Elder Donavan Mills opened the message with a simple but powerful illustration of a young man entrusted with leadership who humbly admitted he did not have all the answers but knew who to ask. Donavan connected this to Solomon’s early reign in 1 Kings 3, where Solomon, though young and inexperienced, chose to seek the Lord first rather than rely on his own understanding. Drawing from 1 Kings 2:3, he reminded the church of David’s charge to walk in obedience to God, emphasizing that a genuine love for God must always be accompanied by faithful obedience (1 Kings 3:1–3, John 14:15, James 1:8).

As the passage unfolded, Donavan highlighted how compromise often begins subtly. Solomon’s political alliance through marriage (1 Kings 3:1, Deuteronomy 17:17) and the people’s worship at the high places (1 Kings 3:2, Deuteronomy 12:13–14) revealed that even sincere devotion can be mixed with disobedience. He explained that partial obedience leads to spiritual drift and warned that believers must guard against being unequally yoked (2 Corinthians 6:14) and against adopting convenient forms of worship instead of God’s design. Though Solomon truly loved the Lord (1 Kings 3:3), he tolerated practices that would later lead to greater compromise (1 Kings 11:4).

Moving into 1 Kings 3:4–5, Donavan showed that Solomon intentionally sought God at Gibeon, offering extravagant worship. This demonstrated that worship precedes wisdom and that a surrendered heart positions believers to hear from God (Psalm 51:17, James 4:8). When God invited Solomon to ask for anything (1 Kings 3:5, James 1:5, Matthew 7:7), it revealed God’s desire for relationship, not distance.

In 1 Kings 3:6–9, Donavan emphasized that Solomon’s prayer was marked by gratitude (Psalm 100:5, Lamentations 3:22–23), humility (James 4:6, Proverbs 3:5–6), and a deep sense of responsibility. Solomon asked for an understanding heart to discern between good and evil, demonstrating that true wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 9:10). God was pleased with this selfless request and responded by granting wisdom along with blessings Solomon had not asked for (1 Kings 3:10–15, Matthew 6:33, Philippians 2:3–4). Donavan reminded the church that God equips those He calls and that continued obedience is necessary for lasting blessing (John 15:10, 2 Timothy 4:7).

Finally, in 1 Kings 3:16–28, Donavan showed how God’s wisdom was tested in real-life situations. The account of the two women revealed that true wisdom produces righteous judgment, discernment, and compassion. Solomon’s decision exposed the true mother and demonstrated that godly wisdom is visible and impactful (Proverbs 2:6, Matthew 5:16, John 15:13). Donavan concluded that seeking God’s wisdom not only transforms decisions but also becomes a testimony to others.

This message reminded the church that when believers seek God first, wisdom follows in the right time and in the right way. It challenged each listener to pursue humility, obedience, and a deeper relationship with the Lord in every area of life. This teaching was shared at Calvary Chapel West Jacksonville, under the leadership of Pastor Allen Victor.

#SeekGodFirst #BiblicalWisdom #1Kings3 #SpiritualGrowth #Obedience #FaithInAction #GodlyLeadership