REAL WISDOM
--The Secret to Wisdom is consistency.
A. What it means to be "double minded."
1. Inability to trust fully in God.
-This is the person that feels they "need"
Christ, but then also wants to make sure
that they are saved by getting baptized,
joining the church, etc.
-This is the person that knows what is right
to do, but then compromises that belief so
that he can "have his cake and eat it, too."
-This is the person that knows the need
others have for salvation, but is too scared
to tell anyone for fear of rejection.
2. Inability to abandon our own system of self-
reliance.
-In other words, people are double-minded who
cannot give up the reins of their life over
to Christ, even after they are saved. They
are trying to have control and give it up
at the same time, and therefore they are
very unstable.
B. What it means to be consistent.
1. Consistency in our faith in God.
-Stay grounded in your faith! Don’t let your
faith waver!
-Its hard to go in the right direction when
you’ve got the wrong perspective! (Just try
laying down a foul line when staring down
at the ground instead of looking up).
2. Consistency in our faithfulness to God.
a. The Rich Man. (One who makes his own path
in the world).
1. Temporal nature of worldly positions.
(v. 10)
2. Temporal nature of worldly purpose.
(v. 11)
--These things are burned up by the
sun.
3. Temporal nature of worldly prestige.
(v. 11b)
--The fashion (the flower’s outward
beauty) is going to perish.
--It doesn’t matter how beautiful you
are...it’s not going to last.
--Some folks in Hollywood are finding
this out!
4. Temporal nature of worldly possessions.
(v. 11c)
--The rich man will fade away in ALL
his ways.
b. The Poor Man. (One who follows God’s path)
1. He is blessed when he endures life’s
temptations.
2. He is given rewards that are eternal,
not temporal in nature.
3. He proves that he is loyal and loving
to his Father in Heaven.
