STUDY IT FOR YOURSELF! Have the attitude of the Bereans… … take what you are taught and search the Scriptures each day to see if what was taught is what the Word of God says [Acts 17:11]! Have the attitude of the Bereans…

The FATHER’S Spirit of WISDOM and UNDERSTANDING Part One: TRUE WISDOM!

An Introduction from the Book of Job

BECAUSE he was righteous in his own eyes. [1] Then these three men (Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite) CEASED BECAUSE he was righteous in his own eyes. [2] BUT the ANGER of Elihu… BURNED; AGAINST Job… BECAUSE JOB JUSTIFIED himself before God. BECAUSE CEASED ANSWERING Job

[3] And Elihu’s ANGER BURNED against Job’s three friends BECAUSE they had found no answer, and YET had CONDEMNED Job. [4] Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job BECAUSE THEY WERE YEARS OLDER than he. [5] And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men his ANGER BURNED.

THEREFORE I was SHY and AFRAID TO TELL YOU WHAT I THINK. [6] So Elihu… spoke out and said, “I AM YOUNG IN YEARS and YOU ARE OLDER; THEREFORE I was SHY and AFRAID TO TELL YOU WHAT I THINK. [7] “I THOUGHT AGE should SPEAK, and INCREASED YEARS should TEACH WISDOM.”

NOR may ELDERS UNDERSTAND JUSTICE.” [8] “NOW there is a SPIRIT in man, and the SPIRIT of the Almighty GIVES them UNDERSTANDING. [9] The ABUNDANT IN YEARS MAY NOT BE WISE, NOR may ELDERS UNDERSTAND JUSTICE.”

SO… WHAT IS TRUE WISDOM?

James 3:17 [17] BUT the WISDOM from above is first PURE, GENTLE, FULL of MERCY UNWAVERING, then PEACEABLE, REASONABLE, and GOOD FRUITS, without HYPOCRISY.

Psalm 119:97-100 [97] O HOW I LOVE THY LAW! IT is MY MEDITATION ALL the DAY. [98] THY COMMANDMENTS MAKE me WISER than my ENEMIES, for they are ever mine.

BECAUSE I HAVE OBSERVED Thy PRECEPTS. [99] I have more INSIGHT than ALL my teachers, for Thy TESTIMONIES are my MEDITATION. [100] I UNDERSTAND more than the AGED, BECAUSE I HAVE OBSERVED Thy PRECEPTS.

From WHERE Does TRUE WISDOM Come?

James 3:17 [17] BUT the WISDOM FROM ABOVE is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.

James 1:5 – through PRAYER [5] BUT if ANY of you LACKS WISDOM, LET HIM ASK of GOD, WHO GIVES to all men GENEROUSLY and without reproach, and it will be GIVEN to him.

2 Chronicles 1:10 – through PRAYER [10] “GIVE ME now WISDOM and KNOWLEDGE, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can rule this great people of Thine?”

2 Timothy 3:14-15 [14] You, however, CONTINUE in the things you have LEARNED and BECOME CONVINCED OF, knowing from whom you have learned them;

2 Timothy 3:14-15 [15] and that from childhood you HAVE KNOWN the SACRED WRITINGS WHICH ARE ABLE TO GIVE you the WISDOM that leads to SALVATION through FAITH which is in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 [16] ALL SCRIPTURE is GOD-BREATHED and PROFITABLE for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in RIGHTEOUSNESS; [17] that the man of God may be ADEQUATE, EQUIPPED for every good work.

Proverbs 2:1-10 [2] MAKE your EAR ATTENTIVE to WISDOM, INCLINE your HEART to UNDERSTANDING; [3] … CRY for DISCERNMENT, LIFT your VOICE for UNDERSTANDING;

[4] IF you SEEK her as silver, And SEARCH for her as for HIDDEN TREASURES; [5] THEN you will DISCERN the FEAR of the LORD, and DISCOVER the KNOWLEDGE of God.

[6] FOR the LORD gives WISDOM; from His mouth come KNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTANDING. [10] FOR WISDOM WILL ENTER your heart, and KNOWLEDGE WILL BE PLEASENT to your soul….

The VALUE of TRUE WISDOM!

Proverbs 4:7 (NKJV) [7] WISDOM is the PRINCIPAL THING; Therefore GET WISDOM. And in all your getting, GET UNDERSTANDING.

WISDOM is the PRINCIPAL THING because: The LORD POSSESSED WISDOM at the BEGINNING, before His works of old [Proverbs 8:22]. WISDOM was established from everlasting – from the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth [Proverbs 8:23].

WISDOM is the PRINCIPAL THING because: Job 28:28, says, [28] “And to man He said, ‘BEHOLD, the FEAR of the Lord, and to DEPART from EVIL IS UNDERSTANDING.’” FEAR of the Lord, that is WISDOM;

The WARNING of WISDOM!

Ecclesiastes 2:12-13 as LIGHT OUTSHINES DARKNESS. [12] SO I TURNED to CONSIDER WISDOM, MADNESS and FOLLY… [13] And I SAW that WISDOM OUTSHINES FOLLY as LIGHT OUTSHINES DARKNESS.

WISDOM has the ADVANTAGE of GIVING SUCCESS. Ecclesiastes 10:10 [10] IF the axe is DULL and he DOES NOT SHARPEN its EDGE, THEN he MUST EXERT more strength. WISDOM has the ADVANTAGE of GIVING SUCCESS.

WISDOM Personified SHE LIFTS HER VOICE in the square; Proverbs 1:20-33 [20] WISDOM SHOUTS in the street, SHE LIFTS HER VOICE in the square; [21] At the head of the noisy streets SHE CRIES OUT; At the entrance of the gates in the city, SHE UTTERS HER SAYINGS:

I WILL MAKE MY WORDS KNOWN to you.” [22] “HOW LONG, O naive ones, WILL YOU LOVE SIMPLICITY? And scoffers DELIGHT themselves in scoffing, and fools HATE knowledge? [23] TURN TO MY REPROOF, BEHOLD, I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT ON YOU; I WILL MAKE MY WORDS KNOWN to you.”

[24] “BECAUSE… … I CALLED, and YOU REFUSED; … I STRETCHED OUT MY hand, and NO ONE PAID ATTENTION; [25] … you NEGLECTED ALL MY COUNSEL, … And DID NOT WANT MY REPROOF;”

I WILL MOCK when your dread comes, BECAUSE of verses 24 and 25, WISDOM says, [26] “I WILL EVEN LAUGH at your CALAMITY; I WILL MOCK when your dread comes, [27] When your DREAD COMES like a storm, And your CALAMITY I WILL MOCK when your dread comes, And your CALAMITY COMES on like a whirlwind, When DISTRES When DISTRESS and ANGUISH COME on you.”

They WILL SEEK ME DILIGENTLY, BUT they SHALL NOT FIND ME, [28] “THEN they WILL CALL on ME, BUT I WILL NOT ANSWER; They WILL SEEK ME DILIGENTLY, BUT they SHALL NOT FIND ME, [29] BECAUSE… they HATED KNOWLEDGE, and DID NOT CHOOSE the FEAR of the LORD.”

[30] “They WOULD NOT ACCEPT MY COUNSEL, They SPURNED ALL MY REPROOF [30] “They WOULD NOT ACCEPT MY COUNSEL, They SPURNED ALL MY REPROOF. [31] SO they SHALL EAT of the FRUIT of their OWN WAY, and be SATIATED with their OWN DEVICES.”

[32] “FOR the WAYWARDNESS of the NAIVE shall KILL them, and the COMPLACENCY of FOOLS shall DESTROY them. [33] BUT HE WHO LISTENS to ME SHALL LIVE SECURELY, and SHALL BE AT EASE from the DREAD of EVIL.”

Proverbs 9:1-11 – WISDOM Personified [1] WISDOM has built her house… [3] … she calls… [4] “Whoever is naive, let him turn in here!” [5] “… eat of my food… drink of the wine I have mixed.” [6] “Forsake your folly and live, and proceed in the way of UNDERSTANDING.”

reprove a WISE man, and he will love you. [8] Do not reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you, reprove a WISE man, and he will love you. [9] Give INSTRUCTION to a WISE man, and he will be still WISER, TEACH a righteous man, and he will increase his learning.

[10] The FEAR of the LORD is the beginning of WISDOM, And the knowledge of the Holy One is UNDERSTANDING. [11] FOR BY ME (wisdom) your days will be MULTIPLIED, and YEARS of LIFE will be ADDED to you.

The Conclusion of the Matter!

Hosea 14:9 [9] WHOEVER IS WISE, LET him UNDERSTAND these things; FOR the WAYS of the LORD are RIGHT, BUT TRANSGRESSORS WILL STUMBLE in them. [9] WHOEVER IS WISE, LET him UNDERSTAND these things; WHOEVER IS DISCERNING, LET him KNOW them. FOR the WAYS of the LORD are RIGHT, and the RIGHTEOUS WILL WALK IN THEM,

Ephesians 5:15-17 BUT AS WISE, [15] THEREFORE BE CAREFUL how you WALK, NOT AS UNWISE men, BUT AS WISE, [17] SO THEN DO NOT BE FOOLISH, BUT UNDERSTAND WHAT IS the WILL of the Lord.

Today’s Discipleship Lesson Ecclesiastes 12:13 (NIV) [13] Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: FEAR God and KEEP His commandments, for this is THE WHOLE (duty) of MAN [mankind]. Discipleship Lesson

Here IS Your INVITATION to SEE the VALUE in TRUE WISDOM – and to WALK in IT!