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?
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.
How important is studying God’s Word? The Scripture tells me apart from God’s Word there is no way to get God’s Wisdom. Listen closely to what the Scripture says: “It is hidden from the eyes of all living.” Apart from God’s Word, apart from the Holy Spirit revealing the wisdom to me, I won’t get God’s wisdom.
So, I must discipline myself to spent time in God’s Word and allow His Spirit to speak to me its meaning.
How many of you here think earning a living to provide for your family is important? I would say most everyone here. I have seen this so many times- you may have been sick over the weekend, missed church, but come 8:00 a.m. on Monday morning you are going to make the effort to get to work. You are disciplined to show up to work even if you are sick.
A friend maybe on vacation so he asks you why you don’t take off Thursday and come fishing with me. You tell your friend, I can’t; I got to work. I cannot miss work. But then comes Sunday, a friend invites you to ride with them to the Gulf Coast and you say sure- missing church. You are disciplined not to let distractions keep you from going to work. But I am afraid that we are not disciplined enough to prevent distractions from keep us away from God’s Word.
I want you to think about all the areas of your life that you are disciplined in.
Maybe you are disciplined about your job; hopefully you are disciplined about staying faithful in the marriage; maybe you are disciplined about cutting the grass in your yard on a weekly basis during the hot summer months. And I can go on and on.
The point is: you can be disciplined; you are disciplined in some areas of your life; you got to make sure that you are disciplined about reading God’s Word and listening to His Holy Spirit to get wisdom.
And our challenge in this world is to be spiritually disciplined.
Point #3
My challenge is not get discouraged if I am studying God’s Word and I feel like I got nothing out of my study.
2 Corinthians 4:16–18 (NKJV)
Seeing the Invisible
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
I don’t believe the time you spend studying God’s Word is ever wasted. Sometimes you might feel like you got nothing from studying the Bible but that does not mean that God is not doing something on the inside of you. Paul in our passage says I don’t notice anything on the outside God is doing but I know He is renewing me on the inside. God may be renewing you on the inside for a time in the future when you say to yourself where did that strength to handle this problem that I am dealing with.
Don’t tell yourself you got nothing from your study. You need to know God did something on the inside of you. My Bible says: He who has begun a good work in me will see it until the day of completion. At that day of completion is the day I draw my last breath.
The challenge is not to get discouraged when you think God is not talking to you. His Word planted in your life will not come back void.
Point #4
The outcome if I overcome the challenges and allows God’s wisdom to wash over me then I will live the type of life that is pleasing to God, and I will be at peace with God and with my fellow man.
Let me share with you two Scriptures.
Job 28: 28 And to man He said,
‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
And to depart from evil is understanding.’ ”
And let’s go back to our Scripture in James
James 3:17–18 (NKJV)
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Both Scriptures tell me the same thing. If I mine God’s wisdom I will be at peace with God and at peace with my fellow man.
That is a great reward for overcoming the challenges of bringing God’s wisdom into my heart.
My question to you: are you up to the challenge?
