Appleton Gospel Church

After hearing reports of King Solomon and his God, the Queen of Sheba came with hard questions to see the wisdom of God for herself. When the king answered her questions, she was overwhelmed and left praising God. How can we help the spiritual seekers in our lives today? There is much to learn from King Solomon here. Read more...

24 years into his reign, after completing the Temple and Palace building projects, the Lord appeared to King Solomon again. This time, instead of giving him the gift of wisdom, God gave him a stern but gracious warning: There is a path that leads to life, but there are many paths that lead away from life. Read more...

When the congregation of Israel gathered for the dedication of the temple, they couldn’t stop praising the Lord! They were filled with joy and gladness for all the good things the Lord had done. True worship flows from a heart of love, moved by the grace of God, and results in a new way of life that is pleasing to God. Read more...

King Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the Temple strongly emphasized the need for the forgiveness of sins. Would God respond with mercy in their time of need? If God is good and faithful and is here, then we can trust that when we pray, he will hear us and save us—even from ourselves. Read more...

Jesus was born into a family with a very important history, including many prophecies or promises of God about a coming Messiah-King. The first Christmas is a story of one promise being fulfilled after another, after another. Seeing this pattern greatly helps our faith. What is a promise of God you need him to keep? Read more...

When King Solomon wrote Psalm 72, he wrote a prayer for the ideal king—one who administered justice wherever righteousness was lacking, and whose reign would bring peace (shalom). A good and godly king is a blessing to everyone. However, no earthly king (not even Solomon at his best) ever fulfilled this vision. No one, that is, until the Lord Jesus Christ. All hail the King! Read more...

At the culmination of the grand opening of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, God showed up. When the ark of the covenant was brought into the Most Holy Place, the glory cloud of God's holy presence appeared. This strange phenomenon happens throughout the Bible, pointing to the good news that God keeps his promises by moving in with his people. Read more...

In the middle of the long story of the Temple building project in Jerusalem, another building project interrupts — that of Solomon's own palace district. Why is this here? As we compare the construction of the Lord's house with Solomon's house, we find ourselves asking a big question: What does this project say about what Solomon actually believes about God? Read more...

The Temple in Jerusalem was the signature building project of King Solomon's reign. But almost hidden in the middle of a passage full of details about the building's design is a reminder of a Bible-long theme that is such good news: The great big beating heart behind everything God does is his steadfast desire to dwell with his people. Read more...

Solomon prepared to build the temple by negotiating with the pagan King Hiram of Tyre for timber, skilled workers, and other materials. What did God think about this? This text reveals a (perhaps surprising) pattern of God using Jews and Gentiles to build his house; a pattern that continues today in Christ. Read more...

Ancient Israel experienced something of a golden age under King Solomon's rule. The people enjoyed abundant peace and prosperity as Solomon expanded his administration, wealth, and influence. Life was good. How should Christians think and respond...to the good times?? Read more...

The Song of Songs is King Solomon's poetic celebration of the romantic love and attraction that God intended for a healthy marriage. But how do love, marriage, and sexuality work in a broken world? Solomon's love song reminds us how marriage ought to be, but also points to the perfect love of God for his people. Read more...

Who should you date? What career should you pursue? Where should you live? When should you have kids? There are so many big decisions in life. How do we make all these decisions in a way that honors God and is good for us, even if we don’t have specific direction from him? Wisdom. We need wisdom. In his lifetime, King Solomon wrote thousands of proverbs to help children (and adults!) grow in wisdo...

At Gibeon, the Lord appeared to King Solomon and asked him what he wanted. (What would YOU ask for?) Solomon asked for wisdom to administer justice for God's people. God was so pleased with this that he graciously gave Solomon far more than he could ask or imagine. The grace of God is seen throughout the Bible because this is who God is. Read more...

After his father David's death, Solomon moved to establish his kingdom. Adonijah, Solomon's brother; Abiathar the priest; Joab the military commander; and Shimei all needed justice brought to bear on their actions. Would Solomon do what was easy or what was right? Would he overreact or judge justly? The King of God's kingdom reflects God's character. Read more...

Before his death, King David gave his son, Solomon, one last charge. What did he say in those final moments? David said to be strong and act like a man by being Biblically faithful. But would Solomon learn to be a righteous king? Can anyone be truly righteous? A right belief in God’s word leads to a right understanding of how to live in God’s world. Read more...

In response to Adonijah's attempted coup, King David acted quickly to ensure that Solomon was his successor. When David's plan worked, he responded in worship for God's faithfulness to keep his word. When faith is a battle and it's hard to believe, even when it seems as if the whole world is against you, don't forget this one simple truth: God never breaks his promises. Read more...

Before Solomon could take the throne, a new rival emerged—his own brother. Adonijah was the oldest living son of King David, so he would've been the normal choice. However, both the Lord and King David had chosen Solomon. Driven by pride, Adonijah ignored both God and his father. Would Solomon learn to be humble? Humility requires faith that God is God and you are not. Read more...

Roughly 3,000 years ago, King David was the most powerful and successful king of ancient Israel. David’s reign brought peace, prosperity, and plans to build the temple before handing the kingdom to his chosen son, Solomon. How would young Solomon handle living in the shadow of his great father’s legacy? Would he learn to be a wise and godly king? Could he overcome the plotting of his enemies, the...

What exactly does spiritual growth look like? And what kinds of things help people grow in their faith? We love it when people become Christians, but this is only the beginning! The whole rest of the Christian life is about growing as a disciple of Jesus. The call to discipleship is a call to be with Jesus, learn the way of Jesus, and be transformed by Jesus. Read more...

The Great Commission of Jesus, given to his disciples after Jesus rose from the dead, means that every Christian has a mission. To do what exactly? To help people come to faith and grow in their faith! The story of Philip and the Ethiopian official is a great case study for how to help people come to faith in Jesus. Read more...

The unlikely victory of the Jews in Persia, brought about by the wisdom, humility, and courage of Esther and Mordecai, was commemorated by the Festival of Purim. However, the entire book of Esther raises a crucial question: Where is God in this story? Read more...

Will God allow evil and injustice to prevail? Will God allow his enemies to win and his people to lose? The dramatic reversal of the downfall of Haman and the rise of Mordecai prevented the annihilation of the Jews in Persia. But this victory points to the truth that ultimately, God will not allow evil and injustice to prevail because of the person and work of Jesus. Read more...

Queen Esther displayed great wisdom and courage in facing King Xerxes to intercede on behalf of the Jewish people. And in a dramatic reversal, her plan works! Haman falls into his own trap prepared for Mordecai and gets the justice he deserved. In Esther's story, and elsewhere in the Bible, God uses faithful people to accomplish his justice and rescue his people. Read more...

In response to Haman's evil plot, Esther demonstrated remarkable wisdom and courage in making her appeal to King Xerxes. Then, seemingly coincidentally, the king remembered that Mordecai had saved his life and decided to honor him, much to the embarrassment of Haman! Was this God's hidden hand at work? One thing is sure: God's providence is never late. Read more...