The Rewards of Wisdom

September 1, 2025 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Book of Proverbs Chapter 3

We know that the Book of Proverbs is a collection and compilation of true, divinely inspired, wise sayings, and they are unquestionably Scripture.

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

We should know that many of these Proverbs existed as a teaching tool long before King Solomon

Num 21:27 Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built and prepared:

1Sa 24:13 As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.

We should understand that all genuine truth, regardless of its human origin or proclaimer, has God as its ultimate source.

Ecc 12:10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
Ecc 12:11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

We should understand that if God can speak through a donkey, He can cause some truths to come from a pagan human being, if He chooses.

2Pe 2:15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
2Pe 2:16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

God still loves all His created beings but insists that they become believers. Who’s to say He did not put words of wisdom in their mouths?

It was the Holy Spirit who decided which proverbs would be included in the Scriptures, just as every other Word, Passage, and Book.

There are many other proverbs in this world, but the Holy Spirit decided these were important to the believer.

Most scholars have said it was Solomon who assembled this Book of Proverbs as directed by the Holy Spirit.

Solomon wrote: Pro 1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
Pro 1:6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
Pro 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

We have this verse of prophecy: Pro 1:23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

God also says this to all unbelievers: Pro 1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
Pro 1:27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
Pro 1:28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
Pro 1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

If we seek true wisdom, then we will also find the Lord! Pro 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

Pro 2:9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.

Pro 2:22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.

It is very hard to view these three chapters as one lesson, but this is the way of our lessons.

*Chapter 3 Verse 1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
Pro 3:2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

We should clearly understand that God does not desire our compliance with all the Word of God, but God requires us to submit to all the Word of God.

Obedience without submission is compliance.

We must submit all the Word of God because we know it is the truth.

God is not some tyrant trying to force His ways upon us.

Just to be compliant because someone says so, shows we still have a rebellous spirit.

These are so-called believers who, though the outward action is present, rebellion is still in their hearts, and their prayer life will never amount to anything fruitful.

Chastisement may drive the child of God to compliance, but it takes love to drive the child of God to submission without rebellion.

The Lord Jesus Christ is treated as the Son of God as a member of the Holy Trinity. Not three Gods but the three persons in the One God: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

As adopted into the family of God, He is our Heavenly Father. This is why He speaks to us as His dear children!

If the God of all creation sees us as His dear children, then why in the world would we rebel against Him?

We talk a lot about the Ten Commandments, and we know that the Jews were given 613 commandments in all, but the truth is that all the Word of God is commandments written to us in love.

Our Heavenly Father will never force us to recognize Him as our Father, but it is the wise thing to do.

The Laws of the Father are the same laws of the Son.

Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Joh 14:22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
Joh 14:24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
Joh 14:25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

Our life span upon this earth is really not very long. As I grow older, I feel the call of my Heavenly home, but as I have reached the age to see my Great Grand Children and the things going on in this world, I know they need me as long as the Lord leaves me here. I think most of us feel the same way.

To be honest, we have not left such a great world for our grandchildren and certainly not our great-grandchildren.

I am already experiencing verse two and have been at peace for a while now. I’m certain I’ll end up in New Heaven and am prepared to go whenever the time comes.

This is why submitting to the Lord is far better than trying to keep up with a bunch of laws.

My God, my Heavenly Father has promised mercy because of His great love, and mercy means I will never see His wrath upon me.

Mercy means I will not receive the punishment for my sin that I deserve but will receive the “Grace” of God instead.

*Pro 3:3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
Pro 3:4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

Listen as our Heavenly Father teaches us.

“Mercy without truth is like a great rain in a desert place that is not a blessing because there are no plants that need its nourishment”.

When we receive the mercy of God, it means we are not getting what we deserve, eternity in Hell, which is a real place.

For those who believe in Heaven but doubt a place called Hell means they have rejected the truth. Both places are mentioned in the Word of God.

Our Heavenly Father exhorts each of us to grab hold of His mercy and His truth and never let go.

That mercy and that truth came to us in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Truth means things we can rely on, and we can rely on the truth of the Gospel!

God has proven He loves us as He has made a way for us to miss out on His wrath.

Our obedience to His Word proves we love Him!

The obedience of the Christian is the outward behavior of each Christian’s inner devotion to our Heavenly Father.

The terms binding and loosing to the Jew mean permitting or forbidding or declaring anything to be forbidden or permitted.

What are the benefits of being obedient to the Word of God?

We will find favor and understanding with our Heavenly Father.

The favor of God is God’s “Grace,” which means His good will, His acceptance, and the many benefits that come from these things.

When we devote ourselves to the Lord, we will remain true and faithful to Him.

Love and faithfulness are to be worn like precious jewels in a necklace.

To the Jew, the throat is the life of every person. Mercy and truth are tied to the throat, so mercy and truth are to become a part of our every breath.

We bind them to our neck and then we write them in our heart!

This means that we know that the Word of God is to become a major part of our lives.

Heb 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
Heb 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Even as a child of twelve, our Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated these rewards in His life.

Luk 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

We can do none of these things until we have submitted ourselves to God!

God wants to see our love for Him with His own eyes!

God wants us to demonstrate our love for Him by being obedient to Him!

1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
1Jn 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Without this faith in Him, we can never please our Heavenly Father.

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

*Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Today, most people trust in their own understanding, even though most of that understanding comes from media sources that have forgotten the truth and have allowed politics to dictate their beliefs, much of which comes from hatred.

Just look at Microsoft News, and ninety percent of it is distorted news who do everything it can to go against our duly elected President.

People do not get to learn on their own understanding because all we get is a distorted worldview.

The truth of the Word of God is so easily seen as it teaches us how to live in a mind at peace with this world, because we are no longer a part of this world.

When we acknowledge our Heavenly Father, He knows it.
When we love our Heavenly Father, He knows it.
When we trust our Heavenly Father, He knows it.
When we accept the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, He starts a building program in the New Heaven.

This applies to every minute of our lives, at home, at work, at church, and in everything we do.

The enemies of Israel came against King Asa and Asa called upon the Lord: 2Ch 14:11 And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.

Every day we go out to battle in this world, we need to say, “Help us, O Lord our God, for we rest upon thee and in thy name, we go out into this lost and dying world with the Gospel”.

We can do this if we are devoted to Him and His Word!

Our path is the same path that our Lord Jesus walked.

Our understanding will be darkened by our sinful nature if we depend upon our own understanding.

Eph 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

We can walk in the darkness, or we can walk in the Light of Life.

Jhn_8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

*Pro 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
Pro 3:8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

Self-confidence can be a good thing, but when we put our own confidence above the truth of the Word of God, then we will fail.

Any wisdom against the wisdom of God is wrong, and it is sin.

Isa 5:21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

We should always seek the direction of God in everything we do!

We are also able to see that our moral condition and our physical self are closely linked together!

Godliness is profitable for all things.

1Ti 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

When we have a reverent fear of the Lord, it builds our relationship with Him, and we can see His promise, we will live healthier lives here on earth and in eternal life when we reach His home in New Heaven.

Godliness means we hate evil and the evil ways of man.

To be self-sufficient is to be arrogant and self-righteous.

If we wish to conquer the challenges of this life, we have to cry out to the Lord God for His help and His wisdom.

Pro 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

Every command that God gives us is for our well-being in every dimension of this life we live now.

Sin will rob us of time we can spend with our families and enjoy this life as we prepare for that eternal life.

That word naval actually means the neural chord we were attached to when we were in the womb of our mothers.

If we belong to the Lord God, our Creator, our naval chord is now attached to Jehovah God and He will moisten the marrow of our bones.

Psa 63:5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:

We can say all these things and do all these things, but there is a way we can prove to the Lord, we love Him.

We can bless Him as He has blessed us.

It’s called self-sacrificing.

*Pro 3:9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
Pro 3:10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

This means more than just tithing, which we are all called to do.

Our first fruits are to be presented to the Lord in gratitude and thankfulness to Jehovah.
Our first fruits are to be the best we have.

Trusting the Lord with all our hearts includes our wealth and our substance.

Fearing the Lord extends to His commands about finances and material things.

These things honor God because they show our submission to Him.

When we give our best instead of our leftovers, it glorifies our Creator.

Many leftovers of our meals go out to feed animals, so we do not have to wonder how God feels when we try to give Him our leftovers.

Our first fruit must be a token of our gratitude to the Lord for the blessings that He has already given to us.

When we are willing to give God the best that we have, which includes our time, it is really just a trial of our faith.

Ask Abraham how he felt when God told him to give up his son?

God says to prove Him: Mal 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
Mal 3:11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.
Mal 3:12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.

Can I say I have received a gift from God that was not special, and a thing I needed?

God will do for us what only He can do!

2Co 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
2Co 9:9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

We could say that giving to the Lord is our supreme act of faith.

We must also know that we are only human, and humans are made from dirt, and we will fall under Satan’s temptation on occasion.

We cannot make excuses but own up to our failures and ask or sometimes beg for forgiveness.

*Pro 3:11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
Pro 3:12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

None of us likes any sort of punishment.

No child of God can love pain or loss.

None of us looks forward to the knife of the surgeon.

We must completely understand that God not only rewards His children and prefers to do so, but He is also a loving Father who will discipline us. It is called chastisement.

As long as we remain in this sack of flesh that we wear, we will make mistakes, and we will need discipline.

If we are or were parents, we understand this clearly.

If we are being disciplined by the Lord, we must understand it is because He loves us.

None of us enjoys discipline, but we are to submit obediently to God’s hand of discipline.

As we travel that narrow path to Heaven, we will need His guidance, and we already know that the Lord Jesus Christ is the door to the entrance into the glory world.

He is not the doorway but the door.

Jehovah God never gets angry with His children; He corrects us!

Job 5:17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:
Job 5:18 For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

As God is our Heavenly Father, we are part of His family, so it is discipline of a family and not like as school or prison.

Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

We can understand the word “bastard” as those born of the world and have Satan as their father.

2Co 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
2Co 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

We show our trust in the Lord by just believing what He says.

Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Rom 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

*Pro 3:13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
Pro 3:14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
Pro 3:15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
Pro 3:16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
Pro 3:17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
Pro 3:18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

We should know that just like precious metals and precious jewels, wisdom is to be found.

We must diligently seek God’s wisdom!

We can see that God’s wisdom will bring happiness.

Happiness is the result of being in God’s favor!

God’s wisdom has much more value than silver. Silver is used to make musical instruments in Heaven.

God’s wisdom is much more valuable than gold. Gold is nothing but paving material in Heaven.

God’s wisdom is much more valuable than jewels. Jewels are used as wall decorations in Heaven.

Out of everything we might ever desire, wisdom will make us richer than any money ever will!

Instead of seeking some magic potion for long life, the only potion that will work is the wisdom of God.

God’s wisdom can bring honor.
God’s wisdom can bring happiness and peace to our lives.
God’s wisdom is truly the tree of life here on earth and will lead us to our new home in the New Heaven.

Wisdom is truly the source of life!

Wisdom brings happiness to God’s people.

Amen

Shame on Him

March 18, 2025March 18, 2025 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Solomon’s Fame Was Reduced to Shame

Book 1 Kings 10:1-7, 24-27, 11: 4-13

What is fame? Fame is a favorable report of good or great actions that exalt character.

News of the knowledge of Solomon and his wisdom was spreading around the known world of that day.

What is shame? Those things that bring reproach and degrade a person in the estimation of others. Dishonor, disgrace.

Solomon was living on the achievements and the reputation of his father who caused security and peace to come to Israel.

Under Solomon, Israel became a great power ranking almost as great as Egypt which is why Egypt made a bond with Solomon and Pharoh’s daughter became the wife of Solomon.

Israel ranked even as great as Assyria at that time.

After Solomon Israel has never reached those same boundaries.

These things were credited to Solomon’s wisdom.

Solomon turned Israel from a military people to a people of commerce.

In reality, Solomon turned a people made free by King David into slaves and concentrated the wealth of the whole nation in the capital Jerusalem and most of Israel suffered.

As God would say, Israel did not reap the fruits of its government.

The downfall of Solomon began when he listened to his pagan wives and his wisdom left him.

Solomon was by nature a man of peace, yet he maintained a large military scattered in various places to help bring peace.

No nation had defeated his father David, but Solomon had no desire to extend the boundaries of Isreal, and it was possible for him to do so.

Solomon’s chief ally was Hiram, the king of Tyre which is Phoenicia.

The Temple of Solomon was built in seven years, but Solomon spent thirteen years building his own palace which was called the House of the Forest of Lebanon.

It is these things that made Solomon famous throughout the world.

Solomon had many foreign visitors seeking his wisdom.

One of those was the Queen of Sheba.

*1Ki 10:1 And when the queen of Sheba, heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.

Sheba was a land in Arabia, which is modern Yemen today, rather than Ethiopia.

Yemen was the chief spice country in that area at that time.

Sheba was about fifteen hundred miles from Jerusalem so this Queen had traveled a great distance requiring a lot of time.

The Temple had been built in the name of the Lord God of Israel.

We can be sure when questions arose about the temple there would be questions about the God of that Temple.

No one else has such a God who is alive!

Much of the world believed that the wisdom of Solomon had come from his God, and they would be correct.

This Queen of Sheba did not make this connection, she came to prove him with hard questions.

Some say these were questions she could not trust anyone else to answer.

Many of the questions could have been hard riddles as some believe.

It does not seem to me that this Queen showed much interest in Jehovah God to her downfall.

Mat 12:42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

Could Solomon have answered, what is the purpose of life? We have all asked this question in our lifetime.

Could he have said, “Where do we truly come from?”

There are billions of people out there today who would like to know, “what is the purpose of it all”?

The truth is in Jehovah God!

*1Ki 10:2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

We can believe that this Queen was also seeking a trade agreement.

She brought a large quantity of spices, gold, and precious jewels.

We can be sure that she traveled with military protection, but it is not mentioned, and they would have been stopped and not allowed to enter Jerusalem maybe even the border of Israel.

To travel for fifteen hundred miles meant she was serious about meeting King Solomon.

It seems that this Queen was not the wife of a King but the actual ruler of these people.

She was serious about seeking the answers to great questions of life so she could be a better ruler.

King Solomon answered all her questions!

*1Ki 10:3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.
1Ki 10:4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built,
1Ki 10:5 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.

Solomon’s kingdom was famous not only for its material prosperity but also for his great wisdom.

King Solomon got so caught up in his wisdom that today we would use the phrase, “he got the big head” and we will soon see how these things affected him.

King Solomon had spent seven years building the Temple, but he spent thirteen years building his own mansion. After this, he rebuilt many cities most of which belonged to Israel, but he rebuilt some cities that did not belong to Israel.

This Queen of Sheba was more impressed with Solomon’s house than she was with the Temple of God.

She was another pagan who had her own false gods.

Solomon answered all of her questions, and this Queen was overwhelmed with the wisdom of Solomon. I do not read anywhere where Solomon gave the credit for his wisdom to His God and our God Jehovah.

No doubt this Queen had all types of questions with some riddles but also diplomatic and ethical questions.

This truth would make Solomon a trustworthy business partner and a possible ally, though her nation was fifteen hundred miles away from Israel.

Today Yemen can fire rockets and drones fifteen hundred miles into Israel and are mortal enemies of Israel.

Of course, Israel can do the same and are still under the power of God.

These servants were the officers and distinguished people who were privileged to sit at the king’s table and were arranged according to rank and were in large numbers at royal banquets.

These ministers were those who stood to serve the guests doubt they were dressed in a way to distinguish them from the guests but were fit to serve royalty.

2Ch 9:4 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel; his cupbearers also, and their apparel; and his ascent by which he went up into the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.

The wisdom and prosperity of King Solomon and his achievements had reached the uttermost parts of the world, and this Queen admitted that these reports had been true.

It does not matter so much what this Queen thought of these things, it matters more of what God thought of these things.

Luk 12:27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Luk 12:28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Luk 12:29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
Luk 12:30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
Luk 12:31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

As a pagan Gentile, this Queen could not go into the Temple though she may have seen a secret way that the king could get into the Temple.

*1Ki 10:6 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.
1Ki 10:7 Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.

We must understand the mission of Israel in the time of Solomon and now the mission of the Church is to point all nations to God.

Israel has failed so far, will the Church also fail?

Israel was not to compete with our nations for riches or even military power. Jehovah God is the power of Israel!

Jehovah is the power of the Church.

We are not in some competition with religions!

We have the truth of Christianity!

The Church is to be a bright and shining light in this world.

It was the same for Israel in the days of King Solomon.

The Queen came to Solomon tortured by questions, and it does not seem she got all the answers she needed.

Certainly, the things she said about Solomon were true.

He was the wisest man upon the earth but not as wise as Jesus Christ,

He was the richest man on the earth, but no earthy riches can compare to the Glory of Heaven!

*1Ki 10:8 Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.
1Ki 10:9 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.
1Ki 10:10 And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon

This queen brought the best spices of Yemen, many of them used in perfumes of that day.
She brought a lot of gold and precious stones.
She brought sweet, scented wood.

This wood Solomon was used in his palace.

2Ch 9:11 And the king made of the algum trees terraces to the house of the LORD, and to the king’s palace, and harps and psalteries for singers: and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah.
2Ch 9:12 And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her servants.

As the Queen was about to leave she made a great speech to those servants of Solomon.

She said from what her eyes had seen and now had heard not even half of the truth of King Solomon was told.

She also took a moment to praise Jehovah that out of His eternal love to His people Israel, he had given them a king to do justice and righteousness.

Some say this Queen was converted to Judaism, but this is not true.

Like many who praised the God of Israel, they observed Him as just another god in the world of many gods just as many think today.

God had His reasons for putting Solomon on the throne of Israel.

1) It fulfilled a promise to David who was a man after God’s own heart.
2) Solomon who was chosen to build the Temple of God.

After this Solomon transgressed against the Lord.

God had written the qualifications for the kings of Israel.

Deu 17:14 When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me;
Deu 17:15 Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.
Deu 17:16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.
Deu 17:17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
Deu 17:18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:
Deu 17:19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:
Deu 17:20 That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

King Solomon disobeyed in every area!

1) He had too much gold.
2) He owned thousands of horses.
3) He gathered hundreds of wives and concubines.

All the earth sought the wisdom of Solomon.

*1Ki 10:24 And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.
1Ki 10:25 And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.
1Ki 10:26 And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem.
1Ki 10:27 And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance.

Solomon was not greater than anyone else and neither was this God’s intent.

Solomon became greater because all the world sought him out for his wisdom.

They brought him gold that he wasted on shields and other foolish things when he could have helped the cause of God, and he could have removed the strain of taxation upon his own people, but he did not.

Solomon made two hundred large shields and three hundred shields of gold that made beautiful displays but were useless in battle.
They were too heavy and too soft to make effective shields.

Each of those shields would be valued at over a quarter million dollars today and the smaller shields at over sixty thousand dollars or about thirty-three million dollars.

They were eventually taken by a foreign king.

Solomon made silver to be worthless which did not help the economies of the world of that day.

In the end, it was women who truly brought King Solomon down to shame.

*1Ki 11:1 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;
1Ki 11:2 Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.
1Ki 11:3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
1Ki 11:4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

Over half of Solomon’s reign was over by the time the Temple, his own palace, and other buildings were completed.

These things took up much of his personal time.

We could add that during this time Solomon had negotiated peace agreements between Israel and many nations, and those agreements were sealed by the marriage of that ruler’s daughter.

As Solomon began to spend more time with the many wives he had, he was influenced by them.

One man wrote that the home of Solomon was afflicted with the curse of his polygamy and his kingdom with the curse of his despotism, which means he had absolute power, authority unlimited, and uncontrolled power over the people.

Most all alliances Israel had with other rulers ended with the death of Solomon even the long relationship of Solomon with Hiram.

As we looked at last week, no one knew where the Book of Moses(the Pentateuch) was located. Solomon certainly was not obedient to the Word of God concerning the kings of Israel.

Many believe that the prophet Jeremiah wrote this book of First Kings, and he simply says that Solomon loved many strange women.

it is these women who caused the decline of King Solomon!

These things describe a heart that is wandering away from God!

Solomon had seven hundred women who were considered to be his wives.
Solomon had three hundred women with the title concubines.

These were the women who were in Solomon’s harem while he was King of Israel.

Son 6:8 There are threescore queens, fourscore concubines, and virgins without number.

This verse tells us of those women who were in Solomon’s court at one time.

This would be sixty queens, eighty concubines, and virgins without number.

King Solomon like his father went against the institution of Jehovah.

What is the marriage institution of Jehovah God?

Gen 2:21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
Gen 2:22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
Gen 2:23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

When God gave Adam his wife. God did not do this by forming Eve out of the dust of the earth just like Adam. Then she would be independent of Adam.
God formed Eve from Adam. He does not do this out of his head, for she is not his superior. Nor does he make her out of his feet, for she is not his slave. He forms her from his side.
She is therefore someone of equal value, standing beside him.

Solomon took wives from many nations, also going against the Word of God about strange wives.

Deu 7:3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
Deu 7:4 For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.

Solomon not only took these many women into his house, but he also took their gods.

We should understand that someone who knows the Word of God and deviates from it often makes it worse than someone who has never known Jehovah.

When a child of God falls into corruption it is the worst corruption!

The lesson for us who are up in years is, that we may think the dangers of life no longer threaten us but we are wrong.

Satan will do his best to ruin our testimony at any age!

*1Ki 11:5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
1Ki 11:6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.
1Ki 11:7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.
1Ki 11:8 And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.

Ashtoreth(Ishtar, Astarte, queen of heaven)) was the Moon goddess of the Zidonians usually associated with Baal(Baalim, Baalism) the Sun god.

Throughout the world, we see temples and pyramids built to honor the Sun god and the Moon god

Milcom(Molech, Chemosh) is the national god of Ammon, God said he was an abomination!

It is this god to whom children were sacrificed. This is the god of the abortionists in my opinion.

Solomon was not seeking God’s own heart as did his father David.

Solomon had temples built for the worship of these false goods and he joined them in their worship of them.

He did the same for all his strange wives!

The word strange means all his wives who were not of Israel, we could say wives from foreign nations.

Certainly, Jehovah was angry with Solomon.

*1Ki 11:9 And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,
1Ki 11:10 And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.
1Ki 11:11 Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

Do you want to make Jehovah angry? Go against His Word.

Do you want to really get Jehovah riled up? Go against Him after He has warned you!

This is why we have the Holy Spirit living inside us!

Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Joh 16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

What had God told Solomon?

1Ki 9:3 And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
1Ki 9:4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
1Ki 9:5 Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.
1Ki 9:6 But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
1Ki 9:7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:
1Ki 9:8 And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?

Today we have the Word of if we have a proper translation and we are to do our best to be obedient to it.

As for King Solomon he met with God face to face and he was told the consequences of failing to acknowledge the Word of God.

We know that God will do exactly what he says he will do.

1Ki 11:26 And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, “Solomon’s servant”, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king.
1Ki 11:27 And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father.
1Ki 11:28 And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.
1Ki 11:29 And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:
1Ki 11:30 And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:
1Ki 11:31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:
1Ki 11:32 (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)
1Ki 11:33 Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.

But God will never break a promise he has made!

*1Ki 11:12 Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.

1Ki 11:13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.
1Ki 11:14 And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king’s seed in Edom.

Solomon had forfeited the promise made to him from Jehovah.

God would allow the line of David to continue through a son of Solomon because David had chosen Jerusalem and not some other city.

This is a sign of God’s “grace”!

2Sa 7:15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
2Sa 7:16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
2Sa 7:17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.

This promise from God will ultimately be fulfilled through the Messiah the Lord Jesus Christ.

You see the Lord Jesus Christ did appear Himself to begin the New Testament and the Law of Grace and through His disciples, this word had spread around the world and only those who accept the Work of Jesus Christ, the “Gospel” will be allowed into God’s New Jerusalem and God’s New Heaven where King Jesus will rule forever.

Amen

Asking for the Wisdom of God

February 26, 2025 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Solomon Received Wisdom

Book of 2 Chronicles Chapter 1 verses 7 through 12

As we begin this first lesson in the Book of 2 Chronicles, we know that King David had died after ruling all the tribes of Israel for a total of forty years.

Seven years over Judah and Benjamin and thirty-three years over all of Israel.

God had decided that Solomon, the son of David and Bathsheba, would now lead all of Israel after their marriage.

The first act of Solomon was to take secure control of the throne of Israel.

We know that Adonijah another son of David was trying to take control of Israel with the help of some rich and powerful leaders, but he had failed.

Solomon’s second act as the new King of Israel was to seek the Lord, worship Him, and pray for the wisdom to be King.

The Tabernacle was now in Gibeon, but the Ark of the Covenant was in Jerusalem because God had chosen Jerusalem to be the place where worship would continue.

King David had built a special Tabernacle to house the Ark of the Covenant.

I believe that this tabernacle is mentioned in prophecy.

Isa_16:5 And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness.

Amo_9:11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:

Act_15:16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

Solomon knew where the Tabernacle was located with the Ark of the Covenant, but the Brazen Altar was at Gibeon, and this is the place where sacrifices were to be made according to Levitical Law

The Brazen Altar was the one place where all sacrifices were to be made, and Gibeon was only six and one-half miles from Jerusalem.

The Brazen Altar is in fact a type of Mount Calvary where our Lord Jesus was sacrificed for our sins.

God had said if anyone offers a sacrifice and brings it not unto the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, offering it to the Lord then that blood would be applied to that man and he would be cut off.

Lev 17:3 What man soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp,
Lev 17:4 And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people:

King Solomon knew this law applied to him as it did to all the children of Israel.

King Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings upon this Brazen Altar.

It is the night after the day that King Solomon did this that the Lord appeared to King Solomon in a dream.

*2Ch 1:7 In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee.

We first see that God knew Solomon needed some guidance just as we all do.

We will also see that God will test King Solomon even though God knew what Solomon would ask Him for.

Solomon had brought all the leadership of Israel and the judges with him to Gibeon.

This included all the heads of the military.

It was important for all the leaders of Israel to know that King Solomon would serve the Lord God of Israel.

What a shame that our leaders will not do this because they reject the God of Truth.

They claim God and reject His Words, and it does not work like that.

Now our nation allows so-called scientists who boast of superior insight into the nature of things to direct our nation.

Many scientists assert that their investigations prove that the teachings of Scripture are false, but real facts show that the Bible has no controversy with real science.

Because Solomon and those leaders acknowledged their need for the Lord, God accepted their worship through those sacrificial offerings.

Today God accepts our worship, if we are sincere because the Lord Jesus sacrificed Himself, and the veil in the Temple at Jerusalem was torn from top to bottom and we can go directly to the Lord in our time of need or any other time.

It was important that the veil was torn from top to bottom. If it had been torn from bottom to top, it would have meant that man had done it

God appeared to King Solomon: 1Ki 3:5 In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.

God appeared to Solomon in a dream that was much more than a dream.

This was one of the more significant dreams in the Bible.

God revealed Himself in various ways in the Old Testament.

There are many places where God spoke audibly to people.

To Abraham: Gen 18:13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

Gen 18:17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

To Moses: Exo 19:9 And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD.

To Isaiah: Isa 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

God also revealed Himself through dreams as we see here with King Solomon.

Whether it was more like a dream or a vision it was interactive and it was real and it honored God.

God spoke to Solomon and Solomon spoke to God and prophecy was fulfilled.

When this is mentioned in the Book of 1 Kings we can see that it is not Jehovah who responded to Solomon but it was Elohim.

Jehovah appeared but Elohim spoke.

When we hear from the Lord Jesus Christ, He is speaking the words of His Father.

In this passage here we see that Elohim appeared to Solomon.

So, even though the Ark was not at Gibeon, God still met with Solomon and talked to him.

We see that even in the times of the Old Testament, God made it clear that He was not restricted to the Holy of Holies or the Ark of the Covenant.

The Holy of Holies was a place where God met the High Priest of Israel.

God said: “Ask what I shall give thee”.

We can take this to mean that Solomon could have asked for anything.

We can just imagine how we would respond if the Almighty God asked us this same question.

We know that we can ask for anything that is in the will of God for our lives, and He will give those things to us.

What did Jesus say?

Mat_7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

Mat_21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Jhn_16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

Now it does not really say that God would have given Solomon anything he asked for, because God knew before Solomon asked, what he was going to ask for.

We can be sure that God’s response had nothing to do with those one thousand animals that were sacrificed.

It was because Solomon’s heart was surrendered to God at this time!

This is the key to answered prayer! Having our hearts surrendered to the Lord.

Joh 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

*2Ch 1:8 And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead.
2Ch 1:9 Now, O LORD God, let thy promise unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.

It should be very clear that God knows what is in our hearts before we ask of Him!

When we ask of God, we must have faith that He can supply what we ask for or we will never receive gifts from God.

God is not only able, but He is also willing to give us anything, but it must be in His will for us.

God had shown more than great mercy to David, God had also made David a rich man.

Why might we ask?

1Ki 3:6 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
1Ki 3:7 And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.

David had left all those riches to be used to build a Temple for God in Jerusalem.

At this time Solomon was certainly not a child according to our standards.

He was probably between the ages of seventeen to twenty-two.

The one thing Solomon knew was that he was personally inadequate to fulfill God’s promises to his father David.

The nation of Israel was too great.
There were too many people for him to govern effectively.
The task that was lying before him was just too overwhelming.

Solomon felt helpless.

Solomon likened himself to be a small child.

Solomon knew he lacked the wisdom to be King of Israel.

The laws of Moses stated that Israel had to have a king who was humble and who would remain humble.

A king was required to read the law of God daily and follow it.

Deu 17:18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:
Deu 17:19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:
Deu 17:20 That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

No king was to feel he was superior to his fellow citizens.

We know that this is a problem in the last few governments that we have.

Those ultra-liberal Senators and Congressmen men and women treated us as inferiors!

Solomon knew he needed God’s help.

This is exactly where God wants each of us.

The Lord Jesus put it this way: Jhn_15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

We have found this to be very true!

What was God’s promise to David?

2Sa 7:12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
2Sa 7:13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
2Sa 7:14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
2Sa 7:15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
2Sa 7:16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

We know this prophecy did not only concern Solomon but more importantly our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only one who could fulfill this prophecy.

What did Solomon need?

*2Ch 1:10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?

What is the difference between wisdom and knowledge?

**By knowledge Solomon meant the ability to gather and understand facts.

By definition knowledge is a clear and certain perception of things that exist.

We have no knowledge of things that do not exist, but God has perfect knowledge of all His creation so human knowledge is very limited.

Knowing these things then keep in mind that ignorance is the curse of God.

We know that Jesus Christ alone possesses all the knowledge of God.

**Wisdom is the ability to apply the facts that are learned.

By definition, wisdom is the right use of knowledge.

Wisdom in fact is one of the names of Jesus Christ: 1Co_1:24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

We should know that Solomon became king because God was rewarding his father, King David.

What Solomon needed the most was the ‘Grace” of God.

We see that Solomon did not have a clue on how to rule a kingdom.

When we admit what we are, dumb sheep, then God has something to work with.

*2Ch 1:11 And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king:

And God speaks.

What did God tell the Prophet Samuel before this all began?

1Sa 16:7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

The word heart is used 833 times in the KJV Bible.

The heart is the center of the physical, mental, and spiritual life of all humans!

It is the heart that is at the center of our physical life.

Act 14:17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.

The heart and our mind are closely connected.

It is thought that our heart is the seat of our intelligence.

Pro_8:5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

Sometimes we think with our heart.

Pro 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

We ponder things in our hearts.

Luk 2:19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

We see the heart and mind connected.

Our emotions are tied to our hearts.

God can see into our hearts, and He knows who his children are and those who are not and never will be.

Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

Now we cannot read our own thoughts into this.

This is something God knows, and we cannot know!

The heart is the center of our spiritual life!

Job said: Job 27:6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.

It is our heart that will condemn us, but it is also in our heart where we feel the power of God.

1Jn 3:19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
1Jn 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
1Jn 3:21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

It is because our heart is at the root of all our problems this is the place where God does His greatest work!

Rom 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Rom 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
Rom 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

It is the heart where God sows His seed (the Word of God).

Mat 13:19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

It is in the heart where God will make His home within us.

2Co 1:21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
2Co 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

This is why if God wants to know us, all He has to do is look into our hearts.

This is why we can witness for the Lord.

Rom 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

This is what God saw in the heart of Solomon.

*2Ch 1:12 Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.

There is a principle in the Bible that we have trouble understanding and the Lord Jesus uses it: Mat_25:29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

We see that King Solomon had enough wisdom to offer up a wise prayer, so God increased his wisdom as the answer to his prayer.

We see that all those who make this world their end will come up short in the gifts of God.

Those who make it to the “Glory World” will not only obtain a mansion in God’s home, but God will give us enough in this world that we live and take care of our families.

Yes, God gave Solomon riches and wealth and honor, but these things had another purpose.

The truth is, if we put the Lord and His ways first in our lives then, good things can happen.

It means following God’s will for our lives, then blessings will come our way!

God freely gives His wisdom if we will just ask Him.

Jas 1:5 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.

Amen

The Wise Will Confess Their Sin

January 24, 2016 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Wisdom Leads To Confession Of Sin

Proverbs 28-31

Confession means to acknowledge our faults, or our guiltiness, or our failures.

The Catholic Church teaches that Christ Jesus forgives sins through the priests at confession.

This is taken from John 20:23

Joh 20:23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

The truth is, the power to forgive sins cannot be given by Jesus Christ to any of His ministers!

Only God can forgive sins!

God forgives out of “Grace”!

Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Our sins were nailed to the cross that Jesus Christ bore for each of us!

Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Eph 1:8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

This forgiveness forever solves the problem of sin in our lives, all sins past, all sins present, and all future sin.

We must remember Jesus Christ died for the sin of unbelief!

It is unbelief that leads to all other sins!

Our salvation is secure BUT, we will need a daily cleansing to maintain fellowship with God.

1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

This is the truth of the Scriptures and our own wisdom begins with a reverent fear of the Lord!

It is the fear of the Lord that will lead to the confession of our sins!

*****Pro 28:4 They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.

What is the theme of our world today?

The wicked who forsake the Word of God then exalt the wicked and their evil deeds!

The righteous who keep the Word of God and are considered the enemy!

Those who forsake the Word of God will insist on leaders who are like-minded so they can build their carnal society!

They are greedy and self-serving and insists on their evil agenda!

This is the America of today!

When ungodly leaders and ungodly citizens prevail, any nation will decline and will also suffer the reproach of the world and the condemnation of God!

This is the America of today!

Pro 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.

It may be already to late to save America but we must not sit idly by while this wickedness dominates our society!

The Bible says to “contend” with those that reject the Word of God!

To “contend” is to defend and preserve!

Jud 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you “that ye should earnestly contend for the faith” which was once delivered unto the saints.

We are to remain settled on the truth of the Scriptures, the facts of the Word of God!

We are to stand up!

We are to speak out!

What is the truth of the Scriptures?

*****Pro 28:5 Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things.

If we remember the words of Jesus on the cross we can understand this verse.

Luk 23:34 Then said Jesus, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do”. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Jesus Christ was always thinking of others!

Those that reject the Word of God cannot be expected to make righteous judgments nor can they administer sound justice!

This is also a fact in America where as more and more of these people are appointed to seats of judgment in our justice system.

They are void of the knowledge and the wisdom that is needed and ignorant of the truth!

Understanding can come but from one place and that is knowing the truth of God!

Pro 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Without searching for the Lord, He will never be found, yet He is always near!

It is only those who are filled with the Holy Spirit of God who can have the understanding of true justice!

*****Pro 28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

The truth is, the wicked are not so much those that are ignorant of God’s law as it is those that turn their ear away and ignore God’s law!

It is all those who are ignorant of God’s law that we are to witness too and not so much those that hear the Word of God and reject it!

This is why Jesus taught in parables!

To be able to go before God in prayer is an awesome privilege.

We may never have an audience with the President or even with a Governor but we can have an audience with our God at any moment in time!

God is a Father with a desire to do good and a distinct love for mankind and has great delight in hearing from His children.

Luk 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

When we reject the Word of God, we forfeit the privilege to enter into the presence of God!

God despises the prayers of those who despise the Word of God!

Joh 9:31 Now we know “that God heareth not sinners”: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

It is wisdom that leads to confession and it is confession that leads to answered prayers!

*****Pro 28:11 The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.

If we open our eyes to this world we will see that for the most part, the wicked are arrogant and they consider themselves to be wise.

They simply reject anything that goes against their perceived thoughts.

It is easy to see through their deceit when compared to the Word of God!

It is far better to be poor and have integrity than to be rich and have no integrity!

Most of the rich see themselves as being superior to others and they use their wealth as a sign they are simply smarter than the average person.

They deceive themselves into thinking that those who are beneath them are blind to their schemes.

The truth is money simply cannot buy character!

Money simply cannot buy true wisdom!

Their lack of wisdom can be easily seen in their selfish, permissive, and worldly lifestyle!

It is only those who know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior, who can have a clear understanding of life and our world!

It takes a close personal relationship with the Lord to overcome the deceptions of this world!

Pro 26:12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

*****Pro 28:12 When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.

What’s the truth of our world?

When the wicked rule a nation it is divided and most all people will flee from oppression!

When the righteous rise to power more people will rejoice and most problems are solved.

But remember God says there will always be those who are poor in this world until He returns!

When our government is run by someone that fears the Lord, God’s people will celebrate openly and publicly!

When the wicked rule, God’s people are forced to hide because they know that oppression is coming.

This is the dread of America!

This is the truth of ISIS!

This is the truth of almost every nation other than Israel!

An unrighteous leader causes grief to all those who reject their agenda!

Pro 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.

Pro 11:10 When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.

The Bible is very clear, it is the love of money that is the root of most all the evil in our world!

*****Pro 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

The Bible is also very clear when it says that sin cannot be hidden!

Num 32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: “and be sure your sin will find you out”.

When we are to arrogant to see our own sin and repent of it, we can be sure that our sin will be made known to those that it affects.

We should also remember that those that reject the Lord are already condemned to a sinner’s Hell!

If we spend our lives refusing to acknowledge our sin and confess it to God, we can never prosper spiritually!

We can have no fellowship with the Lord.

We will forfeit God’s benefits.

Our prayer life will be powerless.

We will stunt our spiritual growth.

Our service to the Lord will be fruitless.

Joy will be far from us!

We will never succeed and prosper in this life we now have.

We must deal with our sin first by confessing it to the Lord!

Confession is recognizing sin as sin, and admitting it to God!

Most people think it ends there, but to be truthful our confession must be accompanied with “repentance”!

Repentance is much more than saying “I’m Sorry”, repentance is an action word that means “I’m Going To Travel The Path Of Righteousness”!

Genuine repentance is a complete change of heart and of mind that results in a change of conduct!

When we confess our sin then we are in agreement with God that sin can only be atoned by the blood of Jesus Christ!

After confession, must come action on our part before we will ever see the mercy of God!

*****Pro 28:18 Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once.

What is the truth of the Bible?

Those that walk according to the Word of God “shall be saved”!

The upright are safe and secure while those who reject the Word of God “will fall”!

The upright are all those who are washed in the blood of Jesus, innocent and blameless.

Perverse, means to be turned aside, distorted, stubborn and contrary.

He sways right and wrong and also pretends to be pursuing one path while he is really taking another.

These are the traits of the Anti-Christ and they both will fall!

Once he falls he will never rise again!

*****Pro 29:1 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

The truth is that our character is in full display by the way we treat others!

Jesus taught that loving others is equal to loving God:

Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

The Apostle Paul taught that loving your neighbor is the fulfillment of all God’s commandments:

Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

The line that separates the upright from the foolish is by the way they treat others!

All those who stubbornly persists in sin will be suddenly destroyed.

God makes this very plain!

Without remedy means that it will be done and there is nothing that can be done about it!

1) There are those who refuse to hear what the Lord has to say and avoid any sort of relationship with Him.

These will be destroyed without remedy!

We can be sure that they have been approached by God.

At death they will be instantly banished to eternal destruction:

Luk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Luk 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

2) Then there are those who have a relationship with God but have returned to their sinful ways.

They may suffer a premature death because of unrepented sin!

God does not ignore the sins of His children!

God will not allow us to willfully continue in sin!

We may eventually cross a line where God’s patience has ended.

We will not lose our salvation but we will lose any reward we could have gotten!

This is an act of judgment but it is also an act of love.

By releasing us from our corrupt flesh, God releases us from our temptation to sin, ruining our testimony, and we will no longer cause harm to the “Body of Christ”!

1Co 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

And again.

1Co 11:30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
1Co 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1Co 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

These things cannot be denied!

God will not allow His children to continue in unconfessed sin!

3) God may also destroy nations where sin has been allowed to run rampant!

Israel is a prime example but there are many nations that do not exist today in any form!

2Ch 36:16 But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.

There are many reasons God sends His missionaries to foreign lands and sometimes God wants that nation to repent.

*****Pro 29:12 If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.

There are many things that are going on in our nation that most all of us do not understand.

It is a fact that our leaders need to be able to discern between truthful and untruthful information!

It seems our leaders today yield to lobbyist who do not have the good of the people in mind.

The truth is that it is mercy and truth that makes a true leader!

Pro 20:28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.

Those that are in a position of responsibility must remember to verify all information in order to know what’s for the good of the people they represent!

As far as the people, we must take strong action against all those who are not honest in their duties to serve the people.

We are finding this more difficult to do because it seems our government is becoming more and more corrupt!

This has taken place because the public has been lenient in insisting on the truth!

Pro 25:5 Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

Pro 16:12 It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.

What is the truth? It is those who are right with God who will prevail!

*****Pro 29:16 When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall.

It is a fact that immorality will cause the spread of sin.

In a world where Satan reigns, sin will continue to run rampant because that is Satan’s goal.

This the nation and the world we live in today!

Psa 37:35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.
Psa 37:36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

The truth is that we who know the Lord should never despair because a God who cannot break a promise, promises a future day when all His enemies will be destroyed.

Psa 37:34 Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.

When the Lord returns, He will reign in righteousness!

Knowing all these things should make us confess our own sin and repent.

*****Pro 29:23 A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

Pride says we are superior to others because human logic reasons the way to success is through self-elevation.

This is a false conclusion!

The truth is that pride will only result in dishonor and humiliation!

The Bible teaches us that those who are arrogant will certainly be humbled through a painful process.

Pro 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Pro 16:19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

We can boldly go before the throne of God but we better be humble when we get there!

Our pride will get in the way when we think we are in need of a Savior!

Our pride will get in the way when we think we must remain at the mercy of God!

The truth is that God will exalt us throughout eternity if we will humbly bow before Him in this life!

Jas 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Here again, our example is the Lord Jesus Christ, who was meek and lowly in heart but most people today regard Him as the greatest man that has ever lived even if they do not recognize Him as God, which He is!

Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

You cannot be Christian if you cannot learn from the Savior!

We are all certainly unworthy of God’s Grace and God’s “Grace” is shown to us all by the Lord Jesus Christ!

Humility is not weakness, humility is strength under complete control!

We must exchange our yoke for His yoke.

We must exchange our burdens for His burdens.

We must exchange our pride for His teaching.

If we are struggling in our faith, then we must “learn of Jesus”.

Heb 12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

If we are struggling in our walk according to the Scriptures, then we must “learn of Jesus”.

Rom 15:3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

If we are tempted to quit on God, then we must “learn of Jesus”.

Joh 18:11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

As believers we are to walk humbly upon this earth just as our Savior did!

And we are never to partner with evil!

*****Pro 29:24 Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not.

A thief makes it his business to cheat, defraud, and steal the property of others.

If you become a partner to a thief, you come under double judgement.

1) You will be guilty of his crime!

2) You will be guilty of withholding information about his crime!

That’s what sin does, sin multiplies. One sin will always lead to another sin!

Psa 50:18 When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.
Psa 50:19 Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.

When we try to use that excuse, “I did not want to get involved”, we are already guilty in the eyes of God!

We have shown no real concern for our own soul and if we cannot care for our own soul how can we care for the souls of others.

God says it like this:

Pro 8:36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

The Lord our God put it this way:

Mat 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

When we hear the cursing of those who have been harmed and who are the victim and we do not report what we know, how can we plead “not guilty”!

God never changes so He warns us again and again:

1Ti 5:22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, “neither be partaker of other men’s sins”: keep thyself pure.

If we are wise we will have an unwavering faith in the Lord and His Word!

*****Pro 29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.

When our fears turn us away from serving the Lord then our fears will actually be greater!

We are to obey human authority in order for there to be a civil society.

If we have trusted in the Lord then we will live righteously and living righteously is doing things the right way!

We also will not be afraid of what people will do to us when we take our stand on the Word of God!

The truth is that many who say they trust in the Lord are compelled to lie, or to compromise to avoid any unpleasant repercussions.

Remember even Peter denied Christ Jesus because he was afraid of what those people would do to him and when he realized what he had done he got alone and wept bitterly.

We must remember God takes responsibility for His Words!

And it will always be impossible to live for Christ and avoid persecution!

Someplace everyday some of those that love the Lord are slain just because they trust Him for their salvation.

If we truly love the Lord then we will not have a fear of what man can do to us.

God said to take a stand and stand firm:

Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

When we are threatened we simply need to call on the Lord and place it in His hands.

We are in God’s hands and it is He that is in control of our lives!

We must remember, we have already been judged and justified by the Lord, we do not need the favor of any ruler of this earth or any other person!

*****Pro 29:26 Many seek the ruler’s favour; but every man’s judgment cometh from the LORD.

When we trust in the Lord we must not fret when justice is not served in human courts.

We know that the Lord is the ultimate and final Judge and no sin will go unpunished.

It is not in our hands to seek revenge!

The day is coming when the Lord will correct all the wrong that has been done in this world!

It is a fact that human government cannot bring a perfect justice.

There are those that seek a rulers favor but the truth is, what God has appointed for them will surely come to them!

Pro 19:6 Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.

Those that pay for a favorable judgement here on earth are not rich enough to sway the judgment of God!

The truth is an unjust man is an abomination to the Lord!

*****Pro 29:27 An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.

The title of our lesson is that “wisdom leads to the confession of sin”.

No one can be justified until they can make a confession!

When we walk in God’s righteousness we will refuse to compromise with the things of this world!

We will then be despised by those who reject the Word of God!

When we take our stand for the Lord we will see opposition.

In many cases it will be bitter with much anger!

Fearing the Lord, gives us the conviction to do right and leave the results with Him!

Questions?

Let’s Pray!

Avoiding Disaster

December 13, 2015 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Wisdom Helps Us Avoid Disaster

Proverbs 5-7

A “disaster” is a sudden calamity, an unfortunate event we witness in our lives.

A disaster can come suddenly in our lives and many times it will break us and we will see no way out.

Pro 6:15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

It is in our best interest to not be the cause of our own disaster!

Sin will always lead to disaster!

The best way to avoid a disaster in our lives is to attend to the wisdom of the Lord!

The only way to overcome a disastrous life is to attend to the wisdom of the Lord!

*****Pro 5:1 My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:
Pro 5:2 That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.

That word “attend” means to “prick up your ears” or “pay attention to what is said”.

When God says to listen to His advice, then that advice must be very important!

We already know that wisdom is the proper use of knowledge.

Wisdom is as much about discernment and choices, as it is righteousness.

God has given us all the freedom to choose and no one teaches us the right way to choose better than Joshua.

Jos 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: “but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD”.

When we choose right, we have a better chance of avoiding the disasters of life!

When we choose the Lord Jesus Christ to be our Savior, we have chosen the best of God’s wisdom and knowledge!

Col 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
Col 2:3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Christ Jesus!

When we have chosen Christ Jesus, then we can have the ability in regard to discretion.

To regard is to establish in our minds the things that are important and things that are in our best interest and disregard all evil thoughts!

When our lips keep knowledge then we are able to speak of things worthy to be known by others!

We are not all chosen to be preachers, but we are all chosen to be messengers of God and to witness for the Lord Jesus Christ.

2Co 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

As ambassadors for Christ our lips should also keep the knowledge of salvation!

Mal 2:7 For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

But the lips of those foreign to Christ, will always bring disaster!

*****Pro 5:3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:
Pro 5:4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword.

The strange woman appears some 10 times in the Book of Proverbs.

It seems she is a foreign woman but the emphasis is on the fact that she has not been taught the Word of God,

She is also called the “foolish woman” and is in “typology” foolish as compared to wisdom!

In reality an adulteress is someone who does not regard family bonds or relationships to be important.

Those “lips” will speak words more enticing than a dripping honeycomb, in other words, she will flatter you with her conversation!

Flattering words are words of enticement and their intent is to cause us to sin!

Those words “smoother than oil” also describe treachery, especially the treachery of a false friend.

Wormwood is a plant with a bitter and nauseous taste and can be considered “poison” in reality and in meaning.

The thought behind the “two-edged sword” is a cutting that cuts much more than a sword with a single edge!

To fall into the trap of this adulteress, will leave you with self-condemnation, anger, anguish of heart, and destructive judgement.

*****Pro 5:5 Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.
Pro 5:6 Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.

Just a an adulteress will lead to destruction of at least two families, false religion will lead those that follow it down to death and hell!

Pro 2:18 For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.

Pro 7:27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

Pro 9:18 But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.

She will lead her victims to ruin!

To be led by false religion, is to ignore the wisdom of God!

Just as the adulteress offers the man the luxury of sensual joy without responsibility and commitment, so do the words of all false religion!

Her ways are movable, you will never know where she really stands on the issues of life.

Those who do not trust in the Lord, believe that life is just a game in which the rules are constantly changing and nothing spoils a good game more than those that take life to seriously!

God does not take all the fun out of life, God does certainly teach us to avoid destruction!

It is the intent of these Proverbs is to teach us to look ahead to see where our actions will take us before we fall into sins traps.

Sexual sin will most always lead to destruction of the body, the destruction of the family, and the destruction of the soul.

The world thinks they can violate God’s Laws and avoid the consequences of sin but violating God’s Laws can only lead to death and destruction!

We must have a clear understanding of the Word of God!

*****Pro 5:7 Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.

Children includes both male and females.

The male child of God is not to partake of the adulteress and the female child of God is not to become an adulteress!

These things can only take place by keeping the Word of God!

Heb 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

The only workable method to avoid sin is to steer clear of it!

*****Pro 5:8 Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:

When we trust in the Lord we trust in the promises that He has made, knowing that Christ has never broken a promise.

Temptation also includes hopeful promises, other wise, people could never be caught in the Devil’s snares.

These are promises that are never kept.

Sin has no mercy but God is full of mercy and grace!

Removing our way means, to remove this thing from the thoughts of our mind, from the conversations of our lips and most important the path that we take!

We already know that the “fear of the Lord” is the beginning of wisdom, but “the fear of the Lord” is to also hate evil!

Pro 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

This includes, evil thoughts, evil words, evil actions, evil company, evil worship, and all evil doctrine!

We must call sin what it is, Sin Is Death, and this death is the eternal separation from God!

We must avoid it, we must remove our way from it and we certainly must not come close to sins door.

This is where we were at, before we knew the Lord!

What will happen if we do?

*****Pro 5:9 Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:
Pro 5:10 Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger;
Pro 5:11 And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
Pro 5:12 And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
Pro 5:13 And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!

There are reasons we should strive to avoid sin while we are still young.

That word honor as used here, is not as much about reputation as it is about extending our years of tender youth.

Sometimes while we are still young, we do not realize how valuable those years are. Most of us who have aged will always say to the young to stay that way as long as possible.

This means to avoid the harlot and avoid lose morals and to avoid sin.

To just give those years away by some ever regretful sin to someone who is determined to end your days of innocence, will always bring bad memories and most of the time will completely change your outlook on life.

This is a cruel world we live in, stay innocent as long as you can because this world has no love for it’s youth!

Most of our youth have very few riches or wealth except for their innocence and energy, and to give these things up before they have reached a more mature age, will only make them slaves to their mistakes.

A life of impurity will only transfer innocence and energy into the hands of those who have no real concern for them.

Very few of us look back on our lives without realizing our foolishness in the days of our youth that have caused us so many problems as we have grown older.

Many of the reasons we suffer as we grow old are because of the things we did while we were young!

Most all of us will say, “if I had just listened to my parents or even my grandparents my life could have been so much better”.

In fact many of our youth today end their lives while they are still so young because they see no remedy for the mistakes they have already made so early in life.

They will say “if I had only listened to those who were trying to teach me the truth”!

*****Pro 5:14 I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.

We should all have a clear understanding of the truth!

God in His “grace” will forgive us of our sins but God in His “truth” will still see that we reap what we have sown!

We can confess our sin, even be disciplined, and forgiven, but the innocence and the energy of our youth cannot ever be restored!

Far better it is to save ourselves until we can find that true love of our life and that is first to be the Lord Jesus Christ!

*****Pro 5:15 Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
Pro 5:16 Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.
Pro 5:17 Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee.
Pro 5:18 Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
Pro 5:19 Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.

A cistern is a natural place that contains clean water. Running water represents clean, refreshing water.

When we are hot and thirsty, a drink of refreshing cool water is very satisfying.

When we have saved ourselves till we have met that true love, we will find that we can also find that special one to be satisfying refreshment sexually and affectionately!

Sexual sin is like drinking water from a sewer.

We can drink from the water of life, “The Lord Jesus Christ” or we can drink of the polluted water of this world.

Rev 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

Verses 16 and 17 describe the children that come from a committed marriage.

The committed marriage is like the banks of a deep running river that keep the river from becoming a swamp!

A premarital affair or an adulteress affair, is like shallow water that is easily polluted as a marsh.

The fruit that comes from a committed marriage is children that can go forth to do public good and not illegitimate children who suffer for the lack of a real family!

We should always remember the first unit to receive the blessing of God was the family!

By being true to your own wife you can be sure your children are your own and not that of some stranger.

God’s intended purpose was for one man to wed one woman and that bond remain until the death of one or both.

Not multiple wives as both David and Solomon had and we know both had tragedy in their families!

Not a homosexual union which goes against the Word of God and is called an abomination!

Let the wife of your youth also be the mother of all your children!

There is rarely an animal as graceful and as loving as the doe to her young and those “breast” are the imagery of affectionate love for that husband!

These things are not the same for the adulterer.

*****Pro 5:20 And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
Pro 5:21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.

Because of all the advantages of the secure marriage, why would anyone give that up for a few moments of pleasure?

To forsake your spouse is to forsake the Word of God!

The truth is, if Christ Jesus be my fountain of living water, and He has given Himself to the church for eternity, why should I be so foolish to throw it all away for sin that will only give pleasure for a season?

Remember the strange woman is in typology one of your own culture who rejects the Word of God.

The stranger is in typology someone from another culture that not only rejects the Word of God but actually worship false gods!

Verse 21 assures us all that we have a “Judge” who sees all things that go on in His created world!

Secrecy is the hope of the wicked!

As sinners we always try to hide our sin.

BUT, Nothing escapes the the watchful eyes of God!

God says: Num 32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and “be sure your sin will find you out”.

In most all cases God will allow our sin to be our punishment!

When we are so foolish to ignore the Word of God, and to ignore His watching eyes, God will allow our sin to trap us in it’s clutches.

It is only repentance that can begin to mend that transgression!

The most important fact we should realize when we are a child of God, is that when we veer from the path of God, we will live in misery until we return to the right path.

God smiles on goodness but God’s wrath is seen in evil!

Pro 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

*****Pro 5:22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.

If we would just realize that God knows everything about each of us, and everything we do and not only that, but everything we even think to do, will help us in the choices we make!

It will allow us to have a closer relationship.

It will make us think twice before we openly commit sin.

It will certainly increase our desire to repent.

It will be our strength in our daily walk!

There is nothing in this world as deceptive as sin!

Sin will always bring the judgment of God!

Only God can cut the cords of sin and that only by the Lord Jesus Christ!

Sin can never exhaust itself! Continual sin involves continual penalty!

No sin is acceptable to God!

We are to hate sin but not the sinner!

Sin brings death!

Death being the eternal separation from a Loving God!

*****Pro 5:23 He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

It is a fact that we are all born into sin and are all ignorant of the things of God!

It is in our best interest to learn of Christ Jesus as early as we can.

God’s says: Pro 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Satan totally understands this also and he will use all of his methods to destroy our children.

We all need a time to rest but Satan never rest, he is always on the job and his job is death!

Satan uses every method he can to hinder the Word of God from reaching our youth!

The truth is, they will die without instruction!

The truth is, they will go astray and never return to the Lord and perish in their sin!

Children are apt to catch everything they hear and for this reason the entire world goes after them to lead them astray.

The truth is, children will never live as Christians unless they know the fundamentals of Jesus Christ.

This is the failure of the “Body of Christ” and our youth will surely be rejected of God, if we do not reach them!

To deny the Creator of our world is to believe that you are a product of chance and not part of God’s plan!

If you by chance believe in a Supreme Being of any sort, then why deny the Scriptures that He has provided for us all?

God says: Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

We must remember that God hates sin and all those that reject the Lord will die without any remedy to help them!

*****Pro 6:15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
Pro 6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
Pro 6:17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
Pro 6:18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
Pro 6:19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

God sees sin as an object of disgust, a detestable act, as pollution, as an abomination!

Pride is actually self-ignorance!

A lie is anything that is not true!

Those that shed innocent blood are heartless!

There are some hearts so bad that they are always inventing some new evil thing to accomplish. (ISIS and terrorists are perfect examples)

Those that have a greed to do mischief are eager to do so!

Slander is among the greatest of the social curses because it robs us of our reputation.

And false gossip destroys friendship, when God wants us all to live in love and in one accord.

All these things begin in the heart and God says: Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Only God can look into our hearts to see what we really are!

Jer 17:10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

The truth is we must keep the royal commandments of King Jesus to have life.

*****Pro 7:1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
Pro 7:2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.

To “lay up” is to hide God’s Word in our hearts so it can never be lost!

Life does not exist in it’s own right!

True life is never spoken of as having been made!

True life exists only through Jesus Christ!

True life can only “be given” by the Lord Jesus Christ!

Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Joh 20:30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
Joh 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing “ye might have life through his name”.

There is no other means to have real life without the Lord Jesus Christ!

Life comes by faith and faith by the Lord Jesus Christ!

I would rather be an apple in the eye of God, than the richest man in this world!

Questions?

Let’s Pray!

The Wisdom Of God Directs Our Path

December 6, 2015December 6, 2015 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Wisdom Directs Our Path Through Life

Proverbs 3; 4

To direct is to point out a course of proceeding.

What is life?

Most people will say life is not being dead but that is only partially true.

The truth is that there is no real life without Jesus Christ!

Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
Joh 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

True life then is a life that has no end!

Only those that know how to obtain true life will ever know real life!

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

True life then comes only by Jesus Christ!

While we walk in this life on this earth then we will need some direction.

That direction comes from the same place that real life comes from, the “Wisdom of God”.

*****Pro 3:1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
Pro 3:2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

What is the most important thing for us to do in this life we now have?

Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

God designed a purpose into each of us, our life has purpose!

So many today commit suicide because they feel they no longer have a purpose to live.

If they knew the Lord Jesus Christ, they would know just how wrong they are but even the saints of God are vulnerable to these thoughts.

God is the architect of life and God designs each of us to answer a specific purpose!

God had some end in view in making this cosmos where all life abides and in making each of us what we are!

The first thing we must all do when the Holy Ghost calls, is to get into the right relationship with God!

There is no one, God will not attempt to call before their physical death!

It is then that we must take the opportunity to learn the doctrine of God to a point where we can also teach others!

The heart is not only the seat of life in each human being but also the seat of affections, emotions, and passions but the heart is also the seat of our understanding!

In order to worship the Lord, we must cause our heart and our understanding to be in harmony with the Word of God!

We can immediately see the benefits of understanding the Word of God.

1) The length of days, not our existence but the time and purpose of our life.

2) A life of peace rather than commotion and turmoil.

3) A long life, the years we can serve the Lord that will extend into eternity.

*****Pro 3:3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
Pro 3:4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

As the Word of God is filled with mercy and truth, then we are to exercise mercy and truth in every part of our relationships with all those that cross our paths.

And again since our heart is the seat of our understanding, we are required to write God’s law of kindness onto the tables of our heart.

God is well pleased with these things because these are the traits of Christ Jesus and we are to walk in His ways!

There is no other way to find favor in the eyes of God and others like us, will also notice these things!

Favor is like a friendly disposition!

Pro 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Understanding simply means grasping a hold onto the truth!

Rom 14:16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
Rom 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Rom 14:18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

*****Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Pro 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
Pro 3:8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

To trust in the Lord is to depend on Him!

The Old Testament uses “trust” as the New Testament uses “faith”!

This dependence on the Lord must be actual and factual, being persuaded that God is the only, all-sufficient object of our confidence and His faithfulness to do what He promises!

We must not make our own understanding a dart into our hearts!

The promise of God’s divine guidance in our life choices is conditioned on that complete trust in God’s “wisdom” as revealed to us all in His Word!

But we must also acknowledge Him before all men telling them of this trust we have!

God will direct us by the Holy Ghost who will never lead us astray!

God will bind Himself to us by His own covenant which He will never break when we honor His Words!

The truth is, as unforgiven sinners we simply have no means of choosing the right path for our life!

To repent is a complete change in direction and a complete change of mind, when we are wise in our own eyes then we are headed in the wrong direction.

The spirit of self-dependence is the opposite of “the fear of the Lord” and can only lead to evil!

When we were all babes within the womb of our mothers, the umbilical cord was the center of our strength.

In life, when we have that reverent fear of the Lord, He has become our umbilical and the center of our strength.

The marrow is the nourisher and the strengthener of our bones and it is said to moisten the bones making them less brittle.

Psa 63:5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:

Again God is promising physical well-being to all those that follow the Word of God, which will bring us all eternal spiritual health!

We must know that a broken spirit will dry up our bones!

Pro 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

And then God will meet all our needs.

*****Pro 3:9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
Pro 3:10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

Our substance is the things that God has provided for us to live and since God provided it, then it all really belongs to God!

To tithe is to give back a tenth of what God has provided for our own living!

To tithe is a sign of faith that God will continue to provide our every need!

Heb 11:4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

By “Faith” Abel offered the firstfruits of his flock.

Jacob also realized that all of our substance is provided by the Lord and set the standard for the tithe.

Gen 28:22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

Our earthly substance is necessary for us to live but we are called to make no use of that substance till we have set apart of our substance for the service of God!

We are to honor the Lord by our “Faith” in everything we do and in everything that God provides!

The Lord expects and He certainly deserves the best and the first that we have, not the leftovers.

The tithe should not only include our substance but also our time, and our talent, and any other thing that God has given to us!

You can only give an offering after you have already given your tithe!

How does God reward the cheerful and faithful tither?

No one can out give God!

Very few people understand, that it is by giving back to God that will bring an increase in our own substance!

The barns of that day were storehouses for grain and God says those that had “faith” that He would provide for those that gave of their firstfruits those barns would be filled with plenty.

Plenty always means more than enough!

New wine from the wine press is fresh grape juice, still non-fermented.

God will never go against His Word and God said, to not even look upon fermented wine!

Pro 23:29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
Pro 23:30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
Pro 23:31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
Pro 23:32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
Pro 23:33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.
Pro 23:34 Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
Pro 23:35 They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again

*****Pro 3:11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
Pro 3:12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

Though most people see chastening as punishment, to the child of God it is for instruction!

God’s chastening is always for the purpose instruction even if it is painful at times!

God’s chastening should never be ignored nor should it be resented.

Remember God only chastens those He loves!

And God chastens only as a loving Father!

God has already condemned those who reject Him as their Father to an eternal life of torment!

Those that are chastened should then be happy they are no longer condemned!

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

*****Pro 3:13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
Pro 3:14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
Pro 3:15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
Pro 3:16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
Pro 3:17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
Pro 3:18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

The truth is that all the treasures of wisdom are hidden in Christ Jesus!

That being true, then the greatness of wisdom appears in those gifts of the Lord beginning with His “Grace”!

We already know that wisdom brings with it a long and happy life.

The advantages of wisdom is that we will miss out on much of the chastening of the Lord.

The advantages of wisdom is that we will certainly miss out on the wrath of God!

The glories of Heaven are much more valuable than silver and gold.

The wisdom of God is much more precious than rubies.

There is nothing on this earth that can compare to the wisdom that comes only by the Lord Jesus Christ who is the author of true life!

Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Wisdom is knowing our Creator!

Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

*****Pro 3:19 The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
Pro 3:20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.

Since Christ Jesus was the one by whom God founded this earth it should be clear that in this Book of Proverbs “Wisdom” is actually the person of Christ!

Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

That word “depths” is the same word as “deep” in the Book of Genesis.

Following “Creation” the next great physical event in the history of this world was the great worldwide flood in the day of Noah.

This is the time when all the fountains of the great deep were broken up!

Gen 7:11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
Gen 7:12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.

These are things that are facts and therefore require our understanding!

*****Pro 3:21 My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
Pro 3:22 So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
Pro 3:23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.

The title of our lesson is that “Wisdom Directs Our Path Through Life” and this is the theme of the Book of Proverbs.

Since the wisdom of the Lord is so powerful, then this wisdom should be retained and guarded and never allowed to depart from our view!

Since the wisdom of the Lord designed and created our world, surely by knowing that wisdom, we can use it to live in His created world!

Since the wisdom of the Lord is life, and the way of life, then He is also our spiritual life and our eternal life of the soul of all those that look upon Him in “Faith”!

Joh 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
Joh 12:49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
Joh 12:50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

When we look away from Christ we look away from true “wisdom”!

Since the soul and the neck stand for the complete man in our sin nature and our eternal soul, eternal life is given to the soul rather than to sin!

When the soul is saved then there will be less sin, and this will be noticeable to those that cross our path thus an ornament of “Grace” about our neck!

Only then can we walk safely not veering to the right or to the left, but avoiding the pitfalls that could cause us to stumble in our walk of “Grace”!

Then comes peace.

*****Pro 3:24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
Pro 3:25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
Pro 3:26 For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.

When our walk with the Lord is right, then we can rest in the safety of the His presence!

Confidence is a trusting reliance in the truth of God, an assurance of the mind in the facts of Christ Jesus!

The peace that the wisdom of God gives is surely pass all understanding!

Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Jesus said this is the peace that I will give to each of you.

Joh 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

We should remember that shortly after Jesus said these words He was beaten, bruised, and crucified for our sins, because He had no sin of His own.

Because He is the all knowing God, He knew all these things were about to happen but the Lord Jesus was at peace with Himself for what He was about to do!

Jesus tells all His disciples that this is the peace that I leave with you.

No matter what we are about to go through or what we are already going through, we can have the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ!

When we lie down in order to take sleep and have committed ourselves into the hands of the Lord we do not have to be afraid of anything.

The worst thing that can happen, our death, is the best thing that could happen as we will wake up in Heaven, our sleep will be sweet!

Psa 4:8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

When we are safe in the arms of Wisdom, we are under the watchful eyes of our Creator!

We have no reason to fear what this world can do to us!

Luk 12:4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
Luk 12:5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

As we sit here today, there is a group called ISIS by most of us, who actually fit this verse as the wicked who bring desolation to many people of this earth.

We do not have to be afraid of terrorist when it comes to our shores, for the Lord shall be our confidence!

That confidence is that nothing can happen to us unless the Lord allows it and if the Lord allows it, we will be made better because of it!

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Satan has many snares:

2Ti 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

But the Lord will not allow our foot to step in any of them!

We can no longer be captured at the will of Satan when we possess the “wisdom” of God!

And we can be of a help to others!

*****Pro 3:28 Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
Pro 3:29 Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
Pro 3:30 Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
Pro 3:31 Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
Pro 3:32 For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.
Pro 3:33 The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.

The wisdom of God will teach us the royal commandments of King Jesus to love God with all our heart and to love our neighbors as ourselves.

If we owe our neighbor a debt then pay it, if we have it.

If they are poor and in need, help them if we are able.

We honestly never know what the next day will bring!

Every child of God should devise ways to show the goodness of God and certainly not evil things!

If we have been the Christian we have said we are, then our neighbor will have no need to suspect us of evil, and that we will help them rather that cause any harm to them!

We should never be envious of anyone but especially someone who is an oppressor to others.

An oppressor is a man of mischief and we must avoid them and their ways!

Those that are froward are perverse and obey only their own laws and so are an abomination to the Lord!

It is only those that walk the right path of “wisdom” that know the secrets of the Lord!

The truth is that the curse of the Lord has been removed from every believer but we are all still exposed to the curse on this world!

The truth is, that the curse of the Lord is a real thing and will be fulfilled by the power of God!

On the house of the wicked lies the curse of God.

On the house of those justified lies the blessings of God.

These are both facts!

*****Pro 3:34 Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.
Pro 3:35 The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

A scorner is someone who scoffs at Christianity!

They hate the Word of God!

They mock sin as non-existent and claim their will be no judgment for sin.

They claim there is no Heaven nor a place called Hell!

God will be a scorner to those who are scorners to the Church!

Psa 2:4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
Psa 2:5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

Those that have the “wisdom” of God shall inherit glory!

Psa 73:24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

On one side of the Christian is salvation and justification, on the other side is the hope of glory yet to come!

Shame is the painful sensation excited by the consciousness of guilt!

Those that reject the Lord will one day feel their own guilt knowing that Christ Jesus had paid their sin debt and they refused to accept that fact!

What does the Lord do? He begs us all to hear what He says!

*****Pro 4:1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Pro 4:2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.

Godly parents are a true blessing to any family.

God our Father in Heaven clearly wants us to understand that He will never give us bad instructions!

Since we are the children of God once we believe, then we need receive those instructions and act on them!

We can just imagine, that it was in this manner that the Lord Jesus trained His disciples.

It is the “Gospel” that is called the “good doctrine”!

1Ti 4:6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.

The “Doctrine” of the Lord Jesus Christ is the God-given “wisdom” that we need and that this world needs!

We know not to forsake the law, but this is the law of Mount Calvary and not the law of Mount Sinai, we are not to forsake the royal law of King Jesus!

*****Pro 4:3 For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
Pro 4:4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

We know that Solomon’s father was King David, and David’s father was Jesse.

We also know that the Father of Jesus was God the Holy Spirit the only begotten Son of God!

We also know that Jesus was also 100% human and truly beloved in the sight of his mother Mary.

Luk 2:19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

Our Savior came to this earth to be obedient to His Father in Heaven.

It is because Jesus was obedient to His Father that we can be saved!

Heb 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

Obedience will bring perfection to all those who trust in the Lord!

Obedience begins with “wisdom” and “wisdom” begins with the fear of the Lord!

*****Pro 4:5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Pro 4:6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
Pro 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

The reverent fear of the Lord is something that we must possess and not willing to give up!

We must have moral wisdom which is lacking in society today.

We must have political wisdom of our civil government.

Much more important than either of these, we must have the wisdom that comes by Jesus Christ and the knowledge of Him!

Understanding these things is to take a firm hold on the real state of the truth of God!

Understanding is the only means we can obtain our knowledge of the Lord and the hope of His calling!

Eph 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

How do we forsake true wisdom?

One way we forsake true wisdom is in our lack of gathering to worship the Lord!

Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Psa 89:7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.

Another way is when we forsake the Word of God!

Psa 89:30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;

After all “wisdom” is the principle thing.

The word “principle” means “the source”, “the beginning”, and that beginning is the “fear of the Lord”!

The power to use knowledge must come from something outside the knowledge itself!

It is only the wisdom that comes from Heaven that can allow us to use our knowledge in this life.

Jas 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

*****Pro 4:8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
Pro 4:9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
Pro 4:10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.

True godly wisdom will allow us to choose what is best for us and will also cause us to select the best possible means of obtaining those things!

Many men exalt worldly wisdom as a means to improve the condition of humanity but these things begin outside.

God always begins inside with the heart!

Christianity is not just following the commandments of God, Christianity is a life here on earth and knowing the truth of eternal life!

Christianity is knowing the peace of God and showing that peace of God in the way we live!

It is the wisdom of God that brings honor to the Christian!

The wisdom of God will bring with it the honors of Heaven.

2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

It is a fact that a sinful life can impair the health and shorten the days of all those that follow in it!

1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

It is also a fact that the wisdom of God promotes a healthy life!

It is the Word of God that teaches us in the ways of God’s wisdom.

*****Pro 4:11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
Pro 4:12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
Pro 4:13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
Pro 4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
Pro 4:15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

The object of every parent is to have their children fixed and established on the right path of life.

This is instilled in us because this is the way God works!

The difference being the ways of the world will not build a godly character, only the wisdom of God can do this thing!

The godly parent will lead by example.

The godly parent will lead by prayer.

The godly parent will keep their children under the influence of a godly church!

As we know, a path represents our walk in this life. We go through this life one step at a time, this is how we learn to walk.

The path of wisdom is the walk of Christ Jesus.

Col 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

Once we are on that path before we take the next step we need to confer with God to know that next step.

Running in most cases is escaping from danger! God says:

Joh 10:5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

When God provides the way to escape, He certainly will not place a stumble stone in that path!

“Faith” means we have taken hold of God’s instructions and are relying on them to keep us safe until the Lord returns!

The truest of all wisdom is the revelation of God in the person of Jesus Christ and then the saving truths which God has set before us in His Word! Amen!

This is the wisdom of life!

This is the wisdom to avoid the path of the wicked!

This is the wisdom to avoid the ways of evil men!

To avoid means “pass not by it”, “turn from it”, and “pass away from it”!

This does not mean we are to be separatist, we are to avoid the ways of those that walk the way that this world walks.

Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Psa 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Some of the reasons we are to avoid the ways of the lost are these.

*****Pro 4:16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
Pro 4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
Pro 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
Pro 4:19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

Those that God calls wicked, do not sin because of weakness, their sin arises from premeditation and a great desire to do evil!

The truth is, that when evil men have made a plan and put it into action, they will not sleep until they have accomplished what they set out to do.

This is the truth also of the terrorist!

As Christians eat the bread of life, the Word of God, provided by the Lord, wicked men eat the things they have obtained them selves, they make their own law.

As Christians are washed in the blood Jesus who took all our violence at the cross, wicked men drink of the wine of those that are innocent as they take their lives from them.

The light that shines on the path of those justified is the light of Jesus Christ!

2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

That light shines through the Word of God!

2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

This is the only light that will lead us to the land of the “perfect day” where there is no more night!

Rev 22:5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

It is the way of the wicked that leads to darkness and there will be no darkness in Heaven!

It is foolish to reject the Word of God. To stumble in the darkness will always lead to death!

*****Pro 4:20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
Pro 4:21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
Pro 4:22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
Pro 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Pro 4:24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
Pro 4:25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Pro 4:26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
Pro 4:27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

We must attend to the Word of God which means to have it in our presence!

We must keep the Word of God constantly in view.

We must cherish the Word of God.

It is the Word of God where we learn of the way of life!

It is the Word of God where we learn how to extend our days.

In Scripture, the heart is not only the physical organ of our circulatory system but it is also the seat of our emotions and our intellect.

The health of our heart and our circulatory system are essential to our earthly life and a heart that is right with God is essential to our Christian life!

Perverse lips is deceitful speech, which twists and distorts the truth of God!

We must fix our eyes on the truth of righteousness and not deflect to the left or to the right!

We must remove every obstacle that may impede our Christian walk!

To ponder is to consider and compare the right from the wrong and choose right!

If our gaze is not to deflect to the left nor to the right, then our hands and our feet will not turn to the left or to the right and if we depart from evil the Lord will make our paths straight!

Questions?

Let’s Pray!

The Wise Will Seek Salvation

November 29, 2015 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Wisdom Leads Us To Salvation

Proverbs 1; 2

What is a proverb?

According to the Webster dictionary a proverb is a short sentence expressing a well known truth that has been gained by experience or by observation!

The Book of Proverbs is a collection of established truths on a wide range of subjects and should be used to aid us in practical living.

The Book of Proverbs lets us know that God expects us to use common sense and practical measures in our decisions.

When “truth” is used in our decision making then we will most often choose the right path!

The Book of Proverbs was written or at least gathered by Solomon, the son of King David and it is said that Solomon wrote some 3000 proverbs and those that are contained in this book may be a selection of those he wrote.

These proverbs can be used to apply the truth of God to our daily walk with the Lord!

In fact the Book of Proverbs is a book that needs to be taught to the younger generation as soon as they can understand the need for wisdom!

What is wisdom?

Wisdom is the right use of knowledge!

Some wisdom is gained by experience which sometimes may be harsh but wisdom that is gained by instruction can save us from a lot of those harsh moments in our life!

The greatest wisdom we can have is the knowledge of the truth of God!

Jas 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

Knowledge is a clear and certain perception of the truth!

We can have no knowledge of things that do not exist!

We can have knowledge in the things of God because God has a perfect knowledge of all His works.

Ignorance is the curse of God!

1Pe 2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

*****Pro 1:1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
Pro 1:2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
Pro 1:3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
Pro 1:4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
Pro 1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
Pro 1:6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
Pro 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

The object of the Book of Proverbs is “to know”!

“To know” is to have a clear understanding of the truth!

The fear of the Lord is the foundation, without which all other knowledge is vain!

Those that reject the Word of God are so far from attaining true wisdom that they despise it and all the means of getting it!

The fear that is spoken of here is not the fear of punishment or of hell that every non-believer must realize but in this verse the fear of the Lord is that fear of a son or a daughter in relation to their parents!

This fear is the duty of a child toward his parents!

We are to understand the knowledge of God as a Father to His children!

We are to be confident in the truths of God, and the “Gospel” of the Lord Jesus Christ, with a humble, reverential affection for Him!

Without this we can never worship Him as we should!

Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

*****Pro 1:8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
Pro 1:9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

When we have parents that are following the Word of God then that child should at least hear the instructions from that parent!

Notice the phrase “my son”.

This phrase emphasizes the importance of heeding to the Word of God!

The Word of God should be our teacher all the days of our lives.

This one phrase points us to the fact that we are to be “Born Again” into “newness of life” and become a child of God and listen to His instructions!

What is the truth of the Scriptures?

Wise children will handle constructive criticism in the right way!

Pro 15:5 A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.

To “hear” means to pay attention to what is said.

Moral qualities are the true adornments of a human being!

When that child loves, obeys, and respects godly parents it will show in the way they live their own lives!

Godliness is profitable unto all things!

*****Pro 1:10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
Pro 1:11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:
Pro 1:12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:
Pro 1:13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:
Pro 1:14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:

Peer pressure is the downfall of many of our youth in our own generation!

In this verse, sinners are all those that do not obey the Word of God and do not know the Lord Jesus Christ.

The truth is when we begin a sinful life it is hard to stop!

When we begin a sinful life we will find that it can be dangerous not only to ourselves but also to those we are close to.

When we begin a sinful life we will find it to be disgraceful to our parents and to our family!

The two places we fail the most to do are these:

1) We need to get rid of the sins we have committed.

2) We need to try to keep from sinning any more!

This world will entice us to do otherwise.

What is the greatest danger of Satan?

He does not threaten or argue, he simply entices with flattery, tells you how wonderful things could be if you just forsake the Word of God!

Dan 11:21 And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.

Satan’s tactics have never changed because they have continued to work for 6000 years!

Satan’s servants will lie in ambush waiting until you are vulnerable to Satan’s traps.

Satan has been hidden behind the scenes not yet willing to present himself because he knows that he would be rejected until God allows him his time.

Isa 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Isa 14:16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
Isa 14:17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?

Satan does not release those he has imprisoned easily!

It is Satan’s goal to cause the death of every human being before they have the chance to repent and be reconciled to God!

He wants to swallow them up while they are alive!

He wants to take all he can directly into the burning fires of hell as quickly as he can!

Num 16:32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
Num 16:33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.

Satan entices with short cuts to wealth!

There have been very few that actually profit from crime.

There is nothing on this earth that can compare to the things of Heaven!

Luk 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

What do we actually find to be the truth of our world?

1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

It’s not the money or riches themselves that are so wrong, it is all the evils that are done to possess earth’s riches which in the end are meaningless!

Notice this thing that is first required.

The lies of communism and also socialism is that for equal hazards there will be equal hopes big lies to mankind!

Gain and pleasure are two of the great charms that have seduced all mankind and make all those that succumb, captives taken at the will of Satan!

2Ti 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

If we avoid all these things while we are young, we will not have to suffer so much when we are old!

*****Pro 1:15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:
Pro 1:16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

We must not walk in the ways of the world!

Whenever sin takes hold of any person it will soon become the master of that person!

Sin cannot exist without seeking to dominate and there is never one who is lost who will not try to make another like himself!

Satan is devious and he will not tempt you with the truth and the results of sin, but he will set before you some real or some imaginary pleasure which you can only obtain by a commission of that sin!

There is always a cost for going against the Word of God!

There is always a cost to assert your liberty to do as you please!

We must force ourselves to make the right decisions!

Those that reject the Word of God have an eagerness to commit crime against God and they most always will attack the innocent who have no means to protect themselves.

We would have to be blind to not see this truth in our world today!

*****Pro 1:17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.
Pro 1:18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.
Pro 1:19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

Surely a bird with such keen eyes to see with can see the net spread for their capture, yet they still fly into that net and are trapped!

It is the same with sin!

God has clearly said that the “wages of sin are death”.

So it is for that bird!

Pro 7:23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

So it is for the sinner.

As they lay in wait for the innocent it is their own lives they are loosing!

As they lurk in private for the innocent it is their own lives that they have placed in jeopardy!

A sinner cannot see the traps they laid for themselves so we need to avoid associating with them!

*****Pro 1:20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:
Pro 1:21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,
Pro 1:22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
Pro 1:23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

If we can see wisdom as a person then that person would be Christ Jesus!

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

If that person be Jesus Christ then it is now the Church that should be crying out with the Word of God!

We should witness in the streets.

We should witness in places where people gather.

We should witness at the entrances and the passage ways.

We should witness in the cities.

And what should be our message?

How long will you people be so easily seduced by workers of Satan?

How long will you that mock the Word of God be fooled by the lies of Satan?

How long will you all be so foolish to ignore and to reject the truth of the Scriptures?

To turn is to repent!

To repent is not only to feel sorrow and regret but more important, to turn away from sin and turn toward God with a complete change of mind!

It is God Himself who will pour out His Spirit unto all those that repent!

So “WISDOM” then is God Himself who will make known His Words unto us all!

Joe 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
Joe 2:29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

Those days are the “Church Age” in which now we live until the return of Jesus Christ!

Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

What is the truth of most of this world?

God has called and most have refused!

God has warned of the coming judgment, but most just reject the Word of God!

*****Pro 1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
Pro 1:25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
Pro 1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
Pro 1:27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
Pro 1:28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
Pro 1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
Pro 1:30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
Pro 1:31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

Those that reject the truth of God will bring upon themselves the wrath of God!

Rom 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
Rom 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

God says “as you mocked and laughed at the Word of God then on Judgment Day, I will mock and laugh at your eternal situation you have placed yourself in”!

Be not a fool all your life because it is a fact every knee will bow to the Lord Jesus one day!

Psa 37:12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
Psa 37:13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.

What is the truth of Divine Judgment?

Calamity, terror, destruction, distress, and anguish!

What is derision?

The act of laughing in contempt!

Desolation is a place of waste, ravage, ruin, gloominess, sadness, and destitution!

These things of desolation will come as a violent wind moving in a circle.

The vicious cycle of eternal life of the burning lake of fire, will be a thing of misery and doom!

Why would anyone seek to go there?

Those that hate the knowledge of God and did not choose to fear the Lord, which by the way is the beginning of becoming wise, will certainly find themselves in a Devil’s Hell!

God’s rejection of sinners is carefully detailed in these verses.

Wisdom will one day turn a deaf ear to those who wait to late to call on the Lord!

What is the truth of God?

Gen 6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh:

To follow the Lord is to come when He calls!

God gives us a choice!

Choice means we have the option of choosing the way of God or the ways of this world we cannot choose both!

There are only two type of people in this world!

Those that love the Lord and those that do not!

Those that hate the knowledge of the Lord Jesus have not chosen the wisdom of the fear of the Lord!

God’s method of punishment is to let us punish ourselves!

When we will not accept the guidance of the Holy Spirit then God will grant our wishes and desires to show how foolish and miserable they are!

It is a fact that we are our own worst enemy!

The promises of God are conditional!

God has given every human being the dignity of freedom which involves the possibility that we may be disobedient to God’s Word.

Most everyone that looks back on their lives can trace most of their errors to making bad choices!

This should tell us all that we have a great need of a Savior and that Savior is the Lord Jesus Christ!

*****Pro 1:32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
Pro 1:33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

The salvation of Christ Jesus is a simple thing.

2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

It is the turning away of such a simple salvation that will slay all those that reject Him!

There is only one way to get to Heaven!

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

In other words not my own but the Bible says, all wicked and vicious persons are fools.

When God gives us what we all desire, eternal life with Him, they perish even when it is so close to them.

Jesus Christ paid the sin debt of every human being but this must be accepted or He died in vain for your own sins!

There is no wealth of this world that is worth eternal damnation!

The secrets of life has been the quest of mankind throughout history, yet God has written down and given it to us in the perfect love letter from above and it is still rejected by most of this world!

The fear of evil used to be a constant in the life of men but it is now just accepted!

Now the world is beginning to see the fear of terror and we are told we must just accept that also!

It is terror that grows out of the acceptance of sin!

What does God teach the Christian?

Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Those that hearken to the Word of God can still dwell in safety anywhere in this world!

Mat 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

So therefore, those that understand the fear of the Lord can truly find knowledge!

*****Pro 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
Pro 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
Pro 2:7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly

The phrase “the fear of the Lord” occurs 14 times in the Book of Proverbs.

This fear implies reverence, such as a good son would feel for his godly father.

A reverent fear of God is truly the first step to true wisdom!

Here wisdom is described as a virtuous woman.

The truth is that a God-fearing man is a wise man but without a reverent fear of God it is impossible that to call any man wise no matter their intelligence level!

Wisdom is something that we must work for in this world but God freely gives the wisdom we need if we ask Him with a pure heart!

Heavenly wisdom is a great prize!

Heavenly wisdom goes far beyond our own thoughts!

Heavenly wisdom is far different from what the world calls wisdom!

Worldly wisdom may direct us in some things in this life but Heavenly wisdom direct us toward things which concern things of the life that is to come of those who have that “fear of the Lord”!

God and God alone is the author of true wisdom!

Those that are righteous are those that “walk upright”.

Goodness in all moral humans, is a walk that progresses as we grow in the knowledge and understanding of the Lord!

Those that are reconciled to God are His saints and set apart for His use!

As those that belong to the Lord are to be bright and shining lights in this world, the Lord is then the “Father of Lights”.

The wisdom of God will light up our pathway in this world!

*****Pro 2:8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
Pro 2:9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.

God is the protector of His saints!

It is God who keeps the path of all those He has justified!

It is God who preserves the way of His saints!

Psa 66:9 Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.

When we understand that once we are reconciled to God, we are under His divine protection, “THEN” we can understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity, and every good path!

And wisdom will enter into our soul!

*****Pro 2:10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
Pro 2:11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
Pro 2:12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;

Once we are wise enough to know we have a new owner then that wisdom will not only come into our soul but it will rest there forever!

Discretion means we will able to judge things correctly and properly with the right amount of caution.

We will know how to conduct ourselves in this world!

Understanding then is the faculty of the human mind that separates truth from fiction!

What is the truth of evil men?

Their character.

Their speech is corrupt!

Their habit is corrupt!

Their heart is corrupt!

Their influence is corrupt!

The truth is everything dies under the influence of wickedness!

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

They refuse to walk the path of righteousness!

*****Pro 2:13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
Pro 2:14 Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;
Pro 2:15 Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:

The way of evil is following in the ways of Satan!

Joh 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

The path of darkness is the path of ignorance and error and the roadway to evil deeds!

To walk in the ways of darkness is to insist on a course of wilful ignorance and deliberately reject the light of true knowledge!

Those who are wicked not only rejoice to do evil themselves but they rejoice when they hear of evil done by others.

This is the world we live in today!

This is the arm of terrorism today!

They are just as crooked as their ways!

They are just as perverse in their thoughts!

They will always turn toward evil whether to the left or to the right!

Then there is the temptation that is most used against the righteous, the alluring female.

*****Pro 2:16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;
Pro 2:17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
Pro 2:18 For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
Pro 2:19 None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.

The true wisdom of God will deliver His saints even from the strange woman!

The strange woman is the harlot and adulteress.

If we remember Balaam, God would not allow him to curse Israel but Balaam did offer King Balac a suggestion on how to cause Israel to sin.

It was women.

If we remember Job who was righteous in the eyes of God, even Job knew about strange women and had his own remedy!

Job 31:1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

Job said to himself that he simply would not look upon a woman to lust after her.

Mat 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

A wise man once wrote “Gaze not on beauty too much lest it blast thee; nor to long, lest it blind thee; nor too near lest it burn thee. If thou like it, it deceives thee; if thou love it, it disturbs thee; if thou hunt it, it destroys thee. It is a wise mans bonfire, and a fools furnace”.

That “stranger” would be foreign women with other gods and other moral standards than those who were just the “strange woman”.

This also represents spiritual adultery, with God’s people not only consorting with strange women but also worshipping strange gods.

All those that forget the covenant that was made with the Lord when they prayed the sinners prayer!

We must be more like Job and less like the world.

The greatest danger of each and every human, is not the evils of this world and it certainly is not climate change, it is forsaking and forgetting God!

To the Christian ignoring and forsaking the “wisdom” of God is our greatest danger!

Today in the church, we loose our youth to the world at that age when the world entices them to forget the covenant they made with God!

All those that make their home with the wisdom of this world and reject the wisdom of God, incline to death rather than life.

Pro 7:27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

All those that follow the path of the wisdom of this world and reject the wisdom of God, walk on the pathway of the dead!

Pro 21:16 The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.

The truth is, only God can resurrect the dead!

Those that choose the path of death, the wisdom of the strange woman or the stranger, almost never recover form their fall.

The sin of spiritual adultery is extremely hard to overcome!

Eph 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

What is the path of life?

*****Pro 2:20 That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
Pro 2:21 For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
Pro 2:22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.

The truth is that mankind cannot walk in good ways unless they leave the bad ones.

Good and evil are contrary to one another, one will keep out the other!

It is not enough to just avoid evil, we must also do good!

To Israel the promise to dwell in the promised land was their reward for obedience.

To the Church the promise to dwell in Heaven is the reward for obedience!

To remain means to eternally dwell in peace and harmony with the Lord!

Contrary to the teaching of liberal theology, the wicked shall be cut off!

The farmer knows that if he just cuts down a tree it will send forth new sprouts so to eliminate that problem that tree must be rooted out!

So does God deal with wicked men!

Wicked men are restless in evil because they remain in that body of sin.

This world provides an abundance of opportunities because it is led by Satan.

God will leave them on their own to run to death because He gives us all a choice.

Wicked men are never weary of their sin because they have rejected the wisdom of God!

To be wise in the ways of this world is to be a fool!

Questions?

Let’s Pray!

Solomon God’s Man Of Wisdom

May 31, 2015June 1, 2015 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Solomon God’s Man Of Wisdom

1 Kings 3:4-15, 28; 4:29-34

Bible history tells us that Solomon was the third King of Israel and his father was David the second king.

Solomon was born of Bathsheba after David and Bathsheba became husband and wife.

David had many wives and therefore he had many sons and daughters but this was never God’s design.

God said a marriage was to be between one man and one woman to avoid sin!

1Co 7:2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

Solomon was probably still a teenager when he was given the throne of Israel by his father David!

1Ki 1:17 And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the LORD thy God unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.

Solomon reigned for 40 years but the first half of his reign was much brighter than the last half because Solomon was led into idolatry by his many non-believing wives.

During the time of King Saul and King David, Israel had fought many wars but for the first time under King Solomon, Israel knew peace.

It was Solomon who built the first and the most beautiful Temple in Jerusalem!

Solomon not only had great influence over Israel but Solomon had great influence over the entire world in his day.

It was the kingdom of Solomon that set the pattern that many kings throughout the world would follow for many centuries to come, after him.

Solomon was a great king and Israel had many kings but it is the throne of David that has been remembered above all other kings, throughout all these years!

And as we continue our studies in the Bible we must remember that we are to always be working on our walk with God on this Earth and part of that learning is using the Old Testament as our guideline and as an example of how God dealt with sin.

So let’s begin:

*****1Ki 3:4 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.

Gibeon was a city sitting on a hill located about 8 miles from Jerusalem.

When Joshua had taken Canaan Land as directed by the Lord, the Tabernacle had been set up in Shiloh. The Tabernacle remained in Shiloh all the period of the Judges until the Ark fell into the hands of the Philistine and Shiloh was destroyed but we can see that God had even allowed that to happen for certain reasons.

Jer 7:12 But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it “for the wickedness of my people Israel”.

We should also realize though Shiloh was the oldest place of worship for Israel, but God’s favor is not tied down to any certain location for worship.

The Tabernacle had been relocated to Gibeon but the recovered Ark was still located in Jerusalem in a Tabernacle that David had built for it until the Temple was to be built.

2Sa 6:17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

Notice also that it is this Tabernacle of David that is in prophecy and not the Tabernacle of Moses.

Amo 9:11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:

We can see that King David, Solomon’s father, made his offerings to the Lord in this place.

But God had said that it would be at the Tabernacle of the Congregation, where He would meet with the children of Israel.

Exo 29:42 This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee.
Exo 29:43 And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.

The Tabernacle of the Congregation was located at Gibeon, the same place where God made the Sun and the Moon to stand still for a whole day.

Jos 10:12 Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.
Jos 10:13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.
Jos 10:14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.

BUT, Gibeon was also the great high place of worship for the Canaanite nations!

God had commanded all the “High Places” of the Canaanites to be destroyed or He would destroy them.

Lev 26:30 And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you.

It seems since Gibeon was the highest of all the high places and this is where the Tabernacle of Moses was now located and also the place of the original “Brazen Altar”.

We can be sure God was not pleased with this thing!

God is very pleased when we worship Him but He will never be pleased if go into a Mosque or any other place set aside for false gods and then worship Him in that same place where worship to some false god also takes place.

That would be like saying Jehovah was just a god among many other gods which is not true!

There are no gods other than Jehovah!

We see that Solomon went to this place because the Tabernacle of the congregation had been set there.

2Ch 1:3 So Solomon, and all the congregation with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for there was the tabernacle of the congregation of God, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness.
2Ch 1:4 But the ark of God had David brought up from Kirjathjearim to the place which David had prepared for it: for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem.
2Ch 1:5 Moreover the brasen altar, that Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, he put before the tabernacle of the LORD: and Solomon and the congregation sought unto it.

It was on this altar that Solomon did offer 1000 burnt offerings because it was important for the nation of Israel to see that the new king worshiped the Lord just as his father had.

It was also at this place where Solomon met with all the government, all the military, and all the people of Israel.

2Ch 1:2 Then Solomon spake unto all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and to the judges, and to every governor in all Israel, the chief of the fathers.
2Ch 1:3 So Solomon, and all the congregation with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for there was the tabernacle of the congregation of God, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness.

SO, It was this place in Gibeon where Solomon gave his inauguration speech and God decided to also make Himself known to Solomon to show His approval but also to test Solomon.

Remember we will never have a testimony until we have been tested by God Himself!

*****1Ki 3:5 In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.

God came to Solomon in a dream and this is not so unusual and in fact may increase as we approach the last days.

Act 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

Solomon had the opportunity to ask anything that he desired of God at this time in his early life!

This was a special time for Solomon but remember God is no respecter of persons and God still offers this same request to every believer!

Joh 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
Joh 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

To be quiet honest our response should be similar to that of Solomon.

Nothing is as important as the wisdom of God!

*****1Ki 3:6 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
1Ki 3:7 And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
1Ki 3:8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
1Ki 3:9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

It is always in our best interest to choose God’s given wisdom!

Pro 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

If we begin with the Word of God, then we will prosper in this life.

Now does not mean carnal riches but to prosper in spiritual things will bring eternal riches and also joy in this life!

Notice that Solomon viewed his succession to the throne of Israel as a fulfillment of God’s promises to his father David.

God always keeps His promises!

Unlike teenagers of today, Solomon admitted that he was not qualified to be king!

In fact most people today will qualify them on selves in most every situation!

Remember Solomon was royalty and had attended the best schools and had even been schooled by Nathan.

Nathan was a true prophet of God to Israel and to King David.

2Ch 9:29 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat?

2Sa 12:24 And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.
2Sa 12:25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.

As Gamaliel was to the Apostle Paul, so was Nathan to Solomon all the days of his youth.

Solomon realized that he was nothing without God!

Solomon humbled himself before God and was not lifted up with pride in his royalty at least in his early days.

The boundaries of Israel at this time approached the fulfillment of Scripture and Israel was the greatest of nations at the time of Solomon.

Deu 11:23 Then will the LORD drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves.
Deu 11:24 Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be.

King David had left his son a mighty nation but also a rich nation.

So, Solomon’s prayer was brief and to the point.

When we come before God we need to be brief and to the point in our request as God has already promised to meet our needs!

Solomon knew that compared to his nation, he was but a very small person!

Wouldn’t it be nice if our own government felt this way today instead of exalting itself above the people?

What else was important in this prayer of Solomon? Solomon had faith that God would provide the wisdom needed to lead Israel into the future.

This is the prayer that every national leader should pray but it takes “Faith”!

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

What is the proof of this?

*****1Ki 3:10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

What pleases God the most in our prayers?

When we pray seeking the will of God for our lives and the wisdom and the understanding to be a part of God’s will and not just pray for carnal things to consume on ourselves.

Pro 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

This is the prayer that pleases God!

So how did God respond?

*****1Ki 3:11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
1Ki 3:12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

What is wisdom?

First and foremost real wisdom begins with a reverent fear of God!

Pro 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

What is the truth that guides our world?

Pro 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: “but fools despise wisdom and instruction”.

The world is led by foolish men who have rejected the wisdom of God!

1) Many believe that wisdom is simply the art of how to succeed in this life.

It does not take long growing up in our world to see that there is an order of worldliness in our world and if you cannot be a part of it then you will be just pushed aside and walked over.

This is even more prevalent today as immorality is pushed onto people who know the truth of immorality!

Most people believe that success and happiness can only come by finding a place to fit into this evil world.

This is the world of Satan!

This is the world that Satan used to tempt to the Lord.

Mat 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
Mat 4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
Mat 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

BUT, What does God say?

Pro 24:21 My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:
Pro 24:22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

2) There are also many who seek wisdom by a philosophical study of the essence of life.

Philosophy is the love of wisdom but today this usually only means searching for a reason things are the way they are.

Things are the way they are because of the influence of Satan!

Philosophy should be based on facts and truth but today a few ignorant men have changed philosophy into a search to explain things without acknowledging the truth of God!

For instance evolution is not based on facts.

Climate change has been happening for 6000 years with very little influence from man.

SO, Philosophy has become a false religion of the mind!

God says this:

1Co 3:18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

We see that both of these groups are only fools who reject the truth of God!

3) The true essence of wisdom then can only be spiritual!

Life is more than just living by man-made rules!

Life is more than being rewarded for some action you may have or may not have completed.

BUT, Wisdom has it’s foundation in only one place!

Pro 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
Pro 2:7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
Pro 2:8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.

True wisdom involves observation!

True wisdom involves instruction!

BUT, True wisdom begins with “Faith” in our Lord and our Savior!

Job 28:28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

God granted Solomon his request and the Word of God says that Solomon was given a wise and understanding heart that He has not given to any human since that time.

These things of wisdom are only useful, if we are going to be around for awhile so God also said these things:

*****1Ki 3:14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.
1Ki 3:15 And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.

People are always seeking ways to live a long and happy life and there is truly only one way to do this!

If we walk the Christian walk with the Lord Jesus Christ, God will lengthen our days!

Solomon would go on to attain great riches but David his father had already made Solomon a very rich man.

Solomon would go on to increase the size of his army and their military equipment but David his father had made Israel a safe place to live.

Solomon’s future days depended on his own walk with the Lord just as are the days of each of us!

When Solomon awoke from his dream he was already wiser and he realized to honor God, he needed to get as close to God as possible and he went to the Tabernacle of David where the Ark of the Covenant was housed and not some high place where anyone could go seeking there own god.

Solomon realized it was more important to present his offerings at the place where the Temple would soon be built.

Jerusalem is certainly the place that God has chosen for the nation of Israel just as the New Jerusalem is the place God has chosen for the Body of Christ!

Mat 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

SO, the wisdom of Solomon began to be seen by his people, Israel.

*****1Ki 3:28 And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.

What are the facts?

Every nation will follow and will submit to leaders who are guided by the wisdom of God!

Why?

The wisdom of God can be made clear by chosen men if they are in agreement with the written Word of God!

Today we have the complete Word of God so we do not need any special revelation from God, or some dream, to know what God desires from each of us. God has written it all down for us!

AND, the wisdom of God is only a great benefit if we put it into action in our own lives!

Applying wisdom to our life demonstrates our understanding of the Word of God!

In the life of Solomon we can see proof that God does exactly what He says He will do.

What had God promised King David?

1Ch 22:9 Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days.
1Ch 22:10 He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.

So, Solomon became the wisest of all men.

*****1Ki 4:29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.

We see that the wisdom of Solomon came from Elohim, our Creator.

God’s power is His ability to accomplish His purpose for every individual that is born into this earth!

God does not allow anything we humans do to interfere with His will for all creation!

God can do and will do what is needed to be done in any and in every circumstance!

Mat 19:25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
Mat 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; “but with God all things are possible”.

There is absolutely nothing that God cannot do!

There is only One other mentioned in the Bible who was wiser than Solomon and it was the Lord Jesus Christ.

Because it is only the Lord Jesus who has the entire wisdom of God!

Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

God not only gave Solomon high powers of the mind but he also gave Solomon a great capacity to receive knowledge as well as communicate that knowledge to others.

We may not ever have the wisdom of Solomon while we are on this earth but God will still freely share His wisdom with us if we just ask.

Jas 1:5 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. Jas 1:5 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.

God will always give us the wisdom we need for the work He has given us to do!

And one day when we finally get back home God will share with us all His wisdom!

1Co 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

BUT, Even this wisdom is useless unless we use it to be in God’s will.

The “heart” as used in this verse refers to the intellect of Solomon.

Not only was the wisdom of Solomon vast in in quantity but also in quality!

We may see a pile of sand as just particles until we see that we do not have a number to give the quantity of sand even in one desert or on one beach. We can look into just a handful of that same sand and see that no two grains of sand are exactly alike, in size, in shape, or in color and our minds just cannot see how this could be true but Solomon could give an answer to all these things.

There was no doubt that the wisdom of Solomon exceeded that of any other human being!

*****1Ki 4:30 And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.

Wisdom alone can make a man foolish but God had given Solomon the wisdom of how to apply knowledge.

Solomon knew how to do things!

The children of the east are always described as being wise and full of wisdom but they did not know how to get things done and in most cases chose war as an act to convey their own wisdom.

We can see that this still holds true today for the nations that are east of Israel.

The wisdom of Egypt was in arts and sciences and they were renown for this wisdom which was one of the reasons that they despised the Greeks in the time of Alexander who boasted of their own wisdom but the wisdom to apply the arts and sciences to all the things of this world was known only by Solomon.

The Bible says that Moses possessed the wisdom of Egypt which aided him in moving the children of Israel to the Promised Land of Canaan.

Act 7:22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.

The wisdom of Solomon much exceeded the wisdom of Moses because Solomon knew why things work as they do.

Israel is still a world leader in many of these things of applying wisdom to knowledge and much of the world still hates them even for these things!

The Bible says that Solomon was wiser than all men!

*****1Ki 4:31 For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Graphite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.

Ethan was wise enough to have written written one the Psalms that are preserved throughout eternity.

Psa 89:1 Maschil of Ethan the Graphite. I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.

Heman was also wise enough to have his Holy Ghost inspired words preserved throughout eternity but the wisdom of Solomon was far superior to that of Heman.

Psa 88:1 A Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Graphite. O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:

The sons of Mahol, Chalcol and Darda were also renown in Israel for their wisdom but their own wisdom was far surpassed by that of Solomon.

We see that Solomon was given a great opportunity to spread the Word of God because he certainly knew the truth of God but Solomon!

Solomon had the God given ability to even discern the signs of the times and this power to interpret extended to natural things as well as spiritual things.

Solomon became a great philosopher the proof is in the Book of Ecclesiastes.

Solomon became wise in his teachings, the Book of Proverbs is that proof.

Solomon became a great songwriter, the Songs of Solomon is proof of that.

And much of what Solomon said went unrecorded.

*****1Ki 4:32 And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.
1Ki 4:33 And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.

God teaches us, in these things of Solomon, that common sense is a good thing.

Discretion is also a good thing along with getting a good education in all the things of God and His creation.

Intelligence also should be a trait of the Christian, so the world can see that we are not just a bunch of robots who blindly follow the Word of God.

There is a great difference in blindly following the Word of God and understanding the “Truth” of God!

God wants us to understand the full realm of His creation, so we do not fall into the traps of evolution and the traps of false science.

1Ti 6:20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:
1Ti 6:21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen

We can see today that even our own president says that Christians are all a bunch of Neanderthal because we do not accept what false science insist on, though the world has never been able to prove God to be wrong!

Solomon’s wisdom included being able to explain God’s creation in words that all others sought to hear!

*****1Ki 4:34 And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.

Today there is no one place where a person can go to get answers, beyond the Word of God.

Knowledge is so vast that no one person can comprehend it all!

In fact this is a sign of the last days.

Dan 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

In fact the universities of America and much of the world have stopped teaching instructions for life and are now teaching philosophy to the point where our young people are not able cope with the world that is being left behind by this generation that is falling away from God! This is to our shame!

Ecc 8:16 When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:)
Ecc 8:17 Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

True wisdom begins with God!

In Solomon’s day, the entire world came to Solomon for the answers to questions that they did not understand because Solomon’s wisdom was a gift from God!

Solomon was the richest man to have ever lived by our own standards but Solomon was not the wisest man to have ever lived because that was Jesus and Jesus said this:

Mar 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Mar 8:37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Mar 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

By the end of Solomon’s life, he came to know the clear truth.

Spiritual matters and not physical matters are the most important things in this life!

Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

As grand as was the life and the wisdom of Solomon was, it has all passed away!

It is still what comes after this life that has the greatest importance!

Questions?

Let’s Pray!

The Seven Pillars Of Wisdom

June 1, 2013June 1, 2013 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Seven Pillars Of Wisdom

The Book of Wisdom, Proverbs let’s us know that there are 7 pillars of wisdom:

Pro 9:1 Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars:

And Job asked this question:

Job 28:12 But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?

The Bible is the place to find “wisdom” and “understanding” of the things in our life.

The Bible tells us that "wisdom" is the principle thing, or the most important thing for understanding of the things of this world and of course God’s World to come.

Pro 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

The Bible says that without wisdom we cannot even apply our heart to understanding.

The Bible tells us where to find this wisdom:

Pro 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

So what are these 7 pillars of wisdom so that we can build our house of understanding?

James the Half-Brother of Jesus gives these seven pillars of wisdom to us:

Jas 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

1) The wisdom from God is first "Pure":

In other words these 7 pillars of wisdom must first be built on Jesus Christ:

Jesus is our foundation for wisdom:

Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Remember it is not Peter that is the “rock” it is what Peter had just said!

Mat 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

This can happen only one way:

Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Tit 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

Without the purity of Jesus the other pillars will fall.

2) The wisdom from God is next "Peaceable":

The Bible says:

2Ti 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
2Ti 2:5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.
2Ti 2:6 The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.

3.) The man of wisdom must next be "Gentle":

Every child of God must be a gentleman or gentlewoman.

Again the Bible says:

Tit 3:2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

4) The man of wisdom must next be "Easy To Be Entreated":

This is being reasonable when it comes understanding the Word of God.

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

5) The man of wisdom must next be "Full of Mercy and Good Fruits":

This is being always helpful and considerate!

The Bible says:

Col 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

6) The man of wisdom must next be "Without Partiality"

The word “race” is not in the Bible. The word “tongues” meaning languages suggest only other cultures and “race” is irrelevant!

The Bible says:

1Ti 5:21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.

7) And the man of wisdom must be without "Hypocrisy"

Again the Bible says:

1Pe 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
1Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

Being a Christian is not putting a show but “It Is”being sincere in speech and in our actions.

We must be “doers of the Word” not hearers only!

There is no "Wisdom without the Lord" and your house of "Wisdom" will fall without these "Seven Pillars"!

Let’s Pray!

LESSONS IN GOD'S WORD

Taking time to read the Bible

Wisdom

The Rewards of Wisdom

Shame on Him

Asking for the Wisdom of God

The Wise Will Confess Their Sin

Avoiding Disaster

The Wisdom Of God Directs Our Path

The Wise Will Seek Salvation

Solomon God’s Man Of Wisdom

The Seven Pillars Of Wisdom

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