Principles of wisdom.

“Have no fear”. ( vs. 25-26) The words of Christ himself many times over were “fear not”. The words of the angels were always “fear not”; How or why can we fear not? Because God is for us, God is with us, and His law is right and just!

    What kinds of things do we fear in life? If we didn’t have anything in our life that troubled us - our human nature would trust in self. God desires that we trust in Him. I think our greatest fears in life come from those things that we have no control over! And, maybe that’s a good thing because we can overcome our fears by having faith in the one who can control things! When I use the word fear I mean all levels of fear from general apprehension and worry to dread and terror.

    Fear starts out when we are very young with fears of things like darkness, monsters, etc. and it continues into our teenage years with fears of things like rejection, humiliation and failure. But, Adulthood is also filled with possible fears such as fear of disease, death, financial problems, broken relationships, loved ones being hurt, storms, failure, aging, crime, etc.

    Focus on God And “Fear Not” - This is the consistent message of the Bible regarding fear. For example when Peter Walked on the water Peter’s fear got the victory only when he lost his focus on Jesus. In Isaiah 26: 3 God has said "I will keep in perfect peace all who trust in me, who thoughts are fixed on me!" We also see the same idea and Philippians 4: 6-7 which says "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. Then the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

    There will be times when anxiety and fear will come into our lives, it is then that we have a choice to make - we can choose to focus on the problem and be overcome with fear or we can choose to focus on God; knowing He will be at our side.

Psalm 27 says:

“The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? (compared to darkness and feeling lost) The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? (compared to my own strength, wealth, or power) When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. (Why? Because God is my protector.)  One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD. ( A good thing to do when we are afraid.) Hear my voice when I call, LORD; be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek.  Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior. Though my father and mother (or anyone else) forsake me, the LORD will receive me. Teach me your way, LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, spouting malicious accusations. I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” (The best thing we can do!)

 

Part 5 – Principles of wisdom

“Search diligently for wisdom”. (Chapter 3 vs. 13-24) Read of all the benefits;

*more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.

*nothing you desire can compare with her.

*Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.

*all her paths are peace.

*all who hold her fast will be blessed.

*you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble.

*When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be   

  sweet.

    Allow me to use the analogy of a farmer with a tractor in the field; He must have the right equipment- (you don’t plow with a hay rake!) He needs the right materials; He must know what to do and what not to do with it; He must know how and when to use it and when not to use it.

    Wisdom has two distinct characteristics: one is “information” the other is “know how”.  In these verses we read - 13-20 deal with knowledge, learning, information, data, facts, and experience. Verses 21-24 deal with perception, discernment, judgment, reason, and insight…or just plain old “common sense”.

    So, let’s look at the words “search diligently”. According to Webster’s Dictionary, the word “search” means; “to look through carefully in order to find something lost; to examine carefully in order to find something concealed;” The second part certainly applies to God’s Word or Bible study.

    I know you have all been in the type of situation I have found myself in several times; which involves not being able to find something when I need it! I look everywhere; in the drawers, in the cabinets, through the closet, searching clothes pockets, it’s so frustrating! I know right where I put it! Right? That drives me bonkers! However, we have not lost the Word of God; we have the wisdom of God right here all the time. We are talking more about searching diligently, or examining carefully, in order to find something – contained – but not necessarily concealed in the Word.

    The word “diligently” is described as “a constant, persistent, effort”. Not a once in a while – when I might need it – effort; not a once a month or even once a week, but an everyday, persistent, effort to gain wisdom and understanding! To quote my own book “Show and Tell” – “the more we know, the more it will show!” When I was called into the ministry by God, I spent literally hours and days reading books, listening to tapes, going to seminars, taking classes, taking notes, and ingesting as much as I could in my finite brain. I truly had a hunger for the Word of God, and a passion to teach others. However, you don’t have to be called into full-time ministry to have this same diligent passion.

    “A man reaps what he sows.” The peculiar thing about this is that it is a promise and a warning at the same time. Life’s choices are filled with consequences good and bad, temporary and eternal, according to what is sown. I have found that there are really two parts to the law of the harvest; one part says we reap more than we sow – which has to do with God’s part, or what God does with our seed; the other is we reap in proportion to what we sow – that’s our part. I can also note that scripture also points out our attitude in sowing as well by using words such as “grudgingly, reluctantly, or under compulsion”… for “God loves a cheerful giver.”

    The world’s philosophy and God’s wisdom are typically just the opposite. The world says “get all you can, can all you get, and then sit on the can!” This was the philosophy of the man who received one talent; this was the philosophy of the man who reaped a large harvest and decided to build bigger barns rather than share with those in need. In contrast to this, the believer sows to glorify God and bless others.    

    If you read on in 2 Corinthians 9 it says “Now he who supplies seed to the sower”… Where does the seed come from? (Remember we are not just talking about money. These laws are universal and apply to every area of life.) It says that God not only supplies the seed, but he also “will supply and increase your store of seed so you can be generous on every occasion.” Remember the story of the fish and the loaves? Not only did everyone eat, but there were twelve baskets left over!

    The kind of seed we sow, the attitude in which we sow, and the measure by which we sow, will all determine the outcome or the harvest. The increase, which is God’s part, will always be in proportion to what we do with what he gives us. Once again, if you look at the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25, you will see this law of the harvest in action. I can’t say it enough; the laws of the harvest are universal! You may not think you have much love to give, but what are you doing with the love you have? You may not think you have much talent, but what are you doing with the talent you have? You may not have much knowledge, but what are you doing with the knowledge you have?

    The laws of the harvest are one explanation of the generation gap. The younger generation wants to “sow their wild oats” and have fun, take chances, and live life with reckless abandon. The older generation is reaping the consequences of doing just that when they were young, and now they are trying to warn the young, and nobody listens. I am glad however, that the laws work both ways because many of us older generation are reaping the good harvest of the good seeds our parents and grandparents have planted over the years.

    The fact that we reap more than we sow can be seen in many ways, but especially in a physical garden. One kernel of corn will produce many kernels of corn; one bean seed can produce hundreds of beans, and so on. There is an old saying that we can count the number of seeds in an apple, but only God knows how many apples are in a seed. We may sow the seed of love or knowledge or compasssion into a child, and only God knows how many lives may be changed because of what was sown. There are so many examples of this it would take another book!

    Proverbs 11:24 says “One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed!” My friends, we can’t do anything about last year’s harvest– or yesterday’s harvest – but we can do something about tomorrows harvest!

"Jogging in a Jug"

    Of course, there is also a negative side of this law where we reap the negative consequences of what others have done. Exodus 20:6; 34:6 and Numbers 14:18 all say the same thing; “God punishes sin to the third and fourth generation.” Do you think what we sow is important? How many have heard of a “crack” baby? Or how about fetal alcohol syndrome?

    The Bible says that we all inherit or reap the sin of Adam, and we pass it along to our children. This is not only a sinful nature, but also things children learn and do like; how to be critical; how to find fault with and talk about others behind their back; or how about racism and Semitism? We reap the consequences of foolish and corrupt leaders; we reap the consequences of family decay and divorce. We are quickly becoming a people whom the Bible says “are doing what seems right in their own eyes!”

    Available to us is the work of Edward Gibbon, who in 1787 completed his book “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.” In it he attributes the fall as being the result of;

1. Rapidly increasing divorce.

2. Higher taxation.

3. A mad craze for pleasure; with sports becoming more exciting and brutal.

4. The building of gigantic armaments, when the enemy was within.

5. The decay of religion; fading into form and becoming impotent.

Is it ironic, or is it the absolute law of the harvest?

    We live in a world of instant gratification. Instant everything like fast foods, instant grits, DSL internet service, we want faster and when we have to wait 30 seconds for something, we get frustrated. It seems as though whether it’s health, or wealth, or spiritual growth, or you name it, we want to reap without ever sowing. We don’t want to put forth an effort; just reap the benefits. Have you ever heard of something called “jogging in a jug”? It’s a concoction of 4 parts grape juice; 4 parts apple juice; 1 part apple cider vinegar…Mmmm. It’s a folk remedy for high cholesterol…a kind of Draino for the arteries! I don’t know if it works, but it is guaranteed to make your face pucker for about 3 minutes. You don’t have to strap on your Nike’s and “Just do it” you could just grab a glass and “just drink it!” And, please pass the jelly donuts!

    We laugh, but what we are doing is trying to repeal the law of sowing and reaping. We want to sever the connection between actions and consequences. Not just with our eating habits, but with every area of our lives. We want instant gratification without having to pay the price.

    There is a good example in the story of King David in 2 Samuel chapter 11 – It’s the story of David’s affair with Bathsheba. There is an old saying that “sin will take you father than you expected to go, keep you longer than you expected to stay, and cost you more than you expected to pay!” The seed of David’s sin resulted in his families devastation. David’s first child by Bathsheba died; the women of David’s household were sexually assaulted by his own son Absalom; His own daughter was raped by her half-brother; David later lost both of his sons; Amnon was murdered by Absalom and Absalom was killed by Joab for trying to take over his father David’s throne.

    Some of the things we read in the Old Testament may seem rather harsh to us, but remember that God has set standards; boundaries; and laws that when crossed or disobeyed, result in unpleasant consequences. Many of you reading this right now know of someone who’s life would be different if not for the “bad or good” seeds sown by their parents…(different season) We can forgive and find forgiveness, but the laws of the harvest can only be changed by the mercy and grace of God.

    I myself have sown some bad seeds in the past that I am not proud of, and I am seeing the consequence of that even today, but I have also sown some good seeds, some eternal seeds, of which I may not see the harvest of until Jesus comes again. The difference is that – with the help of God – I began to change the seeds I was planting! The Apostle Paul put it this way in Ephesians 4:22-24 and 5:8-10 – “You were taught with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness”… “For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live then as children of light. For the fruit of the light consists of all goodness; righteousness; and truth, and find out what pleases the Lord. Be very careful then how you live, not as unwise but as wise,  making the most of every opportunity…”

    Can you see what this would have to do with the law of the harvest? So what is the lesson? If you don’t do anything, you will reap a garden of weeds! But, if you want to see good, fruitful results – no matter what the subject – then you must plant good seeds and do your best to keep out the tares and the weeds! You may or may not see the harvest…but your children and grandchildren will!