loaded with; love, grace, unusual favour and mercy. I don't know about you but I am excited I am the temple of God.

Solomon's reign begins with a bloody spree of exacting vengeance on those who had offended or wronged his father David. His executioner was the commander of his army, Banaiah. Even Adonijah's, his brother's rebellion was quickly snuffed out. After establishing himself, Solomon sort to enter into alliances with the world's powers of his time mainly through marriages, these women will go on turned his heart away from the Lord into idolatry and the worship of Baal and Ashtoreth. For a time, he asked for wisdom and received it from God. He displayed wisdom like none before himself. But in the end, it was all for vanity. Solomon just wanted to enjoy life, he didn't deprive himself of anything his eyes saw or wanted. In the end, he will bequeath a son to the nation that lacked wisdom and an ego so large it split the nation in two. A tragedy!

David was a great king, a powerful psalmist, he is maybe the only example in the old testament of anyone who had the privilege of being king and priest. He was also a great warrior and led some of the powerful warriors you will ever read about. He succeeded in every area but one, a father. David the father did not leave fatherly examples for his children, in marrying so many wives and even more concubine, he had set a precedence. He was weak in disciplining them and almost never punished them for wrong doing. In the end, in just one generation, his dynasty is plunged into idolatry....

Israel has offended God, to punish them, He moves David to take a census and in the process, David himself sins against God through putting his trust in the number of fighting men that the nation now has. It is amazing how many times David sings against God but God again and again, shows him mercies, have you ever asked why? Saul did less than half of this and God rejected him.