Newsletter

Dear Friends

The year is certainly marching on, to a very accelerated drumbeat.  Is it not amazing how it seems to be January then December.  Well this speeding up of time certainly lets us think a little around wisdom, and how much we need this wisdom is our everyday life so let us look at wisdom for today:-

WISDOM FOR TODAY.

There's only one way to do that successfully over the long haul: you have to develop wisdom.
We will look at ways we can apply God's wisdom to basically every area of our lives - our spiritual lives, our jobs, our friendships, our finances, and on and on.

• We will need a good reference book for our study.

   

• Our source for this series is the Bible, and, more specifically, the book of Proverbs.

   

I. INTRODUCTION

In 1991, a young man named Adam Brown was preparing to go to college.
- His dad was named H. Jackson Brown, and he decided to write down the most important things that he thought his son should know as he prepared for life in the "grown-up" world.
- This advice wound up in the form of a little booklet, and eventually the booklet was published under the title, Life's Little Instruction Book.
- Many people think it is the ultimate in graduation gifts and the way they praise the book, it makes you wonder how people ever got through life without it.
- If you were to purchase a copy of this book, you may be surprised to find that what passes for wisdom in the world is sometimes mundane and trivial:

• Number 2: Have a dog.

   

• Number 31: Buy whatever kids are selling on card tables in their front yards.

   

• Number 90: Refill ice cube trays.

   

• Number 186: Be insatiably curious. Ask "why" a lot.

   

• Number 299: Don't believe people when they ask you to be honest with them.

   

• Number 321: Wave to crosswalk patrol mothers.
  (from Life's Little Instruction Book)

   

Not all of the tidbits in this book are that trivial, but it's no earth-shattering publication either.

- However, long before H. Jackson Brown came along, approximately three thousand years ago, God did the same thing - only better!
- He used a king of Israel to record His wisdom for living.
- The king, of course, was Solomon and he was the wisest man ever to live.

Solomon compiled a collection of the wisdom he had accumulated over the years and much of it is preserved for us in the book of Proverbs. Solomon presented this collection to his son, and the reasons are given at the very beginning of the book.

READ: Proverbs 1:2-4

Proverbs 1:2-4
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.

Proverbs 1:2-4 (AMP)
2 That people may know skillful and godly Wisdom and instruction, discern and comprehend the words of understanding and insight,
3 Receive instruction in wise dealing and the discipline of wise thoughtfulness, righteousness, justice, and integrity,
4 That prudence may be given to the simple, and knowledge, discretion, and discernment to the youth.

Proverbs 1:2-4 (The Message)
2 [These proverbs of Solomon were]… 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.

Solomon wanted to make sure his son knew wisdom, could differentiate between good advice and bad advice, learn how to act wisely, fairly and properly, and to help him acquire knowledge and discretion in dealing with others.
- This is the original Life's Little Instruction Book and it contains advice for getting together and keeping together all areas of life.

There's a story in the Bible about Solomon.
- God appeared to him in a dream and said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you."
- Solomon said, "Give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people, and to distinguish between right and wrong."

• In other words, Solomon asked for wisdom.

   

• The Bible says that God was pleased with Solomon's request.

   

READ: I Kings 3:11-15

I Kings 3:11-15
11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.
14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.
15 And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.

So God gave Solomon wisdom, and so much more, and He used Solomon to pass that wisdom on to us in the book of Proverbs. And by the way - in his book, Jackson Brown has this at number 158 in his list: "Pray not for things, but for wisdom and courage."

• Now that is good advice, and I must give credit where credit is due.

   

PASTORAL NOTE: When you have wisdom, you can have anything.

- If you have wisdom, you'll not only be able to make money, you'll know how to keep it.
- If you have wisdom, you'll be able to find and develop lasting friendships.
- If you have wisdom, you'll know what to say and when to say it.
- If you have wisdom, you'll know how to avoid a lot of the misery that people bring on themselves, and you'll know how to maximize your personal happiness.
- If you have wisdom, you'll be able to raise your kids the right way.
- If you have wisdom, you'll be able to sleep at night, because you won't be dreading the consequences of your actions.

When you have wisdom, you have everything. So you and I had better wise up!

II. ABOUT WISDOM

A. WHERE DO WE GET WISDOM?

READ: Proverbs 14:12

Proverbs 14:12 - There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Be careful where you look for wisdom. The Bible is the best source.

You can look for wisdom from other sources, and your luck with it will be "hit and miss."
- Conscience needs to be informed by God's Word and ruled by God's will to make it a safe guide.

It is imperative that one remembers that things are not always as they appear to be.
- The Hebrew literal translation of Proverbs 14:12 is, "There is a straight road before man."
- The warning is that the way which promises happiness, prosperity, and success may lead for one reason or another to destruction.

IMPORTANT: Appearances are often deceitful. A way of living which today seems to be leading toward success and happiness may tomorrow result in pain and death.

A way which appears good today may have undesirable consequences in the future.
- To be clear-sighted may mean being shortsighted.

Attention has been called to the fact that early forms of life were able to adapt themselves to their surroundings too well.
- They did not reckon with the change of climate and environment that was to come, and were blind to the needs of the future.
- The creature that survived had not adopted a fixed mode of responding to its surroundings, but had been more flexible in meeting changing conditions.
- Such a precarious existence might have appeared to be the way of death.
- In fact, it became the way of life.
- Too rigid an adjustment meant incapacity to meet new situations, while the sensitive responsiveness of creatures with nerves almost exposed gave those forms of life a better chance to survive than the armored creatures that had apparently made themselves impregnable to attack.

Living by the day, therefore, has its limitations.
- Times come when each of us needs to be reminded that each day has enough trouble without borrowing the worries about tomorrow.
- But this attitude can be carried too far.
- One can have "peace in our time," and yet be unaware that the course he is following will mean trouble only too soon.
- Living only for today has little to commend it if people are not examining the inevitable consequences of their actions.
• It has been said that "he is a wise teacher who can help young people and others see life through to its end and to its ends."

When you get your wisdom from the Bible, it will prove to be right every time.

So, if there were only one place in which to look for wisdom, that one place would be the Bible.
- However, there are other sources from which we can glean wisdom.
- Of course, this begs the question, "What exactly is wisdom?"

B. WHAT EXACTLY IS WISDOM?

1. Webster's Definition: 1) accumulated philosophic or scientific learning; KNOWLEDGE; also, INSIGHT 2) good sense; JUDGMENT 3) a wise attitude or course of action.

2. Working Definition: Wisdom is the ability to make good choices.

The Hebrew word that is translated as the English word wisdom appears 141 times in the Old Testament.
- Most occurrences of this word are found in Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes.

Wisdom, from the Hebrew, is the knowledge and the ability to make the right choices at the opportune time.
- The consistency of making the right choice is an indication of maturity and development.
- According to Proverbs 1:7, the prerequisite for "wisdom" is the fear of the Lord:

• Proverbs 1:7 - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

   

"Wisdom" is viewed as crying out for disciples who will do everything to pursue her (Proverbs 1:20).
- The person who seeks wisdom diligently will receive understanding, according to Proverbs 2:6

• Proverbs 2:6 - For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
  - He will benefit in his life by walking with God, according to Proverbs 2:20

   

• Proverbs 2:20 - That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.

   

The advantages of "wisdom" are many:
- Proverbs 3:2-4 - For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: so shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

The prerequisite to wisdom is a desire to follow and imitate God as He has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, without self-reliance and especially not in a spirit of pride:
- Proverbs 1:5-7 - A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: to understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

The importance of wisdom explains why books were written about it.
- Songs were composed in celebration of wisdom.

• Wisdom is even personified in the book of Proverbs.

   

If you know the right thing, you're intelligent.
If you know the right thing and choose to do it, you're wise.

C. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF WISDOM?

1. Perception: Wisdom gives you an accurate perception of life (see Proverbs 2:9-10).

So have a great month keep your letters coming and remember God loves you and so do we.

George and Sharmaine Dobson

Pastors