Today, we find Solomon early in his reign, the brother that we studied a few weeks earlier that gave Solomon trouble, has been taken care of, and now Solomon has peace. Solomon received wisdom from his father, David, last week, but we will see today that maybe he is not taking all of the advice he was given, and in other ways, he is taking even more significant steps than his father. Lessons From Solomon’s Early Reign 1 Kings 3:1-4  1. Be Cautious Of Small Sins This was not Solomon’s first marriage. Comparing his son Rehoboam’s age (forty-one) at the time of his succeeding to the throne (14:21) with the length of Solomon’s reign (forty years; cf. 1142–43), it is clear that he had already married Naamah the Ammonitess before he became king. Big sins do not start as big ones; they start as little things we allow and then turn into huge things. Before the temple was built in Jerusalem as the central place of worship, Israel offered sacrifices to God on hilltops or other high places. The Canaanites had formerly used some of these sites for ungodly religious practices and for worshiping false gods. God’s OT law prohibited offering sacrifices at these places because all the Canaanite high places were supposed to have been destroyed. No one wakes up in the morning with a plan to destroy their lives, but the small sins we tolerate can eventually destroy us if we do not become more disciplined. 2. God Can Still Speak Amid Your Unfaithfulness Solomon was making small concessions in his life, but God was still trying to move him past those. Just because God is speaking to you does not mean you are in the right sometimes; he is trying to warn you of an obstacle. 1 Kings 3:5-14  3. Seek Wisdom Not Riches the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream. Dreams and night visions are a valid method of divine revelation in the OT. Solomon began his reign with a strong faith in and love for the Lord (v. 3). He prayed for wisdom and a discerning (insightful) heart (vv. 5–9) so that he could govern (rule) the people and determine the difference between right and wrong, good and evil, justice and unfairness. God was pleased with his request (v. 10) and answered his prayer (vv. 11–14). However, God’s gift of wisdom did not guarantee that Solomon would always be obedient and faithful to God. Wisdom is great, but it can only take us as far as our obedience. Matthew 6:33 NLT "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." God is pleased when his followers sincerely pray for and then use godly wisdom and discernment.  It says in his word: “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault and it will be given to him” Godly wisdom is worth more than any earthly riches we can acquire because Godly wisdom will transfer into retirement. What are our transformational moments? Are you overlooking small sins in your life? Are you seeking Godly wisdom? How far will your obedience take you right now?