Fool's Gold Part 2 Series

Introduction

People in hard hats working underground is what often comes to my mind when I think about how gold is mined. It is challenging work. According to what I read; it takes a long time from prospecting to mining to producing the finished product- refined gold.

On the other hand, fool’s gold is a much more common elements to discover because of its abundance and the ease of finding it. In fact, during the gold rush days of the 1840’s many inexperienced miners believed that they hit the mother lode only to find out they have gotten nothing of real value.

The wisdom of God is much like real gold. In order to find the true wisdom of God, we must dig deeper than just a casual read of God’s Word. That may be why Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:17 to be diligent in your study of God’s Word, to be a worker when it comes to digging out the truths of God’s Word.

In a study of 6,000 Christians by a Christian Book Distributor named Crossover, they found four things that hinders men and women, boys and girls from being from being real workers when it comes to studying God’s Word. They are: 1) not having enough time, 2) lacking discipline, 3) feeling intimidated, and 4) struggling to apply the Bible to everyday life.

And so, today’s message is a challenge to each of us to dig deeper in our personal study times, mine the richness of God’s Word for your life and I can assure you that your life will be changed.

So how do I need to challenge myself to mine the treasure of God’s wisdom. I want to share with you three challenges and then the outcome if you are successful in overcoming the challenges.

Scripture

Job 28:20–28 (NKJV)

20 “From where then does wisdom come?

And where is the place of understanding?

21 It is hidden from the eyes of all living,

And concealed from the birds of the air.

22 Destruction and Death say,

‘We have heard a report about it with our ears.’

23 God understands its way,

And He knows its place.

24 For He looks to the ends of the earth,

And sees under the whole heavens,

25 To establish a weight for the wind,

And apportion the waters by measure.

26 When He made a law for the rain,

And a path for the thunderbolt,

27 Then He saw wisdom and declared it;

He prepared it, indeed, He searched it out.

28 And to man He said,

‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,

And to depart from evil is understanding.’ ”

Point #1

My challenge is not to say: “I don’t have the time” to study my Bible because only God holds true wisdom and I need it.

23 God understands its way,

And He knows its place.

God tells us that I know where true wisdom dwells. The text we just read tells us that you and I don’t know where it dwells. So, if you want true wisdom, you must get with Me, and we do that through studying His Word.

If you are not a Bible studying Christian, you are receiving wisdom, but it is not the wisdom of God, it is wisdom of this world. You are getting your wisdom through television, radio, your non- Christian friends just to name a couple of ways that worldly wisdom seeps into your life. And let me tell you there are many more ways.

And James in his Epistle describes that type of wisdom you are receiving from this world as earthly, unspiritual, and even demonic. Do you want demonic wisdom in your life?

Make sure you don’t miss this: each one of us receives wisdom. We either receive the wisdom of God which we mined through the study of God’s Word, or we receive the wisdom that is plentifully abundant and don’t take much effort to get a hold of. James calls it demonic wisdom. I call it fool’s gold.

And it seems that most Christians are content with the worldly wisdom. Research from the George Barna group in March 2020 tells us that well over half of American adults (60 percent) never read the Bible in a typical week, and a full one-third of those identified as "born again" Christians can't find time to read their Bibles.

You and I as Christians cannot be content to let that world wisdom penetrate our lives. We must put in the time to study God’s Word.

We have to overcome the challenge of not having enough time.

Point #2

My challenge is to discipline myself, so I don’t let anything interfere with my time studying God’s Word.

20 “From where then does wisdom come?