In this Father’s Day sermon, Pastor Babij examines the teaching of Proverbs regarding heeding God’s call for wisdom. Specifically, Pastor Babij explores the commands in Proverbs 1 to hear wisdom, to not abandon wisdom, and to avoid the company and seductive words of fools, simpletons, and mockers. As part of his explanation, Pastor Babij explains the emptiness of the world’s promises and the surety of wisdom’s rewards.
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all right let’s take our Bibles this morning and turn to Proverbs chapter 1.
I have been regularly preaching through the gospel of Mark taking his step out this morning and uh preaching through Proverbs it’s always good to look into the wisdom literature of the Old Testament uh to really get a good perspective another voice a voice that comes from God on how we should live our life uh now in our in our lives right now while we’re walking and breathing on this Earth how does god require us to live well this uh Book of Proverbs tells us many pithy sayings not promises but pithy sayings of wisdom on how uh to live in a way that we can follow the path that God lays out for the wise person and avoid being foolish avoid being naive avoid being a scoffer uh but being wise and believe me this message is not just for fathers this is for specifically young people actually because Proverbs was written in a way to get young people young men specifically ready to work within the kingdom of Solomon and so they would be wise young men and they would be picked to do that so they would be trained in the Proverbs in these sayings so that’s what this book is about and that what this book can challenge us in before I look at it let’s have a word of prayer Lord this morning I ask you to continue to guide us and direct us in the truth of your word really impress upon our heart that in the two ways that are always offered to us to go I pray Lord that we would always percentage-wise be choosing your way more than any other way that is offered to us enable us to do it Lord so we would be people who are growing and increasing in knowledge in the knowledge of our God and the knowledge of our Lord and savior and in doing so Lord we may become wise people who know how to make decisions based on the word of God and not based on any other influences that could push us away from walking with you and I prayed this in Christ’s name amen so before us we’re going to be looking at chapter one and follow along with me the verses are also on the back of your bulletin and then the verses that are not there you may need your Bible for because I’m going to be looking at like verses 20 also in onwards some of the things that are being said there so before us today is really two-way teaching there’s two roads the broad Road and the narrow road the inexperienced person untaught fully by wisdom is instructed in the two Paths of life one is characterized by seductive words and glittering prizes though in reality it’s strewn with traps that they do not see and the other way is The Honorable way it is the secure way it is in some sense the safe way so one voice lies and says nothing about the danger of Southern sudden death the other is truthful and the fact remains that there are two ways that lay before every person see which will you take is really the question wisdom exposes the hidden Nets in the traps the potholes and the barriers Folly fails to recognize or ignores the dangers or just hopes they won’t get caught in the Trap a New York Times article written in 2007 was an obituary of a very uh famous Christian leader and as this man wrote in his own biography and he said this at his death before his death we are born in a war zone where the forces of God do battle with the forces of evil sometimes we get trapped pinned down in the crossfire and In the Heat of that noise in that distracting battle battle two voices call out to us to follow Satan wants to lead us into death God wants to lead us into eternal life so when we look at this particular book we’re going to see that that’s what wisdom is wisdom is something that’s calling out to people it’s available to all but not all listen and the most the people that are most available to wisdom are the people that this the word of God is specifically talking to and if you notice in verse number eight and nine of chapter one it’s really saying can you hear the call of wisdom and notice where it comes from in verse 8 chapter 1. it says hear my son your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching indeed they are a graceful wreath to your head and ornaments about your neck so here it is in these two verses it’s calling everyone to pay attention to the beautiful instruction of wise Guardians widesparents it includes the father’s instruction and the mother’s teaching together and so it’s saying to the young person do you hear the call it’s an imperative here and it’s not just a list a it’s a it’s an intensive and a very interested listening it’s a listening to get understanding it’s a listening to get the grasp of what’s being taught is not it is not a dull listening here it’s a very keen hearing that is put forth on the side of those who are listening to the wisdom and so the instruction here is to give attention to the Torah the Torah is the word of God and the Torah teaches wise instruction that means how to live in the present it teaches it gives us prophetic teaching that’s the plan and the promises that lead to Salvation it gives us instruction about the Messianic age where it’s all heading in God’s plan also the body of Priestly Direction and instruction is giving on how to approach God the way that honors God and then of course the legal directors in the Old Testament how to obey God and then the law of burnt offering is how to be approach God and be forgiven by God and all those pointed to Christ who would fulfill all those things and he would become the Eternal sacrifice that anyone who’s going to end up in the presence of God has to come through Jesus Christ the son to be forgiven and to be made right with God that’s the only way that is God’s plan now the wisdom in the Old Testament actually leads there in fact it would we could say that he’s telling his son the mother and the father are telling their children the whole counsel of God all of scripture is necessary instruction for wise and godly living it was the Apostle Paul who told young Timothy who would become a pastor he said to him in First Timothy second Timothy chapter 1 but evil men and imposters will proceed from bad to worse deceiving and being deceived and then he says to him you however Timothy continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of knowing from whom you have learned them and that from a from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to Salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus so the scriptures all the scriptures are designed to point anyone who would listen to God’s solution to our ultimate sin problem and that person is Jesus Christ so these are not just words these are words and instructions that lead somewhere so where did Timothy learn the sacred writings did he learn them from famous people with great intellectual Minds know he learned them from his mother and his grandmother they took time to teach him the words of God so my friends realize the prominent role both parents play in shaping the character and in convincing their children that the scriptures are true and can be relied upon but the only way they’re really going to get that message is if we live that message not just give lip service to it they have to see it in our life and they really can’t argue with that and they may not believe it they may reject it but they cannot argue and come to a rational conclusion that my parents loved Christ and lived Christ they can’t argue with that oh they weren’t perfect but they sure did believe what they said and lived it so see Timothy got that Foundation right in his family his wise and godly Guardians gave it to him his parents gave it to him and wise parents are to be sold on instructing the children under their charge in God’s ways which is the right way so wise parents make instructing their children in the way of the Lord a priority in their life nothing is more important than teaching children about life from God’s perspective because in the word of God we will find the realities of wisdom and Folly we will see the realities of righteousness and wickedness we will see the realities of Truth and error in fact God considers Godly instruction to be of greater value than anything else an adult or young adult can take away from the home so parents I want to admonish you to seriously consider your situation and to begin today to implement these teaching within your own family life if we don’t teach our children faith and obedience it may cost them their life and it may cost them their eternal life so here is the command not to abandon first it’s the command to hear in verse number 8 of chapter one it says the command not to abandon in verse number eight it says this hear my son your father’s instruction do not forsake your mother’s teaching verse 9 indeed there are graceful wreath to your head and your and ornaments about your neck and then it says of course listen do not forsake your mother’s teaching that means don’t abandon it uh don’t lay it aside don’t cast it off don’t reject it so see the preparation given by wise parents is not to be laid aside by the Young adults leaving the home that is to learn of course when they leave the home usually to learn more formally from teachers who would train them in their roles in the world this means that parents instructions will be the foundation in which they will build the superstructure of knowledge and if cast off or laid aside everything else seems to crumble if you’re not holding to the wisdom that comes from God’s word so listen to me young people young adults learn well the teachings of your parents who fear a God because someday soon you may be in a situation in which you are hearing by certain professors or teachers or mentors or colleagues or business associates friends that you you may be enticed tempted to cast off Biblical teaching for something you think in the moment is more practical rational and real in other words more flesh appealing it appeals more to where you’re at in your life so if you lay aside the teaching of your mother and your father it will reveal a deep spiritual problem if indeed they have been following the word of God and it will show also that your affections have moved in another direction away from the Lord and focusing on another object so don’t give in to The Temptations but hold fast to the faith to the body of doctrine that you have learned in our learning and seek Godly counsel and get your affections back on the Lord and your mind back in the word of God if you sensed that you have strayed away in fact in the Old Testament the warning for the people of Israel was listen when you go into the new land after coming out of the desert right there’s going to be two ways offered to you there’s going to be the way of the people who are in the land and it’s going to be God’s way and this is what is written in Deuteronomy it says for then I bring them into a land flowing with milk and honey which I swore to their father and they have eaten and are satisfied and become prosperous then they will turn to other gods and served them and spurned me and break my Covenant then it shall come about when many evils and troubles have come upon them that this song will testify before them as a witness for it shall not be forgotten from the lips of their descendants for I know their intent which they are developing today before I have brought them into the lamb that I swore to them in other words it says they forsook God and they went after strange gods and of course that provoked the anger of the Lord and brought curses into their life instead of blessing so the command not to aband what you were taught is secondly then there’s a third thing connected in verse number nine that it says that this teaching that is coming from your mother and your father is actually uh verse number nine indeed they are a graceful wreath to your head and ornaments about your neck so what it’s saying there is that when you live this way when you live according to the wisdom of God’s word there’s a crown of obedience there’s a beauty that comes arises up from your life in fact it it means that listen the teaching that you’re putting into practice the skill that you’re putting into practice on how to live life beautifully demonstrates to other people looking at your life that you’re getting something that they’re not getting that you’re getting something that no one else is teaching so Solomon wrote this book so that when you live out your life it has Beauty to it it has purpose to it it has meaning to it in fact the instruction when lived out has an eye-catching Beauty about it that is attractive and how it how does it say it in Scripture it says that it’s a graceful wreath on your head and it’s ornaments about your neck in other words it’s like wearing very attractive clothing and jewelry that gets the attention of people that see it so the wreath is really probable probably some Greenery or flowers placed about the head at a prominent place that displays honor and that displays Beauty so to keep the wise teaching of your God fearing parents is like attractive jewelry on your body for all to see so their teaching will be seen all over you it will not only be seen in your appearance it will be seen in your speech it will be seen in your actions it will be seen in the desires that you have in your life it will be seen actually in the way that you go it will be seen everywhere so in Proverbs it tells us in chapter 4 verse 9 she will place on your head a Garland of Grace she will present you with a crown of beauty so the she here is not the mother that she is here in wisdom wisdom is is referred to as a she in scripture and so this is something that were to find attractive even ourselves we want it in our life all right so once we begin to learn the word of God and once parents get a hold of teaching the word of God and living it out there’s always a warning that comes with scripture the warning is to maintain caution when you’re moving in and out of people groups and situations uh in other words as soon as you learn what God says there’s competition on the other side you’re going to hear the other arguments now the point of the church is to give young people and to give people in general God’s point of view on things so when you go out there you’ll have God’s point of view the problem today is no one’s getting God’s point of view and everybody’s getting the world’s point of view and so they have no other voice speaking to them and so and again it’s a privilege to be a believer because we are being challenged in the word of God that the this is reality this is what’s going to happen when you go out there the Bible doesn’t pull any punches at all and so you’re going to hear other voices don’t you you are going to hear the voices verse number 10 of chapter one it says my son if Sinners entice you do not consent now let me just stop there for a minute so wisdom understands and hears the voices that appeal to the base sinful desires and passion of their human nature why because they are already understanding that they’re a sinner they already know there are certain temptations that are out there that are going to pull them away from following the Lord so you hear the promises and the Appeals from fun-loving sinners hearing doesn’t mean that you are doing or following them not at least not yet but they are appealing to you it says if my son if Sinners entice you so here’s a straightforward stamlage method between two warnings in verse number 10 do not consent and then in verse number 15 do not walk in the way with them so first it’s saying listen don’t listen to them evaluate them from God’s perspective and then don’t let them get to the point where you’re starting to walk where they walk don’t let it get to the point where you’re starting to go where they go see in the midst of powerful Temptation they say don’t even put your wisdom says don’t even put your feet on the path the very word enticed means is from the root Hebrew word that means simple or to be spacious or open or wide all right so don’t let their wide view of things seduce you to walk in their ways and what is their call in verse number the call of the sinner in verse number 11 is if they say come with us isn’t that it isn’t that peer pressure the voice is just as strong and as loud as the voice of Godly wisdom in fact it may even be stronger because it appeals to the very base sinful rebellious nature that we’re all born with come on come with us go walk with us come party with us live a little lay aside those old fogy convictions that you received from your church and your family lighten up a bit enjoy life in our perspective enjoy life so the hardened Sinners rhetoric is aggressively and persuasively recruiting for their way of life it’s offering an attractive alternative to the day-in day out grind that we’re all we all experience come with us we will show you a quick way to gain prosperity we will show you a quick thrill we will live a risky life and they throw they want that person to throw conviction to the wind and go their way well there’s a promise to the of The Sinner that’s given in their desire to want to convince other people in verse number 11 actually there’s three subtle promises and they are powerful temptations that appeal perfectly with a Young Person’s healthy desire for adventure Independence and fearless friends we all desire that in some way we all have that that sense in us we want more action in our life right we want more Adventure in our life and so it seems to appeal to that in other words the enticements are tailor-made for young people and what’s the first one it’s the excitement for in a sense Adventure the promise in verse number 11 is let us lie and wait for blood let us Ambush the innocent without cause let us swallow them alive like shio even whole as those who go down to the pit so so she’ll here may be conceived of more as a power than a place that these people eat people up that she’ll eat a people and is never satisfied there’s an insatiable UNS desire that’s not satisfied and so they prey on the innocent and the unsuspecting people they lie hidden and they wait for foolish and naive the naive character to come along and they are not who are not wise and nor caring uh when they do that and they have really have no reason for this Behavior except to satisfy their Lust For The Thrill Ride so they there’s an excitement for power secondly in verse 13 there’s a appeal for easy money it says in verse 13 of chapter 1 we shall find all kinds of precious wealth we shall fill our houses with spoil so the promise of easy and quick money always gets people attention they say I’ll make my fortune while I’m young because that’s the real goal to life to make your money to get all your security and money but remember money will not make you happy so if anybody who thinks that money will make me happy and secure they’re just lying to themselves if I have to get it by stealing by breaking the law by by selling things I ought not to sell I want that lifestyle and I’ll have it by hooker crook and yet it was remember again Paul telling young Timothy about riches and he says to him but those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into Rune and destruction For the Love of Money is the root of all sort of evil and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many a Pang so wealth having stuff is never the goal the goal is always the wisdom of God that’s the treasure that’s what we ought to be seeking after and so there’s another thing that comes promised that comes in to young people and it’s found in verse number 14 and that’s for having to have camaraderie and security with with others uh throwing your lot with us it says in verse 14 we shall all have one purse see to be part of a group or even a gang just have a sense of belonging is a very very powerful thing for a young person everybody wants to belong to be accepted to be part of something and young people are often willing to give up wisdom to receive that camaraderie they’re willing to give up morals they’re willing to give up convictions they’re willing to violate their conscience in order to belong hey this group accepted me no one’s accepted me like this group and they’re attracted to that and they’re saying they’re going to receive me and we’re going to have good friendship and all those things and they lay aside what they know to be right for that relationship and for that security but wisdom remember there’s another voice always speaking wisdom’s always speaking it’s always crying it’s always speaking out in fact if you look at verse number 20 look what it says of chapter one wisdom shouts in the streets she loves lists lifts her voice into square it’s it’s yelling to them what is it yelling in verse 15 to 19 of chapter one in the midst of many voices you can still hear the voice of wisdom and what is it yelling stay stand clear steer clear from that group don’t go with that group in verse number 15 it says my son do not walk in the way with them keep your feet from their path don’t let these competing voices muffle the call of wisdom don’t let these other people influence you in the wrong way so for the young man or young lady on their way to adulthood the warning is about Folly of unjust gain and the seduction of the sinner’s speech so watch out for people whose words are designed to entice to entrap to entrap people with schemes that promise quick Thrills and quick wealth and quick friendship without all the qualities that go with those things so the initial office offers sounds good but you are never told the details you’re never told the beginning from the end it’s the only when you get locked in only when you start walking on their path and get trapped you start figuring out this is evil this is wicked I didn’t sign up for this how do I get out of it sometimes it’s too late to get out of it see only when you’re locked in and trap do you figure out that it’s evil Wicked and a dangerous scheme that is leading you down to a horrible conclusion so if you take the warning of wisdom you will see the net set for you and you’ll not be entrapped by that net and you’ll quickly discern the end of the matter and ultimately resist the temptation and avoid the person and the scheme now there’s three reasons given in scripture to steer clearer of those people and in the first one in verse 16 is this for their feet run to evil and they hastened to shed blood so why should you steer clear because there is something wrong with what they’re trying to get you to do don’t you see that look beyond what they’re saying look at their life look who they’re associated with look what they’re doing look what they’re saying look what they’re promising they cannot they cannot fulfill their promises and so it’s the wisdom is saying listen it’s wrong don’t you see that it’s wrong because it goes against everything wisdom has taught so wisdom exposes the real intentions of these matters and these sinners they are in the fast lane to do evil and to accomplish and to acquire what they want robbing killing is not out of the question they have no conscience only flesh their flesh drives their desires so it’s why shouldn’t the everybody steer clear because it’s wrong secondly why should they steer clear verse 17 and 18 because it’s foolish right it wisdom exposes the bumpy road of the foolish the naive and the scoffer it says in verse number 17 it says indeed it is useless to spread the net in the eye in the eyes of any bird but they lie and wait for their own blood and they Ambush their own lives now that analogy is a little puzzling it doesn’t mean that the spreading of the net or doesn’t mean that the spreading of the net in the sight of birds is a a fruitless exercise for the hunter since the bird will avoid it and say it secondly a fruitless sign of danger to the birds since they will swoop down into it regardless or if it’s connected to verse 18 the meaning would be this that the hunter sets his trap for the birds in secret but gets himself his own trap it says but they lie and wait for their own blood and they Ambush their own lives the only wisdom could see that the fool can’t see that and the reason why the fool can’t see that is because of the characteristic of a fool What is the characteristic of a fool look if you look at chapter 1 verse 22 it says this a fool hates knowledge Psalm tells us chapter 14 the fullest said in their hearts there is no God they are corrupt they are have committed abominable Deeds there is no one who does good it says in Proverbs 12 15 the way of a fool is right in his own eyes but a wise man is he who listens to counsel or it could be the naive one in chapter 1 verse 22 how long o naive ones will you love simplicity see the naive person in other passages in Proverbs like chapter 7 verse 7 and I saw among the naive and I discerned among the youths a young man lacking sense and then chapter 14 the naive believes everything but the prudent man considers his steps Proverbs 22 verse 3 the pro The Prudent sees the evil and hides himself with the naive go on and are punished for it see the naive is the person see the so the Bible doesn’t want you to be foolish it doesn’t want you to be naive and specifically doesn’t want you to be a scoffer because who was a scoffer chapter 1 verse 22. a scoffer Delights themselves in scoffing and fools hate knowledge so see they in other words a scoffer is a mocker there we would some would consider them a free thinker they’re all mouth quick and sharp with the tongue they get great satisfaction by cutting people to shreds with their tongues and they do what they feel and they live for themselves they display open contempt for wisdom for godliness for instruction and any of those things in fact the Bible goes on to tell us in Proverbs listen if you try to correct a scoffer you’re asking for trouble this is what it says he who corrects the scoffer gets Dishonored for himself and he reproves a wicked man gets insults for himself so a scoffer really is a person that has gone so far away from anything that is wise that they’re just a kind of an island unto themselves they do what they want when they want to whom they want and they have no remorse no conviction nothing see anyone who tries to correct the scoffer is asking for trouble for it says in chapter 9 verse 8 do not reprove a scoffer lest he hates you reprove a wise man and he will love you so even if you try to to reprove a scoffer they will actually come against you so here it’s this is what it says in Proverbs 13 1 a wise son accepts his father’s discipline but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke so this is what it is a scoffer scoffers are prideful they’re belligerent people who listen to No One and will get even with anyone who tries to cross them now you have met you may have met people like that you may work with people like that but you don’t want to be like that you want to be far from that and why else should the path of the fool and the naive and the scoffer be avoided because of verse number 19 of chapter one so are the ways of everyone who gains by violence it takes away the life of its possessors in other words it’s destructive it realistically views the fate of the unwise they’re going to the down the path of either being incarcerated or being killed so the join in their company is also to join in their fate instead of a long life it could be Unexpected death so we’re always presented with the two ways the narrow and the broad way God’s way and every other way wisdom says choose to go God’s way and shun the rest stay away from those who SE alienation of people caused death by greed and hatred and Power Beware of the enticements which have the potential to take your life and to Rob your soul of eternal life don’t let these lure you away from the path of wisdom now if a person remains a fool or naive or a scoffer it’s their own fault in fact it is living a disobedient life a life against the wishes of the Lord and why is it their own fault well it’s not it’s not like anybody didn’t tell them what was right and wrong in fact as it says here wisdom shouts in the streets wisdom has been available wisdom cries out in verse number 21 of chapter one at the entrance of the gates of the city she utters her sayings and what does she utter she utters shouts of wisdom don’t go that way don’t go with them don’t get into that car don’t date that unbeliever don’t move in with that person without being married don’t go with that foolish person that naive person or that scoffing person don’t go that way steer clear from people like that listen to what they say evaluate what they say and stay away don’t walk on their path don’t let it get that far so hanging with a fool hanging with the naive hanging with the scoffer and calling them your friends as if they had some virtue to offer you is just a lie you’re believing a lie they only have selfishness and anger and hate and trouble to offer you but they’re not going to tell you that you’re not going to influence anybody on your side to tell them listen if you come with me I’m going to teach you how to be selfish I’m going to teach you how to be angry I want to teach you how to hate people I’m going to teach you trouble so if one continues with them they will become like them they will end up like them but the wise person has something to offer all that they come in contact with what do they have to offer they have to offer wisdom and they have they have to offer the wisdom of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is the right path in fact the wisdom that is from above leads to a person this is not just theoretical understanding and knowledge this leads to a person in which you can have a relationship with see the wisdom that comes from above leads to Salvation and God’s answer to our sin problem and that is Jesus Christ so here’s a young person here’s any person who gets introduced to the word of God and now they have two voices they have the voice of wisdom that can evaluate all the other voices and make a decision before acting on anything before getting involved with anything they can evaluate the beginning the middle and the end and then they can make the right choice which will be a choice that benefits them and everyone else and see that’s when they start looking like they are beautiful in their skill of living is when they start saying wow that person did not go with that person and that’s the coolest person on campus that’s like odd why didn’t they do that why didn’t they go with them everybody wants to hang out with them but they decided not to and then you’ll find out later the reason why they decided not to is because they’re wise people they want to follow what the Lord says they want to do what is honoring before God they want to listen to the their mother and father that gave them wisdom so if you continue to listen to wisdom and apply God’s wisdom to your life then what what does the Bible say about that well look what it says in chapter two look at verse number one through four it says my son no notice that word if right usually when there’s a word if you’re going to look for the word then if this happened then this happens right if you do this then that’s going to take place right so that’s what you look for right well let’s see if that happens here verse number one my son if you receive my words and treasure my Commandments within you verse 3 for if you cry for discernment lift your voice for understanding verse 4 if you seek her as silver and search for her as for Hidden Treasures well in verse 5 then you will discern the fear of the Lord so see when the voice of wisdom Rings louder and more consistently in your heart it will drowned out the other voices that compete for your attention and then you will know what you will know that you will know actually you will get discernment then you will discern what the fear of the Lord isn’t that why we’re here on Earth that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge right we’re here to find out what God has to say The God Who created us in His image and that image was shattered by sin God is still calling out and he wants to give discernment to people he wants to give them his knowledge you will discern God’s way and remember the basic meaning of discern it means to separate and divide in order to choose the right way and spurn every other way one person gave the illustration once that to discern something is in uh ancient times when they used to sell pottery often charlatans would take the pottery that had cracks in it and fill in the cracks with wax and then paint them over like they look and as soon as you put a hot liquid in it it’ll leak out that the wise person will learn to take the pottery and hold it up to the light and to see if that part Pottery was worthy that’s discernment hold it everything up to the light so what so then you then you will walk on the path of wisdom and you will discern but there’s something else that it says here in verse number five it says that you will discover y discover the knowledge of God verse 5.
everybody wants to discover you want excitement discovered the knowledge of God that’s exciting to know what other people don’t know you find right in the Bible and believe me you get in the word of God you get pulled into the word of God you get the mind of Christ your life is different you think differently your whole world view changes as the word of God transforms your mind and gives you the mind of Christ you discover the knowledge of God the emphasis In this passage is found right here the wisdom is a gift from God Chapter 2 Verse 6 for the Lord gives wisdom from his mouth come knowledge and understanding that wisdom is a Divine gift and there’s a mystery behind wisdom the wisdom teaching here and it is one must individually search and seek for wisdom and keep in mind that it is a gift of God see God alone has the Divine prerogative to dispense it to anyone he would like and his loyal followers Remain the recipients of divine wisdom it’ll never be known by the full because fools hate knowledge it’ll never be known by the naive because then a naive loves simplicity don’t complicate things with the facts all right scoffer because they Delight in their scoffing will never know this wisdom see the search for wisdom brings one into a right relationship with God because if we’re going to discern the fear of the Lord and if we’re going to discover the knowledge of God where do you think that’s going to lead that’s going to lead a person into a relationship with God Covenant relationship with him where they find out who God is and what God has done and how God responds to people and what God has accomplished on their behalf see so search for wisdom brings one into a right relationship with God and according to Richard Clifford the search does not end with the Seeker grasping it just as wisdom but in Yahweh bestowing it upon them knowing in other words knowing the one who actually gives the wisdom and what happens that you will not only know the source of wisdom but you will also know the value and the path of wisdom verse number nine of chapter one it says or excuse me verse number two chapter nine it says then you will discern righteousness and Justice and equity in every course so wisdom will be more treasured than any other precious object or person on this side of Eternity in fact if a person who spurns wisdom gets to the place where they in their Calamity that they want to call on the Lord if you notice in chapter 1 verse number 28 it says in verse 27 says when your dread comes like a storm and your Calamity comes like a whirlwind when distress and anguish come upon you then they will call on me but I will not answer they will seek me diligently but they will not find me why because they hated knowledge and they did not choose the fear of the Lord unfortunately that will be the case of many people they did not want God’s knowledge so the person who wants God’s knowledge and grows in God’s knowledge and uses God’s knowledge the person will know that they are pursuing the source and the embodiment of wisdom which is God himself along with that God will bestow as a gift shrewdness to keep safe on the road to light Road of life and then even to enjoy life God doesn’t want to uh keep from us enjoyment he wants us to enjoy life so those who fail become dropouts on the road to the wisdom that God gives does not mean that they’re lacking in intellectual ability or physical strength it means that they do not fear God nor take his word seriously that’s what it means so they do not pursue wisdom neither do they want it anymore but look what it says in verse number 33 of chapter 1. it says but he who listens to me shall live securely and will be at ease from The Dread of evil so see the Lord is saying here listen you make your choice make your choice young people how do you want to live when you leave home and you go off to college you go off the trade school or you go off to some job you go move away from your parents how are you going to live what choices are you going to make what voices are you going to listen to are you just going to lay aside all that stuff that you learned in Sunday school all that stuff you learned from your parents all that stuff that you learn in the preaching are you just going to throw it away as if it was nothing or you’re going to leave and saying you know what I got a treasure and God gave me the treasure you know what the treasure is it’s wisdom he’s given me the ability to know the difference between right and wrong but not only just right and wrong his way and every way that’s going to be introduced to me I know that when I’m walking out those doors and I’m leaving my parents I know in my heart what I want so when those voices come strongly and they tried to grab and get your attention pull out your wisdom pull out the word of God and get from your treasure the needed information to evaluate this person this event this thing and decide before you even say yes or no whether you’re going to do it or not because that’s what wisdom does that’s what a wise person does and when you do that you will know a couple things you’ll know number one that you’re not a fool you’ll know number two that you’re not naive and you know number three you’ll never be a scoffer and you’ll know you know number four I have a relationship with Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior and he’s the one I want to live for and so when those voices and those people come to me I’m going to tell them the Gospel of Jesus Christ because I know that’s what they need I know that is the emptiness in their heart I know that’s what they’ve been seeking for and I’m going to tell them about Christ and you know what Christ is going to save some people he’s going to bring some people under conviction by your life by your words but you have to make that choice now you got to make that choice now God’s wisdom is incredible it’s powerful it’s a treasure and it’s a beautiful wreath upon your head and ornaments upon your neck it has a skill and a beauty to it that’s attractive you know what you want to get hired by somebody one of the things that people hire one of the things that all bosses and Company are looking for they’re looking for people who have integrity they have they have they’re looking for people who are wise and if you have integrity and you are wise there’s no honorable employer that would say no to you and keep you because they’re you’re going to get evaluated against everyone else and they’re going to say listen this person may not be the brightest or the sharpest but they have integrity and they they are wise that’s the person I want because when I turn my back I can trust them when I turn my back they will do the right thing when I turn my back ultimately they will save my company and they will make me money see that’s the kind of person people want in fact when the Lord calls pastors to churches he doesn’t say there listen you have to have a seminary degree you have to have a doctor you have to have all these things he says you have to have a character a hero of the character qualities right what is he saying he says because those characters qualities come from inside your heart God gives them to you and develops them in your life those are the kind of people we want pastoring our churches amen so let’s be wise fathers let’s be wise mothers and young people please you cannot say after today you have not heard it and when you are tempted to do other something that you know is wrong and is evil and go with a person that you know is trouble make a decision beforehand and don’t do it and you’ll be glad for it let’s pray Lord thank you again for your word thank you for this time together I pray Lord you will continue to give us this desire for your wisdom give us this desire for the word of God that grows us and makes us strong and makes us Discerning and makes us wise and gives us a love for you that nothing else can gives us a love for people that nothing else can but also gives us the message that we know people need no matter where they came from what they grew up in or where they’re going they need to hear the message about Jesus Christ because that is your Plan of Salvation thank you Lord for all that you’ll do in our life and I pray this in Christ’s name amen