Church of Christ at Medina June 12 th, 2011

English Standard My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. New Century Translation My child, listen to what I say and remember what I command you. Listen carefully to wisdom and set your mind on understanding. Cry out for wisdom, and beg for understanding. Search for it like hidden treasure. Then you will understand respect for the Lord, and you will find that you know God.

English Standard For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. New Century Translation Only the Lord gives wisdom; he gives knowledge and understanding. He stores up wisdom for those who are honest. Like a shield he protects the innocent. He makes sure that justice is done, and he protects those who are loyal to him.

English Standard Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; fro wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you, delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech, who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness, who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil, men whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways. New Century Translation Then you will understand what is honest and fair and what is the good and right thing to do. Wisdom will come into your mind, and knowledge will be pleasing to you. Good sense will protect you; understanding will guard you. It will keep you from the wicked, from those whose words are bad, who don’t do what is right but what is evil. They enjoy doing wrong and are happy to do what is crooked and evil. What they do is wrong, and their ways are dishonest.

 Wisdom can be found, but not by accident. It is a gift, but it is only given to those searching for it.  The Source of Wisdom: God  “…if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you…” (2:1)  “For the Lord God gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;” (2:6)  Job 28:12-28

 The Progression to Wisdom  The desire to know God’s wisdom. We must be satisfied with God’s knowledge and wisdom. 2 Peter 1:3  Asking for God’s help. James 1:5 Example: Solomon (2 Chronicles 1:10) Psalm 90:12 Psalm 119:34,169 Ephesians 1:17 & Colossians 1:9  Being willing to earnestly search for it. Wisdom is a gift from God, but we must work to receive it. We must recognize the value of wisdom before we are willing to work for it. John 6:68

 Wisdom has positive rewards, other than making one “smart”.  God’s wisdom enlightens.  “…then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.”  How can we know how to serve, worship and please God?  John 4:24  John 17:17  God’s wisdom protects, guards and watches.  God’s word and wisdom will also protect us and provide us with an anchor in times of need.

 God’s wisdom helps us to avoid problem areas – specifically, temptation and sin.  Jesus is our greatest example.  Ecclesiastes 7:12  Wisdom avoids the beginning of sin by replacing light for darkness in our hearts.  God’s wisdom helps when it begins to fill our hearts, not just our heads.  “Fire is quenched by water, not by opposing flames. Evil must be overcome with good.” (Pulpit Commentary)

 We must be careful that we don’t allow sin to grab hold of us and we become like those who “rejoice in doing evil” and “delight in the perverseness of evil.”  Stage 1: Sin is painful.  Feelings of guilt, uneasiness and humiliation.  2 Corinthians 7:10  Stage 2: Being indifferent to sin.  Guilt and humiliation are no longer there, unless one is caught.  Very dangerous stage.  Stage 3: Getting joy from participating in sin.  The very act of participating in sin is enjoyable.  Psalm 36:3-4