True Wisdom

• Praise

• Prayer

• Pastor Dan

A. text:

Prov. 4:7

The beginning of Wisdom is: get Wisdom (skillful and godly Wisdom)! [For skillful and godly Wisdom is the principal thing.] And with all you have gotten, get understanding (discernment, comprehension, and

interpretation). – Amplified Bible

Wisdom = applied knowledge , shrewdness, skill (in war), ethical and spiritual prudence

Greek word khokma (kokma)

1. In the text, what kind of knowledge, or what is referred to as wisdom?

Story of Matthew and Kenyan boy

(Matthew part of mission team. 2 weeks Nairobi, Kenya)

1) Boy lived in slum his whole life

• Boy lived in slum in city
• Slum population about 725,000
• Area about 1 ½ x 3 mi. (by contrast, Greater DM about 300,000)
• Boy 17 yrs old
1. Matthew asked him if he could have one thing in life – what would it be?
   • Did not ask for car, money etc.
   • Boy Wanted wisdom
   • God honored boys prayer – it lined up with His will

3. Matthew – a man of God and one who anyone would say is a man of true wisdom – an assistant pastor in our church and Pastor Dan’s # 1 advisor (besides his wife)
   • Brought him from Perry, Ia. to D.M. to Chicago to London and then to Kenya to stand before that young man and speak wisdom into his life.
   • Think of what The God Of The Universe is able to do!

4. God’s primary way of blessing ANYONE is with wisdom!

• If you apply the knowledge you have, seek more knowledge (which is wise), are shrewd and prudent, then you can figure out how to make more money or figure out how to do the things you need to accomplish to be obedient (to God, that’s what He requires in the first place).
• If obedience is what God requires, He will equip you for it – where God guides, He provides.
• This is how a Loving Father blesses His Children’s obedience. (do you bless your kid’s disobedience?)
  1. I don’t always – I tend to take it for granted

• King David impressed on Solomon at an early age to have a relationship with God, to honor Him and to be obedient. David (a man after God’s own heart) also let Solomon know that God blesses most of the time by speaking WISDOM to us. That’s why Solomon Prayed and asked God for WISDOM.

1 Kings 3

7 "Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?"

 10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both riches and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life."

Prov. 4:7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.
       Though it cost all you have, get understanding. - NIV

4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding – KJV

• Proverbs 4:3-9 Message Bible (synonyms – discuss/study)

3-9 When I was a boy at my father's knee,
    the pride and joy of my mother,
He would sit me down and drill me:
   "Take this to heart. Do what I tell you—live!
Sell everything and buy Wisdom! Forage for Understanding!
   Don't forget one word! Don't deviate an inch!
Never walk away from Wisdom—she guards your life;
   love her—she keeps her eye on you.
Above all and before all, do this: Get Wisdom!
   Write this at the top of your list: Get Understanding!
Throw your arms around her—believe me, you won't regret it;
   never let her go—she'll make your life glorious.
She'll garland your life with grace,
   she'll festoon your days with beauty."

1 Corinthians 3:18-20

18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; 20 and again, “The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”

Amplified version -

18 Let no person deceive himself. If anyone among you supposes that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool [let him discard his worldly discernment and recognize himself as dull, stupid, and foolish, without true learning and scholarship], that he may become [really] wise. 19For this world's wisdom is foolishness (absurdity and stupidity) with God, for it is written, He lays hold of the wise in their [own] craftiness;

    20And again, The Lord knows the thoughts and reasonings of the [humanly] wise and recognizes how futile they are.

• Brother-in-law one of smartest people I know
• Great guy
• Knows many obscure facts
• Does not know God
• God says his knowledge is useless!
•  Does not have TRUE WISDOM

1. How do I get true wisdom?

1. MUST be born again – (Rom. 10:9)

2. Acknowledge God in all your ways - (Prov. 3:6)

3. Worship in truth – (John 4:23)

4. Fear of Lord – (Prov. 1:7)

5. Pray and ask for it – be obedient make sure Jesus is Lord over every phase of your life. THAT IS TRUE WISDOM – (John 1:9)

Draw Near To Him

                                                                    

·      

        

                        1.    God Chooses to draw near to us – 
                                 up to us.
                        2.     We crave for what we eat. Devour 
                               Word

3.    determine what you eat - meditate on Word daily.    -  Prov. 4:23 …guard your heart                 (issues of life)

4      We need to want to be in God’s presence because of who He is – not what He can do.

5.            We need to have holy reverence – the fear of the Lord

·        Humility

Our text scripture has been James 4:8 – but let's look at what God says to us through James before and after this verse – the entire passage.

James 6-10   6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.  7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.  9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.  10 10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

 Let's also look at Isa 57:15  For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

1.            God loves humble people

2.            hates pride

         ·        Most have a misconception of Godly humility – 

3.            as used here means to make oneself lower than the other person on purpose

           a)    Blessed are the humble (Matt 6)

           b)    He who is first will be last
           c)    Defer to others-

           d)    We are supposed to put other’s needs as a priority – help people – James calls this                  “true religion”

·        Let’s  take a look at another form of Godly humility –

4.        

            agreement with God – being in tune with Him : example 1 Sam 17:26-28      

many confuse being in agreement with God with being conceited

1.            Little Shepard boy arrives on scene bringing supplies

2.            finds mighty warriors of Israel hiding behind rocks

3.            finds all are afraid of Goliath

4.            who is this uncircumcised Philistine? – (what is going on here?)

5.            Brother’s reaction

6.            God calls David man after His own heart

David not conceited – standing up for Lord out of love for God, God did not need David’s help but used David to help His people because David:

·        David humbled himself before God (God knew his heart)

·        David stood up for god

·        David’s humbled himself to Saul (God’sking) brought supplys

other examples:

1.            Moses – Numbers 12:3

Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.)

Who wrote Numbers? – Moses!

2.            Jesus – Matt 11:28-29

28 Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Humbleness here consistent with the idea of

1.            obedience  - Jer. 29:11 -  links obedience and humbleness

2.            dependence on Him – 2 Cor 3:5 – 2 Cor. 12-9-10 – giving all the credit to God

3.            our view of ourselves – 1 Cor 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

Humbleness and fear of The Lord the aspect of Christian life that God is looking for –

If we know nothing else, but truly Seek His Presence showing these two things: you automatically will – be obedient in truth – because of who He Is,

You will be in agreement with Him.

Proverbs 22:4-5 tells us He will then reward us with His presence:

            4 By humility [and] the fear of the LORD [are] riches, and honour, and life

5 Thorns [and] snares [are] in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.

         

(Amp says He will reward with his presence)

If you want to be in agreement with God, you must get to know Him, much easier to agree with someone when you know them.

-         Meditate on Word – Josh 1:8

·        End meeting in prayer

Humbleness And Humility

·        Pray

• Review:        

                     1.         God Chooses to draw near to us – up to us

2.          We hunger for what we feed on. Regularly feed on the Word.

3.         Protect hunger - meditate on Word daily.    -  Prov. 4:23 …guard your heart …   - (issues of life)

4          We need to want to be in God’s presence because of who He is – not what He can do.

5.            We need to have holy reverence – the fear of the Lord

                            ·        Humility

Our text scripture has been James 4:8 – but lets look at what God say to us through James before and after this verse – the entire passage.

James 6-10   6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.  7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.  9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.  10 10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Lets also look at Isa 57:15  For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

1.            God loves humble people

2.            hates pride

·        Most have a misconception of Godly humility –

1.            as used here means to make oneself lower than the other person on purpose

                     a)    Blessed are the humble (Matt 6)

b)    He who is first will be last -

c)    Defer to others –

d)    We are supposed to put other’s needs as a priority – help people – James calls this “true religion”

·        Let’s  take a look at another form of Godly humility –

2.        

            agreement with God – being in tune with Him : example 1 Sam 17:26-28      

 many confuse being in agreement with God with being conceited

1.            Little Shepard boy arrives on scene bringing supplies

2.            finds mighty warriors of Israel hiding behind rocks

3.            finds all are afraid of Goliath

4.            who is this uncircumcised Philistine? – (what is going on here?)

5.            Brother’s reaction

6.            God calls David man after His own heart

 other examples:

1.            Moses – Numbers 12:3

Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.)

Who wrote Numbers? – Moses!

2.            Jesus – Matt 11:28-29

28 Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Humbleness here consistent with the idea of

1.            obedience  - Jer. 29:11 -  links obedience and humbleness

2.            dependence on Him – 2 Cor 3:5 – 2 Cor. 12-9-10 – giving all the credit to God

3.            our view of ourselves – 1 Cor 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

Humbleness and fear of The Lord the aspect of Christian life that God is looking for –

If you know nothing else, but truly Seek His Presence showing these two things: you automatically will – be obedient in truth – because of who He Is,

You will be in agreement with Him.

Proverbs 22:4-5 tells us He will then reward us with His presence:

            4 By humility [and] the fear of the LORD [are] riches, and honour, and life

5 Thorns [and] snares [are] in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.

         

(Amp says He will reward with his presence)

If you want to be in agreement with God, you must get to know Him, much easier to agree with someone when you know them.

-         Meditate on Word – Josh 1:8

·        End meeting in prayer