Devotion To Wisdom

Devotion To Wisdom

Proverbs 3:1-12

Some wisdom I have been told over the years

1. Sometimes you have to let stupid people be stupid.

2. If you are going to dance with a grizzly you better let him lead.

3. If you are going to ride a tiger you better have a dismount plan.

4. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

5. Never wrestle a pig, you will both get dirty, and the pig will like it.

Wisdom is something many claim to have but few chose to use.

When it comes to believers, we must understand our wisdom doesn’t come from us it comes from God.

Job 28:28 - And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;

And to depart from evil is understanding.

Psalm 25:14 - The secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him, And He will make them know His covenant.

Prov. 1:7 - The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Our wisdom is a gift given through Christ by our Heavenly Father.

If we live by God’s wisdom, we will have life added to our days.

The question is do we go to God when we seek wisdom or do we look to our own intelligence for the answer.

When we are Devoted to Wisdom we are granted many blessings I want us to see three today.

My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments; For length of days and years of life And peace they will add to you. Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart So you will find favor and good repute In the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones. Honor the LORD from your wealth And from the first of all your produce; So your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow with new wine. My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof, For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.

Blessing of Wisdom (1-6)

· Solomon wrote this letter to his son – he wanted him to be wise and so he is passing down to him all he has learned as the wisest person to ever live.

· My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments; For length of days and years of life And peace they will add to you. Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart So you will find favor and good repute In the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.

· Solomon wanted his son to stay focused on what he said.

· He didn’t want him to forget, neglect, overlook or ignore what he was saying.

· Solomon’s words were important; they were life altering wisdom.

· Solomon knew his wisdom was a gift from God and God’s Word was the foundation for all of his wisdom.

· Solomon’s son was to keep guard over his instruction as if his life depended on it.

· Solomon knew a life lived under the foundation of God’s Word was a life that was length of days and years of life And peace they will add to you.

· Solomon knew this life would be full - Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart So you will find favor and good repute In the sight of God and man

· He knew to be a good person in God’s sight and in mans you had to have wisdom from God as the foundation.

· You had to live it, example it, be characterized by it.

· Christians if we want to claim to be wise, we must example living by God’s Word.

· Wisdom isn’t found anywhere else.

· You can get book smart in a library, you can become skilled labor with OJT, but the only place you will find wisdom is God’s Word.

· Solomon staked his whole life on it - Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.

· He told his son, trust God with all you are, don’t trust in what you feel or even see, put God first and He will guide you to a full life.

· Christan that truth hasn’t changed – trust God and He will guide you to a full life.

· That life may not be what you envisioned; it may not be anything close that what you imagined – but it will be full of life and blessings.

· Christian we are blessed with Wisdom from God – it is a gift and it adds life to our days.

Blessing of Worship (7-10)

· Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones. Honor the LORD from your wealth And from the first of all your produce; So your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow with new wine.

· Solomon laid out for his son some important characteristics of worship in these verses.

· First – Worship happens in humility – Do not be wise in your own eyes.

· Solomons had every reason to be arrogant and boastful – he was the wisest man who ever lived.

· He was king, he had control, power, prestige, everything the human flesh longs for.

· Solomon knew his position and human wisdom meant nothing before God.

· Everything he had God had given him – he hadn’t always been faithful, he ha made some bad choices in life – he had chased after everything under the sun and found it all empty.

· Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 - The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.

· Solomon understood it all boils down to God – be humble before Him.

· Second – Worship Happens in Reverence - Fear the LORD and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones.

· Solomon stood in awe of God’s goodness and grace.

· He knew he had chased a lot of empty things and yet God’s goodness toward him never left.

· Solomon was committed to following God in everything and to not turn to evil.

· God is gracious toward us, we should always turn away from evil and towards God.

· Third – Worship Happens in Honor - Honor the LORD from your wealth And from the first of all your produce; So your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow with new wine.

· Everything in our life should honor God.

· Everything we have, everything we do, everything we say.

· Honoring God with our life should be our greatest passion.

· He honored us by giving us life through His Son – we must honor Him with the life He has given us.

· Someone – God’s gift to us is life, our gift to Him is what we do with it.

· We have been blessed with the wisdom to know God and that should drive us to worship Him.

Blessing of Whooping (11-12)

· Solomon next talked about a blessing many of us don’t appreciate for its presence – God’s discipline.

· My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof, For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.

· We live in a world that believes there should be no consequences for anything.

· The reason we have many of the problems we have today is because adults stopped punishing children for wrong behavior.

· I got my fair share of whooping’s – and even though I didn’t like them when they were happening – I appreciate the result of their presence.

· Solomon understood that if you can go through life and never face consequences it was not a good thing.

· God disciplines those He loves – He whips His children when they get out of line.

· William Reyburn - My child, do not resist it when the Lord corrects your ways, and do not resent it when he punishes you for the wrong you do.

· God’s desire for your life is that your days are full of His life.

· When we live for Him, His promise is to fill our days with His life.

· When we live for ourselves, He will correct us in whatever way He needs to.

· God’s desire for you is that you love for His Glory – the question is Are we?

· Life Application

o Choose to live wisely trusting God over your own understanding. Let His Word shape your decisions, your responses, and your goals. Life may not always go the way you plan, but with wisdom from God you can trust that your life will be full, fruitful, and blessed.

o Worship God by surrendering your pride, turning away from sin, and honoring Him with your choices and your resources. When you live with humble obedience to Him first, you’ll find God not only blesses you with peace but fills your life with purpose and joy.

o Don’t resist or resent God’s discipline, it is a sign you are His beloved child. When God convicts, corrects, or redirects you, it’s because He delights in you and wants what’s best for you. Trust His correction, and let it shape you to live for His glory.