WHAT IF God told you that you could ask for ANYTHING (No strings attached), and he would give it to you?  What would you ask for?

In a dream at Gibeon (Picture to right) God told Solomon to ask for whatever he wanted and it would be given to him (1 Kings 3:5, 7-13).

Imagine… GOD telling us that we could ask Him for anything, and it would be granted!  What was the first thing that popped into your mind? Whatever that thing is/was… is your functional god.  Whatever that thing is/was is where you find your ultimate security.  Some of the possibilities are…

Financial security (“So we can give to missions”), A bigger house (“So we can take in the homeless”), A great car (“So we can transport the elderly to the doctor and run errands”), Our children to marry well (“So they can raise godly children”), Health (“So we can have more years to glorify God on earth”), or any of a thousand other things…

While those requests probably did come to our mind, the phrases that followed either didn’t enter our thoughts as the TRUE motivation of our heart, OR they are rationalizations for asking that mask our true motivations (Selfishness).

Solomon could have asked for any of those things… without the rationalizations… but he didn’t.  Instead, Solomon asked for wisdom to govern God’s people and know good from evil (To know God).  Solomon wanted to know God SO THAT he could govern in a manner that honored God.  After all, “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.”

The result? God gave Solomon what he asked for in hyper-abundance.  No one before or after him would have the wisdom Solomon received from God.  Then… in addition to that (Because he didn’t ask for money or possessions)… God gave him riches in abundance.

There is a difference between kingdom requests and selfish requests.  The reason we don’t receive is because we pray selfishly.  However… when we seek to know God, all other things are also granted according to Matthew 6:33.

I believe that when we pray as we should… for GOD’S glory, offering KINGDOM requests… God answers those AND grants things (According to His wisdom) over and above what we ask for.  It might be worth the time to evaluate our prayer requests… to make sure they’re in line with what God honors.

1 Kings 3:5, 7-13, At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” 7 And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. 9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”  10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11 And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12 behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. 13 I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days.