LEARNING HOW TO LIVE (PROVERBS)
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.co (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
**PROVERBS: words to teach knowledge, advice and reinforce morals, a short pithy saying in general use to state a truth or piece of advice. Practical advice shared from experience, common sense. To aid in understanding, to inspire others,
Like: a bad workman blames his tools. A chain is as strong as its weakest link. Actions speak louder than words.
SOLOMON is known as a wise man. Proverbs in the Bible has been attributed as compiled and written by David’s son, Solomon.
Proverbs 1:1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; 2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; 3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. 5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: 6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
WE NEED PROVERBS TO TEACH US A CLEAR FOCUS AND REVEAL DIVINE TRUTHS. PROVERBS WILL CORRECT US OF BAD HABITS AND BAD ATTITUDES.
Proverbs will teach what is wrong and to teach us what is right. We can find divine principles that will lead us to contentment and peace and with others and our self.
THE HEBREW WORD FOR PROVERBS IS:
** MASHAL. (Rules to live by.)
**MUSAT: to understand, discipline, chasten, and comprehend.
**MASKIL: to think about, meditate, enlighten.
**There are 13 maskil chapters in Psalms.
**PROVERBS IS THE 20th book of the Old Testament. 31 chapters, 915 verses, 15,043 words, 49 questions. (Dakes)
**It is believed Solomon wrote 29 chapters. The last 2 chapters the writer is unknown.
**THERE ARE 560 PROVERBS IN THIS BOOK.
**The book of Proverbs is quoted 8 times in the New Testament.
WHAT ARE WE LEARNING? HOW DOES A PERSON BECOME WISE?
Proverbs 1:7-9 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7 (MSG) Start with GOD—the first step in learning is bowing down to GOD; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning.
WHAT ARE WE LEARNING? IDENTIFY THE TRAPS IN DAILY LIVING AND AVOID THEM!
Proverbs 1:15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: 16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. 17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. 18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.
Proverbs 1: 15 (LB) Don’t do it, son. STAY AWAY…
Proverbs 1: 17 (LB) When a bird sees a trap it stays away away,
Proverbs 1:18 (LB) But not these men, they TRAP THEMSELVES.
WHAT AM I LEARNING? YOU MADE THE CHOICE TO KEEP YOUR EYES CLOSED AND REFUSED TO SEE AND REFUSED TO LISTEN.
Proverbs 1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: 30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
Proverbs 1: 29 (LB) For you close your eyes to the facts and did not choose to reverence and trust the Lord. 30. You turned your backon me, spuring my advice.
Proverbs 2: 1 (LB) Every young person who listens to me and obeys my instructions will be give wisdom and good sense.
Proverbs 2:9 (LB) He shows how to distinguish right from wrong, how to find the right decision every time.
WHAT AM I LEARNING? FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF THE STEPS OF GOOD GODLY PEOPLE.
Proverbs 2:20 That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
Proverbs 2: 20 (LB) Follow the steps of the godly instead, and stay on the right path.
WHAT AM I LEARNING? NEVER FORGET: WRITE GOD’S WORD DEEP IN YOUR HEART. HOLD TIGHTLY AND NEVER GET TIRED OF KINDNESS --- NEVER FORGET.
Proverbs 3: 1 (LB) My son, never forget the things I am teaching you. If you want a long sand satisfying life, closely follow my instructions.
WHAT AM I LEARNING? NEVER GROW WEARY AND TIRED OF WELL DOING.
Proverbs 3: 3(LB) Never tire of loyalty and kindness. Hold these virtues tightly.
WHAT AM I LEARNING? KNOW GOD’S COMMANDMENTS, RULES AND WORD. IF YOU ARE ANEMIC IN GOD’S WORD YOUR WHOLE LIFE AND FAMILY WILL BE ANEMIC.
Proverbs 3:3 (LB) Write them deep in your heart…
Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
WHAT AM I TEACHING? WHAT IS YOUR PRIORITIES? GOD HAS A PLAN EVEN WHEN WE DON’T UNDERSTAND… TRUST GOD, LEAN NOT TO YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING.
Proverbs 3:5 (LB) Then trust the Lord completely, don’t even trust yourself. 6. In everything you do , put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.
WHAT AM I LEARNING? BEWARE OF YOUR EGO, PRIDE AND CONCEITEDNESS.
Proverbs 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. 8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
Proverbs 3:7 (LB) Don’t be conceited, sure of your own wisdom. Instead trust and reverence the Lord. , and turn your back on evil; when you do that, then you will be given renewed health and vitality.
WHAT AM I LEARNING? WHAT AM I TEACHING? WILL WE LEARN? PURPOSED GIVING… GOD LOVES CHEERFUL GIVERS.
Proverbs 3:9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: 10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
Proverbs 3:9 (LB) Honoer the Lord by giving him the first part of all your income, and he will fill your barns with wheat and barley and overflow your wine vats with he finest wine.
2 Corinthians 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
CONCLUSION: I once read a story of a Midwestern farmer that owned several hundred acres of land. He had many barns. He had invested in farm equipment and was very successful. He had anything he desired. The bankers knew him by his first name. He and his wife never had any children. After a long sickness his precious wife passed away. He was so empty and his farm became a burden. He was worried about the stock market and a recession. He read about investments in the gold market. He had an auction and liquidated all his property, all his tractors and stock. He was very wealthy. He took his cash and purchased a ticket for a ship and headed to South Africa. His plans were to invest all his cash into gold. He had over a hundred pounds of gold and locked the gold in the ship’s safe. In the mid-Atlantic, the ship started taking on water and it was apparent the ship would sink. He went to the captain and demanded all his gold. The captain warned him, the life vest will not hold that much weight. He demanded all his gold. He had secured the gold around him. He purchased some extra life vests. As the ship was sinking the rich man jumped in the cold waters. That
was the last time the rich farmer was ever seen. He drowned with all his gold. Worthless gold at that time. His investments was his death. What am I learning? What am I Teaching?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
