(Proverbs 2:1-22)
“My son,
if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;2So that
thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;3Yea, if
thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for
understanding;4If thou
seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;5Then
shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.6For the
LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.7He layeth
up sound wisdom for the righteous: he
is a buckler to them that
walk uprightly.8He
keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.9Then
shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.10When
wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;11Discretion
shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:12To deliver
thee from the way of the evil man,
from the man that speaketh froward things;13Who leave
the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; 14Who
rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the
wicked;15Whose
ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:16To
deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;17Which
forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.18For her
house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.19None that
go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.20That thou
mayest walk in the way of good men,
and keep the paths of the righteous.21For the
upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.22But the
wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted
out of it.”
I. QUALITIES OF A
DILIGENT SEARCH FOR WISDOM
A. AS EXPLAINED BY
SOLOMON THEN...
1. It requires a
willingness
a. To be receptive to
the words of others
b. To treasure (highly
value and remember) commands of wisdom
2. It requires an
engagement
a. Of the ear (willing
to hear wisdom)
b. Of the heart (willing
to understand)
c. Of the mouth (willing
to cry out for discernment and
understanding)
3. It requires a high
estimation
a. Seeking and searching
b. With the same fervor
as seeking for silver and other hidden
treasures
-- Thus a diligent
search for wisdom requires an "all out" effort
on our part
B. AS EXPERIENCED BY
CHRISTIANS TODAY...
1. It requires hearing
the Word of God
a. Note: "incline your ear to wisdom"
b. Listening to
preachers and teachers carefully (with all
readiness)
“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that
they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures
daily, whether those things were so.”
c. Studying the Bible on
your own (searched the Scriptures
daily)
2. It requires
meditating upon the Word of God
a. Note: "apply your heart to understanding"
b. Taking time to reflect
and ponder on the Word
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever
things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
c. Like the Psalmist
sung of his meditations
(Psalms 119:97-100)
“O how
love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.98Thou
through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.99I have
more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.100I
understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.”
3. It requires diligent
prayer for wisdom
a. Note: "cry out for discernment...lift up your
voice for
b. We must ask in prayer
with faith
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth
to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it
shall be given him.”
c. We must persist in
our asking
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh
findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread,
will he give him a stone? 10Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto
your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good
things to them that ask him?”
4. It requires the same
effort others expend seeking for material
wealth
a. Note: "seek her as
silver...as for hidden treasures" – Proverbs
2:4
b. In Christ are hidden
all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge
“In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
c. Here's a simple test
to see if you are expending the proper
effort to seek wisdom:
1) If you worked as hard
for your employer as you do seeking
for God's wisdom...
2) ...would you have
your job very long?
-- Finding God's wisdom today
requires the same diligence it did
in Solomon's day
II. BENEFITS OF A
DILIGENT SEARCH FOR WISDOM
A. KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND
HIS PROTECTION...
1. You will understand
the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge
of God
a. That fear of the Lord
which is the beginning of knowledge
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
b. That knowledge of
God, whose storehouse of wisdom and
understanding He gives
to the upright
Proverbs
2:5-7
“Then shalt thou understand the
fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.6For the
LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.7He layeth
up sound wisdom for the righteous: he
is a buckler to them that
walk uprightly.”
2. You will have God's
providential protection guiding your life
a. He is a shield to
those who walk uprightly
Proverbs 30:5
“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their
trust in him.”
b. He guards the paths
of justice (which the righteous take)
“He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of
righteousness for his name's sake.”
b. He preserves the way of His saints
Psalm 121:5-8
“The LORD is thy
keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.6The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the
moon by night.7The
LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.8The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy
coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”
-- What a blessing to go
through life with God at your side!
B. DELIVERANCE FROM EVIL
MEN...
1. Who speak perverse things
“
2. Who leave upright
paths, walk in the ways of darkness
“
3. Who rejoice in doing
evil, delight in the perversity of the
Wicked
Proverbs 10:23
“
4. Whose ways are crooked,
and devious in their paths
Proverbs 1:10-19
“
-- Wisdom can deliver us
from evil men and their evil ways!
C. ENABLEMENT FOR
RIGHTEOUS LIVING...
1. To walk in the way of
goodness and keep to righteous paths
“He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of
righteousness for his name's sake.”
Psalm 23:6
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”
2. To be upright and
blameless, to dwell and remain in the land
“Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and
verily thou shalt be fed.”
3. Unlike the wicked and
unfaithful, cut off and uprooted from the
earth.
“Mark the
perfect man, and behold
the upright: for the end of that man is peace.38But the
transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut
off.”
-- Wisdom can empower us
to live more blessed, if not longer,
lives on this earth!
**If you would like
to give your heart to Jesus today, repeat these words below:
'Dear Heavenly
Father,i come to in the name of Jesus; Forgive me a sinner and wash me in your
precious blood. Make this heart of stone to be made flesh, so that your word
may be sown in it. Any addictions that i may have, remove them now in Jesus
name! I've accepted Jesus Christ as my savior and believe that He died and rose
from the dead! And from this day forward, i commit my life to you and seek for
guidance and understanding in your word, as i walk in your path of
righteousness, In Jesus name i pray, AMEN!!!'
If you have recited
these words and meant them in your heart, you are saved and if the Lord would
come today, you will be ready to go to Heaven!! I will keep you all in prayer,
to continue to walk in the ways of Jesus Christ our Lord. READ, PRAY, SEEK and
TRUST in Him and you will overcome this wicked world! **
I have also
provided a link to the Full Gospel Holiness Church below, where you will find
sermons from the word of God (no comprising to sin) but the Full truth to the
Word of God! You can also view our contact information to email us or call us
for prayer. May God bless you!
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