Proverbs 1
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Intro and Tension
Intro and Tension
We in Information age | Google | Almost anything you want to know in this world, can find online.
However, Info not same as Knowledge
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
If fear of Lord is beginning of Knowledge - What is Fear of Lord?
Let me tell you what it’s not; not trembling |
It means; Awe, Reverance, Realisation of Holiness.
Awe of God leads to knoweldge.
Problem = We are caught up with awe of something else.
Caught up with awe of world | Enemy done good job at moving our awe, reverence, reliance from God to the world.
Instead of fearing God, fear man. Insted of awe of God - Awe of big houses, luxury escapes, experiences. Instead of God providing, we are providers.
It puts us on a path God never intended us to be on.
Title: Let’s get back on track, to life.
Brand new Series: Proverbs = Word to the Wise |
Proverb = Short saying that reflects Wisdom. The book of Proverbs, written by King Solomon, based off accumulated insight of what happened when people followed God.
Work off the logic, if you seek God’s way, things will go well. Seek your own way = not so well.
However = Proverbs are probabilities not promises = That’s why we need the other 2 wisdom books to get full pic; ecc and Job.
Proverbs also written before we had HS living in us.
What I want to do in series; Look at what God says in NT and see how it practically works itself out in Proverbs.
Important that our desire is spriritual transformation and not behaviour modification.
We are going to land on a few peaks;
Today; We are going to look at 2 paths. | Motivation and Endurance | Mouth and Speech | Communit | The Heart | Generosity and Giving | Discipline and Trust in Lord.
*prayer*
Proverbs offers us two paths, 2 outcomes, with God, or without God - Paul offers the same in NT
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
Jesus sent HS to live within us - If we are following the Spirit - Our life will look like what is described in Proverbs | As we are led by the Spirit we will walk in Wisdom of the Lord | Proverbs shows how our transformation works itself out.
Let’s look at the 2 paths in proverbs;
Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles.
The wage of the righteous leads to life, the gain of the wicked to sin.
This is one path [Illustration] -
Leads to life - All through Proverbs.
The second path;
My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without reason;
Interesting Language = Entice.
Gold Coast - Enticed - Flashy Lights | “Land of fun”
Suddenly found ourselves somwhere we didn’t want to be |
Ever caught up with the awe of the world? Ever found yourself in a place you dont want to be? Maybe today, is the start of changing direction
my son, do not walk in the way with them; hold back your foot from their paths,
Hold back - Don’t even put a foot on it. Don’t go near it.
2 paths = 2 motivations = 2 outcomes
1 path = Motivated by Awe of God = Outcome = Life.
1 Path = Motivated by Awe of this world = Outcome = Death.
How do we know if caught up with awe of the world? Sometimes we don’t know.
(Eloise story (A FRIEND)) I was tired, so I didn’t even know or care really, however, there where signs right.
[grab signs out]
You feel alone
Distant and Dry?
He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
Important that we know that easy and hard are not indicators of the path you’re on.
You can have a cruisy life, everything going well, and have this “Longing” in your heart.
We’re looking for signs | Maybe that longing, is because you’re out of the Will of the Lord = Nothing else will satisfy.
Built for Relationship | Built to be WITH God | Garden of Eden = Walked WITH THEM.
2. Your leading and know all
One distinction about being on wrong path | is that you are author of your own story.
Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.
One sign is you’ve stopped asking “What’s next” Lord, you’ve worked it all out.
3. The Joy and Peace is few and far between.
Joy and Peace is found in the surrender of control to a loving God.
but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”
One sign is that there is no Joy | That the peace you’re searching for in the bottle | Lust | etc, just is not there.
So what do we do?
If you find yourself, feeling alone, leading your own story and without joy and peace = Good news = May be your story, but it’s not the end of your story.
If you have been caught up with the awe of World | We need to be caught up with Awe of God.
How do we do that?
Shift how we view God
[Road to Emmaeus Story]
Walked with Jesus, didn’t know him, broke bread - Eyes where opened.
They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”
Does your heart burn within you, as we open the scriptures? Maybe, you’ve missed who Jesus is; That he is beside you in your story.
2. Shift in the reality of how God sees us
[Woman at the well]
Samaritan (Enemy to jews) | told her 5 husbands, and now also living in sin |
Went back to town, told everyone;
Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.”
What sort of testimony is that? Despite everything she ever did - She was loved - This is meaning of Beloved.
Do you know - God delights in you.
3. Shift who is the author of our story
As we go through proverbs, can we agree to these 3 things?
Why?
because to set your mind on the Spirit is LIFE and PEACE.
The Spirit wants to reveal God the father to you | Healer, Provider, Peace, Almighty, King of Kings, lord of Lords to YOU.
Wants to show you; You are BELOVED. Reveal that the only life worth living is a life WITH HIM and FOR HIM.
And that, will lead to an AWE of HIM.
We in Yearly theme = Set your mind | I believe God will transform us through this series if we let him.
Remember Peter | Boat | On his own path | pulling up net after net of nothing.
Maybe that’s you | pulling up net after net of nothing.
Jesus didn’t come and say - Get your behaviour right | He gave an invitation;
Same invitation for you right now; Follow me.
But peter had to get out of boat today and make a decision, this series; I am going to follow you Jesus.
