“THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF WISDOM”
Proverbs 24:3-7
FBCF – 5/19/24
Jon Daniels
INTRO – Would you rather be a knowledgeable person or a wise person?
Difference between knowledge & wisdom: “Knowledge is nothing more than an accumulation of raw facts, but wisdom is the ability to see people, events, and situations as God sees them. In the Book of Proverbs, Solomon reveals the mind of God in matters high and lofty and in common, ordinary, everyday situations, too. It appears that no topic escaped King Solomon’s attention. Matters pertaining to personal conduct, sexual relations, business, wealth, charity, ambition, discipline, debt, child-rearing, character, alcohol, politics, revenge, and godliness are among the many topics covered in this rich collection of wise sayings.” (https://www.gotquestions.org/Book-of-Proverbs.html)
- Parents can read all the books on parenting & families & talk to other parents who seem to be doing it right & still not be wise.
- Husbands & wives can go to all the marriage seminars & retreats & counselors & listen to all the podcasts on marriage you want & still not be wise.
- A pastor can read all the books & talk to all the experts & go to all the conferences about how to preach, how to lead, how to build a church & still not be wise.
Nothing wrong w/ the parenting books, or the experts, or the counselors, or the seminars & retreats. But the real need in all of our lives in EVERY area of our lives is the need for WISDOM – GOD’S WISDOM!
Knowledge is good – helps you fix problems (lawnmower not working – go to YouTube) – get answers (directions to a destination on a trip – Google maps) – help you pass a test (study to get knowledge for your final exams that are coming up).
So, knowledge is good. But wisdom is BEST – It also fixes problems & helps you get answers & gives you what you need when the tests in life come your way.
But it also gives deeper insight into people in your family & in your life. Gives you vision & direction for your family & life. Gives you the faith you need to move forward in every area of your life b/c when you KNOW that God is giving you HIS wisdom – AS HE PROMISES TO DO! – then you have the Spirit-led confidence to step out in faith into unknown territory & see God work in ways you’ve never seen Him work before.
- In your personal life
- In your marriage
- In your family
- In our Church FAMILY
I believe one of the strongest, most powerful promises that we have in Scripture is James 1:5.
- “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” (ESV)
- “But anyone who needs wisdom should ask God, whose very nature is to give to everyone without a second thought, without keeping score. Wisdom will certainly be given to those who ask.” (CEB)
- “If…any of you does not know how to meet any particular problem he has only to ask God—who gives generously to all men without making them feel foolish or guilty—and he may be quite sure that the necessary wisdom will be given him.” (Phillips)
- “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you.” (NLT)
EXPLANATION – Proverbs 24:3-7
“HomeWork” series – Proverbs
- “An Excellent Woman” last week – Prov 31
- “Purity Principles”
- “Train Up a Child”
- “Money Matters”
- Father’s Day – Dr. Ron Mumbower – marriage & family counselor
But today – “The Building Blocks of Wisdom” – You’ve got to build your house right, your family right, your marriage right, your entire life right. And you need God’s wisdom to do that. Can’t do it w/out His wisdom.
Lincoln Logs – kids’ building blocks, construction toy – actual miniature wooden logs that have square notches cut in them so the child can build a fort or a cabin or some other small building.
Invented in 1916 by John Lloyd Wright, son of famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Based on an actual hotel in Tokyo, Japan, that was designed by the father. The foundation for that hotel was designed with interlocking log beams which made the structure “earthquake-proof.” It was one of the few buildings still standing after a massive earthquake in 1923.
Frank Lloyd Wright knew the importance of a solid foundation when everything starts shaking. And God knows that even more so when it comes to our lives.
- He knows that things are going to shake.
- He knows that earthquakes are going to come into your life.
- He knows exactly what you need to be able to still be standing after the shaking stops.
- Lots of people’s lives are going to come crashing down b/c they haven’t built their lives on the “earthquake-proof” wisdom of God.
APPLICATION – You can’t go wrong when you build your life on God’s wisdom.
Look at the benefits God gives to us through His wisdom:
WE BUILD OUR FAMILIES WITH WISDOM – v. 3-4
v. 3-4 – “If your family is built upon wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, your home will be filled with beautiful treasure regardless of your income. Such a family is prepared to extend God’s kingdom rule into the world. (Tony Evans Study Bible)
WE STRENGTHEN OUR LIVES WITH WISDOM – v. 5
“A wise man is strong” – “Is courageous and resolute, and able by wisdom to do greater things than others can accomplish by their own strength.” (Poole)
“It’s better to be wise than strong; intelligence outranks muscle any day. Strategic planning is the key to warfare; to win, you need a lot of good counsel.” (MSG)
WE FIGHT OUR BATTLES WITH WISDOM – v. 6
“Surrounded” by Michael W. Smith – not really crazy about this song – it definitely is a “7-11” song. But these words are true:
- “This is how we fight our battles…It may look like I’m surrounded but I’m surrounded by you…”
Prov. 21:22 – “A wise person can win against a city that is full of strong men. He can destroy the strong place that they trust to keep them safe.” (EASY)
“The spirit is strengthened for the spiritual work and the spiritual warfare, by true wisdom.”
WE SPEAK DECISIVELY WITH WISDOM – v. 7
“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt.” (Abraham Lincoln)
Proverbs 17:28 – “…even fools may be thought wise and intelligent if they stay quiet and keep their mouths shut.” (GNT)
CONCLUSION – God’s wisdom doesn’t always make sense to us in our human understanding of things. When you ask God for His wisdom & He give it to you (remember James 1:5?), you might not initially say, “OK, there’s the direction I need to go” & off you go. You might find yourself wondering what God is up to – wondering why He would tell you to do a certain thing that may not make sense to you at the time. Here’s an important truth: Wisdom & faith go hand in hand.
- It takes faith to ask God for wisdom.
- It takes faith to believe that God will give it.
- And then it takes faith to do what He tells us to do when He gives us His wisdom.
Example: Building program for our church – Knowledge tells us that we need a bigger sanctuary as God continues to bless us & send people our way (“We need to build!” “When are we going to build? “Yall need to build!”). Knowledge also tells us that a new building is going to cost a lot of money.
- So, we are, IN FAITH, asking God for HIS wisdom in what we should do.
- We will, IN FAITH, believe that He will tell us what to do.
- Then we have to decide if we will, IN FAITH, do whatever He tells us to do.
o If He tells us to move forward & build a new building, will we build it?
o If He tells us not to move forward & build a new building, will we not build it?
In your family: Knowledge tells you that you need to start praying with your kids, or your spouse. That knowledge comes from your reading of the Bible, from hearing a sermon, from the example of a friend. Knowledge also tells you that you’re scared to death to do that b/c you never have done it before. Your spouse has never heard you pray. Your kids have never heard you pray. You don’t even feel like you know HOW to pray.
- So, right now, you ask God for wisdom in this area.
- God gives you His wisdom about this.
- Then YOU have to decide if you’re going to step out IN FAITH & do what He has told you to do w/ the wisdom that He gives you.
In your personal life: Knowledge tells you that you need to give your life to Christ. That knowledge comes from the conviction of the Holy Spirit in your heart right now, from reading the Bible, from hearing a sermon, from coming to church & seeing people all around you who are passionately following Jesus. Knowledge also tells you that, if you make this decision, your life is going to radically change.
- So, right now, you ask God for wisdom on what you should do.
- God gives you that wisdom & tells you unequivocally YES – you should ask Jesus to save you today.
- Then you have to decide if you’re going to step out IN FAITH & do what He has told you to do & make the wisest decision you’ll ever make in your entire life.
