Divine Wisdom for the Family

now it is Mother's Day and what that usually means is that the family is all together and of course that's for sure right now around the world so perhaps mom and dad and kids and maybe some extended family are all together on this day and we don't want to pick on mom we do want to show our love and affection to her but it seemed to me a wonderful opportunity while all the families are together to talk about what is essential for a family what is essential for a family and the most important thing the most essential thing in the life of a family is wisdom is wisdom and I want to talk about that from the Word of God in fact I'm going to let heaven speak through Scripture the words that you will be hearing in this message are the words of Scripture with a little bit of comment from me in Daniel chapter 1 and verse 17 it was said about the four young men who were taken into Babylonian captivity that God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom knowledge intelligence and wisdom in Daniel chapter five again Daniel is brought before the king and the King says now I've heard about you that the Spirit of God is in you and that illumination insight and extraordinary wisdom has been found in you what an amazing commendation I'm sure as parents we would love to have that be the description of all of our children extraordinary wisdom is found in you now when we're talking about wisdom we're we're talking about something that transcends knowledge if all of man's accumulated knowledge from the beginning of recorded history to 1845 were represented by one inch from 1845 to 1945 would be about three inches and from 1945 to 1975 would represent the height of the Washington Monument and that's 555 feet high inventor innovator and mathematician Buckminster Fuller presented his knowledge doubling curve in 1982 in a best-seller called critical path he argued that our acquisition of knowledge at the end of World War two had jumped from doubling approximately every century to doubling every 25 years and he said it would continue to illustrate by 2010 nanotechnology had arrived and knowledge doubled every two years clinical knowledge every 18 months so on an average human knowledge they say right now is doubling about every 13 months that is up until this particular era when we are told that knowledge is doubling every 12 hours every 12 hours massive amount of information in spite of the fact that we live in a world of exploding knowledge that we can barely keep up with we are still described in the scripture as fools in Romans 1 it describes humanity as professing to be wise but having become fools Romans 1 says that men became futile in their speculations and their foolish heart was darkened essentially men are described no matter how much knowledge they have as fools in the New Testament in the book of Ephesians we get a description of humanity in these words chapter 4 verse 17 of Ephesians so this I say and affirm together with the Lord that you walk no longer just as the nations also walk in the futility of their mind empty mindedness being darkened in their understanding excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them because of the hardness of their heart and they having become callous have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness that's quite a pathological description isn't it the nation's walk in an empty minded manner darkened with sin and ignorance so that they cannot understand divine truth they're left then to function out of that darkened mind and it shows up as sensuality and the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness on the other hand Paul then writes but you did not learn Christ in this way if indeed you have heard him and have been taught in him just as truth is in Jesus that in reference to your former manner of life you lay aside the old self which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new self which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth the difference between non converted people and believers is the difference between a fool and one who has true knowledge and wisdom wisdom that is from above the Bible says that fools are ever learning 2nd Timothy 3:7 ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth what a hopeless course that is let me say it again fools are ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth there's a reason for that 1st Corinthians 2:14 says but a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually appraised they use words not taught by human wisdom human wisdom cannot ascertain the truth of God human wisdom is just another name for foolishness this is the pervasive Universal reality that characterizes all human beings in fact going back to proverbs 22:15 it says foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child we come into the world as fools it is part of being sinful it is part of being alienated from God separated from him now if we break that down a little bit and ask the question what characterizes or marks the fool and I'll show you what the scripture says number one they all reject God and I say that when referring to the true the only the one true and living God all fools reject to God listen to what it says in some fourteen The Fool has said in his heart there is no God they are corrupt they have committed abominable deeds there is no one who does good the Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there are any who understand who seek after God they have all turned aside together they have become corrupt there is no one who does good not even one that Paul of course repeats that text in Romans chapter 3 but the first characteristic of humanity the natural man is that he rejects God that's where his foolishness begins in Psalm 74 a couple times it says fools blaspheme God they reproach him every day in Romans chapter 1 a very familiar familiar portion of Scripture if you pick it up in verse 25 Romans 1 speaking of the natural man they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator who is blessed for ever amen for this reason God gave them over to degrading passions so they rejected God that's characteristic of human foolishness they reject God consequently a judgment fell and God gave them over God gave them over verse 24 in the lusts of their hearts to impurity so that their bodies would be dishonored among them they exchanged the truth of God for a lie worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator who is blessed forever for this reason God gave them over to degrading passions this is speaking of homosexuality their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error built-in punishment for homosexual behavior and all of this verse 28 says because they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer so God gave them over to a depraved mind to do those things which are not proper what kind of things being filled with all unrighteousness wickedness greed evil full of envy murder strife deceit malice they're gossips slanderers haters of god insolent arrogant boastful inventors of evil disobedient to parents without understanding untrustworthy unloving unmerciful and though they know the ordinance or commandments of God that those who practice such things are worthy of death they not only do the same but also give hearty approval to those who practice them so here is essentially the characterization of every sinner in the world he is a fool she is a fool because they reject God and because they reject God because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie because they refused to acknowledge God as he should be acknowledged God turns them over to deeper and deeper levels of corruption sexual immorality homosexual immorality and finally a reprobate mind a depraved mind that can't function this describes the fool maybe highly educated but is a fool nonetheless the second characteristic of a fool first they reject God and secondly they worship self proverbs 12:15 says this the way of a fool is right in his own eyes the way of a fool is right in his own eyes or proverbs 28:26 he who trusts in his own heart is a fool he is his own source and standard of truth his own source and standard of right and wrong he for all intents and purposes is God he makes the rules and this of course is idolatry and it is the universally common idolatry among all who reject the true God they worship themselves as if they were God there's a third characteristic of fools they reject God they worship self and thirdly they mock sin they mock sin proverbs 14 9 says fools mock at sin that is to say they have nothing but scorn for anything that defines their behavior as wrong corrupt or sinful they mock the whole idea of sin they mock the whole idea of transgression iniquity scripture describes fools and their mockery of sin by saying this they walk in darkness they cling to sin they are corrupt they are abominable they're self-sufficient self deceived empty talkers liars angry lazy contentious hypocritical idolatrous and self-destructive no matter how much knowledge they have fools reject God worship themselves and mock the whole notion of sin as a result of that there's a fourth characteristic fools they corrupt others they corrupt others proverbs 15 2 says the mouth of fools spouts folly and later in that same chapter it says that the fools mouth feeds on folly they despise wisdom and instruction proverbs 1:7 and they make sure that their disdain for it is known by all those around them so that essentially is a description of the whole human race fools born into this world foolish that foolishness shows up in hating God worshiping self-mocking sin and corrupting others into this world has come wisdom it has come to rescue fools if you look at back again to proverbs the book of Proverbs is the book of wisdom and it begins by personifying wisdom as if wisdom is a person speaking if you look at chapter 1 and verse 20 wisdom shouts in the street she lifts her voice in the square at the head of the noisy streets she cries out at the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings how long o naive ones will you love being simple-minded and scoffers delight themselves in scoffing and fools hate knowledge this is to say that God has revealed his wisdom in the world and wisdom is there crying in the streets to the fools what does wisdom ask verse 23 turn to my reproof behold I will pour out my spirit on you I will make my words known to you because I called and you refused I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention and you neglected all my counsel and did not want my reproof I will also laugh at your calamity I will mock when your dread comes when your dread comes like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind when distress and anguish come upon you God says look I put wisdom in the world it's crying out it's crying out from the Scriptures it always has and men don't hear it they refuse they neglect divine counsel and God says the day will come when I will laugh at your judgment the day will come verse 28 proverbs 1 they will call on me but I will not answer they will seek me diligently because they will not but they will not find me because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord this is characterization of humanity fools who refuse knowledge verse 29 they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord the chapter ends in verse 33 but he who listens to me shall live securely safely and will be at ease from the dread of evil fools die says proverbs 10 21 for lack of understanding and when it speaks about them dying it doesn't just mean they die physically it means they die spiritually and they die eternally in the irony of all of this is that fools think they're wise go back to Romans chapter 1 and you remember these very familiar words verse 18 of Romans 1 for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness because that which is known about God is evident within them for God made it evident to them for since the creation of the world his invisible attributes his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen being understood through what has been made so that they are without excuse and their wisdom is crying even from creation as well as revelation but men do not hear verse 21 even though they knew God that is they knew that God had to exist they didn't honor him as God or give thanks but they became empty in their speculations and their foolish heart was darkened professing to be wise they became fools professing to be wise they became fools you can be the most educated person in the world you can have all the degrees possible from all of the elite institutions you can have PhDs but if you do not know God if you reject God if you worship yourself if you mock sin and you are a corrupting influence around you you are a fool you may profess to be wise but you are a fool what defines a fool first Corinthians chapter 1 verse 18 the word of the Cross the gospel is foolishness to those who are perishing anybody who rejects the gospel is a fool anyone who rejects the gospel is a fool down in verse 23 the 1st Corinthians 1 we preach Christ crucified to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness if you call the Gospel foolishness you are the ultimate fool the ultimate fool in chapter 3 of first Corinthians verse 18 let no man deceive himself If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age he must become foolish so that he may become wise for the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God for it is written he is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness and again the Lord knows the reasonings of the wise that they are useless the reasonings of the wise are useless we live in a world full of fools fools in high places fools with degrees fools with education on the other hand people who are wise are the people who believe in the true God and come to him through Christ what did the Apostle Paul say in 2nd timothy 3:15 he spoke of the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Christ the great statement speaking to Timothy you heard from your family the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ it is the people who have come to Christ who are the truly wise people go back again to 1st Corinthians chapter 1 and we read in verse 30 by his doing you are in Christ Jesus who became to us wisdom from God the world is full of fools they are educated fools more educated than ever in human history but they are fools that they reject God and the only way to know God the gospel of Jesus Christ Christ is the wisdom of God as believers Paul also in 1st Corinthians 2 says and this is so wonderful in verse 16 for who has known the mind of the Lord that he will instruct him but we have the mind of Christ that's astonishing to hear that statement we have the mind of Christ what does that mean we know what Christ knows how is that so because he's taught us in his word and he's given us the resident truth teacher in the Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth and brings this truth to clarity we have the Scriptures we have the anointing from God the Holy Spirit we know the truth and because we know the truth we know the mind of Christ because the truth revealed in Scripture is the mind of Christ we know how Christ thinks about everything that the Bible speaks about Christ is to us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption because we have the mind of Christ and it comes because we believe the scripture do you remember on the road to Emmaus Jesus said to those disciples Oh fools fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken you're a fool if you don't believe what is in the scripture the book of Proverbs then is the book of wisdom the book of Proverbs gives us contrasts between fools and wise so I want you to look at the book of Proverbs with me for a little bit and we're going to work our way through it and you're going to see ten basic foundational revelations regarding wisdom they all assume that you know the true and living God and that of course you know the true and living God through faith in his son if you are a believer then here are the foundational realities of wisdom that you need to know number one fear your God fear your God chapter 1 verse 7 the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge fools despise wisdom and instruction proverbs 9:10 the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the holy is understanding everything starts when you fear God and if you go through proverbs this is what you find for those who fear God they are promised prolonged life bless blessing upon blessing far beyond wealth they are promised an abundant richest richness in life and they are promised that they will never be turned over completely to evil those who fear God says the Proverbs sleep satisfied avoid evil have confidence in the future are praised by others and have their prayers answered all of that because you fear the Lord when I say fear of the Lord I don't mean you're terrified by him but that you respect him that you honor him that you give him glory that you worship Him who wouldn't want to have a long life fully blessed an abundant life who wouldn't want to sleep satisfied a void Eve foresee confidence in the future receive praise and respect and have their prayers answered and end up in heavenly glory comes to those who fear the Lord fear your God secondly wisdom and proverbs teaches us this very important lesson and parents this is a series of lessons that you need to make sure imbedded in your children's hearts secondly guard your mind guard your mind over in Chapter three of proverbs my son do not forget my teaching but let your heart keep my Commandments you you become what you think so let your heart keep my Commandments for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you do not let kindness and truth leave you bind them around your neck write them on the tablet of your heart this is about guarding your mind remember what you've been taught hold tightly to divine commands in the fourth chapter of Proverbs verse 20 adds my son give attention to my words incline your ear to my sayings do not let them depart from your sight keep them in the midst of your heart for they are life to you and to those who find them and health to all their body so watch over your heart with all diligence for from it flow the Springs of life guard your mind guard your heart and heart is the same as mind wisdom says fear your God give honor to God and guard your mind which means remember the truths you've been taught hold fast to those things do not let them out of your sight out of your thoughts watch over your heart watch over your mind guard it with all diligence thirdly proverbs is very strong on this obey your parents obey your parents back in chapter 1 and verse 8 we read here my son your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching indeed they are a graceful wreath to your head and ornaments around your neck they make you a delightful even beautiful lovely person obey your parents your father and your mother rather than listening to sinners in verse 10 who entice you and corrupt you and lead you as verse 19 says into violence and maybe even death chapter 2 verse 1 my son if you will receive my words and treasure my Commandments within you make your ear attentive to wisdom incline your heart to understanding if you cry for discernment lift your voice for understanding if you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures then you will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God for the Lord gives wisdom from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding this is going to be passed down to you by your parents listen to your parents listen to the wisdom that God has taught them again over in chapter 4 it begins here o sons the instruction of a father and give attention that you may gain understanding for I give you sound teaching do not abandon my instruction when I was a son to my father tender and the only son in the sight of my mother then he taught me and said to me let your heart hold fast my words keep my Commandments and live acquire wisdom acquire understanding do not forget or turn away from the words of my mouth do not forsake her and she will guard you love her and she will watch over you the beginning of wisdom is this acquire wisdom with all your acquiring get understanding Pricer she will exalt you and this begins with your parents listen to your parents obey the wisdom of your parents there's more here down in verse 10 chapter 4 here my son and accept my sayings and the years of your life will be many I have directed you in the way of wisdom I have led you in upright paths and then in verse 19 the opposite the way of the wicked is like darkness they do not know over what they stumble my son verse 20 give attention to my words incline your ear to my sayings do not let them depart from your sight keep them in the midst of your heart for their life to those who find them and health to all their body obey your parents listen to them when they instruct you fourthly wisdom says select your friends carefully select your friends fear the Lord guard your mind obey your parents select your friends chapter 1 verse 10 my son if sinners entice you do not consent if they say come with us let us lie and wait for blood let us ambush the innocent without cost let us swallow them alive like she'll even hole as those who go down to the pit some kind of gang going to do some murder we will find all kinds of precious wealth fill our houses with spoil throw in your lot with us we shall all have one purse my son do not walk in the way with them keep your feet from their path for their feet run to evil and they hasten to shed blood indeed it is useless to spread a baited net in the sight of any bird but they lie and wait for their own blood they ambush their own lives stay away from those who are sinful who are wicked chapter 2 again in verse 11 discern or discretion discernment or discretion will guard you understanding will watch over you to deliver you from the way of evil from the man who speaks perverse things from those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness who delight in doing evil and rejoice in the perversity of evil whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways to deliver you from the strange woman from the adulteress who flatters with her words wisdom will guard you from evil companions wisdom will rescue you from death so carefully select your friends go over to chapter 4 for just a moment in verse 10 here my son accept my sayings in the years of your life will be many I've directed you in the way of wisdom have led you in an upright path when you walk your steps will not be impeded you if you run you will not stumble take hold of instruction do not let go guard her for she is your life do not enter the path of the wicked do not proceed in the way of evil men avoid it do not pass by it turn away from it and pass on for they cannot sleep unless they do evil they robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence but the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn that shines brighter and brighter until the full day the way of the wicked is like darkness they don't know over what they stumble lessons parents that you must teach your children these are the things we majored on in our family fear your God guard your mind obey your parents select your friends fairy fairy foundational number 5 subdue your desires subdue your desires in chapter 5 verse 20 and there are a number of places we could go but this is good to illustrate verse 20 of chapter 5 for why should you my son be exhilarated with an adulteress and embrace the bosom of a foreigner for the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord and he watches all his paths his own iniquities will capture the wicked and he will be held with the cords of his sin he will die for lack of instruction and in the greatness of his folly he will go astray the writer of Proverbs is saying get a grip on your desires subdue your desires over in chapter 6 verse 20 my son observed the commandment of your father do not forsake the teaching of your mother find them continually on your heart tie them around your neck when you walk about they will guide you when you sleep they will watch over you when you awake they will talk to you for the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light and reproofs for Discipline are the way of life to keep you from the evil woman from the smooth tongue of the adulteress do not desire her beauty in your heart nor let her capture you with her eyelids on account of a harlot one is reduced to a loaf of bread and an adulteress hunts for the precious life chapter seven my son keep my words treasure my Commandments within you keep my Commandments and live and my teaching as the apple of your eye bind them on your fingers write them on the tablet of your heart say to wisdom you are my sister call understanding your intimate friend that they may keep you from an adulteress from the foreigner who flatters with her words then just one other portion chapter 9 verse 13 the woman of folly is boisterous she's naive and knows nothing she sits at the doorway of her house on a seat by the high places of the city calling to those who passed by who are making their paths straight whoever is naive let him turn in here and to him who lacks understanding she says stolen water is sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasant but he doesn't know that the dead are there that her guests are in the depths of she'll be ware of sexual immorality it'll take you to the grave fear your God guard your mind obey your parents select your friends subdue your desires that leads to a sixth be faithful to your wife be faithful to your wife and back again in Chapter five beautiful passage really in verse 15 with the euphemistic language drink water from your own cistern and fresh water from your own well should your Springs be dispersed abroad streams of water in the streets let them be yours alone and not for strangers with you let your fountain be blessed and rejoice in the wife of your youth as a loving hind and a graceful doe let her breasts satisfy you at all times be exhilarated always with her love for why should you my son be exhilarated with an adulteress and embrace the bosom of a foreigner or the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord and he watches all his paths his own iniquities will capture the wicked and he will be held with the cords of his sin he will die for lack of instruction and in the greatness of his folly he will go astray don't be tempted to be unfaithful to your spouse by the way the Hebrew word for self control is used 42 times in proverbs 42 times self-control means you subdue your desires and you are faithful to your spouse number 7 watch your words watch your words very practical chapter 4 of Proverbs again and verse 24 put away from you a deceitful mouth and put devious speech far from you put away a deceitful mouth and put devious speech far from you another way to say that is when your mouth is moving it ought to be speaking the truth chapter 5 verse 1 my son give attention to my wisdom incline your ear to my understanding that you may observe discretion and your lips may reserve knowledge when you speak knowledge is gained chapter 6 verse 12 a worthless person a wicked man is the one who walks with a perverse mouth nothing is worse than being a liar deceiving people God puts a premium on truth the worthless person a wicked man is the one who speaks with a perverse mouth over in chapter 10 and verse 11 the mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence hatred stirs up strife but love covers all transgressions on the lips of the discerning wisdom is found but a rod is for the back of him who lacks understanding wise men store up knowledge but with the mouths of the foolish ruin is at hand speak the truth or you'll bring about ruin go down to verse 18 of chapter 10 he who conceals hatred has lying lips he who spreads slander is a fool when there are many words transgression is unavoidable but he who restrains his lips is wise the tongue of the righteous is as choice silver the heart of the wicked is worth a little the lips of the righteous feed many but fools die for lack of understanding down to verse 31 the mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom but the perverted tongue will be cut out the lips of the righteous bring forth what is acceptable but the mouth of the wicked what is perverted watch your words watch your words number 8 work hard work hard back in chapter 6 this is a very familiar illustration verse 6 go to the ant Oh Slugger the sluggard is a lazy person go to the ant a lazy person observe her ways and be wise which having no chief officer or rule prepares her food in the summer and gathers her provision in the harvest how long will you lie down Oh lazy one when will you arise from your sleep a little sleep a little slumber a little folding of the hands to rest your poverty will come in like a vagabond and your need like an armed men one very very successful way to end up poor is to be lazy you'll end up there your property will come like a vagabond like an armed man will overtake you it just takes laziness this is a call to work hard in chapter 10 verse 2 ill-gotten gains do not profit but righteousness delivers from death the Lord will not allow the righteous to hunger but he will reject the craving of the wicked poor is he who works with a negligent hand that's a basic principle you want to be poor be negligent in your work and you'll end up poor but the hand of the diligent makes rich he you gathers in summer is the son who acts wisely but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully work hard and in the book of Proverbs we read things like this lazy people won't work sleep long waste time waste energy waste opportunity suffer hunger end up poor and fail to make a meaningful impact in life work hard number nine manage your money manage your money back in proverbs chapter three verse nine honor the Lord from your wealth so the first thing you do with your money is honor the Lord it's where it starts and from the first of all your produce the first part of the crop that comes in goes to the Lord that's the first fruits and your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow a new wine so you start with your wealth by giving to the Lord first honor the Lord from your wealth and from the first of all your produce over in chapter 6 verse 1 here's another illustration if you have become surety for your neighbor having giving a Platt given a pledge for a stranger if you have been ensnared with the words of your mouth have been caught with the words of your mouth do this then my son and deliver yourself since you have come into the hand of your neighbor go humble yourself and importune or plead with your neighbor give no sleep to your eyes no slumber to your eyelids deliver yourself like a gazelle from a hunter's hand and like a bird from the hand of a fowler in other words what he is saying is if you have managed somehow to obligate yourself as a personal guarantee for your neighbor get yourself out of that you don't want to be in a possession of debt that you can't do anything about because it's someone else as debt don't be surety don't be a cosigner for a neighbor or a stranger don't pledge just to back up a stranger financially because you have no idea where that stranger is going to do and you have taken the money that God has given you and you've put it into the control of someone else you are to be the steward of that manage your money there's much more in Proverbs about that and then a final tenth principle is to serve others chapter 3 verse 27 do not withhold good from those to whom it is due when it's in your power to do it do not say to your neighbor go and come back and tomorrow I will give it when you have it with you do not devise harm against your neighbor while he lives securely beside you do not with a man without cause he has done you no harm do not envy a man of violence do not choose any of his ways for the devious are an abomination to the Lord but he is intimate with the upright the curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked and he blesses the dwelling of the righteous in other words God's going to bless you if you are generous if you do good do not back to verse 27 withhold good from those to whom it is due first 34 says even God gives grace to the afflicted we are to do the same so there are some basic elements in life where wisdom is found fear your God guard your mind obey your parents select your friends subdue your desires be faithful to your spouse watch your words work hard manage your money and serve others it all starts with fearing God proverbs 4 or 5 says acquire wisdom acquire wisdom wisdom is better than jewels it's better than gold it's better than silver it's better than pearls in everything acquire wisdom acquire wisdom that's chapter 3 verse 13 how blessed is the man who finds wisdom profit is better than the profit of silver or gain better than fine gold she's more precious than jewels and nothing you desire compares with her long life is in her right hand in her left hand or riches and honor in her ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are peace she's a tree of life to those who take hold of her and happy are all who hold her fast the choir wisdom a lot of knowledge in the world not much wisdom now having said that this wisdom is hard to find it's hard to find proverbs chapter 8 lays out a most interesting presentation of the difficulty of finding wisdom be something for you to read I won't go through it but it asks the question where do I find wisdom where do I go to find wisdom yo naive ones understand prudence o fools understand wisdom listen for I will speak noble things and the opening of my lips will reveal right things if you want wisdom verse 32 says listen to me blessed are they who keep my ways heed instruction be wise blessed is the man who listens to me watching daily at my gates waiting at my door posts and he who finds me meaning wisdom finds life and obtains favor from the Lord but he who sins against me injures himself and those who hate me love death find wisdom search for wisdom back in verse 19 wisdom is better than gold again even pure gold better than choices silver find wisdom find wisdom pursue wisdom and there's a chapter in job chapter 28 in which Jove lays this same question where do I find wisdom he lays it out and he shows the futility of people trying to find wisdom it's a marvelous chapter all the way from verse 1 to verse 28 of that 28th chapter the job says wisdom has not found anywhere but with God only in God do we find wisdom so let's go to the New Testament and just wrap up our thoughts this morning in chapter 5 of Ephesians verse 15 therefore be careful how you walk daily conduct is in view here not as unwise man but as wise be careful how you walk walk wisely walk wisely in other words be circumspect about your life know what life is supposed to be and how you are supposed to behave and thank God for the power by the Holy Spirit to live that life be careful how you walk walk not as unwise but as wise walk means your daily conduct manifest that divine wisdom every day so there's a first principle here be careful how you walk walk wisely there's a second principle in verse 16 making the most of your time because the days are evil it sounds like Psalm 90 doesn't it so teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom the days are evil what do you mean by that all days all places evil reigns in the world if you're going to be a wise person you conduct your life wisely and listen you understand the value of time you understand the value of time redeem the time make the most of your time by up for yourself a middle voice in the Greek by up for yourself the time definite article don't fritter your life away don't waste time thirdly if you're going to walk wisely you have to walk in divine wisdom you have to make the most of your time thirdly you have to understand what the will of the Lord is do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is the will of the Lord is revealed in his word and then a final point don't get drunk with wine that's dissipation be filled with the spirit understand how you are to walk understand the precious character of time learn the will of God and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit that's how Jesus lived by the way perfect example he walked in wisdom perfect pure righteous wisdom he had an amazing sense of time he often said my time has not yet come he wasted not a moment sense of urgency in every hour and every day he always did the Father's will and he always did it in the power of the Holy Spirit wisdom is found in God and God alone nowhere else and it is available it is available for all who love God and come to Christ Paul had a prayer and I'll close with this feedings one I make mention of you in my prayers verse 17 that the god of our Lord Jesus Christ the father of do we may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of Revelation in the knowledge of him I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you will know what is the hope of his calling what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints and what is the surpassing greatness of his power toward us who believe that's my prayer for all of you that you would know divine wisdom that you would have through the revelation of the word of God divine knowledge that the Spirit would enlighten your heart so that you would understand the hope of your calling and the glory that awaits and that you would trust in and experience the greatness of his power working in and through us I hope on this Mother's Day you might follow up this message with the discussion with those in your family about wisdom the remedy for all foolishness is wisdom whether it's personal foolishness or family foolishness or any other kind the answer comes from the wisdom of God and how blessed are we to have that wisdom here granted to us the mind of Christ father we thank you for the time we've been able to share this morning and I know it's been intense with the Word of God but the word never returns void always accomplishes that to which you send it far more powerful than anything I could ever say is what you have said so take this truth and this revelation from heaven and make us all wise that we may walk wisely redeeming the time knowing your will and being filled with your spirit that's our prayer in Christ's name Amen

Channel: Grace to You

Views: 65,563

Rating: 4.8677249 out of 5

Keywords: John MacArthur, Bible, Preaching, Christianity, Expository, Exposition, Sermon, Jesus, Christ, Grace to You

Id: z9DtREwaKxQ

Length: 62min 1sec (3721 seconds)

Published: Thu May 14 2020