The Lord's Love Brings Discipline, Wisdom and Favor

Instruction Brings Life, Wisdom, and Favor

Text: Proverbs 3:11–12 “My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.”

The text teaches us to accept the discipline of the Lord. It is foolish to contend with a God of incontestable sovereignty and irresistible power. God is righteous and just in all that he does. God knows us intimately and He knows what we can bear.

Hebrews 12:5–8 “And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.”

I. Deuteronomy 8:5 “Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you.” Job 5:17 ““Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty.” , Psalm 94:12 “Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O Lord, and whom you teach out of your law,” Psalm 119:67 “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.” Romans 5:3–4 “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,”

The picture here is a tremendous weight being placed on you; but because you keep your eyes on the Lord God and live by trusting in Him and His sovereign hand, you get up from under the load wiser and stronger than before.

James 1:2–4 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Text: Proverbs 3:13–26 “Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed. The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens; by his knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew. My son, do not lose sight of these— keep sound wisdom and discretion, and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble. If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.”

What is the advantage of wisdom? Where do we find wisdom? What do we do when we find it?

The advantage of wisdom is happiness, peace, understanding. Matthew 13:45–46 ““Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

Ecclesiastes 2:13–14 “Then I saw that there is more gain in wisdom than in folly, as there is more gain in light than in darkness. The wise person has his eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I perceived that the same event happens to all of them.”

Ecclesiastes 7:11–12 “Wisdom is good with an inheritance, an advantage to those who see the sun. For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.”

Ecclesiastes 7:19 “Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.”

Ecclesiastes 10:10 “If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed.”

How do we get wisdom? James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

Matthew 7:24–25 ““Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.”

Wisdom comes from knowing the Word and doing what the Word says

1 Corinthians 1:24–25 “but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

The verse of the day regarding wisdom: Colossians 2:2–3 “that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

Regarding verses 24-26. Living in God’s wisdom means knowing God-knowing the treasures in the Lord Jesus Christ. When we are in right relationship with our Lord we lie down in peace without fear. When we have confessed all our sins He gives us the assurance that we are cleansed from all unrighteousness.

Text: Proverbs 3:27–35 “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you. Do not plan evil against your neighbor, who dwells trustingly beside you.

Your neighbor is anyone who the Lord God has brought you into a relationship with, or as MacArthur says anyone who the Lord brought into your path.

Do not contend with a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm. Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways, for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord, but the upright are in his confidence. The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous. Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor. The wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace.”

The word contend means strive, dispute, or accuse a man. a legal term for one conducting a lawsuit.(אַל־תָּרוֹב) (roob) The Lexham Hebrew Bible. . 1 Corinthians 6:1–8 “When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!”

text: Proverbs 3:32–35 “for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord, but the upright are in his confidence. The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous. Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor. The wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace.”

This type behavior is any behavior that is outside the God ordained behavior. Anything un Christlike we are to avoid.