PROVERBS #4: RANDOM GEMS OF WISDOM
OPENING SCRIPTURE:
“Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do!” (Proverbs 4:7a, NLT).
• We are wrapping up a month long journey through the Book of Proverbs.
• We have looked at wisdom for daily living, family relationships, and the power of words.
• Wisdom says: “Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge over pure gold. For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can be compared with it.” (Prov. 8:10-11).
• Today we’re going to be mining random gems of wisdom from Proverbs…
THE BIG IDEA: Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do. This wisdom for daily living can be found in the Bible Book of Proverbs.
I. RANDOM GEMS OF WISDOM FROM PROVERBS:
1. THE FEAR OF THE LORD.
“Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in understanding. Wisdom will multiply your days and add years to your life. If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit. If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer.” (Prov. 9:10-12).
“The fear of the Lord is to hate evil…” (Proverbs 8:13).
• If we want wisdom, and blessings in life, it starts with a fear of the Lord.
• This doesn’t mean we’re afraid of Him, rather that we respect Him and His Word.
2. CONTRASTING WISDOM AND FOOLISHNESS.
“A wise son makes a glad father, But a foolish son is the grief of his mother. Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, But righteousness delivers from death. The Lord will not allow the righteous soul to famish, But He casts away the desire of the wicked. He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich. He who gathers in summer is a wise son; He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.” (Prov. 10:1-5).
• The challenge of course is to choose the wise path – righteousness, diligence, etc.
3. BE GENEROUS:
“It is possible to give freely and become more wealthy, but those who are stingy will lose everything. The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” (Prov. 11:24-25).
• God wants us to be generous, and has promised to bless us when we are.
4. CONTROL YOUR ANGER:
“Those who control their anger have great understanding; those with a hasty temper will make mistakes. A relaxed attitude lengthens life; jealousy rots it away.” (Prov. 14:29-30).
• Proverbs gives us wisdom for managing our emotions as well as our actions.
5. WHEN YOU FALL, GET BACK UP AGAIN:
“For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity.” (Prov. 24:16).
“Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; When I fall, I will arise…” (Micah 7:8).
• Just because we live by the wisdom in Proverbs doesn’t mean we’ll never have trouble.
• Jesus said, “In this world, you will have trouble, but be of good cheer…” (John 16:33).
II. DRINKING ALCOHOL:
“Wine produces mockers; liquor leads to brawls. Whoever is led astray by drink cannot be wise.” (Proverbs 20:1).
• The Bible doesn’t say, “Thou shalt not drink alcohol” but it does give us this warning:
“29 Who has anguish? Who has sorrow? Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining? Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? 30 It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns, trying out new drinks. 31 Don’t let the sparkle and smooth taste of wine deceive you. 32 For in the end it bites like a poisonous serpent; it stings like a viper. 33 You will see hallucinations, and you will say crazy things. 34 You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea, clinging to a swaying mast. 35 And you will say, "They hit me, but I didn’t feel it. I didn’t even know it when they beat me up. When will I wake up so I can have another drink?” (Proverbs 23:29-35, NLT).
1. WHO IS THIS WARNING FOR?
“It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns.” (v. 30).
“Those who linger long at the wine.” (v. 30, NKJV).
2. THE CONSEQUENCES OF DRINKING TOO MUCH:
Anguish / sorrow: v.29 - Depression, inner pain and suicide (40% are alcohol related)
Fighting: - strife and domestic violence (80% = alcohol related)
Complaints: - For the lots of problems you otherwise wouldn’t have.
Unnecessary bruises: - Drinking affects your coordination and balance / also from fights
Bloodshot eyes: - Literally bloodshot, but also speaks of dulled senses
See hallucinations: v.33 - Drugs and alcohol affect your perceptions
Say crazy things: - That you would never say (or do) if you were sober
Staggering: v.34 - Like a sailor tossed at sea
Addiction: v.35 - When will I wake up so I can have another drink? Destructive cycle.
3. DON’T BE DECEIVED:
Solomon says, “Don’t let the sparkle and smooth taste of wine deceive you. For in the end it bites like a poisonous serpent; it stings like a viper.” (v. 31-32).
• If only beer commercials were truthful! “Drink our beer and it can ruin your life!”
• Rather, what do you see? A party, a football game, and half-dressed girls.
• STORY: My dad was an alcoholic who abandoned our family and drank himself to death.
“And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation.” (Eph. 5:18).
• Although the Bible doesn’t say “you can’t drink alcohol”, it does say, “Don’t be drunk!”
• 1 Cor. 6:9-10 says that drunkards will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
III. MANAGING YOUR MONEY:
1. PUT GOD FIRST:
“5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. 8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones. 9 Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; 10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.” (Prov. 3:5-10).
• The wisdom of Proverbs tells us to trust God and honour Him with our finances.
• Tithing is all an issue of TRUST: It takes faith to believe that we can do more with 90% with God’s blessing on it than if we were to hang on to the whole 100%.
• “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.” (Prov. 10:22).
2. CARE FOR THE POOR:
“He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, And He will pay back what he has given.” (Prov. 19:17).
• If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.
• If you have money in the bank or in your wallet, you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy. More than one billion people do not have access to safe water today.
• “Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing…” (Prov. 28:27).
• “Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need.” (Prov. 21:13).
CLOSING CHALLENGE:
“And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don’t obey, you are only fooling yourself. For if you just listen and don’t obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you keep looking steadily into God’s perfect law -- the law that sets you free -- and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.” (James 1:22-25).
• Proverbs is wisdom for daily living. Live by the book, and be blessed!
CLOSING: Question and Answer time – with texting, IM, Facebook, etc…
Beausejour Community Church Website: www.beausejourchurch.ca
Pastor Chris Jordan’s Blog: http://thelandofpromise.blogspot.com/
