Wisdom Releases Power

April 18, 2015

Wisdom Releases Power

Foundation Scripture:

Deuteronomy 30:19 – I set before you life and death; choose life.

Choosing Wisdom Leads To A Blessed Life.

Proverbs 2:1-8 – God preserves the way of the saints through Wisdom. We must make our ear attentive to it (listen to God when He tells us to do or not to do something). Cry out for Wisdom and seek it, as for silver and gold.

Proverbs 4:8 – Prize Wisdom highly and exalt her, and she will exalt and promote you; she will bring you to honor when you embrace her. Perhaps if a person has not been promoted in life, they should check to see if they have been foolish instead of wise.

Proverbs 4:11-12 – Follow Wisdom – . . . When you walk, your steps shall not be hampered [your path will be clear and open]; and when you run, you shall not stumble. Many testify to feeling a blockage in their life. They are always prevented and hindered; something is always in their way, and no matter what they try to do, it does not work out. If this is the case, perhaps they have been foolish instead of choosing wisdom.

Six things the Lord hates, seven are an abomination to Him.

Proverbs 6:16-19 – He who sows discord among his brethren is an abomination to God. If I know it is an abomination to God for me to sow discord, then it would be very foolish to do it; yet, the church is filled with those who sow discord (strife, gossip, disharmony, tale bearing, faultfinding, backbiting, etc.). They are not blessed and usually spend their lives feeling sorry for themselves and blaming the devil.

Proverbs 4:23 – Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life. Many are depressed, sad, mournful or grieving. They have no life in them. They feel down all the time. Much of the time it is due to having wrong things in their mind and heart.

Proverbs 8:15-18 – Riches and honor come through wisdom.

Wisdom is to do what you know is right. It is not just KNOWING what is right, but DOING what is right.

Wisdom is doing right now what you will be satisfied with later on. Wisdom (defined/Vine’s) – Understanding, prudence (good management), insight into the true nature of things; the ability to discern modes of action with a view to their results.

Proverbs 19:3 – The foolishness of man perverts his way.

It is man’s own foolishness that ruins his life.

Proverbs 14:17 (KJV) – He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly . . .

Multitudes have quick, nasty tempers, which adversely affect their lives. They often spend their lives deceived, believing all their problems are due to some other mysterious cause.

If I know it is an abomination to God for me to sow discord, then it would be very foolish to do it; yet, the church is filled with those who sow discord (strife, gossip, disharmony, tale bearing, faultfinding, backbiting, etc.). They are not blessed and usually spend their lives feeling sorry for themselves and blaming the devil.

Proverbs 4:23 – Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.

Many are depressed, sad, mournful or grieving. They have no life in them. They feel down all the time. Much of the time it is due to having wrong things in their mind and heart.

Proverbs 8:15-18 – Riches and honor come through wisdom.

Wisdom is to do what you know is right. It is not just KNOWING what is right, but DOING what is right.

Proverbs 19:3 – The foolishness of man perverts his way.

It is man’s own foolishness that ruins his life.

Proverbs 14:17 (KJV) – He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly . . .

Multitudes have quick, nasty tempers, which adversely affect their lives. They often spend their lives deceived, believing all their problems are due to some other mysterious cause.

We can spend our lives trying to solve our problems and never get free unless we face facts.

DO WHAT GOD SAYS AND BE BLESSED – DO WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE DOING AND BE MISERABLE.

Foolish/foolishness (defined/Vine’s) – Without common sense; ordering one’s life imprudently, without understanding; inconsiderate habit of mind; describes one who does not govern his lusts; dull, sluggish, or silly.

Proverbs 15:2 – A fool always talks foolishly!

Ephesians 5:4; 4:30 – They tell us that foolish talk grieves the Holy Spirit.

The Foolishness Of Adultery And Fornication

Proverbs 6:23-32 – The man who commits adultery destroys his own soul.

How many marriages and lives could be saved from destruction if people would just pay attention to this proverb? This Scripture is a warning, but many today are good at ignoring warnings.

We trust ourselves too much! A wise man or woman takes precautions so the door is not even opened for this temptation You cannot play with fire and not get burned!

Ignored Warnings

Do you have the “Titanic Syndrome”? A ship that was reported to be unsinkable ignored the warning of icebergs ahead and the unsinkable ship sank, claiming 1,507 lives.

Pride always ignores warnings. People ignore warnings because they think they will not be the one to get caught. Warnings on cigarette packages: “This product may cause cancer.” But the smoker thinks that even though others may get cancer, he won’t. He gambles with his life. The warning is all over the place, “Do not drink and drive.” Yet drunk drivers kill thousands each year. They never thought they would kill anyone – someone else might, but not them.

Deuteronomy: Chapter 28 – “The blessing and the curse” – an entire chapter that is a warning.

Deuteronomy: Chapter 8 warns the people that if they forget God after they are blessed, they will lose their blessings.

The way to keep your blessings is to keep doing whatever you did to get them.

The Bible is filled with warnings, yet much of the world ignores them. Paul warns the people against pride.

Romans: Chapter 12 – I warn you not to think more highly of yourself than you ought to, having an exaggerated opinion of your own importance; but rate your ability with sober judgment according to the grace of God given you. Other warnings we see in the Word of God:

Hebrews 8:5 – God warned Moses and he listened; otherwise, he might not be in the Bible today.

I Thessalonians 5:14 – Warn those who are out of line – the loafers, the disorderly and the unruly.

II Timothy 4:2-3 – Preachers are to warn people as part of their job. People today do not like to be warned!

How Many Warnings Are You Ignoring?

Are you noticing constant money pressure? You may be spending too much money. Perhaps you are not working enough. It could be other things that you cannot help, but do not be afraid to look at all the possibilities. Perhaps you have money pressure, and you have teenagers who could be working and taking care of some of their own expenses. Perhaps you have gone into debt to send your child to the school all their friends were going to, and it was not a wise decision for you.

Perhaps you just are not managing your money well –waiting too long to balance your checkbook, and now math errors are causing you trouble.

THE WARNING MEANS YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING. MAKE SOME KIND OF CHANGE OR IT WILL GET WORSE.

Changes in your mate’s attitude toward you could be a warning. Perhaps it is a warning that things are a little stale. You may be doing something that severely irritates them. They may be telling you, and you are not listening. Are you nagging too much?

Perhaps you need to clean up a little, fix your hair, be a little more pleasant, give some compliments, get a babysitter and go on a date, turn the television off and talk, etc.

DON’T IGNORE THE WARNING – DO SOMETHING!

Are your children withdrawing from you? Perhaps you are not making an effort to understand them and their needs. Perhaps you are not spending enough quality time with them.

Are You Ignoring The Call Of God?

Matthew 22:5 – They ignored the call of God and went their own way. Jonah: Chapters 1-3 God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, but Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish. His circumstances got very bad. God did not change His mind.

It is foolishness. We will not have the rewards of wisdom while being foolish.

The Beginning Of Wisdom Is The Reverential Fear And Awe Of God.

Proverbs 1:7 – The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom.

Without the fear of God, people will go their own way. They will think they can get by with it – they have not yet learned that GOD MEANS WHAT HE SAYS.

Deuteronomy 10:12 (KJV) – And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul . . .

Notice that the fear of the Lord is listed before obedience. The proper fear of the Lord provokes us to: Obedience. Carefulness in dealing with other people (God’s children), including the avoidance of gossip and faultfinding.

Psalm 31:19 (KJV) – Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee . . .

CHOOSE WISDOM INSTEAD OF FOOLISHNESS AND YOU WILL BE BLESSED!