WALKING IN WISDOM PART 3:PRESSURE, PARTNERSHIPS, & PRUDENCE

Prayer:Lord we stand in the need of a supernatural financial break-thru O’ Lord! That ONLY You can make happen. We ask Your forgiveness and mercy to help lead and guide us in godly decisions from this day forward! As we seek first Your Kingdom and Righteousness, Because we know it is You who order our footsteps. Thank You for filling us with Your wisdom and knowledge of how to handle that what You will release into our hands as we continue tithing, sowing and giving to Your Kingdom, and others in need. Lord You said wealth is one of our rights as Your children. You said to owe no man but to love him . Therefore we seek debt cancellation and blessings to be a greater blessing. We ask and thank You for another opportunity to leave a legacy to our children’ children. Thank You Jehovah-Jireh, In Jesus Name. Amen.

23 When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you,

2 and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.

3 Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.

4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness. 5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. 6 Do not eat the food of a begrudging host, do not crave his delicacies; 7 for he is the kind of person who is always thinking about the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you. 8 You will vomit up the little you have eaten and will have wasted your compliments.

9 Do not speak to fools, for they will scorn your prudent words.

Introduction

WISDOM is a prize only available to people willing to work to find it. Many kids have the memory of prizes in the cereal box. The prize would always be at the bottom. Many a child would go digging around in the box but be told by their mother to take their hands out. There was this understood rule among parents that children could not just reach in and pull out the prize but had to eat their way to the prize. The prize could not be enjoyed without eating the cereal first. The prize would only be available to the child who did the job of eating first. The prize at the bottom of that cereal box would not be easily attainable!

Walking in Wisdom...

I. AVOIDING PRESSURE -4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness. 5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

We have all heard of people who have won millions of dollars and then lost it all. Even the average person can spend an inheritance-or-paycheck-with lightning speed and have little to show for it. Don’t spend your time chasing fleeting earthly treasures. Instead store up treasures in heaven, for such treasures will never be lost.

Money seen as an end in itself quickly traps us and cuts us off from both God and the needy. The key to using money wisely is to see how much we can use for God’s purposes, not how much we can accumulate for ourselves. Does God’s love touch your wallet? Does your money free you to help others? If so, you are storing up lasting treasures in heaven. If your financial goals and possessions hinder you from giving generously, loving others, or serving God, sell what you must to bring your life into line with his purposes.

If you concentrate your money in your business, your thoughts will center on making the business profitable. If you direct it toward other people, you will become concerned with their welfare. Where do you put your time, money, and energy? What do you think about most? How should you change the way you use your resources in order to reflect kingdom values more accurately?

A. Prioritize Rest -Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich.

B. Practice Restraint-restrain yourself! C. Perceive Fleeting Riches -Riches disappear in the blink of an eye; wealth sprouts wings and flies off into the wild blue yonder.

Walking in Wisdom...

I. AVOIDING PRESSURE

II. AWARENESS OF PARTNERSHIP -6 Do not eat the food of a begrudging host, do not crave his delicacies; 7 for he is the kind of person who is always thinking about the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you. 8 You will vomit up the little you have eaten and will have wasted your compliments.

In graphic language, the writer warns us not to envy the lifestyles of those who have become rich by being stingy and miserly, and not to gain their favor by fawning over them. Their “friendship” is phony-they will just use for their own gain.

A.Carefulness In Your Fellowships -Don’t accept a meal from a tightwad; don’t expect anything special.

B.Cautiousness When Feasting-He’ll be as stingy with you as he is with himself; he’ll say, “Eat! Drink!” but won’t mean a word of it.

C.Callousness Of Some Folks - His miserly serving will turn your stomach when you realize the meal’s a sham.

Walking in Wisdom...

I. AVOIDING PRESSURE

II. AWARENESS OF PARTNERSHIP

III. ALLOWANCE OF PRUDENCE -9 Do not speak to fools, for they will scorn your prudent words.

Are you a mocker or wise person? You can tell by the way you respond to criticism. Instead of tossing back a quick put-down or clever retort when rebuked, listen to what is being said. Learn from your critics; this is the path to wisdom. Wisdom begins with knowing God.

WISDOM requires knowledge and understanding. Just like it takes both a man and a woman to come together and form a new baby, when knowledge gets married to understanding, it has a baby, and that baby is called wisdom.

When knowledge, the true nature of a thing, meets understanding, which is the enlightened purpose of that truth, a baby is born and it is called wisdom.

A. Wisely Use Your Time -Don’t bother talking sense to fools.

B. Watch Out For People Who Are Toxic -they’ll only poke fun at your words.

In conclusion, WHEN speaking about wisdom, the Bible says, “Seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures.” Silver and hidden treasure are located underneath the ground. They require digging. The fact that the treasures are hidden implies that it is not on top of the ground, obvious to the casual eye. Why would God not make wisdom available for anyone to pick up too easily? It’s too valuable. He doesn’t want folks to pick it up who don’t intend on using it. He has placed wisdom as a hidden treasure underneath the ground for those who really want it. Just like people who truly desire to find gold don’t mind digging and working to find it, wisdom is only to be found by people who value it enough to search for it.

How Can I Apply This?

Have you ever squandered a great opportunity with someone influential? How?

Has anyone ever done anything to you that made you close the door on a future opportunity? What? How?

What is your view and approach toward financial stability?

Are you pressured financially? Why? How? Is the pressure unnecessary?

How do you handle people who do toxic & foolish things?