Sermon Central
-
The Secret Of Living Wisely
Contributed by John Dixon on Jul 20, 2019 (message contributor)
Summary: All of us carry with us the collective wisdom passed on to us by the people who’ve been most significant in our lives, all of the people who shaped and molded us as we were growing up.
Proverbs 1:1-7 (NASB)
The Usefulness of Proverbs
1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
2 To know wisdom and instruction,
To discern the sayings of understanding,
3 To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity;
4 To give prudence to the naive,
To the youth knowledge and discretion,
5 A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,
6 To understand a proverb and a figure,
The words of the wise and their riddles.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
The Secret Of Living Wisely
All of us carry with us the collective wisdom passed on to us by the people who’ve been most significant in our lives, all of the people who shaped and molded us as we were growing up.
MOTTO - a brief statement "used to express a principle, a goal, or an idea” or a statement “adopted as a guide to one’s conduct.”
WISDOM has 2 implications:
1. MORAL discerning what is acceptable
2. INTELLECTUAL discerning truth
The Hebrew word is HOCHMA, and it refers to a skill or ability. It was used to describe the work of weavers who followed God’s exact specifications for the priests’ garments.
The skill of living life according to God’s plan.
1. God is the ARCHITECT
2. We are the BUILDER
Proverbs are good suggestions not GOD's LAW.
4 Steps To Living Wisely
1. SEEK out wise INSTRUCTION
2. SEARCH out TRUTH for yourself
3. SHARE what you have LEARNED
4. SERVE God and accept His COUNSEL
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge
Proverbs 1:1-7 (NASB)
The Usefulness of Proverbs
1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
2 To know wisdom and instruction,
To discern the sayings of understanding,
3 To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity;
4 To give prudence to the naive,
To the youth knowledge and discretion,
5 A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,
6 To understand a proverb and a figure,
The words of the wise and their riddles.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
The Secret Of Living Wisely
All of us carry with us the collective wisdom passed on to us by the people who’ve been most significant in our lives, all of the people who shaped and molded us as we were growing up.
MOTTO - a brief statement "used to express a principle, a goal, or an idea” or a statement “adopted as a guide to one’s conduct.”
WISDOM has 2 implications:
1. MORAL discerning what is acceptable
2. INTELLECTUAL discerning truth
The Hebrew word is HOCHMA, and it refers to a skill or ability. It was used to describe the work of weavers who followed God’s exact specifications for the priests’ garments.
The skill of living life according to God’s plan.
1. God is the ARCHITECT
2. We are the BUILDER
Proverbs are good suggestions not GOD's LAW.
4 Steps To Living Wisely
1. SEEK out wise INSTRUCTION
2. SEARCH out TRUTH for yourself
3. SHARE what you have LEARNED
4. SERVE God and accept His COUNSEL
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge
Three elderly friends, while playing bridge, were also discussing the travails of getting older.
One said, “Sometimes I catch myself with a jar of mayonnaise in my hand in front of the refrigerator and can’t remember whether I need to put it away, or start making a sandwich.”
Another agreed, saying he often paused, befuddled, on the stairway landing, unsure of whether he was going up or down.
The third, a recent widower, played a card as he responded, “Well, I’m glad I don’t have that problem; knock on wood,” as he rapped his knuckles on the table, then told them “Oh, that must be the door, I’ll get it!”
SHEPHERD OR BUTCHER
Two people were watching a man drive a herd of sheep through the main street of a small town.
“I thought shepherds led sheep. I didn’t know they drove them with a whip.”
“They do,” the other fellow remarked. “That’s not a shepherd. That’s the town’s butcher.”
I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE MONEY
In the midst of the meeting an angel appeared saying to the pastor that she had come to reward him for his many years of devoted service to his community. He was asked to choose between three blessings: infinite wealth, infinite fame or infinite wisdom.
Without hesitation, the pastor asked for infinite wisdom. “You got it!” said the angel, and disappeared. Silence followed as all heads slowly turned toward the pastor, who by now was glowing in an aura of wisdom.
Finally the chair of the pastoral council leans in and whispers into the pastor’s ear, “Say something.” The pastor looked at them and said, “I should have taken the money.”
A shy young man fell in love, but he was utterly tongue-tied whenever he was with the girl. A friend offered some advice:“Just memorize some great lines, expressing your total admiration. Something like, ‘When I see your face, time stands still.’”
