What has brought the American culture to the place where we are today? Last week we touched on four philosophies or ways of thinking common among people today. These are not new ways of thinking; they have been around for a long time. We have just put our own spin on them as Americans.
INDIVIDUALISM – I live for myself.
• Judges 17:6 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit. (NIV)
SECULARISM – God is not necessary.
• Romans 1:21-23 What happened was this: People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn’t treat him like God, refusing to worship him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives. [22] They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life. [23] They traded the glory of God who holds the whole world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy at any roadside stand. (MsgB)
RELATIVISM – There is no absolute truth.
• Ephesians 4:17-19 With the Lord’s authority let me say this: Live no longer as the ungodly do, for they are hopelessly confused. [18] Their closed minds are full of darkness; they are far away from the life of God because they have shut their minds and hardened their hearts against him. [19] They don’t care anymore about right and wrong, and they have given themselves over to immoral ways. Their lives are filled with all kinds of impurity and greed. (NLT)
TOLERANCE – All ideas are equally right and true; politically correct.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 God has called us to be holy, not to live impure lives. [8] Anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human rules but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. (NLT)
What is the solution to the problem in the American culture? What’s the answer to these incorrect and misguided ways of thinking?
The short answer is THE CHURCH! It is time for the church in America to raise its voice and proclaim the truth of God’s word in our nation once again.
Here’s the hard part of the answer; we must have more than just “biblically correct” sermons preached in our worship services, or bible doctrine taught in our Sunday School classes.
We cannot forget that the church is not made of bricks and mortar; YOU AND I ARE THE CHURCH. We must individually live out the absolute truth of God’s word to authenticate or prove the written and spoken word of God
These patterns of thinking affect the way we live our lives; even within the church we must be on guard against these world views. The Bible tells us to not conform to the pattern of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
• Romans 12:2 Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. (MsgB)
So how can the church be the authentic church of Jesus Christ in our world today? How can you and I live out the reality of the power of God’s word before our family and friends?
We need WISDOM FOR RIGHT LIVING. Anyone can live their life the wrong way with little or no effort, but right living calls for wisdom. Therefore we are going to turn our attention over the next several weeks to the book of Proverbs. Put simply, a proverb is a short, wise, easy-to-learn saying that calls a person to action; proverbs show us how to live from God’s perspective.
Proverbs 1:1-7 (MsgB)
[1] These are the wise sayings of Solomon, David’s son, Israel’s king—
[2] Written down so we’ll know how to live well and right, to understand what life means and where it’s going;
[3] A manual for living, for learning what’s right and just and fair;
[4] To teach the inexperienced the ropes and give our young people a grasp on reality.
[5] There’s something here also for seasoned men and women,
[6] 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.
[7] Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning.
These opening verses of Proverbs show us two things: first why wisdom is needed and second we learn our starting point.
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WHY IS WISDOM NEEDED? Why should you and I study the book of Proverbs?
1. (Advance) Wisdom puts us on the right path pointing us in the right direction.
Proverbs is written so “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.”
• WISDOM: Thinking according to God’s truth; knowledge applied at the right time and place.
• DISCIPLINE: Self-controlled; willing to accept correction.
2. (Advance) 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).
• Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. (NIV) Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective. (MsgB)
3. (Advance) Wisdom instructs the young; we can learn from the experience of others.
“To teach the inexperienced the ropes and give our young people a grasp on reality” (MsgB).
Experience is a great teacher, but not everything has to be learned the hard way. Wisdom can be passed on to others.
• 1 Corinthians 10:11-13 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. [12] So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! [13] No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (NIV)
4. (Advance) Wisdom increases and grows in our lives; the wise can become wiser.
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.
Solomon wrote much of the book of Proverbs. His father David gave us many of the Psalms—as we will see what the book of Psalms is to our devotional and prayer life; the book of Proverbs is to our everyday life.
Early in Solomon’s reign as King he asked the Lord for wisdom—a discerning heart, and God answered his prayer. Unfortunately, later in life Solomon did not “practice what he preached;” Solomon did not continue to put into practice the wisdom God had given him. Solomon believed his own bio and saw all his great success and lost the fear of the Lord necessary for living a wise life.
Solomon’s tragic example teaches us an important life lesson: WE NEED GODLY WISDOM DAILY. None of us can ever ride on yesterday’s success stories. The wise choices our life is built upon can be undone by wrong decisions today. We need wisdom everyday. As we study the book of Proverbs, let’s believe God will give us the wisdom of Solomon for our everyday life.
• James 1:5 If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. (NLT)
Why is wisdom needed? The book of Proverbs opens showing us what we will receive when we apply our hearts to wisdom.
Wisdom puts us on the right path pointing us in the right direction.
Wisdom gives us God’s perspective on life; we gain needed insight.
Wisdom instructs the young; we can learn from the experience of others.
Wisdom increases and grows in our lives; the wise can become wiser.
(Advance)
THE STARTING PLACE FOR WISDOM
In order for you and I to find wisdom, WE MUST START WITH GOD!
“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)
THE FEAR OF THE LORD
Genuine wisdom is not a result of intelligence or the collection of knowledge. REAL WISDOM IS GAINED ONLY THROUGH THE FEAR OF THE LORD.
The fear of the Lord is a recurring theme throughout the book of Proverbs; again and again it is emphasized as an essential and fundamental part of our lives. You cannot have wisdom without the fear of the Lord.
What is the fear of the Lord?
It’s not to be terrified or afraid of God. God is not the “boogie man” or an intimidating and unapproachable “Wizard of Oz” with fire and smoke to scare us away.
God invites us into an intimate and loving relationship with Him.
• James 4:8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. (NIV)
It’s an active awe, reverence, and wonder of God.
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• A recognition of God’s holiness, justice and righteousness as a counterpart to His love and mercy.
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• A holy awe of God for His glory, holiness, majesty and power; an awareness He alone is God.
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• To trust in God alone for salvation.
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• To know God hates sin and will punish those who continue in sin.
The fear of the Lord is not passive, but motivates us to action. It’s an active awe, reverence, and wonder of God. Our lives our transformed and changed by the power of God because we fear the Lord.
The fear of the Lord is more than a biblical doctrine; it’s not just teaching about God. When we fear the Lord our daily lives are impacted and changed; we can’t continue to live the same old life and fear the Lord.
Let me put it another way. If your life is much the same today as it was yesterday, if you are not being transformed and changed on an ongoing basis, then perhaps you need to return again to the beginning and learn again to fear the Lord.
(Advance)
1. The fear of the Lord produces obedience to God in the life of the believer.
When you fear the Lord you will say “NO!” to sin. With the fear of the Lord we are continually made aware of sin and desire to obey God and know Him.
• Proverbs 8:13 All who fear the Lord will hate evil. That is why I hate pride, arrogance, corruption, and perverted speech. (NLT)
• Proverbs 16:6 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the Lord a man avoids evil (NIV)
• Proverbs 23:17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord. (NIV)
Anyone who continues to live their life for the pleasures of sin has no fear of the Lord. If you hold on to your favorite “pet sin” and harden your heart to the conviction of the Holy Spirit, it is because you have lost your fear of the Lord.
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2. The fear of the Lord motivates parents to teach their children to follow God.
Parents we are responsible to lead our children to know Christ personally and to obey His word. God did not design the church to be a “surrogate parent;” the church is given to reinforce and assist parents as they train their children to follow God.
• Psalm 34:11 Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. (NIV)
• Proverbs 14:26 He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge. (NIV)
• Proverbs 20:7 The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him. (NIV)
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3. The fear of the Lord causes us to worship God in spirit and in truth.
Fear of the Lord will cause our hearts to overflow with worship and praise to the living God.
• Psalm 22:23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! (NIV)
Even when the end of time on this earth has come, those in heaven who fear the Lord will be called to worship the Lord.
• Revelation 14:7 He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water." (NIV)
(Advance)
4. The fear of the Lord brings the assurance and encouragement of the Holy Spirit.
• Proverbs 14:27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death. (NIV)
• Proverbs 14:27 The Fear-of-God is a spring of living water so you won’t go off drinking from poisoned wells. (MsgB)
• Acts 9:31 It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord. (NIV)
