Proverbial Wisdom –3:21-35

My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.

Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee. Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee. Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm. Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways. For the froward is abomination to the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous.

The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just. Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly. The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

Proverbs 3:21-35

I’m late and I am sorry. This week I went camping at the ocean for a few days, and I just could not make myself sit down and write this week’s lesson. But I will try to do better in the future. Forgive me.

We are going to cover the rest of chapter 3 this week. You may have noticed that I’ve taken the liberty of breaking our Scriptures into three parts. The first part, verses 21-26, lists some personal benefits for keeping sound wisdom and discretion. The second part, verses 27-32, tells us how we should treat other people. Then the last part, verses 33-35, is a comparison of different types of people.

As we have already discovered on our journey through Proverbs, we are to seek and retain wisdom, understanding, discretion, and knowledge…never letting them slip away. They bring us inward strength “life unto thy soul” and outward beauty “grace to thy neck.” This week, we learn that wisdom and discretion also bring safety, stability, rest, and protection.

God’s Holy Spirit teaches us wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, “shall teach you all things” (John 14:26). Therefore, when God’s Spirit dwells within us and we are walking under His direction, we have wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. But not everyone has God’s indwelling Spirit because there are specific requirements for being anointed with God’s Spirit.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (John 14:15-17).

To be anointed with God’s Holy Spirit, we must love and obey the Lord. However, some rebellious people refuse to obey God, thus they do have not His Spirit. Consequently, they are not His children (John 15:10, 1 John 2:3-6, 2 John 1:6, Romans 8:9). Since they do not belong to God, they cannot receive nor can they understand God’s indwelling Spirit.

God is a Holy God and He will not dwell with sin. In fact, God says that He will turn His eyes and His ears away from sin (Isaiah 59:2, Ezekiel 39:23-24).

On the other hand, some people truthfully love God, which is evident by their submission and obedience. As such, the sacrificial blood of the Lamb has washed their sins away. Now that they are clean, they are marked with God’s indwelling Spirit. They belong to God because they have been reborn into the family of God.

God is a protective Father and He takes care of His own. Therefore, God’s children need not “be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day” (Psalm 91:5). Nor should His children be afraid of pestilence and destruction (Psalm 91:6). Many people may fall all around them, yet they remain safe in God (Psalm 91:7-9). At night, they lie down and sleep in peace because God is their refuge (Leviticus 26:3-6). If they fall, God picks them up (Psalm 37:24). God orders their steps and protects them as they walk in those steps because they have determined within their hearts to love and obey the Lord.

Let’s move onto our second part for this week, which tells us how to treat other people. We should treat people with love and respect (Matthew 22:39). That means living in peace with all mankind, at least as much as is in our control. “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18). Quickly, we should repay that which we have borrowed, we should never cheat anyone (Deuteronomy 24:14-15), we should graciously help those in need, and we should strive to be good neighbors (Luke 10:25-37). Read 1 Kings 17:9-16 to learn about a widow woman who was a good neighbor to Elijah.

Our last part for this week, compares the wicked, the scorners, and the fools with the just, the lowly, and the wise. Let me give you some sound advice right up front. You do NOT want to be in the first group of people…the wicked, the scorners, and the fools.

The wicked (as well as his household) will be cursed, the scorners will be scorned, and then the fools will be put to shame. God hates evil and pours His wrath out on the unjust. “And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord” (Zechariah 8:17).

The Bible contains many stories about people who planned wickedness against God’s children. Much to their dismay, these wicked people found themselves caught in the very trap that they had set for God’s children. God turned their own wickedness back upon them (Daniel 6:24, Esther 8:7).

Compare that with the just who will be blessed, the lowly who will find grace, and the wise who will inherit eternal glory. I want to be in that group. How about you?

Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me (Psalm 101:6).

With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure…(Psalm 18:25-26).

Three Key Concepts:

1.  God is a protective Father and He takes care of His children.

2.  Live at peace with people as much as it depends upon you.

3.  God pours out blessings, shows grace, and gives eternal glory to His children.

Proverbial Wisdom–3:13-20

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her. The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.

Proverbs 3:13-20 (KJV)

Happy are you when you find Jesus for He is worth more than all the riches in the world (Matthew 13:44-46). Through faith in Him, you can live a blessed life and have eternal life (John 3:15-17). No worldly desires can satisfy your hungry soul like Jesus can—He alone is the Bread of Life (John 6:33-35). His ways are truth and eternal (John 1:14-17). He is the Prince of Peace and within Him, you can find peace (Isaiah 9:6). Happy are you if you retain the love of the Lord within your heart all of your days.

I couldn’t resist that short rewrite of our Scriptures for this week, but stick with me and you will discover why I did it.

In Part 4 of our journey through Proverbs, we discussed the saving power of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. When we believe in the saving power of His blood and repent of our sins, we are reborn through God’s Spirit. As long as we live and walk by God’s Spirit, we have access to holy wisdom. “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things….” (John 14:26).  “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth….he will shew you things to come” (John 16:13).

Consistently throughout Proverbs, we are encouraged to seek wisdom and understanding. Once we discover them, we are to cherish them and hold them close to our hearts, living and speaking by their influence. But wisdom and understanding cannot be bought. “But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?” (Job 28:12).

Wisdom is not found within college classrooms, nor can understanding be attained through textbooks. All of our school years and all of the money that we expended in furthering our education, did not result in true godly wisdom and understanding. Instead, we accumulated a bunch of worldly facts.

I am not saying that education is a waste of time. Education is valuable! However, worldly knowledge cannot give eternal life, whereas, godly wisdom and understanding can. Godly wisdom comes from only one source, God…not from textbooks…not from college professors.

Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee says, “The Spirit of God does not open the Word of the God to lazy minds, but to those who are alert and want to learn and know the will of God and the Word of God.”

When people seriously desire to learn more about God and are willing to seek Him, God reveals Himself through His Word. He showers the hungry heart with wisdom and understanding.  However, it takes a sacrifice…a tremendous sacrifice of time!

Unfortunately, very few people are willing to sacrifice their time to study God’s Word. But these same people are willing to spend countless hours in a gym so that they can achieve a strong physical body. It would be to their benefit to spend countless hours in God’s Word so that they can achieve a strong spiritual heart. “Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next” (1Timothy 4:8, NLT).

Those who grasp, live, and walk by godly wisdom and understanding are blessed. The length of their days is increased and they receive riches and honor. They walk in ways of pleasantness and on paths of peace. Godly wisdom and understanding brings eternal life to all who retain them within their hearts.

Wisdom is powerful. Through wisdom, God created the heavens and the earth. He set the stars in the sky and He established the ocean boundaries. He created the lightness of day and the darkness of night. Contrary to many scientific theories, God created our orderly world. This did NOT happen by chance—rather it happened by the wise words of an orderly God.

Wisdom and understanding are powerful and are attainable through Christ Jesus.  Today, seek the Lord.

And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Job 28:28 (KJV)

Three Key Concepts

1.  True wisdom comes from God.

2.  The lazy heart has not godly wisdom.

3.  God fills the hungry heart.

Proverbial Wisdom – 3:7-12

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

Proverb 3:7-12 (KJV)

Hello dear brothers and sisters in Christ—once again I am late, and this time I have no excuse. The wonderful outdoors beckoned me and I simply did not resist. I cleaned up the flowerbeds, I put out some gorgeous fall decorations, and shame on me, I let my weekly blog be late. Reds, oranges, and browns…I love the fall colors!

So let’s jump right into this week’s lesson, which will be broken down into three sections. The first section is verses 7 and 8, the second section is verses 9 and 10, and the last section is verses 11 and 12.

Our first section contains three warnings. We should not to be wise in our own eyes, we should fear the Lord, and we should turn from all evil. If we are wise in our own eyes, we hold a conceited, inflated view of ourselves, and consequently, we may not admit or learn from our mistakes. And as we have already discovered in Part 1 of our journey through Proverbs, it is a foolish, rebellious man who refuses to learn.

Paul directs us in Romans 12:16 to, “Live in harmony with each other. Don't try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all!” (NLT). There you go…news flash…you don’t know it all.

But don’t feel bad…I don’t know it all either. All of us have a lot more to learn; therefore, we need to stay humble and teachable.

Our reverential fear of God should help keep us humble and teachable. Throughout the Bible, we are told to fear the Lord and to obey His commands. When we fear the Lord and obey His commands, we turn away from evil—we simply want no part in it. In fact, Exodus 20:20 tells us that the fear of the Lord can keep us from sinning.

Without sin, often we can increase the length of our life and the quality of our days. We decrease our daily stress because instead of worrying, we trust and lean on God. Further, we avoid sinful activities that can lead to sickness and death; such as cirrhosis of the liver, sexually transmitted diseases, and illegal drug overdoses. As a result, many times our spiritual condition can have a profound impact on our physical condition.

Our second section tells us to honor God with the first fruits of our increase. Everything that we have, our health, our jobs, our possessions, and our money, are gifts from God. It all came from His favor within our lives, and ultimately, it all belongs to Him. We are just stewards of His money; and as such, we should not squander it on our lustful desires. Why steal from God?  “The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord thy God…” (Exodus 23:19).

When we are good stewards of God’s money in our tithes and offerings, God continues to bless us. He will meet our needs, financially, physically, and spiritually. He always deserves our first and our best of everything…not our leftovers.

“’Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Let me prove it to you!’” (Malachi 3:10, NLT).

Our last section for this week, deals with discipline. We are passing through a classroom of life, and hopefully, we are learning and improving as we go along. Nevertheless, we make mistakes and sometimes we refuse to recognize or learn from our mistakes. Consequently, God may have to discipline us. Matthew Henry says in his Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible, “…for we may be sure that a God of unspotted purity does us no wrong and that a God of infinite goodness means us no hurt.”

Since God is without sin, everything that He does is for our own benefit. He teaches us to avoid sin and He leads us towards His righteousness. If we refuse to learn the easy way, through listening to His Spirit and learning from His Word, He will teach us the hard way…through discipline. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent” (Revelation 3:19).

In this life, you may face discipline in the form of various trials and persecutions. While you are being disciplined, humbly surrender yourself to God. Submit to His refining fire because He is working to remove all the impurities within you—He wants to shine you up so that He can see His own reflection when He looks at you. Let God shine you up so that you can reflect Him.

And have you entirely forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you, his children? He said, “My child, don't ignore it when the Lord disciplines you, and don't be discouraged when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes those he accepts as his children.”

Hebrews 12:5-6 (NLT)

Three Key Concepts:

1. Fear of the Lord can keep you from sinning.

2. Your spiritual condition can have a profound impact on your physical condition.

3. God disciplines those He loves.