Choose God's Wisdom, Part 1

Today on the Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ say this over the years. When you read wisdom literature in the Bible. Please don't leave people wisdom literature's promises promises principles. In other words, the principle of the literature. If this is the way it usually works a famous proverb train up a child in a way that he should go, and is not that many people say to make God promise me that he did not doesn't have grandchildren illness. Children are some examples, but by principle. He raised by principle, that child seat will not. That's the principle joining us today on this additional fellowship of the word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana Pastor Bill Gebhardt now is again he shows us how God's word meets our world this past week as I was reading I found an article about Manning: Smith talks about taking his family to northern England and up while they were northern England had an opportunity to visit the door in Cathedral in northern England and he said it was a magnificent place of prayer and it stood for more than 900 years. In fact he said it still offering services daily. The main structure of the church took 200 years to build. There were men who had worked their entire lives on one level of the church, knowing after they died that even their grandchildren would never see the church completed the next day Smith said he took his family nearby and drove by a bunch of apartment buildings that were thrown up in the 1970s. He said after 40 years the buildings were in a terrible state of the problems were just cosmetic. The buildings were actually falling apart. The contrast was striking.

One building had been wonderfully put together and was still all inspiring a thousand years later, the other been thrown together in a short time is an absolute mess to me as I thought about that article.

As I read it I thought it was a perfect illustration between the wisdom of God and the folly of man with the wisdom of God and that the knowledge of our world. Wisdom from God is the ability to use the best means at the best time to accomplish the absolute best results in the Bible. If you don't apply God's wisdom and you apply the world's knowledge.

The Bible has a word for you. The word is used is that's the word you see over and over in the Bible. One writer said just today, the word for often mean someone of low intelligence biblical usage. Have a high IQ and a reputation for success. What makes them forces.

They ignore God's wisdom, preferring to follow the shifting dictates of the crowd, or their own fallible opinions waffles often consider themselves clever people who know how to beat the system. Their cleverness all too often ends in a ruin the pension for distorting the truth or lack of discernment discipline. Their unwillingness to exhibit self-control and their apparent delight in throwing caution to the wind usually puts them on a path to disaster to choices the wisdom of God or the folly of man the wisdom of God or the knowledge of our world. Last week I started a series and I said in the beginning of the series.

The Jesus Christ said in John 10.

I've come that they may have life and have it abundantly. And it's a wonderful statement and I sent over all the years that abundant life is a life of joy and peace and hope no matter what the circumstances are a life filled with meaning and purpose. But my problem is a pastor is that finding people who are experiencing that life is rare. There are very few people that I know in the context of all these years in the church who are experiencing the abundant life now can't because Jesus was mistaken, it can't be that his words are hollow or don't ring true. I said I think it's because of the choices that we make and so we started a series last time and I said that the last time I said that what we have to do is you have to make a choice for God's peace or for your own anxiety you have to choose and I said that as believers in Jesus Christ. You and I are not victims of anxiety were the perpetrators of anxiety and so often we describe ourselves as victimized by this. Secondly, we all have peace with God. Once you become a believer in Jesus Christ. You have God's peace and you have that forever. Nothing will ever change that our problem is that not with peace with God, but we need the piece of God. Jesus said actually he said my peace I give you the apostle Paul said that you could have a piece that is beyond comprehension or understanding, and last time I also said that we can appropriate that piece by going to God and praying honestly to him with an attitude of thanksgiving. In other words, we give thanks to God in our prayer, not after he answers.

It reveals that if we thank God in our prayer God is saying is God.

I know your sovereign, I know you're just you see, I know you love me. I know you are working things for me and not against me. So whatever happens, I'm fine with God because I know exactly what you're doing today I want to say that we have to learn to live by God's wisdom them by the world's knowledge and I want to pray that each of you consider these words because it's such an important thing for our lives. Would you open your Bibles to Proverbs chapter 3 Proverbs chapter 3 and will start at verse 13 Proverbs 3 verse 13 Solomon starts out here and says this he said how blessed is the man who finds wisdom for me several years that were blessed grade English would be happy to be happy, find wisdom, nothing more important finding was that you find wisdom.

You'll be happy. In fact, wisdom to make you happier than anything else. As you see in a moment. He said how blessed is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding is that our profit is better than the profit of silver and hurt.

He said her gain better than fine gold. She's more precious than jewels. And nothing you desire compares with her, which is good to have his wisdom is nothing, not any career that any amount of money. Nothing he said nothing even compares the wisdom. Wisdom is the number one virtue could possibly have given. Think of it that way. I mean really given a thought of all we think of all things, and I make you happy in life you think about this while when I really need to do is find wisdom because can make me happier than anything else. We don't. We think that happiness is going to come in another way some other shortsighted goal and ours.

And that's not the wisdom from God. He goes on, and he says something interesting, he says, long life is in her right hand and her left hand riches and honor. Now you've heard me say this. Over the years.

When you read wisdom literature in the Bible. Please don't read Hebrew wisdom literature's promises are not promises. The principles in other words, the principle of the literature is. This is the way it usually works a famous proverb train up a child in a way that he should go and when he sold them not depart from it and I've had many people say to me, will God promised me that he did not go doesn't have grandchildren, he only has children. Each person makes their own choices, but by principle.

If you raise a child right by principle that a child seat will not depart from it. That's the principle here it says if you're wise you have a long life just by principle their wise people die young. You know it's not that all wisdom is a promising God to live a long time not only make sense when you think about it if you're a fool. Could you cut your life short could you do some stupid and find yourself dying we do it every day.

You know you all kinds of things. If I drink myself or monadic. I put myself in an early grave. Yes, because I'm foolish.

I'm living life in a Foolish Way, Lisa so wisdom he said in that sense can produce a long life. Notice he also says, and all her paths are peace. Just we talked about last week. If you live according to biblical wisdom. You have peace. Just like last week we talked about.

She said she is a tree of life to those who take hold of her and happy are all who hold are fast just that's the way this works such as I want you to acquire this. This is good for you.

You want someone to be wise. You want people to have wisdom noticed in chapter 4 verse five it says in English acquire wisdom is in! There's no! In Hebrew.

This is word order in Hebrew, but they put this here because her view is this is really important. This is a PL stem its commandment acquire wisdom you need to become wise wise up, we may say in English.

He said acquire wisdom, acquire understanding don't turn away from the words of my mouth is pleading here.

If you never parroted teenagers is that the plea of the parent she really remembering your teenager member all those wise decisions you made. I mean a really wise you and you know the wise because your friends told you all yeah man we want to do that nothing will happen. You succumb on how many times you look back in your life and you ask yourself the question, what was I thinking see what was I thinking, I can tell you what you think you are nothing and by God's wisdom at all.

See that's what he saying here. You gotta be very careful with this said, the way this works. He said do not forsake her said she will guard you. Last week I said that the peace of God, will guard you in the most difficult times. Your life says it will guard your heart. Now Solomon says wisdom will do that wisdom will guard your life if you live wisely, your life will be guarded. What a wonderful thing to say. He said you love her and she will watch over you amazing when you think about how important it is to acquire wisdom. Notice verse seven the beginning of wisdom is here we go acquire wisdom. What's the beginning of wisdom acquire wisdom. Wise up. See, that's the beginning of all this is something else here. If you have to acquire wisdom. It means that innately you don't have it. I have to acquire wisdom you I have to go and get it in my flesh, and in this world in which we live. I am not going to be wise with biblical wisdom. It's just not going to happen. I have to go out of my way and I have to acquire it.

He surprised her and she will exalt you. She will honor you if you embrace her wonderful thing.

She will place when your head a garland of grace and she will present you with the crown of beauty. This is Solomon's view, the abundant life.

One abundant life wise up.

Be wise. He says my son here, my son, he said and accept my sayings, and the years of your life will be many same thing is I have directed you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in the upright pass and when you walk, your steps will not be impeded when you run, you will not stumble. Take hold of instruction and do not let go.

He says guard her.

She's your life. He sent look big and you become wise and you can become wise in one of two ways. You become wise if you this, listen to me. You see, you can listen to me you can acquire wisdom through education, Metro Solomon say if you listen to me if I listen to the word of God.

I can acquire wisdom now is there any other way to acquire wisdom. Yes, you can acquire wisdom through experience which ones a better teacher, which was less painful to see how many times have you learned some because you've experience it is one of the ways God teaches us wisdom, but God is saying, look, let me teach you about wisdom, let me tell you how to acquire wisdom. Malcolm Muggeridge says this he says every happening great and small is a parable where God speaks to us in the art of life is to get the message. You know, we all make mistakes and some of them are terrible and tragic but okay.

What's even worse than that. Making the same mistake over and over again that's as foolish as anything could we do it we make the same mistakes over and over again. The reason is we don't have biblical wisdom at all. All we have is basically the consensus of the culture we live in. We think we can guide our lives. That way, or the intuitiveness of our own flesh won't help us in any sense of the word go with me now to Proverbs chapter 8 here.

Wisdom is personified and we see something here that's interesting. God wants you to be wise so much that he says wisdom calls you wisdom one should be wise God, one should be wise no solid start does not wisdom call and understanding lift up her voice. Listen. Wisdom is calling.

He said one top of the heights beside the way with the past meat. She takes her stand beside the gates at the opening of the city at the entrance of the doors she cries out know it's interesting if you think of the gates of the city in a town in the near East. At that time is it will have the gates cry out, who sits at the gates of the story of Joe who sits at the gate. The wise men of the city you want to know something about was going listen. These are the wise people said wisdom is crying out to you.

He says to you. Amen I call in my voice as the sons of men own naïve ones, understand prudence and old fools. You have to understand wisdom to have to acquire we have to understand it. He said listen, for I shall speak noble things in the opening of my mouth reveal white things he said, my mouth water. Truth and wickedness is an abomination to my lips and he said all the utterances in my mouth a righteous looking, crooked or perverted in them. They're all straightforward. To him who understands and white to those who find knowledge.

Notice what he saying here says wisdom tells you the right things, the noble things the true things. The righteous things. These are all the best way to possibly live wisdom calls you and said listen live this way and then it says take my instruction, not silver, and knowledge rather than choices. Gold, for wisdom is better than Jules and all desirable things cannot compare with her. We believe it acquire wisdom you really believe that I'm not sure we do it all the me ask you something. How much of an effort had did you place in your own life to be successful. How many years you educate yourself on a test to detect see how hard working jobs, what was the effort you put in so you could be in the world of success. I would ask you, did you put the same kind of effort in acquiring the wisdom of God. We want to spruce up you put effort in real effort in a minute acquire the wisdom of God. I mean we we put more we put more effort in to fitness than we do acquiring witness acquiring wisdom know I'm not against fitness might look up, but I'm not. But the point is the point is this. I don't care how fit you are, you're never going to get out of fitness what you get from living a life was never it doesn't even compare. I mean I know of men who would spend more time trying to reduce their golf score by five or six strokes than I do trying to acquire the wisdom of God see a single you can compare anything the wisdom it's such an important thing you have to find that you have to do all that you can Job 28 tells us that wisdom comes to us from God. We see that in a moment, Solomon prayed for first Kings three. Remember, the question got asked him God said, ask what you wish of me to give you to give a wonder I wish I got asked me just imagine God speaks to you and so Solomon you ask, whatever it is you want me to give you what you want to see you have anything Solomon said I want wisdom I know what you're thinking. Everything that I wished I would ask me. You have to worry about that you have the same access to the wisdom of God is Solomon does go me to James chapter 1 in the New Testament James chapter 1 in these verses by the way, will tell you right off the bat with you have any wisdom at all or not the tell you, and you have to be honest with yourself there for dinner and church church always one signature to thing the right thing. Think about the way your life really works is always starts in verse two. Consider it all joy, my brother, when you encounter the worst days of your life that you know if that's a worse days but does say consider all joy, my brother, when you encounter various trials as a response.

Do you consider all joy when you encounter the most difficult times your life do you consider that to be wise to them. I tell you how wise you are.

You see you in a white but that doesn't make sense to me most the people I get involved and when something that they face a trial inevitably within responses are usually like this.

How could this possibly happen to me why me, why know what's going on here where God is that wisdom look what he says. That's it.

I'll tell you why. He said, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. Yeah why do various trials come to me and do you want to test your faith. See one of things you learn throughout the Scripture is if you have real faith you can measure it by how much were your faith and door you tell me how much your faith one Dorothea much faith you.

That's what happens in Hebrews chapter 10 chapter 11 beginning in chapter 12 faith endorse chapter 11 we call the Hall of Fame of faith and guess what it's all about what would they endure. How much were you and door and still have faith. That's all the Bible measures the amount of faith you have, what will it indoor and he said we need wonder various trials. Many times what other choice do you have a what your I got to endure the strong gotchas yeah that's important thing notice, knowing that the testing your faith produces endurance, and let endurance have its perfect result, or telling us complete result so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

What's that mean you mature you gotchas on the various trial comes your way and you do it, it will mature you spiritually, you'll be more conformed to the image of Christ than you were before. That's why am at various trials come in your life and with that is that wisdom you might be sinners and I don't get it. I just don't understand that God says okay let me show you. He said in verse five. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God gives to all generously and without reproach to be given to as a promise you lack wisdom that's love you know I can back too much wisdom about this as I said the guy got this bill what's going on here. I don't get it.there's a bill, listen carefully, and I'm going to tell me know what to say to me, building a read the verses before did you just read. I just gave you the wisdom he said, knowing that the testing your faith produces endurance, and going to love it perfect result, you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. There's the wisdom bill. Thank you Lord, you see, there's the wisdom of a kind of a situation. For each and every one of us, but gotchas all give you wisdom. The reason is because I want you to have wisdom. I want to live with wisdom. Why, because he loves us, isn't that exactly what you do if your good parent is never good parenting is son, daughter, I want you to make wise choices and see only the best possible light. I want you to be discerning. I want you to make good choices.

I want to live life. By this I love you CNS for God says to us, that's what I hope happens. That's what I want. Pastor Bill Gebhardt, the radio ministry or fellowship nor if you ever miss one of our broadcasting or maybe you just like the message one more time. Remember, you can Google a great website called one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen the fellowship and the word online event website you will find on today's broadcast. So many of our previous audio programs as well Fellowship in the Word. We are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible. We ask all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help his radio ministry continuous broadcast on this radio station by supporting a monthly just a one-time gift support for ministry can be sent to Fellowship in the Word. 4600 Clearview Pkwy., Metairie 7006 if you would be interested in hearing today's message in its original format that is is a sermon, the pastor will deliver during a Sunday morning service at Fellowship Bible church visit our website FVC Nola.org that SBC and oh LA.O RG at our website you will find hundreds.

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