No More "Eenie, Menie, Miny, Mo!” Series

Introduction:

Once upon a time a class of first graders from the city took a field trip to a big farm in the country. Their teacher told them that today they would learn about where all the food at the super market came from; they would get to see how things grow and even milk a cow. After spending the morning out in the fields of corn and wheat, riding tractors and combines, and seeing how things grow in the greenhouse it was finally time to see the animals in the barn. Before going into the barn, the farmer pumped the handle on his well to give everyone a cold drink of water; some of the kids in class even took turns pumping the handle up and down. When the farmer stepped inside the barn, he was surprised to see one of the boys had grabbed a cow’s tail and was swinging it up and down. The farmer said, “Boy what in tarnation are you doing?” The little boy looked up at the farmer and said, “Oh I’ve seen cows before on TV and I’m trying to get this one to give me a drink of milk.”

Anyone think the farmer could teach that little guy a thing or two about how to milk a cow?

This morning we continue with our series from the book of Proverbs, “Wisdom for Right Living.” We can either go on living life our own way, or we can learn from the wisdom of others. Solomon has passed on Godly wisdom for living our lives.

This morning we are going to stop living our lives by chance. No more “Eenie, Menie, Miny, Mo!”

Last week we learned why wisdom is needed in our lives from the book of Proverbs.

1. Wisdom puts us on the right path pointing us in the right direction.

Proverbs 1:2 says, “we’ll know how to live well and right, to understand what life means and where it’s going” (verse 2 MsgB); the NIV says “for attaining wisdom and discipline.”

2. Wisdom gives us God’s perspective on life; we gain needed insight.

Verse 3 says, “A manual for living, for learning what’s right and just and fair” (MsgB).

3. Wisdom instructs the young; we can learn from the experience of others.

Verse 4 says, “To teach the inexperienced the ropes and give our young people a grasp on reality” (MsgB).

4. Wisdom increases and grows in our lives; the wise can become wiser.

Verses 5 and 6 say, There’s something here also for seasoned men and women, still a thing or two for the experienced to learn—Fresh wisdom to probe and penetrate, the rhymes and reasons of wise men and women (MsgB).

We also discovered the first key to having wisdom for right living; if you want real wisdom you cannot bypass the starting place.

Key #1: START WITH GOD—FEAR THE LORD.

 “Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning.” (MsgB)

 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” (Proverbs 1:7 NIV)

Without God—without the fear of the Lord you will not gain wisdom for right living. The fear of the Lord is a prerequisite for a life of wisdom.

The fear of the Lord is an active awe, reverence, and wonder of God. The fear of the Lord is the foundation upon which a life of wisdom is built; without God our lives are nothing more than a house of cards.

The fear of the Lord is more than a biblical doctrine; it’s not just knowledge about God. The fear the Lord affects our daily lives; we are impacted and changed. With God in your life you can’t continue to live the same old way and fear the Lord.

The fear of the Lord is ACTIVE. Let me put it this way, if you and I fear the Lord, then we will live out the wisdom found in the book of Proverbs. The keys or principles we are going to talk about over the next several weeks will naturally be a part of our lives because we fear the Lord. You can’t bypass the starting point; we have to start with God—fear the Lord.

Let’s move on today to discover three more keys to having wisdom for right living.

• Proverbs 1:8-33 [8] Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. [9] They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.

[10] My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them. [11] If they say, "Come along with us; let’s lie in wait for someone’s blood, let’s waylay some harmless soul; [12] let’s swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; [13] we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder; [14] throw in your lot with us, and we will share a common purse"-- [15] my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths; [16] for their feet rush into sin, they are swift to shed blood. [17] How useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds! [18] These men lie in wait for their own blood; they waylay only themselves! [19] Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the lives of those who get it.