May 22, 2019

Wisdom and Understanding #

Pro 3:13-20

I. Promise (13) #

A. Happiness #

Most people today, are not happy! They are mad, they are frustrated, they are disappointed, they are depressed, they are discouraged… Most people want to be happy!

True happiness is not found in possessions, power, or position, but rather in the knowledge offered by God!

Happiness Is The Lord

Happiness is to know the Savior
Living a life within His favor
Having a change in my behavior
Happiness is the Lord!
Happiness is a new creation
Jesus and me in close relation
Having a part in His salvation
Happiness is the Lord!
Real joy is mine
No matter if teardrops start,
I’ve found the secret,
It’s Jesus in my heart!
Happiness is to be forgiven
Living the life thats worth the living
Taking a trip that leads to heaven
Happiness is the Lord,
Happiness is the Lord,
Happiness is the Lord!

B. Wisdom & Understanding #

1. Come from the LORD! #

(Prov 2:6) “For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.”

(Psa 144:15) “Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.”

C. Don’t let go! (18) #

1. When you stop drinking from the well of happiness… your happiness will dry up! #

2. There are plenty of things in this world that want to pull the happiness right out of you! #

3. Comparing yourself to others. #

4. Coveting things others have. #

5. [Your own expectations of yourself!] #

6. Dwelling on these things causes problems! #

7. Keeping your eyes focused on God, will keep you from focusing on the negative, or bad situations. #

a) (Psa 119:105) “¶ NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

8. Light is associated with joy, and happiness. Darkness is associated with death, doom, and gloom. If you want joy, and happiness, keep the lamp of hope lit in your life! #

II. Preciousness of wisdom and understanding (14-15) #

A. Value of merchandise #

1. Great amounts of time are invested in production. The end results of that, is a sale that will generate income. #

a) A farmer will invest great amounts of time and energy to turn the dirt over in his fields. He will invest great amounts of time an energy in planting seed in that field. He will invest great amounts of time, money and energy in spraying those crops to keep weeds, and pestilence out of the crops. He doesn’t do that so he can put that crop in his cupboards of his house. That is what someone does who has a garden. A farmer invests all that time and energy, expecting to have crops that can be stored and fed to the live stock, or sold for money to keep the farm running.

b) A factory spends a great deal of time and money to invest in supplies, tools and labor to produce a product. In the end, they don’t build that product just for themselves, they build it with the intention of selling that product for profit. It is the merchandise that is produced.

c) The merchandise, or product of wisdom and understanding is better than gold or silver!

d) You will not lose investing in God! Never!

B. Value of silver and gold #

Many people have been killed because of gold!
Men have placed a high value on gold and silver!

1. Money can buy a bed, but not sleep #

2. Money can buy books, but not knowledge #

3. Money can buy a house, but not a home #

4. Money can buy medicine, but not health #

5. Money can buy amusements, but not happiness #

6. Money can buy companions, but not friends #

7. Money can buy a Bible, but not salvation #

8. Some things can only be acquired from God! #

C. Value of Rubies! (15) #

1. Rubies are a precious stone, that is valuable. In the previous verse, wisdom was better than silver and gold or riches. However a ruby differs in value from that of silver or gold. Gold and silver are metals, you can take smaller pieces of them, and melt them down, and make a larger piece of it. However, Rubies are not like that. They are precious stone, because of their rareness. Scientifically, it is made of Aluminum and Oxygen heated to very high temperatures under pressure. Large naturally occurring rubies, are more rare than diamonds. They were formed deep in the earth, and carried out by volcanic eruptions in only 7 countries in the world. You can see why they are more precious than gold or silver! Wisdom, is even more precious than this most precious stone on earth! Nothing that a person could desire would be more precious than this! #

D. NOTHING is more important (15) #

People struggle with money more than anything, and the desire to be wealthy.
However, nothing in this world is more comparable to the value of wisdom and understanding!

III. Product (16-18) #

Personification places human characteristics to something not human.

A. Time (16) #

Eternal life!

a) (John 3:36) “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
This cannot be bought with all the gold, and rubies of the world!

B. Treasure (16) #

Child of the King
We don’t have to be rich… however spiritually, we are wealthy!

C. Respect (honor) (16) #

Wisdom is honored.
God Blessed Solomon as the wisest man of the world, and he was honored by all.
The queen of Sheba, traveled just to meet him, and see if what she had heard was true!

D. Tranquility (pleasantness and peace) (17) #

Turmoil, trouble, hatred, contention, spite, anger, seem to be the normal in the world today.
Pleasantness is, nice, agreeable, pleasing, enjoyable. Some people are very pleasant to be around.
Those who have wisdom and understanding… should have pleasant ways, and peace.

E. Tree of life (18) #

(Prov 11:30) “¶ The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.”

One that has found wisdom, and gotten understanding, will share the gospel!

IV. Power of Wisdom and understanding! (19-20) #

A. Creator - LORD #

This world didn’t evolve!
You didn’t come from a monkey.
When God created Adam, he made him to appear as though he had aged naturally to grow into a man.
God created the trees, with the appearance as though they had been on the earth for 50+ years, though they were only days old.
There is nothing to stop God from creating the earth and universe from having an appearance of being older than it actually is.

B. Creation #

C. Founded the earth #

1. The very foundations and the earth itself was created by God! #

2. They were formed in a regular consistent way. Many scientist have discovered rules, and equations in creation that are consistent. That didn’t just happen by accident! #

D. Established the Heavens #

a) (Psa 19:1) “¶ The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.”

a) I confess I don’t know enough of the science behind the heavens, the laws of gravity that hold the stars in place, but I know the God, who truly displayed His power, and understanding of all sciences when He hung them there!

E. Control #

F. Depths are broken up! #

a) The science that is involved in all this, is impressive! Learning about rubies, and how they were formed deep in the earth, and later spit out, is incredible. It is as if God gives us a little glimpse of what He can do!