Wisdom for True Success A Special Sunday Message Proverbs 3:1-12 September 1, 2013 Pastor Paul K. Kim

WHAT WE MUST FIRST KNOW ABOUT PROVERBS 3 It is a father’s counsel to his son.  So, we must consider this NOT as “fortune-cookie” advices but as our heavenly Father’s counsel to us as God’s children. It is a set of proverbs—i.e., wise observations/sayings of general truths and underlying principles of how life works.  So, we must treat this passage NOT as “air-tight” promises but as wise principles of living. It is God’s wisdom for a way of life [“path”] for fruitfulness.  So, we must look for NOT shortcuts to temporary success but for life principles of lasting success.

WHAT WISDOM DOES OUR HEAVENLY FATHER OFFER US FOR TRUE SUCCESS? 1)A relentless PURSUIT OF GOD’S WORD: Keep God’s commandments in your heart and life. 1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, 2 for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. 3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. (vs.1-4) All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies. Psalm 25:10

WHAT WISDOM DOES OUR HEAVENLY FATHER OFFER US FOR TRUE SUCCESS? 1)A relentless PURSUIT OF GOD’S WORD: Keep God’s commandments in your heart and life. 1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, 2 for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. 3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. (vs.1-4)  The first and foundational wisdom for true success is to keep the Word of God close to heart and practice as our guide.  How? We must seek Scripture daily for guidance and vitality.  In so doing, we must believe that God’s Word guides us with steadfast love and faithfulness.

WHAT WISDOM DOES OUR HEAVENLY FATHER OFFER US FOR TRUE SUCCESS? 2)A wholehearted TRUST IN GOD’S GUIDANCE: Trust in the LORD and be not wise in your own eyes. 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. 8 It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. (vs.5-8)

WHAT WISDOM DOES OUR HEAVENLY FATHER OFFER US FOR TRUE SUCCESS? 2)A wholehearted TRUST IN GOD’S GUIDANCE: Trust in the LORD and be not wise in your own eyes. 5 Trust in the Lord... [How?] —with all your heart; —do not lean on your own understanding. 5 Trust in the Lord... [How?] — 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and [this is why:] he will make straight your paths. 5 Trust in the Lord... [How?] — 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; 5 Trust in the Lord... [How?] —fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. [this is why:] 8 It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. (vs.5-8)

WHAT WISDOM DOES OUR HEAVENLY FATHER OFFER US FOR TRUE SUCCESS? 2)A wholehearted TRUST IN GOD’S GUIDANCE: Trust in the LORD and be not wise in your own eyes. 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. 8 It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. (vs.5-8)  Trusting in God’s guidance requires: (1) trusting with all our hearts, (2) saying no to self-reliance, (3) acknowledging God as the Center/Guide, & (4) fearing the LORD in our everyday life.  It is a lifestyle of the godly as truly successful people.  We are to do this fourfold practice of trust wholeheartedly.

The Spirit’s Inward Prompting and God’s Written Word Earnest Christians seeking guidance often go wrong. Why is this? Often the reason is that their notion of the nature and method of divine guidance is distorted. They look for a will-o’-the-wisp; they overlook the guidance that is ready at hand and lay themselves open to all sorts of delusions. Their basic mistake is to think of guidance as essentially inward prompting by the Holy Spirit, apart from the written Word. This idea... is a seed-bed in which all forms of fanaticism and folly can grow... But the true way to honor the Holy Spirit as our guide is to honor the holy Scriptures through which he guides us. The fundamental guidance which God gives to shape our lives—the instilling, that is, of the basic convictions, attitudes, ideals and value judgments, in terms of which we are to live—is not a matter of inward promptings apart from the Word but of the pressure on our consciences of the portrayal of God’s character and will in the Word, which the Spirit enlightens us to understand and apply to ourselves. ― J.I. Packer

WHAT WISDOM DOES OUR HEAVENLY FATHER OFFER US FOR TRUE SUCCESS? 3)A deliberate HONORING OF GOD WITH POSSESSIONS: Honor the LORD with your wealth and firstfruits. 9 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; 10 then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. (vs. 9-10) The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God. Exodus 23:19a

WHAT WISDOM DOES OUR HEAVENLY FATHER OFFER US FOR TRUE SUCCESS? 3)A deliberate HONORING OF GOD WITH POSSESSIONS: Honor the LORD with your wealth and firstfruits. 9 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; 10 then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. (vs. 9-10)  Honoring God requires more than words, feelings, thoughts. Why? Where our treasure is, there our heart will be also.  Practically, it is not merely tithing but with every good thing that we possess and the best of of what we produce.  The only way to properly honor God in this way is to make this a top priority in managing our possessions and income.

WHAT WISDOM DOES OUR HEAVENLY FATHER OFFER US FOR TRUE SUCCESS? 4)A willing ACCEPTANCE OF GOD’S DISCIPLINE: Heed your heavenly Father’s reproof and training for you. 11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, 12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. (vs ) For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11

WHAT WISDOM DOES OUR HEAVENLY FATHER OFFER US FOR TRUE SUCCESS? 4)A willing ACCEPTANCE OF GOD’S DISCIPLINE: Embrace your heavenly Father’s reproof and training for you. 11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, 12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. (vs )  God’s reproof is not to punish us but to train us for what the LORD prepares for us in love.  If we are not disciplined or trained, we are illegitimate children—conversely, God’s disciplines are a sign of his love.  Our perspective must be changed if we are to embrace God’s disciplines in our lives by faith.

THREE PRACTICAL QUESTIONS FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE 1.In what ways can I gear up on relentless pursuit of God’s Word in my everyday life? 2.What would it mean for me to live out a wholehearted trust in God’s guidance rather than leaning on my own understanding? 3.What do I need to change in order to deliberately honor God with my possessions? 4.How can I more willingly accept and appreciate God’s disciplines in my life?