Introduction:
Once upon a time a class of first graders from the city took a field trip to a big farm in the country. Their teacher told them that today they would learn about where all the food at the super market came from; they would get to see how things grow and even milk a cow. After spending the morning out in the fields of corn and wheat, riding tractors and combines, and seeing how things grow in the greenhouse it was finally time to see the animals in the barn. Before going into the barn, the farmer pumped the handle on his well to give everyone a cold drink of water; some of the kids in class even took turns pumping the handle up and down. When the farmer stepped inside the barn, he was surprised to see one of the boys had grabbed a cow’s tail and was swinging it up and down. The farmer said, “Boy what in tarnation are you doing?” The little boy looked up at the farmer and said, “Oh I’ve seen cows before on TV and I’m trying to get this one to give me a drink of milk.”
Anyone think the farmer could teach that little guy a thing or two about how to milk a cow?
This morning we continue with our series from the book of Proverbs, “Wisdom for Right Living.” We can either go on living life our own way, or we can learn from the wisdom of others. Solomon has passed on Godly wisdom for living our lives.
This morning we are going to stop living our lives by chance. No more “Eenie, Menie, Miny, Mo!”
Last week we learned why wisdom is needed in our lives from the book of Proverbs.
1. Wisdom puts us on the right path pointing us in the right direction.
Proverbs 1:2 says, “we’ll know how to live well and right, to understand what life means and where it’s going” (verse 2 MsgB); the NIV says “for attaining wisdom and discipline.”
2. Wisdom gives us God’s perspective on life; we gain needed insight.
Verse 3 says, “A manual for living, for learning what’s right and just and fair” (MsgB).
3. Wisdom instructs the young; we can learn from the experience of others.
Verse 4 says, “To teach the inexperienced the ropes and give our young people a grasp on reality” (MsgB).
4. Wisdom increases and grows in our lives; the wise can become wiser.
Verses 5 and 6 say, There’s something here also for seasoned men and women, still a thing or two for the experienced to learn—Fresh wisdom to probe and penetrate, the rhymes and reasons of wise men and women (MsgB).
We also discovered the first key to having wisdom for right living; if you want real wisdom you cannot bypass the starting place.
Key #1: START WITH GOD—FEAR THE LORD.
“Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning.” (MsgB)
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” (Proverbs 1:7 NIV)
Without God—without the fear of the Lord you will not gain wisdom for right living. The fear of the Lord is a prerequisite for a life of wisdom.
The fear of the Lord is an active awe, reverence, and wonder of God. The fear of the Lord is the foundation upon which a life of wisdom is built; without God our lives are nothing more than a house of cards.
The fear of the Lord is more than a biblical doctrine; it’s not just knowledge about God. The fear the Lord affects our daily lives; we are impacted and changed. With God in your life you can’t continue to live the same old way and fear the Lord.
The fear of the Lord is ACTIVE. Let me put it this way, if you and I fear the Lord, then we will live out the wisdom found in the book of Proverbs. The keys or principles we are going to talk about over the next several weeks will naturally be a part of our lives because we fear the Lord. You can’t bypass the starting point; we have to start with God—fear the Lord.
Let’s move on today to discover three more keys to having wisdom for right living.
• Proverbs 1:8-33 [8] Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. [9] They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.
[10] My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them. [11] If they say, "Come along with us; let’s lie in wait for someone’s blood, let’s waylay some harmless soul; [12] let’s swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; [13] we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder; [14] throw in your lot with us, and we will share a common purse"-- [15] my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths; [16] for their feet rush into sin, they are swift to shed blood. [17] How useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds! [18] These men lie in wait for their own blood; they waylay only themselves! [19] Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the lives of those who get it.
[20] Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; [21] at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech: [22] "How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? [23] If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. [24] But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, [25] since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, [26] I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you—[27] when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. [28] "Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. [29] Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord, [30] since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, [31] they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. [32] For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; [33] but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm." (NIV)
The first key to wisdom for right living is to start with God—fear the Lord. Here’s the second.
(Advance)
Key #2: Learn wisdom from those who fear the Lord.
Information and knowledge is plentiful today, but wisdom is scarce. Turn on your computer or go to your mailbox and you know we are on information overload today. It doesn’t take long for us to learn we don’t have to open all the mail we are sent; the delete key or trash can collects much of my mail before I ever open it; none of us have the time to read it all, so we look for what’s important or valuable.
Wisdom means far more than simply knowing a lot. Wisdom is an attitude affecting every aspect of lives; wisdom is the active awe, reverence and wonder of God. The starting place and foundation for all wisdom is to fear the Lord. As individuals wisdom begins with our personal relationship with God.
If we are going to grow in wisdom, then we must learn wisdom from those who likewise fear the Lord. Solomon put it this way, “Pay close attention, friend, to what your father tells you; never forget what you learned at your mother’s knee” (Proverbs 1:8 MsgB).
Remember, I’ve said the fear of the Lord is active; your relationship with God will affect the way you live your life. FOR PARENTS THAT MEANS THEY WILL TEACH THEIR CHILDREN TO FEAR THE LORD. Those of you who have moms and dads who love the Lord have reason to be thankful today; you are the recipients of a godly heritage, the blessing of the fear of the Lord.
Parents are the primary influence in a child’s life. Unfortunately, not everyone has been blessed with God fearing parents. IF WE WANT WISDOM FOR RIGHT LIVING WE MUST LEARN FROM THOSE WHO FEAR THE LORD. You can unlearn the ungodly lessons your parents have taught you.
I’m here to tell you the mold of “like father, like son” can be broken when you choose to fear the Lord and learn from the godly example of those around you who fear the Lord. My dad was not blessed with a godly father who feared the Lord. Through his personal relationship with Christ; because he feared the Lord, my dad decided to do things differently than his dad had done. However, it was not just his relationship with God that helped him to become a godly father. Dad learned how to be a god fearing man through his relationship with other men in the church. His pastors, Doc Dobbins and Derrill Sharp gave him wise counsel from the word of God. Furthermore dad learned from the godly influence of men like Sherm Cummings and Jim Snodgrass what it meant to be a man of God. Dad didn’t go it alone; he learned to fear the Lord from those who lived their lives in the fear of the Lord.
Don’t try to go it alone! Surround yourself with people who fear the Lord and learn from their example.
Solomon, the wise teacher has this good advice for those who will learn wisdom from those who fear the Lord.
• Proverbs 4:11-13 [11] I’m writing out clear directions to Wisdom Way, I’m drawing a map to Righteous Road. [12] I don’t want you ending up in blind alleys, or wasting time making wrong turns. [13] Hold tight to good advice; don’t relax your grip. Guard it well—your life is at stake! (MsgB)
• Proverbs 10:13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning. (NIV)
• Proverbs 10:31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom. (NIV)
Learn wisdom, see how to make right choices and live a godly life from those who fear the Lord. Accepting wisdom from those who fear the Lord is the second key to having wisdom for right living.
The need to learn from those who fear the Lord is underscored by the contrast of those who chose to live for themselves and answer the call to run into sin. You can choose who will influence your life: the godly who fear the Lord, or sinners who live for themselves.
• Proverbs 1:10-19 [10] Dear friend, if bad companions tempt you, don’t go along with them. [11] If they say—"Let’s go out and raise some hell . . . [14] Join us for the time of your life! With us, it’s share and share alike!"—[15] Oh, friend, don’t give them a second look; don’t listen to them for a minute. [16] They’re racing to a very bad end, hurrying to ruin everything they lay hands on. [17] Nobody robs a bank with everyone watching, [18] Yet that’s what these people are doing— they’re doing themselves in. [19] When you grab all you can get, that’s what happens: the more you get, the less you are. (MsgB)
You have a choice which crowd you are going to hang with. The world is full of people who will try to lead you down the wrong path. They will laugh and make fun of you when you don’t want to go along with them and their kind of fun. The Bible says, “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character’” (1 Corinthians 15:33 NIV).
If you’re one who fears the Lord, then TAKE ACTION! I want to encourage you to do something to grow in the fear of the Lord with this second key.
1. Find a godly individual to be your mentor—learn from someone who fears the Lord. This is the whole purpose of the Adult Discipleship starting this fall at Praise. Susie and I want to invest ourselves into your lives to help you grow in Christ. Maturity comes from godly instruction and the daily practice of living out what we are learning from God’s Word. You need someone to pour themselves into your life; learn from the example of those who fear the Lord.
2. As someone who fears the Lord, give yourself to someone who needs to grow in the Lord. One of the best ways to learn is to teach others. Grandparents, continue to invest yourself into the lives of your grandchildren whose parents are not serving the Lord. Come be a part of our youth ministry and build relationships with some kids who need an adult who will love them for who they are and show them the way to live for God.
3. Parents, teach your children to fear the Lord. You are training your children either consciously or unconsciously. Your actions will speak louder than your words. Your children know your priorities by watching how you live your life. Purpose to show your children what it means to fear the Lord. Make worship a priority in your home; pray and read the Bible together as a family.
(Advance)
Key #3: Answer wisdom’s call—Wisdom is found in your daily choices.
• Proverbs 1:20-21 [20] Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; [21] at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech. (NIV)
Wisdom is personified as one who calls to you on the street. The voice of is heard calling your name at work or school. At the crossroads of your life wisdom is calling to give you direction. But you have to choose to answer wisdoms call.
Wisdom is best personified in Jesus. If you want to see what wisdom looks like then see how Jesus lived His life. The Bible says that for we who have come to know God’s way of salvation, “Christ is the mighty power of God and the wonderful wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24 NLT). Jesus is the wisdom of God in living color for all of us to see.
Therefore it is Jesus who calls to us in the daily routine of our lives to lead us in wisdom. Jesus offers us wisdom—the mind of God revealed and made know for our lives.
Wisdom is not something we achieve like a high school diploma or college degree; wisdom cannot be earned by hard work or effort. You don’t wake up one day and you are suddenly known as WISE. WISDOM CAN BE LOST THROUG WRONG CHOICES. Wisdom must be put into action and maintained every moment of everyday.
Wisdom is found in the everyday and ordinary things of life. Let me put it like this: you gain wisdom for the big and important issues of life as you receive wisdom in the little things that happen day by day. In other words, as you learn to let Jesus direct you in what would be considered the small stuff of life; you have learned to hear His voice to give you direction for the big things in life as well. Jesus is there to help you make wise choices with the big stuff and the little stuff.
God makes wisdom available to us, but we must choose to respond to His direction and leading. We can either listen to God showing ourselves wise, or we can do our own thing showing ourselves to be a fool.
• Proverbs 5:21-23 [21] Mark well that God doesn’t miss a move you make; he’s aware of every step you take. [22] The shadow of your sin will overtake you; you’ll find yourself stumbling all over yourself in the dark. [23] Death is the reward of an undisciplined life; your foolish decisions trap you in a dead end. (MsgB)
Wisdom for right choices is found [1] in the fear of the Lord, [2] by learning from those who fear the Lord, [3] by answering wisdom’s call in our daily choices and:
(Advance)
Key #4: Remember the Law of the Harvest—Consequences follow your actions.
Many today only want to live for the moment; we want instant gratification. We buy on credit to enjoy a life of leisure, only to later find we are enslaved by our debt. One of the laws of Physics puts it like this: “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.”
We may think we can live carefree and just relax, but sooner or later our misplaced priorities and unwise choices will come back to hit us squarely in the face. You can’t get something for nothing.
Listen again to Solomon’s wise counsel.
• Proverbs 1:22-33 [22] "Simpletons! How long will you wallow in ignorance? Cynics! How long will you feed your cynicism? Idiots! How long will you refuse to learn? [23] About face! I can revise your life. Look, I’m ready to pour out my spirit on you; I’m ready to tell you all I know. [24] As it is, I’ve called, but you’ve turned a deaf ear; I’ve reached out to you, but you’ve ignored me. [25] "Since you laugh at my counsel and make a joke of my advice, [26] How can I take you seriously? I’ll turn the tables and joke about your troubles! [27] What if the roof falls in, and your whole life goes to pieces? What if catastrophe strikes and there’s nothing to show for your life but rubble and ashes? [28] You’ll need me then. You’ll call for me, but don’t expect an answer. No matter how hard you look, you won’t find me. [29] "Because you hated Knowledge and had nothing to do with the Fear-of-God, [30] Because you wouldn’t take my advice and brushed aside all my offers to train you, [31] Well, you’ve made your bed—now lie in it; you wanted your own way—now, how do you like it? [32] Don’t you see what happens, you simpletons, you idiots? Carelessness kills; complacency is murder. [33] First pay attention to me, and then relax. Now you can take it easy—you’re in good hands." (MsgB)
The Bible states it plainly, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows” (Galatians 6:7 NIV). When you plant corn what will you get? Corn. Too many of us plant weeds and hope for flowers to grow instead. We make foolish and unwise choices and hope for the best. . . or we hope for a crop failure! Don’t be fooled; you will reap according to what you sow.
• Proverbs 1:29-31 [29] Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord, [30] since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, [31] they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. (NIV)
The fear of the Lord is the starting place—you and I begin with our personal relationship with God. If you don’t care about the consequences of your actions, if you refuse to listen to God’s word it’s because you don’t fear the Lord.
Remember, the fear of the Lord is ACTIVE. When you fear the Lord you will listen to His instructions and then do what He says!
HOW WOULD YOUR DECISIONS CHANGE IF YOU STOPEDO REMEMBER THE LAW OF THE HARVEST? Would things begin to go better for you if you asked yourself, “What will the consequences of my action be?”
Those who fear the Lord likewise reap from the seed they have sown. God has a harvest of righteousness ready to pour out on those who choose to fear Him.
Look what Solomon says those who fear the Lord will receive.
1. Those who fear the Lord will receive His Spirit. The Lord says, “I’ll pour out the spirit of wisdom upon you and make you wise” (Proverbs 1:23 NLT). God will make Himself known to those who fear Him.
• 1 Corinthians 2:9-12 it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"-- [10] BUT GOD HAS REVEALED IT TO US BY HIS SPIRIT. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. [11] For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. [12] We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. (NIV)
2. Those who fear the Lord will be kept safe; God will watch over you! God says, “all who listen to me will live in peace and safety, unafraid of harm” (Proverbs 1:33 NLT).
• Philippians 4:4-7 [4] Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! [5] Let your gentleness be evident to all. THE LORD IS NEAR. [6] Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. [7] And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV)
