Today you should read: 1 Kings 2:1-12
In today’s passage we read about the new king. Solomon was about to take the throne that David had occupied for many years. Solomon had enormous shoes to fill because David was God’s chosen king and the man after God’s own heart. David wrote many of the Psalms that we still have today. He was the imperfect representative and foreshadowing of the one true king, Jesus Christ who we, as believers, know as Lord and savior. Solomon had to be nervous to take on the responsibility of leading God’s people but the pressure must have been even more severe knowing that he would be taking over for his father.
Not only does Solomon find himself taking over for his father, David, but the throne was under great controversy at the time. Adonijah, David’s fourth oldest son had already claimed the throne for himself without his father’s blessing. Adonijah had a following of people in the kingdom as well. Also, Solomon was sort of the black sheep of the family since his mother was Bathsheba (see 1 Samuel 11). One can assume after reading 1 Kings 1:20-21 that Bathsheba & Solomon were not the favored choice among Adonijah and his crew. However, Solomon was God’s choice and the promised son from (1 Samuel 7:12-13).
With all of the pressure that surrounded the throne, we find ourselves evesdropping into the final conversation and instruction between David and Solomon. Since this was the last thing that David would get to say to his son, we can assume that what we read in this passage was the most important thing that David could say to his son. So what does David say? David tells Solomon to be strong and show himself a man by keeping the law and commandments of the Lord. This speech that David gives to Solomon sounds very familiar to the following passages: Deuteronomy 6:4-8, Joshua 1:1-9, Psalm 1, Proverbs 3:1-12, and Matthew 28:18-20.
It is amazing to me that at many of the most important points in scripture this simple message is given: “Be strong and courageous by doing everything that the Lord has said and it will guide our paths and bring about Godly prosperity.” Of course I summarized all of the above passages and please note that I said “Godly prosperity” not “worldly” on purpose. If you are not sure what I mean by that please read Galatians 5:22-23.
So, long story short, if David saw fit to give this message to his son before taking on the responsibility of leading the people of God as the King of Israel; as God gave to Joshua before entering the promised land and just as Christ gave to the disciples before ascending into heaven, then how much more should you and I pay attention to the same message?
Solomon followed suit with his son when he wrote this verse in Proverbs 3:5:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
So my one question today for each of us to ponder is, “Do I trust in God and his Word or do I lean on my own understanding?”
Posted by: Chad Wiles
JumpstartCPC.com 
Yes Chad very good message if we all went totally by this instruction by The Lord , how much different Lexington Ky would be ,pray for me as I for you (Jumpstarters )